Indian Railway Journey Experiences in 2nd Class – Part 1
Background
Last month, I happened to go for a few site visits at Ankleshwar for our company’s ongoing project (India’s First Bio-refinery) to take care of some quality control issues (just to say so). It was like two days in a week, Thursday & Friday, for 5 weeks. For Ankleshwar, I was needed to Ashram Express from platform 4 at no later than 7.00 am (departure time). It is a good 3 hours journey. Then from Ankleshwar station to 15 minutes of adventurous ride on extremely busy and under construction highway, in “chhakada” to reach the site. As I was travelling alone, and my Latest N16 Nokia handset was (or is) not having in-built music/FM feature, I had to pass time by observing people, their activities and habits closely. Though my company was kind enough(!) to reserve my tickets (in 2nd Class) online every-time so that I could go to site, but it was “I”..who was to go ..!! During my 5 visits to Ankleshwar, I had spent total 30 hours in Indian Railway coaches in 10 journeys (of course I came back every time I went there..that makes it 10). It is almost 1.25 days among almost hundreds of unknown faces & nature. So, all the experience can not be told in one single stretch, so I am dividing them into 3 parts. Hope you “Enjoi” the journey from my eyes, but pray to God that whenever you happen to travel in Indian Railways in 2nd Class, these things won’t come around you.
(Too much of background, but of absolute need to strongly put my thoughts)
Journey in WEEK 1
As I was travelling all alone, and it was a trip of 2 days, not anything I was having except a bag. I was well before time (me on time! surprised??) on the railway platform of Kalupur. As general practice while travelling, I set on a window seat (actually my reserved seat was a window seat only, but a slight excited of getting one! Lucky me I thought). Aah..pathetic view of railway tracks. Nothing to see actually there, proof of Indian railway’s “Open End” sanitary system everywhere..! Foul air all around. Bad start I thought. The train was about to depart in 5 minutes or so. I rose up to put my bag on the rack. But suddenly I realized that there were 2 black coloured “big” bags lying beneath my seat and the seat in front of mine. I got a mild heart attack..! There were not many people around in the coach. Hardly 10-15 of them. I asked a few of them if those belonged to any of them. All denied. While I set wondering what to do, 2 more people came and set on the seat in front of me. I instantly told him that there were two “lawaris” bags lying there. They didn’t even cared!! “Damn you fools..are we so insensitive??” I said (to myself only.) It could be anything like bomb. In the movie “Mumbai Meri jaan”, there is one dialogue said by a lady doctor.. “IT IS OKAY TO BE SCARED”. And So was I that time..it was more than 10 minutes after I arrived in the coach & that stuff was still lying under my seat. My heart started beating faster as the Ashram Express started moving. I was thinking of what could be done..and suddenly from no where, 2 uncle came next to me to claim their seats, as well as those bags…phhew!! Such a relief. I reconfirmed that those were their bags only. A question arose in my mind “Salaao..kya mari gya hata to bags aavi rite mukine..?”, but I reframed that and asked the same to one of the uncle in a mannered way..he said “Are ahi thodo aanto maarvaj gya hta..kem? shu thayu?”. Emne kon samjave ke shu thayu!! Whatever, I thought.
In few minutes, Maninagar arrived. Till then the coach was kind of spacious. Suddenly, flock of people with their belongings rushed into the coach from both the doors. Chaos. I was at ease..as on the window seat. Suddenly one “party” came to me, shouting..”e bhai, jagya khali karo..reservation che. Chalo jaldi”. Huh..i didn’t pay attention. Then he shouted again..”Oye bhai, dekhatu nathi lediz* (*his wife)ubhi che?? Jagya khali karo..reservation che.” What crap..i had my ticket n seat number. I asked him what was her seat number. Her’s was in the next row. Buddhi no latth ..I thought. Dimag nu Dahi thai gyu pahela half hour ma to. I was really drained mentally. Thank to God, he gave me no more trouble till I reach the site.
About the return journey, fortunately or unfortunately nothing great happened. If getting window seat is lucky…then I was luckier that time. I got my reservation on “Emergency Window” seat..!!!
No great things happened in the first week you will think. But the level of the events happening to me also kept on increasing from “events”( in week 1 & 2) to “incident” (week 3-4) & even worse, to “Disaster” (week 5)..!!
So…many more things to come here. Keep following. As I have already given background in this part, the next one will be having only “events” & “incident”..!!
Bye for Now..
-Asthir Amdavadi
(Kush)
Last month, I happened to go for a few site visits at Ankleshwar for our company’s ongoing project (India’s First Bio-refinery) to take care of some quality control issues (just to say so). It was like two days in a week, Thursday & Friday, for 5 weeks. For Ankleshwar, I was needed to Ashram Express from platform 4 at no later than 7.00 am (departure time). It is a good 3 hours journey. Then from Ankleshwar station to 15 minutes of adventurous ride on extremely busy and under construction highway, in “chhakada” to reach the site. As I was travelling alone, and my Latest N16 Nokia handset was (or is) not having in-built music/FM feature, I had to pass time by observing people, their activities and habits closely. Though my company was kind enough(!) to reserve my tickets (in 2nd Class) online every-time so that I could go to site, but it was “I”..who was to go ..!! During my 5 visits to Ankleshwar, I had spent total 30 hours in Indian Railway coaches in 10 journeys (of course I came back every time I went there..that makes it 10). It is almost 1.25 days among almost hundreds of unknown faces & nature. So, all the experience can not be told in one single stretch, so I am dividing them into 3 parts. Hope you “Enjoi” the journey from my eyes, but pray to God that whenever you happen to travel in Indian Railways in 2nd Class, these things won’t come around you.
(Too much of background, but of absolute need to strongly put my thoughts)
Journey in WEEK 1
As I was travelling all alone, and it was a trip of 2 days, not anything I was having except a bag. I was well before time (me on time! surprised??) on the railway platform of Kalupur. As general practice while travelling, I set on a window seat (actually my reserved seat was a window seat only, but a slight excited of getting one! Lucky me I thought). Aah..pathetic view of railway tracks. Nothing to see actually there, proof of Indian railway’s “Open End” sanitary system everywhere..! Foul air all around. Bad start I thought. The train was about to depart in 5 minutes or so. I rose up to put my bag on the rack. But suddenly I realized that there were 2 black coloured “big” bags lying beneath my seat and the seat in front of mine. I got a mild heart attack..! There were not many people around in the coach. Hardly 10-15 of them. I asked a few of them if those belonged to any of them. All denied. While I set wondering what to do, 2 more people came and set on the seat in front of me. I instantly told him that there were two “lawaris” bags lying there. They didn’t even cared!! “Damn you fools..are we so insensitive??” I said (to myself only.) It could be anything like bomb. In the movie “Mumbai Meri jaan”, there is one dialogue said by a lady doctor.. “IT IS OKAY TO BE SCARED”. And So was I that time..it was more than 10 minutes after I arrived in the coach & that stuff was still lying under my seat. My heart started beating faster as the Ashram Express started moving. I was thinking of what could be done..and suddenly from no where, 2 uncle came next to me to claim their seats, as well as those bags…phhew!! Such a relief. I reconfirmed that those were their bags only. A question arose in my mind “Salaao..kya mari gya hata to bags aavi rite mukine..?”, but I reframed that and asked the same to one of the uncle in a mannered way..he said “Are ahi thodo aanto maarvaj gya hta..kem? shu thayu?”. Emne kon samjave ke shu thayu!! Whatever, I thought.
In few minutes, Maninagar arrived. Till then the coach was kind of spacious. Suddenly, flock of people with their belongings rushed into the coach from both the doors. Chaos. I was at ease..as on the window seat. Suddenly one “party” came to me, shouting..”e bhai, jagya khali karo..reservation che. Chalo jaldi”. Huh..i didn’t pay attention. Then he shouted again..”Oye bhai, dekhatu nathi lediz* (*his wife)ubhi che?? Jagya khali karo..reservation che.” What crap..i had my ticket n seat number. I asked him what was her seat number. Her’s was in the next row. Buddhi no latth ..I thought. Dimag nu Dahi thai gyu pahela half hour ma to. I was really drained mentally. Thank to God, he gave me no more trouble till I reach the site.
About the return journey, fortunately or unfortunately nothing great happened. If getting window seat is lucky…then I was luckier that time. I got my reservation on “Emergency Window” seat..!!!
No great things happened in the first week you will think. But the level of the events happening to me also kept on increasing from “events”( in week 1 & 2) to “incident” (week 3-4) & even worse, to “Disaster” (week 5)..!!
So…many more things to come here. Keep following. As I have already given background in this part, the next one will be having only “events” & “incident”..!!
Bye for Now..
-Asthir Amdavadi
(Kush)
Nice chhe....i dont know why people dont change after so many mistakes and lessons.....
ReplyDeletesuperb...!!
ReplyDeleteThank you hardik for writing in..and prutha for appreciating as well..!
ReplyDelete