Long long ago, i would look forward for the closure of school for summer
holidays. The holidays would last for two months starting March 23-
May 23. That period was supposed to be summer in Bangalore when we never
even switched on fans. The whole city was naturally airconditioned with
the various lakes and trees like
sampige, margosa, gulmohar, laburnums and jacaranda. While many would
head towards the garden city or air-conditioned city for holidays, i would look
forward to travel to Madras for my grandparents place.
( image courtesy: Google images)
On the last
working day of the final term, Compulsory kannada my third language exam
would end at 10.30 a.m and
i would board my train - Brindavan express at 1.20. This was an annual feature and
it was a solo travel. My parents would drop me at the Bangalore city station
and my grandparents or my uncles would
pick me up at Chennai central when it reached there at 7.30 in the evening.
The interim 6 hours, the child in me indulged
in the sights and sounds of my onward journey which must have sown the
seeds of wanderlust in me. I generally got a window seat and so would
rest my head and watch the train wind its way through fields and beautiful
landscapes and enjoy the unending views of the setting sun and all
other scenic sights that unfolded. Especially,
I enjoyed the sight and sound of the
winding train by sticking my head on the grills of the window.
If it was
scenary outside the window, it was the constant chatter of the people inside that kept me entertained. As time and travel
bound the passengers together, the people would talk politics, share stories,
some would even fix the
alliance for their son/daughter by exchanging horoscopes. Some would play cards
and some would listen to the small transistor. I would be a mute spectator to all these happenings and
watch with the innocence of a little girl.
All along my
observations, i would wait for the pantry car to do its service, My favorite
was the bun butter jam and cutlets/ samosa with tomato sauce. These things today i avoid on a train
journey but not during those days. It did not matter to me about the
germs, the dusty compartments , stench of the washrooms, poor sanitation , the
crowd etc.
The 6 hour
journey would end when my grandfather received me at Chennai
central. After i reach home and when
appa enquired over phone "Did you finish the book?" would i realize
that appa had brought me a book from the Higginbothams book shop at the railway station. Also, the upma or idli my mom packed for the journey would be intact
till it reached Madras.
That is the magic of a train
journey where there is never a dull moment with food, people, smell, sound and
sight.
The cries of ‘Chai chai, bisi
bisi chai’, the mobile push carts selling books, eatables etc, the sound of the
whistle, people running here and there to locate the compartments – if all
these bring life to the platforms then the gentle rocking movements , the train
friends, the hawkers inside selling peanuts, movie song books and their interactions are something that added vibrancy to the journey.
Years later i have traveled the
Rajdhani, Shatabdi, KK, nizamuddin, Pallavan, rockfort, sabari ,intercity, vishaka etc., and added many many
enriching experiences.Each journey can be a post of inspiring memories.
Tomorrow as
i embark on another experience of train journey towards my hometown I will notice a few
changes in relation to my childhood journey. Yes, the nature of people will never be the
same. Some of us will be immersed in books, some busy with their laptops, some
finalizing their business deals in a loud voice on their cell phone, some
shuffling their i-pod list, some kids playing with the PSP or any toy but few things will
remain unchanged like the guard showing
the green signal, The porters in the red dress, the announcements will be
on, I will hear the 'Chai chai' cries and more.
For these are things that makes
the Indian rail journey memorable. Of course, I will not write about the
sanitation and cleanliness which has grown from good to worse but i prefer any day a train journey over a flight journey when time is not a constraint. These train journeys
have given me a wide exposure to food, culture, and people and i have seen much
of India through the rail medium than by air or bus.