LOHPATHGAMINI....u will always b remembered :)

THE TRAIN TRAIL

The days are still afresh in my mind when I got admission in DU and my college was about 60 km from my hometown. I had two options to commute of which one was through bus and another option was to travel by train, which was economical (and hence viable for meJ). It was a whole new experience to travel by trains (not the ones with padded seats and ac coaches). I have captured few experiences on my odyssey here.

I remember the days when I used to miss my train by few minutes (and sometimes seconds). I had to wait for more than an hour for the next local train to arrive.

I remember the day when I first boarded the LADIES compartment (which was no different from other compartments with guys flocking in and out and standing on the pavements on the either side of doors), the ladies knitting sweaters (I used to wonder which one is traveling faster: Their hands or the train) and exchanging recepies and girls flashing their nail paints, foot wears, bags, and other accessories.

I remember the days when I used to wonder that how the girls used to manage in such crowded places (with hardly any space to breathe) walking with their pointed heels on railway tracks.

I remember how the business actually connects with traveling. We used to purchase 5 pens (all with LEDs), 12 oranges and a wallet each for 10 bucks only.

I remember the beggars begging on the platforms and in trains. Their bhajans and filmi songs were quite comparable to any professional singer. They were made to sweep the floors (which remained all covered by groundnut coatings, wrappers of chips and biscuits and cigarette stubs, etc.)

I remember all the seven stations in between which were no less than the seven wonders on earth (including Azadpur, with myriad slums across the railway tracks!!!). Few of the most cherished experiences were: countless fields with beautiful shapes, flower gardens, farmers going to the fields, the fog settling on the panes of train, rivers and small bridges where our train used to gave a loud roar.

I remember the days when our train used to get late and sometimes cancelled too. And all the passengers (including all the students like me) used to sit on the railway tracks and shout slogans (& slangs!!) against railway authorities.

I remember the days when we used to pass our (not VERY precious) time on platform. I and my friends used to stand on weighing machines which were so rickety that every time we stand on it, it gave a loud whip.

I remember the days when we used to run to catch the train. We used to take shortcuts by passing below the goods trains (aka maal gaddi). It was there that I learned all the athletics (high jump, long jump, forward jump, backward jump, long race, flat race, etc.)

I remember the days when we used to travel on the doorsteps of the train (which according to my parents, was a high risk zone) enjoying the breath taking landscapes.

I remember the days when I used to reach quite late at my station amidst the deep darkness and with my parents flashing torch on each and every face in order to search me!

I remember those good old days when I made hundreds of friends (including many aunties and uncles).

I am missing that golden period of my life. I am missing that fun. I am missing my friends. I am missing my favorite train which never came on time…