Been a while since I have posted here. With constant snide reminders from my IIIT friends about my ‘un-happening’ blog, I decided it was time for me to make time for my space in the web.
Wondered high and low about what I should write about as my return piece, there was a chain of thought which suggested I go with something of technical piece on a new gadget, but then there was another reminding me about the festival of football going around enveloping everyone in its festivities. Ohh, soo much to write and soo little time to do it in. Then in the middle of all these thoughts popped in the brain of mine the stern voice of a dear friend which said, “Write on sth besides your gadgets and your stupid football, and am tired of reading your thoughts on that!!” So here I am writing on my incredible voyage through the bowels of Incredible India.
Chetan Jha of Intrepid Leader describes a train journey in India as, “an intoxicating surprise to the senses and always unforgettable!” Ahh, Mr Chetan, you are right in soo many ways after all how can one ever forget standing in front of the toilet for half the journey and then trying to sleep with a friend with an upset stomach in the same berth for the other half. As for ‘intoxicating surprises to the senses’ just go ask my friend (wont write his name but will drop a hint he has been given the title of “root of all my problems”) how many surprises to the senses he gave me with his timely release of air from you know where.
I will never forget that evening and night, even though a month has passed that memory is crystal clear in my head. Exams over and bags packed we a group of five students looked forward to returning to our beloved Nepal. Ohh, soo much was the excitement in the air for we would be back in our homes within a day. Happily we were packing our bags when a call came telling us our tickets in the train had not been confirmed and ergo started our nightmare.
Travelling in Indian trains in the best of times can be difficult. Even in the AC berths there is a constant fear in the back of your head reminding you about the safety of your luggage. Go to the Sleeper and General classes and that fear takes the form of utter paranoia. With soo many people crammed up in such a small space it’s difficult to keep track of your entire luggage especially when people start to use your bags as seats. Such is the crowd in these trains that you hardly have space to keep your legs without them being stepped upon constantly.
Jogbeni- a small town in the border between India and Nepal, situated in the famous state of Bihar this busy town has only one train linking it to the big cities of Allahabad and New Delhi. The train called Semanchal Express is a small train with just 2 AC carriages, being the only train plying in this route the train gets understandably very crowded. With our seats not confirmed we were forced to get into this train with or without seats owing the fact that we had a plane to catch the next day. The train as usual arrived an hour late, despite our best persuasive efforts to the train’s TT we didn’t get a single seat and were forced to make space for ourselves in front of the bogey’s toilet. We sat on our bags and hoped that at some point the train would begin to empty and we would get seats, how terribly naïve were we.
When you travel in Indian trains you see the real india, not the glossy one you see on bollywood movies or those expensive ad campaigns the Indian government puts up to increase india’s tourism. There is no doubt that India is becoming one of the major powers of the world. Its big cities and sub-urban areas are mighty impressive but go beneath the veil and you see a picture of pity. The poor of India suffer a lot, corruption is rampant and well, since, everyone is all by themselves and have no government net to break their fall people are very rude and opportunistic. Frankly, I don’t blame them it’s, “hunt or be hunted”, with over a billion people competing for your spot you gotta be tough or the system eats you up.
As the train began to speed from Allahabad junction station we in our self made seats started to contemplate the tough journey ahead. At the door with our bags as seats three of us sat while the other two made space for themselves elsewhere, all the while keeping an alert eye on our luggages. With the cool breeze coming from the open doors giving us a break from the tremendous heat we three friends sitting there looked at each other and thought, “well here we go”.
An hour into the journey and we were already looking the clock thinking when will the sun rise and this peculiar hell be over. We had our crushed and out of shape burgers from Mc Donalds for dinner and tried to sleep in our makeshift seats in very uncomfortable positions. After 5 hrs of changing places and emptying bottles of water we finally managed to bribe the TT to give us four berths, 1 to be given immediately while the rest would be given when we reached Patna. The TT hurriedly and very rudely removed men seating in a nearby berth and told us that was our seat, as we sat I wondered how was it fair for those people that just because we had money we could get the seats they were seating on. But then I realized its India, you have money hence you are entitled to more comfort at the expense of someone else. So the three of us squeezed into that one berth and tried to get some sleep.
As the train moved, we saw more of India: people quarreled over small things, the TT abused his authority to gain more money and rained his own brand of terror on the helpless and then besides all this, the simmering anger of the poor. The train stopped frequently and switched off all its lights. In these moments the five of us would joke, pinch and pull each other and give each other stupid names. And then the train would start again and we would doze off again.
Throughout the journey we changed positions, gave each other words of encouragement. We said, “This will make us tough”, and then we would again promise each other that we wouldn’t tell our parents what we had to go through for the fear that they would scold us for our stupidity in not making sure our tickets had been confirmed.
As the sun rose so did hope in our hearts that this hell was finally coming to an end. We got the other three berths we were promised by the TT and we went to catch some sleep there. This experience was finally coming to an end endure this for 1 more hour and we are through or at-least so I thought. As I was sleeping someone pulled on my leg, I woke up and well I finally met the third gender. This person all dressed up looked at me with his/her(don’t know which to use) beady eyes and asked me for money, I still half asleep had no idea what was going on and mercifully this person moved on to the next guy and started verbally abusing him asking him for money. All this while practically everyone was looking at me and sniggering, ohh this was a unique experience.
As the train entered Jogbeni station we were sooo relived that this had come to an end and we had made it with no untoward incidents. As we looked out of the train and out of India, our hearts filled with promises of good food waiting for us from loving mothers I realized the very bitter truth of India, we had been here by shear bad luck but to all these people in this train this was their daily life. What was holy hell for us was their daily life.
A month after this experience I write this and think well that did make me tough. Today I laugh about with my friends and think that was one horrid night. Even though then it was terrifying now it amuses me and fills me with joy and laughter. To all the four there with me, had a great time lads, when are we taking the next train out back into the bowels of India??
