As I enter the railway station I can hear the nearby clock chiming dong dong dong dong.. 4 chimes to herald in 4 p.m. Yet another day in my life, the only difference being that today I’m off to Goa.
My train to Goa is at 5pm and I’ve reached an hour early. I find myself being pushed by the crowd up and down the steps of the over bridge as I proceed to platform no. 1. Talk about being led by the flow!!
A train had just arrived and the lady at the microphone announced that ‘the train that has just arrived on platform no. 1 is going to Mumbai.’ The train halts and I find myself in front of compartment no. S-8. A total chaos results as people alight from the train in the midst of people trying to enter the train. The pandemonium is spiced up with the various people selling food, beverages & other stuff and coolies looking out for potential baits.
Suddenly, a man starts shouting loudly and people turn to S-8 to see what’s happening as I see a group of young guys trying to enter the train compartment. The man now screaming on top of his lungs has a lot of luggage and is finding it tough to get down along with his charming wife. His pretty wife in a designer salwaar kameez is more interested in her makeup and hairdo rather than helping her poor hubby with the luggage. The hubby a man in his late 40’s and a pucca Gujarathi businessman resolves the situation by thrusting his huge suitcase in front making the group of skinny guys back off. The man jumps onto the platform and looking at the piteous group of boys with a ‘Serves you right!!!’ look gets the remaining luggage out of the train.
Well, it’s an usual thing at the station. People fight with all their might as they bully to get in and out of the train. I remember the times when I was young and used to wait like a martyr at the bus stop, waiting for people to enter the bus instead of fighting my way through. My Mom though was smarter as she used to push a shopping bag through an open window informing the person closest to ‘catch place’ for her. Of course in the good old days people would not dare remove a bag which was placed on an empty seat not only coz of the good manners people had then, but especially since the bag was also under the captive gaze of its temporary care taker.
I somehow wonder how we can be so cruel and fight just for a seat. Normally, one should wait for the persons to alight from the train/vehicle and then get in. But people just wanna rush. I do like the bus queue system followed in Mumbai at the bus stands where there is complete discipline. Also knowing that the greedy private bus owners in Goa want to get the maximum number of passengers into their bus it sure is bad luck if you don’t manage to be pushed in the bus by them. Needless to say, their buses tend to resemble a tin of packed sardines. But hey! I am deviating from my main posting so back I go to Platform No. 1.
As the vada pav walas made brisk business selling hot (I sure wonder how people can eat these left over vadas made hot just before a train arrives) vadas to hungry travelers and others selling bhel, water, biscuits, ‘phoren’ chocolates & ‘chim’ gum.. the train started moving slowly away from the station. A few hurried goodbyes and people collecting the change from the guys selling foodstuffs, the train moved on to the next station.
After about 5 minutes Platform no 1 changed from the animated racket to a more passive location. And that’s when I spied a vacant stone sofa on the platform. My tired legs sure needed a well-deserved rest and so I headed to sit on the sofa.
Plop! Went my backpack as I placed it next to me on the seat. A black dog was under the sofa and it looked up as I sat. Not a menacing look but with more like a welcome and be my guest type of frown. A man in rags was sleeping close to the sofa. And I sure thought until the next train comes there would be no boisterous activity. But I was mistaken!!
As I looked around me, I could see the vada pav guys hurrying to their ‘bosses’ to tell them of the brisk business they did and to return the remaining vadas for ‘warming up’. A few filthy guys emerged out of nowhere and jumped onto the tracks with sacks searching for empty plastic bottles and other ‘rich’ trash. A crippled beggar nearby counted the coins in his hand and bought a ‘chai’. Two eunuchs were flirting with an equally sad looking man. A cop came and tried waking up the sleeping man in rags. But he didn’t stir. Someone muttered that he was a drunkard and would regularly be found sleeping on the Platform. People slowly started trickling in as the clock ticked away.
Suddenly, the doggie below my seat stretched and I look at my watch and realized its 4:50 pm. The doggie sure seems to have doubled up like an alarm clock for me. I found that I have enough time to buy a bottle of Amul Cool. The platform is now filled with people waiting to board the next train and sorrowfully I say bye-bye to my comfortable seat and the harmless doggie to go and buy me a refreshing drink. As I get up a lady gives me a thankful look as she parks her kid and bag in one go on my now vacant seat.
I proceed to the nearby stall and the stall owner gives me a grim look. I’m sure he must be thinking why I didn’t come earlier instead of sitting down the whole while. Obviously he wants to catch the new bhakras who have come on Platform No. 1. I give a sheepish smile as I ask him for my favorite flavor. Another announcement indicates that the train is arriving and as I put down the bottle and hurry to the edge of the platform I say a silent and combined prayer for a safe journey, that there won’t be any hassles, I won’t be pick pocketed or get in the wrong compartment.
As the hullabaloo grows and I get in safely into the train, I’m thankful that I’m not shoved back out by an irate traveler’s suitcase. I then progress to quickly locate my seat and put my bag down. I open the window and look around at all the now familiar chaos, the bedlam and the commotion…
As the train starts with a slight jerk, I take a fleeting look at the place I occupied minutes ago on Platform No. 1. Everyone’s busy except for a silent figure who is oblivious of the din around him. It’s the same man dressed in rags. The entire pandemonium has had no effect on him and as trains go and come he will be totally unaware of the same. He’ll be fast asleep on his comfortable bed on Platform No. 1…
My train to Goa is at 5pm and I’ve reached an hour early. I find myself being pushed by the crowd up and down the steps of the over bridge as I proceed to platform no. 1. Talk about being led by the flow!!
A train had just arrived and the lady at the microphone announced that ‘the train that has just arrived on platform no. 1 is going to Mumbai.’ The train halts and I find myself in front of compartment no. S-8. A total chaos results as people alight from the train in the midst of people trying to enter the train. The pandemonium is spiced up with the various people selling food, beverages & other stuff and coolies looking out for potential baits.
Suddenly, a man starts shouting loudly and people turn to S-8 to see what’s happening as I see a group of young guys trying to enter the train compartment. The man now screaming on top of his lungs has a lot of luggage and is finding it tough to get down along with his charming wife. His pretty wife in a designer salwaar kameez is more interested in her makeup and hairdo rather than helping her poor hubby with the luggage. The hubby a man in his late 40’s and a pucca Gujarathi businessman resolves the situation by thrusting his huge suitcase in front making the group of skinny guys back off. The man jumps onto the platform and looking at the piteous group of boys with a ‘Serves you right!!!’ look gets the remaining luggage out of the train.
Well, it’s an usual thing at the station. People fight with all their might as they bully to get in and out of the train. I remember the times when I was young and used to wait like a martyr at the bus stop, waiting for people to enter the bus instead of fighting my way through. My Mom though was smarter as she used to push a shopping bag through an open window informing the person closest to ‘catch place’ for her. Of course in the good old days people would not dare remove a bag which was placed on an empty seat not only coz of the good manners people had then, but especially since the bag was also under the captive gaze of its temporary care taker.
I somehow wonder how we can be so cruel and fight just for a seat. Normally, one should wait for the persons to alight from the train/vehicle and then get in. But people just wanna rush. I do like the bus queue system followed in Mumbai at the bus stands where there is complete discipline. Also knowing that the greedy private bus owners in Goa want to get the maximum number of passengers into their bus it sure is bad luck if you don’t manage to be pushed in the bus by them. Needless to say, their buses tend to resemble a tin of packed sardines. But hey! I am deviating from my main posting so back I go to Platform No. 1.
As the vada pav walas made brisk business selling hot (I sure wonder how people can eat these left over vadas made hot just before a train arrives) vadas to hungry travelers and others selling bhel, water, biscuits, ‘phoren’ chocolates & ‘chim’ gum.. the train started moving slowly away from the station. A few hurried goodbyes and people collecting the change from the guys selling foodstuffs, the train moved on to the next station.
After about 5 minutes Platform no 1 changed from the animated racket to a more passive location. And that’s when I spied a vacant stone sofa on the platform. My tired legs sure needed a well-deserved rest and so I headed to sit on the sofa.
Plop! Went my backpack as I placed it next to me on the seat. A black dog was under the sofa and it looked up as I sat. Not a menacing look but with more like a welcome and be my guest type of frown. A man in rags was sleeping close to the sofa. And I sure thought until the next train comes there would be no boisterous activity. But I was mistaken!!
As I looked around me, I could see the vada pav guys hurrying to their ‘bosses’ to tell them of the brisk business they did and to return the remaining vadas for ‘warming up’. A few filthy guys emerged out of nowhere and jumped onto the tracks with sacks searching for empty plastic bottles and other ‘rich’ trash. A crippled beggar nearby counted the coins in his hand and bought a ‘chai’. Two eunuchs were flirting with an equally sad looking man. A cop came and tried waking up the sleeping man in rags. But he didn’t stir. Someone muttered that he was a drunkard and would regularly be found sleeping on the Platform. People slowly started trickling in as the clock ticked away.
Suddenly, the doggie below my seat stretched and I look at my watch and realized its 4:50 pm. The doggie sure seems to have doubled up like an alarm clock for me. I found that I have enough time to buy a bottle of Amul Cool. The platform is now filled with people waiting to board the next train and sorrowfully I say bye-bye to my comfortable seat and the harmless doggie to go and buy me a refreshing drink. As I get up a lady gives me a thankful look as she parks her kid and bag in one go on my now vacant seat.
I proceed to the nearby stall and the stall owner gives me a grim look. I’m sure he must be thinking why I didn’t come earlier instead of sitting down the whole while. Obviously he wants to catch the new bhakras who have come on Platform No. 1. I give a sheepish smile as I ask him for my favorite flavor. Another announcement indicates that the train is arriving and as I put down the bottle and hurry to the edge of the platform I say a silent and combined prayer for a safe journey, that there won’t be any hassles, I won’t be pick pocketed or get in the wrong compartment.
As the hullabaloo grows and I get in safely into the train, I’m thankful that I’m not shoved back out by an irate traveler’s suitcase. I then progress to quickly locate my seat and put my bag down. I open the window and look around at all the now familiar chaos, the bedlam and the commotion…
As the train starts with a slight jerk, I take a fleeting look at the place I occupied minutes ago on Platform No. 1. Everyone’s busy except for a silent figure who is oblivious of the din around him. It’s the same man dressed in rags. The entire pandemonium has had no effect on him and as trains go and come he will be totally unaware of the same. He’ll be fast asleep on his comfortable bed on Platform No. 1…
1 comment:
This is an outstanding example of how to write a blog. Full of the nitty gritty of the moments.
Bravo....
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