I was writing in the middle of a journey that is entirely not by choice, writing because I don't have anything better to do in a closed compartment, writing because these moving grasslands, fields, animals, humans, buildings etc are telling me, inspiring me to do so.
I have read somewhere that writers need to travel frequently to experience things, experience this world and then transfer those experiences on paper. (Well, I think then I am not experienced enough to comment on this.)
A morning 7 O' clock train in winter season is not easy to catch. I still remember how the cab driver would take a U-turn and find another way for railway station every time he saw thick fog endowed on roads. For the first time I saw a dead scared cab driver who took twice the time reaching the destination due to fog.
And then the train, it was as frustrating as it can be. First set back was the absence of pantry car. We were shivering in cold searching for tea or coffee and getting none in return. Finally after 3-4 hours of that unbearable cold we got a cup of coffee all four of us (me, mummy, nana and nani). Although it was tasteless but at least we could call it a coffee, a boon in a foggy winter morning. And after that there was a flood of tea or coffee in our compartment. My nani said "Piyo, kitni chaiy piyogi!" How true! Just a few hours of patience won't do much harm to you but after that tough period, good times is not far. Patience pays.
I had a bunch of people accompanying me in the journey, all of different kinds. I could hear few of them conversing for long-long hours about congress, BJP, AAP and Congress-AAP alliance and the possible consequences of it and everything. Too intellectual a conversation somehow didn't impress and involve me. It looked like a cooked intelligence to me. There was a 72-year old man besides seat who was talking. rather praising his entire family all the day using different words which conveyed the same meaning. And one more noticeable gentleman of the same age who did nothing to get noticed by us. He just introduced himself and his family to us and then kept quiet like us and heard the self-praises patiently of his counterpart.
All of this had a glance of beauty, the variety that we possess on this Earth, variety of human beings, We all know the girth of each of us when we start talking but still we talk endlessly. There's nothing wrong. Even we are not perfect then how can we tell the person in front of us to eradicate his imperfections.
Complaining about the basic amenities like cleanliness, sanitation etc in trains has become so frequent by all citizens that I should better shut up in this respect. But one thing for sure, toilets are in terribly dirty condition. Who is responsible? You, who's talking so loudly that nothing else can be heard. Did you do your bit in keeping them clean instead of blaming it all on the authorities?
Too idealistic? No. It's quite practical if you really want things to fall in their places.
I've never seen in my life a train arriving exactly on time except for 2-3 times, whatever be the reason. Once your train is late somehow, you'll be pulled back again and again however badly you want to cover up. The same happened this time. Reaching somewhere 8 hours late is never acceptable but then I think I should feel happy that its just 8 hours because our trains, behind the veil of fog, can be late for as long as 15-20 hours or they are even cancelled we all know that.
Well, I think all of us are unique in one respect or the other and my family too is one of its kind specially Nani. She would pack at least 10 bags every time, not from clothes but various eatables, blankets (in winters) etc. This time we even had table fan, electric metres for their newly laid down home in suburbs (where we were heading), and the stoppage time of the train at our destination was just 2 minutes. I was sure that we cannot take all of it in one go so I just randomly asked, "Nani, which of theses things you want to leave here in the train itself?" She said, "none".
What a determination on an old face! And yes we did it. As the destination station was approaching we just brought one by one all the luggage near the gate of the bogie and I was the luggage keeper standing at the gate counting all and taking care that they don't fall off. And as soon as the train stopped we were out in just a few seconds with all the luggage.
A 28 hours long journey is tolerable and productive if we look at everything around us with a vision!
