Memorable(Train) journey

Can you imagine me rubbing my hands in glee? Why? Simply because the BUF team has given the freedom to write on past topics. Pity I noticed it just now, with just two days to go.So, without further ado, let me go to the first topic that caught my eye.

Memorable (Train) journey:

Have you heard of a train journey making a sick person better?This incident happened some(many?) years back.(Really jogging my memory for this one) I was in Std VII. And, in an ‘ill’ state. Ill as in, no doctors could diagnose what was wrong since three months, the fever et al just wouldn’t subside and things kept getting worse.

Trains and visiting Delhi were(are?yea, except the time factor) one of my favorite pastimes. So, on my insisting on going to Delhi, the doctors finally agreed, saying that the change of scenery might do me some good. I insisted on going by Dehradun Express, which takes around 24 hours even today, to reach Delhi, from Baroda. The longer the journey, the better, was the logic.(Arghhh…I just cannot imagine that today, when time seems to be at such a premium)

So, anyway, the day dawned, and, we reached the railway station, with me feeling slightly better already. Waiting anxiously, wondering whether the train would ever roll in, checking the signboard every few minutes, biting my nails till their very end(That’s not really a memory, I do it now when in India, so, I assume I did it then..grin).

Hooray, finally, the announcement was made and the train came in, and, as usual, everyone thought it would leave without them, so they rushed to the entrance of the coaches-err, second class, of course.( In those days, even looking at an AC/a 1st class coach was sheer torture, since it was beyond our reach) Anyway, even this excitement did a bit of good for me, and a faint smile came on my face after months, making everyone with me smile as well.

Finally, the train left the station, and in what seemed like less than fifteen minutes, it stopped. Voila- I was thrilled..the first station had come already and I had to get off and check it out, despite protests from everyone. Samlaya, Champaner, Derol, Godhra...I had the 'Latesht' timetable in my hands and, would proudly announce each station which would come next and say ‘tch tch’ by looking at my watch and commenting whether the train was on time, much to the amusement of my family and those around. (I think the drivers of such trains keep a lookout for a house on the way,and,if they see it,they stop.)

Then, of course, all along the way, the delicacies of the main stations had to be tasted, be it the bhajiyas of Godhra or the pedas of Mathura or the tea and spicy sev at Ratlam, to name a few. This, of course, besides the normal goodies from 'sellers' who’d keep wandering into the compartment with fruits and toffees n all. Thankfully, my family put up with my shenanigans, all in the hope that I’d be on the road to recovery, if I was allowed to do what I wanted, within limits.

Night time- we unrolled the huge(now extinct) bedrolls we’d lugged with us-cozy things they were, definitely, and I had a nice sleep(I think- no real memory of that)

Finally, nearly sixty or so official (And, nearly half of these, additional stops) stops later, the train rolled into New Delhi railway station, where my relatives were anxiously waiting, wondering whether I’d still be feeling ill. Imagine their surprise- when I got down looking fresh as a daisy, they asked ‘Were you really ill, Amit?’ In fact, my parents looked more tired and worn out than I did. Hehe….

BTW, if you don’t believe that such a long train journey exists even today, check out the link. . The train number is 9019. And, even today,it has sixty stops between Baroda and Delhi and 96 stops between Bandra and Dehradun. Perhaps we should reserve a coach in it one day and travel between end destinations(Wacko would surely agree). Only for BUFers and their spice, err, spouse and kid(s)...quite an interesting picture develops…*goes off into his Piscean dreamland*. Cheers!