The Unforgettable  Train Journey

The summer this year has been one of the hottest I have experienced and with the soaring temperatures and the scorching heat it appears as if Global warming is well and truly having its way. The months of May and June generally are the most difficult ones, however this year even April was really tough. Hats off to all the men and women who have been venturing out in this searing climate for a living. Incredible indeed.

June of 95

This troublesome June weather   reminded me of a train journey I took some 27 years ago which had some unforgettable moments worth sharing and motivated me to write this post today. I had finished my Final Year Engineering Exams and at the strong behest of my father had appeared for a written test for a MBA programme. Though at that time I was really not interested in going for a MBA,  I seldom disagreed with my father. His wish was my command and eventually after clearing the test ( no big deal, the test was a mighty easy one ), I had to appear for a personal interview for which I had to travel from Mumbai to Lucknow.

The Lucky Reservation

I had to rush  to the reservation centre at Mumbai VT due to paucity of time ( the station was renamed CST from VT a year later ) and was lucky enough to get a seat in the Sleeper Class ( travelling in an AC coach in those days was a luxury and I was told that for a young student like me it was better to travel in the sleeper class than in the comforts of the AC). I requested for a side lower berth, which  was not available and I had to settle for a side Upper Berth. The person at the counter told me that I was fortunate to get a ticket as the trains  were running full with massive passenger traffic on the route. I thanked my stars and prepared to leave in a few days time.

The Journey Begins

The day of my travel arrived. I just had a small bag pack, a tiifin with some food, a water bottle and my Walkman to listen to songs on the way. I also picked up the latest SportsStar magazine to have a read. The train was completely packed and I found travellers jostling around to find some place in the train. By the time the train left the station, my coach was overflowing with people with reservations and without. I had already climbed up my berth and had settled well for the 24 hour journey.

My co-passengers

The weather initially was sultry but bearable. However things began to change   as we crossed Maharashtra. The heat was developing by the minute and it became extremely hot, with the Loo blowing vociferously through the windows. A family of 6 ( parents and 4 children aged between 2 and 7, I guess ) nestled in the compartment below was holding my attention all the way.  The children right through the journey thus far had been on a munching spree with chips, biscuits, parathas, followed by bananas and mangoes too. The doting mother was more than happy feeding her children ( it was also an attempt to keep them occupied as they had created quite a commotion in the compartment ). The father having a burlesque physique, was trying to take a nap in his vests ( he had removed his shirt due to the heat ).

The Heat and its Perils

I was stuck on my berth listening to Made in India by Alisha Chinai ( The album had just released and was a runaway success ). I had hardly eaten and was just taking sips of water and Coca Cola to keep myself hydrated and  avoid the nature’s call at the same time. There was so much of crowd that it was  difficult to reach the washrooms, which due to the large public aboard was already in a perilous position. 

The kids below, after finishing a fresh helping  of mangoes called out their mother for more and this was the  turning point of the journey. The loving mother opened a can of boiled eggs and in the blistering heat served them to her already over fed kids. The boiled eggs virtually created havoc with the overburdened digestive system of the children. The damage was further accentuated by the flaming hot temperature and the everlasting hot winds. All hell broke loose within minutes of the consumption of the boiled eggs. 

The Turbulent Motions

One after the other the children held their stomachs pushing their mother to take them to the washroom, which was an ardous task. She heckled her husband to help her out and somehow managed to take one of the kids to the washroom, but it was too late for the other kids. They could not hold on any further and within a few minutes alongwith with the deadly heat there was an appalling stench  to be dealt with. There were remains of an upset stomach all around. the sight was terrible. The poor mother who appeared a simple village lady  kept on wiping the compartment seats and the floor and kept running to the washrooms. The father just didn’t have a clue what to do and was unable to look at the other passengers who were already giving him a lethal stare. 

I prayed hard for the journey to end soon. I closed my eyes and resolved not to look down. It was nightmarish and in all this mayhem, the batteries of my Walkman dried out too. It was the last thing I had expected.  A Good Samaritan from the adjacent compartment handed over a pack of medicines to  the mother, who immediately administered the same to her kids. Thankfully, the medicine worked and as the afternoon sun began to subside and the Loo lost a bit of sting, there was calm in the compartment. 

The Good End

As night fell, the train slowly made its way into Lucknow. The journey had eventually ended. I was thrilled to bits. It was an experience of a lifetime I had gone through, going almost empty stomach for the entire journey and glued to my upper berth for more than 24 hours. However, the next day I appeared for the interview  and eventually got selected. When I look back at the journey it appears hilarious but trust me it wasn’t easy.

Eat less when it’s searing hot and avoid eggs in   hot winds on heavy stomachs….is a lesson learnt. 

Have a joyful Sunday evening !!