24 Hour Train Journey on 25 Feb 2004
The suprabatham earlier to cocks ‘kokoroko’ is ‘coffee or tea’. Some rush to the basins as though NCC’s morning exercise is there, some are leisure as a software engineer worked extra on Friday nights. The day begins: with breakfast time, all Indian Tiffin’s are available in the menu- idly, dosa, wada, puri are common. Here you can even have bread milk, bread jam, sandwich, Kellogg’s corn flakes and also rasgullas-jilebis for the sweet favorites.
The reason might be that, earlier food ordered in one station, reaches another far station in the cables and gets ready, now a hotel TAJ itself is attached, mobile canteen- the pantry. It serves everything from Chinese to Indian to your seat steps.
The passengers start their enjoyment. With the bellies bursting inside, chitchat starts, new shake hands, bio-data revealings, dialogues, monologues in the mess-ups, individual achievements, and many great deeds come to front. The discussion is never ending: if nitish kumar permits everyone can write autobiographies and then get down at their destinations with in that short span of time also.
By the time energies are lost, Aladdin comes with a slip in his hands noting down the seat numbers and giving whatever energizers, proteins, vitamins you need- chapathi kurma, veg-pulav, veg-biryani, egg biryani, dahi rice, lemon rice, veg thali, non-veg thali, and anything any thing you feel.
“Nice meal! Tomato soup is delicious! Yaar, yeh south ka sambar mast rahtha.”
Now the crucial innings of the one-day match. But don’t worry, until yuvraj and kaif are in the middle order. He comes with playing cards, goli-checker boards, toys, magazines, route maps, mango jelly, hot tea, nes-café, air pillows, chain locks, thanda bisleri, cheap frootis……….. and sania mirza, single handedly serves the ball with mompalli, masala palli, boiled palli, pallipalli..
With some input to the depthless well, the digestive control system releases energy in many forms. Every one is ready to excite and as though it knows this, our malgadi halts paving way to some other express or for not finding a proper signal.—a thing happening at the right time. A hot hot , high velocity discussion starts on government, politics, cricket, nethas and nethis. All the josh of five-year election tenure comes now. Scoldings, abusings, praisings, the tactics played by thelekas, and some unbelievable tricks come out. The exchanges continue with irregular T-Capi breaks touched with garam samosas.
Inside and outside the temperature gets cooled down gradually.Coolness creeping in, the discussion diverts to the great family histories—- chi,chi! Is your uncle so bad?, my aunt also behaves the same.—my cousins’ uncles’ brother-in-law went to states, he earns X lacks . Great! My family has no one in US, but my fathers’ sisters’ uncles’ mother-in-laws’ daughter is in a big software firm in bangalore earning Y lacks (Y>X).—my son is too good at studies, he stood first last year, My son! He is brilliant by birth with all my qualities……………..
Aladdin, with the magic sheet in his hands again appears with more tasters to dine with- spl.Dhamka biryani, spl. Rice plate, spl. Uthappams etc. After dinner the assembly seats adjustment begins, who has to sleep on which party’s podium. An old lady, some women, weak men, ask their counterparts to occupy upper berths, depending on the season they even demand middle berths, and some nagaraju’s took chance to sacrifice their lower berths for side upper berths- kya sceen hai….
Many twists, fluctuations and thrills happened in the day and all feel after many days they really justified the day. Think,, what made this change- our pantry.
The discussion remains incomplete without any future scope: what an Indian rail will look by 2020, the day swarna bharatham is achieved, A train consists of Wills, life style, Westside, shoppers stop, Bombay dyeing in one half of a bogie, to shop any dress, any costume material for any genre, and the other half with Samsung bio-fresh vegetable market, to cook as soon as you get down at your place and also hot fast food packages to eat readily.
Then what the newly wed laxman couple do? They honeymoon in a long running train so that they can enjoy and as well shop what all-new things they need>>>>>
Published on
28/08/2006 15:11