One of those journeys!

Contributor: Divas Vats

It was 0830 in the office when I realised that I missed the train I was aiming to board at 8! Nevertheless, I yet another time, as an exception rushed for an auto, reached almost five minutes before train was to depart.

Somewhat, had a feeling to let go buying the ticket today, also had no time. Bought a packet of uncle chips for twenty rupees and boarded the general bogie. Sending you a image how my surroundings look and feel like. Almost everyone bought the janta khana and I did buy one as well. The chana vendor came on his feet as he could not stand. The weather gets a little more warm when there are three people standing in a square feet of area.

But, it appears very real to me. At least three bogies of sleeper class people are fixed in one. I learnt from the regular passengers that there is only one general bogie each at the beginning and end of the train. I recall, having traveled once, there are at least ten AC bogies that constitute this very train.

I remember, not many years ago, I traveled in general in these trains frequently as long as from Aligarh to Allahabad! They didn't make feel tiresome. They still don't. I feel good. I just smiled a little thinking how times change. I didn't have any other option other than this and there was not much thought given to this, given its definite absence of outcome but when I travel in this many years later, I feel at home. I feel this is how most of our country travels and likely to travel till I die. But, I've no pity for them. I'm just wondering where a lot of us are counted and how we're taken by our fellow passengers, by the authorities or the system as we tend to call it, by the government and so on.

While I was writing all this, a man in front of spotted a solution to his fatigue.