I love train journeys.
It might be because I’m a lazy, laid-back person and like to do things at my own (slow) pace. I love ‘travelling’ more than ‘arriving’. I don’t like it, when a book ends because it forces me to come back to the real world. Probably, if I had a girlfriend, she’d have vouched that I’m hopelessly romantic!
For me, a train journey is about the countless raw sensual treats that the polished, professional comfort of an aircraft cabin can never provide. The incessant ‘tutter-tutter’ of the wheels on the rails, the aroma of home cooked food that the guy on the facing berth savors (he might just offer it you sheepishly if he realizes that you have been watching!), the joy on the face of the little girl who waves excitedly at you as the train passes by her house, the sight of the smoke rising from the engine as the train wiggles and meanders her way through vast lush fields, the drop of early morning dew which hangs from the the rickety window frame and, before you can react, leaps onto your face!
The hustle-bustle of a busy junction teeming with passengers eager to reach their destinations contrasts fittingly with the serenity of the ‘unimportant’ stations where the train slows down but doesn’t stop. People from nowhere, wanting to go nowhere, yet belonging to everywhere!
It is near these stations that you can catch ‘third-person’ glimpses into the lives of people busy with their day-to-day chores. A farmer on a tractor, tills his field; a woman carrying a pot of water on her head, walks with a careless caution to ensure that she doesn’t spill a lot before reaching home; a cow-herder whistles to keep his animals from straying too far (he rarely uses the stick he carries). In all probability, none of them has noticed you! They are too busy for that, like most of us! But, quite unlike us, they don’t seem to be in a hurry!
There are times during the journey when tracks run parallel, times when they converge and cross and times when you are all alone. When you reach a fork, you know that different tracks lead to different destinations but thankfully, it is not you who has to choose between the two otherwise you would not know which one was which! A train journey is like life except with the difficult parts taken out! I don’t know if it is this symbolism which lends it its romance!
Train journeys are great, and I have had my fair share. Traveling straight 45 hours in the June heat all alone in non AC coach is also a kind of train journey
But then, life is the train - and there are days when you travel without ticket in III class and the ones when you walk in proudly into your AC cabin. A very well written post!
Hopeless. Life is about enjoying. You can enjoy while travelling too but it is when you arrive you can enjoy the most. For instance you are travelling to meet somebody, the wait to meet is certainly relishing but it’s when you meet you enjoy the most. Dont present the rosy picture of travelling and specially train travelling. Perhaps if you think about the nuisances you might want to change. Be practical at times.
@Rajat
What you call ‘Hopeless’, I call ‘Hopelessly Romantic’. I guess the world can do with one less ‘practical’ person
What a good piece if writing! I was always right, you have a poet soul. This post reminds me of a well written story from class 6th english book and few train journey’s.
Going Great!