Train journeys have always fascinated me. The rhythmic sound of the moving train is music to my ears. I almost feel warm and snug as the gentle sway of the train lulls me in to a state of calm and tranquillity. Of course, I love to stand on the platform and watch the meandering railway tracks beckoning me to places far away. And as a child I used to think that the engine driver had the coolest job in the world as the trains whizzed speedily ahead. I sometimes feel the same way even now, too!
Since the pandemic hit us, my train journeys had been non-existent. And I missed them terribly. However, last week, I got an opportunity to embark on one from Bengaluru to Madurai. And I couldn’t conceal my excitement! The moment I set foot on the station, I felt right at home as always. The familiar sights and sounds felt warm and inviting. People dragging heavy luggage, children squealing excitedly on seeing an approaching train, hawkers peddling mineral water and coffee; an odd dog gazing at the crowd with total disinterest -- these were sights that soothed my soul.
I boarded the train and was immediately enveloped by the warm camaraderie of total strangers that is possible only on a train. I was struggling to settle my luggage under the lower berth and a kind young man volunteered to help me. A young mother who was seated next to me was struggling with two spirited toddlers who wouldn’t give her a break. A gentle nun who was traveling with us offered some biscuits to them and calmed the children down with a nursery rhyme; while the mother could have her dinner.
A middle-aged man started to watch IPL news on his mobile. The younger ones caught on and they started a vivid discussion on the performance of Royal Challengers while munching on some channa.
In the next compartment, a young mother pulled out a saree from her suitcase and started to tie a portable cradle for her baby, right from the train’s ceiling. I was wondering how the rest of the passengers in the compartment would react to this as the cradle would be bang in the middle. To my surprise, two older women helped her with the cradle and also lulled the little one to sleep.
An elderly gentlemen walked in with his visibly ill wife. He said his berth was a few compartments away while his wife’s was right here. He told us he didn’t want to leave his wife alone through the night and asked if anyone would be willing to exchange their berth for his. Three young people readily volunteered! I was amazed at the bonhomie in this miniature version of India where my fellow passengers were speaking in five different languages and looked every bit different from each other in terms of their socio-cultural background.
As I was about to doze off, the elderly gentleman who was tucking his ailing wife to bed asked me, “Madam, where are you getting down?” I said Madurai Junction. “I am getting down there, as well. I’ll wake you up,” he said. True to his words, he woke me up half an hour before the train pulled up to my station.