Short stories about my remembrances of the Indian Railway

 

June 4, 2023

1.      There is no child who would not have enjoyed train journey. Engine and its whistle still rings in my ear as I remember those childhood days. Oral Whistle of train guard would be loud enough for train to start. And with engine giving a loud whistle that came of the steam engine, we will all jostle to enter the compartment. There are many jokes spun around. One that I remember is of Mahmud, an actor in Hindi movie who take out his whistle to start the train, as the guests get bored waiting at platform. It was hilarious.

Most of us simply liked to see trains coming and going. Speed and length of train is another pastime to enjoy. So, as a child, I would often count the train coaches or bogies as the train sped through. Probably railway station in many small towns served a purpose of recreation ground even for the adults.

Pleasure of standing on the platform of the stations in between, taking tea and having a long look at book stall, and then buying newspaper at the end was normal for the teenager like me.

Idle sitting in the train journey was never in our blood. Just move around in the different compartments to have dekho at the passengers including beautiful girls. Standing at the door of moving train to feel gushing winds and showing macho feel will often pump in enough adrenaline to last for rest of journey.

It was another wonder to feel that our train is also moving as we focussed one the another track moving on the nearby track.

Occasional menace of beggars and sweet singing of some of them very lovely songs will break the monotony of long journey.

One more pastime during train journey was to read the station names as fast as possible and to remember them to prepare for antarakshari [an end letter of word to search for new name of station/place/locality] competition.

As a child, I also liked to eat snacks during journey, especially kachori at Shegaon station.

And once in a while, with an anna [coin], we would experiment to see how flat and unrecognisable it gets when it is pressed under the moving train on the rail.

And then, another dekho will be at those sitting at window of the first class compartment, for during those days in the 1970s it was ultimate in luxury travel.

2.      Mess up at the platform lead to journey back home

I was about 7 or 8-year old way back in the early 60s. I accompanied an elderly relative who wanted to go to the pilgrimage towns of Shegaon and Shri Kshetranagazari, respectively 30 and 45 min away from my home town, Nandura. So, after having darshan at Shegaon, we came to Railway station at Shegaon. Unlike the widely separated platforms at my home town, platform of Shegaon was one continuous strip serving both up and down trains with infrastructure like station offices and eatable shops in the middle. So, I got confused with both up and down passenger trains plying at platform. Both trains were high crowded and looked similar. We boarded the up train rather than down train that was to take us to Shri Kshetrangagazari. Once the train started, we realised that we are returning back home, rather than being on the onward journey. I felt quite bad, but elderly relative of ours comforted me saying he was just fine with this mess up. Probably, darshan of Saint Gomaji Maharaj at Shri Kshetranagazari was not in our luck.

 Similar mess up happened when our son, Hemant after his examination was to visit his grandparents in Bharuch. I was parking my car/scooter at New Delhi Railway station. I asked Nalini and Hemant to proceed to platform where he will board the train. I took some time to find space for car parking. As Nalini came out and told that Hemant has already boarded the train, which was nearly empty, I asked her which train was it? And she had assumed that it was the only train on the platform to go to Bharuch. I realised the mistake and told her that he boarded the wrong train which was going towards Amritsar. We panicked and begged for information to the porters. Later, we came to know that train will go to Old Delhi railway station. We requested auto to take us to old Delhi Railway station. I scolded Nalini for the mess up on the way. Later, Hemant phoned us to say that he interchanged the train at old Delhi railway station and boarded the right train to go to Bharuch. I sighed relief.

3.      Attraction of Rail Engine for my child, Hemant

Hemant was about 3-4-year old when we went to the South India on our LTC travel. At Rameshwaram, we were in hurry to get down and go towards waiting room, just outside the gate on the platform. I thought that Hemant is following his mother and my mother as I was carrying luggage. Later, as we were near gate, we realised that Hemant is not around. We all panicked during those split seconds. He, seeing rail engine and listening to the whistle had gone towards it. I immediately went back leaving my luggage to search for him. An elderly gentleman was holding his hand and standing on the platform. I caught hold of him, thanking the gentleman and taking him along as hurriedly to where we were standing near the gate.

4.      I loved both Rajdhani and Shatabdi Expresses as they were fast and offered non-veg food especially chicken. Occasionally, I will ask the waiter to get me extra chicken plate. I will often reward them with tip. However, charm of both trains declined as their services deteriorated, and I started flying more often for official purposes during my service career.

5.      I often travelled in the third or second class sometime without reservation during my college days, especially when I was in New Delhi. Later, there was only sleeper class with reservation. It provided a good entertainment as most passengers would be talkative sharing eatables during the course of journey. As a bachelor, home-made eatables were great treat for me. Playing cards was most common among the passengers. Listening to the elderly people talking about politics and their lives was a great experience. It is also a place to show your debating skills. Sharing of one newspaper was never considered a bad habit amongst passengers. By the time, we are done with it, the newspaper was used for sharing snacks, and even for sleeping on in a space between berths in a cabin.

6.      Railways also offer you a chance of adventurism. So, when I was talking to my relatives who came to see me at platform, I took it easy as train started. However, I was just lucky and adventurous enough to board the train that had picked up the speed.

Another instance of adventurism was however not of my own making. Once I was travelling alone to Nagpur in the three-tier compartment. I occupied lower berth, someone else the middle while other guy, turned out to be playboy occupied the top berth. Opposite me on the lower berth was a girl who was within a sight of this playboy. As the playboy was upping his antics after dinner, girl became quite uneasy. Sensing her trouble, I offered to exchange the seats so that she can be out of his sight. However, as the night turned into dawn, her father who occupied berth above me was fuming against me in his language which I did not understand. His daughter explained the situation in their language, and the reason for exchange of lower berths, that saved the day for me. Her father did not pick up quarrel, probably because so called playboy either got down or went to other compartment or language barrier may not have favoured to do so.

7.      Getting reservation on the trains meant lot of hassles, standing in long queue and then jostling with reservation clerk to find train that offered reservation. Similar exercises involved cancellation. Often, at reservation counters, one would have to be at its best outwitting one another in the queue if one had to be near ticket counter. Sometime, I will spare some currency bills either as gratitude or bribe for getting reservation.

8.      Rail journeys were quite amusing as passengers tried for extra leg room, or favour in terms of changing the seats, or ensuring that extra luggage remains in their sight. Occasionally, office colleagues were found to be amateur lovers making best of the anonymous atmosphere the journey offered.

9.      Railway journeys are a hotbed of pick-pocketers, thieves and occasionally decoits. So, first thing as we occupied the seats or berth was to fasten the luggage securely. I would often get up to see if the luggage is not moved out or trouser with wallet is close to my chest if I am sleeping during night time. Once, a close relative lost his luggage and even trousers, and had to come home with just sleepers in pyjama and bush shirt home. While travelling from Beijing to Wuhan, 100$ bill was pick pocketed by thief. Fortunately, my wallet was in the front pocket. This reminds me of a movie Sholay where Veeru and Jai use all their skills of shoot out to scare the decoits on a running train. Every time, I passed through Morena railway station on the Delhi-Bhusaval or Delhi-Nagpur route, I recalled this famous movie. I am glad that in real life, I did not encounter with them, but a Gujjar friend of mine did tell me of ferocious nature of Gujjars of this region while I was interacting with him in Ajmer.

10.  Food catering services on some trains are hopelessly inadequate, especially those trains that do not serve capital cities or big cities. So, was the case with this train from Jabalpur to New Delhi about a decade ago. In one case, I complained mildly to the catering manager of Rajdhani Express that portion of food served is not enough. He noted down my berth number and ensured that I am served late as a punishment.

11.  Since early 2000s, reservation was made online which came as a great relief. IRCTC provided online reservation. Railways have urgent [tatkal] reservation system for those who want to travel sooner but could not book reservation well in advance. Often, tatkal is  difficult to get as by the time you upload the form, the reservation would be all complete for that day and train. Unfortunately, tatkal reservation format was tampered by the smart software engineer which allowed filling up of details of journey before the tatkal booking started. And this helped those having access to this tampered software to upload a form and get reservation, as they were often first in line. Many private tourist companies used it. As common man did not have access to this modified format, he waited for his turn to get tatkal in vain as the system was heavily loaded with passengers. We are told that this smart software engineer is cooling his heels in the prison, as IRCTC reservation modification is illegal. In other countries, anyone who finds fault with the software is rewarded for his ingenuity.

12.  Recently, I travelled by train from Mumbai to Akola. While onward journey was just fine, with delays of course; return journey was just hopeless. Train arrived more than three to four hour late. I am told that some of these trains originating from West Bengal are often late. As we approached Mumbai, it stopped at unscheduled station for more than an hour. I had to ditch it as local train was available. Later, I came to know that train was terminated two stops before its scheduled destination. Twitter came handy to vent my grievance, but railway officials had nothing to say except repeatedly asking how they can help.

13.  Our German friends thought that travelling in first class will be a fine and great experience. But this was not the case when they travelled from Jodhpur to Delhi. They got first class jerks each time train stopped or started at the intermediate stations that spoiled their sleep. And this is true of many of our famed trains like Rajdhani Express.

14.  Of late, Railways have introduced complaint system through rail seva or even on twitter. So, I complained about dirty toilets and compartment. Person came promptly in the next stop to address my complaint. He cleaned what I asked him to do so. But railway toilets are so distorted and old, they never make your experience of pooing a relatively comfortable. And above all, most coaches are getting worn out. But surely it work, but not entirely to your satisfaction.

15.  Toy trains like one between Kalka and Shimla bring back memories of joys of childhood and pictures and songs of Bollywood movies. One that I recall is probably a movie Aradhana of Rajesh Khanna during early 1970s. We enjoyed this train once while visiting Shimla from Kalka.

16.  Indian rails have contributed significantly to bring together people of diversity throughout the country. As for me, we met an ICAR colleague who happened to be stationed at Jhansi and travelling in the same compartment for Delhi visit. Since then, he remained one of my lifelong friends. Another instance was of Professor whom I met unexpectedly during my train journey in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. If lucky, you can have a conference with colleagues of different ICAR instt travelling unexpectedly. 

17.  Being the largest Government employer [more than a million], Railways have all people from all states often serving in the state different from their native one. Railway employment was considered a most coveted job. I do not think of any native who may not have his relative or a friend or an acquaintance serving in the Railway. So, as for me, my father-in-law and brother-in-law retired from Railways, latter’s his son-in-law too, and so on so forth.

18.  During olden days, the most coveted post in railway was that of train supervisor or ticket checker at lower parlance, as many made an extra buck from those travelling illegally. This reminds me of my train travel wherein I too greased the palm to get a seat or berth or used an influence to get reservation. 

19.  Street smartness of those who travel in the rail was no match for my line of thought. Once, while travelling in train to Varanasi, I found many passengers sitting without tickets travelling in the reserved compartment for short journey of 2-3 hr in our train. They were not afraid of ticket checker who gestured them to show ticket or pay a minimal amount [bribe], as expected. Most did not pay. I was surprised at the behaviour of these travellers, who argued that it is their daily business and even by paying small bribe, they are in essence thieves who can be caught at the destination. So, they argued against paying as long as they can whether to the ticket checker in the train or at the destination station.

20.  Introduction of railway running on electricity was a novelty in 1990s. And those who used to occupy the top of coach lost their only place to sit and travel. Unfortunately, poor knowledge of overhead high voltage electricity cable often led to the electrocution of some who came close to these cables. One instance that is etched in my memory is when people were travelling to Nagpur on the DhammaChakra Pravartan Day for Budhha Diksha celebration. Some electrocuted and died an instant death, as they tried to find space between coaches at higher elevation that brought them in contact with high voltage cables. Probably this happened in Shegaon.

21.  One conversation that left a deep impression on me was while travelling to Delhi for my M Sc interview in 1973. I was standing for a while on the platform of Itarsi Railway station, as our train halted for about 10-15 min. A group of gangmen/head loaders were talking amongst themselves. One said, you know that our school colleague is now a big officer in Railway. We did not study and lagged behind to be in this pitiable condition. He studied well to be an officer. Others’ agreed shaking their heads with muted ha…

22.  Despite smart stations and introduction of new trains, and so called Vande Bharat, Indian Railways lags behind a lot in providing an efficient service and poor maintenance. Taste of what is good train journey is when I travelled from Beijing to Wuhan in 2007 and then from Frankfurt to Paris in 2014. Both trains offered superb experience. As far travelling by Eurostar train, I remained glued to the display that showed speed of train between 300 and 350 km/hr as I enjoyed hospitality in terms of food in the first class compartment.

23.  Railways are introducing new trains. Vande Bharat is reportedly the best train, with its max speed on an average is about 70 km/hr. Of course, you have to pay more for these trains which are sleek, beautiful and relatively speedy. Hopefully, we will soon have bullet trains. One is in pipeline between Ahmadabad and Mumbai with the Japanese collaboration.

24.  It is no mean achievement that Indian Rail carry about 23 million [2.3 crore] passengers daily.

25.  As I am completing writing of this blog, terrible news came in of major train accident on the 2^nd June, 2023 in the Indian state of Odisha. My heart-felt condolences are offered to those whose relations died or suffered in this accident at Balasore where the Coromondel Shalimar Express collided with the stationary wagon train and then tail-hit another Superfast Express bound for Howra [near Kolkotta] from Yeshvantpur [Bangaluru]. This accident left more than 280 dead and about 900 injured. Like in the past, this accident has led to politics of blaming, soul searching for reasons and ways to avoid them in future. Accident warning system Kavach was developed for railways to forewarn the accident, but probably is not installed on many trains. Hope we think of safety of people and property, as we thought of offering option of insuring the passengers travelling on trains some years ago. Jai Ho Indian Railways.