Train journeys enable us to enjoy a kaleidoscope of landscapes: hills and dales, roaring rivers, colourful flora and fauna, and the rustic countryside. Then, of course, the roar of the ‘steel horse’ as it thunders through the umpteen tunnels along the Western Ghats, crossing beautiful bridges or riding the Mumbai locals provides an altogether different thrill. But this piece is not about those moments but rather an account of the lighter side of my rail journeys.
Once during a weekend night journey from Hosapete, where I worked, to Bengaluru, my hometown, a young couple with their ‘new arrival’ boarded the train. Lowering the sleeping infant gently on the seat, the duo got to work. Pulling out an old saree and securing the ends to the metal holders of the top berth, they created a makeshift cradle. The mother would gently rock the cradle or bottle-feed the baby whenever the tiny tot woke up and bawled. This clever ploy made the newborn go back to sleep without raising hell.
At certain stations along the Hosapete-Bengaluru route, vendors selling snacks and beverages would barge into the coaches. A bank colleague, who also travelled with me, shared a rare bonhomie with a tea vendor whom he regularly patronized. They conversed like close acquaintances and bonded well. The vendor would often request Rs 500, and the colleague learning about the former’s predicament would part with the interest-free loan without fuss.
The duo continued their association throughout our posting in the mining town. Never once did the vendor default on his payments. Besides, he would treat us to steaming cups of chai and biscuits as a token of gratitude. Though he hesitated in accepting payment, we would settle the bill promptly!
Ticketless travellers were a dime a dozen on Indian trains. Once a lady passenger felt something crawl over her feet. On discovering it was a little black rat, she let out a shrill scream, making perturbed passengers scurry to her seat! Despite such incidents, the rodents continue to have a ball!
Circa 1990, when on vacation to Hyderabad, my other half and I encountered an unusual predicament. We were in the middle of the train journey when our trigger-happy infant sons, Sachin and Sunny, suddenly went bonkers, tormenting us to buy toy guns with rubber pellets. They wanted the gadgets in a hurry and disregarded our constant pleas to wait till we completed the ride. The ordeal ended only after reaching our destination and seeking out the nearest toy store! Some years later, during a school fancy dress competition, my younger son, Sunny, attired in military fatigues and wielding the same toy gun, walked off with the first prize!
Oddly, my wife had never travelled on a train before our nuptials. We had honeymooned in Goa and made the round trip by air – also her first. But rail travel remained a distant dream for her until the post-wedding years. So unbelievably, a ride on the Putani Express – the city’s only toy train – in Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park was her first. And boy, she enjoyed the brief but hilarious experience!
