Yatrigan krupaya dhyan de... and the lady went on to announce the arrival of our train in three languages. We were going on a trip to Shimoga for Santu's engagement. After a long tiring day at work, I pulled myself up to the task of hand holding two kids and a big bag to board the train. A few minutes of chit chatting and coffee, chips and good nights, all went to sleep. I sat at the window looking outside. Thinking.
The hands of the watch on my hand seemed to slow down to a rhythmic din moving only to remind themselves that life is going on. The lady in the opposite seat was looking at me with a weird smile on her face. Face dabbed in talcum powder, her oiled hair wound up in a knot with jasmine flowers and a tired look which lit up every tome her iPhone came to life and she typed away a reply. Not less than 35 she looked traditional till I saw her iPhone and with the ease she operated touch screen. We are the only ones alive and busy punching the keys on our mobiles and hence the smile. The train reached some station and I look out of the window again.
The announcement is made and we move. Strange ways life has! Elongated concrete platforms, decked up TV screens, people selling all sorts of things from papers, pins, water, fans to food. People arriving and parting, hugging and seeing off! Tears, frustration, anxiety, fear, urgency and what not. Everything is in motion but the train. Some pick up luggage and run up the stairs to some other platform. Some wait patiently. Some check every train. Some are seriously discussing topics like they would save the world. A group of college something students are in a huddle laughing. A old lady with her husband is in tow with a bag bigger than her slowly walking on the platform. A young couple walk jestfully across with their kid in pram. An old tramp spreads papers on the floor preparing to sleep with a wicked satisfied grin. A kid tries to sell me Femina and brush at the window. A beggar with a baby, about two months old, looks pleading. A couple of people smoking! Wasn't smoking in railway stations banned? Coolies hurrying with huge bags lifted effortlessly snaking through the crowd while the owner in question is a 20 something girl in tight jeans, tee, iPod, sneakers and sipper struggles to stay up. All varieties and brands are here, I mean of people!
Luggage! Have you ever observed the luggage possible? All brands, cost segments, classes! Cloth bags, gunny bags, plastic covers with all sorts of branding, name tags from some decade old flight, hand bags of all shapes and sizes, colors, new ones, old ones, repaired ones, and ones that are bad in shape, costly ones, home made and what not! I try and relate the baggage to the person and see if they match. Most times it does but not always. Strange are the ways of life. As we move out of the station all the sights look awesome. The train picks up speed and life's glimpses make me feel light.
The moon is full bright and shining coolly on the landscape bringing the night to pass. Angel of sleep descends and brings all to rest. A distant flock of birds fly furiously back home to their nests taking food for their babies. Down, on the road, a group of tired looking people wait for the train to pass, engines running, hoping and may be planning for the reaction when they reach home or for tomorrow. A home perched in a field. A long line of trucks parked around a dhaba. Lonely dark river winding like a snake. A watchman fully asleep unperturbed by the train's noise, hustling trees and howling wind.
"Can you pull down the window please?"
I come back from my imagination and look at her.
'Sure.'
I pull down the glass so I can still see.
'I am Shravya,' she said sitting up, gearing up to chat.
I maintain a disinterested face and muttered, 'Good night,' pulled my bed sheet over my face and slept.
No ways :) ! We chatted for four hours till early dawn. Well... that is another story. Life is a journey. You can always make it a memory or simply travel. I add a memory and make it awesome :)
