It was good day to start with. It was an early morning 6:00am in Bangalore and the outside climate was cool enough to make you think 'why did I come out of home ?'.
Reaching the Bangalore railway station to take my trip back to Chennai, I was waiting on the platform. Passengers and their accompanies as friends or relatives were rushing towards the respective compartment location mentioned on the digital board on top.
Looking at their tension packed faces, which was not having a single percent smile for that great morning, I was feeling really pity for them.
When the clock moved near to 6:40am the much awaited announcement has came about the train and it is expected in few moments.
Once the train arrived, as we all approach towards our compartment, there came an old lady & her son just pushed us away and started getting on to the train.
Surprised and just laughed on their behaviour everyone boarded the train and all were busy enough locating their seats, placing their luggage.
Since I was not having any luggage, I reached my seat and found that I am going to share my seat with the same Old lady & her son.
The only problem in Indian railway - during day time train is the sitting space. Though it is perfect for a 3 member team of lean people like me (and I am not lean nowadays), if any of the 3 is fat then you are done.
Looking at my team i am sure that i don't have enough space for me to make myself comfortable. Just to note, that I am returning back after a short visit to Bangalore and it is just few hours of sleep I had last night. So I was thinking to myself, how do I get myself comfort.
Sat on my allotted number, once the TTE verified my ticket I just got myself ready towards a sit-asleep posture. It was a wonderful sleep i was having.
And not sure, who is talking or where is it ? i heard someone calling me "Sir...", Is it real or my dream, once again I heard "Sir...", Oh it was my neighbor. I opened my eyes from a deep sleep, answered him, "Yes, what can i do ?"
The old lady was waiting for me to give way to move out of our seat. I appologised to them and gave way. While I decided to continue my sleep, He questioned me - "Are you single ?".
Already much irritated that he spoiled a good sleep of mine, I was about to say "No I am married and having a son", controlled my anger and answered him politely, "Yes."
He then asked me "Can you change your seat with my friend ? He is sitting in the next compartment."
Being helped by several people on several of my journeys, I couldn't avoid this request. I agreed to him. He was very much happy and called up his friend and informed about this. He said he will take me there and asked me to wait till his mother returns.
While we were waiting, let me explain the scenario of my current sitting location. It was 108 seater compartment. It has entrance at start, middle & end of the bogie. Not much crowded and the seats were not on a traditional way. Usually on a 2nd sitting coach the seats would be like 3 people will be facing each other like that way, you will have 6 seats on left & 6 seats on right.
But this one was arranged in a little different manner, like a Bus, 3 seats on right and 3 seats on left for each row and all rows facing same direction. There was not much gap between each row and it was quite comfortable for me to have a good sleep.
The old lady reached back, and then we moved to the next compartment. It wasn't an easy task. We have to swim through the crowd which was standing on the passage.
After a 10min travel, finally we reached the location. It is the same size bogie, but seats were like traditional (12 seats a row, and six on each side and 3 facing 3).
I occupied his friend's seat and we informed TTE about this swap. Now my mind said, common... go ahead and continue your sleep. I stretched myself and started my sleep again.
A little while after I felt the train was slowing down. Opened my eyes, It was a in-between station and so many people stepped in to the train. I was thinking, do we have that many space left for these people sit here. My mind said it is there problem, so I continued my sleep again.
Few more minutes passed, I was half asleep. I felt I am not comfortable. When I open my eyes, god.... between these 3/3 seat gap there was a small boy standing and then holding the bar on my seat back was a family like that everybody on the reservation compartment was troubled by an un-reserved compartment crowd.
Alas, my sleep is gone. How can I sleep when I can't stretch my legs freely. Neither I can put my head on the seat back nor I can move my legs. No space !!!!
We were eagerly waiting for the TTE to come. Promptly came our much awaited hero but failing all our hopes he just pass by murmuring to him self, "How many times i will say to these people to go to the General compartment ?"
I can hear the frustration in his tone. What to do ?. Let me try to continue my sleep. Somehow I managed to got back my sleep and it was a wonderful sleep i was having.
And at that golden moment, I felt like water is dripping on my pant & leg. Awaken immediately, I looked outside - and it was not raining. Then what is this. Look up and i can see our friend Mr.Unreserved was trying to open a water bottle.
Really frustrated with the disturbance I had i asked him "What is this yar ?." He replied very cool, "Nothing sir, you relax"
I got angry and said, "What nothing ? You poured water on my dress and my shoes, how do you want me to wear that again ?"
I just looked into his eyes, there was no answer. I told him "Move away". Knowing nothing can be done to this unforced errors, I continued my sleep again.
Next disturbance was scheduled after 10 min, not knowing the same I was slowly entering into the world of sleep. There came a tap on my shoulder. Waken up by that I just looked on the side, I can see the Pantry vendor (railway catering) standing there with a trey full of Dosas.
While i was surprising I haven't asked for any Dosa, he said "move your head, I have to keep the trey here on the seat back to serve Dosa"
Okie.... I will. Few minutes of waiting, got my permission again to sleep, continued the same.
About 10 min pass by, got a tap on my shoulder again. Opening my eyes with full frustration of "Who is this time ?"
It was my neighbour, asking what station is Next !!!!
By answering his question, took a magazine on my hand I was saying to myself
"No more sleep on a train, that too a day train, that too sitting on an aisle seat, that too when there is everyone around you is wakeup"
Yours
Ragavan
Reaching the Bangalore railway station to take my trip back to Chennai, I was waiting on the platform. Passengers and their accompanies as friends or relatives were rushing towards the respective compartment location mentioned on the digital board on top.
Looking at their tension packed faces, which was not having a single percent smile for that great morning, I was feeling really pity for them.
When the clock moved near to 6:40am the much awaited announcement has came about the train and it is expected in few moments.
Once the train arrived, as we all approach towards our compartment, there came an old lady & her son just pushed us away and started getting on to the train.
Surprised and just laughed on their behaviour everyone boarded the train and all were busy enough locating their seats, placing their luggage.
Since I was not having any luggage, I reached my seat and found that I am going to share my seat with the same Old lady & her son.
The only problem in Indian railway - during day time train is the sitting space. Though it is perfect for a 3 member team of lean people like me (and I am not lean nowadays), if any of the 3 is fat then you are done.
Looking at my team i am sure that i don't have enough space for me to make myself comfortable. Just to note, that I am returning back after a short visit to Bangalore and it is just few hours of sleep I had last night. So I was thinking to myself, how do I get myself comfort.
Sat on my allotted number, once the TTE verified my ticket I just got myself ready towards a sit-asleep posture. It was a wonderful sleep i was having.
And not sure, who is talking or where is it ? i heard someone calling me "Sir...", Is it real or my dream, once again I heard "Sir...", Oh it was my neighbor. I opened my eyes from a deep sleep, answered him, "Yes, what can i do ?"
The old lady was waiting for me to give way to move out of our seat. I appologised to them and gave way. While I decided to continue my sleep, He questioned me - "Are you single ?".
Already much irritated that he spoiled a good sleep of mine, I was about to say "No I am married and having a son", controlled my anger and answered him politely, "Yes."
He then asked me "Can you change your seat with my friend ? He is sitting in the next compartment."
Being helped by several people on several of my journeys, I couldn't avoid this request. I agreed to him. He was very much happy and called up his friend and informed about this. He said he will take me there and asked me to wait till his mother returns.
While we were waiting, let me explain the scenario of my current sitting location. It was 108 seater compartment. It has entrance at start, middle & end of the bogie. Not much crowded and the seats were not on a traditional way. Usually on a 2nd sitting coach the seats would be like 3 people will be facing each other like that way, you will have 6 seats on left & 6 seats on right.
But this one was arranged in a little different manner, like a Bus, 3 seats on right and 3 seats on left for each row and all rows facing same direction. There was not much gap between each row and it was quite comfortable for me to have a good sleep.
The old lady reached back, and then we moved to the next compartment. It wasn't an easy task. We have to swim through the crowd which was standing on the passage.
After a 10min travel, finally we reached the location. It is the same size bogie, but seats were like traditional (12 seats a row, and six on each side and 3 facing 3).
I occupied his friend's seat and we informed TTE about this swap. Now my mind said, common... go ahead and continue your sleep. I stretched myself and started my sleep again.
A little while after I felt the train was slowing down. Opened my eyes, It was a in-between station and so many people stepped in to the train. I was thinking, do we have that many space left for these people sit here. My mind said it is there problem, so I continued my sleep again.
Few more minutes passed, I was half asleep. I felt I am not comfortable. When I open my eyes, god.... between these 3/3 seat gap there was a small boy standing and then holding the bar on my seat back was a family like that everybody on the reservation compartment was troubled by an un-reserved compartment crowd.
Alas, my sleep is gone. How can I sleep when I can't stretch my legs freely. Neither I can put my head on the seat back nor I can move my legs. No space !!!!
We were eagerly waiting for the TTE to come. Promptly came our much awaited hero but failing all our hopes he just pass by murmuring to him self, "How many times i will say to these people to go to the General compartment ?"
I can hear the frustration in his tone. What to do ?. Let me try to continue my sleep. Somehow I managed to got back my sleep and it was a wonderful sleep i was having.
And at that golden moment, I felt like water is dripping on my pant & leg. Awaken immediately, I looked outside - and it was not raining. Then what is this. Look up and i can see our friend Mr.Unreserved was trying to open a water bottle.
Really frustrated with the disturbance I had i asked him "What is this yar ?." He replied very cool, "Nothing sir, you relax"
I got angry and said, "What nothing ? You poured water on my dress and my shoes, how do you want me to wear that again ?"
I just looked into his eyes, there was no answer. I told him "Move away". Knowing nothing can be done to this unforced errors, I continued my sleep again.
Next disturbance was scheduled after 10 min, not knowing the same I was slowly entering into the world of sleep. There came a tap on my shoulder. Waken up by that I just looked on the side, I can see the Pantry vendor (railway catering) standing there with a trey full of Dosas.
While i was surprising I haven't asked for any Dosa, he said "move your head, I have to keep the trey here on the seat back to serve Dosa"
Okie.... I will. Few minutes of waiting, got my permission again to sleep, continued the same.
About 10 min pass by, got a tap on my shoulder again. Opening my eyes with full frustration of "Who is this time ?"
It was my neighbour, asking what station is Next !!!!
By answering his question, took a magazine on my hand I was saying to myself
"No more sleep on a train, that too a day train, that too sitting on an aisle seat, that too when there is everyone around you is wakeup"
Yours
Ragavan
