Thursday, November 15, 2007

Way towards my sweet home....

When one waits for something why the wait keeps on increasing?

This happened with me when I wanted to go home well before Diwali on time and be with my family for a long time (which I crave for now). But it was a real long wait when one day before Diwali my journey was due (Just because of loads of work at office).

My trip to home this Diwali. The Journey began from Hakikat Nagar, Camp and Delhi where I got down the stairs to leave for station and 6 dogs covered me all around and started barking. Poor child was alone caught in-between 6 barking dogs that were not ready to let me move a single step ahead, for a minute I holded my breath and thought forget about the train and home and Diwali and save your life first or in other words I imagined a bad time for myself. To be clear I thought these dogs are not going to leave me today.

Suddenly my savior or let's say my lifeline (colony guard) came and some how tackled these dogs and directed them towards himself which gave me a way to move and move ahead towards station.

And then a usual fight with the Rikshawala to drop me at metro station in nominal charge, as he wanted a Diwali hike in charges from me. And me as usual short tempered left and started walking in anger and the security guard at the colony guard scolded the Rikshawala and asked him to drop me taking just Rs.5/- extra charges that was still bearable. And then the security checking at metro station opened my luggage completely and ruined my clothes and baggage which irritated me a lot.

But the journey moved ahead.....

And then a wait for the poor first Metro at 6 o'clock in morning which landed on the platform at 6:20 and left the platform at around 6:30 which made me more worried that whether I will be able to catch up with my train on time in this crowded time and with loads of luggage.

But luckily everything was fine and I reached the railway platform well before time at around 7:10 when my train was supposed to leave the station at 7:20. I thought now everything is fine and I will reach home on time. But my Luck still demanded a wait to reach home this Diwali.

We all know the well driven condition of our Indian Railways but my experience was really great this time. We all are aware of Shatabadi train and its importance in it in our Indian railways. But there are always some unexpected things that happen on your side; after all life is completely unexpected.

My Journey towards my home in Jalandhar this time was a real enjoyment this time. Something unusual happened this time. Shatabadi train was run by a goods train engine one among the slow engines and the journey to be completed in 4 hours completed as usual in 7 hours. Great Na!

Not only this many more things happened throughout the way. The train departed from New Delhi station on a very happy note and stood outside the station with a note that there is no signal and somehow dragged till Samaypur Badli station for a long halt were the Shatabadi engine was changed with a goods train engine and the tiring journey began when our dear train stopped at a every small station like a local passenger train.

And not only this moving ahead there were more tensions or lets say more adventure left when after reaching karnal the ticket checker arrived and asked for the tickets and a family with some old people was sitting behind created a scene. Actually the family was suppose to board another train (shane-e-punjab) and they boarded Shatabadi coz they also wanted to reach on time but there bad luck the ticket checker wasn’t corrupted like others or he was not in a mood to take the little amount that he was offered. And he asked them to get down at the next station.

And then the real drama begins in the train, best of all Indians- a fight. And then all the connections came out with numerous phone calls to people. After an hour or so the continuous arguments got over and everyone was relieved with a sigh that saying, ‘Thank God’. The real hangover was gone and then after all we found, we reached Ambala and the train stopped outside the station again.

I was really tired of these stoppages and fights and so I thought of sleeping after the train left Ambala luckily the train caught up with a Good speed but it again took a break at Gauraya apart from its usual stoppage which made me feel irritated when I was just a few minutes away from my destination. And then many people who were in groups started shouting to ask for the Ticket checker as they wanted to know what time the same Shatabadi would return back from Amritsar the same day.

Uffff Stupid people can’t they be calm and ask this at enquiry counter after exiting from the train but no they will sort all they queries shouting at other’s head. But with a big sigh of relief I reached the station Jalandhar at around 2:40 pm and was feeling good, happy to be relieved of this agony people’s Jail. Although I am also a part of those people I like to be calm a lot of time especially when I am traveling alone.

A sigh off relief and I reached home at around 3:00 pm and the tiring journey ended.

People say traveling in Shatabadi is really not tiring it gets over eating and enjoying but for me this time t was a real tiring journey with a good hangover and headache.

But still a new experience ……………

2 comments:

Fighter Jet said...

LOL....u had real great journey!

Anonymous said...

u will not beleive this, but I was travelling in the same train that day and was going to celebrate my Diwali with my sister in Amritsar.
It was the most horrible journey, I had ever experienced.After Jalandhar also, the Shatabadi was very sluggish, and halted for a long time at kartarpur and the beas station ( God knows,how can someone say that Shatabadi is the best train we have in India)

Finally I reached at Amritsar at ard 4pm, just 3 hrs late ( i was really very happy , that still half of my day was spared by indian railways).