As I was struggling with the IRCTC website trying to book my tickets (unsuccessfully) I realized how the railway is such an iconic symbol, close to the hearts of so many Indians.
Traveling seemed like such an adventure growing up. It still does, of course, although it doesn’t seem as grand now as it once did. From the maddening inefficiency of the railway staff to the charming stories of the porters and caterers, trains always inspire memories in a way nothing else can. It could’ve been a glimpse out of your window to see some breathtaking scenery, or the breath-stopping stench of something you’d rather not know about.
The memory strongest in my mind was the sound of an approaching train. As a child it always inspired a sense of doom, maybe it was the result of watching too many Penelope Pittstop episodes, back when cartoon network wasn’t absolute crap. Growing up hasn’t changed me much in that respect, my fears weren’t completely baseless. The less than perfect safety record of the train has made everyone a little wary, I think.
Obviously none of that is going to stop anyone from boarding the next train they have to take, a point proved by the people of Mumbai who showed that they could take just about anything in their stride. A fact that was, in equal parts, worrying and awe-inspiring.
You’ve not had a complete Indian childhood till you’ve had your “train experience”. A bustling, crowded station. A site of so much ordered chaos that it boggles your mind. Haggling for luggage space with other people in your compartment, opening the coach door and sitting on the edge watching the landscape pass by. I know it doesn’t sound like a dream, but it’s one of those things that you HAVE to do. Just like foot-boarding on a bus, or bribing a policeman or riding a cycle without touching the handlebars.
If you haven’t gone on a train yet, shame on you. Book a ticket and get on and hope it doesn’t derail. And watch out for approaching trains, they’re scary.
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