This is the start of my post so no pictures here...
It was
evening and raining when I was waiting for bus to Delhi. Though I was going to
Lucknow but I had to finish some work in Delhi. Around 7 PM bus came into
station. I had booking so I retired to my seat. Rain became fast which was
creating wrinkles on my face because roads can get close anytime through the
landslide. Some more passengers enter into bus otherwise it was almost empty. I push my seat little back and stare out.
Station was in mode of emptiness. Few shopkeepers were inside their shop and some
passengers were strolling out in rain. Around 8 PM bus start as it was empty so
everybody was silent. We reached Haldwani at 9.30. Haldwani was full of life and
Kumauni songs were blearing with full volume…
Bus
stops here for 1 hour and then starts again. It was a bore journey because
nothing interesting was happening. Anyways few miles away bus stopped with full
breaks. Everybody gets in active mode and shouted together – what happened ?
Big python crossing road – driver replied. Everybody wanted to see him so
as me because it was something new for me too. Everybody has their own idea about python
which they gave as their precious advice like he must come here by mistake
that he is baby python that he is sick and so on and on and on. Meanwhile python crossed the road and hidden
into jungle. All came inside and bus
starts again. This was the only activity…
Morning
7 A.M. I reached Delhi. It was overcast but luckily not raining. Delhi was
running like always. Every time when I come here, city looks new to me. I took DTC bus and went to my destination. Whole
day I did my work and by evening I went to Ghaziabad Railway Station to pick up
the train to Lucknow. My train has to leave by 8.30 so I moved station by 5.30
which was itself a struggling journey. I again took ramshackle DTC bus giving
feeling that anytime it can off from life anyways it was full so I stood inside.
Half n hour later I reached Ghaziabad and took auto-rickshaw for railway
station. Auto wala stuffed lots of passenger in rickshaw. No one could sit
comfortably but he kept on stuffing as he is stuffing chickens inside.
Eventually when passengers start shouting at him then he start auto but still stopping
in every second for more passengers whom I don’t know where he is going to give
seat. Finally I reached station by 7.45. I was assured my train would be on
platform but for my disappointment train was two hours late. I had no choice
accept to wait…
I thought
to roam around in station because this was the only thing which I can do
perfectly for time pass. Station was overcrowded with the heap of passengers. Floor
of platform layered with passengers who were slipping on it. Where the space
was empty I could see the layer of dirt and red stains of tobacco. Some were
sitting on the top of their stack of luggage. I always noticed that Indians travels
with lots of luggage. This is common scenario of many stations. Eventually I
got one seat on rickety iron bench which was again dirty but I had no other option…
Trains
were running on the track. Tracks were littered with plastic and other scraps. Station
announcements were announcing about trains time and other information. My bench
was near to track which was vibrating when trains were passing through. All trains
were full because it was Rakhi festival. In many trains passengers were hanging
out and some were sitting on the floor of train. I spend some time here and
then again went to roam around. I crossed one platform through over bridge and
went to another side. Here again all stairs, side paths, over bridges were
packed. I was experiencing all this by then my train came on platform. Big
smile appeared on my face but as I couldn’t get AC compartment so I was
travelling in sleeper class…
I went
to the train find out my birth and put my rucksack. It was lower side birth.
This compartment was again overcrowded. Passengers were standing or sitting everywhere.
I wanted to go to toilet but could not go. Whole night it was hustle-bustle in
train so there was no option for sleep. Eventually I woke up and set on my
birth to watch out. It was raining and all green which was the only thing to
give pleasure. But railway tracks were littered with human dispose. I could see
people sitting on the tracks which are new thing for me…
Train
crossed many big junctions like Kanpur, Unnav and others. Here train become
local and stopping in every spot. Collage going student and office people were
main passengers. It was not raining but become hot. Around 10 AM I reached
Lucknow…
Continue…
