Experience of My Delhi – Kolkata – Darjling – Sikkim – Delhi Journey – Part 4

I reach station before time. Waiting rooms are bulking with passengers so I stroll at station. Every pinch of this huge station is pack with passengers. Sultry weather is making me sweat. Luckily train is on time and I find my coach easily and acquire seat. One family is already there busy in gossiping in Bengali…

In a while, one more passenger enters into coach. Family is still busy in talking loudly and moving from here and there without caring others. Evening light is shadowing everything outside the window. Suddenly very low voice comes to me. I turn my eyes inside. Man is interacting me – where are you going ? I turn to him and reply – Darjling. How will you go from Jalpaiguri ? – he asked next question. No idea – My sudden reply. He advised – you may take share taxi. Taxi stand is just outside the Railway station. You will easily get share taxi in the morning. Useful advice. I ask about him. He says – I am army person and going Jalpaiguri for official work. I am actually from Maharashtra but posted in Kolkata…

In family, I noticed an old lady staring me continuously. She been staring me since I entered in coach. I don’t know why ? One more lady in the family is chubby short height middle aged woman. She is sitting on upper birth like a queen surrounded with food items. In every second, she picks something starts eating and distributing. She is talking continuously laughing loudly. One boy in the family around 17-18 years has start singing in every five minutes. He hums few words then stops again he starts humming and stops. Whole family seems hilarious. Old lady is still gazing me…

Its dark outside. Train is far away from Kolkata. Area seems like village area. Huge crops fields along with small huts are visible. Suddenly heavy rain starts and all become blur. Family is still busy in themselves. Lady is busy in eating and distributing. Boy busy in humming and old lady is still staring me which is really awkward now but as she is too old so I haven’t say anything to her. Army person is napping…

After dinner, I lie down.  After a tiring day, I soon fall asleep. Middle of the night old lady has start speaking. In the silence, her voice echoes. I scared and wake up. I saw everywhere but all are snoring. I stand up and notice that she is talking in sleep. Oh, this old lady is really scaring me now. I watch outside. All I can see is huge fields, rivers and jungle. Its bit cold too but I spend whole night gazing out…

I am relieved when it dawn. Huge green fields, rivers, water ponds, small hut are still in scenario. Few towns are also taking place but for a while only. Again heavy rain starts and become cold. Family get off at one junction but around 13-14 ladies get inside. All are wearing bright traditional dresses and imitating jewelries are enhancing their beauty. Their nose peers from both sides, which is making them more attractive. Small girls are also in the group wearing vibrant frock printed with small flowers on them. Girls are busy in playing and ladies are busy in chatting. Seems they are coming from some party or festival. They actually filled coach with the vibrant energy. Well after a while train reach Jalpaiguri and for my relief rain has stopped…

Coming out from train, I sweep between the ocean of human. Jalpaiguri Railway Station is huge and busy station. When I headed outside, I saw a poster asking Donation for Kedarnath Tragedy. I am sad about tragedy but glad to know that last corner of the country is worried about it. After walking long I reach taxi stand where touts are shouting everywhere. Some touts are going Nepal too coz Nepal is attached with Darjling. There is small market along with the taxi stand. Whole market is dump in muck and rainwater is logging everywhere. I found a restaurant and went inside… 

A young guy comes to take order. Thin tall long hair guy gave me menu card and ask for order. Though he is speaking Hindi to me but he is speaking in Nepali with others too. I find all North Indian dishes here too. After finishing food, I come out where I get a share taxi for Darjling. Taxi has already occupied by a family, few young boys and some others too. Only one seat left which I occupied. After a while driver start taxi and soon we reach Siliguri. Siliguri seems a big city and a green and clean too. Driver tunes a Nepali songs and journey become more enjoyable with melodious Nepali songs. Driver is a young guy but very short tampered and aggressive. He is shouting on everyone and getting aggressive in every little thing.

Anyway young boys sitting in cab are musician and football players. They play guitar and sing Nepali songs. All belong to Darjiling and coming from Jalpaiguri where they had football tournament and they are in winning team so all are celebrating success with music. They tell me with big smile that real celebration would be in night and all laugh together…

By the time, Siliguri left behind. Now hill area has started. Roads are turning and twisting. Fog takes place. All are green. Mostly are due to tea garden. Huge tea gardens are both sides of roads making scenario beautiful. Suddenly driver plays Hindi songs and his lips and head is moving with the lyrics. It’s a romantic song so I think driver relate with the song deeply and emotionally...

He stops taxi for breakfast. I don’t know where but its green, fogy and rainy. After this point tough hill area starts and roads become more and more hilly. It was almost fogy and rainy. I couldn’t see anything outside. From one point I see the toy train trek but no toy train is running on it. Soon cab reaches Darjling. Here its raining and I can see the people working in rain. Darjling is just like a one more hill station so I am not feeling stranger here. Only people and language has change but you can easily communicate with people in Hindi or English. Its raining heavily here. Crossing these small towns, we reach to Darjiling. I can feel the change here too. People are more technology savvy and all old and traditional construction is changing with new construction. Driver drop me at taxi stand. From taxi stand I take help people to reach hotel and crossed some streets I reach to hotel…

Continue... 

Experience of My Delhi – Kolkata – Darjling – Sikkim – Delhi Journey – Part 1

Sitting in Kathgodam Railway Station and waiting for train to Delhi. Actually I didn’t want to take risk of landslide in rain season. From Delhi will take train for Kolkata. From Kolkata I will go to Darjling then Sikkim then back to Delhi and back to Nainital. Indeed a long journey…

Kathgodam railway station is small and beautiful. One of my favorite places for wait. I love stroll one end to another end rather than sitting in a place. This railway station is single platform railway station so no madly hustle-bustle. After a while I went into waiting room. Mostly ladies are here. Men must be strolling outside. I noticed mostly ladies are interested in talking about television serials which is boring. I back and went out for strolling. Now station is in little hustle coz Jammu-Tavi-Express is on platform. Before leaving station rail, release deep dark black and suffocative smoke from engine, which has polluted everything. After train left station become quiet and peaceful again…

Sitting on chair I starts observing people. Two young guys come and sit next to me. Both are busy with their mobiles and earphone. No one has time to see their surroundings. One father-son couple also takes place on my other side. Son is though simple but father seems irrational. He is scolding someone on phone in an very insulting way. My train is about to come so time to go. I meet one Bengali family and lady member asks me – where you going ? I replied – Kolkata. Her straight question is – Alone ? and why are you going to Kolkata. Luckily train arrived and I went to my coach because I had no answer for these stupid questions…

Trains are always a complicated question for me so it takes time to find my coach and my seat inside coach. After little struggle, I find my seat and just after me Punjabi family arrives. Punjabis are good people. Traveling with them is safe but lady in this family is bit complicated by nature. I don’t understand why she is trying to show that she belongs to richest family on this earth. After little noise, atmosphere become peaceful though family is still busy in chatter. Soon all fall asleep and I become alone. Disadvantage of night journey is that you cannot see anything outside and lying down is boring for me. Middle of the night I went to the door and stand for long time. It is pleasant to see outside in fresh cool breeze. Village or town or city are coming and going fast. I only can see the lights and then again, all become dark. In one station, few more passengers come into my coach and soon all become quite again. Early morning 3 AM train reaches Delhi station…

  It was too dark yet and Delhi is not a safe this time to move alone so I spend time at station until morning. I searched every place to sit but people are sleeping everywhere. I guess homeless people also come here for the shelter. Though its irritating but I cannot blame people who are sleeping like this. Its the failure of policies which still could not provide them a shelter…

  This railway station is dirty and filthy. Luckily I get seat after strolling long. I am not in mood of strolling coz I am tired and sleepy. Though place is dirty but I have no choice and I am too tired to stay stand up anymore. Next to my seat, a paralytic man is sitting but which attracts me a lot is his brother who is taking care of him like anything. Indeed a lovely and caring brother. Suddenly one train comes to platform and I am amused to see that every doors and windows are cover with hanging milk pots. When train stops, many milkmen come out. I think locals use it for their daily uses.  Anyway after spending two n half hours in the station I comes out take auto rickshaw for Nizamuddin Railway Station. My train time is 4 PM so again a long wait…

Crossing long area and security checks I reach into AC waiting but it is jam pack. I went to wash room which again bulking with women and floor dump in water. Without wasting time, I left the washroom pick up my backpack and off to find out clock room where I could put my luggage. Now I am again on road. As I comes out from station many rickshaw guys are keep coming and asking - where I wanna go ?  Which I myself even don’t know right now…

I am hungry and Chadni Chawk is best place to satisfy my hunger glands.  Sit in an e-rickshaw travelling through the polluted road I reach Chadni Chawk, which is crowded like always. I walk in a narrow street and find out a decent restaurant. Ordered paneer paratha and Kauchuri…

Now I will go to Red Fort. Independence Day is round the corner hence decoration work is on peak. Labors are hanging on walls to clean them. Weather is cloudy and sultry. Few tourists are busy in taking pictures. 

I think to go to Jama Masjid (mosque) as it is Roza Month so I will get good pictures but when I reached I been stopped outside. Man wearing white Kurta-Payjama, white cap asks me – show your ticket.  What ? – I reply in a question. Its free – I said amusing. But you carrying camera – he justifies. Oh this is the reason anyway I ask for ticket - 900 Rupees only – he said normally. With stretching eyes, I take turn and back to road again. Man shout from behind - you can go without camera too. Going without camera is absolute useless so I ignore him. 

Strolling on road, I eat meetha paan (sweet beetle) stuffed with many ingredients. While chewing paan I thought to go to underground market of Palika Bazar in Connaught Place. I take metro for Palika Bazar. Palika Bazar is underground market where you can buy anything in cheap price. I am not here to buy anything but to kill time. In this busy market photography is not allowed. I went inside the fully air conditioned market. Spending time here is relaxing. I walk through the narrow lanes inside. Both sides of the lanes have shops. All lanes are connecting with other lanes and almost everything is available here. This is huge market. After roaming around, I sit in a place. People are busy in shopping and shopkeepers have many ideas to attract them. I find mostly youngsters are coming here. Meanwhile in this cozy temperature I take a small power nap too. I kill long time here and now its time to go back to the Railway Station… 

I collect luggage and went to platform. Train is on time. I find seat and sit with big relief. Other passengers in which one man and a family with husband wife and little girl also come. Other seats are empty. In a while train moves and I set my eye on window...

Scenario of outside is changing every minutes. When all get settle then we introduced ourselves. Man is from Delhi and going Kolkata for official visit. Family is from Jharkhand. They came Delhi to visit his in-laws. All become busy after this introduction. Husband wife busy in their personal chat while man gets busy over phone. When the man is talking with female his voice becomes soft and sophisticated while talking with males his voice become tough…

After a while train boy appears with lemon juice which is most demanding thing for me this time. Soon I fall asleep. I wake up when train boy come with soup and lunch. Delhi man is still busy over phone and I can guess he is talking with a girl coz his voice is soft and sophisticated. I sip soup and little girl playing with father and want go back to Delhi for her grandmother. Husband looks me with smile and says - my daughter loves her grandmother very much. My mother is old and sick so she can’t travel anywhere…

Sky fills with rainbow colors of dusk. This is magical and spell bound. Soon train attended serve dinner. I sleep soon after dinner...

Its cloudy everywhere in morning when I wake up. Family is getting ready to leave as there station is about to come. From here, two security guards are on duty outside each coach. This area is Naxlide area that is why security is tight here. In station, many army soldiers are roaming everywhere… 

Soon Dhanbad arrives and the family leaves. Beautiful green fields and huge rivers are in the scene. Jamshedpur is next station. A thin black layer of smoke is covering whole city. This area is famous for steel factory and smoke coming from chimneys of steel factory…

I indulge in the outside scenario when a melodious voice breaks my focus and get me back into compartment. Voice is coming from next compartment. Some guy is singing Bengali song in a very pleasant and melodious voice. Voice is resembling with great sing Shri S. D. Burman ji and I am imagining a boat a river and a boatman and ofcourse me too and S.D. Burman’s  song Mere sajan hai us paar, Mai man maar hu is paar, O mere majhi abki baar le chal paar…

But I back to present when I saw the Kolkata city is welcoming me with big flyover, traffic jam, crowd, pollution. Train reaches to Syalde railway station. Huge station is bursting with a mob of people. When I came out, Splash of hot wind spank on my face to make me realize the temperature and ocean of people is making me crazy… 

Continue...