There are so many persons we meet while travelling. We get acquainted and share our time with them. When we reach our respective destinations, we alight and disperse in different directions never to meet again! But the moments we spend with them remain etched in our memory for long. In the 25 years I’ve live on mother earth, I’ve undertaken so many journeys and met so many different types of people. Some have been pleasure to meet; some have been just co-passengers and some just pain in the ass. The second category people get erased from your mind as soon as you alight. The third category is deliberately erased while the first category remains in the memory forever. I’m chronicling a few of such meetings. In most of them, I don’t remember the names and in others we didn’t bother to ask each other’s name.
Howrah-Mumbai Mail, June 2000
I was coming back to Chikhla with my parents and my brother after a month long vacation. We had four berths reserved to us. In the 8-seat coup, the other 4 berths were reserved to 3 Mizo girls and their guardian. I was a boy all of 15 and they were older by about 5-7 years. Almost everyone is fascinated when they meet people from North-East and we were no exception. The girls were on an India tour and were now going to Nagpur. When they came to know that we were from a place near Nagpur, they started chatting with us. For the records, at that time, I’d not seen Nagpur at all. So, my knowledge was very limited. Another hindrance was language. They had very less knowledge of Hindi and I couldn’t speak fluent English. But still we spent a quality 16 hours together. When we alighted at Tumsar Road, they came to the windows to bid us goodbyes. I felt a lump in my throat as I was leaving a family behind. After that I’d many Mizo friends and it was because of them my English speaking improved.
Azad Hind Express, June 2004
I was travelling alone for the first time and hence this journey has a big importance in my life. My parents had given me a load of instructions of what to do and what not to do on the train. My co-passengers were a family of three including a 5-year boy named Girish and an affable Bengali guy from Chandrapur. Girish was a sprightly boy who kept his parents on toe with his antics. The Bengali guy, whose name I forgot, soon befriended all of us and we started chatting. He even bought Girish an ice-cream. Girish’s mother offered us food which I neglected, as instructed. But soon the other guy forced me to eat and I conceded. Girish and his family alighted at Tatanagar. I went on to Howrah. It was because of this nameless friend that I was able to travel without fear and since then I’ve travelled alone all around the country fearlessly.
Khurana Travels, August 2007
This was one of the most troublesome times of my life. I’d failed to gain admission in Pune for my masters and had thoroughly rejected Nagpur as an option. I’d no idea what to do whatsoever. I’d a job offer with Infosys Progeon (now Infosys BPO) and I decided to go to Pune to join it. When I started from Nagpur at 9 in the night it was cloudy but by the time I’d reached Chikhli in Marathwada next morning, I was amidst a flood. We were stuck and had nowhere to go. But then the villagers of Dahigaon came to rescue and we had one meal at their village. They showed us the way to reach Mehkar Fata which was at an altitude and had food. The two days that I stayed there is one of the most trying days of my life. All the co-passengers became one family and supported each other. Only Airtel coverage was there and my phone became the contact for all present there. I don’t remember anybody’s name now but will always remember the kindness and love they showered on me.
Azad Hind Express, August 2007
I came back to Nagpur and went back to Pune after a week. I went to Infosys for the first two days of orientation but somehow didn’t find myself suitable for the job and left on the second day itself. I came to Pune station at about 3 PM bought a wait-listed ticket for Nagpur and waited in the station wondering if I’d made the right decision. I was unsure of my future and even about my next course of action. I boarded the train hoping to find someone who would allow me to sleep in the alley between the berths. I was lucky to find one uncle who not only helped me but on hearing my story soothed me as well. I was tired, afraid and confused but because of that uncle, I was able to reach Nagpur in sound mind.
Prerna Express, May 2010
I was going to Ahmedabad for a PhD entrance at PRL. My ticket was RAC and I was happy because I was to share it with a girl. But the TTE played spoilsport and confirmed my ticket. My co-passengers over there were going on a trip to Udaipur. They were playing cards and were all in their banians and shorts. At first I thoroughly disliked them. But seeing my discomfort, they stopped playing. We soon became friends and they shared their tasty food with me. They were really nice guys whom I’d mistakenly thought otherwise.
ST Bus, December 2010
I travel everyday from Nagpur to college in ST buses. I read my newspaper all along the way and if not reading I sleep. I seldom take interest in the scenery outside or in my fellow passengers. But this particular day was different. A beautiful girl had nowhere to seat as all seats were full. The auntie beside me offered her to seat in between me and her. The girl was a chatterbox and she started chattering. Soon she took out her laptop and gave me a thorough demonstration of how to use it. But the battery decayed and she resorted back to chattering again. Suddenly she said that she needed to vomit and I readily gave my window seat (I never do that). She was feeling nausea and readily informed her mother and then her boyfriend. She kept on informing small details to both of them every 5 minutes. In the passing, I inquired her about her college. She laughingly answered that she will give her 10th in the coming March. I was stunned and disappointed. But it still remains one of the most cheerful journeys I’ve undertaken.
ST Bus, 26th January 2011
After the Republic day function, me and my colleagues had gone to Paoni to see Gosikhurd dam. After coming back from there, I started for Nagpur. About 5 Kms from Mauda, the bus came to a halt. There were vehicles all in front of us. It was the longest traffic jam I’d seen. Soon the reasons were known. A religious organization called Parmatama Ek was having its annual gathering near Mauda and that had caused this trouble. I was tired and was looking forward to rest in my room at Nagpur. Everyone in the bus was getting restless and angry. A beautiful girl was sitting just in front of me. She was also getting restless and she started asking questions. She was from Delhi was mostly speaking in English. I jumped onto the chance and started talking with her reassuring that soon the blockade will be removed and we will reach Nagpur soon. She was a nice girl and started talking to the old man beside her. He was first afraid to talk to her but soon became friends with her as well. We kept chatting and I never realized when the 3 hour journey (originally 1 hour) came to an end.
Hope to find such people again in my life.
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