……and finally the day of reckoning arrived !!..
With the drooping faces full of despair and hopelessness , we three of us met at platform 1 on the Paharganj
side of the New Delhi railway station.
Staring each other and thinking about our next move, we sat on a bench next to
the entrance of platform 1, we did not
have any reservation for any train.. Dudeja ji being 4
years senior to us, he was our obvious choice for his lead…………
Checking at the ticket window and the
enquiry counters and endless analysis of the display boards, we explored all
possible permutation and combinations of getting a reservation and a proper
train connection to reach our target destination….MUMBAI…………..
phooooo. All in
vain,………..
except for a great guidance from one of a guiding light…. in a black coat…. the TT,
“BUY
A GENERAL TICKET AND BOARD ANY TRAIN
GOING TO THE DIRECTION OF MUMBAI” !#!!~~ …**.???
Affirmed by even more practical
advisers….in reds with Badge……
Our search finally narrowed on an evening train, Leaving New Delhi to Jamnagar
around 9:30 PM, idea was to travel till Baroda on this train
and get some connecting train from Baroda to Mumbai, that was the most genius
idea we could generate after 4 hours of Brain storming………..
The train was “Jamnagar Express…….”
Supposed to be leaving New Delhi from Platform
6…. At 21:50 hours.
Since we were supposed to be travelling in a general compartment, We
were aware, having dekhoo at the general compartments of other
trains …leaving earlier that day…our travelling will be more of a fight to
remain inside the compartment rather
than finding a space to stand… we
stuffed ourselves with some parathas, omletes
and tea at the railway catering
counter, and bought some Parle Gs as standby provisions for the hunger attack
during night…….
Tightening out trunks and bed rolls tucking
them on our shoulder backs and holding
tight in hands, we struggled through
overbridge to reach platform
6.
We were standing at the platform 6, waiting
for the train to arrive, there was a queue of fellow travellers, travelling on general ticket monitored by Lathi Wielded
Policewalas , at the platform area where the general compartment was supposed
to be positioned…. As if some ration provisions are going to be distributed….
The clock was showing 21.35 hrs….but
train was nowhere in sight….
Wondering and getting uneasy, we were
getting impatient, bending over the edge
of platform and looking in both sides of
the train track, to ascertain if the train is on its way to platform,
it
was, not only us, who were taking turns from the queue to go over the edge, bending
forward to look on both side of the
track, many other people on the platform waiting for the train were religiously
doing the same process, as if their religious bowing will attract the train to
the platform…..
When the clock was almost reaching 21.40 hrs….we overheard an announcement calling our trains number and name…… we
tried to concentrate in that moment of
chaos, to listen the announcement…….
Platform
6 se janewali gaddi Jamnagar Express ab
platform no 4 se jayegi……
On account of last moment change of
platform…..with all the possible Selective explicits, … infact it was
involuntary deliberation….. by almost everyone
…. picking up their bag and
baggages and rushing to platform 4 through OVERBRIDGE……UTTER CHAOS !!!
All the orderly queues maintained for General Compartment entry at Platform 6,
were a scene of mess at platform 4,
Policeman were striking their lathis….in vain, People were clamouring at the
entry gates, shoving in their Bags and their belongings…Which could include anything
&everything! besides
Bags & Bedrolls, BIG POTLees …colourfully painted trunks, buckets were there, even de-assembled charpois
could be seen being shoved inside !!!
The lower half of the gate was blocked, due
to all these essentials being carried inside…. Some over enthusiastic travellers, on seeing the Lower side of gate
being choked and almost blocked, started showing their superman knacks, climbing through the windows , started trying to crawl inside
compartment from the upper portion of
the gate….. some people clinging at the windows… desperately trying to block the window seats using their
handkerchiefs and hands. Seeing all this
ruckus ,
people Howling and growling…. We three of us were the spectators…. Unable to gather sufficient
strength to be part of this grand show……….
Railway authorities are very
generous…..they give sufficient time for this kind of show .. almost after
15-20 minutes, it seemed that things started
settling in….. the mad rush at the gates seemed cooled down…. Now it
seemed it was our turn to seek our space
in the compartment for our onward journey…. Picking up our baggage, we push
ourselves in the doorways…
to find Space sufficient to mount ourselves
for our onward travel to the new world……..
…… in the alley between the TOILETS……..
