ExpertDabbler

Last week I had to make a trip down south yet again. Only this time, being peak summer season, all trains were full more than a month in advance. I have made a habit of booking in A/c three tier sleeper nowadays. Alas, this time that was not vacant either.
I figured that a third a/c tatkal ticket works out to be more expensive than second a/c. So I upgraded myself to second a/c this one time.

The first thing that struck me was the attitude of the people. They were too stiff lipped for my taste. I boarded the Sampar Kranti at 7.30 in tambaram. As usual, I took out the book I had for times like these. The lady seated next to me, wanted to sleep by 8.30. Nor did she tell me. She was just fidgeting around and giving ample signals about her intentions though. Mine was upper berth so I was the one expected to move. The one seated opposite was already snoring. By the time I went to the loo and returned, the lady had already made her bed, lied down and switched off the lights.

Not the one to go to bed early and 8.30 is hardly bed time by any standards, I started my reading session by moving towards the area near the coach door which had lights. I was totally engrossed in the book standing there till Vilupuram which the train reached around 10 PM. It’s one thing that I did not mind standing there. But I felt she could’ve just told me that she wanted to sleep. And she should’ve refrained from switching off the lights without informing, especially given that my book was wide open.

On the other hand, the crowd in three tier a/c has always been very cordial and polite without being indecent or nosy in my experience. My sleeper class experience has also been pretty good for the most part though there are some forgettable ones.

I think the very fact that less people sit together coupled with the screen provided in the second a/c coaches makes people snobbish. For that matter, I feel even I would’ve struck a conversation with that lady had it been third a/c or sleeper coaches IMHO. Just goes to show how humans respond to the spaces around them :). The train reached Madurai around 5 AM. I had to board another train for the next one hour for Virudhunagar. This time I took an open ticket and boarded the general coach.

In line with their tickets, the people were at their unreserved best :). The reserved guy that I am with strangers, I found myself talking to four or five of the folks about the train being late, at what time it will reach tirunelveli etc. in no time.
This too is a classic case of people responding to their environment without even being consciously aware of it.

I thought how that lady would’ve reacted if she was to travel in a general compartment? I had a feeling she too would, in due course, adapt to the situations in the general coach, learn to live with someone sleeping on the space allocated for luggage, ignore some one’s taunts, make friends with the ones seated opposite and continue her journey.

I am not sure I would ever travel in general compartment for a 500 km journey. But I would heartily recommend it to anyone once in a while for a short distance. This also gives us a glimpse of the real, less shining India. An India where water does not automatically mean the ten rupee packaged bottle but the one available in pipes in railway stations for free. An India where ten people sit in a space for 4 and still manage to sleep without reservations.