As the world sleeps, India shall awake to freedom..
These were the famous words spoke by Pandit Nehru in Red Fort on 15th August 1947. A day when two nations were born and a trains shuttled from one nation to another carrying people, memories, pain and joy. As India celebrated yet another Independence Day, I too was to make a train journey on this great day. Only, my journey would be from one state to another. Another state that was divided into two not so long ago.
On 15th August, I made...
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my maiden trip on the Rajdhani Express. 22693 B1 17 was the berth allotted to me by the deity whom we worship for a lower berth, a trackside window at that. The PRS god was kind to ensure a lower berth while the god who watches us from above ensured it was a trackside one too. Yet, I was to savour the joy for a mere 11 hours after which some lucky soul would be entitled to it.
Anyway, the journey from my home KGI to SBC by 16535 Gol Gumbaz Express took a longish 45 minutes as the loco of the Mayiladuthurai Express that had gone ahead of us had failed near SBC home. My parents, brother and I reached SBC Pf 10 by 7:35pm. The Rajdhani rake was shunted in at the same time. I had time to put my luggage, say goodbye and settle in my seat comfortably. .
At 8pm, the Primo Supremo left with an almighty jerk which was courtesy the lovely LHB rake. We crossed YPR through Platform 2 and the SUR SF was on the adjoining platform, warming up to run to Sholapur.
Water bottle was given promptly and soup with pepper and bread sticks was served. It was pretty good and second helping was offered too. The dinner course was Chapati, Mixed vegetables curry, steamed rice, dal, soan papdi sweet. Curd was not served as it was not loaded.
Then it was time to hit the beds and have some sleep lest I fall asleep at work. The next thing I knew, at 6:30, we were blasting past LPI. The Supremo was close to an hour ahead of schedule. And that was good and bad. Good as a railfan,bad as a member of the community that religiously attends work from Monday to Saturday. It meant I would reach the hotel early and report at 9 instead of 10.
Again, I put faith in the controller and invoked him with just the amount of faith I used to put in God before the results would be announced. He did not betray me and beautifully trolled the Supremo till SC where we were admitted at 7:20 on Platform 10 which is reserved for the king alone.
And then, it was hotel ho, to go to work and earn my money which shall enable me to do many more trips on trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and maybe Gatimaan one day.