Train Diaries: The Strict TTE

Prologue:

I packed my things: A suitcase full of clothes sufficient for a week, some gifts to mum and papa and a backpack consisting of my newly purchased Dell laptop (obviously to show at home) .I also had a one liter water bottle tucked in the left side pocket of the bag and a James Hadley Chase novel on the right.
I was going home after almost 8 months, upon my return from a recent 4-month trip to London, as part of an onsite assignment.

 I reached the Hoodi bus stop from my room ( there is no bus stop as such, people gather infront of the oak tree beside the Hoodi chaurastha (four road interconnection), making the bus “stop”.

 I boarded a half -filled BMTC bus coming from Tin factory side towards Kadugodi and after 20 minutes got down in Whitefield bus station.  The overbridge from the Whitefield bus stop to Kadugodi  ( To make things clear: There are railway gates after the bus stop which when crossed lead to Kadugodi) was still under construction.

The gates were closed and a Goods Rail was parked on the tracks. There were around 25 bogies sprawling across the gates right from the railway platform. I looked at my watch. It was 1:15 PM. I had to get to the station by at least 1:45 so that I could catch the train by 1:55 PM. I couldn’t wait for the train to move and decided to follow the others suit. I crossed the gate from the below and climbed up the rail coupling and jumped to the other side, landing safely. I followed the tracks to the right until I reached Platform 1 of the Whitefield station.

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I was waiting for the train to arrive at the Whitefield station, Bangalore. It was a sunny Friday afternoon and I was going hometown on the occasion of Dusherra. The station was swarming with people. Passengers were pouring in and out of the station, some crossing the railway tracks to get into the other platform, while others wading their way towards the platform where I was waiting. The station did not have a proper entrance at that time and people had to walk along the rail tracks to get into the platform from the main road.

I had my usual luggage: a suitcase, a backpack and a bottle of drinking water. I noticed an empty bench under the station roof, and proceeded from my under-the-tree seat towards

it. I put my suitcase below the bench and sat putting the backpack beside me. I opened the water bottle and had a gulp.

An elderly woman came near the seat after a while. I removed the backpack and thrust it above the suitcase, below the bench. She sat beside me.
“Thank you, son” she said, “Where are you heading to”
“Rajahmundry” I said, “By Seshadri Express”
“I am going to Kakinada, by Prasanti express” she said. I looked at the time; it was 1:30 PM.
“But Nanamma, ‘Prasanti’ does not have halt at Whitefield! I exclaimed, “The nearest halt is KR Puram!”

 "Oh is it?!" She said in surprise, "I didn't know. I stay in Kadugodi, I thought the train would stop here. How could I.. never been to Kakinada..: she fumbled with her words.

"I will arrange something, don't worry Nanamma" I said. "Please be calm"

I looked at my watch. It was 1:35 PM. "Please look at my luggage, I will be back in a while"

I rushed out of the station crossing the tracks carefully with my eyes wide open to avoid unpleasant situation by stamping on the human excreta fell on the R.C.C sleepers of the railway tracks and also glancing at my watch from time to time. Finally I was able to spot an auto driver dozing in the back seat 0f his vehicle  rickshaw. I woke him up  and bargained with hm. Half reluctantly,  he agreed for Rs 120, the fastest bargain ever, to drop at K.R. Puram Railway station. I returned back to the station with the driver with me, so that he could pick 'Nanamma's' luggage.

'Nanamma, I have arranged his auto to take you K.R. Puram, he will drop you at the station in time but you have to pay him 120 Rs. The old woman exclaimed, “ 120 rupees ! with that money I can buy 6 kilos of rice! I gave my daughter a 120 rupees  gold necklace when I gave her to that Maluru fellow. How that useless man has beaten her for that necklace, worthless fellow. You( addressing to her husband)  left me making me to do all things for your daughter. I too wanted to die with you. God , why didn’t you take me to you? (here she blew her nose into her cotton saree pallu ). ” I said, “Hurry  up. You will miss the train.  Nanamma”.   The auto Driver probably migrant from Tumkuru or from Kotturu  of  Bellary district  looking at me  with a what- type of -nonsense -look already picked her old  20^th century trunk box with two rusted locks of the same era and 2 cloth bundles throwing a menacing look at them.

"May God bless you" she mumbled, as she left the station.

I heard a long horn at 1:58 PM, as people started rushing to the edge of the platform. I fought my way to Sleeper Coach 6 and managed to get inside. The train was a bit overcrowded, obviously due to festive occasion. I found my berth and settled down, putting my luggage below the berth.

The train sped forward within 3 minutes, and soon left the station behind and made its way to a single track route with paddy fields glimmering on both the sides. The train honked its horn.

Soon chai wallas,   samosa vendors, boiled groundnut sellers 'Masala-Muri'  wallas filled the coach, screaming at the top of their voices. Amidst the chaos, I still was enjoying the journey glancing at the fast changing scenery outside the window.

                                                                                               To be continued.