Dudhsagar

PRELUDE:

The fateful day mentioned in the narration that follows was the culmination of a long standing desire of my friends- Akshay and Apoorva (and myself of course) to visit the Dudhsagar Waterfalls during the monsoons.

A warning: During the course of the story you may come across words or phrases which may sound like alien language. Do not worry. These are railway jargons and all of them have been duly explained in simple layman terms in the Glossary.

All characters mentioned here are purely real and any resemblance to any person or event living or dead is purely intentional. Some names have been changed to protect identities

The day started rather early, at 6am to be precise, with a heated argument between Apoorva and myself. While he was adamant that our passenger train for Kulem departs at 8.01am from Madgaon, I was sure that the time is 7.48am. Finally Akshay had to intervene and we decided to leave our hotel in Colva so as to reach Madgaon station before 7.45am.

We finished quickly with the daily chores and had a heavy breakfast because we were told by well-wishers that Braganza Ghats is a completely desolate part of the world and we would struggle to find even drinking water en route. Our taxi driver Mr. Menino (from his name, I doubt the Portuguese left him here when they left Goa for good) was ready with his Qualis at the hotel gate. We stuffed our luggage in the car and were dropped at the Madgaon Railway Station in around fifteen minutes giving us plenty of time to explore the place.

Before we go ahead, let’s go back in time and look at the events that laid the foundation for the adventurous day ahead. Our original plan was to take the Vasco-Howrah Express departing Madgaon at 8am to Castle Rock. The Braganza Ghats and the mighty Dudhsagar Falls were to be enjoyed from the comforts of the train. From Castle Rock, we were to take the Amravathi Express in the afternoon back to Madgaon, thereby enjoying the Ghats and the Falls once again while descending- again from the cozy comforts of the train. We had even booked confirmed tickets for the same a fortnight in advance. But fate had other plans for us. Ten days before our scheduled trip date of 3^rd July, torrential rains lashed Orissa and West Bengal and railway tracks were washed away at many places. As a result, the Vasco-Howrah Express and the Amravathi Express were both cancelled right upto 10^th July! This happens only in India- a natural calamity occurring two thousand kilometers away had put our trip in jeopardy!

Of course this could not dampen our spirits. After all we had come five hundred kilometers from our homes in Mumbai especially to enjoy Braganza Ghats and savor the Dudhsagar Falls in full glory. We were not the ones to give up easily. We got in touch with a local who suggested that we take the passenger train upto Kulem, which lies at the base of the Ghats and from there he would arrange a trip to the Waterfalls for us. So we bought unreserved tickets worth Rs.6 each for the Kulem Passenger when we already had confirmed e-tickets costing much more in our hands and entered a quiet Madgaon station with only a freight train standing on one of the lines and a little 3-coach DMU which had just returned from Karwar occupying the main platform. We walked upto the platform where the Kulem Passenger was to arrive and joined in the wait with other passengers- all of them locals and tribals. Only we- with our jeans and t-shirts were looking the odd-men out!

After a considerably long wait, it turned out that Apoorva was right about the timings. In fact, even he was wrong- for the passenger was due to arrive only at 8.20am, not even 8.01am as suggested by Apoorva a few hours back. During this one hour at the platform, a brief shower of rain dampened our spirits a bit. We did not want the Ghats lashed by heavy rains with visibility next to zero when we reach there. But our wish was granted soon and bright sunshine was out as the Vasco-Kulem passenger finally pulled into Platform 2, led by a bright looking WDG-3A locomotive from Gooty shed. We rushed and caught the very first coach after the loco. This passenger had an unusual arrangement of coaches- instead of having the SLR coach at both the ends, it had only one SLR coach right at the middle!

The coach was pretty empty and as we started getting trigger-happy clicking greenery all around us, the locals first eyed us with amusement but soon turned away in disinterest. Myself, Akshay and Apoorva had settled on consecutive windows on one side while Mom and Dad occupied two windows on the other side thereby ensuring we do not miss any action on either side of the tracks. At a small station called Sanvordem, five school children and their equally stupid mother decided to show off their bravery (read: stupidity) and crossed the tracks with our train only around fifty feet away from them. A loud hoot of horn from the terrified Loco Pilot probably provided the catalyst and they somehow managed to clear their way out on the other side just a second before the loco crossed them. This entire scene was captured by Dad since it happened on “his” side of the train. The entire run from Madgaon to Kulem which took around fifty minutes had the loco providing constant background score of chugging and honking.

At Kulem, everybody got off and left for their respective destinations except the five of us and another three youngsters who were also dressed in our kind of attire and could be clearly distinguished as tourists. As we wandered around the quaint little station for a while, we saw that the three youngsters were hurrying towards the station building. I decided to go faster then them and reached the Station Master’s Office first. Our local contact (referred to Mr. X henceforth) was to meet us here. It turned out that he had very good relations with the Station Master of Kulem and he used to spend a lot of time with them. I enquired with the Station Master about Mr. X but he said he had no information about his whereabouts. Just as I came out of his office, I saw a man asking the other three youngsters, “Are you Mr. X’s guests?’ Dad immediately intervened- “Sir, not them, WE are Mr. X’s guests.”

All this time, I was trying to reach Mr. X on phone. Mobile network at Kulem, we were told, was very unpredictable and I was hoping to get through atleast once. I connected to Mr. X’s landline number at Castle Rock and was told from the other end that Mr. X had left from Castle Rock for Kulem to meet us. The gentleman introduced himself as Mr. Y, a friend of Mr. X. It turned out that since Mr. X was going to be late, he had sent in his friend Mr. Y to receive us at Kulem station. Sensing that there was no means to go to Dudhsagar Falls from Kulem station, soon, the other three youths decided to walk all the way to the Falls from Kulem along the railway tracks- a trek of around 13km!

After a brief talk, Mr. Y got busy in his work and we, in getting our stomachs full. Kulem is a quaint little station with just one platform with old covered sheds retained from the MG-era. The lone platform is dotted with half a dozen huge rain trees giving the entire place a very serene look. Besides the platform, lies a track used as a siding by idle locos, followed by a single Main Line track beyond which lies four or five siding lines used to accommodate freight trains as and when they arrive from Vasco side or Castle Rock side. On the other side of the platform lies a terminating loop line on which now the Kulem Passenger was resting peacefully, its loco reversed and neatly attached at the far end.

We found a decent cement structure on the platform to serve as makeshift breakfast table. The platform had a solitary tea-stall which in its heyday used to make brisk business but now lying devoid of all its saleable commodities. Looking at the empty shelves we never expected to get anything from there but a young man came out on the platform and asked us if we would like to have some snacks and offered to look after our baggage in return. We ordered tea and decided to have the breakfast we had brought with us to reduce the burden in our bags! We promised the tea-vendor to have samosas from him in the evening and this got him excited. When he came to know that we were Mr. X’s guests, he exclaimed- “Yeah! I know him! Whenever he is here, he has tea from my stall only!” Yeah right! As if he had a choice!

Finishing the breakfast, we set out to explore the station and the surroundings. First, did a thorough study of a pair of Gooty WDG-3A bankers basking in the sun, followed by a trip onto the Foot Over Bridge which probably saw first human footsteps in months when we climbed onto it, took some photos of anything and everything that caught our eye and returned back to the platform. By this time, the tea-vendor had started distributing his knowledge. He was telling Dad. “These engines here are kept running since 5 in the morning. They will be attached to Chennai Express in the evening” pointing to a pair of WDG-3A bankers idling away on the first line. He continued, “Earlier, these goods trains used to get seven engines attached here to climb the ghat, but now that the American engines have come, only five are enough.” Sadly, there was not a single freight train today since morning to substantiate his claims.

We decided to check out the Station Master’s office. A very rude man in his fifties, he flatly refused to entertain any queries. When asked as to when was the first downhill freight train expected, he just replied with “I can’t say anything as of now. It has not left from Castle Rock” Just when he was done, a phone call brought more bad news- a loco had derailed inside Marmagao Port and as a result all freight trains leaving Marmagao towards Kulem were held up! Great! As if to add salt to our wounds, the Station Master commented- “Yesterday, by this time, we had sent four freight trains up the Ghats!” Dejected, we walked out. Now we had to make a choice- either take the Kulem-Vasco Passenger leaving at 12.20pm and head back safely to Madgaon or wait for a freight train (and Mr. X) to arrive. The tea-vendor, who was the only other human present at the platform besides the half dozen odd Loco Pilots all waiting for their duty, came up with a new idea- he suggested that we wait till evening, and if it got too late, he would arrange for a jeep to take us back to Madgaon. Knowing that there is atleast some transport available, we decided to wait and watch.

Sensing a good business opportunity, the tea-vendor came up to us with a new plan- he was to take each of us on bikes upto a place called Sonaulim from where the waterfalls were a 20-minute walk away. The price he quoted was astronomical but that was not the main deterrent. The main problem was that if Mr. X was arriving, we had to wait for him. So, we enquired with the Station Master if any freight train had left from Castle Rock. His answer, again- “I don’t know anything yet.” I decided to take matters in my own hands now and called up Mr. X’s landline. The person on the line informed that a freight train had departed from Castle Rock fifteen minutes back with Mr. X onboard it and would reach Kulem in an hour and half. I purposely announced this news loudly and the Station Manager, now probably realizing that we were well-informed nuts and not “just another irritating tourists”, quietly turned his back and hurried off into his cabin.

In the meantime, Dad heard the first good news of the day from a Loco Pilot- a loaded freight train was arriving at Kulem from Madgaon side soon. This lit up our faces- we would soon have atleast some train to go up the ghats. How do we travel in a freight train was ofcourse another matter! Me, Akshay and Apoorva rushed to a scenic spot outside the station to get some snaps of the arriving freight.

After a fifteen minute wait, from behind the curve, came two WDG-4 locomotives, roaring at full power, hauling a long cement-filled BCNA freight train. Even before we could adjust ourselves, came the most awaited moment of the day- from the other side of the station, one…two…three…four…five WDG-4 locomotives entered with a thunderous roar, with a long iron-ore filled BOXN freight train in tow. For a couple of minutes, we stood still enjoying the sight and sounds but soon realized that we had a job at hand- we needed to look out for Mr. X who was to arrive by this freight train. We looked at the five locomotives- one by one dozens of people emerged from the driver’s cabins of each of the five locomotives. Apparently the locals use these locomotives as their “local trains” for travel up and down the ghats!

We scanned the crowd for Mr.X, whom we had never seen or met before. Thankfully, Mr. Y came to our rescue and introduced us to a young well-built man- Mr. X. He assured us that he would take us up the ghats in one of the locomotives of the freight train- just like how the locals travel. Out of the five locomotives that brought the iron-ore freight down the ghats, the first three were to be detached at Kulem and attached at the rear end of the cement freight as bankers to assist it in climbing up the steep ghats. This process was to take an hour according to Mr. X and in the meantime we freshened up and decided to inform the Station Manager about our further plan. He was a bit shocked on hearing the plan and even tried to frighten us with a “But, how can you go up the ghats in a freight train?” and a stern look. We simply walked out, leaving Mr.X to do the needful. After all, he was the local guy. He signaled us to start walking towards the locomotives of the freight train which were way ahead of the platform due to the huge length of the train.

As we were walking along the tracks, a downhill freight train came screaming down the ghats with five powerful WDG4s at its helm and had I not ducked at the right moment, I would have been upstairs by now! Once at the lead locomotive, Mr.X talked to the Loco Pilots in their native tongue (I did not understand a word of it) and asked all five of us to board the driver’s cabin. The cabin already had the Loco Pilot and his assistant and a couple of locals inside. It was impossible that with this crowd already inside, six more of us could fit it. So, Mom, Dad and a local were asked to move to the second locomotive while the remaining made place for ourselves in the cabin of the lead loco. Just as we were about to leave, the LP got some message on the Walkie-Talkie and he and his assistant started packing off their belongings and soon got off the loco and walked away! For a minute, I felt as if my dream of going to Dudhsagar would remain just that- a dream. But soon, a new set of LP and his Assistant came and took charge.

Fifteen minutes later, we were given the green signal and the two WDG4s started with a deafening roar of their 8000hp worth of combined might, slowly pulling the 5000 tonnes of cement loaded in the wagons behind. Just out of the station, we encountered those three teenagers who had decided to walk upto the falls returning tired as hell. Within a few minutes, the Assistant Loco Pilot and Mr. X doubled up as our “tourist guides” and directed us to move out of the cabin onto the catwalk of the loco to get a good view of Dudhsagar Falls. And the first view that we got- it just can’t be explained in words. You gotta see it to believe it. Amidst the ear-splitting sound of the motors, we managed to stand on the catwalk for five minutes- just enough time to take a few pics. Immediately we were called in by Mr.X for further instructions. The route on the ghats is such that after the first view of the waterfalls, the tracks take a complete 180 degree turn along the hillside and finally pass right through the waterfalls! We were instructed to move out on the catwalk on the other side and we managed to do that just in time to witness the most spectacular natural beauty I have ever seen in my life! The mighty Dudhsagar Falls- up, close and personal!

After crossing the falls, we decided to be inside the safe confines of the loco cabin. At Caranzol station, we found a penta-WDG4 headed downhill freight waiting in the sidings. After the initial excitement died down, it dawned on me that this is the freight we were supposed to take from Castle Rock! But, it is already on its way and there is nothing we can do about it! Half an hour of tedious effort by the twin WDG4s upfront and three more bankers assisting from behind and a lot of sanding later, we finally arrived at Castle Rock- a quaint little station which once served as the gateway into Portuguese-controlled Goa from British-controlled India.

We got off at Castle Rock to find a totally deserted station with a huge empty freight yard. Just as we were worrying about how to go back to Madgaon, a fully loaded freight train entered Castle Rock from Hubli side. Wow! This is called luck! That was such a huge relief! We were wondering what we would do if no freight train came into Castle Rock for a couple of hours or more since it was already close to 4pm and there was no passenger train to Madgaon that day! Mr. X assured us that he would talk to the Loco Pilots of the freight train and ensure that we get a ride back home- not to Kulem, but right upto Madgaon! We spent an hour at the platform filling our tummy while the freight underwent mandatory checking before starting its downhill journey. Mr. X accompanied us upto the five WDG4s at the far end of the yard, talked to the Loco Pilots and announced- “Select which loco you guys want to sit in!”

This was like showing a child five chocolates and asking which one he wants! We admired the five huge beasts for a minute and thought- the first three locomotives are the bankers (or rather brakers for the downhill run) and would be detached at Kulem.So, no use sitting in them. The fourth loco would be the leading loco from Kulem to Madgaon and have the LP and his Assistant in it leaving no place for all of us. So, we finally decide to get into the fifth loco- where we would have the entire cabin to ourselves! The Assistant LP came and turned on the lights and fans inside the cabin and said with a warm smile “Please make yourselves comfortable in here.”

We perched ourselves at various vantage points inside the cabin and within no time, we were given the starter. With an even more deafening roar than the one in the afternoon, all five WDG4s sprang to life at the push of one button by the LP. The 20,000hp of effort started the huge freight train with 58 BOXN wagons filled with iron-ore with a jerk and immediately the last two locos were turned off. Taking a freight train downhill is challenging because the steep slope of the ghats ensures that the train keeps moving downwards even without applying any effort from the engines. The brakers have to ensure all the time that the speed does not cross 30kmph and the entire downhill journey was to be done only on dynamic brakes with zero tractive effort required!

The entire downhill journey was spent in admiring the figures popping up on the digital display inside the cabin of the loco. To our good luck, it was not cloudy and there was no rain so we could admire the Dudhsagar Falls once again on the way back and this time since the heavy train was moving at a restricted speed of 30kmph, we could admire the beauty for a much longer time! Even when the falls had disappeared from view, we kept on looking back- the sight is such that you can never get enough of it! After a clinically perfect run by the experienced ghat pilots, we entered a totally blacked-out Kulem station. There was a power failure and not a single light- not even the signals could be seen. This was as scary as it could get! Thankfully the backup generators could provide enough power to start the signals and we got the permission to go ahead soon.

The run from Kulem onwards was through flat terrain and the Loco Pilot unleashed the full 8000hp of raw power from the twin WDG4s and we were blasting through Goan countryside at 60kmph! And remember- this was not your ordinary passenger train- this was a freight train with 6,000 tonnes of iron ore filled in it! An open Level Crossing gate at a wayside station made us wait for a good twenty minutes. This probably irked the Loco Pilot a lot and the moment he got the green, he accelerated the train at full throttle, going into 5^th notch right from the start! This is something we least expected- a fully loaded freight train is started carefully in the 1^st notch and slowly taken to further notches.

Finally as we entered Madgaon station, the LP, as a kind gesture made the freight train stop at the platform first so that we could get off comfortably before taking it into the darkness of the yard ahead. Even before we could thank the Loco Pilots for their kind gesture, they notched up the monster again and the Good Samaritans roared away into the darkness, never to be met again!

* * * * *

GLOSSARY:

• Freight: Technically correct term for a goods train (Hindi: maal gaadi)
• Locomotive / Loco: Technically correct term for “engine” of the train.
• DMU: Diesel Multiple Unit- a small train with no separate locomotives, looking somewhat like the local trains of Mumbai
• WDG-3A: A class of 3100hp diesel-powered locomotive, mainly used for goods trains and sometimes for short distance passenger trains.
• SLR: Railway jargon for that coach of the train which has a Guard’s cabin and Luggage compartment. Usually connected as the first and the last coach of a train.
• Loco Pilot / LP: Technically correct term for a “Engine Driver”
• MG: Metre Gauge. Tracks which are narrower than the usual tracks that we see around. Used widely in the British era, slowly disappearing now.
• Siding: An extra railway track at a station or a yard used for resting trains.
• Loop Line: An extra railway line, usually at stations, used to keep a train waiting when another train wants to overtake.
• Bankers: Extra locomotives attached at the rear of a train to help in climbing steep ghat sections. Can be single, twins or triplets depending on the train load.
• WDG-4: A class of 4000hp diesel-powered microprocessor-controlled modern locomotives imported from General Motors, USA.
• BCNA: Railway jargon for fully covered freight wagons used to transport cement, foodgrains etc.
• BOXN: Railway jargon for freight wagons open from the top used to transport coal and mineral ores.
• Catwalk: A narrow passage along the length of the locomotive
• Penta-WDG4: A configuration wherein a total of five WDG4 locomotives collectively pull a heavy freight trains on steep ghat sections. Seen very rarely.
• Sanding: An operation involving spraying sand on the tracks to prevent the wheels of the train from slipping in wet conditions.
• Brakers: Extra locomotives attached at the front of a heavy train going downhill to provide extra braking power.
• Starter: The signal just outside the station.
• Notch: The train locomotive’s equivalent of a “gear” in cars. Just as car at higher speeds is taken in higher gear, trains at higher speeds are taken in higher notches.

* * * * *

 

Awesome Threesome

PRELUDE:

This is a three part series of trip reports covering three memorable journeys on three special trains within a span of one week- the August Kranti Rajdhani, the New Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi and Jaipur-Bandra Garib Rath as a part of my North India tour of December 2008.

Part I: Jerks, Fog and a Surprise!

(Mumbai Central to Nizamuddin by August Kranti Rajdhani Express on 8th Dec, 2008)

Being my first journey on a Rajdhani, I insisted on boarding the August Kranti Rajdhani from Mumbai Central, 30km away from home, inspite of it having a halt at Borivali, mere 5km away. We (mom, dad, uncle, aunt and myself) reached Mumbai Central an hour early at 1635, expecting heavy security check after the 26/11 attacks. But sadly, it was not to be. We alighted on Platform 4 on the Local station and took the Foot Overbridge to Platform 4 of Main station, crossing an unmanned metal detector serving as the sole “security check”. The ever-late Ajmer Express was occupying the platform meant for AK Rajdhani.

After a long wait, finally at 1705 the AK Rajdhani was slowly brought into the platform. Immediately, almost a dozen passengers jumped into the coaches, with baggage et al, even before the rake was brought to a standstill!  Mumbaikars being Mumbaikars, can’t seem to realise that Rajdhani is a fully reserved train and unlike the regular morning local, seats are not to be “caught” on first-come-first-serve basis!

After the “check-in” (finding seats, adjusting the luggage) before settling on my seat, I walked the length of the train to the First AC attached right at the back and requested the TTE at the door to allow me a peep inside which he gladly agreed to. The First AC, I must say looks impressive but only the lucky ones who have actually travelled by it would be able to give a correct picture. I also gave a quick visit to the Washroom which looked quite different from the ones seen on regular trains. I fiddled with all the buttons inside (there is one to pour the water into the container, another one to flush and so on), checked out the branded stainless steel Wash Basin taps, freshened up using the nice smelling liquid soap and returned to my seat, ready for the journey.

At exactly 1740, with a light jerk, we started and just outside the station, a Virar Fast waited for us to take the Down Fast line, with the passengers in the crowded local giving us disgruntled looks for making them wait! As we breezed past the suburban stations at decent speeds, evening snacks were served consisting of a half cheese sandwich, a samosa, a boondi laddoo and a packet of Appy apple juice. A little kiddo boarding from Borivali saw these items on my lap (I was on the very first Side Lower berth from the door) and with worried look, told his mother, “Mummy, sab log ne khana kha bhi liya!”. The mother consoled him with “Beta, humko bhi milega, chalo” and only then he proceeded to his seat.

By the time we departed from Borivali, it was already dark and there was little to see excpet the interiors of the coach reflected in the huge glass windows. It was great fun to see illuminated stations passing by in a jiffy at 120kmph! Dinner was served just before Surat. My dad, just to be a bit experimental, had asked for Veg Jain dinner and the bet paid off well. While all of us got watery Paneer and mixed vegetable gravy, he got a delicious Paneer Mutter! My allotted seat was Side Upper and the person with the Side Lower was going to board from Surat. To avoid “losing” the prized window seat, me and dad spread out our dinner on the Side Lower berth just before Surat and as expected, the young man boarding from Surat agreed to climb up to the Side Upper berth and nod off! By this time, my dad had decided to occupy my “captured” Side Lower berth and I was left with the Middle Berth in the inner bay. The best part about LHB coaches is that the windows are high enough for even the Middle Berth occupant to look out easily while sleeping!

The LHB coaches made sure nobody had a sound sleep. Every now and then, as the we accelerated or braked, there were terrible jerks awaking quite a few passengers every time. The run, I believe must have been good, for we reached Ratlam (again with a big jerk) a full 35 minutes before scheduled time! This meant a 45 minute halt for us with not a soul around on the platform. The departure from Ratlam was with a bigger jerk but I somehow managed to stay put on my berth. By the time we reached Kota, we were running 10 minutes behind schedule and the jerk as we halted at Kota was the biggest of the lot and almost the entire coach woke up from sleep by this. As dawn broke, all I could see around was fog and more fog. Nothing unusual for this time of the year, I thought. At sunrise we reached Sawai Madhopur and I ran out of my coach to get a couple of cups of chai for myself and mom who were tired of drinking the milk powder tea served inside.  The start from Sawai Madhopur was perfect and we soon hit 130kmph for a brief spell before heavy fog slowed us down. And this time, it lasted for long. Really long. Four and half hours to be precise. The visibility all this time was hardly two coaches and I wonder on what logic was the Loco Pilot driving through it! I enquired with the Coach Attendant about the fog situation only to be told- “Maine itna fog last ek saal me nahi dekha!”. What luck!

AK Rajdhani through heavy fog.

At Mathura, for the first time in the day, we got to see the sun and blue sky. The driver decided to make up on lost time and we crossed station after station at 130kmph raising a huge dust storm before we were made to halt for fifteen minutes at Okhla for unknown reasons. Quite a few passengers got down here while the others waited patiently for the last leg. The biggest shocker came at Nizamuddin station where we were put on an under-renovation platform 4 even as other (better) platforms lied vacant! The passengers juggled with their luggage to find a place to put their feet on the uneven platform surface with wet concrete making things worse. A couple of passengers toppled over, few choiciest Punjabi gaalis were blurted out and this marked the end of a rather eventful journey- my first Rajdhani ride!

********************************************************************

Part II: Sarson De Khet @ 150kmph!
(New Delhi to Agra by Bhopal Shatabdi Express on 11th Dec, 2008)

Excited like never before to board India’s fastest train, we started from Hotel Ginger (formerly Rail Yatri Niwas) in the station compound at 0545 to catch the Bhopal Shatabdi departing from New Delhi at 0615. As we climbed up the bridge from Ajmeri Gate (Platform 16) side, I heard the announcement- “Jammu se aanewali Rajdhani Express Platform number 1 par aa rahi hai” and immediately I felt something amiss. After all, Platform 1 is usual departing place for Bhopal Shatabdi. How can Jammu Rajdhani be arriving there? The suspense was broken in a minute as another announcement, this time by an announcer whose nasal voice would give tough competition to a popular Hindi singer, was made- “Bhopal ki aur jaane wali Bhopal Shatabdi Express aaj 6 bajkar 15 minute ki jagah 8 bajkar 15 minute ko ravana hogi”. With a collective sigh of “What the…”, we slowly got down on Platform 1.

The platform resembled the lounge of international airport (anyways the infrastructure at our airports is no better than railway stations) with dozens of foreigners strewn all over the place. More drama was going on inside the Station Manager’s office as a Japanese couple, an Israeli gentleman and two aged European tourists were simulatenously bombarding the Manager with questions on the delay. My dad got in between and asked the same, but in Hindi, and got an immediate answer. It turned out that the incoming Shatabdi had returned late the previous night and the rake was being washed currently. As a result it would depart two hours behind schedule.

Satisfied with the answer, the foreigners backed out and we made our way to Upper Class Waiting Room, overflowing with harried passengers. Not willing to remained confined within the boring Waiting Room, I went out on the pretext of buying newspaper and found that the Chinese/Japanese tourists were busy with their cameras capturing all and sundry, the Europeans were busy noting down the details in their trip diaries while the Americans had their faithful Lonely Planets for company. The Indians, meanwhile settled down on the platform making newspaper carpets. So far so good. But the scene I saw next really amused me- a family of four had settled down on newspapers and the head of the family carefully placed his laptop on the platform floor, started the animation movie Madagascar on it and made his two little kids sit in front of it, thereby ensuring peace for themselves and others for two hours! All this while there was absolutely no sign of any security personnel around. I could have well carried an Agni missile into the platforms and nobody would have bothered.

After the Jammu Rajdhani vacated Platform 1, Amritsar bound Swarna Shatabdi occupied the place. It was 0700 now and passengers of Bhopal Shatabdi were getting restless. A seemingly funny announcement was made then- “Platform number 1 pe khadi gaadi Amritsar Shatabdi hai. Bhopal Shatabdi ke yaatriyon se nivedan hai ki ve Amritsar Shatabdi me na chadhe!”. I returned to the Waiting Room, laughing all the way. After the Amritsar Shatabdi departed from PF 1, we made our way out on to the platform and most of the other passengers followed suit. However till 0745, there were no signs of Bhopal Shatabdi anywhere. The crowd on the platform was swelling and in the mini-chaos, somebody pushed a trolley containing the breakfast for Bhopal Shatabdi and around 50 packets of breakfast fell headfirst on the platform. I pity the passengers of C2- God only knows what in what condition must have they got their breakfast!

The interiors of Bhopal Shatabdi

The first look inside the train left me speechless. Huge windows, swanky curtains, plush seats, individual reading lights and transparent fibre-glass luggage rakes- things that we only dream of or see in European trains were right before me! I settled on my window seat and started hearing the announcements being made inside the coach- “This is Bhopal bound Bhopal Shatabdi Express. Please do not hand over your tickets to any person till the train departs.” and then the same thing repeated in Hindi. I had a quick look around and found that we had more than two dozen foreigners in the coach. At exactly 0815, without any warning, we started crawling slowly out of New Delhi station. The run till Tughklaqabad was slow with brief spells of high speed. By this time, tea was served and I was pleasently surprised to see bags of Assam Tea instead of the usual Taj Mahal etc.

The real fun began after Palwal. It being winter season, the landscape on both sides was filled with bright yellow flowers of Sarson (Rapeseed/mustard) for as far as the eye could see and one couldn’t help but recollecte the famous scene involving SRK and Kajol from DDLJ! Crossing station after station at close to 150kmph is an experience that cannot be explained in words. Due to the rescheduling, we crossed the Mumbai Rajdhani at an effective speed of approx 280kmph (150+130) and the same spectacle was repeated with August Kranti Rajdhani! Soon after, breakfast was served and it took away my attention away from the window for brief intervals. The breakfast had an option of Bread Cutlets or Upma and Vada with Sambar. I chose the latter and it was finger-licking delicious. The usual Bread-butter-jam were present too. It was while having breakfast that I realised the amazingly smooth acceleration and braking of the LHB Shatabdi, a total contrast from the terrible jerks felt in LHB Rajdhani! Somewhere near Mathura, we were crawling at 20kmph and I diverted my attention away from the window towards applying jam on my bread and by the time I was done with it, in just two minutes or so, I looked out and whoa! We were cruising at 140+! I didn’t even realise when the acceleration happened!

The speakers in coach that were earlier giving out instructions now started dishing out music- instrumental versions of classic Hindi movie songs. Call it co-incidence or great choice by the authorities. the first song played was “Suhana Safar aur yeh mausam haseen!” How apt! The melody was broken only to announce the arrival of Mathura Junction. It was now that I realised that I had half of my breakfast to eat, and the mango juice to drink, all before reaching Agra, just 30 minutes away! We had a brief 2-minute halt at Mathura and the ride now was even more scenic- ‘the sarson de khet’ were omnipresent and the speed constantly hovering in three figure mark, whizzing past station after station raising a huge dust storm everytime! Just before Agra, the speakers came to life again with the announcement- “Agla station Agra hai. Yeh shahar Mughalo ki rajdhani thi. Vishwa prasiddh Taj Mahal is shahar me hai. Agra utarne wale yaatriyon ko hum vidaai dete hai.” indicating the end of an amazing run but not before the channel music played “Jeena Yahaan Marna Yahaan… Iske Siva Jaana Kahaan?” clearly echoing a true railfan’s feelings while onboard a train!

********************************************************************

Part III: Romancing the Desert!
(Jaipur to Borivali by Garib Rath Express on 15th Dec, 2008)

After travelling by Rajdhani and Shatabdi, this was the first journey of the trip where food was not included in the fare and as a result, we stopped by at the famous Rawat Kachoriwala enroute to Jaipur railway station and picked up 3 Onion Kachoris, 2 Mawa Kachoris and 3 glasses of Kesar Masala Milk, not having even the slightest clue about the taste of each of the items selected.

As we entered the station, Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast was waiting on Platform 1 while Garib Rath was scheduled to leave from Platform 3. We climbed the FOB but were unsure which side to get down. All I knew was that my coach G13 was going to be the last but one coach in the train. I had a quick glance at the train on Platform 1 and immediately announced to the family- get down on the right. Proud at having used my common sense, we alighted on the platform only to find G13 written on the electronic display board on the extreme left end of the platform. It was then that I realised my blunder-  Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast goes to Mumbai via Sawai Madhopur while Garib Rath takes the route via Ajmer. As a result both trains depart in opposite directions from Jaipur even though their destination is the same!

Immediately on the adjoining platform, Ajmer-Kishanganj Garib Nawaz Express arrived. I stopped by at a General coach to ask if the train had come from Ajmer or Kishanganj? After knowing it was from Ajmer, I once again stopped, this time at a window with an orange flag hoisted on it, and asked “Ye Kishanganj kahaan aata hai?”. The man at the seat replied sternly, “Bihar! Bihar!” and pointed towards a banner stuck on the coach which read “Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad- Bharat Ekta Rally to protest illegal migration of Bangladeshis into India”. I located Kishanganj right next to the India-Bangladesh border and immediately realised the reason for this group boarding this train. Meanwhile I saw the rake of Garib Rath being brought into the platform and immediately rushed to the end of the platform with the thought of having a quick chat with the Loco Pilot but his looks- long white hair, even longer white beard and a big tilak on the forehead making him resemble more like a sadhu at Kumbh Mela, made me change my plans and I started walking back when my eyes hit the digital clock showing 14:26- the train was brought on the platform with only 14 minutes to departure! I paced myself and crossed 19 coaches in 2 minutes and reached my coach at 14:28 with my family giving me that “Where the hell were you?” look.

As luck would have it, we were allotted berths number 79,80,81- the very last three berths in the very last passenger coach of the train with the loudly humming Generator Van as my immediate neighbour. The train departed exactly at 1440 and it turned out that a newly wed ‘dulhan’ going to her ’sasural’ for the first time alongwith her husband were amongst our co-passengers and the dulhan’s family was at the door till the moment the train started giving teary-eyed ‘vidaai’ to her. Once the train started, the bride broke down crying with her husband giving her a long hug to console her- all this happening in the doorway. When this continued for close to five minutes one of the pantry staff decided it was enough and commented- “Bhaisaheb chalo, ab baaki andar jaake…”. The couple had no choice but to head back to their berths.

We opened our packets of snacks and found that the Onion Kachoris were delicious and were finished in no time but the Mawa Kachoris, considered a Jaipur speciality, were actually a sweet dish dipped generously in sugar syrup. After managing half of it, we decided it was no longer bearable and assigned it to the huge dustbin below the Wash Basin. By this time, the catering staff had started making rounds selling Bread Cutlets, noodles, Veg Burger and chips thereby assuring us that we won’t have to go hungry. The coaches of Jaipur Garib Rath have an electronic scrolling display above one of the doors which displays the name of next station, the remainig distance to that station and the current speed of the train, all updated in real time. This board was right above my seat and provided great entertainment. Soon after leaving the city, the display started showing speeds in the range of 104kmph to 108kmph tempting me to go to the door. I dared to open the door and stood for a few minutes before I realised that the afternoon sun and the tremendous amount of dust flying due to the train crossing arid terrain at 110kmph was too much to bear and I returned to my seat only to try my luck once again half an hour later.

Another half an hour into the run, we were put to wait at a tiny station and I excitedly jumped out of the train onto the tracks with my dad and uncle following me to the door. The signal on Main Line turned green and just then a shepherd decided to take his huge flock of goats across the tracks. Thankfully the goats were quick and I did not have to see a live mass murder of goats. Within few minutes, raising a huge dust storm, horns blaring, the Ajmer-Delhi Shatabdi blasted past at 110kmph leaving everyone speechless for a minute. I boarded the coach from the other door and as I crossed bay after bay of seats, I couldn’t help but notice that by sheer coincidence or luck, the newly-wed couple had an entire bay of seven seats to themselves and they were making the most of it, indulging in some really intimate Public Display of Affection (PDA in college-terms) providing free entertainment to the two passengers on side berths opposite them. This news somehow spread throughout the coach and every few minutes someone or the other would walk across the length of the coach, slowing down to peep inside the fourth bay and returning with a blush or a giggle.

Garib Rath glitters at Ajmer

Thankfully the attention of the coach was distracted soon as the attendant opened the huge “wardrobe” to rent out bedrolls and the first lady getting her set shouted out “Sirf 40 set hi aaye hai!” and all hell broke loose! Passengers from all corners of the coach rushed towards the attendant and formed a long queue to get their bedrolls. The arrangement of side berths in Garib Rath coaches is such that my berth was right opposite the “wardrobe” and there was no way I could reach there until the entire crowd returns to their seats. This commotion was absolutely unnecessary as there were enough bedrolls for all the 81 passengers, and then some more! I decided it was best to be at the door and positioned myself at one right upto Ajmer. Being at the fag-end of the train, at Ajmer I had to run three coaches ahead to fetch tea for mom, dad and myself. After Ajmer, the evening got cooler and standing at the door, more enjoyable with the blast of wind hitting in the face and the vast open plains of Rajasthan for as far as the eye could see. In the half hour that followed, I spotted a huge six-foot tall black and white deer/sambar/buck (whatever it is called), four white peacocks and around two dozen normal colored peacocks, including a pair standing sweetly right next to the flag-man at a tiny station as we whizzed past them at 105kmph.

As it got dark, I decided to check out the entire train- all 19 coaches of it and started the long walk. By the time I returned, it was a literal Bharat Darshan for me. I saw people playing cards, singing songs, reading books/novels/newspapers, sleeping, eating homemade food, chatting, children screaming, a sadhu praying sitting on his Side Lower berth, a Muslim devout offering namaaz in the doorway, families watching movies on laptops, even one gentleman who had typed one full page of text in Notepad on his laptop- in Telugu (quite an effort that would have been!). You name it and it was there. In the three Chair Car coaches (which are glorified detention camps) Ticket Checkers were busy selling off vacant Sleeper seats to passengers yearning for a bit of comfort. During my return walk, I lost count of the number of coaches crossed and overshot my own coach to land up in the pantry which is actually the Handicapped portion of Generator Van!

The pantry staff had assured us that dinner would be loaded at Falna and we were expecting hot food. But they couldn’t wait that long and started serving food when the electronic indicator was showing “Falna 10km”, thereby exposing their fraud- the food was loaded from Jaipur/Ajmer itself and was absolutely cold by now! Grudgingly we tucked into one dinner, two biryanis, two burgers and one noodles between the five of us and waited for Abu Road to arrive. Abu Road was reached at 2130  and once again I rushed out onto the platform, looked out for a stall three coaches ahead, got three packets of lassi and returned and commented that rabdi was available at the stall. Hearing this, my mom made me rush to the stall again and once more I successfully finished the sprint, this time with a ‘kulhad’ of rabdi in hand, in time before the train departed. After this I went off to sleep,  only to briefly wake up at Vadodara where we stopped for only four minutes and it was for the first time in years that I was seeing a train depart from Vadodara so soon! After this, my sleep was broken only at Surat.

Now desperate to reach on time, the drivers let loose and we started doing 114-115kmph for long stretches of time. I dared to open the doors and felt the early morning wind as we whizzed past Valsad at 106kmph and Vapi at 111kmph (all speeds courtesy the electronic indicator in the coach). After Vapi we hit 116kmph once and this was the highest speed I saw on the indicator during the journey. The almost 150km run from Surat to Dahanu was done in 90 minutes, giving an impressive average of 100kmph even while keeping maximum speed within the 115kmph limit! Finally we pulled into Platform 6 of Borivali at 0740, only 17 minutes behind schedule, doing the 233km run from Surat to Borivali in just 2 hours 35 minutes bringing a memorable end to a memorable journey!

********************************************************************

This ended a week of amazing trip and three journeys I will never forget!