02.12.2010 - Day 5 - India Trip 2010, Coach HA1, Kashi Vishwanath Express
I think I am a mobile blogger. Most of my articles have been on the go. Sitting in front of the computer, staring at the screen doesn't seem to do the creative me as much good as a variety of random surroundings do.
Like now, I am on way from Delhi to Rampur to my grandparents' place, experiencing a collage of many firsts. First of those firsts being the AC First Class in the Indian railways. Having never been on such a coach before, this moment was one in the current trip I was eagerly looking forward to. After all, I wanted to know how different could AC First be to a normal AC Two tier or AC Three tier.
Well, as I found out, the first obvious difference is a red color base for the seats and berth, a step away from the blue colored berths in the other classes. And they are slightly bigger as well. Furthermore, facilities such as plug points are meant to add to the experience (although for some reason my phone started misbehaving as soon as I plugged it in and therefore had to remove it to write this). A little signboard indicating whether the toilet at the end of the coach is vacant or occupied adds to the list of things which are not necessities, but are present to make you feel important (and probably cater to the lazy you, lest you have to walk back from the toilet realizing it's occupied). In it's entirety though, it's a rather comfortable coach and my next few hours promise to be quite relaxing.
To top it off, my Bua gave me two packs of Uncle Chipps, among other things, to last the journey. The interesting part is for all the Uncle Chipps fans out there, who knew of just two of its oldest flavours - in the green and blue packets. A new packet now awaits you, of hot-pink color, and called "Chacha Ka Chinese" flavor. Now don't ask me why Chacha happens to be Chinese, or how hot-pink is related to either chacha or Chinese! The taste though happened to be quite likable. Perhaps a little chillier than the normal green colored pack which unfortunately doesn't seem to get the privilege of any endorsement from chacha,bua, or masi. Come to think of it, this new flavor should have ideally been named "Chacha Ka Chilly Chinese" flavor, thereby taking the alliteration to a level all too extreme.
As I sit now content on a packet of Uncle Chipps, and look out the window to see a myriad of images in the evening sun, earphones blaring out songs, a thought strikes me.
The typical Indian rail is a perfect epitome of the country and it's people. Coaches range from Sleeper classes to Two tiers to AC chair cars, yet are all interconnected, pulled by the same engine. As are the people traveling in them, who all hail from backgrounds as diverse as these coaches, but are headed to the same destination.
And the railway station further reflects this, where while you have a woman attending to her barefooted kid, standing a few steps away is a man with a high-end suitcase, and sunglasses donned to protect even his eyes.
In spite of this, when it arrives on the platform, they all get onto the same train, and are linked in a way even they may be unaware of.
As I type this, and my compartment companion in front me turns his laptop on, I wonder how many in this very train even have the ability to write in the first place.
Yet, we all head into the same direction, with the same setting sun watching this blot of blue coaches moving throw the same green meadows.
No wonder they call this Incredible India.
Like now, I am on way from Delhi to Rampur to my grandparents' place, experiencing a collage of many firsts. First of those firsts being the AC First Class in the Indian railways. Having never been on such a coach before, this moment was one in the current trip I was eagerly looking forward to. After all, I wanted to know how different could AC First be to a normal AC Two tier or AC Three tier.
Well, as I found out, the first obvious difference is a red color base for the seats and berth, a step away from the blue colored berths in the other classes. And they are slightly bigger as well. Furthermore, facilities such as plug points are meant to add to the experience (although for some reason my phone started misbehaving as soon as I plugged it in and therefore had to remove it to write this). A little signboard indicating whether the toilet at the end of the coach is vacant or occupied adds to the list of things which are not necessities, but are present to make you feel important (and probably cater to the lazy you, lest you have to walk back from the toilet realizing it's occupied). In it's entirety though, it's a rather comfortable coach and my next few hours promise to be quite relaxing.
To top it off, my Bua gave me two packs of Uncle Chipps, among other things, to last the journey. The interesting part is for all the Uncle Chipps fans out there, who knew of just two of its oldest flavours - in the green and blue packets. A new packet now awaits you, of hot-pink color, and called "Chacha Ka Chinese" flavor. Now don't ask me why Chacha happens to be Chinese, or how hot-pink is related to either chacha or Chinese! The taste though happened to be quite likable. Perhaps a little chillier than the normal green colored pack which unfortunately doesn't seem to get the privilege of any endorsement from chacha,bua, or masi. Come to think of it, this new flavor should have ideally been named "Chacha Ka Chilly Chinese" flavor, thereby taking the alliteration to a level all too extreme.
*****
As I sit now content on a packet of Uncle Chipps, and look out the window to see a myriad of images in the evening sun, earphones blaring out songs, a thought strikes me.
The typical Indian rail is a perfect epitome of the country and it's people. Coaches range from Sleeper classes to Two tiers to AC chair cars, yet are all interconnected, pulled by the same engine. As are the people traveling in them, who all hail from backgrounds as diverse as these coaches, but are headed to the same destination.
And the railway station further reflects this, where while you have a woman attending to her barefooted kid, standing a few steps away is a man with a high-end suitcase, and sunglasses donned to protect even his eyes.
In spite of this, when it arrives on the platform, they all get onto the same train, and are linked in a way even they may be unaware of.
As I type this, and my compartment companion in front me turns his laptop on, I wonder how many in this very train even have the ability to write in the first place.
Yet, we all head into the same direction, with the same setting sun watching this blot of blue coaches moving throw the same green meadows.
No wonder they call this Incredible India.
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