The Train Journey

Sometimes, you realise that a long train journey is the best place to meet and observe people. For one thing, you are ,for all practical purposes, idle. Second, you can unabashedly stare around and even eavesdrop because no one would mistake you (is it because they do the same thing? I dont know). The inspiration for this post is "courtesy"ed to my most recent journey home. After a one and a half hour autorickshaw ride in the dusty sun to a lazy Hyderabad station, the eagerness to go home (also to cleaner and cooler surroundings) increased manifold. The train was already there, waiting for us ( me and my friend). the compartment looked friendly and to our surprise, empty save a few passengers here and there. I have always had this strange fascination for a journey as in Europe... a sparsely populated train chugging slowly away through the green countryside , across fields, above rivers and streams... with me, sitting by the window in mild sunshine and having a feast of the landscape. Anyway, coming back to rude reality, my joy was shortlived when at the Secunderabad station. innumerable suitcases, bags, travel chains,screams, jostles and a hundred other things invaded the train accompanied by their possessive owners. (Sigh !!!)

A huge Tamil family marched in to occupy seats around us. Looking at their luggages which filled the under-berths in a trice, it seemed that that was a marriage party. I was not wrong. In our coupe, my friend and I sat at the two aisle seats, the others occupied by the elder men of the group. They seemed pretty orthodox with traditional "Naamam" on their foreheads, clad in white shirts and dhotis. My friend and I buried ourselves in our respective books. In a while, bored and eager to look around, I lifted my head and lo ! my neighbour, an elderly man was staring curiously at me and my book (which happened to be an agatha christie thriller). However, his son came to rescue me from embarrassment. He barged into the coupe just then with some savouries for all. Relishing them, the men settled into a very "typical" conversation. Looked like my inquisitive neighbour just married his daughter away.. the party chatted endlessly about the groom ("maapila nalla maari aana.. nalla vela paakaraaru. ponnu kashtapadaadu") , the "vaayi illaada sambandi mama" and "pollaada sambandi maami", the jewels the bride got from her in laws... and finally the eldest of them all consoled the worried father, folding hands, looking towards heaven.."God is there. Leave it to Him.. he will take care of our daughter".. all followed suit and prayed.. "Narayanaaa..Perumaale..nee daan kaapatthanum ayyaaa" !!! I was most amused at how some people never fail to betray expectations. They were simple people, almost illiterates in English and as I observed, spent most of their time chewing traditional Paan and digging their noses. Their dinner consisted of traditional "Puliyodarai" and "Tayir sadam" ... both ejecting lasting aroma into the air. They had a seemingly sumptuous dinner (signified by the numerous burps around) and made our coupe a standing proof of that (heehhee..if you understand what i mean). All the old men, with dhotis folded above their knees and marched to wash their hands, licking them en route :)

Yet, I felt very secure in the midst of these people. There was no fear of any harm from them. And I was sure that in case of any harm from anybody else on the train, these simpletons would come to my rescue if I ask them for help. I eavesdropped shamelessly on their every conversation each time highly amazed and amused at their simplicity. I would not have felt so much at ease with so called "sophisticated" people.. who invariably turn out to be selfish. I wonder, where is the line? Do we have to make our lives so simple that we dont bother about social behaviour,etiquette and cleanliness? Or do we have to make ourselves so trim and prim and sophisticated that those around us feel uncomfortable and sometimes insecure? Maybe there is a balance somewhere, where simplicity and sophistication go hand in hand. If so, where does it lie?