Monday 28 February 2011

While waiting on an Indian Railway station

The  train  bearing  our  guests was late
and while  I  waited for  it  to  arrive
I  took  some  photos '

 An  air conditioned  coach.
 This    is  a non  ordinary non-AC  coach.  The  ticket  for  this  ordinary  class  is  very  cheap. But  it  can  be  very  crowded  and uncomfortable  in there.
 Father  and  son   standing  at the  door.Their  train  was  moving  on.
 A  food kiosk where  you  can buy, tea,  coffee,  snacks  and  packaged   meals. Usually  people  carry  their  own  food  on trains but  on  long  journeys its  convinient  to  buy  packed  meals and fresh  fruit being  sold   on the   railway  platforms.
 The  ralway  platforms  have  book  shops where  you  can buy newspapers,  magazines  all  kinds  of  books in Hindi  and  English  or  your  state   language.
 Parcels  waiting  to  be  loaded  on the  train.
 This   is  the  inside  of  a  ordinary second  class  coach. Its   a  rough  way  to  travel, but  its  cheap  too.
 In my  student  and younger  days I  used  to  travel  by  second  cless,  but  don 't have  the  stamina  or  grit  to  do  that   any  more. I  prefer  air condition travel  now.
Indian  Railways is  the world 's longest  and  the  most  largest   and  complicated  train  systems. Many  books  have   been  written  about  it. People  come  to  Indian  as  train tourists. Its  a good way  to travel and  you  can  see  a  lot of  India  from  the  train. There  are  some luxury  tourist  trains  too where  you  are  treated  like  a  Maharajah.
I  love  the little  toy  trains which   take  you  into  the  mountains.
 Mailbags
 A   luggage  porter
 This  little  fellow  is   also  helping.
 Members  of  a  village   community  encamped  on  the  platform, waiting   for their  train.

 The platforms  are  connected  to  each other  through a  footbridge, usually  in   a  junction,  there there  are  many  platforms  and  a  lot  of  rail  traffic.
 A lone  engine on  the move
 Several  transport  or  goods  trains  passed  by.
 This  one   is  carrying  coal  and  minerals  from   the   mines.
And  finally  this  is  the  train which brought  Ash  and  Megan  to  us.

10 Fertilize my soul:

Nadwrażliwiec said...

I see, I see and I see... And I can't believe in it. Trains and railway station in India are so similar or even identical like in Poland! :)

Julia Dutta said...

This is a terrific post Amrita. India, by Rail!
Julia

Amrita said...

Thank you Zim and Julia, you are so sweet.

Cyndi Lacefield said...

What lovely photos!I would LOVe to come and travel India by rail. How fun! When We have been forunate enough to travel,my family and I enjoy getting away from "touristy" areas so we can experience the real culture of that area. That is where we have the best times and learn the most. I would definately need the air conditioning also though, I must confess! I too can not handle the heat like I could in my younger days : )India would be amazing to see through the country. I know I would love it as I just love Hindi films.Shahrukh Kahn is a great actor in older movies like Veer Zaara, and I really loved Rang De Basanti. That was a deep and meaningful film. Much love to you from this admirer from across the globe... maybe one day.You never know : ) Blessings, Cyndi

Cyndi Lacefield said...

P.S. I know Shahrakh wasn't in Rang De Basanti. Didnt edit first, but it didnt reaally have 'one' star but a cast.

JI said...

Nice to see these photos. I do have many pleasant memories of railway journeys in India.

JI.

Amrita said...

Hi Cindy, I am really amazed at your knowledge and interest in India and the Hindi movies specially.

Have you been to India ever?

I like SRK too. Specially his older movies. Have you seen My Name is Knhan - that 's a good one to watch, its set in the US.


Oh do come to India and travel by train, its cheap, educational and wil give you a good exposure to grassroot India. Megan loves it all.

Amrita said...

Hello JI , the best train journey I like is an overnite one. You just lay down and sleep and get off at your destination the next morning and don 't feel tired.

The longest trip of mione has been to differnet places in the South - Chennai, Bangalore etc.

Cyndi Lacefield said...

Amrita,
I have not been to India. It is on my 'bucket list' of places I want to go one day. Hindi films are fairly easy to get online or on netflix. I have not watched My name is Kahn ,but I have heard of it. I dont care for all the cop /shootem up action movies ,so I havent seen any of SRK's in those. I like dramas like Partition which helped me learn some history about that period in your country, or romantic comedies. Swades is also a good SRK one where he helps the villagers get power and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is a fun watch.He is so funny dressing up as "RAJ" LOL .Anyway, Yes, I love learning about other cultures and history. I am so glad for the internet and the ways we can learn of people and see that deep down, we are all humans who care about the same things- love, family, and faith. If you have more movie selection ideas e mail me! I will check them out : ) Be blessed, my sister, Cyndi

AlonzaMiller said...

Hey Amrita..

Thanks for sharing the train experience in India.. But you didn't stated the original situation of the railways station in India.. Glad to know about the experience you shared and like your blog too...