Cattle Class

They come rushing in. Sometimes too fast. Sometimes very slow. Stopping right on time. People gushing in and out. Off it goes again with a hoot. I just love their rhythm. I love travelling in trains.

I am a big-time traveler of train. I always loved to go to the railway station near my home without any specific reason from childhood. Watching the train approaching towards me with that siren has always captivated me. There are mainly 3 types of travelers: one who know exactly when they are travelling and they book the tickets much in advance. Second, they just book the normal general ticket and are ready to travel under any circumstances. Third are the people like me who just keep it till the last minute and then you are already in the waiting list. Then you must resort to a herculean task called Tatkal! Anger stress management classes should have Tatkal booking as the final test. You would have attained inner peace if you are able to book a ticket without abusing! Tatkal booking is like qualifying JEE and getting into IIT Bombay! Many a times so many people need to try to book for that one ticket. And people who don't have internet access, stay in big lines from 6 am in the morning. So much is the fascination for train travel in this country which runs about 12,617 trains to carry over 23 million passengers daily — equivalent to moving the entire population of Australia. Mainly because of comfort and also since it is highly subsidized, poor people don't really have any option.

I usually travel in Sleeper Class when it's a longer journey. I go in AC while I travel to Mysore which is my in-laws place 😝. Sleeper class — which is also called cattle class — is a true reflection of India. It's got it all! People of different religions, cultures, languages, age and status and also different food. You will find aromas of all varieties of food in there. You will find some people tense about their life, some very happy and looking forward to where they are heading to. And some who are belligerent. Especially if you are travelling in a general category seat, you just can't get a journey without a fight! If you really want to check it out, catch a Bangalore–Bangarapet local train. We also get to meet new people during our journey and befriend them. And if your seat number is 1–8 or 60–72, you would be privileged to get what Shakespeare would call 'The perfumes of Arabia' every time the toilet door opens and closes 😁.

A train journey is very much synonymous to our life itself. Some people travel in First class. 3 Tier AC / 2 Tier AC. Sleeper class, in which many middle class people travel, and then we have General (Unreserved) class. How comfortable the journey is, depends on the class of seat you are in. We all have stations where new people join our journey and they sometimes get down before our station and catch another train. We all have unexpected stops at times, accidents and even engine failures — but somehow life goes on! And so does life…

As James Thomson once wrote,

As we rush, as we rush in the Train, The trees and the houses go wheeling back, But the starry heavens above the plain, Come flying on our track. All the beautiful stars of the sky, The silver doves of the forest of Night, Over the dull earth swarm and fly, Companions of our flight. We will rush ever on without fear; Let the goal be far, the flight be fleet! For we carry the Heavens with us, dear, While the Earth slips from our feet!