Guwahati Railway Station
Just after the Diwali vacations that I spent at home in Maharastra, I was schedule to travel to Guwahati, a
gateway of North East. I began my journey from New Delhi. Porvottar Sampark
Kranti which is schedule to start at 11: 45 PM, was running late by 3 hour from
its destination i.e. at 02.45 AM. It was not a really good experience of spending
3 hours on New Delhi railway station as winter was not allowing time to pass easily.
Once I boarded the train, I was
expecting to get late by few more hours as frequent travelers judge
their journey to reach destinations once in a while according to delays at sourcing station. And further delay is beyond expectations. I
reached Guwahati Railway Station by the train running late by 9 hours. Once
train reaches destination passengers start gathering their belongings to de-board
the train, kids started assembling their toys, coach attendant folding bed
rolls, pantry venders their money, Jawans their baggage and hopes to return
home next time.
All in efforts not to forgot anything
which they have bought in. And once loco gets his final red signal to halt, all
will try to disappear within no time. Similarity juxtapose to these collies are
in rush to enter into vacating train to get someone’s bulky belongings. And I was
no apart from the entire all the small system built in from source to
destination. Yes, it was 2 nights and almost 2 days hectic journey, tiredness
was quite visible in eyes. It was 5 PM of evening and night has already covered
its shadow. It was very unique natural phenomenon for me as I spent almost all
of my life in north and west.
It was cold outside once I step
out of train. Guwahati is very different than it was two months ago. Now
becoming amphibian is character is not required as it requires in summers as
well as in monsoon. I have carrying my
huge bag and myself and in rush to reach guest house for ablutions and rest. Cab
picked me up and finally I lied on bed to get some rest.
Just with an hour I realised that
is it quite cold to put on some winter cloths and by long yards missed my
jacket in that train. Whether it was tiredness to get some rest or warmness to
forget winter wears or my lethargy or my carelessness or someone’s dire need of
warmness from that jacket, for getting causes of forgetting jacket, I am bewildering
in bemusement. Along with jacket I lost my house keys.
We miss our things a lot in
absence of their permanent disappearance. Anyways, with instant hopes I tried to call
all railways available contact numbers but that seems to be a failing attempts
as I hopes somebody will answer the call but nobody answered. I was left to
next most effective effort to go and find the jacket where I originally forgotten
it. I immediately rushed back towards the same place from where I rushed in.
Upon reaching station I was shocked to saw that train is not on that platform
where it had de-boarded me. That left me speechless and wondering what to do
next.
I inquired to railways officials
about the train and I came to know that train is rested at pit line for washing
and cleaning. This is place is almost mile away from station. And I walked
along with tracks sometimes on fishplates to reached Pit Line where I can see
24 empty coaches are getting ready for next show. And as simple as, I have not found
my jacket and rest belongings in it. On that cold night I spent 3 hours with
hopes. It was attitude changing incident for me. As now, I am not feeling regretted
of getting lost of my jacket.
This loss is soothing my beliefs that someone better
than me and genuinely needy having warmness in winters. Small
incidents in life leave larger impact in life.
Faith
Amol Nakve
