Adventure on the Jammu tavi...

The train is spluttering to a stop at Vijayawada station, platform number 7. A full half an hour behind schedule. My head spins endlessly and I can’t see straight. The adventure began in Trivandrum when I arrived at the railway station not to find an ATM in sight. The only evidence of a SBI ATM that remained was the name board. I had around 80 bucks in cash for a 3 day journey. I did not have even toothpaste, talk about meticulous planning! It did not occur to me at the time that I would have to pay for things to eat along the way.

A group of Army jawans(soldiers) were my immediate travel companions. So I got a free unasked crash course on Indian army politics and some amazing revelations that will have to come out in print one day. The second day the hunger hit me, even though I was lying in my bunk most of the day dreaming of snow and sublime yoga poses. One of the jawans matter of factly took out an orderly sheaf of papers containing the train time table that he had printed out. The train would stop at Vijayawada for 25 minutes, according to the printed word. But now that it was already running more than half an hour late, would it still follow the time table?

I would have to leave my luggage behind, go up and down the over bridge and cross all those platforms to the exit at platform no.1. I slowly ascended the steps with the calm steely exterior of a Zen monk but with the palpitations of a lovelorn teenager. After coming out of the station I found 2 ATMs. After swiping the card in the 1st one for 4 expletive filled tries, I moved to the second one. Ah finally the sweet sound of the machine dispensing cash!

I sprint over supine bodies, cows, luggage and other unidentified objects to the entrance. Near the entrance I slow my pace down and casually walk in. I don’t want to be stopped by the police on ‘suspicious’ circumstances. Mangled uncombed hair and beard stubble makes me definitely look shady.

I break out into a run once out of sight of security and every time a train sounds a horn somewhere I imagine my train pulling out of the station. Finally as I dash down the steps to the platform a guy coming up casually says: ‘The train’s pulling out, go fast yaar’. Shit, shit shit, why now at the final stretch?! Before I know it I am on the platform, by the train. The ‘stranger’ bastard had lied to me. The train was still there. I catch my breath and with the snug feeling that only money can evoke, go to buy a vegetable biriyani.

20 comments:

  1. lol..
    twas quite funny :)
    hpe u enjoyed ur biryani..!!

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  2. hey btw where r u originally from..?
    nd did ya visit jmu..?

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  3. Hmmm food at stations - totally yum. Nice to hear from you bud!

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  4. The biryani part made me hungry. The first part I kinda just pictured one of those intro scenes that typically start a Tamil movie(which really is the only dialect I can understand/guess). You should have met a girl though, that would've completed it for me.Haha.XD.

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  5. haha :)
    Murphy's laws turn out to be maddeningly true at all the wrong times.
    But all's well that ends well.
    Glad you could reach an ATM.

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  6. hey u have been tagged
    chck my blog
    http://snehabhatsepo.blogspot.com

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  7. :)).... last part I could almost picture in my head...
    Bon Voyage

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  8. Don't you just love trains? And the Indian Army? I still remember when I was on a bus from Mathura to Ujjain and I woke up from a nap to find the most gorgeous soldier I've ever seen (in full combat gear) pressed up against me asleep.

    I awarded you an Honest Scrap Award for your blog! Check out my latest post to collect.

    Jai

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  9. Ah, to be into money! Well written as always.

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  10. "lovelorn"...nice haha hope you know im gonna steel that.

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  11. Sneha, it was the most delicious biriyani ever !hmmm where am i originally from? maybe reading my past blog entries might help you fill the missing pieces ;) Sadly did not visit Jammu. Got off at Nizamuddin. Btw does tagging entail me special privileges? ;)

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  12. Gal, food at stations totally yum and also totally suspect esp in India. you need a cast iron GIT( gastro intestinal tract) to survive several days in a train !

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  13. Jeeves, despite trying on my best Rajnikanth mannerisms ( including throwing a cigarette into air, setting it aflame with a bullet fired from my colt, and making it land smoothly in my mouth, non lit side , ofcourse) i just could not impress a single girl on the train ! :(

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  14. Raji, if murphy's law was really working, i would have found no cash at the atm and missed my train as well ! ;)

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  15. Hmm jai looks like you have a thing for men in uniform eh? Thanks for the award ! :)

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  16. Bluebutterfly, thanks for the wishes. i did really need it !

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  17. Jim great to see ya after a long time ! :)

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  18. Little miss, ha since this site is copyrighted you'll hear from my lawyers soon ! ;)

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Thanks for taking the time to write :)