Sun woke up at 7am and sun rays touching earth. I too finally woke up with a new beginning of my life and moving forward to new direction of my life. Got ready, said final or partial bye to all my dear one and boarded my train. Train send me back to childhood days when I along with my family use to travel in train. Nowadays, I was travelling by air for long distance (say Chennai to Ahmedabad). I had reservation in AC Coach and got a seat where 7 kids were heading towards Ahmedabad with lots of spirit and fun (they were participating in sports event). I too was enthused seeing their masti, fun and wow their UNO game caught my childhood imagination. I couldn’t stay much over there as kid's coach requested me to exchange seat (from B1 compartment to B3 compartment).
I took my luggage (my laptop bag & airbag) and headed towards B3 (my new seat number 17). Surprisingly, B3 compartment was not at all crowded (I mean out of 72 seats only 10-15 seats were occupied). Initially I thought, passenger will come in later stations but it was not the case. I was all alone in my row i.e. from 17-24 seat number, I was all alone. To add more loneliness to it, I didn’t brought any of my mobile (Airtel & Reliance).
Journey starts with all alone with my thoughts, laptop, business magazines and yes few cockroaches :). Weather outside was so fine and so fascinating (that you will fell in love with it). It was raining all the way and weather was soothing. I was like fingers on my lips for whole two days (except calling tea guy "ek chai dena" or coffee guy "ek coffee"; I think a bit cheating is allowed, right). I was going through magazines and trying to figure out which article in which magazine is worth reading for me and then after going through all the 5 magazine, I found only 3 magazine are worth reading. I kept all the magazine aside for a while and thought to take nap.
It was now around 4pm after a nap and having hot coffee; mind is so refreshed and says wow, lets read magazine with fresh outlook. Took magazine and then another two and half hour went like nothing. I mean it was 6:30pm by the time I finished one magazine (explaining about 21st century organization, Need of leaders vs manager, etc.). Some elder came there and want to play cards as at their seat ladies were having snacks for themselves. I was interestingly watching their game and listening to their gujarati jokes. Train Ticket Examiner came once again and these gujarati folks asked him "when are these other people going to come ? " even me in back of mind was curious to know the answer. He said "Bhusawal, Jalgaon and like stations"). That’s means whole night I am all alone, one day all alone with no contact to outside world. You and your thoughts. (It was like Rajan standing and saying me "this is what mastermind is" you and your thoughts are left all alone; no outside world distracts you for a second too)
I was just thinking that these 36 hours journey (yeah, these long 36 hours) was any productive to me or rather say have I done any productive work? Answer to this question may be only reading that magazine was productive and to add little I wrote this blog as its interest me. Okay just cut this crap. I am on vacation ( I mean these 36 hours vacation) then why on hell I am trying to bring productiveness of these. Magazine reading has left a lot in my mind, I guess.
This Navjeevan Express is related to me from my childhood. I use to come to Chennai on my summer vacation on this train and back to our town (Jetpur) by same train. We use to enjoy a lot. People, stations, chai wala, hawkers, and many other small thing. We (me and my sisters) use to fight for window seat and then enjoy the scenery outside. When I got shifted to Chennai, I use to be so excited with train ticket as I am going to meet my parents and sisters. I do remember the journey with my close and best of all friend "Yatin". We enjoyed a lot a trip.
This is after 2 long years, I am travelling again by Navjeevan express. All my old memories are flashing one by one in front of my eyes and touching to my heart, This is true but cant ignore the fact that this all was possible only because I had not brought my mobile; else I would be talking on phone and these memories would have fade away from my eyes and me getting lost with my fiancée, friend or near one in present or future gossip.