ON BOARD KARNATAKA EXPRESS STORY

ON BOARD KARNATAKA EXPRESS STORY:

I've always been good at working long hours during the night times before I lay down on my bed. Neither my mom nor the examination fear has ever succeeded in waking me up any earlier than 8 AM!

But, 7th October, 2005 was one of the very few exceptions in my lifetime to the above made assertion since it was a special day for which I had been waiting for a long time. Yes I was leaving to Delhi to meet my parents after 1 ½ years.

I was very excited and having got up at 6 AM, to pack my bags and to do the shopping for my parents and as I had got a job with Progeon (An Infosys Company) I had to get something for my parents. I got ready by 9 AM and then headed towards the Chikpet to get saree for my mom and then to Commercial Street to get some nice kurta’s for Pitaji..! By the time I came back it was 2 pm and my train was at 6:30pm, so I got ready with my luggage and I reached Bangalore City to catch train no. 2627 Bangalore City-New Delhi Karnataka Express.

I reached the station by 6 pm and barged into the crowd that flocked around the reservation charts to know if my waiting list status has been cleared. Luckily, got a confirmed birth in A1 (Two Tier AC) compartment. It was an upper berth. A1 -3.

Karnataka Express, being one of the most prestigious trains from Bangalore is the most profit making as well. To get a confirmed ticket even by two tier AC by that train a couple of weeks before is a great deal. Finally, the red letter minute arrived when the train took off Bangalore city station at 6.30 PM. The train reached Bangalore Cantt at 6:45PM and I was at my feet to find a lonely, beautiful girl co-passenger in the upper berth opposite to that of mine. Immediately, I rushed to the door and had a glance at the reservation chart to know her name and it was "Sweet Smelling"! Yeah, her name's Khushboo Mishra, who was traveling to New Delhi.

The train took off from Bangalore Cantt at 6:50 PM and picked great momentum once it crossed Yelhenka. Me and Khushboo exchanged few glances which were turned down in a flash of moment by both of us.(Frankly speaking, first by her most of the times!).The train reached Hindupur at 8:30 PM where she broke the ice when she took the initiative to ask me which station it was. A middle-aged sardarji couple occupied the other two berths in our compartment. Soon as the train took off from Hindupur ,Khushboo and I exchanged formalities (name,occupation,family,reason for travelling, blah,blah,blah..).The train passed DHARMAVARAM JN ,ANANTAPUR and GUNTAKAL JN and we finally put a full stop to our occupational and personal gossips and had dinner.

I thought of having a nap after the train took off RAICHUR station and about one hour passed on. Suddenly, this female wakes me up and says, "Excuse me Piyush! Can you just have my purse with you; I need to go to toilet." I hid the purse by my side and slept. The train was running at a very high speed. Although one couldn't hear any sound in the AC compartment, we could feel the intensity of vibration. After another 45 minutes or so, I heard some one calling me and I took me a few seconds to realise that it was female voice and another few seconds to realise that it was Khushboo. She wanted her purse to buy coffee and I gave her, (coffee in night and @ 2pm???, God..these gals are na…). She bought a coffee for me too. So, the things started over a coffee. I felt I had nothing to do after having coffee and I simply wrapped the blanket all over my body.

I was in a sound sleep and compensating for the restlessness I had the day before the journey. I felt a sense of TOUCH on my shoulder and yearned upward to see a monster in the beautiful face of Khushboo. And everything was calmed down by her in a moment of time by saying "Good Morning Piyush!" with a charismatic smile on her face.She further went on saying," SOLAPUR JN station would arrive in another 10 minutes or so and the train would halt there for nearly 15 minutes.Lets go for a walk on the platform and check out some Haldiram's stuff for the Morning breakfast.”Haldrima’s in morning?? Gone nuts?? I said to myself… But still I never wanted to miss the oppurtinity to go for a walk with a gal…He he.. “I thought it was a good idea and refreshed myself before we both could get down the coach for a platform seeing. We purchased some Haldiram's namkeen and boarded the train.

Mr. and Mrs.Sardarji were quiet all the time watching us both giggling to some SMS,college and other jokes. It was very conspicuous that Mr Sardar sensed something fishy between us. As the train moved from SOLAPUR JN for a 2.5 hour non-stop run towards DAUND JN Jn where it would stop for loco and crew replacement, but not a commercial halt. Me and Khushboo had nice time standing near the train door watching the plateform crowd. It was a pleasant experience. Later, we were joined by few kids from the adjacent coupe and played Anthyakhsari. The sardar couple too joined us and that was when we had a formal introduction to each other.

Everything went on fine and we had a north Indian veg Lunch at 2 PM and Ahmednagar arrived at 3 PM where there was a 5 minute non-commercial halt. We both walked on the platform and got into the train once it was signaled. Everyone in the coach were busy setting their bed rolls and so was I for a afternoon nap. I was horrified to see Khushboo reading a book. I wondered where from she had got so much of energy to stay awake and disturb me all the day.

I strongly made up my mind not to go to bed before her and I went and stood near the door for some while before being objected by an RPF personnel. I went back to my birth and felt relieved to find the sleep-disturbing female sleeping. I went to bed and after some time she again woke me up and I just murmered "f**k!".She said, “Sorry for disturbing you, Piyush.I'm thirsty and my water got over. Can you lend me your water bottle?" I wondered how she could feel so thirsty in rainy season and that too in AC and gave her my water bottle to quench her THIRST!" Meanwhile, Mrs.Sardar was disturbed by the conversation and we both overheard telling her husband,"BACCHHE NAHIN SUDHAARTE!".But, Mr.Sardar replied,"TU PEHLE SUDHAAR! WOH LOG SUDHAARE TOH BACCHHE NAHIN HOTE!!".Both of us broke into silent laughter.

The train crossed KOPARGAON, MANMAD JN, JALGAON JN & BHUSAVAL JN and we reached at Itarsi @ 11pm, there we had nice dinner , and after the train moved I slept saying to myself plz god..”yeh ladki ne agar mujhe jagayaa to main iski……………..and then next morning and I got up at 5 AM and surprised to find Khushboo not present in her place. I walked towards the toilet and found her brushing her teeth near the wash basin. She said some thing with foam in her mouth and I was quick enough to grasp that she wished me a good morning. I responded with a gentle smile and wished her back. I too brushed my teeth and we both stood near the door and enjoyed the rythmic sound of the running train and the cool breeze as well. We reached Agra Cantt. at 7.45 where we had a cup of coffee in the cold climate. It was an enthralling experience.

Later,when I standing alone near the door,Mr.Sardar came to me and enquired in a curious rather friendly tone,"Aap dono,raat bhar kyaa kar rahe the? Mera shaadi ke baad pehle hafte bhi mein bera biwi se utna baat nahi kiya.Sach batao,KUCCH CHAKKAR CHALRAA KYAA?" I turned away with a blush on my face.

The was about to reach New Delhi station in another 2.5 hours and both of us had gloom over each others face that we were going to end such a memorable journey in a short while. She gave me her slam book and asked me to fill up a page in that.I didn't carry a slam book and so I gave her my dairy and asked her to write something for me in that. She secretly wrote something and asked me to open it only after reaching home in Delhi and I obliged her. The train reached New Delhi after a scheduled halt at Mathura and a non-scheduled halt at Faridabad because of which the train was late by 15 minutes. The train reached New Delhi @12:20PM and we both departed in an emotional mood.

Soon after reaching home, I opened my bag and looked into the dairy. To my surprise I found the following message,

"Dear Piyush! I not have much time to write anything in elaborate, But I just want to mention you are the person who made my Bangalore-N Delhi Journey a memorable one…!! Do keep in touch. My Number is 98xxxxxxxx.

After reaching New Delhi, I called her but her mobile was off..I guess bcoz it was on roaming… yeh ladkiyan bhi na..paisa nahin kharch saktin… and then when i reached bangaore back and tried again “This is not a valid number” Grrrr…rr……. 


I never thought that there is an added advantage in train journeys!
THANKS TO INDIAN RAILWAYS. THANKS TO 2627 (KARNATAKA EXPRESS).