I’m in Delhi for a well deserved Diwali break. But that’s the awesome part. Not the main awesome part at any rate. The fun and frankly eye popping was the journey.
I travelled by train. The Rajdhani Express. You see, I’m a great believer in planning ahead and in view of the worldwide recession, have decided to cut back on luxuries. Like food. So I figured (reluctantly and resistant to the last) that air travel logically belonged in that club.
But once the decision was made I was a bit squeamish about the prospect of rail travel after a long time. So I prepared myself for 16 hours of ennui, bad food and qualms about personal safety.
But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Indian railways totally rock! First off, as soon as I walked into Mumbai Central Station there were metal detectors and security personnel who actually looked alert. Then, as soon as everyone was settled in the train, policemen came with sniffer dogs! Sniffer dogs in trains!
I have never seen sniffer dogs in reality. Only on TV and it was all very intriguing. The dog, handsome bugger that he was, was quite disappointing though. Blame it on movies but I expected him to dart about energetically under the seats and ferret out all kinds of stuff. But he just went about his business lackadaisically and resisted all stimuli to play the hero.
Except when it came to my crotch. Maybe because I was pre-menstrual, he figured I was a bitch in heat and went at it much to the amusement of his handlers. God, I died of embarrassment and even after more than two hours had lapsed, steadfastly refused eye contact with my fellow passengers.
Things eased a bit after the train started zipping through the Mumbai suburbs and tea was served. There were the most scrumptious cheese sandwiches and samosas I have eaten. Ever. So while airlines are slashing costs by cutting back on already indifferent service and food, the Indian Railways have been quietly improving theirs. All in all a very pleasant journey. Long live Laloo Prasad Yadav and the Indian Railways.
When tall, suave, handsome Kaustav Kapoor walks into her office, ditzy private investigator Kasthuri (aka Katie) Kumar has anything but detection on her mind. He is, after all, a scion of Bollywood’s first family—perhaps he has a role for her? Perhaps she will, at last, get to sashay down the red carpet in a designer gown, with flash bulbs following her every move?
But Kapoor’s intentions are much more prosaic: he wishes Katie to trace the heroine of his new blockbuster (and, if Katie’s read the glossies correctly, his life) who is mysteriously AWOL. Despite her misgivings, Katie finds herself unable to refuse the task entrusted to her, and thereon follows a bewildering hunt for the film star across a trail of corpses.
And if that isn’t excitement enough, she has to contend with the maddening and mysterious, but, oh-so-hot, Tejas Deshpande.
The first in a brand new detective series.
IN BOOKSTORES NOW.
Not only the trains, the stations have also improved. I don’t want to remember how the stations looked 5 years before.
@Mridul, you are so right! Everytime i looked out I saw nice, clean, bright colours of cafe coffee stands..not merely (at the risk of sounding gross) piss, shit and spit.
Salute to Mr. Lalu! 🙂 I love to drink tea given in that clay cups in stations.
Oh…those sandwitches and samosas….I am now craving for them…..guess what, my mouth is full watery 😀
After all the Railways have to keep up with the times. Nevertheless, Lalu’s personal intervention seems to have helped. One can see outsourced safai karmacharis in uniform, not only cleaning but also spraying deodorants and stuff. It appears Lallu……..ouch Lalu, went after the Indian Rail with a vengeance just to prove to everyone that there was more to him than the circus clown, everyone had taken him to be.
That’s great!
Great to listen something good has happened in India.
@neilina, me too all over again!:)
@cool4u, in my opinion the best thing he did was give a free rein to his senior personell to run the railways as they thought fit.
@Satya Prakash Karan, you have no idea. Railways is just one fo them. The catalyst has been the RTI I think.
Hey its very true, its been like this for quite sometime. I have not done a long rail trip for quite a few years, but the shorts ones on Rajdhani are awesome (short 5 hour trip, where they stuff you like hell and yes the food is good).
But, what has really ticked me off is that Mr.laloo Prasad has discontinued the continential veg and non veg meals on Rajdhanis. I hope it makes a comeback soon.
Agree with you.. Indian railway is doing well… but the Bhartiya Rail is still like it was before 🙂
In Rajdhani or Air India food is always good and one always gets everything before he feels like asking for:)
@Girish, you are right. I used to enjoy the continental food once in a while. I didn’t know they had discontinued it as I didn’t ask for it…but they made up by having a wider variety for breakfast.
@Rohit Tripathi, I know what you mean and I feel your pain 🙂 but let’s vote and mnake things better.
@Renu, I can’t believe I’ve found someone who shares my views on this. Even in airlines I have found that Jet and Kingfisher serve indifferent meals while IA and AI are far superior. But no one agrees with me. Maybe it’s fashionable to pan govt. owned companies.
The situation is not same in all the trains. Rajdhani is little expensive for those who are frequent travellers on other trains. The food that you get on rajdhani may not have come from the best kitchens. After I saw some videos of railways’s kitchen I stopped eating them and survived on home made food and some biscuits during my 2 1/2 days long train journey.
The taste and quality of food have changed over the years due to inflation. The ‘uppma’ and chutney were my favourite due to its unique taste, but what I found during my recent journey is that there is less upma and chuttney was full of water.
All is not good with railways, but yes! they have improved in recent times..
I like your blogs. Please do not stop writing. good luck 🙂
@Pradeep, you are right about the cleanliness in the kitchens, but the same is true of restaurants as well. I go by the philosophy that what i can’t see can’t hurt me. As for the improvement, I guess we should be grateful that they are by and large on time and the AC usually works. I remember times when this also wasn’t the case 🙂
I visited India with my family 5 years ago and my dad really wanted us kids to “experience” India so we travelled from Mumbai to Delhi.
It was quite THE experience- we never ate or drank anything and slept most of the night. lol the smell, food and people scared the hell out of us!
Nonetheless, I always look back at those memories with a smile- it was a weird bonding session with the family and allowed me to experience India beyond the fancy hotels. shopping expeditions and Taj Mahal in a way thats indescribable.
Here in South Africa new developments are always welcomed but in the process we lose a lot of the integrity which can never be replaced.
will be sure to mention it to my dad, Im guess im glad that its improved:)
right smita,railways have improved and yes thanks to lalu prasad but not to forget the very competent team which accompanies lalu prasad.I wish lalu prasad had the same determination of improving things when he was the chief-minister of Bihar..but i want to say that i was never so much fascinated by any blog…but urs is an exception..i loved it..kudos to you
@Neri..:) nothing quite like the great Indian train journey for an experience.
@ Nadeem…you are so right…that is exactly what my freinds from Bihar crib about.