On the Wheels

LakshmiKMBhat · Jan 29, 2013

Last week we went to the east coast of our country, about sixteen hours by train. Boarding the train brought back happy memories of childhood.

I remembered reading these lines in a much loved book , by L M Montgomery, “ just as we can conjure up pictures from long ago, in our mind’s eye, so we can recapture sounds loved, in mind’s ear”. :thumbsup

So very true, not only could I picture our train journey every summer, I could also remember the sound of the moving train and the stations coming to life with the entry of the train. We lived in North India, but every summer vacation my brother and I used to come down south to spend two whole months at our grandparents’ home. It used to take us three days to travel down the country. We never found it boring, the fun of two whole months waiting for us at the other end was too exciting for words. But the return journey was not the same, school was waiting for us !! :rotfl

Even now sitting in the train and listening and feeling its rhythmic movement brought to mind how we had spent those three days. The platform scene is still the same. As the train moves into the platform, the whole place comes to life, we see so much of movement, every station it is the same, people running along to reach their coach. Hawkers selling their wares, mostly eatables,they look so tempting. Long back we used to eat the different varieties we came across on our long journey,from the north to the south. I can still remember them, as if they took place just the other day. And all those fellow passengers, we came into each others lives for a short time and left never to meet again,some we remembered and others we forgot in no time.
In those days we used to come from big cities to a small place.But now it is the opposite. Reaching our destination,it is startling to see the sea of humanity in the station and the waiting area. We have been in a small place for so long and have forgotten the number of people living in our big cities. There are people and people everywhere. It is a little unsettling.

But life goes on, everywhere. :thumbsup

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naras229 · Jan 29, 2013

Nostalgic memories of old days cling on to our minds. Even though old days were less comfortable and less labour-and-time saving, physical work kept people healthy. The vast spaces in the cities, towns and villages were the lung space that kept people hale and healthy. The population was much less and relationships were real and warm unlike they are today when they are only superficial and self-serving.

shyamala1234 · Jan 30, 2013

Dear Lakshmi,

You took me back to nostalgia..our childhood visits in summer vacation to our granparents' town. Yes, space was more, not suffocating..both in terms of people and place. Relationships were healthy.

We have a relative who during his whole working life lived in big cities...but after retirement he settled in a his home town in Srikakulam district....everyone knows everyone sort of town. He says...people speak to him as a real person not some one who has held high position. He says he is very comfortable.

suby · Jan 30, 2013

Dear Lakshmi,

Nice narration bringing back old memories. You may read my blog "Delhi to Madras" in IL way back in 2009 or 2010 reminiscing my journeys during the seventies.

-suby