The Intimate and Epic Journey: Understanding India by Rail
Train travel in India is more than just a mode of transportation; it is a full-blooded immersion into the local culture, landscapes, and human stories that define this vast nation. As novelist Rahul Bhattacharya reflects, carrying train journeys in his bones, the Indian rail system inscribes on the mind the diverse tapestry of fellow travellers, languages, and climates.
A Personal Odyssey on the Rails
In 1998, during a brutal summer of nuclear testing, Bhattacharya embarked on a rail journey from Mumbai to Dehradun, covering 1,000 miles in an ordinary three-tier sleeper. The voyage stretched past 50 hours in temperatures exceeding 50°C, with memories of metallic burns on window grilles and the sizzle of water drops on hot platforms. Despite the ordeal, the experience fostered a deep affection, mirroring the heat-addled odyssey of his novel Railsong, where the protagonist finds solace in the benevolence of strangers.
Alighting in Bombay, now Mumbai, beneath the gargoyles of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus, she emerges transformed, having traversed not just distance but a profound personal journey.
The Railway as a Microcosm of India
Mahatma Gandhi, initially critical of railways, later embraced them as a tool to understand India upon his return from South Africa. Bhattacharya recommends not just heritage or scenic routes, like the narrow-gauge hill railways or the Konkan coast run, but using railways simply to get from one place to another. This approach reveals the country's essence through everyday interactions.
Consider sleeper travel, where sharing a compartment with strangers can lead to invigorating company. On an overnight trip from Mumbai to Delhi, Bhattacharya travelled with three policemen on a manhunt, their stories unfolding over miles, highlighting the drama and humanity embedded in rail journeys.
Culinary Companions on the Tracks
Food remains a crucial railway habit, despite the decline of dining cars and regulations on platform fare. Depending on the season and route, travellers can enjoy farm-fresh fruits like lychees and mangoes. On the Mumbai-Pune route, vendors at Karjat offer vada pav, while Lonavala provides chikki and chocolate walnut fudge.
In southern states, breakfasts of ograni or Bengal's jhalmuri add regional flair. Packing a tuck and sharing food with fellow passengers enhances the communal experience, making meals a vital part of the journey.
Affordable and Sustainable Travel
Despite challenges like delays and accidents, Indian train travel is pleasurable, affordable, and sustainable. Bhattacharya's family often travels by rail from Delhi to Assam, a 24 to 35-hour journey through the Gangetic plains and Himalayan foothills. His young daughters prefer trains over flights, which they find claustrophobic.
Delays often stem from dramatic events, such as a footbridge collapse in Allahabad or derailments, offering insights into Indian life. On a monsoonal morning in Assam, a passenger train halted after an accident, underscoring the raw realities of travel.
Embracing Passenger Services
Bhattacharya highly recommends passenger trains for a full-blooded immersion into local life, from dress and produce to food vendors and unknown halts. These services link the intimate and epic, the local and national, creating a holistic understanding of India. As in his novel Railsong, the railways weave together stories that capture the country's soul.
