Indian wedding: On the train to Vizag
First experience with Indian trains
Train Nizamuddin (New Delhi) – Visakhapatnam …. 3rd class a/c…
The train experience appeared pretty much the same as in Russia – berth carriage kind. Later on learnt that there are screens that separate the cars on the train so you cannot go through the whole train as at home. Cars are higher and wider than at home, so each compartment contains 6 long beds (located on 3 levels) and 2 beds (2 levels) on the side. There are no doors or screens that separate compartments from the gangway, however it’s rather quiet and people do not rush back and forth – maybe yet. Leaving early has a number of advantages after all: in morning hours train station and the train itself do not get hectic yet and you can always catch up with the sleeping on the train.
Windows are toned which is necessary for a/c working properly. But then the toned windows definitely prevent you from enjoying the scenery on the way, not to mention taking pics that get so blurry and distorted.
Bedding is provided in amazingly cool paper bags – colonial style.
Food and drinks come on extra charge: guys with cans of chai, coffee, trays of vegetable cutlets, baskets of bottled water, and packages of chips and biscuits shuttle back and forth. So now and then the train is sounded with “Chai! Chai-ya!” “Kafi! Kafi”, “Wota butul’, wota butul”. The attendant makes sure that food is provided for breakfast, lunch and dinner: we can chose from 2 different options for two meals, but the same ones offered every day. It all works like a proper clock and you really wonder how organized Indian trains might be.
The stops are frequent, but very short.
If you need to get some snaks or food from the station you'd better be quick as you never know the duration of the stop and you'll guess it right only when you see your train already departing.
3rd a/c class offers two types of toilet facilities – Indian- and Western-style ones. Somehow there is no point in the latter. Toilet paper seems such a life style product now – why would anyone bother as long as water is running…
People around
I am traveling with Nivanthee and Neelima (bride)’s dad.
Train seems hassle-free – Nivanthee is around and Neelima’s dad as well. Which country, small talks, sweets, curiosity, opening doors and giving way to me… Nice part.. Getting outside the train at some stops – way more stairs than in Delhi and beggars really follow you.
I remember my Polish flat-mate Michal, saying: “Olga, you wound not believe how often they ask this question especially if you go outside Delhi -Which country?” True – people do ask. Just come to you, ask and leave. I wonder they thoughts they’d be left with once heard “Russia” in response.
Some funny (though useful) skills picked up from Nevanthee
– sleep as a cocoon (fully and hermetically wrap yourself in the blanket – protects from anything starting from mosquitoes to unpleasant smells and annoying sounds
– drink water from funny transparent rectangle plastic packages
– poor out the water from the bottle into your mouth (instead of sipping it from the bottle neck)
Our sojourners are a couple. He reads a newspaper now, she sleeps curled herself into the ball with the head on his knees. He calls here didi (sister) and they playfully fight. She is younger than him, he is so protective. How sweet!… Hi, Nivi and me are having small conversation. Later after dinner I tell Nivi I am desperate for sweets and tea right now. And he offers us sweets and asks to keep the whole box as they are getting off early morning tomorrow…
Looking out of the window
The morning we got in…. The pre-sunset time was just unreal to me… It seemed we were passing huge agricultural lands or vast lands with some free-standing trees now and then.
The space was filled in with a blurry pink and yellow haze and a round scarlet medalion was hanging on the ashy sky.
The train goes through Uttar Pradesh, Madhia Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh so I get to see all sort of scenery: green agricultural lands, sandy roads, village houses now and then and then… surprise, surprise… in the middle of this green vast divine whity-white cupola (temple like) appear all of a sudden. Vast lands where sand constitutes the major material for anything brought to the existence, the major part of the landscape...
Sandy hills appear as miniature mountains in sand with all the shapes, folds and wrinkles that should be there.
Pass through hopelessly small villages – just occurred – why do foreign tourists travel to small places in India would find at least rudimentary tourist infrastructure there? Why are there legends about the place and tour packaged developed and promoted? Why is there abundance of info in travel guide books? People could have done the same with Russia – small places, churches, saints, exciting mythology and religion…
…. On the second day, 2 hours before the arrival I was passing through the lobby and saw that a man who opened the door and just enjoyed the warm breeze and right-before-the-dawn beauty of the landscape. I stayed there watching as well.. I could not believe my eyes – it took time to realize I am there. Pink and blue before the ultimate dawn haze resting on the mountains’ peaks. Ridge of mountains was so nearby and it looked like a huge sponges so densely covered with by terry vegetation they were. The soils were so red as if fertilized by the blood of the killed palm-trees whose dead bodies were now laying all the way along the railway richly seasoned with all kinds of waste conventionally thrown from the passing trains.
Palm-trees, many of them, sugar-canes, small huts,
groups of then, digged wells or small swamps. Flocks of cattle now and then, bigger settlements with white big houses and electricity lines.
Rammed unpathed roads palm trees along, herders around the bon-fires,
some very dark-skinned and very skinny people women carrying some load on their heads. Darkness…Discoveries by chance….
Train Nizamuddin (New Delhi) – Visakhapatnam …. 3rd class a/c…
The train experience appeared pretty much the same as in Russia – berth carriage kind. Later on learnt that there are screens that separate the cars on the train so you cannot go through the whole train as at home. Cars are higher and wider than at home, so each compartment contains 6 long beds (located on 3 levels) and 2 beds (2 levels) on the side. There are no doors or screens that separate compartments from the gangway, however it’s rather quiet and people do not rush back and forth – maybe yet. Leaving early has a number of advantages after all: in morning hours train station and the train itself do not get hectic yet and you can always catch up with the sleeping on the train.
Windows are toned which is necessary for a/c working properly. But then the toned windows definitely prevent you from enjoying the scenery on the way, not to mention taking pics that get so blurry and distorted.
Bedding is provided in amazingly cool paper bags – colonial style.
Food and drinks come on extra charge: guys with cans of chai, coffee, trays of vegetable cutlets, baskets of bottled water, and packages of chips and biscuits shuttle back and forth. So now and then the train is sounded with “Chai! Chai-ya!” “Kafi! Kafi”, “Wota butul’, wota butul”. The attendant makes sure that food is provided for breakfast, lunch and dinner: we can chose from 2 different options for two meals, but the same ones offered every day. It all works like a proper clock and you really wonder how organized Indian trains might be.
The stops are frequent, but very short.
If you need to get some snaks or food from the station you'd better be quick as you never know the duration of the stop and you'll guess it right only when you see your train already departing.
3rd a/c class offers two types of toilet facilities – Indian- and Western-style ones. Somehow there is no point in the latter. Toilet paper seems such a life style product now – why would anyone bother as long as water is running…
People around
I am traveling with Nivanthee and Neelima (bride)’s dad.
Train seems hassle-free – Nivanthee is around and Neelima’s dad as well. Which country, small talks, sweets, curiosity, opening doors and giving way to me… Nice part.. Getting outside the train at some stops – way more stairs than in Delhi and beggars really follow you.
I remember my Polish flat-mate Michal, saying: “Olga, you wound not believe how often they ask this question especially if you go outside Delhi -Which country?” True – people do ask. Just come to you, ask and leave. I wonder they thoughts they’d be left with once heard “Russia” in response.
Some funny (though useful) skills picked up from Nevanthee
– sleep as a cocoon (fully and hermetically wrap yourself in the blanket – protects from anything starting from mosquitoes to unpleasant smells and annoying sounds
– drink water from funny transparent rectangle plastic packages
– poor out the water from the bottle into your mouth (instead of sipping it from the bottle neck)
Our sojourners are a couple. He reads a newspaper now, she sleeps curled herself into the ball with the head on his knees. He calls here didi (sister) and they playfully fight. She is younger than him, he is so protective. How sweet!… Hi, Nivi and me are having small conversation. Later after dinner I tell Nivi I am desperate for sweets and tea right now. And he offers us sweets and asks to keep the whole box as they are getting off early morning tomorrow…
Looking out of the window
The morning we got in…. The pre-sunset time was just unreal to me… It seemed we were passing huge agricultural lands or vast lands with some free-standing trees now and then.
The space was filled in with a blurry pink and yellow haze and a round scarlet medalion was hanging on the ashy sky.
The train goes through Uttar Pradesh, Madhia Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh so I get to see all sort of scenery: green agricultural lands, sandy roads, village houses now and then and then… surprise, surprise… in the middle of this green vast divine whity-white cupola (temple like) appear all of a sudden. Vast lands where sand constitutes the major material for anything brought to the existence, the major part of the landscape...
Sandy hills appear as miniature mountains in sand with all the shapes, folds and wrinkles that should be there.
Pass through hopelessly small villages – just occurred – why do foreign tourists travel to small places in India would find at least rudimentary tourist infrastructure there? Why are there legends about the place and tour packaged developed and promoted? Why is there abundance of info in travel guide books? People could have done the same with Russia – small places, churches, saints, exciting mythology and religion…
…. On the second day, 2 hours before the arrival I was passing through the lobby and saw that a man who opened the door and just enjoyed the warm breeze and right-before-the-dawn beauty of the landscape. I stayed there watching as well.. I could not believe my eyes – it took time to realize I am there. Pink and blue before the ultimate dawn haze resting on the mountains’ peaks. Ridge of mountains was so nearby and it looked like a huge sponges so densely covered with by terry vegetation they were. The soils were so red as if fertilized by the blood of the killed palm-trees whose dead bodies were now laying all the way along the railway richly seasoned with all kinds of waste conventionally thrown from the passing trains.
Palm-trees, many of them, sugar-canes, small huts,
groups of then, digged wells or small swamps. Flocks of cattle now and then, bigger settlements with white big houses and electricity lines.
Rammed unpathed roads palm trees along, herders around the bon-fires,
some very dark-skinned and very skinny people women carrying some load on their heads. Darkness…Discoveries by chance….
posted by Olga Tikhonova | 7:36 pm
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