Train stations in India are definitely one of the most entertaining places to be at. It’s your taste of the ‘real’ India. Thousands of people of all shapes, sizes and colors swarm in and out of the station every minute. Their lives run according to the clock of the train. One miss and their whole day is havoc. I spent an hour on the station today. People running around to reach their designated station before the train arrives while a few others having a cold glass of lemon juice or a thumbs up to quench their thirst. In India, there is no private and public space.
All spaces are public and they kind of take that to a whole different level. At the station, I saw some women with little kids opening boxes of food and having a hearty meal while people around them are pushing and shoving each other to get into the train in front of them. Pushing and shoving..yes. That’s another very eventful sight at the station (not the kind you think Im referring to.. OH.. THAT would definitely be entertaining). So anyway, a train has several compartments like general, first class, men, women etc and as soon as the train stops, there are people trying to get out and get in the same compartment. To me it looked like a mini stampede and I wonder every time if someone does get hurt badly. Also confirms my thoughts about the destructive behavior of boys and men alike, which doesn’t cease irrespective of their age.
Let me tell you something equally wonderful. The women’s compartment is SO much worse. Same intensity of pulling and pushing, and by the way, while there’s a small scale massacre taking place at the doors of these compartments, women inside are least bit bothered. They’re cutting vegetables (oh yes, they do), knitting sweaters, reading books, chatting, sleeping, fighting, and having intensive conversations about what a bitch of a woman their mother in law is and all of that jazz. Also, the fights are the best part of a journey. I think they sort of invent abuses on the spot, because every third retaliation during the exchange is an abuse Im not aware of. Great educational experience, in terms of vocabulary building.
