After an exhaustive day, I reached station. “Gorakhpur express is arriving shortly on platform no. 3.” There was an announcement as I reached at platform no. 3. “Gorakhpur express at 6 p.m.?” I was wondering. “Hey, Rishi,” I heard the voice of Nikesh as I climbed down the stairs. “Gorakhpur express is running late. Let’s go home in that train today. It has no stops after Anand. Direct Ahmedabad.” Nikesh didn’t allow me to say even a word. Before I could even say anything, Train arrived. Train’s arrival was stinky. As it entered in platform no. 3, it started stinking. Nikesh started running. “It is a small train. So, we need to go to near those stairs to get a seat in the coach.” Nikesh while running.
We were standing at one end of the platform near the set of stairs to shift between the platforms. The second set of stairs was in the middle of the platform and Nikesh was running towards that set. I was reluctant to get into the train because of its smell but keeping primary purpose of reaching home in mind, I boarded the train. As I got in the train, half of the coach was empty and Nikesh has already reserved the seat for me in that half-filled coach.
“Why is this train stinking?” I asked the expert of train (Nikesh) after taking my seat.
“It starts from Gorakhpur and it reaches here after 36 hours. Most of the passengers are factory workers who works in factories in Saurashtra. So, for 36 hours they eat, sleep, spit, throw trash, drink in the train, that’s why it is stinking.” Expert has the perfect answer for the stinky nature of the train.
I tried to accept that nature and get used to it but it was intolerable. Thus, after few minutes, I got up and told Nikesh that I am standing near the door to get some fresh air. When I stood at the door, the breeze felt like heaven. It didn’t eliminate the smell but it provided the required relief from it. I was enjoying it. Meanwhile, a man came out from toilet and stood behind me. I asked him if he wanted something, he denied. Then all of a sudden, he started checking my back pockets. When he didn’t find anything then he started seeing what is in my front pocket.
“Has someone stolen your wallet?” He asked putting his hand in my back pocket.
“What do you want?” I turned and grabbed his collar.
“Nothing. I was just checking your wallet. ” He moved back and his voice trembled while speaking.
Nikesh saw that, he got up from his seat and walked towards me, “Dude, leave him, this coach is full of people like this. They won’t think even once before throwing us out of the train.” I looked around and people were watching me. I left that man and he went back to his seat.
Since, I started commuting, I developed a habit of keeping my wallet in the bag. If the wallet was in my back pocket that day. It would have gone to that man for sure. After that incident, me and Nikesh were standing at the gate, waiting for Ahmedabad to arrive. As Ahmedabad arrived, we both went on our respective ways without taking that matter forward. After getting down, I took an oath of never travelling in that train again.
Read about Rishi’s fascinating journey in Life in Local Train. It is available on amazon kindle. Click here to grab your copy.
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a story in a train? sounds interesting. 🙂 will try reading when I can.
okay buddy, will wait for your feedback.
Wow the way the man checked looked scary.. I am sure you wont travel again
Not only that train, I don’t travel in any train coming from that side.
Oh Ok
Let’s not blame that side for this untoward incident though.
Engaging reading
Love
P.
okay, actually I didn’t want to put it that way. I mean it would have happened anywhere. It is just that their image has been created like that & I was trying to show that.
Scary account, but it is true.. and yes, trains from that side are notoriously known..
Exactly. People of that side had created their image like this.
I was left longing for more- I thought the stench is due to some dead bodies or something of that sort. It was an engaging read though and I am certain there is more in store
Thank you. There is lot more in the book, I have written and the link to it is in the post. You have to read it for more.
Lovely story …keep ur wallet safe
hahaha, yes. Thank you 🙂
It sure sounds a scary journey story!
There are more stories. Some happy. Some sad. It is in the book which I have attached in the post. Do read.
This was too real !Happens in local trains everywhere.Your friend was not wrong.
Yes, he had a point there.
Wow, that is a scary story, and an altogether unpleasant experience!
Yeah, it made me cautious.
Scary!!! Be safe 😉
Trying that. 😉
There is no doubt that the trains from that side are notorious, but I won’t generalize that for the whole of Indian Railways.
It’s not about generalizing. It’s about the image they have created and the situation in which it happened.
I liked the concept of the book. Not a unique one, but it does sound worth a read. Also, I’ll tell you again that the cover is really gorgeous. Is it available in print too?
No, it is available only on Kindle. If you read it then do let me know what do you feel about it. Thank you for showing interest and giving love to the cover.
🙂
Love the concept of stories based on train travel. You meed all kinds of people there and sometimes they make interesting stories to tell
But sometimes things get out of control and tolerance power.
Its super interesting!! loved it.
Thank you 🙂
i can’t imagine what I would do if something like this were to happen to me. So frightening! An interesting read. Waiting for more stories, Paresh.
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I have written book on such stories. You can get it from Amazon. Just search Life in Local Train on Amazon or find it on my website from books by me. 🙂