Gratitude! The fact that I'm so thankful for it is a problem in itself but I absolutely HAD to mention the wonder, some of the people of Bengal are!
Early morning 6:30 was our train to Bolpur, 26th December, a day after Christmas, and Kolkata winter was at its peak for a change. This was the first time I was supposed to travel by General Class with unreserved tickets because of ticket unavailability. Instead of taking Bolpur express at 7:30, we decided on Kanchenjunga Express of 6:30 since it was an hour before. A train where majority of the people were travelling till Siliguri with immense luggage. I thought it would be fun like standing on the early morning empty Mumbai locals near the door.
Result?
We somehow stood at the door of the General class compartment. This 'standing' was absolutely insane! I had travelled in Bonga local several times before, but this experience was unreal. My mashallah height made everyone around me feel like mountains, people kept 'adjusting' in. You have to travel in a train like that to know how little space you really need to live!
Wonder One: While I was so irritated at the people getting in over and over again, the others kept adjusting and letting them in. The uncle who sold steel plates, standing beside us, smiled with his pan colored teeth and said "shobai toh Bari jabe, jayga Kore dewai bhalo, Kar ki pelan Bari giye" (everyone has to go home, we have to make space. You never know who has what plans at home). Very nice of him to think that way. I had a moment of self judging. People can really surprise you.
Somehow the train started. I hardly had an inch to breathe. However, there was absolutely zero bad touch, zero trying to have a top view of the girls by the humongous men around. I was counting my hours to Bolpur, two hours!!! There were two young boys, probably workers, almost hanging almost standing at the door of the train who lit biri.
Wonder Two: Some man behind me, I could not even look at his face since there was no space to turn, shouted
"Maiyara asse, biri dhorash Kon shahoshe? Shorkar Mana korse taar upor" ( There are girls, how can you light a bidi. The Government has restricted this as well). There was zero retaliation. These boy immediately threw their bidis off. I felt so safe, so secured in that compartment where I could have been groped. People can really surprise you.
As I started, the fact that I'm thankful for these basic ways of life which should be the norm IS a problem. But since that's a topic for other day and we have miles to go to reach that day, when we feel safe and stop thinking of these incidents as "favours", For now, big shout-out to these wonderful people from that day :)
