Train Journeys You Have to Experience.

This is a list of train journeys that I have experienced in my short life till now. The descriptions are of the time I last went on one of them. I don’t know whether they have changed now. The descriptions are rather short for want of space otherwise I could go on and on for pages about each one.


Rajdhani Express (AC 2 Tier) - The Rajdhani Express is the name of the set of fully air conditioned trains connecting various parts of the country with the capital New Delhi. Food is included in the fare and this train has a higher priority over other trains which means it rarely runs late. Now this is one amazing experience where you do nothing but eat, sleep and watch the scenery outside. Try going on a long journey such as Delhi to Trivandrum/Chennai/Guwahati. This way you can stuff yourself with all the food they serve. Food is served at: Breakfast, Midday, Lunch, Evening Tea/Soup, Dinner. The quality of food is quite good too unlike in other trains.

Shatabdi Express (AC Chair Car) - The Shatabdi express is the fastest train in this country and it is surely a thrill going in one of them. Now keep in mind that this is not the JanShatabdi that I’m talking about which is poor guy’s Shatabdi. The Shatabdi Express is a fully air conditioned train for shot journeys of usually less than 12 hours. In one word this train can be described as ‘posh‘. It is just like traveling in an airplane. With the speed, smoothness and the good food(unlike in planes) helping the journey to be quite enjoyable.

Mangala Express (2nd Sleeper) - Earlier before the Konkan Rail Route, the Mangala Express took the long route going through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, etc. Now the Kerala Express may provide a similar experience if you are lucky not to be stuck with a bunch of Malayalees. The great thing about his trip is the sheer amount of distance it covers. And you can also meet people from different parts of our country, people of different cultures, religions, etc. If you are anything like Gandhiji you could probably learn half the languages used in this country in the space of the journey. If it is spring then the scenery is spectacular. Concerning food you can get different things from each state. It’s an amazing treat.

Footboard Travel - This is to be done in a reserved compartment maybe with a waitlisted or RAC ticket. This is actually not legal, but on the other hand is quite an experience. It is even more fun when you are with a friend. You can feel the wind in your air and see some amazing things outside that you would surely miss when inside. You should get down at each and every station and buy something different to eat.

Mumbai Local Train - A ride in this during the rush hours is something you will never forget for the rest of your life. It is the extreme rush, the crushing feeling and if you are standing near the door the fear of falling of. You can see crazy Mumbaikars fighting for every inch of space. There are unwritten rules about traveling on the local that every Mumbaikar knows. If you are being stared at, you’ve probably done something wrong. Also,women are not far behind men in etiquette. You can find women, young and old shoving, pushing, abusing ad jostling for place. Some times you can be lucky enough to be the last one to enter and get about 10 sq. cm of space to one of your feet and on to the pipe-thing that keeps the rainwater away. A similar journey in a local train in Delhi or Chennai would not be the same.

Parasuram Express (General) - Travel from Mangalore to anyplace after Ernakulam. This journey was once described by my friend as ‘Hell on Earth’. You can listen to all the different dialects of Malayalam and learn quite a number of new abuses. You can experience a variety of different smells ranging from the flowery mullapoo smell to extreme nauseating pungent smell of some guy who has not taken bath for a week. You should also empty your bowels before boarding since you may never get a chance once the train has started. This would not exactly be fun but is something you would remember.

Delhi-Patna (2nd Sleeper) - Except maybe for the general class, this is quite probably the most unsafe journey. If your ticket is not reserved you can always bribe the TTE. Just make sure you get to him first. And most probably you will find a person sleeping on the floor in each cabin. You would probably have to keep an eye on your luggage all the time.

Konkan Railway (2nd Sleeper) - Make this journey in the daytime to see some of the most awesome scenes in India. And if it has rained, the land would be all green and beautiful. With countless bridges, tunnels and many rivers, streams, waterfalls and more, you will never get bored. You can also get to eat a lot of vada pavs and bhel puri on this trip and if the season is right a variety of fruits too.

Rendezvous with nature..

If you are a trekking enthusiast, or a nature-lover, I have two words for you - 'Agastya Hills'. Here, you get to walk through thick jungles and open hilltop grasslands, wade through streams and rivulets, and climb near-vertical rock mountains as u make your way to the summit, through a series of unpredictable weather changes and complete isolation from the outside world. That's right. 60 kms of trekking and three days of breathing pure air, bathing in the purest water and living in harmony with Mother nature. No points for guessing that your mobile phone would be useless in this paradise 90 percent of the time.

Agastyarkoodam is the summit. It stands at 6200 feet above sea level, the second tallest peak in the south of India, roughly located at the Kerala - Tamil nadu border. At the peak is a sanctum of Sage Agastya, who is believed to have powers such as controlling the forces of nature, and is credited with the birth of the tamil language from which other south indian languages have sprung. The entry point to the trekking trip/ pilgrimage is at the Bonakkad Forest Office. Bonakkad lies about 10 kms off the Trivandrum- Ponmudi road, and has tea estates sprawled across its slopes. At the office, what one carries into the forest is scrutinized, as a step towards ensuring safety to the forest and its family of flora and fauna. Agastya Hills are renowned for the richness of medicinal plants that they are home to.

Thus one embarks on a 3-day journey of wonderful experiences that one shall treasure in his heart forever. As for my case, I can't wait for the onset of the next trekking season. The mere thought of the place builds up the zest of adventure, your soul would want to infuse with the beauty of the place..and its then that you start your tiny little ponderings on life.. well, sages are supposed to be full-time ponderers. so, putting 2 and 2 together, we can conclude that Sage agastya certainly knew what he was doing!

The first stretch of the trek is through sparse forest, which gets thicker upward. Pleasant walk, a wide forest path, with the mid-morning sun peeping occasionally through high branches, and birds chirping and tweeting in tune to the melody that u gradually start hearing. This stretch leads you on to a set of 3 or 4 waterfalls, one of which is the Karamana river in its beginning stages. As you move from one waterfall to the next one higher up, the chill sets in more pronouncedly and the trees, creepers and vines close in on the path. If the earth is wet, you can expect a lot of thirsty leeches up your leg. ( one of these streams is actually called Attayar!) Every waterfall is a resting point. The sight of the cascade, the sound of the gurgle and the feel of the fresh rapid water is as refreshing as nature meant it to be. From certain points, the view of the peppara dam and reservoir comes in.

After the final waterfall, there's a rapid climb towards open mountain tops. Only tall grass grows here. Co-incidentally, when one reaches this stage, the Sun would be up in the heavens, and it would be scorching heat everywhere, with very little trees to rest under. This is an extreme climate shift. But yes, this is a forest and that's how it will be. This open stretch goes on for about 4 kms, but the view from here is absolutely magnificent. On a clear day, one can see town settlements near the horizon and majestic rock faces further up. It was here that we heard the trumpet of an angry elephant and ran for our dear lives without even turning back to see where the pachyderm was. By the end of this stretch, you would be gasping for breath and water. Sometimes you may wish you had never even undertaken the journey. Even now, only a third and the easiest leg has been completed. Really discourages you sometimes. But when u have a group of 8 people trudging along uphill, u simply have to keep up with them.

All of a sudden and without warning, the geography changes again. It would feel like entering the rainforest after a walk in the sahara. The next phase is called Seven-fold-mountain, or Ezhu Madakku Mala. This is one hell of a jungle. There is no proper path. You need to choose the most stable, least slippery and least leech-inhabited piece of rock every step u take. The slope is very steep, the roots of gigantic trees block your way and in some places, fallen trees themselves obstruct you. This is a kingdom of crickets and rare birds. The sky is mostly not visible, there's a green canopy throughout.

Around early evening, you reach the base camp. The first day's journey ends here with around 20 kms on your tripmeter. The base camp has been set up by the forest dept. and is managed by an adivasi settlement nearby. There's one dormitory for accommodation at night, a make-shift kitchen and a stream nearby. It is here, at the base camp that you can have your first full 'darshan' of the Agastyamala. Its the most elegant, aristocratic-looking mountain I've ever seen. Its magnetism commands you to bow to the supreme power of nature. The verticality of the single piece of gigantic rock gives even experienced trekkers a shudder down the spine.

Nights are freezing cold. Without electricity, you are just stuck with candles, using them more for warmth rather than for light. We sleep on a plain mattress on a cold cemented floor. When the wind blows in every time, you see images of antartica and penguins in your dreams..and maybe of polar bears chasing you for a meal.

The next morning is the final part of the upward journey. After yet another phase of thick forest ,we reached a point where we had glimpses of a vast wilderness of rock whenever the passing mist cleared for a few seconds at a time! It was the most wild,exotic landscape ,gleaming with the myriad water streams running down its face and seemingly disappearing into nowhere! For a moment I felt lost in no-man's land! I was conscious of a sudden desire to spread my wings and fly over the valley, glide along the breeze and break into song! The hillside was rich with wild flowers that danced in the wind and dew drops that glimmered like pearls in the morning light, as if they weren't enough to add to the whole enchantment!

Rains in a forest always mean disaster, and for us, it began to look like we were going to taste some of it. The morning was hazy and misty, attempting to cripple our hopes of going further. From the base camp onwards, the altitude increases at a very fast rate. Visibility was very poor, it was not more than 5 feet. It looked just like a spooky horror movie,especially when one knows that tigers and bears are regularly sighted in these parts of the forest. People who started before we did for the peak started coming back, saddened to hopelessness.

It is foolish to endeavour to challenge nature if it doesn't wish you to. There is a dangerous point on the route. A stream flows fast over a vast flat rock, and suddenly it falls into a deep vertical ravine, just like u see in many movies. To go further, one has to cross the stream. If he slips while crossing, he's left to nature's final cruel treatment. We waited for a long time, praying for the mist to clear so that the stream could be crossed safely. Our prayers were answered, the mist slowly drifted out and we proceeded.

After a while the path stops. It would appear to be a dead end, but there would be a tiny stream flowing down. The only way up is to walk right into the stream, and wade up its course, as if you were searching for the source of the stream. This is the best part of the whole trek. Walking literally up'stream', again is a tricky bit. You have to watch out for faulty rocks and mossy slips. The trees around you get stunted as you climb higher.

The last leg is the toughest. Its impossible to proceed wearing trekking shoes. It has to be barefoot the rest of the way up. The terrain from now on is pure rock, with little shrubs nearby. The verticality of the rock-slopes is one good reason to summon up all the alertness one can gather. The second reason is the mist, and the little droplets of water that get sprayed over you all the time. The third reason is what makes this a real adventure- The final rock-slope is very narrow, with two vertical walls on either side. If one goes near the edge, one would be gazing down at 1000+ feet of gravity travel. The rock has to be climbed intelligently, with tact, holding onto the right cracks and grooves. Because of the steepness, one has to climb on all fours, imitating a lizard on a wall.

The satisfaction on reaching the peak is immense. Here the wind is so strong that it is unsafe to remain standing. The most interesting fact about the whole place is that there is a mystery at the sanctum of Sage Agastya, and we saw it. All the way down from the peak, it was mist and even rain, with powerful wind. But at the sanctum alone, there was sunlight, clear visibility, and not even a hint of the wind that was blowing with great force ten yards away. The sanctum, is nothing but an open space, a continuation, and why nature is so peaceful within that small region alone is indeed a mystery.Then we started the return journey. By this time, the mist had completely cleared and we could even see distant hills on the Tamil Nadu side. This is how weather keeps changing, and to live every moment of it is pure bliss.

The season is only 45 days in a year. During off-season, conditions are said to be inhumane. But every time one treks on the Agastya hills, its a whole new experience altogether. The excitement never wanes because of the myriad possibilities and uncertainties that nature offers. Its a suspense-packed adventure zone, a paradise-next-door for Trivandrum...and its beckoning us again!!!

KALLAR!!!!!...nature's "magic unveiled"...

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It was a glorious day...

The skies were clear; clear enough for the morning sun to set your alarm clock blush in his radiance... and take over by shining on your open-mouthed sleeping face...

Flowers were in full bloom; full enough to humble the infamous Axe-effect as bees, butterflies, birds and Axe-runners charged towards them...and the guy who had emptied Axe all over his torso stood alone in "no-woman's" land, defeated and subdued...

The markets looked strong; strong enough for beggars and tramps outside the BSE complex in Dalal Street to grow rich by evening...rich enough to shake their booties in mockery at the mighty Ambanis...

The mood was exuberant; exuberant enough for workshop instructors to forget that their work alone was worship...and exuberant enough to set them dancing merrily to the tune of 'Kajra Re, Kajra Re...'

The day was so filled with a strange "peace", that even "Santha"kumaran Sree"santh" realised for the first time that his name said it all...

The atmosphere was of happy reunion; eventful enough that when Rajnikanth's engines stopped abruptly during mid-flight, he remembered to fall down...and gravity became friends with him again...(they'll be married next autumn...hey, u r also invited!!!)

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Yes, the grand day was finally here...celebrations filled the world...
wading through knee-deep water..slipping from mossy rocks...taking hospitality from a bubbly waterfall...we turned gay (strictly in the medieval sense of the world, as implemented by Shakespeare and Wordsworth in their "straight" pieces of literary work)...we turned gay and happy and rejoiced the gift of nature that the kallar river had to offer eight "innocent" boys and their respective shaddies...(also spelt shaddys or schadees)...new spelling suggestions will be entertained because its everybody's birthright to own one...

The celebration was of that very birthright...the energy and vigour of "Team Shaddy" enchanted the beauty of the forest... and wild animals, elephants, tigers, deer, langurs, peacocks, wild asses (and some policemen) came to watch the show...the display of the meaning of life... portrayed well enough to enliven into the jungle's magic a new zest for adventure and gay-spirit...(medieval usage again...mind u, Shakesy and Wordsy weren't gross)

The Eight Liberated Men (er..us!!), glided next into the joy of returning home, carrying wonderful memories that would inspire nostalgic reminiscence( wha..??)...we rode faster than the river, faster than the wind...fast enough that we had to slow down whenever turnings approached... fast enough that we had to step on the brakes when we realized that the lorry coming towards us had two extremely gay drivers in full booze...celebrating...
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wondering where the brackets and the medieval-times hint have gone this time??? don't worry...those two drivers r not part of Team Shaddy at all...but since its a happy day, we forgive u for everything, u careless drivers...oops, one of them was actually a policeman who got picked up on the way by the driver... we got the tip-off that they were rushing home to watch the wrestling match on TV....see??? everybody's so full of life...oh! what a beautiful world...

hey but not everybody's happy...the AXE guy must be still desp... coming to think of it, AXE would have worked out on Nitish N5...man he was the only one wearing a flaming red shaddy and Axe would have worked wonders on him... if a guy ever says he loves mobiles and bikes, he's just too shy to admit his best interest...

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ON A SERIOUS NOTE...
Kallar's an awesome place...the perfect weekend-getaway for a group of boys...but if u r looking forward to a family trip, there r more suitable places further uphill...yup, between kallar n ponmudi...

The day ended well; ended well enough for us to relive "the magic unvieled" in our dreams...and relive it well enough to wake up next morning, unable to move a limb...

Anyways, "HAIL SHADDY!!!"