Life's Journey

About a month back, I was on my way to Uttarakhand. I boarded Doon express from Patna. When the train reached Haridwar Junction, I hopped onto the platform. The moon had appeared in the clear sky. Slurping tea at a stall, I got lost in viewing the distant fathomable beauty of the city.

Meanwhile I realized that the train had departed. My bag and some other belongings journeyed ahead with Doon express. Left with no option, I sat on a wooden chair at the platform sipping next cup of tea.

After about fifteen minutes another train (Janshatabdi Express) on its way to Dehradun arrived. I stepped in and stood nearby gate. A ticket collector asked me for ticket. I showed him the ticket explaining him about the incident. The ticket collector was generous enough to understand the things and exempted me from any legitimate entanglement. The fellow passengers standing at the sectional space in between the bogies were eager to help. One person named Naveen Chandra, an advocate at Dehradun, looked a bit surprised at my nonchalance.

‘You have lost your bag. Doesn’t it bothers you’?

‘Not at all. My struggling background has, somewhat, made me resilient to the pang of life’ I replied smilingly.

The journey from Haridwar to Dehradun passed away swiftly, talking with Naveen Chandra and co-passengers.

As the train reached Dehradun, I saw Doon express standing at yard. I went inside my bogie. I saw that the middle aged lady from Bengal whose berth was just beside me and with whom I grew considerably familiar during 15-16 hours of journey was seated along with her young son worriedly clutching my bag while the entire train bogie was empty.

‘We were so anxious about you’ She told. I noticed that the uneasiness occupying her face disappeared and she appeared comforted.

I was overwhelmed beyond words...!!!