My Tryst With A Co-Passenger

It was 4:30 in the evening. Hyderabad Express was stationed in platform no. 9. I proceeded towards my coach unescorted.

I was traveling to my all-time favorite destination - Secunderabad, after a hiatus of 5 years and was jubilant.

Having established my reserved territory, plonked in the seat and settled.

The train began inching steadily at its scheduled departure time - 4:45.

There were 2 young couples, a middle-aged gentleman and an old lady around 75 yrs sharing the same compartment.

I was requested to shift position as I was acting as an intruder to one couple. I immediately obliged and became their good Samaritan.  Small mercies - great wonders. Agree wouldn't you? 

I was seated in front of a mami, by the window side. Draped in a Kanchi cotton saree, she seemed quite simple with a round bindi on her fair complexioned face; a few strands of grey tresses with rest shining black on her head.

When the train gained full momentum, darkness prevailed in the sky and looking out of the window was a futile exercise as there were only reflections.

Both the couples had an I pad each, tuned into a movie and giggled at every gem or gibberish the movie churned out.

They were entirely chained to their recreation and remained oblivious to the happenings around. The compellingly magnetic gizmos gripped them, invading and infiltrating their personal spaces. They literally had no reason to look up to other passengers or indulge in a conversation.

When my eyes met mami's eyes, I found them instinctively expressive. She wasn't impressed with the modern-day gadgets that the couples seemed to be mired in.

She was self-effasive and composed, never uttered one word. Perhaps silence was her forte.

I had to kill 12 long hours to reach my destination. With co-passengers as gizmo addicts and the lady being silent, my urge to interact was a far fetched reality. As loneliness embraced me, my monkey mind began wandering in aimless pursuits and went haywire..

"Perhaps, delivering chunks of soliloquy as a protagonist would be a solution."... ruminated me..

My only engaging accessory- the android mobile was constantly beeping a 'No Network Service' message. I couldn't plug my ears to the choice of my favourite songs, as the battery was draining.

Leave alone accessing the apps or social networks, I couldn't even make calls or share my slices of travel adventures.:)

Mami's accessory, though a vintage mobile genuinely added value to her travel. She could narrate the current events of the fast moving train to her loved ones. She spoke fluent Kannada. I knew only a smattering of it, thanks to my childhood

friend Padma, who was kind enough to teach me 2 words. ' ootaa madithiya' and 'alli hogu'. 

Mami was exceptionally stoic to the hollering of 'chai', 'kaapi' or hot tomato soup. And her tongue never once tickled to the array of snacks being sold by various sellers. She firmly believed in the goodness of home-cooked food, shy of additives and embraced things soft on the gut. Taking a cue from her, I didn't dare to sample the snacks to feed my curiosity.

Her incredible command over silence was commendable. I admired her for all her characteristic traits. An old-world charm, her simplicity, and complacence taught me good virtues of life. And how good it was to be in the presence of elders. In the maze of 12 hours that I had spent with her.

-  I learnt that there was meditation in silence.

- There was mentoring in silence.

- There was a strict no-no to binge eating.

- There was catharsis in silence. No qualms whatsoever about the calming senses.

- There was discipline in silence.

- Gadget-addict - there wasn't the need.

-  A companion to share your muse - not necessary

-  And that travel by itself was a panacea to liberate oneself from the chained routine.

Kannada mami was flamboyant (in silence) and took complete control over things around her.

By this time the train had slowly chugged into Secunderabad station. Fortunately, my network in the phone was also restored.

It was by serendipity that life offered me a chance encounter with this septuagenarian. I would forever cherish.

She having juggled myriad errands with an ace in her voyage of life from gross to subtle, taught me the subtle nuances of travel life. She remained poised in a racy civilization.

And having alighted from the train, with mind completely recharged, could find myself cloistered close in the warm embrace of my college friend, Kalpana- who extended exemplary hospitality.

The next day's train travel to Shiridi was a total paradox from the previous day's. There were 7 of us traveling together in the same compartment.

It was an endless chattering session in high-pitch, regaling our co-passengers - A razzmatazz in a moving train. The weight of our conversations would have tilted our coach.

Life is mixed baggage.

Now did I miss the wise septuagenarian??? 

Have a nice day!