Monthly Archive

100.. This is the figure(no.of days) I’ll reach very soon as I’ve started using Chennai Metro rail to my work. Its been highly comfortable and pleasant to me. I wanted to state few facts which may not have been brought to the limelight by the media.

We all know that women enjoy special compartments for travel and the quality matching that of a first-class compartment.

The train stops at each station so that the ladies compartment is boardable taking hardly few steps after getting down from the stairs. If you think this is for only one compartment its not so.

The space between the first and second ladies compartment is almost equal to the distance between the two staircase leading (in opposite direction) to the platform.So this means they need’nt or minimise the amount of walk/run to catch train.

And about the third ladies compartment, its not that distant from the rear end of the train..And its easily reachable from   a crossing or pathway closer to the station.

Another service, which I think is also quite vital for long distance travellers in Metro Rail, is the placement of the first ladies compartment following a second class compartment. Its strategic from the health point of view that the noise of engines/horn is definitely minimised/not heard for them. So it adds nothing to their stress and that’s one reason I guess women work more comfortably..[And I think  they deserve more work :D..Just kiddin.. ]

I dont know what other hidden services are offered to them..But I’ve mentioned only few..

I hope women supporters take a note of this and praise the Indian Railways and thank them as a noble gesture to reap more benefits.

———————————————————————————————————————— P.S.  A question may arise “Dont first-class male travellers enjoy the same facilities and services ?”.. But cost ratio between them is quite a remarkable one..

Although the facility is available, women still board already crowded the second class compartment only to make a dozen of guys travel footboard in the train. I’m not saying its the only reason.Still its one among them [.. altleast have been for me].. Its a bit unlucky.. But I hope everyone will travel comfortably in future, making use of the facilities available..

Catching train without running seems to be a miracle and has to be marked down as golden days in 2k8 for me… That day was not a golden day once again..

Myself and colleague after tired of running in the table tennis match and hurriedly catchin the schuttle,…managed to find two seats easily..But though they were not closer to window..

Two  brothers of age 11 yrs approx.. were seated near the window.And next to them was my colleague..And their bags were on the seat next to me..And adjacent to the bags was their father , gazing through the window in the dark to somehow eat time in the travel..

My colleague was busy with his i-POD and I too wanted to start my first PGW reading.. The young boys were busy talking about somethin related to Tamil Movies.. (I dont remember this exactly).. I started focussin on reading PGW.. The book was compelling and I’ve wondered why my fellow blogger used to mention tht people see her as a moron when she reads PGW  with giggles while the fellow commuters look at her perplexed….

“Sigh.. I too caught the infection from her “.. I thought.. I wanted to stop reading it cause I dint want to hear any comments from guys who are a decade younger than me..And more so cause I seemed in a formal dress like a delegate..

To much of my chagrin came the Biscuit seller who has made kalaais of my colleagues in earlier journeys.. but luckily there was the twist..

The elder brother of the two boys started itching his father’s thigh to buy biscuit for him..[For people who dont have much exposure to local train journeys.. the biscuit sellers sell home made ghee as well as cashew biscuits.. at times Elaichi flavored ones too]..With this biscuit seller coming closer towards our seat, the itching of the boy grew to pulling his father’s trousers and then he now stood and came closer to his father’s face pleading to get the biscuit.. I thought this boy might next get his hands into the father’s pocket.. But to his chagrin the seller moved away from us..And father remarked a comment that “You’ve already taken a full packet of biscuit..I cant buy..I’ll get it tom only..”.. The younger boy now came to support the elder one stating “The seller wont come tomorrow..”.. The father replied..”Its ok..We’ll get it day after tomorrow “..

I dint know whether to smile or to take pity at the boys..Soon my colleague opposite to me understood the situation and turned his ears from i-POD to this interesting play.. He quickly understood this.. And he tried to calm down the boy by asking his name , school , class and their place of living..The boy replied promptly and immediately turned again to his father for the biscuit..My colleague commented “Theliva irrukkaan “..[means "He's clear on what he gets" ]..

Their destination was coming shortly and they started moving from their seats..The biscuit seller luckily for the relentless guys , came on their way and the boys managed to get money for a couple of biscuits..A fair end to the tale..I was happy that I was entertained as well as the boys got what they wanted..

That was not the end though..A young lean guy (will call as  Mr. L) who appeared to be a worker in some construction site replaced the window seat occupied by the relentless boys..Little did I thought it was my turn to entertain someone else..

Mr.L after getting mild kalaais from the biscuit seller , got a couple and ate them to give some energy to his tired looking face.. Meanwhile I closed the PGW as I felt my back was stretched today like anything .. I was feelin bit tired but I was not able to sleep..I tried to close my eyes and lean back on the seat..

Halfway to the home.. The train halted at Tambaram station and a couple of officers , one lady and one man who appeared to be in early 40s , sat adjacent to my colleague and me..I opened to check out whether I’ve crossed extra distance… But happily I was not even closer to my destination…

As the train started moving on, I once transcended back to the relaxed state by closing the heavy eye-lids..Meanwhile the lady has took out an orange from her bag and started peeling the skin of it.. The aroma of a good orange when you’re hungry made me to open eyes with such intensity tht I dint care to look at anythin else other than where’s the orange..And am I at home takin orange ?..sadly no..This was not my home .. It was hard for me to close my eyes as the strong smell refused to move away from nose and the colour of orange was compelling..

I tried to avoid the lust by gently turning the gaze towards Mr.L.. Wonder what he said /did..

He smiled at me with a single hand covering over his mouth..I tried to smile back and now started shifting the gaze to my friend’s i-Pod.. After few secs when I again looked at him, he has stopped smiling ..And this is the best and simplest kalaai (yes.. its an ORANGE KALAAI)..I’ve had in my life..I was caught redhanded for trying to enjoy the smell of someone else’  orange..

I just cant forget this for my life.. And I do feel you can try this one to someone whom you’d like to kalaai.. and tht too effortlessly..

P.S : ‘Kalaai’ is a latest slang word in Tamil language which means sarcastic yet kinda nose-cut without hurting anyone ..

Time was running out.. Monday morning.. A bright day.. A movie on Sunday evening on DD Tamil made me forgot the science chart creation allotted to me.. It was 7.30 am.. Somehow managed to draw only the outline of the turtle and the crocodile from the book. Thought of filling it sketches in few minutes..

Monday is meant for twists especially lazy boys.. ..Tht day was nothin extraordinary to remain normal for me.. Searched in the bag lying in the corner of the room.. As expected no sketches were there..Everythin was safe in my bench inside the classroom ..

But lazy guys dont give up easily .. that’s their fault.. They either solve the problem or make it worse..I found out the watercolor box..And gave a colouring with it..Time was the only enemy on my mind..

As usual when I was about to finish, my brother gave a twist by spraying few drops from his hand before he pulled on his schoolbag and started to the school.. Before I began to complain he complained to my mom tht it was time for school and I was defaulter on last friday itself.. As usual got the scoldings and rolled up the chart ,started towards the school after a hurried bath and half the amount of normal breakfast.

Rolling up charts early proved to be vital as I entered into the school campus just before the doors were closed..Yet another day of adventure successfully completed ..

After few hours of classes I was asked to submit the chart..The fear of gettin scolding was there..still I dint bother much having faced so much.. ..

The science teacher saw the chart and asked so doubtedly whether I was the one who drew the diagrams..I was really not able to fathom whether it was sarcastic or due to surprise..

Luckily it was out of surprise only..And she lauded me for drawing neatly[???]..Honestly it was the not the best I’ve drawn for my life.. And I myself dint get satisfied for a not so good drawing..Although she said it was good and now she started sketching the outlines of the diagrams…

The outlines made it look really neat and I never new the word “synergy” existed (literally and figuratively).. It was truly amazing to see the transformation of somethin raw into a beautiful work..She had the hindsight to see the beauty behind a rusty drawing..It was good for myself to earn some praise that too on a monday ..[Probably the pleasing twist on Monday :D].. That day was definitely memorable as she never again took class for me till my end of schooling ..

Time was running out.. Monday morning.. A bright day..

[this is after 12 years approx.] This time no chart to prepare.. Still time was the one kicking on me to start for the job early..Luckily my brother was on leave and he dropped me early to the railway station.. I was planning to catch the first compartment [ A double twist for a guy who catches last compartment running or even misses them at time too :D] ..

As I was trying to plug the earphones into my ears , the teacher was sitting there.. I was baffled as to whether I’m goin to school or to office.. The announcement came from railways dept tht train will arrive shortly..

Back to reality..I moved towards her.. [I'm not that enthusiastic to meet my teachers and enquire about them generally..as most of them I've met got moved out of my school/coll as fast as they came in].. I greeted the great teacher and she too recognised my face but failed to identify my name..This is in itself is a remarkable feat for me..

She enquired how and what I were doin now.. she was impressed about my acads and current job..I’ve never seen such a happy face resulting from my work/word..Was it a thanksgiving day for me..? I feel it was absolutely perfect and I thanked her through my genuine looks and words..It could be even said as yet another remarkable day of my life..

While I was enquirin about when she shifted to a better school, she was calling another girl and telling her tht I’m her student and my current job etc.. Luckily she was my classmate who remained silent till she completed and told her tht we were classmates..

The train arrived ..The teacher wished me good luck for life and  started heading towards the Ladies compartment..I thanked her and looked around for my classmate/colleague[now]

As said monday is never short of twists , the colleague was seated in the Ladies compartment while my teacher was just entering it..I look bemused.. And as usual the train started moving.. And once again I caught the last compartment of the train running ..but my heart was floating inside my eyes..protected against the dusty little wind of the paced train and shining against the bright sun..