Sometimes, a single journey could be a collection of many walks down the memory lane. Before you reach the final destination, each station on the way may take you on a different journey. I was traveling again, again by train, again taking the longer option of 30 + hours. I realised an early morning walk carrying a heavy handbag towards the station does wonders to the appetite. The train shrugged itself and slowly crawled out of the station on time, soon taking me past a blur of trees, indians engaged in usual morning trackside geopolitical discussions (you know what I mean), few vehicles and empty platforms. Agra always reminds the Un-Indian of the Taj, but for the common Indian, it is famous for 'Panchhi Petha'. Petha is a sweet made of white gourd, boiled, peeled, deseeded, followed by soaking in sugar syrup. The brand Panchhi is known to be the best.
An airconditioned coach prevents the dust, soot and noise from disturbing you (36 hours exposure to the soot and dust would have killed me sneezing) but it also kills the pleasure of buying the local products sold on the platforms. Every place has its own speciality: - Mathura has pedas, Alwar milkcake, Agra Petha, Mt. Abu has rabri. Enough of food.... let us talk about something else.
The train passed through Bhopal and I am reminded of my stay there for a few days, when at 17 years I had foolishly filled the wrong code of examination centre. These frequent rail journeys are making me familiar with the geography of India. Itarsi evoked a strange feeling even though I had never been there. Maybe there is a connection in some way... Other stations like Jhansi, Vijayawada just passed by and soon I was passing through a hilly region. It had been 36 hours when the train stopped at the Vizag station or Vishakhapatnam, whichever you can pronounce. The eastern coastal city of South India had arrived.
The low clouds welcomed us in Vizag.
The view couldn't have been better or so we thought.
This is the view without clouds...
At the feet of Jesus... amazing faith (watch carefully)
Mother and Son
The statues depicting crucifixion at a church in Vizag
The Vizag beach... more about it later.
NW i am standing in my past, where there i experience all these (salad) Yes nw i can memorise my child hood which i spend on the seashore, even the wind is tasting salty, i feels it nw ................. for ever i tried to forget but it follows me the smell, the taste, etc.....................
ReplyDeleteJust as I am reading this, I am reminded with my journey 10years back. So good to recall the memories and how things changed. recently, i was planning to revisit the place...looks like its more developed and i found it amazing. This is what i miss...to socialize with the locals and be familiar with the culture.
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