To learn about India, take a train ride through the country, they say. My version of that saying would be, to observe different people's different reactions to same situation and learn of the various shades of human behaviour, travel a long distance in a crowded train.
From the Chai wallah (tea seller) to the co-passenger, there is never a dearth of "colourful" people. The fellow passengers in the same berth start off as strangers suspicious of one another, yet eventually warming up to each other and sharing personal stories with one another. It is often easier to bare open our souls to utter strangers !
Trains are often late. Some people wait patiently. Others read. Some observe other people. Yet, others voice loudly every expletives ever heard.
The way a person treats a porter (luggage carrier/coolies) conveys more about their character than the words they speak.
As the train crosses the country side and villages, many a times, there is lack of network coverage. Have you ever noticed the different expressions on people's face? Some get too high strung, some raise their phones to a height, whereas some dont even realize that there is no coverage !
To a generation that craves instant gratification and instant results, how many of us can actually go on slow, passenger trains now?! I, for one, find it really difficult.
(I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 8th – 14th December 2013. This is the fifth post in the 7 day series)
India is truly complex yet colorful with varied expressions and emotions. One will find different type of people and it's actually crazy.