Let's travel back in time. When ALCOs and blue ICFs ruled the northern part of our country. A journey which was destined to cancel at every step, but somehow it happened.
The year was 2009, I was used to the monotonous journey behind the Mughalsarai WAM-4s. They were great, but they were silent and like WAP-7s today, abundant. That year we planned a vacation to Jammu and Kashmir. So, when I got a chance to experience a journey behind the classic chugging loco, I was excited.
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The train we were going to take was Archana Express, from MGS to JAT. Tickets booked, bags packed, camera reels reloaded, food was being prepared for the journey. And I contracted chickenpox. So, should we cancel, what if I don't recover by the day of journey? I was isolated and everyone prepared.
Well, I recovered and the journey day came. We headed to Mughalsarai early morning, where rest of the people were going to join us. On our way to station, we read in the newspaper that riots have started in Punjab. Trains are being canceled.
Every train was being announced as canceled, except ours. Enquiry staff had no idea if our train was canceled. So, the elders had a discussion whether to return back home, given the grim situation. Ultimately they decided to wait. Around 2 in the noon, announcement was made that Archana was NOT canceled. Finally the train arrived at 4:30 in the evening, delayed by 6 hours.
There were a lot of new things for me in this train. For the starters, this was the first time I traveled the MGS-BSB section in a train. Then there was the side middle berth, which was allotted to me. And first time traveling in a train when the whole coach seemed like our home, since we were traveling with our family friends.
The train did a nonstop run till Varanasi, halted for a while and proceeded. But this happiness was short lived, the train screeched to a halt at Bhadohi at around 8 in the night and refused to move. We kids even tried pushing the train at the windows, but it didn't help.
We got to know that Himsagar Express was burnt by the rioters in Jalandhar, and it was unsure if our train will go any further. But again lady luck gave a nod and we left Bhadohi after midnight. I went to sleep and when I woke up, we were heading out of Lucknow. Disaster struck again, and this time it wasn't the riots, a couple running away from home jumped in front of another train, and since our train had become a 'dhobi ka kutta', we were made to wait until police formalities were completed. By this time, we were pretty much sure 'Mata ka bulava abhi tak nahi aya hai'.
We did a nonstop crawl till Bareilly and again got looped there. I remember being bathed at the platform by the coach watering pipes. It was an experience in itself which I think only a few people would've experienced. After a not-so-long halt we proceeded and were again halted at Laksar, I remember the place because at that time we misread it as Lashkar. Back then Archana didn't have a pantrycar and our home cooked food reserves were getting low because we had already eaten it because we thought the journey wasn't going to take place. A new day started by the time we crossed Ambala. We were discussing what will happen if we're attacked.
But then came Punjab and the perception we had made of the state due to the riots was soon to change. We were woken somewhere before Sirhind to the smell of delicious food, we got to know local Gurudwaras were serving food. Our train stopped at every station, between stations and everywhere people were so helpful, everyone seemed to be waiting for us to pamper with whatever they had. Even the common people served us with food and cool water. I've never eaten so much in a day till date.
I couldn't believe this was the state we were afraid to travel in. The route was empty, we were pretty much the only train operating. The run was so relaxed that at a point I had gone down to a village to drink water, and the Loco Pilots/Guard waited for me to return even though the signal was green. We reached Jalandhar by night, the burnt rake of Himsagar Express was standing right beside us. It was a surreal experience, like something out of a horror movie. It was a normal journey after that. We reched Jammutawi in the early hours of the next day.
A journey through a riot hit state on the only train running, when it wasn't sure if the train will even complete it's journey. Sitting in a coach not so far behind the loco. The chugging and puffing of an ALCo amid the beautiful farmlands and funky houses of Punjab. The whole coach turning into a big family, laughing, chatting, playing games throughout a 3 days long journey which was supposed to take only a day. The ICF coach motion like feeling even after deboarding. This is a journey I'll always remember. A journey to cherish for a lifetime.
Thankyou for reading.
Kumud.
please wait...Translate to EnglishYo, let's take a trip down memory lane. Back in the day when ALCOs and blue ICFs were the kings up in the north. A journey full of twists and turns that somehow still went down.
So, it was 2009, I was all used to those dull rides behind the Mughalsarai WAM-4s. One day, we decided to hit up Jammu and Kashmir for vacay. Can you believe it, right before the trip, I got chickenpox! Talk about bad timing. But I managed to bounce back just in time for the ride.
We were set to board the Archana Express from MGS to JAT. Bags packed, tickets booked, and food ready to go. But damn, before we could even leave, riots were kicking off in Punjab. Trains were being canceled left and right, except ours. Shit was tense, but we decided to tough it out. After a long delay, our train finally pulled in.
There were so many firsts during that trip. Firstly, cruising through the MGS-BSB route, snagging the middle berth, and feeling at home with our fam friends on board. The journey went smooth till we hit a snag in Bhadohi, where the train just wouldn't budge. Then, we got held up again near Lucknow due to some folks pulling some irresponsible stunts.
But hey, once we got past the rough bits, Punjab welcomed us with open arms. The locals were so welcoming, serving up delicious food everywhere we went. It was a feast! We were showered with love and grub all along the way till we finally reached our destination.
The trip turned out to be way better than we expected, despite the bumps in the road. It was an adventure I'll never forget. Thanks for listening, fam.
Peace out,
Kumud.
please wait...Translate to HindiChal yaar, samay mein wapas chalte hain. Jab ALCOs aur neele ICFs hamare desh ke uttari hisse mein raaj karte thay. Ek safar jo har kadam pe raddi hone ka muqadma tha, par kuch kaise hua.
Saal tha 2009, main Mughalsarai WAM-4 ke peechhe roz ka rukh nikaal raha tha. Woh toh mast the, par chup the aur aaj ke din ke WAP-7 ki tarah, bharpoor the. Us saal humne Jammu aur Kashmir ke liye ek chhutti ka plan banaya. Toh jab mujhe classic chugging loco ke peechhe safar karne ka mauka mila, main excited tha.
Wahi train thi jiske liye humein safar karna tha, Archana Express, MGS se JAT tak. Tickets booked, samaan pack kiya, camera reels dubara bhara gaya, khana tayyar ho raha tha safar ke liye. Aur maine chickenpox ho gaya. Toh kya cancel kar dein, agar safar ke din tak theek na ho jau? Main alag tha aur sab ready the.
Achha, main theek ho gaya aur safar ka din aagaya. Hum subah hi Mughalsarai chale gaye, jahan baaki log saath aane wale the. Raste mein, akhbaar mein padha ki Punjab mein dange shuru ho chuke hain. Train cancel ho rahi hain.
Har train ko announce kiya ja raha tha cancel, magar humara nahi. Enquiry staff ko kuch pata hi nahi tha agar HMara train cancel hua hai. Toh buzurgon ne discuss kiya kya wapas ghar laut jaaye, haalat dekh ke. Ant mein unhone decide kiya rukne ka. Dopahar ke 2 baje, announcement hua ki Archana cancel nahi hua. Aakhir mein train shaam ke 4:30 baje pahunchi, 6 ghante late.
Is train mein mere liye bahut kuch naya tha. Pehli baar train mein MGS-BSB section me safar kiya tha. Fir side middle berth tha, jo mujhe diya gaya tha. Aur pehli baar aisa feel hua ki train ka pura dabba hamara hi ghar hai, kyunki hamare family friends ke saath safar kar rahe the.
Train ne Varanasi tak nonstop daud lagayi, ruki chand waqt ke liye aur aage badhi. Lekin yeh khushi zyada der tak nahi bani, train ne raat ke 8 baje Bhadohi mein ruk gayi aur na hila. Hum bachon ne window se train dhakelne ki koshish ki, lekin kuch farak nahi pada.
Pata chala ke Himsagar Express ko Jalandhar mein dange karke jalaya gaya tha, aur abhi tak nahi pata tha humari train aage jayegi ya nahi. Lekin phir bhi bhagya ne ishara diya aur hum Bhadohi se chal diye subah ke 12 baje ke baad. Main so gaya aur jab utha toh Lucknow ke bahar the. Musibat phir se aa gayi, aur is bar dange nahi the, ek couple ghar se bhaag kar doosri train ke saamne aa gaye the, aur kyunki hamari train toh 'dhobi ka kutta' ban chuki thi, hume police formalities puri hone tak rukna pada. Tab tak hum sure the ki 'Mata ka bulava abhi tak nahi aya hai'.
Bareilly tak hum nonstop crawl kiye gaye aur phir wahaan ruka gaya. Main yaad karta hoon platform par coach watering pipes se nahaya tha. Yeh ek aisi experience thi jo shayad kuch logon ko hi milegi. Thodi der ki rukawat ke baad aage badhe aur phir Laksar mein ruke, main yahan us waqt tha jab humne ise Lashkar padha tha. Us samay Archana mein pantrycar nahi tha aur ghar se laaye gaye khane ki supplies kam ho gayi thi kyunki humne socha tha safar cancel ho jayega. Naya din Ambala cross karne tak shuru hua. Hum discuss kar rahe the agar koi hamla ho gaya toh kya hoga.
Magar phir aaya Punjab aur jo andaza humne dango ke karan state ke baare mein banaya tha, woh jald hi badalne waala tha. Hum kahin pehle Sirhind ke paas uth gaye the mazeedar khane ki khushboo se, pata chala ki local Gurudwaras khana serve kar rahe the. Humari train har station par ruki, station ke beech mein bhi, aur log itne madadgar thay, jaise sab hamare liye intezaar kar rahe the ki kuch achha khilaye. Aam log bhi hamein khana aur thanda paani serve kar rahe the. Main itna khana ek din mein kha kar kabhi nahi soya.
Main yakeen nahi kar paa raha tha ki yeh wahi state hai jahan se hum safar karne se darte the. Rasta sunsaan tha, hum hi keval train the jo chal rahi thi. Safar itna relax tha ki ek point par main ek gaon mein paani peene chala gaya, aur Loco Pilots/Guard mujhe wapas aane tak intezaar kar rahe the bhi jab signal green tha. Hum raat ko Jalandhar pahunch gaye, Himsagar Express ka jala hua rake hamare pass khada tha. Yeh ek ajeeb experience tha, jaise koi horror movie ka scene. Baad mein safar normal ho gaya. Hum ne agle din ke subah me Jammutawi pahunch gaye.
Ek state mein phasi riot ke beech se guzri hui yatra, jab yeh bhi sure nahi tha ki train safar pura karegi ya nahi. Ek aise dabbe mein baithe jo loco se thoda door tha. ALCo ki chugging aur puffing, Punjabi kheton aur funky gharo ke beech. Pura dabba ek bada parivaar ban gaya, hasna, baat karna, games khelna, 3 din lambi safar mein. ICF coach motion wali feeling, safar ke baad bhi mehsoos hoti thi. Yeh ek aisa safar tha jo main hamesha yaad rakhunga. Ek aise safar ko yaad karne ke liye jise hamesha yaad kiya jayega.
Padhne ke liye dhanyavaad.
Kumud.
