January 19, 2012: After a thoroughly contented day - busfanning and railfanning at Varkala, in Trivandrum district, Kerala, I was waiting on the platform for my return link - the Trivandrum-Ernakulam Vanchinad express. Vanchinad is now only a shade of its real self - a prestigious train in the past. Varkala has two platforms, and my train was to arrive on the main platform - there was one really good refreshment stall here. My train was to arrive at 1819. It was one really tiring day, and I settled under a fan waiting for my train to come - the train came in more or less on time, behind one of those red coloured locos (I did not bother reading its road number).
My coach - C1 - came right in front of me. I was the only passenger to board this coach from Varkala (VAK). As soon as I reached my seat, the TTE came and checked my ticket. By now the train started moving as well. This was a 2001, ICF built coach - I had traveled in the same train, same coach, same seat earlier in the day as well. The AC was chilling - there were hardly about 25 passengers in the coach. Vanchinad does not have any onboard catering - for some obscure reason. Passengers have to depend on stations to get any food. I got my dinner at Kollam (the Veg Canteen at Kollam makes some really good food - its a treat for railway food lovers). I slept soon after the train left Kollam - I usually find it really hard to sleep in a CC coach, especially if its not a window seat.
I woke up at Kayamkulam (on receiving a phone call), and slept soon after the train left Kayamkulam. I was waken up again as the train stopped at Thiruvalla - the passenger who had the window seat arrived - I was on the aisle seat. At this station, a family got in - a lady and her husband, with two kids (the eldest of them was not more than 5 years old). Their seat was right behind mine. The train starts moving soon - the WAP4 was showing its mettle everywhere, but the takeoffs were really soft. As the train picks up speed, I slowly fall back into sleep - I got up at 3:30 in the morning, and I was sleep-starved badly. Just as I start sleeping, the kid behind my seat starts singing... "why this kolaveri, kolaveri,... adi..." and for the background score, the kid bangs the food trays!
The kid would start singing the minute I close my eyes... "why this kolaveri adi..." banging the food trays for BGM. The lack of sleep, and loud singing was bewildering me.. I had the same question for the kid.. "why this kolaveri di???". By now, passengers sitting around look at the parents - the kid was banging the food trays to glory. The dad stops the kid.. we'll bang the trays after 10 minutes. OMG! So this BGM would continue all the way till Ernakulam. I was determined to sleep no matter what, and I did. I slept soon after Changanassery and woke up hearing a commotion in the coach. People were all pulling out their baggages from the overhead rack - the time was around 2150. I wondered if we had reached Ernakulam already, and I got back to my senses. The train slowly pulled in to a station.. Mulanthuruthy. Thankfully, the kids and their parents got off here - so I was back to peaceful sleep well before the train left the station.
This time, I slept all the way to Ernakulam Junction. I just woke up as the train entered Ernakulam Junction (Platform 4) - the clock read 22:20 - perfectly on time! The WAP4 is surely a workhorse - a beast. But its a scare for railfans in Kerala - every train is worked by one of these stupid looking red skinned, yellow belted horses. (Sorry to WAP4 fans)..
Coming back to the kids.. one of those kids shouting out that he/she was hungry (I was so asleep that i did not notice if the kid was a "he" or a "she"). The dad pulls out a bag, and mom feeds the kid the ultimate food - Lays chips! I was awestruck at the parent's capabilities - first encouraging the kid to wake up the entire coach with his/her loud music accompanied by BGM, and now feeding a small kid with Lays chips!! Modern moms are so modern, you see... Why this kolaveri.... di??
My coach - C1 - came right in front of me. I was the only passenger to board this coach from Varkala (VAK). As soon as I reached my seat, the TTE came and checked my ticket. By now the train started moving as well. This was a 2001, ICF built coach - I had traveled in the same train, same coach, same seat earlier in the day as well. The AC was chilling - there were hardly about 25 passengers in the coach. Vanchinad does not have any onboard catering - for some obscure reason. Passengers have to depend on stations to get any food. I got my dinner at Kollam (the Veg Canteen at Kollam makes some really good food - its a treat for railway food lovers). I slept soon after the train left Kollam - I usually find it really hard to sleep in a CC coach, especially if its not a window seat.
I woke up at Kayamkulam (on receiving a phone call), and slept soon after the train left Kayamkulam. I was waken up again as the train stopped at Thiruvalla - the passenger who had the window seat arrived - I was on the aisle seat. At this station, a family got in - a lady and her husband, with two kids (the eldest of them was not more than 5 years old). Their seat was right behind mine. The train starts moving soon - the WAP4 was showing its mettle everywhere, but the takeoffs were really soft. As the train picks up speed, I slowly fall back into sleep - I got up at 3:30 in the morning, and I was sleep-starved badly. Just as I start sleeping, the kid behind my seat starts singing... "why this kolaveri, kolaveri,... adi..." and for the background score, the kid bangs the food trays!
The kid would start singing the minute I close my eyes... "why this kolaveri adi..." banging the food trays for BGM. The lack of sleep, and loud singing was bewildering me.. I had the same question for the kid.. "why this kolaveri di???". By now, passengers sitting around look at the parents - the kid was banging the food trays to glory. The dad stops the kid.. we'll bang the trays after 10 minutes. OMG! So this BGM would continue all the way till Ernakulam. I was determined to sleep no matter what, and I did. I slept soon after Changanassery and woke up hearing a commotion in the coach. People were all pulling out their baggages from the overhead rack - the time was around 2150. I wondered if we had reached Ernakulam already, and I got back to my senses. The train slowly pulled in to a station.. Mulanthuruthy. Thankfully, the kids and their parents got off here - so I was back to peaceful sleep well before the train left the station.
This time, I slept all the way to Ernakulam Junction. I just woke up as the train entered Ernakulam Junction (Platform 4) - the clock read 22:20 - perfectly on time! The WAP4 is surely a workhorse - a beast. But its a scare for railfans in Kerala - every train is worked by one of these stupid looking red skinned, yellow belted horses. (Sorry to WAP4 fans)..
Coming back to the kids.. one of those kids shouting out that he/she was hungry (I was so asleep that i did not notice if the kid was a "he" or a "she"). The dad pulls out a bag, and mom feeds the kid the ultimate food - Lays chips! I was awestruck at the parent's capabilities - first encouraging the kid to wake up the entire coach with his/her loud music accompanied by BGM, and now feeding a small kid with Lays chips!! Modern moms are so modern, you see... Why this kolaveri.... di??
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