Four twenty- episode 9 (Zeeshan Zaidi) The train slowed down to a crawling pace and stopped at the railway platform
with a slight jolt. Before the train had stopped the handlebars of the train were covered by hands of travellers trying to get onto the train. Testifying to the truth of the fact that about eighty percent of the population in India travels by train, a large section of the crowd moved towards the train and a scene similar tto the battle of Panipat was created. on one side there were people trying to get onto the train and on the other those who wanted to get off it. Earsplitting voices of people screaming for help and in pain and exhortations to to get on or get off the train could be heard all around. When one
gentleman , without bothering to see whether the opening in front of him was an entranrne or space between somebody''s legs, tried to enter the bogie he felt he was being pressed by a certain weight . When he turned around to see what it was he found that a dwarf of a man was sitting on his shoulders flailing his arms and legs in an attempt to get out. On top of all this din a few voices were also heard which went as folows:
"hey Ramdulari you get onto the train,then I will throw Munni inside and you can hold the bundle in your llap"
" hey Pyarelal! long time no see, where are you going? am" Ram Ram Changru ji, I am going to the village sice it is the sowing season."
" oh! then come with me I have fixed up a place in the lavatory we will be able to travel comfortably"
As soon as one gentleman backed off, after throwing his holdall through the window, he found a large red spot on his white pant. shocked at the discovery when he looked at the bogie he found that next to the symbol of Indian railways promising prompt service to its passengers somebody had spat beetle juice. One gentleman wearing a white Kurta and Pyjama while climbing onto a
reserved coach looked at a general bogie and remarked " what nonsense! if only these people would have more patience and make a que everybody couldd get on to the train easily." Close on the heels of this gentleman five or six other people with bags and bundles also tried to get into the reserved compartment. "where are you going! this is a reserved coach" scolded a policeman standing near the door. " we are also people with reservation. My son worksin the reservation service". replied the man in the front and tried to get on the train. The policeman was unmoved and said " the service reservation is different and it is not valid here". They had to turn back disappointed. Tea vendors had started moving around on the platform shouting chai! chai! one gentleman with one foot on the platform and one on the footlate of the bogie called the Chaiwalla (tea vendor) for a cup of tea. As soon as he put his hands in his pocket to pay the Chaiwalla he heard a voice asking him " sir why are you putting your hands in my pocket?''" he immediately apologised saying"sorry! in this crowd it is difficult to make out which is my pocket and which one is yours" (rest next week)