Chronicles Of Side Upper Berth – A Journey By Train Poem by Alok Agarwal

Sneaking some time out of my mysterious busy schedule, I have engaged myself again in giving my keyboard some work-out.

The events begin with the advent of my setting afoot on Prayagraj Express. This event is definitive from the historical point of view, because of its similarity to Lance Armstrong’s setting foot on moon. Critical but modest! Setting ablaze the aisle as I calibrated my every move like a chess player; I quickly plonked in my lower birth. Tragic abrupt ending of a story well begun…?

Naah! The pugnacious pugilist could not be so easily defeated.

Having secured a vantage point, I could admire the human beings around me – with sheer machismo. I thank God almighty for the gift, he has bestowed upon his true disciple.

In a classic Indian train, it feels soothing to get surrounded by the diverse population. The crowd we witness represents a sample of the country in a manner that is better than what we see in the parliament. Besides, the crowd is behaviorally more parliamentary. [I hope I am not sued for making such a bold politically motivated statement, and dubbed as a fanatic of westernization].

Talking about the janta of train, what I see is myriads of people from different spheres of life – taking the same route to different destinations. There is an elderly couple striving for lower berths, vandalizing any young person possessing the luxurious lower berth tickets. They seem to have match-fixing with the Gods – for they have an offer you cannot refuse. The blessings unabridged from heaven. ‘Beta’, is what they call you, and devour your joyous lower seat.

Having being sweetly forced to move to the middle berth, I landed into the devilish clutches of a newly married couple. You become sick of the amorous embrace of the husband with his pregnant/pseudo-pregnant (chubby) wife. Sometimes, their public display of affection embarrasses you. This couple will attack your coveted middle seat and move you to the topmost seat available.

Now at farthest point from sea-level and low on morale, I thanked my stars for the blessing in disguise. I saw a pristine divine figure infront of my upper berth. With a seductive smile she greeted me. My eyes startled with the gleam on her eyes. The hapless chap has got an ace card. As I was plunging into the depths of my self-created ocean of dreams, than she greeted me with yet another ‘Hello! ’. Her voice brought succor to my grumpy mind.

‘Yes’, I replied candidly.

‘Are you single? ’, she asked plainly.

Whoa! ‘Castles in the air. Castles in the air’, shouted my mind. I cared to ignore my mind from my lessons of the Bollywood flicks. Baba SRK says, ‘Follow your heart, and victory shall be yours’.

She again gave me a seductive smile and asked, ‘Would you like to exchange seat with my mom who is on that side upper berth? ’

Actually, lots of thoughts flooded in my mind at that instant. But none deserve space enough in this dignified writing of mine.

‘Chillax buddies’, I am now in my most endearing seat ‘Side Upper Berth’. To list a few advantages, it offers you a pure solitary confinement where the mind can plunge into the darkness of spirituality. You realize that ultimately, you are nothing but a drop of the great ocean. All living beings will ultimately coalesce with the supreme Lord.

True. Very true. With these high spirits and still smiling about the recent turnout of events, I quickly fell into a deep slumber. My smiles were however muscular enough not to cause cheek pain. [Chuckles! ]