Day 1 - The Train Journey.

This entry makes its way to our blog a day late, due to connectivity issues. Each member of the group has contributed, making it extremely special.

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- - Suniti Vadalkar

“Garam chai.. Garam Masala chai..
Caapi.. Garam caapi!”

The continuous chants of these beverages woke me. The train was still. I woke up and looked out to see the Hotagi junction outside my window.

I looked around to see a dozen unknown faces, and memories of last night came flashing in my inward eye.

We were supposed to leave campus by 11.30 pm, but by the time we got the bags, gifts, camera, laptop bags it was 12. Everyone was in high spirits. We have Kavit and Bhagyashree to click our first photos. We reached Pune station. It then dawned on us that the 12 of us had 40 bags! We had to look out for a coolie.

“Rs 1200!” the first one said. Ujjwal our group leader took the initiative to bargain.

Yashwant and I started moving towards Platform #3, where our train where our train, the Coimbatore express was to come.

The station was stinking of Urine! Ashish joined us soon, followed by our baggage, for Rs 500 J The coolies had waited to transport the luggage onto the train, and they did so.

1013 was the train number. B2 the coach number. AC 3 Tier. Out of 12, there were only 9 seats confirmed, so 3 had to adjust.

All the boys ensured the 40 bags got on board and were arranged flawlessly. Eventually, some had to be placed in the luggage room.

I got a separate berth and seeing everyone settled, I perched up on my birth. Everyone was hungry. As the entire compartment slept, we at puris and sabzee and pickles and idlis and theplas. Thanks to all the mothers.

I fell asleep in a second.

The chaiwalla was followed by the pantry guy who came to note my order for breakfast. As I mentioned, upma, he looked at the seat number and attentively muttered “sixty three”, and briskly walked away.

I thought to myself, “Yes, in this journey with a mini world in this train on wheels, with unknown colleagues, aren’t all of us just numbers?”

I smiled to myself as the trees of Dudhani, Gangapur Road and Guntakal Junction ran by, and waited for the Ooty pines to arrive.

Vague Thoughts Visible

- - Dharmesh Vora

The Coimbatore train had finally arrived after waiting for such a long time. The 12 of us finally began our journey. The excitement was irresistible. We had a thepla party and it was loved by all. The best experience was sleeping in a berth shared by two people, and I had a fall twice during the course of the night. I will never forget this experience whenever I will travel by train again. We had many Kodak moments over the journey. Over all, it rocked. Thank you Suniti ma’am for making it the best trip ever! Cheers.

G-U-J-J-U!

- - Yashwant Mundhra

I couldn’t help but have the “G-U-J-J-U” song from Kal Ho Naa Ho play in my head when I was asked to write my thoughts on the journey so far. But more on that soon.

Discover India Project. Hmm. What have I discovered so far? A few things.

1. I discovered that Twelve people are capable of carrying Forty four bags. They are. Really.

2. I discovered the rich fragrance of the Pune station. It gave me this tingling feeling in my nose hairs.

3. I discovered that a train attendant can break the lock to steel door with his bare hands, but cannot break the glass of the little wooden box that holds a hammer inside it, because he has to report that. Laloo Prasad zindabad!

4. I discovered that if Twelve people try hard enough, they can fit into Nine berths. Interesting math there.

5. I discovered that I can actually read if I try hard enough.

But most importantly (Drum Roll)

6. I discovered that Gujaratis are the most dependable people when it comes to carrying food while travelling. Really! I never ever appreciate anything about you guys, but now, I salute you! Thank god for theplas and Baa ki aachaar. Hence, “G-U-J-J-U!”

Thus fur, D.I.P has been more about the Discover India Project, as opposed to Death In Progress.

Can’t wait till we get off at Coimbatore, and travel again, this time to Ooty. But before that, I must offload my luggage at Salem tonight at 2.50 am. Fingers crossed.

May the force be with us.

The Gujjus Retort

- - Ria Nandani

“Choi (Read Chai) Tea, Choi Tea, Choi Tea!!”

And thus began our day – with food.

On hearing the vendor’s heavily accented voice there was a sudden rustling of bed sheets, side glances, flared nostrils and Lo! The hungry, sleep deprived, fatigued students of FLAME broke into fits of laughter.

10.00 am
Suniti Vadalkar: I hope we are carrying something to munch on, while on the train.

Gujju: Ohh yes yes ma’am. I am carrying theplas, khakhras and too.

Neo-Gujju: Just by the way, we are talking ‘real’ food here…these Gujaratis I tell you, I hate them. The only companions they’ll ever have are those theplas and khakhras.

1.00 pm
Neo-Gujju: Umm… there’s nothing to eat…well I guess I will just have to eat one of those theplas!

Gujju: No, there are biscuits, chips and bhujiya too.

Neo-Gujju: That’s all?

Gujju: Well … that’s the only ‘real’ food we have.

Upside Down Cake

- - Hussain Tiewala

After the all the pre-research on the todas’ and pre-itineraries’ for the todas’ and pre-presentations of the todas’ and any other kind of “PRE-ANYTHING” that the DIP panel could possibly think of, the time had finally come to find out about what we were all breaking our heads about.

Our departure was late as usual which is now a customary tradition practiced by one and all at FLAME, but surprisingly after the initial glitch in the machine, things have been moving pretty much like poetry in motion. For a group of 12 people having 44 bags, it was always a disaster in the making, but thankfully we found aid in the form a freakishly strong angel who managed to break open a steel padlock with his bare hands and stuff our luggage into an unknown abyss.

Thereafter, it’s only been an hourly cycle of eating and sleeping with the occasional joke along the way.

We have probably successfully broken some kind of Guinness World record for the maximum number of theplas eaten in a train in 24 hrs.

Overall this trip has been an amazing experience just like any other trip accompanied by good friends and irritating neighbors.

We are scheduled to arrive at the station at 8:00 am but of course the IST and the Indian Railways run of very different times.

And anything more than 90% of the bags securely at the station will be considered a smashing success to a wonderful journey.

Dinner at 2.45

- - Gayathri Swaminathan

This was the first time I had my dinner at 2.45 am. Yes really, firstly putting the entire luggage (44 in number; can’t believe it; yet it is true) wherever we got place. Then having dinner at 2.45 in the morning after boarding the train, it was truly an amazing experience. Waking up the whole compartment by our laughter, and loud speaker voices, and people staring at us as if they are going to kill us. This was the first time I actually had so much fun.

Then sharing the bed with my friend and waking up with the sound of ‘Chai tea Chai tea’ every half an hour, besides the fact that we couldn’t sleep and an alarm that kept ringing every 15 minutes, was much more than annoying.

What can I say; the morning arrived just like that. Had breakfast during lunch time and slept for hours together.

Unforgetful experience on the first day of our train journey.

Adjustment – Mandatory!

- - Hemlata Jaitawat

At last we started from FLAME with an intention to know about Nilgiri tribes. First thing that I got to know was that the amount of luggage was three times the number of people in the group. I discovered how a bunch of hungry people attack food at 3 am. I discovered adjustment is integrated in our culture. We got into the train and discovered that all the tickets are not confirmed so we need to share berths, and we enjoyed it. Finally everybody slept at 4 o’clock. I woke up when I heard the voice ‘chai- kapi, chai- kapi’. After sometime we started eating and kept on eating till everybody woke up.

We discovered new names for Ria and Gayathri, “Ria Ba” and “Serry- Cherry” which suits them. On the first day of our train journey we discovered so many things and hope to discover more in Ooty.

Power Play

- - Hardik Sheth

An unfair one day break after the final exams against 5 sleepless nights and not a perfect start for the vacations as we had Todas waiting for us in one of the most blossoming areas of India – the Niligiris. I wasn’t really excited about the project as I didn’t get proper sleep and after looking at the number of bags, I was shocked.

We somehow managed to convince the coolie to carry our bags and drop it to our respective platform. After a long time, the train finally arrived. Then we had to manage our luggage and seating arrangement, as we were 12 in number against 9 confirmed tickets.

There was unity in our group – we all made noise, shared berths and screamed at each other in our respective mother tongues.

This morning, we started our day with food, slept and woke up. And then slept again.

A rather interesting start to the innings in the power play. We look forward to keep at it, and return to the pavilion, without being bowled over by the Todas.

Thepla Fest

- - Ashish Reddy

Finally the day has arrived to leave from FLAME to Coimbatore and it was late in the night around 12. And all my excitement was lost after carrying 44 bags.

We started our train journey around 2am. It was not my first train journey but was my first train journey with lots of friends. As soon as we got into train we started settling down and then ate dinner. It was a thepla fest. And then the mother of all problems – 12 of us and only 9 berths to sleep. Now I’m happy that I am reaching Coimbatore in few hours I am eager to discover the Nilgiris.

The Train Journey

- - Ujjwal Kumar

A train journey with excited and motivated buddies is always fun. My friends’excitement towards train journey, made me remember my first train journey. I was so thrilled. How people sleep in trains? Where do people bathe? What does the toilet look like? I an adrenaline rush after seeing the energy level of my friends. A train journey is not new to me, but this journey is very special as I saw the child in all of us. This is a memory which I will treasure throughout my life.

A learning experience

- - Ami Balai

The journey of theplas has begun. We had over 300 theplas as there was a fight for theplas, and everyone was trying to see which batch was better. Never before have I sat through a ‘thepla analyzing session’ where ingredients were being discussed in such depth. While walking around in the train, I saw a lady weaving threads of pink, blue and yellow, and making belts. She taught me how to make belts, and I thank her for it.

The Photographer’s View

- - Rutuja Mithari

Nikon, lenses & flash were the only things running through my head. Scenic beauty through the lens is one of the amazing experiences possible. I learnt how to use a new camera from Yash and tried everything possible. My level of excitement is increasing with every picture. I can't wait to capture the awesome Nilgiris. Itching with excitement.