The winter adventures of the Mad Madrasis

10th January 2009
Last year, we were struck by summer madness, going into the Melghat forests at temperatures above 100 degrees F. So this year we had to opt for cooler climes isn't it? Being good Madrasis, most of us are quite comfortable in the humid, warm conditions of our city, and the very thought of going off to Bharatpur, Rajasthan in the winter brought its own set of problems, frantic phone calls and last minute shopping.

"Have you got gloves"?
"Hey dont forget the monkey cap."
"I am bringing my thermal underwear."
"My jacket is a bright blue," wailed another.
"Lets not set out at 6 am...I mean even the birds feel cold, dont they?!"

So it was with excitement and apprehension that we set off to catch the Grand Trunk (quite inappropriately named a Super Fast) to Mathura Junction, each laden with enough warm clothing, for three atleast!! Little did I realise that just catching the train would be a mini adventure in itself!

So, Sheila, Raji and me get into a cab and set off. Discover that none of us have any palliatives for an upset stomach. Did, what we thought was a quick detour to the Arya Vaidya Sala, to pick up some churan powder, and head off via the beach. Only to run into a traffic jam courtesy the Chennai Sangamam opening. (Later, Vijay was to tell us, sarcastically - "Dont you women read the papers? I mean there was a full page ad announcing this, and quite clearly the Marina was to be avoided!") Departure was 7.15pm. It was 6.50 and we were still somewhere near Presidency College with no way forward or back. Arun calls to tell us cheerfully that he's on the train! Further panic. I ask him which platform thinking that we could just run off to that platform - "I dont know, I just followed Vijay", he said!! Find out, I growled at him, by which time we had reached the bridge opposite the station. Ah good, home stretch now I thought, and relaxed, only to find our cabbie veer left. "Ayyo, rightu paa", we yelled in unison, while soft-spoken Sampath (the driver) says "Ille maa, taxi ellam suthi poanu!"

7:02 pm. Get down near the side entrance. Huge evening crowds of daily commuters mingle with domestic travellers, and there is hardly room to move! And of course, the side entrance is shut, funneling the crowds further into the front entrances. Just as we round the corner I hear a huge thud, and turn around to find Sheila on the ground!! She caught her foot on the edge of the path and went down, luggage and all! We give her a hand up, and she tentatively tests her foot. She's a bit shaken and also panicked. (Later I discover that her watch is set 5 minutes ahead!!) So, we pick up her bag also and make a run for it!! And then we see metal detectors.... my heart sinks. I look straight ahead, hurry through those detectors and make a straight dash for platform 11. Round the corner, and we see the waiting train. Thankfully, as we were booked by AC, our coach was one of the earliest, and we heaved our bags in, sinking into our seats with relief. 7.08pm! Sheila then informed me that there was a baggage check just past the metal detectors that I had bypassed, and the cops had looked on helplessly as we ran...I guess we didn't look suspicious! (My hard-to-impress son scoffed, why the hurry, ma, you still had another seven minutes!!! Well by James Bond and Bruce Willis standards, I guess seven minutes is a lifetime, but not for me, oh no thank you.)

7.15pm, and we set off. Bang on time. Vijay comes by, and we learn that there are some 27 of us MNS members spread out through the train, with another few expected to join us directly there. Wow, that's a large group!

By this time, Arun has cooerced our fourth fellow passenger (a young man) to exchange berths with him, so he has us three ladies to guard his luggage and camera!! Then, he decides that we all eat too much since we had brought nice tasty khana from home, while he was planning to make a meal of oranges!! Never mind that he bought a packet of namkeen from the railways seller, and filled his stomach with other assorted goodies from his humongous suitcase!!

We retired for the night, blissfully unaware of the further misadventures to follow!

Continued in Mad Madrasis - stuck on the train!