Trains of Thought
How about making love on a real train?. Sounds fascinating and yet improbable but that is exactly what Rebecca De Mornay does lusciously with Tom Cruise in The Risky Business and a memorable soundtrack accompanies it. Madden, a friend of mine, called it inspiring - he meant the tune and not the thought.
Trains present an unique multicultural experience. For the first few years of my life, I have been very fortunate to have used the rail road as the primary mode of communication. Since the seats are facing each other, chances are you always end up striking a conversation with the person sitting opposite to you and if you are lucky like that Karthik of Alaipayuthey, you might even end up meeting your senorita because of a train journey. In my arrogant opinion, the seating arrangement are a major reason for train journeys being more colorful and memorable than bus and plane journeys.
I have raved a lot about Motorcycle Diaries in my posts and I am beginning to rave about Dilip D Souza's posts on his recent train journey. He recollects some of the scenes that he saw and he recreates the vibrancy and magic of the second class compartments. He talks about the eunuchs he meets in one of the stations and how she remarked about not being able to have a baby. To me, it was a truly epiphanic moment . Eunuchs are the forgotten, ridiculed classes in the human circle of life and rarely do we see through their feelings and emotions. Hmmm, indeed she cannot have children and the thought has never struck me.
Yet another poignant moment is in his other post as he talks about the young man who eats the discraded watermelon rinds. As I sit here in the Land of Milk and Honey, discarded rinds doesn't sound like a good meal but to many people living in those platforms -it is milk and honey.
Some think about experiencing pleasure on a real train, some think about socializing and for some it is their sole access to food and in a small way, it clearly demarcates the rich, the middle class and the poor. As a friend of mine, always says "That That Man, That That problem"
How about making love on a real train?. Sounds fascinating and yet improbable but that is exactly what Rebecca De Mornay does lusciously with Tom Cruise in The Risky Business and a memorable soundtrack accompanies it. Madden, a friend of mine, called it inspiring - he meant the tune and not the thought.
Trains present an unique multicultural experience. For the first few years of my life, I have been very fortunate to have used the rail road as the primary mode of communication. Since the seats are facing each other, chances are you always end up striking a conversation with the person sitting opposite to you and if you are lucky like that Karthik of Alaipayuthey, you might even end up meeting your senorita because of a train journey. In my arrogant opinion, the seating arrangement are a major reason for train journeys being more colorful and memorable than bus and plane journeys.
I have raved a lot about Motorcycle Diaries in my posts and I am beginning to rave about Dilip D Souza's posts on his recent train journey. He recollects some of the scenes that he saw and he recreates the vibrancy and magic of the second class compartments. He talks about the eunuchs he meets in one of the stations and how she remarked about not being able to have a baby. To me, it was a truly epiphanic moment . Eunuchs are the forgotten, ridiculed classes in the human circle of life and rarely do we see through their feelings and emotions. Hmmm, indeed she cannot have children and the thought has never struck me.
Yet another poignant moment is in his other post as he talks about the young man who eats the discraded watermelon rinds. As I sit here in the Land of Milk and Honey, discarded rinds doesn't sound like a good meal but to many people living in those platforms -it is milk and honey.
Some think about experiencing pleasure on a real train, some think about socializing and for some it is their sole access to food and in a small way, it clearly demarcates the rich, the middle class and the poor. As a friend of mine, always says "That That Man, That That problem"
train journeys are good if u travel alone..... i recommend Shatapdi Exp. tis good ... but dont expect it to break the land speed record... u get foold like how i got....
Posted by
Anonymous |
8:02 AM
I lived in the suburbs of Madras. Had to take the train those days for just about anything. It was all fun.!!!
Funny to watch some people sing, some play cards, some just a talk and joke and some even playing chess.!!!
Trains are all fun...but...I haven't made love in the train..!!! I am thinking about it though..!!
Great post Sudarshan. Nostalgic.!! for me.
Posted by
Narayanan Venkitu |
2:51 PM