Ways to spend time at train stations
We have all, at least once in our life, traveled by train. A typical scene on a railway platform in India is an unforgettable sight. We’ve compiled our best experiences to find something that’s right for you. Here are some common and hilarious things people do on the platform to pass those minutes and hours while waiting for their train. Keep reading…for pure fun!
Social networks
Not the virtual kind, we’re talking real-world networking. People call a friend or a family member and engage in a long… like a very long conversation about random things. Another common sight is people bonding with co-travelers. Because our
india ki jantah is quite a pro at picking up a conversation with strangers or co-travellers, they would spend time exchanging information, views and ideas on things like train schedules, where they are going, local affairs , extracting as much personal information about the other person as they can! Without being offended by intrusive questions, Indians love to chat with their co-passengers and answer most questions that come their way.
Political talks
When two co-travelers from Bhartiya strike up a conversation, political talks are inevitable; the same goes for debates on trivial matters. Need we say more?
people are watching
Watching what’s other people’s business is our business – that’s the saying followed by bored passengers to pass their time on the railway platform. They would lay their keen eyes on anything and everything, from the woman in the purple sari, the family of four enjoying their impromptu meal, the beggar asking for alms, the young girls strolling, a family enjoying a home-cooked meal on the platform, passengers disembarking from other trains and much more.
Surfing the bookstand
Book worms and casual readers are seen going to the nearest book stand while waiting for their train to arrive. They are more likely to browse the book shelves of these kiosks. It has been observed that comic books, pulp fiction, magazines, newspapers and a cheap romantic novel are the best choices.
Catching up with the Zzzzzz…
Train delayed an hour or two or even more? Alright, that’s plenty of time to hit the snooze button right there on the platform. Indians like to sleep when they have nothing better to do. All people do is spread their sheets on the not so clean floor (in case the seats are occupied). The luggage also serves as a headrest. Why waste time if you can spend it sleeping. Eh!
While sipping the chai…
Chai or tea is a staple drink that almost every Indian swears by. And for some reason, the type of tea sold on train platforms is irresistible. Passengers waiting on the platforms are very often tempted to buy a hot cup of tea from the chai wallahs, either served in a chopping glass or in the traditional kulhad (earthen cup). Considering the usual train delays and erratic schedules of most Indian trains, drinking the delicious chai with a plate of samosa seems like a great pastime. As they say, where there is chai, there is hope. Oh! Chai.
Or simply, ruminating
If nothing else, immersing yourself in deep thought, contemplation and rumination is what humans tend to do on a railway platform. It’s time to think deeply about that official pending job, the effectiveness of that weight loss program, retirement plans, upcoming child check-ups, what to eat on the trip, the latest family gossip, who did what, and questions left unattended.