Railway Musings

Some random thoughts from recent train journeys

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About an hour from Delhi – I see -
An absolutely stunning August landscape
Green of the flowing bajra
Earthly brown of the huts against the lively colours of flowing chunris worn by women
Amidst these - two pairs of snow white Sarus Cranes stand tall

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How I wish to walk into the untamed open lands - I see from the train
Climb these rocks up and down - touch the trees and lie down
As I look at the sky high above
Different species of birds - I happen to see
Some I recognize and others not - wonder what they indicate – if at all
Feel good to not know too much of nature - mystery is good at times

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Train moves on - as trains do
It’s touch makes the signals go red
As it overtakes the Egrets in the green vastness - dotted by electricity towers
Rains hit my - fresh from sleep - face
Time - as if -gets the train swagger

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Hillocks appear small and also vast at same time
Wonder if it is the swagger of the rail coach
Or the clouds having fun above
Or a wavering mind

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Shades of green as if partner the brown of earth
To compete with the dynamic blue and white above
Train chugs along – careful not to tread other than on steely black
As the fires of the burning ball
Register their imposing presence all around

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Standing at the open door gives a unique picture of our country – how I love it
The thrill - there – is one of those rare feelings that gave as much pleasure as a kid as it does now
Reminded of Dom Moraes’ ‘We realized how big India is when a train moves along the empty countryside at night’ and something I dotted on a while ago ‘lengthy silences of the running training’
As also of Gulzaar’s classic  from Ghulami (lyrics) (video)
Mind too moves on rails,

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Many thanks to Indian Railways 

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