'TRAIN' it!!!

My first proper article, written for an assignment. One of my first ventures into the world of prose writing ;)

As you descend the steps which lead you to the platforms, you can notice the hustle and bustle of a busy Monday morning. The rush of bodies, trying to catch the train before it flees the station. You can notice the different kinds of people waiting to alight the train. Some are relatively calm, waiting on benches or making light gossip with their fellow occupants. Others are more stressed, running around trying to catch the train. Some are sipping on their morning coffee, while some are catching up on breakfast. The sights and sounds are all fascinating for a first timer to this busy platform on an even busier morning. This is just a glimpse of the action going on at the platforms. The action inside the trains is even more extraordinary though, that is just a minor way of putting it. You could say that the real action takes place inside the trains.

 As soon as you’ve climbed on board the train you immediately notice the occupants of various seats. No one sits freely, idling away their time but are busy with something or the other. Some take their mobiles and headphones out to listen to music while others catch up on their morning meal. Some read books, while others catch up on the latest gossip. As the train starts to slowly move out of the station you notice the landscape around moving in harmony with the slow rocking motion of the train. Then the train gains speed and the rush of the wind in your hair is a wonderful sensation tingling your senses. As soon as you reach the 1^st stop, you notice the rush of crowds making their way into the compartments. They might heave or even push others to gain access inside. The scene is quite a sight. But this is not the main action in the train. The main action happens with the vendors. The vendors who come in to sell their merchandise.

 The vendors that you see most prominently are those tamil vendors who come to sell you keychains, combs, jewellery, cotton buds etc. They have an air about them which makes you sit up and take notice. Their skills in sales are pretty impressive. If you notice carefully, you can see that they are skilled salesmen trying to sell their goods. It makes you wonder what miracles they could bring if they were in a corporate sales job. The other vendors sells snack items, handkerchiefs, pencils, pens and what not. Sometimes some people come in and sing, make music and earn money from the passengers. With all these sights and sounds it is a wonderful journey that you undertake while travelling in a suburban train. So take a trip on a suburban atleast once. You will surely not be bored but will be entertained to a whole new level.