Have you ever traveled by train in Pakistan? if you have than u must know that by the end of the trip the whole "dabba" is your family. My sudden recall of the train ride is due; cause i watched this movie called challoo dilli, its a well made movie and I would highly recommend it.
I have traveled by train often between Lahore and Karachi. Infact train is one of my favorite ways to travel, If I have to choose between a train and an airplane I would always choose the train. Train is soooo much fun especcially between Lahore and Karachi because of the way the scenery changes from the plains to the desert. I think we are specially blessed because we have a country so full and rich with culture. On a train you acually get to experience that cultural shift as you get off on the various small town stations for tea and snacks. Travelling with my grand-mothers was the best cause they always knew which place had the best tea, which place had the best samosas and pakoras and mithais and which were special for what area.
If you have ever traveled by train in Pakistan you must also know how often they are delayed, so its quite amazing how all the passengers unite and pull together at times when the trains halt to a stop and there is no idea of when it will start again and the other best part is that if you are a lady travelling alone you would never need to pick up your own baggage, cause some samartan will always be there to help the damsel in distress.
I remember when I was younger and I d go by train I d make friends with all the passengers and by the end of the journey my mom had to drag me back to my seat from some long lost Khala or Mamoo that I had found. I guess my favorite part was the sharing of food and stories, its funny how culture difference play a role in what one can say or not say in public. In Pakistan any one can be ur baji, or behan ji or khala or mamoo or chachoo and they will ask you about your complete bio data without flinching. So if you are a girl of the marriageable age beware cause you might just be betrothed to some aunty's wonderful nephew who works for some big firm. If you are married and do not have children beware with a big B cause you will need to explain your choice for not being knee deep in poopie diapers and if you have one child you must have a good reason for not having a dozen as yet.
All this aside i still am in love with the culture where every one's business is your business and your business is every one elses, it does show some level of care right. When ever we traveled by train with Dadoo she would have a whole basket of food packed for the trip and everything was consumed in order, because one always needed breakfast, lunch a snack and in most cases dinner. There was always fighting in the ranks about which berth to sleep on and for pardah's sake we d have all our chaddars hanging from the top of the berth if there was some poor fellow who was sharing the seat so be it, he would become an honorary uncle right than and would have to tolerate a gaggle of ladies giggling and talking and in our cases young ladies singing and performing some sort of tableau or another.
I loved to sleep on the train with the steady rhythm of clacikity clack beneath the wheels, what fun that was.....
Trains in some ways remind me of life, in life we travel with a bunch of people who get off on their designated stops. Some stay with us for the long haul of the journey others for a short time, with some we form tight bonds and some we never get to know at all. All the people we travel with leave with us memories; some good and some bad. It is indeed fortunate to meet people and have meaningful relationships and when you meet those people it is always a good idea to keep them around in your life. It is wonderful when you lose some friend along the way and meet them again in some distant future, I guess the beauty of a good friendship is that no matter how much time has passed when you meet you feel you had never left at all, those friendships I think are the real keepers. So my prayer for you on your train journey of life is that may you meet wonderful companions to travel with and may your travels be easy and your burdens light.
I have traveled by train often between Lahore and Karachi. Infact train is one of my favorite ways to travel, If I have to choose between a train and an airplane I would always choose the train. Train is soooo much fun especcially between Lahore and Karachi because of the way the scenery changes from the plains to the desert. I think we are specially blessed because we have a country so full and rich with culture. On a train you acually get to experience that cultural shift as you get off on the various small town stations for tea and snacks. Travelling with my grand-mothers was the best cause they always knew which place had the best tea, which place had the best samosas and pakoras and mithais and which were special for what area.
If you have ever traveled by train in Pakistan you must also know how often they are delayed, so its quite amazing how all the passengers unite and pull together at times when the trains halt to a stop and there is no idea of when it will start again and the other best part is that if you are a lady travelling alone you would never need to pick up your own baggage, cause some samartan will always be there to help the damsel in distress.
I remember when I was younger and I d go by train I d make friends with all the passengers and by the end of the journey my mom had to drag me back to my seat from some long lost Khala or Mamoo that I had found. I guess my favorite part was the sharing of food and stories, its funny how culture difference play a role in what one can say or not say in public. In Pakistan any one can be ur baji, or behan ji or khala or mamoo or chachoo and they will ask you about your complete bio data without flinching. So if you are a girl of the marriageable age beware cause you might just be betrothed to some aunty's wonderful nephew who works for some big firm. If you are married and do not have children beware with a big B cause you will need to explain your choice for not being knee deep in poopie diapers and if you have one child you must have a good reason for not having a dozen as yet.
All this aside i still am in love with the culture where every one's business is your business and your business is every one elses, it does show some level of care right. When ever we traveled by train with Dadoo she would have a whole basket of food packed for the trip and everything was consumed in order, because one always needed breakfast, lunch a snack and in most cases dinner. There was always fighting in the ranks about which berth to sleep on and for pardah's sake we d have all our chaddars hanging from the top of the berth if there was some poor fellow who was sharing the seat so be it, he would become an honorary uncle right than and would have to tolerate a gaggle of ladies giggling and talking and in our cases young ladies singing and performing some sort of tableau or another.
I loved to sleep on the train with the steady rhythm of clacikity clack beneath the wheels, what fun that was.....
Trains in some ways remind me of life, in life we travel with a bunch of people who get off on their designated stops. Some stay with us for the long haul of the journey others for a short time, with some we form tight bonds and some we never get to know at all. All the people we travel with leave with us memories; some good and some bad. It is indeed fortunate to meet people and have meaningful relationships and when you meet those people it is always a good idea to keep them around in your life. It is wonderful when you lose some friend along the way and meet them again in some distant future, I guess the beauty of a good friendship is that no matter how much time has passed when you meet you feel you had never left at all, those friendships I think are the real keepers. So my prayer for you on your train journey of life is that may you meet wonderful companions to travel with and may your travels be easy and your burdens light.
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