It Was The Crowd

The Devanagari railway station was found to be very busy, since it was a festive holiday. Most of the travelers there were either visiting their families or going back home. Vendors were screaming, people were chattering, monkeys were resting over the roof of the platform, some of the people were chanting rhymes, some were carrying heavy bags, some were polishing shoes to earn a living, some were complaining to the station master, children were hopping around, babies were crying and the adults were trying their best to calm them down. The atmosphere was totally chaotic.

One of the samosa sellers on the platform, sad that no one had bought his products, walked around, searching for new people on the platform that he could sell his samosas to. He offered it to everyone the platform, until he came across Apoorva, who was standing on the platform. She, already bored, since no one has yet come, agreed to take one.

The samosa-man looked very desperate to earn from his samosas. Apoorva told to herself, that she, in some way, helped the man. His friends suspiciously moved around him as if they were spies. The seller sat on a bench and looked at one of his friends, who looked at him in return. The seller gestured to him as if he was complaining to him about his customers, and the friend twisted his lips and shook his head. Then the seller looked at the station hall, only to find new faces.

It was Yugank and Shreni. They had time saved in their watches and hence moved slowly across the platforms. Shreni had a good mood that day. She neatly combed her hair and her dress matched Yugank's. She hoped she could find a new experience from the trip. They descended on the busy platform no.2. Shreni was surprised by the crowd that day. How much crowd can stay in a platform at a time? Ten more people added to the platform results in people falling down on the tracks.

They were soon welcomed to the platform, by a short man in a t-shirt with a bag on his back.

"Welcome to the station, sir. My name is Guddu. You must be tired of travelling from home to here. Here, have a hot samosa and be refreshed" the man said. Yugank was impressed by the man, being addressed as 'sir'. So he tried to improvise.

"So you're selling samosas?" he said.

"Yes sir, the best ones. Look at these people" the old man said, pointing out to his friends, who started pretending like they were people who bought his samosas and started smiling, "they all loved them. Try one for yourself sir"

Shreni knew Yugank. She pulled back his hand from behind and whispered in his ear, "Don't, Yugank. It's unhealthy".

"Its fine" Yugank whispered back to her, "I'll handle this"

Then, Apoorva came out from nowhere and almost fell on Shreni. Shreni turned back furiously and was surprised to find Apoorva. "Why in the world would you push me like that!"

"It was the crowd" replied Apoorva. Soon, Yugank's conversation with the samosa-man attracted her attention.

Yugank looked at Apoorva and smiled. He accepted a samosa from the man and the man happily gave him it. Shreni knew she could do anything in the world but stop him. Yugank asked her if she wanted to have one too. She refused.

Few minutes passed by and Yugank felt uncomfortable inside him. He asked Shreni for a break and gave his phone to Apoorva to hold it for him until he comes. He headed for the station hall. Shreni smiled to herself. Yugank made his way over the tracks and onto the platform no.1. There he entered the station hall and advanced forward to the restrooms.

"I had one too. But I didn't feel that way" Apoorva said.

"That's Yugank there. He'll handle that" replied Shreni, grinning.

* * *

Daktar was standing off-limits with the support of the auto's seat. He wished the traffic jam would end sooner. He was stuck there for more than a minute now and was beginning to lose his patience. He quickly got off, paid the driver half the price and began to jog. He frequently kept asking to himself – why does this always happen to me? He couldn't jog faster with a heavy bag on his back.

He deeply looked at the texture of the pavement and half-ran. A moment later, he paused and looked back. There was the railway station. He walked backwards and into the station hall he went. He searched the second platform for familiar faces. Daktar hoped he reached the station on time. He was in the station hall when he found Shreni and Apoorva gazing at the railway tracks, standing on the second platform. Yugank wasn't with them.

Apoorva stood on the platform with Shreni and waited for Yugank. She just hoped he wouldn't be too late to board the train. Just as she thought, a voice came over a speaker in the platform – 'Attention! Train no. 203493; Mancherial Express is about to arrive at platform no. 2'. Both their hearts stopped. They looked longingly at the station hall but Yugank was nowhere to be seen. A shrill whistle from a long distance was heard. It was the train's!

From the announcement over the speakers, Daktar could make out that the train was coming. 'Right on time' he thought. He immediately started running fiercely. He made his way through the people, into the first platform and to the over-bridge that connected both the platforms. Just as he skid on the first step, he felt the number of people on it doubled. 'Why now?'

* * *

Viraj had a bag in his hand and one on his back. Mihira trotted behind him. They walked slowly on the pavement towards the railway station. Viraj knew that the time was running slow for him at the moment. He wished that this wouldn't last long. Once they got into the train, time wouldn't stop for them. Hence, he was thinking of how to not let time slip out of his fingertips while he's at Trimbakeshwar.

The station came in no time.

They hadn't much to walk since the train was supposed to arrive at the first platform. They placed their bags by their legs, and sat down on one of the benches, Viraj panting. He had to carry two heavy bags, while Mihira carried a handbag; but yet, he hadn't complained. They sat there silently, watching the crowd move between platforms. The sky was cloudy with tiny gaps here and there. Viraj was extremely hoped the trip went well with no disturbance, for Daktar had fairly said he would punch him in the face if something goes wrong. He didn't want anything to happen then, unlike their last trip, when they happened to think of visiting their teacher who taught them at school but soon discovered on the day of travel, that their tickets were lost, thanks to Viraj.

He was blamed then. He was sure now that he has researched deeply about this trip but somewhere in his head was the insecurity of confirming the success of it.

Mihira thought the crowd was too much that day.

"I wonder why the crowd's much today" she screamed so that her brother could hear her through the noise of the station.

"There's some occasion in some village on the way to Nagpur. This crowd's for that, I guess. Let me ask one" Viraj shouted back and looked at the crowd. He held a man's wrist. The man looked at Viraj with irritation.

"Where is this crowd going?" Viraj shouted.

"Heera Ghat" shouted the man, "for tomorrow's festival!"

Viraj nodded and turned back but the man called him again.

"This is not the total crowd. You'll see a stampede when the train arrives!" he said.

"What train?" asked Viraj.

"Mancherial Express" said the man. Viraj nodded again and turned back to Mihira.

"Theirs' the same train as ours. We might find some discomfort when we board the train" he said. Mihira twisted her eyebrows and gazed round at the people before her. She wished they were all at their houses now, not making a mess at the station. But then she felt bad at herself for being so rude. Instead, she wished they were already at their destination; then both the parties could be happy.