Chennai-Katpadi-Tirupati-Gudur-Chennai circular trip

Katpadi-Tirupati DMU negotiates a curve near Pakala. 04/07/2009.

July 4th, 2009.
Saturday.

Ring Trip Plan:

I was to do a circular journey which involved two states of India, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. I traveled in 4 different trains covering a distance of 450km plus. I like travelling. Honest confession! It might be funny for others but I enjoy travelling in trains and buses. They might even wonder what I find enthralling in villages, greenery and lonely places in Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. A few might even wonder why I take photographs of rice fields, small kids, trains, cows, buffaloes. One simple reason! I love them and I appreciate beauty! I was royally screwed last week with deadlines and I was happy that at last I got the weekend off. My expectations in life are quite simple. Monthly Rs.10,000, two temple trips, two train travels across the countryside every month in second class sleeper(not A/C), some time to read and prepare, sometime to blog, sometime with animals and ofcourse chilli-parotta(once a month).

My journey plan was as follows:-

The journey was divided into four parts. Out of which, three were in unreserved compartments where I would travel along with fellow Indians observing their simple lifestyle. I would be also witnessing the rural countryside and towns. The last part of the journey was a reserved journey in second-class. I thought of booking in A/C, but erased my thoughts.

Route/Trains involved:-

1. Chennai Central to Katpadi- Brindavan Express. I would get down at Katpadi and have breakfast and wait for my next link.
2. Katpadi to Tirupati- D164 Katpadi-Tirupati Passenger.
3. Tirupati to Gudur- 211SC Tirupati-Gudur Passenger.
4. Gudur to Chennai Central- 2078 Jan Shatabdi Express back to Chennai. I would then board a bus/local train back to Chennai.

All those numbers mentioned above are train numbers. DMU means a Diesel Multiple Unit, similar to Chennai electric trains, but these run in diesels.


I went to bed only at 0100hrs. I was happy that the most expected weekend came atlast. I got up at 0430hrs and got ready in 30 minutes. I was feeling a bit sleepy as I had slept only for a couple of hours, but I didn't bother. I boarded MRTS EMU at Kasturibai Nagar(Adyar) to Park Town at 0540hrs. I reached Chennai Central at 0610hrs. The rake of Brindavan Express was shunted at 0640hrs. Since I didn’t have a reserved ticket, I needed to board an unreserved compartment.

Boarding an unreserved compartment in an Indian train is not an easy job! It involves a lot patience, skill, judgement and precision techniques. There would be a mad race for seats even before the train has been shunted into the platforms. I wasn’t bothered really as I was after the door. I love standing near the doors at high-speed. I take caution too as it would prove to be risky and dangerous for my life. But the real beauty is to view your own motherland in all glory as the train passes through lush green-fields.

In the recent past I have avoided door travels, but today I thought that I should travel standing near the door. Once I stood near the door for 431 kilometers up to Vijayawada from Chennai. Fond memories. I admire my nation's diversity and I love all states equally, but still one honest confession! I like Andhra Pradesh. I got into the 2nd coach of the 24 coach Brindavan Express. The departure was only at 0715hrs. I need to wait for 30 minutes. I stood at the door itself and passed time thinking what has to be done for the next week.

The train started bang on time! As usual the train passed Basin Bridge slowly. Since it was a Bangalore bound train it diverted and took the line towards Arokkonam. Vijayawada, New Delhi bound trains take the route towards Gudur Jn. My train halted just before Vyasarpadi to allow the local trains coming from Chennai Beach. It looks like within the city, the EMU’s otherwise known as local trains or electric trains get preference over express trains. The entire Indian Railway system is congested and saturated. The system is running at 160 percent due to Politicians, whereas the system can support only 100%. Without increasing the infrastructure like tracks, signals, stations, the number of trains are increased.

After the EMU crossed, my train started and very soon I felt the power of WAP-4. Generally, Brindavan Express is hauled by WAP-4 type locomotives and WAP-4 is known for high quality performance. It was doing great speeds; unfortunately it slowed down near Korattur for some reason. Brindavan has been degraded nowadays. Not given preference, too many stoppages….it has become a “kuppa(piece of garbage)” train. Train journeys are something which I enjoy.

For people like me, Indian Railways matter a lot. In Hindu marriages, Nagaswaram is played at Muhurtham timings to avoid any unpleasant words falling on the couple’s ears as the Vedic mantras are being chanted. It is also believed that the divine music would shoo away evil forces. For me Indian Railways is something similar to that. Whenever I am in an Indian Railway scenario, unwanted thoughts never come into my mind. I don’t get angry nor let out tantrums. Sometimes I study at Railway stations. Why? The honks are so divine for me that I don’t hear anything else. Concepts get into my head easily.

It gives me peace something even A/C rooms or comfort cushion beds can’t give. For me locomotives like WAP-4, WDM-2, WAM-4 and WDP-4 are like foster mothers taking care of me whenever I am out of house. One day I would make the WAP-4’s feel proud of me. It might be funny to find a professional praising a machine. It isn’t like that. For me it’s something more than that. I have been alone in life many times and I could only wish I had a sister. I grew up watching trains and planes and even today, apart from my professional life I spend time with the transport systems watching simple Indian way of living. This unique, vast, diverse country with multi-linguistic people is united by Indian Railways. I could only wish and hope that India doesn't disintegrates like the erstwhile Soviet Union. I hope there won't be any communal violence.


Somewhere near Vendodu. I took this pic as my train blasted through. Dated:04/07/2009.

The UR or the unreserved compartment was crowded, but still in my opinion it wasn’t THAT crowded like Mumbai local trains. Traveling in Indian trains, that too in unreserved compartments is not a joke. We adjust amongst ourselves. The seat may be for only three persons, but we would have 5 people sitting in it. That’s Indian mentality. I could observe that many were traveling to Bangalore directly. I was damn sure that I am not going to get a seat anywhere. I didn’t bother. I was standing at the door, near the toilet! It wasn't a divine experience. But anyway, I don't mind standing along with my fellowmen. The train reached Tiruvallur only at 0800hrs. 15 mins late I guess! After Tiruvallur, my train blasted through the sub-urbs in style touching the maximum permissible limit of 110kph. The classic moment was when my train curved near Tiruvalam and WAP-1 hauled SBC-MAS Shatabdi Express came in the opposite direction. Classic! It was a real beauty to watch the entire rake curving in high speed.

My train reached Katpadi at 0945hrs. I got down the wrong way. Instead of getting down on the platform side, I got down in the trackside as I was standing near the door. I didn’t want to bother people on the other side as they were already busy boarding the train not allowing people to get down. Since I was in the second coach, I walked to the locomotive and found that the power was WAP-4#22559. Sometimes, I note the numbers of locomotives. It had rearview mirrors!! The TTE or the ticket examiner was inspecting the tickets and I handed over mine. At this time only I realized that I had forgotten to bring a valid proof of identity for my e-ticket for the journey involving the return trip from Gudur to Chennai. I did have a laminated duplicate copy of my driving license but not the original. I decided to take a risk. The entire trip involved 4 different trains out of which only one leg of the journey was reserved. I went to the Katpadi Ticket counter and purchased a direct ticket to Gudur via Renigunta.

The lady clerk gave me a ticket via Arokkonam. She thought I would be taking Katpadi-Arokkonam-Renigunta-Gudur route. Why should I travel back? I was to take the shorter route Katpadi-Tirupati-Renigunta-Gudur. I paid extra, I didn’t mind but I had an invalid ticket as per law as I would be taking a different route. Eventhough I was going to travel in a passenger, I took an express ticket just incase if I would change my mind and board an express train at Tirupati. But I love travelling by passengers.

Now comes the second part of the ring trip. Katpadi Jn to Tirupati. I was boarding a Diesel-Multiple-Unit or the DMU as per Indian Railway technical terms. The train number was D164. I was a bit excited. The next 103km would represent a typical Indian scenario. Villages, farmers, conservative people and animals. They were eagerly waiting for me! I believe in reality and simplicity. My train arrived 20mins late from Vellore and I got into it. I got a window seat quite comfortably. The first station in Katpadi-Tirupati section was Bomma Samudram. The station was small and beautiful. I could observe that the technology has reached this place. Many of them had mobiles. Not ordinary ones! N73’s and W810i’s. Compared to them I use a primitive model-N70.


Somewhere after Kalahasti. 04/07/2009. Pic taken in Camera Mobile.

Katpadi-Tirupati was a single-line broad gauge electrified section. Not much traffic. The only traffic which I faced was that of Tirupati-Vellore Cantonment DMU passenger at Chittoor. Since it was a single line section, my train was put on loop line to allow the incoming one to enter into Chittoor. The route was extremely scenic with small mountains with a lot of villages. Sometimes I use to wonder that I should spend at least a day in these places every month.

I think that I should go back to the Vedas. There must be some truth in conservative lifestyle. There must be some truth in what the ancestors have written. No one writes just for the sake of it. Anything written ages ago is more reliable. The reason is simple. It has been so stable and true, people have accepted it even till date. People over here are happy with simple lifestyle. The train halted at small villages too. Majority of people in the train knew to speak Tamil as the TN-AP border is quite near. I reached Tirupati late by 20 minutes.

I had two options. I need to wait till 1530hrs to catch a slow passenger to Gudur or to board Tirupati-Gudur Fast Passenger which stops only at a few places. The latter would be starting immediately. I wasn’t interested in going fast. You can observe the rural wastelands of Andhra Pradesh only if you take up slow passengers. But waiting for two hours at Tirupati would be boring. I made up my mind. So I took the fast passenger at 1345hrs. Anyway, I need to wait at Gudur for two hours if I am taking this train. I thought waiting at Gudur for two hours would be interesting.

I boarded the 211SC Tirupati Gudur Fast passenger. I think I got the train number right. WAM-4 from Vijayawada shed was the power. The train started almost immediately the next second I boarded. Traveling ticket examiners were in disguise and were traveling in the General compartment along with us. When the train started, they immediately started checking tickets! This is to ensure that the offenders don’t escape. The guy asked me something in Telugu. I couldn't understand. He asked me in Hindi. I didn't understand still. Later, another co-passenger told me that he was asking me for my tickets. I showed mine and got it verified. I had the ticket via Arokkonam, I wondered whether he would question. But he didn't question. Anyway, I have paid extra, but still as per "law" I am wrong. My train reached Renigunta at around 1400hrs. Now comes the interesting part.

I love the section between Gudur and Renigunta which is roughly around 70km. In fact, my affection towards Andhra Pradesh started only after traveling in this route a year ago. For a while, I wondered why such places in India aren’t much talked about. It’s an excellent route. Looks like the naxalites have ensured that there wouldn’t be any development and modernization in these places to save the real rural beauty of India. There's always a talk about Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Delhi, pubs, jeans-pant, t-shirts, fashion shows and other nonsense, but there is not even a single word spoken about people who live peacefully over here.

I am not against modernization but people should realize the value of the past and shouldn’t be sarcastic about people who are conservative. I dare not advice the present day generation. In their opinion, I am a village. I am definitely critical of Indians returning from US, UK and later disrespecting the motherland, its infrastructure and boasting about their so called pub culture of boozing with girls thinking that such acts are great acts. I use to laugh within myself when I see such “Indians”.

If I had a sister, I would rather get her married to a clerk who earns Rs.5000/- per month in a Government office or to a Vedic Brahmin who recites slokams and earns his living in dakshanai or even to a person who runs a small business or even to a person who is in a normal job but definitely not to a person who returns from the United States or the United Kingdom and arrogantly criticizes the very land in which he was born. Using the “F” word a couple of times, sayings bucks instead of rupees…. That doesn’t make anyone superior. I have zero respect for such people.

People in these small villages are more humble than me. Sometimes in my life I use to wonder what I graduated. These people living here know how to treat another human being with respect something people living in cities like me should learn. Compared to these people for the past 4 years in B.E.ECE, I have graduated only foolishness.


Katpadi-Tirupati section was mountainous.

During many of my travels in the Indian Railways, I got humbled by seeing such simple family life and simple people. Many are down to earth. In fact, I got humbled many times and my arrogance was toned down and I accepted my defeat. After getting humbled, I even dropped some of my characters which weren’t right. I started believing in simplicity and reality only after traveling in Indian Railways.

My train went through many scenic places. It didn’t halt at all stoppings as it was a fast passenger so it skipped some stations. It halted only at Renigunta, Yerpudu, Kalahasti, Venkatagiri, Vendodu and Kondagunta. The entire train was only 8 coach length. The pickup was extremely good just like Chennai electric-trains. 8 coach is too less for a locomotive which is capable of hauling 19 coaches at ease. I reached Gudur Jn at 16.00hrs.

I got down and went straight to Gudur Platform-1 VLR. I was to have Gudur dosai!! My good old pal Ramkarthik (IIT-Kanpur/Madras "big mandai") even sent an SMS reminding me to have Gudur dosai. He was the guy who found out the speciality of Gudur dosai. Whenever I cross Gudur, I never forget to have Gudur dosai. It has got that extra kick:-p. Try it out. Don’t ask me why. You will feel the power!!!! If you can understand what I really mean to say. Boys would understand it better.

I sat in Gudur station and I was referring to some of my books which I had brought along in my backpack. Many trains passed. Pinakini Express bound towards Vijayawada, some Swarna Jayanthi(not sure) from New Delhi, some passenger train towards Renigunta. I could see a lot of people belonging to different states in that train each dressed in various dresses, speaking various languages. For those of you, who think India is a third world country, I have something to say. "Keep dreaming". We live every dream over here!!


The weather was good and it favoured me.

At 1820hrs, I heard loud honks. Praang!!! Praang!! The entire station vibrated. The big boss was on its way! It was the Chennai Rajdhani coming from the capital. It had a WAP-7 at its helm! What a majestic entry! Even I was speechless. I am a big fan of heavy machines. I then went to a stall and purchased Limca. The shop-keeper charged me quite a lot in my opinion. 500ml was Rs.25/-. I could see a lot of goods trains too. From the Vijayawada end, a goods train came and I could see the young Bihari Assistant Loco Pilot of the goods train getting down from the locomotive even when the train was in motion. I wondered why. The train was still in motion while he was getting down. I could see the Senior Pilot or the Chief requesting him to buy a “chaai”. The young Bihari guy quickly ran to a stall, bought one and gave it to his boss who was standing in the locomotive and this guy climbed the engine in motion. Everything happened in motion and that too quickly. The driver was sincere in his duties. Indian Railways is strict about discipline! No driver can halt a train for his own fancy. I believe even if he does he needs to file a log. The train was doing around 10kph. The goods train rumbled out of Gudur towards Chennai.

I decided to listen to music in my mobile. I was listening to this song named Black or White. I am not a great fan of dance but I appreciate extra curricular activities. As MJ sang, I went out of dimension. I got carried away by the music. And then my favourite Backstreet Boys! As I spent time listening to music, I observed kids, men, women belonging to various ethnicities waiting for their respective trains.

At around 1845hrs, WAP-4#22390 came with 2078 Jan Shatabdi Express. That was my return link. That’s the last leg of my journey. 138km more and I would be in Chennai Central in my own beloved state Tamilnadu. I boarded the train only to find another lady sitting in my reserved seat. The lady said that she wanted to sit with her husband. I can understand her. She is traditional. But when are Indian women going to learn to stand up against male domination to realize Lenin’s dream? When is India going to learn the positives the USSR?

Well, I can’t be worrying about everything. I was asked to go to another seat. That was a window seat so I gladly accepted it. Generally, I don’t argue with elders. It was already night and I have nothing to see outside at this time. It started raining so I closed the windows. I started listening to music. I was watching some videos of Michael Jackson's dances in my mobile. His famous hits like Thriller and Smooth Criminal. Remember that famous anti-gravity lean??? I was engrossed in the music and I relaxed. I reached Chennai Central bang on time at 21:05hrs. I boarded a bus to reach home at 21:50hrs. My dog Damien was sitting inside a wooden box as he felt it was too cold outside due to the rain. I was exhausted. I went to bed after having a bath. It was an awesome trip.

-Krishna Kumar.S
(06/08/2009)

-Due to the so called "tight schedule" the report couldn’t be published immediately. Sorry guys!