nagpur trip write-up

Visited Nagpur last month. A write-up was in order and here it is:

1. The train for Nagpur was to start from Kurla Terminus (officially, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus). Being from Bombay, I underestimated time, and managed to reach the terminus gate arely 2 minutes before the departure time. Before I could get out from the auto-rikshaw few touts gathered there and started saying "howrah express na? abhi do minute pahle chali gayi, chinta mut kijiye, gaadi mil jayegi, 300 rupaye lagenge!" (You want to catch Howrah express, right? It just left 2 minutes back. But don't worry, you will get the train. It would take Rs. 300 for that). I knew it was just 2 minutes to the departure time. Still there was a possibility that I could fall prey to their trap. But thanks to an article in DNA, I knew the modus operandi of these touts. So I told them that I don't care if the train has left and started running towards the plaform. The train was very much there, waiting for me. Running hard, I reached my compartment, settled down and took a deep breath, the journey was just starting.

2. As the train approached towards Nagpur, I found that pigs in the region are under-developed. Not that I am very smart to observe this. But I had heard this and verified the same. (Experts are welcome to come up with reasons)

3. Nagpur streets are its USP. Streets are wider than current requirement and well laid out. Unlike Pune where vehicles and walkers share common co-ordinates, streets in Nagpur actually have pavements.

4. Nagpur is a small-small city. One can actually make a circular trip in an hour or so. While we went from one place to the other, we came across same junctions again and again. Also, roads are straight and flat. There are hardly any hills in there.

5. Stay away from Nagpuri Auto-rikshaws. They charge Rs. 25 for minimum. But it is hard to stay away from them, no city buses.

6. The thought could never even touch me in my dreams, but two different persons connected me to foreign land. One asked, if I am an Indian? and the other asked when did I return from US?

7. People really worship Babasaheb Ambedkar like a God.

8. Headache is also known as "Zandu Baam" in slang.

9. One can find all kinds of beggars in an 12+ hour train journey. All kinds, I mean it.

10. Santra burfi from Haldiram rocks.

11. We have a habit of bribing. A co-passenger was caught without a ticket. He bribed the ticket-checker Rs. 100 and got no receipt. After couple of hours another ticket-checker appeared on the scene and extorted another Rs.100. Happy bribing.

12. If a train is late by 20 minutes, then the announcement happens only after scheduled time + 20 minutes.