We had spent 4 nights at Sri Hazoor Sahib. On the fifth day we showed our tickets to the Gurdwara Accomodation sewadaars and asked them when and where is the train leaving from. The Sewadaar looked at our tickets and said "You are boarding tomorrow. A bus will be leaving outside the Gurdwara at 6am to go to the train station." Two Sewadaars checked our train tickets and both replied that we needed to board the train the next day (which was Monday).
So we got our things packed and ready the night before. We woke up and after Ishnaan and Nitnem we went to the mini-bus outside, which was leaving for the trainstation. We arrived at the train station and we went to the train platform. The seats were pre-booked, so I had to on passenger lists which were stuck up on the outside of the train to see where we were sitting. I couldn't find our Surname on the list.
My mum told me to go to the ticket office. So I went there. But they didn't speak Panjabi nor did they speak Hindi! I spoke English (however even their English was tutty futty). The man checked the list and said "Fine, fine, take seat, take seat. New list is to be stuck up. Your name will be on there." We waited for the new list and still our name is not on their, it said "M SINGH" and few other SINGH with random initials. I thought perhaps they got our initials muddled up. So we spoke to a Police Office to double-check and he said "Sit down, sit down, take your seats." He was friendly. So we thought if he thinks its okay to sit down then it must be okay.
The train leaves and in my mind I said "Good-bye" to the land of Sri Hazoor Sahib, cherishing the experience. The train left NandeR. Eventually the train was coming near Aurangabad. It had been 2 hours in the journey. A Singh family came on the train and said to us "those are our seats." We told them "sorry, these are our places. We have booked tickets." We showed our tickets and it said "LEAVING: 15th July". But the date was 14th JULY. Just as we discover we have boarded the train ONE DAY EARLY, the train conductor comes. He was a grumpy old man.
The train conductor said "Why have you boarded the train?" We said that we showed two Gurdwara Sewadaars our tickets. We showed our tickets to the man sitting in the NandeR train ticket office. And we even showed the policeman at the train station in NandeR. Everyone said that we are to leave today and that we ARRIVE on 15th July in Jalandhar. We looked like a bunch of Lemons! The conductor said to me, "You are from England and you can read a simple train ticket where it says: LEAVING 15th July". He made me look really silly infront of the whole train. He threatened to fine us 1,500 rupees each (my mum, tayee jee and I) or if we refuse to pay then he will call the police.
Sat Naam, Waheguru! So much DRAMA! He said that we HAD TO leave the train at the next station. So when Aurangabad arrived we had to leave the train (there wasn't even a platform to get off on!). We were the only passengers getting off and everyone stared at us through the windows. We had to go to the ticket office at Aurangabad trainstation and ask for a ticket to back to NandeR (Hazoor Sahib).
MORE DRAMA! The train arrives at Aurangabad to go back to NandeR. However, we were given THIRD CLASS tickets. Sat Naam. We had to sit in a OVER-CROWDED compartment with dodgey looking people. The seats were wooden planks, which were UNCOMFORTABLE and people were SMOKING and you could notice some people taking dodgey substances. Everyone was staring at me, my mum and tayee jee thinking "Why are these 3 people sitting in THIRD CLASS."
FOUR HOURS LATER we arrived back at NandeR. We got the mini-bus back to the Gurdwara Langar Sahib. When we went to ask for a room to stay, the sewadaar said, "Haven't I seen you before?" lol. I explained what happened and all the Sewadaars had a good laugh. (Suppose it was funny looking at back!)
We got on the correct train the next day and arrived back in Jalandhar the following evening.
So we got our things packed and ready the night before. We woke up and after Ishnaan and Nitnem we went to the mini-bus outside, which was leaving for the trainstation. We arrived at the train station and we went to the train platform. The seats were pre-booked, so I had to on passenger lists which were stuck up on the outside of the train to see where we were sitting. I couldn't find our Surname on the list.
My mum told me to go to the ticket office. So I went there. But they didn't speak Panjabi nor did they speak Hindi! I spoke English (however even their English was tutty futty). The man checked the list and said "Fine, fine, take seat, take seat. New list is to be stuck up. Your name will be on there." We waited for the new list and still our name is not on their, it said "M SINGH" and few other SINGH with random initials. I thought perhaps they got our initials muddled up. So we spoke to a Police Office to double-check and he said "Sit down, sit down, take your seats." He was friendly. So we thought if he thinks its okay to sit down then it must be okay.
The train leaves and in my mind I said "Good-bye" to the land of Sri Hazoor Sahib, cherishing the experience. The train left NandeR. Eventually the train was coming near Aurangabad. It had been 2 hours in the journey. A Singh family came on the train and said to us "those are our seats." We told them "sorry, these are our places. We have booked tickets." We showed our tickets and it said "LEAVING: 15th July". But the date was 14th JULY. Just as we discover we have boarded the train ONE DAY EARLY, the train conductor comes. He was a grumpy old man.
The train conductor said "Why have you boarded the train?" We said that we showed two Gurdwara Sewadaars our tickets. We showed our tickets to the man sitting in the NandeR train ticket office. And we even showed the policeman at the train station in NandeR. Everyone said that we are to leave today and that we ARRIVE on 15th July in Jalandhar. We looked like a bunch of Lemons! The conductor said to me, "You are from England and you can read a simple train ticket where it says: LEAVING 15th July". He made me look really silly infront of the whole train. He threatened to fine us 1,500 rupees each (my mum, tayee jee and I) or if we refuse to pay then he will call the police.
Sat Naam, Waheguru! So much DRAMA! He said that we HAD TO leave the train at the next station. So when Aurangabad arrived we had to leave the train (there wasn't even a platform to get off on!). We were the only passengers getting off and everyone stared at us through the windows. We had to go to the ticket office at Aurangabad trainstation and ask for a ticket to back to NandeR (Hazoor Sahib).
MORE DRAMA! The train arrives at Aurangabad to go back to NandeR. However, we were given THIRD CLASS tickets. Sat Naam. We had to sit in a OVER-CROWDED compartment with dodgey looking people. The seats were wooden planks, which were UNCOMFORTABLE and people were SMOKING and you could notice some people taking dodgey substances. Everyone was staring at me, my mum and tayee jee thinking "Why are these 3 people sitting in THIRD CLASS."
FOUR HOURS LATER we arrived back at NandeR. We got the mini-bus back to the Gurdwara Langar Sahib. When we went to ask for a room to stay, the sewadaar said, "Haven't I seen you before?" lol. I explained what happened and all the Sewadaars had a good laugh. (Suppose it was funny looking at back!)
We got on the correct train the next day and arrived back in Jalandhar the following evening.
2 comments:
sounds like a fun adventure :S:S
thats india
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