‘Bengal’s local train is a cauldron of stories and storytellers’
Kolkata: Local train draws a lively narrative arc on Kolkata’s canvas. Beyond the vignette of chaos, cacophony, clutter and chatter, it carries hopes, hearts and humans in and out of city life everyday.
It is a metonym for cultural convergence. It is a cauldron of stories and storytellers.
Train per se has been celebrated in Ray’s The Apu Trilogy as an overwhelming motif of profound emotional notes. The visual and aural cues bear telltale imprints of modernity and poignant dynamics. In literature, too, train always had rich and enduring anecdotes as a carrier of civilisation. Local train, more so. It inhabits a world in itself.
Sealdah and Howrah stations are romantic trysts of mofussils with Tilottama. While millions jostle for space in trains assembling in and disassembling out of these dating joints, the very scarcity of it forces conversation and forges relationships. In popular parlance, daily passengers have a snide acronym of DP. The DPs are a spicy and tangy ‘jhalmuri’ of Bengal’s diversity and abundance.
Local train and its generosity never disappoint. Pulls-and-pushes, polite punches, sweat-and-sneer and surreal suspension aside, it offers clusters of argumentative Bengalis with running opinions on everything under the sun.
From vocal editorials on politics to hair-splitting psephology, from domestic chores to food fest; free flowing advice and commentary are always on board. The 9 pm TV panelists are literally given a run for their money. Films, food, football and cricket are subjects close to their hearts. As if, Shah Rukh Khan and Virat Kohli can eavesdrop to amass pearls of wisdom from teeming voices. Massy to classy, Tiger 3 to Oppenheimer, locality tea stall to designer showrooms — all have spaces of their own in tiny tales. Local train is an avowed egalitarian. The brotherhood and sisterhood on display transcend dunes of caste, creed, religion, profession, economy and much more. Hourly journeys weave yarns of bonhomie, brawls, laughter, love, envy and entertainment.
Morning hawkers sell Bengali, English, Hindi and Urdu newspapers on the move — a testament to Bengal’s cosmopolitan and inclusive streams of life. As day rolls out, vegetable vendors to daily wage earners to office goers rub shoulders and lend arms in each other’s survival. Amidst all, the humour and zest for life never runs out. Barrackpore and Katwa Locals have engaging groups singing soul-baring kirtans and bhajans. When khanjanis clink, concerted voices unite in devotion creating the most democratic crescendo.
Local train is a live class on hard-selling where salesmen can sell anything, from salted peanuts to pyjamas, with unflinching conviction. They are prolific and practical, the empirical keynotes of modern day marketing thesis.
Daily passengers are a collective conscience and consciousness. When Dhoni was run-out against New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, the noise of hope plunged into a numbing silence of despair. When seniors struggle to bear travails of journey, juniors sacrifice seats. Acquaintances on the go stand by each other, fight for each other. Between fictional romanticism and non-fictional realism, local train and its daily passengers are resilient and assured faces of Bengal’s diversity.
