"That not for a moment lose sight of any of your valuable platforms for which we replied, simply installed between them in the car compartment. This trip freight wagon proved to be terribly tiring. We needed two days to cross the valley of the Ganges. The heat was terrible, and the dust hanging in the air difficult to breathe. The train was moving slowly, so we could contemplate the surroundings. But this picture does not bring us joy, he could not enjoy the heart, but rather were full these gloomy sadness. We went by desperately monotonous plain. Drought burned almost all the vegetation, so that little was left of charm in this very beautiful nature. Dirty and wretched people, whom we met on the train or we noticed in the villages, they could not cheer up the bleak landscape, but its quiet and devoid of joy behavior emphasized even hopelessness landscape. When he finally received us in Lucknow colleagues were black from the dust and exhausted boredom and fatigue. "(Lionel Terray, Keep victory. From the Alps to Annapurna , trans. Danuta Knysz-Rudzka, ed. Kurczab Janusz, Kazimierz Marcinek, Warsaw 1975, p. 236-237)
*
In the pouring rain - last year's monsoon tchnieniach - we get to the "main hall" Delhi station, littered with the lack of sleep yet półprzytomnymi characters and przecinanej several streams of potential travelers, podzwaniających coins beggars, soldiers (usually very sympathetic white) and gold-diggers, all sorts of professions. For corrugated metal canopies, platforms, shielding or less rain, flocks of monkeys Browse by hastily "junk up "in the search niedojedzonych debris. Projected spending dwuipółgodzinne late running of trains plying between the platform and the second electronic board in the lobby, which (if you work) provides the latest information on the further expectation. We will not worry too much: the train goes, always end up going.
This time we booked our tickets in the classroom " sleeper, very similar to the three higher classes (1AC, 2AC, 3AC), it is equipped with a device for conditioning. If you choose a lower class (second class "), which does not reserve the seats, the journey begins right at the very platform where local people like sprinters at the starting blocks is like the best place to attack the wagons, when they slowly begin to roll into the platform. Passenger trains usually count from twenty to forty wagons, so sometimes it is a lot of swell before it reaches the correct one. For the coaches can get through doors or windows (though only a few, because most - probably to counter wskakiwaniu - Armed with bars). There is a rule: "first getting out," if you want to get out, you have to do it before the train stopped for good. When all steps are created instantly busy tangle of blind desire to fight for Indian seat in the chair car "second class. How many people die each year in this way in India - precipitated the wheels of the train to the boxcars przygniecionych or trampled?
But here on our platform creeping up again, which immediately pops up and takes care of several Indians in a hurry between the cars - oh, probably in the middle of no toilets, and running is not very possible. Close to finalizing a five-year boy defekować his diminutive figure leaning over the edge of the platform. You are about law enforcement officers armed with rubber hose and weak water pressure will try to clean up (or actually move to another place) this and dozens of other human, monkey, cow residues.
After a few minutes and the train slowly to sue the station, by slitting endless rice fields and palm groves, passing barefoot villagers with umbrellas drepczących among crops, follow to Jaipur, and maybe even Mumbai. With the passage of the next station population density in the cars quickly exceed five persons per square meter. Someone agile climb to the ceiling on the shelf with luggage and will be resting his head and taking a nap on someone's foot packs. Sellers tea (brewed with sugar and milk), dozens of times paving the way with a loud: "wireless ! Typically! , collect the next six rupees, a rice dealer with vegetables or nafaszerowanych cabbage, onion and potato dumplings are served at Samosa głodniejszym passengers two handfuls straight from a bucket or cardboard. Perhaps the baggage rack agile turns at full volume piercingly harmonically impoverished Indian hits, exposing the dubious pleasure of listening to over a hundred other passengers, who - surprisingly - does not pay the slightest attention. Between the rows of benches will be moved at regular intervals caravan of beggars. Someone starts playing the drum. Rhythm by the boy accidentally create a duet with the clatter of the train wheels and rails. Nobody lights a cigarette, it will be too many Indians chew the leaves of tobacco, spouting from time to time through the window or on the floor, brown saliva.
When will the white traveler in the car staring hungrily at the most plains, and finally najmonotonniejsze greenest landscapes, yet they met, his movements and gestures will be accompanied by a keen interest in at least one Indian fellow. If the white traveler senses that someone he looks and looks into the eyes of observers urgently, this does not turn our eyes, wwiercając to him in stunned Sahib: the reluctance? affection? jealousy? sincere interest? suspicion? From the eyes of Indians can read a little. Often they are like emptiness, or a sort of subdued light - something intangible and yet so characteristic that every time it seems to us that stares at us, the same man. delhijski Meanwhile the rain is not as compelling as before and slowly turns into a drizzle. On platforms in respect with wielogodzinnymi delays all trains are growing pile of parcels ready to load. Two elderly men tuck trailing robes, takes care of the track. Finally, after more than four hours waiting for "Taj Express " Contemplating the Wagon sleeper ", where - as the name suggests - is asleep. Moreover, it is probably the only reasonable solution while overcoming such great distances. Those who do not sleep - eat. Smiling conductor stopped checking tickets and invited by the awakened Hindu from the adjacent bay (something like our compartment, but no door) sits in front of a colleague, carefully eyeing the subsequent extraction of food - greasy pancake-like cakes and a sauce container in which to dip tortillas. Meal, preceded by the laying on wiktuałów exploded directly on the seat kancelaryjnym paper, runs noisily and quickly. Probably for this reason, the conductor ends with the absorption of short, strong beknięciem. And since one has to somehow deal with the sauce upapranymi fingers, turns out to be useful for one of the curtains (and it certainly is not washed for months).
In the end (along with the expectations of our dwustukilometrowa journey lasted almost eight hours - as it can withstand the Japanese, accustomed rather to kilkusekundowych delays?) Arrive and admire the mysterious, colorful details Taju, spatial organization and przyległości Taju. Finally, admire the architectural mogolską think that Taj called into existence. We try to ignore the countless trips of white and brown people (loud roaring inside the tomb) and the bypass arc applicable local photographers strolling on the marble floors with some degree of dignity and the artificial expression of supposed professionals. Rapt contemplate arranged with yellow, blue and cherry stones floral ornaments decorating the walls each mausoleum. Dazzlingly white (from a distance, because at close range - multicolored) marble arches and delicate figure crowning the next bay windows and building a powerful yet give unexpected featherweights block. Taj rises slightly above the Yamuna.
Our ridiculously brief visit to the most expensive (nearly $ 20 entrance fee - the price includes peculiar slippers useful for burning sun marble) monument in India is coming to an end. Just behind the walls of red sandstone lying in wait longer selling drinks and junk regenerating thumbnails luminous Taju. Adjacent street intersects camel majestic stride. After brief skirmishes with local rikszarzami we set a good price for the shuttle to the station, where we will spend the next hour waiting for a delayed train to Delhi.
On the track, dodging between the piles of organic and synthetic waste, feeding rats. Beggars with admirable consequence of the shift along the platforms, extending their hands in a gesture of routine. Naręczni traders with water, and souvenirs samosami last chance by negotiating with the passengers inside the cars (" Look! Taj very nice, sir! "), trying to keep pace with wytaczającym station configurations. Finally, a little breathless voice zapowiadaczki substation (" May I have your kind attention, please! ) disciplines weary waiting. In the distance shimmers have yellow eyes of wypatrywanego train.
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