Golden Temple (express)

I usually book my tickets in Baroda express but during festival seasons the ticket booking is house full, nearly within one week from when booking opens.. so had to take the tickets in golden temple express this Christmas(NRI season as in Gujarat).. This was my second experience with this train.. the first time I had to take this train (scheduled departure 23:36 from platform no. 1) As shown on the internet it was two hrs late than nirdharit samay… I reached the station 45 mins earlier against the delay so that parents can go to bed as early as possible.. When I reach station I see the train already standing at platform no. 3 !! I walked neatly to cross the bridge and board the train… my eyes and mouth remained wide open when the train started to move within a second after I stepped inside!!
Today again Golden Temple express, 3 hrs late from scheduled departure.. I reached station at 2 am to see the train further delayed to 3.38 am. The weather was chill as the temperature touched 11 degree; I paid for a cup of adrakh chai at a platform stall and sipped my way to the waiting room. As I sat in the waiting room, dozing and listening to songs, there was a guy two seats apart, all awake, he was in a his thin red lee tee , dint seem to be feeling cold.. sitting and smiling to himself as he was navigating back and fro in his web cam, on his lap was a leathered brown, fancy, ladies hand bag and other luggage surrounding his feet. In the previous row there were three chairs kept close to each other to make a small bed on which a pretty looking lady was sleeping, all covered with a shawl and a blanket, she seemed to be in her own dream world as she found her comfort on that makeshift bed of hers while getting cozy in the blanket.

The announcement was made at 3.50 am, as my train was to arrive.. there was still some time to go and the guy quickly took a picture of the pretty lady as her fair face was seen from in-between the two back rests of the red chair. He gently woke her up while folding the blanket and placing it back in a jhabla theli. As the two of them started walking together towards the platform from the waiting room I could not resist my smile while reading the print on the jhabla theli “MANOJ WEDS NEHA” :o)

May be the person who provided all the warmth did not need a sweater! :)

Their seat was next to mine, bogey no. S/5, Golden Temple Express!