Punctuality and Indians are two parallel lines that never intersect. Being late is deeply ingrained in Indian culture. Missing trains by reaching the railway station late is a record many try to break in their lifetime. We refer to it as Indian times and Indian standards.
Indian trains run late in general. It’s also standard practice to arrive at the railway station and find the train at least 2-3 hours behind schedule. Sometimes, the morning trains come in the afternoon, 10-12 hours late. It’s not uncommon for people to wait at the station to catch the train, regardless of the time of day. In this way, Indians have developed a profound understanding of patience.
This peekaboo game begins with booking a ticket on IRCTC or offline at the station. The booking also aims to secure a Tatkal ticket. The last-minute booking is followed by luggage packing and boarding taxis to the station. Bachelors and young people are more prone to this behavior. Forgetting chargers, earphones, and sometimes printed copies of the tickets is among the ingredients in late-boarding dramas.
Even if one reaches the station on time, one still has to kill time there. You can listen to music. Another choice is to watch streams or OTT shows. Chitchatting with friends or family members is also a way to pass the time. Waiting in the AC/general waiting room, or even on the platform, can help. Checking the food stalls at the station is essential. Dealing with Kulis and determining which railway platform the train will arrive at are also crucial tasks—a slight delay in any step results in an overall delay in the onboarding process.
People who come to see their dear ones off on their journey say goodbye in noteworthy ways. They often create an emotional drama. This can result in an embarrassing giggle from a co-passenger. Alternatively, it can lead to a slightly empathy-filled conversation starter, depending on the person’s moral compass. Newlywed couples evoke a certain level of emotional resonance in the somber atmosphere. Parents see their wards off to college, a new job, or a new city. Friends say goodbye to their buddy as they head to a different location. All these situations evoke emotional responses.
Hopping on the train at the last minute has its charms. Doing it with lots of luggage at once has its curses. Young people enjoy running around the platform. They enjoy catching the train with a rush of adrenaline. The Mumbai locals or the Delhi metros offer a unique experience. They create an addiction to the rush of hopping the train at any cost. It is dangerous, and around 2000 people die from accidents annually in India. Kajol running to catch the moving train while Shahrukh Khan waits is an iconic Bollywood reference. Another is the chatty Kareena Kapoor hopping onto the train in “Jab We Met”. Both are iconic moments of jumping on the train at the last minute.
Time and tide wait for no one. Yet, Indian trains at the same time test your patience and teach you the value of punctuality.
The Witty Stride 