Rediculousness
Chai Talk - The Amritsar Mail Take Down
Tuesday, February 21
Location: The Amritsar Mail Train between Kolkata and Varanasi
Rating: **/5
It was I high risk take down from what I could tell. I had just fallen asleep an hour before when at 3:30 am I was awoken by lights and a loud commotion in the sleeping area next to mine on the train. As I came to and looked around men were all rushing to look and there was the sound of flesh being hit. I made out that the guy in the next sleeping area over had caught a thief and was beating him up with the help of a few other passengers. It was quite a stir and every male passenger in the train car and probably the next two were crowded around watching and giving a helpful kick now and then. Luckily with my upper berth I was out of the action but also had front row seats. The mob was actually rather gentle with the thief but I think it was mostly because there was not enough room to get a good swing or a kick in.
I learned the next morning that he was stealing shoes but none the less I was happy that I had heeded my hotel managers warning of that particular train line and chained my bag to the seat the night before.
Eventually the guy stopped fighting back and things settled down to a negotiation of if the police would be brought into the fray at the next station. As the train slowed 5 minutes later and pulled in the thief started to try to get away only to be beaten back with the shoes of the man who had caught him. Only in India can mob mentality still maintain Karmic irony. At the station he was escorted off the train but from what I gathered the next morning the police didn't get involved.
So an eventful morning on the train and suddenly at 4am after everything died down everyone decided that it was morning now and turned on the lights and started talking. Next thing I know there's a chai guy on the train yelling chai and it's only 4:30am! It was instant mixed with hot water, not the best. Ouch, not much sleep but the chai in Varanasi while sitting on the ghats has already made up for it.
Rating: **/5
It was I high risk take down from what I could tell. I had just fallen asleep an hour before when at 3:30 am I was awoken by lights and a loud commotion in the sleeping area next to mine on the train. As I came to and looked around men were all rushing to look and there was the sound of flesh being hit. I made out that the guy in the next sleeping area over had caught a thief and was beating him up with the help of a few other passengers. It was quite a stir and every male passenger in the train car and probably the next two were crowded around watching and giving a helpful kick now and then. Luckily with my upper berth I was out of the action but also had front row seats. The mob was actually rather gentle with the thief but I think it was mostly because there was not enough room to get a good swing or a kick in.
I learned the next morning that he was stealing shoes but none the less I was happy that I had heeded my hotel managers warning of that particular train line and chained my bag to the seat the night before.
Eventually the guy stopped fighting back and things settled down to a negotiation of if the police would be brought into the fray at the next station. As the train slowed 5 minutes later and pulled in the thief started to try to get away only to be beaten back with the shoes of the man who had caught him. Only in India can mob mentality still maintain Karmic irony. At the station he was escorted off the train but from what I gathered the next morning the police didn't get involved.
So an eventful morning on the train and suddenly at 4am after everything died down everyone decided that it was morning now and turned on the lights and started talking. Next thing I know there's a chai guy on the train yelling chai and it's only 4:30am! It was instant mixed with hot water, not the best. Ouch, not much sleep but the chai in Varanasi while sitting on the ghats has already made up for it.
nicholas, 7:44 AM
4 Comments:
I remember an Armenian guy in Kolkata telling me that if a guy was every caught stealing something, a whole mob of people would beat the crap out of him. Apparently if a foreigner's stuff is stolen, the same thing will happen.
I did have a hard time believing that last part, so I always slept with my shoes on (helped keep my feet warm).
I did have a hard time believing that last part, so I always slept with my shoes on (helped keep my feet warm).
I don't know if you're still in Varanassi, but i recommend getting a massage on the main ghat...
My fingers haven't stopped cracking as a result of it, and i still wake up with backpain in the middle of the night. It'll truely be an unforgettable experience...
My fingers haven't stopped cracking as a result of it, and i still wake up with backpain in the middle of the night. It'll truely be an unforgettable experience...
I had a "massage" this morning and for some reason my left side is kind numb all day? And plus I smell like the massage guy!
Hey ppl
Wake up... Thats the indian experience ya?
Aman
Wake up... Thats the indian experience ya?
Aman
