'The tea tasted like ink'

We had asked you, dear readers, to share memories of what you ate on train journeys.

Here, Ramesh Menon shares his experience. You can share yours too!

Rediff reader Rajesh Menon details the high and low events that eventually forced him to quit travelling via trains.

"Between 1979 and 2001, during summer vacations, my family -- father, mother, and I -- used to travel from Kalyan Junction to Trissur Junction by Jayanthi Janatha Express.

"However, as years passed by, the travel experiences have been different -- ranging from pleasant to awful -- pleasant until the late 1990s and awful thereafter.

"Those times, the railway food sellers were neatly dressed in traditional attire, they were patient, and very polite.

"Some vendors had a good sense of humour and tickled my funny bones.

"I liked how they creatively sold tea, coffee, cold drinks, fried food on the journey.

"In fact several comedians and voice artistes have reproduced them at various stage shows as well as in movies.

"The breakfast comprising bread-omlette would stimulate my appetite and I'd opt for an extra serving of idli-vada, chutney, and sambar.

"In the afternoon, the moment the catering staff would load rice plates at Renigunta Junction, my taste buds would get stimulated by the aroma of rice and sambar, and my mouth would start to water.

"The lunch comprising rice, sambar, pickle, and curd offered a unique gastronomic experience, and the tangy lemon pickle pleasantly delighted all my senses.

"For dinner, I remember my father getting down from the train to fetch packets of biryani from a vendor, stationed at the far end of the platform.

"The taste of that biryani continues to linger in my mouth after so many years.

"After the demise of my father, we were gripped by financial hardships.

"We had to stop visiting Kerala. 

"I began to work hard, day and night, to manage the household expense and save some money for the future.

"However, God was a witness to our hardships and due to his mercy, I got promoted with a good salary.

"Within months, I bought a new house and a car.

"Gradually, my mother came out of her gloom and recovered from the loss.

"One night, while on the dining table, my mother spoke about the happy moments spent with my father and the annual train travel to our native place.

"I realised that that she was missing her relatives and we promptly decided to visit our native land by train, failing to realise that travelling by train after so many years was a wrong decision on our part.

"The lifestyle of travellers had improved.

"Carrying cans of potable water is not fashionable any more, even though public water taps ran dry at most railway stations.

"It was the age of packaged drinking water.

"At certain platforms, the catering staff was no longer visible and this gave an opportunity to the local vendors to enter the train and sell water at a charge more than the prescribed MRP. 

"The water bottles were not sealed and the water tasted bad.

"Anything that is cold would cost more. Tea would be charged double.

"After similar bad experiences at different stations, I finally mustered courage to question the vendor about his arrogance.

"He snatched the water bottle from my hand and proceeded to the other passenger to sell it. 

"The other passengers did not bother to listen to me at all and they bought the water bottles at higher rates.

"Whenever this vendor passed by my seat, he would stare at me.

"Shortly, thereafter, a rugged man entered the compartment to sell cold drinks. He too sold his products at a higher cost.

"Unable to bear this injustice any further, I raised my voice against it, but he did not hesitate to threaten me with dire consequences.

"I got off the train to approach the station master, but by then the guard blew the whistle and the train began to move.

"This man ran along with the train, hurling abuses at me until the train left the platform.

"My attempts to locate the TTE inside the train also proved futile.

"I was stressed by this commotion.

"Around 7 pm after a long nap, I ordered for a cup of tea.

"This time, again the tea seller was a local vendor as he was not wearing uniform.  The tea did not taste like tea at all.

"There was a peculiar smell and it almost tasked like ink. I did not drink any tea after that.

"Later on, I discovered that the local sellers make their own milk by mixing white fabric colour in water.

"At night, a group of railway employees entered the reserved compartment and made themselves comfortable on our reserved seat.

"When we objected, they occupied the upper berth.  They were a nuisance.

"As the train moved from the platform and gathered pace, they began playing cards, making loud noises, and smoking.

"One middle-aged man pulled out a bottle from his cloth bag and drank.

"I did not sleep that night until the train reached the next platform and these hooligans got off the train.

"The horrible experience continued until I reached Trissur.

"After the bad experience, I have never travelled by long-distance trains, as I do not feel that my family is safe."

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Have you travelled by Indian Railways? Share your memories of the meals you have had on Indian trains.

If you have pictures, send us those as well. Mail us at getahead@rediff.co.in and we will feature the best entries on Rediff.comand India Abroad.

Don't forget to mention your NAME, AGE and the place where you LIVE.

Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters