India train The train of truth

A thrilling journey from Darjeeling to Varanasi on India's infamous sleeper train, a formidable force that even Thai trains must bow down to. The most convenient and economical mode of transportation in India after airplanes, trains are the preferred choice for most people. Indian trains run throughout all states except Meghalaya and Sikkim, covering a total track distance of 115,000 kilometers.

With an average of 12,000 passengers per train, Indian Railways employs a staggering 1.7 million people. Some Indian trains take three days and three nights to travel from their origin to their destination, which can be quite a long journey.

The Dan Phara Railway. If you want to be comfortable, buy an air-conditioned carriage. There is food (safe, it won't upset your stomach), service personnel, and police. It's a bit more expensive, but if you want to experience the truth of life, go for it. Second class, third class, or if you want to be a little more comfortable, sleeper class. Although the name says "sleeper", when you actually sit down, you won't be able to sleep at all!!!

The Indian Railways are considered a vital economic resource that sustains the lives of millions of Indians. From ticket sellers to cleaners, station attendants, porters, shoe repairers, water vendors, peanut vendors, hot tea vendors, betel leaf vendors, and beggars (is this a profession???), the railways not only provide a livelihood but also help transport pilgrims to the Himalayas. Do you see the importance? First time on an Indian train.

The day before my trip, I couldn't sleep and was excited about riding the world's most famous and formidable train for the first time on my Indian train journey. I was traveling to two cities that everyone thinks of when they talk about India: Varanasi, the city of civilization on the Ganges River, and Gaya, a city with a large number of kind-hearted Thai people. This is because the Mahabodhi Tree and Thai temples have sprung up like mushrooms here.

At Siliguri JN railway station, exactly at noon! The atmosphere was gloomy and rainy. Two Asian men were excited about the railway station. Looking along the railway tracks, there were Indian men and women sitting in groups, throwing bombs at each other. Looking closer, there was an Indian man taking a bath in the open air, using water from a hose to wash the train.....Damn!

If this were a movie, it would just be the beginning of the first scene. From what I heard Joy say about Siliguri, she said that this city doesn't really count as "real India" compared to Varanasi and Gaya. This is the first time I've seen people openly defecating outdoors, completely ignoring the tourists walking by. If you ask me if I've ever had an "outdoor pooping" experience, I wouldn't be able to say no with complete certainty. I'm not really sure if that time I pooped counts as "outdoor" or not. Are you curious about what happened? At the time, I was in 11th grade and I was in the ROTC program. You probably know where that is, right? Yes, it's Khao Chon Kai. It was the worst pooping experience of my life. I was planning to hold it in and go when I got home, but on the last day, my bowels couldn't take it anymore. So I had to run to the bathroom in the forest. I wouldn't really call it a bathroom though, because it was just a toilet bowl with a mountain of poop from previous ROTC students. The walls between the stalls were just thin plastic sheets, so you could look at each other while pooping. And don't even get me started on the roof! It was a waste of money to even have one. Having a toilet bowl was a blessing in itself! When I finished pooping and wanted to wash my butt, guess what? There was no water to wash my butt!!! Okay, I'm going to stop talking about the bathroom at Khao Chon Kai and get back to my trip to India. After I looked away from the pooping people, I saw someone taking a bath next to the train tracks using water from the hose for washing trains. Oh my god!!! This is before they even take a shower, huh? Do you feel refreshed after taking a bath, washing your face, and brushing your teeth before going to work? After I stopped exploring the station, I went to sit and rest while waiting for the train on a public bench. While I was sitting there, beggars kept coming up to me non-stop. But I didn't give them any money. I wasn't even sure if I had enough money left for the rest of my trip.

1:00 PM. The ticket said the train would arrive at this time. It's been 10 minutes late, and I'm starting to get worried. It's probably going to be another 2 hours, but it's not that bad because the train to Varanasi will arrive at the platform in 5 minutes.

The 3A carriage is NOT TOO BAD! Really, it's not bad at all. It has air conditioning and service, which is only natural considering the price of this carriage is twice as expensive as the sleeper carriage. How could it not be more comfortable? The train started to move out of the platform. The sleeping bed in the 3A carriage can accommodate 6 people in one compartment, with two sides and 3 floors on each side. I slept on the top bunk, right next to the air conditioner. Needless to say, it was freezing cold when I slept.

(I can assure you that this train car is clean! It's not too bad.)

From Siliguri Junction (Siliguri JN) to Mughal Sarai station. The destination station's name sounds like a Thai name. At first, I thought it was someone's father's name. This trip will take about 15 hours, according to the ticket. But I'm sure it will be late. Let's sleep and close our eyes.

Using the toilet on an Indian train (the smell will stick in your nose, I'm telling you)

Beep, beep, beep... beep. The alarm clock went off as scheduled at 3:30 am. But actually, I had been waking up and falling asleep several times already. I was afraid of losing my belongings, and more importantly, I was afraid of missing my station because Indian trains don't announce the station names when they arrive. Passengers have to estimate the time themselves. (If you're wondering how I know what time my station is, it's not a problem because we have the app Indiatrian to tell us.) Suddenly, I woke up to something unexpected. I had a stomach ache. It was so bad that I got goosebumps all over my body. The bathroom on the Indian train, OMG! Even the toilets in the malls smell bad, let alone the toilets on the train. Oh Shiva! But what can I do? I can't hold it anymore. If I wait until I get to the hostel, it will be too late. Okay, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Outdoor toilet in Khao Chan Kai, restaurant toilet in China, I've been through it all. What's one more country? I went to the bathroom on the train. Luckily, from the looks of it, the cleaning staff had just come to clean and remove the pile of bombs. But there were still some piles left in the swan neck, and the smell was still strong enough to kill a god. At that moment, it wouldn't be right to criticize or observe anything. I quickly took off my pants and squatted down to find something to hold on to. I felt the train swaying back and forth, and if I didn't find something to hold on to, I might fall and get dirty. Hold on tight! Pfft!!!! Just one shot, and I emptied my bowels. Luckily, I didn't have to stay in there for long. After cleaning up, I quickly got up, put on my pants, and went out to get some fresh air. Oh, how refreshing...

Note: When traveling to India, don't forget to bring tissues, both regular and wet***

Did you see the man in the gray shirt? He's the one who takes care of the passenger cars. To make sure my map app wasn't messing up, I asked him:

"How many more stations until Mongkolsaharay Station?" I asked the bus conductor. He looked at me with a puzzled expression and simply said, "Next station." Then, he proceeded to lie back down and continue sleeping. Great! I guess I'll just have to trust my Map Me app again. It says that Mongkolsaharay Station is still an hour away.

This question teaches us that "Don't trust anyone more than you trust yourself."

Welcome to Mongkol Seaweed Station

I've arrived at Mongkol Seaweed Station, but now I'm wondering where to go next. First things first, I need to find the exit and head outside the station. As I'm walking, a driver pulls up and offers to take me to my hotel for a price that makes my head spin. I politely decline and continue walking. I've done my research, and I know that if I walk a little further away from the station, I can find a ride for around 300-400 rupees. I don't want to pay more than that. The first driver who approached me started at 2,000 rupees. Can you believe it? See, I told you these Indian guys will rip you off! I keep walking, trying to ignore the offers, and the price starts to drop. From 2,000, it goes down to 1,500, then 1,200, and finally 1,000 rupees. I forgot to mention that these guys offering me rides don't even know where I'm going. They just assume I'm headed to Varanasi. And they're right, I am going to Varanasi, but I'm not going with you! You're way too expensive. I'm sure you'd just drop me off somewhere random. By now, I've managed to keep my cool and walk out of the station. I start looking for a ride, and the crowd of drivers has dwindled to just one guy who's still following me and trying to convince me to use his service. I turn to him and say, "I'd rather walk. Okay? Don't follow me." Then I turn and walk away. The driver heads back towards the train station. Part of me feels bad for him, but his price was just too high. I haven't walked far when an auto-rickshaw pulls up next to me. I look over, and guess what? The driver who went back to the station didn't go find a new customer. He went back to get his car and is now trying to convince me again! Oh, Shiva! I'm starting to feel sorry for him, so I decide to show him the name of my hotel and the location on Maps Me. He looks at me and asks:

  • Driver: Are you going here?
  • Me: Yes, I'm going there. How much will it cost?
  • Driver: 400
  • Me: 400 what? Dollars or rupees? (Before you agree on a price, always make sure you know what currency they're talking about. I once read a review from a foreigner who rented a boat to see the Ganges River. The boatman offered him a price of 100. The foreigner agreed. When the trip was over, the foreigner handed the boatman a 100 rupee note. The boatman said, "100 dollars, not 100 rupees." The foreigner said, "When did I ever say 100 rupees?")
  • Driver: 400 rupees, sir.
  • Me: No, I don't like that price. It's too expensive. 100 rupees. (At that point, I already knew there was no way he would agree.)
  • Driver: Wait, where are you going?
  • Me: I think I already told you. (I'm thinking to myself, "Seriously?") Do you know STOP HOSTEL?
  • Driver: Okay, okay, let's go. Get in.
  • Me: Where are we going? (I double-check to make sure he actually knows where he's going.)
  • Driver: Where else would you be going?

Okay, I just told you about this intersection. It's a good thing I checked first, otherwise you would have probably left me stranded somewhere. Let's just keep walking without talking or asking any more questions.



Dad saved lives

I didn't have to walk long before a car pulled up next to me. In the car was a middle-aged Indian man, who looked strangely out of place. He was dressed neatly and cleanly, unlike most Indians who only bathe once in a while and wear tattered clothes. This man looked trustworthy. As if on cue, he leaned out the window and asked me in English, "Where are you going?" I was surprised that he could speak English. Oh, thank Shiva for sending an English-speaking Indian to help me! I showed him the name of the hostel and he said, "Get in, get in. You can ride in this car." I asked him how much it would cost and he said 50 rupees. Oh, really? (in a high-pitched voice) 50 rupees? That's crazy! What should I do? I decided to trust the Indian man. When I got in the car, I felt completely at ease. While I was in the small auto rickshaw, I talked to the Indian man who had helped me. I learned that he was a priest, or what they call a "father" in a church in Varanasi. The priest told me that the most expensive price here is only 50 rupees per person. Don't pay more than that, or you'll be cheated. Shit, does that mean that the 400 rupees that Thai people have been paying is a scam? Damn it! Thank you, Father, for helping me find the right price. Oh, Jesus Christ!

STOPS HOSTEL 8.6 score

Finally arrived at the hostel I booked through the website www.Booking.com for 250 baht per night including breakfast. The room I booked was for 8 people. After checking in, we could enter the room at exactly 1 pm. In the meantime, a hostel staff member came to introduce himself. His name is Masu, a big, muscular guy with a lot of muscles. Masu is from Pakistan and speaks English very well. Masu is a funny guy who always keeps the tourists entertained. He's always cracking jokes. Masu took me to my luggage and gave me a tour of the hostel. The hostel is much better than I expected. The bedroom is clean and has a cool air conditioner. The bathroom is also clean and is cleaned by a housekeeper every day. Walking upstairs, there is a living room. Next to the living room is a kitchen that everyone can use to cook. There is a refrigerator. Next to the kitchen is a balcony for sitting. The rooftop has a shared bathroom (Masu said if you have to poop and there are people in the bathroom, you can run up here and use this instead). In front of the bathroom, there is a washing machine that everyone can use for free! It's great for 250 baht 500 rupees. After the tour, while waiting to enter the room, you can use the common area and take a shower. When I heard that I could take a shower, I quickly asked to open my bag, grabbed my soap and towel, and ran to take a shower. I was so sticky I was about to explode. Normally, no matter how cold it is, I have to shower in the morning and evening, otherwise I feel restless. And imagine I came from Darjeeling, a city where even in the summer the temperature is still 15 degrees, to Varanasi, a city where the temperature is almost 45 degrees. It's so hot.


Greetings Varanasi

Varanasi is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh and has a population of about 1.2 million people. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history dating back over 4,000 years. The Ganges River is the main waterway in Varanasi. One of the must-try foods in Varanasi is fresh lassi (a yogurt-like drink that is good for digestion).

When you go there, don't call this city "Varanasi". Change the word "Pa" to "Wa", "Wa-ra-na-si", according to the English word "Varanasi". The Ganges River, which is the river behind this city, is the same. Pronounce it as "Ganga" instead of "Kongka". If you call it "Kongka", I will be confused by both the guests and the foreigners. So please change it.




Friends along the way

After I finished showering, I sat down and played on my phone for a while to get rid of my fatigue. It was still 9 am, and I still had more than four hours before I could check into my room. So I decided to go for a walk around the city to kill time. I went down to the hotel lobby to look at the city map. While I was deciding where to go, a young Western man came up to me and started a conversation.

  • Westerner: Hello, where are you from?
  • Me: I'm from Thailand. And you? (high-pitched voice)
  • Westerner: Wow, I'm from Germany.
  • Me: Where are you going? (starting to look for someone to travel with)
  • Westerner: Maybe I'll go to some Ghat away from here. And you?

(Let's speak Thai then)

  • Me: I don't know yet, but I'd like to go for a walk and take photos by the river.
  • Farang: Oh really, then I think we can go together.
  • Me: Wow, then let's go with you. Shall we go now? I'll go up to my friend for a bit.

We've been talking for a long time and we still don't know each other's names... So I turned to ask his name and said it's funny that we've been talking for so long but we don't know each other's names. His name is Tobus, mine is Zen. We shook hands. Tobus is 22 years old, 2 years older than me. Tobus is studying engineering in Germany, I can't remember which city. I asked Tobus why he came to India. Tobus said that India is very different from what he expected. There are cows walking all over the streets, people spit betel nut juice everywhere, and people here live very simply. Also, Tobus wanted to see the real dirt. Tobus asked me why I came here. I said I wanted to see the culture of the people here, I wanted to see the biggest bathroom in the world (it's really big, everywhere can be a bathroom).


HAVE A LOT OF SHITS ON THE FLOOR!

Wherever I looked, there was shit. Especially on the train tracks, there was almost as much shit as there were rocks. While I was walking around taking pictures, I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going. Just as I was about to click the shutter, the voice of my Thai friend, Jay, cut in, "I-sen!!!! Be careful...." Before he could finish his sentence, splat! I stepped in it. It was a big pile of shit, and I almost fell backwards and hit my head on the ground. Judging from the pile, the owner must have had diarrhea and couldn't hold it in any longer, so they just let it go right there. So, what happened? I looked down at my shoes and saw that they were covered in bright yellow shit. The smell was so bad that I could smell it from 50 meters away. So, every step you take in Varanasi, you have to be careful.

The Ganges, a sacred river

After dodging piles of elephant dung for what felt like hours, we finally arrived at the Ganges River, the lifeblood of India. Revered as a sacred river by Hindus, the Ganges originates in the northern Himalayas, flowing through northeastern India before merging with the Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh and emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges stretches for an impressive 2,510 kilometers.

Most Hindus believe in ritual bathing to cleanse themselves of sins, especially in the holy city of Varanasi. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges River washes away sins. They bathe at least twice a day, in the morning and evening. Sins committed during the day are washed away by bathing in the evening, and sins committed at night are washed away by bathing in the morning. The water of the Ganges River is believed to be sacred because it is believed to have flowed through the hair of the god Shiva to the ghats of the Ganges River in Varanasi. Therefore, it is a holy place for Hindus. Anyone who dies and is cremated at the ghats of Varanasi and has their ashes scattered in the Ganges River is believed to be guaranteed a place in heaven. Wealthy Hindus often have houses on the banks of the river so that they can be easily cremated and their ashes scattered in the river when they die. There are even hotels in Varanasi for people who are about to die. As soon as they die, they are taken to be cremated on the banks of the river.

But the first thing I thought today was why isn't there a big pier with lots of people like in the picture? I asked the locals and they said that it's the rainy season now, so the water level is high. Oh shit, so we can't go on a boat trip? The guest replied that tourist boats are currently prohibited from leaving the shore because the water is too strong and dangerous. Damn, I came to Varanasi but couldn't go on a boat trip. Well, it's good that I came during the high water season, it's different from everyone else lol. Trying to cheer myself up.

Fortunately, there are still some people who come to wash clothes by the river, bathe, uh! Brush their teeth (in the same area) and still have ceremonies to worship the sun and moon every day. The culture here is strong! Really.



Looking at India as it is, India is India. Some cities are more developed than others, and some cities in Thailand are more developed than others. Let go and life will be happy.


Exploring Varanasi

This city is not as backward as I initially thought. Varanasi is quite developed from what I've observed. There are many shops, amenities, and restaurants in the alleys and side streets. There are also many good restaurants (cheap and delicious, and they won't upset your stomach). The alleys and side streets in Varanasi have many different atmospheres. Some alleys on the ground are full of potholes, while others have cows lying down blocking the road. In some alleys, we walked past a guest who was sitting down to relieve himself, so we politely turned into the next alley instead. Each alley during this rainy season allows us to see the way of life in the alleys. Normally, we mostly see the way of life along the river.



Varanasi takes you to eat Lassi

Lassi is an Indian yogurt drink (very famous in Varanasi, it's delicious). Lassi comes in a variety of flavors, including fruits like banana, mango, papaya, apple, and strawberry, as well as sweet flavors like vanilla and chocolate. But the highlight is the incredibly smooth and creamy texture of lassi. When you drink it, it's so smooth and melts in your mouth, it's indescribable... It's so delicious that you'll have a good bowel movement the next morning. (It's not diarrhea, just a good bowel movement).

Note 2: If you come to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and don't eat lassi, it's like you never came.

People in uniform (orange)

If you've ever been to India, you're probably familiar with the sight of people wearing orange clothes walking around in groups, leaving a trail of pungent smoke in their wake.

The first time I encountered this group of individuals was while waiting for a train at Sirikit. They were dressed in orange and each carried a staff with a bell, a cobra, and a Shiva statue at the end. They traveled in groups, or as they are known, "flocks." They would walk by with a cacophony of noise and a pungent body odor that was particularly unpleasant on the sleeper train (non-air-conditioned sleeping car) on the way back. The smell was so bad that it was difficult to breathe.

The question arose as to who he was and why he was dressed like that. I got the answer from an Indian that the people in these orange and yellow uniforms are very devoted to Lord Shiva. Most of them have no home, no job, and nothing. They will spend their lives searching for Lord Shiva. They will take a train to bathe at the foot of the Himalayas. You must be wondering how they can afford it without any money. Well, Indian trains from the sleeper compartment down require a ticket, but anyone can get on, so these orange and yellow people sneak on to travel and find Lord Shiva. When the ticket inspector comes, they will quickly walk to another compartment and keep going until they reach their destination.


The reasons why some people travel

After returning to the hostel and taking a shower, I was exhausted and went to bed early. I decided to go upstairs to the hostel's common area, where there was a group of people playing music and sharing travel stories. I sat down next to a friendly-looking man named Lucas, who was from Switzerland. Lucas had already traveled to 80 countries around the world. He was 29 years old, approaching 30, and had been traveling for three or four years without returning home. I couldn't help but ask him where he got so much money. Was he selling drugs or growing marijuana? This was his response: "I was going to marry a woman in Switzerland, but weddings are very expensive. The wedding was just a month away when my girlfriend broke up with me. I was heartbroken and couldn't bear it, so I packed my bags and left, using the money I had saved for the wedding to travel instead." (Weddings must be really expensive in Switzerland, huh? He's been traveling for four years and still hasn't spent all the money!) I asked him when he was planning to return to Switzerland. "I'll be going back in about two months. I want to visit Sri Lanka first because I'm almost out of money and need to make some more. Haha. The first thing I'm going to do when I get back is go live with my mom and grow vegetables." (We both laughed.) "What have you gained from traveling?" I asked. "I've gotten to know myself better and I've met so many people along the way. There are many reasons why I travel."

After finishing my conversation with Lucas, I sat down to reflect on the various things that have happened in my life throughout my journey. I've encountered a lot, and as I opened my notebook, I realized that both my thoughts and my worldview have changed significantly over the two years since I began my travels.

When will you set off? What are you waiting for?

"Don't be afraid to travel because travel is learning."

Varanasi, a city for cannabis enthusiasts

It is well known that green people are people who like to smoke marijuana. I think if the green people came to visit the city of Varanasi, they would be very happy because here they are forbidden to sell and drink alcohol, so people have turned to growing and smoking marijuana instead. Cool.





Thank you everyone for reading until the end.

Please stay tuned for the next episode of "Dodging Poop in India: Gaya", a city of great importance to Buddhism.

#india
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