Around India in 80 Trains PDF
Preview Around India in 80 Trains
AROUND INDIA IN 80 TRAINS Praise for Around India in 80 Trains “A wonderfully wry and witty debut. Crackles and sparks with life like an exploding box of Diwali fireworks.” William Dalrymple, author of The Last Mughal “A great big lovely shambling train ride of a book, offering wonderful views, hilarious interludes, all sorts of dodgy characters and some very peculiar smells, all for the one ticket.” Giles Coren, bestselling author and Times columnist “One can only envy Monisha Rajesh as she embarks on this epic journey through the vast tangle and bewildering extension of India’s railways. The ticketing bureaucracy is mad, the travelling companions infinitely varied, the pleasure, discomforts and revelations such that she is guaranteed what even the wriest and most sceptical traveller yearns for: some deeper knowledge of oneself.” Tim Parks, travel writer and Booker Prize nominee “I love train trips and I love travelling around India. If you do too, then this book is a wonderful companion.” Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting First published in the UK by Nicholas Brealey Publishing in 2012 20 Park Plaza 3–5 Spafield Street Boston Clerkenwell, London MA 02110, USA EC1R 4QB Tel: 888 BREALEY Tel: +44 (0)20 7239 0360 Fax: (617) 523 3708 Fax: +44 (0)20 7239 0370 www.nicholasbrealey.com www.80trains.com © Monisha Rajesh 2012 The right of Monisha Rajesh to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. ISBN: 978-1-85788-595-8 eISBN: 978-1-85788948-2 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form, binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior consent of the publishers. Train illustrations by Sroop Sunar www.sroopsunar.com Other illustrations by Kriti Monga www.turmericdesign.com Printed in the UK by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc. First published in the UK by Nicholas Brealey Publishing in 2012 20 Park Plaza 3–5 Spafield Street Boston Clerkenwell, London MA 02110, USA EC1R 4QB Tel: 888 BREALEY Tel: +44 (0)20 7239 0360 Fax: (617) 523 3708 Fax: +44 (0)20 7239 0370 www.nicholasbrealey.com www.80trains.com © Monisha Rajesh 2012 The right of Monisha Rajesh to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. ISBN: 978-1-85788-595-8 eISBN: 978-1-85788948-2 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording and/or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publishers. This book may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form, binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the prior consent of the publishers. Illustrations by Kriti Monga www.turmericdesign.com Printed in the UK by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc. For Baby Rajesh, who is still on board. May all your journeys be filled with adventure. Contents Prologue 1. All Aboard the Insomnia Express 2. Guantanamo Chic and the Perils of Wearing Shoes 3. A Royal Affair 4. ‘Excuse Me Darling, I Have a Message for You’ 5. Hindus Only Allowed 6. Super-dense Crush Load 7. Sexual Healing 8. The Crazy White Man in the Cupboard 9. Sunburn and Spasms 10. Oh My Dog! 11. The Venus Flytrap of Insanity 12. Toy Trains and Afternoon Tea 13. City of Gins 14. Monty Python at the Wagah Border 15. Silk Sheets and a Wad of Human Hair 16. God Bless the NHS! 17. A Taste of Rocky Road Ice Cream 18. Bullets over Brahmaputra 19. The Temple of Doom 20. Losing My Religion 21. Answered Prayers Snakes and Ladders Glossary Acknowledgements About the Author AROUND INDIA IN 80 TRAINS Outline map © Daniel Dalet/d-maps.com THE 80 TRAINS 1 Anantapuri Express from Chennai to Nagercoil 2 Passenger train from Nagercoil to Kanyakumari 3 Himsagar Express from Kanyakumari to Trivandrum 4 Trivandrum-Mangalore Express from Trivandrum to Mangalore 5 Matsyagandha Express from Mangalore to Madgaon 6 Mandovi Express from Madgaon to Mumbai 7 Indian Maharaja-Deccan Odyssey from Mumbai to Delhi 8 Visitors’ train: The National Railway Museum in Delhi 9 Kerala Express from Delhi to Kottayam 10 Sabari Express from Kottayam to Coimbatore 11 Nagercoil Express from Coimbatore to Madurai 12 Nagercoil-Chennai Express from Madurai to Trichy 13 Passenger train from Trichy to Thanjavur 14 Trichy-Nagore passenger train from Thanjavur to Nagapattinam 15 Passenger train from Nagapattinam to Trichy 16 Passenger train from Trichy to Chennai 17 Charminar Express from Chennai to Hyderabad 18 Hyderabad-Mumbai Express from Hyderabad to Mumbai 19 Local train from CST to Parel 20 Local train from Parel to CST 21 Local train from Churchgate to Andheri 22 Local train from Andheri to Churchgate 23 Koyna Express from Mumbai to Neral 24 Toy train from Matheran to Neral 25 Deccan Queen from Mumbai to Pune 26 Pune-Nizamuddin Duronto Express from Pune to Delhi
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