Just Another Reason Why India And Indians Are Incredible In Their Own Way

India- the largest democracy in the world,

India- the land of spices,

India- the land of unity in diversity,

India- the land of festivals,

and India- where there is no better way of traveling other than trains.

The Indian subcontinent is divided into twenty nine states and seven union territories.

Every state has a different culture, a different language, different dressing sense and people of all religion residing in them. However, there are a number of times, you feel that things are not different, but used in a different way, which results in the diversity.

The other day, I was standing at Malad station in Mumbai, waiting to board a local to Churchgate.

A train had just entered the station when I reached. However, I had to board a slow train and the one that arrived was fast. So, I kept my distance from the platform, as people would be rushing to board, and looked at the chart, for the schedule.

Suddenly, I heard a commotion. Three guys saw the train standing, from the overbridge and jumped off a good flight of stairs. The engine stood exactly where the stairs ended. Meanwhile, one of the guys, peeped into the engine, and told the driver hurriedly, A bhai. Rukna jara (brother, please wait for a moment) and ran off to the gents compartment.

The other two guys did the same. Inspired by all of this, a fourth guy tried to tell the engine driver to wait for him too. The engine driver, annoyed, waved his hand at the fourth guy, yelled at him and started the train within a minute.

Many of you might think of the situation as one of the reasons India is lagging, as compared to other countries. Trains are never on time, there’s corruption and criminalism all over, people killing each other, regionism, and what-not.

I, however, cannot stop laughing thinking about the incident. The train stood at the station because the line wasn’t clear. The guys took advantage of the situation and boarded the train. But what’s adorable is that the driver, though annoyed, did not start until the guys had got on.

This is what, according to me, sets us apart. This, is what defines what India is. The driver could have easily started after the second guy came running. They were just like any other passenger to him. He probably would have hit the ignition when the third guy came running. Yet the train stood for another minute- a whole lot of 2000 people waiting for another four to board. It happens only in India, indeed.  

We may disagree at various levels, there might be differences between communities, ideology and customs. But deep down every Indian is fundamentally united and you cannot deny that.

Incredible India and Incredible Indians, aren’t we?