Journey through the Ghats

A little piece I wrote in the train en route to Udupi from Goa a few weeks back

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An early morning or late evening ride on the Konkan route is truly magical. The clock is soon to strike 7pm and I shall soon arrive at my destination, the temple town of Udupi.
The sun has set. Dusk shall fall soon. The pines stand tall and motionless but for the occasional gust of wind. The sky appears to be overcast but isn't. The expanse neither a shade of blue, nor one of red but falls somewhere conveniently in between. The hills yonder are no more than an outline. The mist averts the eye from beholding its details. They appear a dull shade of grey.

Lush open fields here are sporadic and few. The track is abounded by evergreen forests of the Western Ghats; but this land is not unconquered, but respected and preserved.
The train crosses over the occasional meandering stream. The ocean is not distant, though invisible. The rivers unite with the sea soon after. The union is unwinessed by our eye, to which the streams disappear behind the foliage.


We cross over a stream. The water us a dark mossy green. A strong wind blows. The leaves and branches of the trees bend towards us, as if bowing in salute.

The train runs past a station. The stations here are small comprising no more than two, commonly a single platform. None can boast of much life or activity, contrasting their northern counterparts in every way.

Darkness has now fallen. The trees are now mere contours against the dark blue sky. Another stream. The water mirrors the dark blue. Every passing second brings me closer to my destination.

We enter a tunnel. We are made concious of the artificial lighting within the carrige, that had been 'over-shadowed' by the daylight all along. One feels as if one is underground. That the clock is past midnight.
We emerge. The mountain rocks are a glaring red. But the wall gradually plummets and the pines emerge and envelope the landscape yet again.




My station approaches from a distance. Soon, I shall conclude this voyage and leave behind the tranquillity one experiences in this enchanting ride.
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