Third Class Passengers' Troubles

At Burdwan we came face to face with the hardships that a third class passenger has to go through even in securing his ticket. ‘Third class tickets are not booked so early,’ we were told. I went to the Station Master, though that too was a difficult business. Some one kindly directed me to where he was, and I represented to him our difficulty. He also made the same reply. As soon as the booking window opened, I went to purchase the tickets. But it was no easy thing to get them. Might was right, and passengers, who were forward and indifferent to others, coming one after another, continued to push me out. I was therefore about the last of the first crowd to get a ticket.

At Burdwan, we faced the difficulties a third class passenger has to endure just to get a ticket. ‘Third class tickets are not sold so early,’ we were told. I went to the Station Master, though finding him was difficult too. Someone kindly directed me to him, and I explained our difficulty. He gave me the same reply. As soon as the ticket window opened, I went to buy the tickets. But getting them was not easy. Might was right. Pushy passengers who had no regard for others kept coming and pushing me aside. So I was among the last in the first crowd to get a ticket.

The train arrived, and getting into it was another trial. There was a free exchange of abuse and pushes between passengers already in the train and those trying to get in. We ran up and down the platform, but were everywhere met with the same reply: ‘No room here.’ I went to the guard. He said, ‘You must try to get in where you can or take the next train.’

The train arrived, and getting on was another ordeal. Passengers on the train and those trying to board traded insults and shoves. We ran up and down the platform, but everywhere we got the same reply: ‘No room here.’ I went to the guard. He said, ‘You must try to get on wherever you can or take the next train.’

‘But I have urgent business,’ I respectfully replied. He had no time to listen to me. I was disconcerted. I told Maganlal to get in wherever possible, and I got into an inter-class compartment with my wife. The guard saw us getting in. At Asansol station he came to charge us excess fares. I said to him:

‘But I have urgent business,’ I replied respectfully. He had no time to listen to me. I was flustered. I told Maganlal to get into any compartment he could find. My wife and I got into an inter-class compartment. The guard saw us get in. At Asansol station, he came to charge us extra fares. I said to him:

‘It was your duty to find us room. We could not get any, and so we are sitting here. If you can accommodate us in a third class compartment, we shall be only too glad to go there.’

‘It was your job to find us a place. We could not find one, so we are sitting here. If you can find us room in a third-class compartment, we will be very glad to go there.’

‘You may not argue with me,’ said the guard. ‘I cannot accommodate you. You must pay the excess fare, or get out.’

‘You cannot argue with me,’ said the guard. ‘I cannot help you. You must pay the extra fare or get out.’

I wanted to reach Poona somehow. I was not therefore prepared to fight the guard, so I paid the excess fare he demanded, i.e., up to Poona. But I resented the injustice.

I wanted to get to Poona somehow. So I was not willing to argue with the guard. I paid the extra fare he demanded, that is, the fare to Poona. But I resented the injustice.

In the morning we reached Mogalsarai. Maganlal had managed to get a seat in the third class where I now shifted. I acquainted the ticket examiner with all the facts, and asked him to give me a certificate to the effect that I had shifted to a third class compartment at Mogalsarai. This he declined to do. I applied to the railway authorities for redress, and got a reply to this effect: ‘It is not our practice to refund excess fares without the production of a certificate, but we make an exception in your case. It is not possible, however, to refund the excess fare from Burdwan to Mogalsarai.’

In the morning we reached Mogalsarai. Maganlal had managed to get a seat in third class, and I moved there. I told the ticket examiner all the facts. I asked him for a certificate stating that I had moved to a third class compartment at Mogalsarai. He refused. I applied to the railway authorities for a refund. They replied: ‘We do not usually refund excess fares without a certificate, but we are making an exception in your case. However, we cannot refund the excess fare from Burdwan to Mogalsarai.’

Since this I have had experiences of third class travelling which, if I wrote them all down, would easily fill a volume. But I can only touch on them casually in these chapters. It has been and always will be my profound regret that physical incapacity should have compelled me to give up third class travelling.

Since then, I have had many experiences traveling third class. If I wrote them all down, they would easily fill a book. But I can only mention them briefly in these chapters. I deeply regret that physical limitations forced me to give up traveling third class, and I always will.

The woes of third class passengers are undoubtedly due to the high-handedness of railway authorities. But the rudeness, dirty habits, selfishness and ignorance of the passengers themselves are no less to blame. The pity is that they often do not realise that they are behaving ill, dirtily or selfishly. They believe that everything they do is in the natural way. All this may be traced to the indifference towards them of us ‘educated’ people.

The troubles of third-class passengers are undoubtedly caused by the heavy-handedness of the railway authorities. But the passengers’ own rudeness, dirty habits, selfishness and ignorance are no less to blame. Sadly, passengers often do not realize that they are behaving rudely, dirtily or selfishly. They believe that everything they do is natural. All of this may be traced to the indifference of us ‘educated’ people towards them.

We reached Kalyan dead tired. Maganlal and I got some water from the station water-pipe and had our bath. As I was proceeding to arrange for my wife’s bath, Sjt. Kaul of the Servants of India Society recognising us came up. He too was going to Poona. He offered to take my wife to the second class bath room. I hesitated to accept the courteous offer. I knew that my wife had no right to avail herself of the second class bath room, but I ultimately connived at the impropriety. This, I know, does not become a votary of truth. Not that my wife was eager to use the bath room but a husband’s partiality for his wife got the better of his partiality for truth. The face of truth is hidden behind the golden veil of maya, says the Upanishad.

We arrived at Kalyan exhausted. Maganlal and I got water from the station tap and bathed. As I was arranging for my wife to bathe, Sjt. Kaul of the Servants of India Society recognized us and came over. He too was going to Poona. He offered to take my wife to the second-class bathroom. I hesitated to accept his kind offer. I knew my wife had no right to use the second-class bathroom, but I finally allowed it. I know that such conduct is unworthy of someone devoted to truth. My wife was not eager to use the bathroom. But my love for her overcame my love of truth. The Upanishad says that the face of truth is hidden behind the golden veil of maya.