Lucky to Get there....

The scene was terrible when I reached ISBT, Delhi at around 10pm on 12th August, 2011. I was cursing Delhi Metro for it’s under designed capacity, less number of trains in festive days and mis-management by authority. But that entire curse turned into blessings once I got to know about the traffic problems other patrons had faced in reaching ISBT that night. 13th, 14th & 15th August, three holidays had come together which was a boon for employees like us who always remain in search of these occasions to pay visit to their respective hometowns or to plan out some trip. Thanks to Raksha Bandhan, Sunday and Independence Day Anniversary this time. About 8 pm, I got a call from my friend (Gobind) to confirm that we were finally going and I had to reach ISBT as soon as possible. The plan was to go to Katra and offer our prayers to Goddess “VAISHNO DEVI”. All excited, I packed my bag and left for the holy journey. Without much trouble, I reached Sector 15 Metro station to board a metro going towards Rajiv Chowk. An already overloaded metro reached the station; very few people including me opted to wait for the next one while majority of people boarded the train to meet their respective schedules. After 4 minutes when a new 6 coach metro arrived, I took a sigh of relief being among lesser number of passengers to board the train. I managed to find a place to stand comfortably near the door and occupy an envelope of around 1 ft radius around me. “Thank God, I didn’t board earlier one”, were the lines which everybody was chanting. As soon as the next station arrived & metro gates were opened, a flood of people headed towards my coach and I also got carried away with the flow. Within seconds, I ft radius area got converted into a small rectangle of ½ ft by ½ ft where I could place only one of my feet and helplessly second foot above it, I was squeezed like a soft toy to infinity. Even “to quit” option was not available. As slowly and steadily I recovered from the situation and adjusted myself to make a space for my second foot to rest on the floor , I got to see the same persons who were waiting with me at 15 sector metro station and boarded that overloaded metro. Upon talking with them, it was clear that I was still in better situation because they had to bear the same circumstances three times within last 7 minutes; One while boarding at 15 sector, second while deboarding at next station and thirdly while boarding the next metro.

25 minutes passed, Rajiv Chowk arrived and without maintaining gap (which is always announced in metro) we got off the train. I was not alone anymore, a bunch of people were always with me. I was a part of a crowd in which everybody was heading towards the yellow line. Unfortunately, Railway Station and ISBT put up on the same metro line (a known fact) and hence the row of people hoping to get into the coming metro looked like endless. As metro arrived, the crowd went uncontrolled and everyone was trying to get into the coach by hook or by crook. I wonder how ladies and children had managed to keep breathing while even some of the men were also struggling. The cue was so long that I got a chance in the third attempt. 4 stations from Rajiv Chowk, about 10 minutes ride seemed unending. I doubt if all the people were standing on their own feet including me. After my co passenger gave me a rough look then only I removed my feet and placed on some other person. While almost everyone was frustrated, even then some of the people were enjoying the scene. 10 minutes passed and Kashmiri Gate Station came. While getting down, the situation was worse. I was constantly cursing Delhi metro for its inefficiency until I reached ISBT. The sight was horrible. Fully crowded, filled with mud all around, most of the area under construction, it was a pity on our national capital to own such a low graded bus stop.

Gobind already booked a taxi till Jalandhar from where onwards we planned to drive his own car. Around midnight we started from Delhi and reached Jalandhar around 11am next day. The journey time got doubled, thanks to traffic jam, heavy rains and water logged roads. As we were already lagging in schedule and tired like hell, we decided to take rest for some time and departed for KATRA near about 5pm. We were accompanied by his cousin (Jolly). So we three and his Ford Figo, all in high spirits and excited, left for the holy journey. Around 1 am we reached KATRA and despite of being tired of driving (off course not me, but the other two; credit goes to my non-driving skills), we though to start YATRA but then we got to know about the non-issuance of registration slip between timings 10 pm to 6 am. We were left with no option but to take rest hence booked a hotel room and took a short nap.

In morning around 5.15 am, I and Jolly went to have the registration slip. A long queue had already been made by other pilgrims. Jolly opted to lengthen the queue while I went to checkout some shortcuts. After trying for about 2 hours, helplessly I went to see Jolly again but the queue was bigger and area was fully crowded. After searching for about half an hour I went to room and told Gobind about whole scenario. We both left to see Jolly hoping that he should have got the ticket by now. As we arrived at the venue what we saw was a bigger queue and we were unable to find him. It was already more than 3 hours since he joined the queue. We were worried and could not contact him because only I had postpaid connection which was working. After about an hour, all of a sudden Jolly came to me and asked did I get the slip. “Wholly sh** ” I muttered. It meant still he could not get the slip. He explained that queue was much bigger than we thought in the morning and since morning he has been able to cover only half the way. Gobind joined us and we all decided that now Gobind will stand in the queue with my mobile feeded with hotel room contact number. Frustrated and tired, rest both of us went to room to wait. Still we were relaxing that he called us to come there. Now it was my turn. Fully geared up, I took Gobind’s place. It was 10’o clock. Chit-chatting with fellow patrons and chanting the name of Goddess, I was able to get the slip by 12 noon. Finally, after 7 hours of hardships and dedication, we were happy to register ourselves for “Darshan”.

Around 2.30pm we started our journey and without much trouble we were able to reach the top by 6’0 clock. Most of the people who were standing along with me in queue, met on the way. And we were happy to cross them but were unaware about the strength of people who already managed to reach the top. After settling for some time, we got to know that from 6.30pm to 9.00pm, the temple remains closed due to evening AARTI. Hence we had about 2 hours with us to get ready for the DARSHAN. We hired a locker, had something to eat and took bath under iced cold water. In the mean time, queue got longer and again we tried some shortcut but in vain. Finally we settled in the queue and managed to meet the GODDESS personally by 11pm. As they both need to take some rest and save their energy for tomorrow driving hence they decided to take the way down to KATRA while I alone went for BHAIRON NATH temple. Within one hour I reached at the top and was lucky to get the blessings. Then I spent some time there outside the temple to thank GODDESS to give me opportunity to pay a visit to her. After some time I started getting down. As I was coming down with speed as almost running, I managed to meet both of them near BAN GANGA. It was 4.00 am when we reached our room.

We started from KATRA near about 8.00am and reached JALANDHAR by 2.00pm and they dropped at bus stand. Thereafter I took a bus to Delhi reached Delhi by 2.00am. Then as they say, is history……


Parul Goyal