A particular aunt of mine could never travel by bus. Every single day of her life from Ragama to Fort she would commute by train to work, claiming that the Railway was the way to go, due to the ease of travel, low cost and speed. She did sound like an advertisement or perhaps a marketer for Sri Lanka Railways. Whether it’s a short travel to Kelaniya or a much longer trip to Badulla, she could never bring herself to opt for the bus, and would always travel by train. The obsession once not understood, today, is clear as day.
Initially the railways can be a confusing place to newcomers and the transition from a bus passenger to a daily commuter on the railway can be a difficult choice. From time tables to various routes called ‘lines’, to platforms and compartments, from return tickets to season passes, from the suburban to the intercity service, it can be a lot to take in at first. A favorite railway anecdote is how an individual sprung up close to the station he needed to get off at, while asking a commuter nearby where the ‘bell’ was as he needed to get off at the next ‘halt’. Yes, transition indeed takes time.
After having being used to busses that arrive every few minutes it can be difficult to attune one to wait at the station and travel according to a particular time table. Why suffer by missing the train when busses are available at all time’s? But as one would discover, not really.
At first one is struck by how cheap traveling daily by train is. As yours truly discovered while the commute in the bus from Nugegoda to Maradana is currently at Rs. 20 and rising, it would only cost one Rs.10 on the train.
On a train there are no blaring radios or televisions, no rude bus conductors asking you to move back and forth or to give space as train commuters are gracious enough to do so without having to ask. Also obvious is that there are no suicidal drivers over taking one another, and better yet no congested traffic or traffic lights. There is peace to read a book leisurely, or listen to music or to have a chat with a friend with no intrusions.
Convinced about the railway after a few trips, as one settles in and gets comfortable, it dawns that the railway is much more than just a mode of transport. Sri Lanka’s railway, specifically of the suburban service is a close knit community. It is a different world altogether, and takes a life of its own. It has its own unspoken rules, culture, lingo and ways.
As can be witnessed in evenings at stations such as the Maradana Railway Station, train commuters always walk fast or run towards the station. A question posed by many is ‘What are they running for? It is indeed a difficult question to answer. As if losing all control people including novice commuters find themselves speed walking along with many towards the Railway station despite not being late. It can be put down to ‘just another railway’ quirk.
Perhaps another quirk is that train commuters are strict creatures of habit. Always on time, as the train reaches the platform each person heads out to his or her self designated compartment. A particular friend would only travel in the compartment one before the last for reasons unexplainable. Invariably as well as bafflingly one tends to follow suit.
Due to this habit a sense of community is formed as you get to know and greet your fellow commuters each morning while sharing the day’s paper among each other, others offer up their seats for no reason other than out of comradery and sense of community.
The sense of community is the same reason that many Facebook pages are created for different railway lines where travelers discuss problems relating travel, information regarding changes, events or just fun facts about the particular line. Just as much as the railway is a network, its commuters too have their own.
Taking initiative due to community spirit, it is common to see commuters grouping to make their grievances known to the officials. For example commuters travelling in the Kelani Valley line recently signed a petition collectively after being held up at a particular railway station. In times of adversity the passengers can always be seen banding together.
At times one wonders if the part about being creatures of habit is also passed on to beggars and the homeless encountered on a train. A beggar that frequents the Kelani Valley line is nicknamed ‘Surathali’ as he only sings songs by from the Sinhala movie ‘Surathali’. Despite singing the same few songs every day to the same crowd of people, the commuters never fail to reward him handsomely till he struggles to put the collected money into the pouch he carries, which is perhaps the reason he refuses to change his tune. Like everything else, it is a habit to see ‘Surathali’ on the way home.
And perhaps it also spreads across to those living in the vicinity of a railways track. A known lady had got into the habit of looking at the train daily. While never travelling on it, she would ensure that she would catch a glimpse of the 8.00am train. Her reasoning was that by looking at the train it would ensure that she remains active throughout the day just as the train was, never stopping, never ceasing, but for a few moments of rest.
A particular unspoken rule on the railway is that a seated person should offer to hold hands with the person standing in front, if the person standing is too short to hold on to the bar above. Mostly this habit prevails among the youth, and therefore it is not uncommon to see many young people holding hands on the train. The person seated need not be acquainted with the person they are holding hands with and it is considered as an act of support to a fellow traveler.
One should not be shocked to see groups of commuters’ playing cards, or singing during their daily commute back home. As the band of travelers eventually become friends, it is considered normal to stand around in a group and play a game of Omi, or belt out some favorite tunes as others are lulled by the swaying of the train all the way home. Others play a different game of musical chairs as friends from a group take turns in sitting after one of them acquires a single seat with the greatest difficulty.
Unlike in a bus, women on daily commuter trains can feel safe. While in a bus a woman maybe groped, prodded and touched it is extremely rare on a daily commute perhaps because as the crowd is known the twisted individual would not find it so easy to get away as in a bus.
Train commuters are also extremely faithful to the Railway. While massive delays can occur it is rare to see a person leave to instead take a bus. Instead they opt to wait. Even though a train is delayed the idea among everyone is to ensure that each and every commuter gets to his destination.
The railway does have its set of problems such as overcrowding and not everything is rosy. It can use more trips and newer trains, but commuters hardly complain. Despite its delays, breakdowns and strikes, commuters remain steadfast in their loyalty towards the railway. For many commuters it is a life line that cuts long bus journeys short, and a service that helps their economy at home by cutting down on transport costs.
However, there is perhaps another reason that ensures a commuter’s loyalty. It is the amazing spirit of community among the passengers. It welcomes you with open arms, and gives a sense of belonging. They would help you up onto the compartment and shift around to make more space so that you can sit. They would hold your hand to ensure that you don’t fall. If given the chance they would share food, newspapers, stories and ultimately friendship with you. That is the difference in Sri Lanka’s railways.
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