That Night.. I saw, I Learnt.

  

The relentless winters of North India was at its pinnacle. I was somewhere crossing MP region to reach New Delhi Railway Station the following morning. A berth in 3AC class of Bangalore Express was the least i wanted for a comfortable sleep at night in the train. But my unplanned journey at short notice only landed me in a non-AC Sleeper class compartment. The windows of the train never closed completely to their capacities making room for the cruel cold waves to run inside and make the coach a freezer. The opening of doors at frequent stations only added to my woes. It was the coldest journey i was ever making. 

                                                         At an unknown small station i got down off the train to find a hot cup of tea  to warm my palms at the least. I could nt find the name of the railway Station because it was too foggy and the night was  jet dark. With Gods grace i found the usual Chaiwala ( Tea vendor ) and comforted myself with the heavenly sips. As i returned back to my coach i saw a poor old couple wearing rags, sitting on footboard area of the coach near the toilets. They did not have adequate clothing for the chilly night. Probably they did not even have a ticket. I saw them shivering with their jaws vibrating due to cold. Late in their seventies, they had lost physical strength, faith and the necessary body fat to stand the weather. The sight was pathetic and one would need a lot of ill - guts to ignore humanity and reach for his seat. I was no better human being, so i bought two cups of tea for the couple and left them for my seat. 

                  

Opposite to my berth were two Afghani men in their early twenties. They were huge and handsome due to the genes they carried. In the short conversation that our cabin counterparts shared with them, I learnt that they came to India for a tour and were on their way back to Kabul via Delhi.  As i reached back to my berth he asked me if the tea vendor was still around. One of them went out to get the tea.  

Late in the Night

                          I woke up after an hour of sleep due to the sudden switching on of cabin lights. It was the TTE ( Ticket checker). What i saw then was a complete shocking scene. The old couple i saw sitting near the toilet were sitting on Afghani s berth. The Afghani fellows were sitting at the corner and had offered their complete berth to the poor old couple. They got so emotional on seeing them in that circumstances that they could not afford to sleep happily inside the coach. So they decided to part away their comfort for the poor old couple. The old man was very happy now as the old woman was feeling better and warm. He had his eyes filled with tears at the generosity shown by two men from other land. Something they cannot imagine from people of their own country. The Afghanis too were moist in their eyes to see the plight of the couple and their poverty. And here it was me who couldn't stop few drops of tears from my own eyes. It touched me, it taught me and it taught many others in that coach to have mercy and emotions for poor, for the needful,for the age, for the plight. The Ticket Checker  though knew it was his duty to pull out the ticketless old couple out of the train but walked out in complete silence. He chose to take his moral call this time. 

I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.