2012 to 2024 - Train ride

It's 2012, I boarded my train from Maihar for Allahabad. Loaded with my luggage, a laptop and a keypad based phone, I sat in the general compartment adjusting myself in the boggie. i would have a confirmed reservation from Allahabad. It would be the start of a long journey towards Silchar. I would do a countdown of 3.5 long hours, no instant gratification of the whatsapp, no habit of engaging in long hours of phone calls. It was the phase when we used 2G.

As the train would leave my native, I would follow the passing city through the windowpane of the moving train. All the streets, the jingling lights, the cozy memories would seem to give a good bye, until next time. The long stare would end in to the the dark abyss of the upcoming jungles and so forth. I would now had all the time to worry about my luggage, listen and observe people sitting close by, think about the people back home and the memories earned. I was a person who was thinking and who was wide alive.

It's 2024. I boarded a train from Indore station towards Mumbai. I carry a mobile phone which is connected to high speed 5G internet. Before the signal turned green, I clicked the departing selfie with the person came to see me off. As soon as I sat on my seat, all emotions are diluted insidemy head. I had opened instagram. I was checking my emails. I was listening to some song. I was loggin inside netflix. The trend applies to the people travelling with me. We are thousands of individual spaces neatly divided by our own digital footprints, digesting information...

Is it that we are more lost, or is it that we are more productive now. Does this interconnectedness come at some cost that has change something fundamental inside us, or, maybe that's how it has been throughout the history of time. Today I stick to the seat besides my window. I kept the mobile data off and had a good stare outside...