Travelling in a Train - By Akshat Rassay

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Misery of a sensitive rail passenger
Stinky toilets, body odours,
disturbing loud perfumes
And to make you suffer more,
the repulsive lingering smell
of cigarettes consumed

Even with the carriage
oscillating, which soothes,
and earphones masking
some horrible sounds...
There's much to put up with.

Blatantly people encroach
your space, shocking to see...
It's hardly tolerable - every now
and then, having random feet
brushing one's knee!

My friends with sensory
needs, perhaps would agree
One has to be really, really 
desperate, and choiceless
To bear a train journey.

By, Anagha Jwalekar

A few months ago, while watching the music videos, Akshat stumbled upon some train videos and began watching them. These videos, like others, played repeatedly, but I was glad to see his interest in something new. In the next few days, whenever I had spare time, I would sit with him, watch various train videos along with him and recount our own train journeys. Each time, he would attentively listen, even if for a brief period.

After a few days, I asked him if he would like to write something on train, considering his exposure to train videos and discussions we had on them. He agreed and that's how this piece about trains came to be.

The first paragraph and two lines of the second paragraph provide information he acquired through listening, while remainder reflects his personal experiences.


Travelling in a Train

Trains are the most magnificent mode of moving from one place to another. Trains in India have complex routes and networks. These trains run from west to east, south to north, all across India. There are routes, which are thrilling and mind blowing.

There are many trains like double decker, humsafar express, shatabdi in which I have travelled. Travelling in a train is very sensory feeling. There is a huge feeling of anxiety because of people around. In a train, so much of noise, lot of filthy smell makes it impossible for me to travel.

Although, moving train bring some relief but people talking makes me anxious. Earphones help to some extent but grinning sound of train so intense that it can’t be avoided.

 Travelling in Train can be sensory difficult..


Akshat Rassay


Comments

  1. bharathiJuly 11, 2023 at 5:38 AM

    Wow! Very nicely expressed Akshat. Esp the part about sensory overwhelm. The crowd, the smells. And at the same time the moving carriage that is soothing. You have summed it up very well

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnjaliJuly 11, 2023 at 9:16 AM

    Wonderful Akshat. Even I find traveling in train especially train toilets hell of a sensory overload.

    ReplyDelete
  3. vijiJuly 12, 2023 at 1:30 AM

    The poem truly reflects our train journeys, but things are getting better.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pratiksha Kush 's mammaJuly 13, 2023 at 5:11 AM

    Very much relatable to my son's experiences..Akshat has expressed very well ..I am proud of people on the spectrum that they fight sensory battle while travelling long route by train

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ritu Ranka RassayJuly 14, 2023 at 10:57 PM

    Thanks all

    ReplyDelete
  6. VaishaliJuly 31, 2023 at 3:42 AM

    Akshat express very well about sensory issues of people on spectrum 👏

    ReplyDelete

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