Srinagar, May 27 -- My university is 1,610 kilometers away from home. Typically, I travel by train during holidays. Flights from Chennai to Kolkata are expensive, around Rs.8,000, whereas a First AC train ticket costs approximately Rs.4,500. When relatives question my choice of train over flight, I cite the fare difference. However, the real reason is the joy of a 26-hour train journey-witnessing the changing architecture, people, and languages across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Bengal.

A Change in Plans

In June, after the tragic Coromandel Express accident that claimed 291 lives, my train from Kolkata was cancelled. Flight fares soared to Rs.15,000. Despite my mother's insistence on booking a flight, I saw this as an opportunity to emb...