JOIN USAirhostesses are smart, suave, lean and beautiful. They attend to the needs of the airborne at high altitudes, cattle class or otherwise. Back on the terra firma we have trainhosts — sturdy, rugged, hard working, prosaic and not necessarily suave. They are the catering boys on long distance trains who supply eatables and drinks for earthy passengers.
I watched these unsung heroes on job as I travelled on a Jan Shatabdi on a hot afternoon. I was amazed at the labour these trainhosts put in while quenching the thirst and /or satisfying the hunger of hundreds of passengers. The distance an airhostess clocks on each flight walking in the aisles gently pushing the trolley of hot food trays has been measured and documented but does anybody know how much these boys walk on each journey? Yes, this is a hard job which only boys can handle — carrying weighty trays laden with eatables, from one end of the coach to another sweating and panting in the sweltering ambiance of non AC bogies.
Minutes after the train rolls out of the station and picks up speed, these brawny boys, in usually unwashed uniforms, warm up to serve us. First roll in lunch items — pulav, biriyani, curd rice, etc for those who have not had their lunch at home. Carrying these lunch packets the trainhosts deftly move from coach to coach, not colliding with the idling passengers en route. As the demand for lunch wears out the next target audience are those who had an early lunch and now feeling the pangs of hunger. For them upma, idlis, etc start making the rounds. To wash down these snacks you need coffee or tea, no? Here comes the chaiwallah and with him the coffeewallah serving the cup that cheers.
As the snack packets disappear, a tasty aroma now starts filling the stuffy coach heralding the arrival of hot, crisp masala vadas. Few can resist the temptation and soon the vadas are passed around. Even as the vadas are melting in the mouths another similar aroma hits the nostrils now — it’s time for hot cutlets with tomato sauce. Time for another round of coffee/tea. Those who had missed this beverage earlier get another chance to charge their nerves. In between you have trivia like kurkure, biscuits, chips, etc to help you keep chewing as a time pass activity as the trains hurtles along. When the train ends the journey for the day these sturdy men rightfully deserve a rest. Perhaps they stretch along the sleeping berths unlike airhostesses who check into a star hotel.
Next time you board a train spare a thought for these young men who perform a walkathon to quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger. They expect no rewards nor do they greet you with a namaste. But just imagine how the journey would be without these magnificent boys with their food trays.