THE WINDOW SEAT MAGIC

The other day I was returning to Calicut from Trivandrum by train. I had booked my tickets in advance and so had managed to get comfortable window seat. At Kollam station an extended family entered in my compartment. While elders in the family busied themselves with arranging luggage gang of children comprising 4-5 members started competing for window seats. Immediately after settling themselves moms had to intervene in that window seat conflict.

Observing that scene I remembered my childhood and started wondering exactly when this fascination of window seat starts. Of course it starts at very young age and probably remains with us for all through the life unless one adopts a total utilitarian approach in later life.

Observing the outside world from the window of a moving bus or train is always very pleasant experience. The same world looks different when we keenly look at it from the window while travelling. It is like watching a film. You are there, everything is happening in front of your eyes, yet you are not a part of it. And on such moments you feel that the journey should never end.

We keep looking at running trees, vast landscapes, green farms, rivers and waterfalls, hills and valleys, and also bus stands or railway stations, houses and busy markets, children waving hands and road side hotels with loud music being played there. Generally there is nothing unique in any of these scenes. But when we look at them from a window of moving vehicle they certainly become unique and pleasant, may be because we do not become a part of it, but remain only a spectator. For those moments at least we forget our own world. That is a something like a magic of window seat.

While travelling at wee hours or also at dusk window seat gives an opportunity to observe slowly unfolding drama as sun emerges from far away mountains or quietly disappears behind them making dazzling display of golden red light on both the occasions. It is actually like travelling from one world to another.

Long distance travelling at night occupying the window seat is also an experience in itself. That deep darkness all around, that strange feeling as if the entire world is in deep sleep except you and the driver, sudden appearance of dots of lights far away suggesting some village and their subsequent disappearance, the sign boards on the road, chimneys of factories at far away distance, enchanting valleys and glittering sky with sweet moon as constant companion everything looks so unique and way different from our known world.

Travelling in mountainous region window seat offers a sense of adventure. Those sharp turns, deep valleys, bridges and tunnels create quite an excitement for window seat traveller. From window seat rain also looks much more beautiful. Just watch keenly the trees getting fresh in dazzling showers or small stream of water flowing through distant mountains, or even water jumping from rooftops of houses, unprepared passer-by running for shelter or playful children enjoying rain. Everything looks so funny as well as enchanting when seen from window seat. So cool!!! Actually you get into the middle of the rain without getting wet. Of course most of the time fellow passengers will force you to shut the window. That is something really annoying.

Window seat gives an opportunity to get into relaxed, pensive mood. That’s why it is preferred even during daily routine journey from home to office and back. In fact for Mumbai local train passengers getting a window seat is an achievement in itself. One who gets it feels as if his/ her day is made.

Window seat shows the dark side of the world as well. Children begging on railway platforms, desperate hawkers selling items in scathing sun, the hell like slums in big cities, people squatting beside railway tracks during morning hours, window seat shows this all. And you understand that the world is not that much cool. It is a tough place to live in for many.

Window seat indeed gives an opportunity to look at the world in unbiased way. It allows us to observe different facets of the world, forgetting our small-small worries of life. It shows at once that world is a marvellous place if we look at it in that way and try to grasp its beauty. And it also shows that life much tougher for many poor souls thus in a way teaching us to admire what we have got from life rather than complain about it.

Life is also a journey and if we do this journey as if we are sitting on window seat it will be really magical.

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Special Note-I strongly feel that AC compartment of train or AC bus definitely reduces the magical touch of window seat. And in flight there is absolutely no window seat fun as most of the time you see just clear sky or at most few clouds. For some reasons even cars do not offer that window seat relaxation to mind. So if you want to observe real magic of window seat next time travel in non AC train compartment or by non AC bus.