Meals on wheels

Eating your way from Tata to Calcutta would mean a four-hour feast across state borders

travelling from Tata to Calcutta in a non-A/C coach this morning is the same: food.

I was introduced to this route, and its food, on a similar morning 15 years ago

The most interesting thing about this train is that in a short span of four hours, it crosses two states and some important stations. Each one of them — the state and the stations — has its own speciality. Take Ghatshila for example, known for its rasmalai and milk cake from a shack close to the station. Legend has it that the train used to make a brief stop in front of the shop, only so that the passengers could run and get their sweets. Then there is Kharagpur — famous for nurturing intellectuals at IIT, and nourishing travellers like us with the most delectable luchis and aloo sabzi. The tiny luchis, served in portions of four, are fluffy and soft, and the potatoes spicy. The highlight of the dish, however, is the single piece of dum aloo perched on top of the stack of luchis. (No, you cannot bribe the seller to give you more than one of those.)

Apart from rasmalai and luchi-aloo , there is also vegetable and potato chop,jhaal muri and ghugni , samosa and coconut water, and the Railway special breakfast of bread and omelette, and chicken cutlet on offer. In short, being on this train is like being on a picnic, on wheels.

       perfectly-fried veg-chops in his wicker basket wrapped in a red cloth. The crispy        vegetable chops, which are a personal favourite, are served piping-hot on a dried leaf, accompanied with cucumber and onion salad, green chilli, and a drizzle of black salt. jhaal muri and theghugni sellers also get on to the coach. As more and more vendors start streaming into the coach, I know my long-awaited picnic has finally begun.