Train journeys now are not what they were back in the day. That is what I realised during a recent trip to Tirupathi.
The train arrived at the platform at the scheduled time. We got into our coach and occupied our seats. The compartment was packed with passengers, but an eerie silence pervaded within half an hour of the journey.
Wondering at the unusual, unexpected quiet, I looked around, watching fellow passengers. Everybody was gazing attentively at the screen of their phones and was lost in the world of WhatsApp and Facebook, not bothering about the people around them or to watch the scenery outside. Young and old, all were busy with their smartphones.
