Taking to the Rails

According to our ‘Lonely Planet’ guide, India has the largest rail system in the world and it is the world’s largest employer. Christopher and I had the chance to experience this legendary rail system first hand as we trekked from Rishikesh to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal.
Our train left from the neighboring city of Haridwar at 6:00 AM. This meant leaving our hotel at 4:30 AM and taking a taxi. When our hotel was booking the taxi, 4:30 sounded a bit early but they wanted to leave time for traffic. I found it hard to believe that there could be traffic at that hour, but sure enough, there were people out doing there chores, bringing produce to market and beginning their day. Really I don’t blame them. It is so hot during the day that the earlier you get started here the better.
The train station looked more like a refugee camp with families camped out all over the place. Being white, we walked in with all eyes on us. It is odd to be treated like a celebrity when the only thing you have done that is noteworthy is to be born with white skin and blue eyes. In any event one of the railroad employees was nice enough to tell us where to go. Our first class ticket across India cost about $20. This, we were told, would afford us air conditioning and a bed to sleep in.
India has long been a country with a very disproportionate distribution of wealth. You see it all the time on the streets, but nowhere is this more apparent than on the train. As we stood in front of our first class car, the people surrounding us were either Westerners or wealthy Indians. The women dressed in expensive saris and the men in fine suites. Everyone was neatly groomed and clean, and there were no disabled or malnourished people at all.
This stood in stark contrast to the folks at the next car over. The car itself looked like something you would transport livestock in. The people in front of it were obviously poor and many were unkempt with matted hair and soiled clothes. There were many families and many barefoot children. There were no white people at all, or any other race for that matter, and most of the Indians had darker skin. Although Indian’s tend to have darker skin in general, there is a notable separation between the Indians with lighter skin who tend to be more well off and people with darker skin who frequently live in poverty. (Thus Christopher and I being treated like royalty). Discrimination based on skin color is not something that is government sanctioned, but like racism in America, it very much exists and is quiet systemic.
As we boarded the train we found our seats, which folded out into comfortable beds. There were power outlets for my laptop and the whole car was refreshingly air-conditioned. Shortly in to our journey and conductor came by and brought us pillows, blanket and sheets should we wish to take a nap.
At one of the stops, another train had pulled up next to us. And we could clearly see the third class passengers hanging out of the neighboring train. There were children and elderly women. It had to be over 100 degrees out there. We tried to take a photo, but the refection of the tinted glass would not allow us to even to that. We were completely separated from their world, and while I was grateful to be riding in such comfort, I couldn’t help but think of the family of five in the neighboring train and just how patently unfair life is.