The Railway Station - By Aditi Kishore Kumar

Written By: Aditi Kishore Kumar

Category: Personal Essay

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Aditi Kishore Kumar offers a moving personal essay titled "The Railway Station." Through her evocative narrative, Aditi paints a vivid picture of the bustling yet reflective environment of a railway station, capturing the essence of travel and the emotions intertwined within it. Her essay is a testament to the power of observation and the stories that unfold in public spaces, making it a compelling contribution to the competition.

About the Work

Aditi Kishore Kumar's "The Railway Station" intricately weaves together the sights and sounds of a bustling train station, highlighting the spectrum of human emotions that manifest in such a place. The essay is rich with imagery, from a dog enjoying a snack to the poignant farewell of an army man and his family. Through her keen observations, Aditi captures the bittersweet nature of departures and reunions, evoking a sense of nostalgia and introspection in the reader.

The Railway Station

Original Submission by Aditi Kishore Kumar

The Railway Station

I’ve been travelling on trains for as long as I can remember. Today the train is late as usual, but we are, at the insistence of my dad, early. Presently, two trains would come and go before ours would rear its head. At the station, a dog laps up some biscuits that a man throws him, a bangle seller shouts his wares, a chaiwala calls; chai, chai, chai. The station is a place of many hellos and goodbyes. A mother clutches her son to her bosom, crying. I can’t make out whether those are tears of joy or anguish. I can hear the drums of a marriage procession as a bride bids farewell to her family. A middle aged man is accosted by his family, they are all smiles and laughter. A voice announces the coming train’s number. It is inevitably late. Everyone knew it would be, it always has been. And yet tempers run high, patience thins, the waiting doesn’t bother me as much as the constant tongue clicking of a young woman beside me. This is when a family caught my eye. No constant tongue clicking, no constant consultation of watches. They all just sat and stared, the woman at the floor, the man at the railway tracks, the little boy in between them at the faces of his parents. Not even a ghost of a smile on any of their faces. “Well somebody’s just had a fight” I think to myself, no sooner have I had the thought, than a train arrives. The man gets up, the woman has tear tracks running down her face. That is when I notice the crew cut, the singular bag, the army boots. He picks up his kid, plants a kiss on his cheek and hands him back to his mother. I want to go to him and say thank you or Jai Hind, just anything, but my legs have lost mobility and my throat has run dry. All I can do is sit and watch as the man gets onto the train and even as it pulls away, stands at the door, peering at his lovely family. I am slightly subdued for a long time afterwards. But soon enough a whistling tells me that my train has arrived and huffing and puffing it pulls itself into the station. Amidst the clamour to get onto it, the army man and his family leave my mind. My family finds our compartment and after much heaving of luggage, we finally seat ourselves. We are sharing our compartment with an elderly couple. The husband asks his wife whether she wants something to eat, she declines. Instead they drink water from a cup that they share. I have claimed the window seat and as the train sets off, I feel like a heroine in a Bollywood movie. With a film song playing in my head, I fall asleep.

When I awake, we’ve long left behind the city. We’re now speeding past fields of paddy. Little pink huts dot the fields and a road snakes along the way. I can make out two children running.

Ahhh, to be a simple village girl, a village girl of times long gone. With the tinkle of glass bangles around my wrists and the fragrance of flowers in my hair. With fields all to myself. And always, forever… the prospect of letters.

* Jaani

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating literary talent from around the world. It invites participants to share their unique voices through various forms of creative writing, offering a space for both emerging and established writers to showcase their work. The competition aims to foster a global community of writers and readers who appreciate the art of storytelling and poetry.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Aditi Kishore Kumar for sharing her evocative personal essay, "The Railway Station," with us. Her participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 enriches our understanding of the nuanced emotions found in everyday moments. We appreciate her contribution and look forward to experiencing more of her insightful storytelling in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.