

Getting a lower berth on Indian trains involves sheer luck and sometimes even god's will. Of course, when you get that elusive seat, chances are someone will exchange it with you.



Is it okay to give up a lower berth if someone needs it more than you do? Absolutely. But not everyone has a pleasant experience dealing with train berths. According to this post, a man faced verbal harassment from a woman, a TTE and fellow passengers just because he was unwilling to exchange his seat. In fact, the woman allegedly threatened to call a helpline if the man didn't give up his lower berth.

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We reproduce the man's experience in his own words. However, be warned that this story doesn't have the woman's version, and we cannot vouch for the authenticity of the incident.

Kanishk Sinha who lives in Pune, Maharasthra, was travelling from Delhi to Pune a month ago by train. And with the blessings of Indian Railways (and lady luck), he even scored a lower berth.

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Soon, he was approached by a "pretty girl" who was around 23 years old. The girl looked for her seat and sat beside him. Her luck had got her an upper side berth. She requested the ticket examiner to get her a lower berth instead.

"She got up and went up to the TTE who had just entered our coach. Judging by her body language and a couple of 'please' that I caught, she seemed to be asking for a favour," Kanishk wrote in the post.

Her chat with the TTE changed the course of things soon. Quoting Kanishk, "the conversation that happened text can boil anyone's blood even in the happiest of the moments".

Here's the original post.

TTE: Beta aap seat exchange kar lo madam se. Inhe lower berth chahiye. (You need to exchange your seat with the lady. She wants lower berth)

Me (perplexed): Lekin lower berth meri seat hai. Aap ticket pe seat number dekhiye. (The lower berth is mine. Please check the ticket again.

TTE: Vo mujhe maloom hai. Madam ko upar jane me dikkat hogi to aap apni seat inhe de dijiye. (I am aware of that. She might have trouble climbing up so its better you give your seat to her)

Me: Sorry, aap kisi aur lower berth vale se puch lo. (Sorry, can you ask someone else for the lower seat?)

Girl: Tumhe ek baar me samajh me nahi aata kya? Behre ho? (Are you deaf? Cannot you listen in one go?)

Me: Excuse me, but aap zara tameez se baat kariye. (Excuse me, but you need to check your tone)

TTE: Sahi bol rahin hain madam. Chaliye aap upar shift ho jaiye. (She is right. You need to exchange your seat now)

Me: Sorry Sir, mai bohot izzat se bat kar raha hu lekin mai upar nahi jaunga. (Sorry Sir, I am being as polite as I can but this is not happening. Not today.)

Girl: Mere legs me sprain hai. Itna bhi nahi samajh aata tujhe k mai upar nahi chadh paungi. (I have a sprain in my legs. Can't you see that I wont be able to climb to the upper berth?)

Me: Excuse me, but I saw you enter the coach with your luggage all by yourself. You even tip-toed to put your stuff on the upper berth. Don't make stories.

Some stranger: RPF (Railway Protection Force) me phone laga k utarvaiye iss ladke ko. Tameez nahi hai kaise baat krte hain ladkiyon se. (Someone call RPF and get this guy out of the train. He doesn't even have manners to talk to a girl)

Some other stranger: Dikhta nahi akeli ladki hai. Itna samaan hai uske paas. (Can't you see she is alone? She is carrying so much luggage)

Me: Samaan le kar upar nahi chadhna hai inhe. Aap kahe to mai niche apne saman ki jagah inka rakh leta hu. (She doesn't need to climb with the luggage. She can keep it right here and I will move mine somewhere else)

Girl: I am going to call the female helpline right now. (She was seconded by many onlookers)

Me: Aapko jo karna hai kariye. (I turned towards the TTE) (Do whatever you wish to)

Me: Aur Sir aap. Mere father railways me hain. Senior Audit Officer. Aap agle station pe apne supervisor se baat kar lijiyega. Its illegal to force any passenger to leave their seat without any solid ground. Thank you. (And you Sir, my father is a Senior Audit Officer with the Railways. You will need to talk to your supervisor at the next stop. Its illegal to force any passenger to leave their seat without any solid ground. Thank you.

The TTE soon backed off after learning that Kanishk's father is a Senior Audit Officer with the railways. The matter was dropped but soon he heard the girl saying, "He should be ashamed of being a man. His parents did not even teach him how to treat a woman nicely".

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He ended a post with this:

"Is this sexism? Hell, yes!

"Women are an integral part of everyone's life. She is a mother, a sister, a daughter and a wife. That is why, men are taught to give women special treatment and women are taught to expect special treatment. Men are taught that fighting, dying and sacrificing themselves is a noble endeavor, but women experiencing any emotional distress is terrible.

"I am disappointed. I am angry. Now, I am out of words.

Thank you."