Journey generally means travelling a long distance Yes; I had travelled last year with my parents to Bombay by Gitanjali Express in order to attend the marriage ceremony of my cousin who stays there.

It was the month of December. The weather was pleas­ant. We started for Bombay from Howrah railway station. We spent the night in the train. Outside it was dark, and nothing could be seen. My parents went to sleep in their berths, but I did not feel sleepy. For me, it was a thrilling journey.

I was being carried away far from Calcutta every minute and every hour. In the calmness of the night, the noise of the wheels created by the motion of the train seemed rhythmical. The dim light overhead added to a mystic atmosphere. It was perhaps only me, the lone traveller, who kept himself awake so late at night in the compartment. I do not remember when I fell asleep.

In the morning, I got up at about 7 A.M. I looked out­side. The stations were passing fast before my eyes. The land, the towns, the mills, the villages-all of them composed a unique picturesque and pleased my eye. It was a new experience for me to see another state of India. The stations like Nagpur, Wardha, or Bhillai were so long known to me only through the pages of geography.

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We reached Bombay in the afternoon. Our cousin came to receive us at the Victoria Station with his Fiat car. His residential flat was very nice. It was near the Marine Drive. This was first time that I visited Bombay.

The wedding ceremony was simple. A limited number of guests were invited. According to the Hindu rites, the ceremony was performed, although in presence of the Marriage Registrar and three independent witnesses the newly wedded couple signed the register. There was a grand feast. The food came from a renowned hotel. We really enjoyed the marriage party.

Next day, we were taken by a bus of the Govt. Tourism Department, and shown all the important sights in the city. After three days, we returned to Calcutta.

The memory of my Bombay visit remains as a living picture with me even today.