• A Long Return To Home – Part 2

    Ah…a very long gap between this and Part 1 (of my journey by 11028 MAS-CSMT Mail, starting on last Dec 29) https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2018/01/21/a-long-return-to-home-part-1/ . Well, you have yet another trip to Chennai ( a stopover on the way to Trichy) at the end of this January; as well as a fat lot of work after returning –…

  • A Long Return To Home – Part 1

    After an end-of-the-year 5-day trip to Chennai (which included a one-day visit to Bangalore), it was time to return home i.e. Mumbai – before the beginning of 2018 (All good things do come to an end! 😦 ). Since I could not get suitable seats in any other train, I had to settle for 11028…

  • A short response to Nivedita Menon’s blog on Raya Sarkar’s List

    This is my shortest blog post ever. It is also very late. The reason why I am posting it is because my comment on the Kafila blog (of which renown Savarna feminist Professor Nivedita Menon is a member and co-Founder) is waiting for moderation – and I have doubts on whether it will be posted…

  • Double – decking it to Bangalore – Part 2

    Where had I left off ? Ahh…when we exited SR and moved into SWR – on leaving JTJ! As for the MAS-JTJ portion, please refer https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2018/01/10/double-decking-it-to-bangalore-part-1/ . Any difficulties understanding technical terms and station codes, please refer to the legend right at the bottom (Can’t promise to resolve all doubts though!). 12610 SBC-MAS Intercity entered JTJ…

  • Double – decking it to Bangalore – Part 1

    As the title suggests, I was to take 22625 MAS-SBC DD express from Chennai- the day being 27th Dec. It was to be a one-day outing to Bangalore; the return being by 16022 MYS-MAS Kaveri express. As ever, please refer to the legend right at the bottom for all technical terms (won’t be covering all, though!) and…

  • Year-end mini-vacation to Chennai – Part 2

    I resume from where I had left off – regarding the account of my train journey by 11027 Mumbai Chennai Mail starting on Dec 23. Here is Part 1 https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2017/12/26/year-end-mini-vacation-to-chennai-part-1/ . As always, refer to the legend right at the bottom for all technical terms and station codes (haven’t included all, again!). Our electric loco from…

  • Year-end mini-vacation to Chennai – Part 1

    After a memorable trip to Chennai the previous month, it was time for yet another such trip in the final month of the year. I was to take 11027 Mumbai Chennai Mail (yet again! 😀 ) on Saturday 23rd night. I had booked an AC 2 Tier ticket, which was originally RAC3 and then became…

  • Liberals and the complicity in casteism – Part 2

    This is a continuation of my rant about the casual casteism of liberals from Part 1 https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2017/12/12/liberals-and-the-complicity-in-casteism-part-1/ . I am sorry for the long gap in between, but well; I was busy with work – to compensate for the end-of-the-year vacation that I am gonna take. Like I mentioned earlier, I am an ex-liberal. Like most…

  • Liberals and the complicity in casteism – Part 1

    I am from a conservative Tamil Brahmin family, which has always leaned to the right (supporting BJP, RSS etc.). I  am privileged in four ways – gender (male), religion (Hindu), caste (Brahmin) and class (upper middle – class). I have been blind to most of these privileges. Because of the patriarchal structure of my family…

  • A Return Journey To Remember – Part 2

    This is Part 2 of my account of my train journey by 11042 Chennai Mumbai express on Nov 25 – sorry to keep you waiting; was busy with work over the last few days! Here is Part 1 if you haven’t read it yet! https://ashwinkumar1989.online/2017/12/03/a-return-journey-to-remember-part-1/  As always, please refer to the legend right at the bottom…