Let us visualize we are traveling from DehraDun to Amritsar. We get down to DehraDun station in time to catch the 1-50 p.m. train. We find seats in a carriage of the waiting train, see our luggage out in, and then settle down for the journey. The guard blows his whistle and waves his green flag, the engine slowly beings to move, and we glide out of the station.
The country of the Dun valley through which we are passing is pretty, and so we amuse ourselves by looking out of the carriage windows. As the train winds away eastward, we can see to the left the lower Himalayan hills and even the white houses of Mussoorie, while to the right is the Siwalik range. We pass by green fields; and then through beautiful forests range we pass by green fields; and then through beautiful forests; and everything looks very bright and pleasant in the afternoon sunshine.
After some hours, we run through some tunnels and come to the sacred town of Haridwar where the train stops. Even from the train, we can see the clear, green waters of the Ganges, and some of the little Hindu temples on its banks. We may see a troop of pilgrims tramping along the road; for Haridwar is a holy place, and many come to bathe in the sacred river and worship in the temples. It is crowded with sacred monkeys, and many of them come to the station to meet every train, and sit on the line or jump on the carriage roofs, begging for bread and fruit.
After we lave Haridwar, we have passed through the Siwalik Hills and are journeying over the plans of the Utter Pradesh. At the little junction of Lakhsar, the train is reversed; and when we start again we seem at first to be going back on our tracks. About 8 p.m. we reach Saharanpur, and here the train waits half an hour so that we can get our dinner.
When we start again, we begin to think of going to bed; but it is no use getting to sleep before we have passed Ambala which we reach about 10 pm. For Ambala is about the noisiest station I know. The platform is crowded with people talking, shouting and making, a dreadful din: cries of `all cast of people drink hot milk’ sleep impossible.