The Damanganga bridge

Well, I'm back from a trip to my home town. Sneaked out of office on Friday and caught a train. Almost missed it because of the heavy traffic at Haji Ali in the evenings.

The train journey wasn't much to write about. Actually I have a huge post ready on the Journey in the second class coach of the Indian Railways. Will post it someday. But one thing which impressed me every time I go back home through train is the Daman Ganga bridge. For those of you not aware, this is a railway bridge built over the river Daman Ganga. This bridge is quite old, probably pre-independence. It is one of those Truss bridges, just like the one on the Narmada river(near Bharuch). Well, the thing is that every time I cross this bridge by train, it fills me up with a sense of awe. I just love the rumbling sound the train/bridge makes as it thunders past.

When I was small, this very bridge used to scare me! Yes, every time we used to come back from Mumbai, mostly in the Flying Ranee, when the bridge used to roar past in the darkness I clinged to my mother. Well, times do change. Now I just get a feeling of satisfaction and calm.Maybe the satisfactory feeling I get is due to the fact that my station is next. After crossing the bridge, the chemical factories go past. And the nauseating but familiar smell signals that you've reached one of the major industrial centres in Gujarat. Someday I wish to photograph this old bridge. when I'll do that I'll post the pics here. It has stood the ravage of the recent flood during the monsoons this year. Hope this bridge stays intact for a long time to come.

PS. This post reminds me of a line from the movie 'The Ghost and the Darkness'

"what better job in all the world, than build a bridge?- make things connect- bring worlds together"