??????????? ??? ??? : The Dark Tinted Enigma

As children prepare to return to school after a scorching summer vacation this year, The summer vacations in the 80s were a time of unstructured freedom. There were no summer camps or meticulously planned schedules; it was all about spontaneity. the 1980s! A time when bell-bottoms were the height of fashion, cassettes were the cutting-edge of music technology, and the Indian Railways’ AC coaches were the epitome of mystery and intrigue. If you were a child of this era, you’ll remember those enigmatic dark-tinted windows that adorned the AC coaches, transforming ordinary train journeys into adventures straight out of a mystery novel.

Climbing aboard one of those dark-tinted marvels felt like entering a secret world. The windows were tinted so dark, they might as well have been black holes to another dimension. From the outside, you could never tell if it was the lap of luxury or the lair of a supervillain inside. Naturally, our imaginations filled in the blanks, often involving hidden treasure, clandestine meetings, or at the very least, a Bollywood star in disguise.

Inside, those coaches were like cool caves of comfort, a stark contrast to the blazing Indian sun. The air conditioning was a blessing, turning the compartment into a mini-Arctic refuge. As kids, I have always marveled at this wonder, a far cry from the sweltering general compartments. The seats were plush, the lights dimmed to a cozy glow, and the rhythmic clatter of the tracks was often drowned out by the soothing hum of the AC.

The dark-tinted windows, however, made it impossible to see outside. We could have been traveling through a magical forest or a barren desert, and we wouldn’t have known the difference. This only added to the allure. Our imagination painted the landscape, conjuring up scenes of lush greenery, majestic mountains, and perhaps the odd dinosaur.

When I. Leap forward to today, and those mysterious, dark-tinted AC coaches have transformed into sleek, modern wonders of transparency and technology. The tinted windows have been replaced with large, clear panes that offer panoramic views of the world whizzing by. The once-mystical interiors now resemble five-star lounges, complete with LED lighting, Wi-Fi, and charging ports.

Today’s kids have no idea what they’re missing. They can watch their favorite shows, play online games, or even make video calls, all while cruising down the tracks. They’ve never experienced the thrill of a blackout ride where the world outside was a complete mystery. Instead, they get to enjoy real-time updates and even GPS tracking. Spoilsports.

Even the food has had a makeover. Gone are the days of the humble samosa and chai. Now you can order gourmet meals, and yes, they will deliver it to your seat with a smile. The dining experience on trains has gone from survival rations to culinary delight.

The Nostalgic Tint: Yet, despite all these advancements, there’s a part of me that misses those dark-tinted windows. They were more than just glass; they were portals to a world of imagination and mystery. The sense of adventure they inspired, the stories they seeded in our minds, and the simple joy of escaping the ordinary – these are things modern coaches, with all their technology, can’t replicate.

So here’s to the dark-tinted AC rail coaches of the '80s. You may have blocked out the scenery, but you opened up a world of wonder in our minds. As we speed through the 21st century in our transparent, tech-savvy coaches, we carry with us the fond memories of those cool, dark journeys into the unknown. The coaches may have evolved, but the stories and the nostalgia remain tinted with a special hue that time can never fade.