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In the ending scene of The Darjeeling Limited, the three brothers run on the platform to chase a departing train. Suddenly they throw away their luggage one by one and board the train without their bags. What is the significance of this scene? What does 'the throwing of bags' imply?

The ending scene

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    I know this might have already crossed your mind but just saying, may be the bags are heavy and the only way to catch the train is to throw the bags away?
    – chaitanya89
    Aug 31, 2015 at 5:32
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    It might have been difficult to board the train with luggage on so they threw the luggage the catch the moving train.
    – Dark Army
    Aug 31, 2015 at 5:32
  • Actually, if you watch the scene, you will notice that they kind of intentionally throw the bags. I mean when they are parallel to the train, they can throw the bags inside too, but they rather choose to throw the bags the away.
    – Ankit
    Aug 31, 2015 at 5:41
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    They inherited the luggage from their father, every piece bears his monogram. They quarrelled with each other about his other possessions (e.g. the glasses). Getting rid of this emotional ballast certainly is symbolic.
    – his
    Aug 31, 2015 at 8:04

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Note the expression 'getting rid of baggage' is usually referring to emotional baggage.

The brother's actual journey is accompanied by a kind of 'spiritual journey' as they confront their pasts, analyze their current life & make plans for the future.

After this actual & emotional journey, the linked Wikipedia article states:

At the station, the three brothers run for another luxury train called "Bengal Lancer" and gleefully discard all their father's suitcases and bags on the railway platform as they run after the departing train.

It is not just suitcases they are discarding, those objects represent their own emotional baggage.

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    Specifically, the emotional baggage they have aquired due to their fathers death. Notice that it is their fathers suitcases they are throwing away - quite literally his baggage that they no longer feel they need to carry.
    – Dr R Dizzle
    Sep 2, 2015 at 9:49

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