A Backward journey

It was years, perhaps decades, more precisely if I sharpen my recollection, it was in the first week of January 1976.

I was a bachelor, went to Kerala for Chinnamony’s marriage. After the marriage I was returning to Delhi. It will be inappropriate, if I do not mention the railway facility those times. There was no Broad-gage beyond Ernakulam down South. So, I boarded the Kollam-Ernakulam metre gauge, which left Kottayam sometime around midnight. My friend late Kuttappan and brother Johny were there to see me off. The following morning (very early morning) I reached Ernakulam (almost 4 – 5 hours) to board ‘Jayanthi Jantha’ -that was the name of the only direct train to Delhi from Cochin.

If I give a minute by minute detail of my journey, it would be really boring. The 2nd Sleeper was filled -over filled -with families (moving along with their Kerala memories like kappa, chakka, ural, ulakka, unakka meen, chakkakuru, etha pazham, and what not) bundled in cartons and jute bags (chaku), girls and boys (marriageable age) also with all the above memories. But a toddlers cry every now and then kept us disturbed, and then th0se days, that kind of noise need not be worth noticeable. The toddler was perhaps less than a year old with her mother, (I am sure it was a girl child), a young lady in mid-twenties was there in one of the six sleeper cabins. The youngsters were enjoying playing with their young companion like a crying toy, which is a pastime during the journey in a 6 footer cabin. After a tiring three full days’ run and the usual Indian railway’s late run, the train creeped into the New Delhi Station(Only Paharganj and no Ajmmere Gate). Time was around 4 or 5 p m. I had only a small carry-bag and a small carton box with which I was going to alight the train. Then I noticed the toddler’s mother peeping through the window looking for someone who was to receive her. She could not carry all the luggage she was carrying with her child in her arms. I offered to help her to take her luggage down. She seemed disturbed as she could not locate her receiver (husband in this case) anywhere near the station. He was a Military personnel located at Bareilly. As I was trying to say good bye to her, the lady almost came to tears and told me, her husband was to come and that she had telegraphed him.She pleaded me to stay on for some more time hoping that her husband might reach her some time. Those days telephone was a luxury and mobile phones were not even heard of. After waiting for almost an hour I asked her If I could help her by accompanying her to the platform where connecting train to Bareilly could be boarded. She hesitated, but helpless, told me she did not have the necessary money also to buy a ticket to Bareilly. I got irked, I too had exhausted all my money. I could not leave that lady with the toddler in the early January in New Delhi Station. So I told her I would go home and come back before the time Bareilly train was to leave. She thought I was also making excuse and escaping. I repeated my promise to come back. She believed it or not. After reaching home, I told the story to Nair who first advised me to ignore and relax. But on my repeated pestering he agreed to accompany me to the station. I could see the glare in the lady’s eyes with relief. I could notice her struggle to control her tears with joy. We bought the ticket for her upto Bareilly. She had taken my address. The Train was so crowded, Nair & me somehow managed to put in the boxesand bags she had carried and placed both mother and child on one of the boxes for their over night (12 hours) journey to Bareilly.

I had almost forgotten the case, but after a month or so (thanks to the Postal Services)I had received Rs.10/- by money order and an inland letter from her husband, thanking me for the help. I have not kept the letter nor do I remember the name of the person.

The girl might be over thirty five/thirty six now, probably married with children, The mother and father settled in Kerala or may be in Delhi.