Gauhati, the Assam Capital!
I reached Gauhati on a morning in 1970. It was a nice green region. The Malabar Hotel in the centre of Gauhati was the point where I could stay for a few days. It was a simple hotel a single storey tenement, but with great food.
I had travelled to the place in my curiosity and adventure to find a job in the North Frontier Railways which had its headquarters there in a little town called Malegaon. From Gauhati Railway Station a narrow guage train used to go to Malegaon which was free at that time to all Railway employees and would be Railway employees. I was a would be Railway Employee at that time.
This was a total adventure by me totally guided by the Newspapers, the Railways and my intuition. I was in search of a job, duly qualified as a Stenographer and bursting with enthusiasm.
Then came the call from the Railways in reply to my application. Appear for a written test in Malegaon Railway Headquarters. There was a yellow coloured free pass for the third class travel all through and back as a special consideration from the Railways which empowered me through and through! I said, 'Yes' , this is it. I should try. I first announced the news to my mother, and wanted to see her face light up! She was my greatest of supporters in any situation and thought this she will support ! But alas, when she heard it, her face lit up for a while and slowly she was down cast. I was slightly uneasy at the change and enquired the reason. She said, the place is too far away, and I am the only one to run around here at home, and if I went, we have no means to be in touch with me in case of a difficulty or calamity, which was very very true. We had other members in the family and this was a relief. But my parents depended most on me, which I did not understand at the time.
I reached Gauhati on a morning in 1970. It was a nice green region. The Malabar Hotel in the centre of Gauhati was the point where I could stay for a few days. It was a simple hotel a single storey tenement, but with great food.
I had travelled to the place in my curiosity and adventure to find a job in the North Frontier Railways which had its headquarters there in a little town called Malegaon. From Gauhati Railway Station a narrow guage train used to go to Malegaon which was free at that time to all Railway employees and would be Railway employees. I was a would be Railway Employee at that time.
This was a total adventure by me totally guided by the Newspapers, the Railways and my intuition. I was in search of a job, duly qualified as a Stenographer and bursting with enthusiasm.
Then came the call from the Railways in reply to my application. Appear for a written test in Malegaon Railway Headquarters. There was a yellow coloured free pass for the third class travel all through and back as a special consideration from the Railways which empowered me through and through! I said, 'Yes' , this is it. I should try. I first announced the news to my mother, and wanted to see her face light up! She was my greatest of supporters in any situation and thought this she will support ! But alas, when she heard it, her face lit up for a while and slowly she was down cast. I was slightly uneasy at the change and enquired the reason. She said, the place is too far away, and I am the only one to run around here at home, and if I went, we have no means to be in touch with me in case of a difficulty or calamity, which was very very true. We had other members in the family and this was a relief. But my parents depended most on me, which I did not understand at the time.
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