Father's Blessing...., the Mother's Blessing.....!

Father's Blessing, the Mother's Blessing....!

The train to Delhi rumbled out slowly from the Thrissur station. The Jayanthi Janatha was a 'all second class' train in those days. My brother and sister had come to the station in the taxi car from the village which came to drop me. The Thrissur station was called 'Trichur' in those days. There were no pre paid booth or too much rush for buying tickets. The present separate reservation centre was not there!

My brother helped me to bring up my small suitcase and bed bundle along with the umbrella which father had given. The train arrival was announced by a tripple bell and then the train, a diesel engine arrived. The entry was unceremonious and once I settled down in the seat near the window our countries changed: Now my brother and sister will be in Thrissur and then back home where as I will lose their connection and the train will move forward. Slowly it happened. We were separated into different worlds. The diesel smoke came through the open windows. It was cleared by the fresh air which blew in from the Wadakkanchery and Ottappalam paddy fields and coconut palms.

There were no pockdet phones or cell phones as we know now, the only connections were the letters which I can send by post. I had kept blank inland letter forms and post cards, enough to keep me for a fortnight. The first letter will be after I reach and it will reach only after four days at the minimum and a weeks time at the most. In unusual cases, it may be a very long time wihout any sharpness of time. Slowly the time became dark and the lights in the compartment came up. It was a clean compartment with oak wood seats and berths without any bed. The kosady bed (a light cotten wool bed) was useful in these circumstances and I took full advantage of it in my early journeys along with the pillow which mother had specially sewed up for me.

The train had a pantry car with all the members from Wadakkanchery as bearers or servers. They endered all the travellers soon with their contnuous servings of tea and snacks. Took orders for meals for those who needed it. At times sat with travellers who were first timers and gave sincere advices and related their own experiences etc. Etc.

I surveyed my co travellers, a family of four, a young girl and a stocky youth sleeping in the upper berth. Time became dark and dinner was served. That is the time for the evening meal. I opened my little pack of home made meal neatly packed in a piece of plantain leaf covered again with news paper and nicely tied up. Once it is opened, I could see my mother and all my sisters and brothers in it. It was all their effort and this will be my last meal from home until my next visit. That brought tears in my eyes, but I tried to control it. The nice fish curry had its aroma which was mouth watering, and it had a piece of fried omlette and a big piece of fried fish which I was really fond of. It was an unduly huge piece, just put there as a parting gift. Slowly, I worked into the food and soon got it all over and prepared for sleep. A few minutes we chit chatted among the co-travellers and then it was the nicest of sleep in the low rocking mostion of the train and the light wind blowing with no rains.

Once in Delhi, after two days of rolling up in the Jayanthi Janatha I was in my work station where the whole life style was different in a single room residency. I wrote home of the hilarious journey in the train to appease my mother (Otherwise she will panic for me and will think 'my child is put to too much hardship'. To amuse her I wrote: “Mother, why did you put such a huge piece of fry fish in the pack. You should have give it to Father.” After two weeks, I got back a letter from home in which my mother wrote back with the help of my sister : “I had kept it for Father, but Father only said: “I am here, and the little boy is going: Give it to him in his supper pack” “We don't know when we will have another meal with him” ...I was really wonder struck at his simple kindness and forethoughts about me which he never showed outside!