JOURNEYS & JOURNEYS – 2

                  A Night Train journey from Lucknow to Agra (1966)

It was the return journey from Lucknow, capital of U.P., after attending the All India Conference of the AITEU Class III Union (NFPTE) held there in December 1966. The 6-7 delegates from Kerala planned the return journey through Agra so that the world famous Taj Mahal can be visited.

We could not get any reservation ticket for the journey. Purchased ordinary tickets. It was night and there was heavy rush.  Since it was winter, all were having hold-all packs, as was the system at that time with the dresses, books etc. bundled in them. It was not a train starting from Lucknow and we were waiting for the train to arrive.

To get in to the train with the hold-alls was difficult due to the heavy rush. The train arrived at last. Its windows had no bars or glasses, so that one can even jump through it. Others rushed through the door.  I, as the youngest person, was asked, to put the entire luggage inside through the window and then get in through the door. By the time I put all the luggage through the window, the train had already started and due to rush I could not get in to the compartment. However, I got in the next and last compartment where there was no rush. The train gained speed.

When I searched for a seat, I was dumb-founded. It was a Ladies Compartment. A good number of young nurses were sitting. An elder Sister came to me and asked in Malayalam whether I am from Kerala. I nodded. She told me not to worry. She said that she is the teacher of a Nursing School at Agra and is returning from Lucknow where she has brought the nursing students, mostly belonging to Kerala, to appear in the Nurse’s examination.  She also said that the train will reach Agra by early morning and allowed me to sit there.

After a few hours, the train slowed and stopped. No station was to be seen. It was pitch dark. It seemed that there was some maintenance work going on in the tracks. I was standing at the opened door and looking out. The Nursing teacher came and stood beside me to look outside. All of a sudden, the train severely jerked and the purse in her hand fell down in the railway tracks. I got down carefully, but since the purse was inside the tracks it was dangerous to bend down and pick it up. I told her that I will take it after the last compartment passes and get up with the purse, before the train gained speed. She also got down, probably afraid that I may slip away after taking the purse from the tracks. The train started moving. I retrieved the purse and gave it to her. But unfortunately, she was unable to climb up the steep steps in the moving train. Both of us were stranded there in the dark.

We stood completely shocked and frightened. We saw a dim light and went towards it. Fortunately there was a very small Railway Station with an Asst. Station Master with a small kerosene lantern sitting in his room. We requested him to allow us to sit there till the next train arrives or till morning. He said that the last train has gone; he is closing the station and going home. He advised us to go outside, where there are jutkawallahs and they will take us to Agra by road which is only a few miles away. In the cold dark night with thick woolen clothes, big turbans and heavy moustaches they seemed like dacoits in Hindi cinemas. My companion was brave, she knew Hindi well, spoke with them and we got in the jutka.

The horse trotted on the country road, causing heavy jerking. We were afraid of falling down at any moment. After it seemed hours, we reached outside of Agra Railway station by about 6.00 am. I could see our comrades sitting there, probably discussing about what happened to me since they did not see me getting in to the compartment. On another side, the nursing students were also bewildered without knowing what happened to their dear teacher.

I conveyed my thanks to the Nursing teacher and joined my comrades. By seeing me they were happy.  I also was happy.

As planned earlier, we visited the world famous Taj Mahal,  Agra Fort and some other monuments before returning to Kerala.

V A N Namboodiri    12.10.2024