JOURNEYS & JOURNEYS – 3

Train journey, a time for jokes

I was Circle Secretary of the E.III Union (NFPTE), Kerala, during 1977-81 and stationed at Trivandrum. Stayed in a room near the Telephone exchange with co-workers and union leaders Comrades G.Soman, Divisional Secretary and Balakrishnan, both Telephone Operators. Since wife Pankajam and children Shaji and Mini were staying at Calicut, where she was working, I used to come to Calicut most of the weekends by exchanging duties. Tickets will be booked for the night trains in advance.

During the Assembly session period, there will be many MLAs from the Malabar side in the same train starting from Trivandrum. AC coaches were not introduced and the MLAs also will be in the sleeper coaches. On such an occasion, my berth was also nearby the berths allotted to some MLAs including Com. M.V.Raghavan. Com.E.K.Nayanar, then State Secretary of CPI (M), Kerala was also there. (It was many years before MVR left the party). All of them were speaking about many things, including political matters. They were sharing some interesting incidents also.  As they knew me, there was no reservation in the talks.  But I was not a party to the conversation, but only a silent spectator. 

It was time to sleep. The berths had no cushion type covering at that time and passengers brought their own bed sheets etc. The berth allotted to Com.Nayanar was the middle one. Before we started arranging the berths, Com. MVR said that Com.Nayanar should not be allowed to sleep in the middle berth, but should be given a lower berth. Why? He started telling an earlier experience.

‘Party comrades, including Nayanar, MVR and others were travelling to Calcutta to attend a Party meeting. Nayanar was sleeping in the middle berth.  By about midnight, there was a heavy thud and noise as if some heavy object has fallen on the floor of the compartment. Everybody woke up. They saw Com.Nayanar fallen to floor from the middle berth and almost unconscious. He was lifted and placed on the lower berth. After a few minutes, he was ok.’

Hearing MVR’s story everybody started laughing, including Nayanar.  Most of us did not know whether the story was true or a joke but enjoyed hearing it, the way MVR told and the hilarious response of Nayanar.  Anyhow, that night Nayanar slept in the lower berth only.

V A N Namboodiri   13.10.2024