KALAKADU THOTHATHRI VADHYAR ( 24 )

                                   KALAKADU  THOTHATHRI  VADHYAR  (  24   )

                                                     As told in the earlier page,  KTV and KP travelled  by train upto Calcutta from where they were flown to Tinsukiya by Periyanna and Sankari in March 1983,1 with required conveniences. You know the mode of booking in railway stations in those days.. For booking ticket for travel of one person or more , one had to wait  in the queue for long number of hours.There would be only single  counter and one booking clerk who quite often disappears when we are near the counter   and after testing our patience, he appears and makes a number of entries  and ultimately issues three tickets for a single passenger in the shape of rectangular card board! Quite often we had a feeling of waiting for visa before a consul general's office, which is happening even now. Especially after TV's transfer to Chennai office , I am afraid, half his time would have been spent    at the central railway station on the pretext of booking tickets for friends and relatives and some times his own officers.But he was doing , just like that with great ease and sporting manner.In '80 s, there were not so many flights and so many aerodromes nor were there flow of money. In those days  , those who flies were looked upon  as superior and as  a previleged class of citizens! In September /October 1983 they were in Tinsukiya.

                   KTV  was a little bit convinced after  personally seeing K. , who has having the only difficulty of  leg but otherwise normal.He had no problem of leave from the office which gave financial  support also.which relieved us from one more burden in addition to physical suffering.   KTV and KP would have  stayed there roughly for 15 days during which he did some pujas also for K 's speedy recovery.  Now the question of getting flowers which are normally used in these pujas.  But that was taken care of by a South Indian harijan who  was in their association. He supplied enormous quantity of our usual south indian flowers . KTV became very happy about him. One day when he was observing the puja, a message came from his house that his wife has been rushed to the hospital for delivery. KTV  blessed him with all prasadhams and said to him that before he reached the hospital the happy message would reach him on the way of a male's birth. It happened. In the evening , he came back to see KTV and prostrated before him and gave sweets!

                     Both returned to Calcutta to stay with Sathi and Sita for a few days.Now the house had been shifted to the main Sardhar Sankar Road . Sriram and Meera were young children and Sriram had started schooling. Sita's Athai, Shanthi were assisting Sita at that time.KTV and KP  returned to Chennai by train and staying for some days there they, returned to Kalakad via Thirunelveli.

                    After a few months , I also made a trip to  to Tinsukiya all the way from Calcutta in train, making a journey of 48 hours all the way  encircling Bangaladesh, via Darjiling , Siliguri and     New Bongegaon .  The third mentioned station is in the border of W.Bengal and Assam state. Mine was a through ticket but I have to get down in N.Bongegaon and board the connection train for my further journey. Having started at Calcutta in the evening of a particular day, it was about 1 pm of the next day when the train arrived .at that particular station. I  got down and boarded the connection train and occupied my correct seat. Then only real problem started..An  uncouth figure entered the compartment with his wife and large family who claimed my birth which had been reserved right upto Tinsukiya.He began to quarrel with me speaking with a rough tone in Assamese ! The train was moving and was running in Assam State and both not using the seat until the train reached the capital Guwahathi of the State. at 9 pm.My main difficulty is one of language, i can speak in English but not with them! They can speak Bengalor Assamese but no use for them . Both were talking for hours without understanding what the opponent was saying ! The aapadhbhaandhavan TTE  made his appearance ultimately.I was happy to see him. I showed my ticket to him and he was convinced that I have occupied the correct seat and asked to continue in the same birth. But , the other person also is able to produce the same number and compartment  The TTE  began to scratch his head ! He thought for a while and understood the underlying reason. He also being a railway staff could guess in no time how  it happened.He took the family  to  another compartment and accommodated them,to my great relief.The train was moving right into the heart of Assam. It should have been dead night 130 am or so. It was raining with heavy downpour.Outside in the dim light ,we were able to see a lot of persons from the jungles with  fireballs on their hands approaching the train ! Inside the train there were a huge number of  police men for safeguarding us who  were warning us not to be afraid. The train spedfast the area so that nothing untoward happened fortunately.  That was the time when Assam State Union Movement was having its vigorous activities.You must be knowing the history. I had to be in the train for another 15hours or so with nobody to talk with.I had been strictly warned bySathi not toget down from the train in any event.For that afternoon journey  I had nothing to eat .I managed with water, Late in the evening , Mangalam had come to receive me in the station. She came with a cup of coffee which gave me more life 

                              ( to be continued  )