ஜாக்கிரதை, கண்ணுல கரி விழும்.

Recently I had an opportunity to travel by train from Chennai to Trichirappali, We were sitting in the Air-conditioned Chair Car and except for slight swaying of the train nothing much heard and we were talking in hushed tone since we did not want to disturb other passengers by our usual loud chattering.

Just in 1950s when we were young boys we always travelled this route. We used to go every summer in this route.So excited, we start planning in March itself for journey in mid April.

Ticket to Trichy was just around Rs.6/- (For me half ticket was Rs 3/-) by Third Class compartment. We never know there was some thing called reservation. Never seen so many crowds, like present day and mostly we go sitting in wooden bench. If there is no seat we never bothered, since we sit on biscuit tins brought by my grand mother packed with muruku or seedai or eatables. Mostly I traveled with my grand mother to Dalmiapuram (near Lalgudi) where my mother’s sister lived or toKandanoor where my mother other sister lived.No restriction from my grand mother regarding seating. She only says..

ஜாக்கிரதை, கண்ணுல கரி விழும். The present day people may not know what the meaning for this.

In those days trains were pulled by steam engines and for that they burn lot of coals. So they collect water in junctions and boil it in the engine and use the steam to run the rail engine to pull the train. Mostly in every junction the train engine will collect water from over head pipes and there will be enormouscollection of coal to burn. When the coal is burnt there will be small particles floating in air and will hit the eyes and make our eyes watery. That is why grandma used to warn us..

In acharappakkamthere will be vadai. We reach villupuram around noon and we try to get coffee.There will be a big rush before water tap where we have to collect drinking water. we never bought any meals in train and always pack a big lunch basket and lot of water in கூஜா . It usually took 10 hours to travel from Madras Egmore to reach Dalmiapuram, which was just 180 miles.

we children usuallywrite the names of all railway stations and see one by one going. in fact we know by heart whole list. Olakkur, Panjalam, Dindivanam like that. Middaysambar sadam and th sadam and evening idly. No sleep no rest. Just wondering when we will reach destination.

By the time the train crosses Virudachalam all our enthusiasm gone, tired, dirty, sweatyand some with darkened watery eyes. Finally when we reach the destination ataround 0800 pm we were so tired and sleepy, but happy.

Now we travel by air conditioned compartment, with snacks supplied by some one in train, use bottled water. no sweat, no bleary eyes, no tiredness due to heat, no rush to bring water, and aour seats are reserved and cool.

But with the nostalgic memory, I  long for those carefree days of train travelwith intervening stations with cool air and swaying trees.

My be our grand children may see bullet trains and write like me regarding electric engines and bottled waters.

But i can never forget those days and the slow moving trains and stately railway stations andcourteous railway staff... mmmm