Travel

Travel reminds me of a real-life incidence that took place when I was about 9 years old. My mother was travelling with me, my 5 years old sister and three months old brother, with no adult companion, by train from Hyderabad to Vizag.

We boarded the train fully equipped. People were friendly and polite and were helpful, as was the norm about 50 years ago. In the midway of our journey, the train had a stop for a short while, say 10 to 15 minutes at Godavari junction and the next station would be Rajahmundry town, There the train would stop for more than 30 minutes. My mother had travelled on this route several times and was well versed with various places where the train would stop and the duration of those halts.

Our drinking water was exhausted by the time we reached Godavari. Those days drinking water was not sold. We would get it from taps on platforms. My mother hesitated to get off the train to fill the bottle. But her thirst overtook her caution, and she got off the train along with me to fill the bottle. In less than few minutes the train started off leaving us on the platform. There was no one from our side in the train to pull the chain and stop the train. Maybe it was too late by the time other passengers realized my mother was missing.

My mother was aghast at the sudden incidence. For a moment she did not know what to do. Then she just rushed out of station along with me. She got into a cycle rickshaw and asked the driver to take us quickly to the Rajahmundry station, which was not too far away. Her calculation was correct and if everything went accordingly, we would be there just before the train took off from the platform. She decided to take the risk. There was no other option for her. We rushed into the station and were there just in time, as the train was about to start. Kudos to my mother’s presence of mind to have taken a quick decision. The rickshaw driver also understood the gravity of the situation and cooperated with her. All through, my mother was composed and stoic outwardly but surely, she would have worried about the two children who were alone in the train. Everyone was praising her. If my mother panicked and did not react the way she did, I wonder what would have happened to my brother and sister. Only a mother can go to any extent for the sake of her children, and it was proven that day. All is well that ends well. Our travel story too had a happy ending.