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| Pic source: http://wallzoa.com |
My first train experience was from Mangalore to Manjeshwar in the year 1966 when my father's friend Manjeshwar Vasudeva Kamath and his family came down from Mumbai to attend the festival 'Manjeshwar Shashti'. Since they stayed in our home, they persuaded me to come with them and enjoy the festive mood. We travelled by the passenger train in the evening to reach little after dark. That was by all means thrilling, but that's not what I'm talking about.
I was invited by my friend Ganesh Baliga in the year 1976 October to visit Madras for the first time. He was working for Fedders Lloyd Airconditioners then.
That Saturday, I caught the Mangalore Madras Mail in the afternoon and reached Madras the next morning. Baliga came to the Central Station and picked me up on his Lambretta scooter and we reached his room in a Lodge opposite Kodambakkam Railway Station.
I spent 4 days with him, happily visiting relatives and friends, visiting places including a day trip to Mahabalipuram and thoroughly enjoyed his hospitality. He was a good cook and his simple rice and daalithoi with a curry in the night is something to reminisce over.
My return journey was booked by Brindavan Express to Bangalore, where I wanted to spend a couple of days with my brother and my uncle's family.
The night before, Baliga told me "Rajani, your train is in the morning at 7:35. We need 15-20 minutes to reach the station. SO, I'll keep the alarm set for 6:00am, prepare coffee and have some bread butter with it. By 6:45 we must start. You better be alert and wake up as soon as I call your name first thing in the morning!"
I nodded, but the night was stilling and we kept listening to the album 'The Sound of The Sunshine Band' that I had recorded for him on a cassette and also talked and talked till maybe 2:00am!
The next morning when I heard Baliga shout my name, I opened my eyes and saw him looking at me with panic in his eyes! He feebly said "It's already 7:05am and we have hardly time to talk anything. I'll run to the parking lot and start my scooter. You come down with the luggage. Now don't waste any time!"
Obviously, he had missed the alarm and woken up late!
I nodded my head, just washed my face, changed my dress, packed my bag in a hurry and ran to the parking lot. There he was, ready with his scooter. The time was 7:15am.
He drove very fast on the Kodambakkam High Road and reached Mount Road. Luckily traffic was not much, but as he went past the various Embassies, Secretariat and reached the other end, there was deviation for some road work going on! Time was 7:30am.
He cursed the Municipal Corporation for the sudden development and somehow managed to reach the Central station at sharp 7:35am!
He shouted "Rajani Brindavan is on platform no.1. Go from the open right side gate of the terminus. I'll park the scooter and be there. If I miss you, we shall meet next time in Mangalore".
I did just that and as I reached the train, it blew horn and started moving! I jumped into the nearest compartment, stood at the door and saw Baliga appearing just on time to wave goodbye. I too waved at him.
The jubilant, happy and thrilled expression on both our faces was copious!
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