TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION
Friends, I accompanied my younger sister to one of the Income Tax Offices in Bengaluru on 7th Sept, Friday. There one of her friends, say X, who works in the Official Languages Dept., took us to an Income Tax Inspector. This was for certain clarifications we needed about my late brother-in-law's IT return.
There we met a very cheerful and pretty lady in her mid-40s who she patiently answered all our queries. And if that was not enough, she also took a pen and paper and wrote...
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down the sequence of various steps, she had asked us to follow, for our easy & ready reference. I noticed her writing with her left hand but did not give it a second thought, as I presumed she was a natural leftie. Lets call this beautiful lady Rita Nair (name changed).
After we came out of her office, my sister's friend X, narrated to us Rita's life story. On Sept 3, 1996, this then 22-year old maiden, was travelling by the Island Express, from Bengaluru to Trichur. The train has departed from Palakkad and she went to the basin near the door, to wash her face. Suddenly there was a jerk and before she could realise what had happened, Rita was thrown on to the tracks and fell near the wheels of her own train. As the Island Express, sped by, unmindful of the tragedy it had wrought, it severed Rita's right hand at the shoulder joint. Her spinal chord too was ruptured, But that was not all, as God had more misfortune in store for her. For as she lay helpless, partly on the tracks, another train came and this time, it was her left leg that got separated from her body. A little later the pilot of a light loco spotted her lying on the tracks and stopped the engine before further damage could be inflicted on her. The kind soul arranged for her admission to a hospital, Rita was going home after appearing for the Income Tax Exam. The doctors who attended to her wrote her off as a GONE CASE but did not reckon with the grit and stamina of Rita Nair.It took more than 2 years for her to overcome the trauma and come to terms with life with an artificial leg and one arm. She thereafter appeared for 3 more exams and became an Income Tax Inspector. She is now happily married and lives with her husband and a daughter.
My sister and I were moved to tears on hearing the saga of Rita Nair's fortitude and resilience. I had a queasy feeling that what we had been told was perhaps an exaggeration too good to be true. In order to convince myself, I googled with the correct name of the VICTIM and discovered that every word of what X had narrated to us was TRUE. May God bless such a courageous person who has been a source of great inspiration to all victims of trauma.

TRIP] 16232 yet again!!
Indian Railways are known for bringing in all people of all caste and creed without discrimination under one roof.. 16232 is a perfect example as the solo connector to the TN Cauvery Delta region from the KA cauvery delta. And being the solo, it is the source for people of all religions to visit their shrines at the TN base at Velankanni, Nagore, Thanjavur & Kumbakonam.. And needless to say, marriage seasons, this train is always full.. And now also, it was indeed full
December 8th.. Being in Accounts...
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Dept, the previous month end work extended beyond its means and meant a last minute despatch from the office directly at 5:15PM. Well was planned for that and 1hr 45 mins is a breather away for any other city but definitely thats risky in Bangalore. 10 mins and no sign of a bus to the Central bus stand, settled for an auto for Rs. 170/- as per meter.. Quite okayish.. Well unconditionally the auto driver took my route to come via Jayanagar and Chamrajpet avoiding the crowded Nimhans and Shantinagar and hence at 5 past 6 was at the station greeted by the SWR King KK on PF-1 as usual showing off stretching beyond the ramp of PF-1
16232 was allotted PF-5 which at that time had the RajyaRani-Chamundi RSA- Its nice to see such a RSA where one RSA seems like a Title for the other RSA train. As usual she was struggling under pressure with the evening office goers occupying the inches of the space inside. I walked down to the refreshment stall on the veg side on Pf-6 and handed him over a Rs.100/- note- Chappati Kurma- curd rice and mineral water bottle and a coffee later, I was handed back Rs.5/-. In meantime, it was time for Chamundi to move on
WAP4 jolted out from somewhere in sidings and went to couple to 12684 Ernakulam Bi-weekly standing on Pf-2. Another WAP4 pulled in from the Mysore end into the Pit lines with a Dead WAP1 of AJJ. WDS6 was on end of Pf and Karnataka rake as usual was visible at the end. But i noticed somthing missing. in the meanwhile at 18:10hrs the 76525 Bangalore Kolar via Chikballapur DMU, having its recent extended run from Channapatna left from Pf-8
At 18:20hrs the missing was fulfilled as the display board changed timings. 12786 to KCG Dep 18:40 and 12684 dep to 18:55. KJM WDM2 pulled in with tthe SCR rake on PF-4 on dot the departure time. Still no sign of 16232. A wDP4 showed up at Mysore end with the Pass from Mysore at 18:25.. So 16232 has been trolled by the CPT pass and the Mysore Pass. The crowd waited for the pass and some jostling pushing later, all passengers were in respective seats on Pf-10
At 18:40hrs the 76552 Kolar-Bangalore DMU Via chikkaballapura pulled in and the crowd on Pf-7 got up to board as its RSA Dharmapuri Pass the previous day (07.12) this train had left behind the 16232 following the late arrival but today 16232 is no where to be seen and hence higher priority for the passenger. The passenger immediately filled up
At 18:45hrs the Erode tiwns showed their light over the corner and literally crawled in inch by inch into Pf-5 taking almost 10 mins for complete progress to halt. Boarded my coach S-8 and berth number 59 the whole coach looking like a remodified coach with full patches and brown linen dotting the seats. Occupied the emergency exit seat No. 63 . Went through the chart at the door but dejectedly it was the previous night 16731 chart from tuticorin
At 19:00hrs, WDP4 entered with the Golgumbaz on Pf-9 and after 10 mins got its departure for progress. In meantime, the 56261 AJJ-SBC Pass pulled into PF-6 and the crowd waiting for the same boarded as it got ready to leave as 16522 Bangarpet Express. Announcement went for 12627 to New Delhi to depart Pf-1 but no signs of us leaving
Time kept ticking. Crowd kept accumulating on Pf-5 as the boards displayed the same as departure Pf for the 16517/23 Kannur-Karwar Link Express via Mysore. People came with expectations and enquiries to my window and went back upset on learning it was a different train.
Time kept ticking. Announcement went at 19:15 announcing the 56513 from Karaikkal coming in on Pf-2. slowly guess in meantime even 12627 would have also started. the rake of the predator Raj was shunted in on Pf-8 in meantime
At 19:45hrs the Erode twins gave a loud honk- Loud enough to be heard 16 coaches behind, as we started pulling out. In the meantime, 16517/23 rake was shunted from the pitline and both the trains had a parallel line till the shunting point, where the KJM alco stopped and hooted for being pulled back into PF-5. 10 mins into the journey, we were at Cantt where crowd awaited for our train + Bangarpet Express. just as we exited Cantt, at 20:00hrs, WAP7 hauled 12609 entered in from the opposite side.
Glided through Bangalore East where we stopped again most likely the 12863 Howrah Express joining the mainline coming from YPR at BYPL outer. After 5 mins halt we proceeded and just at BYPL outer, Erode Twins with 12678 from Ernakulam accelerated past trying to minimize delay. So it was a mere foramilty slowing down at BYPL to cross the loop and by this time my dinner was also complete. Chappati was okayish with kurma actually tasty. But the heat of the Kurma kept chappati going and complete.
We were now on ethe Bangalore ring road having to travel from Eastern Corner of city to Southern Corner past the rising suburbs. A blast past Bellandur Road and we came to a halt at Carmelram at 20:25hrs. Though the Pf is better lit and both Pf-2 and Pf-1 having high rise platforms now, the Pf-2 side of the station still gives a spooky look
We proceed past CRLM and maintaining good speeds with the speed restriction at the 12677 accident site past Anekal Road, we roll into hosur at 21:00hrs where the complete coach gets occupied. As usual 98% occupancy well visible, we leave after a 2 minute halt
The problems majorly faced in any train leaving before 8 was evident here too. Once the clock struck 9 all the passengers will want to get into the berths while it is well ahead of sleep time for majority of us. Railways rule book says MB can be put up between 9PM & 6AM and its generally considered to core. Thankfully Seat no. 71 was a TTE seat and with no passengers there, went and rested myself there leaving everyone else to put up their berths
Devoid of any crossings and through the elephant corridor, this stretch si a treat to watch. Being in one of the end coaches gives complete view of the train and the signal even before the train has cuvred. A green light, approached by a beaming light loco, followed by a train of lights of all the coaches ahead of us was continously repeated as we tackled the HSRA-DPJ 90 km section. with repeated slowdowns and one crossing with a Plasser at Rayakottai, we approach Pf-2 of DPJ at 22:20hrs, the Pf-1 occupied by the sleeping DMU that left before 16232 arrival. After 2 minute halt we left
I was determined to see the Thoppur ghats at night and with no intteruptions and mind fresh from each and every curve of the HSRA-DPJ section, the heart throbbed as we approached Sivadi station the starting point. RPF personnel came and closed all doors and lowered all window glasses and shutters as is their formalities in this section thanks to the 2 brake test halts in middle of nowhere when the train tackles this section. Slowly we chugged downhill having a test halt over the 1st ravine and the 2nd one at the desolate Muttampatti station. post that, it was again a repeat of the long curves as done earlier and at 23:00hrs we crossed thoppur station signalling the arrival of plains. The Shevaroyan Hills, housing the famous Yercaud hill station gave us company as the NH-7 from Varanasi via Bangalore cut over us. The next station, Karuvalli, housing a small temple called Chinna tirupati (dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara) was zipped by. Earlier, the temple was not easy to spot in day time but now thanks to numerous road lights, the temple gopuram was clearly seen.
The next station Semmandapatti halt was not even visible and I decide to retire for the day just as we had a slowdown at Omalur outskirts. Reason being to allow time for 11022 Tirunelveli Dadar Tri-weekly to enter the loop at Omalur following which we honked past waving bye towards Salem and I went to sleep
It was a deep sleep and dont remember waking up except for once over the Kaveri bridge at Erode. So when i got up, the train was approaching a slowdown and time was 5:20AM. Budalur I thought to myself while everyone else packe dup saying it was Thanjavur
got down from the UB and now in the near empty coach, packed my luggage and sat by the window enjoying the winter breeze (Pre-Varda cyclone). After a stop-run halt at Papanasam, we made it at 5:55AM to Kumbakonam and i got down towards the coffee shop for the 1st sip of the day expecting 16183 uzhavan from Chennai to arrive before that. But that wasnt the case was 16232 left meaning it will be minimum 20-25 mins for Uzhavan arrival on single line section, went out of the station
Thanks for patient reading