Anto, with his vehicle, was at the door about ten minutes earlier than the time I'd given him. Probably he was assuring himself that I'd gotten up for sure so that, after dropping me at the station he could drop another customer too, to catch the same train! The guy at the counter was nice enough to tell me that my train stood on the third platform. I did not know as to why I was in a tearing hurry to clamber on to the train when there was a full half an hour to while away and in the process, missed getting a copy of the day's newspaper.
I'd selected a seat, in the first coach immediately after the engine, facing the direction of the movement - I always do this because I hate reaching my destination, stern ward, you see! The train, a fast passenger, was indeed good in the sense that it kept to its time schedule to the minute and it was the other trains that it had to cross that were late! Due to the proximity to the engine, I got this feeling that the train was too fast whenever it halted.
My first destination was Chathannoor, where my maman and I were to take stock of the situation on the ground regarding the ongoing projects of the PN Panicker Foundation. Corrective measures, where necessary, were discussed with the concerned people and finalised for ratification by the apex body. We'd made the rounds of all the five units to facilitate a thorough assessment even though the rains did try to play spoilsport.
On completion, we'd the privilege of attending an 'Iftar' evening at a rescue shelter for the destitute and the homeless, run by Mr. Francis Xavier. Home for about 350 men, women and children - some of them, mentally challenged and cast away by their close relations - I can never forget the way, two of them, 45 year old Santosh and 18 year old Mohan, who'd clung on to my hand much after the mandatory duration of a usual handshake! In fact, the former was a strapping, well built gentleman. For the benefit of a sprinkling of the non-Malayali speaking inmates I'd given a speech in my broken Hindi as egged on by the organisers.
It was about a half past 9, when I finally reached my aunt's place at Thiruvananthapuram where I was gonna be for the next couple of days as I went about my audits of training institutions. After catching up with them and by the time I'd turned in for the night, it was close to midnight.
But it was a satisfying day, all right!
Tailpiece.
In the morning, as I was headed for boarding the train, after buying the ticket, I heard a track from the Malayalam movie, 'Oru Indian Pranayakatha' - 'Omanappoove........' that I'm fond of - and something in me told me that the day was gonna be good.
And so, it was!
I'd selected a seat, in the first coach immediately after the engine, facing the direction of the movement - I always do this because I hate reaching my destination, stern ward, you see! The train, a fast passenger, was indeed good in the sense that it kept to its time schedule to the minute and it was the other trains that it had to cross that were late! Due to the proximity to the engine, I got this feeling that the train was too fast whenever it halted.
My first destination was Chathannoor, where my maman and I were to take stock of the situation on the ground regarding the ongoing projects of the PN Panicker Foundation. Corrective measures, where necessary, were discussed with the concerned people and finalised for ratification by the apex body. We'd made the rounds of all the five units to facilitate a thorough assessment even though the rains did try to play spoilsport.
On completion, we'd the privilege of attending an 'Iftar' evening at a rescue shelter for the destitute and the homeless, run by Mr. Francis Xavier. Home for about 350 men, women and children - some of them, mentally challenged and cast away by their close relations - I can never forget the way, two of them, 45 year old Santosh and 18 year old Mohan, who'd clung on to my hand much after the mandatory duration of a usual handshake! In fact, the former was a strapping, well built gentleman. For the benefit of a sprinkling of the non-Malayali speaking inmates I'd given a speech in my broken Hindi as egged on by the organisers.
It was about a half past 9, when I finally reached my aunt's place at Thiruvananthapuram where I was gonna be for the next couple of days as I went about my audits of training institutions. After catching up with them and by the time I'd turned in for the night, it was close to midnight.
But it was a satisfying day, all right!
Tailpiece.
In the morning, as I was headed for boarding the train, after buying the ticket, I heard a track from the Malayalam movie, 'Oru Indian Pranayakatha' - 'Omanappoove........' that I'm fond of - and something in me told me that the day was gonna be good.
And so, it was!
No comments:
Post a Comment