Life is stranger than fiction!

An incident happening 46 years go at Mumbai

It was a raining heavily. 46 years ago. There were no uncertainity regarding on the onset of rains. July meant days of heavy rains which continued may be till second week of September.
I was schooling at a place called Wadala. Commuting from Kurla to Wadala via Harbour Brach was quite a herculean task. Trains used to get cancelled. When the tracks were filled with water it was go slow for the trains. But we enjoyed getting drenched ,wading through the waters and reaching the school sometimes 2hours late.
Those days students were innocent and the school authorities too understood our problems.

It was one Saturday. The train could not get the signal to proceed towards Wadala from Koliwada. An hour passed. Some of us got fed up.. But we were always instucted by our elders not to cross the railway tracks and jump out of the train even if we were late. (But we always crossed railway tracks to reach the school and to win the race we had among us. Never knew the seriousness.)

On that day many of my friends did jump . One of my seniors in the school with her twin sister discouraged many of us. Ultimately my senior also lost her patience. Also her twin sister coaxed her to jump. Poor girl didn't have the courage. She kept looking at the signal. After a long coaxing she pleaded the twin to jump. The mission was successful. Now this girl got the courage. She just jumped and the train moved.
Some of us inside the adjacent compartment could hear screams.( They were travelling by first class and we were in the ordinary compartment).

(Her co sister had eye problem and one brother was polio victim. Atleast I wasn't aware of that.)
Those days reaching hospital was a bit difficult. Initially her hand and leg was partly amputated. Unfortunately it became septic. We were not that medically advanced.
Poor girl's hand and leg needed further amputation which meant right hand and right leg will be of no use to her. She remained in the hospital for six months and the next year she became my classmate.
She use to be aloof when we all played. But those days people were more caring. She struggled to board the bus with her artificial leg which made all of us cry.(Those days those mechanism for making artificial leg were also equally crude)
We were together till graduation. During college days once she invited me to her house. Her mother wanted to see me.
It seems she used to tell "amma kanaka sings beautifully".
The day I visited her house I was shocked. I saw a mother - a smiling mother with a girl who had lost partial sight, a polio son who could not walk and this girl who was handicapped. I stii the mother saying"Kanaka Vinayakar pattu, appram ethavadu padu"

Last time I saw this girl was at BARC. She had managed to get a job.I was happy to see her. I was there for a training.
Poor girl said"Kanaka these scientist seems to have no sense. They sit and I have to stand or beg for a seat in the bus. She was right.
What could I do as a trainee. But my stubborness didn't permit me to keep quiet.
Through some officer I manged to make the bus driver(BARC staff bus driver) to let her board the bus before he halts the bus at the boarding place.
Iam told it happened for few months and things were back to square after that.
I believe she met my mother at Palakkadby that time my classmate had taken voluntary retirement from BARC) and kept enquiring about me.
I appreciate her will power. to survive all the odds . Imagine a girl born nearly59 years ago may be, boldly faced the world. She remains spinster and staying alone at Palakkad. My hats off to her.
I have no intention of bragging. This incident just came to my mind. That's all.

kanaka

Dear Kanaka,

I really appreciate the grit of your friend. Alas was sad to note the indifference of the so called scientist.

Nice post .Kindly write the name of your friend so that we can also relate to her. May God bless her !

HI Kanaka,

Nice writeup. This is something universal.

IN Melb, the other day a lady got into trouble. All for a seat that she so rightly deserved. She is pregnant 8 months. Some guys refused to give up their seat on her request.

The public soon had a plebicite.Mercifully common sense triumphed.

Shows how we humans have evolved. From a caring sharing bunch, we have become a competitive, conniving & heard hearted bunch.

But a kids smile a kind hearted deed still shows there is hope for humankind

Regards,

Corallux

hi kanaka,

nice to read your post...really admire your friend for having the courage to go on with life inspite of her handicap...i do remember those awful rains..travelled quite a lot to vt via harbourline...and during the rainy season i think i have also jumped once and walked a few kms...but u never know when something like this can happen....

mindi

Hats off to your friend ...but alas the mentality of the common public to not help people when in need.

People have become so heartless that even if an accidnet has taken place they don't stop to help those victims, nor call for help for them.

roopa.

Dear Kanaka,

That was again an interesting write up from you.

Well to start off I guess nothing much has changed in the monsoon scene in Mumbai. The rain still continues to disrupt all the services. Well talk about development in the last 46 years.

I am sorry such a tragedy befell on your friend, but I salute that mother who still managed to smile .Wow she is a proof of the strength of a woman and the patience of a mother!

Kanaka hats off to you for trying to get some order into these guys and getting some kind of reprieve for your friend though it lasted only temporarily but atleast you tried and you did bring about a change.

Well your friend lives in Palakkad is it? Thats my hometown. I guess she is a strong woman probably an inherited trait from her Mother.

Loved reading it Kanaka. Do share more such incidents with us.

Love,
Devika

Dear Kanaka,

Sad really.This girl must be so brave, as also the mother to have 3 physically challenged Children and yet be smiling.Hats off to the family.Regards.kamal

Hi Kanaka,

Sometimes our mind unwinds in to the past and recollects it very minutely and we start visualising it as if it is happening now. Your write up was very touching and I have seen many brutes who never offer seats for ladies or pregnant woman or injureed / handicapped person or for that matter a senior too.

A 50 year old man stands for nearly 25 minutes in the cabin of a 37 year old VP and the youngster does not ask him to take a seat. AT such scenes I always walk in with some pretext and ask the senior to take the seat.

I have seen many monsters like this.

Good write up.

That was wonderful of you sharing this incident with us, as a honour to your friend who had a bold and strong mind.
Atleast with the experience I had in my life, till now I have seen and experienced one fact. God make us fit to survive before he makes us face tougher situations in life. I always pray to God to make people equipped for the worst they are blessed to face in their life......