We had to change 3 trains to reach Cochin from Rourkela. We had to change at Nagpur, a city right at the centre of the country, famous for oranges, we used to buy oranges at the station. We had relatives coming to meet us at the station bringing food packet.
Next stop would be Madras ( today Chennai), breaking journey for a day to spend a day with my Uncle, Sri Raman Menon and family.
Those days trains were hauled by a coal engine. By the end of 3 days travel, we had our hair and body covered with coal dust. Those Engine drivers were my role models, wanted to be one.
There was a pond in our ancestral home, nothing less would work to clean us up. All my cousins and me would dive and swim in the water and stir up the pond bringing the dirt beneath to the surface. Then we hear the grand father walking up for his bath. He has the habit of clearing his throat and spitting frequently. It’s that sound that alerts us and all of us would finish or rather some of us would unfinish our bath and run. He was the head of the house with a large joint family population. We run because it is not going to be easy to take the wrath of his fury when he sees the pond turned upside down. There were no bathrooms in the house, only the pond called Kulam in malayalam.
He somehow pushes the water around a few times may be hundred, with both his hands to get a small clean corner for his bath. We used to make sure we are out of his sight, however we could hear his curses all the way back to the house. This was the case almost every day until the end of my vacation.
We had 3 houses close to each other, all relatives, had the privilege of VIP treatment. I used to start my breakfast in one house and finish it in the 3rd house.
About ten fifteen cousins of different age group, it was fun, unlimited.
All of us goes for movie, in a tent cinema theatre, in the village. We used to hand over the tickets to the gate keeper, after counting to 3 or 4, he stops and just waves all of us to go in, he doesn’t care
I introduced cricket to Pariyarath , Pariyarath is the name of the ancestral home, all houses are known by names and so our identities , the kid or uncle or aunt from pariyarath. We used to make a cricket bat from the coconut tree’s branch and ball from the Banana plant’s stem. All these resources are available in plenty.
Another exciting thing that made me a hero was I could ride a bicycle, maybe the youngest around. We used to take cycle on rent, I rode and the shopkeepers came out of their shops and a crowd awed by the wonder sight. My cousins explained, no kid of my age rides a bike here. I taught them to ride a bike which enhanced the Pariyarath reputation.
We were from some other world, the people in the village had only heard of Madras and Bombay and we weren’t from there.
This is a small blip, incomplete fun, from exciting summer vacation, 60 years ago.
Rajmenon's Blog 
I also used to take train route through Madras, though instead of Nagpur, it was Calcutta (Now Kolkatta), in fact the Howrah Station to go to Dhanbad. Even the extremely fast trains such as Coalfield / Black Diamond Expresses also used to run on Coal. And I still remember Bitragunda Station, where it was written in Bold Letters “Home of the Steel Horses”on its Loco Shed! I don’t know if the loco shed’s name has been changed as those steel Horses have now with different colours instead of Black, the colour of steel that we knew.
Well narrated. I still remember the way in which we used to enjoy summer,dasara and Christmas vacations. Always on the roads playing and a sudden call from mom would make us feel so sad that we had wind up for the day. But these days children are always glued to TV, mobiles, ear phones plugged and always in their own world. I still love to go back to those days but….
Nicely told; very much like my childhood fifty years ago. We were living in such a place and had cousins from cities just like you! 🙂 I can easily relate.
A valuable account of childhood days, endearing. Thank you.
Same story from Ahmedabad to Palakkad
Train 1 Gujarat Mail
Ahmedabad to Viramgam shunting to get new coal engine
Viramgam to Mumbai Central
Wait one day at Mumbai Central Retirong Room
Train 2 Mumbai to Arakonnam
Train 3
Arakonnam to Olavakkode
Train 4
Olavakkode to Pudunagaram (meter guage train Olavakkode Rameshwaram Express).
The Railway cutlets for breakfast at Mumbai Central Canteen
Buying Sholapuri Bedsheets at Sholapur Station
Idli chutney at Arakonnam Station
Shapad at Olavakkode Junction
Covered in coal dust and still feeling train movement after reaching home while sitting or standing for 3 days.
Did it every year 1970 to 1980
One year there was a Railway Strike and this journey took 7 days as train used to be stopped by protestors at random stations enroute.
Same story from Ahmedabad to Palakkad
Train 1 Gujarat Mail
Ahmedabad to Viramgam shunting to get new coal engine
Viramgam to Mumbai Central
Wait one day at Mumbai Central Retiring Room. In 2023 these retiring rooms on first floor have given way to Pod Hotels (lol)
Train 2 Mumbai to Arakonnam
Train 3
Arakonnam to Olavakkode
Train 4
Olavakkode to Pudunagaram (meter guage train Olavakkode Rameshwaram Express).
The Railway cutlets for breakfast at Mumbai Central Canteen
Buying Sholapuri Bedsheets at Sholapur Station
Idli chutney at Arakonnam Station
Shapad at Olavakkode Junction
Covered in coal dust and still feeling train movement after reaching home while sitting or standing for 3 days.
Did it every year 1970 to 1980
One year there was a Railway Strike and this journey took 7 days as train used to be stopped by protestors at random stations enroute.
Well written memoirs.That enable us to re live our life again.
During 1968 to 71, I was in Durgapur Steel Plant as GE. Recruited from IITM. I used travel by Patna – Cochin express upto Coimbatore.
It was diesel engine. Changed at Vizag and Madras. 44 hrs journey.
All along the east coast upto Madras and then towards Kerala
I met you and Sakthidharan at Rourkela during one of my official tours from Ranchi.
I remember our first meeting very well.
47 years have passed since then. We are still chatting. Gods grace.
Best Wishes.
S.Thangavelu
Hosur. TN.
We had lot of good conversations
When we travelled during those bygone days we had only the immediate goal of reaching the destination. Tribulations, heat and dust were all part of the bargain, if we had to have some fun filled holidays.
Once I was travelling from Howrah to Bombay VT in May. I was desperate for some comfort. So, I accosted a vendor that I would pay a sizeable sum if he could manage to get me ice cubes. I kept them on my head! It didn’t matter that I was literally bathing during the journey!!
Yes, very thrilling narration, saying “old is gold” has meaning when we read such graphic details of olden times. Very well written 🙏🏻