A Little Braveheart

Staying at Kolkata in Durga Puja vacation was a bad decision. Though the college was officially going to close from the 5th day of the puja, but everyone had stopped going to the college from the very beginning of the Durga Puja. It was the third day of puja, and most of the students had gone to their homes. The local Bengali friends who had promised me that they would stay with me and help me to explore Durga Puja in Kolkata also left today.

I dialed Sandeep and said let's go home. Sandeep got furious on hearing this. It was because of me he agreed to stay at the hostel during the puja vacation, and now I was the one who had called him to go home.

‘But how we will go now, we don't have the train reservation, he asked.

‘We will go in the general compartment, I replied.

‘It's going to be a 10-hour journey,’ he said irascibly. ‘How can we go in the general compartment that too during this Durga Puja time in a crowded train?’

We will catch the train originating from the Kolkata Station as this station is on the outskirts of the town, and the trains leaving from this station are less crowded, I said.

‘So, when are we going?’ He asked.

‘Today,’ I replied. ‘The train is at 8 p.m., but we will leave by 5 p.m. from the hostel as it will take 2 hours to reach the Kolkata Station.’

‘Why today, why are you always in a hurry?’ He asked irritably.

It’s a weekly train, and we can’t miss this train today, otherwise we will have to catch some other train either from Howrah or Sealdah Station, which will be very crowded, I replied.

'Okay, I will meet you at 5 p.m. near the college taxi stand, he said.

‘Well, I will be there at 5 p.m., I replied and hung up the call.

It was 5 p.m. When I reached the taxi stand, Sandeep was already present there. The road was quiet and deserted, there were no passengers except the two of us. It took 30 minutes to get the taxi full. We left for the Kavi Subhash metro station. We reached there in 15 minutes and took the metro for Shyam Bazar from the Kavi Subhash Metro Station.

It was 7 p.m., when we reached the Shyam Bazar metro station. We waited for 5 minutes for the bus to the Kolkata Station, but no bus came.

It was getting late, so we decided to walk to the Kolkata Station. The city was shimmering in light, there were hawkers, vegetable sellers, fruit sellers and food stalls on either side of the road. The street was crowded as usual, the ancient Kolkata and some of its unique transportation could be seen here. The human-pulled rickshaw, the slow-moving tram and its clanging bell, the iconic yellow ambassador taxi, the old aristocratic building on either side of the street had kept the Kolkata's ancient past alive.

We reached the Kolkata Station in 15 minutes. It was 7:20 p.m. now. The station was crammed with people, and there was a long queue at the ticket counter. It took us 30 minutes to get the ticket.

‘It was 7:50 p.m. now, we rushed to the platform no. 3. The train was standing there.

The general compartments in the front row of the trains were jammed with the passengers, even the doorway was blocked. We went for the general compartment at the back row of the train. It wasn't empty, all the seats were occupied, but the doorway was clear. We got in the compartment, kept our bags on the side luggage racks and stood near the gate of the train.

It was 8 p.m. now. The engine whistle shrieked, the carriage shuddered and jolted forward, and the train pulled out of the station.

‘Let's sit here near the gate,’ Sandeep said.

‘Don't sit here,’ I said. ‘Let's sit on the right side of the gate.’

'But why on the right side, why not on the left side, the side we are standing on right now? He asked.

‘For the next few stations the platform will be on the left side,’ I said. ‘So, if we sit on the right side we won't get disturbed by the passengers boarding and exiting the train.’

We sat near the gate keeping our legs on the footboard of the train.

We looked outside, the city of joy was bathing in lights, heavy lighting decorations were done for the Durga Puja Pandals. The city was twinkling like stars, and it was very fascinating seeing this.

The engine whistle shrieked, the train slowed down. A station was coming. It was Dumdum Station. The train drew slowly into the station. As the train stopped at the platform, a tide of people sweep inside the train. There was chaos for a minute. The engine whistle squeal once again and the train moved off jolting.

We were sitting untroubled near the gate. Then, the two men standing near us who had just boarded the train requested us to give them the seat where we were sitting.

'Why should we give our seat to you?' I asked.

‘We are daily commuters, and we have to go to the next station which will take only 10 minutes to reach,’ they said. ‘So, if you give up your space to rest our legs, it would be very great of you.’

‘Which station you have to go to can you please tell?’ I asked.

‘Naihati Station,’ they replied.

‘It isn't 10 minutes away from here as far as I know, it will take about an hour to reach the Naihati station, I said.

'No, you don't know it is 10 minutes away from here, they said obstinately.

If it is only 10 minutes away from here, then why can't you keep standing for such a small time? “Give your legs the rest once you reach home,” I said furiously.

They left for another compartment on hearing my befitting reply.

You have done the right thing by not giving them the seat, said someone in a soft voice close behind me. I looked up and saw a girl standing behind me. She was dressed simply in a blue collar-necked t-shirt and black pant. She had a vibrant dusky face and dark eyes. She sat on the floor next to me in the space vacated after the departure of those two men.

I and Sandeep also shifted a little inside and sat cross-legged near the gate as the train had gathered speed, and it was not safe sitting on the train floor with our legs outside on the footboard.

‘She was sitting very close to me, so close that her hair was brushing against my shoulder, and I could smell the mist rose perfume she was wearing.

‘Do you know why those two men wanted to sit near the gate?’ She asked.

‘No, I don't know. I replied.

‘So that they can smoke bidi and chew tobacco here’, she said. ‘I am a daily commuter and see these types of people every day who will sit near the gate and smoke bidi, making others feel suffocated with its filthy smell.’

‘Where are you going?' I asked.

‘Naihati Station,’ she replied.

‘So, how far is it from here?’ I asked her to confirm whether it was really about an hour journey from here or not.

‘Well, you were almost correct. It is a 45-minute journey from here,’ she said politely and laughed. ‘What a befitting reply you gave to those men!’ 

‘Where are you going?' She asked.

‘Barauni,’ I said. ‘Almost a 10-hour journey from Kolkata.’

‘How will you go for so long in this train crammed with passengers?’ she asked worriedly. ‘Why didn't you take the reservation?’

‘It was a sudden plan, so I didn't get the reservation as all the seats were already booked,’ I said. ‘Earlier we had decided to explore the Great Durga Puja of Kolkata, but everyone left as the vacation started, and we were left with no option but to go home.’

‘You would have really enjoyed visiting the Maddox Square in Ballygunge, Deshopriya Park in Kalighat, and many more such places, hopping from one pandal to another with friends all night long, praying to the Durga idol, if you had stayed,’ she said despairingly.

‘I have to stay in Kolkata for three more years for my college term. Maybe next year I will roam around and enjoy the Durga Puja of Kolkata,’ I said to comfort her.

‘You must stay and explore the Durga Puja of West Bengal once’, she said heartily. ‘I assure you will really enjoy it.’

The engine whistle shrieked, the carriage wheels changed their sound and rhythm. Those who had to get off the train gathered near the gate.

‘We’ll soon be soon at your station,’ I said.

The train drew slowly into the station. She got up and collected her things.

I and Sandeep got off the train to allow the people gathered at the door to exit.

‘Goodbye,’ the girl said.

‘Goodbye,’ I and Sandeep said.

We then waited for the passengers standing on the platform to get on the train.

Once everyone boarded the train, I and Sandeep jumped on the footboard and entered the train. We stood near the gate, the train moved off slowly.

I saw a girl running on the platform to catch the train. She was dragging a trolley bag and having a backpack on her shoulder.

‘As she reached near our compartment, she lifted her trolley to me, I took it inside.

I extended my hand to her, she gripped my hand, and I pulled her inside the train.

She had a pretty face, set off by shiny black hair and dark, smoldering eyes. She was very close to me and breathing heavily. I felt the warmth of her breath, and the aroma of the perfume from her body lingered in the place. I wanted to raise my hand and touch her hair, but she moved away.

She kept her backpack on the side luggage rack and sat on her trolley bag next to me.

‘Oh, I forgot to thank you,’ she said. ‘Thank you so much for your help.’

‘No, it’s okay,’ I replied.

The train gathered speed, the wheels took up their song, and the carriage groaned and shook.

‘Where are you going?’ I asked.

‘I am going home in Durga Puja Vacation,’ she said.

‘So, you are in college at Naihati,’ I asked.

‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘I am in first year of engineering.’

‘Where are you going?’ She asked.

‘I am also going home in Durga Puja vacation.’ I said.

‘Where do you study?’ She asked.

‘I study in an engineering college at Kolkata.’ I said. ‘I am also in the first year of engineering.’

‘Woah, that’s great we both are engineering students, she said.

Suddenly, the train jolted, and her trolley slid.

She clinched my shirt while leaning back, and I caught her by the shoulder from behind to save her from falling. Sandeep stopped the trolley bag by his leg. She stood up and thanked us.

The engine whistle shrieked and the train slowed down. A station was coming.

The train drew slowly into the station. There was a huge crowd waiting at the platform to get inside the train. As the train stopped, they storm into the train. We were pushed deep inside the compartment. The general compartment now got crowded beyond the capacity.

There was chaos for a minute, everyone was trying to get space in the train.

The engine bell clanged, the carriage shuddered and jolted forward. The train pulled out of the station.

Some transgender got in the compartment asking for money. They pushed and slapped passengers who were refusing to give money and made their way forward in the compartment crammed with passengers.

As they reached us, they asked for money, the girl held me by the arm and said she is with me.

I am also with him, Sandeep said winking at me.

I gave them 30 rupees.

When they moved forward after taking money, the girl drew away her hand.

I looked at her turning my face, she gave me a silly smile.

‘What a cunning girl she was!’

‘I can't bear to stand in this for more than 2 hours, we will get down at Asansol and catch another train,’ I said to Sandeep. ‘There is a train at 1 a.m. which comes from Jharkhand, and in the most probable case it will be less crowded.’

‘Okay,’ Sandeep replied.

‘Are you getting off at Asansol,’ she asked.

‘Yes,’ I replied.

‘I am also going to Asansol,’ she said.

‘So, you are from Asansol,’ I asked.

‘No, I am going to a friend's house in Asansol and will stay there for 1 or 2 days before going home,’ she said.

‘Somehow we tolerated the two-hour journey in that train standing in the same position.’

‘Finally, the Asansol station came. We collected our bags and it took us at least five minutes to reach the door as people and their belongings cluttered up the passage. I let her trolley bag down from the window and followed it on to the platform.

I and Sandeep stood on the platform and stretched our body to relax our muscles and limbs.

The girl was talking to someone on the phone, must be her friend to whose house she was going.

‘Can you please help me carry my trolley bag outside the station,’ she asked finishing her talk on the phone. ‘My friend is waiting outside the station.’

I looked at Sandeep, he nodded in yes.

Rolling the trolley on its wheel on the platform was easy, but to get out of the station, I and Sandeep had to carry the trolley up on the steps of the footbridge and then down the steps to get out of the station. The trolley was very heavy.

When we reached outside the station, a boy approached us.

Meet my boyfriend, the girl said.

‘What the hell?’ I said. ‘He is your boyfriend, he should have come inside the station to receive you.’

‘He would have come, but there are so many ticket collectors at this station, so he told me to take your help to carry my luggage.’

He should have bought a platform ticket and would have come inside the station, or he was not willing to carry your heavy trolley bag, I said furiously. ‘Be careful of such a boy, sister.’

‘Yes, he is right, be careful of such a boy, sister, Sandeep said.

She looked at us with her mouth open in astonishment.

She then turned towards her boyfriend and slammed her trolley bag at his legs. You will now carry this trolley bag to your house, and we will go by walking, she said to him, and they left.

We headed back to the station.

‘What a fool she made us!’ Sandeep said. ‘She should have hired a coolie.’

‘Instead, she used us as a coolie,’ I said laughing. ‘She was cunning, but her boyfriend turned out to be more shrewd.’

Asansol is a large junction, the way for three states originates from there. Every train halt there for 30 minutes.

I sat on a broad concrete slab furnished with granite, extruded above the ground. This type of concrete slab made for sitting or resting can be seen everywhere at the Indian Railway station.

Sandeep was pacing up and down on the platform and listening to music on his phone through an earphone.

Trains came and went, the platform would be quiet for a while, and then when a train arrived, the passengers, mostly from the crowded general compartment, would come out on the platform. They would stretch their body, roam and rest on the platform as the train was halting there for 30 minutes.

There were very few passengers who were leaving or boarding the train at this station. Most of the people on the platform were the passengers of the halting train, and they would rush to their compartment once the train was about to leave.

A boy came to me and asked, “Bhaiya, do you have a mobile?”

The boy was looking ill, his left leg was wounded, and it looked like someone had beaten him. He has pale skin and sunken eyes. His feet were bare, and his clothes were old, filthy and ripped.

‘Why do you need a phone?’ I asked.

‘I need to talk to my Mausi (Mother’s Sister),’ he said.

‘Are you alone?’ I asked. ‘Where are your parents?’

‘Yes, I am alone,’ the boy said.

Some more people gathered around.

‘What happened, boy?’ They asked.

The boy began saying...

Two years ago my parents died, and my Mausi took me to her house after their death. I was studying in a government primary school there and also used to help my Mausi in selling vegetables in the evening at the bazar. One day my Uncle came and said to my Mausi that he wanted to take me to Kolkata. He said that he would give me better education and living.

I came to Kolkata with him. For the first few days he gave me good food and new clothes. I was very happy, but after some days he forced me to work in a hotel.

He used to beat me and would take away all my earnings. Two days ago, when he was fast asleep in the night, I took his mobile and tried to call my Mausi, but he caught me calling.

He beat me very badly and locked me inside a room. I fell unconscious, and when I came to my senses, I found myself in a government hospital verandah.

A nurse came and gave me some medicines and asked me about my health.

‘I am good now,’ I said.

‘Who brought me here,’ I asked her.

‘A man had left you here yesterday,’ she said.

‘That man would be my uncle,’ I thought.

‘But fear shook me when I thought of him.’

‘I must run away from here before he comes to take me,’ I decided.

There was no one to look and care for me, I left the hospital and ran away.

I reached Kolkata station and caught a train. I didn't know where the train was going. I asked a fellow passenger, and he told me to get off at Asansol Station and change the train as that train was not going towards my Mausi's home. So, I got off at this station.

‘Should we inform the police?’ I asked the people around.

‘No, please don't call the police,’ the boy said. ‘Policemen also used to come to eat at the hotel where I worked, but they didn't help.’

‘You can ask my Mausi, please call her,’ the boy said. ‘I am not lying.’

'Okay, tell me your Mausi's phone number, I said.

Sandeep dialed the number and put the phone on speaker, his Mausi picked up the call.

The boy narrated his ordeal.

His Mausi got worried and asked him to give the phone to someone around.

Yes, please speak, I am listening, I said.

Please board my son on a train going towards Shahganj, I will receive him at the station, please, please..., she kept on saying.

I assured her that I would board him in a train going towards Shahganj and would inform her about the train.

A man standing among the gathered people pointed towards a train halted behind us and said this train would go towards Shahganj.

He was wearing a police uniform, the boy got afraid on seeing that man.

‘Don't be afraid, son,’ the man said. ‘I am the coach security guard of this train, and I will take you to Shahganj.’

The boy boarded the train. A tea seller gave him a cup of tea.

The coach security guard gave him his seat and the boy sat near the window.

The engine bell clanged and the train slid forward.

The boy waved his hand to us and smiled.

‘What a poor boy! A man said. ‘How much pain he has gone through at this little age.’

‘Yes, but he is a Braveheart,’ another man said. ‘A Little Braveheart, may God bless him.’