During Xmas time Santa Claus appears in no time with bagful of gifts specially for children in most loveable attire & he can't do anything wrong . But Santa Claus comes from European tradition with baggage of Xmas attached . But what about us . We were smitten & charmed by joint family from the beginning & infatuated by Nana ,Nani, Dada, Dadee, Mamoo, Chachu & galore of such relatives of same ilk ,all coming & going to each other place bringing unhindered joy. For them greeting card was not in vogue , not in use also.So, in real sense any child never needed a Santa Clause to charm him & maternal grandpa is perennial Santa Claus for him who can purchase toffee, chocolate , candy, lozenges at the child's slightest bidding of any time !
My Nana also came to Siwan bringing for me real joy .I knew Siwan had direct train link to Purnea ,so, I have a chance to visit Purnea, my maternal grandpa's place,a paradise !
Siwan was small town but I took the mantle of a guide showing him the small town ,particularly grocery shops where toffee lozenges kept in glass jars . Siwan had three talkies namely Darbar , Krishna & Paramount, small bazaar & a Peepal tree .It was known as ' Jhagrouwah Peepar' the quarrelling peepal tree ,where Papa always got deputation during Muharram festival of mourning & other Hindu festivals . He was to prove there Bajrangbali was not weaker then Prophet Muhmmad as both were equal & sacred in their domain ! It was a small town indeed so it took little time to navigate him through the town & ' Jhagrawah Peepar was in main bazaar .
In the evening Nana asked for the 'PASS' of Darbar talkies & it was misplaced somewhere . I insisted , every management people recognises me in Darbar talkies & particularly the gate keeper , so, Nana will face no difficulty in entering the Darbar hall . Lo & Behold ! gatekeeper played more courtesy that day, lifted velvet curtain at the gate & we were allowed to make entry, properly seated in V.I.P. enclosure & treated with betel's paraphernalia & tea ! Nana nick named me from that day his 'PASS' !
Mother was herself desirous to go to Purnea & a program was made . I was looking for this train journey with excitement & expectation & Purnea, where only love & unfettered joy was waiting for me. In the afternoon Railway train moved from Siwan railway platform on way to Purnea & we were supposed to reach the destination next morning.
Railway journey had lot of romanticism at that time ,when on meter gauge steam engine with passenger bogies chugging & belching ,making ring of smokes , occasional shrill whistle ,passing through fields , trees, green foliage, bush & boughs ,rivers & ravines , mounds & arid land ,passing stations & small houses ,all forming a vast swath of landscape to behold , make it, really charming but monotonous ., as eyes get fatigued after sometime . When our train passed from Pachrukhi station area ,stench of cane molasses hit our nostril & for half an hour as stench emitted from Pachrukhi Sugar Mill & we kept hankies on our nose to avoid the molasses stench . Generally after 8'o' clock in the night it was difficult for me to keep open my eyes & in the morning Karahagola station came & I get awakened by the cockney sound of tea vendors selling their teas ! After passing Kursela bridge which was gigantic & fabulous on majestic Koshi river of swirling waters , station Katihar came. Katihar was railway junction & Purnea was just next stoppage.
The year was 1955 perhaps !
Continued .........
Siwan was small town but I took the mantle of a guide showing him the small town ,particularly grocery shops where toffee lozenges kept in glass jars . Siwan had three talkies namely Darbar , Krishna & Paramount, small bazaar & a Peepal tree .It was known as ' Jhagrouwah Peepar' the quarrelling peepal tree ,where Papa always got deputation during Muharram festival of mourning & other Hindu festivals . He was to prove there Bajrangbali was not weaker then Prophet Muhmmad as both were equal & sacred in their domain ! It was a small town indeed so it took little time to navigate him through the town & ' Jhagrawah Peepar was in main bazaar .
Mother was herself desirous to go to Purnea & a program was made . I was looking for this train journey with excitement & expectation & Purnea, where only love & unfettered joy was waiting for me. In the afternoon Railway train moved from Siwan railway platform on way to Purnea & we were supposed to reach the destination next morning.
Railway journey had lot of romanticism at that time ,when on meter gauge steam engine with passenger bogies chugging & belching ,making ring of smokes , occasional shrill whistle ,passing through fields , trees, green foliage, bush & boughs ,rivers & ravines , mounds & arid land ,passing stations & small houses ,all forming a vast swath of landscape to behold , make it, really charming but monotonous ., as eyes get fatigued after sometime . When our train passed from Pachrukhi station area ,stench of cane molasses hit our nostril & for half an hour as stench emitted from Pachrukhi Sugar Mill & we kept hankies on our nose to avoid the molasses stench . Generally after 8'o' clock in the night it was difficult for me to keep open my eyes & in the morning Karahagola station came & I get awakened by the cockney sound of tea vendors selling their teas ! After passing Kursela bridge which was gigantic & fabulous on majestic Koshi river of swirling waters , station Katihar came. Katihar was railway junction & Purnea was just next stoppage.
The year was 1955 perhaps !
Continued .........
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