The Journey (Search) Begins. . .

It’s a dark evening and the train has just pushed itself out of the station, moving slowly towards Chidambaram. Kadhir in his rugged attire runs along the wooden fence adjacent to the railway track to catch the train. He doesn’t know where this train is going, but he has to board it. He breaks open the fence at a point and with blind courage jumps to catch hold of the train door. He is aboard now. The train is picking up its speed and he finds his way into a coupe. This old modeled compartment looks very unusual to him. A small room like compartment partitioned into two with a bed on the other side. Kadhir was scanning the coupe with prayers that he shouldn’t be identified by anyone. He just raises his feet to have a look at the other side of the partition. He finds an old lady sleeping with medicines around her bed. Kadhir sighed with relief. He makes up his mind that this would be the safest place for him until he finds a way out. He turns around closing his eyes resting his back on the door. Kadhir was meditating upon his past. All his essential parts had relaxed by now. Still his mind was at unrest. His heartbeat was above 80 per minute. His eyes are still closed tight. There is no other sound he could hear except for his heartbeat and the galloping horse power of the train. Silence is golden. Kadhir realized it today. Amidst this blissful silence he smells someone passing by him. Slowly he realizes someone moving around watching him but he is not ready to open his eyes. He fears reality. But then he has to wake up. He builds up strength within himself to tackle the immediate reality. Kadhir with all his false energy takes a vivid yet rustic turn with angry eyes to encounter the new person. The train has reached its top speed, but kadhir stopped just to see a nightingale cross him. A familiar face but not an acquaintance, a nurse in plainclothes with medicine in her hands reaching out to help the old lady in bed. Kadhir is stunned by her patience. Questions popped up in his mind as she never minded his presence. Her blank eyes and energy less walk seemed as though she was never bothered about a stranger aboard. Kadhir has seen her many times before. She looked like a girl next door. He is speechless. But she has already started conversing with her eyes, instructing him not to panic but to relax. He abides by her command. She is busy attending the old lady and he quietly watches her do the nursing. They know each other just by their face. Otherwise they are total strangers. Still a mutual understanding helps them both move along without hard feelings as the train races towards its destination. Mid-night has jus passed. Kadhir is still standing on his legs with his back resting on the door. The old lady is fast asleep. The silent girl moves slowly around a table trying to give kadhir a hint to have his supper. Few pieces of bread a half filled bottle of water was all that the girl had to offer him. But kadhir wouldn’t budge from his place. He is glued to himself. She too doesn’t want to disturb his tranquility. She switches off the light near the old lady’s bed and reaches to the partition near the door side with her carpet. She gently spreads the carpet which nearly touched kadhir’s feet. Without showing any sign of sleepiness she hurriedly lies down in the carpet with her hands as head rest. Kadhir stood there watching her close her eyes. Few minutes later she slowly opens her eyes. In the gentlest possible way, without much physical movement pointing to the space between her feet and the door, she utters her first few words to kadhir, “Innum evlo neram than ippadiye nippa? Ippadi ukkandhuko” Saying this she goes back to rest. That was the most comfortable and soothing voice kadhir had ever heard in his lifetime. The surprise and softness of her voice was still swinging in his eyes, when he finally sits down near her foot admiring the sleeping beauty. It will dawn in few hours from now. Kadhir will abandon the train as it reaches its station. But I feel that kadhir’s journey; his search for life will begin there.