November month started off well with a heArtbeat concert for Apollo Hospitals stamp release function on their 25th anniversary on the 2nd Nov'09. This was followed by a back to back concert on 7th and 8th November in Chennai and Madurai respectively. After the concert in Nanganallur, Chennai on the 7t we were dropped by a volunteer at the Pazhavanthangal Rail Station to enable us reach Tambaram to take Pandyan Express. t was indeed a day of heavy rain and we were very scared if we could take up this trip.
All went well with Ghatam Hari anna helping us get the ticket for suburban train travel and we got into the train at 935pm at Pazhavanthangal jsut 4 or 5 stations from Tambaram. However the train after leaving Sanitorium station halted for almost 15 mts and both our trains - the one we were in into Paltaform 1 and the one we were to take to Pandyan Express to Madurai in Platform 8.
It was all heroics from then on. Yes both appa and self started running to climb the staircase and got down the same on the other end. By the time appa was in the last few steps Pandyan Express just started! Appa called me and by luck i heard it and understood his sign language of asking me to get in to the unreserved compartment. Appa was still to come down and he decided to stay near the steps for the train to come by!
I was two coaches ahead and so had to run back and got into the unreserved coach with the help of a unknown friend holding me. Appa just through the luggage he held in is hands and got himself in to the moving train! At last we were in the train to Madurai! Traveled in that coach till Chengelpet and we got down at Chengelpet to change coach we realised we were in the first coach and our reserved coach B1 was probably the 20th coach.
The train had stopped outside the platform and so it was just slushy & thank God the S1 coach was open and we just squeezed thru in to it while the trainstarted moving again. It took us almost 20 25 mts to go to B1 coach and that was the time i was thanking and appreciating the vestibule system available in the trains. It was great adventure indeed and the deed followed with a mike system as old as may be 30 years provided at the hall for the concert! Thanks to almighty that system also worked and we had a great concert performance appreciated by all who had come for the reception function. A memorable trip indeed!!!!!!
