Banmor! You are kind and generous to the traveler
Muhiuddin Ghazi
Ah (a sigh of relief)! I was concerned, nervous and worried throughout the day. Long story short, two days ago i boarded my two sons and two nephews on a train headed from Kerala to Delhi. These children are on such a long journey alone (without guardian) for the first time. Both my sons just gave their tenth board exams, whereas the nephews just passed their fifth and sixth grade examinations respectively.
Today they had to reach Delhi by afternoon, but due to “Bharat Bandh” (against the SC’s ruling on SC/ST Act) followed by violence the train stopped at a small station “Banmor” 315 kilometers before Delhi. The next station from Banmor is Moraina, and Gwalior comes before Banmor. Violence has erupted at both the places during the procession of Bharat Bandh and reports of violence and curfew was all that we receive!
Its dusk and dim now, the train is on halt since 10:30 AM, and there is neither water nor a single food stall available on the station. Train canteen is also out of supplies. The food which they brought along on their journey is already finished. Communication over phone with children is only hope between me and them and the news of ongoing situation throughout the day is increasing anxiety.
Its night and dark now! I just contacted them over phone and got a very good as well as unanticipated news. Children told me that a group of people from that township came to the station and food, iced water tanker and tanks filled with iced and sweetened water (Sharbat). Those people went to each and every coach of the train and fed all the passengers and also served them with Sharbat and Laddu.
This news of generosity and hospitality of those people has filled me with gratitude, not only because my children have been fed well, but in this journey they experienced a noble character of the natives of this country, they saw a beautiful enactment of humanity and service to mankind. The children learnt an important and imperative lesson of their life.
This arrangement of adequate foodstuffs for a large number of passengers by those people and that too with no return was a great enactment of hospitality and care towards travelers.
Natives of this country are blessed with the virtue of high moral values. The sectarian movements are trying to snatch these values of coexistence and cooperation from people. To deprive human beings from humanity is the biggest enmity against mankind. We all have to recognize our roles and responsibilities in order to protect moral and ethical values in this country.
All praise to Allah, the train is moving from platform, may Allah Almighty protect all the passengers and let them reach to their destination safely.
Translated : Adnan Shakeel Ahmed