The train bound to Shirdi halted in Secunderabad railway station at 3.30 p.m. on platform No. 10. I was returning by this train to Bidar from Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), Training Centre, Secunderabad, after a month’s training on Pastoral and Spiritual Care. There were hardly any passengers on the platform. I walked to coach No. 1. No one but a man stood facing the shut door of this coach. He carried a bag on his shoulder and held a plain bamboo cane in his right hand. On hearing my footsteps he turned towards me. “Is this train going to Shirdi?” he enquired in Kannada. (Secunderabad is in a Telugu speaking area). I assured him that it was the right train that he as well as I would be travelling by. He was totally blind, as seen by the sunken eye balls and eyelids tightly closed on each other. On continuing our conversation, he confessed that his name as Jagram (name changed); he was born blind and was a native of Bidar.
At the departure time the train got filled to capacity. Jagram and I occupied the window seats opposite to each other. We continued our conversation; He was on a pilgrimage to Shirdi Sai Baba’s temple to obtain his ‘Darshan’. He told me that while he could travel free of cost in a coach meant for persons with disability, he preferred a reserved compartment; for in the former, people smoked, drank, and quarreled and besides the compartment was not maintained clean. He continued his story further, “It is not easy either to travel in a reserved compartment for persons like me, for some guys influence the TT, pay an extra amount to him, and claim my seat; it has happened to me a few times. However I have been able to stand for my rights”. Then he directed his mobile to me and asked me to dial a particular number for him, which I did.
As the train wound its way, I opened my bag to find two bananas; one for me, another for Jagram. It was the last day of the month of March; heat was mounting; both of us shared some water from a little water bottle I had. As we grew familiar in each other’s company, he corrected himself and said that he was a graduate, while a little earlier he had told me that he had completed only Std. VIII of schooling. He continued to speak and said that he was working with his brother weaving ‘ratan’ chairs; he also availed of his father’s monthly pension after his father’s death. “God has worked wonders in my life; in gratitude to him I go on pilgrimages and visit many temples and shrines”.
Our compartment was getting filled up. After a few stations, a ‘big party’ of three couples and a number of their children zoomed into our compartment. Their berths were in different compartments; however their desire was to remain together in our compartment. They requested the co-passengers for a possibility of exchanging berths. As no one agreed, two ‘strong men’ among them targeted Jagram and cajoled him to give up his berth and go to a berth in coach No. 6. He refused them politely; then they started persuading him to give up his seat. At this moment, I calmly looked at the two’ strong men’ and said gently, “Brothers, let Jagram occupy his rightfully reserved seat.” A little quiet settled in the compartment we were in. From then onwards, Jagram started addressing me respectfully as ‘Akkavre’, meaning elder sister.
The members of the ‘big party’, beginning with the women, children and men folk grew friendly with me and gradually with Jagram; the children sat close to him. Their parents shared with me some information about the schools their children were studying in. One of the ladies among them opened her food bag and distributed some snacks among themselves and also with me; Jagram somehow was not noticed; both of us shared the snacks with each other however.
Jagram told me, “Akkavre, next time I go on a pilgrimage to Kashi, I will take you along with me; I will book your ticket myself.” I thanked him for his generous gesture. He got my name and tried to pronounce it with difficulty but correctly.
Around 7.45 p.m., the ladies from the ‘big party’ got ready for supper; the children were given food first and the rest of them shared from what they had brought; Jagram too was given a share from their food this time. I did not partake of the food as I would be reaching home for my food by 8.30 p.m. As I got ready to get off the train, Jagram said, “God bless you Akkavre” in English with a bright smile on his face, taking my empty water bottle for remembrance sake. As I shook hands with him, all the members of the ‘big party’ too wished me good bye; I could see a streak of tenderness in their eyes.
As I got back home to my community, I began to reminiscence what transpired between me, Jagram and the ‘big party’. All of a sudden I was taken back to the Emmaus scene, which we had contemplated, during the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Training at CHAI, Secunderabad during the last few days of the training. Jesus’ way of incorporating persons into his life, i.e. Jesus Optics of healing, guiding, supporting, nurturing, reconciling, liberating, forgiving and empowering was as persons and not as sinners. His was a mother-child relationship with persons. What happened to me on the train was not by chance. The resurrected Jesus provided the setting. That is why the effect, ‘were not our hearts burning within us, as he spoke to us,’ happened in our railway compartment. On the Emmaus Journey, we encounter a Jesus who sees beyond seeing and hears beyond hearing. We see: i. An Accompanying Jesus, ii. A Listening Jesus- listening to the inner stories of pain and frustration of the disciples, iii. The liminality of Jesus-the transition of attitudes that takes place in persons, in the presence of Jesus; iv. Welcoming Jesus-the invitation of the disciples to Jesus to stay with them- they welcomed him with the heart, v. The Communion effect-transformation that occurs in the presence of Jesus, their eyes were opened; they were empowered, equipped and energized to see Jesus in the bread. All of us in the railway compartment too experienced or witnessed the Emmaus journey with Jesus on that day.
All of us are called to join the Emmaus journey with Jesus, in all our interventions and interactions- with strangers, in the class room, in the families, in our communities, with the sick and infirm, with the old or terminally ill persons. Children, young girls and boys, youth, simple village people, women, couples, those on the journey, the alcoholics, substance abusers, HIV- AIDS affected children and adults, the refugees, the last, lost and the least. In word all those on the periphery need to be accompanied. All these are waiting for Jesus to join them on their journey of life.
Sister M. Adelcia A.C. (1390)
Maria Nilaya, Bidar
