<p>She had come to the Durg (Chhattisgarh) railway station to see off her colleague by the morning Bombay Howrah Express. As she started walking out of the platform after the train pulled away, she suddenly felt the tiny, trembling hands of a child hugging her from behind. Too scared even to talk, the six-year-old cried inconsolably, pointing at the train fast moving out of sight.</p>.<p>Part of a large, affluent wedding party, this child had alighted from the train with her peers to check out the toy shop on the platform. Too busy frolicking, singing antakshari and teasing the bridegroom-to-be, the elders did not even notice that she had been left behind when the train chugged out of the station. </p><p>Obviously her absence on the train may have probably been noticed when the train was a pretty good distance away. And now the little one was hugging this unknown angel of a lady imploringly. </p><p>In the situation, handing over the girl to the railway police or to the station master would have been easier for the woman, but her inner voice would not allow the little bud to face the ordeal all by herself. Those days, mobile phones were unheard of, and there was no way to contact her parents whatsoever. She took the child in her arms and pacified her with a motherly caress.</p>.<p>Being in the service of the Bhilai Steel Plant, she was to travel to Nagpur by the afternoon train to attend an official assignment. She decided to cancel it. She apprised the station master of the situation and requested him to contact the next halting station of the train and arrange to get the child’s parents by the earliest available return train. That would take at least five-six hours, however, enough for this guardian angel to cheer up the child with the magic of her love and compassion.</p>.<p>They exchanged stories and riddles and played hide-and-seek on the platform. The little one’s favourite foods and snacks were arranged from a nearby restaurant. Time flew, weaving an ineffable silken bond between the two of them, as if they had known each other for years. Their mutual attraction grew stronger by the hour, as the woman silently thanked God for not leading the child to evil elements instead of her.</p>.<p>This enchanting interlude was interrupted by the shrill whistle of the approaching train that carried the child’s parents. They alighted from the train and raced towards the stationmaster’s office, where they saw something unbelievable. Their ‘lost’ child was hugging this unknown fairy and imploring the parents to allow her some more time with her newest friend. Tears of joy flowing in profusion from their eyes spoke volumes of their overwhelming gratitude.</p>.<p>Restoring the little one to her parents, our angel—none other than my better half—walked out of the station, her heart filled with a kind of divine wealth far beyond the reach of other earthly riches.</p><p><em>(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)</em></p>
<p>She had come to the Durg (Chhattisgarh) railway station to see off her colleague by the morning Bombay Howrah Express. As she started walking out of the platform after the train pulled away, she suddenly felt the tiny, trembling hands of a child hugging her from behind. Too scared even to talk, the six-year-old cried inconsolably, pointing at the train fast moving out of sight.</p>.<p>Part of a large, affluent wedding party, this child had alighted from the train with her peers to check out the toy shop on the platform. Too busy frolicking, singing antakshari and teasing the bridegroom-to-be, the elders did not even notice that she had been left behind when the train chugged out of the station. </p><p>Obviously her absence on the train may have probably been noticed when the train was a pretty good distance away. And now the little one was hugging this unknown angel of a lady imploringly. </p><p>In the situation, handing over the girl to the railway police or to the station master would have been easier for the woman, but her inner voice would not allow the little bud to face the ordeal all by herself. Those days, mobile phones were unheard of, and there was no way to contact her parents whatsoever. She took the child in her arms and pacified her with a motherly caress.</p>.<p>Being in the service of the Bhilai Steel Plant, she was to travel to Nagpur by the afternoon train to attend an official assignment. She decided to cancel it. She apprised the station master of the situation and requested him to contact the next halting station of the train and arrange to get the child’s parents by the earliest available return train. That would take at least five-six hours, however, enough for this guardian angel to cheer up the child with the magic of her love and compassion.</p>.<p>They exchanged stories and riddles and played hide-and-seek on the platform. The little one’s favourite foods and snacks were arranged from a nearby restaurant. Time flew, weaving an ineffable silken bond between the two of them, as if they had known each other for years. Their mutual attraction grew stronger by the hour, as the woman silently thanked God for not leading the child to evil elements instead of her.</p>.<p>This enchanting interlude was interrupted by the shrill whistle of the approaching train that carried the child’s parents. They alighted from the train and raced towards the stationmaster’s office, where they saw something unbelievable. Their ‘lost’ child was hugging this unknown fairy and imploring the parents to allow her some more time with her newest friend. Tears of joy flowing in profusion from their eyes spoke volumes of their overwhelming gratitude.</p>.<p>Restoring the little one to her parents, our angel—none other than my better half—walked out of the station, her heart filled with a kind of divine wealth far beyond the reach of other earthly riches.</p><p><em>(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)</em></p>
