Mahanadi-Kathajodi

At the age of ten, twelve or fourteen, yearly we decided to meet Chandramma. Chandramma lived alone, and Mr Tumbayya the legendary, who had four sons, worked in Calcutta, passed long back. Yearly visits would be in our summer vacations, which were missed from the itinerary as I grew up. Superfast Express Delhi to Vishakapatnam, then to my home town Sompeta would take almost one and half of the other day. The train would pass through major junctions, as a thirteen-year-old throwing one rupee coin from my window into rivers fascinated me, interesting. We passed from the major stations to, major cities and states. The train would stop at Cuttack and maybe I remember it was the only station where my train would run opposite thereon. My dad would get off on major stations and used to get us good food, my mom would always say, he brings home extra and spends a lot. Cuttack was the station where my train would pause for long, boarding, deboarding, chai garam, whole Odiya announcements, cleaning staff in active mode, some pipes refiling or what, other trains getting parked. I only saw Cuttack as a station of major importance for our supplies onboard, might remember the name because, after a few hours, we would deboard our train. On turning twenty-one this year, I lived on the other side of the station, seven days, Pilgrim Road, College Square, Cuttack was my residence for seven days. Ola, Uber, swiggy, and Zomato started working, on the streets I saw outlets of KFC, Wow Momo, and all the handsome stores. Cuttack had my life. Cuttack chandi maa mandir, maritime Museum, Mahanadi and Kathjodi would intersect here and wow what a panoramic view. Ranenshaw University of the nineteen nineties, dahi bada and aloo dum. Cuttack was in books with new perspectives now, not on my way to meet Chandramma, nor was my father getting off this time, nor did train stop