Sankranthi at Home - Bommala Koluvu

Sankranthi is a harvest festival (Pongal in Tamil Nadu) falling in January. It is by far the most important festival of my family. Of course, we do not have any harvesting to be done and for that matter we do not own any farm lands. the importance is due to my mother's annual shwocase of her collection of idols and show-case dolls and icons. It is called "Bommala Koluvu" or "Assembly of Toys/Dolls". Famous all over South India, it is usually celebrated during Dusshera in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka though my mother prefers Sankranthi like most Andhraites. This yeartoo, we had a Koluvu at my parent's home.

Bommala Koluvu is a display of dolls and toys depicting Gods of the Hindu pantheon on a platform of steps like in the picture. The steps are always numbered odd for some reason. One can follow a specific theme in displays like depicting the Ramayana or scenes from it or other mythologies. Or, one can display the household dolls without any specific theme. My mother prefers the a la carte mode but also makes it a point to add a new doll or set of dolls to the display each year. She has been collecting the dolls for the past 25 years and some of them still occupy prime spot in the display despite all those years.

This set of Rama, Sita, Lakhshmana and Hanuman has been a pride of my mother's collection. She acquired them from Chennai in 1982. They are made of paper pulp and painted in bright acrylic colours. Despite being 25 years old, they still retain the shine and vividity thanks to the pain my mom takes in storing them shielded from light and unpacked only for the Koluvu. Chennai is a hot spot for these kinds of dolls made of papier mache. Here they take the top step of the Koluvu, the pride of the display.

This smaller set Rama is made of marble and is from North India. This is a new addition to my mother's collection this year.

The cute Krishna idol is made of clay and was acquired from a street-side seller in Nellore back in 1983. the one next to it is of Goda Devi or Andal, made of papier mache and acquired in Chennai. At the foot of these idols are dolls of Gopikas in dance. Sankaranti this year coincided with the Goda Kalyanam, and so, mother attempted a small theme here with Krishna, Goda Devi and Gopikas.



This idol of flute-playing Krishna along with a cow and even a calf occupied a special place apart from the regular steps. Despite being off the steps, it still qualifies as one step and is in the countof the odd number of steps. the separate display accentuated the idol. A smaller idol of Krishna can be seen flanked by gopikas in dance.

Mother finalising the displays by bedecking the idols with flowers. For the next three days, these idols and dolls will be treated like royalty in the household and prayers would be offered twice everyday.

A closer look at the topmost steps. They are all made of papier mache. Saraswati, Subramanua and his consorts, Srinivasa, Srimannarayana and even a couple of Ganeshas. My mother has a good collection of Ganeshas, but Krishnas top the list of her collection. two idols depicting Krishna can be seen here. The acrylic colours over paper mache are so vivd especially when light reflects off them.

A South Indian wedding set displayed at the foot of the Krishna and Goda Devi idols. This one is a gift to my mother and a new addition to her collection this year. I had purchased this papier mache set from Khadi Bhandar in Chennai. Mother completed the Goda Devi Kalyanam scenario by adding this set.

Ashta Laksmi. A set of Goddess Lakshmi and her 8 incarnations.

A respite from papier mache. This Ramayana set is an example of the famous Kondapalli toys of Andhra. They are made of a special softwood and painted in natural dyes. I guess there is a dearth of papier mache icons with my mother. My future gifts to her would hence include Kondaplli, Etikoppaka, Nirmal and Channapatna toys.

Another Kondapalli set, this time depicting the Dashavatara -10 incarnations of Vishnu.

Another addition to the collection thsi year. Mom does not cease to surprise us. This is an idol of Hygreeva, another name for the Varaha Avatar.

More of Radha Krishna. Marble statuettes, with colourul dresses made by mother.

This is one of the oldest idol in my mother's collection (a couple of others could be older than me.) It is an idol of Goddess Saraswati made of china and was procured by my parents at the Santinikethan Fair (West Bengal) in 1980.

Offerings made to the deities in "Koluvu".

Thank you for visiting my mother's "Bommala Koluvu". Here is the entire display.

The Little Narrow Gauge of Central India

On the morning of December 9, 2006, we wait at Itwari Jn. to catch the Nagpur Chindwara passenger. VSP looks on as the rest of the gang is busy chatting up the station officials about the narrow gauge line from Nagpur to Chindwara. The line goes north of Nagpur to Chindwara from where it veers towards the East till Nainpur where it turns north again till Jabalpur.



Itwari Jn. is a suburb of Nagpur and is a dual gauge station with a full complement of broad gauge lines on one side and narrow gauge lines on the other side. In fact, I had never seen so many loop lines of narrow gauge anywhere else than Itwari. VSP, Bharat and Sachin (with camera) seem to agree with me. Dr. Akash Apurva and Mr. Srinivas are examining the gauge.



The little narrow gauge train arrives behind a ZDM diesel locomotive.



The little train was packed with people. Some of them hanging by the doors. The journey was a rock and roll affair as the train rolled over the tiny tracks swaying sideways all the time. Here we are crossing the Howrah bound broad-gauge line by going under it.



Koradih, a major mining town is the second station we stopped at. It is a Passenger Halt as the board depicts ("P.H."). This one is a basic single line with non-automated signalling and quite a few crossings. Most of the stations are termed passenger halts as they do not have loop lines to enable crossings of opposite running trains. These little stations fall within a block section. Only a few big stations on this route are the block stations.

There were a few curves along the route until Ramakona line like this one. Most of the route was dead straight.



A departmental observation car at at the end of the train. It is in a mint condition despite being almost 100 years old.



The observation car came with a dining car too. Both were closely vesitbuled together.

One of our the crossing stations, Khaparkheda. The Ramakona-Nagpur passenger (VSP is standing by it) was waiting for us on the loop line. The ZDM are well maintained by the Motibagh Shed at Nagpur.

Another view of Khaparkheda. Note the observation car. It has windows to the back offering an uninterrupted view of the track behind.

A long section of straight tracks. The rails were not replaced despite having been laid for long due to the impending gauge conversion. As a result we had a rock and roll journey all the way.

Saoner was a bigger station with plenty of passenger movement. It had two loop lines.

Another view of Saoner's railway station.

Goodbye Saoner. Note the semaphore signal.

Ramakona was the next big block station. It also marked an end to endless plains and straight tracks. Seen here is the locomotive of our train.

Post Ramakona, the scenery changed dramatically. Population became more sparse and seperated. Vegetation turned thicker as foilage started to skirt the tracks. There were more trees, taller and sturdier than before. Curves also increased as we headed into the forests of the Satpura.

As the sun set, we passed small stations nestled amidst increasingly thickening woods. Ghadela was one such station. The temeperature was falling slowly.

We passed little stations with small sheds in place of station houses like this one named Devi.

Bhimalgondi was at a higher altitude reached after negotiating thick forests of teak along hillsides that the train crossed on a series of sharp curves.

Bhimalgondi is my favourite station of this route. Nestled among hills and surrounded by thickj forest, this little station seems so far away from civiliztion and so peaceful.

It was dark by the time we reached Chindwara Jn, our destination. The passenger from Chindwara to Nagpur was already at Chindwara. We alighted our train to catch this one. The train we alighted would continue to Nainpur and then to Jabalpur.

Monsoon Train to Bodi

Rail Trip to Bodinayakkanur - November 18, 2006.

One wet afternoon, I took a train to Bodinayakkanur from Madurai.



The train swept across water logged paddy fields



The sky was overcast. Bodi was in midst of the Western Ghats. The hills loomed large as the lttile train pulled ahead.

Multiple hues of green and grey with the monsoon clouds looming low. The rain had swept away all the dust inthe atmosphere.

A little light music to go with the climate.

All the tall peaks of the Kodai Hills were covered by clouds.

Wonderful shapes these peaks assumed. They absolutely dwarfed the little train I took.

Every second, a new scene. Window of a train offers more than what all television channels put together could offer.

Little stations passed by with few rural passengers alighting the train. It was an earthy branch line.

More hills and more clouds. Monsoon at its best.

At last, Bodinayakkanur! We reached Bodi at a twilight hour and found a little station tucked in a corner and guarded by huge peaks. Bodi is the terminus of this branch line from Madurai. The train won't go any further. A small and silent station, Bodi is a treat to the eyes thanks to all those trees surrounding it.

Bodi is known for its cardamom. This little train helps the traders carry the cardamom sacks (in the pic) to Madurai from where, they are sent to all parts of India. thanks to cardamom, Bodi is the most fragrant little stations in India. The train will start back to Madurai in half hour. Vivek gets the last minute snaps. Look at those trees and all the greenery. Bodi is heaven.

The little YDM4 locomotive is attached to the back of the train. It is all set to return to Madurai. The beautiful YDM4 and metre gauge are not forever. Their days are numbered. In two years from now, the route will be converted to broad gauge.