Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Akhil-Babu's letter to the Indian Railways Department

Akhil Chandra Sen wrote this letter to the Sahibganj divisional
railway office in 1909. It is on display at the Railway Museum in New
Delhi. It was also reproduced under the caption Travellers' Tales "in
the Far Eastern Economic Review.
"I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too
much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I
doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off
and I am running with lotah in one hand and dhoti in the next when I
am fall over and expose all my shocking to men and female women on
platform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station. This too much bad, if
passenger go to make dung that damn guard not wait train five minutes
for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that
guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers."

Any guesses why this letter was of historic
value?...............................It apparently led to introduction
of toilets in trains .