Yesterday [24.02.2014] a landmark event took place, which was not covered widely by most newspapers. On this day, a hundred years ago, train service was started between Chennai and Colombo. The train was called the Boat Mail and also as Indo-Ceylon Express, because the train ran up to Dhanushkodi [which was devastated in 1964 from a massive cyclone], from where a boat took the passengers to Talaimannar on the Ceylon side and the Ceylon Railway carried the passengers to Colombo. It was a popular train for a long time, until the cyclone of 1964. Neither side tried to make any amends to make the historic journey to continue thereafter.The Tamil Newspaper 'Dina Malar' has devoted one full page in today's issue to give interesting titbits and interview from people who have travelled by the boat mail those days.
Those...
more... days only Englishmen were permitted to travel by First class coach, leaving Second and Third Class for the Indians. The fare for a third class ticket was Rs.14 and 15 paise [A Rupee then consisted of 16 paise].
A Boat Mail engine driver, Mr S.K.Sethu recalls that the 18 km distance between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar was covered by two steamers by the name 'Irwin' and 'Goshan'. There was a spare steamer for exigency. Traders regularly used the services of this train by carrying dried fish, textiles etc and brought back tobacco, ballpoint pens, onion etc.
Mr Padmanabhan recalls that there was an exclusive coach for the Buddhist monks.
Ms. Anantalakshmi recalls she lived in Jaffna and would visit Kodumudi [in Tamil Nadu, near Erode] every year by this train. In the first class compartments there would be attenders who would 'fan' [pankha] the English passengers.
Mr Arumugam recounts that the Boat Mail had 12 coaches. Once it landed at Mandapam Camp all the passengers would be subjected to a health check by doctors.Tickets were printed in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
Another octogenarian mentions that all the passengers to Colombo would be warmly welcomed by the captain of the steamer at Dhanushkodi. At midway the captain would stop for a while and tell the passengers that was the sea border between the two countries.
Even today Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram Express is also called Boat Mail.
/train/22268The government is planning to provide road link between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. Today some jeeps ply through sandy path to reach India's land's end. Perhaps a few years hence one may see the revival of Chennai-Colombo train service, who knows.
