Soft Corner of Tejas Lakhani

Okhil 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 “Traveller Tales” in the Far Eastern Economic Review.

“I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is
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 man and female women on platform. I am got
leaved at Ahmedpur station.

This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam 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 making big report in papers.”

Any guesses why this Bengali Babu’s letter was of historic value?

It apparently led to introduction of toilets in our trains