The Tunnel
shimmered:
shined with
a light that
appears to
move
railway
embankment:
a stone wall
made to carry
the railway over
low ground
scrub-covered:
covered with
short trees and
bushes
It was almost noon, and the jungle was very still, very silent.
Heat waves shimmered along the railway embankment where
it cut a path through the tall evergreen trees. The railway lines
were two straight black serpents disappearing into the tunnel
in the hillside.
Suraj stood near the cutting, waiting for the midday train. It
wasn’t a station, and he wasn’t catching a train. He was waiting
so that he could watch the steam engine come roaring out of
the tunnel.
He had cycled out of the town and taken the jungle path until
he had come to a small village. He had left the cycle there, and
walked over a low scrub-covered hill and down to the tunnel
exit.
Now he looked up. He had heard, in the distance, the shrill
whistle of the engine. He couldn’t see anything, because
the train was approaching from the other side of the hill;
cutting: a
narrow valley
cut through a
hill to make
space for a
railway line
instinctively:
without thought
or plan
flinch: make a
quick movement
plume of
smoke: long,
thin cloud of
smoke
shisham: a
tree found in
northern parts
of India
contemplation:
deep thought
reassure:
comfort, calm
but presently a sound like distant thunder issued from the
tunnel, and he knew the train was coming through.
A second or two later, the steam engine shot out of the tunnel,
snorting and pufÏng like some green, black, and gold dragon,
some beautiful monster out of Suraj’s dreams. Showering
sparks left and right, it roared a challenge to the jungle.
Instinctively, Suraj stepped back a few paces. Waves of hot
steam struck him in the face. Even the trees seemed to flinch
from the noise and heat. And then the train had gone, leaving
only a plume of smoke to drift lazily over the tall shisham
trees.
The jungle was still again. No one moved.
Suraj turned from his contemplation of the drifting smoke and
began walking along the embankment towards the tunnel.
The tunnel grew darker as he walked further into it. When
he had gone about twenty yards, it became pitch dark. Suraj
had to turn and look back at the opening to reassure himself
that there was still daylight outside. Ahead of him, the tunnel’s
other opening was just a small round circle of light.
The tunnel was still full of smoke from the train, but it would
be several hours before another train came through. Till then,
the cutting belonged to the jungle again.
Suraj didn’t stop, because there was nothing to do in the tunnel
and nothing to see. He had simply wanted to walk through, so
that he would know what the inside of a tunnel was really
like. The walls were damp and sticky. A bat flew past. A lizard
scuttled between the lines.
Coming straight from the darkness into the light, Suraj was
dazzled by the sudden glare and put a hand up to shade his
eyes. He looked up at the tree-covered hillside and thought he
saw something moving between the trees.
scuttled: ran
hurriedly
obstacles:
things that
block the way
porcupine: a
small animal
(large rodent)
with sharp spikes
on its back
dazzled:
blinded by
bright light
swishing:
moving with a
brushing sound
It was just a flash of orange and gold,
and a long swishing tail. It was there
between the trees for a second or
two, and then it was gone.
About
fifteen
metres
from
the
entrance to the tunnel stood the
watchman’s hut. Marigolds grew in
front of the hut, and at the back there
was a small vegetable patch. It was
the watchman’s duty to inspect the
tunnel and keep it clear of obstacles.
Every day, before the train came
through, he would walk the length of
the tunnel. If all was well, he would
return to his hut and take a nap. If something was wrong,
he would walk back up the line and wave a red flag, and the
engine driver would slow down. At night, the watchman lit
an oil lamp and made a similar inspection of the tunnel. Of
course, he would not stop the train if there was a porcupine
on the line. But if there was any danger to the train, he’d go
back up the line and wave his lamp to the approaching engine.
If all was well, he’d hang his lamp at the door of his hut and
go to sleep.
He was just settling down on his cot for an afternoon nap
when he saw the boy emerge from the tunnel. He waited until
Suraj was only a metre or so away and then said, “Welcome,
welcome. I don’t often have visitors. Sit down for a while, and
tell me why you were inspecting my tunnel.”
“Is it your tunnel?” asked Suraj.
“It is,” said the watchman. “It is truly my tunnel, since no one
else will have anything to do with it. I have only lent it to the
Government.”
Suraj sat down on the edge of the cot.
“I wanted to see the train come through,” he said. “And then,
when it had gone, I thought I’d walk through the tunnel.”
“And what did you find in it?”
“Nothing. It was very dark. But when I came out, I thought I
saw an animal—up on the hill—but I’m not sure, it moved off
very quickly.”
“It was a leopard you saw,” said the watchman. “My leopard.”
“Do you own a leopard too?”
“I do.”
“And do you lend it to the Government?”
“I do not.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“No, it’s a leopard that minds its own business. It comes to this
range for a few days every month.”
“Have you been here a long time?” asked Suraj.
“Many years. My name is Sunder Singh.”
“My name’s Suraj.”
“There is one train during the day. And there is one train
range: area
during the night. Have you seen the night mail come through
the tunnel?”
“No. At what time does it come?”
“About nine o’clock, if it isn’t late. You could come and sit here
with me, if you like. And after it has gone, instead of going to
sleep I will take you home.”
“I’ll ask my parents,” said Suraj. “Will it be safe?”
“Of course. It is safer in the jungle than in the town. Nothing
happens to me out here. But last month, when I went into
town, I was almost run over by a bus.”
Sunder Singh yawned and stretched himself out on the cot.
“And now I am going to take a nap, my friend. It is too hot to
be up and about in the afternoon.”
“Everyone goes to sleep in the afternoon,” complained Suraj.
“My father lies down as soon as he’s had his lunch.”
“Well, the animals also rest in the heat of the day. It is only the
tribe of boys who cannot, or will not, rest.”
Sunder Singh placed a large banana leaf over his face to
keep away the flies, and was soon snoring gently. Suraj stood
up, looking up and down the railway tracks. Then he began
walking back to the village.
night mail: a
train that runs
at night
Travel
The railroad track is miles away,
And the day is loud with voices speaking,
Yet there isn’t a train goes by all day
But I hear its whistle shrieking.
All night there isn’t a train goes by,
Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming,
But I see its cinders red on the sky,
And hear its engine steaming.
My heart is warm with the friends I make,
And better friends I’ll not be knowing;
Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take,
No matter where it’s going.
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Conquering the Summit
This is a story that narrates the triumph of will,
courage, determination, and dedication. Arunima
Sinha’s journey from a devastating accident to
scaling the highest peak in the world stands as a
beacon of hope and resilience. In 2011, at the age
of 24, Arunima Sinha, a national-level volleyball
player, faced a life-altering event. It challenged
her in ways she could never have imagined. As
she lay in the hospital bed with one leg amputated,
Arunima made a vow that many would deem
impossible: not only to walk again with a
prosthetic leg but to scale Mount Everest. In 2013,
she did just that, becoming the first Indian female
amputee to achieve this feat. Hence, in 2015, she
was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest
civilian award in India. She was also awarded the
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award and
Courtesy: Hindustan Times
beacon:
source of
inspiration
resilience:
ability to
recover quickly
from a difÏculty
amputated: cut
off a part of the
body (here the
leg)
prosthetic leg:
an artificial
leg that helps
people to move
around easily
feat:
achievement
harrowing:
extremely
disturbing and
painful
rigorous:
severe
National Award for Best Female Mountaineer.
Arunima hails from Ambedkar Nagar, a small district in Uttar
Pradesh. Her father was an army engineer, and her mother
worked as a health supervisor. Sports were a significant part
of Arunima’s life, with her family having a natural inclination
towards athletics. After completing her law degree following
her post-graduation, Arunima decided to pursue a job in the
paramilitary forces, which would allow her to continue her
passion for sports while having a regular income.
On the fateful night of 11 April 2011, she met with a train
accident. The hours that followed were harrowing. She never
imagined she would survive that night, but survive she did,
miraculously, displaying an extraordinary will to live. Arunima
received a prosthetic leg and underwent physiotherapy. It was
during this period that she made a profound decision. Inspired
by an article about Mount Everest, she resolved to conquer
the highest peak in the world.
To pursue her ambition, Arunima Sinha completed a
basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of
Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, followed by eighteen months
of rigorous training. Arunima approached Bachendri Pal, the
first Indian woman to summit Everest, to guide her in the
endeavour. Bachendri Pal instilled confidence in Arunima
and said, “My child, you decided to climb Mount Everest in
these situations with a prosthetic leg—you have conquered
the Everest within you; the world will realise it later.”
On 21 May 2013, after 52 exhausting days, Arunima Sinha
reached the summit of Mount Everest. Standing at the top
of the world, she felt a surge of emotions—pride, relief, and
an overwhelming sense of achievement. She displayed the
Indian flag at the summit and left behind a photograph of her
idol, Swami Vivekananda, whose teachings had inspired her
throughout her journey.
Arunima’s feat did not end with Everest. By July 2016, she
had summited seven peaks in Europe, Africa, Australia,
South America, North America, and
of course, Mount Everest in Asia.
In January 2019, she climbed the
seventh peak on Antarctica and
became world’s first female amputee
to climb Mount Vinson. Her goal to
complete the Seven Summits was
achieved.
Throughout her journey, Arunima
has faced numerous challenges and
setbacks. Yet, her story is not just about
physical endurance but
also about mental
endeavour: an
attempt to do
something
surge: a sudden
and great
increase
endurance:
(here) ability to
continue doing
something
difÏcult for a
long time
adversity:
a difÏcult
situation
testament:
proof
conferred:
given an ofÏcial
title or honour
fortitude:
courage over a
long period
fortitude and the power of a positive mind set. Her message is
simple yet profound: “Never give up and work hard. Always
remember your goal and work on it.”
Arunima’s autobiography, Born Again on the Mountain: A Story
of Losing Everything and Finding It Back records her incredible
journey to the top of the world. It is a story of triumph over
adversity, a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to rise
above the most challenging circumstances.
She was conferred with the honorary doctorate by the
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. In her words, “Failure
is not when we fall short of achieving our goals. It is when
we don’t have goals worthy enough. Never forget your goal,
respect it, work hard, and you will be the winner.” Dr. Arunima
Sinha has not only conquered mountains but has also won
people’s hearts the world over, inspiring them to reach their
own summits.
Vinson
Antarctica
Elbrus
Europe
Denali
Aconcagua
Kilimanjaro
Africa
Kosciuszko
Australia