Some Important Notes from Life at Mokameh Ghat - Jim Corbeet
My men: This refers to the laborers or workmen- 'coolies' hired by the railway company, i.e. the Bengal and North Western Railway (BNWR), and put under Corbett's charge.
Mokameh Ghat: It is situated on the south bank of the Ganges, about 90 km from Patna, At that time there was no bridge across the river at this place and since the next crossing point was several hundred miles down river, passengers and goods collected here had to be carried over to Samaria Ghat on the north bank. Passengers and goods from the broad gauge line at Mokameh were placed on a steamer, ferried across the river and then put on to the meter gauge line at Samaria.
Work at the start: When Corbett was appointed to take over the contract of transshipping goods from Mokameh Ghat to Samaria Ghat on a salary of Rs 150.00 per month, the condition at Mokameh was one of utter confusion and chaos. About half a million tons of goods had piled up. Corbett divided his work force into 12 teams, each with a headman: 11 with 10 workers each, while the 12th had 60. The 11 handled goods while the 12th handled the movement of fuel coal. At first, the teams worked for 16 hours a day, seven days a week. The backlog was cleared within 3 months and thereafter no goods remained at Mokameh for more than 24 hours. In addition to this, it was Corbett's duty to supervise the work of a staff of about 200 men, including clerks, signal-men, guards, etc. Later, he had to look after the steamers as well.
Strenuous: requiring a great deal of effort and energy; tiring
Hardened : made rough and hard by manual labor; callused.
Settled down in our collars : got used to the work that had to be done. collar = a band or roll around an animal's neck that is a part of the harness and helps it to draw a load or burden.
Pulling in the same direction: working together for reaching the same goal or towards the same end.
Common object: same goal. The image that Corbett uses is that of several animals tied to a heavily loaded cart and all pulling it together so that they can reach the same destination as soon as possible.
Those dependent on us: the members of their families who depended on their earnings. In the case of Corbett, this was too cruelly true. To support a family of six, he abandoned his ambition of becoming an engineer and left home at the age of 17 and was appointed a temporary fuel inspector on a contract basis by the Bengal & North Western Railway (the BNWR). He was posted to Bihar on a salary of Rs 100-00 per month. This contract at Mokameh Ghat was his second appointment.
Recreation: relaxation, enjoyment, a process of refreshing oneself.
Traffic: the coming and going of people and goods.
Retain : continue to keep or have.
Undertaking (s): an enterprise; work undertaken.
Ram Saran: He was the station master of Mokameh Ghat. Twenty years senior to Corbett, he remained a friend till he died 35 years later.
Radiating: branching or spreading out from a central point
leaning over: bending over (the partition or railing)
Samaria Ghat: This ghat was situated on the north bank of the Ganges, almost opposite to and about 10 km from Mokameh Ghat.
See him off: be present at (his) departure; to accompany (him) to the place from where (he) was to start on a journey.
Gorakhpur: Now a city in south-eastern Uttar Pradesh, it was the place where the head office of the BNWR was situated.
Cross-legged: sitting with both legs folded at the knees and one leg over the other.
Caste prejudices: irrational ideas or opinions based on caste. Such prejudices 'make a member of a so-called higher caste look down upon one belonging to a so-called lower caste.
Snag : difficulty, problem.
Circumnavigated: literally = sailed all the way round something. Here the word is used in the sense of avoided 'or'got around something that was unpleasant and proving to be an obstacle'.
Unflagging: tireless, persistent.
Conferring : granting or bestowing.
Rai Sahib: This was a title of honor given by the British to Indians who had distinguished themselves in some way, or rendered particularly useful service to society or the government.
Hung heavy on my hands: passed slowly and not in an enjoyable way.
Ferried: transported or carried, usually passengers and goods, from one place to another across water
Indulging in: taking pleasure freely in (something)
Two great systems of railways: The broad gauge railway line connected Mokameh Ghat to places to the south of the Ganges, and the meter gauge connected Samaria Ghat to places north of the Ganges.
Accommodating themselves: making room for themselves.
Packed like sardines: sitting or standing too closely together. like sardines (a kind of fish) packed tightly in a can.
Work round: starting from one point and then going round (like the hands of a clock) from one person to the next.
Outer fringe: those on the outside (of the crowd on the lower deck).
Tailor wise: like a tailor: sitting on the ground like an Indian tailor with legs folded and crossed, one over the other, with the material to be stitched on his lap.
Rail : railing, i.e. a fence or barrier made of a series of upright posts fixed at the bottom. This railing protected the passengers from falling into the river.
Domestic purposes: personal use, especially ablutions.
Mohammedan: a Muslim; a follower of the Prophet Mohammed.
Dhoonia: one who cleans cotton or fluffs up old cotton by shredding it with a bow-like instrument (harp-like implement') or cotton-gin.
Teasing: separating the fibers of. Lumpy: full of lumps. harp-like implement: a tool or instrument looking like a harp, a musical instrument. The instrument consists of a long stiff rod with a strong rope tied at the two ends. It looks very much like a bow. The string is pulled and released with some force through a pile of cotton to shred it or fluff it up.
Floss silk: rough silk.
lama (s): a Tibetan or Mongolian Buddhist monk.
Sacred Buddhist shrine at Gaya: The reference is to Bodh Gaya which is a little distance away from Gaya in Bihar. It is said that here, sitting under a pipal tree, Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became the Buddha (c. 6th century BC). Emperor Ashoka built a simple shrine to mark the spot (3rd century BC). The most ancient parts of the present Mahabodhi temple were built in the 2nd century AD. Gaya, situated on the river Phalgu, is also a well-known place of Hindu pilgrimage. There are 45 sacred places in and around Gaya, the principal being the Vishnupad Temple.
Slung : hung or attached by ropes.
Hide merchant: a merchant dealing in animal skins, especially those which can be tanned into leather.
Muzaffarpur: a city in present-day north-central Bihar. It was founded by Muzaffar Khan in the 18th century.
Beads of sweat: little drops of perspiration.
Blown-glass jars: jars or large bottle-like containers. The manufacturing process involves 'blowing' a bit of hot molten glass at the end of a tube into a vessel shaped like a bottle or a jar.
Wickerwork : baskets made of wicker, i.e. twigs, or thin strips of cane.
Tan: a brown complexion due to exposure to the sun.
Blushes: a reddening or darkening of the cheeks due to a feeling of shame or embarrassment.
Anticipation: (eager) expectation (especially of something pleasurable).
Custom: a particular and established way of behaving or doing something.
Ordained: decreed, decided in advance.
Conduct me: lead or guide me (in a formal or official manner).
Our funds did not run to bunting: There was not enough money to buy 'bunting' - colored flags or paper used for decoration. The phrasal verb 'run to' means to be sufficient or enough for (something).
Marigold: (any plant with) golden or bright yellow flowers.
Jasmine: (any of various ornamental shrubs with) white or yellow flowers.
Twine: a strong thread.
Ranged : arranged in a certain way.
Headmen: A headman is the leader of a gang of workmen or 'coolies'. Corbett asked his headmen to select their own units. This helped to solve the 'caste problem' to some extent as the workers joined the units they found suitable.
This messy proceeding: messy = untidy, dirty; proceeding: event, business. It was a messy proceeding, because the children's hands would be full of the syrup or sugary juice of the sweets and they would be dripping it all over the place and their clothes.
Woefully: extremely, pitiably. Corbett and his men were paid the lowest wages by the railway, but Corbett earned something extra by way of 'commission'. This he shared with his workers, as he says, giving them 80% and keeping the rest for himself. As a result, his workers earned three times as much as they would have worked in the fields and had permanent rather than seasonal employment.
Appreciated: welcomed and recognized as something good. ensured: made sure.
Twenty-one years: Corbett worked at Mokameh Ghat for 21 years. He left it to join the army when World War I broke out in 1914.
Rife: very common, widespread.
Depressed Class: backward or deprived class.
Agitators were eliminated : troublemakers were got rid of.
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