In search of history, not gazetted

REMNANTS OF THE PAST: A small building that was once used by the king near the Thrissur railway station. The remains of a golden era are yet to find a space in the annals of history, the archives. A small room adjacent to the parcel office in the railway station, now occupied by the Railway Health Inspecting Officer evokes memories of an illustrious rule of Thrissivaperur by kings of a bygone era. It was believed to be in the year 1912 that the city heard the first whistle of a train. The history says that the Cochin-Shornur railway was built under the reign of Divan AR Banerji. The small room was once the waiting room for the royalty. The kith and kin of the king spent time resting in the room before and after they had a journey. The room reflects every feature of an ageless, glorious craft. It is floored with Italian tiles, expensive but enduring tiles used by the kings to floor their palaces those times. "Mysore Palace has the same piece of tiles used for its flooring" said Krishna Raj, railway health inspecting officer of Thrissur station. The beautifully carved wooden roofs and the Belgium-made glass inside the room again authenticate the room's origin in the historic period. Sakthan Palace in the city has the same roof and glass in many parts. But glasses are broken and look bleary. "The beauty of this room is, it can keep a perfectly mild temperature always whatever the climate is', adds Krishna Raj. Railway authority refuses to demolish the ancient room as it is a part of history of the city and a monument. But the archeological and archives department have no clues about the room. Response to the City Journal's request to search the archives at regional archives office at Ernakulam was rather surprising. Searching the entire Cochin Government Gazette was in vain and nothing new was found. The small waiting room might not be the only monument standing outside the walls of the archives. But even a small neglect towards such prosaic monuments can always result in the forfeit of a great history.