The Children’s Train - Of Violence

While most movies in Bollywood are now becoming a failed or mediocre attempt to revive what once was a glorious era, with Netflix enabling access to world cinema, we still get to see some thought provoking ones.

The themes of friendship, family, and perseverance are timeless and universal. And if associated with war and children, it is bound to appeal to anyone with a heart that is curious as to what transpires in the aftermath of any war.

The story of this historical drama The Children’s Train set in the Post World War in Naples at times feels Pro Russia. But what resonates most is the ability to balance hope and despair, while still capturing the magic of childhood adventure.

The events take place when things weren’t rosy and fascism still hadn’t emerged victorious on the world map. While tackling themes of growth, social class, unity and courage in the face of adversity, it also teaches us to prioritize healthy relationships, be less judgmental and more forgiving towards each other.

The film explores an 8 year old Amerigo’s emotional journey as he navigates life between his birth mother in Naples and his temporary guardian. Our hero, the child actor, is so skinny that as he scrapes his spoon of soup, you literally share his hunger.

The plight of the young unassuming children and their mothers is reflected with such careful restraint. The contrasts between the two worlds highlighting themes of poverty, love, and identity bring depth to the story. Thus teaching us to look towards each other’s humanity and seek to prioritize healthy relationships, encouraging enjoyable and redeeming qualities

The war torn zone is beautifully used to essay the true, helpless love of a mother for her child. It also highlights the resilience and courage of children and how challenging it is to be temporarily separated from their parents.

But in spite of all the violence and trauma, good things always find a way to happen and humanity triumphs. That was how ‘The Children’s Train’ , the movie, was brought to a halt. We then wipe our tears and switch off the Idiot Box.

Belonging to the Railway Family, I am well aware of the allure of train travel- of its ability to transcend time, offering a sanctuary where moments are savoured, landscapes unfold leisurely, and connections are forged. Every time we embarked on a voyage of discovery and indulgence, our gleaming carriages were always adorned with exquisite craftsmanship and impeccable service.

Now let us focus on the present scenario of an ongoing Children’s Train where the little passengers are not on a joy ride but are victims of war and political unrest. From the safe and secure stations of inhumanity, an indifferent world is watching these multiple coaches of bombs and blockades and military campaigns hurtling forward- without any stopping signs; without any compassionate signals of reprieve. If they stop it is only for fueling more violence and more hatred.

Crammed inside are millions of battered, shattered, and traumatized kids who have no journeys to traverse and no destinations to arrive at. There is no nostalgic charm, luxury, glamour or sophistication in this Children’s Train. No exquisite cuisines to taste; no iconic landscapes to admire; no meticulously crafted playful itineraries to follow.

And most importantly, in this drab and endless voyage of destruction and despair there is no one waiting to receive them. Thus these anxious, lonely and insecure little passengers continue their unending journey in this surreal realm of the rails.

But how long will this torturous travel last? Isn’t it high time someone derails this hurtling train? Hundreds of thousands of children have already embraced death either as refugees, as targets of war or in the course of ethnic cleansing.

Thousands of children are suffering landmine injuries each year. Millions are disabled, many of whom have grossly inadequate access to rehabilitation services. Many are vulnerable to the deadly combination of malnutrition and infectious illness. Some do not even have access to basic food, water, hygiene or housing. Aren’t we, as indifferent bystanders failing these little passengers?

Then again, ‘why’ may you ask, is a Children’s Train more important than any ordinary carriage carrying adults?

One, because as was depicted in another beautiful film ‘The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas’, a child sitting on either side of the fence is always innocent.

Two, in any war it is always the children who suffer the most because they are dependent on the care, empathy, and attention of adults who love them. In times of war, when the parents are occupied in protecting the family or getting sustenance, this emotional attachment is suddenly disrupted.

The child then becomes a liability to someone (usually a relative or an orphanage) where people may not care as much. And those that lose all adult protection to become ‘unaccompanied children’ will have to continue to travel all alone..

Three, any childhood impact adversely affects the life trajectory of children far more than adults. Exposure to situations of terror and horror leave enduring impacts leading to depression and disorders. The experience of indifference from the surrounding world, or, worse still, malevolence, may cause them to suffer the loss of meaning in their construction of themselves. They lose the opportunity for play and education, being forced to move to camps where they wait for years in miserable circumstances for normal life to resume.

Long after the war is ended, the life of an orphan, a disabled child or a rape survivor will never be the same again. When their schools are bombed, homes destroyed, and families torn apart, they lose not only their safety but also their childhood. As a society we need to weed this malaise of their disproportionate suffering by rooting out the consequences of such brutal trends.

This daily struggle for survival cannot and should not become the deadly new normal. We cannot and should not rob the children of their economic, social and cultural rights. We cannot and should not allow entire generations to become collateral damage to a crazy world’s unchecked wars. We must protect the children from conflicts they had no hand in creating, allowing them their chance to play, to learn, and to simply be children.

It therefore becomes the responsibility of every adult to start the process of derailing all such trains carrying gullible damaged goods. We can start by refusing to avert our gaze from the ongoing scenarios just because the goods that do not belong to us are too distant to be noticed; or too disturbing to observe; or simply because the politics of stopping such trains is too complicated.

As for the leaders, just sitting around tables discussing peace talks, or a cascade of resignations won’t solve the problem. Every moment of inaction costs children their lives, their dignity, and prospects.

The leaders need to admit that enough is enough and learn to embrace humanity. Any kind of truce can become the ‘wake up’ call for the world to realize that even in the darkest tunnel, there is still room for decency. It is up to the leaders now to seize this moment to disrupt, derail, demolish and destroy the very tracks that carry such degrading trains.

All leaders should foster enough courage to come forward together and construct a safe and sound track that will guarantee a peaceful voyage for all little passengers. But most importantly, they have to ensure that in future such violent railroads are never built again!

Nargis Natarajan is a writer/author who resides in Bhubaneswar.