"Passing Peacefully" joke
To escape the scorching heat of the plains, the big guns of the government during British rule used to move up to Shimla for almost five months, from mid May to mid-October. The Viceroy and his large retinue always travelled by a special train which left Delhi at night and reached Kalka early next morning. Tight security was maintained all along the line and every station master was required to send a telegraphic message to Delhi as soon as the train passed his station. Of particular importance was the railway bridge over river Ghaggar near old Chandigarh (now called Chandi Mandir) where the train usually arrived at about 4 a. m. The old station master there used to spend a sleepless night from tension. There is a story that once in typical railway English, he sent the following telegram after the safe crossing of the train over the bridge: "His Excellency passed away peacefully."
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