Rail bandhu february 2016

FEBRUARY 2016

VOL 5

ISSUE 10

The on-board m agazine of Indian railways

5

plus

famous

Nalambalam Yatra

cricket stadia

Visit temples of Lord Ram and his brothers in Kerala

You must visit

Art connect Textures and tea stains

Imtiaz Ali On why trains inspire him

Puri beaches For the budget traveller

Colours of

Kutch

Rann Utsav beckons you to Gujarat THE MAGAZINE IS FOR ON-BOARD READING. KINDLY DO NOT TAKE AWAY

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For Franchise/ Partner Queries,

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BUILDING INDIA Working for a brighter future Dear travellers, It gives me immense pleasure to share with you that year 2015 has been a remarkable one in the history of the Indian Railways.

Starting from All India Security Helpline ‘182’ to facilitate the travelling passenger to All India Passenger Helpline ‘138’ as a public interface for queries/complaints related to Medical Emergency, Cleanliness, Food & Catering, Coach Maintenance, Linen etc, the Railways lived up to their aim of 'Moving Towards 360-degree Transformation'.

Be it technology, safety, environmental initiatives, human resource development, policy reforms and more, my department has been working sincerely towards 'Rail Badhe, Desh Badhe'. To achieve the same, we broke up all 2015 Budget Announcements into actionable points and they are being monitored on a regular basis. I am happy to inform that 103 Budget Announcements already stand implemented. For 2016-17 Budget, we have already invited suggestions from the public.

I also want to take this opportunity to invite the esteemed members of various political parties to become a part of that and help us in making this Budget more and more people-friendly.

We already have an ambitious roadmap ready to make the Indian Railways undergo a paradigm shift to make it match and go beyond any international standard. All we need is your whole-hearted co-operation and support to make that come true.

www.railbandhu.in

SURESH PRABHU

Hon'ble Minister of Railways Government of India

Under the Green Initiatives, the Railways has already provided Solar panel on roof top of coaches for train lighting system in 2 broad gauge coaches & 4 narrow gauge coaches

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 5

22

Outlook | July 07, 2014

Outlook | July 07, 2014

Mail Today Vol.7 No. 256 July 30, 2014 Mail Today Vol.7 No. 256 July 30, 2014

Mail Today Vol.7 No. 239 July 13, 2014 Mail Today Vol.7 No. 239 July 13, 2014

#DQ Vol XXXII No. 3 15 February, 2014 #DQ Vol XXXII No. 3 15 February, 2014

India Today | June 16, 2014

India Today | June 16, 2014

11 33

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RAIL BANDHU MAGAZINE IS PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY VIKAS JOHARI ON BEHALF OF MAXPOSURE MEDIA GROUP (INDIA) PVT. LTD. (MMGIPL) FOR THE INDIAN RAILWAYS AND PUBLISHED AT MMGIPL, PLOT NO 246, 3RD FLOOR, OKHLA PHASE-3, NEW DELHI-110020, INDIA. RAIL BANDHU MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THE WRITING, ARTWORK AND/OR PHOTOGRAPHY CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE USED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MMGIPL. MMGIPL / INDIAN RAILWAYS DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF UNSOLICITED PRODUCTS, MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK, TRANSPARENCIES OR OTHER MATERIALS. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER OR THE INDIAN RAILWAYS. ALL EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE WHILE COMPILING THE CONTENT OF THIS MAGAZINE, BUT WE ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EFFECTS ARISING THERE FROM. MMGIPL / INDIAN RAILWAYS DOES NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY FOR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS ADVERTISED HEREIN. ALL ADVERTORIALS HAVE BEEN MARKED AS 'IN FOCUS' IN THE MAGAZINE. FOR INQUIRIES | MMGIPL TEL: +91.11.43011111, WWW.RAILBANDHU.IN, WWW. MAXPOSURE.IN

10 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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CONTENTS

T R AV E L

RAIL UPDATE

16

42

Indian Railways at passengers' service 24x7

COVER STORY

Let the colours of Rann of Kutch beckon you to the vibrant culture of Gujarat

18

Goals and targets achieved in the year 2015

32

50

HERITAGE HALT

Nalambalam yatra to the temples of the four brothers of Ramayana

ENTRY TICKET Plan your trips around these days and events

54 OFF TRACK The volunteers at Beas station are setting an example for everyone

22

The renovated Rail Museum is picnic-perfect

26 62 66

20 24

The new rail coaches will impress all

Centenary year of Mahatma's train journeys

The latest plans & policies from the Railways

29

OFF TRACK

Puri and its beaches are delight for any budget traveller

CABIN CONVERSATIONS

Imtiaz Ali on the love of rail and the inspiration he derives from it

HOT SPOTS

Get the maximum out of your Rajasthan trip with our tips

70

ARTS

ART CONNECT Tea stains & textiles come together to spark creativity

72 12 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

TALE SPIN

Poetry & creative expressions on rail and the journeys

CONTENTS

LIFESTYLE

LEISURE

80

34

GAME PLAN

ROAD RUNNER

Quiz and facts to add to your sports knowledge

The new launches in automobile sector

38

40

58

STYLE FILE

FASHION FIX

FOOD YARD

Enhance the look of your room with mirrors

Personality play is ruling the runways this season

Explore the rich flavours of Banaras with us

76

81

Five stadia every cricket lover must visit

Gifting ideas for this Valentine's

QUICK LOOK

GAME PLAN

82

thou 'kSyh

KID ZONE Learn to make your own pet reindeer

92 88

Xokfy;j esa Hkze.k ds nkSjku ysa ,sfrgkfld LFkyksa dk Hkjiwj vkuan

83

86

BEAUTY TALK

xksj[kiqj jsyos LVs'ku esa fLFkr gS fo'o dk lcls yack IysVQ+kWeZ

STAR TRACKER

Protect your skin and hair from winter blues

FEBRUARY 2016

VOL 5

Your tarot predictions for this month

ISSUE 10

THE ON-BOARD M AGAZINE OF INDI AN RAILWAYS

5

PLUS

FAMOUS

NALAMBALAM YATRA

96 lwjtdqaM esys esa dyk&laLd`fr dh >yd ns[kus dks feysxh 14 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

CRICKET STADIA

Visit temples of Lord Ram and his brothers in Kerala

You must visit

ART CONNECT Textures and tea stains

IMTIAZ ALI On why trains inspire him

PURI BEACHES For the budget traveller

Colours of

KUTCH

Rann Utsav beckons you to Gujarat THE MAGAZINE IS FOR ON-BOARD READING. KINDLY DO NOT TAKE AWAY

;g if=dk dsoy VÂŞsu esa i<+us ds fy, gSA d`i;k lkFk u ys tk,aA

ON THE COVER Kite festival in Rann of Kutch photo: Gujarat Tourism

Your leisure stay at pleasing packages Experience a delightful stay with us and get upto 25% off parkinn.com/amritsar-airport

RAIL UPDATE

Forever

Connected

The Indian Railways is making sure to give passengers a great journey by making itself available 24x7

HELPLINES 138 – All India Railway Helpline For passengers, as interface for queries/ complaints related to medical emergency, cleanliness, food and catering, coach maintenance, linen etc.

139 – Rail Sampark PNR and train arrival/ departure enquiry and destination alerts.

1098 – Childline Service 24-hour toll free 182/1800-111-322 – Security Helpline Theft/pick pocketing, left behind luggage, harassment of lady passengers, unauthorised persons travelling in ladies coaches and coaches meant for differentlyabled rail passengers and any other securityrelated issues.

1800-111-321 & 04425300000 (Chennai Customer Care) – IRCTC Catering Helpline Catering related issues viz., quality of food,price of food items in catering units etc.

9840931998 – UTS on mobile (mobile app for booking unreserved/ season/platform tickets) Detailed guidelines for users and clarifications

twitter.com/RailMinIndia

Madhavi Divadkar

@MadhaviDivadkar IR has fulfilled the commitment by providing free Wi-Fi at stations.

Thanks.

16 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Abdul Mujeeb

@mujeeb_ald @railminindia Thank you @ sureshprabhu sir. You are doing great job as a Rail Minister.

www.railbandhu.in

vivkjl gupta

@vipkgupta1 @RailMinIndia @RailTelsocial sir aapki parnsansa jitni ho utni km hai.

S

ocial media not only facilitates quick communication, leading to better information discovery and delivery, it also reaches a wide audience in a short span of time, making it a useful and effective communication tool.

The new-age redressal system has not only been helping the Indian Railways provide quick and better solutions to all problems, it has also become a popular means among railway passengers for voicing any kind of grievance. With Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, and Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, themselves showing eagerness to directly connect with people, the Indian Railways is also working round the clock to stay connected with its passengers at all times.

RailMinIndia, Indian Railways’ handle on social platforms — Twitter and Facebook — has become a popular platform among the passengers to not only seek help but also share suggestions. The Railways’ Twitter and Facebook presence boasts of more than 7 lakh and 6 lakh followers respectively and counting.

Twitter has come in handy for tech-savvy railway passengers to take their grievances to top officials at the touch of a button

VipinSharma

@vipinmailbox @RailMinIndia @PMOIndia This is beginning and milestone for modernizing Railway. I heartily congrats to our Prime Minister and Rail officer

facebook.com/RailMinIndia

Several stories of Railways touching the lives of people post the social connect are doing rounds and have won public appreciation.

Om Prakash

For instance: A young woman was rescued from allegedly being trafficked to New Delhi after the Ministry of Railways was alerted to the situation on Twitter. The girl passed a message to another passenger to indicate she was being taken to the city “against her wish”. The passenger then informed the Railway Protection Force.

The information was then passed onto the train operator before officials from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) managed to stop the train at Ramagundam station and rescue the girl.

If Twitter is helping the passengers and the Railways to connect instantly, Facebook is proving to be a wonderful platform in engaging the public in a healthy discussion over the policies and steps that the Railways post regularly on its page for everyone's benefit. Each and every post from the Ministry of Railways on the page attracts replies from the citizens who not only appreciate the work being done but also give suggestions on how the Railways can further add more efficiency.

Also, the All India Railway Helpline number, 1512, has been launched to further help the passengers and ensure their safety. This number is all passengers need to remember and utilise in the event of falling prey to a crime on railway property including both running trains in addition to platforms and stations across 27 States and all Union Territories.

Manoj singh

@MANOJ4353 @RailMinIndia @ sureshpprabhu @PMOIndia I liked mahamana exp.....thanks

www.railbandhu.in

Indian railway is the most powerful transportation system which provides connectivity at affordable price. We salute Indian Railway for this

Paaras Kandpal

Thank you Indian Railways for Information which we can learn & see during our journey

Anurag Sehgal

Best ever ministry in India keep it up efforts. I wish you all the best. Thanks.

Umesh Srivastava

It is pleasant experience for the first time in the history of Indian Railways that Rail Minster himself is making sincere and all out efforts to improve the condition & health of Indian Railways. We really feel proud of having such a honest and dedicated Railway Minister.

Rohit Anwekar

thank u Indian railways,i salute ur dedicated hard work ,as u all work so hard even for every journey we meet our relatives hugs thm with love but a big hug goes to u - includes loco pilot,guard,station masters,track man n all those who work behind the scene tht makes our journey successful n happy, so thanks again,hats off !!!

Shankar Narayanaswam

@shankars_4 @RailMinIndia @sureshpprabhu sir, congratulations on your reforming mission. The Indian railways today has a new look!

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 17

RAIL ACHIEVEMENT

The year that was 2015 has been significant for the Indian Railways in meeting goals and targets.

Here’s looking at some landmarks achieved

W

ith the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, harbouring a dream to see the Indian Railways not just as a mode of transport in India but as the backbone of the country’s economic development, the Railways has been working arduously to achieve that goal.

PASSENGER AMENITIES, SERVICES AND DIGITAL INDIA INITIATIVES

A web-based complaints and suggestions application: www.coms. indianrailways.gov.in

The year that went by was one of the most important and significant one when it comes to putting the Indian Railways on the fast track of development. From boosting infrastructure, better amenities, cleanliness to green initiatives, the department, ably led by Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, is leaving no stone unturned to make that dream come true.

An sms-based complaints and suggestion application on the number: 9717630982

SINHASTHA KUMBH MELA BOARD ARRANGED ADDITIONAL

SMS

WEB

236

MOBILE APP

ALL INDIA SECURITY HELPLINE

182

COACHES

A mobile appbased complaints and suggestion application (currently on the android platform)

REGULAR TRAIN SERVICES WERE EARMARKED FOR THE PILGRIMS

789

GS COACHES

ALL INDIA PASSENGER HELPLINE

NEW TRAINS

138

As announced in the Rail Budget 2014-15, 112 new trains, 15 extension of trains and 5 increase in frequency implemented till November ’15

SOLAR POWER PLANTS TO BE SET UP OVER NEXT 5 YEARS

1,000

18 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

MW

ELECTRIFICATION AND SIGNALLING

BIO-TOILETS

7,621 fitted in

2,144 coaches INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE IN INDIA INITIATIVE 2 locomotive factories at Madhepura and Marhowrah successfully bid after 7 years

SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT, INNOVATION AND RESOURCE MOBILISATION

`1.5 LAKH CRORE

171

STATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH LED SIGNALS

To increase line capacity and reduce headway, Automatic Block Signalling commissioned on

141 Route km

An MoU signed on with LIC of India for committed long-term funding to the tune of `1.5 lakh crore over 5 years for financing Railway projects.

First tranche of `2,000 crore has been received

SAFETY ELIMINATION OF UNMANNED LEVEL CROSSINGS BY

637

Closure/Merger/ Subways

271

Manning

282

Level Crossing Gates interlocked with Signals

$650 MILLION

World Bank loan to finance Eastern DFC – Phase 3 (Khurja-Ludhiana & Khurja-Dadri section) negotiated as a direct loan to DFCCIL under Govt. of India guarantee

312

Closure of Manned Level Crossings

155

Construction of Road Over Bridges

699

Construction of Subways

www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 19

RAIL ACHIEVEMENT

Coaches to be furbished with new features

111

Bright &

beautiful

The new-age look of the rail coaches will impress everyone

A

break from the usual green or red, the Indian Railways is all set to don purple. With an aim to enhance passenger amenities and safety measures, the Railways has unveiled refurbished coaches that boast of high-class look and feel with their aesthetically-appealing and improved interiors. The ‘Make in India’ luxury coaches have bigger side berths, LED reading lights, snacks table and bio-toilets. Also, every compartment has separate mobile and laptop charging points.

1

Indian Railways had launched the ambitious pilot project in 2011 to revamp interiors of rail coaches of all reserved classes in a bid to create a ‘homely’ atmosphere during rail journeys. West Central Railway (WCR) zone was entrusted with the responsibility to design the model coaches. As per plans, 111 coaches are to be manufactured by CRWS of which 87 would be non AC, 17 AC 3 tier, 5 for AC 2 tier and one each for AC 1 and chair car.

CRWS will then launch phase two of luxury coaches. It also has plans of manufacturing executive class chair car coaches for Shatabdi Express after successful testing of the model rake.

20 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

2 www.railbandhu.in

Features of Model Rake 1. The Indian Railways’ Model rake boasts of plush interiors, illuminated signs, convenient ladders and carpet-like flooring 2. Hon’ble Railway Minister, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, during the inspection of a Model Rake at Safdarjung Station on January 11

3

3. The Model Rake has been designed by the Indian Railways Coach Rehabilitation Workshop, Bhopal

4

4. Sh. Prabhu, after inspecting the new coaches, said, “This is a step towards providing better amenities to passengers and we will continue to do so in future also.”

5

5. The seats are jerk-proof, spacious than the older ones, fire-proof and side berths are also wider, with middle berths having side support and railings 6. The Railway officials updating Sh. Prabhu about the features of the coach

8

7

6 www.railbandhu.in

7-8.Aesthetically appealing toilet modules are provided with big mirror, platform washbasin, controlled discharged water tap, odour control system, exhaust fan, LED lights and dustbin to name a few

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 21

RAIL ACHIEVEMENT

Rail Museum was opened in

1977

1

Treasure trove of

information The Rail Museum in its new hi-tech avatar is not only fun for kids but also makes the grown ups revisit their childhood memories Manish Ray

2 22 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

3

B

Visiting Rail Museum

e it rail lovers or kids, the Capital has a new spot for an enjoyable experience. The renovated Rail Museum, recently inaugurated by the Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu, is a perfect picnic spot. So, when my kid suddenly asked me to show him trains, the Rail Museum proved to be a better bet than taking him to a railway station. And, much to his satisfaction and my pleasure, the museum is a much bigger joyride than the one I visited during my childhood.

WHEN Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM To 5:00 PM (Entry closes after 04:30 PM) Monday Closed

4

WHERE National Rail Museum Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021

Opened in 1977, the museum boasts of the largest collection of life-size exhibits and other rail components. It also houses locomotives and coaches from the princely states across the Indian Subcontinent. The Patiala State Mono Rail (PSMT) and the John Morris Fire Engine are the rarest operational exhibits of their kind in the world. The documents, books, maps and drawings give you a rare insight into the history of the Railways that spans over 160 years.

Photos: Manish Ray

Apart from taking you through the evolution of the Indian Railways, the museum also lets you know how this huge network functions.

Right from the earliest locomotive to the newest technology, everything is on display for you to marvel at.

5

If my son enjoyed the toy train ride the most, the working model of the entire Rail network sparked that child-like curiosity and enthusiasm in me. The Rail Garden, featuring model layout of a variety of trains, making their way across the terrains of India and stopping at iconic stations, thoroughly charms you. That also made me wonder at the state-of-the-art signalling, traffic management and communication that the Railways has employed and developed over the years to give us all those memorable journeys that stay with us forever.

Train rides, 3D virtual reality experiences, simulator rides, newly-built heritage restaurant is all you need to make it a day well spent. Also, you can also feature on the front page of the museum’s in-house magazine, NRM Times, and carry a copy home as a souvenir, along with the rich knowledge, wonderful memories and plans to visit again.

ENTRY Free

6

7 1. The Rail Museum wears a celebratory look for the inauguration on January 5 2. Railway Minister, Sh. Suresh Prabhu, takes a look at the renovated museum 3. A heritage engine 4. Curious visitors look at various exhibits 5. Steam engine 6. Toy train ride 7. An exhibit on freight services of the Indian Railways

www.railbandhu.in

8

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 23

RAIL JOURNAL

The Mahatma’s

Trail

A century ago, a young man set out on a train journey that ultimately gave birth to our nation. We bring you the highlights

M

Susmita Mukherjee

ahatma Gandhi loved the crammed third class compartments of the Indian Railways and although he complained bitterly of the poor service and unprofessional attitude of the Railways, he toured the entire country on more than one occasion to meet the people personally and address their concerns…

1917 THE JOURNEY: LAHORE TO DELHI Highlights: One of the most talked about train journeys of Gandhi was that between Lahore and Delhi. At a time when none of his peers dared to travel by third class, Gandhi jostled for space on the train.

The train was full and the only way to board it was by using all the force and squeeze in.

24 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Some doors had also been locked and people were using the windows to get in. A porter offered assistance for 12 annas. The train had just started to move and Gandhi was willing to stand through the journey. The porter, at this point, heaved Gandhi into a compartment through a window and Gandhi, in turn, paid him the 12 annas.

1917 THE JOURNEY: CALCUTTA TO PATNA VIA MUZZAFARPUR Highlights: In 1916, a poor farmer from Bihar, Raj Kumar Shukla, met Gandhi and requested him to come to the aid of the sharecroppers in Champaran who were being bullied by the British landlords. Gandhi accompanied the farmer to Patna to meet Rajendra Prasad — a famous lawyer who later went on to become

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After his return from South Africa in 1915, Gandhiji undertook long cross-country travels by train especially in the 3rd Class

India’s first President. He first stopped by Muzzafarpur to invite Professor JB Kriplani on April 15, 1917. Gandhi then proceeded to meet the British Commissioner of Tirhut division and left him with some sharp advice on mending his ways. Post the meeting, Gandhi stayed on Bihar and travelled to Motihari in Champaran where he was met with a huge congregation of thankful farmers among many others.

THE JOURNEY: MUMBAI TO MUMBAI Highlights: After a short trip around Southern India, Gandhi arrived in Mumbai before starting for New Delhi. There was news of friction and Gandhi was repeatedly requested to visit Amritsar to calm the people. He arrived in Mathura on April 8 and heard about a possible warrant out for his arrest. At Palwal, he was formally arrested and taken out of the train by the police.

He was then led to a train headed for Delhi with the police company which took him to Mathura by third class. After an overnight stay here, he was put into a goods train heading for Mumbai at four in the morning. At Sawai Madhopur station, he was taken out from the train and put into a first class compartment with Mr Bowring who accompanied Gandhi

1919

A fitting farewell After his death, Gandhiji’s remains were ferried by a special train, Asthi Special, to Allahabad to be submerged at the holy confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers at Prayag. His remains were put in an urn and carried in the third of the five third class compartments, which Gandhi always preferred.

The train stopped at 11 stations on the way for devotees to pay their final respects to the Father of the Nation.

www.railbandhu.in

to Surat and handed him over to another inspector to take him back to Mumbai.

THE JOURNEY: ACROSS INDIA Highlights: Having taken over the presidency of the Congress, Gandhi toured the country incessantly. His journeys took him across the length and breadth of the country and primarily though the hinterlands of the Central Provinces, Bengal, United Provinces, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Assam. It was during this epic journey that he urged women to abandon the purdah and stand against such meaningless discrimination and sense of inferiority.

1925

1927 THE JOURNEY: MANGALORE TO NEW DELHI Highlights: Lord Irwin arrived in India in April 1926 and after taking charge of the situation in the country, he asked Gandhi to meet him on November 5, 1927. Gandhi was visiting Mangalore in the southern state of Karnataka when he received the message at the end of October. Gandhi rescheduled his tour in a manner that he was able to cover the 1,250 mile journey within the stipulated time and was able to meet the Viceroy at the appointed time.

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 25

RAIL UPDATE

What′s happening An update on new announcements and schemes

A special journey

week. It is fully equipped with the modern facilities — with dustbins and bio toilets in every coach. The train also has renovated and refurbished AC-coaches fitted with LED screens. It will cover the 800-km distance in less than 14 hours.

PM Modi flags off Mahamana Express with new coaches

H

on’ble Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, flagged off Mahamana Superfast Express from Dreka ground during his visit to Varanasi on January 22. The train has been named Mahamana Express after Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). On this special occasion, Sh. Modi showed green flag to this train from Varanasi Railway Station in the morning for the train to reach New Delhi at late night. Varanasi is also the Parliament constituency of the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

DELHI

This train is scheduled to run between Varanasi and Delhi via Lucknow thrice a

Digital India

26 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

VARANASI

Indian Railways in collaboration with Google present

Free Fast WiFi For All

www.railbandhu.in

Mahamana Express is running regularly between New Delhi and Varanasi from January 25. Ticket booking for the much-awaited train journey started from eight in the morning on January 21. This train has model coaches and Indian Railways has already set Time Table for this express.

Train number 22418/22417 starts from New Delhi every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 18.35 pm and reaches Varanasi next day at 8.25 am. It returns from Varanasi every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, starting at 18.35 pm, and reaches New Delhi at 8.25 am the next day. Mahamana Express halts at Ghaziabad, Muradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, Sultanpur and Jaunpur.

At Mumbai CST from January 22

Development on fast track

Steps to prevent misuse of senior citizen concession and quota In a bid to check the misuse of senior citizen concession and senior citizen quota, the passengers misusing the same will be treated as travelling without ticket and charged penalty in addition to difference of fare (between full fare and concessional fare). The move will help the genuine eligible senior citizen passengers to get the desired berths. The new instructions will be effective from February 1.

Many times, the passengers book the ticket under Senior Citizen Quota by giving wrong age. In case they are detected they pay the difference of fare otherwise they go undetected resulting in loss of revenue to the Railways. The person is not only cheating on fare part but is also getting a confirmed lower berth on false declaration, depriving the eligible passengers of a confirmed lower berth.

Necessary instructions are being issued to all concerned, specifically ticket checking staff, with a note of caution, to be patient and tactful while handling such passengers to avoid any complaint regarding any harassment.

Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon’ble Union Minister of Railways, flagged off three new trains (Howrah-Yesvantpur Weekly AC Express, Howrah-Pune Suvidha AC Express and Panskura-Digha EMU Local), announced five new trains (Howrah-LTT Suvidha AC Express, Shalimar-Chennai Suvidha AC Express, Santragachi-Amta EMU Passenger, Kharagpur-Santragachi MEMU Passenger and RupsaBhanjpur DEMU Passenger) and extension of services of four existing EMU local trains of South Eastern Railway at a function held at Howrah Station on January 8.

He also inaugurated Paperless Ticketing Service for Suburban passengers through smart phone and display of first AC Electric Locomotive at Regional Rail Museum, Howrah of Eastern Railway, announced Green Initiatives in stations and rakes of Metro Railway, Kolkata and commencing of the Lowering of Tunnel Boring Machine of Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Ltd. Sh. Arup Roy, Hon’ble Minister In-charge, Agriculture Marketing, Govt. of West Bengal, and Dr. Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, Hon’ble MP, graced the occasion as Guests of Honour. Sh. A K Goel, General Manager, South Eastern Railway, Sh. R K Gupta, General Manager, Eastern Railway, Sh. Ashwani Kapoor, General Manager, Metro Railway and Chairman & Managing Director, Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited and other distinguished guests also attended the programme.

Prabhu flags off train through video-conferencing The Indian Railways, on January 11, took yet another step in meeting the long pending demands of the people by providing connectivity from Mumbai to Kazipet with a new train — 22127/22128 Lokmanya Tilak(T)Kazipet Anandwan Express (weekly) — via Chandrapur, Wardha (Non-Budget). The train service was flagged-off by the Railway Minister, www.railbandhu.in

Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, by remote flagging from Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. The Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha.

Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital, Board Members and other senior officials were also present on the occasion at Rail Bhawan end while several dignitaries were present on the other end of video conferencing.

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 27

RAIL UPDATE

Railways’ green initiative

Indian Railways Green Energy Initiatives website www.irgreenri.gov.in was launched by Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, during International Summit on Energy Efficient Technologies in Railways in November in presence of Sh. Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Minister of State for Railways, Sh. A. K. Mital, Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. Navin Tandon, Member Electrical and Mr. Jaco Cilliers, Country Director, UNDP India.

Another step towards Digital India

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Prabhu said, “Indian Railways is an efficient mode of transport and we want to make it more efficient, green and environment friendly by adopting renewable energy as a major source of energy.” He also stated that the Indian Railways and UNDP should jointly chalk out a comprehensive road map for finding latest energy-efficiency solutions.

The Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, inaugurated implementation of E-enabled Track Management System (TMS) and Mobile Application of TMS on Indian Railways and Track Inventory Management System on Northern Railway on January 11 at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi.

The Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha, Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital, Member Engineering Railway Board, Sh. V.K. Gupta, other Board Members and senior officials were also present. Sh. Prabhu said that the system was a great digital India initiative of the Indian Railways and an excellent example of e-governance.

Management of track maintenance involves handling of huge volumes of data statistics as well as dynamic analysis of various measurement and defects and planning, deployment of large resources.

Apart from improvement in system efficiency, these will also have intangible benefits to the humanity in the form of environment protection by reduction of carbon footprint which is a global cause of concern at present. The system will contribute significantly to the planet by removing more than 1 lakh registers related to track maintenance which will result in saving of close to 500 trees a year.

28 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

The website was designed and developed in a short span of a month by Mrs. Tarini Baswal GM/EP/CRIS and her team of dedicated software engineers, Mr. Sudhir Garg ED/EEM/ Railway Board and his team, under guidance of Mrs. Vandana Nanda DF/CRIS and Mr. Sanjaya Das MD/CRIS. The website is a landmark development and is first of its kind by any Energy Intensive Department of Government of India.

Evolving Strategic Partnership Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital was the chief guest at the 16th National Seminar organised by Centre for Transportation Research and Management (CTRAM) on ‘Evolving Strategic Partnership for Select Freight Segments’, at India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on January 18. Sh. Mohd.

Jamshed, Member Traffic, Railway Board & President, CTRAM, Sh. Girish Pillai, Advisor Infrastructure, Railway Board, Sh. R. K. Tandon, ED/CTRAM, officers and stakeholders were among those present on the occasion.

Sh. Mital said that the Railways had brought in various policies and initiatives for attracting the investors, adding that the Railways had improved freight terminals as 90 per cent of the loading is done from freight terminals only. Sh. Jamshed praised CTRAM for choosing such a relevant theme for the seminar. He said that for the success of any economic development it is imperative that all the stake holders join hands for a collective effort. www.railbandhu.in

CABIN CONVERSATIONS

Train

blazer Imtiaz Ali likes to draw references in his cinema from his train voyages. The ace film-maker tells us how the Railways has shaped up his vision Karan Bhardwaj

L

ooking outside the window is one of the best experiences of a train journey. The moving wheels with a kaleidoscopic view of India make you want to travel to places you have only dreamt of. The childhood memories of ace film-maker, writer and actor Imtiaz Ali are made up of all of these.

He remembers fondly how he would never disclose his identity to fellow-passengers while travelling on a train. For him, it was an opportunity to be someone he could not be otherwise. “Once, I told somebody on the train that I was going to the other city to kill

my girlfriend because she dumped me. The other guy was shocked. He thought he was sitting with a psychopath and a potential murderer,” he quipped, the glee written all over his face. It clearly showed how much he loved talking about rail journeys.

“Ever since I was a kid, I have been travelling by train. I have loved each of my travels and have learnt a lot from my experiences. As a kid, I would often look outside the window and imagine myself running along the tracks.

I would imagine that the person sitting inside the train was a fictional character and the one running along the tracks was real,” he said. www.railbandhu.in

FOOT NOTE Born in Darbhanga, the cultural capital of Bihar, Imtiaz Ali made his directorial debut with Socha Na Tha. It was Jab We Met in 2007 that helped him earn critical appreciation and taste commercial success.

Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar, Highway and Tamasha followed.

CABIN CONVERSATIONS

The trains and the platforms were an integral part of Jab We Met’s script (left); Imtiaz travelled by train with the cast of Tamasha for promotions (below)

For Imtiaz, trains are a great leveller. He believes he gets a perspective each time he travels by train You have to watch Tamasha to get a better understanding of how the director weaves his train experiences into his cinematic vision.

Ranbir Kapoor, the lead actor in the film, is caught up with his monotonous life. When he travels to an exotic island, he becomes a different person altogether and finds his muse in Deepika Padukone.

The intensity of the emotions expressed by the characters and their belief in their imagination stems from Imtiaz’s own experiences. “For me, it was a hobby to entertain myself in trains. I found it really boring to be the same guy forever. So trains were a perfect platform to sport different identities and enthral other passengers,” Imtiaz told us, before sharing another anecdote. “Once, there was an old couple that was trying to dig into my background.

I told them I was from secret services and therefore, couldn’t reveal my real name,” he reminisced.

30 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

RAIL & REEL 5 other movies with train settings that made a mark in Indian cinema

Pakeezah Aradhana The Burning Train DDLJ Chennai Express

www.railbandhu.in

For Imtiaz, trains are a great leveller. “When you travel by an aircraft, you only get to look at the airports, but, when you travel by trains, you get to see the country. You see the audience you make films for. It gives me perspective each time I travel by train. It really opens up my mind,” Imtiaz said.

As a young collegiate, he would often travel out of Jamshedpur (hometown) to Kolkata, Patna and parts of Odisha. Trains were an obvious choice. Ask him to drop names of the trains he travelled by, he immediately flashed, “Tata Patna Express, Gitanjali Express or Ispat Express.” He also travelled a lot by Utkal and Neelachal Tata Amritsar.

MOVIE FACTS Kareena Kapoor was writer/director Imtiaz Ali’s first choice for Jab We Met. Even though he wasn’t particularly a fan of hers, he knew she would be able to look natural without makeup, be hyper, talkative and interesting without being irritating.

Ranbir Kapoor aboard a train in this still from Tamasha

Imtiaz has started writing his next script. Whether or not trains would feature in the script would be known soon “I was your regular commuter. I have travelled on the footboard, slept next to the bathroom.

Once, I made Ammi (mother) and my grandmother board a wrong train. It was a late-night passenger train. And by the time we realised our mistake, the train they were supposed to travel on was ready to leave. I barely managed to get them on board the moving train,” he recalled with a smile.

said, adding that the story is definitely going to be lighter than Tamasha, which drew mixed response from the audience. But that has not deterred him.

“Sometimes when you don’t get the expected, you say that you didn’t understand it. Those who complained about Tamasha and didn’t enjoy could be because it wasn’t what they expected. There was nothing in it that you couldn’t understand. People thought Tamasha would be light, but they found it loaded. It was not your regular love story. You needed time to understand it,” he explained, adding that he will continue to make films that appeal to his mind and heart, and not for the popular sentiments. We hope that too, Imtiaz!

As part of Jab We Met’s promotion, the producers painted two full local trains in Mumbai, from the Western and Central lines, with imagery from the film, and got Shahid Kapoor there to chat with fellow passengers and inform them about the movie.

The title Jab We Met was decided by popular vote. The other choices were ‘Punjab Mail’ and ‘Ishq Via Bhatinda’. For Tamasha, the team was considering the title ‘Window Seat’.

Imtiaz recently took to the platform to promote Tamasha. He was shocked to see the new clean and modern face of the Indian Railways. “I was very happy and impressed to see that the facilities on the train have really improved. I know it is in nature of people to complain but we should remember the conditions of toilets in trains some 20 years back. It was terrible for women to be on the train. But that has improved so much now,” said the film-maker whose Jab We Met gave us some of the iconic train moments.

Imtiaz has already started writing his next.

Whether or not trains would feature in the script would be known soon. “I will only be able to talk about it once it is finalised,” he www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 31

ENTRY TICKET

TAJ MAHOTSAV (FEB 18-27)

Takes place at Shilpgram in Agra, right near the eastern entry gate to the Taj Mahal.

The focus of this festival is on arts, crafts, Indian culture, and recreating the Mughal era. It gets underway with a spectacular procession that includes elephants, camels, and drummers.

Elephant and camel rides are on offer, and there are also games for the kids, and a food festival. The venue has special significance, as it’s apparently located on the site where the artisans who built the Taj Mahal once lived.

Venue: Agra, Uttar Pradesh How to reach: Agra is well connected by train services to all the important cities in India. It has four main railway stations — the Agra Cantonment, Raja ki Mandi, Agra Fort and Idgah Agra Junction.

Taj Mahotsav was started in the year

1992

SURAJKUND MELA (FEB 1-15)

Showcases the finest handloom, handicrafts, and Indian cuisine. Over 400 artisans display and demonstrate their crafts from all over India. There are also cultural programs and an amusement zone for children. The mela has a different theme every year, and in 2015 it went international with participation from 14 countries. (Check out Hindi section for more information.)

Venue: Surajkund, Faridabad, Haryana How to reach: It is around 20 km from Delhi which is very well connected to the rest of country.

KALA GHODA ARTS FESTIVAL (FEB 6-14)

A 9-day extravaganza that sees the venue transformed into an open air exhibition space. This street festival includes arts & crafts, exhibitions, seminars, dance, music, theatre, heritage walks and events for children.

Venue: Kala Ghoda Arts Precinct, Fort, Mumbai How to reach: Mumbai is very well connected, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Mumbai Central Station, being the main stations.

PALATE FEST ‘MINI’ (FEB 12-14) Get ready to entice your taste buds with the second edition of New Delhi Palate Fest ‘Mini’ in association with NDMC and Incredible India. Spiced up with live music, the fest will serve as ultimate destination for foodies and music lovers.

It will also offer India’s finest culinary names blended with budding chefs to astound the gluttony in you.

Venue: Nehru Park, New Delhi How to reach: The Capital boasts of wonderful train connectivity from every part of the country.

– Compiled by Garima Verma

32 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

ROAD RUNNER

Watch out for these

mean machines Every two years, the Auto Expo showcases and launches some of the best machines from around the world. We list out some exciting ones which will draw attention this time Kingshuk Dutta

SUV: HONDA BR-V Renault Dusterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival in India spawned the compact SUV segment. So, it is only natural for manufacturers to try and grab a pie of this segment. This is precisely why Honda will be launching the BR-V in India during the Auto Expo 2016 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to take on Duster, Creta, Terrano and EcoSport. The BR-V will be the only 7-seater in this segment as it features foldable third row. It will be rich in features too. For example, it is expected that the BR-V will get a touchscreen infotainment system. Honda will most probably give two engine options with a 100bhp diesel and a 119bhp petrol coupled with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT. With the coming of the BR-V, customers will be spoilt for choice in this th segment.

1 Auto Expo India was held in st

1986 for 9 days

Pictures for representation purpose only

34 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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ROAD RUNNER MOTORCYCLE: RE HIMALAYAN Keeping in line with the advent of adventure tourers and affordable performance motorcycles in India, Royal Enfield is all set to launch the Himalayan at the upcoming Auto Expo 2016 in Greater Noida. It follows an ADV design and is the first ever to come out of RE stables. It gets a brand new 410cc engine, flat handlebars and a monoshock, which again is a first ever in an RE motorcycle. The new engine will be churning out 28-30bhp of power and around 32Nm of torque.

1

lakh

people are expected daily at the 13th edition of Auto Expo India

Auto Expo 2016 LUXURY CAR: JAGUAR XE It’s been a while since Tata-owned British luxury manufacturer has had a launch in India. Coming from an illustrious lineage of Jaguar’s sport sedans, the XE will be initially offered with two petrol engine options which offer 200PS and 240PS respectively. It will be taking the A4, 3-series and the C-Class head on. Jaguar says the XE will have path-breaking features and never-seen-before technology to help it to take the fight to the German troika of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

HATCHBACK: SUZUKI IGNIS Maruti-Suzuki is the biggest-selling automotive manufacturer in India and it doesn’t seem that they are going to give up their crown any soon. First showcased at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, the Ignis will be the perfect answer to the Renault Kwid. It will get a crossover like design cues such as flared wheel arches, an SUVish stance and so on. The Ignis might get a 1.2-litre petrol, a 1.3-litre DDiS and the SHVS tech along with CVT transmission as an option.

COMPACT SEDAN: VOLKSWAGEN AMEO The Indian Compact Sedan (Ameo) will play in the same segment as the Amaze, Swift Dzire, Figo Aspire and the Xcent. Volkswagen is pretty tight-lipped about the specs but says that it will definitely have some best-in-class features and superior technology. Ameo will be manufactured at VW’s Chakan facility in Pune.

No word on the pricing as yet but VW will surely price it aggressively so as to ruffle the feathers of other manufacturers in the segment.

36 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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Will comprise a components show, scheduled from February 4-7 at Pragati Maidan, and a motor show from February 5-9 at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida

Over 900 Indian companies and 600 international exhibitors will showcase products in this components show

The motor show will occupy 73,000 square metre gross indoor exhibition space

85

launches are expected for this year’s show

STYLE FILE

Point of reflection Photo: The Furniture Republic

Mirrors are a great way to enhance the character of a room. Interior designers tell you how Navneet Mendiratta

MAKE A COLLAGE

Mirrors can be creatively used as artwork at home. You can either have a collection of small or different-sized mirrors, hung haphazardly to create an artsy look on the wall. You can also use a single statement mirror on a highlighted wall to add to its charm, says Monica Kamal, Interior Designer, MKC

GOLDEN GLOW

MIRROR AS WALL CLADDING

Play with the size, shape and colour of the mirrors that you put up.

Finishes like an antique one would lend a unique character to your room. Light brown mirror is another beautiful material to bring in.

It would accentuate the furniture setting and enhance its beauty, says Leila Erfan, Creative Director, ARIA Interior Design

38 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

No matter where you decide to put them, mirrors are an easy way to reflect light. They make the space look bigger, and open up a room. One with a hint of gold is what I would suggest you go for to make your house look warm and space more radiant, says Ritu Bajaj, product designer, House Warming

ADVERTORIAL

FASHION FIX

Trends

2016 BLUE EYES, HYPNOTISE

Well, it’s not just restricted to eyes only; go true blue with all your accents.

Make-up, accessories, detailing and more, blue is doing the rounds and glancing from behind the scenes like a champion. Think under lapels for men’s tuxedos, bright blue edging and piping, under collar detailing, deep blue stone embellishments and you’ve got yourself a style statement piece.

From International runways to closer home and into your wardrobes, this year is about a whole lot of personality play, says couturier Nivedita Saboo

Play with the romanticism. Think ruffles, delicate lace, high-collared necklines, puffy sleeves, English prints — toile, roses etc. Victorian era influences right from dresses, lehengas, sarees to sherwanis and jackets for men, this trend is sure to make your heart aflutter and give romance a new meaning altogether.

GIVE ME RED

A colour to adorn any time of the year, red and its tonal counterparts are some of the hot favourites to add to your wardrobe. From going all out to adding just a hint of this passionate hue to your attire, don’t shy away from painting the town red hot this year.

SHOULDER THIS

SHINY, DISCO BALL

Bare it in style; for those who can! It’s all about baring your shoulders with halter tops, off the shoulders, crossfronts tops and the likes. A refreshing trend, the runway spotted everyone, from brides in lehengas paired with shoulder showing tops, bridesmaids wearing sarees with off-shoulder blouses to fashionistas and all the cool gals rubbing shoulders in style.

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VICTORIAN DELIGHT

Sport it any which way in 2016. From accessories for men like bow-ties, pocket squares to sequinned sherwanis and jackets, shoes, bags, hair accessories, make-up, dresses, lehengas, culottes, you name it, you got it, this year sequins and other shiny materials are having their moment in a big way! www.railbandhu.in

COVER STORY

Colours of

Kutch That beautiful sheet of white salt attracts tourists from world over. Add to that great food, rustic music and handicrafts, Rann Utsav in Gujarat has everything going for it. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to love?

Abhinav Singh

Rann Utsav started in

2007

as a 3-day festival

42 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

www.railbandhu.in

K

uchh din to guzaaro Gujarat mein... Amitabh Bachchan's deep voice resonates in your head the moment you think of making a trip to Gujarat. The state which gave us several wellknown personalities who won us our independence (namely, Mahatama Gandhi, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel), and recently our present Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is also famed for ushering in dairy and cooperative revolution. It is the land of colourful people and rich heritage â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a state where culture and progression co-exist.

I consciously planned my trip to the white salt desert or Rann of Kutch in January so it coincided with the famed annual Rann Utsav and Uttarayan (the kite festival). If many enthusiasts from across the globe flock here every year to flirt with the sky with their kites which are often dramatic, larger than life and quite colourful, others gather here to soak in the soulful music, culture and rich heritage of the region. I just happened to be one of them.

The 16-hour train journey from Mumbai to Bhuj in Kutch Express was made memorable by the people and the

www.railbandhu.in

QUICK FACTS Area of the Greater Rann Of Kutch and Little Rann of Kutch is

30,000 km2 Maximum temperature soars upto

50ÂşC

Dattatreya temples, where the desert jackals are fed temple prasad everyday, are

400 years old Rann Utsav celebrates the culture of Kutch in all its glory for

3 months

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 43

Photo: Abhinav Singh

COVER STORY

Photo: Manish Ray

The region attracts large numbers of migratory birds, most notably, the flamingos

QUICK FACTS Rann of Kutch was once a part of the Arabian Sea

food. Once we reached Surat, I fed my soul with khaman dhoklas and theplas from the station. Little did I know there was more food waiting for me.

I struck a conversation with an elderly man, who was on a pilgrimage to Naliya near Bhuj. The Indian Railways has that unique quality that makes you shed your inhibitions and engage with people from different walks of life. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only place where strangers open up and share the intimate details of their lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201D; their likes, dislikes, disappointments, achievements, eccentricities and their tiffins. The wise man treated me with homemade Gujarati food.

44 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Greater Rann of Kutch is not to be confused with Little Rann of Kutch which is famous for wild ass and lacks a salt desert On dark nights, villagers have reported seeing a ball of fire in motion, known locally as Chir Batti, which changes its colour Dholavira, which was the part of great Indus Valley civilisation, is also nearby Films like D Day, Ram Leela, Lagaan, The Good Road, Refugee were shot here

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The combination of savoury dal khicdi (a lentil and rice dish) mixed with sweet sour Gujarati kadhi made me beg for more. Then there were assorted bhajias (vegetable fritters), and a tamarind rasam chutney fusion. It was one gastronomic feast I will never forget.

Once I recovered from the food assault, he recommended a dozen places to eat in Bhuj, along with some valuable shopping tips.

Before hitting Rann, I decided to head to Kala Dungar, the highest point in Kutch. Ditching the touristy traps, I relished the view of the vast sea, a place where the line between India and Pakistan blurs. The blue, brown, white landscape I saw here was one of its kind. A self-confessed border town junkie, I was fast losing patience to touch the most unique Indo-Pak border ever. Once we reached the Indira Bridge, which was a tiny speck from Kala Dungar, I was disappointed at not being able to view the Pakistan side. A flock of pigeons flew past me, as if mocking my predicament.

Great Rann of Kutch is

7,505km

2

How to reach Rann of Kutch Nearest railway station is Bhuj, which is 864 km from Mumbai and 1,139 km from Delhi Mumbai to Bhuj 19131 Kutch Express All days (16 hrs) 22903 Bhuj AC Super fast Wed, Fri, Sun (13 hrs) Bhuj to Mumbai 19132 Kutch Express All days (16 hrs) 22904 BDTS AC S F Express Mon, Thu, Sat (13.50 hrs) Delhi to Bhuj 14311 Ala Hazrat Express Thu, Fri, Sat (26.15 hrs) Bhuj to Delhi 14312 Ala Hazrat Express Thu, Sun (26 hrs) 14322 Bareilly Express Mon, Wed, Sat (22 hrs) Camel Safari in white Rann of Kutch

MAJOR STATIONS FROM DELHI/MUMBAI Alwar/Valsad Jaipur/Surat Ajmer/Vadodara Abu Road/Anand

Ahmedabad Gandhidham

The road to Rann from here was a pleasant and smooth ride, with large swathes of arid brown barren land on either side.

In monsoon, the same landscape get a personality makeover as it gets flooded with water on either sides of road. Welcome to unique Banni grasslands!

I stepped on the bewildering Rann just before the sunset. It felt weird to walk on tons of salt balls crushing softly beneath my feet. The fierce breeze brought with it a distinct taste and smell of salt. Many had wandered far in the white desert and were dwarfed by the sheer size of the Rann.

By that time, the local folk artistes had started regaling the visitors with their music. www.railbandhu.in

I have not seen a more atmospheric venue for an open air concert. Soon, the bright orange sun decided to call it a day. It cast an orange glow over the desert before getting swallowed by the Rann. The visual drama left me agape. I waited patiently for the full moon to appear. I stood there, affixed, watching a yellow moon turn into an ethereal white ball. The Rann was again white, this time reflecting in the glory of borrowed moonlight.

The scenes of locals breaking into an impromptu garba jig, to the rustic songs of folk singers, broke the peace of the land. The Rann bathed in orange glow of a sundown is one of the few lasting memories I take back home.

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 45

COVER STORY

In festive mode

Gujarati puppets

Good planning goes a long way in assuring a good vacation.

Here are the tips to get you on track for Rann Utsav

WHAT TO EAT

• As soon as I arrived in Bhuj, I dug into sumptuous Gujarati breakfast at a roadside street cart, bingeing on the very satisfying freshly-fried fafda with raw papaya chutney and crisp jalebis. It was so good, I packed some for the road. You can find these at any roadside carts.

• Annapurna Guest House in Bhuj claims they have the best Gujarati thali in town.

I was not disappointed when I sampled one. Go with an empty stomach; the thali is huge. Insist on Undhiyo, a winter special.

2

KUTCH Bhuj

A QUICK ITINERARY

WHAT TO SHOP

• Pick up local handicrafts. They often come embellished with rich embroidery, beads and mirror work. Think wall hangings, bedsheets, toran, keychains, dolls, footwear, decorative mirrors, jackets, the works!

• Buy bandhni saree for women and pathan suits for men. They come in many colours and patterns.

3

4

Day 1 Reach early morning; take a direct cab to Kala Dungar. Soak in the views of Rann, India-Pakistan border and ocean from the highest point in Kutch.

Drive down to Indira Bridge. You are at the India Pakistan border.

WHERE TO STAY

• Gateway to Rann Resort, Dhordo, the last Indian village is indeed a gateway to Rann Of Kutch. At 4 km from the white Rann Of Kutch and at walking distance from Rann Utsav, it’s the ideal place to stay in Kutch during Rann Utsav. The urban traveler can experience living in a ‘Bhunga’, the traditional Kutchi mud houses, without compromising on comfort.

• Do remember to book rooms at least a month in advance on the website. The rooms fill up real fast especially on full moon nights. You can avoid AC rooms as you don’t need one during winter.

WHEN TO VISIT

• Any full moon night between December to January is good. February is ideal due to its crisp weather and lesser tourists. Avoid Christmas and New Year.

• Choose a dark moon if you are interested in stargazing. It’s free in Rann Utsav.

46 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Map not to scale

1

Move to Rann Of Kutch in evening, spend quality time here till dark. If travelling on a full moon night, wait till moon appears.

HOW TO TRAVEL I hired a cab from Bhuj to Dhordo and back for `3,500 for 2 days. The ride included a visit to Indo-Pak border, Kalu Dungar and Rann of Kutch.

Tip: Ask your cabbie to stop at the ‘Tropic of Cancer is passing from here’ sign board. www.railbandhu.in

Kutchi embroidery Photo: Manish Ray

Local artistes

Day 2 Make your way to explore Bhuj. The monuments, shopping and great food will keep you busy all day.

Spend a day in Bhuj The place is full of interesting things to do. With its ancient monuments having survived the nature's wrath, Bhuj is a perfect blend of rustic, royal and rural CHHATARDI

HAMIRSAR LAKE

Intricately carved cenotaphs of ancients rulers look best in evening light.

Scenes of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam were shot here.

If you are lucky you might spot some migratory birds here.

I was lucky enough to spot a couple of pelicans.

SWAMINARAYAN TEMPLE

BHUJIYO HILL

AAINA MAHAL

BHUJODI VILLAGE

The temple, mostly built in marble, is bursting with art.

Come here for the ruins of an ancient fort. It overlooks the entire city.

Photos: Abhinav Singh

Photo: Manish Ray

If you want to see locals making handicrafts and garments in their own home, head to Bhujodi village near Bhuj. Since you can buy directly from the weavers, expect discounted rates.

As the name suggests, it's a mirror palace. Stone’s throw away from Pragmahal palace, it’s a well maintained palace with exquisite artefacts.

PRAGMAHAL PALACE

A 19th century palace housing antiques, chandeliers and hunting trophies is a must visit. The dance sequences of Lagaan were shot here. The 45-feet high clock tower here gives a bird’s eye view of Bhuj city.

DID YOU KNOW

Bhuj, formerly sacred to the snake Bhujang, was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510

The old city was surrounded by the fort wall which had five major gates www.railbandhu.in

Bhuj is home to one of the first Swaminarayan Sampraday temples, built in 1822

Bhuj is the headquarters of Kutch District, the largest district in India Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 47

COVER STORY

10 must-visit spots If you have the leisure of time on your hands, there are a lot of places you can make a quick trip to and add to your photo album and travel quotient

Circuit 1

OTHER EXCURSIONS

Travellers can go from Bhuj to Ahmedabad. From Ahmedabad, they can drive down to Nal Sarovar Bird sanctuary and Little Rann Of Kutch, in that order

MANDVI BEACH (60 km from Bhuj): Many taxis and buses will get you there. What makes the beach different is the looming presence of windmills on the shore. One of its kind!

AHMEDABAD (334 km from Bhuj): A heritage walk in the ancient ‘pols’ (gated colonies), Jama Masjid and a food trail is must in this vibrant city.

Ahmedabad

Asiatic wild ass

NAL SAROVAR BIRD SANCTUARY (Sanand, the nearest town, is 309 km from Bhuj): In winter, it’s a birder’s paradise. Thousands of migratory birds flock here.

Watching them return home with a setting sun as a backdrop is something you will not forget.

LITTLE RANN OF KUTCH (Dasada, the nearest town, is 276 km from Bhuj): The geography of Little Rann Of Kutch is completely different from White Rann Of Kutch.

The underrated wild ass sanctuary is a must visit.

DHOLAVIRA (218 km from Bhuj): Being one of the major cities of the great Indus Valley Civilisation, it’s a paradise for history enthusiasts. The road is empty and scenic, with salt desert giving you company on either side.

LOTHAL (85 km from Ahmedabad) : The well-preserved remains of Indus Valley Civilisation is a delight to the eyes and the grey cells.

LAKHPAT (135 km from Bhuj): The walls of 18th century fort surrounds this city.

Come here for some history lessons.

Circuit 2

Visitors can club Junagarh and Sasan Gir (in that order) to experience a wonderful mix of history, architecture and wildlife JUNAGARH (200 km from Bhuj): Fancy a Taj Mahal look-alike in Gujarat? Come to Mahabat Maqbara. It’s a stunning piece of architecture. Junagarh houses many monuments for the discerning travellers.

Jamia Masjid, Adi Kadi Vav, Buddhist caves, mausoleums, tombs; you name it, Junagarh has it. Who would have thought!

SASAN GIR (400 km from Bhuj and 78 km from Junagarh): The national park created to protect the endangered Asiatic lion attracts a large number of tourists. It’s a must visit for wildlife lovers.

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PORBANDAR (377 km from Bhuj): Kirti mandir (Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace) is of course the main attraction here. The sanctuaries and beaches nearby also vie for attention.

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HERITAGE HALT

A yatra for

salvation Nalambalam darsanam makes for the annual pilgrimage to a quartet of temples dedicated to the sons of King Dasaratha of the epic Ramayana in Thrissur, central Kerala Text and photos: Chitra Ramaswamy

T

he trains trundle in and depart from the British-era red brick building that is Chennai Central (below). The smell of the station, the announcements of trains, the attending gongs and chimes, the guardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whistle and the waving green signal, they bring back a flood of memories from childhood when these quintessential trolley cars were the best and cheapest modes of traveling.

And not to miss the screams of kaapi and chai of chaiwallahs vending the brew in kulhads or clay mugs adding that earthy aroma, and the hot puri-aloo sold on tacked leaves.

For us, who had been NRIs for over two decades, waiting at the platform watching trains come in and leave, was a long-forgotten novelty. I am overwhelmed by a rush of emotion and memory that is as intimate as it is compelling. I recollect vividly the times during the late 1960s and â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s, when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d prepare with much gusto for the annual vacation trips from Delhi to Madras, as Chennai was then called. The khaki green and brown hold-alls with bedding, steel trunks in various sizes holding our belongings, the bamboo baskets containing tall tiffin carriers and other goodies to last us 36 to 38 hours,

Chennai Central has

15

platforms

50 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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inextricably linked with such journeys, have become features of the past. For us city-reared, lure of rural India, as the train chugged along, was magical.

As we reminisce the ages gone by, the Korba Trivandrum Express thunders into the platform, bang on time 11.45 pm at Chennai Central. Yes, this is one of the other huge changes we perceive about the Indian Railways – punctuality – an aspect that we don’t get to see on several flights these days!

The movement on the platform is frenetic as passengers clamber to enter their coaches with trendy pieces of luggage. Since we have minimal baggage on us, we board the twotier coach without much hassle.

We are on our way to Thrissur to visit the quartet of temples, within a radius of 20 km of each other, dedicated to the sons of King Dasaratha of the epic Ramayana. More specifically, the circuit is termed Nalambala or Nalambalam darsanam, and refers to the annual pilgrimage to these temples in central Kerala during the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam, christened by Keralites as the Ramayana Maasam or Month of the Ramayana which falls between mid July and mid August. It involves offering prayers at the Thriprayar Sree Rama temple,

QUICK FACTS CHENNAI CENTRAL Was built at Parktown as Madras Central in

1873

The building was rebuilt two times in

1959 & 1998 Electrification of the lines at the station began in

1873

Following the renaming of Madras, it became Chennai Central in

1996

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Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple for Bharat, Moozhikkulam Lakshmana temple, and Payammal Shatrughna temple, in that order, on a single day.

We alight at Guruvayoor station past 10 the following morning, have a quick wash in one of the several cottages there, have darshan of Lord Guruvayoorappa, before proceeding by road to Thrissur. Tradition avers that worshipping all the four deities on a single day between dawn and dusk, would provide salvation to, and liberate one from the cycle of births and deaths. Our beliefs notwithstanding, we take the circuit as challenge to cover in a day. Since we arrive at Thrissur well past noon, we take on the trip the following day of our arrival here.

Stoves hiss under stew pots and swirls of smoke emerge from homes in the villages even as whirring sickles break the silence of the wee hours of dawn as we embark on our trip to the temples. Mild rays of the Sun diffuse through the misty veil as we drive past lush fields fringed by coconut and arecnut groves in stretches. We warm up to the pastoral vistas; however, it is evident that modern-day luxuries have metamorphosed the lives of the rural people.

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 51

HERITAGE HALT

The legend...

The history associated with the main idols at the temples of the brothers honouring the Ramayana brothers of the Treta Yug, is fascinating. They are supposed to have been worshipped by none other than Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu who succeeded Rama avatar in the Dwapar Yug. When it was Krishna’s time to leave the earth, he asked his disciple Uddhava to install his cherished idols at suitable places. However, this did not come about because a gargantuan deluge drowned Dwaraka, where Krishna had lived.

Legend has it that though the sea swallowed Dwaraka, the idols survived, having been washed to the shores of coastal Kerala. A fisherman who chanced upon the idols, handed them over to Kaimal, the local king of Ponnani. The king in consultation with his astrologers, had the idols installed in four different places, and thus established the tradition of Nalambala Yatra.

TEMPLES OF brotherS The belief has it that worshipping all the four deities on a single day provides salvation. Know more about these temples 1 SREE RAMA SWAMI TEMPLE AT THRIPRAYAR It is the most important of the four and stands on the bank of the Theevra river, also called River Purayar, between Kodungalloor and Guruvayoor. There is an interesting tale associated with the origin of this river. Lord Vishnu, during his incarnation as Vamana, wished to cleanse his legs with water when he visited this place. However, the land being arid and bone dry, he used the water from his kamandal for the purpose. Miraculously, the water from the kamandal kept flowing, giving rise to the river which thus came to be called Thriprayar or the ‘river of divine source’.

The image of Rama resembles the Chaturbhuja Vishnu form, with four arms bearing a conch, a disc, a bow and a garland respectively. The original idol is sheathed in Panchdhaatu, an alloy of five metals – brass, bronze, copper, gold and silver. The copperplated namaskara mandapa is the most ornate structure, bedecked with a profusion

The statues and carvings are so real and evocative that they seem to breathe, be it in the etched protrusion of miniature gods and goddesses from pillars and ceilings or from the life-size idols adorning the walls.

of sculptures displaying 24 wooden panels of carvings. Its walls are further embellished with murals.

While there are smaller shrines dedicated to other gods, there is no separate idol for Hanuman, Rama’s greatest devotee. However, his presence is believed to be eternal at the namaskara mandapa. Before entering the sanctum sanctorum, devotees generally offer their obeisance to Hanuman with flattened rice.

Pujas are conducted five times in the day for Rama who is the presiding deity of the Arattupuzha Pooram, one of Kerala’s most important festivals. Anguliyangam, a thematic dance drama portraying Hanuman’s meeting with Sita at Ashoka Vatika in Lanka and subsequently going back to Rama with the good tidings, is a much sought-after annual event at the temple complex. On Ekadasi day that falls between November and December, the idol of Rama is taken in procession with as many as 21 elephants.

Timings

3.30 am to 12 noon 4.30 pm to 8 pm

Rail connect

Thrissur is 25 km from Chennai; Guruvayoor is 24 km from Chennai

52 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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2 BHARATA’S KOODALMANIKYAM TEMPLE Built in the 15th century in the town of Irinjalkuda, it depicts Bharat offering prayers to Lord Rama.

Myths abound on the idol which is believed to have radiated luminosity that excelled manikyam, a priceless precious stone. When a manikyam belonging to the king’s palace was brought to compare its brilliance vis-a-vis the idol of Bharat, it miraculously merged into the idol! Thus the name Koodalmanikyam, meaning ‘merging of the manikyam’.

The fine wall murals and sculptural intricacy define the temple which also serves as an important centre that nurtures Temple Arts like kathakali, koothu, koodiyattom and thullal.

Contrary to the customary five daily pujas, here there are only three. The garlands offered to the deity consist only of the basil or Tulsi leaves, lotus and chethi flowers. Garlands made from full lotuses is an important offering to the deity and is believed to be wish-fulfilling. Worshipping the deity is believed to be a cure-all for ailments, especially those related to the abdomen.

Timings

3 am to 12 noon 5 pm to 8 pm

Rail connect Irinjalakuda is 17 km from Triprayar; Irinjalakuda (9 km)

3 THE MOOZHIKKULAM TEMPLE OF LAKSHMANA The temple on the eastern banks of Chalakudy River enjoys its status as being the only one among the four temples that belongs to the 108 Divya Desams of the Vaishnavite faith, praised by Azhwars. Further, it is claimed that this is the only temple where Lakshmana is seen along with his wife Urmila. The east-facing temple houses a 6-foot tall Lakshmana in standing posture, holding the conch, Sudarshan Chakra, mace and lotus.

4 SHATRUGHNA'S PAYAMMAL TEMPLE The Payammal temple is one of the few shrines having Shatrughna, the youngest of the brothers, as the main deity and is the last on the circuit.

According to legends, Shatrughna is considered to be the reincarnation of the Sudarshan Chakra held by Vishnu. Unlike the other three temples that have their circular structures, the temple of Shatrughna, the smallest of the four, is rectangular in shape.

Timings

Timings

5 am to 1 pm 5 pm to 8 pm

5 am to 1.30 pm 4 pm to 8.30 pm

Rail connect

Moozhikkulam is 30 km from Irinjalakuda; Angamali 8.7 km

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Rail connect

Payammel is 28 km from Moozhikkulam; Irinjalakuda 15 km

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 53

OFF TRACK

During peak time, daily ticket sale is worth

`20 lakh

Keepers of the

tradition A sleepy little town near Amritsar in Punjab, Beas is the headquarters of the Radha Soami Satsang Dera. What makes it noteworthy is the way citizen volunteerism is keeping the station clean and congestion free Text: Soni Sangwan Photos: Surender Kumar

T

he first time I visited Beas railway station, it was a foggy winter morning. I was taking the Shatabdi from Amritsar to Delhi. It was bitterly cold and hardly a soul was stirring. In the pre-dawn dark, through a Londonesque fog, I felt my way along. Expecting clumsy stairs, I reached out for a railing to balance myself. Instead, I found myself gliding onto the platform effortlessly along a ramp. “Interesting,” I said to myself. “Someone has put a lot of thought in designing this,” I mused.

54 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

As I tried to locate a red-kurta clad coolie to ask the possible location of my coach, I was surprised to find none. “Ding Dong,” the PA system came to life. “Radha Soami,” the announcer greeted.

“The Amritsar-Delhi Shatabdi is going to arrive on platform No. 2. Porters please reach your positions.

Sevadars on clean-up duty, please report to duty.

Radha Soami,” concluded the announcer.

As I was musing about the interesting greeting, I saw porters, dressed not in red kurtas, but in

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During the week, Beas lives up to the stereotype of a small town, but come Sunday and all roads, and trains, lead to Beas special jackets, arrive on the platform with luggage trolleys. They did not look like porters — they were well dressed, carried themselves differently, spoke in educated tones and were really courteous. As the train pulled in, there was none of the hustle-bustle you expect, no pushing-shoving. A few passengers deboarded and were helped by the porters who took their luggage and I was smoothly assisted on the train. As we sped away, I could not help but remain intrigued by what I had witnessed.

As luck would have it, I returned to Beas. The first thing I discovered was that the porters I had seen were volunteers, as were the people sweeping the station and outside. The man making the announcements was also a volunteer. The people manning the enquiry windows, the men selling tickets, guiding the traffic, assisting in getting taxis, taking care of the sanitation, the lost and found — all volunteers.

If the Station Master and his team of around 30 railways employees are discounted, the smooth functioning of the Beas Railway Station is largely due to the contribution of over 100 volunteers or sevadars; this number goes up to 400 during peak days.

BEAS JUNCTION 60

Express trains stop at this station

24

trains run between Delhi and Beas, including 3 Shatabdi Express and 9 other superfast trains

Fastest train

from Delhi to Beas is 12013 AMRITSAR SHTBDI which travels a distance of 406 km in just 5 hours and 35 minutes

Minimum fare

from Delhi to Beas is `145 for Second Seater (2S), `530 for Chair Car (CC), `1,525 for First AC (1A), `945 for Second AC (2A), `245 for Sleeper (SL) and `660 for Third AC (3A) in general quota

The Beas railway station started with a small building and the sevadars would pitch tents during the bhandara (community meal) days when large numbers of followers were expected. Slowly, as the number of followers increased, so did the infrastructure.

While platform No. 1 remains an old building housing the station master’s office and the GRP office, platform No. 2 now has a spanking new building, which is awaiting inauguration.

The new building has nine ticket windows of which only one is operated by a railway clerk.

The rest of the windows are managed by the Dera volunteers trained in the Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking System of the Indian Railways.

During peak times, they sell up to 20 lakh tickets a day. According to Dera officials, last year, Beas Railway Station accounted for `33 crore worth of business for the Indian Railways. This main building houses an upgraded waiting room, first aid centre, offices and canteens. And despite the huge traffic of passengers, there has never been a stampede here.

While the main station building has been constructed by the Indian Railways, the entire circulating area for entry and exit to the station and the parking has been made by the Radha Soami Dera volunteers. Buses stand in an orderly manner as do the taxis. The sevadars ensure that there is no overcharging, no overloading and that the drivers maintain cleanliness and do not drink alcohol.

Beas is a sleepy little town located between Amritsar and Jalandhar and is the headquarters of the Radha Soami Satsang Dera. And all volunteer work at the station belongs to the Dera. During the week, Beas lives up to the stereotype of a small town, but come Sunday and all roads, and trains, lead to Beas. This is the day when lakhs of people arrive here to attend the discourse at the Dera.

The principle teaching of the Radha Soamis is selfless service to the Guru, or Babaji. The followers surrender themselves to service and live by the teachings of the Guru.

Beas railway station sets a standard for cleanliness

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Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 55

OFF TRACK

INGREDIENTS Vadiyan crumbled to give about a cup full Potatoes 4, boiled and peeled Tomatoes 2, chopped Onions 1, chopped Garlic 4 cloves, chopped Ginger ½ inch piece, chopped Turmeric ½ tsp

Papad Vadiyan

Number of sevadars on peak days

If you want to take a piece of Amritsar back with you, then do not hesitate to pick up a packet of punchy papads and spicy vadiyan.

Every time you cook with these delicious condiments you will be transported back to fragrant land of the Five Rivers, Punjab.

400

In the pipeline is a proposal for a separate platform to manage the special trains that are run to cater to the increased passenger traffic during special satsang weeks. These Beas Specials run from all over the country. Recently, when Punjab was gripped by the farmer agitation, train traffic was affected and several trains had to make unscheduled stops at Beas. The Dera volunteers ensured free hot dinner and tea for all the passengers as they waited out the agitation.

Papads in Amritsar are a little thicker than the branded papads available in the market and lend themselves to deep frying better than to dry roasting. But the flavour more than makes up for the extra dose of oil.

Amritsari vadiyan are a quintessential part of the home cuisine here. You will find several shops selling the papad and vadiyan outside the Golden Temple. Vadiyan are made by first making a batter of lentils and spices like fenugreek, fennel, pepper, red chillies and some even have the additional tart flavor imparted by plums. The batter is shaped into uneven balls and dried in the sun. These become hard and can be stored for about six to eight months. The size of the vadiyan varies from marble size to almost a tennis ball size. And the degree of spiciness also varies – so when you are buying them, do specify your preference. Vadiyan are crumbled and cooked in desi ghee before adding to any vegetable curry or dal.

If volunteerism is the hallmark of Beas Station, its most obvious impact is seen on the cleanliness around. You will not find even a piece of paper on the station. Dera volunteers diligently clean away with big brooms and enough dustbins are placed around strategically to encourage people to use them. The toilet blocks do not stink. Even the tracks are kept clean. Though Beas is a busy station, with about 60 plus trains going up and down daily, the volunteers find a window period between trains and get down to cleaning the tracks as well. This is perhaps the only station I have seen which does not have the huge bandicoot-sized rats living on the rail tracks.

BEAS FACTFILE 56 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Beas Railway Station is located on the AmritsarJalandhar rail route. The station is about 4 km from Waraich, a village in Amritsar District

Saryu Yamuna Express, Shaheed Exp, New DelhiAmritsar Exp, HowrahAmritsar Exp, Paschim Exp and Dadar-Amritsar Exp run through this station

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Coriander Powder 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 tsp Ghee for cooking and salt and red chilli powder to taste

METHOD Heat some ghee and lightly fry the vadiyan crumbs till they absorb the ghee and change colour. Keep aside.

Add some more ghee to the pan and splutter the cumin seeds.

Add the ginger and garlic and sauté. Add the onions and cook till they turn golden brown.

Add the turmeric powder and coriander powder. Saute for half a minute. Add the tomatoes and cook till the ghee separates.

Add the boiled potatoes and mix well.

Add enough water to make a gravy. Add the fried vadiyan and let it simmer till the gravy thickens and the flavours blend.

Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

Computerised reservation facility provided. Interactive Voice Response System is available. To the northwest is Amritsar Junction Railway Station (54 km)

In Guru's city

Five experiences to gather when in Amritsar GOLDEN TEMPLE

You can visit Harmandir Sahib or Golden Temple at any time of the day. Those who have been there in the early hours swear that this is the best time to visit — the crowd of devotees is thin and you are literally transported to another era with the chants and the slowly-rising Sun. But the call of the divine is timeless and any time you visit, you will be welcomed. It is a blessing to partake of the langar here and if you are so inclined, you can even offer seva here in rolling chapatis, chopping the vegetables or serving the langar.

PHULKARI AND PUNJABI JUTTIS

After visiting Harmandir Sahib, step into the colourful bylanes of Old Amritsar and do some shopping. Head to Katra Jaimal Singh for Phulkari dupattas, suits, sarees and even jackets. Do remember to bargain.

Phulkari is the colourful embroidery typical of Punjab and be careful of shopkeepers trying to sell machine work as handmade. Juttis have also got a makeover and today, you will find fancy floral designs, zari work and even pearl embellished juttis.

SARHAD

In the days before Independence, Amritsar and Lahore were twin cities, sharing a similar culture and cuisine.

Sarhad is an effort to recreate the camaraderie. Located just kilometres away from the Attari border, Sarhad’s menu includes Lahori specials like chapli kebab and keema naan. Another interesting must try from the other side of the border is the malted, non-alcoholic Muree beer, Malt 79. The open-brick architecture with arches is reminiscent of Lahore and the colourful murals have been inspired by the truck art of Pakistan.

WAGAH BORDER

Attend the Flag Ceremony at Wagah Border for some adrenaline-pumping patriotic action. When the strapping BSF jawans stride towards their Pakistani counterparts during the ceremony, people sitting in the stands join the chorus of “Jai Hind”. But if you are planning to go there on a weekend, be prepared for a large number of visitors and go early. Also ensure that you are carrying some form of photo identification for easy security clearance.

CITY DHABAS

Unlike the rest of the country where the dhabas can be seen dotting the highways, Amritsar houses several famous dhabas within the city. You have probably heard all the names — Kesar da Dhaba, Bhrawan da Dhaba and its anglicised version (only in name) Brothers Dhaba, Surjeet Dhaba – the list is long. Each dhaba has unpretentious décor, quick service and delicious food.

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Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 57

FOOD YARD

Beyond

Assi Ghat Though the spirituality of Banaras, one of the oldest cities of the world, makes it one of the most revered destinations, its food is equally tempting and soul-satisfying Sangeeta Khanna

A

trip to Banaras can truly be a soul-searching one. It is also the kind that good memories are made of. Walking through the maze of bylanes I have found rare glimpses into the world that has slipped into the browning moth-eaten pages of history.

In Banaras those pages from history come to throbbing life once your gaze probes beyond the fine layer of dust.

58 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Banaras is older than any written history they say; and you can see how the layers of the culture have built upon the sandstone stairs by the Ganges. There is a reason why people from around the world keep scuttling towards Banaras and want to camp there forever. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised if you see a foreigner clad in a saree, bangles and red vermillion. I know one who teaches in a local primary school run by a world-renowned anthropologist.

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(Clockwise) Ganga Aarti at the ghats; Boats ferrying visitors and pilgrims across the banks of the Ganges at Banaras; Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Banaras or Varanasi is the holiest of the 7 sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism You make great discoveries when you walk along the streets. You might get a glimpse of a four centuries old temple in a discreet corner of a street and once you probe further you will see how the staircase leads to an underground garbhagriha of the temple.

I have always wondered the presence of those underground temples and how their devotees keep the traditions alive.

It is not only the Kashi Vishwanath and Sankatmochan temple in Banaras but the thousands of little known temples the locals have faith in.

Apart from the numerous temples that dot the city with a heady fragrance of marigold and Tulsi, you would find small little alcoves by the old gnarled trees of peepul or banyan, with a vermillion smeared statue of some god or goddess often measuring no more than a pocket book. The trees get a saintly appearance and seem to have embraced Gods whole-heartedly. I have always seen these trees as the guardians of the narrow lanes, a co-existence that hides many stories

Banaras Diary The best way to travel to Banaras is by train. There are several trains from each part of the country leading to Varanasi Cantt. railway station which is the main rail station apart from Manduadih and Kashi stations in Banaras.

in each of its branches and leaves. You just need to unfurl them gently.

If you are going to Banaras I suggest you do a street food trail for sure. Of course keep your eyes open for all the other things the city has to offer but no journey is worth without the local culinary experience and some chitchat with the ones who cook the food. People who cook and serve the food always have interesting stories to tell, ask questions and you may stumble upon something that you never imagined. One of the jalebi sellers once told me that milk and hot jalebi breakfast treats the worst kind of migraine if taken regularly first thing in the morning. I have never put this theory to test but isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it a tempting idea?

Interestingly the rail traffic to and fro Banaras is so high that the Varanasi Cantt generates the highest revenue for the Indian Railways www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 59

FOOD YARD

Some food for the soul

Photos: Sangeeta Khanna

Piping hot kachoris, refreshing paans or delectable sweets, Banaras is heaven for food lovers

Winter months are best-suited to visit Banaras and I suggest you taste the malaiyyo, a very delicate whipped milk fat dessert that feels like a cloud on your palate.

The best place to eat the authentic malaiyyo is this hole-in-the-wall shop opposite the Gopal Mandir inside Thatheri bazaar lane.

You will find many malaiyyo sellers in the street and most of them are good but no one quite compares to what the Gopal mandir shop serves. You have to go to this place in morning hours, between from 7 am to 11 am.

On your way back, you can stop at The Ram Bhandar for the signature kachori subzi and jalebi breakfast.

Being in Banaras asks for trying some paan as well. Ask for the Magahi beeda and the best place for Banarasi paan is Keshav Paan Bhandar at Lanka crossing, across the Ravidas gate.

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You must try chiwda matar, the Banaras version of poha which is so flavourful and rich you might feel like settling down in the city for this.

Banarasi chiwda matar is a sweet, hot and spicy preparation that not only has a hint of tartness but also a certain earthy flavour that comes from garam masala, ginger and coriander leaves.

Studded with cashewnuts and raisins, this is one of the best version of poha.

In summer months and even during winters you must try the Banarasi lassi and thandai. The best places for lassi is Ramnagar fort next to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancestral home in Ramnagar, Pehelwan Lassi at Lanka adjacent to Ravidas Gate, Blue Lassi Shop in Manikarnika lane and several small shops in Chowk area and in the old city along the ghats. Best thandai will be found in licensed shops around Godoliya roundabout; Baba Thandai is one of the best.

Another must try in Banaras is the tamatari or tamatar ki chaat and the best places to gorge on that are: Banarasi Chaat Bhandar at Sankatmochan turning, Deena chaat Bhandar at Luxa Road, Kashi Chaat Bhandar at Godolia and Keshri Chaat Bhandar at Neechibagh. Each place offers such a wonderful variety of chaats and mithais that it feels nothing short of a chaat pilgrim.

You must visit the Pizzeria at Assi Ghat. The wood-fired oven pizzas, the handmade ravioli and the apple pie is to die for. There is a Japanese restaurant located at Shivala tiraha run by a Japanese couple where you get decent Japanese food made using mostly local ingredients. You will also find a Lebanese restaurant in Assi Ghat area which is worth exploring. The English Bread bakery on Assi road has good breads. www.railbandhu.in

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VOL 5

ISSUE 9

Issue 1·2016

1·2016

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THE ON-BOARD M AGAZINE OF INDI AN RAILWAYS

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016

A very happy

EVOLUTION

The new GLE Coupe: SUV with a difference

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WARDROBE WAYS ORK WACKY EEKEND

5

SACRED FESTIVALS OF BENGAL

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You should plan your travel around

Deccan Odyssey

A heady mix of heritage and luxury

THE WINNING DRIVE

A ride in the new GLE Magic Bus Formula 1 helmets

On the track with Lewis Hamilton

FEDERER & NADAL

TALLER THAN THE EIFFEL TOWER

LESS RIVALS, MORE FRIENDS

India to get the world's highest railway bridge

NEW ON YOUR MAP

MADE UP IN LOVE

GLOSSY CHEEKS BLUE EYES FRENCH TALONS

PIN THESE VIRGIN TRAVEL GETAWAYS

AÉROPOSTALE WATCH OUT FOR THE NEW BRAND IN TOWN

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NORTH-EAST festivals & traditions Celebrate the spirit and beauty of the land

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OFF TRACK

Puri of the

beaches For the devotees of Lord Jagannath, Puri does not need any introduction. The visitors must, however, explore the beautiful beachside when visiting the city

Jagannath temple dates back to

12th

Bhaskar Mahanta

century

A

weekend break during an official trip to Kolkata was enough to tempt me to pack my bags and head towards the holy city of Puri. I boarded the evening Puri Shatabdi and after travelling for nearly eight hours, I reached the city. Of the many rikshawalas waiting for passengers outside, I hopped onto one who offered me to find a decent hotel near the beach. After paddling nearly 20 minutes, I reached an area named 62 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Swargadwar on the Marine Drive Road, with the majestic Puri beach to my left and numerous hotels, restaurants, shops and ATMs to my right. Luckily, I found a good seafacing room easily.

As I checked in, absolute darkness outside prevented me from viewing the sea; still the roaring sound of waves crashing at the beach was too loud and unique. I dozed off immediately, but excitement and anticipation

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JAGANNATH

Ratha Yatra of watching the first ever sunrise from a beach helped me to wake up early next morning. The beach was abuzz with activities — with chaiwalas selling tea and snacks to tourists waiting for the sunrise.

As golden glitter started reflecting on the sea, most people took out their cameras and started clicking photographs. But there were a few like me who simply gazed at the beauty of the sun kissing the sea. At the same time, a few metres away, I noticed people jostling to buy fish and crabs from fishermen, as soon as their boats hit the beach.

After spending some time at the beach, it was time for breakfast. There are several small and big eateries serving quality puri-subzi, butter-toast, paratha, along the Marine Drive Road and I opted for one of the nondescript yet clean restaurants to grab a quick bite.

I planned to begin my day with the market nearby. It took me no time in getting lost in the wide range of handloom, handicrafts, and other collectables at the market. The

The annual Chariot Festival commemorates Lord Jagannath’s annual visit to Gundicha Temple. Devotees from across the world visit Puri to take part in the festivities, while millions across the world remain glued to their TV sets to watch the celebrations.

As part of Ratha Yatra, the deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple and remain there for nine days after which they return to the main temple.

During the festival, hotels charge premium and get sold out.

It is interesting to see people jostling to buy fish and crabs from fishermen as soon as their boats dock prices were unbelievable, with exotic sarees and salwar-suits in Sambalpuri/Bomkai/ Kataki print starting from `100 onward and traditional Odiya kurtas starting from `80 onward. With unique design and print, there was a lot to shop for — from bed sheets to gamchhas, and from t-shirts to shawls, all unique, colourful and extremely affordable.

Before I realised, it was noon already and I decided to break for lunch. I opted for a crowded restaurant near Swargadwar.

A simple vegetarian thali for `50, with unlimited rice, dal, chutney and vegetables cooked in Odiya/Bengali style, was simply lip-smacking and quite filling. With my hands full with shopping bags and stomach heavy post lunch, I decided to visit the Jagannath Temple after some rest. After an hour of rest,

Almost 80 per cent of the city’s economy is dependent on the Jagannath temple and its festivals www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 63

OFF TRACK

SWEET DEBATE We know of rasagola as a Bengali delicacy, but there are historians who claim it originated in Puri. According to them, the sweet was first offered as bhog at the Jagannath Temple. The town is also known for several other sweets like chhenapoda, khirmohan and rajbhog.

The Jagannath temple complex covers an area of 10.7 acres

Puri is purely about faith. A triad of deities — Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra — are worshipped at the temple I was ready for a 25-minute walk from Marine Drive Road towards the majestic temple.

As I reached the holy shrine, I was struck by a thought that this temple is not much about ambience, structure or comfort; it is purely about faith and that alone. A triad of deities — Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra — are worshiped at the temple. So strong is the essence of this temple that the city is also known as Jagannath Puri.

By the time I came out of the holy shrine, it was already evening. I headed straight for the beach, which had now transformed into a market place.

With CFL lights illuminating the numerous stalls selling hand-crafted items made of shells and oysters, decorative showpieces, 64 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Pocket Delight

Sea-facing room `800 onward Non Sea-facing `500 onward

Tea and snacks at the beach `10 onward per person

Breakfast `20 onward

Meal

(vegetarian) `50 onward

Meal

(non-vegetarian) `80 onward

Saris and suit-salwars `100 onward

Traditional Odiya kurtas

aluminium utensils, and artificial ornaments, the contrast and vividity was distinctly visible.

Spending a few hours in the market, sipping umpteen cups of tea and hanging around at the beach watching the white waves sweep the shores is simply an out of the world experience.

Soon, it was dinner time and I decided to feast on prawn curry and fish at a nearby eatery. The place was known for good non-vegetarian food. I paid `200 for a complete meal with prawn and fish, which was quite a steal, considering the exquisite match of quality and quantity.

Later that night, as I walked back to my hotel room, I had a strange rush of emotions. I felt happy and yet sad at the same time. It was a good trip and I was able to explore a lively place packed with good food, shopping options, and without punching a hole in my pocket.

`100 onwards

You can also buy handicraft items like patachitra (palm leaf paintings), applique works, lampshades, colourful umbrellas, etc. at unbelievable prices

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My only lament was that a day is too short to explore Puri and I could not visit nearby places like Konark Sun Temple and Chilika Lake. But as they say, there is always a next time. I knew I had to return, very soon.

SHORT TAKES

Entertainment

Calling We bring you a selection of movies for the month

HAIL, CAESAR! Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Ralph Fiennes, Josh Brolin, Channing Tatum Release date: February 5

HOW TO BE SINGLE

Director: Christian Ditter Cast: Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann Release date: February 12

In 1950s Hollywood, Eddie Mannix is Capital Pictures’ head of physical production and the studio fixer. His job is to maintain the reputation of the company and keep the stars in line.

The movie plot revolves around a writer who is exploring the dating lives of five single women in New York and ends up finding herself mixed up in an affair of her own while doing research.

FITOOR Director: Abhishek Kapoor Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Katrina Kaif, Tabu Release date: February 12 The romantic drama film is a Bollywood adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 13th and penultimate completed novel Great Expectations – a story about wealth and poverty, love and rejection, and the eventual triumph of good over evil.

HOT SPOTS

Get adventurous in the land of dunes Royal Rajasthan figures on every travellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bucket-list and we all know the famous haunts and cities that one must visit. In this issue of Rail Bandhu, we tell you how to max your travel experience in the colourful region Neharika Mathur Sinha

REGAL RIDE ELEPHANT SAFARI AMBER FORT, JAIPUR What to carry: Water bottle, hats/dupattas to protect yourself from the sun.

Max it up: Soak in the sights and sounds around you. You get great views of the lake, gardens and the hilly terrain around as your elephant trudges up from the car park to the main courtyard. That regal feeling is incomparable.

Charges: `900 for two Booking details: On the spot bookings. Make sure to get there before 9 am to avoid a queue for booking the elephant ride. On till 11 am.

Best season: November to February

How to reach Every major train passing through Rajasthan stops at Jaipur.

66 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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HIGH ON NATURE BIRD WATCHING, KHICHAN What to carry: Water, snacks and a pair of binoculars to see the birds properly.

grain in one day. Peafowls are the other birds seen around the cranes.

Max it up: Walk up to the ponds for amazing views of ducks along with the famous Demoiselle Cranes. Or wait for their snack time at the Chugga Ghar or feeding enclosure where the 9,000-odd birds are said to consume five quintal of

Charges: None Booking details: Just fix your hotel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; there is no need to book a tour to watch the birds.

Best season: November to March

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How to reach The nearest railway stations are Phalodi and Jodhpur. There are plenty of express and passenger trains connecting Jodhpur.

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 67

HOT SPOTS

FLOAT ON AIR HOT-AIR BALLOONING, RANTHAMBORE What to carry: Jackets, mufflers and gloves since it gets quite cold during winter. Whatever the season, sunshades are a must.

Max it up: You get a birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye view of the green forest area. Enjoy the scene at an unhurried pace. Take the early morning trip to witness a breathtaking sunrise.

Charges: `12,000 per person approximately Booking details: There are ample number of tour operators whom you can contact online and book. Only for children above 5 years.

Best season: September to March

How to reach The nearest railhead is Sawai Madhopur.

You can take a cab or bus thereafter.

68 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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How to reach Udaipur is very well connected by rail network.

HEALTHY EXPLORATIONS CYCLING, UDAIPUR What to carry: Water bottle, helmet, first aid.

Max it up: Cycle at your own pace and enjoy the beauty of the lakes, the rustic charm of the surroundings and the luxury of Rajasthan.

Charges: Free cycles are available at Fateh www.railbandhu.in

Sagar Lake side in Udaipur for a one-day trip around the city. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to carry your ID card. Average cost for a half-day trip in Udaipur is `2,000 per person.

Booking details: You can book yourself a tour online well in advance.

Best season: September to April Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 69

ART CONNECT

A stitched

narrative Gopika Nath’s solo show ‘The Piercing Needle’ at Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata, draws its inspiration and impetus from left-over marks in her tea-cup Ina Puri

T

racing the history of textiles in India, it is interesting to see how practices gradually broke away from the traditional space to occupy centre stage for some contemporary artists. The needle became the brush, seeking to illuminate, provoke and create an identity (for itself) that went beyond the feminine domain. Needlework, associated for long with the feminine and domestic embroidery, now became experimental and contemporary. A genre recognised for its unique place in the art scene.

In her recent exhibit, as one of the leading practitioners, Gopika Nath has struck out in a new direction which is both provocative and innovative. She has used photography, digital printing on fabric, along with techniques that involve burning, layering, shredding, as well as embroidering on cotton voile, silk organza and other ephemeral fabrics.

Gopika has re-contextualised the notions of stitching as an art. Deeply autobiographical, her technique is the use of cross-stitch and running stitch (Kantha) to add texture to the fabric that is stained with tea. She

70 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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About the artist Gopika is an artist who embroiders, rather than paints. She adeptly imbues her work with the same aesthetics as found in fine art painting.

(Clockwise) Work in view: Self Doubt; Foreground – Patterns of Transformation; and The Universe in My Tea Cup (set of 30 works)

has stitched in delicate cursive hand, hurtful insults often heard and ignored ‘liar/slob’, turning them into delicate motifs, elegantly embroidered on her cloth fragments.

The chronicles of the chaiwallah begin with the ceremonial pouring of tea that seeps into the material, leaving a dark stain on the cloth. It is as if the chai patterns hint at personal geographies, as they spread out, mapping unchartered courses. These are two separate acts — the initial spontaneous spillage, followed by the other action, the stitching and the cutting, which are conscious acts, carefully considered and executed.

“My work is all about memories, which I also refer to as stains,” she shares, adding, “I’ve been working on/with the idea of tea stains in my teacup, for the last seven years. The idea of using

photographs to represent memory began with a little experiment which led me to see that memory isn’t an accurate representation of what occurred, but what we feel as things unfold — embellished with our own fantasy or dread, as the case may be.

It is the memories that haunt us, which we carry as karmic patterns, or soul memory, or more recent memories of a conscious experience.”

Working within the ancient framework of embroidery, Gopika acknowledges that she has been deeply influenced by the writings of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. Her own work as a textile designer as well as her personal experience of working with craftsmen from various places, led her to explore dimensions of hand-crafting, transcending its existence as mere labour — a return towards the ideas presented by Coomaraswamy. www.railbandhu.in

Through colonial influences, embroidery has become associated with the feminine, but Gopika’s art transcends this, using thread, fabric and stitch to speak the language of contemporary art. Deeply autobiographical, her work presents art as cathartic and healing through searing honesty in the microscopic examination of self.

In sharing the textures of her wounds, she reaches out towards healing macro dimensions of the universe.

“To me the essential sacredness of working with textiles, is not only that it is the garment that clothes the body which can be likened to the essential garb of the soul, but, to make this fabric or do anything with it requires a lot of time and discipline and this also becomes a meditation on life,” she says.

(The article is an extract from Gopika’s conversation with Ina on her exhibition) Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 71

TALE SPIN

Railway

lines Train travel and its trappings have long inspired poetic geniuses in our popular languages. We signal some such creative expressions Ritu Pandey

L

ove & loss. Lyricist Neeraj Grover last year gave Bollywood a taste of literary Hindi poetry when he improvised upon two lines from late Dushyant Kumar’s best known romantic poem Main jise odhta bichhata hoon, to turn it into a song for the film, Masaan. Composed and sung by Indian Ocean, the song gained instant popularity While the simplicity of the lines was unmissed, what really grabbed the listeners was a rather

72 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

unusual allegory, to one’s love. “Tu kisi rail si guzarti hai, Main kisi pul sa thartharata hoon.

(Your approach leaves me like the bridge that reverberates with the passing train.)”

Now “train” and “bridge” aren’t really commonplace metaphors to allude to one’s love life. Bollywood pen pushers, in particular, find them too mechanical to relate to matters of the heart. But the deftness with which Dushyant Kumar turned this limitation

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Urdu poets alluded to the rail to make other serious observations on life into brilliant poetry blew away the new-age listener completely. That romance could be linked so cheekily to rail (always rail mind you, rarely train) and its mundane technicalities was something few could fathom. Not with standing, the romance that the train has of its own. And which finds recurring poetic expression in conjoint themes like departure, separation, journey, distance, pain etc.

In the early decades that railway network spread in India, Thomas Hardy captured this separation perfectly in his Departure Platform penned far away in Dorchester, UK. We kissed at the barrier; and passing through She left me, and moment by moment got Smaller and smaller, until to my view She was but a spot ...

Urdu poet Akbar Illahabadi, who retired as a sessions judge, started his career as a railway clerk. However, in the early 20th century, so extreme was his rejection of all things Western that rail became a repeated refrain for it in his poetry.

Duniya se mel ki zaroorat hi nahin Mujhko is khel ki zaroorat hi nahin Darpesh hai manzile-Adam ai Akbar Is raah mein rail ki zaroorat hi nahin

times. In the early 20th century, Urdu poet Majaaz Lakhnavi was so captivated by the sights and sounds of a moving train at night that his nazm, Raat aur Rail, became the most iconic example of visual imagery in modern Urdu poetry.

Phir chali hai rail, station sey lehraati hui neem shab ki khaamoshi mein zer-e-lab gaati hui Dagmagaati, jhoomti, seeti bajaati, khelti waadi-o-kohsaar ki thandi hawaa khaati hui...

With amazingly rhythmic similes and cadence, Majaaz transported his readers right inside the train to experience its snake-like slithering, wobbling, whistling and steam-spewing movement through forests, mountain slopes, deep and dark tunnels in an attempt to give them a gradual realisation of what an allconquering force of revolutionary change human spirit can be.

Safhaa-e-dil se mitati ahad-e-maazi key naqoosh haal-o-mustaqbil key dilkash khwaab dikhlaati hui...

In their feel, Majaaz’ verses come quite close to a children’s poem, “From a railway carriage”

by RL Stevenson that preceded it by some four decades.

Faster than fairies, faster than witches, Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches...

And ever again, in the wink of an eye, Painted stations whistle by.

Photo: Oil painting by Ananta Mandal

DISTANCES & JOURNEYS But every separation comes juxtaposed by a journey or a distance in between. The train, after all, is about cutting distances.

Through which one sits admiring them and the machine in all their elements. Hard to think of amid today’s technological distractions but something quite looked forward to in simpler

A POET’S PROMISE

But the stunning visualisation and profundity of the former set the two apart by miles. Pt Nehru, it is said, was so gripped by the verses that he asked for them to be a mandatory www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 73

TALE SPIN

display inside every railway station in the country. Needless to say, “rail” has always had a strong emotional connect. For many of us, travelling in a train pulled by a steam engine is too strong a childhood memory to fade away.

The comfort of the couped up air-conditioned cabins of today can never match the nostalgia of sitting by the window, feeling the air and the sun and watching trees, rivers, towns and cities pass by.

In the golden years of Aakashvani, poet and actor Harindranath Chattopadhyaya would voice the childlike excitement of seeing railway stations pass by in an unforgettable poem called Railgadi. Many of you would remember its later version in Ashok Kumar’s voice from film Aashirwaad — that rhythm of recitation, especially in the names of towns, and its synergy with the moving wheels of train — it was magical!

But all magic wanes with age. And the innocence of childhood sojourns is eventually lost in cut and dry realities. Often with hilarious outcomes. In the oeuvre of Hindi satirist Sharad Joshi, it resulted in witty take-offs on our train culture such as the brilliant “Rail

Old British Railway poster

74 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Yatra.” And in the hands of poets such as Kaka Hathrasi and Pradeep Choubey in shining examples of hasya kavitas like “Gadi mein saanp” and “Bhartiya Rail ki general Bogie.”

BOLLYWOOD DREAMER

Had it not been for the generosity of a kind-hearted ticket inspector named Chitramal Swaroop, the poet of memorable songs like Kuchh to log kahenge, Chupke chupke and Baharon ne mera chaman loot kar, Anand Bakshi wouldn’t have made it in Bollywood.

Swaroop caught Bakshi without ticket at the Marine Lines Railway Station planning to give up his dreams forever, when he gave him refuge at his Railway quarters for the next three years and ensured that he realised his dream.

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Written in a lighter vein, all of these captured the disarray of the Indian Railways in the 20th century as it grappled with a burgeoning populace and the ordeal of the common man caught in between. Anyone who has ever travelled in the general compartment of an Indian train wouldn’t find it hard to connect with the lines, “Bharatiya Rail ki general bogie, Pata nahin aapne bhogi ya nahi bhogi.

(The general compartment of the Indian railway, wonder if you’ve ever experienced it).”

Urdu poets, on the other hand, alluded to the rail to make other serious observations on life. Like this Jamaal Ehsani couplet, which refers to the lack of opportunities in our small towns. Us ek chhote se qasbe pe ruki nahi rail, Vahan bhi chand musafir utarne vale the. (The train didn’t stop at that small town, even it had passengers waiting to alight.)

Or this one by an unknown poet where a train journey becomes a metaphor for the transience of human relationships.

Vo to bata raha tha kai roz ka safar, Zanjeer khench ke utar gaya jo musafir (he mentioned it a several-day long journey, the passenger who pulled the chain and got down.)

P O S T C A RD S SHARE YOUR MEMORIES WITH US

LET US KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING Journeys are best remembered through postcards. Next time you travel by a train, do remember to take a picture of your journey, destination or anything that catches your eye during the travel and send it to us. We will publish the best entries in the magazine.

HOW DID YOU LIKE THE MAGAZINE? SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK WRITE TO US AT

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TEST YOUR SPORTS KNOWLEDGE Be the first to answer our quiz and get your name published.

Check out the sports page for this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quiz

GAME PLAN

The enchanting

fields Along with the action on the pitch and the players, the setting of the story is equally important. With cricket season in full swing, we bring you five cricket stadia from the world that stand out for their uniqueness Garima Verma

The most vocal

Crowd capacity of MCG

1,00,024 The largest

1

MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND (MCG), MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA The place where the first Test was held, the ground that witnessed the first ODI and the venue where Greg Chappellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s orders to his brother Trevor in 1981, against New Zealand, to bowl under-arm prompted a change in the rulebooks. Yes, MCGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and claim to fame is as impressive as its numbers.

The 1,00,024-capacity stadium also boasts of the tallest light towers of any sporting venue. Built in 1853 and included in the Australian National Heritage List in 2005, with the record number of audience being 1,30,000 for a Billy Graham evangelistic crusade in 1959, the mega arena also lent its glory to 1956 Olympics and 2006 Commonwealth Games.

EDEN GARDENS, CALCUTTA, INDIA The largest cricket stadium of India is not only an iconic setting for any cricketing extravaganza but the adrenaline rush and challenges that a boisterous crowd brings along makes for as good a story as one unfolding on the pitch. Be it the West Indies in 1966-67, Australia in 1969-70 or the 1996 World Cup semifinal against Sri Lanka, emotions dictated actions. And, when it comes to India, it can play the 12th man like nowhere else. Remember the 2001 Test against Australia when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid led the comeback to stop the visitors from making it record 17th straight Test win?

2 VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid during the 2001 Test against Australia at Eden Gardens

The most beautiful

The oldest

3

LORD'S CRICKET GROUND, LONDON, ENGLAND The Mecca of cricket/The home of cricket...The Lord’s has that ability to make you run out of adjectives. With history steeped in each and every inch, the ground, built in 1814, was witness to Sir Don Bradman’s 254 in 1930 — a ground record that stood for 60 years, before being broken by Graham Gooch’s 333 in 1990. Such is the rush of a victory at this ground, multiplied by the awe-inspiring settings, that the then India captain Sourav Ganguly could not stop himself from taking off his shirt at the balcony after India beat the hosts in the Natwest Series Final in 2002. It was here that the momentous Indian win in 1983 World Cup final against the West Indies, made cricket what it is in India.

NEWLANDS CRICKET GROUND, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA They say beauty is subjective. But what could put to test the backdrop that Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak provide to the action on the pitch.

If you are among the lucky ones to secure a spot on the grassy knoll, it’s not just a cricket match but a never-ending day of picnic. You just need to be there from dawn till dusk to appreciate and soak in the myriad hues of this place. With the morning bathing the lush green of the ground with sunshine and the sunset lending a heavenly beauty to the place, even the cloudy days and fog fail to rob a pinch of prettiness from it, adding a rather paradise-like effect to it.

4

Special mention The highest

CHAIL CRICKET GROUND, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA While the lack of any international action has made the record books erase it from the list, statistically the cricket ground in Chail holds the title at 7,500 ft above sea level. Built by Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh, in 1883 and surrounded by thick deodar forests, the picturesque ground was made after levelling a hilltop.

The most happening

5

QUEEN'S PARK OVAL, PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO For those for whom life is a big party and cricket another one, this is the perfect blend of both. Imagine the picturesque tropical hills as backdrop, two sides battling it out on the field and the spectators merrily blowing on the conch shells... Bordering the Caribbean on the north, and undoubtedly reflecting the same carefree way of life, it’s fun to join the locals in an impromptu dance to the tune of the Calypso beats. If you thought party was what this place was all about, a flashback to 1994-95, when England were bundled out for 46 in the Test, is good to reassure yourself that the action on the pitch is as happening.

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3. Kapil Dev lifts the 1983 World Cup at Lord’s 4. South Africa has won 25 of its ODI games at Newlands and lost 5 5. Curtly Ambrose was instrumental in packing up England for 46 at Queen’s Park Oval in 1994-95

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 77

GAME PLAN

5 Indians to Watch Out For With the recent Australia series, India have a got into the T20 mode. There's now a Sri Lanka bilateral series in February followed by the Asia Cup and finally, the World T20. Here are the 5 players we think can take India all the way RAVINDRA JADEJA The left-hander makes it to the list because the Indians are short of an all rounder of pedigree. As all the three tournaments will be played in the subcontinent, the conditions suit him.

Four good left-arm spin overs and some hits per match, if he gets to bat, will be good.

MS DHONI

YUVRAJ SINGH

One person who will be most watched in the time leading up to IPL 9, is the Indian ODI and T20 captain. He has won India many a match but lately has even lost some. But Dhoni has a knack of happy endings, remember 2013 Champions Trophy?

Either result, the World T20 could be his final stint as Indian captain.

He might just have got his final lifeline.

Yuvraj's career is on a knife's edge. If he fires, he can go on all the way to the 2019 World Cup but if he fails in the tough season ahead, we might have seen the last of the cancer survivor who is best remembered for those six sixes off Stuart broad in an over in the 2007 World T20.

DHONI Born

RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN India lack quality in the bowling department and R Ashwin may be their only world-class bowler. His four off-spin overs on turning pitches will be crucial, perhaps even more than what their batsmen would do. If he can do that and the carom ball gets going, it will be an Ashwinwin situation for the Indians.

July 7, 1981

YUVRAJ Born

Right-hand bat

Batting

KOHLI Born

Bowling

Batting

Dec 12, 1981

Batting

Left-hand bat

Bowling Right-arm medium

Slow left-arm orthodox

Nov 5, 1988

Right-hand bat

Bowling Right-arm medium

ASHWIN Born

JADEJA Born

Sept 17, 1986

Dec 6, 1988

Batting

Batting

Right-hand bat

Left-hand bat

Bowling

Bowling

Right-arm offbreak

Slow left-arm orthodox

78 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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VIRAT KOHLI He is one of the premier batsmen in the world and India's best bet. Virat is a match winner in every condition, and against any opposition. While in ODIs and Tests he plays the role of the main batsman but in T20s, Kohli can take it upon him to finish games too; that will be his priority.

GAME PLAN

Cricket

quotient Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s grandfather is the only cricketer to have played Test cricket for both India and England. Saif’s father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, also played for India. He remains the youngest Test captain for India, at 21 years and 77 days, and the second youngest Test captain in the world.

The Test between South Africa and England at Durban in 1933 was finally abandoned as a draw on the 10th day of play as the England players had to catch the ship back home.

In 1980, Gillette decided to back out of cricket sponsorship, complaining that the public was now associating the name Gillette more with cricket than with the razors.

The first Test between Young Sri Lanka and Young England at Colombo in 1987 was held up when a large iguana crept across the pitch.

1

Brazil has the most number of FIFA WC titles, 5.

Which team/teams have the second most and how many? how many?

2

How many individual gold medals has India won at the Olympics?

3

In 2001, India stopped Australia’s record streak by beating them in a Test match. Where was this Test match played? How many Tests had Australia won before that match?

4

How many French Open titles has Spain’s Rafael Nadal won?

5

With which sport do you associate Thomas and Uber Cup?

We will publish the names of the first five who give all correct answers. So, hurry, and mail us at railbandhu@maxposure.in or post your replies on our facebook page ANSWERS TO JAN 2016 ISSUE QUIZ: 1.

During England England’s disastrous seven-wicket defeat against Australia in the 4th ODI in January 1983 at Brisbane, a spectator let a small pig loose on the pitch. On one side pig’s body was stamped ‘Botham’, and on the other, of the pig ‘Eddie’. Both Ian Botham and Eddie Hemmings had been ‘Eddie accused of being overweight.

AB de Villiers took 220 balls for 33 runs against Australia in Adelaide in 2012.

2. Between 1958 and 1970, Brazil won 3 football World Cups. They missed the 1966 one.

3. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav or KD Jadhav was the first ever Olympic medallist of independent India;

at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics in wrestling.

4. Viswanathan Anand has won world championship five times.

5. After MC Mary Kom won multiple world titles, the women’s boxing’s international body gave her the title of Magnificent Mary.

Only two readers got all the answers right this time: Congratulations Mohit Sachdeva and Ankit Sharma.

— Compiled by Garima Verma

80 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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QUICK LOOK

Gift some love this

Valentine's Day Express your love with thoughtful gifting. We have some suggestions 1. SET IN GOLD

4. PRETTY IN PINK

4 1

Impress your beloved with this Velvetcase Cupid love multifinger ring in hues of gold (yellow, rose and white). It's perfect to make her feel how special she is.

Price: On request

Woo your lady love with this subtle baby pink scarf from Iralzo with hearts all over it. After all, a scarf is much more than mere accessory; it completes your attire.

5

Price: On request

2. LIGHT OF LOVE

With tones of sterling silver and hues of love, this Arch of Love candle stand from Frazer and Haws makes for a thoughtful gift to express you feelings the way never said before.

5. RED HOT 2

Paint the town red this Valentine’s with this smart Monte Carlo jacket. No better colour than red to express your love.

7

Price: `4,735

6. ADDING CUTE TO CHIC

Price: `13,900

3. STYLE IT BEAUTIFUL

In keeping with the season, pick up a silk/wool stole or a scarf from Ahujasons, available in a variety of trendy and exquisite digital prints in bright hues. Just what she needs to accentuate any outfit.

Fendi suggests you celebrate love with their playful capsule collection created in red and pink, symbolic for the lovers’ day. Inspired by the heart and the iconic Bag Bugs, featuring precious materials, it makes for quite an adorable gift.

6

3

Price: `1,500 onward

Price: On request

7. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Treat your lady to some precious pieces this Valentine’s day and warm her heart with love.

Fine jewellery in diamonds, rubies and pearls from Crimson Crush collection of Minawala would floor her with sheer beauty.

Price: On request www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 81

KID ZONE

Your friendly

pet Here’s a fun and simple way to have your very own reindeer to play with.

It also looks nice on your shelf

STEP

1

CREATE THE ANTLERS

Cut each paper straw into four parts: 1 large, 1 medium and 2 small (as pictured). Make diagonal cuts, as this will make the antlers easier to assemble.

STEP

2

ASSEMBLE AND ATTACH

Using either a hot-glue gun or instant glue, assemble the antlers and then attach them to the side of the cup. Cut the ears using red card stock and attach to the cup as well, just underneath the antlers.

courtesy: www.handmadecharlotte.com

MATERIAL YOU NEED • Paper cup • Two paper straws • Red card stock (for the ears) • Scissors • Glue • Black permanent marker

82 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

STEP

3

MAKE A FACE

Using a black permanent marker, draw a face for your reindeer on the front of the cup.

That’s it, have fun with your new little friend!

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BEAUTY TALK

Winter

be kind It is that time of the year when your skin and hair yearn for extra attention.

To cope up with the winter blues, we help you with a few tips Urmil Khanna

SKIN

HAIR

• Opt for a weekly facial masque for thorough cleansing and exfoliation.

• Not just the facial skin, your entire body needs care. Creams and oils work best to tone and firm the skin. Also, they keep the body warm by increasing blood circulation. Regular hot oil massages work wonders for skin.

• Refrain from using deodorants during winters as they tend to drain the skin of moisture. It is always advisable to opt for alcohol-free products to keep your skin moist.

Drink water to keep skin hydrated.

• With cold breeze, comes a lot of dryness. Never skip a conditioner. It helps keep moisture intact in your hair. Also, wash your hair with lukewarm water and end with rinsing it with cold water.

• Do not forget to oil your hair regularly. A soothing oil massage strengthens hair follicle, restricts hair breakage.

Always choose an oil that does not weigh your hair down.

• Cap may save you from the chill but it can be a major reason for hair breakage, especially at the nape of your neck.

Leave sufficient space for air circulation. www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - February 2016 | 83

IN FOCUS

2016 AUTO EXPO

The Motor Show becomes Bigger, Better & More Exciting

O

rganised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM), Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Auto Expo has evolved into a focused and modern motor show, used for brand promotion and corporate image development by exhibitors, as well as a platform for global and domestic launches by vehicle manufacturers. With a footfall of more than a lakh people on a daily basis, Auto Expo — The Motor Show has emerged as one of the largest exhibitions in India.

The participants at the event include all automobile majors from India, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, Sweden, UK, USA and more. As in 2014, because of increasing participation and paucity of space, the 2016 edition will be held at two venues. The Component Show will be held at Pragati Maidan in Delhi from February 4 to 7, and The Motor Show at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida from February 5 to 9.

The venue, India Expo Mart Limited, has been given a massive makeover prior to the

upcoming show. The venue has witnessed enormous construction in the form of six large halls with an additional carpet area of 37,240 sqms complete with air conditioning and adequate power supply cabling. The venue previously had only 8 permanent halls measuring 27,648 sqms. The gross indoor exhibition space has increased from 67,000 sqms. in the previous edition to 73,000 sqms. in the forthcoming edition of the show.

There will be a pavilion of vintage cars and focused activity area where outdoor activities, such as safety riding, driving simulators, torture track etc., will take place. Groups of Super bike owners from NCR, will be riding in to Auto Expo – The Motor Show 2016 daily to display their big machines and give tips to Motor show visitors on safe riding and advantages of wearing proper safety gears. A ‘Bollywood corner’ in Hall 16, would showcase memorable cars and bikes used in Bollywood movies.

To cater to the varied taste buds of the attendees, there would be two fine dine restaurants from the Taj and the Radisson Hotels. Bringing flavours to the plate would be major quick-service restaurants ranging

THE MOTOR SHOW 5 - 9 FEBRUARY 2016

INDIA EXPO MART, GREATER NOIDA, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

from international majors Dominos, Dunkin Donuts, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut to local giants like Chaayos, Chai Point, Chokola, 34 chowrangee lane, Baker Street, Punjab Grill, Kebab Express, Bijoli Grill etc. The food court area has been ramped up by 1000 Sqmts.

Ample parking has been earmaked for the visitor's convenience — two parking lots have been alotted with space to park over 10,000 cars. Visitors can avail free shuttle buses from Botanical Garden Metro Station in Noida and Pragati Maidan in Delhi.

Tickets can be booked online at Bookmyshow. com. Tickets can also be purchased from metro stations at Rajiv Chowk, Botanical Garden, Pragati Maidan, Mandi House, Jasola, Dwarka Sec-12 and MG Road.

There will be a few ticket counters at the parking areas near the venue as well.

The Auto Expo 2016 smartphone application is now available to download for free at Windows phone, Apple and Android.

It is expected that over 80 vehicle models would be unveiled in this edition of the Motor Show, out of which 20 models will be global unveiling. With so much to offer, Auto Expo — The Motor Show 2016 indeed would give auto enthusiasts a flavour of the latest and futuristic technologies.

ANNOUNCEMENTS With his appointment as Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Mr. Atul Sobti, 56, has assumed charge as CMD of India’s largest Maharatna Public Sector engineering and manufacturing enterprise.

Prior to this, Mr. Sobti was Director on the Board of BHEL, heading two crucial portfolios of Power and Finance. Earlier, he also held additional charge of the post of Director (Engineering, R&D). In addition, he is the Chairman of Raichur Power Corporation Limited, a Joint Venture company of BHEL and Karnataka Power Corporation Limited.

MR. ATUL SOBTI Chairman & Managing Director, BHEL

Mr. Sobti has a rich repertoire of diverse and versatile professional experience of 35 years, working in various capacities in all major segments of BHEL. 84 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

Shri. Sarat kumar Acharya is the new Chairman and Managing Director of Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd. (NLC).

SHRI. SARAT KUMAR ACHARYA Chairman and MD, NLC

He carries with him rich and varied experience of over 35 years of working in BHEL, NTPC, NTPC-SAIL Power Company and NLC. Prior to assumption of charge as CMD, Shri Acharya served NLC as Director (Human Resource) from 16.12.2010 to 30.09.2015.

Shri. Acharya hails from Odisha and had his studies in prestigious Institutions like Ravenshaw College and Utkal University. In his rich professional career, he made significant contributions in improving people processes and practices in the companies he worked and contributed to the enhancement of business results.

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STAR TRACKER

The

Month ahead Be it love, career or health, here’s what February and your stars have in store for you Aries (Mar 20 - Apr 18)

Taurus (Apr 19 - May 19)

Gemini (May 20 - Jun 20)

If a financial transaction has been bothering you, you’ll soon get a pleasant surprise.

Also, money will come in through clients, dividends or legacies. There will be no love life as all of your activities will revolve around daily living, family ties or home.

You will be weighted down with responsibilities and feeling that no one can ease your burden. You will be easily irritated, explosive or impatient but will change as a new vision or a romantic opportunity will inspire more confidence or optimism.

You will soon experience better financial conditions and a pleasant surprise. Beware of the demon, rum, which will make you act impulsively; someone you know may have a drinking problem. This also indicates that one who’s been ill is on the road to recovery.

Lucky colour Orange

Lucky colour Red

Lucky colour Parrot green

Lucky No. 5

Lucky No. 1

Lucky No. 3

Cancer (Jun 21 - Jul 21)

Leo (Jul 22 - Aug 21)

Virgo (Aug 22 - Sep 21)

Your financial position will improve considerably and success will come through improved business, new opportunities and recognition for your talents. An unexpected event will destroy your trust in the one you love or your love for that person.

You will run into conflicts which will require a great deal of emotional control. You will be paid what is due, but will feel shortchanged or cheated. You are going to be disillusioned and disappointed with a relationship you thought would work.

Withhold judgment for now, and don’t make premature evaluations. Money that was promised or anticipated will be delayed, but should arrive shortly. You will be an emotional wreck or will suffer bouts of insomnia or troubled sleep.

Lucky colour Yellow

Lucky colour Sky blue

Lucky colour Black

Lucky No. 8

Lucky No. 5

Lucky No. 9

Libra (Sep 22 - Oct 22)

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 20)

Sagittarius (Nov 21 - Dec 20)

You’ll take a break from your work and do something pleasurable. An amorous suitor is going to try and win your heart and he/she just might. You will finally take a much-needed rest and nurse yourself or a loved one back to health.

You will be successful in all of your negotiations, agreements or financial transactions. You will handle your affairs skillfully and complete all projects or financial matters successfully, but love will be more important than work.

You will fear the work you’re doing has little value and you won’t be able to sustain yourself. You will be waiting to see what a lover will do. This could indicate a sudden flight from home. You need to get rid of those who ‘zap’ your energy.

Lucky colour Silver

Lucky colour Pink

Lucky colour White

Lucky No. 3

Lucky No. 7

Lucky No. 9

Capricorn (Dec 21 - Jan 19)

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 19)

You can expect an increase in your finances. You’ll be thinking about the one you love and will want to be with him/her again, and he/she will be thinking the same about you. You will be worried about a physical condition (yours or that of another).

You will be feeling a crunch in your finances but they are about to improve. You will review the quality of your relationship(s) and realise what you want, quality not quantity, and so far its been the other way round. Teeth need attention.

You will suddenly become more goal-oriented and will have the wherewithal to receive a considerable increase in salary.

Though you don’t think so now, a new romantic beginning or rekindled affair is at hand and a great love affair is imminent.

Lucky colour Maroon

Lucky colour Purple

Lucky colour Royal blue

Lucky No. 2

Lucky No. 4

Lucky No. 4

Poonam Sethi is an internationally-acclaimed Tarot card reader, Reiki healer, colour therapist, Feng Shui practitioner, crystal healer, a specialist in removal and balancing the negative evil eye energies and a rudraksha consultant. She can be contacted at poonamsethi27@hotmail.com 86 | Rail Bandhu - February 2016

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izek.k i= feykA bl volj ij fo’ks"k Mkd vkoj.k tkjh fd;k x;k FkkA okLro esa orZeku IysVQ+kWeZ nks IysVQ+kWeksaZ dks feykdj cuk;k x;k gSA brus yacs IysVQ+kWeZ ij 26 dksp okyh nks jsyxkfM+;ka ,d lkFk [kM+h gks ldrh gSaA nksuksa jsyxkfM+;ksa ds chp fdlh izdkj dh vugksuh u gks blhfy, lqj{kkRed n`f"V ls muds chp dbZ dkspksa dh nwjh cuk, j[kh tkrh gSA

;g IysVQ+kWeZ iwoZ ls if'peh fn'kk esa cuk gSA blesa iwoZ fn'kk esa jsy ykbu nsofj;k o if'peh fn'kk esa xksaMk tkrh gS

LVs'ku dk bfrgkl lksuiqj ls xksj[kiqj ok;k Nijk rFkk xksj[kiqj ls eudkiqj rd ehVj xst jsy ykbu dk vkjaHk 15 tuojh] 1885 rFkk blls igys eudkiqj ls xksaMk rd jsy ykbu dk vkjaHk 2 vizSy] 1884 ,oa xksaMk ls Mkyhxat ¼y[kuŽ rd dk jsy[kaM 24 uoEcj] 1896 dks vkjaHk fd;k x;k FkkA xksj[kiqj ls xksaMk ywi ykbu ehVj xst jsy[kaM dks fofHkUu pj.kksa esa 15 fnlEcj] 1886 ls ysdj 1 twu] 1898 ds chp [kksyk x;kA xksj[kiqj ls fNrkSuh ?kkV [kaM dks 7 Qjojh] 1907 dks rFkk Qjsank ¼vkuanuxj½&ukSruok [kaM 2 fnlEcj] 1925 dks [kksyk x;k FkkA xst ifjorZu% iwokZsÙkj jsyos esa izFke cM+h ykbu jsy lsok 7 Qjojh] 1962 dks cjkSuh&leLrhiqj ds chp ehVj xst jsy ykbu dks ¼51 fd-eh-½ cM+h ykbu esa cnydj fefFkyk ,Dlizsl 'kq: dh xbZ FkhA leLrhiqj ls ckjkcadh ¼eYgkSj½ rd dk xst ifjorZu 21 vizSy] 1973 dks vkjaHk gqvk FkkA leLrhiqj ls lksuiqj rd 110 fd-eh- [kaM 1973 ls 1980 rd ds chp [kksyk x;kA 'ks"k 500 fd-eh- ¼lksuiqj ls eYgkSj rd½ [kaM o"kZ 1981 esa ek= N% ekg ds fjdkWMZ le; esa xst ifjorZu

www.railbandhu.in

djds [kksy fn;k x;kA Nijk dpgjh ls xksj[kiqj rd dk xst ifjorZu [kaM 18 vizSy] 1981 dks rFkk xksj[kiqj ls xksaMk [kaM dks xst ifjorZu djds 12 twu] 1991 dks [kksyk x;kA xksj[kiqj ls cM+h ykbu dh izFke jsyxkM+h 8 vxLr] 1981 dks xksj[kiqj ls fnYyh rFkk gkoM+k ds chp vkjaHk dh xbZ FkhA vc xksj[kiqj ls tkus okyh vU; 'kk[kk ykbuksa dk Hkh xst ifjorZu fd;k tk pqdk gSA nksgjhdj.k ,oa fo|qrhdj.k% ckjkcadh ls Nijk rd dh esu ykbu dks loZizFke xksaMk&eStkiqj ds chp 28 twu] 2000 dks nksgjh ykbu cukdj [kksyk x;k FkkA vxLr 2014 esa iwjh esu ykbu vFkkZr~ ckjkcadh ls Nijk rd dh jsy ykbu dk nksgjhdj.k dk dk;Z iwjk djds jsyxkfM+;ksa dk ifjpkyu 'kq: fd;k x;kA bl esu ykbu dk fo|qrhdj.k dk dk;Z o"kZ 2002&03 esa vkjaHk gqvk FkkA vc bl esu ykbu dk fo|qrhdj.k dk dk;Z iwjk gks pqdk gSA ckjkcadh&xksaMk] Nijk&HkVuh vkSj 'kk[kk ykbu floku&Fkkos [kaM ij fo|qr ls pyus okyh jsy py jgh gSaA 'kh?kz gh xksaMk&xksj[kiqj&HkVuh [kaM ij Hkh fo|qr ls pyus okyh jsysa pysaxhA

bl batu dk fuekZ.k

1874

esa fd;k x;k Fkk

vkd"kZ.k dk dsanz jsyos laxzgky; Hkkjrh; jsy ds Lof.kZe vrhr ,oa mldh xfrfof/k;ksa dk vkbZuk yksxksa ds e/; cgqr yksdfiz; gS jsyos laxzgky; ,oa gsfjVst Iykt+k xksj[kiqj jsyos LVs’ku ds fudV rFkk eq[; 'kgj ls 1 fd-eh- nwj [kq’khuxj jksM ij xksYQ+ dkslZ ds foijhr fLFkr gSA bldk fuekZ.k yxHkx vkB o"kZ igys gqvk FkkA ;g igys vaxzst+ksa ds dky dh dkWyksuh dk caxyk uacj 5 FkkA laxzgky; esa cPpksa ds fy, izos’k 'kqYd 5 #i, ,oa o;Ldksa ds fy, izos’k 'kqYd 10 #i, gSA ;g losjs 12 cts ls ysdj jkr 9 cts rd eaxyokj ls jfookj rd [kqyk jgrk gSA lkseokj dks ;g jsyos laxzgky; can jgrk gSA laxzgky; ds cjkens ds lkeus Hkki ls pyus okyk ykWMZ ykWjsal jsy batu ns[kus dks feysxkA bldk fuekZ.k lu~ 1874 esa yanu esa gqvk FkkA ;gka vkidks dqyh] flXuyeSu ,oa ulZ dh onhZ /kkj.k fd, gq, vknedn iqrys ns[kus dks feysaxsA Øsu] jksM jksyj ,oa LVhe batu Hkh fn[kkbZ nsaxsA dbZ nh?kkZvksa esa batuksa ,oa Øsuksa dh izfrewfrZ;ka] VªkWfQ+;ka ,oa 'khYM~l j[kh gSaA iwoksZÙkj jsyos }kjk mi;ksx esa yk, tkus okys dbZ mi;ksxh midj.k Hkh iznf’kZr fd, x, gSaA www.railbandhu.in

- Qjojh 2016 | 91

lSj likVk

;g fdyk eSnkuh {ks= ls

100

ehVj dh ÅapkbZ ij gS

92 |

- Qjojh 2016

www.railbandhu.in

fidfud LFky lad unh ij cuk frxjk cka/k ’kgj ls djhc 20 fd-ehnwj gSA ;gka i;ZVd e/; izns’k i;ZVu fodkl fuxe }kjk lapkfyr ukSdk dh lokjh dk vkuan ys ldrs gSaA ;gka iSMy ukSdk ,oa eksVj cksV pyrh gSaA

Xokfy;j dh

xfy;ka

bl ,sfrgkfld ’kgj esa Hkze.k ds nkSjku vkidks u dsoy Lokn ds pV[kkjs feysaxs vfirq vki n’kZuh; LFky Hkh ns[k ldsaxs vfer ikjk’kj

js

yos LVs’ku ij mrjdj ge vkWVks ij lokj gksdj y’dj fLFkr ml gksVy dh vksj py iM+s tgka gesa Bgjuk FkkA jkLrs esa eSaus ,d ;qorh&;qod dks lsYQ+h [khaprs gq, ns[kkA dkSu dgrk gS fd vk/kqfudrk dh c;kj us dsoy egkuxjksa dks gh izHkkfor fd;k gSA ns’k ds NksVs&cM+s lHkh ’kgj&dLcs blds vkd"kZ.k ls ljkcksj gSaA gksVy igqapus dh vof/k esa geus ;qok vkWVks pkyd vt; dq’kokgk ls ;g iwNk fd D;k og gesa viuk ’kgj ?kqek,xkA mlus rqjar gkeh Hkj nh vkSj HkkM+k Hkh r; dj fy;k x;kA cl fQ+j D;k Fkk ge gksVy igqaps] ogka rjks&rkt+k gq, vkSj ,d ?kaVs ckn ?kweus&fQ+jus fudy iM+sA Xokfy;j esa cgqr ls n’kZuh; LFky gSa vkSj ;g fu.kZ; djuk dfBu gS fd mUgsa ns[kus dh ’kq#vkr dgka ls djsaA gekjh ijs’kkuh dk lek/kku Hkh vt; us gh fd;kA mlus dgk fd og gesa flyflysokj txgsa fn[kk,xkA

Xokfy;j dk fdyk vkBoha lnh esa cuk ;g fdyk ’kgj ds vkd"kZd dsanzksa esa ls ,d gSA cyqvk iRFkj dh igkM+h ij cus bl nqxZ dh fxurh Hkkjr ds lokZf/kd nqHksZ| fdyksa www.railbandhu.in

- Qjojh 2016 | 93

lSj likVk

et+snkj jsy ;k=k

Xokfy;j tkus ds fy, ge ubZ fnYyh&Hkksiky ’krkCnh ij lokj gq,A ge dksp lh&3 esa p<+ x,] gekjh lhVsa 7] 8] 9 FkhaA Bhd lqcg 6 cts jsy ubZ fnYYkh jsyos LVs’ku ds IysVQ+kWeZ ,d ls pyhA rHkh onhZ esa lts&/kts jsyos deZpkjh ;kf=;ksa dks i<+us ds fy, lekpkj i= nsus yxsA o;Ld lekpkj i=ksa esa Mwc x, vkSj cPps f[kM+dh ls ckgj ds n`’; ns[kus esa O;Lr gks x,A gekjs fMCCks esa dbZ :lh ukxfjd Hkh cSBs FksA os Hkksiky tk jgs FksA gjs jax ds fMCcksa dh vkarfjd lTtk ,oa mlls esy [kkrs lhVksa ds doj o insZ ’kkunkj yx jgs FksA gesa ihus dks xekZxje pk; o [kkus dks fcfLdV fn, x,A pk; dh pqfLd;ka ysrs gq, ge ckgj ds uk;kc ut+kjs ns[kus yxsA tSls&tSls jsy vius xarO; dh vksj c<+ jgh Fkh] lQ+j dk et+k Hkh c<+ jgk FkkA bldk vkHkkl gh ugha gks jgk Fkk fd ge jsy ls ;k=k dj jgs gSaA ,slk yx jgk Fkk ekuks ge vius Mªkbax :e esa cSBs gSaA Hkkjrh; jsy dh vkoHkxr ns[kdj eu vkuafnr gks x;k FkkA rRi’pkr~ jsy deZpkjh uk’rk ijkslus dh rS;kjh esa tqV x,A Lokfn"V uk’rk djus ds ckn ge Xokfy;j vkus dh izrh{kk djus yxsA Bhd losjs 10 cts ge Xokfy;j taD’ku ij mrj x,A gesa ogka NksM+ jsy vkxs dh vksj c<+ xbZA ubZ fnYyh ls Xokfy;j dh nwjh 312 fdyksehVj gSA LVs’ku ij lQ+kbZ ns[kdj eu izlUu gqvkA eSaus LVs’ku izca/kd Jh ihih pkScs dks blds fy, c/kkbZ Hkh nhA

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- Qjojh 2016

Xokfy;j fdys esa lwjtdqaM ,oa xuxksyk rky uked nks rkykc Hkh fo|eku gSaA buds vklikl dbZ Lekjd gSa esa gksrh gSA rhu oxZfdyksehVj ds nk;js esa Q+Sys bl fdys dh ÅapkbZ 35 QqV gSA Åaps iBkj ij cus bl fdys rd igqapus ds nks jkLrs gSaA ,d Xokfy;j xsV dgykrk gS rFkk nwljk ÅjokbZ xsVA ;g fdyk e/;dkyhu LFkkiR; ds vn~Hkqr uewuksa esa ls ,d gSA blesa dbZ ,sfrgkfld Lekjd] cq) fogkj ,oa tSu rhFkZadj gSaA buds vfrfjDr ;gka xwtjh egy] ekuflag egy] tgkaxhj egy] dj.k egy ,oa ’kkgtgka egy Hkh gSaA ;g fdyk eq[;r% nks Hkkxksa esa foHkkftr gS] eq[; fdyk ,oa xwtjh egy] ekuflag egyA bu fdyksa dk fuekZ.k jktk eku flag us djok;k FkkA xwtjh egy dk fuekZ.k mUgksaus viuh fiz; jkuh e`xu;uh ds fy, djok;k FkkA vc xwtjh egy dks iqjkrkfRod laxzgky; esa ifjofrZr dj fn;k x;k gSA bl laxzgky; esa nqyZHk ewfrZ;ka j[kh xbZ gSaA ;s igyh bZloh dh gSa tks ;gha ds vklikl ds {ks=ksa ls izkIr dh xbZ gSaA Hkkjrh; iqjkrRo losZ{k.k bl fdys ,oa mlds Hkhrj ds Lekjdksa dk Hkyh izdkj ls ns[kHkky dj jgk gSA buds vykok ;gka lkl&cgw dk eafnj] rsyh dk eafnj] nloha lnh esa cuk lgL=ckgq eafnj] Hkhe flag dh Nrjh ,oa flaf/k;k Ldwy Hkh gSaA www.railbandhu.in

xq#}kjk nkrk ca/kh NksM+ Xokfy;j nqxZ ifjlj esa fLFkr gS fl[kksa dk izfl) xq#}kjk nkrk ca/kh NksM+] ftldk cgqr ,sfrgkfld egŸo gSA dgk tkrk gS fd eqx+y ’kkld tgkaxhj us fdys esa dSn xq# gj xksfoan flag th ,oa vU; 52 NksVs jktkvksa dks NksM+k FkkA bl xq#}kjs dk fuekZ.k 1970 esa gqvk FkkA blesa izos’k ds nkSjku vkidks lkQ+ ikuh ls gksdj xqt+juk iM+sxk ftlls vkids pj.k /kqy tk,axsA lhf<+;ka p<+dj vki eq[; ifjlj esa igqapsaxsA Hkhrj vkidks ’kkafr dk vkHkkl gksxkA ;gka lkQ+&lQ+kbZ dk fo’ks"k /;ku j[kk tkrk gSA lsoknkj ifjlj dks lkQ+ j[kus esa fujarj tqVs jgrs gSaA ;gka vkus okys J)kyqx.kksa dks [kkus dks Lokfn"V yaxj feyrk gS rFkk eu dks r`Ir dj nsus okyh xq#ok.kh lquus dks feyrh gSA

ck,a% lw;Z eafnj( Åij% t; foykl egy dk fuekZ.k 1874 esa egkjkt t;kthjko flaf/k;k us 1 djksM+ #i, dh ykxr ls djok;k FkkA lj ekbdy fQ+yksl }kjk cuk;k x;k egy ;wjksih; okLrqdyk dk mRd`"V mnkgj.k gS

Lokn dh

cgkj

lw;Z eafnj

jax&fcjaxh nqfu;k

rRi’pkr~ ge Hkxoku lw;Z dks lefiZr ;g eafnj ns[kus x,A bl eafnj dk fuekZ.k o"kZ 1988 esa ns’k ds izeq[k m|ksxifr th- Mh- fcjyk us djok;k FkkA yky cyqvk iRFkj vkSj laxejej ls fufeZr bl eafnj dh okLrqdyk ’kSyh dks.kkdZ ds lw;Z eafnj ds leku gSA bl ’kkunkj eafnj dk vkarfjd Hkkx laxejej ls cuk gqvk gS rFkk ckgjh fgLls ij fganw nsoh&nsorkvksa dh izfrek,a cuh gqbZ gSaA blds vfrfjDr eafnj ds ckgjh Hkkx ij v’oksa dh izfrek,a Hkh cuh gSa ftls ns[kdj yxrk gS fd v’o jFk dks [khap jgs gSaA eafnj ifjlj csgn ’kkar ,oa euksje gSA ;gka ,d lqanj rFkk gjk&Hkjk m|ku Hkh gS tks i;ZVdksa dks vkdf"kZr djrk gSA bl eafnj ds }kj izfrfnu nksigj dks ,d cts ls ysdj nks cts rd i;ZVdksa ds fy, can dj fn, tkrs gSaA

Xokfy;j esa eu eksgus okys vusd Q+Ookjs gSa tks jkr esa jaxhu jks’kuh vkSj laxhr dh /kquksa ij lapkfyr gksrs gSaA ckM+k fLFkr Q+Ookjk gks vFkok vEcsMdj m|ku dk Q+Ookjk] e/kqj laxhr dh ygfj;ksa ij Q+Ookjksa dk ikuh vB[ksfy;ka djrk gSA ’kke fcrkus ds fy, ge y’dj ls ckM+k dh vksj py iM+sA vkWVks fofHkUu ekxksZa ls gksrk gqvk pyk tk jgk FkkA ge nkSyrxat] banzxat] ek/kksxat ls gksrs gq, ubZ lM+d] ljkZQ+k ckt+kj gksrs gq, ckM+k tk igqapsA bu ckt+kjksa dh jkSud ns[krs gh curh gSA ljkZQ+k ckt+kj ds dksus esa fLFkr lksuw pkV HkaMkj ij ;qofr;ksa dh HkhM+ yxh gqbZ FkhA os lso&iwjh] ikuh ds crk’ks ,oa ngh ds crk’ks [kk jgh FkhaA mlds lkFk gh d`".k dh iks’kkdksa dh nqdku FkhA geus ogka ls dkUgk ds fy, lqanj iks’kkdsa] eqdqV ,oa vkHkw"k.k [+kjhnsA

dslfj;k nw/k

fofo/k xtd

Lokfn"V iksgk

et+snkj feBkb;ka

Q+kydk ckt+kj esa vki euh"k tSu dh nqdku ij Lokfn"V nw/k dk Lokn p[k ldrs gSaA

ckM+k esa [kEHks okys yYywth dh xtd [kkdj vki maxfy;ka pkVrs jg tk,axsA

Q+kydk ckt+kj esa feyus okyk in~e vxzoky dk iksgk vius vki esa uk;kc gSA

y’dj ekxZ ij fLFkr jktLFkkuh fe"Bku HkaMkj ij ikjaifjd feBkb;ka feysaxhA

www.railbandhu.in

- Qjojh 2016 | 95

meax rjax

dyk&laLd`fr dk jkspd rF;

Hkkjr dh le`) fojklr dks tkuus ds fy, esyksa dk viuk egŸo gksrk gSA lwjtdqaM varjjk"Vªh; okf"kZd esyk Hkh ,d dkjxj ek/;e gS fiz;adk ljhu 96 |

- Qjojh 2016

www.railbandhu.in

2016 ^Hkkjr esa phu dk o"kZ* ds :i esa euk;k tk,xkA bl le>kSrs ds rgr lwjtdqaM varjjk"Vªh; gLrf’kYi esys ds 30osa laLdj.k esa phu izeq[k lk>snkj ds rkSj ij Hkkx ys jgk gSA

ck,a% gfj;k.kk izns’k dk ikjaifjd laxhr izLrqr djds dykdkj n’kZdksa dk eu eksg ysrs gSa( uhps% vki vius le{k dykdkjksa dks dykRed dykd`fr;ka cukrs ns[k ldrs gSa

dS

lk gks vxj Hkkjr ds ikjaifjd vkSj lkaLd`frd ifjos’k ds lHkh jax ,d lkFk ,d gh eap ij izLrqr gksaA ,sls esa vxj vki Hkkjr ds fofHkUu lkaLd`frd igyqvksa ,oa varjjk"Vªh; dyk dk vkuan ,d lkFk ysuk pkgsa rks fnYyh ls lVs Q+jhnkckn esa 1 ls 15 Qjojh dks vk;ksftr gksus okyk 30oka lwjtdqaM varjjk"Vªh; gLrf’kYi esyk vkids fy, fnypLi gks ldrk gSA bl lky esys dk fo"k; uoxfBr rsyaxkuk jkT; dh laLd`fr pquk x;k gSA ogha phu dks esys esa lg;ksxh jk"Vª ds :i esa lfEefyr fd;k x;k gSA ;gka vkus okys nslh ,oa fons’kh i;ZVd rsyaxkuk o phu ds gLrf’kYi ds vfrfjDr rsyaxkuk ds igukos] [kku&iku] jgu&lgu o laLd`fr vkSj phu dh dyk] ijaijk o lkaLd`frd /kjksgj dh >yd ns[k ldrs gSaA esys esa Hkkjr ds lHkh jkT;ksa lfgr de ls de 20 vU; ns’kksa ds dykdkj o f’kYidkj fgLlk ys jgs gSaA

gj oxZ ds fy, fo’ks"k ;g esyk gj oxZ ds fy, dqN u dqN fo’ks"krk j[krk gSA blesa tgka dyk izsfe;ksa dks viuh #fp ds vuqlkj Hkkjrh; rFkk varjjk"Vªh; Lrj dh gLrf’kYi dykvksa dks ns[kus dk lqugjk volj feyrk gS] ogha cPpksa ds fy, ;gka dbZ rjg ds [ksy&rek’ks miyC/k gksrs gSaA ;qok n’kZdksa ds fy, Hkh ;g esyk mi;qDr gSA vki ,d gh txg ij fofHkUu jkT;ksa o ns’kksa dh loksZRd`"V okLrqf’kYi] gLrf’kYi ,oa dykRed dykd`fr;ka u dsoy ns[k ldrs gSa vfirq mfpr nke ij mudk Ø; Hkh dj ldrs gSaA ;g dguk vfr’;ksfDr ugha gksxk fd dyk izsfe;ksa dks viuh ilan esa fofo/krk ,oa fofHkUurk nksuksa gh feysaxhA bu dykRed oLrqvksa esa vkHkw"k.k] cSXk] LdkQ+Z] fp=dyk,a] ltkoVh lkeku bR;kfn vusd vuks[kh pht+sa lfEefyr gSaA bruk gh ugha NksVs&cM+s lHkh ds euksjatu ds fy, ;gka izfrfnu lkaLd`frd

,sfrgkfld LFky lwjtdqaM] tks e;wj >hy ds uke ls Hkh fo[;kr gS] Q+jhnkckn ds cgkjiqj ,oa yDdjiqj ds e/; fLFkr gSA blds fudVre ubZ fnYyh jsyos LVs’ku ¼22 fdeh-½ ,oa fut+keqn~nhu jsyos LVs’ku ¼21 fd-eh-½ gSaA ogka ls ;g LFky lM+d ekxZ ls tqM+k gqvk gSA ;g LFky vjkoyh ioZr J`a[kyk ds e/; fLFkr gSA bl LFky dk laca/k ik"kk.k ;qx ls jgk gSA ,slk ekuk tkrk gS fd ;gka izkxSfrgkfld ekuo jgk djrs FksA

dk;ZØe vk;ksftr fd, tkrs gSaA buesa dbZ jkT;ksa ds yksdu`R;] laxhre; izLrqfr;ka] gkL;&O;aX; ls Hkjiwj dk;ZØe bR;kfn lHkh dk eu cgykus esa l{ke gSaA

O;atuksa dk Lokn [kkus ds ’kkSdhuksa ds fy, Hkh ;g esyk ,d mi;qDr xarO; gSA blesa fofHkUu izns’kksa ds ikjaifjd O;atuksa dk Lokn p[kus dks feysxkA bl ckj i;ZVd fo’ks"k :i ls rsyaxkuk jkT; ds fo’ks"k O;atuksa dk vkuan ys ldsaxsA buds vykok jktLFkkuh] mŸkj Hkkjrh; O;atuksa dh pV[+kkj feysxhA

oSf’od ekufp= ij vafdr izfro"kZ ,d ls 15 Qjojh rd vk;ksftr gksus okys bl esys esa nl yk[k ls vf/kd i;ZVd vkrs gSa ftuesa ls lSdM+ksa fons’kh gksrs gSaA ;g nqfu;k dk lcls cM+k f’kYi esyk gSA fons’kh i;ZVd bl esys dh gj lky izrh{kk djrs gSaA bl esys dk vk;kstu lwjtdqaM esyk izkf/kdj.k ,oa gfj;k.kk i;ZVu foHkkx] dsanzh; i;ZVu ea=ky;] dsanzh; diM+k ea=ky; ,oa dsanzh; lkaLd`frd o fons’k ea=ky; la;qDr :i ls dj jgs gSaA - Qjojh 2016 | 97

R.N.I No: 23443/72