Rail bandhu january 2016

JANUARY 2016

VOL 5

ISSUE 9

The on-board m agazine of Indian railways

A very happy

New Year to our readers

5

Sacred festivals of bengal

plus

Onboard

You should plan your travel around

Deccan Odyssey

A heady mix of heritage and luxury

Federer & Nadal

Less rivals, more friends

flavours from the

north-east festivals & traditions Celebrate the spirit and beauty of the land THE MAGAZINE IS FOR ON-BOARD READING. KINDLY DO NOT TAKE AWAY

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minister's message

The roadMAp ahead Striving to make Railways better Dear travellers, Our respected Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji has a vision for this great nation and in this vision Indian Railways has an important place to be the "backbone of India's economic development".

During my tenure I have tried to bring about a change and to usher in new practices and new work culture. All Budget Announcements have been broken up into actionable points and are being monitored on a regular basis. I am happy to inform that 103 Budget Announcements already stand implemented.

In the past one year a number of milestones have been achieved. However, I am aware that the journey for transforming the Indian Railways will be long and winding. There are many more challenges to be overcome and expectations to be fulfilled.

But I have been fortunate to always have your unstinting support and cooperation.

It is, therefore, important to communicate with you about the work being done in Indian Railways.

I look forward to your suggestions and I am confident that together we will make the Indian Railways much better. Wish you all a very happy New Year ahead.

6 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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Suresh Prabhu

Hon'ble Minister of Railways Government of India

During my tenure I have tried to bring about a change and to usher in new practices and new work culture.

I am happy to inform that 103 Budget Announcements already stand implemented.

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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

8 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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contents

rail update

T r av e l

14

Always available to the passengers

46

18

cover Story

Experience the culture of Northeast India at Nagaland's Hornbill Festival

30

entry ticket

60

Working towards better practices in rail

Dream scape

19

The latest plans & policies from the Railways

24

Explore rich heritage and architecture of Maharashtra with Deccan Odyssey

Rail Travel

Usher in the New Year by taking a journey on these luxurious trains

Plan your trips around these days and events

29

72

Know what each and every entry means on your rail ticket

city beat Pack your bags and head to Bikaner to escape bitter cold

Arts

68

off track

Make a stopover at Malaya during your trip to Bandhavgarh

42

Cabin conversations Art curator Ina Puri relives her journeys

64 10 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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tale spin

Giving a new twist to the rustic notes of Baul music of Bengal

contents

lifestyle

leisure

74 Style file Restaurant interiors get quirkier in the Capital

38

56

78

food yard

food yard

Silver Rake

Enjoy lazy winter Sundays with the best of brunches in Delhi

Celebrate the flavours of Bhogali Bihu in Assam

82

game plan

Quiz and facts to add to your sports knowledge

36

80

Travel apps to make your trip easier

What makes Rafa-Roger story so special

tech talk

Bollywood is all set to up the ante in 2016

83

thou 'kSyh

kid zone

95

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96 fofHkUu izkarksa esa igus tkus okyh Vksfi;ka ,oa ixfM+;ka

game plan

Learn to make piggy bank from water bottle

84

88

short takes

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Selection of movies, music and more for the month

92 ikjaifjd xtd dk Lokn vkt Hkh yksxksa ds flj p<+dj cksyrk gS 12 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

www.railbandhu.in

86 star tracker

Your tarot predictions for this year

On the Cover Siang River, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh

by Cereal Shooters

rail update

Always

medical help On December 15, Gyaneshwar Mishra was travelling in Marudhar Express from Varanasi to Gotan, near Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Mishra and his wife got worried when they noticed that their son was running high fever. Mishra did not waste time and sought help from the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Twitter. To his surprise, he received a reply from the minister within a minute. The Minister promised they would receive medical assistance on the next railway station which was Etawah. A doctor indeed boarded the train to treat the child and the couple was handed over a can of milk for the baby. The couple also stated that officials took special care of the child throughout the journey.

available The Indian Railways are working round the clock to address passengers’ grievances

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.

misuse

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.

Officials say they also have to deal with fake requests for help. The Bhusawal division recently received a tweet where a commuter demanded medical attention in one of the trains. The tweet mentioned his seat number, but when doctors reached the coach, they could not find the complainant.

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

twitter.com/RailMinIndia

bharat raval

@ravalpriyu @RailMinIndia thank u for good service and help during journey, this is new hope for our country people

14 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

vivek Dhyani

@VVivekdhyani View translation @RailMinIndia sir aapka mantralay bahut achcha kraya kar raha hai. Aap aagey badhtey raho, desh ka janmaanash aapke sath hai

www.railbandhu.in

CA.DINESHAGRAWAL

@dka1966 @RailMinIndia @sureshpprabhu You can transform railway stations like airport terminals

S

facebook.com/RailMinIndia

ocial media, especially Twitter, has become a popular means among railway passengers for voicing every kind of grievance.

The new-age redressal system has been helping the Indian Railways provide quick and better solutions to all problems.

form of the Ministry of Railways sending a a team of Railway Police Force (RPF) from next city station to their rescue.

Given the ‘prompt response’ to tweets from Indian railway passengers expressing their woes, the digitally savvy Railway Minister’s office has been gathering words of praises from one and all.

Soon after her tweet, she was told to share her PNR number and contact details. As soon as this was done, she got a call from a Railways representative and was assured help. As her next railway station was Meerut, the Railway Police Force at Meerut city station was sent to her rescue and immediate action was taken against the errant staff.

On December 19, a young girl travelling alone from New Delhi to Patna in the Shramjeevi Express was harassed by a co-passenger. She tweeted her ordeal tagging the railway minister. Help arrived within 30 minutes and the perpetrator was arrested. Railway minister Suresh Prabhuʼs personal intervention led to the prompt action.

In another incident, a case of alleged misbehaviour by the Railway staff on board a three tier AC train with a passenger, Priya Parashar came to light through Twitter. Prompt action ensued in

The Railways is trying their best to make sure that their helping attitude extends to all other redressal systems as well

Manu Kaushal

@manuk2709 @RailMinIndia we appreciate the way railways are helping people thru twitter

Priya had tweeted: “Railway A.C.Staff misbehaved after questioned why not Rail Neer(official packaged water bottle) being sold.Indian railways bad.Staff worse.”

@goutamkumarjena @RailMinIndia I am thank full to rail minister and whole team of the communication department of railway, who is available 24*7day for help.

www.railbandhu.in

Venkat N. Tholana

Big salute to all the staff of the Indian Railways for their Great services to the people/tourists in India.

Wounderfull Mr. Sureshprabhu. Bring Railways to world class. As I have travelled by railway in many foreign countries and by fastest trains, I hope you will put earnest efforts.I wish you all the best. Thanks.

Paaras Kandpal

Indian Railway's - Moving beyond the imagination.

The Railways is trying its best to make sure that its help extends to all other redressal systems as well. On December 28, Prafull Kumar, a resident of Bihar, called the Railway Security Helpline and informed that his father Avdesh Kumar was traveling on 15027 Maurya Express in B1 coachʼs berth number 19.

Goutam Kumar

Indian railways rocks thanks to Mr Suresh prabhu

Prahlad Bhat

She later tweeted, “Thanks #MinistryofRailway for the prompt response. Your support is appreciated.

RPF Meerut Team was really helpful.”

At Hazipur Railway Station, he got down from the train for a moment and it suddenly started moving. He could not catch the train and hence, lost his baggage. The Railways, with the help of railway security guard, not only located the baggage but also sent it at the police station nearby his residence.

Biswabhusan Rautaray

Anil Kaushal

Honourable Minister for Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhuji is doing excellent work as Minister for Indian Railways and I appreciate from the depth of the heart his commitment to fulfilling our Honourable PM Shri.Narendra Modijis dream of "Make in India" and swatcch bharat.

Subhash Kumar Ghosh

Congratulations to Dynamic,intelligent & honest Railway Minister jai hind

swapan talukdar

@s_talukdar_tm @RailMinIndia Thanks, First time we r feeling of someone who cares. Thanks Rail Ministry, specifically Mr Suresh Pravu.

S.Talukdar, Age 60

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 15

rail achievement

Staff quarters repaired

13000

Investing in

human resources Adding skills to employees and taking care of them results in better servicing and happier customers

T

•

•

• •

he core aim of any organisation is to attain effectiveness. In a bid to achieve that the Indian Railways has been taking many initiatives; a lot for the employees too.

MoU signed with University of Mumbai for setting up Centre for Railway Research.

3 more such centres being established.

M.Tech programme in railway engineering for railway officers and staff being introduced by IIT, Kharagpur, from academic session 2015-16.

Detailed project report for establishment of Railway University submitted.

Instructions issued to GMs to arrange training on soft skills for all front-line staff.

16 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

• • •

•

Health Services

Food samples collected under PFA in 2014-15: 1,506 & 2013-14: 358 Medical audits in 2013-14: 29,291 & 2014-15: 66,801 Passengers given medical aid in 2013-14: 27,208 & 2014-15: 31,957

www.railbandhu.in

Mandatory yoga training for all officers/ staff, including RPF personnel.

Training of 30 DRMs conducted at the SDA Bocconi, Business School, Italy.

MoU signed with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to make available spar-able railway infrastructure to start skill training centres in rural and remote areas.

Mechanism for conveying birthday greeting to all employees on behalf of the Railway Minister through letters executed.

Staff Welfare • Four holiday homes to be upgraded.

• Power to empanel C.G.H.S approved private hospitals for railway beneficiaries delegated to GMs. • Instruction issued regarding extension of facility of joining RELHS-97 to railway employees who retired at the normal age of superannuation irrespective of numbers of years of their service before superannuation.

• Increasing age limit of Honorary Visiting Specialist (HVS) to 64 years.

Environmental

initiatives

I • •

•

•

• • •

• •

•

The Indian Railways is striving to implement energy-saving technologies and give due attention to harnessing energy from renewable sources

ndian Railways has created a new Directorate of Environment and a Directorate for House-keeping to further its initiatives towards betterment of environment.

Visible improvement in cleanliness at stations as part of Swachh Bharat.

10,500 bio-toilets have been fitted in 3,240 coaches; 32.4 per cent more than corresponding period of last year.

First ever in the world, bio-cum-vacuum toilet system introduced on Dibrugarh Rajdhani for trial.

1,000 MW solar power plants being set up over the next five years; 10.5 MW already set up; in 2015-16, additional 6.5 MW will be set up; PPP model finalised.

10.5 MW wind mills are already working; 25 MW commissioned in November.

3-phase EMU with regenerative braking introduced in Mumbai Suburban service.

Saving of `200 crore in the financial year through direct bilateral purchase of power.

Dual fuel CNG DEMU trains introduced.

Action plan on Environmental Accreditation, Water Management and Waste-to-energy conversion formulated.

Eol issued on 05.08.15 for disposal of MSW

•

QUICK FACTS

•

10,500

Bio-toilets fitted in rail coaches

50

Coaches on trial to harness solar energy through solar panels

• •

`200 crore

Saving through direct bilateral purchase of power

•

25 MW

Wind mills commissioned in November

5%

Blending introduced in bio-diesel

• •

www.railbandhu.in

in an environment-friendly manner by setting up pilot plants on waste-to-energy.

Three PUs and one workshop directed to take up work for accreditation on Energy Management System ISO-50001, on pilot basis.

All major production units including ICF, DLW, CLW, DMW, RCF and RWF made compliant to integrated safety and environment standards with introduction of rain harvesting, effluent treatment plants.

Hotel load converters being tried on electric locomotives.

Zero human waste discharge status on certain green corridors: Okha-Kanalas junction, Rameshwaram-Manamadurai, Porbandar-Wansjaliya and Jammu-Katra.

Huge environmental saving effected by a new zone – wise budget document resulting in reduction in number of copies printed: saving of about 1.3 million sheets of paper.

Provision of solar panels on 50 coaches on trial to harness solar energy.

Sanction for water recycling plants at 10 major depots and 32 major stations has been provided. Water recycling plants established in two coaching depots.

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 17

rail achievement

Better practices for a

better Rail Indian Railways are always striving to find methods to increase its efficiency in workplace and on tracks

•

•

G

ood work practices in an institution are directly proportional to the services it provides to its clients. Keeping in tune with that, the Indian Railways are constantly trying to streamline their way of working in various departments in order to serve their customers in best way possible.

• To achieve the same, powers have been delegated to Railways for sanction of estimates and finalisation of tenders. Even the powers of Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and Centralised Training Institutes have been revised, based on functional requirements.

• All higher-level appointments, 20 posts of GMs and 50 posts of DRMs, were also filled to strengthen the management capabilities of the Indian Railways.

• Major savings were also achieved in 18 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

•

QUICK FACTS

•

70

Posts, including 20 GMs and 50 DRMs, filled

20%

•

Electrical energy can be saved through IGBT locos having regenerative braking features

5

Stainless steel AC EMU rakes manufactured at ICF

14

Fully-furnished rakes to be bought soon with IGBT-based three-phase propulsion system for replacement of old Kolkata metro rakes

www.railbandhu.in

•

construction of bridges through design optimisation. Indian Railways also took a policy decision to manufacture only IGBT-based three phase locos (HHP) ex.

CLW from 2016-17 onwards. The IGBT locos have regenerative braking features which can save upto 20 per cent electrical energy. This three-phase regenerative features in Kolkata Metro, EMU and MEMU Coaches.

Development of high capacity power cars to increase the passenger capacity in Rajdhani/Shatabdi trains.

Five stainless steel AC EMU rakes manufactured at ICF equipped with IGBTbased three-phase propulsion system for Mumbai suburban with speed potential of 110Kmph.

Purchase order placed for procurement of 14 fully-furnished rakes equipped with IGBT-based three-phase propulsion system for replacement of old Kolkata metro rakes.

For testing of rails, old analogue USFD testing machines are being replaced with modern digital USFD machines. The process has been completed in seven railways and work is in progress in others.

Also, implementation of improved AT Rail Wending Technique with use of single shot crucible has been implemented. National Train Enquiry System (NTES) meant for providing update arrival/departure of train to the public is now available through railway enquiry number 139.

Mobile application for train enquiry on Windows and Android platforms launched. Control Office Application (COA) is running on all control offices of Indian Railways. Integration between COA, NTES and ICMS has been completed.

rail update

What′s happening An update on new announcements and schemes

UIC World Security Congress The 11th UIC Global Security Congress was organised by the Security Directorate of Indian Railways in collaboration with International Union of Railways (UIC) in New Delhi on December 9-10. The twoday conference was attended by the security chiefs of the railway systems of various countries apart from representatives of UIC, Indian Railways, police and security agencies of India.

The Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhu, was the Chief Guest at the inaugural session of the conference. The Round Table Session, at the valedictory of the Security Conference, was held on December 10 in which Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Railways was the Chief Guest. Shri A.K. Mital, Chairman of Indian Railways addressed the inaugural session and Dr. P.K. Mishra, Addl. Principal Secretary to Prime Minister of India delivered the key note address. Mr. JeanPierre Loubinoux, Director-General of the UIC and delegates of member countries were among those who attended.

Suggestions for Rail Budget In another effort to be people-friendly, the Ministry of Railways has invited suggestions from the public regarding the forthcoming Railway Budget 2016-17. The suggestions can be given on the website of Ministry of Railways (Railway Board): www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/. The icon with the title 'Public Suggestions on Forthcoming Railway Budget 2016-17' is also available on the home page. The last date of submission is January 15.

The two-day conference with the title agenda, “Security of Rail Systems, Operations and Business Activities”, focused on: • Asia-pacific security issues and challenges to railway systems.

• Growing complexity of railway system and the importance of the security in achieving short, medium and long term goals.

• Resource constraints and burden of expectations on security agencies, especially in the context of South Asia.

• Preparing for crisis management and mitigation of consequences of incidents in railways.

• Passenger and freight security issues: problems and solutions.

The suggestions can be given on 15 Heads (with many sub heads): Computerisation, Electrical, Electrification of lines, Finance, Foot over Bridges, Freight (Traffic Requirements Sidings, Rake Handling facility), Infrastructure (Freight Corridors, High Speed Corridors, Port and Mine Connectivity, PPP Initiatives), Innovative Ideas, Land (Commercial Utilisation of land, Station Development), Railway Lines (New Lines, Gauge conversion, Doubling), Road over/ Under Bridges, Suggestions on Crime prevention, Suggestions on Safe running of Trains/ Disaster Management, Tourism Related, Trains (New Trains, Extension of Trains, Augmentation of Trains, Frequency of Trains, Tourist Trains, Pantry Cars and Catering). www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 19

rail update

India-Japan to cooperate in rail sector Technology exchange to assist modernisation of the stations and more

India and Japan have signed three memorandums of understanding to help each other in technological advancement and upgradation in the railway sector.

During the recent official visit (December 11-13) of Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, the two countries signed an MoU on cooperation and assistance in the Mumbai â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project (also called the Bullet Train project).

The two countries have also entered into two comprehensive technological cooperation agreements for modernisation and upgradation of the Indian Railways.

MoU on cooperation and assistance in the Mumbai â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ahmedabad HSR Project Japan has offered an assistance of over `79,000 crore for the project.

The loan is for a period of 50 years with a moratorium of 15 years, at an interest rate of 0.1 per cent. The project is a 508 km railway line costing a total of `97,636 crore, to be implemented in seven years.

MoU on technological cooperation between RDSO and Railway Technical Research Institute Japan The main directions of cooperation between the parties shall be the development of rail-related technical cooperation in which the Parties may have mutual interest, performance of consultation and other services. The broad areas of technical cooperation may include: Safety in train operation, Advanced techniques of maintenance, Use of environment friendly technologies, Throughout enhancement measures and any other area jointly agreed upon by the parties. www.railbandhu.in

MoC between Ministry of Railways and MLIT, Japan on technological cooperation Bearing in mind the friendly relations that exist between the two countries, this Memorandum of Co-operation (MOC) is a step towards strengthening and promoting all-round technological development between the two sides and recognise the benefit to be derived from such enhanced cooperation.

Areas of Cooperation The cooperation under this MoC will include technology exchange programme in the following areas Railway safety Rolling stock including train sets/ EMU Information sharing for station development and land value capture Information sharing for environment friendly sanitation technology in trains Signaling and telecommunication Train control system Civil structure and railway track system Railway electrification Mitigation on natural desasters Any other areas jointly determind by both sides within the scope of this MoC

UTS Counter for refund of PRS tickets In yet another passengerfriendly measure, Ministry of Railways decided that from December 1 one of the UTS counter at the existing PRS ticket booking locations shall be converted into UTS cum PRS counter for cancellation and refund of PRS Counter tickets during the non-working hours of PRS counters at stations or in case of non availability of current counters at the station.

Committed to conserve water In the august presence of Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhu, and Minster of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Sushri Uma Bharati, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding use of non-potable water released after treatment from sewage/ effluent treatment plants located in Ganga and Yamuna river zones for railway purpose was signed on December 3.

The Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha, was also present on the occasion. Chairman, Railway Board, Sh. A.K. Mital, Member Engineering, Sh. V.K. Gupta and other Board Members, and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Suresh Prabhu said that water is a precious natural resource and Indian Railways is one of the biggest consumers of water for its various activities and hence, is

committed to conservation of water. He said that installation of Water Recycling Plants has been sanctioned at 32 stations during current financial year, taking those to 66 Recycling Plants over Indian Railways.

Under the MoU, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation intends to lay the network of Sewage/Effluent treatment Plants (STP/ETPs) on both sides of Ganga and Yamuna rivers so as to check pollutants from entering into these rivers.

The treated water released from STP/ ETPs shall be used for various nonpotable purposes. The treated water of laid down standards shall be provided for non-potable use at such establishments including Railway Stations falling in the area where Ganga and Yamuna rivers pass through. www.railbandhu.in

Cancellation and refund of PRS counter tickets shall be made across the earmarked UTS cum PRS counter (only for refund of PRS counter tickets) beyond the working hours of existing PRS counters or current counters as per refund rules: • This facility shall be available on the tickets for those trains whose scheduled departure time is within 24 hours from the time of cancellation of tickets.

• If current counters are not available at the station or no PRS counter is working beyond the working hours of PRS counters in that case PRS counter tickets may be cancelled and refund may be granted across such nominated UTS cum PRS counter.

• In no case during the working hours of PRS or current counters such refund shall be granted across UTS cum PRS counter.

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 21

rail update

Modern Locomotive Joint Venture Factory Projects

Berths under physically handicapped quota

The formal contract agreement signing ceremony for the two `40,000 crore high horse power HI-TECH best-in-class modern locomotive Joint Venture factory projects (Electric Locomotive Factory at Madhepura and Diesel Locomotive Factory at Marhowra, Bihar) was held on November 30 in New Delhi.

As per extant instructions, handicapped quota of two berths in sleeper class (one lower and one middle) is earmarked for physically handicapped persons travelling on concession.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting, Sh. Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister for Communication & Information Technology, Sh. Ravishankar Prasad, and Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) among others.

DLF Marhowra will manufacture and supply modern diesel electric locomotives of 4500 HP and 6000 HP (which in combination can operate as 9000 HP and 12000 HP multiple units). ELF Madhepura will manufacture and supply modern electric locomotives of high horse power, namely 12000 HP.

Recently, instances were brought to the notice where the handicapped persons for whom it is optional to take an escort were not allowed to book single berth against this quota by some Railways since the second berth will go vacant as middle berth cannot be allotted to physically handicapped persons. This issue has now been examined by the Ministry of Railways and further rationalisation has been done to ensure optimum allotment and utilisation of handicapped quota. The revised decisions, effective from December 22, are given as under: • There will be two types of handicapped quota of two berths each (one lower and one middle) in the same cabin; one for physically handicapped persons who can utilise concession only when accompanied by an escort and the second for those handicapped persons for whom it is optional to take an escort with them.

• As for the former category, booking tickets is on concession on first-come-first-serve-basis.

• For the later, if the first handicapped person intends to book berth along with escort, both the berths will be booked. However if the first books without escort, the second berth will not be booked under handicapped quota and will be released to RAC/waitlisted passengers.

• It has also been decided that whenever a physically handicapped person books ticket on concession and if no berth is available in handicapped quota, the system will automatically try to allot the lower berth to him/ her and middle berth to escort subject to availability of same at the time of booking.

Under the agreement, 1000 diesel locos will be manufactured in a period of 11 years with a basic cost of `14,656 crore and 800 electric locos will be manufactured in a period of 11 years at `19,904 crore. Taking into account the cost of setting up factories and maintenance facilities, these two projects together are worth `40,000 crore.

These modern powerful state-of-the-art locos will be useful for heavy haul freight operations and mega freight operations in the dedicated freight corridor and for pan India operation.

These factories would lead to substantial development of ancillary manufacturing units, generation of direct and indirect employment and development in the region.

22 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

www.railbandhu.in

Foundation laying of doubling of Chhapra-Ballia section On November 23, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhu, laid the foundation stone of doubling work of Chhapra-Ballia section and foot over bridge at Suremanpur station. He also dedicated the heritage value metre gauge diesel engine in concourse at Ballia station in the presence of Hon’ble Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha.

sanctioned in Allahabad-Mughalsarai section. Electrification of ChhapraBallia-Varanasi-Allahabad section is under progress. Adequate funds have also been allotted to doubling of rail tracks and construction of ROB/RUBs in the country. The Minister said that the doubling work of Chhapra-Ballia section and the FOB Suremanpur station will be completed in time.

Addressing the gathering, Sh. Prabhu said that it is planned to invest a sum of `8.5 lakh crore for completing the development projects of the Railways in the next five years. In order to complete Railway projects in time, full powers have been given to General Managers and Divisional Railway Managers.

Sh. Sinha said that the work of Chhapra-Allahabad electrification and doubling is under progress and that in Bhatni-Aunrihar section will be taken up shortly. He also said that extension of platform No. 01 at Ballia Railway station will soon be taken up and in order to present the heritage of Railways to the local public, a heritage value metre gauge diesel engine has been installed in the concourse of Ballia Railway station.

To ease out the congestion, a third line construction work has been

Extension of Gwalior-Gonda-Gwalior Sushasan Express Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Sh. Suresh Prabhu, in the presence of Hon’ble Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Manoj Sinha, MPs Sh. Daddan Mishra and Sadhvi Savitri Bai Phoole, inaugurated the extension of train no.11111/11112 Sushasan Express upto Balrampur from Balrampur station on November 22.

In his address, Sh. Prabhu said that due to paucity of funds in the past, there was no progress in various projects but now it was not so. Development and modernisation of Railways and completion of pending Railway projects are now witnessing ‘achhe din’. A total of `8.5 lakh crore will be spent on different projects and passenger amenities. For increasing the speed of trains, track renewals and electrification works are

being done at a very fast pace. To stop the menace of corruption in Railways, absolute transparency is being followed and entrance examinations are being made online. He said that the extension of Sushasan express up to Balrampur will result in connecting ‘Karma Bhoomi’ and ‘Janma Bhoomi’ of former Prime Minister Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Minister of State for Railways, Sh. Sinha said that `7 crore will be spent for complete mordernisation of Balrampur station. The gauge conversion of GondaBahraich section will be completed by June 2016. He emphasised on running of more DEMU trains for the benefit of local passengers and reduction in number of stoppages of long distance trains. www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 23

4 Rail travel

The luxe

circuit

The new year’s all about making a fresh commitment to yourself. A journey on one of these luxurious beauties will give you all the time you need to reflect on the past and prep you for the days ahead

Susmita M

Maharaja’s Express And why would you not want to feel like a Maharaja while in India? The Maharaja’s Express offers five circuits to choose from: The Heritage of India, Gems of India, Indian Panorama, Treasures of India and The Indian Splendour. The train has been awarded as “The world’s leading luxury train” at the World Travel Awards for three consecutive years since 2012. Last October, the train bagged the Seven Star Global Luxury Award in Indonesia.

Apart from the lounges and the bar cars, a special mention must be made of the awardwinning restaurants — The Mayur Mahal and the Rang Mahal. The two fine dining restaurants can accommodate 42 guests each at any given time. The chefs at both restaurants cater to an international palette and the staff will help you choose and pair your wine with the food being served. The train’s inaugural run took place in March 2010 and since then, it is the only train with a Presidential Suite that is spread over an entire carriage. There are five carriages for deluxe cabins, six for junior suites, two for the suites and one truly grand presidential suite.

24 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

The Treasures of India and The Gems of India are the shorter circuits of three nights and four days while the Heritage of India, Indian Panorama and The Indian Splendour circuits are spread over seven nights and eight days each. The Treasures of India and Gems of India circuit takes you from Delhi to Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur before returning to Delhi. The Heritage of India covers Mumbai, Ajanta, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra and Delhi. The Indian Splendour travels from Delhi to Agra, Ranthambore, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Balasinor and ends at Mumbai. The Indian Panorama extends from Delhi to Jaipur, Ranathambore, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Gwalior, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Lucknow.

top three stations on all circuits

Delhi

Agra

Jaipur

www.railbandhu.in

Trivia The luxury train service was started in March 2010.

Fare (Single occupancy)

`1,92,000

onwards

USP Maharaja's Express boasts of high-speed internet connectivity. The use of cell phones or laptops is strictly prohibited in public areas such restaurants, lounge etc.

14 carriages with 43 individual cabins provide seating and sleeping capacity for 88 guests.

The cutlery and plates are superb Limoges with gold linings on the edges and the glasses are festooned with special Swarovski hand-cut precious stones.

www.railbandhu.in

Trivia

Rail travel

The Palace on Wheels, India's first luxury train, started on January 26, 1982.

There are 23 coaches in the train and 104 tourists can travel at a time.

There also is a personal attendant in each saloon catering to the needs of the guests round the clock

top three stations Jaipur

Udaipur Jaisalmer

Fare (Single occupancy)

`3,36,000 oct-mar

`2,52,000 Apr-sep

USP Limited laundry services available on select destinations. Contact carriage staff for details in advance. Language guides are also available during excursions but at an extra cost.

palace on wheels Ranked the fourth most luxurious train in the world in 2010, sample the good life across its 14 coaches that have been named after the former Rajput states with each giving you a glimpse of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regal past. The luxury train was launched by the Indian Railways in association with the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation.

coaches in the train were once private saloons of royal families from the princely states of Rajputana and Gujarat, the Nizam of Hyderabad and even the Viceroy of British India. Every coach is different in aesthetic and yet brought together subtly with the help of Delhi-based interior designer, Monica Khanna.

Every coach is fully air-conditioned with four twin-bedded chambers with channel music, intercom, attached toilets, running hot and cold water, shower, wall-to-wall carpeting and other amenities. The furniture has been tastefully selected in sync with all the coaches. The

The two restaurants, The Maharaja and The Maharani, serve an array of Indian and continental cuisine. The specialty is Rajasthani cuisine, of course. Over the years, efforts have been made to keep the train aesthetic yet modern. A satellite phone has been added to ensure communication on the move.

The PATA award-winning train takes you on a seven days and eight nights sojourn from New Delhi to Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur and Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and finally Bharatpur and Agra before returning to the national capital. As the logo promises, it is a week in wonderland.

www.railbandhu.in

Trivia The logo of the Golden Chariot is that of a mythological animal with the head of an elephant and the body of a lion.

The train can accommodate a total of 88 passengers.

The 11 coaches are named after the dynasties that ruled Karnataka.

Golden Chariot If you have never been to an Indian palace before, then the Golden Chariot prepares you well for the experience with its coaches designed no less beautifully. From luxurious beds that you can sink into, intricately carved ceilings you would not want to stop admiring to wall panels and furniture inspired by the Mysore and Hoysala architecture. The cabins are fully air-conditioned with one cabin reserved for the specially-abled.

Adding to the fine taste, are the two restaurants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nala (the name of a legendary chef from the Indian epic Mahabharata) and Ruchi (meaning fine taste in Sanskrit). The specialty of both restaurants is Indian cuisine but the chefs are more than ready to dish out an international delight to keep you happy.

Should you still seek inspiration then you can head for Madira, the lounge bar.

accommodate up to 30 guests in front of a 42" TV along with high-speed internet to enable swift business, on the move.

The trainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first circuit called Pride of the South (7D/8N) covers Bengaluru, Mysore, Srirangapatna, the Nagarhole National Park (Kabini), Shravanabelagola, Belur, Halebidu, Hampi and then arriving at the triangular heritage site of Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole and Goa. The Splendour of the South Circuit is the new addition which takes you from Bengaluru to Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, Tanjavur, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram, Aleppey and Kochi.

Fare

`1,68,000

onwards

USP The gym on the train will ensure you stay fit while the signature Ayurvedic massages of Nirvana Spa will help you travel timelessly into a world of regeneration and bliss.

top three stations on both circuits Bengaluru Mysore/Chennai

But what sets the Golden Chariot apart from the rest is the Conference Coach. Yes, it can

Goa/Kochi

www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 27

Rail travel

Trivia

Launched in Jan 2009, the train has 14 passenger coaches.

The windows in the train are the largest in any train in India.

The meticulously trained attendants, who are called khidmatgars, serve you round the clock.

Fare

`4,00,000 onwards

USP The fare consists of travel in the chambers with attached bathrooms, three daily meals, group sightseeing tours and excursions with Englishspeaking guide, monument fees, still camera fees and bottled drinking water.

Royal Rajasthan on Wheels An upgraded version of the celebrated Palace of Wheels train, the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels is a larger, more spacious and definitely more luxurious experience. The journey begins at 17:30 from Safdarjung Railway Station after a traditional welcome.

At the end of seven nights, the eighth morning see travellers return to the same station and depart after breakfast on the train.

There has been a lot of comparison of the Royal Rajasthan with the Palace on Wheels.

The Royal Rajasthan on Wheels travels for the same duration (seven nights) but through Jodhpur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Ranthambhore, Jaipur, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Agra. Like the Palace on Wheels, travellers are allowed to take a five night part journey.

top three stations Jodhpur

Udaipur Chittorgarh

28 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

The two restaurants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Swarn Mahal and Sheesh Mahal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tease your palate with a selection of royal preparations. The menu comprises the taste of Rajasthan, North India, China and Continental. The crystal pelmets and floor lamps add to the ambience. Its lifestyle spa provides wellness solutions with personal care products for hair, skin and body. The products used by the spa are from the house of Amatrra.

www.railbandhu.in

Your rail

4 Refers to the class of accommodation in which you intend to travel. The various class of accommodations are abbreviated as follows: 1A - First AC 2A - AC 2Tier Sleeper 3A - AC 3Tier Sleeper EC - Executive Class CC - AC Chair Car FC - First Class SL - Sleeper class II - Second Class seat

TICKET

Did you know that the numbers and words have earned their place on your ticket. Here’s what they mean...

1 The Passenger Name Record (PNR) Number printed at top left corner of your ticket is a unique 10 digit number. Quote this number to check the status of your ticket.

2

3

Indicates the train number, date of journey, the distance for which the ticket is issued and the number of adults and children travelling on the ticket.

Indicates the originating and destination station of your journey as well as the station up to which you have sought reservation.

The names of stations are displayed in both English and Hindi.

5

5 2

1 3 4

7

8

9

6

9 Displays the date and time you bought your ticket.

Your waitlisted position. Two such waitlisted numbers are indicated — the first is the running waiting list number and the second, the current waiting list number at the time of booking. The former is unique to a given train, date, route and class combination you are traveling on.

6

7

8 Confirmed status viz.

Coach no. S6, Berth/Seat No. 52, Sex: M/F , Age: 56.

AC 1st Class or 1st Class passengers to get their accommodation status from the reservation chart.

while travelling, remember

Always carry a photo id proof, especially if you have booked online

www.railbandhu.in

The amount you paid for your ticket: Reservation Fee (R Fee), Super fast charges (S.CH.) and voucher charges (VOUCH).

CONC indicates the concession code.

If you need assistance, approach the nearest police officer

Displays the name of the train, your boarding station and the date and time of your travel.

Secure your luggage, but resist the temptation to check on it frequently Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 29

entry ticket

Winter wishlist January is a sacred month with many festivals lined up and then, there is Republic Day

Trivia This is the 67th Republic Day of India.

As the President unfurls the National Flag, he is given the 21 guns' salute.

Republic Day (Jan 26) As Independence Day is celebrated to mark the freedom of India from the British Rule, Republic Day in India is celebrated to commemorate the coming of its own constitution into force. Officially, it is celebrated every year in the national capital of India (New Delhi) at the Rajpath in the presence of the President of India. Celebrations, at smaller scale, also take place in the state capitals in the presence of the governor of the state. The day is celebrated throughout the country with great enthusiasm by the students and teachers in the educational institutions. Much effort is put in organising events and celebrations that take place on Rajpath. A huge military parade is held, with 30 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

the representatives of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and traditional dance troupes taking part in it. The event starts with India's Prime Minister laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, to remember soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country. The President takes the military salute during the parade in New Delhi while state governors take the military salutes in state capitals. A foreign head of state is the president's chief guest on Republic Day. French President Francois Hollande will be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade.

Venue: Rajpath, New Delhi, and all over the country www.railbandhu.in

On Republic Day, many bravery awards like Veer Chakra, Maha Veer Chakra, Param Veer Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Ashoka Chakra are awarded.

Republic Day is a three-day long celebration. The Beating Retreat is held at the end to mark the end of the celebrations.

entry ticket India's first Republic day celebration

1950

1

2

Republic DaY over the Years Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking at how the nation has been celebrating this special day

3

6

5 32 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

4 www.railbandhu.in

1. People line up at Rajpath to watch India's first Republic Day celebrations 2. Indian soldiers display pyramid formation on bikes 3. King Birendra Bir Bikran Shah Dev of Nepal as the Guest of Honour at the 50th Republic Day with President K.R. Narayanan and PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee 4. India's Constitution 5. Railways' tableau 6. The US president Barack Obama with President Pranab Mukherjee and PM Narendra Modi during 2015 Republic Day

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tech talk

Stay

Plugged Your phone only got smarter. We bring you five phone applications that make travelling, and your life much easier. Check them out Kingshuk Dutta

IRCTC Connect What if you had a travel guide on your fingertips? The Audi Compass has audio tourist guide clips for over 1,200 locations in India, Oman, Bhutan and Singapore.

The app was founded by Gautam Shewakramani and Pariket Doshi.

The app has also collaborated with the tourism ministry of India, Oman and Singapore. One can download the app and use it offline as well.

It is available free of cost for both Android and iOS platforms and if you want to go in for the Audio Compass Pro version, it retails for just `49.

With the IRCTC Connect app, you can do everything that the IRCTC website allowed you and that too on your phone.

The app saves passenger details so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to repeat filling in details every time you book a ticket. It even gives you alerts on your journey. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, the app has over 4 million downloads on Google Play and a 4-star rating. Along with Android, it is also available for iOS.

Audio Compass

Glympse

Want more out of your travels? Try using Airbnb for booking homestays.

Not only would this add to the overall experience, the option works out to be cheaper for the traveller and is beneficial to the home-owner at the same time. Plus, you get to meet new people and sample local, homecooked food. A word of caution here: do all the necessary checks on security before you book. Homestays with more than 10 reviews can be trusted, as reviews on Airbnb have been genuine so far.

36 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

Having difficulty in finding your way in a new city? The Glympse sends your location to a person and enables him to track your movement in real time. Also, you can set the time limit for which they can track your location and movement. Apart from that, the app allows you to send a personalised message. The app also allows you to request somebody else for a location or make a group where the members can track each other. The app is available on Android and iOS platforms free of cost.

Airbnb

Tripoto

www.railbandhu.in

Right from going though itineraries of others to booking hotel rooms and making new friends from all over the world, Tripoto has it all. Also, when it comes to planning, you can ask other users and locals to help you out with the best possible routes and plan. Tripoto also allows you to chat with over one million active users all over the globe. Other than hotel rooms, the app allows you to search for homestays at places which see a heavy tourist footfall.

W

hile the Nation is facing a great challenge to meet the requirement of electric power in various spheres of daily life due to the increasing population, students of Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College Ghaziabad have found a novel solution for alleviating the shortage of electricity. The innovative idea conceptualized by these young engineers utilizes each step of growing population for generation of electric power. The growing population which was considered a cause for depletion will soon become a source of generation to meet the growing demand of electric power.

The students of B.Tech (Mechanical) of AKGEC have conceptualized, designed and fabricated an "Energy Tile" which produces electric power with each step on it. The Piezo Energy Tiles uses Piezoelectric material that convert the mechanical stress, caused in it by people stepping on it, to electric energy which can be stored and used. The "Energy Tile" has been functionally tested for its purpose and also demonstrated at Metro Bhawan for its wide spread use at various metro stations of DMRC. The "Energy Tile" will find its use at Airports, Shopping Malls, Hospitals, Bus Stands, Concerts and at any place where frequent movements of crowding population takes place. The innovative efforts by the young engineers of AKGEC is an inspiring step towards Skill India & Make in India.

food yard

World on my platter, Shangri La's Eros Hotel It offers a spread as grand as its newest multi-cuisine dining space, Tamra. What they have put out is a gastronomical bouquet, offering authentic South East Asian cuisine as well as Japanese, Indian and European fare from its five interactive cooking theatres.

What to expect: A live Biryani Bar, succulent Braised Pork Belly served with a sweet chili sauce, California Maki rolls, Spicy Tuna Sushi and Ebi Tempura, and much more. To round off the meal, there is an elaborate dessert counter with a sinful chocolate fountain.

Timings: 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm Price: `3,500 plus taxes

Sunny side up Lazy winter Sundays make for perfect brunch days. We bring you our top picks from Delhi. Check them out

Sushi Sunday, Hyatt Regency Delhi

Garden sun, The Claridges A curated menu of countless Indian and Oriental dishes and beverages is what sets this brunch apart. Garden settings add to the indulgence.

What to expect: Delectable mezzes, salads, home made pasta station with Lobster and Crab Ravioli in Chive Cream, among others.

The Asian course has stir fried chicken, lamb, seafood and fresh seasonal veggies to dig into. Round off your meal with scrumptious desserts.

Swing to live music, Eros Hotel Nehru place Poolside setting with lush greens make for a great Sunday brunch space. Soak up the warmth of afternoon sun at Blooms. Plus there is an array of activities to keep the kids busy.

What to expect: An extensive multi-cuisine spread of Indian, Chinese, Mediterranean and continental cuisine. Their South Indian spread is a great add on. Add to that live grill and barbecue counters and an extensive dessert spread for those with sweet tooth.

Timings: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Timings: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Price: `3,995 (plus taxes)

Price: `2,750 plus taxes

38 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

www.railbandhu.in

TK's Oriental Grill is an all time favourite with the Oriental food lovers. So it is natural that Sundays be a little more special.

A Sunday brunch at this space is much more than the cuisine it offers. Itʼs sheer visual delight.

What to expect: Sushi, sashimi, and tempura are the all time favourites from the fine dining space. These are in addition to a sumptuous array of starters on the buffet served with limitless beverage of your choice.

Timings: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm Price: `4,050 plus taxes — Compiled by Navneet Mendiratta

cabin conversations

View from the

window seat Author, art curator and documentarian, Ina Puri tells us why train remains her preferred mode of transport

M

y earliest recollections of a train journey were visits to my maternal grandparentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home in Berhampur, Murshidabad.

My grandfather was the distinguished poet Manish Ghatak and he would personally come to fetch us from the bustling station, much to our joy. The visits were great fun, time spent with cousins and the extended family, so much so that we hated making the trip back, wishing fervently that the train taking us back would leave without us!

Whenever an opportunity arises, I travel by train. It is a relaxed, leisurely mode of travel.

42 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

Global traveller I have travelled the world over and often the trips across Europe or China have been by train. I especially loved our first train journey

by Eurostar, crossing the English Channel, from London to Paris. Another time, we were journeying across the Silk Route and the train travel across the Gobi Desert was spectacular, inspiring a lot of the artists we were travelling with to paint the desert dawns or the villages we crossed in Mongolia.

Most remembered The most memorable journey was when we travelled across Europe by train, crossing

www.railbandhu.in

cabin conversations

One of the finest scenes in Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali. The first scene actually shot, involves Apu’s astonished viewing of a passing train

the blue skies and realised how the landscape had made its way to artists based in Shantiniketan. Here was the beautiful land that invoked nostalgia and romance in every Bengaliʼs soul, it had to inspire the litterateur, the poet, the film-maker and the artist.

The beautiful Bengal countryside invokes nostalgia and romance in every Bengali’s soul exquisite towns, vineyards, forests in Germany, Switzerland and Italy. In the country, I have enjoyed the journeys across Rajasthan and Gujarat. The colours and landscape were so magical. We got off at stations and drank tea in little earthen cups, heavenly! As I gazed out of the windows, I would feel like getting off and walking along the Camel Trail, losing myself in the vast terrains of Rajasthan we were passing. The women in bright ghagra-choli with pots balanced precariously on their heads looked straight out of a book or a film set. Satyajit Ray came to mind and the train journeys he captured so brilliantly in Sonar Kella!

When I made that journey from Calcutta to Shantiniketan, I saw the Bengal countryside, the jagged line of khejoor trees, the ponds, 44 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

FOOT NOTE Ina Puri is an independent art curator, author and documentarian.

Her books include In Black and White (a definitive biography of the painter Manjit Bawa) and Journey with a Hundred Strings (the memoir of santoor, maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma).

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Romance of the rail Train journeys are always romantic; they are a throwback to another era and that is always so seductive. Be it a thriller like Murder on the Orient Express, where the distinguished sleuth Hercule Poirot has the exciting task of finding out who the murderer is aboard the luxurious Orient Express or closer home to what we have seen in our popular Hindi films, like Aradhana, with the debonair Rajesh Khanna courting the demure Sharmila Tagore, seated prettily by a train window, romance is the key.

Dream travel I want to travel across India by train, past middle India, Goa, to the deep South. I want to be able to do this leisurely, with a pile of books to read and a song in my heart. It is an adventure I dream about. Someday. Till then, my train journeys to Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhopal and Shantiniketan must suffice!

cover story

Flight of the

Hornbill Also called Woodstock of the Northeast, the Hornbill Festival is an annual, week-long cultural extravaganza held every year in the first week of December in the Kisama Heritage village of Nagaland Text and photos: Abhishek Hajela

46 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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QUICK FACTS About nagaland 1816

Came directly under the rule of Burma

Dec 1, 1963

Got the official status of a state

16,579 km2 Total area

80%

Of the gross-cropped area is under rice cultivation

20%

Of the total land area of Nagaland is covered in wooded forests

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Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 47

cover story

All 16 tribes of Nagaland find representation in the Hornbill festival

where the festival is held. My host for the next few days was a lovely Naga family with an adorable infant, the father in government service and a Wi-fi connection named ʻMehraʼ for some unexplained reason! Everyday, we had to re-start ʻMehraʼ as it behaved with the typical grouchiness of an elderly man from North India. My word of advise: pack warmly as this area is very cold and nights can be especially harsh.

N

“

agaland? Who goes there? What is there?”, were just some of the questions I was asked when I announced my plans of a trip to the picturesque state to photograph the annual Hornbill Festival.

A trip to Nagaland House on Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi (all Indian nationals need a permit to visit Nagaland) and a couple of hours with the wizened clerk, and I was all set. After arriving in Dimapur, I drove the final couple of kilometres to Kisama (10-12 km from Kohima),

48 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

QUICK FACTS 2000

The first Hornbill Festival held at Kisama, some 10-12 km from Kohima

16

Gates represent the 16 major tribes of Nagaland

1 lakh plus

People attend it every year

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The morning before the festival kicked off, the dress rehearsal was the perfect time to photograph and observe the colours. Vivid red, orange and yellow headgears, glorious costumes and the proud and sharp features of the Naga men and women, the festival is the perfect showcase of the rich heritage of the North-Eastern region, which is now the emerging cultural capital of India.

Internationally recognised, this festival attracts visitors from all over the world. The celebrations are marked with a colourful display of traditional dances, sports and songs of the various Naga tribes. The warrior log

drums, the colourful headgear, the soulful war cry, the exquisite costumes are all striking and something that you won’t forget. Delicious local cuisine and delicacies that are typical to each of the Naga tribes are served in their respective Morungs along with the finest and delicious rice beer.

The traditional Naga huts and Morungs (boys’ dormitories) typical to each of the Naga tribes are built and erected in a way that closely resembles their traditional euphoria on a small hillock in Kisama which gives one a perfect idea of life in a typical village.

The Hornbill Festival is also a celebration of its modern and contemporary present. Along with our hosts, we all bundled into the biggest SUV we could hire and drove to the biggest Rock Festival of the country that is hosted at Kohima every year during the Hornbill Festival.

know the land

itʼs hot

Also known as ghost pepper or Bhoot Jolokia, Naga King Chilli is the second hottest chilli on the earth, that was reportedly being sold at `50,000 ($ 814) per kg in Japan recently.

The fierce chilli, which is typically grown in North Eastern region of India and is used extensively in the cooking, enjoys both national and international fan following.

The Nagas believe that singing and dancing is a way of life. The rock event was a fun way to see the musical aspect of the celebrations that are not only in tandem with its cultural roots, but also adapt the western genre of rock music. Adventure car rally and various other food contests are also organised.

The Kohima Night Bazaar is also an interesting aspect of the festival. The stretch of the Kohima Main town comes alive for seven nights during the festival with food, music, and fun. The street spills over with various food and drink stalls serving out some of the finest delicacies and it’s a joy to walk through the hustle-bustle and soak in the atmosphere.

Truly, the Hornbill Festival is a celebration of the tribal way of life, a way to bridge the gap between generations, and revive and strengthen cultural bonds.

16th State

bounded by

ideal place for

eating options

of the Indian Union has salubrious climate throughout the year

Assam — west, Myanmar — east, Arunachal Pradesh — north & Manipur — south

Trekking, jungle camping and exploring its lush sub-tropical rainforests

From frogs, dog meat, honey bees to bugs – you can have it all

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Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 49

cover story Major stations enroute Lucknow (LKO) / Allahabad (ALD) Katihar (KIR) New Jalpaiguri (NJP)

7 sisters & a brother Though they sit huddled together, the seven sister states of the Northeast (and their brother) are distinct in terms of culture and food. We bring you a quick guide on how to max your visit

2

how to reach nagaland Dimapur (DMV) is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular trains.

12436 New Delhi-Dibrugarh Town Rajdhani — Thu, Sun 12236 New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani — Tue 12424 Dibrugarh Town Rajdhani — Daily from New Delhi

ILP

Issued by the Govt of Nagaland, the Inner Line Permit is mandatory for Indian citizens of other states entering Nagaland through any of the check gates across the interstate borders.

Dimapur, Nagaland’s largest city and porthead, is the only place in the state which does not require an ILP. Indians arriving by air at Dimapur can stay in the city without getting one

What to See • Single-horned Rhinos at Kaziranga • World’s largest river island – Majuli • Live the ‘tea experience’ at a tea bungalow!

1

Sikkim

The one brother to the seven sisters, its mountainous beauty and ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture appeals to the soulful traveller .

What to See • Flower exhibition at white hall • Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok • Tsomgo Lake What to Eat • Try the authentic momos here • Phagshapa: strips of pork fat stewed with radish and dried chillies • Chang (Thomba): a local beer made by fermenting millet using yeast What to Shop • Thangkas: Buddhists paintings on cotton canvas and silk frames • Choksee tables & Lepcha weave bags

3

What to Eat • Aanguli pitha — a vegetable snack, which goes well with rice beer • Alu-koni pitika (mashed potato and egg) • Baanhgajor lagot kukar (chicken with bamboo shoot) What to Shop • Assam Silks – The Muga, Eri and Paat are the famous silk sarees from Assam.

• Assam Tea – you cannot leave the place without buying some • A rhino memento

Arunachal Pradesh

Home to 26 indigenous tribes, Arunachal is perhaps the last sanctuary for India’s natural and anthropological heritage.

What to See • Tawang Gompa: Back dropped by snow-

2128km

speckled peaks, it was founded in 1681 • Ziro: Ideal for trekking and getting closer to the tribals of Arunachal Pradesh • White water river rafting at Kameng River .

What to Eat • Misa Mach Poora: A shrimp preparation with banana leaves • Poora Machh: Sole fish cooked in charcoal • Laksa stock: Made with boiled noodle flakes What to Shop • Cane and bamboo works • Wood carving by tribals • Sherdukpen shawls

Is the distance between New Delhi and Dimapur

50 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

assam

Assam or ‘Axom’, a hub for diverse history and natural beauty. It is also one of the least explored regions of the country.

Guwahati (GHY)

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5

nagaland

The land of the world famous head-hunting Naga tribes is a must-visit state of Northeast India.

What to See • Hornbill festival: It is the showcase festival of colourful Naga culture. All 16 Naga tribes congregate here • The World War 2 war cemetery

meghalaya

The Abode of the Clouds and the wettest place on earth. This makes it a popular monsoon travel destination. It also has the cleanest village in Asia.

What to Eat • Jadoh: A dish with pork and rice • Khasi Sticky rice: It is a unique red rice from this region

What to See • Living Root Bridges • Mawsmai Caves: There are more than 1,000 • Shillong Lewduh Bara Bazaar

What to Shop • Orange-flavoured honey: It is a must carry-back • Textile weaving and wood carvings done by the people of Garo Hills

Manipur

What to See • Vishnu temple at Bishnupur: It dates back to 1467 • Andro, the ancient village: It is 27 km from Imphal • Ima Bazaar: About 3,000 women put up their stalls in this 100-year-old market

Nagaland

4

Meghalaya

6

Tripura

Surrounded by Bangladesh on all sides, unexplored forests, breathtaking valleys, gorgeous waterfalls and majestic mountains make Tripura a perfect place to unwind.

What to Eat • Mui Borok: Dry and fermented fish — a very healthy preparation • Fish curry with bamboo shoot • Roasted meat with spices

What to See • Agartala • Chittangong Hills • Pilak

What to Shop • Woven material • Decorative handicrafts • Tribal jewellery

What to Eat • Aloo matter and smoked fish • Nga atauba: Fried fish • Bora: Evening snack

Manipur Tripura 8

6

Manipur, the ‛jewelled land’, is credited with introducing polo to Europeans.

5

2

Assam

8

What to Buy • Bone mask made of wild boar or mountain goats • Wooden masks • Organic honey

3

Arunachal Pradesh

1

Sikkim

What to Eat • Dried pork • Naga chili or Raja mirchi

What to shop • Hand-woven textiles • Manipuri dance doll

7

Mizoram

7

Mizoram • Dampa Tiger Reserve

Its calm and quiet ambience makes it a perfect place for the visitors who wish to spend their vacation in a quiet place. It's one of the mostvisited NE states.

What to Eat • Maian bai: Made with mustard leaf and spinach • Lubrusco: Grape Wine • Paanch phoron torkari

What to See: • Trek to the Blue Mountan National Park • Vantawng Falls

What to Shop • Cane and bamboo Work • Handicrafts like handbags and shawls

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Map not to scale

4

• Model village Khonoma. It is situated near Kohima

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 51

cover story Get to know the locals

Visit to Vegetable markets I love the colourful vegetable market of Kohima. It offers amazingly fresh and exotic ingredients ­— the kind the locals love to eat. There are hornets, bees, caterpillars, yams, bamboo worms, snails... In short, it is your go to place for local organic vegetables, weaves, fruits, flowers, eatables, chicken, handloom and handicrafts.

The amphitheatre

During the festival, you must spend as much time in the amphitheatre – watch the various tribes congregate in their finery and see them demonstrate their traditions.

It is very authentic and a rare sight.

Shopping

Shop for whatever you get drawn towards. The wares are still very authentic in this part of the country. I bought myself plenty of jewellery – the armbands, handcrafted trinkets in beads; earrings, head gear and other jewellery made with dyed horse hair and feathers.

You must also carry back shawls with you. They have wonderful weaving techniques and each shawl has a story to tell.

And then there is stoneware. The locals make utensils out of powdered serpentine stone mixed with clay. These are great for claypot cooking.

Celebration of life It is all lost if you canʼt experience a destination the way the locals live. Fasion designer Anupama Dayal shares her Hornbill experience For once suspend any judgement that you may have formed from hearsay and enjoy the exotic India that exists for real.

The festival is a perfect time to experience the diverse culture that exists in the form of tribes in the states. The mood is so joyful, that you can abandon yourself there. I particularly cherished my conversations with them – on ancient tribal wisdom and philosophy of life. I also got to learn about interesting customs.

Smiles go a long way.

Time difference

In the northeast, it gets dark by 3 pm. You have to be the type who can entertain yourself.

Morungs

These are the youth hostels. A lot of cultural activities take place in these hostels. Typically, Morungs are the traditionally-built Naga huts made of bamboo and cane. A symbol of pride of each village, a Morung is an essential part of Naga life and culture and is embellished with hunting trophies and fine wood carvings at the doorway.

52 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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Each tribe is so different from the other, it would take months to get to know them.

And while a different equation may exist within the tribes, the locals are very friendly and welcoming to the visitors. I did a lot of dancing with the tribals. Tribes to watch out for are the Ao, Chakhesang, Pochury... these are the fun tribes.

Food

You have to set your inhibitions aside if you are to enjoy the local flavours. The kind of food they eat – dog meat, local piglets, insects — is totally alien to our palate. It is very different from the kind of food we are used to and we must not be judgemental about their cuisine.

The choice for vegetarians is especially limited. A lot of them would perhaps have to stick to banana diet.

Accommodation

Plan really well in advance. I started checking out my hotel reservations three month in advance but the place was all booked by then. One place I would really recommend is Aradura Inn. It is located right next to the forest and offers beautiful sights. The food was amazing.

Raja Mirchi competitions

It is fun to watch the Raja Mirchi eating competitions. It is amazing to see the locals consume the chili by kilos when it is impossible for people like us to nibble on a nano inch!

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

railbandhu@maxposure.in Join, like and share at

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Test your sports knowledge Be the first to answer our quiz and get your name published.

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food yard

Home for a

feast Bhogali Bihu (or Magh Bihu) is the joyful post-harvest Assamese festival. It is marked with feasting and celebration lasting days Bhaskar Mahanta

A

s the Dibrugarh Town Rajdhani leaves New Delhi, it is chilly and foggy outside. Most of my copassengers are trying to settle. My compartment is packed with men, women, young and old â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all home-bound as Bhogali Bihu is around the corner.

As the train chugs through Moradabad and Bareilly, many around me have already dozed off. I too try to take a nap, but anticipation of going home for the festival after a long time keeps me awake. Nostalgia sweeps me over and I am reminded of my childhood days of the grand Bhogali celebrations at home with family and friends.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated over

2 days in Assam

56 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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Makar Sankranti in Assam is celebrated as Bhogali Bihu. It is a post-harvest festival of feast, marked by two events â&#x20AC;&#x201D; uruka bhoj (community feast) and meji (bonfire).

Preparations for uruka bhoj starts well in advance, just after the harvest (when winter vacation begins) so we get ample time to collect haystacks and bamboo for the bhelaghar (hut-like temporary structure) and firewood for cooking, bonfire and meji.

Bhelaghar, below the giant outenga (elephant apple) tree may not be an architectural

Sweet FACTS Sweets dominate Bhogali Bihu; bora sawl (sticky Assamese rice) being an essential ingredient in most

Til pitha: Baked rice flour pancake filled with sesame seeds, coconut and jaggery Assamese jolpan. (Facing page) Tenga, a fermented bamboo fish curry. (Below) Bhelaghar

masterpiece, but it is certainly a lot of effort from us youngsters. On the day of bhoj, it turns into a makeshift kitchen, hub of feast and games, bonfire and most importantly, a safe place to stay awake all night, with traditional Bihu and Bollywood numbers playing in the background.

Our menu for the feast is simple; masor tenga (tangy fish curry with tomatoes or elephant apples), hahor mankho (duck curry) served with joha chawl (aromatic Assamese rice). However, for many of my friends, kukura (chicken) and gahori (pork) are still indispensable. There are also many who opt for fancy stuff like masor pitika (mashed fish with lemon, chillies and mustard oil), khorisa gahori/kukura (pork/chicken cooked with bamboo shoots), patot diya maas (baked/ steamed fish wrapped in banana leaf) and khorikat diya mankho (assorted meat roasted in bamboo stick). The most enjoyable part of the bhoj is after the dinner. It is customary to steal vegetables and bamboo fences from neighbours at midnight. But, it is the roasted kath aloo (yam) and sweet potato that many are partial to.

The next morning, after taking bath, we gather near the meji. After the naam kirtan (traditional prayer) near the meji or namghar (Vaishnavite temple), we wait eagerly for the nutritious

The most enjoyable part of the bhoj is the custom to steal vegetables and bamboo fences from neighbours maha-prasad, which consists of soaked chickpea and moong, mixed with tiny ginger and coconut slices, and assorted seasonal fruits as accompaniments.

After the traditional ceremonies are over, the feasting starts again with visits to neighbours and friends. In contrast to the bhoj, the food served on the meji (Makar Sankranti) day is totally vegetarian, with a lot of sweets. In the evening, we gather for a special dish called sunga sawl or bamboo rice, which is served with doi, hot milk and jaggery. After a tedious process of roasting soft-soaked bora sawl (sticky Assamese rice), we get a yummy snack with a smokey flavour.

Ghila pitha: Fried rice flour pancake mixed with jaggery or sugar Narikolor laru: Coconut ladoo Tilor laru: Sesame seeds ladoo Doi-jolpan: Traditional sweet snack often accompanied with milk, curd and jaggery Sunga pitha: Roasted pancake made of rice flour and jaggery, in a bamboo tube Tekeli pitha: Steamed pancake made from a mixer of rice flour, coconut and sugar

Suddenly, I feel the train pull up and I realise that we have reached Dibrugarh. My memories of Bhogali Bihu made my 45-hour journey appear so short. It始s a foggy morning, and I am all set to put on some calories in the next few days. After all, life is all about good food! www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 57

food yard

joy in the air

festive fervour Makar Sankranti is the harvest festival, celebrated across India with great fanfare.

However, the name and the way it is marked varies from state to state

Lohri & Maghi In Punjab, Lohri is celebrated on the eve of Maghi or Makar Sankranti. The festivity is marked by massive bonfire, song and dance. During Lohri, it is a tradition to eat gajak (dry sweet made of sesame seeds and jaggery), sarson da saag (a vegetable dish made from mustard leaves and spices) with makki di roti (breads made from corn flour), groundnuts and jaggery.

Another popular delicacy is til rice, which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and rice. On the day of Maghi, people take bath early and enjoy traditional delicacies like kheer and khichdi. Many light their houses with sesame oil lamps, which supposedly brings prosperity.

58 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

Makar Sankranti is an auspicious day for the Hindus; it is celebrated across the country. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is celebrated for four days as Makara Sankranti. Delhi and Haryana celebrate it as Sakraat or Sankranti. In Himachal Pradesh, the festival becomes Magha Saaji, while in Karnataka it is known as Suggi. In Maharashtra, people relish and exchange halwa, sesame and jaggery ladoos.

Uttarayan In Gujarat, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Uttarayan and Vasi-Uttarayan. It is also known as the festival of kites, as the Gujarat skyline is flooded with kites of various colours and sizes.

Gujaratis relish delicacies like undhiyu (baked vegetables) and chikkis (sweet made from sesame seeds, peanuts and jaggery) during the two-day festival. www.railbandhu.in

Pongal In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Pongal. It is an extensive four-day festival, with four names for each day. On the first day or bhogi, people dump old clothes and belongings, marking end of the old and beginning of the new. Cooking pongal rice is a traditional practice on the main festival day, known as Thai Pongal, which falls on the second day. Apart from decorating the house with beautiful kolams (drawings made using rice flour, chalk and dry colours), people prepare savouries and sweets such as vadai, murukku and payasam.

The third day of festival is Maattu Pongal, which is a day to thank the cattle. Livestock are decorated and fed sweet rice. Jallikattu, the controversial wild bull taming contest, is associated with this day. The last day is celebrated as Kaanum Pongal, when people visit their relatives and friends.

Til ke ladoo

Ingredients 500 gm white sesame (til); 200 to 250 gm jaggery; 1 tbsp water; Ghee to grease the baking tray Method Dry roast the sesame.

Now heat the jaggery in a heavy pan with a tbsp of water.

Add roasted sesame and mix quickly.

Let it cool a bit and then wet your hands with water and shape the mix into small balls.

Khichdi or Sakrat In Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Sakrat or Khichdi. The festivity starts early morning when people throng to take customary dip in the rivers and waterbodies, seeking blessings of the sun God. The festival is an occasion to grab some seasonal delicacies like dahi-chura gur (curd, rice flakes and jaggery), and various sweets made from til (sesame seeds) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tilgur, tilwa and maska. One of the most important ingredient of the festival is til, which is used in various forms like the custom of putting it into fire to making various sweets. The festival derives its name from the lip-smacking khichdis (rice cooked with pulses and vegetables), which is served with chokha (mashed vegetables), papad, ghee and achaar.

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Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 59

dream scape

Steeped in

heritage Deccan Odyssey is a great way to visit the architectural jewels of Maharashtra and experience the ways of royalty Text and photos: Pallavi

60 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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Deccan Odyssey was introduced in 2004 on

Jan 16

T

he train pulls out of Mumbai’s busy and crowded Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station to its first destination — Aurangabad. Inside the deep blue coaches awaits a world of luxury no lesser than a five-star hotel – the regular chair car and sleeper are replaced by swanky cabins that come with beds with super soft mattresses, high thread count bedsheets and soft feathery pillows.

Plastic trays have given way to delicate, bone-China cutlery and the regular railway omelette and cutlets have been junked for a menu that would do even a fine dining restaurant proud — from crunchy waffles and pancakes, sausages and eggs for breakfast, red Thai curry with rice, fragrant biryani, pan-seared Norwegian salmon, risotto, butter garlic prawns for meals to cheesecakes and chocolate ganache for dessert.

I had no idea of just how luxurious this journey would be till I parked myself behind the double-glazed windows of the Deccan Odyssey train — one of India’s finest luxury trains. My new abode was all of 21 coaches,

out of which two were restaurants and one a lounge and bar. Little did I know that here I would be spoilt silly and pampered for the next four nights and five days with a personal butler assigned to me.

Our stop for the day, after disembarking at Aurangabad, were the famous Ellora caves.

Having read about the place many times, I couldn’t wait to see what they were all about. First we had a quick stopover to view Daulatabad Fort in the distance. Earlier known as Deogiri (hill of gods), it was renamed when the Tughlaqs shifted their capital from Delhi here. Located on a 200 metre high hill, it looked quite hazy from the distance.

(Clockwise from facing page) Buddha at the Ajanta Caves; Cultural dance before the Deccan Odysseyʼs departure; The Jain temple at the Ellora Caves which consist of 34 caves built between 5th and 10th century CE under the patronage of Rashtrakuta Dynasty

It is unbelievable to learn that the Ellora caves were all patiently hand-carved out of single rock over centuries. There are 34 caves in all – 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and five Jain.

They make you marvel at the patient and meticulous workmanship at that time and leave you awestruck that with no technology or advanced machines, they were able to create masterpieces which we cannot even dream of now. The most impressive among www.railbandhu.in

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 61

dream scape

(Clockwise from top left) The restaurant, TV lounge and the double occupancy cabin of the Deccan Odyssey

Do buy a paithani sari which is made of silk and has a zari palla with traditional motifs these was Cave 16, the Kailasa Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. This huge temple was carved out of a single piece of rock and is among the largest rock sculptures in the world. Our guide told us to take a short hike and view the temple from top – it was impressive.

Famished by the time we reached our new abode, we were given cold fresh juice and lunch where I chose Caesar Salad with butter garlic prawns and classic roast chicken. Both tasted divine. The dessert of chocolate truffle gateau was sinful and I gorged guiltlessly, forgetting about the calories going inside me.

After a little snooze and some TV, it was time to head for drinks at the lounge.

The bartenders were mixing interesting cocktails, but I stuck to sparkling white wine — it seemed so appropriate for the super duper luxury.

62 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

QUICK FACTS The Deccan Odyssey has 21 carriages that can carry 96 guests and 30 staff members. There is a valet per cabin.

There are four presidential suites, 44 deluxe cabins, two restaurants, a bar & lounge, a conference room cum library and a spa as well.

7N/8D journey: Deluxe cabin Single occupancy: `3,71,900 Double occupancy: `5,36,710 Presidential suite Single and double occupancy: `8,05,100 www.deccanodyssey-india.com www.railbandhu.in

After a comfortable night in my cabin, it was time for yet another World Heritage Site the next day — Ajanta Caves, dating back to 480 BC. The world didn’t know they existed till they were discovered as late as 1819 by a British officer, John Smith. He was out on a tiger hunt when he stumbled upon these caves. Most people think that Ajanta and Ellora are next to each other since they are commonly spoken of together, but in reality they are 100 km apart.

Cave 1 and Cave 26 were the most impressive. Cave 1 had tempera paintings dating back to the 6th century in which all natural colours were used — white out of lime, green from leaves, and blue from Afghanistan lapis stone. There were Jataka stories on side walls. In Cave 26, there is a large reclining Buddha statue and a prayer hall.

Our next encounter was with the town of Nashik, a town I had so far associated with vineyards. But I was in for a pleasant surprise — we spent some time at the charming ghats along the Godavari which bustled with activity and pilgrims.

Aurangabad

In the early 17th century Malik Ambar set up his capital here and called it ‘Kharki’ which literally meant window to South India. After his son Fateh Singh took over, he renamed it to Fateh Nagar. This name continued till Aurangzeb became the viceroy of the Deccan region in 1653, when he changed it to Aurangabad

a dance floor, with Bollywood songs blaring and each person in the train letting their hair down as they swung quite unbelievably inside a train.

Nashik ghats & (Top) The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut caves around a gorge, built by the Satavahana, Vakataka and Chalukya dynasties between 2nd and 5th century CE

Taj mahal of the Deccan

Then it was time for a bit of wine tasting at the Grover Zampa vineyards. Thanks to the rains, the entire hill range had turned lush green and looked gorgeous. Back in the train, we were welcomed by chilled champagne glasses and even better lunch. But the highlight came in the evening when the lounge turned into

Aurangabad is home to BibiKa-Maqbara, which looks very similar to the Taj Mahal, from which it draws inspiration.

It was built by Aurangzeb's son, Prince Adam Shah, in the

Next morning, as the train made its way back to Mumbai, the most impressive and picturesque route of the journey awaited us — the scenic landscape through the gently rolling Western Ghats. I was really glad that the best had been saved for the last — after all staring out of a window and watching the countryside pass by is an intrinsic part of any train journey.

As I left my acquired home, I realised that it wasn’t just the luxury I was getting used to, it was also the warmth of the staff at Deccan Odyssey, which made the entire experience even more memorable.

memory of his mother Dilras Banu Begum. The mausoleum has four minarets like the Taj Mahal and was constructed with marble brought all the way from Jaipur.

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Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 63

tale spin

Parvathy Baul One of the few woman exponents of Baul, runs a gurukul, Ektara Kalari in Trivandrum, for those sincerely interested in her music. “I donʼt take a lot of students as Baul is not a career but is more about tyaag (nonattachment). It is about surrender and unconditional love; it is also known as sahaja or the spontaneous way, and demands a lot and only a few remain,” she says.

5

things you must

know

64 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

ʻBaulʼ has its etymological origin in the Sanskrit words Vatula (madcap) or Vyakula (restless).

Originally, the Bauls rejected the traditional norms to form a sect that upheld music as their religion.

www.railbandhu.in

Lalan Fakir is considered the greatest Baul artiste of all ages, and all other later Bauls regard him as their guru, and sing songs composed by him.

Baul joins

bandwagon Baul music, a rustic Poush Mela essential, is being enthusiastically lapped up by Gen Z, thanks to new-age musicians and bands Team Rail Bandhu

C

oke Studio, the MTV show that has made folk cool, late last year brought Moner Manush, the iconic Lalan Fakir composition, to national attention when it got Anupam Roy to recreate it with foottapping beats and a resonant bass line.

Parts of the song were translated to Hindi

by Javed Akhtar, which were sung by Babul Supriyo, while Satyaki Banerjee voiced the original version to the dotara. Baul — the minstrel music of West Bengal and a rustic Poush Mela essential — has got a hi-tech

Labik Kamal Gaurob, singersongwriter of Bangladeshi folk music band ʻAjobʼ, is a popular name nationally and internationally for his Baul Fusion songs.

revival across plush lounges and cultural hotspots of the country as musicians and bands realise the connecting power of its simple lyrics and liberated life philosophy that defies conventions. Particularly, in these times of growing intolerance.

“Why do you keep looking for the Man of the Heart/ in the forests, in solitude? Turn your attention this time/To the grace and beauty within your soul.” So begins one of the songs encapsulating the dominant feelings of our own times.

Referred to as the Baul Samrat, Purna Das Baul, introduced Baul songs to the West during an eight-month tour of the US in 1965 with stars like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Paul Robeson, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, et al.

Paban Das's music has also been used by Microsoft to represent the music of Bengal in its World CD-ROM Atlasfree.

tale spin

The origin of Bauls is not known exactly, but the word 'Baul' has appeared in Bengali texts as old as the 15th century way of life is inspiring a large segment of our popular culture,” she adds.

Traditional baul folk singers performing at Shantiniketan

It may have been triggered by the box-office success of Gautam Ghoshʼs 2010 biopic Moner Manush, on the life of the legendary mystic.

Or even earlier, to the wanderings of the Bauls and fakirs beyond their akharas in hamlets like Gorbhanga, Kenduli and Joydeb.

But today age-old Baul songs like Tomay hrid majhare rakhibo, Somoy gele sadhon hoben, Dhoinnyo dhoinnyo, Sundori komola, Shaaper bish, Ami opar hoye, Kala re, Khachar bhetor, Tui je amar and many more have metamorphosed into numbers hummed by Gen Z with the same élan as the latest rock or hip hop hits. “The celebration of the liberated soul in the folk philosophy as propounded by Lalon Shai and his disciples which influenced even Tagore’s views on emancipation is finding favour in today’s progressive society,” says Sanhita Das of Folk Foundation.

“The folk movement has indeed been invigorated world over and its music and

A new twist to folk 66 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

'90s bands like Bhoomi incorporated traits of Baul and Lokogiti

QUICK FACTS In 1975, Gautam Chattopadhyay, the founder of Moheener Ghoraguli, got inspired by the wandering groups of Baul and their mystic music. Some of the band's albums such as Maya had songs directly influenced

by Bauls and garnered a huge fan following

The genesis of this resurgence can be traced to Moheener Ghoraguli — an epoch-making Bengali band of the ʼ70s that gelled Baul with rock and jazz elements. Through its compositions, Moheener Ghoraguli — like the Bob Dylan-led urban folk movement — created a wave that eventually opened the floodgates to jibanmukhi gaan (life-inspired songs) spearheaded by Kabir Suman, Anjan Dutt, Nachiketa, Shilajit and others. Legendary Bauls such as Purna Das, Nirmalendu Chaudhury, Paban Das, Golam Fakir, Arman Fakir, Parvathy Baul, Lakkhan Das Baul, Kanai and Kartick Das Baul as well as artistes like Sahaj Ma, Aakkash, Babu Fakir and Arjun Khyapa carried this wave forward.

“The yearning to connect with the man of our heart — moner manush — is what connects todayʼs generation to this age-old folk genre,” says Amitabha Bhattacharya of Banglanatok. com. And today specialised bands like Dohar, Fakira, Mahul, Kaya, Shahar, Bhoomi, Teetas and all-women Maadol are focussed at preserving this tradition through presentations that mix folk and rock, in songs of life set to drums beats, soulful guitars riffs and ektara, madol and dubki notes. New-age musicians are ensuring the wandering minstrel strums on.

With inputs from Sameek Bhattacharya

Fossil is known for its folksy lyrics set to pop rock, grunge and rock music

www.railbandhu.in

Chandrabindu’s USP is witty lines, catchy phrases with tickling music

Teetas performs almost all varieties of Bengali folk songs

sacred fests Bengal is buzzing with fairs at this time of the season. Here are the ones you can plan your trip around

1

Bishnupur Mela Bishnupur, Bankura district Held every year between December 27-31 near the Madanmohana Temple, the festival celebrates the rich heritage of this town famous for its beautiful terracota temples and elegant silk sarees.

Bishnupur, once the capital of the Malla Kings, is located about 100 km northwest of Kolkata. The festival is characterised by exhibition and sale of local handicrafts and rich musical tradition of Vishnupur, famous for its own school or Gharana of classical music (Vishnupur gharana).

2

Gokulanand Mela Gokulpur, Medinipur district It is celebrated between December and January according to the Gregorian calendar. Gokulanand Mela usually lasts for a period of five days or so. Prior to the commencement of the fair the whole village is decorated with flowers and lights.

Ganga Sagar Mela Ganga Sagar Island, Hoogly district

5

Poush Mela Shantiniketan The annual Poush Mela is a fair-cumfestival showcasing Bengali heritage and culture. It normally takes place in the Bengali month of Poush (around December) in Shantiniketan, the home of the Visva-Bharati University founded by Rabindranath Tagore. In earlier days the fair was held in the ground on the north side of Brahma mandir (also referred to as glass temple). As it increased in size, it was shifted to the field in Purbapalli. The major highlights are the live performances of Bengali folk music, notably ‘baul’ music.

Also known as Ganga Sagar Yatra or Ganga Snan, is the annual gathering of Hindu pilgrims during Makar Sankranti to take holy dip in the Ganges before she merges in the Bay of Bengal Sea at Sagar Island or Sagardwip. The fair begins a couple of day early and ends on the day after Sankranti. The holy dip is believed to wash the sins away and lead to the attainment of Moksha. Devotees start to arrive in the first week of January and the number is maximum on the Makar Sankranti day.

4

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3

Joydev Mela Joydev Kenduli, Birbhum District

Joydev-Kenduli is a small village located on the banks of River Ajay.

It is the birth place of poet Joydev Mishra who wrote the famous Sanskrit poem Geet Govinda in the 12th century. Every year from January 14, a three-day long fair is organised at Joydev Kenduli village. The origin of the fair is an age-old folklore. The legend has it that Joydev had to walk some 30 km from his village to take a dip in the Ganges. This became tiresome for the poet and one day Lord Vishnu asked the Holy Ganges to infest her holiness in river Ajay at least on the day of Makar Sankranti. From then on this holy day the Ganges starts flowing back to river Ajay. People make frenzied rush to take holy dip in the waters of River Ajay during these three days. Kenduli fair also provides an opportunity for all to listen to Baul songs.

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 67

off track

Mistress of

Malaya When driving through Bandhavgarh, make sure you make a stopover at Malaya, a craft shop in the Tiger town, and have a satvik breakfast with its owner, Neelam Verma Text and photos: Sangeeta Khanna

68 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

www.railbandhu.in

105

T

he nip in the air just got a little stronger but we hold steadily on to our binoculars. Our eyes trained to the treetops where winged beauties preen for all imaginary and real cameras.

They are on a vacation and look happy. October to January are great months for migratory bird sightings in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

km2

is the total Bandhavgarh national park area

4 main zones of the national park are

Tala Magdhi Khitauli Panpatta

Density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is one of the highest in India

Maharaja Martand Singh

How to reach Nearest railway station is Umaria after Katani railway station. From there, it is about 40 minutes drive to the National Park.

Alternatively, you can take the overnight train from Delhi to Umaria and drive (30 minutes) to the park

These, however, are not great months for tiger sightings, as the big cat prefers to go into a huddle to escape the cold. We also miss the intoxicating aroma of Mahua that we reeled heavily under on our last visit in May. But the forest is as much beautiful, if not more.

With no hopes pinned on spotting a tiger, we prefer to chase birds in this quiet yet beautiful jungle town of Bandhavgarh, called Tala village.

In the tiny village market we spot a signboard â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Malaya. It leads us to

of Rewa captured the first white tiger in this region in 1951 This white tiger, Mohan, is now stuffed and on display in Baghel Museum

The shop is nothing short of wonderland for a shopaholic. Heaps of fabric crafted into all types of cushions, throws, stoles and dresses; tribal toys made with unusual materials; metal bells and figurines hanging from the windows; dried gourds fashioned into art pieces vying for attention... and there is so much more.

Silver-haired Neelam Verma greets us warmly and shows us around.

She has a treasure trove of art and crafts collected from all over India.

A collector herself, Neelam shares that it was at whim that she decided to settle down in Bandhavgarh and start this craft shop. While the shop keeps her busy most of the year,

Did You Know

2000 years, is the approximate age of Bandhavgarh Fort

a quaint craft shop that resembles a garden home. The creaky gate jingles with the sound of metal bells hanging from it. These are the kind you find tied around the necks of the cattle when they are left to graze the jungles.

Gond art on the walls of Malaya lend it a local touch

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Bandhavgarh derives its name from the most prominent hillock of the area, which was said to be given by Lord Ram to his brother Lakshman to keep a watch on Lanka

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 69

off track

Green mung chilla recipe Ingredients Green mung beans 2 cups White rice 1 cup Lime juice 2 tbsp Salt to taste Ghee or oil to pan fry the chilla

Method Soak the green mung (lentils) and rice separately over night. Drain in the morning and grind into a smooth batter in a blender along with lime juice and salt. Do not add water while grinding.

Heat a griddle or flat base shallow pan, grease it with ghee and pour a ladle full of the batter onto it.

Spread in circular movements to make a thick pancake.

Drizzle a little oil if required and let the pancake cook completely on one side, it comes out of the griddle easily once cooked. Flip and cook on the other side and serve hot with chutney, kachumber or raita.

Neelam Verma

To make the kachumber, chop cucumber, tomatoes, cabbage and onions in small bits, toss with lime juice, salt, hint of sugar and fresh herbs and chopped green chillies. www.railbandhu.in

she has kept aside four months to drive around India and collect artefacts. She even remembers each craftsman from small villages that she came across. For instance, she tells me that the carved dry gourds and bamboo rain maker instruments are made by Jagatram Devangan of Chattisgarh. Vaigraj Singh from Bijnor makes wooden raja-rani combs and Trilok Thakur of Ujjain is the only craftsman who makes toys from a mix of wood powder, cow dung and so on.

I also notice a story from Mahabharat painted onto wooden plates and assembled into a book that looks like a home with multiple doors. Come to think of it, every little thing has a story and Neelam never gets tired of filling you in with the details.

And as they say shopping makes you hungry. Neelam tells us that she serves satvik breakfast for the travellers on request and prior booking. We promptly book ourselves for one and promise to get back the next day. For today we have enough shopping haul to lug back to the hotel.

Curios from the Malaya shop

things to do in Bandhavgarh Be it the ruggedness of the wild or plush royal life, this sleepy hollow in Madhya Pradesh offers it all

1

4

Bandhavgarh Fort

Mahua

The legend has it that the fort was built by Lord Ram during a short stay in Bandhavgarh (Bandhav meaning brother and garh meaning fort) while he was returning from Lanka after defeating Ravan.

Ram asked his brother Lakshman to take control of the fort and watch the movements in Lanka.

As January slowly gives way to the milder weather, the buffer forests start seeing a lot of frenzy around the flowering Mahua trees.

Many work tirelessly to collect Mahua flowers.

Animals also compete aggressively to get their share, especially the sloth bear. It is not uncommon to see them inebriated.

5

2 Baghel Museum

In Bandhavgarh, located near Tala Village is the famous Baghel Museum.

It is a royal storehouse where the property of Maharaja of Rewa has been kept intact for exhibit. The ancient tools used for hunting by the king are also on display in the museum.

Safari

3

Gond paintings

Gond paintings can be found on the inner and outer walls of some houses, windows and niches. The main colours used are: red, yellow, blue, black and white. These paintings are based on motifs taken from the oral narratives of Gond tribe. Local deities, scenes connected with forest, agriculture, marriage and other rituals find place in these paintings.

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The best thing to do here is take off on a safari into the jungle. Wildlife sightings, especially that of the tigers, is the prime attraction.

You can choose between a jeep or elephant safari. The jeep safaris are undertaken early morning or the late afternoon. A forest guide accompanies the visitors.

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 71

city beat

Faith, food

and forts Winter chill of the North getting to you? A quick escape to the warmth of Bikaner is just what you need

T

Text and photos: Garima Verma

he colours and charm of Rajasthan never fail to enchant you. Especially in winter. For a delicate North-body who looks for the smallest excuse to escape the bitter cold, long-promised visit to Karni Mata temple in Bikaner was all I needed to pack my stuff and dream of golden Sun.

After arriving at Bikaner Junction early morning, waste no time lazing or going for a fancy breakfast. The kachoris can wait till later. It’s always advisable to check into a hotel near the station. It helps save time in case you decide to stretch your sightseeing by another 30 minutes and saves you the rush to reach the station.

This was to be a short trip — day long to be precise, and I planned it such that not a moment was to go waste. To be honest, 24 hours can never be enough to appreciate the beauty, history and food of a place as rich as Bikaner. Overnight journeys help you save a lot of time. Hereʼs how you too can do it:

For sightseeing, the fifth largest city of Rajasthan not only boasts of spectacular architecture in its forts and palaces, but its sand dunes and colourful attire of people also fill the heart with joy. A visit to Karni Mata is a must, and trust me, once you overcome your fear of rats, you actually see how beautiful

plan your journey Delhi Sarai rohilla (DEE) 11:35pm

12457 DEE BKN Superfast Express runs daily. It takes 8 hours to complete the 458-km journey.

Bikaner Junction (BKN) 7:30am

We reached 10 minutes early. It's best to stay in a nearby hotel, freshen up, grab a quick bite and head to Nagnechi temple.

Karni mata 11:00am

After visiting the temple, indulge in tasty Rajasthani delicacies at nearby food stalls. Make a quick trip to Nehriji and head back to Bikaner to gorge on poorialoo and amazing desserts at Chotu Motu Joshi.

Junagarh Fort 4:00pm

Karni mata temple

Nehriji temple

Where faith fights fear. About 30 km from Bikaner, at Deshnoke, is this 600-year-old temple of Karni Mata (an incarnation of Goddess Durga). It is also famous as the temple of rats. The rodents enjoy a sacred status here and are allowed to roam and live freely.

Hardly 1.5 km from Karni Mata temple is Shri Nehriji temple. It is believed that Karni Mata used to meditate under this evergreen tree Nehriji, almost 600 years old. It is said that Mata stuck a stick on the ground, sprinkled some curd on it and it became the tree.

Keep at least 3 hours for the fort and the museum.

After a quick stop at the market for Bikaneri bhujia, visit Lalgarh Palace, which houses the Bikaner royal family. In the same campus is Laxmi Niwas Palace.

Order the Rajasthani thali for a soul-satisfying experience.

Bikaner Jn nagnechi ma temple Rathore Rajputs’ deity, Nagnechi Ma, sits pretty in this quiet little temple just 4 km from Bikaner railway station. The legend has it that the Rathore kings became unconquerable whenever they entered a battle after receiving Nagnechi Ma’s blessings.

72 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

10:20pm You can take 12458 BKN DEE Superfast Express and reach Delhi at 6:10am.

junagarh fort Built in 1594, the fort is a true reflection of Rajput way of life and luxury. You can spend hours getting awed by the rich details on walls and ceilings, architecture, sandstone carvings, royal ensembles and history.

laxmi niwas palace

the architecture is. It is also amazing to see the power of devotion and how peacefully man and the animal co-exist at the temple.

There are romantic dinners and then, there is this dinner.

The setting and food at this magnificent former residential palace not only makes you feel like royalty but also promises to make memories.

The sight of Junagarh Fort inspires awe, with its sheer size and spread. The interiors, carvings and the artwork, royal weapons and clothes make you marvel at the richness of the rulers.

Karan mahal

Is one of the most impressive palaces within the Junagarh Fort. It was built by Karan Singh, who ruled from 1631 to 1639, to mark his victory over Aurangzeb.

Intricately-carved balconies and columns of Karan Mahal, coupled with stained glass windows, are a treat to the eyes.

Top Food stops

You too can experience the luxury of the royals.

With Lalgarh Palace and Laxmi Niwas Palace having been turned into hotels, you can indulge in an evening of entertainment just like the erstwhile royals. After a session of cultural dance and music, you can drift around the place before you sit for a lavish dinner. The menu has been carefully crafted to offer you the best from the royal cuisine. Creamy kebabs, laal maas, chicken in cashewnut gravy, gatte ki sabzi, kair sangri, papad ki sabzi, daal-baati-churma, baajre ki roti, missi roti, raita and rasgulla more than satisfy your stomach. They fill your soul.

As the visit comes to a close, you leave with a promise that you would be back for more. I did.

The daal-pyaaz kachori with four chutneys and dahi near Karni temple

Rasmalai at any famous sweet shop. It's the best I've had anywhere www.railbandhu.in

bikaner junction A perfect entry showcase for the city, the Bikaner station looks all the more resplendent at night when it changes colours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from red to blue to yellow to pink...

The silky smooth kulfi at Chotu Motu Joshi. It's rich in flavours

You cannot deem your trip complete without having laal maas Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 73

style file

Trivia

Quirk up the

interiors That the world loves India for its pop art becomes clearer from the way interior designers are playing with the theme for Delhi restaurants. Want to carry some ideas home? Read on

Contrary to what was showcased first, Nida Mahmood's fashion line this season was inspired

by Junglee Billee, the restaurant. It is an ode to the divas who inspire the restaurant, she says.

Navneet Mendiratta

W

hen the queen of kitsch, fashion designer Nida Mahmood came out to show off her first ever restaurant interiors project, people sat up and made note. A very retro 1970’s look dominates the cheerful space that wears its heart on the chairs, literally.

Floor it right

Pop goes the flooring.

Tiles make a statement as loud as the walls.

Psychedelic floor tiles of Junglee Billee are a great example of how to do it right and pop culture does not end there. “Everything has been especially designed for Junglee Billee. The wall papers, the furniture, the lights, floor tiles, crockery and even cutlery. Every one of these things is for sale as well,” shares Mahmood.

“The idea was to create a space that was surreal and magical. Raul and I both wanted to make a space inspired from Bombay velvet.

Vintage meets quirk,” she shares. Going by the reviews, the ideaʼs been well received. We take a look at some quirky food spaces that promise to inspire the decorator in you.

74 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

www.railbandhu.in

thebikanerstate.com info@bikanerstate.com

Where your

royal taste meets our

royal jewels

As seen in and magazine

Princess Siddhi Kumari of Bikaner Collection

The BikanerState Jewellers

3 A Sunder Nagar Market, New Delhi - 110003 Tel: +91.11.2435.3934/ 3372 E-mail: prakash@thebikanerstate.com Web: thebikanerstate.com

style file

Ek Bar

Modern-traditionalist elements on walls amalgamate to refresh the mind and evoke bits of memory

Manga style of art came up in

19th century

Guppy by Ai

wall Art

Make walls your canvas.

There is nothing like good art to cheer you up as you sit down for a relaxed meal. Be it getting a Manga artist to work on the murals, window art and column figures of Guppy by Ai; introduce pop art on the walls to narrate an Indian lore (complete with an elephant in the room sporting a pair of blue aviators) at Ek Bar or have a jumble of Parsi portraits adorn the walls of Sodabottleopenerwala, interior designers Sabina Singh and Anshu Arora show us how to keep our walls busy.

76 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

Sodabottleopenerwala

www.railbandhu.in

Pop Art first showed up its head in

1960s

design is in details

Get lighting fixtures to play upon the many elements in the room.

At Fatty Bao, Arora has used fixtures to add even more quirk to the pop decor. From oversized ramen bowls, to a multitude of praying mantis and butterflies in one piece, lamps strung together, or circular overhanging lights, marked by little bulbs, you can anything but dismiss this design support.

Drama in 3d

Try 3D for effects. Pair it with coloured glass and wait for magic.

After gaining ample experience in Michelin starer Nobu, when chef Gurmehar decided to open his first affordable luxury restaurant, Ziu, he made sure the decorators kept the lines clean and contemporary. His interior designers, Renu and Robin Matharu threw in mosaic window panels and a 3D Thai roof artwork to ensure there is enough drama to accentuate the sophisticated menu.

Trivia

The first painted work in Fatty Bao is an abstraction of a food map which traces the journey of the humble Bao through the magical East â&#x20AC;&#x201D;how it was created, how it evolved through the regions it travelled. www.railbandhu.in

silver rake

Screen

capsule 2016 If 2015 took entertainment to new levels, 2016 is set to exceed expectations.

Block your dates for some thrilling action, romance, drama and more Karan Bharadwaj

Baahubali 2ʼs expected budget

`160 crore

W

hile Sonam Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra will consolidate women-oriented space on screen, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan will be the sportsmen of the year. Here’s why 2016 is so special to Bollywood fans.

‘SPORT’ STARS Among the most anticipated movies of 2016, there are at least five films based on sports.

Salman Khan’s Sultan will have him play a 40-year-old wrestling champion from Haryana, Sultan Ali Khan. Aamir Khan will return to the screen after a break of almost two years as Mahavir Singh Phogat in Dangal, another wrestler from Haryana, who fights against odds to make his daughters world champions.

The actor has been tight-lipped about the 78 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

Khan Academy Shah Rukh Khan will have two releases, this year.

In Yash Raj’s Fan, he will get us the story of the biggest fan of a superstar.

Another look that has got every movie buff talking is from Raees. He is all set to come back as a Don, this time a desi one!

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movie. Cricket, also an unofficial religion in this country, will be given a befitting tribute with two biopics on legendary skippers. Sushant Singh Rajput bats for India’s most successful captain MS Dhoni and will be directed by Neeraj Pandey (A Wednesday and Baby fame).

The life of Mohammad Azharuddin, the former skipper, who fell from heights of stardom to rock bottom during the match-fixing scandal, will be explored by Emraan Hashmi.

A reminder of Chak De India, Saala Khadoos is a story of a retired boxing coach training two girls for the championship. This time, R Madhavan will do a Shah Rukh Khan!

WOMEN POWER The trailer of Sonam Kapoor-starrer Neerja has set the ball rolling for women’s show this

Deepika Padukone is going to give 2016 a miss. She has clarified that she is on a break this year year. Kapoor is playing slain air hostess Neerja Bhanot who saved several hundred lives aboard a hijacked plane in ’80s. The movie will release next month. Priyanka Chopra gets tougher as a cop in Prakash Jha’s Jai Gangaajal. The lady is already flying high with the success of international show Quantico.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will debunk glamour for her role of Dalbir Kaur, sister of an Indian farmer Sarabjit Singh who was sentenced to death in Pakistan on charges of spying.

The film is directed by Omung Kumar. Our favourite queen, Kangana Ranaut, is expected to impress again in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon while Tabu may steal thunder in Abhishek Kapoor’s Fitoor. Kareena Kapoor too comes back with Udta Punjab.

DIRECTORS’ CUT They pick up their magic brush once in a full moon and immortalise the

Hollywood Top Picks Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Dir: Zack Snyder Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams

Captain America: Civil War Dir: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr.

The BFG

Dir: Steven Spielberg Cast: Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader, Jemaine Clement

The Jungle Book Dir: Jon Favreau Cast: Lupita Nyongʼo, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba

Kung Fu Panda 3

Dir: Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman

canvas. The most successful directors of our times, Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar, are slated to don director’s hat yet again this year.

The KJo-kind of romance will come alive with Ae Dil Hai Mushkil that has a stellar cast of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor. For Befikre, Yash Raj Films has already confirmed Ranveer Singh in the lead role while Vaani Kapoor is being touted as his heroine in the film.

BACK IN ACTION There are Dabanggs and Khiladis, and then there is Sunny Deol’s ‘dhai kilo ka hath’. It’s been a while since Deol created ‘Gadar’ on screen but he is back with bang this month, recreating his own iconic movie Ghayal.

The trailer of Ghayal Once Again has already impressed his fans who have been eagerly waiting for his comeback!

DIVA ON A BREAK She flattered us with her effortless take as a dotting daughter in Piku, estranged lover in Tamasha and flawless wife in Bajirao Mastani. But the reigning diva of Bollywood, Deepika Padukone, is going to give 2016 a miss. She has clarified that she is not doing any movie this year, be it Bollywood or Hollywood. Disappointed!

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 79

game plan

Federer has won four Australian Open titles in 2004, ’06, ’07 and ’10.

Nadal has one in his kitty, the 2009 title.

The revelry in

rivalry Federer and Nadal have battled it out on the court several times. But, the mutual admiration and off-court bonding is what makes their story stand out

Nadal

Federer

Overall head-to-head Matches 34

2 2 7 1 13 9

Grass

Clay

Hard court

Garima Verma

I

t was in the year 2004 that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal met for the first time on the hallowed surface of a tennis court. The former was the world No. 1 and the Spaniard a 17-year-old who trumped the reigning Swiss. After that, whenever the two faced each other, the world watched. Their relationship has only strengthened over the years.

For six consecutive years, from 2005 to 2010, no one could even get between them. They were just too happy to be sharing the world No. 1 and 2 spots among themselves. Despite the relationship having been built on the fundamental aspect of rivalry, the two always had an overflowing bank of admiration for each other.

Nadal had kept Federer waiting for a Career Grand Slam from 2005 to ’08 and Federer did not let him become the first man since Bjorn Borg to clinch a Channel Slam (Wimbledon and French Open in the same year) till 2008. And, it was that moment in 2008, the Wimbledon final at the All England Club, the mutual respect was there for everyone to see and learn from. Even though dejected at the loss, Federer was magnanimous

80 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

in telling a teary-eyed Rafa and all, “I tried everything, got a little late, but look, Rafa is a deserving champion, he just played fantastic.”

Murray could quit Aus Open if baby arrives early ANDY Murray said he was ready to leave the Australian Open early so as not to miss the birth of his first child.

His wife Kim Sears isn’t expecting until mid-February, but Murray said that he was prepared to withdraw from the first major of the year if she goes into labour prematurely.

“I’d go home. For sure, yes,” Murray said. “I want to make sure at the beginning I am there as much as I can be to try and help out, just be there for whatever is really required of me.”

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The King of Clay (Rafa having won the French Open a record 9 times) was equally thoughtful the next year at Australian Open. Forgetting his triumph, Nadal had his friendly arm around Federer, trying to help him pull himself together to finish the speech.

What adds to the understanding of this relationship is having the opportunity to witness the bonding from close enough quarters. Both were in the Capital recently to play their part in the International Premier Tennis League; Nadal beat Federer, but the result seemed irrelevant when you saw the two volunteer to be the otherʼs inspiration at humour.

Though there have been times when the two have been critical of each other, Federer not taking a liking to Nadalʼs ʻslowʼ style of play and Nadal not finding Federer doing enough for the playersʼ grievances, it almost feels surreal the way they never let go off the grace even in those times. Makes one suspect the human being in the two. But probably, that's why legend is a term reserved for such men. Come January 18 and all will be looking forward for another chapter in this wonderful relationship. Be they serve the rivalry or the revelry, Australian Open 2016 will be richer in any case.

Australian Open 2016 (January 18-31) Watch out for Novak Djokovic The Serbian had scooped up three Grand Slam titles the previous year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open. Would be interesting to see him start off on the same note.

Stanislas Wawrinka The Swiss was the only one to get the better of topseeded Djokovic.

Wawrinka beat him at Roland Garros to stop him from making it a career Grand Slam.

Serena Williams The 34-year-old unstoppable machine sounded warning bells right at the beginning of 2015 by clinching the first Open of the season, only to follow it up with Wimbledon and French Open.

Maria Sharapova It was way back in 2014 that this Russian siren lifted a Grand Slam trophy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; French Open. She would be yearning to avenge her Aus Open final and Wimbledon semifinal loss to Serena.

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Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 81

game plan

Sporting

Facts If Michael Phelps were a country, he’d rank No. 35 on the all-time Olympic gold medal list, ahead of 97 nations.

Golf is the only sport to be played on the moon. In 1971, Alan Shepard hit two golf balls on the moon with a six-iron. One went into a crater and the other ‘sailed for miles and miles’. Both the balls are still there.

Abbas Ali Baig was the first Indian cricketer to be kissed during a Test match. When he reached a half-century in the third Test against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium in 1960, a pretty young girl ran all the way from the North Stand to greet the batsman and kissed Baig on his cheek.

The Olympic rings cover every flag in the world. Yellow, green, red, black, and blue were selected because at least one of those five colours appears in every flag in the world.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, played goalie for the amateur Portsmouth Association Football Club, which would eventually become the Portsmouth Professional team that won the FA Cup in 2008.

1

AB de Villiers took 297 balls for his 43 in the Delhi Test during the recent series between South Africa and India. He had played similar innings against Australia in Adelaide in 2012.

How many deliveries did he face then?

2

Between 1958 and 1970, Brazil won three FIFA World Cup titles. In which year did they not win one?

3

Who was the first-ever Olympic medallist in the history of independent India? Name the sport and year in which the athlete won the medal?

4

How many times has Viswanathan Anand been crowned the World Champion?

5

After boxer MC Mary Kom had won multiple world titles, she was given a title by the womenʼs boxingʼs international body. What was the title?

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 December 2015 issue quiz:

The phrase about winning something ‘hands down’ originally referred to a jockey, who won a race without whipping his horse or pulling back the reins.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Sourav Ganguly Billie Jean King South Korea Steve Waugh Flat side

Only three readers got all the answers right this time: Congratulations Nitin Sainger, Maninder Kumar & Prakriti Sharma.

— Compiled by Garima Verma

82 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

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kid zone

Recycle for

savings

Measure and cut Using a coloured paper of your choice, cut a long wide strip to wrap around the bottle. Apply glue to hold paper in place on the bottle.

New year is a good time to start saving. We teach you to make a fun piggy bank out of water bottle

Draw and cut Draw the inner and outer piggy ear shapes with the paper of your choice.

Once you have cut out the different ear shapes, glue the inner ear shape to the outer ear shape. Then bend back the bottom part of the ear and glue it to the upper side of the bottle.

Add the snout Cut a circle out of pink paper that is the circumference of the bottle cap and glue it onto the bottle top to create the pigʼs snout. Use black puffy paint to create eyes and nostrils.

Create the bank!

Cut a slit at the top of the bottle for coins using your utility knife or box cutter. Strict parental supervision is required during this step.

Use wooden beads as the feet by sticking them to the bottom of the bank.

Make sure to let the beads dry before placing the piggy bank upright.

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• Scissors •C oloured and patterned paper • Water bottles • White craft glue • Pig ear templates • Utility knife • Black puffy paint • Wooden beads • Ruler

Courtesy: sheknows.com

Add the feet

You will NEED

Rail Bandhu - January 2016 | 83

Short takes

Entertainment

Calling

We bring you a selection of movies, music and more for the month

The Revenant

Airlift

Kung Fu Panda 3

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu Cast: Tom Hardy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Domhnall Gleeson Release date: January 8

Director: Raja Krishna Menon Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Feryna Wazheir, Lena Release date: January 22

Director: Alessandro Carloni Cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie Release date: January 29

Set in the 1820s, a frontiersman named Hugh Glass (Leonardo), sets out on a path of vengeance against those who left him for dead after he sustained injuries from a brutal bear attack.

Airlift is set against the backdrop of the Gulf War in 1990. It is the story of 1,70,000 Indians who were stranded in Kuwait during that traumatic time and of the biggest human evacuation in history.

Continuing his ‘legendary adventures of awesomeness’, Po must face two hugely epic but different threats this time; one supernatural and the other, a little closer to his home.

Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India releasing on Jan 12

84 | Rail Bandhu - January 2016

The first game coming to both PS4 and Xbox One is Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India. Further expanding the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles line, this new adventure sees players jump into 1842 India and features the protagonist, Arbaaz Mir. When a Master Templar arrives with a mysterious item that used to belong to the Assassin Order, Mir must discover why he has come, steal back the item and protect his friends and his lover. Some of the weapons introduced are a typical Mughal sword resembling Aruval, Urumi, concealed Katara with Bagh naka, Chakram, smoke bombs, for stealth and distraction a slingshot with rock pellets is also added.

The Ties That Bind: The River Collection Bruce Springsteen

It is a comprehensive look at Bruce Springsteen’s The River era, one of the most pivotal periods in his career. The set contains 52 tracks on four CDs with a wealth of unreleased material, and four hours of never-before-seen video on three DVDs. Top tracks: Roulette, Meet Me In The City and Stray Bullet

www.railbandhu.in

Reading Corner Grab a copy and transport yourself to the world of books House of the Rising Sun James Lee Burke

Burke, named a ‘grand master’ by the Mystery Writers of America and winner of two Edgar awards, is back with a new novel drenched in history and the eternal battle between good and evil. Former Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland is tracking his estranged son Ishmael, a US Army captain who has been wounded in the Battle of the Marne in 1918. Burke gives a vivid backstory, in which the violent eruptions of Hack’s youth drive away Ishmael’s mother. His encounter with a sadistic German arms dealer during the Mexican revolution leaves Hack with a relic that may be the Holy Grail. His search for his son takes him to the notorious New Orleans brothel, The House of the Rising Sun, San Antonio’s red light district and equally atmospheric places.

The Edge of Nowhere C.H. Armstrong

After surviving the Great Depression and Oklahoma Dust Bowl, Victoria Hastings Harrison Greene is not ready to leave the earth before revealing the secrets she’s carried and protected for decades. With the shocking death in her family in her childhood, Victoria was exposed to the harsh reality of the world. With time she masters the art of living a life . She has to make decisions that eventually made her into the woman her grandchildren fear and whisper about. Ones that kept them all alive. Hers is a tale of tragedy, love, murder, and above all, the conviction to never stop fighting.

— Compiled by Garima Verma

star tracker

2016

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

Taurus (Apr 19 - May 19)

Gemini (May 20 - Jun 20)

A new partnership or contract appears to be on the cards. You may get into Mar 20 - Apr 18 a venture, which would have you transacting with the overseas market. Watch out for your mate cheating on you though! A balanced year on the whole.

People in jobs can be assured of an increment and businessmen can look forward to a lot of new ventures. The students among you will get opportunities to go overseas for further studies. An addition to the family is also on the cards.

The disappointments, which you have been facing since the last eight months, are now over.

Financially not a very good year but again, don’t squander it all. You will have gains around April. A good year for people in love.

Health needs attention.

Lucky Colour Turquoise. Lucky No. 9

Lucky Colour Red. Lucky No. 4

Lucky Colour White. Lucky No. 3

Cancer (Jun 21 - Jul 21)

Leo (Jul 22 - Aug 21)

Virgo (Aug 22 - Sep 21)

A very busy year ahead.

Take work-related risks as you could have sudden gains. Money flows in after January but make investments wisely. Do not overspend.

Ups and downs will come in your romantic life. Meditate.

Be careful of losses, both emotional and monetary.

Career wise, a good year for you. For people entangled in court cases, justice is round the corner.

Emotionally, not a good year, so don’t take major decisions in haste.

This is a year of monetary gains.

There will be new projects and fruitful partnerships. The 10th month shows an addition to the family. Do not allow emotions to overpower business deals. Pay attention to health as there could be minor problems.

Lucky Colour Black. Lucky No. 6

Lucky Colour Yellow. Lucky No. 3

Lucky Colour Orange. Lucky No. 7

Libra (Sep 22 - Oct 22)

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 20)

Sagittarius (Nov 21 - Dec 20)

You will face a lot of competition in your field of work so put up that fight and emerge a winner. Be careful of a young man who might try to cheat on you. Be careful of health towards the last two months.

This year is a roller coaster of good and bad. A career opportunity around March and November helps you to ease your financial problems. You might face in your relationship due to a third person.

The first four months show you reigning in your field of expertise. Somebody may come in your life around Valentine’s Day. Financially, a stable year.

Make wise investments this year. Health reads fine.

Lucky Colour Royal blue. Lucky No. 2

Lucky Colour Silver. Lucky No. 9

Lucky Colour Pink. Lucky No. 5

Capricorn (Dec 21 - Jan 19)

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 19)

Delayed issues, court cases etc. will get resolved in the first four months of the year. Put in a lot of hard work because money doesn’t come easy. Watch out for stomach related ailments around August-September.

A lot of overseas travel for you this year. A youngster offers new business around April from where monetary gains start coming. Romance is on the cards. You could be stepping into a new life with the one you love.

You may suffer agony for the first few weeks as you imagine the worst but none is real, so let go of anxiety. Be assured that the 10th month brings much happiness.

You may invest in property or renovate around March.

Lucky Colour Purple. Lucky No. 8

Lucky Colour Gray. Lucky No. 1

Lucky Colour Green. Lucky No. 8

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 - January 2016

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lSj&likVk

iwje dh

ijaijk ge vkidks dsjy esa vk;ksftr gksus okys 6 izeq[k iwje vFkkZr~ xtesyksa ds ckjs esa crk jgs gSaA lkFk gh O;atuksa ,oa xarO;ksa ds fo"k; esa Hkh jkspd tkudkjh ns jgs gSa vfer ikjk’kj

l

p esa ^xkWM~l vksu daVªh* dgykus okys laqnjrk ls ifjiw.kZ dsjy dk izknsf’kd i’kq gkFkh gSA ;gka bls J)k ls ns[kk tkrk gSA /kkfeZd egksRloksa esa bUgsa izeq[krk ls 'kkfey fd;k tkrk gSA nqfu;k esa 'kk;n gh dksbZ ,slk LFkku gksxk tgka gkfFk;ksa dks bruk nqykj ,oa laj{k.k izkIr gksrk gS ftruk fd dsjy esaA ;gka vkus okys i;ZVd ;g ns[kdj grizHk jg tkrs gSa fd bu vk;kstuksa esa cM+h la[;k esa lts&/kts gkFkh lfEefyr fd, tkrs gSaA ;gka vkus okys i;ZVd fo’ks"k :i ls dksMkukM ,oa dksfUu uked xkao tkrs gSa tgka gkFkh ds cPpksa dks ikyk tkrk gSA

6 xtesyksa dk vk;kstu dsjy esa lky dh 'kq#vkr gh xtesyksa ls gksrh gSA tuojh esa ^vMwj xtesyk* gksrk gSA vxj vki gkfFk;ksa dk HkO; tqywl ns[kuk pkgrs gSa rks iFkuifFkÙkk ft+ys ds vMwj {ks= esa fLFkr d`".k dks lefiZr ikFkZlkFkhZ eafnj vo’; tk,aA ;g nl fnolh; okf"kZd vk;kstu gksrk gS ftlesa J)kyqvksa dh HkhM+ eafnj ifjlj esa meM+ iM+rh 88 |

- tuojh 2016

egŸoiw.kZ tkudkjh gkfFk;ksa dks ns[kus i;ZVd iqUukFkwjdksV~Vk tkrs gSaA f=’kwj ft+ys esa xq#ok;qj eafnj ds izca/kd gkfFk;ksa dk vHk;kj.; Hkh lapkfyr djrs gSa tgka gkfFk;ksa dks laj{k.k fn;k tkrk gSA J)kyqx.k ;gka ls gkFkh [+kjhndj eafnj dks nkuLo:i HksaV djrs gSaA www.railbandhu.in

dyk esa LFkku

dsjy esa vk;ksftr gksus okys iwje vFkkZr~ xtesyksa esa x.ks'k ds izfr:i gkfFk;ksa dks lfEefyr u fd;k tk, ,slk laHko gh ugha gS

gSA ;gka ukS lts&/kts gkFkh ,d iafDr esa [kM+s fn[krs gSa tks vkd"kZ.k dk dsanz gksrs gSaA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku psaxkuwj gSA Qjojh esa ikyDdkM ft+ys ds ifj;ueisV~V eafnj esa vk;ksftr lkr fnolh; lekjksg ds vafre fnu ^ifj;ueisV~V iwje* euk;k tkrk gSA ;g dsjy ds oYyqoukn ns’ke dh nsfo;ksa ds csgn yksdfiz; eafnjksa esa ls ,d gSA Hkxorh dks lefiZr bl eafnj esa 'kke dks 21 vyad`r gkfFk;ksa dh 'kksHkk;k=k fudkyh tkrh gSA eafnj ifjlj esa izR;sd 'kke dks FkksYiodqÙkw ¼Nk;k dBiqryh½ ,oa yksddyk lacaf/kr dk;ZØeksa dk Hkh vk;kstu gksrk gSA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku ikyDdkM taD’kuA Qjojh esa gh mÙkjh dsjy ds ikyDdkM ft+ys ds iYyiiqje {ks= esa Jh fpuDdrwj Hkxorh eafnj esa ,d vU; ioZ ^fpuDdrwj iwje* euk;k tkrk gSA blesa yxHkx 33 lts&/kts gkfFk;ksa dk HkO; tqywl fudkyk tkrk gS ftlesa dykdkj ikjaifjd laxhr ok| ctkrs gq, pyrs gSaA 17 fnuksa rd pyus okys bl vk;kstu esa izns’k dh lkaLd`frd >yd ns[kus dks feyrh gSA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku vksV~VIiYye gSA ekpZ esa dksYye ft+ys Jh ifjIiYyh dksfMeqfÙky Jh Hknzdkyh eafnj esa euk, tkus okyk ^ifjIiYyh xtesyk* Hkh de vkd"kZd ugha gksrkA blesa yxHkx 50 lqlfTtr gkfFk;ksa dk tqywl fudkyrs gSaA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku dksYye gSA

dsjy dh laLd`fr tkuus ds fy, /kkfeZd ioksZa dk cgqr egŸo gksrk gSA bu ioksZa dh HkO;rk ns[krs gh curh gS

/kkfeZd vk;kstuksa ds vfrfjDr gkFkh dk dyk esa Hkh vge~ LFkku gSA ;gka ds nLrdkj gkFkh dh dk"B ,oa iRFkjksa dh NksVh&NksVh dykRed ewfrZ;ka cukrs gSaA fr#ouariqje ds dkjhxj xqykc dh ydM+h ls gkFkh dh ltkoVh ewfrZ;ka cukrs gSaA vki ;gka vk;ksftr gksus okys ioksZa ds laca/k esa ftruk tku ik,axs] mruk gh vf/kd vkidks lts vkSj /kts gkfFk;ksa rFkk jax& fcjaxh Nrfj;ksa ds ckjs esa irk pysxkA dk’rdkj gkfFk;ksa dh ewfrZ;ksa dks 'kh’kksa] eksfr;ksa ,oa uDdk’kh ls ltkrs gSaA mudk /;s; ;gh gksrk gS fd ;s gkFkh esys esa 'kkfey gksus okys gkfFk;ksa dh Hkkafr lts&/kts yxsaA nwljh vksj egksRlo esa lfEefyr gksus okys gkfFk;ksa dks ltkus gsrq mi;ksx esa ykbZ tkus okyh lkexzh ,jukdqye ft+ys ds fFk#oudqye ,oa f=’kwj ds vklikl ds bykdksa esa cukbZ tkrh gSaA

mDr lHkh mRloksa esa ls lcls HkO; vk;kstu ^vkjkVViq>k iwje* gksrk gSA vkjkV~Viq>k eafnj dsjy ds izkphure eafnjksa esa ls ,d gSA f=’kwj ft+ys esa euk, tkus okys bl HkO; dk;ZØe esa 61 gkfFk;ksa dks ,d iafDr esa [kM+k fd;k tkrk gSA ,slh ekU;rk gS fd Hkxoku v¸;Iik ls feyus vklikl ds 101 nsoh&nsork vkrs gSaA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku f=’kwj taD’ku gSA ogha vizSy esa ^usUekjk&oYyaxh osy* uked ioZ usfYyDdqyaxj eafnj esa vk;ksftr fd;k tkrk gSA usUekjk ,oa oYyaxh xkao ds yksx usfYydqyaxj Hkxorh dk vk’kh"k ikus ds fy, bldk vk;kstu djrs gSaA blesa vkfr’kckt+h Hkh gksrh gSA ikyDdkM ft+ys dk NksVk xkao usUekjk bl nkSjku fofHkUu xfrfof/k;ksa dk dsanz cu tkrk gSA ioZ ds vafre fnu 30 lqlfTtr gkFkh jax&fcjaxh Nrjh ds uhps [kM+s gksrs gSaA ;g ioZ ey;kye ekg ehue ds 20osa fnu euk;k tkrk gSA dSls igqapsa% ;gka ls fudVre jsyos LVs’ku ikyDdkM taD’ku gSA www.railbandhu.in

- tuojh 2016 | 89

lSj&likVk 2 1

l|k

dsjy ds fuoklh ls jkT; ds e’kgwj [kkus ds ckjs esa iwNus ij vkidks tokc esa l|k gh lquus dks feysxkA dsys ds iÙks ij ijksls tkus okyk l|k 24 O;atuksa ls ifjiw.kZ gksrk gSA 'kq) 'kkdkgkjh Hkkstu esa xqykch jax ds pkoy] lfCt+;ka] uedhu] vpkj o ehBs O;atu vyx&vyx ijksls tkrs gSaA

iqV~Vw ,oa dM+kyk d<+h

iqV~Vw mcys gq, pkoy ,oa ukfj;y dh pVuh ds feJ.k ls cuk csyukdkj O;atu gksrk gSA ogha dM+kyk d<+h dkys pus ls cukbZ tkus okyh dsjy dh yksdfiz; ,oa ikjaifjd d<+h gksrh gSA ;g O;atu u dsoy dUuwj esa vfirq dsjy ds vU; {ks=ksa esa Hkh e’kgwj gSA

3

bfM;Iie

bls dsjy dk Økafrdkjh O;atu dguk vfr’;ksfDr ugha gksxkA ^bfM* dk eryc VwVk gqvk vkSj ^vIie* dk vFkZ pkoy dk iSudsd gSA ;g pkoy vFkok jkxh ds vkVs] ued ,oa ikuh dh enn ls curk gSA veweu bls uk’rs esa izeq[krk ls [kkrs gSaA jkf=Hkkst esa bls fofHkUu izdkj dh d<+h rFkk ukfj;y dh pVuh ds lkFk [kkus dk izpyu gSA

6

;s vkidks dsjy dh ikjaifjd ikd&dyk dh tkudkjh nsus ds lkFk vius Lokn dk izHkko vkids eu&efLr"d ij NksM+saxs

4

,fjLlsjh

dsjy esa feyus okyh Lokfn"V d<+h esa ls ,fjLlsjh ,d csgn yksdfiz; 'kkdkgkjh d<+h gSA blesa gYdh lh feBkl fy, gq, dn~nw rFkk elwj dh lw[kh nky feykbZ tkrh gSA Hkkr ,oa uhj Mkslk ds lkFk [kkus esa ;g et+snkj yxrh gSA

90 |

- tuojh 2016

6 5

oV~Vk;Iie

dIik

LVkpZ ls ifjiw.kZ ;g O;atu orZeku esa lHkh dh igyh ilan cu x;k gSA VSfivksdk dks mckydj ,oa elydj cuk, tkus okyh bl [kk| lkexzh dks vki uk’rs] nksigj ds [kkus vFkok dHkh Hkh Hkw[k lrkus ij bldk Lokn p[k ldrs gSaA ;g cukus esa Hkh cgqr vklku gksrh gSA

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pk; ds lkFk [kkus dh pht+ dk ft+Ø gksrs gh oV~Vk;Iie dk /;ku rqjar vkrk gSA pkoyksa ls cus bl uje ,oa Qwys gq, dsd esa fdf’e’k ,oa byk;ph ikmMj dk Lokn feyrk gSA gj ?kj esa cuus okyk ;g dsd jkT; dh lHkh csdfj;ksa esa Hkh feyrk gSA

ufn;ksa ,oa gkmlcksV ds fy, yksdfiz; izns'k dsjy esa i;ZVdksa ds fy, ns[kus gsrq cgqr dqN gSA ge vkidks muesa ls dqN fo'ks"k LFkyksa ds laca/k esa tkudkjh ns jgs gSa

tyizikr

dsjy ds csgn yksdfiz; >juksa esa vfrjIiYyh ,oa ok>kpy 'kkfey gSaA pyDdqMh unh ij fLFkr ;s tyizikr vkidks if’peh ?kkV ij Åijh bykds ij feysaxsA vfrjIiYyh >juk 80 QqV dh ÅapkbZ ls fxjrk gSA ;gka ls ikap fdyksehVj dh nwjh ij 'kksy;kj ds ?kus taxyksa ds e/; ok>kpy >juk fLFkr gSA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku pyDdqMh gSA

iqjkrRo laxzgky;

gky gh esa bls dksysaxksM+ egy ls ’kDru FkEiqju egy esa LFkkukarfjr fd;k x;k gSA blesa vL= o ’kL=] ewfrZ;ka] rkM+ ds iŸkksa ij jfpr ikaMqfyfi;ka] eafnjksa dh izfrewfrZ;ka] feV~Vh ds crZu] dy’k ,oa fHkfŸkfp= j[ks x, gSaA lkseokj ,oa jk"Vªh; vodk’k ij ;g can jgrk gSA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku f=’kwj gSA

dMyqaMh i{kh fogkj

}hiksa ds lewg ij fLFkr bl i{kh fogkj esa vkidks if{k;ksa dh 60 ds djhc iztkfr;ka ns[kus dks feysaxhA ;g dMyqaMh unh ds eqgkus ij fLFkr gS tgka og vjc lkxj esa feyrh gSA blds fudV fLFkr NksVh igkfM+;ksa ls 200 ehVj dh ÅapkbZ ij ls ifjanksa dh xfrfof/k;ka ns[k ldsaxsA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku dksf>dksM gSA

chekiYyh njxkg

jkT; ds fr#ouariqje 'kgj esa fLFkr chekiYyh njxkg 'kjhQ+ ,d yksdfiz; bcknrxkg gSA ;g njxkg ch mEek uked ,d /kkfeZd efgyk ds uke ij cuh gSaA izR;sd o"kZ ekpZ&vizSy esa ;gka nl fnuksa rd panudqne ioZ vFkok chekiYyh mlZ euk;k tkrk gSA ;g mlZ dsjy ds izfl) ioksZa esa ls ,d gSA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku fr#ouariqje gSA

csDdy fdyk

;g lcls cM+s ,oa lajf{kr fdyksa esa ls ,d gSA blds fudV lqanj leqnzh rV Hkh gSA LFkkuh; yksxksa ds fy, ;g ilanhnk fidfud LFky gSA ;gka fLFkr Vªh gkml esa i;ZVd vkjke ds iy fcrk ldrs gSaA leqnz fdukjs pgydneh djrs gq, lSykuh izkd`frd ut+kjksa ds vkuan ys ldrs gSaA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku dkljxksM gSA

,MkDdy xqQ+k,a

mŸkjh dsjy esa fLFkr vEcqdqBh igkM+h esa fLFkr gSa ;s xqQ+k,aA ik"kk.k ;qx dh fofo/k ekuoh; xfrfof/k;ksa dk ys[kk&tks[kk tkuus esa ;s xqQ+k,a lgk;d fl) gksaxhA budh nhokjksa ij fo|eku fyfi;ksa] ekuo vkd`fr] pØ] crZuksa] pkdqvksa o o`{kksa dh vkd`fr;ksa ls Lof.kZe vrhr dk irk pyrk gSA dSls igqapsa% fudVre jsyos LVs’ku dksf>dksM gSA

www.railbandhu.in

- tuojh 2016 | 91

jlhyk Lokn

euHkkou

xtd

vkt ckt+kj esa feBkb;ksa dh Hkjekj gS fdarq ikjaifjd xtd dk Lokn vkt Hkh yksxksa ds flj p<+dj cksyrk gS fiz;adk ljhu

l

nhZ dh 'kq#vkr ds lkFk gh R;ksgkjksa dk flyflyk Hkh 'kq: gks tkrk gSA R;ksgkjksa o BaM dk vlyh et+k xqM+] xUus vkSj xtd ds fcuk v/kwjk gSA ;wa rks vki gj 'kgj esa bu xtd ds Lokn dk vkuan ys ldrs gSa ijarq esjB] eqjSuk vkSj y[kuÅ dh xtd dh ckr gh fujkyh gSA esjB] eqjSuk vkSj y[kuÅ dk lkS lkyksa ls Hkh T+;knk iqjkuk xtd dk Lokn u dsoy ns’kHkj esa cfYd fons’kksa rd esa viuh txg cuk pqdk gSA ,d vksj eqjSuk dh xtd tgka vius ikjaifjd Lokn ds fy, e’kgwj gS] ogha esjB dh xtd esa vki nslh vkSj ¶+;wtu nksuksa dk et+k ys ldrs gSaA 92 |

- tuojh 2016

fofo/k izdkj dh xtd esa fry ls cuh Lokfn"V xtd LokLF; ds fy, Hkh dkjxj fl) gksrh gS

www.railbandhu.in

vki Hkh cukb, xtd lkexzh% l

,d di fry 200 xzke xqM+ l nks pEep ?kh vkSj l vk/kk pEep bykbph dk ikmMj l

fof/k% ÝkbZ iSu esa fry dks /kheh vkap ij Hkwu ysaA ,d vksj xqM+ dks vk/kk di ikuh ds lkFk xeZ djds 'khjk cuk ysaA Hkqus gq, fry dks 'khjs esa Mky dj feyk,aA ,d Fkkyh ysa vkSj bl ij vPNh rjg ls ?kh yxk dj ml Fkkyh ij 'khjk Q+Syk nsaA /;ku jgs fd fry okyk 'khjk ,d lsaVhehVj ls vf/kd eksVk u Q+Syk gksA tc ;g BaMk gks tk, rc mls pkdw dh enn ls eu pkgs vkdkj esa dkV ysaA xtd rS;kj gks tk,xhA xqM+ ,oa fry ls xtd cukus dh izfØ;k cgqr ikjaifjd gksrh gS rFkk blesa /kS;Z dh vko';drk iM+rh gS

csgrjhu fodYi ^^lfnZ;ksa esa lsgr ds fygkt+ ls fry] xqM+] ?kh vkSj mlls cuh xtd dks vPNk fodYi ekuk tkrk jgk gSA fdarq ekStwnk le; esa cgqr ls yksx ehBs ls ijgst+ djrs gq, buls nwj gh jgrs gSaA ,sls esa LokLF; dh n`f"V ls vkids [kkus esa fry ,d csgrjhu fodYi gSA fdlh Hkh txg dh xtd ogka ds dkjhxjksa o yksxksa dh otg ls e’kgwj gksrh gSA vc Ykksx xtd esa Hkh fofHkUu Lokn ,oa fofo/krk pkgrs gSaA ,slh ifjfLFkfr esa ckt+kj esa u, izdkj dh xtd vkus ls yksxksa ds ikl fodYi c<+ tkrs gSaA orZeku le; esa yksx ¶+;wtu ds lkFk&lkFk ikjaifjd Lokn dks ilan djrs gSaA** &tujy eSustj 'kSQ+ nsojkt gYnj n mIiy] ,u bZdksVsy gksVy] fnYyh

vkt yksxksa dks ikjaifjd xtd ds Lokn ds lkFk&lkFk fofHkUu izdkj dh ¶+;wtu xtd [kkuk Hkh csgn ilan gS D;k gS fo’ks"krk eqjSuk dh e’kgwj xtd lkyksa igys fry] ?kh vkSj 'kDdj okys xqM+ ls cukbZ tkrh FkhA fdarq oDr ds lkFk 'kDdj okyk xqM+ cuuk can gks x;k vkSj mldh txg phuh ,oa 'kgn us ys yhA ,sls esa ogka ds ikjaifjd Lokn dks cjdjkj j[kus ds fy, dkjhxj vc Hkh fry] ?kh] xqM+ ds lkFk 'kDdj dks vyx ls feykdj iqjkus ikjaifjd Lokn okyh xtd cukrs gSaA ogha esjB dh ikjaifjd xtd lnk ls yksxksa dh ilanhnk jgh gSA vc yksxksa dh #fp esa fofo/krk vk pqdh gSA ,sls esa vxj vki Hkh ikjaifjd xtd ds lkFk&lkFk pkWdysV] ikbu,Iiy] osfuyk] fiT+t+k] e’k:e] esok xtd ,oa xtd ds gyos ds Lokn dk vkuan ysuk pkgrs gSa rks esjB vkids fy, mi;qDr LFky gks ldrk gSA www.railbandhu.in

ilan esa fofo/krk fiNys 60 lkyksa ls xtd cukus okyh esjB dh e’kgwj nqdku ^24 dSjsV LohV~l* ds lanhi us crk;k fd ikjaifjd xtd ds izfr yksxksa dh #fp dHkh Hkh de ugha gksxhA fdarq [kku&iku ds 'kkSdhu yksx vc xtd esa Hkh uohurk ,oa fo’ks"krk dh ekax djus yxs gSaA blfy, muds fy, dbZ u, fodYi miyC/k gSa ftuesa pkWdysV] osfuyk] fny[kq’k] 'kkyhekj] feYd xtd izeq[k gSaA yksxksa dks budk Lokn cgqr Hkk jgk gSA yksxksa dh ilan dks /;ku esa j[krs gq, bl lky xtd dh ubZ ojkbVh fiT+t+k xtd Hkh 'kkfey fd;k x;k gSA yksx bls Hkh cgqr ilan dj jgs gSaA bruk gh ugha tks yksx de dSyjh ds [kk| inkFkZ [kkuk pkgrs gSa muds fy, yks dSyjh xtd dk fodYi Hkh miyC/k djk,axsA

vkdkj&izdkj esa varj Lokn ,oa vkdkj ds vfrfjDr ikjaifjd xtd tgka vkerkSj ij uje gksrh gSa ogha ;s ubZ izdkj dh xtd dqjdqjh vkSj [kLrk gksrh gSaA blds vykok xtd cukus dk rjhdk Hkh vyx gksrk gSA lanhi us crk;k fd lHkh xtd esa fry ihldj Mkyrs gSa fdarq 'kkyhekj xtd dh ;gh fo’ks"krk gS fd blesa lkcqr fry Mkys tkrs gSa tks mlds Lokn dks vyx cukrk - tuojh 2016 | 93

jlhyk Lokn

xtd dk bfrgkl

ckt+kj esa feyus okyh xtd ds lkFk&lkFk vki ?kj ij Hkh Lokfn"V xtd cuk ldrs gSa

94 |

- tuojh 2016

xtd cukus dh 'kq#vkr dgka ls gqbZ ;g dguk rks dfBu gS fdarq e/; çns’k] mÙkj çns’k] jktLFkku vkSj iatkc esa xtd cMs+ pko ls cukbZ o [kkbZ tkrh gSA e/; çns’k ds eqjSuk esa xtd cukus okyksa dk nkok gS fd bldh 'kq#vkr eqjSuk ls gqbZA LFkkuh; yksx crkrs gSa fd eqjSuk ds f’kogjs ifjokj us djhc nl n’kd igys xtd cukuk vkjaHk fd;k FkkA rc mUgksaus xqM+ vkSj fry dks feykdj frydqfV;k uke dh ,d feBkbZ cukbZ FkhA bl Lokfn"V frydqfV;k dh ekax c<+us yxhA frydqfV;k dk fcxM+k gqvk :i xtd cuhA eqjSuk vkSj Xokfy;j esa xtd cukus okys dkjhxj xoZ ls crkrs gSa fd pacy ds ikuh dh rklhj gh dqN ,slh gS fd og xtd dks [+kLrk cuk nsrh gSA bu ckrksa dks iwjh rjg lp u Hkh ekuk tk, rks Hkh LFkkuh; tyok;q ds çHkko dks ut+jankt+ ugha fd;k tk ldrkA eqjSuk ls yxHkx 35 fd-eh- nwj cls Xokfy;j esa xtd ds lkFk reke fdLe ds ç;ksx 'kq: gq,A vkerkSj ij xtd cM+h cQ+hZ ds vkdkj dh dkVh tkrh FkhA fdarq vc bls fLçax jksy dk vkdkj Hkh fn;k tkrk gSA xtd esa reke rjg ds esos feyk, tkus dk pyu gSA esjB ,oa eqjSuk ds vfrfjDr y[kuÅ esa Hkh Lokfn"V xtd [kkus dks feysxhA ;g rks loZfofnr gS fd gj {ks= dh xtd esa dqN vyx gh Lokn p[kus dks feyrk gSA ;g fo'ks"k LFky dh tyok;q ,oa ikuh ds Lokn ds dkj.k laHko gks ikrk gSA www.railbandhu.in

mŸkjh Hkkjr ds fofHkUu jkT;ksa esa vkidks [kLrk xtd dk Lokn p[kus dks feysxk

Hkkjr esa yksx xtd dsoy Lokn ds fy, gh ugha [kkrs vfirq lnhZ ls cpus gsrq Hkh budk fu;fer :i ls lsou djrs gSa gSA ogha fiT+t+k dh eYVhiy VkWfiaXl dh Hkkafr fiT+t+k xtd esa uV~l dh eYVhiy VkWfiax dh tkrh gSA mls ?kh esa Mqckdj ijkslk tkrk gSA

lsgr ds fy, mi;qDr iqjkus le; ls gh lfnZ;ksa ds ekSle esa lsgr dks nq#Lr cuk, j[kus ds fy, fry] xqM+ vkfn xje pht+ksa dks egÙo fn;k tkrk jgk gSA ,sls esa xtd muds Lokn o lsgr nksuksa gh n`f"Vdks.k ls csgn Q+k;nsean gSA esjB dh ,d vU; e’kgwj nqdku ^jkepanz lgk; jktsanz dqekj jsoM+h okys* ds dq’kku us crk;k fd ikjaifjd ,oa ubZ ojkbVh esa vyx Lokn okyh xtd ds lkFk gh lsgr ds fygkt+ ls gekjh e’k:e xtd [+kkl gSA blesa ehBk de ,oa fry vf/kd gksrk gS tks yksxksa dh vPNh lsgr ,oa Lokn nksuksa ds fy, csgrjhu fodYi gSA xtd dh rklhj xeZ gksrh gS vkSj ;g ikpu fØ;k nq#Lr j[krh gSA lfnZ;ksa esa [kkuk [kkus ds ckn izfrfnu xtd [kkus ls gkt+ek nq#Lr jgrk gSA

?kjsyw uqL[+ks

vko';d gS

l gs r dk /;ku

ekSle cnyrs gh ifjtu vdlj lkekU; chekfj;ksa ls xzflr gks tkrs gSaA mfeZyk usxh crk jgh gSa fd ?kjsyw mipkj ls vki ?kj ij viuk ,oa vius ifjokj dk fo’ks"k /;ku j[k ldrs gSa 1

;fn vki uhan u vkus dh chekjh ls ijs’kku gSa rks dqN fnu cSxu ds HkrsZ esa 'kgn feykdj [kk,aA vkidh ijs’kkuh fuLlansg nwj gks tk,xhA

4

e/kqesg ls ihfM+r gSa] rks jkr esa esFkh ds nkus ikuh esa fHkxksdj j[k nsaA lqcg mBdj og ikuh ih ysa ,oa esFkh ds nkus /khjs&/khjs pck,aA

2

3

lfnZ;ksa esa vdlj xys ds jksx ls tw>uk iM+rk gSA lqcg&lqcg lkSaQ pckus ls xys dh [k+jk’k nwj dh tk ldrh gSA

5

vkaoys ds jl ds lkFk 'kgn feykdj [kkus ls eksfr;k fcan ls ihfM+r O;fDr dks bl jksx ls NqVdkjk feysxkA

6

vkidks nk<+ ds nnZ dh leL;k gS rks ghax dks :bZ esa yisVdj nnZ okys LFkku ij j[ksaA vkidks nnZ ls vkjke feysxkA

daBekyk esa lwtu ls NqVdkjk ikus ds fy, xys eas cjxn dk iÙkk xeZ djds cka/ksa o cjxn dk nw/k yxk,aA vkjke feysxkA

7

Ckky c<+kus ds fy, csjh ds iÙks vkSj lhrk Qy ds cht ihldj ckyksa dh tM+ksa ij yxk,aA blls cky 'kh?kzrk ls c<+rs gSaA

xq.kdkjh rŸo 'kjhj esa jDr dh deh dks nwj djus esa ,yksfojk cgqr dkjxj fl) gksrk gSA ,yksfojk 'kjhj dks lkS"Bo iznku djus ds vfrfjDr ckyksa dks dkafr Hkh iznku djrk gSA

8

;fn Ekqag esa Nkys gksa rks dRFkk o eqysBh ds pw.kZ esa 'kgn feykdj eqag ds Nkyksa ij yxk,aA Nkys /khjs&/khjs nwj gksus yxsaxsA

'kjhj esa okr] fiŸk vkSj [kkalh ls NqVdkjk ikus esa f=Q+yk jkeck.k fl) gksrk gSA blds fu;fer mi;ksx ls flj] peZ ,oa ikpufØ;k lacaf/kr jksxksa ls eqfDr fey tkrh gSA

9

jksxksa ls yM+us ds fy, izfrjks/kd {kerk c<+kus gsrq fxyks; ds iŸkksa dk lsou ykHkdkjh fl) gksxkA ok;jy esa dkjxj gSa ;s iŸksA

10

dslj ds fu;fer lsou ls ,dkxzrk ,oa Lej.k 'kfDr esa c<+ksŸkjh gksrh gSA cPpksa dks lnhZ&T+kqdke ls cpkus ds fy, mUgsa nw/k esa dslj Mkydj nsaA

uhcw ds ,d Hkkx ij dkyh fepZ o nwljs ij dkyk ued yxkdj vkx ij lsd ysaA mldk jl pwlsaA isV dh tyu nwj gksxhA

www.railbandhu.in

- tuojh 2016 | 95

:i&lTtk 1

3

2

flj dk rkt

fofo/krkvksa ls ifjiw.kZ Hkkjr esa ikx&ixfM+;ka Hkh izpqj ek=k esa ns[kus dks feyrh gSaA ge vkidks fofHkUu izkarksa esa igus tkus okyh Vksfi;ksa ,oa ixfM+;ksa ls voxr djk jgs gSa jsy ca/kq Vhe 1

d'ehjh Vksih

d’ehj esa ikjaifjd :i ls igus tkus okyh ;g Vksih Q+kjlh HksM+ dkjkdqy ds eksVs ckyksa ls curh gSA dM+kds dh BaM ls cpus esa ;g dkjxj fl) gksrh gSA bl bykds ds yksx ih<+h&nj&ih<+h ;g Vksih igurs vk jgs gSaA ;g Vksih 'kku dk izrhd cu xbZ gSA 96 |

- tuojh 2016

2

igkM+h Vksih

3

nsoHkwfe fgekpy izns’k esa ;g Vksih u dsoy yksxksa dh 'kku gS vfirq ;gka vkus okys vfrfFk;ksa dks migkj Lo:i nh tkrh gSaA gjs&yky jax ds cSaM dh Vksfi;ka jkeiqj ds fuoklh igurs gSaA dqYyw esa LysVh ;k Hkwjs jax dh vuks[ks cSaM dh Vksih igurs gSaA

yn~nk[kh Vksih

bl bykds ds iq#"kksa ,oa efgykvksa }kjk iguh tkus okyh Vksfi;ka ns[kus esa ,d leku yxrh gSaA fdarq efgykvksa dh Vksih ihNs ls dkSM+h] fjCcu ,oa Qwyksa ls lqlfTtr gksrh gSaA dM+kds dh BaM esa LFkkuh; yksx blls vius dku <d ysrs gSaA

www.railbandhu.in

vki tkurs gSa\ yksdfiz; xk;d o laxhrdkj fnoaxr eUuk Ms us vkRedFkk esa fy[kk Fkk fd ,d ckj fnlEcj esa d'ehj esa viuk dk;ZØe izLrqr djus x,A fdarq dM+kds dh BaM ds dkj.k og dk;ZØe izLrqr djus esa vlgt eglwl dj jgs FksA rHkh muds ,d iz'kald us mUgsa dkjkdqy dh Vksih HksaVLo:i nhA ;g Vksih eUuk Ms vafre le; rd igurs jgs FksA

5

4

7

6

10

4

8

9

iatkch nLrkj

fl[k leqnk; ds yksx bls /kkj.k djuk vfuok;Z ,oa /kkfeZd xq#vksa dh nsu ekurs gSaA mRd`"V lwrh eyey ls cuh nLrkj ikap ehVj yach ,oa ,d ehVj pkSM+h gksrh gSA fl[k vius yacs ds’k dks <dus ds fy, gh bls /kkj.k djrs gSaA

5

jktLFkkuh lkQ+k

jktLFkku esa ikjaifjd :i ls iguh tkus okyh ;g ixM+h vFkok lkQ+k bl jkT; dh ikjaifjd iks’kkd dk vfHkUu vax gSA bl e#Hkwfe esa gj 15 fdyksehVj dh nwjh ds ckn vkidks bu ixfM+;ksa ds vkdkj&izdkj esa varj feysxkA

6

iXxM+ vFkok [kaMok

gfj;k.kk esa iq#"kksa }kjk iguh tkus okys iXxM+ dks [kaMok Hkh dgrs gSaA yksx lkekU;r% lQ+sn jax ds ;s [kaMok iguuk ilan djrs gSaA fdarq fo'ks"k vk;kstuksa ,oa fookg lekjksgksa ds nkSjku eq[; :i ls xqykch] gjs ,oa ihys jax dh ixfM+;ka ns[kus dks feyrh gSaA

7

ejkBh dsljh Q+sVk

egkjk"Vª esa fookg lekjksg] ioZ o /kkfeZd vk;kstuksa esa dsljh jax dh ikjaifjd ixM+h iguus dk izpyu gSA dksYgkiqjh Q+sVk] f’kans’kkgh ixM+h rFkk iqusjh ixM+h Hkh ns[kus dks feyrh gSaA is’kokdkyhu] pØh ¼ikxksVs½] lk/kh ,oa tjrkjh iguus dh ijaijk gSA

www.railbandhu.in

8

ef.kiqjh ixM+h

;gka ij fo’ks"k vk;kstuksa ij iguh tkus okyh uk;kc ikjaifjd ixM+h dksd;sV dgykrh gSaA iq#"k bls fookg lekjksg ij Hkh igurs gSaA 'osr ixM+h ij Lof.kZe jax ds js’eh ckWMZj okyh ;g ixM+h ns[kus esa 'kkunkj yxrh gSA

9

vle dh Vksih

jkT; ds pjokgksa ,oa d`"kdksa }kjk iguh tkus okyh ikjaifjd Vksih tkih dgykrh gSA bls fo’ks"k lekjksgksa ij iguus dh ijaijk gSA blds vykok jkT; esa vkus okys vfrfFk;ksa ds lEeku esa vk;ksftr vfrfFk lekjksgksa esa tkih igukus dh izkphu ijaijk gSA

10

xqtjkrh ixfM+;ka

xqtjkr dh e#Hkwfe ftruh jax&fcjaxh ,oa jgL;e;h gksrh gS mruh gh jaxhu ogka ds iq#"kksa }kjk iguh tkus okyh ixfM+;ka gksrh gSaA ca/kuh dh Hkkafr fn[kus okys diM+s ls fufeZr ;s vkd"kZd ixfM+;ka ogka dh laLd`fr dh |ksrd gSaA

- tuojh 2016 | 97

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