28.01.20
I woke up around 08:00 this morning and then I had this notion to check my various train tickets again … You never know … I did not want to miss any of the trains back to Delhi … What time was the Himalayan Queen – for which I had bought the ticket in Delhi – leaving tomorrow? … 29.01. … Oooohhhhh nooooooo … That newly bought ticket was for 30.01.! Damn! I had messed up the dates! … Sh..t! … Typical … what the …
Immediately I checked the other tickets – I still had the one for Rs 40 for the later train – the hardcore train – to Kalka and it was for 29.01.! As well as the ticket for Delhi – that was for 30.01.! Perfect, at least I would not get stuck here … I had to be back on 30.01.!
Well, not all was lost … I dressed quickly and walked down to the train station. The weather was miserable today, it was foggy and raining. At least it was not pouring down … yet. It took me only 10 min to get down to the train station – up the elevator and a little more up the hill and then it was all downhill from there. But it was wet … I found the reservation office quickly and the lady there checked my ticket and if there was availability for tomorrow … No, sorry! No tickets available for tomorrow anymore. What you can do is – come at 09:00 and try to get an unreserved ticket. They open on the day of travel and are sold on a first come first serve basis. If you are an experienced traveler, you can do that. – Madam, I have this ticket for the later train, can you check if it is confirmed? – Well, yes, it is confirmed. You have a valid ticket! Take that one. If you have a hotel reservation in Kalka anyway, that is no problem! – I guess I will do that then … Can you refund me the wrong ticket? – You have to fill in this form and then I can check … she handed me a form and I quickly filled it in – much paperwork in India everywhere … Here you go, Madam. – OK, let me check … Ooops, you get Zero refund on that ticket! – What? Why? – It is a non-refundable ticket. – Can I give it to somebody else? – No you cannot. It is personalized. – Well, then I take it for souvenir … Rs 375 down the drain … Note to self – better check all dates and times properly next time!
The rain had gotten a bit more and the fog thicker while I was at the train station, so I walked back to the hotel. Without luggage it took me 15 min to reach the elevator. All the time I was contemplating what to do tomorrow. If I checked out early and went to line up for an unreserved ticket, I might be lucky to get on the 10:40 train in the morning. But if I did not get a ticket, then I would have to hang around until 14:15 without a hotel room in this weather. I could leave the bag in the cloak room, but still. If I went down to try and get a ticket without checking out, then I would have to run back up and hurriedly pack and check out and run back down in order to catch that earlier train. I estimated at least 45 min for that tour up and down again. But if I did not get a ticket, at least I still had the hotel room … Then again … unreserved seating had only very small windows on the coach and was very crowded. At least my ticket for the Shimla Kalka Passenger #52458 was a reserved seat. The train makes 16 stops and has very basic old-style carriages. Oh my …will see tomorrow …
For now I went back to the hotel and put the heater back on. I sat to write more – there was still catching up on the Brahmaputra Cruise to do. The resident monkeys did not care about the rain and obviously they were also aclimatized to the mountains – they were running up and down the stairs outside my window all morning. The weather forecast said rain until 11:00 … So I was just going to hang out and check the view from my room for any improvement regularly before I went out for a walk again.
Indeed, around 10:30 the clouds lifted and the rain stopped. I could see the mountains in the distance! Time to get ready for an excursion to find a secret box. I went down to reception to ask what time check out was tomorrow and the guy was happy enough to grant me a 13:00 check out for free. Thank you very much, sir! – I also ask him if there was a public bus to Sanjauli – a village or maybe a suburb of Shimla – some 5 km away. There was a geocache hidden there and I was determined to find it or at least photo log. First he wanted to sell me a taxi for Rs 1500 – No no sir, no taxi! There must be a public bus going there! – Oh yes, you go through the tunnel to the left to Old Bus Stand and ask for bus to Sanjauli! Go! – Through the Victory Tunnel? Is it possible to walk? – Yes yes, of course! Go! After tunnel to the left!
Off I went and sure enough there was a walkway through the short tunnel and there was absolutely no climbing up the hill along way! Why did google maps send me walking across the ridge up and down to my hotel yesterday, if I could have done it without any of that through the tunnel? Damn! Now I knew an even shorter and faster and flatter way to the train station!
After the tunnel I walked along the road to the left – it was slightly downhill to the Old Bus Stand. I could see it from afar for all the local busses.
Right next to the bus stand was also the Baba Bhalku Rail Museum Shimla – It had an interesting entrance … and it was on my list to visit while in town … but first I wanted to go to find that secret box …
I had to ask around a bit to find a bus to Sanjauli – there were no signs in English on the busses and no displays either – it was the regular Indian bus stand mayhem … After I had approached 3 bus drivers asking – everyone pointing me in a different direction – I found a ticket guy that was helpful – he sent me back to the entrance and said the bus to Sanjauli would leave right there … just ask … you sure? … yes, that bus over there … I quickly made my way back to the entrance having that bus in sight all the time and lucky it did not leave … yet … it started rolling … Sir, you going Sanjauli? … I shouted from afar to the ticket guy by the door before he closed it … he blew his signal whistle for the driver to stop again … Yes, Sanjauli! Yes yes! … OK, thank you! … he waved me to hurry up and get in …
I hopped on and found a seat by the window next to the door. I had studied the map and knew on the left was the best view. The bus was not full, just a few passengers. I squeezed in the very Indian sized bench and paid Rs 10 to the ticket guy. Off we went.
The bus ride was uneventful but interesting. It took maybe 15 to 20 min. The views were great along the way. The sky had cleared a bit and visibility was good. The road was winding its way up the side of the mountain.
Sanjauli is a main suburb of the town of Shimla and located at an average altitude of 2398 m. An area of unique architecture, there is a wide and long market area from Sanjauli Chowk to the Sanjauli-Dhali Tunnel built in the British era. Sanjauli is situated below Jhakoo Hill – on the opposite side of the hill from Shimla. The bus followed what they call the cicular road and it was the fastest option eventhough it was some 8 km. I had thought about walking there – It is accessible on foot from The Mall Road which takes apparently approx 40 min on a leisurely walk … But with the weather and all … the bus was the best option.
When the bus reached the main Sanjauli Baazar it circled around a traffic roundabout and everybody got off … so did I. I got my mobile GPS out and followed the bazaar road toward my destination. Still it was fairly clear and I thought to take photos on the way down. At the moment I was focused on getting there to find that secret box …
My geocaching map led me along the main bazaar road – I could see the red Dhingu Mandir on top of the hill – somewhere up there was that geocache. I knew, if I wanted to find that secret box I needed to climb that hill … and I forgot to take a photo of the temple as well …
Maps lead me to a turn off and steep sets of deserted stairs between houses led uphill. No other people were going there, but I had to get up that hill. So I huffed and puffed and wheezed up those stairs through residential buildings. Luckily all the gates between the houses were unlocked and open. In the end I had to pass a private drive way and reached a road. From there it was an entrance gate with a red stair case leading uphill to the temple and I followed that. Steep! Huffing …. Puffing … wheezing … I am in totally no shape at all! Damn, I am getting old … I need to do more exercise …
While I was huffing up, all of a sudden clouds rolled in over the ridge and it started raining again. But I was so close to the temple, I did not give up … I went on. Who cares! It was just rain!
The geocache was actually not at the Dhingu Mandir, but at the Jonang Takten Phuntsok Choeling Buddhist Monastery – what a long name – just below it. According to the online logs nobody had been there since 2018 and even they did not find it … But it had a phone number to call in case you did not find it. I tried if it had whatsapp, but no … So I decided to just go and photolog. Since the cache was not disabled … who is going to judge me?
It was a typical Buddhist Monastery in the Himalayas and at the time I got there – around noon – all the young monks had received their lunch and ran with their plates across the courtyard to their quarters to eat it.
Nobody was bothered about me walking on the terrace. Even with the rain the view was still OK. I took a look around and my GPS showed I was 2.84 m close to the GPS marker … but sure there was nothing that looked remotely like a secret box.
Sanjauli is in fact a Buddhist Heaven – going by Buddhist beliefs it is generously blessed. Thousands of colourful flags carrying printed Buddhist prayers and images of the mystic Wind Horse, flutter on top of the hill that overlooks this town. I did not see too many due to the increasing poor visibility today … The flags apparently have been there since 1962 when Lama Jinpa – a prominent Tibetan refugee monk – established the Jonang Monastery at the top of Sanjauli Hill.
I took some photos and then decided to keep climbing the last meters to the Hindu temple. I could see it and it was really not far away. The rain now got stronger, though … I made it up the last stairs to Dhingu Mandir. It is absolutely not uncommon that Buddhists and Hindus share the same hills for their temples and sometimes they even worship the same temples … after all Buddha is one of Vishnu’s Avatars … But the people are also very open when it comes to religion.
Dhingu Mata Temple is a well-known and famous religious place. In good weather it is easy to see the surroundings from up there, but not today. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Durga – Goddess of war, the warrior form of Parvati, whose mythology centers around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity and Dharma, the power of good over evil. Durga is also a fierce form of the protective Mother Goddess, who unleashes her divine wrath against the wicked for the liberation of the oppressed and entails destruction to empower creation. She is imagined to be terrifying and destructive when she has to be, but benevolent and nurturing when she needs to be. According to history, some Buddhist traditions adopted Vedic and Hindu ideas and symbols. The Tantric traditions of Buddhism included Durga and developed the idea further. Maybe therefore the temple here is called Dhingu Mata and is so close to a Buddhist Temple.
In the early periods of the 19th Century, Gurkhas from Nepal ruled Simla – or now called Shimla. In 1804 the Sikh Armed Force moved up to the hills and battled against the Gurkhas. Subsequent to losing a large number of their soldiers during serious a thrashing from the Sikh Army in Kangra, they moved to Shimla and assaulted the encompassing hill states creating a grand level of disturbance. They also built Sanjauli Fort – which has now been supplanted by the temple Dhingu Mandir. In good weather it is said to have a 360° view over the surrounding hills and the Himalayas.
Maybe it was because of the weather, but there were almost no people at the temple today. I encountered maybe 3 people walking either up or down the stairs and at the temple itself there were all of 4 other people worshipping. It looked like a rather modern temple – recently built anyway. I left my shoes with the few others half way up the last flight of stair and walked on socks in the main temple.
It looked kind of … sterile compared to other Hindu temples I had seen. Very clean. Since there were no signs of no photos I did take a couple before the priest called me off. The statue of Durga did look nice and very new.
Durga is depicted in the Hindu pantheon as a Goddess riding a Lion or Tiger. The Tiger symbolizes unlimited power and indicates she possesses that too, using it to protect virtue and destroy evil. The Lion is a symbol for uncontrolled animalistic tendencies such as anger, arrogance, selfishness, greed, jealousy etc and her sitting on it is supposed to remind devotees to control these qualities, to not being controlled by them. There were some more idols alongside the main prayer hall. They were all of other gods. The entrance door was flanked by tigers – or maybe lions … or I am not sure, because they were rather … modern slylish …
Well, I looked around a few minutes and then made my way back down the stairs. I was cold already and the rain started to turn into slush. Visibility had gone down to a few meters.
I followed the wet stairs carefully and even continued the temple path down reaching the main road avoiding those long stairs through the residential area I came up. There was absolutely no view anymore … I should have taken some photos on the way up …
The slushy rain got stronger and it turned into snow. I was cold! But I reached that traffic round about soon and even here it was foggy – the slushy rain did not let up at all.
I ask at a Police Booth where the bus to Shimla would stop … they send me the wrong direction. I might be a foreigner and I might be a woman, but I do know how to use my inner and mobile GPS! I discarded their suggestion immediately and went a few meters down the road the bus had came from before and soon enough I found the local bus stand alongside the road. Since I came from uphill I had to ask 3 of the 4 bus drivers parking there and all pointed me to the next bus down and eventually it was the last bus – the one furthest downhill – that was leaving first. Rs 10 got me the ticket to the Old Bus Stand Shimla.
The ride was shorter than it was uphill. I suppose downhill the bus rolls mostly by itself … I had a seat on the left again … staring at the mountain side. But since it was pouring down with slushy rain now, there was nothing to see anyway. In less than 10 min, I think, we reached the Old Bus Stand and I got off. Here it was raining as well. But since I was down here by the Bus Stand anyway, I was going to have a look at the Baba Bhalku Rail Museum.
The Baba Bhalku Rail Museum Shimla was inaugurated in 2011 as a tribute to the man who guided the construction of the rail line with his super natural powers. Bhalku worked as a labourer on the rail line and when there were problems in getting the right alignment of the track, he just guided the engineers and marched ahead of them. Bhalku Ram is not a well-known historical figure in India despite the fact that the Kalka-Shimla Railway line has been given a heritage status by UNESCO and that almost over a century after the track was built a railway museum known as Baba Bhalku Rail Museum was opened near the Shimla Old Bus Stand.
Part of the reason why Bhalku is not known is that he was uneducated, poor and from a very remote part of upper Shimla that lies ignored even in the small state of Himachal Pradesh and so is not even a speck in world geography. Bhalku’s crucial work was between June 1898, when the contract to build the railway line was signed, and November 1903, when it was completed. Bhalku is also Baba Bhalku for the many people who worship him as a saint. In fact, H.S. Harington, the then-agent of the railways highly appreciated the supernatural powers of the man and the rail line took exactly the path shown by Bhalku, which made the project possible.
The museum entrance was in the bus stand and was a replica of an old steam engine. There was a sign – Entrance to museum through locomotive. Very cool! I have visited my fair share of Railway Museums all over the world, but an entrance like that … Spectacular!
The museum was a level below, so I had to go down more stairs. The entrance fee was all of Rs 30. It looked actually like a railway station, but had only one room. There were absolutely no locomotives or even coaches on display … I was disappointed.
The museum had some very interesting parts from the pages of history in the form of property registers and several items and parts used in the trains dating back to early 20th century, though.
An interesting collection of cutlery and fine glassware including wine glasses and vases were also on display. There were wooden benches, which were put in the rest rooms at the various stations and wall clocks made in England.
The museum also showcased some of the seals and labels worn by porters and other staff. There were steam locomotive headlights, brass lamps, lanterns and ticket punching machines, also some very rare old photographs of the rail line, stations and the tunnels en-route.
It was interesting, but had I made the way downhill only for the museum … I would have been disapointed. Since I was here anyway it was OK. And it got me out of the again increasing rain for a while.
It was only about 14:00 by now … I was ready for lunch. The question was – do I take the easy way back and walk through the tunnel and then take the elevator up to The Mall … it would have been the longer walk and I could have been distraced and stayed in the hotel instead on the way – or do I take the stairs up the hill to The Mall – the shorter but more strenuous way. I took the stairs … I was hungry … I just followed local people up – as long it was leading up I was going the right direction. So many stairs … And the rain … It was cold … at least the climbing made me get warm and I sweated below my layers of clothes …
The stairs alternated with roads and zigzaged up the hill. What had I gotten myself into? But wait … I promised a friend to do some trekking in the Khumbu Region of Nepal in April … we wanted to trek to approx 3800 m altitude … I better get in shape until then!
I did reach The Mall Road – huffing, puffing and wheezing as usual … but I never gave up. I did walk to the first restaurant – The Devicos Restaurant & Bar – along the line and went in. You have Kingfisher? – Yes! – One please! … For lunch I ordered some Chicken Mughlai and also Palak Paneer and Naan.
The food came soon and was very good. I almost ate it all up. Despite the fact they had the heater on, I was getting cold however. I had taken the wet jackets off and as the sweating wore off I got chilly. Soon – once I finished my food and beer – I walked briskly back to my hotel. From The Mall it was downhill all the way, but the rain had turned into more snowy slush and I had to go against it. I was very cold now.
Nevertheless at the Wine Shop above my hotel I had to stop for more Rhododendron Wine to take home. Unfortunately I had bought the last available small bottle yesterday … So I took a big bottle for Rs 550. Strictly to take home and put into my alcohol collection, though.
When I reached the hotel, the elevator was blocked somewhere and I could not be bothered waiting for it – I was too cold and wet – so I walked down the stairs to my room. I was so happy noticing, that the electricity was on and not hitching a breath like yesterday. I got out of the wet layers and placed then on chair and bed aiming the heater at them so they would dry as quickly as possible. The last thing I needed, was wet clothes tomorrow.
I packed myself in the only dry stuff I had left and wrapped the blanket around me while sitting in the chair. I had no rum any more – so a Hot Toddy was made with my medicinal Vodka instead! It warmed me a little.
Outside it was pouring steadily all the rest of afternoon and evening. But even with the rain the monkeys – Rhesus Macaques – were all over the place. I had seen them all over town today. Now they were playing and feeding in the trees outside my window and walking up and down the stairs. Rhesus Macaques – Macaca Mulatta – are native to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Southern China. They have the widest geographic ranges of any non-human primate, occupying a great diversity of altitudes throughout Asia. Inhabiting arid, open areas, they may be found in mountainous regions up to 2500 m altitude. Rhesus Macaques are noted for their tendency to move from rural to urban areas, coming to rely on handouts or refuse from humans. They adapt well to human presence and form larger troops in human-dominated landscapes than in forests.
Later I wanted to take a hot shower like yesterday, but only freezing cold water came out of the tap. I called reception – they had told me to call instead of walking down the 3 floors without elevator to make an inquiry. The guy said, there would be no hot water today, but from tomorrow 06:00. Well, I had to wait then … My clothes were all almost dry by 20:30 and I was also warm. But outside it was still pouring down with rain. So I slept early burried under all the blankets.
29.01.20
Waking up in the middle of the night I heard the rain still pounding down on the roof below my window. Oh my … When I woke up just after 07:00 in the morning however it was quiet … And then I looked outside … SNOW and clear skies! In no time I was out of bed – no hot water despite they said there would be – dressed and packed. I had a plan!
By 08:00 I had put on all layers of clothes I had – I might have over done it a bit, because later I was sweating a lot. But yesterday I had been so cold, I did not want to risk it again. I took the elevator up and walked the snowy stairs to the road.
The Rhesus Macaques I had watched yesterday were still around. The snow did not seem to bother them. They were still running around everywhere. In India, Rhesus Macaques are found in flat, cultivated areas and in the plains, foothills and mountainous regions. Average annual rainfall ranges between 420 and 2150 mm, depending on elevation, and annual range in temperature is between -4° C and 48°. During the hottest parts of the year, groups in the Himalayan region migrate to higher elevations where cooler temperatures persist throughout the summer months. It is estimated that approx 50% of Rhesus Macaques in Northern India live in villages, towns, cities, temples and railway stations where they are in close and frequent contact with people all the time.
Not many people were around this early, but I came across some guys building a snow man on the hood of a car. They clearly had fun with the snow. And they wanted a selfie with me – the strange foreigner – of course, but then I want one as well!
Coming up to The Mall Road my plan started to manifest – I was going to run to the Railway Station to try for an unreserved ticket for the Himalayan Queen at 10:40! I wanted to see the entire train ride in daylight and as much of it in the snow as possible. The snow was probably only here at altitude and it already started to kind of melt again. But first I was going up to The Ridge for some snow photos.
The main road was already being cleared … I was too late to see the snow untouched. Quite a few people were around playing with the snow. Shimla sees many tourists from India and around. For some of them it was probably the first time … and maybe only time … to see snow.
The surrounding hills look so cool with the white sprinkle on them. Hanuman on Jhakoo Hill had a snow hat and cape. Same as Indira Gandhi on The Ridge.
A snow plow was clearing The Ridge systematically piling up the snow on the side. A commando of snow showelers was on their way to the many stair cases to clear them. I think those men do everything – I had seen the same the other day offering their services as porters.
The firemen – their station was opposite the town hall on The Mall – were digging out their vehicles as well. They already had put snow chains on the wheels as well.
Best were the views, though. And in the distance the sun came up behind the clouds. It was going to be a great day to ride the Toy Train.
Then I made my way down to the train station. It was only downhill and already the roads had been cleared, but still a wet slush was there and some spots were rather slippery.
But I made it to the Booking Office without incident. The lady at the Reserved Tickets Window remembered me, but there had not been any tickets come available. I was early, it was 08:45, and she said the Unreserved Ticket Window only opened at maybe 09:30 … But you can go to the platform, the train will be there shortly and you just take a seat in the unreserved coach! – But I have to get my bag first! – Where is your bag? – Up the hill 10 min … – How many tickets you need? Only one? … She turned around and spoke to a man coming in the office and then motioned me over to the other window. The man made an exception and sold me an unreserved ticket for Rs 50 well ahead of time. There was no line up, though. No other customers waiting. I was lucky. – Thank you very much! Thank you!
I put my ticket away and walked as fast as the huffing, puffing and wheezing let me – mind you, without luggage it was easier and it had become a bit better since I got here. I had done a lot of walking in the last 2 days. And I took the short cut through the tunnel, so within 10 min I was at the hotel reception to check out. Can you please get my bill! I am checking out now and only have to get my bag! – I have your bill! – Oh good! Let me check! … This is not my bill! This is #207 and I am in #206 and I paid Rs 8467, not only Rs 2650! – Oh! – Please print my bill while I go to get my bags!
I huffed up the stairs to my room and grabbed my bags. I had packed my few things earlier to be ready to go. Back at reception my bill was not ready. The Receptionist – the only one who can make out bills – was not on duty until 12:00 … But I need to go now! – Please talk to my boss on the phone! – Please, have them print my bill now! I need it! – But I am coming in late today … I can send you the bill by e-mail! Leave your e-mail addresse! – OK. You promise? – Yes yes, after 12:00 I send it! Promise! – I sure hope so! – Yes yes!
Off I went to the train station again. Through the tunnel it was indeed flat and only downhill from there, so it was not so hard, but with luggage through the slippery snow-slush it was an adventure. The sun had come out with blue sky and the views were absolutely stunning. I had to take frequent stops to take photos along the way. So beautiful.
By 09:20 I reached the platform. The train was there. The ticket man had said, unreserved is the first and last coach in line. I had contemplated which one to take … Maybe the last has the better train views … I went and asked the guys already seated there if it was indeed the unreserved. Yes it was. Unfortunately all the left side window seats were already taken, so I put my bag on a right side window seat. Then I went to have a look at the first coach. I was determined to have a left side window seat for better views. And I was lucky, in the first coach there was a left side empty. Quickly I put my backpack there and ran to get my other bag from the last coach.
It was still early and not many people were on the train yet. But that was good, so I got a great window seat. The coach was actually a similar coach as when I came up on a reserved ticket. The bench was cushioned – a bit – and the window was big and I could open it. One of my bags fit under the seat, the other one on the overhead shelf. Behind my seat was the toilet … damn … I forgot to take a photo of it …
I hung out on the platform for a bit. The sun was really warm and melting the snow quickly. I bought some Thumbs Up Cola for the ride and watched the monkeys play on the roof top of the train. They sure were chasing each other around and jumped from the roof of the station on the train and to the next coach.
One cheeky monkey tried to get in the coach, but luckily some guy closed the door quickly. Those monkeys are always in search of food. They do know where to find it – the trash cans of the station were a favourite of them. And of course they were begging with the people as well.
Slowly the train filled up. A group of university students was on my coach and on the next bench over a couple old men enjoyed their home made breakfast before the train left.
Shortly after 10:00 the diesel engine was docked on the train. The Kalka Shimla Railway currently operates with class ZDM-3 diesel-hydraulic locomotives built between 1970 and 1982 by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works with a single-cab road-switcher body. Six locomotives of that class were built in 2008 and 2009 by the Central Railway Loco Workshop in Parel with updated components and a dual-cab body providing better track vision.
Right on time the Himalayan Queen Toy Train left snowy Shimla in beautiful sunshine. At the end of the station an old locomotive was parked. I had hoped to see it yesterday in the museum, but it was here. It looked very cool in red and black. It was the heritage engine KC520 which was commissioned in 1906. Steam engines were used here to drive trains till the 1970s before being replaced by diesel engines. This particular steam engine built by North British Locomotive Company, was withdrawn from service in 1971 and rehabilitated in 2001. Since then, the engine has been taken out of regular service, but plies on the track on a few occasions, especially for joyrides during the peak tourist season. The heritage locomotive weighs 41 t and can pull double its weight. The 114-year-old loco now attracts and serves high end tourists – it can be hired for short trips and is mostly used by foreign tourists.
My Himalayan Queen chucked down the mountain and had 9 halts … at least that is what it was supposed to. I did not count, but it felt less than that.
For the first few kilometers the mountain was on my side of the train. But it was still snowy up here and the view was nice anyway. Everybody was hanging out the windows and doors to take photos and video.
I took a few video sequences as well. The scenery looked so different with the snow. And in the group of university students in my coach there were some crazy ones – I suppose they did shots for their instagram – hanging out the door while the train was running. Now I had only sat in the doorway on the way up … I had not been hanging out … only my selfie stick was sticking out for a couple photos …
Today I had no chance to sit by the door – the coach was full and the door spots were always occupied. And anyway, with the wet weather the floor was wet as well, so I would not have wanted to sit there anyway. On the way up I had been the only foreigner on the entire train. Today I saw a couple English people in First Class Coach. I did not talk to them, but I had seen them in The Mall Road and heard them talking, therefore I knew they were English. Today I only saw them hanging out the window taking photos as well a few coaches back.
There are 20 old worldly stations dotted along the complete route from Shimla to Kalka. They are mostly simple blue-white-red colored small stations, with wooden benches and small platforms, giving them a right-out-of-the-picture-look. Most of the stations we only passed. The train driver was slowing down before we reached one and would hang his green signal flag out the window. At the station the Station Master stood in front of his office and waved his green flag as well.
In 1903, the Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge train was started to provide easy access from the plains to Shimla. Since then, the train has been complying daily, except for few maintenance breaks in between. The stations still use the old clocks to sync timings between them. Most of these stations are located besides picturesque bridges that provide an easy access from the mountain tracks to the stations. The station signs are all the signature yellow and black of all Indian railway stations. Here they also show the altitude above sealevel. Indian railway stations are symbolic and one of the most prominent landmarks for people of India. The total number of railway stations in India is estimated to be approx 7500.
A friend asked me why this train is called Toy Train … well, because of the very narrow gauge … as a result the coaches and engines are also small … it looks a little like something created by Lego. But it was actually built by the British Government as a means to get to the much cooler summer escape.
The weather was beautiful – sunshine and blue sky … and I definitely had too much clothes on … But there was no chance to take some off on the train. No space, even though there was a toilet – one of those that open onto the track – at the end of the coach right behind me …
Once we came through a tunnel and around a bend reaching the other side of the mountain – I had the perfect view from now on – we saw Shimla up on the hills in the distant in all its snowy glory.
Later more snowy hills were visible on the horizon. But the snow was really only up on top of the hills. By now we had long left the snow line and the train was slowly descending the foothills of the Himalayas through pine forests and sleepy towns.
At each station we stopped, vendors were waiting with Indian treats for sale such as Samosas and sandwiches. Most of the passengers would get off and buy some snacks. It felt a bit like on the Trans-Siberian-Railway in summer, when all the Babushkas were set up on the platforms selling homemade food.
Today the stops seemed much shorter than on the way up and when the loco driver sounded the whistle – a few seconds before the train started rolling – everybody scrambled to get back on. Some took their time, the train moved so slowly that they easily jump back on even as it was pulling out of the station. On the way up one of the guys from that family I was sitting with missed the right time and rode in a different coach to the next station … it was a big laugh for us.
The Chai Wala was trying to sell his chai until the last minute – Chai pot in one hand and paper cups in the other he was walking along the length of the train – Chai Chai Chai … At some stations, vendors board the train to sell bags of popcorn or Bhelpuri Chaat out of a bucket. They squeezed through the coaches and got off on the next possibility to hop on the next coach.
We passed all the 102 tunnels again … of course. The most beautiful entrance had Tunnel 33 which is with 1143 m the longest tunnel on the line. The construction of this Tunnel 33 was entrusted to Colonel S. Barog. He decided to dig it from both ends but got his calculations wrong and the ends failed to meet each other in the middle. He was fined a symbolic Rs 1 for wasting government money. Unable to bear the humiliation the already distraught Barog committed suicide near the tunnel. Some reports say he shot his dog before he shot himself. A new Tunnel 33 was constructed by the line’s Chief Engineer H. S. Harington with the help of local ascetic Bhalku, who used a long and solid wooden staff to hit the ground and divine the correct alignment. It is called the Barog tunnel even though it is completely different from the failed tunnel of Colonel Barog.
The small town of Barog owes its name to the late Colonel. The train station just in front of the tunnel is particularly picturesque and the train stopped for a few minutes there. I did not get off, but one of the station dogs – there was a pack running around begging for food – decided to look at the foreigner curiously … or full of hope … but I did not have any food with me ….
Passing tunnels was fun, though – some were only a few meters long, others were longer. All were very narrow with not much space between the train and the tunnel. Once I had the selfie stick out the window and it was just millimeters between the mobile and the tunnel, but I did not dare to move it. So I just clicked some photos instead and luckily the tunnel was not very long.
The Toy Train line also has 988 bridges and viaducts – some longer and some shorter, some higher, some lower. They were all interesting. Often they seemed to be built in a curve and made for excellent photo opportunities. I know, I know … a lot of train pictures … But it was just so cool … awesome … stunning … magnificent …
“You get more of a sense of the hills because it goes so slow,” somebody said. “It’s a very special and authentic way to experience this part of India.”
The most architecturally complex bridge is No. 226 which spans a deep valley which required that the bridge had to be constructed in 5 stages with each level having its own stone arched tier. For today I sat on the wrong side of the bend to take a proper photo of it and I also missed the sign … But I saw it from afar … from the other side of the valley.
I was so happy that I had chosen the earlier train, because I had the entire ride in sunny daylight. On the way up the other day, the first hour or more was in the dark. But today I could enjoy the views all the way to the end in Kalka. And there was so much to see.
The further south we came the more fields and houses we passed. The train tracks sometimes went parallel to the main highway and through rather big settlements. And then … this morning I was in the snow at Shimla and now … there were palm trees along the train tracks …
Absolutely on time we reached Kalka Railway Station at 16:10 – I do not know why I have been reading about those delays on the internet before … the toy trains were said to be notoriously late … not with me, though. We were on time.
Unfortunately the souvenir kiosk at the station was again … or maybe still … closed. I did want that coffee cup! But no luck … I walked the few minutes to the Lotus Grand Hotel again. The sun was shining and it was warm. Once I checked in – I did not get the same room as last time, but #109 one floor up and it was identical – I quickly took some layers of clothes off. I had sweated through all of them. I hung some over the chairs to dry and went for a walk with less layers.
Kalka has approx 34000 inhabitants and is located in the state of Haryana. The name is derived from the Hindu goddess Kali. The town is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, a gateway to the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh and the terminus of the Kalka-Shimla Railway. Most people just pass through on the way to or from Shimla – there are trains that directly connect. Next to my hotel there were 2 more hotels that seemingly served the same purpose of catering to those guests who had to stay overnight to catch a train.
I took a walk along the main bazaar street. The hotel had no restaurant, only room service. So I was in search of a restaurant. The first thing I found was the Beer & Wine Shop … go figure … and I was not even looking for it … But there it was … just around the corner. So I bought a couple of Kingfisher for later.
The bazaar street was interesting, but very dusty. I do not think they saw many foreigners here. Most western tourists travelling to Shimla probably stayed in Chandighar some 25 km away which for sure had more options of accomodation and restaurants. But I had chosen Kalka and it was interesting walking around in any case.
I had to walk a ways until I found a restaurant. Krishna Café might have been the best one in the vicinity. I had Mutton Rogan Josh, Krishna Café Special Noodles and plain curd along with a Salty Lemon Soda. The food was good and it was spicy – I was happy I had ordered the plain curd. I did eat it all up, though, and paid only Rs 420 for it.
On the way back to the hotel dark clouds started rolling in. I walked briskly. On the way I bought some tangerines and also grapes for tomorrows train ride to Delhi.
Nevertheless, on the way back a sign at a clothes shop caught my eye – Wanted helper boys nd girls … In 2011 the National Census of India found the total number of child labourers – aged 5 to 14 – to be at 10.1 mio within a total of 259.64 mio in that age group. The child labour problem is however not unique to India – worldwide about 217 mio children work – many full-time. Do not get me wrong – I do not know what that sign actually meant – but I am strictly against child work … anywhere … so that sign somehow ticked me off … But I kept walking …
Just when I reached the hotel and paid my bill – this time my booking was via booking and it was pay-at-hotel – it started pouring outside. A big thunderstorm rolled in. Lucky I had arrived before it. I would have hated to get all wet again like yesterday … It was probably snowing up in Shimla now …
Today the water was running in the shower and it was hot. But – out of experience – I did fill the bucket – that was always available in an Indian shower – up with the hot water instead of having it run down the drain. Lucky me! Soon the hot water was finished … but I still had the bucket full. It was a good shower. I have plenty experience in taking bucket showers since I lived in Thailand way back when …
On TV I found the only 3 English channels – CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera. Not much on it … even back then it was mostly about the virus in China … I posted some photos and then slept very early by 20:30. All that trudging through the snow and taking in all those impressions had made me tired.
30.01.20
This morning I did have my alarm set at 06:30 and I did not wake up a minute before that. The rain had stopped and I packed up and got ready. Then I sat writing and catching up on the journal until 08:45. Checking out was quick and the walk to the train station was short. My train was already signed and stood on platform 1. Even though it was only leaving at 10:20 – however, it was not open yet. I walked around the station a bit – no Toy Train was in station.
And the souvenir kiosk was again … or still … closed! What a shame. I would have loved that cup set with the logo for my collection … At Shimla station there was a souvenir kiosk, too, but it did not have any cups and it was closed as well. Damn.
I bought some chips and Moong Dal and Thumbs Up Cola for the ride. Then I waited by the train – the doors were still not open. It was a relatively short train with a couple of unreserved coaches, 3 Sleeper coaches and only one coach AC2 – probably there would be more coaches attached in Chandighar.
I had booked AC2 for Rs 916. It was the best option on this train. AC2 means these air-conditioned coaches have sleeping berths across 8 bays. Berths are usually arranged in 2 tiers in bays of 6 – 4 across the width of the coach and 2 lengthwise across the corridor, with curtains along the corridor. Bedding is included in the fare and there are even sockets to charge mobiles and laptops.
On a few trains there is also AC1 – basically first class with only 2 people in a locakable compartment. I would never book those – flying would cost the same as those. And then you never know who you have to share with ….
AC3 has 3 tiers of sleeping berth and usually no curtains and no sockets for charging, but still get the bedding. Depending on availability I even rode Sleeper once – this class is the most common coach with 3 berths across the width and 2 lengthwise, but without air-conditioning, curtains, bedding and any other amenities. It is very cheap for a foreigner, though.
When I posted the photos of today’s train, a friend commented it with being very adventurous. I replied – Adventure? Adventure would be riding that train in unreserved! The least-expensive option – with a seat not guaranteed. Tickets are valid on any train on any route if used within 24 hrs of purchase. I think, I would never try that on a long distance train … not alone anyway. I had done unreserved on short trains and it was always OK, though.
The train doors opened 30 min before departure. But I should not have worried. My coach was almost empty – even though no tickets were available anymore. But the Paschim Express #22926 was going all the way to Bandra/Mumbai. It left right on time and already on the next stop in Chandighar the coach filled up somewhat.
3 Ladies from Chandighar travelling to Mumbai jointed my bay. I had the upper bunk, but I was sitting on the lower by the window writing. Their English was not so good, but we got along in international travelers’ sign language – they said I can sit there. If they wanted to lie down, they would say so. But since I was getting off in Delhi, they were not bothered too much. If the train was on time, they would reach Mumbai – they still called it Bombay – tomorrow at 14:45. So they were in no rush. They first unpacked their lunch – they had bags full of food in Tubberware and reusable paper plates to eat from.
Indian Railways is India’s national railway system operated by the Ministry of Railways. It manages the 4th largest railway network in the world by size – USA, China and Russia being the larger – with a route length of approx 67400 km. In an average year Indian Railways carries approx 8.26 billion passengers and transportes 1.16 billion tonnes of freight. They run more than 20000 passenger trains daily – on both long-distance and suburban routes. Mail or Express trains – the most common long distance types – run at an average speed of 50 km/h. There are premium passenger trains as well running at peak speed of 140–150 km/h on major routes, but I had never been on one of those.
Back in 2011, when it was absolutely easy to book train tickets online – and I was on a shoestring and had 3 months time to travel Northern India – I had been on trains a lot. Usually they were on time – which means in India anything up to 1 h delay is fine. At one time I had a ticket from Amritsar to Varanasi – a regular 22 hrs journey and my train was supposed to leave around 19:00 in Amritsar. I had checked out of my cheap guesthouse and arrived at the train station – there were no displays working and the information booth was therefore over crowded. Perks of being a tall foreigner – I squeezed through the crowd and over their head slapped my ticket at the window for the officer to see. He took only one funny look and then – very unusually – motioned me inside his office – shouting in his microphone in English for me to come around to the back door. So I did … There he told me unceremoniously – Your train is late! It will leave tomorrow at 05:00! – Whaaat? – Yes! – What do I do now? – Go back to your hotel and come back at 04:00 in the morning! …
I did go to a for me rather expensive hotel opposite the station until approx 03:00 when I went back to the station. Eventually I arrived in Varanasi with a steep 19 hrs delay! Believe it! Now … Did anybody care? No! Did anybody give me a refund? No! Did anybody speak English on that train? No! – This is India … I just had to live with it … It was an experience for sure … That train back then was continuing to Kolkata … I wish I could have checked up on with how much delay they eventually arrived there …
Today my train was on time. After the ladies had their lunch and cleaned up, they were ready to have a nap. So I moved up to my bunk. There was no mobile reception up there under the roof, though. But it was less than 1.5 hrs more until I had to get off in Delhi.
With all that thought about train delays I must have jinxed it … we arrived at New Delhi Station with 30 min delay. But well, no problem … In India that is not late … The station was a busy as ever.
I had been thinking about what to do on my next break and I had already booked a flight to Goa. I was going to stay a few days with my friends again and then do something else … which I was not sure about yet. But the plan sort of manifested and I decided to fly from Goa to Bangaluru, stay there 2 days, take a night train to Hyderabad to stay there for a few days and then fly back to Delhi for the next tour. So, since I was at the station already and knew where the Tourist Booking Office was, I was going to book my train Bangaluru to Hyderabad straight away. The flights were easy enough to book later on the Cleartrip App.
At the office I pulled a number … #100 … the display over the only manned desk showed that #81 was now being dealt with … oh dear … I filled in the form and waited … and waited … and while I waited I checked the flights Bangaluru to Hyderabad … it showed they cost only a few Rupees more than the train ticket … After 30 min waiting only # 86 was on … f**k it … I was out of there. It could be hours before it was my turn … I could afford a flight …
Leaving the station I took the flyover to the other side where the Metro Station was and got on the Airport Express Line to Dwarka Sector 21. By 18:30 I had reached and checked in at Vivanta by Taj Dwarka. Even though my new group would arrive only in the wee hours of the morning, the rooms were booked already for thte night and I could use mine. Quickly I made a run to the nearby Wine Shop … and then I used the bathtub in my room! A hot bath! It was wonderful and all the mountain dust came off …
Since I had no food today other than chips, I decided to go to the restaurant in the hotel. Usually with the groups we have dinner included, but of course not today … dinner was only included from tomorrow on. But I could not be bothered walking somewhere else for dinner. The restaurant in the hotel is very good – but not cheap. After checking the buffet, I decided against it and ordered Thai Green Curry Prawns – if I had to pay an arm and a leg for dinner, then at least it had to be something other than Indian … And it was very good!
After dinner I watched some TV and took a nap. By 01:00 I had to get up again and go to the Airport to welcome the next group. They would be landing by 01:30 … However it would take them probably an hour and a half minimum to get through all the procedures and come out … Long wait …
But … back to work it was!
