Scenic rail trips -- Kangra Valley Railroad and others

The metre gauge railway from Junagadh to Delwada in Gujarat is an interesting journey but you have to be up early. Train number 352 Fast Passenger (leaves Junagadh about 6.00am) slowly makes its way through cutivated countryside before climbing into the wooded hills of Gir Forest National Park. It stops at small well cared for stations along the way, including Sasan Gir where the park headquarters is located. Then on again through the jungle before dropping down onto the intensely cultivated coastal plains north of Una.
Groups of langurs generally hang around the railway stations waiting for handouts from the passengers. You can buy cups of chai or fresh fruit at most of the small stations en route.

On the latter part of this journey you may notice very dark skinned villagers with African features (Sidis) boarding the train. They are the descendents of slaves and still live in separate villages and have their own distinctive dress.

If you have the time it's an ideal and relaxed way to travel from Junagadh to Diu stopping for a day or two at the national park on the way.

More about the Sidis of Gujarat.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/special.html

The Sidis are found in Karnataka too but I never knew there was a slave culture in India besides the ones in Bhopal brought by travelling Saudis. So who brought the Sidis to India as slaves ?. I did come across some web sites in the past of the African connection with Dravidians but all the idealogy seemed far fetched and concoted to suit someone's false propoganda.

Oh Alan!! don't bother replying, the first line of the article answers my queries, truly informative!!

I recently read this online article about Karachi in Pakistan (the title grabbed my attention, "Karachi The Most Dangerous City In Asia" or something like that) - there are some descendants of slaves that were brought from Africa living there too. They act as "witch doctors" which is very interesting. Pakistanis, including women, use them for "magic" help (like the function of the Tantrik siddhis in East India in the villages, I suppose).

pooch
From what I've read most of the slaves were brought from Africa by Arabian and European slave traders and sold off to various Indian rulers. The Sultan of Bengal, Rukn-al-Din (1459-1474) is said to have had 8000 African slaves and in more recent times the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad recruited Africans to form his 300 strong troup of African Cavalry Guards.

But, things are more complicated than that. Africans also arrived of their own free will as seafarers, traders, and artisans and settled along the coastal fringes of Western India. The Portuguese connection between their Indian and East African colonies probably also contributed.

As I travelled along the coast of Gujarat last year I noticed quite a few people with distinct African features.

BTW I think we're going off the rails here

Does anyone else have an a scenic train journey ro recommend?

I did the train journey from Palampur to Pathankot, but that was way back in March,1994. Needless to say, the journey was superb and scenic. But, I would put the Kalka-Shimla journey on par with this one, especially by the Rail Car.

A photo of the Shimoga - Talguppa railbus taken by Raghu (IRFCA)

No wonder I missed it, I was looking for a train.

Interesting photo Steven.

Has anyone traveled by the train from Senkottai to Kollam ??

The crossing of mountain range is scenic. Many of the coaches are left at downhill to enable easy climb. It’s too steep. At the reservation itself passengers who are crossing the mountain range are allocated the first few coaches. You wont know the fact that train has been cut short at the downhill station. I’ve been told that earlier this used to be a steam engine before the present diesel ones. One additional engine was used behind the train to ‘push’ the train to climb smoothly. This engine then returns to the downhill point waiting for the next climber. A porter with steam power!!

Steven, where is Shimoga/Talguppa? Looks like yet another train I cannot afford to miss!

Shimoga - Talguppa is in north-west Karnataka, on the route from Bangalore/Mysore to Goa.

Bangalore - Shimoga Town - Talguppa (Jog Falls)

I recently bought a second hand book called “The imperial way”. It covers a rail journey from Peshawar to Chittagong.

There is a small amount of text by Paul Theroux, and some of the finest railway photography that I have seen, by Steve McCurry.

If you get a chance to see a copy, it’s well worth the effort.

Thank you Steven, yet another scribble in the margin for my 1992 LP, p886, Jog Falls...

The Rail Car still operates on the Kalka-Shimla line, as a holiday special.

It leaves Kalka at 11=35 and reaches Shimla at 15=40; in the return direction the timings are 11=30 and 16=25.

The period of its operation is:
From May 1 to July 15
From Sept. 15 to October 30
From Dec. 15 to Jan. 15

Fare : INR 277/-

A photo of the Rail Car.....

THE TIMES OF INDIA report on the Shimoga - Talguppa railbus.

Heritage train turns bone of contention.