India Junction: A Window to the Nation

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The Indian Railways provides us with a practical, convenient mode of transport, but its contribution to Indian life goes much beyond that. The Railways is the lifeline of the nation and, in many ways, its development has been deeply intertwined with the destiny of India. India Junction—featuring in-depth, analytical essays that are rich in history; delectable travel pieces; and some truly amazing and rare photo features—celebrates the changes the Railways has brought about in our lives; and examines how the Railways itself has transformed over time.
‘The Great Indian Railways’ takes us to 1853—the year train travel began in India—and analyses how it strengthened British rule; ‘Railway Filmy Chakkar’ recounts how Mahatma Gandhi, who was first opposed to the Railways, went on to effectively use it in the freedom struggle. The travelogues, too, are delightfully evocative, and bring to vivid life the sights and sounds of train travel in India, some contemporary, others long consigned to memory. ‘When the Train Came to Deyra Dhoon’ remembers the furore caused by an engine chugging into a sleepy little town for the first time; ‘On Board the Bombay Express’ recreates the tangy, savoury smells that are released into the carriage—and the keen appetites that they awaken—when women crack open the tiffin boxes which they have brought from home.
Featuring award-winning and renowned authors, including Sir Mark Tully, Ruskin Bond, Gillian Wright, Ian J. Kerr, Jerry Pinto, Omair Ahmad, Kartik Iyengar, Shoba Narayan, Sandipan Deb and Sharmila Kantha, India Junction will interest readers of all hues: students of history, travel buffs, and everyone who loves a good railway yarn.