My rating: 4 of 5 stars
"The biggest organization on the planet, our own railway system provides the
wheels on which the nation moves. Often referred also as the lifeline of the
nation, the mighty railway system is the most powerful symbol of national unity
and pride."
--- Ashwani Lohani, Former Chairman, Railway Board
Railway
is the most common means of transport in our country. It's hard to find an
Indian who has never travelled by railway, either for commuting to work or for
taking a vacation. However, we are often unaware of the lives of the railway
employees.
The author of this book, Sanjoy Mookerjee, was an officer
of the prestigious Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) as well as a railway
heritage enthusiast. In his words, this book "is the culmination of anecdotes
heard and experiences gathered during my long innings with the Indian Railways."
Peppered with photos collected from the photo repository of the Indian Railways
and illustrations and drawings derived from various sources, this book offers a
delightful collection of railway anecdotes and at the same time, offers great
insights into the working of the railways and lives of railway employees.
The
book starts with the eponymous tale, "Train to Darjeeling" describing the
author's journey to Darjeeling to take a vacation as a kid along with his
parents. I experienced almost a childlike glee while reading about a kid's
excitements while travelling by train. Then there are some really funny
anecdotes like "Regal Encounter", "Who revised the Budget?" and "The first
official journey". "The Tusker Regiment" warmed up my heart. In "Those Were the
Days", he describes his training period as a probationer at the Railway Staff
College, Baroda, now re-christened as the National Academy of Indian Railways.
With the author, we also take a vicarious tour of the royal campus at Baroda.
"Rescue" highlights one rescue operation undertaken by the Indian Railways
during a flood situation in 1978 and the dedication towards public service shown
by the railway employees during the difficult time. Then there are anecdotes
related to Computerisation of Passenger Reservations on Indian Railways. After
going through all these heart-warming tales, "A mother's wish" simply teared me
up. The book ends with the tale of how the author's efforts as a Railway
heritage enthusiast culminated in the setting up of the Railway Heritage Park at
Tinsukia.
Overall, a pleasurable read.
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