The Darjeeling Himalayan railway is a marvel of sorts in what one would call non-engineering. It uses neither rack mechanism nor cable as other mountain railways do, but moves only on adhesion. It was the genius and vision of Franklin Prestage, which conceived of such a mechanism and executed it to perfection.


During its 87.48-kms journey from Siliguri to Darjeeling, the toy train as it is aptly and affectionately referred to, loops gracefully around those recalcitrant humps, much like a spiral and chugs its way up to Ghum, its highest point at 7,407 feet. It seems to be gentle persuasion all the way. The only other mountain railway in the world that reaches a higher altitude is in the Andes where Cusco station is located at 14,000 feet, but the mechanism used there is different.
The quaint little stations with even quainter names dot the route - Tindharia, Sukna, Rangtong, Chunbati and Ghum.The journey is as leisurely, but not at all strenuous unlike a pony ride. Each stretch offers a unique panorama.
After Kurseong, it’s tea garden all the way. Margaret’s Hope, stretches for miles in front of the onlooker and one can marvel at the deftness with which the hill women pick the tealeaves and drop it into the massive baskets on their backs. Their movements seem choreographed to perfection. But they have time to pause and flash a smile at the visitors passing by.

After pausing at Tung station for water, the train climbs to Sonada station built in the 1880s. From here, one heads for the clouds– Ghum, enveloped eternally in a mist. As one nears Ghum,its colourful monastery comes into view. After ghum, the train runs up along a small ridge to reach the most spectacular engineering feat on the line-the Batasia Loop – with a breath-taking view of the Kanchenjunga as a backdrop.


The wake up call came and recently UNESCO declared DHR as a World Heritage Site. The world heritage site status puts DHR in the same exalted league as the hermitage in St. Petersburg, our very own Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, Hampi in South India and other such man-made marvels. A heritage site is one that is worthy of preservation and a legacy that is worth bequeathing to posterity. After simmering in the Austrian Alps, DHR is the second railway system in the world to be accorded the World Heritage status.It is quite amazing to know that the 83-km stretch between Siliguri and Darjeeling can be covered by boarding on a Toy Train in about 8 hours. The journey to the hilltop is just breathtaking and cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world in-spite of the narrow-gauge line.

 

 

While passing through the Himalayan Valley the cruiser halts at New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Town, Siliguri Junction, Sukna, Rong Tong, Tindharia,, Gayabari, Mahanadi, Kurseong, Tung, Sonada, Ghoom and finally Darjeeling. A ride on the DHR is not for the hurried and hassled traveller who is impatient to reach his destination. It’s for those who believe the journey is the destination.

Much like a toy train strung together from match-boxes, the DHR balances on two-feet tracks moving at a maximum speed of 15-km an hour. It takes all of nine hours to reach Darjeeling from Siliguri and at quite a reasonable sum. Hope that the World Heritage status will attract fun seekers and adventure lovers to Darjeeling. DHR might soon replace tea as the mascot of this lovely hill station. In fact, a trip to Darjeeling would be worth the effort just for the train ride. The DHR is a celebration, no less.