Shimla was on my mind when I headed out of New Delhi on the Shatabdi Express to Kalka to board the Toy Train to my end destination. I was looking forward to this journey ever since I’d heard of the delightful tunnels and spectacular views along the way.
If you have ever traveled on Indian trains, you’ll know. I have. And I have loved every moment of it – be it on the AC coach, the blue -seated reservation coach or the last-minute and often without tickets in the general compartments rubbing body with thousands of unnamed strangers. But more than everything, the thing I love most about the Indian trains is the variety of food that you get to eat. In fact, my first (and solo) long backpacking trip that started in India was on one such train (read about it in my book Almost Intrepid).
But that is not what I am going to write here.
A journey in the mist
When I arrived at Kalka with barely enough time to change into something warm and buy a ticket, I was sure I had made the right decision to get on this slow-express. The Toy Train train crawled out of the station proudly and in that instant I knew it was going to be a great ‘slow crawl’. As it is with every journey, this particular one was characterized by something – not the engine sounds, nor the sights that unfolded with every mile – but, the mist.
Yes, it was definitely very misty, as can be expected of a hill station – but that is not the point. I had long dreamed of being on a small mountain train and rocking my way through tunnels, so it all added up nicely to give me that experience I had been craving. It was a longish journey, of course and not the fastest way to reach Shimla, but I recommend this at least once in your lifetime.
Remember, as the name suggests, it was a really tiny train with cramped seats, even smaller toilets and very slow.
Tracks and Tunnels
The narrow gauge winds around green hills, goes over some steep inclines, passes through pine forests and picturesque waterfalls and plunges through 102 tunnels before it reaches its destination, all the while accompanied by swirls of mist. At once everything looks ethereal, spooky, eerie, romantic and adventurous.
The longest tunnel is Barog that ends in a station of the same name.
Its always about food
All through the 90 odd kilometers to Shimla, one thing kept me amused! The food. Indians never leave home without a food box (“dabba” or in the south, simply “tiffin”). In it is stuffed food enough to feed a compartment (on the Toy Train it is easy). Indians always insist on feeding their neighbours most of that food to their share of calories (or love). And if that is not enough, the numerous stations along the way have hawkers whose primary task is to tempt you with numerous oily-soaking snacks and charge you for it. On this particular trip, I must have stuffed myself with so many things that I thought had stopped doing the rounds years ago – but clearly the train-traveler’s desire (over fondness) had ensure its safe and thriving existence.
1. Chatpate chane
Roasted gram tossed with onions, chili, chaat masala powder and rounded off with lemon juice is definitely the winner. As you pass through some spectacular scenery, you keep tossing the spiced gram into your open mouth munch on it as the trains takes a leisurely ride through mountainside, not really thinking about your intestines!
2. Samosa
No train journey in India is complete without one. These potato – triangles coated with chickpea -flour and deep fried are great travel- food. Served with a green chutney (fiery green chutney) or if you are lucky with sweet and sour chutney, samosas are everyone’s favourite.
3. Cutlets
The cutlet- eaters have an edge over the chatpate chane – munchers for obvious reasons. Cutlets are served on a paper plate with “ketchup” on the side, unlike a hastily ripped off piece of paper that is wrapped around a handful of roasted gram. Cutlet-eaters are seen (on the train) with slight envy because they are also priced higher and give off the feeling of “cool people.”
4. Tea/Chai
Unusually milky and weak but goes well with the passing scenery and doubles in delight if you can make slurping sounds when drinking it. Coffee usually takes a backseat here – chai is the traveler’s brew, at least in these parts. If there happened to be a pack of “Parle G” biscuits, life feels great. (See pic for suggestions on eating it!). I am not a tea-drinker but fell in with the idea of slurping noisily and dipping biscuits for that extra thrill.
The train stations are nothing less than a food court – and nearly always full. I have often wondered what it was about train travel that makes you forget the calories, hygiene and mannerism and turn you into a glutton? Something about the food piles with (often) friendly flies around it set the gastric juices flowing – its one of those unexplained things in a travelers dictionary.
The stations are a sight indeed
The thrill of traveling on this train is the number of stations you will arrive at – naturally because the train stops at all of them! It was a pleasure to watch people get on and get off, each bringing with them a new set of friendly smiles – and in many cases, many things to eat!
It was interesting how, with every passing mile upward into the hills, hunger gnawed. It must have been something in the mountain air.
Barog station has an interesting story. Some believe it is haunted – I just thought it was pretty.
The journey took over 8 hours but when I finally made it to Shimla, I was completely satisfied, although a bit tired thanks to the cold. I hadn’t factored in the cold in the mountains!
I agree train ride = eating good food. I’d start off with chatpate chane.