Imagine the serenity of passing through the lush beauty of forests surrounded by the snow-capped Dhauladhars! Chilly wind whistling in your ears while you sip a steaming hot cup of tea that keeps you warm over a conversation with a pilgrim who shares his delightful stories of devotion. Well all this is what the Kangra Valley train offers its passengers while they undergo the journey from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar.
In their book “The Kangra Valley Train”, Premola Ghose and Ram Rahman have jointly documented this journey. While Rahman, the noted photographer, captured the moments , Ghose, an artist and illustrator who has earlier written and illustrated “Gang Tales from Ranthambore” and “The Bodhisattva and the Gang”, has penned the text.
This travelogue details their encounters woven around the small train that runs on the narrow gauge track beneath the foothills of southern Himalayas. Published by Niyogi Books, it includes a large number of facets surrounding the art, architecture, culture, history, religious traditions, local cuisine, flora and fauna that Ghose and Rahman came across during their journey.
The book was recently launched at a function by seasoned journalist and author William Mark Tully. The eight-hour long experience is a well-researched piece of work coming into being as a result of the initiative of Institute of Rail Transport.
Describing the Kangra valley as soft and gentle, Ghose noted that the train connects the local people in an intimate way. Rahman made a presentation of the photographs that have been included in the book along with those that could not make it. Ghose pointed out that the map of the area has been left out in the present edition but it may be included in the next one.
Appreciating the quaint photographs, Tully described them as work of art. An ardent supporter of the Railways, Tully encouraged the audience to travel by train more often.
