The 11{+t}{+h}anniversary of the Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR) getting the World Heritage Status from UNESCO at its Durban Congress in 2005 was celebrated by the heritage lovers in The Nilgiris led by Nilgiri Documentation Centre by distributing souvenir key chains to the passengers.
To mark the occasion, Nilgiri Documentation Centre distributed the special key chains to the travellers with the picture of the NMR on one side and short description of it on the other. For the more than two hundred passengers, who travelled by the NMR on Friday, it was a pleasant surprise. “Never expected to receive such a warm welcome,” said a girl from Mumbai. “The key chain will always remind me of the day I travelled by the mountain train,” she added enthusiastically.
Stating that heritage value of NMR should be reiterated constantly, Dharmalingam Venugopal, director of Nilgiri Documentation Centre, regretted that not enough was being done. While heritage assets of much lesser value were promoted with enthusiasm world over, the NMR, a live heritage, was not adequately promoted, Mr. Venugopal added.
Mr. Venugopal suggested setting up of a local NMR Heritage Committee with railway and local people participation with clear objectives and necessary funds to promote NMR, which is bound to attract more and more travellers.
Mr. Venugopal also suggested making available suitable brochures, maps and souvenirs for the visitors. An NMR Interpretation Centre at Ooty within the station premises explaining the history, technology and durability of NMR would be a great attraction to tourists and locals. Udhagamandalam Station Master Promod, members of the visiting Alpine Mountain Association, Switzerland, the correspondent of Nazareth Convent, Sister Stella Baltazar and Badaga elders Dhona Gowder and M. Nataraj participated.
K. Natarajan, founder of Heritage Steam Chariot Trust, distributed pamphlets of newspaper clippings about the Nilgiris Mountain Railway and enlightened the tourists about its rich history and legacy.