| For my first trip to Shimla, I took Kalka Mail from | | | | building, I took shower and had brunch. I checked |
| Delhi to Kalka. After an overnight journey, I | | | | with the hotel manager about the places I could |
| reached the sleepy little station of Kalka around | | | | see in the remaining day. He suggested I walk up |
| 5.30 in the morning. From Kalka I had one of the | | | | to the Mall Road, that quintessential Raj left-over. |
| most beautiful train journeys one can have. The | | | | Acting on his advice I decided to walk to the Mall. |
| journey, some 90-KM long, was done in a toy | | | | I was surprised to see so many tall deodar trees |
| train. It was November 8, 2003, just a day | | | | on both sides of the road before I reached the |
| before that railway line was about to complete its | | | | actual hustle and bustle of the Mall. It was same |
| 100 years. I was travelling in the same train, which | | | | as the other Mall Roads. All kind of eateries asking |
| was supposed to make the historic journey next | | | | you to 'come and try' the delicious fare. I went |
| day, marking the hundred years of this wonderful | | | | inside a restaurant, which served north Indian, |
| gift of British India. You can blame them for a lot | | | | south Indian, Chinese food and whatever you can |
| of bad things they did to India during their rule | | | | think of. To be frank, it was awful. I ordered a |
| here but you have to give it the firangs (As | | | | pizza and that did not look like the pizzas one had |
| British rulers were called then), they took the | | | | seen or eaten before! After that misadventure |
| trains to the kind of places where Indians have | | | | with food I walked up to the Ridge. It has, for |
| not been able to even 60 years after getting | | | | years, been used for all kinds of functions. During |
| independence. The toy train passes through some | | | | British rule, it was used to hold military parades. |
| 103 tunnels, one of them, at Barog, is more than | | | | Sahebs and memsahebs used to enjoy the |
| a kilometer long. That's not all. It uses more than | | | | romantic evenings. There, you even have a place |
| 800 bridges to reach Shimla! | | | | called Scandal Point, thus named because it is said |
| My train, Shivalik Deluxe Express, stopped at | | | | that some officer's wife had run away with an |
| Barog - a beautiful little station. The stop was for | | | | Indian prince from that very point! |
| 10 minute where most of the passengers got | | | | I walked back to my hotel as it became dark and |
| down while catering staff collected breakfast to | | | | cold. The mountain air was having its effect. Next |
| be served on the train. It was a lovely | | | | day I visited Kufri, came back to The Mall Road, |
| experience; early morning sunshine made me feel | | | | and did some roaming around. |
| in a different world.The train was full of | | | | On my last day in Shimla I went to see Viceregal |
| honeymooners, as it was marriage season in India. | | | | Lodge from where British Viceroy ruled all over |
| Some of the couples seemed in a hurry to get | | | | India for six months during summer. The Lodge |
| lost in each other's arms. Since it was a toy train | | | | now houses IIAS (Indian Institute of Advanced |
| that has small coaches, people were seated | | | | Studies). It was a magnificent building with a |
| pretty close to each other. | | | | well-maintained and beautiful lawn in front of it. It |
| I arrived at the Shimla station around 10.30 am. | | | | was in this building that India's destiny was decided |
| Starting from 660 mts at Kalka, I was now about | | | | by the Britishers. The tables and chairs have been |
| 2000 mts above sea level. Immediately I was | | | | kept as it is and every half an hour a tour is |
| surrounded by Kashmiri potters. I negotiated with | | | | conducted with a guide to give you a glimpse of |
| one of them and he helped me climb out of the | | | | the history. |
| station where I was met by the cab drivers. | | | | The visit to Viceregal Lodge was worth it. I am |
| After bargaining, one of them drove me to my | | | | now better informed about the goings on in the |
| hotel. After checking into the hotel, a Raj-era | | | | final hours before India got its independence. |