India Junction: A Window to the Nation

The Indian Railways provides us with a practical convenient mode of transport but its contribution of Indian life goes much beyond that. The Railways is the lifeline of the nation and in many ways its development has been deeply intertwined with the destiny of India. India Junction-featuring in-depth analytical essays that are rich in history; delectable travel pieces; and some truly amazing and rate photo features-celebrates the changes the Railways has brought about in our lives; and examines how the Railways itself has transformed over time. ‘The Great Indian Railways’ takes us to 1853- the year train travel began in India-and analyses how it strengthened British rule; ‘Railway Filmy Chakkar’ recounts how Mahatma Gandhi who was first opposed to the Railways went on to effectively us it in the freedom struggle. The travelogues too are delightfully evocative and bring to vivid life the sights and sounds of train travel in India some contemporary others long consigned to memory. ‘When the Train Came to Deyra Dhoon’ remembers the furor caused by an engine chugging into a sleepy little town for the first time; ‘On Board the Bombay Express’ recreates the tangy savoury smells that are released into the carriage-and the keen appetites that they awaken-when women crack open the tiffin boxes which they have brought from home. Featuring award-winning and renowned authors including Sir Mark Tully Ruskin Bond Gillian Wright Ian J. Kerr Jerry Pinto Omair Ahmed Kartik Iyengar Shobha Narayan Sandipan Deb and Sharmila Kantha Indian Junction will interest readers of all hues: students of history travel buffs and everyone who loves a good railway yarn.