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ROMANCING THE TRAIN

A chance meeting between two strangers. It’s hate at first sight which gradually turns to friendship and eventually love. Jab We Met revolves around the lead pair of Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor, but no less important is the "character" which brings them ‘together - the train. No wonder director Imtiaz Ali has called his film an advertisement for the "Great Indian Railways".

Since the dawn of cinema, this mode of public transport has fascinated filmmakers the world over. In popularity, it has always been way ahead of the bus, the plane and the ship. Anything can happen on a reel train - romance, sex, suicide, murder, robbery, kidnapping, hijacking, sabotage and what not. Contrasting fates are in store for various passengers: for some, the journey marks a new beginning or an escape from a nightmarish world; for others, it brings separation, exile or even death.

In this jet-set-go age, movie stars might be shuttling between cities and countries by air, but on-screen the good old railgaadi is still chugging along merrily. This year’s Emraan Hashmi flick The Train was a straight lift from the Clive Owen thriller Derailed.
American director Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited is the story of the three Whitman brothers, who try in vain to settle their differences while travelling across India on the eponymous train.

When did this reel-rail affair begin? Flashback to 1903 - Edwin S. Porter made the The Great Train Robbery, which created a blueprint for railroad action scenes. Since then, train robberies have been a staple ingredient of Westerns, most memorably Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). Michael Crichton paid a tribute to Porter’s pioneering movie by giving its name to his own 1979 entertainer.

In Hindi cinema, the wheels were set rolling in the 1930s by Toofan Mail, Deccan Queen and Miss Frontier Mail. The latter showcased Fearless Nadia as the daredevil heroine who wowed audiences by fighting the baddies on the roof of a high-speed train.

Before he entered films, "Master of Suspense" Alfred Hitchcock was so hooked on rail timetables that he used to learn them by heart. That partly explains why there are compartment scenes in several of his works, including The 39 Steps (1935), Strangers on a Train (1951) and North by Northwest (1959). His espionage spoof The Lady Vanishes (1938) was almost entirely set on a trans-European train. Hitchcock made brilliant use of the train’s confined space, frenetic pace and repetitive sounds to intensify the air of intrigue, striking a fine balance between suspense and humour.

David Lean was another master who loved trains. The Milford Junction Station was the rendezvous for lovers Alec and Laura, both unhappily married, in Brief Encounter (1945). On an epic scale, there was the explosive wreck in Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and the grand exodus in Dr. Zhivago (1965).

Though trains have made guest appearances in countless movies worldwide, they have sometimes been given longer and meatier "roles". In Titfield Thunder (1953), residents of a village ran their beloved local locomotive themselves in protest against the government’s decision to replace it with a bus service. The Train (1964) saluted the heroism of French resistance fighters who managed to stop a German officer from taking away a trainload of art treasures during WWII. The star studded Murder on the Orient Express (1974), based on Agatha Christie’s bestseller, saw Hercule Poirot solving a complex whodunit.

 The rail almost became a living entity in Ravi Chopra’s The Burning Train (1980), which was a cross between two Hollywood disaster movies - Cassandra Crossing and The Towering Inferno. Despite a mega star cast, well executed stunts and catchy songs, it ran out of steam at the box-office.
The award for the most action packed train scene in Hindi films should go to Sholay, in which Jai and Veeru "double-handedly" kept dacoits at bay and took the train out of harm’s way. In Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Dhoom: 2, high-profile robbers Anil Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan took their time doing acrobatics before fleeing with the precious stuff.

In romantic dramas, the train has played Cupid on many occasions. In Pakeezah, Raaj Kumar, smitten by Meena Kumari, left a note in her compartment with that unforgettable line, "Aapke paon dekhe, bahut haseen hai inhe zameen par mat utariyega - maile ho jayenge ". It was the all-too-familiar boy-meets-girl-on-a-train scenario in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. The humble railway porter was played not-so-humbly by Big B in Coolie (1983), while Nanda was surprisingly cast as a conwoman who robs passengers in The Train (1970).

The train has figured prominently in two of the most catastrophic events of the 20th century - the Holocaust and the Partition. There are heart-rending images of Jewish passengers on their last journey in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List (1993) and Alain Resnais’ 1955 documentary Night and Fog (In the 1998 French farce Train of Life, inhabitants of a Jewish village tried to befool the Nazis by staging their own deportation to Russia!).

Pamela Rooks’ Train to Pakistan (1997) and Deepa Mehta’s 1947: Earth (1999) showed how the sight of bloodspattered coaches turned ordinary people into murderers. Anil Sharma’s Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) climaxed in an improbable scene in which Sunny Deol alone took on the Pakistan army.

There seem to be no end to this cinematic rail journey. That’s hardly surprising, for the train still has an old-world charm captivating enough to withstand the relentless march of technology. Like diamonds, trains are forever.

 
Train songs in Hindi movies have often been of the romantic kind, while a few have been filmed in other situations as well. Here are some of the best.

August 14, 2000: Blast on Sabarmati Express in Faizabad kills 10. The same day, explosions in Kanpur kill nine peopleAugust 15: The next day, explosion in Lucknow Assembly Canteen. No one injured

 The Lashkar-e-Tayyeba uses SIMI’s infrastructure in the region.

IB has not been able to check the terror network that has grown manifold in the last five years.

 The state has also been lax in prose cuting terrorists.

 Though the Hapur-Moradabad-Bareilly-Rampur belt was most vulnerable to terror modules, police never followed leads.

UP police totally dependent on the central agencies.

 Why terror thrives in UP?

The attack on the Central Reserve Police Force camp at Rampur marks a paradigm shift in strategy and tactics of jihadi groups, hellbent on making Uttar Pradesh their major theatre of operation - the four terrorists who escaped are believed to be part of a fidayeen squad. This is the second fidayeen attack after the failed attempt at Ayodhya’s Ramjanmabhoomi complex on July 5, 2005. Five terrorists were killed then.

Needless to say, the state has been on the terror radar for 14 years. A fresh tide of attacks has made it the worst affected state besides Jammu and Kashmir. Security experts are baffled at the sheer intensity of terror groups and their growing presence in UP, which they say has become the best bet in keeping the ’cause alive’.

 ”It is surprising UP has suffered a major terrorist attack when J&K has had none in five months. It is a clear pointer that the terror groups are making up in UP for what they have been denied in the Valley and other places by the security forces,” said a source. Statistics support this theory with security forces neutralising more than 80 terror modules in UP alone in the last three years.

Most of the modules taken care of were in cities of western UP where groups had inherited the infrastructure developed by the Harkat-ul-Ansar in 1993. All the current major players in UP - the Jaish-e-Mohammad, Harkat-ul-Jehad lslami and the Hizbul Mujahideen - are splinter groups of the Harkat-ul-Ansar while Lashkar-e-Taiba created its own base using SlMI’s infrastructure.

“It is a paradox of sorts. The terror groups have ready-to-use infrastructure and the state has always been reactionary in approach,” said the sources, adding:”it acts only when they strike instead of bringing a specialised mechanism to combat the most frightening scourge.”

Second the state has not been able to crack the support network that has grown by leaps and bounds over the last five years. And its failure in prosecuting the terrorist who, capitalising on poor documentation obtained bails and disappeared without a trace.

Time and again it came to light that the Hapur-Moradabad-Bareilly-Rampur belt was most vulnerable to terror modules. It was corroborated after security agencies busted the biggest Harkat module run by Ulfat Hussain in Moradabad and made the biggest recovery of lethal explosives and guns in 2003. The state police never followed the vital leads and ended up packing the case up.

 Recently, Delhi police arrested LeT’s Asad Hilal from Sambhal though he was wanted by the UP police in connection with recovery of star pistols he brought to Jamiatul Fala Madarsa in Azamgarh. What is worse is that the UP police are totally dependent on central agencies. If they worked out any case on their own, they got the wrong people to escape political compulsions. The best example is the Ayodhya attack. The UP police arrested LeT men but Delhi picked up the real players JeM in Jammu.

Every religion lays down it own principles of prayer. It is an act of surrender to the Almighty. It may be Islam, Hinduism, Christianity or any religion of the world. Thursday is believed to be a sacred day for prayers. Astrologically, Thursday is ruled by planet Jupiter that’s religious in character. It lays the code of conduct of worship, rules of fasting, pilgrimage, puja, mantra, namaaz, prarthana & duaa. The tarot card presents a majestic man with flowing hair and Olympian beard, holding a sacred eagle at his feet. According to Christian scriptures, this symbolises Jesus Christ; the monarch and father of men who acquits himself of his duties and protecting the innocent and chastising the wicked.

Jupiter in good houses of horoscope gives protection, esteem, power, money and all worldly possessions. If afflicted, it is a sign of disappointment in career and marriage. The position also gives loss in stock market, deception and misfortune.

The ill effect of Jupiter can be rectified by recitation of Ramayana, Geeta, and Quraan & Bible. Jupiter is a means to infuse discipline in one’s life in accordance to his respective religion.

A devout Christian has to recite with complete conviction the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew wherein Lord Jesus himself has recorded His words.

· Wear a Cross which reminds you of God, death, good deeds, sacrifices and strength to forgive.

· Do your charitable deeds on Thursday for your reward from Heaven. Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

· When you fast or pray, do not be like the hypocrites.

· Recite four words Ma-Ra-Na-Tha for 20 minutes in total silence. Eastern Christians call it HESYCHIA. It purifies your heart, mind and gives you strength & wisdom.

· It is believed if the above process is followed on X-Mas day, the malefic effect of Jupiter is rectified. It brings Jesus Christ nearer to you. Theologian JB Phillips says “Christianity is not a religion but a way of living and falling in love with God. And through Him a joyous journey to Heaven”.

However Jupiter marks the ‘day of celebration as Jesus Christ bestows love & blessings on the native to transform him from a sinner into a saint.

Situated at the higher reaches of the Ravi Valley, 56 -Ian from Dalhousie, Chamba is perched on a little plateau about 100 m above the river. The capital of an ancient kingdom, this town was founded in 920 AD by Raja Sahil Varma who named it Chamba after his favorite daughter Champavati. Isolated in this valley by the high ranges, it has developed its own style of architecture and art. Much of this heritage has been preserved and Chamba is known for the elegance of its temples and for its exquisite miniatures and handicrafts.

Places of tourist interest

Lakshminarayanan Temple: In a group are six ancient temples carved in stone, with tall vimanas. Dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu, they were built around the 8th century AD. The Lakshminarayan Temple, the oldest in this group, is richly ornamented.

Bhuri Singh Museum: On display is a collection of fine miniatures from the Kangra, Basholi and Chamba schools of painting. There are also murals and paintings from the Rang Mahal Palace which was damaged by fire.

Chaugan: A large grassy meadow forms the heart of the town and the centre of all its cultural activities. Each year, the colourful Minjar Mela celebrating the harvest is held here.

Chamunda Devi Temple: Just 1 km from the f Chaugan is a temple overlooking the river; Dedicated to the goddess Chamunda Devi, the temple is embellished with fine wood carving.

Katasan Devi Temple: A popular place of pilgrimage, the temple has a beautiful view of the Chamba Valley.

Sarol: Lovely landscaped gardens, a sheep breeding centre and apiary make Sar9l an interesting place for picnics.

Jhamwar: Located amid dense forests, Jhamwar is noted for its apple orchards.

Saho: Situated on a high plateau on the banks of the River Sal, Saho is famous for the temple to Chandrashekhar - Lord Shiva, with his moon crown.

Salooni : Another place with breath-taking views of the snow-capped ranges.

Hidden Treasures of Chamba District:

Bharmaur: Surrounded by alpine pastures, this is the summer home of the nomadic Gaddis. At a distance of 69 Km from Chamba town; Bharmaur, once known as Brahmpur, was between the 6th and 10th centuries, the capital of the princely state of Chamba. It is renowned for its cluster of temples collectively known as the ‘Chaurasi’. Though of varying architectural design, these temples are noted for their fine workmanship. Legend has it that in the 10th century, 84 holy men visited Bharmmaur, They blessed the ruler Raja Sahil Varma with ten sons and a daughter whom the town of Chamba is said to be named. And while some shrines were already in existence, the Raja had the remainder built to commemorate their sojourn. These include the Lakshmi Devi Temple, the Ganesh Temple and the Narsingh Temple. Installed in the sanctum of the Lakshmi Devi Temple is an exquisite brass image of the goddess, over a metre high.

From Bharmnaur, the Kugti and the Chobia passes and the trek routes they offer can be approached. Other interesting places at hand are the temple of Bani Mata and picturesque Khundel. There are Forest and PWD rest houses in Bharmaur. Access  Linked by road Chamba which is 65 Km away.

Maniinahesh : Sacred to Lord Shiva and his divine consort Parvati, the lake of Manimahesh is 35 Km from Bharmaur. Past Gaddi villages and wide meadows that give way to bare rock and snow fields, this tarn is a three day trek from Bharmaurvia Hadsarand Dhanchha. The deep blue waters of the lake, rest at the feet of the Manimahesh Kailash Peak-which is one of the mythological abodes of Lord Shiva. Access: Accessible from Bharmaur, 35 Km away - a fairly arduous trek.

Bhandal Valley : The beautiful Bhandal Valley with its wealth of wildlife is at the western extremity of Himachal Pradesh. Approachable from Chamba, it is the base for a trek route that connects Chamba to the Kishtwar region of Jammu and Kashmir over the Dagni Dhar. The route begins along the right bank of the River Ravi, goes past Pukhri, down to the Siyul stream, then rises to Salooni on the Prithvi Jor ridge to finally arrive above the valley. From Bhandal via Langhera one n reaches Kishtwar. The highest point on the track is the Padri Gali at 3,049 m. Access: Linked to Salooni in the Chamba Valley by road.

Pangi valley: Locked between the Greater Himalayan and the Pir Panjal ranges, the wild and beautiful Pangi Valley is s137 Km from Chamba. Its sub divsional headquarters at Killar is located in the deep and narrow gorge of the River Chandrabhaga (Chenab). The foaming river, the· high crags of the gorge and the difficult terrian are a challenge for intrepid trekkers. The Sach Pass opens the way to several trek routes. Thick forests the habitat of varried wildlife surround the Pangi Valley and the numerous side valleys-Saichu, Hunan, Sural Nallah, that are also endowed with remarkable natural beauty. The temple of Mindhal Basan Devi in Pangi is an important shrinct. Appropriately, the people of Pangi are as attractive as the tract they inhabit. The most convenient route for trekking into the valley is through the Sach Pass. Inner and Outer Seraj: The Jalori and Bashleo passes stand as markers between the Inner and Outer Seraj regions of Kullu. Outer Seraj faces Shimla district and reaches out to touch the River Sultej and Inner Seraj turns towards Kullu. Ani near the Sutlej provides the access point to Outer Seraj from Shimla. Some of the beautiful unspoilt spots in this area include Khang, a wide meadow surrounded by thick forest and Takrasi and Paneo which have fine rest houses. Within Outer Seraj is Nirmand, the largest village in Himachal.

Closely allied with the legend of Lord Parasurama, one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu, Nirmand is known for its exquisite wood and stone temples. . The 5,155m, Shrikahand Mahadwev Peak is a part of Outer Seraj. Beyond the Jalori Pass the scenic splendour of the Inner Seraj area unflods. This area has a variety of trek routes. Access: Accessible from Kullu and Shimla by road. Jalori Pass (3, 134m), The Jalori Pass which links Inner and Outer Seraj is 76 Km from Kullu. Its crest offers panoramic views of the area. The new pass is a man-made one and was carved out of the mountain range in the early part of the mountain range in the early part of the present century. This is about 150m lower than the old Jalori Pass.

Surrounderd by majestic forests, this areas is home to the Himalayan brown bear and certain varieties of pheasant-including the monal and tragopan. The Shingar Rishi Temple is close-by, and 5 Km from the Pass is the jewel like Seolsar Lake. Access: Jalori Pass is accessible by road from Shimla and Kullu.

Shoja: Shoja in Inner Seraj is close to the Jalori Pass. A charming unspoilt location of exceptional beauty overlooking lush meadows and tall snowcapped ranges, Shoja is 69 Km from Kullu via Aut.

The Raghupur Fort and Dugha Thatch, a lovely grassy meadow very close to Shoja, are worth visiting. Access: Shoja is accessible by road from Shimla and Kullu.

Joginder Nagar: In 1925, the enterprising Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi created an elaborate hydel power scheme near the village of Sukrahatti which was then renamed Joginder Nagar after him. After tunnelling and piping the water over several kilometres from the River Uhl to Joginder Nagar, the power house, Gumma and the haulage trolley. Joginder Nagar is the last stop of the little toy train that runs from Pathankot on the main broad gauge line, through the district of Kangra.

The Nainital tourist district is the pride of the Kumaon region in Uttaranchal. While there are many other places equally beautiful, Nainital is certainly the most popular tourist destination in Kumaon. It’s a pleasant hill station. For tourists looking for hustle and bustle the best time to go is the summer months when a lot of traffic ascends from Delhi and the plains.

The town gets equally crowded during the September/ October season which coincides with the Diwali and Puja holidays. However, like most hill resorts, it has its quite periods too. During the winter, Nainital is quite another beautiful experience when it reverts back to the local population and the crowds are absent. Peaceful, open, and invigorating.

In Indian mythology, Nainital is regarded as one of the 64 ‘Shakti Peeths’. Legend has it that a grief stricken Lord Shiva was carrying Sati’s body and one of her eyes fell here. The Nainital Lake is shaped like an eye and the town derived its name from the combination of Nain (eye) and Tal (lake). The Naina Devi temple is located at one end of the lake.

The place lay undisturbed till an English businessman chanced upon the location while hunting. The businessman, Mr. Barron, a sugar trader got enamoured of the place and decided to start a settlement on the side of the pristine lake. The British had occupied the area in 1815 and the first recorded reference to the township can be found in a journal entry in 1841 in ‘Englishman Calcutta’ which mentions a lake being discovered in the area. The English settlement soon had lovely cottages on the hillsides around the lake. Sometime later, a number of wealthy Indian families from the old town of Almora shifted to Nainital and the town flourished. Nainital was, at one time, the summer capital of Uttar Pradesh.

PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST:

 LAKES: Nainital has several lakes close by- Bhimtal, Sattal, Naukuchiatal, Khurpatal, Malwatal, Harishtal and Lokhamtal.

SAT TAL (seven lakes) is 22 km from Nainital.

BHIMTAL is close by, almost the same distance from Nainital. Close to Bhimtal, 4 kms away is NAUKUTCHIATAL GUFA MAHADEV AND SEPOYDHARA: If you are not afraid of ascending and descending a hill you can enjoy Sepoydhara very well. Placed at an. altitude of 6000 ft. one has to descend for 200 ft from the motor road. There is a natural spring pouring out volley of water through five pipes of four to, five inches in diameter. Adjacent to it there are few temples where you can worship the deity after a bath. It has 108 Haidakhan Baba (the older one) who used to pay at least a visit to this place every year during his life span. Previously known as Tara Lockup is now the district Jail of Nainital, which stand in the vicinity. It housed Moti Lal Nehru also for some time in pre-independence era.

SRI KRISHNAPUR: On your way back from Gufa Mahadev if you change your course a bit to the west you will reach Sri Krishnapur at a height of 6000 ft before you embark the main Kathgodam road, Sri Krishnapur was the seat of a great learned Sanskrit scholar Late Pandit Sri Krishna Joshi, Advocate and Head of the Department of Religious Studies Benaras Hindu University, etc. There are about 150 manuscripts and printed books to his credit on different topics in Sanskrit, Hindi and English. This is now a place from where people get Kurmanchaliya Saur Chandra Panchang (the almanac) and other religious books besides the tourist literature including that, which is in your hand. All the good things are bound to reach you from this place.