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A Journey to Shimla: by Toy Train
Contributor(s): Vashisht, Sumit Raj (Author)

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 ISBN: 1503142566     ISBN-13: 9781503142565
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
OUR PRICE: $33.25  

Binding Type: Paperback
Published: August 2015
* Out of Print *
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- Travel | Asia - India & South Asia
Physical Information: 0.29" H x 8.5" W x 8.5" L (0.64 lbs) 112 pages
Themes:
- Cultural Region - Indian
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:
In 1891, the railway line to Kalka from Ambala was opened but it took a couple of years more to begin work on the Kalka Shimla Railway. The burning heat of Indian summers made people sweaty during the whole of the journey from Calcutta, now Kolkata, to Kalka. The wooden box like railway compartments which had no fans fitted and air conditioning was just a dream, creaked, rattled and bumped while moving on the steel rails and puffed hot wind through its window openings, keeping the travelers humid. Building a railway track in the hills was a great challenge for the Scottish Engineers. But it was nothing in front of their attraction for the hills. Shimla, the former Summer Capital of British India, and now a famous tourist destination, came up exactly 200 years ago from now. The British officers had moved up to the hills to fight against Gurkhas, who actually were expanding their dynasties in these hills and had caused a big trouble for the local rulers. On the invitation of the local rulers British army moved up and fought against Gurkhas, defeated them and expelled them completely. Shyamala as it was called then, grabbed their attention and they decided to set up a resort here. With time a large population began to move up to the hills and Shimla developed as per their requirement. It was really a challenge to move up to the hills in the absence of road, initially the best way to move up was to walk up of ride. Before the road from Kalka to Shimla was constructed, in the middle of the nineteenth century, it was difficult to travel to Shimla with all the paraphernalia loaded on camels or country carts. One family would carry all their clothing, plate chest, bonnet boxes, boxes containing books, folding chairs, cane chairs, saddle stand, mackintosh sheets, books, iron cots, tea table, pans, other utensils, screens, lamps, lanterns, hanging wardrobes, house linen, casks containing ornaments, ice-pails, door mats, crockery in the casks, filter pardah, bamboos, tennis poles, hot cases, milk safe, baby's tub and stand, sewing machine, fender, irons, water cans, pitchers, boxes containing saddler, kitchen utensils, carpets, drawing room sundries, servant's cots, iron bath, cheval glass and plate baskets. All the above was divided among nearly eleven or twelve camels or could be loaded on four or five country carts. More than four bullocks were required to pull one cart for the uphill journey. Cows also accompanied the family and every morning the journey would start after milking them.
 
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