Blame it on the extra long journey duration in Ac environs, exclusive usage rights of both side seats, the sumptuous and continuous culinary procession characteristic of a Rajdhani Express, or on the die-hard romantic (who are you searching for? Its me, duh!) or on what you must, but my heart is a-singing and I must do this!
Hey, I promise not to write a single review again on the Railways, but please hear me out on this one!
Sorry for this wrong category, but this is the closest I found to Konkan Railway.
In case you have started doubting if my loyalties have shifted to the Railways in just a coupla weeks, I still wont hold it against you! But please, read on!
Aur Kya Hota?? Curtains drawn, a huge window to the scenic outside world, a soft pillow and warm blanket to prop up and a full 14 hours in the exclusive company of a luscious and curvaceous lady, clad in velvet green, with water droplets lining her lovely mane,glowing in the rays of the sun in the natural splendour of blossomed youth, proud to adorn such an embodiment of the best of feminine traits! {All you guys there who already have your eyeballs hanging out just on will power and tongues slurping at my luck, relax!}. Some guys have all the luck! But then, I should add the name of the lady, who is known to the English-speaking as Ms Natu Re (pronounced Ney Cheh, similar to a certain fragrant variety of fried rice in Kerala!}. What a let down, eh? Well, did you ever hear about “a chic in the hand is better than two behind the bush?” J
Aah, which of those lovely jungles did I get lost in? Hmmm..Without further ado (I’m quite scared of the Laxman Rekha of 8, now 7.5K, on MS Reviews!}, may I introduce to you, the Konkan Railway – the completely refreshing, ravishing, captivating and mind-numbingly quiet younger sisterof India’s many rail networks.
The domain(and here I may err a little, as it is an estimation of the mind than the regulation on paper!} extends from Panvel, outside Mumbai, to Kankanadi, off Mangalore – a lovely train journey which can take you between 14-18 hours {though I once spent 40, due to a monsoon-related delay of 18 hours at Ratnagiri, which is anyway de rigeur (Abha, right spelling?) on this network from June to August}, depending on the train you take.
Green is the colour of the dayand Nature fresh is, in these parts, more than just Chakki-ka-Atta! Life-buoy is what you feel even midway through it and De-Lux is the byword for levels of mental comfort. You may or may not shave, depending on whether you are Man1/Man2, Man/Woman or Woman1/Woman2 (!), but “Konkan da Jawaab Nahin” is what you will exclaim when you exit the route, and, you don’t need to be a Kapil Dev to say that!{Mayank,did I do some justice to the Prahlad Kakkar in you?}
Another reason I am writing is that the Konkan is like Katrina Kaif (or, Bips, if you say so!)…”Everyone wants to, but hardly anone has been there!” {I already hear MagS battering down that poor keyboard, J) By virtue of location, handicapped by non-necessity and the spurt of low-cost air fares, most of you would not have had experience of this beauty (the Konkan, I mean!), but suffices to say – Delays or no delays, if you love travel, if you love to see Nature at her resplendent best, if the romantic in you kicks alive seeing pure white, frothy waterfalls in the midst of lush green trees covering curvy mountains, if you love the smell of rain-on-earth, or if you just want a serene journey sans human noise and beggars, the Konkan Experience is a must-have. Things only get better if you have the instrumental of an old Hindi romantic number in your ears.
The stations on this route are few and new and there is generally just one big platform (barring about 4 stations, including Madgaon, the gate to Goa {even without contests!} and Ratnagiri {of alphonso mango fame}). You would be lucky to find much in the guise of grub, but then, most trains have a fairly decent pantry.
The Konkan Rail takes you through a large number of vistas. Key among them are a multitude of tunnels, including the largest in Asia at 4.5 km, near Ratnagiri. I have had the privilege of a visit to the Control Room over this tunnel (being a fauji helps, you see!). The Control Room is manned round the clock and located above the midspan of the tunnel and has a display indicating entry, movement and exit of trains within the tunnel, which is divided into 3 sections for safety and maintenenca purposes. There are 2 evacuation ladders leading up, to the hill top and extensive ventilation arrangements to ensure instant and effective removal of diesel smoke.
The route also takes you along one of the nation’s highest bridges, from atop which you can see the small river snaking its way down below, flanked by cliffs, trees and goats. Population isn’t much in these areas, and you may well find more goats and cows than men and women (in case you were missing them!). {Incidentally, even a drive along this route is a marvellous experience}.
The railway stations are Spartan, but chic and often use coconut leaves, bamboo and other natural building materials in good measure. They are hence elegant, simple and different from the run-of-the-mill crowded, dirty and noisy city ones.
A word for those who crib…either about delays, or about the single lane at most places, or the water logging (a natural wonder that within 10 minutes of the rain ceasing, the water totally drains away from the rail zone)……Try thinking of how one Mr Sreedharan (again, in his pre-Delhi Metro avtar!) managed to lead his team just creating such a useful, short, arduous and scenic rail route through the very foundations of the mighty Western Ghats, during the course of which tens of labourers gave their ‘Yesterdays’ for our ‘Today’!
Book in advance, as the route runs full. The route goes down from Maharashtra, through Goa and ends in South Karnataka. The rush is partly due to its being the shortest (and often, only) rail route to most places en route, partly due to hordes of tourists using it to reach Goa in laid back mode and peace, with a larger wallet, and then… partly because of my genre – those who will only travel Konkan depite other marginally shorter routes – cos we are just addicted to it. Personally for me, its been 8 years of regular travel on the Konkan Railway, and, I shall have it no other way by rail….all cos it’s the only one which makes my heart sing (lucky theres no one else nearby!)…..
“Country Rails, take me Home….To the Place I Belong…..” { John Denver, excuse moi!}
Its WOW! Its Konkan! And its Marvellous!
`````Commenton this or not, but don’tever missthe sheer delightof a rail journeythrough the Konkans!``````
….else, you will always feel “ I aint dunnit yet!”
Ciao n Bon Voyage!
Shyam
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