Roses of Haldighati- Maharana Pratap's land

Roses of Haldighati

From being the site of a heroic battle to a field of roses, Haldighati in Rajasthan has undergone a sea change, reports Tribune correspondent Jupinderjit Singh

Even 33 years after a huge statue of Maharana Pratap, riding his famous steed, was built, it is yet to be unveiled
Even 33 years after a huge statue of Maharana Pratap, riding his famous steed, was built, it is yet to be unveiled

Haldighati, the mere mention of the word throws up images of valour, heroism and honour. The battle of Haldighati was fought between the forces of Maharana Pratap and Emperor Akbar for the honour of the motherland and Rajputs. Over 20,000 soldiers were slain in the bitter clash. According to a story so much blood had been shed that it had formed a large pool. That place is called Rakt Talai in memory of those who died there.

While these tales have become legends, the dusty valley lies forgotten barring a few signs reminding of its existence.

A large cut-out of Rana Pratap in battle outfit, holding a spear and riding his famous steed Chetak, invites passers-by to the valley, which lies on the Udaipur-Nathdwara road, 16 km off the highway and 40 km short of Udaipur.

As one turns towards the link road off the highway to the place that was an inseparable part of the Indian folklore since centuries,`A0a hostile and depressing topography meets the eye, conjuring up images and sounds of war cries, clanking of swords, hoof-steps and the wails and moans of the injured.

The colour of the land and the hills changes rapidly as one gets closer to the actual`A0valley. From a depressing brown it becomes a bright turmeric. The valley, hence, got its name from the deep yellow colur of its sand.`A0

As one drives further into the valley, a surprise awaits. The valley, which was once filled with blood, still retains this crimson, albeit in a different form. Roses bloom where once death ruled.

Colourful boards advertising several rose products dot the landscape. They claim to have the world’s finest perfumes as well as gulkand, gulab jal, and several other products, including a special medicine for diabetes.

Rare blooms

There are rows of boards tempting visitors to buy roses and rose products. In this valley of valour, roses of one of the finest varieties — the chaitri — bloom in plenty, though only for a month in a year.

The place is the biggest exporter of rose products. Savita, who sells these products, says anyone who comes here is amazed on seeing the roses. "It is like an oasis. It’s a pity that these crimson red and milky pink flowers bloom for just one month. Otherwise, many big industries would have rushed here, manufacturing tonnes of rose products," she says.

But doesn’t the single crop make it more special? "Yes," agrees Mohan Shrimali, an expert in rose products and owner of Maharana Pratap Memorial Museum. "Doctors and beauticians all over the world prefer products made from chaitri rose, for its proven therapeutic benefits. It tightens the skin, making it look younger, and is also a natural moisturiser. According to ayurveda, rose is associated with romance because it balances sadhaka pitta, the subdosha of pitta that governs the emotions and their effect on the heart," says Shrimali.

An interesting fact is that the seed of this bloom was sown in the battle of Haldighati. Folklore has it that soldiers of Akbar had brought along saplings of this rare variety of rose. Rose plants have been growing here for the past four centuries, but it was only in the last two decades or so that the cultivation became organised.

It seems a marvel of nature that amidst this lifeless blood-soaked land, nicely cultivated rose beds greet the visitors. There are rocky, barren, parched hills, dotted with thorny bushes. There is hardly any vegetation in the Aravali Hills. Yet rose plants are being cultivated in the valley.

This phenomenon seems to be the Nature’s way of paying tributes to the brave sons of the soil, who died here defending their motherland.`A0

Haldighati, which connects the present day Rajsamand and Pali districts, was a symbol of Rajputana pride as it was the gateway to Udaipur, and Kumbalgarh, the Kashmir of the desert. More than winning the forts, Akbar wanted to crush the esteem of the Rajputs.

The battle took place between Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber, general of the Mughal emperor Akbar.

Today a magnificent park has come up at the place, courtesy the Archaeology and the National Conservation Department. Sadly, there is no befitting memorial.

Unique tribute
An impressive and modern museum has been built by a local teacher Mohan Shrimali after state and Central authorites failed to do so
An impressive and modern museum has been built by a local teacher Mohan Shrimali after state and Central authorites failed to do so

All governments in the state and at the Centre have treated Maharana Pratap with equal apathy. None has erected a memorial despite making tall promises.

But where the governments failed, one son of the soil came forward to do the needful.

Way back in 1976, Indira Gandhi launched a project of erecting a memorial to Rana Pratap. Even after 33 years the memorial is yet to be built.

But the government apathy has not prevented a local son of the soil from doing his bit in remembering the great warrior. Born and brought up in the Haldighati area, Mohan Shrimali became a teacher and went to teach in a school in Udaipur. But his heart was always in his birthplace. And there was pain, too, that how Rana Pratap’s own land has forgotten him.

For years he implored the government and private agencies to build a memorial. But when no one obliged, Shrimali ventured on his own.



Today an impressive and modern museum has been built in the valley. Shrimali has spent every penny in his pocket to achieve that. "I have already invested Rs 2 crore in the project. For years, I made rounds of government offices, met politicians and bureaucrats but no one bothered. So I took it upon myself. That was the only way I could sleep peacefully."

The museum has a gallery of paintings and models depicting the life and times of Maharana Pratap. The best feature of the museum is a light-and-sound show in a cave-like structure. Visitors can also buy good-quality rose products at nominal rates here.

Speaking about his dream project Shrimali says, "I was born in Haldighati. I started building the museum on my own land. In these 20 years, I have sold all my ancestral property, except a house in Udaipur. All my savings, family jewellery etc. were put in the project."

He faced more downs than ups. No bank agreed to finance him. "We don’t fund non-profitable ventures, especially a museum. Who will come to these cruel ravines?" Shrimali was told. But undeterred, the man went on.

Interestingly, after the museum took shape, the government tried to take control of it. "Even now, one or the other government agency harasses me on different pretexts," he says.

In sharp contrast to this individual effort, stands the memorial by the government, announced in 1976 by Mrs Indira Gandhi when she visited Haldighati.

The full memorial is yet to come up. Only a terrace garden overlooking the valley and a huge statue of Maharana Pratap, riding his famous steed, has been installed there. Ironically, even after 33 years the statue is covered with`A0a plastic sheet waiting for some VIP to unveil it.

Battle for honour

The battle of Haldighati was not just one of the many fierce clashes between the Mughal and Rajput forces to annexe land or retrieve it`A0(in case of Rajputs). It was the battle for the Rajputana honour. Many powerful kings of Rajasthan, including those of Jaipur, Bikaner and Boondi, were with Akbar. Rana Pratap had already alienated them by taunting how they had given their daughters and sisters to Akbar to barter peace.

James Tod, in his highly acclaimed book Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, recorded that the great Rana took on Akbar despite all odds. After all efforts by Akbar to win over Rana Pratap failed, the Mughal king sent his son Salim to lead the battle.

Aided by the advisers of Maharaja Maan Singh of Jaipur, whose sister Jodha was the mother of Prince Salim, the Mughals amassed their force in the valley. The great Rana, too, had been looking for such an oppurtunity.

Haldighati provided him the best opportunity. He observed that the Mughal forces had camped on a large ground in the valley, which later came to be known as Badshah Bagh. Rana enticed the forces to march towards the treacherous valley, where he had strategically placed the gallant Bhil tribals.

When the Mughal forces marched through the narrow gorge called the Neck of Haldighati, the tribals attacked and butchered them mercilessly. Several attempts of passing the narrow and deep ravine failed as thousands lay slain.

The demoralised Mughal forces were pushed to the wall. The brave and clever Rana then attacked the Mughal camp. The Rana’s horse, whose tale of valour and duty is as immortal as his rider, looked different that day. Pratap had put an elephant’s mask, including the trunk and the teeth, on the face of the horse. This was done to confuse the elephant of Raja Maan Singh.

The ploy succeeded as Chetak successfully brought the Rana within striking distance of Maan Singh. Providence saved him as he managed to flee, hiding under the seat on the elephant.

Rana Pratap and his soldiers followed the fleeing Mughal forces. In its enthusiasm and over-confidence, the Rana’s army forgot that the combined forces of the Mughals and Rajputs still outnumbered it. Both armies came face to face in a large ground where, according to historians, thousands died in a battle that lasted for four hours.

Both sides suffered huge losses. Chetak succumbed to injuries but only after it had taken his master to safety, jumping a wide river only on three legs. And as Rana wept at the loss, skies too cried in form of rain, forming the Rakt Talai (pond of blood). Folklore has it that red sand came out while digging centuries after the famous battle.

we are promoting inter-caste/ inter-faith marriages in the country by positng number of articles on the subject.

The Maharashtra govt has taken giant step in this endeavour by offering monetary help of rs 50 thousand to such couples.
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please read story published in The Times of India , March 11, 2010

State will offer Rs 50K to inter-caste couples

Clara Lewis I TNN

Mumbai: In a move to promote inter-caste marriages,the state government has increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000 the one-time largesse to be paid to such couples.
The objective of the monetary incentive is to promote marriages between people from the upper caste and the lower castes (Scheduled Caste,Scheduled Tribes and nomadic tribes).Often,such marriages happen in the face of opposition from parents of both sides.So the couple largely has no financial support when they get married.This is to help them get started in their wedded life, said an official.
The state is merely following the example set up by states such as Uttar Pradesh,Haryana,Gujarat,Orissa,Madhya Pradesh and Punjab,to name a few.
A part of the money is put in a fixed deposit in the name of the couple.The couple is given a small amount for immediate expenses,besides additional funds to purchase household items.The incentive is disbursed by the government a few days before International Womens Day and a second time in October.The reason being the onus of making a marriage work rests on the woman and this is one way of acknowledging the contribution of women to eradicate the caste system.
A Ramaiah,chairperson of the Centre for Study of Social Exclusive and Inclusive Policies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences,said intercaste marriages were more an urban phenomenon than a rural one.Awareness in urban areas is certainly more than in rural areas where an inter-caste marriage is considered going against God.Hence there are more instances of killings in rural areas than in towns or cities. The increased amount,said Ramaiah,would certainly help such couples and prompt those who have been contemplating an inter-caste marriage to go ahead with their decision.Yashwant Mankhedkar,a government official who married an Iyengar girl 18 years ago,however,said the monetary incentive was mere tokenism.The government should carry out awareness campaigns in colleges so that more young people opt for inter-caste marriages, he said,adding that there should be an action plan to help sustain such marriages.His wife,Meera,concurred.The Indian society is very caste conscious and the government needs to initiate measures so that an internal process of change happens, she said.Anand Teltumbe,a wellknown writer and Dalit rights activist,said the scheme was a gimmick being played out on Dalits.The government should work on stopping the atrocities on Dalits, he said.

the undercurrents of a new, progressive kashmir

Sunday, February 7, 2010


Knot at a cost

Many youngsters are going in for inter-faith and inter-caste marriages to script the
story of a new Kashmir, but this is proving costly with various communities resorting
to violence to thwart such alliances, writes Jupinderjit Singh

Photo: Kuldip Dhiman
Photo: Kuldip Dhiman

LOVE, they say, can bridge many a gap. Therefore, a large number of second-generation Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are increasingly choosing the "bond of love" over a communal or caste one in the strife-torn valley of Jammu and Kashmir despite a violent suppression of such alliances. Many persons have either been killed in the process or been forced to kill their feelings. Many are living in hiding and many outside the state. Those who continue to live here are treated like outcastes by their communities and families. Yet, the inter-community love affairs go on.

Soon after Rajnish Sharma married a Muslim girl, Amina, he landed in lock-up and was later found dead in police custody
WEDLOCK: Soon after Rajnish Sharma married a
Muslim girl, Amina, he landed in lock-up and was
later found dead in police custody

Members of the Mahila Sangharsh Samiti demand justice in the Rajnish death case
FAIR PLAY: Members of the Mahila Sangharsh Samiti demand justice in the Rajnish death case
Photos: Anand Sharma

Even though such marriages are seen as a veiled bid to decimate the numerical strength of a community in the state, where the demand for a separate homeland is raging since decades, inter-faith marriages form an undercurrent of a new Kashmir. But are they a solution?
When Amina Yusuf of Kashmir and Rajnish Sharma of Jammu fell in love eight years ago in Gulmarg, they dreamt of a new life and a new Kashmir. A Kashmir where, like them, people from different faiths could not only dare to marry but also live together peacefully.

But that was not to be. By Amina’s own admission before the Jammu police and the media, the couple went on to marry against the wishes of the families and the diktats of their community leaders in August last year. But they could live together only for a few days. Rajnish was booked on the charge of kidnapping and forcibly marrying the 26-year-old Amina, aka Anchal Sharma post marriage.

He was "picked up" by the cops on September 29 and found dead in the Srinagar police’s custody on October 4. `A0 A judicial investigation is on in the case. Amina, after living with her in-laws for three months, returned to her parents’ house this January. Later, Amina retracted from the love affair in a statement before a Srinagar court. She claimed she had been forced to marry. The court hearing is on.

There are many others like them. "On an average, we get one such case daily in Jammu city itself. Often, it is easier to trace and catch a militant than a runaway couple," admits a senior police official requesting anonymity. "We go by the law. The girlparents file a case of kidnapping and add the charge of rape later. It boils down to the girl’s stand. If she deposes before a court that she had gone of her own will, which happens rarely, the law protects the couple," says the senior police officer.

He narrates documented tales of runaway couples being recovered from places as far off as Goa and Siliguri. "Couples elope the world all over. But in this state, it acquires far more serious proportions," he says, pointing towards the communal divide. "No community here wants its members to join another community after marriage. The community members fear that one by one, their numbers will dwindle and the demographic change can affect the separatist demand. Interestingly, parents don’t mind if their son brings a girl from another community and converts her".

"But when it comes to their daughters marrying outside the community, there is violence and bloodshed," says former DGP M.M. Khajuria. Enquiries reveal that such runaway couples are found in each colony and region of the militancy-hit state. Many are going through the painful process of having to face society. Others have settled down, albeit in isolation, after braving it all.

Many Kashmiri Pandits marrying Muslims or vice-versa are those whose parents are still living through the wounds of the separatist movement. Elders of different communities openly scoff at the suggestion that the younger generation is scripting the story of a new and mixed society that would never be able to seek division on the lines of community, caste or race.

The marriages between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims arouse the strongest passions. "There was a time when Kashmiri Pandits marrying Dogri boys or girls was a big no-no. Now, you find hundreds of such cases," reveals a sociologist, preferring anonymity out of fear of a backlash. The case of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims is significant. The Pandits driven out of the valley have a natural grudge against the Muslims. The latter, too, demanding a separate state for their community, are naturally averse to any such alliance. But their second generation is determined to follow the diktats of the heart.

Interestingly, the first family of the state, the Abdullahs, are the most secular. Union Minister and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is married to a Christian. His son and serving Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is wedded to a Sikh girl. His sister is married to a Hindu, the Union Minister of State for Telecommunications, Sachin Pilot. But it isn’t smooth sailing for everyone.


"What wrong did we do?" asks Shabnam with her husband Ravi Sharma (names changed) holding her hand tightly in their two-room rented house in the city. "We are both working in a multinational company. We liked each other, respect each other’s religion and told our parents of our decision to marry. But there was a volcano of a protest. We had no option but to elope. We got married but were caught. He was booked for kidnapping but the court came to our rescue. Now, we are living happily," she says. Some even take the fight up to the Supreme Court. The case of a Muslim girl from Doda and a Hindu youth from Nagrota is a case in point.

The apex court provided security to this love-lorn couple, hounded by relatives and cops. Anjum, 19, a Muslim from Doda, and Khemraj, 24, a Hindu from Nagrota, eloped few months ago. Both belong to influential families. They are reportedly living in hiding.
The undercurrents have not escaped the eye of social observers. Dr Niharica Subash, assistant professor, sociology, Jammu University, has met 115 such couples who have crossed the social boundaries, "Couples from Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Christian families, especially the Dogris and Kashmiri Pandits, are running from their homes and marrying. Of these, a Hindu-Muslim, and specifically a Kashmiri Pandit-Muslim marriage, is a cardinal sin and
often results in violence, as happened in the Amina and Rajnish case".

Conversion after marriage becomes the main issue. The DGP remembers how a Sikh girl despite marrying a Muslim in England spent a torturous life for years. She wanted to follow her religion but there was opposition. She pulled along for a few years. But when it came to the children’s religion, she left the family.

Dr Niharica recalls her experiences in meeting two such couples, "Some Hindu girls had got converted. One of them agreed to talk to me on the condition that I wouldn’t disclose that she was originally a Hindu. She had adjusted so well in her new life". Another case was even more telling. "This woman, originally a Hindu, just refused to acknowledge that. She showed me the door, saying she was born a Muslim".

And it is not that all are living unhappily. "Ayaz and his Hindu wife are living happily in Jammu with both practising their respective religions. Even Ayaz’s sister, married to a Hindu, is living happily. Both had got their marriages solemnised outside the state in a court.

"This trend of going outside the state for marriage has been noted in most of the cases," asserts Dr Niharica, "Most of the couples I have met, married outside the state, especially in Chandigarh and New Delhi. A few return to the state. They can get married here but the repercussions would be immediate, while outside the state they can get a safe haven."

Saranjit Kaur cites from her M. Phil study on emerging trends of marriages, "There was a time when no community married out of caste or clan. But slowly, a change is coming. Dogris and Pandits are marrying, though there is opposition, but most of the parents accept the alliance once the grandchildren are born.

"The children of Kashmiri Pandits, especially those born in Jammu after migration, identify themselves with the people and culture here. They accept them, unlike their parents, who were forced to leave the valley."

The biggest opposition is to Hindu-Muslim marriages. "In Jammu and Kashmir, it is feared that such marriages can affect the majority of a population in a given area. For instance, if Hindu and Sikh girls marrying Muslims practice their faith, the Muslim majority is affected in the valley. The whole aim of the secessionist movement, or demand for leaving India for Pakistan is the rendered useless," she reasons. There is trouble for Dalit-Brahmin marriages as well. Rahul Dev of the Progressive Students Association shares the trouble he faced on marrying a Pandit girl.

He belongs to the Other Backward Classes. His wife, Rosy, is a Brahmin. Both studied law together in college. When they decided to marry, all hell broke loose." "The religious and caste lines are so deeply set. My father is an ex-serviceman. He accepted after two years that I was marrying a Brahmin girl. He still says he did not feel as much pain from the two bullets that pierced him while fighting the enemy as much he did at his son marrying outside the caste," says Rahul. "But he still doesn’t visit our house," adds Rosy.

first published in -- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100207/spectrum/main1.htm


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Jupinderjit Singh travels on the scenic Jammu-Udhampur rail route where reality belies expectations

the tribune
Saturday, July 11, 2009



Engineering marvel on track

Jupinderjit Singh travels on the scenic Jammu-Udhampur rail route where reality belies expectations


For passengers on the Jammu-Udhampur train every bend offers panoramic views.

A train trip can be a fascinating experience for people of all ages. Imagine a journey between, around and through mountain curves and long, winding tunnels, over high bridges and dangerous khuds, over and along rivers, through thick forests, green fields and rich meadows. Every rolling vista is more beautiful than the previous one.

For aficionados of such journeys, where every bend in the track offers unheard of surprises, the Jammu-Udhampur rail journey provides panoramic views.

The track for this awesome journey took 21 years to build as engineers had to conquer one challenge after another. It has many engineering feats, including the region’s highest rail bridge — Gambhir bridge. Apart from the 2-km-long bridge, it also has a nearly 2.50-km tunnel, which is even longer than the historic Jawahar Tunnel.

The Jammu-Udhampur track is the part of the 340-km-long Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula rail project.

The project has a long and chequered history. It was conceived over 110 years ago. In 1898, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Partap Singh, visualised linking Jammu and Srinagar via a train line.

But the very idea of a train running through a seismic zone did not find any takers a century ago as the route crossed major earthquake zones, and inhospitable terrain.

British designers suggested many routes, including a railway track along the historical Mughal road.

During the Raj days the Railways had been only able to run a train up to Udhampur from Jammu and between Baramulla and Srinagar.

There was also a proposal that the train on this route can be run on electricity through various hydropower projects that had been conceptualised enroute. After several years of planning, the project had to be abandoned, mainly because of the treacherous nature of the route and its huge cost.

The project remained forgotten even after Independence for a long time till about mid 1980s when the authorities once again thought of it and the work on it started.

The 54-km-long Jammu-Udhampur line was inaugurated three years ago. It took 21 years and Rs 515 crore ($130 million) for its construction. The line has 20 major tunnels and 158 bridges.

The train starts from Jammu and winds through the city presenting a spellbinding view of the historic Bahu Fort and Mubarak Mandi. One of the first tunnels is right under the Bahu Fort, around which the Jammu city developed.

The tunnel that was built right under it, without damaging the old fort, has been dubbed as an engineering marvel.

The train then climbs up to provide a panoramic spectacle of the Tawi river and the valley.

Chief Administrative Officer, Northern Railways, S R Ujlayan and Deputy Chief Engineer Vinay Tanwer, who worked on this tough and challenging project, have published their experiences in a book on International Conference on Tunneling Experiences.

"The rail project was one of the most challenging we ever undertook. Some portion of the tracks had to pass through the undulating and highly difficult terrain of the young Himalayas. The engineers tried all modern methods but eventually the traditional system of drilling proved effective," they add.

The officers reveal that the ground moved many a times and rocks, stones and other debris became loose. The area is earthquake-prone because of which the material used to construct tracks had to be very powerful and strong. The design and alignment of the rail track, too, changed many a times to prevent collapsing of the tunnels and the bridges.

Interestingly, the rail track has been laid in a gentle ascent. The ascent is so less (in mm) that it looks almost flat and the train runs at quite a high speed as if it is running in plains. Although if one sees the Jammu-Udhampur road that zigzags through the mountains, one can see how difficult it was to lay a track that had so few curves.

"There was immense seepage on the route due to nullahs flowing above the tunnels, which had almost jeopardised the entire project. The engineers had to build stronger and thicker concrete structures to prevent it. Their width went up to 25 metres on each side of the tunnel and also above it. Besides that structures were laid on the hilltops so as to regulate the flow of water," the officers add.

But this hard work has been worth the effort, claim the travellers, who have undertaken this enchanting journey.

"The experience of travelling in a train on this track was spellbinding," says Mohan Patel. He was travelling with his wife and three children.

"Last year, I had come to Vaishno devi shrine when someone told me about the enthralling train journey. So I travelled on the train myself to check the authenticity of this statement. The journey was indeed beautiful. So this year, I brought my children along. The return journey from Udhampur is even more enchanting. We would be travelling in the special aerodynamic DMU train, which makes the journey more enriching."

The train ride may be fun for tourists but for the residents of villages situated along the track, it has come as a great blessing. Vishal Bhat, who belongs to Bajalta, the first station after Jammu, can now commute to his village daily. Situated less than 20 km away, the Bajalta residents can now reach Jammu in 15 minutes. Earlier they had to take a long road route that took over one and half hours to reach Jammu.

Vishal commutes daily now instead of going home on weekends. There are hundreds others from Udhampur who commute daily now. Earlier they had to spend more money and time to reach their offices in Jammu. The DMU travel just costs Rs 9 one side while the general ticket in the Express train costs Rs 32.

Bajalta, Singar, Manwal and Ramnagar are thinly inhabited villagea along this rail track. Each has its own unique railway station. Some offer a view of the Himalayas, others of the deep valleys or sprawling meadows.

Rural art is evident in the houses along the track, as the train chugs leaving behind clusters of mostly kutcha and a few concrete houses. One can see the mud walls painted in bright colours and etched with lovely drawings.

For traders at Udhampur, the train has come as a lifeline. It provides easy transportation of fuel, vegetables and other goods which otherwise took long time via the road route.

Ramanand Bahria, a trader of Udhampur, says the train line has revolutionised their life and work, " We now dash to Delhi directly from Udhampur and Delhi businessman too, reach here easily in a short time and with less hassles. Earlier, they had to get down at Jammu and then travel by road."

Suresh, an MBBS student from Udhampur, is one of the hundreds of students who travel daily to Jammu from Udhampur and the villages enroute to pursue his education dream. Earlier many of them just could not dream of higher education due to the high cost and time involved.

Udhampur being the base of Northern Command, one sees hundreds of soldiers and officers commuting to and fro. Even the movement of a regiment has become easier as special army train can now take it to its new deployment place anywhere in the country.

The train may have made the life of people easier but for hundreds of security personnel, guarding the 20 tunnels over 150 bridges, is a tough task. These guards live in makeshift tents, their only entertainment being the sight of the passing train, whose safe passage is the aim of their deployment there.

For travellers journeying on this route there is some good news in the offing as the Railways is in the process of providing more facilities to them. Divisional Traffic Manager Railways Ashok Sharma says, as the route is quite popular among tourists the track has been extended to Katra. Due to flooding of a tunnel the operation has been delayed. Once it is cleared, train tourism would get a new fillip in the region," he adds.









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