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.