April 16, 2011
 
India is a vast country, comprising all forms of landscape. The high mountains, the desert, the flat and fertile plains and the long meandering coastline. A journey by Indian Railways presents a true kaleidoscope of this beautiful land. The Railways connect you to every nook and corner of our country and a journey by train is fascinating to both young and old. From the picturesque Konkan Railway to the desert journey of Bikaner, Railways have always caught the imagination of one and all. Of the many fabulous routes boasted by the Railways the Bangalore-Mangalore journey is a truly outstanding experience.

After much delay and in-numerable extensions the Bangalore-Mangalore section was dedicated to the nation. I was overjoyed to know that the track was commissioned and that finally I could travel and enjoy the sights enroute to the coastal hub of Karnataka. We planned our journey and reserved our seats in the day train between Yeshwantpur and Mangalore.

We started off from Yeshwantpur at 7.30 am in the morning during the previous monsoons and were yearning to reach Sakleshpur. The train reaches Sakleshpur via, Tumkur, Arasikere and Hassan. The 110km journey from Sakleshpur to Subramanya Road is the cream sector of this journey. As the train pulled into the small station at Sakleshpur, all the window seats were occupied and one could also find people cramming on one another at the doors to get a vantage view point. An additional engine was attached to the front side of the train to help it pull along the steep gradient.

We started our ascent and were eagerly awaiting the sights which would unfold before us. One could see nothing but un-adulterated greenery alongside, the true splendor of the western ghats was to unfold before us. The train travels into the dense vegetation through the ghats entering numerous tunnels and crossing various bridges over many rivulets. It was not long before we entered into the first tunnel. As the train entered into the dark tunnel we could hear the hooting and the whistles of our fellow passengers. The journey was turning out to be a merry making trip. A group of passengers even started off singing hit movie numbers buoyed by the splendid sights on offer. Passengers in the train were no longer strangers to one another, each one would smile at the other and everyone were enjoying the party hosted by mother nature.

As the train emerged out of the tunnel the sight of the steep valley below is truly breathtaking. The mist clad mountain peaks and the view from such great heights would make one presume that he or she is traveling by flight and not by train. If you are at the window seat then each time the train turns into a tunnel or passes over a high rise bridge is bound to draw lots of admiration. Some of the passengers leave their seats and follow the beautiful sights no matter which side of the train it is. The train also chugs over some of the highest bridges or viaducts enroute. The sight of water flowing deep down below the bridge is indeed one to behold. The breath of cool fresh air brings a lot of relief to passengers out from their concrete jungles. At places the train passes right adjacent to the water falls which is an added bonanza to the shutterbugs.

Our train made an unscheduled stop at Sirivagilu at 4pm and was held up there for more than 90mins. When enquired we were told that there was a land slide in the subsequent tunnel and the Earth was being removed in order to clear the track. Our hearts were filled with gratitude to all those Railway men who got down to the task of clearing the tracks braving the heavy rains. The small station was manned by a lone station master who was on constant contact with the railway men working in the tunnel to clear the tracks over the wireless. The landslide had occurred just an hour before the train was scheduled to pass over the section. The entire track is manned by vigilant and brave Railway staff who work tirelessly around the clock to ensure that each train passes of smoothly. They are the real heroes who brave the odds and put duty above everything else. The difficult terrain and the dense forest compounds their worries but they still stand resolute, such men should be honored for their services. The Railways ought to provide them with the most modern means of equipments at their disposal, which would make their job even more easier.

Once the tracks were cleared we again resumed our journey, the rains were really pounding harder and it was getting darker. We reached Subramanya Road at 7pm. This station is the alighting point to pilgrims visiting the Kukke Subramanya temple, one of the most revered temples in India. We however continued our journey and reached Mangalore for a truly thunderous welcome.

In all there are 58 tunnels and close to 109 bridges between Sakleshpur and Subramanya Road stations. The rich flaura and fauna of the Western ghats is everyone’s delight. The train takes 2.5hrs to cover a distance of 110kms. Currently the Railways operate a night service daily between Bangalore and Mangalore and a thrice weekly day service between Yeshwantpur and Mangalore. It would be boon to all nature enthusiasts if the day service is run daily. This route too has immense scope for tourism as there are famous pilgrim centers of Dharmastala and Kukke Subramanya close by, the stretch is also a trekkers’ paradise. If all the stations enroute are upgraded then this stretch could be used to its full potential. The road link between Bangalore and Mangalore is not in a very nice shape at certain sectors, this train journey offers much more comfort when compared to the back breaking experience by road.

With the yearly monsoon season all set to begin from the month of June, the entire ghat section would again spring back to life. It would be the right time to plan a leisure trip and enjoy this natural beauty first-hand.