From the first passenger train in India, to a grainy black & white picture of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose alighting from a railway carriage, the Indian Railways’ journey through 160 years of its existence is on display in the capital.
The photographic exhibition has a collection of rare and historically significant photographs gathered from various archives and railway museums since its inception in 1853. The ambience has an air of nostalgia as the pictures are surrounded by a few train models along with museum reconstruction with old-style lamps and other railway technology all placed in a setting reminiscent of a station platform.
The exhibition is divided into three segments, each dealing with a separate aspect of the Indian behemoth. The segment on locomotives and trains shows various pictures of early locomotives as well as famous trains such as the Ms Muffet and the Silver Bullet engine, which at different times had been the face of the Indian Railways. The main attraction is the only picture of the first passenger train in India, from Mumbai to Thane, which was taken in the year 1853.
The segment on stations and their architecture is interesting as it highlights the influence of local cultures. Stations such as Charbagh in Lucknow, Kanpur, and Baroda station are depicted in period pictures with explanation of the different architectural styles and the origins for these styles. The pictures provide a fascinating educational experience about the bricks and mortar aspect of the Indian Railways.
However, the third part of the exhibit, which deals with the connection that various famous leaders of our past have with the Railways, is most interesting. Mahatma Gandhi and his dependence on the Railways is a recurring theme. A picture of Indira Gandhi and her sons addressing a crowd with a passenger train in the background is another. Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri as well other freedom fighters are depicted with their individual contributions to the Railways.
According to the Railway Ministry, which has organised the exhibition, “The Indian Railways has grown with India…and cannot be separated from its social fabric.” Which is why, these rare photographs are a visual treat for all those who love to see a train chugging through the fields and mountains of India, reiterating its role as “an integrating force, as a catalyst of history and as a mute spectator to the unfolding historical events…”