HIMALAYAN ART Three model-makers of Tindharia are preserving and popularising the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway trains worldwide

(From left) Model-makers Miraj Biswakarma, Pramesh Diyali and Sanjeev Bagdas prefer to call their work ‘handicrafts’.

Pramod Giri, HT, 28 Nov 2016, Siliguri, If you ask anyone at Tindharia in Darjeeling Hills about the importance of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) in his or her life, one might not be able to satisfy you with the answers. But a closer look into their life, you learn how intrinsically their life revolves around the DHR and how much they care for the railway that runs on 2ft wide narrow gauge line and has been accorded World Heritage status in 1999.

A visit to Tindharia, the headquarters of DHR, just 30km from Siliguri is worth for many reasons and a short interaction with the local population will give you the real picture of the site and how also things are heading towards a wrong direction.

The DHR is probably one of the greatest contributions of the British to the Darjeeling Hills and considered an engineering feat. But it faces the danger of getting delisted from the UNESCO’s world heritage list. In spite of that three local men are busy popularizing the ‘Iron Sherpa’ in their own style throughout the world.

The three DHR model-makers are so familiar with the nuts and bolts of the train that often railway officers request them to offer technical assistance in hours of crisis. The three men and their toy trains, made out of steel, iron, wood, etc., have a strong demand among DHR lovers world over.

Meet Pramesh Diyali (45), Sanjeev Bagdas (39) and Miraj Biswakarma (28). Popularly known as DHR modelmakers, the residents of Tindharia in Darjeeling district have been making DHR models particularly of steam engines for years and are earning their bread by selling them across the globe.

The sons of DHR employees, the three DHR locomotive model-makers have heard, seen and lived through the past glory of the DHR. In their own words, they eat, sleep and dream DHR and feel sad about the way the railways have simply failed to preserve it. The DHR is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country and for Mumbai and Kolkata film industries.

Among the three, Pramesh Diyali is considered as the teacher by Sanjeev Bagdas and Miraj Biswakarma. He learnt the art of making the models of DHR engine and coaches from his father Bhotu Diyali who retired in 1982 from Tindharia railway workshop and died in 1995.

Bhotu Diyali is still revered as the master craftsman in the field of DHR model-making. His eldest son Rohit who recently retired from the railways had got the job from his father, who made DHR model with steam engines and coaches in running condition and displayed it at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan.

Sanjeev’s father Thakur Singh Bagdas was also an employee in the DHR and was assigned the job of maintaining steam locomotives at Tindharia. Sanjeev, a former carpenter, initially learnt the art of making steam locomotive models from his father.

Manoj Biswakarma is the father of Miraj Biswakarma. Miraj, the most acclaimed steam engine model-maker, is a DHR driver. Miraj’s works are displayed in many parts of the world including London. The three men have already featured in the documentary films made on DHR by BBC and others.

Though they learnt the art of making DHR steam locomotives initially from their fathers, it was the love and passion for the DHR that they took model-making as their profession. So far together they have made more than 1,600 models of steam engines. Their works are also displayed and sold from three important shops in Darjeeling – Oxford, Das Studio and Ridhi-Sidhi.

They also send the orders through couriers and many tourists, domestic and foreign, visit their homes to buy the models. The model-makers call their work handicrafts that demand lots of time, perseverance and artistry.

Pramesh, Sanjeev and Miraj are not just earning their livelihood by taking up model-making as profession, but also creating their own style. They meet their requirements by making the parts of the model themselves. None of the required parts are available in the market.

By showcasing their models across the world they are adding value to the world heritage site. They said DHR is a part of culture for the people of Tindharia and if you take away the world heritage site from their life, they will have no existence. The presence of locomotive carriage and wagon workshops, loco-shed, railway hospital and many other important offices of DHR at Tindharia speak volumes about the importance of DHR in the life of the local people.

“You will hardly find any family at Tindharia whose at least one member is not employed in the DHR,” they said. But for reasons known to them the railways have failed to acknowledge that the model-makers have contributed in making the DHR popular worldwide.

In 2012, Uttar Banga Ustav, the trio said, “We were deeply hurt by the treatment we got from the railways.” Senior DHR officials requested them to make a running model of DHR to be displayed at Kanchanjunga Stadium in Siliguri. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lauded the spectacular presentation. But, the model-makers said, “The railway did not acknowledge our effort.”

The model-makers of Tindharia become nostalgic when they talk about the stories they heard from their fathers and grand fathers, who were DHR employees. The trains once used to run from 3 am till late in the night. But now only two trains ply in addition to tourist specials in between Darjeeling and Ghoom.

The DHR workshop that once employed more than 500 employees now employs only 74 men. During its heydays, the DHR had 36 B class steam engines till 1946 and one C class steam engine and two D class steam engines. Now, the DHR has only 13 B class steam engines and six diesel engines. The model-makers hold the railways responsible for the present condition of DHR. The model makers said that railways have failed to preserve steam engines which are the real craze of DHR. Instead they are putting thrust on diesel engines.

Preservation of steam engines needs practical knowledge and many people at Tindharia are equipped to do it. The railways could have sought the help of locals to preserve steam engines, the model-makers said citing the example of Land Rovers which are preserved by the people and drivers of Maneybhanjyang.

The Land Rover jeeps ferry tourists to Sandakfu in Darjeeling Hills. But no spare parts of the vehicle are available. It is maintained by locals who have inherited the technical know-how from their forefathers. “When Land Rovers can be preserved by local people, why notDHRsteamengines?”askedSanjeev.