Toy train puja wins ticket to spotlight

TT, Siliguri: A Durga Puja committee in the New Jalpaiguri area here features a replica of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) toy train locomotive, made entirely of bamboo and cane.

The Central Colony Puja is considered as one of the prominent ones in Siliguri, drawing crowds every year. "This year, the replica of the toy train engine is an additional attraction for pandal-hoppers, particularly for children and youths. The model and the pandal were erected by artisans from Calcutta," said Partha Dey, secretary of the committee that is celebrating its 54th puja.

The organisers said the toy train network -- part of Unesco's World Heritage sites -- should be promoted in and around Siliguri, just the way stakeholders of the travel industry highlight it in other parts of India and abroad.

"Residents in Siliguri should know more about this World Heritage property we get to see in Darjeeling," one of the organisers said.

At Central Colony, the pandal is in the form of a temple, with intricate designs and mo- tifs made of bamboo slices and pieces of cane adorning the interiors. Dey said thousands were visiting the pandal every day.

Arijit Sen, a Siliguri resident associated with the travel trade, said the toy train was a pride of north Bengal. "The DHR toy train is known across the world because of its World Heritage tag. However, the services had suffered last year during the 104-day shutdown. This year again, the service between Darjeeling and Kurseong had been halted due to recurring landslides and resumed only recently," he added.

The toy train service had commenced between Siliguri and Darjeeling in 1881 ­ almost 137 years back ­ and now runs under the Northeast Frontier Railway..