In India, Railways is not merely a mode of transport; it is an institution. Few institutions in India have exercised such deep and enduring political, social, and cultural influence. A train journey marked a turning point in Mahatma Gandhi’s life, while the trauma of Partition in 1947 has been etched into collective memory through haunting train narratives—from Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan to Bhisham Sahni’s short story “Amritsar Aa Gaya Hai."

Socially and culturally, the train has been a constant signpost in India’s national journey, helping shape the identity of a newly independent nation-state. Its presence runs through popular culture, whether in iconic songs like “Gaadi Bula Rahi Hai" or in Dushyant Kumar’s unforgettable line, “Tu rail-si guzarti hai, main pul-sa dhadakta hoon"—popularised for a new generation through its evocative rendition in the critically acclaimed film Masaan (2015).

The railway has also been a site of protest, most visibly through chakka jams, even as it has enabled social cohesion on a scale few institutions can match. It is a source of wonder for children mesmerised by toy trains, and of inspiration for readers through classics like Paul Theroux’s The Great Railway Bazaar, a celebrated account of travel across Asia by train.

Above all, the railway embodies longing and the desire to return home. Nowhere is this more evident than during Chhath Puja, when the anguish and hope of migrant workers—especially from Bihar—play out in overcrowded trains, as thousands struggle for even an inch of space to make the journey home.

Train journeys are never just about moving from one place to another. They are about the memories they create and carry........

© News18