During my recent trip to Uttarakhand , I was faced with a problem I had never encountered before. We were passing through Delhi, but we had hardly any time in the city. On earlier visits when I have had to change trains/flights at Delhi, I have always arrived in the morning and left again at night, visiting relatives in between. This time, I was arriving in the city at night, and leaving again early in the morning. There was hardly any time to visit people. I would only have a couple of hours with them before I’d have to leave again. For the first time, we considered booking a hotel, but there again, we were hesitant about the actual hotels, the costs involved, and the logistics of getting from the airport to the railway station and then back again from the station to the airport. That’s when we remembered reading something about a corporate-managed lounge at Delhi station. We soon figured out that we could book online and pay by the hour. Besides, we also learnt that there wasn’t ju
It is a building which
has fascinated me, ever since I can remember. Waiting on the platform, I used
to look around, trying to take in as much of the architecture as I possibly
could, or try to decipher the faces on the pillars. It imbued me with such a
pride for our heritage, that, when a cleanliness drive took place, I actually
picked fights with people I saw littering. When it was declared a World
Heritage Site, I couldn’t be happier, especially when I noticed how the restoration
work showed off the building and its beauty even better. Yes, I am talking of
the Victoria Terminus, or, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) as it is now
called.
Every time I entered the
hallowed premises, I wished I could explore the interiors. It was a wait
lasting all of two decades, but my wish finally came true when the Heritage
Gallery was thrown open to the public. Today, on the occasion of World Heritage
Day, let me take you on a visual tour of my favourite World Heritage Site.
The Victoria Terminus was
built in 1887 as the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. No matter
where you turn, you can notice the intertwined letters of the GIPR and its
logo, combining the symbols of India, Britain and the Railways.
The light streaming in
through the stained glass panel, falling on the potted plants, makes for a
pretty picture…
The stained glass panels
by themselves can take up an entire post. There are so many, of which I have
but clicked a few.
On the inside, every
surface gleams, the polished teak wood doors shine, and the sunlight casts
colourful reflections all over the place. The central staircase is especially a
beautiful sight, with its towering stained glass panels leading up to the high
dome.
Yet, what really caught,
and held my attention were the tiny details… like the animals and birds hidden
amidst the stone foliage. These carvings are so exquisite, and lifelike, that
we spent much of time trying to spot more of them, much to the amusement of our
guide!
If these animals carved
on the pillars seem to be hidden within the details, there are some which stand
out… like this beautiful peacock….
The griffins which stand
as sentinels…
And of course, the
gargoyles!
However, it is not just
animals and birds which find a pride of place here. On the outer walls are
engraved busts of the board of directors… each one preserved for eternity, in
stone.
And between them, in this niche which is now empty, once stood the Queen Victoria, after whom the building was named. The statue seems to have disappeared, and no one really knows where it is, today.
Inside the Heritage Gallery
itself, there is much to see. From old photographs of railway carriages,
stations and scenes, to copies of old tickets, models of trains and carriages,
to the story of the development of railways in India, there is lots to learn
and admire. We enjoyed the old route maps and train timetables, with the old
names of stations…
And I have not even begun
to speak about the architecture. There is such a wealth of detail here, that it
is easy to see why this is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The CST Heritage Gallery
is open to the public on weekdays between 3 PM and 5 PM. It is, unfortunately
closed on weekends and public holidays. The entry charges are Rs.200 for adults
and Rs. 100 for children, but the tour is worth every penny. A guide is
assigned to every group of visitors, and people are not allowed in by
themselves, which is an excellent thing, and must be followed at all Heritage
sites.
This post is by no means a complete guide to the CST World Heritage
Site, or the Heritage Gallery. It is simply meant to give you a glimpse of one
of the most beautiful structures in the world, in the hope that you will
explore it too, and, like me, be proud of our glorious heritage!
Wah, wah Anu. Great post and a timely one too too on the occasion of the World Heritage Day today. I had gone on a walk of the CST premises with the KGAF about 3-4 years back. Photography was not allowed and we were just allowed a peek into the premises. Times have changed since then. I now need to go on a tour of this place. With my camera.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sudha! Times have indeed changed since then. You really should go again... i look forward to seeing the place through your eyes.
DeleteWonderful pictures and narration! Have yet to visit!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Deepak! Please do visit. its just too beautiful!
Deletevery beautiful shots. It makes us look in that detail which we might not have observed earlier.
ReplyDeleteWhoa !!! Magnificent shots ! You have done great justice to this masterpiece of a Train Station. :)
ReplyDeleteNo doubt, Victoria terminus is a cultural and industrial excellence!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, simple narrative.. And wonderful pictures to accompany.. Thank you
ReplyDelete