The Nilgiri Mountain Railway completes 125 years

As the Nilgiri Mountain Railway completes 125 years, we hop on to the train and enjoy the scenery unfolding outside the window

We are at Mettupalayam Railway Station at the crack of dawn, excited for the adventurous train ride ahead, which covers 16 tunnels, over 200 steep curves, and 257 bridges. It has been 125 years since the Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR), fondly called the Ooty toy train of the Nilgiris Railway Company, first chugged up the hills on June 15, 1899.

“A ride on the NMR is an experience,” says K Natrajan, a heritage enthusiast and founder of the Heritage Steam Chariot Trust. He adds that it is not just a mode of transportation, but a throwback to a time when life was slower and travel was about the joy of the journey itself. “As the rhythmic chugging, hissing, and whistle blowing echoes across the valley, one can sit back and soak up the sights of lush greenery, bursts of colourful blooms, and cloud-kissed mountains punctuated by the chirping of birds. The smell of steam from the engine adds to the drama,” describes Natrajan.

As the train passes through several quaint towns like Adderly, Runnymede, Ketti, and Lovedale, passengers have their faces and phones glued to the windows.

“It’s a proud moment for me to travel in this heritage train that has completed 125 years,” says 53-year-old Vikram Nagaraj from Chennai, recalling a ‘roller coaster ride’ on the train during his youth. “We were a bunch of 20 boys from Guru Nanak College who played pranks along the way, only to be reined in by our stern teacher. Later, I came with my wife on our honeymoon. The journey is a good way to connect with Nature and live in the moment. It detoxes your mind from the hustle and bustle of urban life. We can go back feeling refreshed.”

His brother, Venkatesh Bashyam from the US, has joined him on this trip up the slopes. “We hopped on to the toy train to relive the experience. Though it is tough to get a spot, we got our tickets. Just look out of the window and you have amazing views greeting you, what more do you need,” asks Venkatesh before humming a few lines of ‘Kadhalin Dheepam Ondru...’, a classic Rajinikanth song shot in the Nilgiris. Another iconic song is actor Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’ shot atop the moving train through scenic tea plantations and tunnels.

Besides the quasquicentennial milestone, of the train’s journey, July 15 is the start of the 20th year of the train ride enjoying the UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status. “Undoubtedly, the NMR is the most coveted legacy of the British. It is a lifeline, an integral part of our lives,” says Radhakrishnan Dharmalingam, a journalist from Udhagamandalam who has covered the Nilgiris for decades.

While there was a threat of dismantling the NMR in the 1960s (as it was considered uneconomical), the heritage status fortified its continuance. “Now I can be sure my son and grandson will get to enjoy a ride,” says Radhakrishnan adding that a co-ordinated effort between the Railways, district administration, and the State Government, is needed to preserve the old world charm of the train, especially the blue-and-cream wooden carriages.