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Stakeholders will gather in Darjeeling for a workshop on sustainable development of heritage sites, courtesy the National Rail Museum
Preservation of the rich heritage of Indian Railways is important for future generations to comprehend its extraordinary impact on society. Railways have a history of conviction, innovation, accomplishments and social relevance spanning 150 years. During these years, they have served as the lifeline of the nation propelling the country�s economic, social, cultural, political and technological progress.
The vast heritage of the Indian Railways is preserved in the National Rail Museum. Locomotives, unique constructions and many works of genius dot the verdant landscape. The museum has an elegant display of exhibits, working and dummy models, records and many other artifacts connected to the railways. It also has a collection of 100 specially selected steam locomotives and saloons of the bygone era.
Heritage quintessentially revolves around people and can be immovable, movable and intangible. The heritage sites of the Indian Railways can only be preserved and maintained in a better way and made socially relevant through sustainable development. For this to happen, participation of the stakeholders-heritage enthusiasts and professionals, travel industry people, museum professionals, NGOs and business houses benefiting from their association with the rail museum-is a must.
The National Rail Museum will be organising a workshop of stakeholders in Darjeeling from January 14-18, 2002 that will involve heritage professionals and bodies and the UNESCO. The workshop will be the first of its kind in India. It will consider Darjeeling Hill Railways� significance as a world heritage area and the possibilities for bringing the neighbouring communities together for the sustainable development of the area without compromising on the conservation values through the theme: Towards Living Heritage-The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (A Non-Western context).
The workshop will also dwell on skills required for the promotion of conservation values among shareholder communities; lay stress on capacity building for cashing in on the potential of heritage tourism and chalk out plans on community mobilisation for the sustainable management of world heritage areas in a non-Western context. The pilot project is also expected to help other heritage bodies and museums.
The coordination between stakeholders and museums should focus on the welfare of the people at large-in the form of economic uplift, better upkeep of the environment, organising educational and cultural programmes. Therefore, the workshop will evolve themes on a priority basis on these areas of community concern. Once the themes are developed, agencies can be invited from India and abroad to implement them.
An international facilitator with the experience of dealing with related issues in developing countries will lead the workshop. Besides National Rail Museum and UNESCO, agencies such as the North-Frontier Railway; ICOM-ASPAC; heritage bodies operating in South Asia; and other agencies from India will also participate in the workshop accredited by UNESCO.
Registration forms for stakeholders can be obtained from the National Rail Museum at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Requests should be addressed to the Director, National Rail Museum.
A World Heritage Site
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) achieved worldwide fame for a number of reasons:-
1. It is a gateway to the Himalayas, the world�s highest mountains and a land of mystery and imagination. The spectacular landscape unfolds as this two-feet gauge railway labours uphill at about 10 miles per hour criss-crossing the road.
2. Darjeeling is an old hill station and has attracted visitors and writers from all over the world. It is famous for Darjeeling tea. Located midway between Calcutta and Lhasa, it is on one of Asia�s great cultural faultlines. To the south, is the Hindu civilisation and to the north is the Buddhism of central Asia. While travelling on DHR, a transition can be felt in ethnography and architecture. The population changes from mainly Bengali to a mixture of Sikkimese, Tibetan and Bhutanese. There is also a geographical change from the heat and dust of the vast thickly populated fertile plains of India to the harsh freezing conditions of the spectacular Himalayas.
3. DHR has tiny four-wheel locomotives (some over 100 years old) like living legends. A traveller experiences the sounds, smells and romance of a bygone era.
4. The layout in curves, loops, Z�s and steep grades crisscrossing the Hill Cart Road over a Himalayan landscape is recognised as a work of genius.
5. This small railway is popularly known as the Toy Train. Darjeeling is famous for other �T�s�-tea, timber and toy-train with a double �T�.
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