The platforms have their charm and thrill but what we forget to appreciate is the railway station building itself. We, in our haste, either rush out of the station to get a cab or hurry in to board the train and miss out on the beauty of the facade of the station which may hold many a promise of the city or town we wish to see or have seen. Just throw a glance at the building and you may discover a wonderful structure. It may be an architectural marvel to be appreciated and savoured. Some stations are built to represent the historical past of the town, others may be an eloquent expression of modernity, still others may well be imposing enough to leave you dumbfound. For example, the Bikaner railway station is a small structure constructed on the lines of the Rajput architecture the city is famed for. It is painted brick red with white outlines around the bricks. The walls give a look of the parapets of some bastion. Later, a visit to the Junagarh Fort and other historical monuments confirms the fact that the station is almost like these buildings. Another peculiar feature of the Bikaner station is a tarred road running between the main entrance and the first platform. Normally, the porch of the station is adjacent either to the main waiting hall or the platform and roads are far away.

One of the most impressive railway stations of India is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai (erstwhile Victoria Terminus). Designed by F.W. Stevens, this building is a masterpiece of Gothic-Saracenic architecture with deep recesses, decorated bay windows and the upward leap of the giant arches. It has a round dome and several smaller domes, slender but squatting turrets and tinted glasses. The building was constructed over a period of 10 years from 1878-88. It stands at Boribunder from where the first train of India was flagged off on April 16, 1853. The train was from Mumbai (then Bombay) to Thane, it had 14 carriages carrying 400 distinguished guests; it chugged out of Boribunder station to the accompaniment of the Governor’s band and great applause; it also received a 21-gun salute; and it covered the distance of 34 miles in one hour and fifteen minutes (i.e. 75 minutes, so to say). Think of the speeding trains today; the Rajdhani takes just 16 hours and 15 minutes to cover the distance of 1384 kms from Delhi to Mumbai. a remarkably long stride, indeed.

Inside the terminus, one is again wonder-struck at the massiveness of the structure. With decorated huge pillars, the crisscross supporting beams and the high roof it is an architectural feat. One more peculiarity of this station is that here the trains end and beyond the platform, the station spreads like a verandah. Normally, even if a station is a terminus, the rails go through and a train coming from one direction can exit from the other. This is neither possible here nor at the Chennai terminus.

The Chennai (Madras) railway station is painted brick red and has a huge conical tower right in the middle. Most of the old, historical buildings of Chennai resemble the terminus building. The Bangalore station is a modern construction, painted white, while Thiruvananthapuram is a pleasant combination of light and steel gray. Its structure is rhythmical and has recesses, curves and depth. The Nagpur railway station is made of pink sandstone and is a fair replica of the beautiful pink stone buildings housing the High Court, the Vidhan Sabha, several colleges and hospitals.

The red colour and high structure of Old Delhi is reminiscent of the Red Fort and other monuments. The Shimla station is scooped out of the hill and has no facade. It is, however, one of the cleanest stations of India; also, its charm lies in its quiet and beautiful surroundings. Travelling on the Shimla-Kalka line, you see tiny toy stations and as you reach Kalka you exult for having reached a quiet, spacious and clean station. Kalka has a unique feature: built during the hey days of the Raj to cater to the British high-ups coming from Shimla, Kalka platform has an adjacent gate from where cars can be brought on the platform right up to the train compartment. Of course, this facility is not for us, only for the VIPs.

Indian railway stations are, indeed, as varied as the land itself. No two stations are alike, either in facades or structures or their architecture. Some are designed like forts; others are in the modern style, while still others may look like some place of worship. Whatever be the design, railway stations are eloquent representatives of the overall embience of the town or the city. I was fascinated to witness a small indoor garden with benches arranged in squares around potted plants. I saw this enlivening and pleasant scene at Bharuch station in Gujarat. It was unique and romantic, as compared to the usual drabness of benches arranged in a straight line. But then, India itself is unique, varied and a mosaic of cultures. One just has to be receptive to see and admire the unity in diversity displayed by and at the railway stations.