Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Railways: In Cinema and Building Architecture

Jeemol

February 12

The History Literature Festival, 2024 was held in Pune, India during February 9-11. The format of this festival is to bring to the public books and discourses on the history of common everyday life. Among various themes discussed, such as the history of cinema and music, there was a fascinating session on the Railways in India.

In this session Arup K. Chatterjee spoke about the Indian Railways: Purveyors of National Culture, mainly on the railways and the Indian cinema.

And Vinoo Mathur spoke about Indian Railway Buildings - Heritage History and Beyond, mainly about the architectural styles in the historic buildings of the railways. They were in conversation with Professor G. RAGHURAM, himself a well known scholar on the railways.

The railways are an integral part of the iconic film Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, DDLJ for short, where hero Raj Meets heroin Simran as she runs to catch a moving train. This moment is captured beautifully on celluloid.

DDLJ

Numerous scenes were shot either in or on the top of the train in a number of other films. A famous one is the song ' Chaiya Chaiya' where the same superstar Shah Rukh Khan of DDLJ dances on the top of a moving train. Satyajit Ray, an outstanding Bengali film Director, depicts the homesick migrant worker in a poignant scene.

Vinoo Mathur worked for the railways and has spent years researching Railway buildings built in ancient architectural styles. Classical architecture derives from Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. They are known for their large columns and symmetrical proportions. Large number of Railways buildings follow these styles. Roman architecture had these circular arches as in the Chennai, Agra Fort and Bellary Railway Stations.

Gothic architecture followed the Roman style and was known for its pointed arches, rib vaults and elaborate stained glass windows. Mumbai's Victoria Terminus, now the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, is an elaborate Railway building in this style.

Some of the Princely States in India had smaller railway lines. The buildings of these railway stations followed Indian architectural styles of Chattri (umbrella), Chajjas (Sun Shade) and Jharoka (window).

In my travels around the country I have observed a number of Railway stations with beautiful ancient architectural styles. We arrived one winter misty morning at Sawai Madhopur station in Rajasthan. I could not help notice the Chattri and arches in the architecture of the building. But it was difficult for me to judge if this was an old building or a new one built to merge with the architecture of the region. I would need to research the history of buildings like Vinoo Mathur to arrive at an answer! I would like to encourage readers to share their impressions of railways in the movies and experience with railway buildings in old architectural styles around the country. And also tell us what you think of the ideas of the History Literature Festival, see website where recordings of all the sessions are uploaded.