Rabi On The Map

  Every journey has a beginning, and mine began one quiet April morning with a long-awaited plan — to finally ride the legendary Kalka to Shimla Toy Train. I had always heard that it’s not just a train ride but an experience that makes you fall in love with the mountains all over again. 🎟️ The Beginning I booked my seat online a week earlier, choosing the Vistadome coach — the one with a glass rooftop and wide windows. I wanted to see every inch of the Himalayas as they unfolded. When I reached Kalka Station, the scene looked straight out of an old travel postcard: misty air, mountain sunlight, and that tiny blue-and-cream train waiting quietly on the narrow track. There were only a few passengers that morning — maybe six or seven — so the whole compartment felt like it belonged to us. My seat was right by the window, camera in hand, excitement in my chest. As the whistle blew, we waved to the station staff, and the toy train began its slow, musical climb into the hills. 🚉 The Jo...