SHIMLA: As soon as the toy train whistled its way on the UNSECO’s Shimla-Kalka heritage track from Shimla today, over 40 writers from across the region sang their lyrics, poems, memoirs and musical creations on the moving train to pay tributes to late Bhalkhu Ram Jamadar, an innovator  and other workers who had worked in the Shimla-Kalka train and Hindustan Tibet Highway about a century ago.      

The writers came here today for the  4th Bhalkhu Smriti literary fest organised by the Himalaya Sahitya Sanskriti avam Paryavaran Manch Shimla on Shimla-Kalka moving rail in honour of Bhalkhu and other workers who had worked in the Kalka-Shimla railway lines and other roads constructed more than a century ago.

The Yatra was flagged off by Joginder Singh Vohra and Prince Sethi Station Superintendents,  Chief Commercial Inspector Amar Singh Thakur.

The Manch honoured all of them along with Railway Officers Sanjay Gera and Vyom, who were present here.

 Riding the train, convoy of writers  travelled up to Barog railway station and came back in another train. They participated in a series of sessions featuring stories, memoirs, poetry, ghazal, music in the moving rail which were dedicated to each railway stations on the track, says, SR Harnot, chairman Himalaya Manch.

The first session was devoted to Shimla Railway Station. Harnot  gave a brief history of Kalka Shimla Railway and the contribution of Bhalku Jamadar to the track.

He  said main purpose of this Yatra is to remember the significant contribution of Bhalku Jamadar, a laborer with gift of gab, in the survey of Hindustan Tibet Road and Shimla Kalka Railway.

Yatra also remembered all those laborers who worked hard for constructing roads in remote mountains of Himachal and many laborers too lost their lives.

This session was conducted by Jagdish Gautam, an anchor of All India Radio and Doordarshan Shimla.

The second session was in the name of Taradevi station in which famous poet journalist Rakeshrenu's collection of poems 'Naye Magadha Mein' was launched by eminent litterateurs Madan Kashyap and SR Harnot.

Rakeshrenu recited many poems from the collection. Dr. Satyanarayan Snehi conducted the session.

The session, titled as Kethlighat was dedicated to the story and memoir, presided over by noted novelist Malik Rajkumar. It was conducted by Deepti Saraswat with succinct remarks.

In this session Nilesh Kulkarni, Rajukar Raj, Sunaini Sharma, Malik Raj Kumar, Ram Kishan Sharma , Ghanshyam Maithil Amrit, Sarita Kulkarni, Gupteshwarnath Upadhyay, Devkanya Thakur, Bharti Kuthiala and Vinay Sharma recited stories and memoirs.

Poetry session was organized in the name of Barog railway station in which writers recited their poems and ghazals. This session was presided over by eminent poet & critic Madan Kashyap and conducted by Dr. Satyanarayan Snehi.

Many poets recited their poems there including Madan Kashyap, Rakeshrenu, Ajey, Satyanarayan Snehi, Roshan Jaswal, Navneet Pandey, Lakhwinder Singh, Deepti Saraswat and others and two students Kavyansh and Arjun.  

The session in the name of Kanoh station was dedicated to music which was conducted by eminent musician and researcher Sunaini Sharma along with folk singer Jagdish Gautam.

 Sanaini Sharma enthralled everyone with Punjabi Lok songs, Jagdish Gautam mesmerized everyone with Himachali folk songs.

On 14th  August all the writers will go to Jhajha Chail, the village of Baba Bhalku, where they will visit their ancestral home and meet their families and local people.