Weekend Trip To Barog – The Colonial Toy Train Town of India

In the lap of Shivaliks, chugging through the serpentine tracks, the toy train reaches Barog- a junction town in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. I step out of the train.

Barog Railway Station - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

The locomotive resembles the trains from the Noddy’s toy land and the station takes you back to the colonial era. Spick and span, with white-washed blue and white buildings and sunflower and marigold flower beds, Barog is a dreamy town straight out of the classic British novels.

From the platform I could see the fainting low ranges of Shivaliks merging with the blue clear skies.

Barog Railway station - Himachal Pradesh

In the pre-independence era of India, Barog was in fact the favorite stopover of British families. Now though mostly empty, has become the destination for the heritage lovers who want to rewind and soak up the quaint colonial beauty of the place.

Is Barog really worth the hype? 

The toy train and the station views clearly lured us to take a trip to Barog. But if you ask me what beyond that, I would say those were reasons enough to explore the town but there are others too. Barog has a colonial charm to it. It is built around the narrow gauge of Kalka Shimla Railway. By the way, Kalka Shimla Railway also happens to be a UNESCO heritage. The toy train crosses a long tunnel on the route to reach the station.

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Away from the hustle and bustle, Barog is a town to relax. Though there are a few attractions to see, it is ideal for the one who wants to take a break and chill in a quiet, secluded, pretty toy town.

How to reach Barog?

Barog is located in the Solan district. It is a 5-hour drive from Delhi. However the best way to reach here is via toy train. Take Delhi Kalka Shatabdi Express and then board the toy train. The train will be delightfully slow, passing through the tunnels and snow-clad mountains.

You can also opt to drive or take an outstation taxi from Chandigarh to Barog. In this case you will have to do the train ride separately, as you wouldn’t like to miss the train ride experience for sure.

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Where to stay in Barog?

Barog offers a range of hotels and homestays. We opted for the Pinewood Hotel by HP tourism. The room was spacious and had an attached balcony that gave beautiful views. The beautifully manicured lawns and the colonial architecture were the biggest attractions of this place.

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Barog Railway Station:

Barog Railway Station is anything but a typical Indian railway station. It is devoid of the crowd, is clean, flanked by forests, and adorned by beds of marigold and sunflowers. The white and blue station offices add to the colonial charm of Barog.

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Train To Barog

The entire train journey from Kalka to Shimla on the narrow gauge crosses  880 bridges, takes over 919 turns and passes through 102 tunnels. Spiraling through the hills covered with pines, deodars, oaks, and rhododendrons, it leisurely reaches its destination.

places to visit in Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Barog comes after 32 tunnels, right at the entrance of Tunnel No.33. It also happens to be the longest straight tunnel in the Indian railways being 1.14 km long. The train’s siren roars and the train makes a grand entry into the station. We step out of the train, but not without some instaworthy pics.

Barog Station

The favorite stopover of British Memsahibs

Created in the British Raj, there are many legends associated with Barog, one of them being, it was the favorite luncheon spot for British sahibs and memsahibs. The dining hall with a viewing gallery remains still intact for the tourists to see.

Legend of Colonel Barog

Barog gets its name from Colonel Barog who locals say committed suicide because Tunnel No.33 didn’t turn out to be as per his expectations. Railway Engineer Colonel Barog was assigned the work of Tunnel No. 33. He made his calculations and ordered the crew to drill from mountain’s opposite sides, expecting the drillers would meet at the center post the tunnel completion. However this did not happen and Col Barog realized his calculations had gone wrong. The project had turned out to be a failure.

The British government held Col Barog responsible for the damage and he was fined a compensation of rupee. Col. Barog felt extremely humiliated by the incident and decided to commit suicide.

The work of the tunnel was taken over by Chief Engineer H.S. Harrington, who completed the project in 1903. But it is said that he too could not complete the two segments and had sought advice from a spiritual person- Baba Bhalku who hailed from Chail. Baba Bhalku’s contribution is recorded in the Shimla Railway music records.

Barog Tunnel - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

As for the Col Barog, despite the calculation error, the government recognized his contribution and named the town after him.  Today, there are still whispers of the Col Barog’s ghost haunting the tunnel.

What else to do in Barog?

Is there anything more to Barog, except for the train journey? Well yes, there’s plenty. Barog and the nearby places are a treat for the travelers.

Barog

Dolanji Bon Monastery: Dolanji Bon Monastery is located on the Narag-Sarahan road and is a prime location of the place. Built-in 1969 by Abbot Lungtog Tenpai Nyima, it is also known as the Yungdrung Bon Monastery. The place is a cradle for Tibetan culture and is ideal for the souls seeking some spirituality.

AddressDolanji, Ganyar, Himachal Pradesh 173223

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Choor Chandni Peak: This is the ideal place for adventure, nature, and photography lovers. The Choordhar Mountains are best observed on moonlit nights where the moonlight appears like silver bangles in the mountains. Many also take trekking expeditions here, camping under the moonlight, gazing at the stars.

Address: Sirmaur District, Solan District, Barog, Himachal Pradesh

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Barog Graveyard: Now what’s there in the graveyard to see? But it happens to be a famous tourist destination especially because of the tale associated with it. According to the locals, an engineer Colonel Barog committed suicide because of sheer humiliation when the two ends of a tunnel he was building near the railway station did not meet because of an error in calculation. The grave also has a garden for the tourists to pay their tribute to late Colonel Barog.

Address: Nr. Railway Station, Barog, India

Suketi Fossil Park: The beautiful fossil part in the Solan district is the lone park in Asia built on the exact place where fossils were found. Situated on the banks of Markanda River, this place is known for the giant size models of prehistoric animals dating back to 8.5 million years.

Address: Suketi Village, on banks Of Markand River, India

Dharampur: The nearby town is the hub of culture, progress, and other attractions. Dharampur is situated on the Waghai, Vansda Highway, and houses attractions like Japanese gardens, Laxminarayan Temple, and the Lady Wilson Museum. It is also home to one of the best hospitals in India to cure tuberculosis.

Barog - Solan - Himachal Pradesh

Concluding Words: Barog is a small town tucked away in the lower Himalayas. It is not commercial like Shimla, but a retreat for the souls looking for rediscovering themselves.

For me, Barog was like a trip back to the colonial era. I could actually picture myself as one of the memsahibs of the British era, sans the floor-length gowns, gloves, and hats of course.

To me, it would always be my toy train town that one would love to stop by.

Published by

Kakoli Sengupta

From the wonderland of Alice to Alaskan wilderness of Into The Wild, travel and its stories have left me dreaming all night. Travel means to be alive. There is something about these roads untravelled, that leave you awestruck about life’s grandeur, leading you to learn, discover and live. Every journey is a destination and every destination is a new journey to me. I along with my two partners in crime- Shera and Abhishek, get onto the zig zag, twirling and long winded paths, curating new stories, adventures and anecdotes for you, making you a part of this odyssey.

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