Bijapur

Bijapur is a medieval walled city in northern Karnataka dominated by the Golgumbaz. The echoing gigantic domed mausoleum built three and half centuries ago may well be one of India’s most well known monuments but it draws comparatively few tourists, thanks perhaps to Bijapur’s slightly out-of-the-way location.
We travelled here in the early 90’s on one of the last narrow gauge steam hauled train services from Hubli. The tracks were just about to be ripped up and replaced with standard gauge for the diesel locomotives that now run that route.

I remember the journey taking a full day to cover the 100 or so miles in a hot, hard-seated train with whole families seemingly living on the railtrack, hopping (and hanging)on and off to sell food and drink, or busk or beg. The coach was shared with huge bundles of baggage as well as live chickens and goats.

This was the trade line and every everyday transaction was carried out along the line. At most stations we were overwhelmed by good natured, effervescent, smiling boys, asking, not for money but images of the world on cards and stamps. Most of them were sons of the rail-workers with a burning desire to take the train out into the world someday. They were keen to swap addresses with requests for photographs to be sent to them, which we did in most cases. I still wonder if anyone of them will turn up at our door one day.