A honeymooners’ haven
By Anurag

Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

— The Song of Solomon 2: 10-13, the Bible

IF marriages are made in heaven and solemnised on earth, an appropriate place to celebrate them would be in the picturesque precinct of the legendary Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge train. The couple-customised Shivalik Queen luxury coach beckons them all. The tourist coaches are especially designed and furnished for those out to seek fun, frolic and fiesta!

Close on heels of the one-year-old Shivalik Palace, the tourist coach hailed as the ultimate in "luxury on wheels", has come the Shivalik Queen! Both of them are done up differently though a casual tourist may get confused between the two. The former is a veritable deluxe cottage on wheels, with tastefully decorated interiors, dining and dressing tables, beds and chairs, channel music, digital time-cum-temperature display unit, altimeter to indicate height above the sea level, fans, fridge, cordless call-bell, assorted indoor games and light reading material. An attached kitchenette equipped with a cook and a cooking range, crockery and cutlery cannot but be a gourmet’s delight. Small enough for togetherness but big enough to accommodate a party of six, the Shivalik Palace parked at Kalka railway station has become a cynosure for the discerning tourist’s eye.

If the Shivalik Palace remains a "family affair", the sleek Shivalik Queen is considered honeymooners’ haven. One, sorry two, can ride their romance in this traditional-modern coach. It can accommodate in separate coupe, four couples who can relax and watch the panoramic view outside. Like the Shivalik Palace, the Queen boasts of a wall-to-wall carpet, fancy fittings and fixtures, bathroom shower, chrome-plated luggage racks, dressing case, temperature display, altimeter, telephonic communication with the guard and much else in terms of exclusive ambience and princely charm of a private bedroom. Yet, so unprincely priced at Rs 750 per coupe for twosome!

What else could be a better mode of travel to Shimla, hailed as the honeymooners’ most-sought after destination? The warmth generated in the course of the joyful journey cannot but stand the tourist in good stead.

But why only honeymooners? Everybody is welcome.