Trip to Assam via Forests of North Bengal: Dibrugarh Rajdhani and Kanchankanya Express

A trip from Shantiniketan to Guwahati via the Dooars forest range in North Bengal. The trip starts aboard the Kanchankanya Express, close to midnight from the small station of Bolpur, 150 kilometres to the west of Calcutta where poet laureate and educator, Rabindranath Tagore set up his Vishwabharati University. Led by a Bardhaman WDM3A, we curve towards North Bengal across the Barsoi curve amidst a heavy fog. The fog lifts as we approach New Jalpaiguri, the railhead for North Bengal.

From New Jalpaiguri, we veer northwards as the train travels through a branch line hugging the Bhutan border (the border is about 20-30 kilometres away), cutting through 4 major national forests situated along the Himalayan foothills. We cross the amazing stations of Gulma and Sivok and cross the might Teesta and Torsha rivers (and many more which rush forth from the Himalayas). Upon crossing the Buxa Tiger Reserve, we join up with the mainline at Alipur Duar, from where we commence to New Cooch Behar.

After a two hour wait, we take the Dibrugarh Rajdhani, powered by a picturesque Siliguri WDP4. The train is about 40 minutes late at New Cooch Behar and the Rajdhani simply lets it rip as we fly through the North Bengal and Western Assam countryside, blasting through stations such as New Alipur Duar and Fakiragram. We reach one of India's most picturesque stations - New Bongaigaon, replete with its stunning curves at dusk, and cross the sprawling Brahmaputra river to reach Guwahati perfectly on time.

Major train crossings include those with the Karmabhoomi Express, the Guwahati Kolkata Garib Rath, the Kanchanjungha Express (NJP WDM3A), the Alipur Duar Siliguri Intercity (NJP WDM3A), the Vivek Express (Andal WDG3A) and the Brahmaputra Mail.

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