The mere mention of the Farakka Express, which jerks its way eastward each day from Delhi to Calcutta, is enough to throw even a seasoned traveller into fits of apoplexy. At a desert encampment on Namibia's Skeleton Coast, a hard-bitten adventurer had downed a peg of local fire-water then told me the tale. Farakka was a ghost train, he said, haunted by ghouls, Thuggees, and thieves. Only a passenger with a death wish would go anywhere near it.
The Farakka Express, known for its rough journey from Delhi to Calcutta, is infamous among travelers, often stirring anxiety and apprehension. A seasoned traveler recounted his experience with the train while in Namibia, questioning anyone's sanity for boarding it. He described it as a ghost train haunted by malevolent spirits, Thuggees, and thieves, portraying it as a ride only for those seeking peril.
This portrayal underlines the perilous reputation of the Farakka Express. It captures the imagination as a perilous adventure on the rails, a journey filled with ominous folklore and a sense of foreboding. The travelers' tales and the mystique surrounding the train echo a backdrop of danger and thrill, giving the Farakka Express an almost mythical status in the world of travel stories.