RAILBANDHU – The Rail traveller’s magazine

(A magazine for on-board readers, not to be taken away.)

Ever since I have stated travelling from my childhood this is the first time I have come across a magazine that is provided, free of cost, to be read on-board and returned back, in a Duronto Express, while travelling from Delhi to Kolkata on the 4^th October,2011 while the festive season of Dusshera & Durga Puja is ON, and I am travelling after having offered my pushpanjali(floral tributes) to The Goddess Durga on Maha Astumi (The 8^th day puja) this morning. 

“Railbandhu-Sept’2011”-FESTIVAL CIRCUIT, is the latest, which I have gone through, a few minutes back. The magazine is already a great success and has all reasons, to be rightfully named as “Railbandhu”.

It covers: Festival, Celebration, Spirituality, Makeover, Fashion, Heritage, Food, Parenting, Fitness, Technology, Wildlife, (Darpan, Kharidari, Parichay, Kabita & Hunar) in Hindi, which means, the concept cultivators and editors of this magazine have worked hard to serve the reading interests of travelers from all walks of life with varying age groups and taste differences.

Readers have utilized sentence full of adjectives in appreciating the stories, information and projection of History and Heritage of Indian railways and Indian culture. They have written poetry on train journey and their experience as travelers.

The fact that, it is circulated to commuters, free of cost for reading purpose makes it all the more special. A magazine of this standard, with around 170 pages and covering multiple topics wouldn’t have cost anything less than Rs.50. Out of my normal instinct, and that of many others, I wouldn’t have liked to spent this amount for a magazine, to pass the time in an overnight journey and then keep the magazine in my drawing room to be picked up after an infinity, rather, I would have gone for a news paper which would have cost Rs.5. 

Leading brands of telecom, crockery, food stuffs, computers, cosmetics and all others have portrayed their products and made their place, almost on every odd page. The magazine has made advertisers reach out to millions at a reasonable price. 

The Indian Railway can easily earn a good profit from advertising in “Railbandhu”, at the same time can make it available to all readers to be sold at a cost, as low as Rs.15. 

What I enjoyed in this is Off-track, A train journey to Goa and the scenic beauties like the Doodhsagar Waterfall etc. About the “Ramlila moves to South India”, computer accessories, “Theaters on Stone” and most importantly the popular Durga Puja pandals, to be visited in Kolkata. 

Lastly I can only say, reading this magazine was a delightful experience and may be, some day my blog writings may find a place in this magazine.