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SILIGURI | 31 MARCH 2026
Foothills Publishing, in association with the Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT) and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society (DHRS), celebrated the first commercial publication of The Story of Ghum Museum’s Little Engine – Baby Sivok at Cafe The Twins, Salbari. The event drew a full house — DHR enthusiasts spanning all age groups and backgrounds, united by their love for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR).
Written and illustrated by David Charlesworth — a full member of the Guild of Railway Artists, founder member and Board Director of the DHRS, and editor of the Darjeeling Mail magazine — the book is a meticulously researched, dual-read story and colouring book centred around Baby Sivok, the preserved locomotive on display at Ghum Museum. The book caters to readers aged 4 to 10 while including facts, trivia games and historical detail that appeal to an older audience as well.
A Publishing House with a Mission:
Lekha Rai of Foothills Publishing set the tone of the evening by speaking about the publishing house’s founding ethos: to tell local stories and amplify unheard voices. She emphasised the house’s particular focus on children’s literature — stories where young readers can see their own lives, landscapes and communities reflected on the page. Baby Sivok, she noted, is precisely that kind of book: rooted in place, accessible to children, and rich with the heritage that defines the hills.
A Living Monument That Belongs to Everyone:
Rishab Chaudhary, Director of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, spoke about the engineering marvel that makes the DHR unlike any other railway in the world. On a philosophical note, he drew lessons from the railway itself: believe in yourself, and know that sometimes in life you need to step back to go forward — just as the DHR reverses in order to climb the steep inclines of the Himalayas.
Raj Basu, speaking on behalf of the Association for Conservation and Tourism, drew attention to the deep and enduring bonds between the railway and the communities through which it passes. He reminded the audience that the DHR is not merely infrastructure — it is a living monument woven into the social fabric of the hills. Its preservation, he argued, depends on every resident feeling a genuine sense of ownership and pride in what it represents. The railway, he said, is only truly protected when the people who live beside it understand that it belongs to them.
The Author Speaks from Afar:
Though unable to travel to India in person due to the uncertainties posed by the ongoing conflict in East Asia, David Charlesworth joined the gathering live via Zoom — a connection that visibly moved those in the room.
Charlesworth traced the book’s journey to its origins: the idea first came from Junhi Han of UNESCO India in late 2018, as a means of raising awareness of the beauty and significance of the Darjeeling railway among young children. That original edition was produced specifically for the UNESCO project and distributed free of charge to children living and studying along the DHR lines — given directly into the hands of the very community the railway belongs to. The Foothills Publishing edition marks the first time the book has been made available for wider sale and circulation, revised and revisited by Charlesworth for this new chapter in its life. His aim throughout was to create a book that worked on multiple levels: simple enough for a four-year-old, rich enough for an eleven-year-old, and detailed enough for adults. The pages are divided accordingly — read above the line for the younger child, below the line for the older reader.
“The DHR is the Jurassic Park of railways, in one of the most beautiful areas of the world,” Charlesworth said, urging everyone present to buy the book, share it with friends, and above all, to support the railway that belongs to them.
Stories, Songs, and Young Voices:
Children’s author Sangmu Lepcha was among those present. A poem she wrote on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was read aloud by a young reader.
The programme concluded with a joyful musical performance by children from the Ashok Rai School of Music, who performed Darjeeling Ko Sano Rail, a beloved children’s song about the little train that has captured hearts across generations.
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