I was a school-going teen when I first boarded the Matheran-bound famous ‘toy train’ at Neral station. As part of a group of Girl Guides who were heading to our first real outdoor camp at the hill station, we couldn’t have asked for a more adventurous start to proceedings. The route was everything we had imagined: a mix of vivid frames that were created in our heads after devouring Famous Five/Secret Seven books by Enid Blyton, and tidbits of information based on what friends had told us about this ‘fantasy’ train ride. The topography simply blew my mind, and was way more exciting than any of the ones narrated in some of Ms Blyton’s storylines. We watched in awe each time the tiny train wormed its way around a bend on the narrow gauge track. That was by far our most memorable geography lesson since we had front row seats as we observed rock formations and the dense forest cover of the Sahyadris.

Our subsequent visits, including a few while on assignment, opened our eyes further to its uniqueness, and that this rail heritage ought to get its due on the international map. When this newspaper had reported last week that the 21-km stretch of Matheran Light Railway, which has been on UNESCO’s Tentative Heritage List since 2014 was nominated for this year’s UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize, we did a little jig. This prestigious award, which bears the name of Greece’s former Minister of Culture who was a strong voice for conservation, was instituted ‘to reward outstanding examples of action to safeguard and enhance the world’s cultural landscapes,’ a category of World Heritage, according to UNESCO’s website. This prize is supported by the Greek government and the winner, to be announced in November 2021, will win $30,000.