Beyond ‘Kala Bakra’: 7 weirdest Indian Railway station names that will make you LOL!
Picture this: You’re sitting on your train journey going about your business scrolling on Instagram, when all of a sudden you see something REALLY familiar pass by on the windowpane – a yellow station board! You blink twice, pinch yourself and then quickly realize that yes, you are still on earth.
Indian Railways has some seriously funny station names. From relatives to animals, many station names are so out there they deserve a viral WhatsApp forward of their own. So buckle up (pun intended) and check out some of India’s weirdest railway stations:
1. Kala Bakra (Punjab)
If you thought it’s a place where livestock are bought and sold, THINK AGAIN! Nestled in Punjab’s Jalandhar district is the railway station Kala Bakra. That translates to ‘Black Goat’ if you didn’t know. Yes, you read that right. While we’re dying to write a travel story about this place, it is an official station with trains stopping by each day. Next time you’re here, make sure you selfie with the board. Guaranteed drool-worthy content!
2. Sali and Nana (Rajasthan)
Seems like Rajasthan is partial to naming railway stations after relatives. If you happen to pass by Sali Railway Station (Jodhpur), you’ll be wondering where your sister-in-law lives. Hop on the other train and you reach Nana Railway Station (Pali) which can get mixed up with where your father loves naps. Can you imagine someone saying,“Momyyyy I just reached at Sali.” HELP.
3. Diwana (Haryana)
Love travelling? CRAZY LOVES TRAIN TRAVELLING!
The station Diwana literally translates into ‘Mad’ or ‘Madly in love’. A perfect place for couples to head too right? Wrong! Located near Panipat in Haryana, this is one station you’d want to avoid if you’re head over heels for someone. Contrary to its name, this is actually a small and quiet station. Passengers like to joke that the only place you need to be to reach Diwana is the platform (ticket required).
4. Singapur Road (Odisha)
Dreaming of a trip to Singapore but can’t afford the air ticket and are tired of visa rejections? Say hello to your new destination “India”! Tucked away in Odisha is a railway station called Singapur Road which is a junction. You may not find any skyscrapers, luxury malls or kopitiams but hey, atleast your Instagram stories will get that much needed “abroad trip” boost sans the flight to another state!
5. Billi and Bhainsa (Uttar Pradesh)
Animals, take note. Two of your fellow critters have stolen the spotlight with these iconic station names. Billi (cat) Junction and Bhainsa (buffalo) station, are popular stations located in Uttar Pradesh. Billi junction is in Sonbhadra district and Bhainsa station lies near Mathura. Guess we’ll never know if their respective station masters try all means to keep the furry friends away from the tracks.
6. Ib (Odisha)
Lost patience with long station names? Meet Ib. Claiming the title for shortest railway station name in India is Ib, located in Odisha. It’s so short that halfway through reading the board your train would have crossed it!
7. Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta (Andhra Pradesh)
While some keep it SHORT and sweet, some LIKE it SERIOUSLY LONG. Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta takes the cake at having the longest station name with 28 letters. Residents and commuters probably don’t even try to read the whole board. Passengers and travellers give a collective pity look towards the soul who has to type in this mouthful of a station name on the ticket counter every single day
India is full of diversity. So why should our railway stations be any different? Next time you’re taking that long distance train journey, keep your eyes peeled. You never know when a Bap or Saheli station will pop up!