The mystique of Tunnel Number 33

If mountains whisper secrets, author Vikrant Parmar lends them an ear.

His debut novel, Tunnel Number 33, unravels one of the darkest secrets of Shimla-Kalka Heritage Rail, as the sub-title suggests.

The phantasmagorical narrative unfolds in fast-moving time zones and space. Intrigued by the strange rituals performed by a locomotive driver, Mahadev Singh, somewhere on the railway track between Kalka and Shimla, a footloose wanderer, Rudra Pratap, allows himself to be sucked into the mysteries of the unknown.

Driven by curiosity, escape from the humdrum and the memories of loss; he lands in a series of uncanny happenings. What he encounters echo real events of the past with whispers of the paranormal.

In chapters that dance between past and present—stepping into zones of fantasy and mystery—beginning 1901 to around 1990, the author attempts to invoke the socio-political scenarios in different time frames—with the constant being the railway track or rather the making of it.

The track is witness to various characters moving through chapters of time—the British—their discipline, punctuality and the cruelty with shades of fairness—contrasted with the poverty, subjugation and helplessness of its local subjects. Within this frame moves the mysterious tale of the making of tunnel number 33. Characters from the past, Kashi, Shambhu, Bhairav, and the present, Balveer, Mahadev and Shankar, fuse into the tale, weaving threads of mystery.

Then, there is Bhalku, the lame coolie with weird powers—he claims to get secrets of the future whispered to him by the lice infesting his hair.

This uncanny tale unfolding in misty mountains in cold foggy nights is haunting, almost gothic, with spirits, ghosts and clairvoyant mediums moving in and out of the threads of time. Blended with paranormal activity taking place inside dark, spooky caves, the novel is fast-paced and manages to engage reader’s interest.

Characters are introduced in a sequential manner. The writing is intense.

Mountains are the hotspots for ghost stories. They offer isolation, silence, long histories of trauma, colonial legacies and the quiet sufferings of the subjects. Many authors have used the mountains as the backdrop for the setting of gothic novels. For Vikrant, the added advantage is his lived reality. He belongs to Shimla; the mountains, their legacies, tunnels and the many spooky tales associated with them dwell in his and his ancestor’s memories. He is at home in this setting.

Therefore, at places the reader is confused whether Rudra, the protagonist, is exploring a story or experiencing it! With many currents and undercurrents of time, space, spirits, communions and ghosts running through the narrative—the story keeps the reader on the edge.

As a budding author, for his debut novel, Vikrant invites his former school teacher of English to write the foreword. This is a great gesture and an apt tribute to the community of educators whose contribution in shaping professionals goes unnoticed. Usually, writers look for a celebrity to pen the foreword for their debut.

As you turn the pages of Tunnel Number 33, don’t get spooked. It’s only fiction.

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(The writer is a senior journalist based in Chandigarh, India)

The writer of Tunnel Number 33 can be reached at vikrant.webs@gmail.com