Marwar Junction, a crossroads of old Rajputana railways
Marwar Junction (station code MJ) is a railway station in Pali district, Rajasthan, serving the census town of the same name. It lies on the New Delhi–Ahmedabad main line and is managed by the Ajmer division of the North Western Railway. The station is 267 metres above sea level, and its tracks include both broad gauge and metre gauge.
How the junction grew
- 1881: the Rajputana State Railway extends its Delhi–Ajmer metre-gauge line to Ahmedabad, passing through Marwar.
- 1882: the Rajputana–Malwa Railway builds a metre-gauge branch from Marwar Junction to Pali. It is later extended to Jodhpur, forming the Jodhpur Railway, and today runs all the way to Munabao on the India–Pakistan border, fully converted to broad gauge.
- 1936: the Mavli–Marwar metre-gauge line opens, linking the junction towards Mewar.
- 1997: the main line through Marwar is converted to broad gauge.
A station in literature
Marwar Junction appears in the first chapter of Rudyard Kipling's short story The Man Who Would Be King, first published in 1888. It is where the narrator, Kipling in all but name, meets the adventurer Daniel Dravot. Few small Indian junctions can claim a place in English literature.
Using the station
Frequently asked questions
What is the station code of Marwar Junction?
MJ. It is in the Ajmer division of the North Western Railway.
When did Marwar Junction open?
In 1881, when the metre-gauge line from Ajmer was extended to Ahmedabad.
Which Kipling story mentions Marwar Junction?
The Man Who Would Be King (1888), in its first chapter.
Plan connections with our train schedule page.