Dear readers,
It has been a while since I wrote first part of my story way back in March,2013.
The reasons are strictly under my control. If needed , I can write a weekly column based upon my journeys all around the year. But, the fun will be missing. Believe it or not, I get phone calls from my dedicated reader base to write more frequently but I believe in Vikram Seth line of writing. He published 'A Suitable Boy' in 1993 and is still looking for the story line of 'Á Suitable Girl' since last 20 years.So, if he has the liberty to keep space between 02 books then why I shouldn't be allowed to do that.
Anyway, nowadays, our government is spreading the message of spacing between 02 children to keep our population in control. The Family Welfare Department is one of the most redundant/useless branch of our system of governance.It is criminal wastage of manpower/resources. They spend crores on teaching us about bedroom manners. WHY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTERFERE IN BEDROOMS OF A FREE INDIVIDUAL IN FREE COUNTRY.The logic of existence of this white elephant is beyond my comprehension.
But, the show must go on.
So, at the end of my last blog , I had decided to undertake the nearly 1300 Kms. journey to my native place in Bihar. But, this distance was suggested by Google Baba, who has its limitations. Considering the fact that, it is the brain child of an American kid, it does not take into account Indian jugaad system of measuring distances. So, by the end of first phase of my journey in Saharsa, I had already travelled nearly 1800 Kms. This difference of 500 Kms. is logical as Google doesn't account for natural hindrances like non-existent roads, water bodies in the middle of the road, roaming elephants or Naxalites roaming on the road.
I remember a small incident from my half-pant days way back in early 1990's, most probably in 1992.
I got down from the Bus on a State Highway in Bihar as I was planning to visit a relative's place in a nearby village. This village is virtually located in the belly of the Kosi river and this road junction where I disembarked from the Bus was the nearest road head in this area.I do not remember the exact name of the village , so let's call it "Ramgarh"' as it is the most famous village depicted in Hindi movies till date.I asked a road side dhaba owner that what is the distance to Ramgarh. He told me 2 KOS (Kos is an equivalent of mile ). One mile consists of nearly 1.6 Kms., if you are still wondering about the distance. This information is meant for mathematically-challenged readers. I further asked, how much time it will take to go there ? ''Just a few moments till the Sun is slanting on your head'' was the instant reply.I started walking .......crossed few villages......few ponds........few mango orchards........few hundred fat buffaloes........but still there was no trace of Ramgarh. I saw one boy riding a huge buffalo and asked him the distance to Ramgarh. The boy smiled like a king sitting on his royal elephant...gave a quick glance towards my clothes.....compared them to his own....measured my social status and said 2 KOS.
I was perplexed ...I am walking since nearly 1 hour and still the distance is 2 KOS. May be I am walking in a circle. But my brain said......no way, circle is of round shape while my legs were walking on a straight muddy path. So, again I started walking....crossed more ponds.....mango orchards....some more buffaloes and cows were counted by me....few street dogs also said Hi to me.....they lovingly barked in my direction......may be they were also repeating 2 KOS distance theory.So, after nearly 2 hours, I again asked a passing milkman about Ramgarh and received same reply of 2 KOS. Now, I panicked may be frightened a little bit.Why this distance does not decrease. I asked him, how much time in reaching Ramgarh. Milkman said , ''some more time when Sun is literally on your head''.
I decided that there is no future is proceeding ahead. I sat on a roadside bridge and decided to go back by requesting some passing 2-wheelers or 3-wheelers(Rickshaws) to take me back to the Main road. In the meantime, I ate few guavas from a nearby tree and killed time.2-WHEELER means only bicycles as there was not a single motor bikes in nearly 50 Km. radius of that village.
After waiting for nearly 30 mins., one gentleman on Bicycle considered my request but asked me that how did you reached at this forlorn place. I narrated my grievances and he started laughing. Later, he told me that he was the neighbour of my relative in Ramgarh and carried me to my relative's house as a compliment. The irony was that the house was just 200/300 mts. away from the place where I was sitting on the bridge.The distance from main road to Ramgarh was 10 Kms. but only 2 KOS in local tradition as there used to be a Main Road 2 KOS away which was shifted by PWD to its present location nearly 10 years ago due to changes in the streams of Kosi.But, the distance used by villagers is still 2 KOS in that area.
So, that day, I learnt few lessons in measuring distance and time. Village folks are very adamant about distance, they normally use air distance and walk on land. No distance is unattainable for them. They measure time using the position of Sun on your head and hours are like minutes for them.
So, I used to be a wise traveller in past. This time, my companion was a brand new Swift Dzire purchased in February, 2013 and ready to roar with alloy wheels on metallic roads of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal in that order.
It was amazing to know that our country is having nearly 4.2 miilion Kms. long road network criss-crossing the interiors of our beloved land. Approximately 49 % of it is paved and motorable,suitable for my kind of driving.
Swift Dzire is simply loveable...smooth as silk ....agile and fast-moving as a panther.......even at the speed of 140 Km/hr you do not feel any vibration and you won't recognise that you are cruising like a BMW in your humble 6 Lacs + vehicle if you do not take a glance upon Speedometer. But, never try this speed while opening your windows.......close it, tune in your music system and listen Badtamteez Dil at full blast, up your AC to maximum. Only sad part of enjoying this thrill is that at this speed Swift Dzire drinks petrol like a habitual drunkard. Your petrol tank is empty in a very short duration and average Km./Litre goes for a toss.
Swift Dzire is nowadays the best selling Car in India since May,2013. It is only the 5th Car to occupy this position since 1950. Ambassador was the king from 1950 to 1984. Maruti 800 became the king from 1985 to 2004, Alto occupied this position from 2004 to 2012 and Swift was the king from April, 2012 and remained for exactly 01 year.
It seems that introduction of my journey is getting longer but I can not help it. Every journey possess a treasure behind its inner core.So, once I had decided to travel by Car, now was the time to fill my tank.So, I filled my petrol tank to full capacity i.e.43 ltrs. and embarked on the journey towards alluvial plains of Kosi from the land of Godavari.
But, it seems that natiure is conspiring against completing my narration because I need fuel for my thought-process. Chicken Biryani works best when eaten hot and straight from oven to your plate. So, petrol /food is mandatory for my five senses and I plan to have lunch now.
Till the time I decide to write again, it's goodbye from my side. Enjoy the weekend, go watch Bhag Milkha Bhag....it seems a good movie by the looks displayed in trailers.
No matter what critics say, I will watch it today itself because I love running...and love seeing the people run....it is such a wonderful sight to behold. Running liberates and it is a great leveller. The technique is same since last few milleniums.....no equipment needed...only 02 legs and a will to do it. Even legs are not needed if you are Oscar Pistorius.
So, happy reading.
It has been a while since I wrote first part of my story way back in March,2013.
The reasons are strictly under my control. If needed , I can write a weekly column based upon my journeys all around the year. But, the fun will be missing. Believe it or not, I get phone calls from my dedicated reader base to write more frequently but I believe in Vikram Seth line of writing. He published 'A Suitable Boy' in 1993 and is still looking for the story line of 'Á Suitable Girl' since last 20 years.So, if he has the liberty to keep space between 02 books then why I shouldn't be allowed to do that.
Anyway, nowadays, our government is spreading the message of spacing between 02 children to keep our population in control. The Family Welfare Department is one of the most redundant/useless branch of our system of governance.It is criminal wastage of manpower/resources. They spend crores on teaching us about bedroom manners. WHY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTERFERE IN BEDROOMS OF A FREE INDIVIDUAL IN FREE COUNTRY.The logic of existence of this white elephant is beyond my comprehension.
But, the show must go on.
So, at the end of my last blog , I had decided to undertake the nearly 1300 Kms. journey to my native place in Bihar. But, this distance was suggested by Google Baba, who has its limitations. Considering the fact that, it is the brain child of an American kid, it does not take into account Indian jugaad system of measuring distances. So, by the end of first phase of my journey in Saharsa, I had already travelled nearly 1800 Kms. This difference of 500 Kms. is logical as Google doesn't account for natural hindrances like non-existent roads, water bodies in the middle of the road, roaming elephants or Naxalites roaming on the road.
I remember a small incident from my half-pant days way back in early 1990's, most probably in 1992.
I got down from the Bus on a State Highway in Bihar as I was planning to visit a relative's place in a nearby village. This village is virtually located in the belly of the Kosi river and this road junction where I disembarked from the Bus was the nearest road head in this area.I do not remember the exact name of the village , so let's call it "Ramgarh"' as it is the most famous village depicted in Hindi movies till date.I asked a road side dhaba owner that what is the distance to Ramgarh. He told me 2 KOS (Kos is an equivalent of mile ). One mile consists of nearly 1.6 Kms., if you are still wondering about the distance. This information is meant for mathematically-challenged readers. I further asked, how much time it will take to go there ? ''Just a few moments till the Sun is slanting on your head'' was the instant reply.I started walking .......crossed few villages......few ponds........few mango orchards........few hundred fat buffaloes........but still there was no trace of Ramgarh. I saw one boy riding a huge buffalo and asked him the distance to Ramgarh. The boy smiled like a king sitting on his royal elephant...gave a quick glance towards my clothes.....compared them to his own....measured my social status and said 2 KOS.
I was perplexed ...I am walking since nearly 1 hour and still the distance is 2 KOS. May be I am walking in a circle. But my brain said......no way, circle is of round shape while my legs were walking on a straight muddy path. So, again I started walking....crossed more ponds.....mango orchards....some more buffaloes and cows were counted by me....few street dogs also said Hi to me.....they lovingly barked in my direction......may be they were also repeating 2 KOS distance theory.So, after nearly 2 hours, I again asked a passing milkman about Ramgarh and received same reply of 2 KOS. Now, I panicked may be frightened a little bit.Why this distance does not decrease. I asked him, how much time in reaching Ramgarh. Milkman said , ''some more time when Sun is literally on your head''.
I decided that there is no future is proceeding ahead. I sat on a roadside bridge and decided to go back by requesting some passing 2-wheelers or 3-wheelers(Rickshaws) to take me back to the Main road. In the meantime, I ate few guavas from a nearby tree and killed time.2-WHEELER means only bicycles as there was not a single motor bikes in nearly 50 Km. radius of that village.
After waiting for nearly 30 mins., one gentleman on Bicycle considered my request but asked me that how did you reached at this forlorn place. I narrated my grievances and he started laughing. Later, he told me that he was the neighbour of my relative in Ramgarh and carried me to my relative's house as a compliment. The irony was that the house was just 200/300 mts. away from the place where I was sitting on the bridge.The distance from main road to Ramgarh was 10 Kms. but only 2 KOS in local tradition as there used to be a Main Road 2 KOS away which was shifted by PWD to its present location nearly 10 years ago due to changes in the streams of Kosi.But, the distance used by villagers is still 2 KOS in that area.
So, that day, I learnt few lessons in measuring distance and time. Village folks are very adamant about distance, they normally use air distance and walk on land. No distance is unattainable for them. They measure time using the position of Sun on your head and hours are like minutes for them.
So, I used to be a wise traveller in past. This time, my companion was a brand new Swift Dzire purchased in February, 2013 and ready to roar with alloy wheels on metallic roads of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal in that order.
It was amazing to know that our country is having nearly 4.2 miilion Kms. long road network criss-crossing the interiors of our beloved land. Approximately 49 % of it is paved and motorable,suitable for my kind of driving.
Swift Dzire is simply loveable...smooth as silk ....agile and fast-moving as a panther.......even at the speed of 140 Km/hr you do not feel any vibration and you won't recognise that you are cruising like a BMW in your humble 6 Lacs + vehicle if you do not take a glance upon Speedometer. But, never try this speed while opening your windows.......close it, tune in your music system and listen Badtamteez Dil at full blast, up your AC to maximum. Only sad part of enjoying this thrill is that at this speed Swift Dzire drinks petrol like a habitual drunkard. Your petrol tank is empty in a very short duration and average Km./Litre goes for a toss.
Swift Dzire is nowadays the best selling Car in India since May,2013. It is only the 5th Car to occupy this position since 1950. Ambassador was the king from 1950 to 1984. Maruti 800 became the king from 1985 to 2004, Alto occupied this position from 2004 to 2012 and Swift was the king from April, 2012 and remained for exactly 01 year.
It seems that introduction of my journey is getting longer but I can not help it. Every journey possess a treasure behind its inner core.So, once I had decided to travel by Car, now was the time to fill my tank.So, I filled my petrol tank to full capacity i.e.43 ltrs. and embarked on the journey towards alluvial plains of Kosi from the land of Godavari.
But, it seems that natiure is conspiring against completing my narration because I need fuel for my thought-process. Chicken Biryani works best when eaten hot and straight from oven to your plate. So, petrol /food is mandatory for my five senses and I plan to have lunch now.
Till the time I decide to write again, it's goodbye from my side. Enjoy the weekend, go watch Bhag Milkha Bhag....it seems a good movie by the looks displayed in trailers.
No matter what critics say, I will watch it today itself because I love running...and love seeing the people run....it is such a wonderful sight to behold. Running liberates and it is a great leveller. The technique is same since last few milleniums.....no equipment needed...only 02 legs and a will to do it. Even legs are not needed if you are Oscar Pistorius.
So, happy reading.
We were chatting yesterday and i was about to ask about your next blog and here you go. Regarding the Blog subject, this was long awaited from your side. I remember, when i heard that you bought the Car and drove to Bihar, we were expecting the next blog on this. Appreciate your patience and effort that you finally come up with one and will continue this story as well. Hope, this is just a glimpse and full story will unfold soon.
ReplyDeletePlease post some picture as well. This will help reader to visualize your experience. We can see your experience through your words and PIC always helps to understand which is not told.
Waiting for your next blog. Keep writing
Shashi
So here is the story of the great journey via road.
ReplyDeleteIts good to know about the comfortable journey via Swift Desire, more comforting for my conscience is a story of journey of man from remote village of Saharsa on foot to the criss crossing different states recently via the modernised vehicle.
Well, do you remember the journey took by three or four of us to a great Nagarjun Sagar Dam in Andhra. If you have some rememberance of that, do write about that also.
I want to be part of your write up.
Happy writing.
be blessed.