Release of Seeta Avtaran Mahakavya by Pradeep ‘Maithiliputra’

Release of Seeta Avtaran Mahakavya by Pradeep ‘Maithiliputra’

It was warm and humid August at Darbhanga. Prof. Udayshankar had informed me about the release of Seeta Avtaran Mahakavya by Pradeep ‘Maithiliputra’ at 2 PM at Trishulini Temple, near Light House Cinema at Laheriasari on August 30,2009. Incidentally I was in town in way to Nanaur, Maithili Workers’ Training Camp and had made up mind to attend the function for initial 30 minutes. When I reached there in time, the function started in time with welcome address of Prof. Uday Shankar Mishra and book release by Dr.Indira Jha whom I had listened to in HH Puri Shankaracharya’s meeting at Ranchi reciting,”Nami EEshan rupam..” and introductory remarks by Pradeep ‘Maithiliputra.’ Two Mihtila activists prof. Baidynath Choudhary,’Baiju’ and I were asked to speak first as he too had to catch a train for Kolkata. I have shared dais only one occasion with him in past( at Mumbai in 2007) and had few moments together(at Saharsa in a Maithili meeting and at Darbhanga in a shraddha sthali). It was not an occasion to speak on Mithila state though Pradeep Maithililiputra himself pointed out that he was in favour of Mithila state. Indira Jha was not given a copy of the book prior and she was at loss to speak on the book proper but I could turn out pages in between and focussed more on book’s worth than the topic of Mithila. It was more a moment to see galaxy of Maithil intellectuals at Darbhanga- Chairman, Bhimnath Jha, Prof.Sureshwar Jha(his birthday was the next day and I congratulated him in advance), Chandresh, Yoganad Jha, ‘Parwa’ smiled to see me after many years and I could not tell him that I was going to his village on 23^rd September; chief guest Dr.R.N.Jha, I confused him as ‘husband’ of Indira Jha and could know the fact only next day by newspaper and was sorry that though my teacher at DMCH, I could not recognise him. I think the humid atmosphere and bus time for Nanur was in my mind. By the time I started my speech god Indra was pleased and it was a big leash of rain and everybody agreed with me that it was due to a book on Mother Seeta and incidentally I am blessed for rains as I was born on a Shrawan Pradosh. Though my sister had given me an umbrella, I was wet in the auto sitting besides driver. The roads of Darbhanga are in very bad shape and it had limited the speed better for half open umbrella still I was wet when I reached bus stand. I also noticed that rickshaw and auto charges at Darbhanga were much more than at Ranchi while the paying capacity of Darbhangias are much low.