MEA Travalogue_Bangalore’s Bihar Bhavan
29.7.2010
I had asked Dr. P.P.Jha whether it was possible to meet him that evening and was planning to leave Bangalore by midnight super fast train for Guwahati. Dr. Jha told me that if I could come to Bihar Bhavan I can find many. I told him that I would be reaching there in around one and half hour but traffic jams took much time and I could reach there around 830 Pm by which time Dr. Jha had left but there was another Jha, AN Jha, president of Bihar Bhavan and many other Biharis whose discussion for a spiritual programme was in the last fag. All welcomed me as before and I had a nostalgic feeling of the place I was knowing since its foundation when long back in 1984 I had gone to Bangalore and had gone to my class friend Harihar’s house who introduced me to B.N. Jha who belonged to my nativity(he was from famous Ugna Mahadev’s village, Bhavanipur, some 5 km from my native village ,Samaul) and since then we are in close contact. He had taken me to the Bihar Bhavan(opposite post Office, RT Nagar) where Saraswati Puja was celebrated on foundations may be any day in between 21-25 January 1985 and then I had visited during 14.11.198 when Hukumdev Narayan Yadav had visited as a Minister. I was transferred to Bangalore and reached there on 30.3.2006 and was retransferred back to ranchi and left Bangalore on 6.11.2007.
Before my transfer I had following nine visits to Bangalore on following days 21-25/1/1985; 15-16/8/1994; 27-28/1/1995; 11-12/10/1995; 25-26/1/1996; 14-20.1.1998; 18.1.2002; 3.10.2002; 5-6.11.2005 and when I left Bangalore I revisited following five times
4.6.2008; 12-12.6.2008; 10.2.2009; 10.6.2010; 24-25.6.2010 to have live contact with all and in this Bihar Bhavan had always been a central point.
Though a fighter for Mithila cause I was regarded by all who had been there from Bihar and hence this time alos I was well received.
Bihar Bhavan has a name in the city for Durga Puja and all persons attached to that are bhaktas.
And here I could convene XV International Maithili Conference in which all had helped me though the prime helper Radheshym Mishra, a Chartered aaccountant has expired prematurely and his elder brother had also left for village Muraitha.
Other Maithils who had helped me for the AMP work two persons _harsh and Bibhuti had left Amp on the ground that they wished a local organization and later some of the persons who had staged the show of that successful conference also left the AMP and made a local organization and naturally such things were not destined to live long and I did not find any thriving Maithili Organisation when I visited in between, except of Raslal’s at Tawrekere.
Still I wanted to meet some of the seniors and could find only one AN Jha who has always high regards for me.
B,N, Jha was diagnosed by me on very first day he had attack as brain tumor and he was ill and as a mark of respect to him I had announced him as president of AMP,Bangalore.
The other persons there including his younger brother KN Jha should have continued the AMP II laboured for that so much.
Dr. PP Jha has a taste of cultural activities and he had managed marvelously cultural evening in the conference when Ramsevak Thakur and Kunj Bihari did not turn up last minute fearing payment though they would have been suitably rewarded had they come.
Though the meeting at Bihar Bhavan ended successfully I was sorry to note that its arrangements have been worse which needs immediate attention by all as that is one of our great pillar outstare. Initially I had thought to have night stay there but finding the gates being closed I went to Omprakash Daga’s house nearby who was a RSS person of my town,Forbesganj and had a business there of garments. Dubeyji dropped me there. Om was delighted to see me and again I had a dinner though I had full meal at Mrs. Pandey’s house in the evening.
I could get up early morning and started for Yashwantpura to take direct train for ranchi and luckily I could get ticket out of turn at the counter and also a good seat in just few minutes before the train was to whistle.(Continued).
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur
Spokesman,
Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
MEA _2010 Travalogue _VII_Andhra_Karnataka
MEA _2010 Travalogue _VII_Andhra_Karnataka
28.7.2010
When I reached Visakhapatanam station there was standing Link Express going to Delhi via Vijaywada and I thought to complete that journey in day time without any problem but when I entered a general coach though there was space for me to seat comfortably but a Telugu who was going with a good number of friends and family as if going in any marriage protested me and particularly knowing me ignorant of Telugu took advantage of that and I went up to seat where already a child of his group was sitting. I tried to sleep adjusting bags there but could not though that comfort that child . The group had plain food- rice and some chutteny like thing.
It was probably a Pradosh fast day for me and I had some dried things to break that. At Vijaywada I had to change the train and I got down and in search of some bananas I went out till road ahead. I listened to a person there talking on mobile in Maithili. I did not disturb him and went to a vender for banans. Very sweety and stout bananas four for Rs.10 and I purchased and ate and also I took another four for the way. There also I listened a young man talking in Maithili sitting on a chair in the nearby Sulabh Shauchalaya. I asked his introduction and he was a Maithil Brahmin from Barahia. Anyone can find maithil Brahmins near any Sulabh Shauchalaya- thanks to Bindeshwari Pathak for this novel way of helping thousands of Maithil families.
I came to platform no.1 on which my train Sheshadri Express for Bangalore was expect after 2 hours. In between passed the Narsapur Express which was jam packed and so when I entrained in a general compartment of Sheshadri Express, people,mostly ladies were sitting and or sleeping even on floor.
I stood by the side and that too was resisted by a young mother whose little child was put in a cloth hanging in between in air. My standing was not welcome for them and they objected more so knowing that I did not know Telugu and ridiculed me knowing a Hindi speaking person and I realized that there is a great hatred for Hindi persons there even though we are the nationals of same country.
On suggestion of a standing passenger, I tried to seat as fifth person where some space was available but was objected by an aged person on which I infuriated(in English) and said that they do not know my contribution to that area where I had served them in 1977 cyclone and also referred my high social position that even Prime Minister would appreciate but all in vain and I had to travel almost 4 hours standing till Nellore came where two boys on side seats were to drop down but were sleeping who were aroused by the third passenger who was a teacher and from his body language I had inferred that he did not like protest of aged man to accommodate me as fifth passenger.
I could get a seat vacated there and took a sigh of relief. I was tiered and slept even in sitting after I ate those bananas I had purchased. The whole rush was vanished at Tirupati as they all were going to have Lord Balaji’s blessings and in that month every Telugu family would visit there.
In the morning crossing through a stretch of Tamilnadu in between we entered Karnataka. I did my daily Puja tarpan in the compartment itself after bath in toilet.
The area was known to me as I had some visits on the route when I was posted at Bangalore. I got down at the City station which was well known to me and came out- everything was alike- the rush of people and protesters of some group on the road, as usual for any capital in a democratic society; the subway to the Majestic bus stand had the same venders of the goods of daily need- the snacks, the handekerchif, locks etc as well as some ladies(‘Sex workers’) inviting persons on a rate of Rs.300-500 for some hours.
I do not remember whether I saw the dwarf man selling something and took a pack of half liter curd (mosuru ardha, I spoke in Kannada) from a stall there. It was for Rs.12 though cheaper than other state- it has bean dearer as initially I was getting it for Rs.8 (in 2006-07) and then in next visit in 2008 I found it was rs.10 and thereby a 50 per cent hike in 3 years!
I climbed stairs and again I came down to platform and took a bus where a daily pass has again been for Rs.32 which I had been taking for Rs.25 in 2006-07 and in 2008 visit ,it was for Rs.30.
The way was known to me and I got down at Sonata stop near Vijaya college. Of course Metro is under construction and hence some traffic problem.
I took two bananas from the same betel shop I was taking from a Maithil boy of a village near Jhanjharpur. The boy was not there but a man and I had asked for banana in Maithili and later I asked him whether he had phone number of Raslal. He gave number of some other Maihtil who did give raslal’s number but he could not be contacted. I wished to have night staty at Tawrekere where they had purchased land for Rs.13 lakh ,must be of crore value now for making a Temple. I had promised them in 2007 that I would stay with them one night which I could not fulfil for my transfer and I wanted to go there but again was not successful.
I reached nearby MECON Office and meeting my voters I went to Mrs. Asha pandey’s house to meet her son who was ill some time back. He searched air tickets for me on net but was not successful and I called Dr. P.P.Jha who invited me to come to Bihar Bhavan..(To be continued)
28.7.2010
When I reached Visakhapatanam station there was standing Link Express going to Delhi via Vijaywada and I thought to complete that journey in day time without any problem but when I entered a general coach though there was space for me to seat comfortably but a Telugu who was going with a good number of friends and family as if going in any marriage protested me and particularly knowing me ignorant of Telugu took advantage of that and I went up to seat where already a child of his group was sitting. I tried to sleep adjusting bags there but could not though that comfort that child . The group had plain food- rice and some chutteny like thing.
It was probably a Pradosh fast day for me and I had some dried things to break that. At Vijaywada I had to change the train and I got down and in search of some bananas I went out till road ahead. I listened to a person there talking on mobile in Maithili. I did not disturb him and went to a vender for banans. Very sweety and stout bananas four for Rs.10 and I purchased and ate and also I took another four for the way. There also I listened a young man talking in Maithili sitting on a chair in the nearby Sulabh Shauchalaya. I asked his introduction and he was a Maithil Brahmin from Barahia. Anyone can find maithil Brahmins near any Sulabh Shauchalaya- thanks to Bindeshwari Pathak for this novel way of helping thousands of Maithil families.
I came to platform no.1 on which my train Sheshadri Express for Bangalore was expect after 2 hours. In between passed the Narsapur Express which was jam packed and so when I entrained in a general compartment of Sheshadri Express, people,mostly ladies were sitting and or sleeping even on floor.
I stood by the side and that too was resisted by a young mother whose little child was put in a cloth hanging in between in air. My standing was not welcome for them and they objected more so knowing that I did not know Telugu and ridiculed me knowing a Hindi speaking person and I realized that there is a great hatred for Hindi persons there even though we are the nationals of same country.
On suggestion of a standing passenger, I tried to seat as fifth person where some space was available but was objected by an aged person on which I infuriated(in English) and said that they do not know my contribution to that area where I had served them in 1977 cyclone and also referred my high social position that even Prime Minister would appreciate but all in vain and I had to travel almost 4 hours standing till Nellore came where two boys on side seats were to drop down but were sleeping who were aroused by the third passenger who was a teacher and from his body language I had inferred that he did not like protest of aged man to accommodate me as fifth passenger.
I could get a seat vacated there and took a sigh of relief. I was tiered and slept even in sitting after I ate those bananas I had purchased. The whole rush was vanished at Tirupati as they all were going to have Lord Balaji’s blessings and in that month every Telugu family would visit there.
In the morning crossing through a stretch of Tamilnadu in between we entered Karnataka. I did my daily Puja tarpan in the compartment itself after bath in toilet.
The area was known to me as I had some visits on the route when I was posted at Bangalore. I got down at the City station which was well known to me and came out- everything was alike- the rush of people and protesters of some group on the road, as usual for any capital in a democratic society; the subway to the Majestic bus stand had the same venders of the goods of daily need- the snacks, the handekerchif, locks etc as well as some ladies(‘Sex workers’) inviting persons on a rate of Rs.300-500 for some hours.
I do not remember whether I saw the dwarf man selling something and took a pack of half liter curd (mosuru ardha, I spoke in Kannada) from a stall there. It was for Rs.12 though cheaper than other state- it has bean dearer as initially I was getting it for Rs.8 (in 2006-07) and then in next visit in 2008 I found it was rs.10 and thereby a 50 per cent hike in 3 years!
I climbed stairs and again I came down to platform and took a bus where a daily pass has again been for Rs.32 which I had been taking for Rs.25 in 2006-07 and in 2008 visit ,it was for Rs.30.
The way was known to me and I got down at Sonata stop near Vijaya college. Of course Metro is under construction and hence some traffic problem.
I took two bananas from the same betel shop I was taking from a Maithil boy of a village near Jhanjharpur. The boy was not there but a man and I had asked for banana in Maithili and later I asked him whether he had phone number of Raslal. He gave number of some other Maihtil who did give raslal’s number but he could not be contacted. I wished to have night staty at Tawrekere where they had purchased land for Rs.13 lakh ,must be of crore value now for making a Temple. I had promised them in 2007 that I would stay with them one night which I could not fulfil for my transfer and I wanted to go there but again was not successful.
I reached nearby MECON Office and meeting my voters I went to Mrs. Asha pandey’s house to meet her son who was ill some time back. He searched air tickets for me on net but was not successful and I called Dr. P.P.Jha who invited me to come to Bihar Bhavan..(To be continued)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
MEA 2010 Travalogue_VI – Bhilai steel city, Raipur and Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant and City
27.7.2010
MEA 2010 Travalogue_VI – Bhilai steel city, Raipur and Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant and City
With a memory of fast SMS data entering commerce graduate girl and the girl of Gwalior I remembered once at Purnea , daughter of a Maithili worker (and also granddaughter of a Maithili worker parents),studing in Delhi University had exclaimed to know that I was not keeping mobile. Later company gave me and I found it useful and time(and money) consuming both. In fact it reduces chances of personal meetings and keep one away from the present surroundings and landscapes in train keeping you clogged to already known persons but it is also useful if used with caution and one can have many connections and information like PNR status of an unconfirmed tickets which I could know from cell one many a times in this journey also.
And Manish Jha was at Murga gate(there is a Cock sculpture) of Bhilai on getting call from mobile! At the PR room a visiting pass was made soon and I entered the Ispat Bhavan and talked MECONIAs.
Then I contacted if my sister-in law(Bhauji) was there in Sector IX or at Charoda- she use to shuttle between her two sons(of almost my age and hence going there I become a grandfather though always I feel myself a young student). My nephew of Sector IX had survived a serious head injury and after many years I saw him who told me as to why he became a vegetarian in a story-telling way. He described me that once he had visited a person where someone asked can you build a house –“yes, after studying engineering and or training for some years and so for many other things,” but can you make an egg was replied in negative and hence a thing one cannot make should not be killed and so one should be vegetarian.
He was against sacred thread(janeu) and I explained him about the gotras and pravars( three of ours i.e. Kaushik, symbolize our ancestors- Kaushik, Atri and Aplavan).
The vedantic teaching may be different that for higher life lower may be sacrificed to the amount needed, and types of foods- sattw, rajas and tamsik as per the choice of the person and interealtion between them as explained in Bhagavadgita’s Chapter XVII.
My cousin did not forget to ask me copies of the Aayurvigyan Pragati when I gave him the Maithili Sandesh. Eldest among the 21 brothers and 19 sisters, he retired as a teacher from the railway’s school at Bhailai and I used to meet him often during my tours through central India.
Bhauji had naturally a stock of questions on family matters and I had no reply for some of them. I had not much time and I started with Manish for Raipur for catching the train stopping for a while at Charoda residence of other cousin; grandson and his mother were there but not my cousin.
Bhilai has advanced like other parts of country but always I feel that as a serene place, full of greeneries among the hot of a steel city.
Raipur now capital of newly carved Chhattisgarh state has also developed though always remains in news for Naxals and in recent past Dantewada incident shocked the nation.
One of the BBC reporter, Salman Ravi , who is close to me, had invited me recently to visit the area around Indravati river, so picturesque in the map of India which always attracted me but I did not have time. I do not appreciate ‘encounters’ but also not ‘innocent killings,’ and staging war against the Indian state by rising arms though a reply is needed as to why the 50 most mineral districts of India are also among the poorest?
Manish Jha left me at the Raipur station which is also now a modern station and I could get a ticket and good seat in general class. One of the passengers told me that that was the route traveled by the poorest persons.
I had been on that track sometimes and I had stopped at Khariar raoad also and that was the area of Kaushal which is also demanding statehood.
I slept in night on the seat and in the morning while train crossed Orissa and entered Andhra, I felt poor there are not poor in exhibiting love! A Telugu man was showing love to his wife(?) as if no other was in the world or there at least in the compartment!
We crossed Sinhachalam, a famous pilgrim centre and reached Visakhapatanam, named on one of the 27 nakshatras.
I took a city bus for the steel city and though had requested conductor to tell me the stop I dozed and missed the stop and after a while I could get down and I was charged for excess route too. Luckily I met a person on bike and he took me to the Project Office I intended to go. There I met some MECONIANs who recognized me and again a photo identity visiting pass was made for me like my visit 2 years back which I had not seen anywhere else. On a car soon I was inside the plat of Wire road and saw with interest and talked my voters as well. The Steel City, Ukkunagaram, I had visited some times in past but my close person Baikunth Jha was outstation. Once meeting with him was incidental after many years in 1993 when I had gone for the All India Steel Medical Officers’ Conference and I enquired for any Maithili. Luckily in-charge of township was a Maithil and he sent a vehicle for me. I talked to him and he had called Baikunth wecould recognize each other after some minutes of talk that he was a Swayamsevak of the Sukhdevnagar shakha at Ranchi while I was a student of Ranchi College in 1972-73 and it was a happy reunion with him and then onwards we are in regular contact.
They left me on a big cross fare to Visakhapatanam City which always looks to me as if running in thrills. The city on the Bay of Bengal has a big naval base.
and again I walked few minutes from the bus stand to MECON Office and then again I could get a seat in the auto to go to the railway station.
(to be continued)
MEA 2010 Travalogue_VI – Bhilai steel city, Raipur and Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant and City
With a memory of fast SMS data entering commerce graduate girl and the girl of Gwalior I remembered once at Purnea , daughter of a Maithili worker (and also granddaughter of a Maithili worker parents),studing in Delhi University had exclaimed to know that I was not keeping mobile. Later company gave me and I found it useful and time(and money) consuming both. In fact it reduces chances of personal meetings and keep one away from the present surroundings and landscapes in train keeping you clogged to already known persons but it is also useful if used with caution and one can have many connections and information like PNR status of an unconfirmed tickets which I could know from cell one many a times in this journey also.
And Manish Jha was at Murga gate(there is a Cock sculpture) of Bhilai on getting call from mobile! At the PR room a visiting pass was made soon and I entered the Ispat Bhavan and talked MECONIAs.
Then I contacted if my sister-in law(Bhauji) was there in Sector IX or at Charoda- she use to shuttle between her two sons(of almost my age and hence going there I become a grandfather though always I feel myself a young student). My nephew of Sector IX had survived a serious head injury and after many years I saw him who told me as to why he became a vegetarian in a story-telling way. He described me that once he had visited a person where someone asked can you build a house –“yes, after studying engineering and or training for some years and so for many other things,” but can you make an egg was replied in negative and hence a thing one cannot make should not be killed and so one should be vegetarian.
He was against sacred thread(janeu) and I explained him about the gotras and pravars( three of ours i.e. Kaushik, symbolize our ancestors- Kaushik, Atri and Aplavan).
The vedantic teaching may be different that for higher life lower may be sacrificed to the amount needed, and types of foods- sattw, rajas and tamsik as per the choice of the person and interealtion between them as explained in Bhagavadgita’s Chapter XVII.
My cousin did not forget to ask me copies of the Aayurvigyan Pragati when I gave him the Maithili Sandesh. Eldest among the 21 brothers and 19 sisters, he retired as a teacher from the railway’s school at Bhailai and I used to meet him often during my tours through central India.
Bhauji had naturally a stock of questions on family matters and I had no reply for some of them. I had not much time and I started with Manish for Raipur for catching the train stopping for a while at Charoda residence of other cousin; grandson and his mother were there but not my cousin.
Bhilai has advanced like other parts of country but always I feel that as a serene place, full of greeneries among the hot of a steel city.
Raipur now capital of newly carved Chhattisgarh state has also developed though always remains in news for Naxals and in recent past Dantewada incident shocked the nation.
One of the BBC reporter, Salman Ravi , who is close to me, had invited me recently to visit the area around Indravati river, so picturesque in the map of India which always attracted me but I did not have time. I do not appreciate ‘encounters’ but also not ‘innocent killings,’ and staging war against the Indian state by rising arms though a reply is needed as to why the 50 most mineral districts of India are also among the poorest?
Manish Jha left me at the Raipur station which is also now a modern station and I could get a ticket and good seat in general class. One of the passengers told me that that was the route traveled by the poorest persons.
I had been on that track sometimes and I had stopped at Khariar raoad also and that was the area of Kaushal which is also demanding statehood.
I slept in night on the seat and in the morning while train crossed Orissa and entered Andhra, I felt poor there are not poor in exhibiting love! A Telugu man was showing love to his wife(?) as if no other was in the world or there at least in the compartment!
We crossed Sinhachalam, a famous pilgrim centre and reached Visakhapatanam, named on one of the 27 nakshatras.
I took a city bus for the steel city and though had requested conductor to tell me the stop I dozed and missed the stop and after a while I could get down and I was charged for excess route too. Luckily I met a person on bike and he took me to the Project Office I intended to go. There I met some MECONIANs who recognized me and again a photo identity visiting pass was made for me like my visit 2 years back which I had not seen anywhere else. On a car soon I was inside the plat of Wire road and saw with interest and talked my voters as well. The Steel City, Ukkunagaram, I had visited some times in past but my close person Baikunth Jha was outstation. Once meeting with him was incidental after many years in 1993 when I had gone for the All India Steel Medical Officers’ Conference and I enquired for any Maithili. Luckily in-charge of township was a Maithil and he sent a vehicle for me. I talked to him and he had called Baikunth wecould recognize each other after some minutes of talk that he was a Swayamsevak of the Sukhdevnagar shakha at Ranchi while I was a student of Ranchi College in 1972-73 and it was a happy reunion with him and then onwards we are in regular contact.
They left me on a big cross fare to Visakhapatanam City which always looks to me as if running in thrills. The city on the Bay of Bengal has a big naval base.
and again I walked few minutes from the bus stand to MECON Office and then again I could get a seat in the auto to go to the railway station.
(to be continued)
Christian Missions growing in Nepali( and Indian Mithila)-To save Nepal as a nation,it should revert to Hindu Nation.
Christian Missions growing in Nepali( and Indian Mithila)-To save Nepal as a nation,it should revert to Hindu Nation.
When I had visited first time Nepal's Katmandu during 1993 while I was returning by a bus I had found a scrap of Christian religion's message in Maithili and had commented on that in the columns of the Ranchi Express, then I was writing there weekly.
On the Katmandu streets in 2009 I witnessed a mammoth road show on Good Friday-mostly poor Nepalis were demonstrating.
I saw today matters on facebook. Mithilamission probably has the mission of converting Christians from Maithils which need serious efforts by Hindu nationalists to negate there appeal.
In fact, Nepal's unity lies in Hinduism otherwise it has no binding threads between the divergent groups of Paharis and so-called Madhesis(which has no epica l(pauranic) reference but a politically coined wrong word- Madydesh would have been correct, if someone would have thought for a country in between Nepal and India- in fact Tarai is a better word.
Though again those who want to see Nepal as one nation should not repeat the mistake India did declaring it a secular country while its partitioned Pakistan(and later Bangladesh also) became Islamic country.
My appeal particularly to Maithils is that they should not be swayed by such feelings of Pahari or anti-Pahari by a colloquium as Madhesh rather they should be in favour of Mithila state there and should have sweet relations with other states's people who are largely Hindus who follow Mithila-born darshans all over not only towards Himalayas but up to deep south till Sri Lanka not to talk of Kanyakumari and even there the Bauddhas/Singhalas are following the teachings of Lord Buddha, a son of Maithil clan from Vaishali (though born in his mother's village Lumbini)
Nepal has now abandoned Hindu religion which was not the only Hindu Nation to be proud of by Hindus all over the globe but also it was a political blunder, a harakiri of Nepali nationhood which needs retroversion by all political thinkers of Nepal.
This conversion is not limited in Nepali Mithila only. For Indian Mithila one can listen to radio broadcast from Ranchi in Maithili from Ranchi(and from the tone it seems that the reader is a Maithil from high caste). And so in Bhojpuri and many tribal languages..
One should not forget that one of the first book printed in Maithili was a Bible from Srirampur(Hoogly ,Kolkata),one of the pages I was told by MK Mishra of Ranchi was used as a pack of food grain being sold but was not preserved by him. Later I read one of the first dictionaries of Maithili was composed by Father Carey there which was burnt and some pages were saved but those all attempts were done not to propagate Maithili language and culture but to destroy that by using Maithili and it was and is a pan-Indian phenomenon(some articles of Sandhya Jain, I read recently on Tripura and Tamilnadu).
In fact when I was in an infatuation to a Christian girl of Kearalam(effect of beauty on brain!- I was the same who had only 5 years before that had not agreed to even fill up the form of St.Xavier’s College that it was a missionary college and had preferred to take admission in a lowly reputed Ranchi College though I could top among students of Ranchi University in the pre-medical test) I had gone to the Church near Darbhanga station where a Father(Padari) had told me that they were to read the local language for three years in their 13 year training programme to become a S.J.(Father of Catholic Church). Church at Bettiah is one of the oldest in north India though Mithila’s culture did not permit them to grow fast like other parts they have made pockets.
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur, Founder President & Spokesman, Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
When I had visited first time Nepal's Katmandu during 1993 while I was returning by a bus I had found a scrap of Christian religion's message in Maithili and had commented on that in the columns of the Ranchi Express, then I was writing there weekly.
On the Katmandu streets in 2009 I witnessed a mammoth road show on Good Friday-mostly poor Nepalis were demonstrating.
I saw today matters on facebook. Mithilamission probably has the mission of converting Christians from Maithils which need serious efforts by Hindu nationalists to negate there appeal.
In fact, Nepal's unity lies in Hinduism otherwise it has no binding threads between the divergent groups of Paharis and so-called Madhesis(which has no epica l(pauranic) reference but a politically coined wrong word- Madydesh would have been correct, if someone would have thought for a country in between Nepal and India- in fact Tarai is a better word.
Though again those who want to see Nepal as one nation should not repeat the mistake India did declaring it a secular country while its partitioned Pakistan(and later Bangladesh also) became Islamic country.
My appeal particularly to Maithils is that they should not be swayed by such feelings of Pahari or anti-Pahari by a colloquium as Madhesh rather they should be in favour of Mithila state there and should have sweet relations with other states's people who are largely Hindus who follow Mithila-born darshans all over not only towards Himalayas but up to deep south till Sri Lanka not to talk of Kanyakumari and even there the Bauddhas/Singhalas are following the teachings of Lord Buddha, a son of Maithil clan from Vaishali (though born in his mother's village Lumbini)
Nepal has now abandoned Hindu religion which was not the only Hindu Nation to be proud of by Hindus all over the globe but also it was a political blunder, a harakiri of Nepali nationhood which needs retroversion by all political thinkers of Nepal.
This conversion is not limited in Nepali Mithila only. For Indian Mithila one can listen to radio broadcast from Ranchi in Maithili from Ranchi(and from the tone it seems that the reader is a Maithil from high caste). And so in Bhojpuri and many tribal languages..
One should not forget that one of the first book printed in Maithili was a Bible from Srirampur(Hoogly ,Kolkata),one of the pages I was told by MK Mishra of Ranchi was used as a pack of food grain being sold but was not preserved by him. Later I read one of the first dictionaries of Maithili was composed by Father Carey there which was burnt and some pages were saved but those all attempts were done not to propagate Maithili language and culture but to destroy that by using Maithili and it was and is a pan-Indian phenomenon(some articles of Sandhya Jain, I read recently on Tripura and Tamilnadu).
In fact when I was in an infatuation to a Christian girl of Kearalam(effect of beauty on brain!- I was the same who had only 5 years before that had not agreed to even fill up the form of St.Xavier’s College that it was a missionary college and had preferred to take admission in a lowly reputed Ranchi College though I could top among students of Ranchi University in the pre-medical test) I had gone to the Church near Darbhanga station where a Father(Padari) had told me that they were to read the local language for three years in their 13 year training programme to become a S.J.(Father of Catholic Church). Church at Bettiah is one of the oldest in north India though Mithila’s culture did not permit them to grow fast like other parts they have made pockets.
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur, Founder President & Spokesman, Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
Monday, July 26, 2010
Dhoni and his mad lover
Dhoni and his mad lover
Dhoni is not performing well after his marriage as we see in Sri Lanka.
Some months back when I had written that his leaving of my colony(Shyamali of Ranchi where his father worked) he had downtrend in cricket.
Finding my blog on that on May 15, 2010 3:06 PM I was written a mail from one of the lovers of Dhoni as if I could be helpful in negotiating her marriage to him..
Sir, My name is ……. I am a Doctor by profession. I belong to …….state. Have just finished my MBBS degree. I read your article about DHONI today, just now. Sir, I have a sincere and humble request to make. I am one of the millions of fans DHONI has.
I love him a lot Sir. Its been 5 years since I started liking him. Now that I have finished my undergraduate degree, my parents have started searching bride groom for me. But for me, I am unable to imagine anyone else in my life partner's place other than DHONI. People might laugh at me if I say this. But there is no rule that common people should not love celebrities. Everything started as fun 5 years back when I was an 18 year old. But I never knew I would become so serious.
Whenever my parents suggest a guy for my marriage, tears well up in my eyes, I cant forget DHONI sir. Sir I stay in …… and I have 3 more months left in my Internship. I cant come to Ranchi to convince DHONI or his parents.
Its highly impossible as my parents wont let me do that. I can only communicate through emails, letters or through phone. Luckily I have got your email address. I have written a letter to DHONI's parents too, which I will be sending on Monday. Sir, if you make up your mind, you can really help me and you are the only one who can help me. Please Sir do’nt neglect my request. I will really be a good wife to DHONI, always supporting him in the ups and downs of life. I am waiting for your reply. Please reply as soon as possible.
When I opened my mail, immediately I I replied on May 19, 2010 4:31 PM
Dear Dr….
You are a doctor and be composed and should write to me as and when you do find time.
I personally do not know him but surely I will like to have a continued relation with you and if chance I can get some threads I will inform you.
Write me your other details of family..
And after some days on 26.5.10 I composed a song on her name…
How is my ……?
Who carries such
A wonderful name
A little doctor
Like a Cloud
Will shower rains
Or will bring floods
From her tears
For an unknown
Though she is
Unknown
I know her
From her days
On this earth
She came in her
Mother's laps
Crawled on Mother Earth
Stood Firmly
Went school
Came college
And then a stetho
In her neck
In white apron
She charmed many
But was charmed
By a charmer
Alas I would have
Helped her
If her decision
Was not immature
Though she is
mature enough
To treat many
Such lost
In other world
Of name and fame
But of no real values
Dhanakar 26.5.10
PS I will tell you something more and you will take decision. can give me a miss call on….
And I got a SMS on next evening…
Hello Sir,
This is dr. got ur no today. Thanks. Sir, I am a mad lover of Dhoni, was dreaming to be his life partner.
But Sir, it’s so bad and now I realize what foolish I am. I am really happy to tell u that I got real hero of my life dr… who is completing his superspeciality in ,,,,,,,,,,,,, in …….. and the engagement is in next week and I am going to join him and complete my pg course there. Sir, I am very sorry to disturb you and waste your time. I wish great success to my Dhoni and also to you sir.
Thanks and regrards,
I preferred to talk to her on the number and in fact I had read only first line of that SMS and I tried to console her analyzing the life situation. Marriage is not a Doll’s game and one should take decision as per social norms,
I could know her parents were doctors and I tried to explain her realities of life.
Lo! She turned to be her mother, a lady doctor instead. Finding from me an advisor’s role) . I talked her long about her working place and her college from where she had passed out and told her that matter will be solved with patience. It is nothing but an infatuation.
Soon she sent me other SMS..
We are here to set the things right pl don’t contact thro mail and all she is getting engaged next month. Thanks.
Dr..
And soon I saw the news of Dhoni being married to a girl-the hype was she was from Ranchi’s Shyamali colony but it turned to be wrong. I took a breath that his doctor lover will be alright now. My best wishes to her as well as Dhoni for their good married life.
Long back I had told to a lady neighbor of Dhoni had her mother asked me to select one proposal among a lot, I would have done. The lady had asked how?
“I will not select any which would not have come had Dhoni would not been an icon..”
Sure, then none either the fan lover or the lady got him would not have been my selection for him.
My cousin (elder to me some 5 years) said that they saw me dancing in Dhoni’s marriage and he had asked his wife also to watch that..
I told him that I was not there- someone might have similar face. They might have mistaken me for Dhoni since we lived in the same colony.
I am a simple man, not of elite club and I never regretted for that.
Dhoni is not performing well after his marriage as we see in Sri Lanka.
Some months back when I had written that his leaving of my colony(Shyamali of Ranchi where his father worked) he had downtrend in cricket.
Finding my blog on that on May 15, 2010 3:06 PM I was written a mail from one of the lovers of Dhoni as if I could be helpful in negotiating her marriage to him..
Sir, My name is ……. I am a Doctor by profession. I belong to …….state. Have just finished my MBBS degree. I read your article about DHONI today, just now. Sir, I have a sincere and humble request to make. I am one of the millions of fans DHONI has.
I love him a lot Sir. Its been 5 years since I started liking him. Now that I have finished my undergraduate degree, my parents have started searching bride groom for me. But for me, I am unable to imagine anyone else in my life partner's place other than DHONI. People might laugh at me if I say this. But there is no rule that common people should not love celebrities. Everything started as fun 5 years back when I was an 18 year old. But I never knew I would become so serious.
Whenever my parents suggest a guy for my marriage, tears well up in my eyes, I cant forget DHONI sir. Sir I stay in …… and I have 3 more months left in my Internship. I cant come to Ranchi to convince DHONI or his parents.
Its highly impossible as my parents wont let me do that. I can only communicate through emails, letters or through phone. Luckily I have got your email address. I have written a letter to DHONI's parents too, which I will be sending on Monday. Sir, if you make up your mind, you can really help me and you are the only one who can help me. Please Sir do’nt neglect my request. I will really be a good wife to DHONI, always supporting him in the ups and downs of life. I am waiting for your reply. Please reply as soon as possible.
When I opened my mail, immediately I I replied on May 19, 2010 4:31 PM
Dear Dr….
You are a doctor and be composed and should write to me as and when you do find time.
I personally do not know him but surely I will like to have a continued relation with you and if chance I can get some threads I will inform you.
Write me your other details of family..
And after some days on 26.5.10 I composed a song on her name…
How is my ……?
Who carries such
A wonderful name
A little doctor
Like a Cloud
Will shower rains
Or will bring floods
From her tears
For an unknown
Though she is
Unknown
I know her
From her days
On this earth
She came in her
Mother's laps
Crawled on Mother Earth
Stood Firmly
Went school
Came college
And then a stetho
In her neck
In white apron
She charmed many
But was charmed
By a charmer
Alas I would have
Helped her
If her decision
Was not immature
Though she is
mature enough
To treat many
Such lost
In other world
Of name and fame
But of no real values
Dhanakar 26.5.10
PS I will tell you something more and you will take decision. can give me a miss call on….
And I got a SMS on next evening…
Hello Sir,
This is dr. got ur no today. Thanks. Sir, I am a mad lover of Dhoni, was dreaming to be his life partner.
But Sir, it’s so bad and now I realize what foolish I am. I am really happy to tell u that I got real hero of my life dr… who is completing his superspeciality in ,,,,,,,,,,,,, in …….. and the engagement is in next week and I am going to join him and complete my pg course there. Sir, I am very sorry to disturb you and waste your time. I wish great success to my Dhoni and also to you sir.
Thanks and regrards,
I preferred to talk to her on the number and in fact I had read only first line of that SMS and I tried to console her analyzing the life situation. Marriage is not a Doll’s game and one should take decision as per social norms,
I could know her parents were doctors and I tried to explain her realities of life.
Lo! She turned to be her mother, a lady doctor instead. Finding from me an advisor’s role) . I talked her long about her working place and her college from where she had passed out and told her that matter will be solved with patience. It is nothing but an infatuation.
Soon she sent me other SMS..
We are here to set the things right pl don’t contact thro mail and all she is getting engaged next month. Thanks.
Dr..
And soon I saw the news of Dhoni being married to a girl-the hype was she was from Ranchi’s Shyamali colony but it turned to be wrong. I took a breath that his doctor lover will be alright now. My best wishes to her as well as Dhoni for their good married life.
Long back I had told to a lady neighbor of Dhoni had her mother asked me to select one proposal among a lot, I would have done. The lady had asked how?
“I will not select any which would not have come had Dhoni would not been an icon..”
Sure, then none either the fan lover or the lady got him would not have been my selection for him.
My cousin (elder to me some 5 years) said that they saw me dancing in Dhoni’s marriage and he had asked his wife also to watch that..
I told him that I was not there- someone might have similar face. They might have mistaken me for Dhoni since we lived in the same colony.
I am a simple man, not of elite club and I never regretted for that.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Dr.S.Sarkar and his wife Laxmi ma..
23.7.2010_Coincidence_Dr.S.Sarkar and his wife Laxmi ma..
I had gone to SBI,Harmu to deposit my income tax and it was a bit late due to several causes there and I was sitting near the accountant Dilip Kumar. I was turning over souvenir of Mithila Sanskritik Parishad, Jamshedpur in which one of my story was published though I had intended that for a compilation of a story writing session as it written for that but due to other many story tellers I was not given time .
The accountant addressed the person besides me as Dr.Saheb and I quipped whether he was a medical doctor and identified myself. He was Dr.S.Sarkar whose name was somehow known to me whuch he later clarified that as WHO Officer for acute flaccid paralysis information his name was displayed in my hospital too.
He passed his MBBS from PMCH,Patana and MD in PSM from my Alma Mater Darbhanga. I had talked Dr.KK das only two days back to call ameeting of Darbhanga medicos( MBBS) in and around Ranchi in November.
I was the best student(class assistant) of PSm and we talked something there like prevalence of kalazar to which I asked why it was limited to the north of ganga in Mithila region primarily.
We also talked on the relation of Bangla with Maithili.
He recalled Dr. BN das Gupta, my ‘guru’ of medicine and he recalled how he did purchase 5-6 books to read in details about kalazar before coming to speak in a seminar on kalazar(maybe in 1988 or so-he retired as professor of pediatrics in 1975 and I might be called his longest time student after his retirement)..
As the link for bank transaction was failed we could talk something on and exchanged our addresses. Hope we will be in contact.
Soon our work was done and I went to his house besides the bank itself and as today was my Pradosh fast I did took a glass of soft drink only.
His father has settled here and when he will return I will go to talk to him on Bengala.
His wife was named Laxmiamma , from Bhbaneshwar, she was a distant relative to Netaji Subas Bose born in Cuttack. She speaks Oria as well as Bangala. She haas two sons- Aditya and Siddharth- I saw them and talked something.
I told her that I had written only a couplet in Bengla while I was in a romantic mood thinking for a Bengali lady some years back(though that proposal did not mature).-
“Babli tumi ao
Amar hridyer
Amare bandher
Bhitar,,
Ami jabo
tomar bheetar
Tumi ao amar ghar
Amar ghar hobe
Laxmir ghar..
(Mad girl
Come in my heats
In my bundhs
Inside
I'go
Inside you
You will come
In my house
And it will
Be a house of Laxmi).-----Dhanakar -21.12 to Sh.
I had gone to SBI,Harmu to deposit my income tax and it was a bit late due to several causes there and I was sitting near the accountant Dilip Kumar. I was turning over souvenir of Mithila Sanskritik Parishad, Jamshedpur in which one of my story was published though I had intended that for a compilation of a story writing session as it written for that but due to other many story tellers I was not given time .
The accountant addressed the person besides me as Dr.Saheb and I quipped whether he was a medical doctor and identified myself. He was Dr.S.Sarkar whose name was somehow known to me whuch he later clarified that as WHO Officer for acute flaccid paralysis information his name was displayed in my hospital too.
He passed his MBBS from PMCH,Patana and MD in PSM from my Alma Mater Darbhanga. I had talked Dr.KK das only two days back to call ameeting of Darbhanga medicos( MBBS) in and around Ranchi in November.
I was the best student(class assistant) of PSm and we talked something there like prevalence of kalazar to which I asked why it was limited to the north of ganga in Mithila region primarily.
We also talked on the relation of Bangla with Maithili.
He recalled Dr. BN das Gupta, my ‘guru’ of medicine and he recalled how he did purchase 5-6 books to read in details about kalazar before coming to speak in a seminar on kalazar(maybe in 1988 or so-he retired as professor of pediatrics in 1975 and I might be called his longest time student after his retirement)..
As the link for bank transaction was failed we could talk something on and exchanged our addresses. Hope we will be in contact.
Soon our work was done and I went to his house besides the bank itself and as today was my Pradosh fast I did took a glass of soft drink only.
His father has settled here and when he will return I will go to talk to him on Bengala.
His wife was named Laxmiamma , from Bhbaneshwar, she was a distant relative to Netaji Subas Bose born in Cuttack. She speaks Oria as well as Bangala. She haas two sons- Aditya and Siddharth- I saw them and talked something.
I told her that I had written only a couplet in Bengla while I was in a romantic mood thinking for a Bengali lady some years back(though that proposal did not mature).-
“Babli tumi ao
Amar hridyer
Amare bandher
Bhitar,,
Ami jabo
tomar bheetar
Tumi ao amar ghar
Amar ghar hobe
Laxmir ghar..
(Mad girl
Come in my heats
In my bundhs
Inside
I'go
Inside you
You will come
In my house
And it will
Be a house of Laxmi).-----Dhanakar -21.12 to Sh.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
MEA 2010 Travalogue_V – Mobile is the root of many discords-Saw a RSS worker without a mobile in Nagpur-Raipur rail
20.7.2010
MEA 2010 Travalogue_V – Mobile is the root of many discords-Saw a RSS worker without a mobile in Nagpur-Raipur rail
At New Delhi station I took the ticket for the next day for which via Raipur- Vishakhapatanam was a problem for the clerk and it took 3-4 minutes to explain and the public was agitated and lastly taking ticket only up to Raipur, I also chided a young man w3ho was unnecessary vocal seeing me in simple dress(dhoti) that I should have asked enquiry. The young men are unnecessarily in haste and an assumption that dhoti clads are idiots.
I took the same Metro for Mayurvihar where Kripanand came and we did some work regarding Mithila. The next morning he driopped me to the MECON Office where I contacted my voters and there was Urkarsh who was working at Bangalore when I was posted there. The security guard from Mithila informed me about a Jha and other Maithil girl from Mithila and of course Dasji, a Maithithil was there whom I knew since 2008 election days.
Kripanand left me at Nizamuddin station where I became anxious seeing a great rush. Someone had talked with a Muslim porter for a seat in general compartment for Rs.30 and I also went with him. Though I entered in a bit running (slow) train and could get myself a seat conveniently yet maulvi came afterwards and asked me for money. I gave him Rs.20. Some persons had also managed seats like that way. This nexus should be broken by police but that is in itself is a party to that I knew in my next visit(from Kanpur- to Delhi).
Somebody’s mobile was lost and a good looking girl asked a Youngman his mobile to ring and that boy was ashamed as his elder brother and his wife were traveling and the young girl’s cute voice(after the mobile was located by some gentle person).”now you will not be required to spot that curly haired young girl(whom they were suspecting as she had changed the seat!). That cute girl got down at Gwalior.
I did my bath in toilet and normal Sandhyavandan in train itself and the super fast train left Nagpur. After sometimes some persons entrained(at Rajnandgaon and I could spot a prachark of the RSS by dress and talk. He was Ramashankarji from Rajgarh and they were returning after annual training camp of the RSS which I had attended in 1970. I was impressed to know that he did not keep mobile as I feel the social workers should concentrate upon personal relations and in fact mobile is the root of disruption of many matrimonial relations! There was also a Sanghchalak(president) named Mahapatra , an Oria fellow and it is only RSS which does not allow linguistic divide in the country.
Other young girl Nikita Sahoo there was returning from Nagpur who after her B Com had joined a service in HSBC at Bhilai where her parents were living. She also got down at Durg and I could get a seat in auto to got to the Ispat Bhavan in that scorching summer despite the roads had adequate plantation.
(to be continued)
MEA 2010 Travalogue_V – Mobile is the root of many discords-Saw a RSS worker without a mobile in Nagpur-Raipur rail
At New Delhi station I took the ticket for the next day for which via Raipur- Vishakhapatanam was a problem for the clerk and it took 3-4 minutes to explain and the public was agitated and lastly taking ticket only up to Raipur, I also chided a young man w3ho was unnecessary vocal seeing me in simple dress(dhoti) that I should have asked enquiry. The young men are unnecessarily in haste and an assumption that dhoti clads are idiots.
I took the same Metro for Mayurvihar where Kripanand came and we did some work regarding Mithila. The next morning he driopped me to the MECON Office where I contacted my voters and there was Urkarsh who was working at Bangalore when I was posted there. The security guard from Mithila informed me about a Jha and other Maithil girl from Mithila and of course Dasji, a Maithithil was there whom I knew since 2008 election days.
Kripanand left me at Nizamuddin station where I became anxious seeing a great rush. Someone had talked with a Muslim porter for a seat in general compartment for Rs.30 and I also went with him. Though I entered in a bit running (slow) train and could get myself a seat conveniently yet maulvi came afterwards and asked me for money. I gave him Rs.20. Some persons had also managed seats like that way. This nexus should be broken by police but that is in itself is a party to that I knew in my next visit(from Kanpur- to Delhi).
Somebody’s mobile was lost and a good looking girl asked a Youngman his mobile to ring and that boy was ashamed as his elder brother and his wife were traveling and the young girl’s cute voice(after the mobile was located by some gentle person).”now you will not be required to spot that curly haired young girl(whom they were suspecting as she had changed the seat!). That cute girl got down at Gwalior.
I did my bath in toilet and normal Sandhyavandan in train itself and the super fast train left Nagpur. After sometimes some persons entrained(at Rajnandgaon and I could spot a prachark of the RSS by dress and talk. He was Ramashankarji from Rajgarh and they were returning after annual training camp of the RSS which I had attended in 1970. I was impressed to know that he did not keep mobile as I feel the social workers should concentrate upon personal relations and in fact mobile is the root of disruption of many matrimonial relations! There was also a Sanghchalak(president) named Mahapatra , an Oria fellow and it is only RSS which does not allow linguistic divide in the country.
Other young girl Nikita Sahoo there was returning from Nagpur who after her B Com had joined a service in HSBC at Bhilai where her parents were living. She also got down at Durg and I could get a seat in auto to got to the Ispat Bhavan in that scorching summer despite the roads had adequate plantation.
(to be continued)
Security for common man?Anti-collission devices need added to all railways
Security for common man?Anti-collission devices need added to all railways
I am pained by Vannchal collision on 19th July early hours resulting in many deaths.
The deceased driver must be sleeping otherwise that train which had to stop at Sainthia would not be in 80-90 km/h or if its break failed why not he informed guard and advanced station? r his communication system also failed?
Whether Mamta Banerjee should resign is just politicising the issue as any railway minister will not be driving trains. Though she is hardly interested in railways copared to state politics is obvious but that was not the cause of tragedies.
The question is how the drivers are selected- there should be no reservation in such jobs
And how many hours they are to run(not more than 4 hours in night shifts).
Also number of coaches in general class need increased (at least 6 in each train)and why placed on front and rear only- the common man be given most security and such coached need placed centrally.
Further no need of superfast train- Indian trains be run on an average 50km/h only but no untowards delay.
Anti-collission devices need added to all railways.
-Dr.Dhanakar Thakur
I am pained by Vannchal collision on 19th July early hours resulting in many deaths.
The deceased driver must be sleeping otherwise that train which had to stop at Sainthia would not be in 80-90 km/h or if its break failed why not he informed guard and advanced station? r his communication system also failed?
Whether Mamta Banerjee should resign is just politicising the issue as any railway minister will not be driving trains. Though she is hardly interested in railways copared to state politics is obvious but that was not the cause of tragedies.
The question is how the drivers are selected- there should be no reservation in such jobs
And how many hours they are to run(not more than 4 hours in night shifts).
Also number of coaches in general class need increased (at least 6 in each train)and why placed on front and rear only- the common man be given most security and such coached need placed centrally.
Further no need of superfast train- Indian trains be run on an average 50km/h only but no untowards delay.
Anti-collission devices need added to all railways.
-Dr.Dhanakar Thakur
Monday, July 19, 2010
Dhanbad- Seat of wealth
19.7.10
Dhanbad- Seat of wealth
When Mithilesh Jha asked me to come to Dhanbad, I agreed to visit there on 18th July 2010 as my several recent trips there had been not rewarding organisationally either for the medical(NMO) or Maithili(AMP) despite the fact that 17 times at least I had visited there since 1992, I joined Maithili work(and before that sometimes for the NMO work to the Patliputra Medical College).
Since 1992 after 9 such visits on 1-2 Feb.2003, X International Maithili Conference was held at Dhanbad which was successful.
Dhanbad is famous for coalfields nationally and Black Diamond and Coal Field Expresses are hence named. In the atmosphere of Dhanbad coaldust is common and anybody’s hander kerchief is bound to be black like his/her cloths. I feel if lungs of Dhanbad people are autopsied must be black instead of normal pink colour but they are generous enough ‘large hearted’ in every respect.
Some of my relatives have been there in the vicinity in coal fields – my late maternal uncle was a doctor at Sudamdih, my cousin retired from Bhuli who was initially at Golakdih, other cousin is still working there who live there in Kandra colliery’s abandoned office now used as residential purposes- they used to live initially near Gaushala more at Sindri where is Vidyapati Bhavan at saharpura and I had occasions to visit these all for several reasins.
I also got opportunities to visit BIT(Initially Bihar Institute of Technology, renamed later as Birsa Institute of Technology after Jharkhand was carved out in 2000). I had read in ‘The Hindu,’ some years back in an article by one of the director of IIT,Chennai that initially first IIT was planned in this place only but Dr. B.C.Roy, the Chief Minister of W.Bengal insisted that Bengal was most industrialized state in the country(then it was in fact) and hence that deserved IIT and it was hence placed at Khargapur but for long BIT was excelling like any IIT. Its glory has dampened in past decades but hopefully it will recover as I was informed by Dhirendra Jha, president,AMP, Dhanabad whose son has taken admission there though he was not satisfied and may change to any NIT in further rounds of counseling.
There is CFRI(Central Fuel Research Institute) and all is based on BCCL(Bharat Coking Coal Limited). The township of Jharia is said on fire underneath which may collapse anytime bit people are not vacating since they will loose their livelihood.
The prime institute there is the Indian School of Mines(ISM) where ince I had stayed overnight in the Hostel Emerald. In this visit a student who had done MBA from there(though primarily ISM is meant for the study of Coal and Petrochemicals) Satyjit Chandra informed me the hostels there are named on every types of gems viz. Diamond, Emerald, Topaz(I initially thought it a shaving blade commonly used in India!),sapphire, Amber, and for girls Ruby having Annexe 1,2,3 apart from Opel.
One of its entrance is famous as ‘Steelgate,’ nearto which is the Patliputra Medical College, named on ancient Patna’s name though has lost whatsoever relation it might had with Patna till 2000 AD when Dhanbad was in the state of Bihar. I feel its name better would be changed to Dhanbad Medical College as that name will remain significant always- Dhanbad is ‘the seat of wealth(Dhan)!’
Though this medical college has always remained in news for its recognition with the Medical council of India(MCI), it could get permanent principal after a many years, I read in newspaper when I turned the pages in way to Dhanbad in this visit.
I wished to catch early morning Howrah bound train to go to Dhanbad directly but I missed train despite I was awoke at 4 am due to morning rituals. Anyway I could get Patna Express and while I was waiting I listened to carefully talks of two Secretariat employess of Bihar and Jharkhand. Patna’s land value has a leap in Nitish regime but one of them replied me that corruption is as rampant and so officer’s approach that they do not comply with letters of even chief secretary . They also admitted that RTI was an effective tool but only if you have already correct information on which questions are framed intelligently otherwise an ambiguous reply is usually given .
In fact there were few passengers only and I slept in between. After Chandrapura, I did take my breakfast and asked a fellow passenger to explain ‘;Bhatkhai’ which he was telling to his family members. I felt6 it was like ‘Saujanya’ of Maithil bride’s father by groom’s father and after this only bride’s father takes ‘kachhi or build rice’.
However, the custom has been made complicated and then I explained them maithil’s marriage custom which was so simple till some decades before. Saurth Sabha or assembly of grooms was a convenient thing which initially was held in my village of samaul and was alter shifted to Saurath(related to Saurastra where probably actual Shivalingam of Somnath was brought by priests after Muslim invasion).
I feel that needs revival with an amendement- it should be held with the start of Shuddha rather in the fag end when data of service of groom are difficult to be verified.
I changed train at Netaji SubasChndra junction, Gom and again there was a rush in general compartment and in the same military compartment where I had traveled in June up to Mugalsarai entered. Initially a CRPF jawan resisted but knowing me a doctor did not resit. He was coming from Jammu and had his house at Dhanbad only who wanted to complete his 15 years of service and join some civil work. As per him Kashmir’s conditions were not good and Muslims there are lacking national feeling with India.
I reached Dhanbad and then to Mithileshji’s house in DS Colony and had a long talk on our days of 1980s at Darbhanga when he was a whole timer of the ABVP (like student wing of the RSS) and I was working for the National Medicos Organisation. It was Maithili worker that we again came on one boat where after a very successful meeting met one very old worker D Jha who asked by Prof. Vinay Choudhary of sahara who is currently prsendent of Mithila Vidyarthi Parishad of AMP. I was instrumental to meeting im on phone and both talked for a while about their families etc. D Jha was an incidental introduction with me when in March I had visited Alok Jha’s office and he was called by Mintu of Dhanbad. I had requested D Jha to be president of local AMP which he had accepted and had come to meeting though I did not recognize him initially. As the meeting was in durga mandap and I had no Prayer of Yatreeji I preferred to chant Dyrgamaiyas and Ambejik prayers which I had translated in maithili in the beginning and end. I found Maithils from Darbhanga, Madhubani, Banka, Begusari, Khagaria, Bhagaplur,Katihar, Munger and Sitamarhi districts among 17 who attended-they include from Jhandapur and Kuangarhi where I had gone for AMP camps. A small committee was formed for membership drive and follow up.
Two young persons (one Maithil and other Kannada) came to meet me- Maithil was from Dhanbad and both worked in Karnataka and had come for finding students for their institute. I talked with them – the Kannadaiga was in fact Tulu speaker (from which Engish is said to be developed) from Mangalore. We talked a lot. In fact colossal money is being drained out as Karnataka etc. have made education as industry which need checked.
Some deviation went on inter provincial marriages which I opposed as if Maithil grooms marry outside it was also a loss of a groom for any prospective bride as well as difficulty in maintaining culture. I feel nationalism has nothing to do with it rather it is for some materialistic gains of earning wives.
It was late and I ate food cooked by Chandan, son of Mithileshji and got a rickshaw for station in midnight- there were ups and downs but he pulled rickshaw on hand- I should have been down but I did not though thought for so.
At midnight I have waited many times for Ranchi bound train and I got a ceat in Patliputra Express - In the morning I read in jagaran following Vanachal was hit with a full speed express at Sainthia station- reckless driver and over 50 died!
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur
Spokesman,
Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
Dhanbad- Seat of wealth
When Mithilesh Jha asked me to come to Dhanbad, I agreed to visit there on 18th July 2010 as my several recent trips there had been not rewarding organisationally either for the medical(NMO) or Maithili(AMP) despite the fact that 17 times at least I had visited there since 1992, I joined Maithili work(and before that sometimes for the NMO work to the Patliputra Medical College).
Since 1992 after 9 such visits on 1-2 Feb.2003, X International Maithili Conference was held at Dhanbad which was successful.
Dhanbad is famous for coalfields nationally and Black Diamond and Coal Field Expresses are hence named. In the atmosphere of Dhanbad coaldust is common and anybody’s hander kerchief is bound to be black like his/her cloths. I feel if lungs of Dhanbad people are autopsied must be black instead of normal pink colour but they are generous enough ‘large hearted’ in every respect.
Some of my relatives have been there in the vicinity in coal fields – my late maternal uncle was a doctor at Sudamdih, my cousin retired from Bhuli who was initially at Golakdih, other cousin is still working there who live there in Kandra colliery’s abandoned office now used as residential purposes- they used to live initially near Gaushala more at Sindri where is Vidyapati Bhavan at saharpura and I had occasions to visit these all for several reasins.
I also got opportunities to visit BIT(Initially Bihar Institute of Technology, renamed later as Birsa Institute of Technology after Jharkhand was carved out in 2000). I had read in ‘The Hindu,’ some years back in an article by one of the director of IIT,Chennai that initially first IIT was planned in this place only but Dr. B.C.Roy, the Chief Minister of W.Bengal insisted that Bengal was most industrialized state in the country(then it was in fact) and hence that deserved IIT and it was hence placed at Khargapur but for long BIT was excelling like any IIT. Its glory has dampened in past decades but hopefully it will recover as I was informed by Dhirendra Jha, president,AMP, Dhanabad whose son has taken admission there though he was not satisfied and may change to any NIT in further rounds of counseling.
There is CFRI(Central Fuel Research Institute) and all is based on BCCL(Bharat Coking Coal Limited). The township of Jharia is said on fire underneath which may collapse anytime bit people are not vacating since they will loose their livelihood.
The prime institute there is the Indian School of Mines(ISM) where ince I had stayed overnight in the Hostel Emerald. In this visit a student who had done MBA from there(though primarily ISM is meant for the study of Coal and Petrochemicals) Satyjit Chandra informed me the hostels there are named on every types of gems viz. Diamond, Emerald, Topaz(I initially thought it a shaving blade commonly used in India!),sapphire, Amber, and for girls Ruby having Annexe 1,2,3 apart from Opel.
One of its entrance is famous as ‘Steelgate,’ nearto which is the Patliputra Medical College, named on ancient Patna’s name though has lost whatsoever relation it might had with Patna till 2000 AD when Dhanbad was in the state of Bihar. I feel its name better would be changed to Dhanbad Medical College as that name will remain significant always- Dhanbad is ‘the seat of wealth(Dhan)!’
Though this medical college has always remained in news for its recognition with the Medical council of India(MCI), it could get permanent principal after a many years, I read in newspaper when I turned the pages in way to Dhanbad in this visit.
I wished to catch early morning Howrah bound train to go to Dhanbad directly but I missed train despite I was awoke at 4 am due to morning rituals. Anyway I could get Patna Express and while I was waiting I listened to carefully talks of two Secretariat employess of Bihar and Jharkhand. Patna’s land value has a leap in Nitish regime but one of them replied me that corruption is as rampant and so officer’s approach that they do not comply with letters of even chief secretary . They also admitted that RTI was an effective tool but only if you have already correct information on which questions are framed intelligently otherwise an ambiguous reply is usually given .
In fact there were few passengers only and I slept in between. After Chandrapura, I did take my breakfast and asked a fellow passenger to explain ‘;Bhatkhai’ which he was telling to his family members. I felt6 it was like ‘Saujanya’ of Maithil bride’s father by groom’s father and after this only bride’s father takes ‘kachhi or build rice’.
However, the custom has been made complicated and then I explained them maithil’s marriage custom which was so simple till some decades before. Saurth Sabha or assembly of grooms was a convenient thing which initially was held in my village of samaul and was alter shifted to Saurath(related to Saurastra where probably actual Shivalingam of Somnath was brought by priests after Muslim invasion).
I feel that needs revival with an amendement- it should be held with the start of Shuddha rather in the fag end when data of service of groom are difficult to be verified.
I changed train at Netaji SubasChndra junction, Gom and again there was a rush in general compartment and in the same military compartment where I had traveled in June up to Mugalsarai entered. Initially a CRPF jawan resisted but knowing me a doctor did not resit. He was coming from Jammu and had his house at Dhanbad only who wanted to complete his 15 years of service and join some civil work. As per him Kashmir’s conditions were not good and Muslims there are lacking national feeling with India.
I reached Dhanbad and then to Mithileshji’s house in DS Colony and had a long talk on our days of 1980s at Darbhanga when he was a whole timer of the ABVP (like student wing of the RSS) and I was working for the National Medicos Organisation. It was Maithili worker that we again came on one boat where after a very successful meeting met one very old worker D Jha who asked by Prof. Vinay Choudhary of sahara who is currently prsendent of Mithila Vidyarthi Parishad of AMP. I was instrumental to meeting im on phone and both talked for a while about their families etc. D Jha was an incidental introduction with me when in March I had visited Alok Jha’s office and he was called by Mintu of Dhanbad. I had requested D Jha to be president of local AMP which he had accepted and had come to meeting though I did not recognize him initially. As the meeting was in durga mandap and I had no Prayer of Yatreeji I preferred to chant Dyrgamaiyas and Ambejik prayers which I had translated in maithili in the beginning and end. I found Maithils from Darbhanga, Madhubani, Banka, Begusari, Khagaria, Bhagaplur,Katihar, Munger and Sitamarhi districts among 17 who attended-they include from Jhandapur and Kuangarhi where I had gone for AMP camps. A small committee was formed for membership drive and follow up.
Two young persons (one Maithil and other Kannada) came to meet me- Maithil was from Dhanbad and both worked in Karnataka and had come for finding students for their institute. I talked with them – the Kannadaiga was in fact Tulu speaker (from which Engish is said to be developed) from Mangalore. We talked a lot. In fact colossal money is being drained out as Karnataka etc. have made education as industry which need checked.
Some deviation went on inter provincial marriages which I opposed as if Maithil grooms marry outside it was also a loss of a groom for any prospective bride as well as difficulty in maintaining culture. I feel nationalism has nothing to do with it rather it is for some materialistic gains of earning wives.
It was late and I ate food cooked by Chandan, son of Mithileshji and got a rickshaw for station in midnight- there were ups and downs but he pulled rickshaw on hand- I should have been down but I did not though thought for so.
At midnight I have waited many times for Ranchi bound train and I got a ceat in Patliputra Express - In the morning I read in jagaran following Vanachal was hit with a full speed express at Sainthia station- reckless driver and over 50 died!
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur
Spokesman,
Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
Friday, July 16, 2010
MEA 2010 travelogues- IV- Journey to Delhi in ‘Smoking/Bidi coach of Military.
MEA 2010 travelogues- IV- Journey to Delhi in ‘Smoking/Bidi coach of Military.
16.7.2010
When I started for MEA’s site offices’ tours in first phase for election campaigning of 2010-12, it was a difficult task as there were no berths available in most of the trains and hence, it was an unreserved tour of cuircuit Ranchi-Delhi-Durg(Bhilai)- Visakhapatanam-Bangalore-Ranchi and was a horrowing experience.
I went to ranchi station for getting a current unreserved ticket for Delhi would be so difficult was not known to me. At Hatia it is always better to have ticket and seat but I chose the train which started from Ranchi and there was a long queue. The train arrived on platform no.1 and I was also after 2 persons only to take a ticket but the booking girl took a shift change at that critical time which should not have been permitted by supervisor.It took some time but the new booking lady faced computer initiation problem and in this train started. With some persons I also ran and could entrain without a ticket.
There was a young boy who was also like me and he was looking TTEs and said me that no one entered in that compartment.
In such circumstances in fact passengers should not be fined but who listens whom.
At Namkom did stop but was not possible to take a ticket and hence I changed the coach and at Silli I tried to get one. There booking window was open but as the train had no schedule stoppage, the clerk did not give me a ticket. At Muri it stopped and with those some passengers I also went to the window but again train started soon and we had to return back. When train stopped at Jhalida I could go to the booking window and asked for a ticket to Delhi but the clerck could give me a ticket for Gomoh only which was recently named on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bise because from there Netaji had taken a train to Lahore/Peshawar from where he escaped through land route to Europe and in fact he could never return.
There is a good stony sculpture of his which reminds everyone Netaji’s contribution. Gomoh station is more a junction than township and I had many occasions to change trains there. There I could get a ticket despite again a counter I was in front was closed down for receiving money from railway staff of some other distant counters. However there was no rush in other counter and I could get a ticket for Delhi.
The train soon came and there was as expected much rush in general compartment and I had to a request a military that he allow me traveling as I was a doctor to which he agreed respecting a doctor.
I am describing the plight of general passengers that there should be some 4 coaches must in any train and even otherwise from the revenue point of view it would not be in loss seeing jam packed scene, particularly in any train of north India.
After sometime Koderma came which is the station for the township of Jhumaritilaiya famous for Farmaisi songs since radio-era otherwise seat of mica, most abundantly found in the world there. When I was a child used to see the area’s soil glistening with light due to refraction of light from mica in the soil but more illegal than legal mining has reduced the industry to near zero level and people are migrating for livelihood.
When I went inside I was again objected but when I put my hand in pocket to show them my I. card that I was also a Govt. officer they did gave me a seat.
Some 4-5 persons entrained in which one was Commandant in the BSF probably. He was with his younger brothers but was resisted by military personnel. He had no I. card and one of them remarked on the slim body of the Commandant that he did not look like a military officer. He too was in modern student’s half pant like dress and lean and thin. However, other military person could comprehend his status as Company Commander in Army and he was given a seat. They got down after sometime but the rush continued at Gaya and somehow I could come to Mugalsarai and took a sigh of relief. I got down and went to other platform and on a bench I slept for while but soon came a late running Sampark Kranti Express from Bengal and again I entered in the military coach finding less passengers there compared to packed general coach. I was sleepy and in the sideway ,I spread ed newspaper I had purchased only for that and not to read in fact . and slept till Allahabad came where many general public entered saying since 2008 no coach is reserved for military. There I had gone inside on a seat.
My experience of these military coaches are as if they are ‘smoking coaches’ where mostly they smoke harmful Bidis despite ban on that. The smoke was so much in the air that my practice of keeping handkerchief on nose did not work and I used to get up and go to the gate in air which they could smell but did continue smoking despite one of them said to his colleague but it was for him as if more a matter of pleasantaries than inconvenience to me.
As such military persons need health education in matter of smoking and also drinking as well as they need told to cooperate the general public rather obstruct in entering the coach which for the most of the time they capture illegally. I had many such experience of that ,the most shameful was when in 1977 they did not allow me entering at Secunderabad in Nagpur bound Dakhsin Express while with two other medicos I was returning from the relief work of cyclone ravaged coastal Andhara. I had told them to see the Principal’s certificate that we were going on relief work. I feel that is the cause that in none of the house any General’s photo will be hanged though there one can find of Gandhi, Subash Chandrashekhar Axad,Bhagat Singh,etc. who are revered as martyrs. I tis because generals and army men are paid for their services though public honour them they should also reciprocate otherwise many times we read sad news of public-military tussles. Anyway, I reached New Delhi somehow and
(To be continued)..
16.7.2010
When I started for MEA’s site offices’ tours in first phase for election campaigning of 2010-12, it was a difficult task as there were no berths available in most of the trains and hence, it was an unreserved tour of cuircuit Ranchi-Delhi-Durg(Bhilai)- Visakhapatanam-Bangalore-Ranchi and was a horrowing experience.
I went to ranchi station for getting a current unreserved ticket for Delhi would be so difficult was not known to me. At Hatia it is always better to have ticket and seat but I chose the train which started from Ranchi and there was a long queue. The train arrived on platform no.1 and I was also after 2 persons only to take a ticket but the booking girl took a shift change at that critical time which should not have been permitted by supervisor.It took some time but the new booking lady faced computer initiation problem and in this train started. With some persons I also ran and could entrain without a ticket.
There was a young boy who was also like me and he was looking TTEs and said me that no one entered in that compartment.
In such circumstances in fact passengers should not be fined but who listens whom.
At Namkom did stop but was not possible to take a ticket and hence I changed the coach and at Silli I tried to get one. There booking window was open but as the train had no schedule stoppage, the clerk did not give me a ticket. At Muri it stopped and with those some passengers I also went to the window but again train started soon and we had to return back. When train stopped at Jhalida I could go to the booking window and asked for a ticket to Delhi but the clerck could give me a ticket for Gomoh only which was recently named on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bise because from there Netaji had taken a train to Lahore/Peshawar from where he escaped through land route to Europe and in fact he could never return.
There is a good stony sculpture of his which reminds everyone Netaji’s contribution. Gomoh station is more a junction than township and I had many occasions to change trains there. There I could get a ticket despite again a counter I was in front was closed down for receiving money from railway staff of some other distant counters. However there was no rush in other counter and I could get a ticket for Delhi.
The train soon came and there was as expected much rush in general compartment and I had to a request a military that he allow me traveling as I was a doctor to which he agreed respecting a doctor.
I am describing the plight of general passengers that there should be some 4 coaches must in any train and even otherwise from the revenue point of view it would not be in loss seeing jam packed scene, particularly in any train of north India.
After sometime Koderma came which is the station for the township of Jhumaritilaiya famous for Farmaisi songs since radio-era otherwise seat of mica, most abundantly found in the world there. When I was a child used to see the area’s soil glistening with light due to refraction of light from mica in the soil but more illegal than legal mining has reduced the industry to near zero level and people are migrating for livelihood.
When I went inside I was again objected but when I put my hand in pocket to show them my I. card that I was also a Govt. officer they did gave me a seat.
Some 4-5 persons entrained in which one was Commandant in the BSF probably. He was with his younger brothers but was resisted by military personnel. He had no I. card and one of them remarked on the slim body of the Commandant that he did not look like a military officer. He too was in modern student’s half pant like dress and lean and thin. However, other military person could comprehend his status as Company Commander in Army and he was given a seat. They got down after sometime but the rush continued at Gaya and somehow I could come to Mugalsarai and took a sigh of relief. I got down and went to other platform and on a bench I slept for while but soon came a late running Sampark Kranti Express from Bengal and again I entered in the military coach finding less passengers there compared to packed general coach. I was sleepy and in the sideway ,I spread ed newspaper I had purchased only for that and not to read in fact . and slept till Allahabad came where many general public entered saying since 2008 no coach is reserved for military. There I had gone inside on a seat.
My experience of these military coaches are as if they are ‘smoking coaches’ where mostly they smoke harmful Bidis despite ban on that. The smoke was so much in the air that my practice of keeping handkerchief on nose did not work and I used to get up and go to the gate in air which they could smell but did continue smoking despite one of them said to his colleague but it was for him as if more a matter of pleasantaries than inconvenience to me.
As such military persons need health education in matter of smoking and also drinking as well as they need told to cooperate the general public rather obstruct in entering the coach which for the most of the time they capture illegally. I had many such experience of that ,the most shameful was when in 1977 they did not allow me entering at Secunderabad in Nagpur bound Dakhsin Express while with two other medicos I was returning from the relief work of cyclone ravaged coastal Andhara. I had told them to see the Principal’s certificate that we were going on relief work. I feel that is the cause that in none of the house any General’s photo will be hanged though there one can find of Gandhi, Subash Chandrashekhar Axad,Bhagat Singh,etc. who are revered as martyrs. I tis because generals and army men are paid for their services though public honour them they should also reciprocate otherwise many times we read sad news of public-military tussles. Anyway, I reached New Delhi somehow and
(To be continued)..
Thursday, July 15, 2010
MEA 2010 travelogues- Rourkela in the ‘Rurhr’ of India
MEA 2010 travelogues III- Rourkela in the ‘Rurhr’ of India 15.7.2010
Rourkela has a steel plant and I sometime think is it named on ‘Ruhr’ of Germany where are the coal and iron mines in abundant. Though it is not so named in fact the area of Jhrkhand is ‘Ruhr’ of India. Rourkela is in Orissa though Jharkhandis claim that on account of cultural similarities. The soil is also red like that of Ranchi region and in fact situated beneath hills, Rourkela is having a beautiful landscape though due to iron herths and furnaces of plant it has become hot and was humid in the summer when I planned to to visite it on a Sunday .
There was only a passenger train available that day in the morning which I could get although getting a ticket was difficult in long queue at Hatia station and more so if you have a bigger denomination rupee of 100 only. The booking clerk had a point- only few rupees tickets for passengers but luckily after researching my pockets, I could get some money to have just ticket. Lady TTEs were checking tickets for searching some innocent poor for this tribal route.
The rout is picturesque and one of the best and green. The sight of river Koel is unforgettable.On opposite bench was a lady nurse from Gandhinagar Hospital once I worked there but she did not recognize me.
I purchased khajur(date) for Rs.5 and it was too much abd despite too sweet it was a great ask to finish that.
The train passed many stations in hot summer and at one place I got down to take water from tubewell.
At Bano I could not get fruits which was once upon a time a centre for that- semms it was not a good season for papaya.
The train was delayed and halted somewhere. One passenger who had gone far searching water missed the train.
The lady nurse was reading a female magazine which I too turned pages and found many tips on health are provided there though mostly filled with advertisements. It is not that in the past I never had read those but seemed I was a novioce in that field.
The train used to stand anywhere and finally at Bondamunda which has many A,B, C
I reached late in the evening and went straightway to the MECON’s guest house but could meet only one person Dubeyji who listened to me and said that he would ask others when they came.
Then I went to the market of Rourkela to a Maithil person whom I had phoned for a meeting. Meeting was not organized but he welcomed me when he returned in that old building-Chhabda Building near Haryana Bhavan.
He had a lot of stories to share and most important was his finding a good person, a senior engineer at Patratu who could understand the skills of daughter of education and marriage was held with engineer’s son without a dowry – so ideal! Anmd also the person told me as to how a Marwadi seth helped him during that marriage. The Maithil used to help him for unloading his materials many years back when his brother had a transport company. That help was repaid by Marwadi during this marriage without even asking.
The Maithil’s family had gone to Ranchi and I slept there well and next day early morning I went to Rourkela station by walk to take Alleppey –Dhanbad for Hatia-Ranchi.
Since I could meet only one person I revisited Rourkela another day by morning Lokmanya Tilak Express which had a great rush though I could find a seat.
Again the same route but passengers were of other class, not the adivasis for whom local train was life line. It was a train for Mumbai bound students and employees going there or residing there for livelihood.
After an unremarkable journey I reached Rourkela and walked to the Ispat Bhavan and talked my voters who were much impressed though again that was not translated in votes under some polarizing effects of region though I had stressed on national integreity.
They managed a car for seeing me to station where I met some SAIL workers who had been on a regular weekly trip to ranchi and they use to manage trip by giving Rs.30 as a tip to TTE though I went initially to general compartment, they did press and I was to share with them a journey in Hatia bound super express without a proper reservation ticket on same token Rs.30-one of them took from me and went to some other compartment to give to TTE who did not come even to check us.
The train has hordes of students and young employees returning from IT hub Bangalore. A lot of money is being drained outside of Bihar and Jharkhand for study there and then most of such boys and girls get employment there too.
The train was late in between and I knew from those regular passengers the ordeals of lside lines and mid lines and trains after train and stations they were knowing so precisely in their regular journey. Lucklily I could get Patli Express for my onwards journey which was probably delayed for some minutes to give connection as was already professed by those regular commutators.9 To be continued)..
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur
Spokesman,
Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
Rourkela has a steel plant and I sometime think is it named on ‘Ruhr’ of Germany where are the coal and iron mines in abundant. Though it is not so named in fact the area of Jhrkhand is ‘Ruhr’ of India. Rourkela is in Orissa though Jharkhandis claim that on account of cultural similarities. The soil is also red like that of Ranchi region and in fact situated beneath hills, Rourkela is having a beautiful landscape though due to iron herths and furnaces of plant it has become hot and was humid in the summer when I planned to to visite it on a Sunday .
There was only a passenger train available that day in the morning which I could get although getting a ticket was difficult in long queue at Hatia station and more so if you have a bigger denomination rupee of 100 only. The booking clerk had a point- only few rupees tickets for passengers but luckily after researching my pockets, I could get some money to have just ticket. Lady TTEs were checking tickets for searching some innocent poor for this tribal route.
The rout is picturesque and one of the best and green. The sight of river Koel is unforgettable.On opposite bench was a lady nurse from Gandhinagar Hospital once I worked there but she did not recognize me.
I purchased khajur(date) for Rs.5 and it was too much abd despite too sweet it was a great ask to finish that.
The train passed many stations in hot summer and at one place I got down to take water from tubewell.
At Bano I could not get fruits which was once upon a time a centre for that- semms it was not a good season for papaya.
The train was delayed and halted somewhere. One passenger who had gone far searching water missed the train.
The lady nurse was reading a female magazine which I too turned pages and found many tips on health are provided there though mostly filled with advertisements. It is not that in the past I never had read those but seemed I was a novioce in that field.
The train used to stand anywhere and finally at Bondamunda which has many A,B, C
I reached late in the evening and went straightway to the MECON’s guest house but could meet only one person Dubeyji who listened to me and said that he would ask others when they came.
Then I went to the market of Rourkela to a Maithil person whom I had phoned for a meeting. Meeting was not organized but he welcomed me when he returned in that old building-Chhabda Building near Haryana Bhavan.
He had a lot of stories to share and most important was his finding a good person, a senior engineer at Patratu who could understand the skills of daughter of education and marriage was held with engineer’s son without a dowry – so ideal! Anmd also the person told me as to how a Marwadi seth helped him during that marriage. The Maithil used to help him for unloading his materials many years back when his brother had a transport company. That help was repaid by Marwadi during this marriage without even asking.
The Maithil’s family had gone to Ranchi and I slept there well and next day early morning I went to Rourkela station by walk to take Alleppey –Dhanbad for Hatia-Ranchi.
Since I could meet only one person I revisited Rourkela another day by morning Lokmanya Tilak Express which had a great rush though I could find a seat.
Again the same route but passengers were of other class, not the adivasis for whom local train was life line. It was a train for Mumbai bound students and employees going there or residing there for livelihood.
After an unremarkable journey I reached Rourkela and walked to the Ispat Bhavan and talked my voters who were much impressed though again that was not translated in votes under some polarizing effects of region though I had stressed on national integreity.
They managed a car for seeing me to station where I met some SAIL workers who had been on a regular weekly trip to ranchi and they use to manage trip by giving Rs.30 as a tip to TTE though I went initially to general compartment, they did press and I was to share with them a journey in Hatia bound super express without a proper reservation ticket on same token Rs.30-one of them took from me and went to some other compartment to give to TTE who did not come even to check us.
The train has hordes of students and young employees returning from IT hub Bangalore. A lot of money is being drained outside of Bihar and Jharkhand for study there and then most of such boys and girls get employment there too.
The train was late in between and I knew from those regular passengers the ordeals of lside lines and mid lines and trains after train and stations they were knowing so precisely in their regular journey. Lucklily I could get Patli Express for my onwards journey which was probably delayed for some minutes to give connection as was already professed by those regular commutators.9 To be continued)..
Dr. Dhanakar Thakur
Spokesman,
Antarrashtriya Maithili Parishad
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
MEA 2010 travelogues- Bokaro Or Marfari
MEA 2010 travelogues- Bokaro Or Marfari
14.7.2010
After a long gap I resume my blogs. I was busy with Mecon Executives Associations’ election for 2010-12 where I contested unsuccessfully for the post of president and had a taste of election once more where my simple comment-“in a highly polarized(Bengali vs. non-Bengali or Punjabi vs. non-Panjabi) Meconians lost the issues and what I lost precious 10 days’ casual leaves and may be some thousand rupees in train fair.
What I gained a lot of experience in traveling and a taste of delivering some three dozens speeches,
I lost despite praises from all sections of executives mostly engineers who primarily design steel plants but could not give me vote because more they had hate for Bengalis or Panjabis and to a great extent they could not assimilate a doctor as their president! Yet some choose to vote me and them only a few were from doctors.
A young engineer from Bangalore commented they did a blunder but I replied it was in a sense better for me as I would save my energy for the greater nation building work of which those engineers are but a small entity though I loved and admired them.
And I plan to tell you the story of the grand traveling of India of around 13000 km in a serial which will not include Durgapur-Burnpur-Kolkata I already blogged. Bokaro- Rourkela- Delhi- Bhilai- Visakhapatanam-Bangalore-Ranchi and then again Rourkela-Kanpur-Delhi-Mumbai-Bangalore-Annavaram- Ranchi will be the routes I will cover.
Bokaro is adjacent to Ranchi and I have innumerable trips there. There are many Bokaros- Bokaro Steel City I wish to mention here not the Bokaro Thermal, or West Bokaro far away from Steel City..which had station in Marafari and it was the term when in 1970s I used to travel by Ranchi-Patna express the lone train passing in night when many people used to come with sticks to entrain their one friend or family and we used to be under great tension as if some one will pierce with pear during fight (Marafari as connotes in Hindi)..In fact had Bokaro expanded like it was envisioned, the station would have been in its centre but it is said Biju Patnayak when he was Steel Minister, he curtailed the plan in favour of Orissa!
My journey to Bokaro was as usual like hundreds of I had of that place and reached there in the evening. Bokaro had a tradition of trekkers to take you to city/ township of several lakhs and fare of Rs. 10 will not you feel more but number of passengers 4+5+3+3 and may be one more on each side of the front excepting driver!
I recall the value of Rs. One for such a tempo driver long back when it had some value on which I had thought to write a story,’Ispatnagari ka tempowala,” but I could not and still that value of Rs.1 is same despite inflation and so anglicized word for Sector IV. IX, but barah More they speak not Twelfth where I had to go and a maithil Kali temple is there but I could go to Naya More only and then I walked to my maternal uncle’s quarters who was just retired from the SAIL.
Morning I was left in the BSL office by Mamji and I had entered MECON Office easily and talked my fellow colleagues and returned quicly to get Jaynagar-Ranchi train incidentally being late. The train initiated by me and to a large extent worked by me has been brought in new time table after a great effort since 1996.
The train was full of Maithils and I could get at least one Maihtil youth from Kaluahi Jay son of a Youth ongress leader working in Assam who was succumbed to an accident at delhi when they shifted after threat from extremists in Assam.
The Youngman was working at Hyderabad and we discussed a lot. The train crossed W.Bengal’s some stations in Purulia district when mobiles cut roaming charges before it reaches Muri crossing Swarnrekha river with which I had several memories,including of a picnic on its banks and a Chhat Arghya in its water. The train became late as its engine failed near Gangaghat and finally I had to change that and to take Alleppy Express to reach Ranchi by a green picturesque route.(Continued..)
14.7.2010
After a long gap I resume my blogs. I was busy with Mecon Executives Associations’ election for 2010-12 where I contested unsuccessfully for the post of president and had a taste of election once more where my simple comment-“in a highly polarized(Bengali vs. non-Bengali or Punjabi vs. non-Panjabi) Meconians lost the issues and what I lost precious 10 days’ casual leaves and may be some thousand rupees in train fair.
What I gained a lot of experience in traveling and a taste of delivering some three dozens speeches,
I lost despite praises from all sections of executives mostly engineers who primarily design steel plants but could not give me vote because more they had hate for Bengalis or Panjabis and to a great extent they could not assimilate a doctor as their president! Yet some choose to vote me and them only a few were from doctors.
A young engineer from Bangalore commented they did a blunder but I replied it was in a sense better for me as I would save my energy for the greater nation building work of which those engineers are but a small entity though I loved and admired them.
And I plan to tell you the story of the grand traveling of India of around 13000 km in a serial which will not include Durgapur-Burnpur-Kolkata I already blogged. Bokaro- Rourkela- Delhi- Bhilai- Visakhapatanam-Bangalore-Ranchi and then again Rourkela-Kanpur-Delhi-Mumbai-Bangalore-Annavaram- Ranchi will be the routes I will cover.
Bokaro is adjacent to Ranchi and I have innumerable trips there. There are many Bokaros- Bokaro Steel City I wish to mention here not the Bokaro Thermal, or West Bokaro far away from Steel City..which had station in Marafari and it was the term when in 1970s I used to travel by Ranchi-Patna express the lone train passing in night when many people used to come with sticks to entrain their one friend or family and we used to be under great tension as if some one will pierce with pear during fight (Marafari as connotes in Hindi)..In fact had Bokaro expanded like it was envisioned, the station would have been in its centre but it is said Biju Patnayak when he was Steel Minister, he curtailed the plan in favour of Orissa!
My journey to Bokaro was as usual like hundreds of I had of that place and reached there in the evening. Bokaro had a tradition of trekkers to take you to city/ township of several lakhs and fare of Rs. 10 will not you feel more but number of passengers 4+5+3+3 and may be one more on each side of the front excepting driver!
I recall the value of Rs. One for such a tempo driver long back when it had some value on which I had thought to write a story,’Ispatnagari ka tempowala,” but I could not and still that value of Rs.1 is same despite inflation and so anglicized word for Sector IV. IX, but barah More they speak not Twelfth where I had to go and a maithil Kali temple is there but I could go to Naya More only and then I walked to my maternal uncle’s quarters who was just retired from the SAIL.
Morning I was left in the BSL office by Mamji and I had entered MECON Office easily and talked my fellow colleagues and returned quicly to get Jaynagar-Ranchi train incidentally being late. The train initiated by me and to a large extent worked by me has been brought in new time table after a great effort since 1996.
The train was full of Maithils and I could get at least one Maihtil youth from Kaluahi Jay son of a Youth ongress leader working in Assam who was succumbed to an accident at delhi when they shifted after threat from extremists in Assam.
The Youngman was working at Hyderabad and we discussed a lot. The train crossed W.Bengal’s some stations in Purulia district when mobiles cut roaming charges before it reaches Muri crossing Swarnrekha river with which I had several memories,including of a picnic on its banks and a Chhat Arghya in its water. The train became late as its engine failed near Gangaghat and finally I had to change that and to take Alleppy Express to reach Ranchi by a green picturesque route.(Continued..)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Vinay Tarun_An obituary: An Award needs instituted on young journalist
Vinay Tarun_An obituary: An Award needs instituted on young journalist
Very few persons become so close to any unknown and leave for good.
I saw Vinay Tarun on the night of 26.12.2008 first time at his house at Purnea and that young Vinay of 28 years is no more..succumbed to a railway accident at Nathnagar near Bhagalpur where he was working in the Hindustan daily.
My first visit to his house was sheer accidental when my friend Dr.Amrendra Jha told me on that day that he could not arrange any meeting rather such a press meeting was arranged by Pinki whose number was with Kripanand Jha of Delhi. Kripanand phoned him and Pinki was ready at that dark evening near Kala Bhavan collecting all reporters despite we were late because of our route lost from Katihar.
Pinki asked us to go to her house and she guided us. A girl on a motorcycle(Rajdoot),she seemed to be unique in Mithila.
At house I saw she entered in kitchen. I asked her father about her mother. She had passed away sometimes back in young age.
Vinay was there. He had jaundice; he contracted from Koshi flood area where he worked as a dynamic worker apart from a reporter.
Even on that day Prof. Agrawal from Delhi had come and was staying there after distribution of blankets brought from Delhi for Koshi flood victims.
After that I had many visits of Bhagalpur where I used to stay at his 5th floor one room apartment near Muslim School and have many memoirs, many of which I have shared in blogs.
Though age-wise he was of my son's age had I any child but always I behaved with him as a younger worker of Mithila.
Once he told me that Neetish Kumar was trying to censure Mithila state news but if people go on roads any pressure on newspapers will not work.
He was an avid reader, a good reporter and very humble boy as per his name.
On his bike I had gone to Munger and twice Sultanganj apart from Sabour. He went to Araria also that newspapers covered Maithili conference so widely.
Only two months back I had recommended his name to IRDS, Lucknow for
Surendra Pratap Singh Award named on a journalist, news anchor, and newspaper editor who was not only the founder of Aaj Tak but is often regarded as the first true investigative journalist and is credited with having produced a host of fantastic journalists.
Probably another award need instituted on Vinay Tarun's name whose reports on Bandhua mazdoors and floods need compilation.
He used to send me all clippings related to Mithila as and when published and many times published my comments and programmes talking on phone that my time was utilized. He tried to convince Angika youths about me and arranged my meetings with them in Nathnagar that many of them could understand that they were like us culturally alike. What many professors of Bhagalpur could not achieve he did in harmonising Maithil society which is badly vivisected on the name of Angika-Maithili while the fact remained both are one! It took me time and patience too but now that process started will not get matured without Vinay, I think though I will try to re-contact those youth.
I feel as if my right hand is chopped knowing that he was no more- on that day I was at Mumbai and then in continued tours that I did not talk him since a month. He had told me that he would take leave in June for further study and would shift to Jamshedpur in job where his elder sister is married. The family is ruined after this shock. Unmarried other sister Pinki, a journalist with Hindustan at Patna and father SNL Das leaving in Teacher's Colony, Purnea all must be in sea of sorrow.
Yesterday evening I had a call from Kripanand from Saharsa when I was delivering a speech at the Blast Furnace section of Mecon where I am contesting for the post of president of the Association. I told him that I would talk him later and when I talked him after a while it was he who gave me the shocking news. Later I phoned Pushyamitra who was introduced to me by Vinay who had already this news. Awadhes Paswan of Jhandapur who came in the AMP due to Vinay where we had a camp had also this news from someone. Sudhirnath Mishra from Araria will visit soon Purnea house once Vinay's father returns from Gaya after his last rites.
May Bhagwati give Him peace. For us a vacuum will remain forever of a young dynamic Mithila worker who had values in his small but meaningful life.
Very few persons become so close to any unknown and leave for good.
I saw Vinay Tarun on the night of 26.12.2008 first time at his house at Purnea and that young Vinay of 28 years is no more..succumbed to a railway accident at Nathnagar near Bhagalpur where he was working in the Hindustan daily.
My first visit to his house was sheer accidental when my friend Dr.Amrendra Jha told me on that day that he could not arrange any meeting rather such a press meeting was arranged by Pinki whose number was with Kripanand Jha of Delhi. Kripanand phoned him and Pinki was ready at that dark evening near Kala Bhavan collecting all reporters despite we were late because of our route lost from Katihar.
Pinki asked us to go to her house and she guided us. A girl on a motorcycle(Rajdoot),she seemed to be unique in Mithila.
At house I saw she entered in kitchen. I asked her father about her mother. She had passed away sometimes back in young age.
Vinay was there. He had jaundice; he contracted from Koshi flood area where he worked as a dynamic worker apart from a reporter.
Even on that day Prof. Agrawal from Delhi had come and was staying there after distribution of blankets brought from Delhi for Koshi flood victims.
After that I had many visits of Bhagalpur where I used to stay at his 5th floor one room apartment near Muslim School and have many memoirs, many of which I have shared in blogs.
Though age-wise he was of my son's age had I any child but always I behaved with him as a younger worker of Mithila.
Once he told me that Neetish Kumar was trying to censure Mithila state news but if people go on roads any pressure on newspapers will not work.
He was an avid reader, a good reporter and very humble boy as per his name.
On his bike I had gone to Munger and twice Sultanganj apart from Sabour. He went to Araria also that newspapers covered Maithili conference so widely.
Only two months back I had recommended his name to IRDS, Lucknow for
Surendra Pratap Singh Award named on a journalist, news anchor, and newspaper editor who was not only the founder of Aaj Tak but is often regarded as the first true investigative journalist and is credited with having produced a host of fantastic journalists.
Probably another award need instituted on Vinay Tarun's name whose reports on Bandhua mazdoors and floods need compilation.
He used to send me all clippings related to Mithila as and when published and many times published my comments and programmes talking on phone that my time was utilized. He tried to convince Angika youths about me and arranged my meetings with them in Nathnagar that many of them could understand that they were like us culturally alike. What many professors of Bhagalpur could not achieve he did in harmonising Maithil society which is badly vivisected on the name of Angika-Maithili while the fact remained both are one! It took me time and patience too but now that process started will not get matured without Vinay, I think though I will try to re-contact those youth.
I feel as if my right hand is chopped knowing that he was no more- on that day I was at Mumbai and then in continued tours that I did not talk him since a month. He had told me that he would take leave in June for further study and would shift to Jamshedpur in job where his elder sister is married. The family is ruined after this shock. Unmarried other sister Pinki, a journalist with Hindustan at Patna and father SNL Das leaving in Teacher's Colony, Purnea all must be in sea of sorrow.
Yesterday evening I had a call from Kripanand from Saharsa when I was delivering a speech at the Blast Furnace section of Mecon where I am contesting for the post of president of the Association. I told him that I would talk him later and when I talked him after a while it was he who gave me the shocking news. Later I phoned Pushyamitra who was introduced to me by Vinay who had already this news. Awadhes Paswan of Jhandapur who came in the AMP due to Vinay where we had a camp had also this news from someone. Sudhirnath Mishra from Araria will visit soon Purnea house once Vinay's father returns from Gaya after his last rites.
May Bhagwati give Him peace. For us a vacuum will remain forever of a young dynamic Mithila worker who had values in his small but meaningful life.
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