Sita curcuit announced by Union Tourism Minister, Sri Subodhkant Sahay at HEC,Ranchi

Sita curcuit announced by Union Tourism Minister, Sri Subodhkant Sahay at HEC,Ranchi on 26th March 2011 in Vidyapati parva (the news was published in the Prabhat Khabar 27.3.2011 Ranchi ).

It was a joyous moment for the Maihtils all over when Sita curcuit implementation was announced by the Union Tourism Minister, Sri Subodhkant Sahay at HEC,Ranchi at Vidyapati Parva by the Maithili Parishad no sooner I demanded during my speech congratulating him for the Ranchi-Jaynagar express train for which he was the pivotal though we had contacted several MPs.
I regretted that Govt. of Bihar and also Govt. of Jharkhand are neglecting Maithili’s cause which was included in the VIII Schedule by the Parliament unanimously to which the Minister responded that it was regretful that such a sweet language was not given due respect. He said that he was with us in the demand of Maithil’s inclusion in examinations of Jharkhand.
He demanded from me a blue print of the Sita Circuit which we will provide him soon. I thanked the Minister that he could take up the point I have been raising since 2 decades. Even the Bihar Divas’s full page advertisement had no mention of any significant place of tourism of Mithila.
In Jharkhand hanuman was said to be born at Gunla’s Anjan which need linked(via Rajrappa, Simariaghat) to Mithila where Bhakt Prahlad was born and Holi festival started from Sikligarh Dharhara(near Banmanakhi in Purnea).

(Sita cuircuit will have places like Sitamarhi Purauradham the birth place of Mata seta, Phulhar (Pushpwatika) Ahalyasthan, Gautamkund, Jankapurdham, Bisaul of Vishwamitra, balmikinagar of Champaran, Hahirharnath (Hajipur), Jagwan(Yajyavalkya’s sthan, Kalna(Kalyaneshwar) and also Ucchaitha, Kapileshwar (Sankyapraneta), Saurath, Ugna, Samau l(Vachaspati II), Thardh (VachaspatiI) , Bindeshwar, Koilakh, Balirajgarh, Rajnagar, madhubani, Darbhanga, Karian, Vidyapatinagar, Jaimangalagrah, vaini,(Oini),Kusheshwar, Simariaghat, Katyananisthan, Mahishi, Singheswar, Varahkshetra , Vaishali and Laurinanadangarh will be connected.
Further Vikramshila, Munger’s Vhandisthan, baunsi’s Mandarhill, to Basukinath, Sultanganj etc, come in my mind( PLEASE SUGGEST and ADD Places)

It will be grand project and if completed will change the toursisn scenario of the country(with Jankpur- Kathmandu- also.

The minister announced that he had already earmarked a huge amount for tourism and Sita circuit will be a part of that. He humbly said that he was ‘Subodh’ for HEC and be treated like that which was applauded by the audience. He could recognize many labour leaders in the audience.

Pointing to the CMD, HEC he said that Maithils are very knowledgeable persons who propose for any demand in a way that is very amicable and is ‘undeniable.’

Commenting on my point that the Ranchi was known to us in our childhood(1960s) for the HEC in which many of our Maithils from top to bottom had dedicated their sweats and we wish that was again glorious with his help ( in fact it could largely could get a fresh lease of life due to Subodhkantji which Hruishikesh Choudhary and Dr. Madan Jha had already pointed out in welcome addresses), the Minister rightly remarked that even for the MECON he had done his best, knowing that I was in the MECON, by the sides of HEC.

Turning to Shri GK Pillai, I narrated some of my experiences with the Kerala( of Mithila Motel on Allapurrah- Trissure Highway) (on 12.8.1994) and ( had snacks in the evening of 13.8.1994 ) at Mithila Hotel when the hotel boy could not understand in English or Hindu why the Hotel was so named and had said ,Sir. Mithilapuri! Mithilapuri!!
There the Mithila Hotel was situated at the north-east of the famous Vadakkanathan Temple(where parents of Adi Shankaracharya had tapasya and was asked by Lord Shankar that he will sent someone as their son who would live 100 years or come himself for a short life which parents liked and thus Shankarachaya was born!
I demanded from the CMD, HEC that he allots one space for the office of Mithila Parishad so that our cultural activities are properly coordinated.

Accepting our requests he stayed till first item, dramatized version of ‘Gausaunik geet’ by Mahakavi Vidyapati was completed.
He rightly had said in his speech that Vidyapati had a pen in one hand and sword to defend motherland in the other which was so rare.
I promised him to send him the English version of Jai Jai Bhairabi. He gave me his card on which surely I am to send some of my writings about Kerala to which I have been connected intimately.
The cultural programme continued till 0000 hours by the artists from Tarang, Jamshedpur which needs separate elaboration, needless to say that three non_Maithil girls fared well in Maithili drama and lyrics- Runi pandey,Sapana..and ..
Mithilesh Jha was the anchor for the cultural section while manish Arvinf , a writer, and IIFS did so for the inaugural session. Jayant Jha , a prodigal son of the HEC colony was there with his aged father. Atmeshwar Jha edited souvenir.
Mrs. Madan Jha was very cordial me and I recalled my chat vrat night stay at their house and paran there after arghya some years back.

I feel HEC where Maithils are organized since 1964, maybe irregully had been conducting Vidaypati and other parva despite strains in the lives of the HEC itself. I tried my best to spare time with them in small meetings to have organization and function and really it was a fine tribute to my labour and if Sita Cuircuit comes on I will be the happiest person(and truly I too have not gone there though had been to Ayodhya which the Hon’ble Minhister had pointed because Punauragarh was not properly publicized and it took me several decades to know that though I had been to Sitamarhi in 1970s and 1980s. Now not only a circuit map I will try to make with inputs will visit there too which will be credited to HEC Maithils only.