Day 17 May 2 Maharashtra

Morning... Jabalpur

Yesterday my plan was to start from Rewah and reach Nagpur. But a few significant activities delayed me. I could start only by 12'O clock. To reach Nagpur I had to travel 508 km and that was not possible. So, I headed for Jabalpur. Covering 255 km I reached Jabalpur by 4PM entered the city in search of a place to stay. After a search of 3 long hours and 25km ride realised that there was not a single room available. Almost searched 11 to 13 hotels, all were booked as it was wedding season. One or two were available. But then, I would have to leave Tenzing on the road. We both needed to be safe. Around 7:30PM I left the city in further search for a safe abode for us both. Drove almost 82km through service roads and pocket roads looking for a comfortable space. It was a difficult drive that too at night. By around 9:30 I was just dead tired and wanted to stop and stretch. The a space unveiled... An appropriate one just for two of us. Tenzing was parked in safety and I put up my tent. Had a cozy and peaceful sleep. From this beautiful location I begin my journey today.....





Reached Nagpur by afternoon. Nagpur is known as the second capital of Maharashtra.
Mumbai being the first.

There is an Enfield service center here. Tenzing need an oil change.
Waiting for that and service tweak for him.
He has been riding hard. :)

It has been a hot day. The temperature touching 44 degrees.

It is 7.28 pm now. It is 40 degrees even now.

:) This night I sleep in a bed, in a room.
Had a refreshing bath. Felt good to wash off the grime and fatigue of two days.

From Tenzing and me, Good night.

Day 16 May 1st

Labour day wishes to all.
Rewah Mp

Past 2.30 pm: Mobile is ok now.

4.30 pm : Reached Jabalpur.
Still in the heart of India. MP

Past 7 pm, and I was still searching for a place to stay.
Went to 11 places in search of a room. But no rooms free.

Now, it is past 9.30. I don't know exactly where I am. But I have found a safe place to stay.
A shop or a house or both together.
The place is deserted. I can safely rest Tenzing there; away from curious eyes.

I have put up my tent and now I am about to stretch out  and go to sleep.

More news about the day later.

:) Rest time. It is 10.30 pm
Good night folks.

Tomorrow. If things go well, I will definitely reach Nagpur, Maharashtra.

The place that sheltered Tenzing and me for the night. 

Day 15 April 30 MP

Continuing my journey through places without network.
Rode for over 11 hrs this day.

Today, I started from Bodh Gaya, Bihar. Traveled through  Uttar Pradesh  to reach Rewah in Madhya Pradesh.
Found a place to stay.
Since my mobile is out of order, no internet connection.
:) now not too bothered about it.
Hopefully, I can enter Maharashtra tomorrow.

From my journey today.
Relentless sun and not a tree to give any shade.
Tenzing and me, we both are all covered in red dust.

Till around noon the roads were okay. After that, the roads got difficult. And exciting too. :)



As I travel I realize again that  India is a poor country.
The main problem our people face is hunger.
There is nothing as painful and horrible as hunger.
I feel ashamed that our country has not made any strides in seeing that our people have even one square meal a day.
Politics are politricks.
These poor people are tricked into voting by giving them a gift of  a utensil or two. And they take that because their state of life is so bad.
And then, they are forgotten. Until the next elections come around.

Mothers are unable to breastfeed their young ones. They have no milk to give them. How can they, when they have no food to eat. Let alone nutritious food. :(
And if a family has a cow. Whatever milk they get from the cow, the child at home is denied that too. Because unless they can sell that milk, their livelihood is gone.

Human beings sleep alongside with cattle.

I had brought some candy to give to the children.
It saddened me to see that they have not seen a candy or toffee in their lives.
Their parents are so poor, they cannot even afford to get their children even a toffee.

The whole state of our land saddens me.
I am ashamed we sit in our comfortable zones and say hollow big words about the poor and down trodden.
Maybe we mean well. But it is not at all enough.
Anything we do, will not even touch the fringe of it.
Our brothers and sisters here are suffering. And, so are our children.

Tomorrow, weather and roads permitting, I might reach Nagpur.
I will be traveling through the heart of India. Through central Madhya Pradesh.
  

Day 14 April 29 - Bihar

Destiny had new plans. I rode Tenzing to Bodh Gaya. We reached here yesterday evening. 
The land of Gautama's Bodhi tree.
Spent some time in peace and tranquility, in contemplation of inner self. This place is charged with pure energy.
Unless destiny desires otherwise, I will be staying here today. 


After a bath, refreshed..  I set out to see the place I have been waiting  to visit.  To be in. 

Travelled to Gaya.
It is 12 km to Gaya.
Now, back at Bodh Gaya.

Since yesterday, problems with my mobile. So out of touch with my friends and well wishers, and the world. Unable to update.
Now back at Bodh Gaya.
Where Buddha sat in meditation for 50 weeks before he attained enlightenment.
It is a world heritage site.  It is under the military, and there are many security checks.

There is a Saraswathi temple too.

A day in peace.
Meditated for a long time.
Feeling an immense energy.
But, that has drained me too.
I turn in for the night.

As much as I liked Bodh Gaya.
I disliked the area that surrounded it. A lot of unscrupulous people, locals who exploit the visitors.
The food provided is not up to the mark. And charges are exorbitant.
Three times or more than what it  costs anywhere else.

Day 13 April 28

I ride on................

28 April at 16:38 Dhanbad

Abhi khane ka time hai... 

grin emoticon @Nilkamal Dhaaba, Pandayawra, Jharkhand
**(This is not Dhanbad.maybe google map error this time)

Day 12 April 27 Jharkhand.

More rain.
The loss of lives, and the pain and hardships of those affected by the earthquake saddens me.

Peter Hein's photo.

27 April at 01:35 · 

The journey opens up new paths of  travel. The 9 states I had planned to travel might become 11 states. The intuition of the traveller guides him more than the plan. Reaching Kolkata, the path of my travel may become more clear to travel the neighboring states too... 

The journey is not to reach the target but the target is the journey itself. .. Awaiting the destiny of my travel.

Today I had plans to pass through two places not in my original list. Jarkhand and Bihar. 

But heavy rains made travel impossible. 

Now. taking up some respite from the heavy rain in a 'dhaba' at West Bengal - Jarkhand border.

:) am still uncertain about where my journey will take me. I might have to stay here at this dhaba to night.  

To travel to a destination.  where travel is the goal. 

I wait for my destiny.

The rainbow after the rains...

Reached Safely nw@ Dhanbad-Jharkhand 
@Poddar Regency

I heard  tremors were felt at the place I had taken shelter awhile back.
. Where I took the earlier picture..
But thankfully, the people there are safe. 
If I hadn't taken the route to Dhanbad, I might have had to pitch my tent on the road.
I am now 160 km away in a safe zone.

I rest here tonight.
Jharkhand, carved out from the southern part of Bihar.,

Day 11 April 26 Kolkata Heavy rains

At Kolkata

Yesterday, got the sad news of the earthquake at Nepal.
Heavy rains here. Strong winds.

Last evening was spent with this group of friends.
Malayali group from Kolkata. These friends are part of forward literary movement I had a great evening of discussions on various subjects with them.