Started for a destination that was supposed to “show” itself and thus another ALAKH journey began. It was scorching hot and when I reached the station. If one really wants to feel what Govt machinery really thinks about the citizens, they should spend some time on Bus stations and Railway stations. Someone was being very honest when he use the famous “cattle class” to describe PEOPLE.
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| There is space for everyone .. Salman too!! |
Got in the general compartment of a train that was going to Muzaffarpur (Bihar) and I had every intention of going to visit the Khudiram Bose and Prafull Chaki’s memorial there. Initially I kept standing, and saw the “class divide” in general compartments, the divide between those who have a seat and those who don’t have. It was really interesting to see that disdain for all those standing, people refusing to budge even an inch. Then as the train starts this divide starts to disappear when people start TALKING. This was really beautiful(for any student of human behavior), I also got the benefits and got a seat. The things that worried these people were so different from NATIONAL “WORRIES”!!
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| Patna Station ... |
At Patna, I decided to get down to visit Jalalpur and go to Muzaffarrpur afterwards. This bought me to Meethapur Bus Stand at Patna. It was dark and they told me not to go, as it was not possible to get connecting transport at night. This gave me a chance to stay back at Patna and take some REST which I really wanted.This also gave me a chance to contact Mrs Bharti Dutt Bagchi, Daughter of Legendary Batukeshwar Dutt.
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| Meethapur Bus Stant at Patna .. Its Mazboori not Adventure !! |
Next day morning I took a bus to Hajipur, I could see the posters/banners of Lalu's "Parivartan Rally" EVERYWHERE. To any outsider it would have sent a message that change in Bihar was imminent. But then, that's how "perceptions" work, and outsiders are not voters!!! From Jalalpur, I had to take another bus to Lalganj Bazaar. I was impressed with the "visible" signs of flourishing agriculture and it was heartening to see Ladies commuting freely, which was not the case earlier. To any trained eye its not very hard to see that Bihar has changed for Good.
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| Litti ..Chokha .. Green Chilli .. Onion .. Bliss!! |
From Lalganj Bazaar, I took a rickshaw to Shahid Baikunth Shukla's house. Phanindra Nath Ghosh had turned approver and his testimony resulted in hanging of Shahid Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. Baikunth Shukl avenged it by killing Ghosh and went to gallows smiling fearlessly. Met his descendants (sons of his brother, since he had no children) and from them I came to know about Yogendra Shukla, who was in fact GURU of ALL THE REVOLUTIONARIES!!
Will post further in the next post!! Till then keep reading and being with me in this journey.
