Muraura to Mumbai by car - Day 1

            Rituraj wanted a proper run in for the vehicle before embarking on a truly long drive. Muraura – Jamshedpur – Muraura took care of that and we were now ready for our first long drive. It was going to be Muraura – Mumbai.

            Everyone who heard was bewildered, aghast and sceptical (not necessarily in that order). Their reactions were enough to have deterred the weak. We were made of stronger stuff though.

However, Holi was approaching. The departure date had to be after Holi to avoid the hooliganism, unruly behaviour and public drunkenness. Preparations picked up speed – we now had a deadline to keep. Gradually, the route was identified, places of night halt earmarked, the logistics worked out, and we were ready. Rituraj contacted his old friend, Rishi Shukla of MP cadre. Rishi was going to be of great help throughout our journey. No words of gratitude can describe the genial hospitality displayed by him. Thank you Rishi Shukla.

Day 1 (3^rd March, 2010)

Route

Muraura – Varanasi – Mirzapur – Rewa – Maihar

When planning to drive 650 kms, it makes sense to stretch the day. The departure was scheduled for 05:00 hrs. Rituraj was up at 03:00. His day starts with a long gestation!! Despite the early hour a couple of our relatives came to see us off. These touching gestures now limited only to rural India. We finally left at 05:15 hrs. – 15 minutes behind schedule but on our way.

It was still dark and a cool gentle breeze made the early morning chilly. In a few minutes we were crossing the town of Biharsharif. A typical, congested, overcrowded town of Bihar. But there were people – lots of them – on the road, even this early. Most of them headed either towards the bus stand or the station. Holi had been celebrated on 1^st and they were now returning. Trains and buses were going to remain packed for a couple of days.

Negotiating through the winding lanes of Biharsharif takes almost half an hour during the day. The early morning hour, however, ensured that we were on the highway within a few minutes. We would soon be driving past the ruins of the ancient Nalanda University and through Rajgir (Rajgriha) the capital of mighty Mauryan Empire and the place where Chanankya wrote Arthashashtra, his timeless treatise on statecraft. 

Nalanda is a nondescript village now – far removed from glorious past. Rajgir is somewhat better off, thanks to the Hot Springs and the interest of the Buddhists from across the world. But a sad commentary on what it was, to what it has been reduced to. It is difficult to visualise that these nondescript places once reverberated with the sound of intellectually stimulating debate attracting scholars from all civilisations. Equally hard is it to imagine that this area – of around 20 kms diameter – had attracted both Buddha and Mahavira. Pawapuri, where Mahavira attained nirvana, is as nondescript as Nalanda.

Today, however, the district of Nalanda – home to Rajgir, Nalanda, Pawapuri etc. – is notorious for illegal arms manufacturing and has the dubious distinction of being home to Ranjeet Don – the mastermind behind the medical entrance scam. What a fall!! Weep my poor district, weep. What you were and what you have been reduced to!!

By 07:00 we were cruising past Bodh Gaya, the place where Buddha attained wisdom. The steeple of the Mahabodhi temple was resplendent in the early morning sunlight. We drove past the temples of Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China and once again marvelled at the rich cultural heritage of these areas.

Immediately thereafter, we were on NH 2, merrily enjoying the early morning drive on the four lane Golden Quadrilateral as the Tavera kept devouring kilometres. We could not but remember our earlier sojourns on the same road – about 15 years back. Rituraj was then posted as the Supdt. Police of Rohtas district and we used to take the same route for our visits home. The drive used to be a pain then. The roads used to be narrow, full of gigantic pot holes and often clogged with heavy traffic. Thanks to GQ and the NHAI we could now bury the ghosts of the past and cruise in comfort.

Jenny had packed some sandwiches, kebabs and some tea in an insulated mug. Some of the tea spilled out and the rest became almost cold – so much for the insulated mug. We had it nonetheless. We also tried sandwiches and kebabs but it was too early for breakfast.

As we drove across the 4 km long bridge across the River Sone nostalgia set in. The attempts at trying to locate the residence of SP Rohtas, however, failed. Sasaram would come soon we knew. But the NH 2 now skirts around Sasaram and it was only when we reached Shivsagar did we realise that we have crossed Sasaram. Sasaram, by the way, is famous for the Tomb of Shershah.

Suddenly, just beyond Shivsagar we saw a closed Reliance outlet with a functional A-1. We drove in to be welcomed with warm greetings. The warmth of the greeting and the cleanliness of the place turned the proposed tea break into a breakfast break of sumptuous aloo parathas and curd. Jenny sadly wondered as to the fate of sandwiches and kebabs. Much later would we realise and appreciate their true worth!

By 10:30 we were approaching Varanasi. We were to leave NH 2 at Varanasi and take NH 7 to Mirzapur. Jenny, the navigator, was hawk eyed. But nothing indicated a turn for Mirzapur. Confident that the NHAI would surely have a signage we kept driving and were on the bridge over River Ganges. As he drove onto the bridge, Rituraj mumbled dejectedly, “The turn was probably before the bridge”. “But there was no signage”, replied Jenny. And so we drove on, expecting to see a sign indicating a turn for Mirzapur. No sign guided us though. We asked for directions at the toll booth. And the grumpy fellow told us the turn was ahead. Either he had fought with his wife, or his superior had shouted at him, or he was constipated, or all three – he had led us in the opposite direction!!!

Nugget of wisdom : Don’t be shy of repeatedly asking for directions.

The outskirts of Varanasi arrived, but obviously we could not find the turn – it was by now quite far behind us. Totally confused, we went to a fuel station and asked for directions. The attendant was decent enough to confess his ignorance. Varanasi was well and truly behind us by now. We had managed to lose our way!! We were flummoxed, so in true corporate style, the driver and the navigator held a brain storming cum strategy session.

The outcome : do not reverse, carry on till Allahabad on NH 2 and go straight to Rewa from there. Allahabad was less than 100 kms and soon we reached the bye pass.  Sobered by our experience, we were now asking for directions with a vengeance. We were directed to leave the bye pass and drive towards Allahabad city.

This road was a far cry from the NH and was ill maintained too. Stoically we carried on – what else could we have done anyway!! It would have been too demoralizing to get lost a second time. So, we sought directions at a Police Station, beseeched some auto drivers, disappointed a few fuel pump attendants and pestered a couple of traffic constables. The upshot of it all was that we were on the road to Rewa!!!

Our elation – doubled by a superb four lane road – was going to evaporate soon. After a deceptive few kilometres the road turned bad, gradually became worse and suddenly vanished altogether. It was nothing but monstrous craters now. The clouds of dust often forcing us to stop completely. With the windows rolled up and the AC switched on, we were safe from the dust in our cocoon, but not from being jolted continuously. This apology of a road was going to hound us almost till Mangawan – 100 kms from Allahabad! 3 hours of pure anguish!! And no dhaba where we could stop!!! We truly appreciated the sandwiches and kebabs now. The only solace to our battered bodies and grumbling tummies!

From Mangawan we joined NH 7 – yes the very same that we should have taken at Varanasi. The road was better now. However, we were to remain sceptical till after we had crossed Rewa. By now our tired bodies craved tea. So we stopped at a decrepit dhaba and thoroughly enjoyed the rotten tea. Rituraj utilised the time to give the windshield a thorough wash and thus refreshed we carried on towards Maihar.

Despite having lost a lot of time we reached Maihar at 18:40. Locating the place of stay was however going to take some more time and by the time we reached the Maihar Cement complex it was 19:30. Distance covered 708 Kms in 14+ hours. Not bad at all, we thought. A relaxing bath, a sumptuous vegetarian dinner and blissful slumber followed in quick succession.

Tomorrow would be a better day.