Varansi March 15.2013
The Volvo bus from Lucknow to Benaras was comfortable. When it reached Benaras I was deep in sleep, the fellow passenger shook my shoulders and said “ get down friend welcome in Benaras or Varansi. When I came down, the comfort , warmth and security inside the Volvo has completely disappeared in darkness of bus stand. There were few stray dogs barking and roaming on the ground, suddenly a group of Rikshaw pullers swarmed around me and just jostled among themselves “ hotel sir, any hotel, good hotel, cheap hotel, all were sounding similar. I just ignored them and moved outside the bus station on the busy GT Road, the oldest road of modern India. I looked the watch it was 4 am, there was good traffic of trucks connecting utter Pradesh to Bihar and Bengal and Orissa.
I walked few yards, and then I thought that there is no point in roaming on this road, after all I had to take a rikshaw and find a budget hotel. I waved my hand to a passing Rikshaw, the rikshaw puller was looking young. Where”. He asked.
I told him name of a hotel where I stayed in my last visit.
He calculated something in his mind then said , it is very far near Aswmegh ghat at the bank of Ganga, 50 rupees.
I said “ I will give you 40.
He seemed dissatisfied them pointed toward the back” sit “
As he peddled I visualised, am I on a right way?. There were faint memories of my last visit , but I was totally clueless. There was a fear; I am totally in solitude, completely on the mercy of this rikshawpuller and not sure where he is taking me.
He took a swift turn and came in a deserted street. There was totally dark, only living creatures were two cows strolling near a mud wall and few stray dogs. Suddenly I felt a chilled fear and asked him to stop.
This is not the way where I have to go.” I said in little fake local language to just show him that I am not an outsider.
He Stopped in surprise and said “Babuji main road has closed due to repair so I am taking this diverting route.
I don’t have any other option apart from surrendring myself .
Well few meters ahead the street merged into another road, and again there was light and there was a big procession of sadhus marching toward the Ghats of Ganga in late night just to take a dip. All of them were shaved headed; few were carrying a long trishul in their hands.
After just travelled whole of city in the back of Rikshaw,I finally reached my destination. When I asked on counter the sleepy person on counter said there is only one room available that too is on fourth floor, and lift is temporarily not working, now the choice is mine. I decided to walk to fouth floor instead of roaming in the city in this dead late night just to find another hotel.
I paid room rent, paid to rikshaw, climbed the stairs on fourth floor, drank a bottle of water and resigned on the bed to take an early few hours’ sleep. But sleep is not an easy thing when your mind is disturbed, when your thoughts are wandering, when your body is perplexing with sweet because of anxiety. But somehow I went into sleep.
contd in part 2
