KERALAM

 

                                                        

                                                    (Munnar)

 

I had gone to Keral thrice; those were official visits. This time I went on a private tour. The name of state Keral, in the meantime, had been changed to Keralam. Shasi Tharoor raised a pertinent question; the people of Keral were called Keralites, what would they would be called now? I need not, of course, worry.

We reached Kochi at 2.30 PM. The hotel where we were to stay was 40 kms from the airport. On the way, we had our lunch at around 3 PM. A veg meal, the curry mixed with cocoanut grates. Served on banana leaves, the food was tasty. It cost only Rs. 125 per meal. We checked in hotel at 5.30 and went for marine drive at 6, evening.

Boats were anchored on the shore. The boatmen called us for boat ride. We did not. It was getting dark and we had also in our itinerary to stay one night in a boat house and a boat ride in Thekkedy. I had boat ride experience. I had come to attend Empowered Committee meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram in 2014. I was staying in Kovalam, the hotel arranged for us by Karal government. The government had arranged for the delegates for boat ride in Kolam, seventy kms away from Kovalam.

Near the bus stand at the marine drive, the sewerage of the city connects to the sea. The sewerage emanated pungent ammonia smell. Unbearable, I could not stay longer there. Keral is one of the richest states in the country, and is most educated. Unhygienic, and lack of cleanliness seemed incongruous. Local people and tourists were still enjoying and roaming on the drive.

In the dinner, the hotel had three or four kinds of fish curry, three types of chicken dishes and also one beef preparation. I had rice and fish curry. Our people avoided beef.

2

We visited Dutch Palace, St Francis Church and Santa Cruz Basilica in Kochi. We were a group of 29 including the tour manager. The group had 15 women. The women and even most of the men also were not conscious of history. They did not have interest in these monuments.

The Portuguese had built the palace and the churches in the 16^th century AD. The palace was built by the Portugese as a gift to the kingdom of Cochin. The Dutch had undertaken major repairs. The Dutch palace now operates as a museum.

                                                    (St. Francis Church)

The St Francis Church was built in 1503 AD, one of the oldest churches in India. Vasco da Gama was buried here. However, the remains of the body of Vasco da Gama were returned in 1539 AD and re-interred in a casket decorated with gold and jewels in Portugal.

After visiting Santa Cruz Basilica, we proceeded towards Munnar. On the way, we went to Pothys’s mall. The tour manager told to come back to the bus after making whatever purchases within forty-five minutes. But the ladies in the group were naturally fond of shopping. After repeated phone calls, all returned to the bus after one hour and fifteen minutes.

I met Patitapaban and his wife Gayatri. They were in our group. Patitapaban was an OATS officer, posted in Sonepur treasury. Having worked in the department for more than thirty years, I had a fraternal feeling for an officer of the same department.

             (With Patitapaban and his wife Gayatri)

The distance between Kochi to Munnar is 126 kms. But the bus took more than five hours because of mountainous road. We reached Munnar in 8 in the night.

3

The tourist group had fifteen women and thirteen men; thirteen pairs of wife and husband and two single women. The guide told, in the echo point, if you called someone, his or her name would echo, provided you really love him or her. If you did not love, there would be no echo. No one called anyone; all kept mum.

Of course, this was a joke.

The lake is located in between mountains and jungles. High mountains and dense forests. The lake is full of water. If you call in a loud voice the name of someone, there will be echo because of the mountains and jungles and deep water of the lake. But, by the time we reached there, it was 11, forenoon, and there was rush of vehicles on the road, causing sound pollution. Perhaps, echo was not created for the sound pollutions of the vehicles.

(With Paresh; Chinese fishing net in the background, Kochi)

In the cultural village, they had arranged classical dance from 4 to 5 PM and 5 to 6 PM. I did not have the patience to wait to enjoy the dance programme. I had seen mohini attam and kuchupudi in my previous visits, and also in Bhubaneswar. The price of ticket was Rs.400 or Rs. 500. All except two ladies did not want to see. The two ladies were single women. They said that they would have massage in the spa before the show started. We had reached the venue at 3.30 PM.

We left them there and came to spice market and to visit Keral Farm. We would pick them up after their show was over on our return to hotel. One employee of the Keral Farm told us to give a free ride in their jeeps to the farm and an expert would explain us the utility of the medicinal plants and trees. We opted for visit to the farm. One employee of the farm explained us the plants and trees and their medicinal values. He brainwashed us for the efficacy of ayurvedic medicine prepared by the Keral Farm. The Farm spread fifty acres of medicinal plants and trees.

After we returned from the farm, I purchased ayurvedic medicine for my diabetes and many of us also purchased medicines for their illness. The medicine cost me Rs. 6000/. I have taken the medicines for three months. But I don’t feel any improvement. Now, I feel cheated.

4

After lunch, we waited for boat ride in Thekkady. But all tickets had been sold. Srinivash, the tour manager told he would come next day early in the morning at around 4, and book tickets for us. We had to leave the hotel for boat ride by 6 in the morning. Fifty percent of tickets available off line, and they sell 50 percent on line. We were not sure of getting tickets next day also, as large number of tourists came for boat ride.

                           (Elephant Safari)

We enjoyed elephant safari. The elephant took a round for twenty minutes, me and my wife sitting on its back. The path the elephant took was amidst spice plants. The cost of ticket Rs. 600 per person. The ride was exciting, though the price of tickets, Rs. 600  only for twenty minutes was high.

 5

                (Boat ride in Thekkedy)

It was 10, morning when we left Thekkady after boat ride, to Alleppey. We stayed in a boat house. It was 3.30, afternoon when we had our lunch in the boat house. They had served rice, sambar, veg fry and fish (pomfret) fry.

I was introduced to Mahesh Sahoo, ex-MLA, Talcher and ex-MP, Dhenkanal. He had come with his wife in this IRCTC package tour. He is a simple man and, perhaps, an honest politician. A four-time MLA and an MP, but he had come for visit in a group. Had he been a politician like others we see, he would have come alone and had a luxury travel. I noticed he had a simple Nokia phone without WhatsApp or internet, not an android one as we all had. We sat on the deck of the boat. He did not discuss politics. An honest, simple and sociable person.

(We with Mrs and Mr. Mahesh Sahoo)

The boat house we were put up in was not good. The blankets had not been washed for a long time. The toilets were not clean. But we enjoyed the stay; spending an afternoon, the night and the morning on a floating house. It was a pleasure to see the flying birds in a row, returning to their nests in the evening, and the fishermen catching fish in the middle of the sea.

                  (Trying to pilot the boat house)

6

We came from Alleppey to Thiruvananthapuram. On the way, we had our lunch in a hotel. A Keral thali; five kinds of chutney, brownish Keral rice, one banana and three kinds of payasam with other veg dishes. The cost was only Rs.260 per thali.

We reached Aazhimala Shiva temple of Kovalam at around 4, afternoon. A cave has been hewn and the Shiv image installed inside. After darshan of Lord Shiv we came out and had darshan of the Lord in the nearby temple. Situated on the sea shore, the temple, the cave and a tall Shiv image looked attractive and a favourite tourist spot.

     (At Aazhimala Shiva, on the sea shore)

We went to the Kovalam beach, spent some time there and purchased a few t-shirts for my son as mementos. We reached the hotel and checked in at around 8.30, night.

(With poet Subas Sahoo and writer Paresh Patnaik on Kovalam beach)

7

Srinibash told us to wake up at 3 in the night to go to Swami Padmanav temple at 4, morning. The darshan time was from 6.30 to 7.30, and we had to stand in the queue. I did not want to go. I could not have patience to stand in the queue for a long time. I had also visited the temple and had darshan twice in my previous visits. Tila went with others and I stayed in the hotel.

(Mansur in Thiruvananthapuram)

Prof. Dr Ramlingam of GIFT and Mansur, Joint Commissioner, Enforcement had come to meet me in the hotel.

           (Dr Ramalingam)

******

 

GUJRAT

 

        (Sabarmati Ashram)

We reached Ahmadabad at 6.30, evening. It was 8, night when we checked in the hotel. The people of Gujrat are mainly vegetarian. The hotel does nor prepare non-veg dishes. I had come to Rajkot in 2014 to attend one GST law drafting committee meeting. We were put up in a five-star hotel. There also, they did not have any non-veg food. I asked the hotel manager regarding their aversion to non-veg food. He said, “If we prepare non-veg items, customers will not come and we have to close the hotel.”

The veg food was delicious, especially halwa.

2

(The veranda of the residence of the Mahatma from 1918 to 1930, Sabarmati)

We visited Sabarmati Ashram. I had visited once when I had come to Ahmadabad in 2015 for a GST law drafting committee meeting. Mahatma Gandhi had resided here from 1918 to 1930. His residence had four rooms. He lived in one room, Kasturaba had her room and the third was for guests. In the front, a room was in the left and the right was the veranda. Gandhiji met the people and the guests in this room and on the veranda.

There was a small two-room house in the front of and right side of Gandhiji’s residence. Vinoba Bhabe and Miraben were residing there. The simple life they led is known from the house they lived in. Simple living and high thinking. A man born in twenty-first century cannot believe so great persons stayed in such small houses, and led such a simple life.

                               (Akshardham Temple)

We went to Akshardham temple from Sabarmati. Swami Narayan is worshipped in the temple. The construction of the temple was completed in 1992. A servitor told us the construction took 12 years to complete. A modern temple, very clean and disciplined. No one here asked for dakshina or money.

Swami Narayan has great influence on the social life of the Gujratis. The main principles of Swami Narayan are to avoid intoxicants, practice vegetarianism and follow the path of non-violence. Jainism and Swami Narayan have influenced Gujratis to be vegetarians.

3

We went from Ahmedabad to Dwaraka by bus; ten hours’ journey.  We reached Dwaraka at 6 PM, and checked in hotel. In the evening at 7, we proceeded to have darshan of Dwarakadhish, Lord Krishna. The temple is hardly one km from the hotel. We walked. First, went to river Gomti, near to the temple. The river is not as wide as the Mahanadi or the Brahmani, rather narrow. The river bank and the steps to touch the water, were dirty. It’s natural as thousands of devotees throng; but the administration could have improved the place.

 We stood in the queue to have darshan. The darshan was conducted in a disciplined way. After the darshan, I felt head reeling. Paresh brought prasad; I took two ladoos and felt better. Being a diabetic, my sugar level had, perhaps, plummeted.

4

Lord Krishna and Mahabharat are part of our culture. We have read or heard stories of Mahabharat since our childhood; the splendor, grandeur, opulence and magnificence of the kings and emperors, palaces and buildings, the war and the valor. B.R.Chopra’s Mahabharat telecast in early 1990s in DD has added to our imagination. But in reality, the places associated with Lord Krishna or of Mahabharat are ordinary villages, narrow lanes, crowded bazaars and unimpressive temples and buildings.

We went to Bet Dwaraka. The bus could not go up to the temple. We had to hire an autorickshaw, and went into a village to reach the temple.  At one place, the rickshaw dropped us and we had to walk, zigzag narrow lanes. It was 9.30, morning. We had to stand in a queue. The priest covered the image with a screen. We asked a priest the reason. He told it was the time for the God to have breakfast. After breakfast, he would take a nap and then, wake up. Like Lord Jagannath, the Gods here have breakfast, lunch and dinner, and take rest like ordinary human beings.

The priest uncovered the God at 10 AM, and we had darshan.

It is said, here Sudama had met (Bhet) Lord Krishna, so the place is called Bet Dwaraka. I have read somewhere; Lord Krishna had presented awards (Bhent) here and that’s why the place is known Bet, from Bhent, Dwaraka.

5

We went to Nageswar Jyotirlinga from Bet Dwaraka. The temple and the image of the God is not very old. The large image of Lord Shiv is of saffron colour. In Odisha, the images of Shiv are black. The Shivling inside the temple is made of silver. One priest told us that Gulshan Kumar, the owner of T-series has renovated the temple. Gulshan Kumar died in 1997. He must have done it before 1997. The renovation had cost him Rs 5 crore, then.

        (Rukmini Devi temple)

We came to Rukmini Devi temple from Nageswar. One priest told us the story of the temple. Lord Krishna eloped Rukmini and on the way, he met Durvasha. Krishna invited Durvasha for a feast in his palace. Durvasha said that he would not go in the chariot driven by horses. So, Durvasha sat on the chariot, Krishna and Rukmini dragged. After some time, Rukmini felt thirsty. Krishna got water from Goddess Ganga and gave to Rukmini. He forgot to offer water to Durvasha. Durvasha, the guest felt humiliated and cursed, “Krishna and Rukmini will not meet for twelve years.

Krishna lived in Dwarka, and Rukmini stayed in this temple, twelve kms away from Dwarka, for twelve years.

6

We travelled by bus. The two sides of the road have green fields. The farmers have grown vegetables, peanuts or maize. Cash crops. In Odisha, at this time, the farmers grow paddy. We did not see a thatched house. The houses mostly had concrete roofs. Gujrat is a rich state. In 2024-25, Odisha collected GST Rs. 26142 crore, Gujrat’s collection was Rs.73200 crore. Their purchasing power is almost three times more than Odisha’s

      (In the first floor of Kirti Mandir, birth place of Mahatma Gandhi)

We went from Dwarka to Porbandar. Visited Kirti Mandir, birth place of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji was born in 1869, one hundred fifty-seven years ago. The house must be at least 160 or 170 years old. A three-story house, there is wooden ladder to go up to the upper floor. A rope is hung; one has to hold the rope to climb to the upper floor. His father was a rich man, a dewan. But Gandhi led the life of a poor common man. Though he was a barrister, he turned his back on comfort, and luxuries and lived like a poor common man.

             (At Sudama temple, Porbandar)

Sudama temple is located in Porbandar. We visited Sudama temple. We went from Porbandar to Somnath.

I had visited once Somnath temple in 2014 and seen the light and sound show in the evening. This time, light and sound show had been stopped for rainy season.

In the temples here, no one asks for Dakshina or money. They even don’t charge for keeping the shoes and cell phones. In Bet Dwraka, it’s written on the wall, the priests and servitors of the temple are paid employees and the tourists or devotees should not pay to anyone.

In Porbandar and Somnath, I came across a few beggars. I was surprised to see beggars in Modi-land.

7

We went to Triveni Tirth; a sangam of three rivers: Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati. In Prayagraj, the sangam comprises Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. But in Prayagraj, Saraswati is invisible. People throw puffed rice or flour to the water for the ducks swimming in the river. But before the ducks reach, fish eat up. In few instances, the ducks succeed.

We went to Bhalka Tirth from Triveni. It is said Jara Sabar mistook Krishna’s foot as a deer’s ear and shot an arrow, killing Krishna. We also visited Gangeswar Mahadev or Panchalingeswar in Diu. Five shivlingas are in a cave touching the sea. The waves wash the linga in every minute. One has to climb down to touch the shivlingas. A beautiful sight.

        (Inside Diu Fort)

We visited the Diu fort, and checked in hotel at 4.30 PM. The hotel or resorts where we were put up have cottages. Each cottage is circular in structure having thatched roofs. The house had three electric lanterns in the room and a chrpoi or string cot in front of the cottage. The attempt was to create a village feeling.

         (Diu Beach, in the afternoon)

8

We reached Gir Forest at 3 PM. Last time, in 2014, I had come to Gir. We had stayed in a nearby guest house, and reached Gir at around 6, morning. A Gujrat officer told us we should reach Gir early to see lions. With the rise of the sun in the sky, the lions go to deep jungle to cooler places. Then, we had seen seventeen or eighteen lions. At one place, near a water body, a lion was sleeping and a forest guard was resting a few metres away. An ACF (Assistant Conservator of Forest, who was acting as our guide, told us, the lions never attacked human beings unless provoked.  The lions do not relish human flesh.

       (The Lioness looking for the prey)

When we reached Gir this time in the afternoon, it was drizzling. We saw two lions and one lioness. At one place, one lioness was sitting and watching a herd of deer on the other side of the road, perhaps, looking for an opportunity to prey. The deer could smell the danger and became alert. They took position to run, if the lioness made an attempt to attack. One deer made a sound, perhaps, to alert others about the danger.

(Sterling Rudra Resort)

We were put up in a resort called, Sterling Rudra Gir. The resort was located in Gir Forest. Scenic environment, it had a romantic ambience. But we had to stay there one night only. The next morning, we left for Kavadia, to see the Statue of Unity.

9

Statue of Unity is the statue of Sardar Vallavbhai Patel. Narendra Modi started construction when he was the chief minister, Gujrat and completed after he became Prime Minister. It has become a tourist place as it’s the tallest statue in the world. The place does not have any historical, cultural or religious importance. Sardar Sarovar Dam is also not a big dam like Hirakud; the valley of flowers did not have flowers. The place has become tourist place because of publicity and perhaps, for PM Modi and the BJP government at the Centre. The IRCTC, a central government organization, has put this place in the itinerary. From there we went to Nilkanth Dham.

10

In Badodara, we visited Laxmi Vilash Palace. We were a group of 28; 16 people declined to visit the palace, paying Rs. 250/ per head. We twelve visited. This was the palace of Gaikwads. They did not show us the entire palace, only the ground floor, the arms and ammunition, the costumes used by the kings, darbar hall, etc. The palace was built in 1890 at the cost of Rs 25 lakh.

(Lakshmi  Vilash Palace)

Common people like to purchase dress, if they have money; go and worship a stone, if put on vermilion, as Goddess, but they don’t have interest to visit historical places. The people having historical sense can appreciate a historical monument. If someone does not know about Ashoka and Kalinga war, he will not like and appreciate Dhauli.

We returned from Badodara to Bhubaneswar via Hyderabad.

******

ARUNACHAL

 

(Sela Pass, bordering China)

Our flight to Kolkata was at 7.05, morning. We arrived Kolkata at 8, morning. Our next flight to Itanagar was at 12.45 PM. If the flight to Itanagar departed on time, we would reach around 2 PM. We did not have breakfast at home before we left for airport as we had to reach airport at least one hour before the scheduled departure. We decided to have something to eat in Kolkata airport, and have our lunch in Itanagar. Food in the airport was costly. We had plates of three idlis that cost us Rs. 350 per plate. We reached Itanagar at 2 PM.

The vehicles hired for us did not enter into the airport. The drivers of the vehicles of the airport had a union; they did not allow outside vehicles. The vehicles hired for us were from Assam. We had to walk one and half miles to come outside the airport area. We left Itanagar at around 2.30 PM. We were all hungry. The tour operator told the driver to stop the vehicle near a hotel.

A standard hotel was not to be seen. The road side hotels were mud walled thatched houses. The driver stopped the vehicle near such a hotel. But the hotel did not have food. The manager told there was no electricity since the night before, and they did not have water to cook food. We approached another hotel; the manager there said that they could not serve food for twenty-seven people at a time. We were a group of twenty-seven including the tour operator.

At last, we reached a hotel that agreed us to serve food; a simple meal of roti, dal and cabbage curry. The food was tasty, perhaps, for we were hungry and it served us hot. It was already 4 PM. We reached Tejpur at 6, evening, and checked in the hotel.

2

                                             (Sela Pass, the lake behind is frozen)

We started our journey at 9, morning from Tejpur to Bomdila. Mountainous road; the roads have been made cutting the mountains and forest. On the way we saw a small waterfall. Bus journey, because of the road conditions, took time. We reached Bomdila at 4, afternoon. Temperature in Bomdila was 9 degree, Celsius. The temperature reduced in the night; in the morning, it was 2 degree.

                                               (Paresh and I with Mrutyunjay Mohanty)

The bus we traveled had eight passengers.  We four, Paresh and I with our wives; P.K.Das and his wife, Dr S. P. Panda and Mrutyunjay Mohanty. Mrutyunjay Mohanty is a lover of literature and he had read both Paresh and me. He was pleased to meet us and we discussed literature and current affairs while travelling.

                                              (Bumla Pass, Paresh and me, enjoying snow fall)

We had our lunch in a road side hotel. Arunachal does not have many tourists. The hotels find it difficult to serve to food thirty people at a time. The hotel cooked food and served us. The manager and, perhaps, the owner also, was a lady. I noticed, the shops and hotels in Arunachal are mainly managed by ladies.

We went to Sela pass, bordering China. The temperature there was 1 degree Celsius. The mountains on the way to Sela Pass were covered with snow. The lake near the Sela pass was frozen. Biting cold, we did not have sufficient winter dress to beat . We shivered.  On our way to Tawang where we were to stay the night, we visited Jaswant Gadwar memorial. In 1962 was with China, Jaswant alone had killed many Chinese soldiers. He is awarded Mahavir Chakra. It is believed; his soul is present there, and still giving protection.

                                                (At Jaswant Gadwar memorial)
3

We went to Bumla Pass, border with China. The distance from Tawang was 37 Kms. We calculated we would return within four hours and have lunch in the hotel. But weather changed. There was snow fall. The temperature was minus (-) 3 degree. The driver tied chains with the back wheels for the vehicle to move on snow. First time I witnessed snow fall. We went to the army base near the border. Had hot noodles and bought woolen caps and hand gloves. It was difficult to drive on snow. We had left the hotel for Bumla Pass at 8.30, morning, and returned at 4.30, afternoon. The to and fro journey took eight hours.

                   (Praresh, Me, Mrutyunjay Mohanty, Dr S.P Panda and Dr P.K. Das)

It was drizzling in Tawang. The temperature was 6 degree Celsius. We were hungry. We gobbled up roti, cabbage curry and egg omelets the hotel managed to prepare and serve us in haste. We did not go anywhere in the evening.

4

                                                                (Near a monastery)

We left Tawang at 8.45, morning and reached Tezpur at 8.30, night. Twelve hours bus journey, I undertook first time after many years. I was afraid of such a long journey, but for Paresh and other co-travelers; time passed gossiping and merrymaking inside the bus.

The main religion practiced by the people is Buddhism. We have seen large Buddha statues and monasteries in Bomdila and other places. The pattern of the building of all monasteries is almost the same. On our way back to Tejpur we also visited one Buddha statue and a water fall. The water fall originates from Sela Pass and the river that flows nearby originates from China. Hydroelectricity is generated from the water fall. A beautiful sight.

                                                               (With Paresh)

We witnessed snow covered mountains and snow fall on the way; snowflakes hung from the branches and leaves of the pine trees. Back home, I had posted a short video of the scene in my Facebook timeline; some people mistook the place Switzerland.  

******

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                

 

Sadanand, You Should Not Have Left Us So Early

 

 

I met Sadanand for the first time in 1996 in Rourkela. We knew each other much before the said meeting. He had written me letters on my stories, on two or three occasions. I had read him. He learnt from someone about my posting in Rourkela. He was working in the state bank of India in a Rourkela branch. He came with poet Ashok Chandra Mohapatra. Then, we met at least once in every week. He introduced me to his other friends; poet Radhu Misra. Kshirod Behera, Rajeev Pani, and others. We sat in some place, discussed stories, language and literature, future of Odia novels and language, et al.

( Paresh Patnaik, Rabi Panda, Sahadev Sahoo and Sadanand Tripathy, in Cuttack in 2019 at Odisha Maritime Museum)

Our relation continued through letters after I was transferred from Rourkela. When mobile phones and WhatsApp came to be in use, we talked over phone. But he always preferred to give his views on stories in writing. When he wanted to speak on my stories, he sent messages in WhatsApp. He did not praise only; he also conveyed, if he noticed any incongruity, or if he did not like something in the story.  On some occasions, I have also accepted his views, and revised the story before the stories are compiled in a book.

(Odisha Art and Literature Festival, Puri in 2025. Mousumi Das, Paresh Patnaik, Sahadev Sahoo and Sadanand Tripthy)

He had dedicated his life for literature. After his working hours in the bank, he read, thought, wrote or discussed literature with his friends. He was very happy when he met a writer, irrespective of age; his happiness was visible on his face and manner. He was senior to me in age and writing, but he treated me equal, and a friend. He insisted on not addressing him Sadanand Babu, but by the first name Sadanand or Sadanand Bhai. He was handsome and his handwriting was beautiful.

(Letter dated 17th July 1999 after I was transferred from Rourkela to Cuttack)

Last time he sent me a massage in WhatsApp, just one year ago, on 20 April, 2025 on my story published in Nabalipi. We dd not think even in our imagination, he would leave us so early. I have lost a friend, and a well-wisher and Odisha lost a brilliant litterateur.

(His last message to me on a story published in Nabalipi, April, 2025. He has sent the msg on 20 April, 2025)

( Inauguration of the Souvenir in his memory)

 

( News in Sambad)

Six Women in the Life of Krishna

 

The story of Krishna and the Mahabharat, originally in Sanskrit, have been written and rewritten in different languages. The different versions are not direct translations of the original Sanskrit script, but adaptations that incorporate regional folklore, culture and also additional plots. The story of Krishna or the Mahabharat in different languages and adaptations enthralls the people across the generations since time immemorial. Paresh Kumar Patanaik has picked up six women in the life of Krishna, and has told an interesting aspect of the great story.

Krishna goes to Mathura, kills Kansa, and becomes the crown prince. Devaki forbids him to return to Gokul. In the story, Yasoda, a fierce silent competition between Devaki and Yasoda begins to claim Krishna, who becomes a battle field between two mothers; one who has given him birth and the other who has raised him. Devaki makes Krishna promise to discard the flute, forget his childhood, the dust, cows and forest of Gokul. In the process, Krishna is crushed. He leaves Mathura for Dwaraka, but pines for Gokul, his foster mother, the flute and the Gopis.

Bhadra is an innocent maiden of Gokul. She believes Krishna in Gokul loves only the married women. Therefore, she, being unmarried, never gets his attention. She marries to an unworthy person, only to get Krishna’s love. But she finds Krishna, a changed person in Mathura. She is no longer the cowherd, the lover of Gopis, but the crown prince. Krishna spurns her offer. Bhadra returns disheartened, but does not go back to Gokul. Her dead body was seen floating in the waters of Yamuna.

Devaki is possessive of Krishna. She takes all care for Krishna to forget his past. She never allows him to go back to Gokul lest she may loss Krishna to Yasoda. But there is a chance meeting of Yasoda in Kuruksetra Varuni bath. There, in presence of all; Devaki, Kunti, Droupadi,  Pandav and Kuru queens, a question arises who Krishna loves most; Devaki who has given him birth or Yasoda who has brought up him. Krishna does not answer, but says he is hungry. Yasoda offers her breast and Krishna presses his lips; milk flows into his mouth. The matter is resolved for all there to see.

Chandrasen leaves the job of an archer in Kansa’s army to keep vigil on Radha. Still, he hears Radha roaming in the Kadamba grove with Krishna in moonlit nights. He lives the life of a helpless and a tortured husband. After twenty-five years of Krishna leaving Gokul, Chandrasen, without job, has become poor and Radha sick. But Radha refuses medicine, and dies. Chandrasen sets out towards Dwaraka to confront Krishna to give the sad news, and ask how Krishna does not find even an hour to meet Radha during the twenty-five years after he left Gokul for Mathura.

The Yadav clan is decimated, Dwaraka is sinking in the sea, Krishna is struck by an arrow of the hunter and the dying Krishna sends Daruka to Arjun to take his sixteen thousand one hundred and eight queens to the safety of Hastinapur. On the way, a village headman challenges Arjun to leave the queens with the villagers. Queens are given option to go to Hastinapur to leave the life of a widow or remain in the villagers in dust and forest. All the queens preferred not to be one among the sixteen thousand to live in a caged palace, but to stay with the villagers as their wives, except Sukanya. Once her skin is touched by Krishna, Sukanya does not want to share it to be touched by anyone. She chooses to live the rest of her life in the memories of Krishna, her loved one.

The Pandavs coronate Parikshit on the throne and embark upon an unprecedented and almost impossible journey to heaven in mortal forms. Droupadi follows the five brothers. She falls ill and cannot move forward in the steep path of boulders and snow. The Pandavs, for whom she has sacrificed her dignity in the Kuru court, shared pain and suffering in the jungles and served as a maid servant in the Virat palace with them in disguise, have deserted her. She dies in isolation and remains buried in the snow, without any funeral rites performed for her. 

Paresh Patnaik’s Sriradha and Other Stories, translated by Rumi Malik, describes the above six women-Yasoda, Devaki, Bhadra, Radha, Sukanya and Droupadi- in human light. They do not have divinity, but are human beings with human weakness, emotions and failings. Written in lucid style, the stories are readable, and also captivating.

 

Sriradha and Other Stories

By Paresh Patnaik

Tr. Rumi Malik

Publisher: Shalandi Books

Pages-148

Price: Rs. 250

 

 *****

 (The book is available on Amazon and shalandi.in)

Friends & Foes

 

 

(Swayamprava Sahu, a short story writer is buying the book from Pakshighar Prakasani stall in the book fair)

Anichhuk Prashasak (A Reluctant Bureaucrat) was published in 2021. The book earned me both praise and blame. Less blame, more praise. The persons in administration, particularly a few members of Odisha Finance Service, blamed me, but the general readers appreciated and praised the book. In that book, I had written my experience in the government, during my thirty plus years in service in an organization, perceived to be corrupt and its officers and staff sly and wily.  I had not written about my personal life; I was mere a character, though its main character in the book.

Some friends and colleagues, after they read the book, said, “You have not written all you know and have experienced. You have vast experience and have been witness to many events, both sweet and sour. You have spoken less, left unsaid more.” I replied, “I could have written more, but the book would have been voluminous. ‘A Reluctant Bureaucrat’ is of three hundred pages. Had I narrated everything, the book would have been more than six hundred pages. The book would have tired the readers. Besides, I have, perhaps, told in the book what I wanted to say, and I think, that’s loud and clear. Had I written more, there would have repetitions only.”

Some friends say, “You have said nothing about your life in ‘A Reluctant Bureaucrat’. How can we know you? Understand you?” I also replied to them the same, “Had I written about my personal life in the book, it would have been voluminous and lost its readability. I may, for that matter, write a separate book.”

I was born in a lower middle-class family, rather in a family just above the poverty line, in a poverty-stricken backward village. I could study, go to the college and university, and enter a government service. Most of my friends and contemporaries have also come from similar background. We have lived a common life. But the experience of one’s life is different from the other, our life journeys are different. Life journey of everyone will be a novel. I believe, everyone, in whatever strata of the society he or she may be in, should write his or her memoirs or autobiography. Their life stories would enrich literature and collective wisdom of the society.

Atmiya Anatmiya (Friends and Foes) is my memoirs, rather, an autobiographical novel. I have told in this book what remains unsaid in ‘A Reluctant Bureaucrat’. I hope, the readers will appreciate this book as they do ‘A Reluctant Bureaucrat’.

 (A Reader has received his copy by speed post and displayed on the status of his WhatsApp)

Ravi Verma of Andaman

 

(With Ravi Varma at Port Blair Airport

 

It was nine in the morning when we reached Port Blair. The rain had washed the city. Trees and bushes were on both sides of the road. We were heading towards our hotel from the airport. The city looked fresh and lovely. I asked the driver his name.

“Ravi Verma,” he said

“Ravi Verma is a famous name. There was a great painter by the name Ravi Verma; the hero of the film, ‘Karz’ is also Ravi Verma.”.

“I am also no less,” he said, quoting a popular dialogue of a Hindi film, and smiled at us.

Ravi Verma is a mechanical engineer. He has a manufacturing unit that produces ceramic, porcelain and steel teeth. He has employed three technicians. Besides, he works as a coordinator in a travel agency. He has his own car; if required, he drives the tourists from the airport to the hotel, or from the hotel to any destination.  

Ravi Varma’s grandfather had come to Andaman. The friend of his grandfather was a prisoner in the Cellular jail.  His friend, a freedom fighter, had participated in the non-cooperation movement. In 1922, the freedom fighters set ablaze to the police station in Chouruchoura, that killed twenty-two police. In that case, his friend was awarded life imprisonment, and sent to the Cellular jail of Andaman. India got independence in 1947. The prisoners of Cellular jail were set free. No one of his friend’s family members were alive; his parents, brothers and sisters were all dead by the time he came out of the jail. The government had given him a piece of land in Andaman. He was farming and doing business. In 1970, he brought his friend, Ravi Verma’s grandfather to Andaman.

                                          (At Cellular Jail)

The criminals or the mutineers were imprisoned in Andaman after sepoy mutiny in 1857. There no scope to escape from there. The sea surrounded the Andaman Islands, if someone escaped from the jail, he could not cross the sea water to reach the mainland. The Britishers built the Cellular Jail between 1896-1906. The Cellular jail had 697 cells. The criminals and the political prisoners were put up there. The cells were small, there was one skylight high above on the back wall. There was no window. The door was locked with an iron gate. The jail authorities tortured the political prisoners. They gave water only twice in a day. The prisoners were forced to stay in their cells after six in the evening. They were provided with earthen pots to store urine or excreta, if they had to attend call of nature in the night. The prisoners had to put up with the stinks of their own human waste stored in the room. They were given adulterated food. They had to press the coconuts or mustard to produce oil. They were given targets for the day, to produce oil as much as one bullock could do. Besides, they were given other physical work. 

The criminals who completed ten or twelve years in the jail were given the charge of administering political prisoners. The political prisoners were tortured more than the murder convicts. The Britishers tormented them like the Nazis did to the Jews in concentration camps. The cellular jails were constructed in such a way; the front of one row of cells confronted the back of another row of cells. There was little chance of the prisoners knowing each other, if they were in the cells of different rows. Vir Savarkar and his elder brother, Ganesh Savarkar were suffering jail terms at the same time, but they did not know for two years. They were so cruel and the torture was so severe, the prisoners could not endure. Indubhusan Roy, a freedom fighter committed suicide, Ullashkar Dutta turned mad. Many political prisoners died of torture.

                                           (Moving to another island by a cruise )

The political prisoners were set free after India got independence. The near and dear ones of many prisoners were dead by the time they were free, like that of Ravi Verma’s grandfather’s friend. The government gave them land in Andaman. They settled there. The people of other states had gone there for business.

The original inhabitants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Jarwas, Onges, Sentinelese, Shompens, etc. but they are far way from modernity and civilization; they still reside in the jungles, and cannot be brought to the mainstream. 

                           (Reclining on a beach)

The government of India changed the name of Port Blair to Srvijaypuram. In past, during the NDA rule of prime minister, Narendra Modi, the government had also changed the names of Havelock islands and Neil islands to Swaraj Deep and Saheed Deep, respectively. 

 I asked Manjit, the coordinator of the Travel Agency in Swaraj Deep, “The government have recently changed the name of Port Blair to Srvijaypuram. What’s your opinion?” He said, “What will we get in the change of name? We need good roads, other facilities, development so that we can live happily and more tourists would come.” Asked him, “What freebies do you get from the government?” He said, “Rice and wheat. But there is much corruption, the freebies do not reach the needy. But who has time to keep account of that?”

Andaman and Nicobar Islands are union territories, administered by the central government. They get benefit of the central government schemes. They do not have the schemes like mamata yojana a woman gets when she is conceived to the schemes like Harischandra yojana the family gets when a person dies, like in Odisha.

(Published in an Odia Daily, The Prameya on 15.12. 24)

I hired an uber taxi after I landed in Bhubaneswar airport to come home. I was chitchatting with the driver, The driver told he was doing job outside the state. He had to return to the state as his father fell ill. He was getting around thirty thousand after meeting all the incidental expenses. He had already got a job in the state. He would no longer drive an uber vehicle.

“What will be your salary in the new job?” I asked.

“Twenty-thousand,” he said.

“You are now earing thirty thousand per month. There is scope in a business to rise up; in future, you can expand your business. What’s your future, if you do a job in the private sector?”

He said, “Driving a vehicle is a tough business. My waist aches.”

The per capita income of Andaman & Nicobar Islands is two lakh and fifty-eight thousand rupees, more than the national per capita income of rupees two lakh twelve thousand. The per capita income of Odisha stands at rupees one lakh and sixty-one thousand, much less than national per capita income.

Manjit does not have time for free rice and wheat. Ravi Verma says his profit from the dental manufacturing unit is around three to four lakhs per month. His net income per month, after payment of salary to his three employees and other incidental charges would be not less than rupees one lakh. Besides, he works for a travel agency.

Ravi had come to drop us in the airport. He said, “Sir, keep my phone number. You can ring me up anytime, in the day or in the night. Give me prior information, if you again visit Andaman.”

******