A Trek to Dev Bhoomi for the Devas –part-4

           

Diminished or vanished snows on mountaintops and valley, thin forests on hill slope  and dried up fountains indicated a relative rise of   temperature as compared to my last visit, about ten years back. However, a partly melted and slided huge ice capping at the road attracted the Yatris. At about 3 Km from Kedarnath, the Arati of the falling setting Sun rays on the Snow capped mountains kept us spellbound. I told her the Folktale about Kedarnathji. We were very eager to Visit Kedarnath us but unaware of the shock and disbelief waiting for us.

(links to other parts 1to 8 are given at the bottom of the page)

          YATRA FROM GOURIKUND TO KEDARNATH

With two backpacks on our shoulders and sticks on our hands, we started climbing up the narrow road with hair- pin bends from Gourikund to Kedarnath.

         

The traffic jam from Rampur to Gourikund delayed our planned start off from Gourikund by four hours.

Although failed to manage incoming vehicle parking, the state govt. made nice arrangements of prepaid Horses, Palkis, and Dollis ending all the bargains. 

Depending on the weather clearance, there are regular helicopter services throughout the day, which takes about 14 minutes to reach. 

Like our population, every other thing on this road such as the no of Pilgrims, Horses, Palkis, tea shops etc increased exponentially since my last visit on the same road about ten year’s ago. However, the width of the road remained the same because of slope cutting restriction.

Keeping in mind, the altitudes, and the total climbing distance on a hilly road of average gentle gradient, we planned our halts at every 1.5 Km with fruit juices, dry fruit, and Biscuits and occasional coffees.

We plan in a similar way while exploring for minerals on a hilly terrain and I worked in both the Eastern and Northern Himalayas.

Susmita accompanied me on those trips and we both were used to climbing up for longer distance in tougher Himalayan terrains.

However, this time the plan based on the entries of my own diary failed badly as the entire set up of climate changed abruptly.

To make up the loss of time we skipped two halts but compelled to take rest beside a semi dried up hill spring. Our light woolen garments and the raincoat were wet not by the usual occasional rains of early May, but by our own sweats. We kept them in the backpack in a plastic bag and wore Jeans and T- shirts.

 We trickled into Zigzag ways amid  the crowds to walk faster but the incoming and outgoing Horses coming continuously along with the smell of their urine and heaps of stools made the traverse     real uphill and tricky task.

We reached Ramwara, just at the middle of the trek, before our expected time, wiping out the loss of time. This place with no. of restaurants, Dhabas and few Hotels appear as a small town.   

Unlike other Pilgrims, we avoided any lunch but consumed only a pack of date, roasted cashew nuts, and coffee to keep us fit for the remaining trek of six Km, steeper than the rest.

Just lifting my head from the map I did not find Susmita and a cold wave ran in my spine. The valley side here is very unstable.

She called me before I could yell. She was there, about 50 m up, just near a culvert on a tiny hilly tributary. A big hard icecap from the mountain probably rolled down the slope few days ago and became standstill just before that culvert. The ice melted partly and now appeared as several ice caves. 

When I reached there, she was already inside the cave and busy taking snaps.

I had to remind her that till then,  we were doing excellent progress and only if we keep it up we might reach before the evening Arati at Kedarnath.

The last words as if brought her back to reality and she said “Arati at Kedarnath! We must see that.  Let’s move then.”

Completing the last steep part of Garud choti, we both looked at the watch and felt comfortable.  Kedarnath is just a Km away.

We were in a valley surrounded by snow-clad mountains on all sides. Within another hour, darkness would set in.  The flow of Pilgrims reduced to trickle making the valley silent enough to hear and enjoy the resonated duet sound of, cold wave blowing from the Ice capped mountains, and the flow sound of Alakananda.  

Covering us with woolen garments and Jackets, we sat comfortably on a culvert for the last two cups of coffee. Susmita picked up a bunch of wild flowers and I tucked it on her long black hairs.

Right then the dim sun rays appeared for a moment. The snow-capped peaks changed color from white to Pale orange red but we maintained the silence, clasped hands of each other, and saw the Arati of the nature.

As we started moving towards the bridge on Alakananda she broke the silence with a mild voice “Dear Pundit ji, Tell me something about Kedarnath Temple”

I said, “I know very little, mostly from the Kathak thakurs narrating Shivpurana through their lyrical performance and something from the Net.

It is so said that Bhimji of Mahabharata was meditating hard for a darshan of Shivji who appeared in the disguise of a Buffalo and disappeared at Kedarnath. Bhim ji could only touch his divine curved shoulders. That Divine part is one of the “Jyotirlinga” The original temple of Pandavas were reconstructed by Guru Sankaracharaya. The temple is located at the foot of Kedar parvat and Kedar Dome from which the chorabari Glacier came down. A part of the melted water got trapped in a depression forming the Gandhi Sarovar at about 6 KM up from the Kedarnath temple.( This lake flooded by cloudburst triggered the Flash flood of 14.6)”

We checked in at GMVN’s Devlok lodge, took a refreshing warm bath, and left for Arati darshan at the Kedarnath Temple.

Possibly, there is an invisible halo of divine attraction, the moment you see the top crest of the Kedarnath temple and many persons including us felt it.

We were unaware that at the same place shock and disbelief were waiting for us. 
links to other episodes from 1 to 8 are given below.

For Part 1

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-1.html

For Part 2

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-2.html

For Part 3

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/trek-to-devbhoomi-for-devas-part-3-we.html

For Part 4

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-4.html

 For Part 5

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-5.html

For Part 6

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-6.html

For Part 7

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-7.html

For Part 8

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-8.html

A Trek to Dev Bhoomi for the Devas –part-3

        

We saw innumerable wide slide zones and deforestation activity before and after the proposed Hydro power station at Srinagar. Rudraprayag is a divine blend of rhythmic dance of water flow stepping on the boulders of the riverbed and the roar of falling water. The folktale about Rudraprayag is narrated. At midnight, we also enjoyed a concert of nature at Rampur which engulfed us with dormant emotions.
( links to other episodes from 1 to 8 are given at the bottom of the page)

      From Devprayag to Night halt of Rampur.

We stopped for half an hour for a breakfast break immediately after Devprayag.

 Alakananda is wide here with meandering turns. We settled for Toasts without butter, coffee and sat just beside the river to enjoy the audio-visual show of the nature.

After few hours, we were crossing Srinagar, about 100 km from Rishikesh, on the left bank of Alakananda. This is an important educational and commercial center and the last city on the plains and the First Hydro-power station towards the upstream.

There are few other Hydro power projects upstream upto Vishnuprayag. Deforestation and blasting activity took place during their constructions with simultaneous loosening and increase of slide zones. We saw a big hiatus of any vegetation and growth of adjoining wide slide zones.

 Minutes later, our vehicle started going up the Himalayas and Alakananda, down the valley, gradually diminished to a grey silver thin meandering strip.

However, my Aloka, sitting beside me with a god-gifted asset of sleeping was enjoying a comfortable nap. I braved (because she told me so) to tap her shoulder as the Hills and mountains throb her heart more than my presence.

After a few minutes, she shifted her gaze from the window   of the bus speeding across the foothill of Siwalik.

She said “Even at the foot hill area it is not a dense forest with tall trees. I am yet to see any moving bird.

“Leave aside the birds. There are not even crickets and their continuous songs. You can only hear..”

She quipped “the sound of vehicles and fill your nostrils with burnt diesel. Better tell me about the Next Prayag.”    

 “That is Rudraprayag, the confluence of Alakananda and Mandakini. In the mythology, Narada Muni meditated here to learn music from Shiva. Shiva was pleased and taught him so in the form of Rudra. Just at the confluence, stairs go up to the temple of lord Rudranath on the top of a hill from the confluence of Rudraprayag. Pilgrims also visit the adjoining Chamunda devi”

Just then, our vehicle entered the GMVN hotel of Rudraprayag for the lunch break. We occupied a table at the window side and ordered for a very humble lunch of Daal-Roti as if the breath-taking feast of eyes and ears nearly filled our stomachs.  

The ecstasy of conjugation of the two rivers is not a roar but a divine blend of rhythmic dance stepping on the boulders of the riverbed, in the background of accompanying   music of the ripples.

 Just at the beginning of a melancholic dusk, made by the fumes of the scores of stranded vehicles; we reached Rampur at about 8 Km away from Gourikund.

Nature at Rampur whispers, sings, or perhaps both.  Close at midnight, we both felt the later at the forlorn rooftop of the GMVN guesthouse of Rampur.

After a quick early dinner, we thought of seeing the News of TV at our room and then go for a stroll. By that time, there would be no stranded vehicle and no more fumes.  

Three hours later, a cold wind entered our room through loose window. The wind, whispered to wake us up, signaled   to come out from our room, and reach the lonely rooftop.  We were there for hours together and listening a rare classical concert in the amphitheater of nature.

 Continuous ripples of the Mandakini, 100 meters deep down the valley, accompanied by a battery of Tanpura and sworod from the cluster of crickets with  rhythmic classical dances of fireflies were the distinguished performing musicians and dancer besides prompt occasional announcements of next numbers   by some anchors, a lone Owl and few Jackals.

We never heard before such a great concert by the artists of nature. It filled our heart with thrill, and ignited the warmth in the veins of both of us.

 We felt the warmth of togetherness and our lips responded by caressing each other’s.
Links to other episodes are given below

For Part 1

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-1.html

For Part 2

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-2.html

For Part 3

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/trek-to-devbhoomi-for-devas-part-3-we.html

For Part 4

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-4.html

 For Part 5

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-5.html

For Part 6

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-6.html

For Part 7

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-7.html

For Part 8

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-8.html

A Trek to Dev Bhoomi for the Devas –part-2

(FOR PART -1 PLEASE CLICK http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-1.html. links to other episodes 1 to 8 are given at the end. )
Where to we find or feel a glimpse of HIM? I asked this question to several persons but found no concrete answer. I worked in the eastern and Northern Himalayas for feasibility of hydroelectric projects, landslide projects and my favorite subject ‘Mineral Exploration’. My wife Susmita accompanied me in most of the times. We both felt “HE” might be in the beautiful and sometimes spine chilling dangerous Nature of  Himalaya. This quest pulled us to visit DEV BHOOMI From Rishikesh to Kedarnath and Badrinath. Did we find “HIM”? Two miracles happened to us, one at the beginning, saving our life and another when he responded to our prayers to have his Darshan to the satisfaction of our soul.   We felt possibly at least a very small glimpse of “HIM” spread from the temples to the Nature outside. Recent human activity dangerously polluted this nature for selfish gain.  We also rediscovered our emotions and love for each other . I tried to share all these things with  kind readers.  In Part 2 the beauty of Nature along with a folktale I heard about Devprayag is also narrated. 

                 FROM RISHIKESH TO DEVPRAYAG

In the evening, after the Ganga Arati at Parmarth Ghat,  my wife Susmita was busy packing the two backpacks with woolen garments, medicines etc.

Like other yatris to Kedarnath, the rest of our luggage shall remain in the lockers at Gourikund.

She joined me soon at the sofa and looked at the Google earth Maps, I was studying and noting down some details of the route.

Until then I wrote:

1.   3^rd May:  From 356 m.r.l at Rishikesh  to the night halt at Rampur altitude 1972m.r through Single lane NH 58

2.   Travel Route: Srinagar - Rudraprayag - Augustmuni - Chandrapuri - Kund - Guptkashi - Phata – Rampur Night halt, Cold place)

3.    4^th May, reach Gourikund( GKND altitude 1982m.r.l)  and trek 14 Km on foot ( Hilly dirt road, slope gentle) reach Kedarnath(alt.3583m.r.l  Night halt. very cold night)and walk back next morning

4.   5^th May, from Gourikund to Siyalsaur( Night halt alt… ) through Guptkashi.

5.   6^th May, Departure Guptkashi and arrive Badrinath (night stay, alt.3100m.r.l. may feel cold on the way.)

6.   7^th May departure Badrinath and  back at Rishikesh on 8.5

Starting from Rishikesh end, the Five Prayags on the way are at

·       70 km (43.5 mi)  Dev Prayag(DP)

·       140 km (87.0 mi)  Rudra Prayag i.e. From DP 70KM

·       169 km (105.0 mi) to Karna Prayag

·       190 km (118.1 mi) to Nanda Prayag;

·       256 km (159.1 mi)  Vishnu Prayag

Looking at the Monitor, she said “Snow peaked mountains are only near Kedar and Badrinath. In the photographs of your previous trip in this month of May of this place, I saw snow peaks at distance from Gourikund. Where the snows have gone?”

 I quipped, “Possibly they took shelter in the high altitudes only”

She smiled and replied, “global warming! In addition, remember what Pujya Swamiji said in the Parmarth Ghat. Every day we are polluting our environment.”

The GMVN bus would start sharp at 6.30 A.M but something kept me awake even in the darkness of the comfortable hotel room.

Gathering the search from the Google, three things kept on nagging me.

1.   Absence of dense vegetation at the foothill and along the slopes of this part of Himalayas, making them vulnerable to become slide zones.

2.   Irregular rainfall of few days sandwiched between bright sunny days in May.

3.   All these above mentioned components along  with some other volatile conditions of atmosphere could make a fertile ground of accumulation of deep humid layer on the top of snow peaked mountains lying under a cold and dry airflow. If this is true, can there be a cloud burst in near future?

If this really happens, Met dept would raise an alarm for a cloudburst, I consoled myself.

Little I knew that a few days after our visit, the State govt. would overlook such an alarm for a cloudburst from the Met. Dept, which did happen and a flashflood took place.   Thousands of people either lost their life or declared as lost by the state Govt.  

GMVN transport left in time and soon we were on hilly NH 58. People started liking rafting and on the way we saw no. of rafter boats and camps.

Rafting on progress on Ganga.

                               A Rafters Camp on Ganga.

Within two hours, we crossed the Dev Prayag.

Dev Prayag is the confluence of Alakananda on the right bank and Bhagirathi on the left bank as per direction of flow i.e. towards Rishikesh.

Beyond this confluence, towards Rishikesh, we call this river as Ganga.

Our vehicle stopped for a traffic jam but it was not boring because it stooped just near the confluence.    

We were spell bound and Susmita broke the silence. 

“Look at the striking opposite nature of both.”

“Bhagirathi, the stronger, roaring, and foaming with blue waters meets with much calmer and pale yellowish green Alakananda.”

She quipped “Like years before a naughty boy met a calm girl in a seminar and proposed her..”

I smiled and replied “... And they happily lived there after like these two rivers but why. Because like that calm river she has beautiful pale greenish eyes and her nick name is also Aloka?”

She blushed and told, “Tell me something about this Prayag”

“It is so said that Sri Ram Chandra named this confluence as DEV after listening to the prayers of a Brahmin, Dev Sharma, to meet him at this place.”

Our bus started rolling from standstill to snail’s pace and crossed the bridge.

I showed her a red colored tall temple and said, “This is the famous Raghunath temple. People worship here 15 ft tall black granite made Ram Chandra ji.

         links to all, other episodes 1 to 8 are given belowFor Part 1

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-1.html

For Part 2

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-2.html

For Part 3

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/trek-to-devbhoomi-for-devas-part-3-we.html

For Part 4

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-4.html

 For Part 5

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-5.html

For Part 6

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-6.html

For Part 7

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-7.html

For Part 8

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-8.html

A Trek to Dev Bhoomi for the Devas –part-1

    (links to all other epoisodes are given at the bottom of the page)          

                                    Arati at Parmarth Ghat

A last moment change of decision on booking dates from 14 June to 2 June for the conducted tour of Kedarnath and Badrinath  saved us from being entries in the list of “Missing …” and our near and dears  to search indefinitely  for us hanging our photographs from their neck.

Rishikesh was our starting point for the conducted tour arranged by GMVN( Garwal Mondal Vikash Nigam) and we reached there three days in advance.

I visited Hardwar and Rishikesh in the same peak season month just before ten years. 

The rush of yatri tourists have now increased by many folds along with simultaneous growth of concrete jungles. However, the environment and the rules of construction on hilly terrains and near the riverbanks of a river originating  in the high altitude mountains are overlooked at many places.

“Ganga Arati in the evening is offered at many places in India on the banks of Ganga but the same at Parmarth ghat in Rishikesh is different from other places. “Go there, see, and feel it for yourself.”

Few of my friend told so, few pages of many travelogues wrote so and after moving aimlessly for more than an hour in the market areas of Luxman jhula we (me, and my wife) decided so.

( In my earlier visit, I did not see the Parmarth ghat as the entire team was in a hurry.)

 We saw the beautiful idols of Arjun and Sri Krishna riding on a Chariot, at the top of the entrance gate of Parmarth Ghat. Krishna was imparting the lessons of “Parmarth” i.e. absolute meaning of life to Arjun and inspiring him not to withdraw from the inevitable war against his own elders, relatives, and friends.

We appreciated the attempt of the Architect who tried to convey a great message to all the visitors crossing this entry gate to the Parmarth Ghat of Ganga.  However, this was just the beginning.

Beautifully maintained and clean wide stairs lead to the flowing cool waters of the river. The landings on both sides of the stairs lead to approach to another semicircular, 10-12 feet wide platform, standing on pillars plunged under the waters of flowing Ganga.

This platform is just facing opposite to the Parmarth ghat and on the center of this; the tall idol of meditating Mahadeva is one of the marvels of sculpture.

The semicircular pattern of ghat facing opposite of the Parmarth ghat provides a better view of the Arati through all possible angles in the background of the sound of the ripples of the flowing waters of Ganga.

Already thousands of Pilgrims stood on this ghat and on the platform at that time but the entire environment made the crowd to maintain silence or talk in low or hushed voice.

Only an hour was left for the Arati and the Sun to disappear from the sky. On the wide platform, just at the end of the bottom part of the stairs of Parmarth Ghat  a “Haman” was going on.

The offerings of Camphor and Ghee on the Fire were going on along with chanting of “Slokas”  from SOMVEDA in the precise tune.

The disciples of Parmarth Niketan Ashram were arranging the tall brass “Deepaks” in a row on the steps  for the forthcoming Arati. They started the Bhajans in perfect tune and soon the entire gathering joined them by swaying their heads, clasping their hands and humming the tune and the words of the Bhajan.

Some people like us sat at the back row near the idol of meditating Mahadeva and possibly all were trying to feel the divine vibration as a combined effect of Vedic Mantras of the “Haman”, Bhajans and the sound of the ripples of Ganga.

The rays of sun, which were till then appearing as halos around the facial region of Mahadeva, were slowly disappearing even from the top of his  tangled hair.  The Idol of Ganga Ji placed at the crest of his tangled hair could be seen faintly.

Sri Chidananda Saraswati (called Pujya Swamiji or Pujya Muniji by disciples), President and spiritual head of the Parmarth Niketan arrived and the entire gathering spontaneously stood up as a mark of deserving respect.

He joined the Bhajan group and soon his mesmerizing tune made the entire audience to listen and join with him

At the end of the Bhajan, he spoke for few minutes but it certainly could make a mark on the minds of spell bound listeners.

“Holy Water flowing on Ganga ji originates from the Gangotri glacier in high altitudes. Water is one of the vital form of the nature and the birthplace of life.

So, Ganga Mai is not a goddess alone, she is our mother. So how can we pollute our respected mother by throwing garbage, dead animals,  thin plastic bags and sewerage waters of cities?

The objective of this Arati is not only a mere worship. This is also to make our sole to wake up to this fact.

There may be big gathering in your house during any Puja

STRANGER OF MIDNIGHT- PART 3(LAST PART)

The Story so far: The narrator of this story takes a shortcut dirt road on his back home journey by a mistake. Just near the narrow culvert of this road, he had to stop his vehicle as a VW car was partly blocking the approach. As he tried to locate the driver, some hidden Goons beat him up and made unconscious. Regaining his sense, he was driving back and  he found  a black spaniel dog inside his car. On reaching home, he saw the TV News and came to know the kidnapping of one of his bad client, Monty Singh, near the culvert on the dirt road. There are certain circumstantial evidences from which it  appears that   as if he is involved in this kidnapping. Brushing aside this apprehension, he was inside his bath room keeping on  the News Channel.  He heard the voice of Monty and baking of the excited Pluto.

The music channel, owned by a cousin brother of Monty, suspending its own programme is  making appeals to viewers to inform the Police or the channel if they happen to see Monti ji in their locality with a promise to keep the identity undisclosed.

In between the announcements, they were also showing a video clipping of his latest speech just a month before ended   municipality election. Pluto was barking as and when this clipping was shown but why? This is something strange.

This means so far there is no ransom call and Monty’s friends are yet  to locate the den, where by now Monty is kept as hostage.

I clicked to local News channel; there was no latest development like ransom call. Now I really felt a train of cold wave  was flowing through my spine.

 Things are going to be tough for me. Possibly my interrogation may start any time for now.

I called up my lawyer’s office but his office replied that he is out of town and might return only late night or tomorrow morning.

I had no wish to go back to bathtub but I preferred to occupy the divan and leaning on the long Pillow. Keeping the News Channel on, I once again started rolling back the incidents.

For the first time in my life I realized how a person who had nothing to do in an incident but appeared just opposite.

Goons made me unconscious, just near the culvert. They thought that, I saw or guessed something wrong was going on under the culvert. Later on, Police found the remaining Kolhapuri Chappal, top lid of briefcase and some footprints under the culvert. This confirmed  my theory that something was going on below the culvert, possibly just at the time of my arrival.  

The Bolero of same color of mine was nowhere there and surely, Monty was taken in that Bolero before my arrival. The remaining miscreants were busy in breaking open the briefcase under the culvert when I stopped my vehicle near the culvert.  When they made me unconscious, they had a different brainwave.

My Bolero was of same color. They sprayed ether to make the dog unconscious and kept in my Bolero.  They were sure that as soon as I would regain my sense,  I would  drive away fast without looking into anything. By the time, this dog might become comfortable with me,   I would reach highway.

Everybody would see a Sky-blue Bolero with a black spaniel at the front seat. Police would be after the wrong Bolero and the miscreants would be able to buy sometime to keep Monty in a distant hide out.  However, few things remain unexplained.

Monty never carries briefcase, but backpack type things. I saw the broken handle of a briefcase and Police later on found a top lid of a briefcase under the culvert. Possibly other party carried this briefcase and they certainly would not break open their own briefcase.

Like today, Monty always wears snickers and Jeans, never Kurta Pajama and Chappal.

He never moves alone. As soon as he moves out of his residence, his musclemen wait for him at crossings to accompany him.

If I assume a different theory, these anomalies are explained.

Apart from construction, Monty has a bigger business in drug trafficking. Today upon receiving a call from a supplier, he went at this culvert place accompanied by his goons.

This supplier, along with his pet dog (whom I named as Pluto),carrying  the drugs in a briefcase, came in a  Sky blue color Bolero at the Culvert site much before Monty arrived.

There was a scuffle between him and Monty’s Gang. Either the person could not supply the promised amount against the advance of huge sum paid by Monty or he was a repeated defaulter of supplies.

Goons of Monty tried to snatch the brief case but only the handle of the briefcase came out. Either this fellow tried to escape through the culvert or the goons caught him before and pulled him under the culvert to complete their job without any disturbance.

They sprayed ether on him and barking Pluto. Some members of Monty’s gang carried him in his Bolero and fled off quickly. All these happened moments before I arrived.

They did a mistake in parking the Monty’s car, which made me to get down from my Bolero. To silence me also, they made me unconscious Correcting their early mistake of parking, they put me and Pluto in my Bolero and parked it  on the opposite side of the culvert so that no passer by  be inquisitive about me or Pluto and I buzz off as soon I get up.

This way   confusion might be created seeing a  Bolero of sky blue color with a dog in the front seat.

So Monty was not kidnapped, rather he and his gang did the thing and smartly put the blame on others shoulder to confuse the Police.

This is the reason why until now nobody made a single ransom call.  Further, his friends are telecasting to others to locate him to create a further confusion.

Whichever theory be correct, for me the result is the same. Soon I am bound to heart a siren wailing Police jeep screeching to halt just at the entrance of our residential complex.

Remembering the consequences, I broke into sobs. I switched off all the lights and the TV except the dim light and started thinking my plans ahead to come out of this worst kind of Jam in my life.

I did not know when I fall into sleep but a series of siren like sound pulled me up. Oh! They have come, I felt as if my heart would come out in my hand.

Oh No! It is the loud wail of Pluto. I got up to my feet and looked in the corner.  Pluto was  not there.

I shouted “ Pluto ! Pluto!” There was no response. I got up and was about to put on the light switches and then I heard distinctly.

 A baritone voice was saying “ Don’t cry Raja, Don’t cry, just come to me, Don’t cry Raja, Don’t cry ” Incidentally Raja is also my nickname, only very few people know it.

This voice was coming from the Balcony. I put on all the lights of my flat including the Balcony. There was nobody in the Balcony except Pluto. I called “ Pluto” There was no response. Now I called “ Raja”.

 Pluto pulled up for a spilt second but ignored me. I said “ Come here Raja, come”. He refused and sat there only. It was just midnight. I finished searching every nook and corner of my flat.  

I crawled several times to the balcony and looked through the grill. The entire complex was floodlit and I could see none except security persons making repeated quick rounds. Finally, I gave up and went back to divan.

At 5.45 A.M, the dawn has just begun.  Pluto is missing from my flat. Vainly searching for him, I came back to Balcony.

There are enough gaps in the grill for a small animal like him to pass through.

 The North- South—western horizons are pale dark and as if covered with a soft silky bed sheet of light fog. The eastern sky has just started becoming fade pinkish red with cool morning breeze from that side.

The wide drain of that dirt road and under that culvert passes here also and just half a kilometer away from here.   It is much wider here with thick cover of forest. The cool breeze is coming from this side.  Sometime cool bridge flows throughout the Night.

The eastern sky, along with the cool morning breeze, is pale red now. A group of black vultures is circling in this part on the top of the forest cover and appearing as sharp contrast in the background of the sky, caught my sight.

The dogs have a much powerful smelling power and if the bridge flowed in the night, he might have smelt something. Some very sad thing happened to him in the last midnight to wail loudly. 

 I now know in which direction Pluto alias Raja has gone. The complex main gate is in this side only. A police Jeep screeched to halt at the main gate of our complex.

A wail like loud sob came in my throat but failed to exit. I just heard the same baritone voice. 
Someone, invisible but very near to me, was calling me by my nick name “ Don’t cry Raja, Don’t cry, things will be all right,  Just don’t cry.”

FOr Part 1

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/strangers-of-midnight-dont-cry-raja.html

 For Part 2 Pls click the link below

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/strangers-of-midnight-dont-cry-raja_8.html

 For Part 3 Pls click the link below

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/stranger-of-midnight-part-3last-part.html

STRANGERS OF MIDNIGHT-"DON'T CRY RAJA" PART 2

The story so far: The narrator, by mistake in swerving, was returning home from office through a dirt road, instead of his usual route. Just near the narrow culvert of the dirt road he saw a VOLKSWAGON (VW) car parked wrongly and blocking partially the approach to culvert. He came out of his Bolero and before he could locate the driver of that VW, some goons hit him from the back making him senseless. After regaining his senses, he drove fast and stopped near signal crossing. He heard the wail of a dog inside his car. For Part 1 Please click  http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/strangers-of-midnight-dont-cry-raja.html 

The wailing sound was coming from the floor of the back seat. Turning and lowering my head, I saw a small silk black Spaniel curling comfortably at the floor adjoining to the backseat. As our eyes met, I braved myself to make a soft whistle and signaled the dog to come up. The dog obediently followed my signal and sat near to me.

I now saw the silk black Male Spaniel minutely. Dogs of this class cannot be stray dogs and are pets only. The cover on his body with proper bags for nature call further confirmed it.

Has anyone gone for an evening stroll in this lonely road and left his or her dear pet dog?

Perhaps this is  the  dog of  that abandoned car owner. However, no pet shall ever abandon the master and enter into my car.

I looked at the small dog and it looked back straight to me. It appeared to me that something scared him and he is looking for a shelter from me.

For the night, he would stay in my apartment and tomorrow, before entering the office, I would keep him in a kennel and better put an advertisement in the local daily so that his owner might contact me.

I whistled at him and called him as Pluto. Pluto took out his tongue and licked his face twice and agreed reluctantly to his new name, with a low bark “grrr, grrr”

  The pain was coming back, reminding me that the effect of the analgesic is temporary. As the signal became amber to green, I quickly shifted gear to reach my apartment soon.  

As I entered my flat, Pluto made a quick round of my apartment and settled on a mat at the corner between the sofa and the divan of the big living room.  Instead of freshening up, I opened the fridge, made a drink, took out a packet of Snacks, and put the marinated chicken for roasting in the Microwave.

 I offered Pluto, few biscuits in a plate and a tumbler of water. He drank the entire water within a minute but pushed the plate away. I knew pet dogs take some time to accept food from a new environment. The aroma of roasted chicken was filing this living room. He might like a portion of the chicken.

Resting comfortably on the sofa, I put on the TV and my idea was to have a drink and see something in TV to brush off the bad memory of the happenings of past one hour from my mind before soaking in the warm water of the Tub of the bathroom. Little I was unaware that something else would happen in the following moment.

As I pressed on the remote button, the News channel came first.  Right then, I was not interested in any News but looking for a reality show or music-cum dance channel. However, the News channel kept me glued.

There was a flash News.  Some miscreants possibly kidnapped the well-known builder Monty Singh.  

Monty is a bitter name to me with even a much bitter memory.  He came up from the underworld with good connections in social high ups and power corridors. His kidnapping is big news in this city. A video clipping followed, showing his abandoned car. My heart thumped a bit.

It is that VW car in the same location of the dirt road where I stopped my car just an hour before.

The Newsreader was showing a clip of the interview with his family members. They said that he went out in his car after receiving a call in his mobile. He wore his usual blue Jeans and off white heavy snickers.

Media people are smarter than police are. They found out two guys, who crossed this dirt road to highway few hours before.

One of them saw a black spaniel, who barked at him loudly protruding his tiny head from the front seat of a Sky blue Bolero. There was no driver or passenger in that Bolero. Someone, just near the culvert, parked this Bolero in the lay by of the dirt road.

The other guy saw a man, who stood near the bonnet of the Bolero towards the passenger’s side. He has to slow down his car before crossing this Bolero and seen this man clearly. This jet-black curly haired man was tall and slender. He was wearing a formal black trouser and white full sleeve shirt and at the time of crossing, this guy was busy in picking up his striped golf cap from the bonnet of the Bolero.  

It appeared to him that this tall man, most likely, is the owner cum driver of this bolero. The tall fellow had an anxious face and possibly, he was waiting for someone. However, none of them noted the Number plate of the Bolero.

Police is trying hard to trace Monty, this tall man and the sky blue Bolero Station wagon with dog but without any success until now. At the bottom of the culvert space, they found a single Kolhapuri Chappal, Few foot-marks and the top lid of a cheap briefcase. Incidentally, I saw a single pair of Kolhapuri Chappal and a handle of a briefcase just on the parapet of the culvert.  

 They are suspecting a kidnap case and looking for all his friends and known persons particularly those with whom he has business transactions. However, until now nobody telephoned and asked for ransom. This clip was enough to send tremors in my heart. 

Monti was one of our bad clients. We agreed to prepare an integrated package of design of a shopping Mall to be built by him. Monty paid only half the amount. Although we submitted all the drawings before time, he turned out to a defaulter for the remaining amount. We sent in few reminders and finally gave up.

Things may go hot for me for the following reasons.

·        Monti is a defaulter of fifty lakhs to us. There are cases when people resort to this practice of kidnapping to recover their debt. There are other points to make me an easy suspect.

·        My physical description starting from the height, color and jet black curly hair on my head, matches well with the description of this tall person.  

·        I own a light blue colored Bolero and often wear a stripped golf cap.

·        Only this afternoon, possibly just at the time of kidnapping, I changed my usual route and took this dirt road route. There is also an icing on the cake.

·        Just before the highway, I stopped at the signal. Many people are now possibly ringing up the TV persons that they saw a sky blue Bolero coming from the dirt road with a protruding face of a black spaniel from the front seat and the vehicle driver was a curly haired possibly tall and dark person. Someone might have noted my Number plate, which the first two people did not.  

Most likely, I am on the top of the suspicion list and the moment Police starts grilling me,  the consequences are bad for me.

City group has not yet finalized the deal in black and white and they may make some excuse to withdraw from the contract. I have few ongoing projects of other companies. Going by legal reasons, they may not withdraw but may make things tough for me.

 All these things may make me back to square no.1 of my struggle days.

I was about to call my lawyer friend but dropped the idea after thinking few things.

Just now, this News channel told that there was a call in Monty’s mobile following which he went out in his VW.  Police is busy in tracing this call or the ransom call already done by the miscreants but not disclosed to media. Whatever may be the case, the Police shall be busy for the rest of the night in either one of them or both. I am not coming into picture in either of them. Let me not apprehend things and panic.

Monty’s underworld friends are much professional than Police .They must be on the prowl right now.  With their strong network and connections, they are quite capable to narrow down the place where the miscreants kept Monti as a hostage.

The chicken roast is ready in the microwave. The aroma and the beep sounds were both telling that. I placed some portions of it in two dishes, one for me, and the rest for my guest Pluto. Pluto licked it and had a bite. As I leaned to Pluto to serve him the dish, a nauseating smell of Ether entered my nostrils. Surely, this dog was made senseless by spraying Ether, during the incident. I made another drink and carried the dish and the glass to washroom.

I shall have my dinner as well as soaking in the lukewarm bathtub. Before leaving from the living room, I changed the channel to a local music video channel and kept the bathroom door open.

Before I undressed, I had a bite from the soft roasted chicken breast and a big gulp of whisky and kept my drink and the plate on the wide side wall of the bathtub so that I can take majestically both of them while soaking in the tub.

The channel stopped music and possibly some anchor started saying something. I reached for my glass and heard the loud barks of Pluto. Pluto came running to me in the bathroom and went back to living room and balcony.   

Monty’s Voice was filling the room. I quickly got up from the tub, put on the bathrobe and ran to the living room. 

FOR Part ! Pls Click

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/strangers-of-midnight-dont-cry-raja.html

 For Part 2 Pls click the link below

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/strangers-of-midnight-dont-cry-raja_8.html

 For Part 3 Pls click the link below

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/03/stranger-of-midnight-part-3last-part.html