When I was in New Tihri - Part 1

 I am sitting alone and suddenly thought came to my mind that why not this time I should go to Tihri for experiencing Tihri Dam, India’s largest dam and feel the sad truth behind making of this largest dam. Next morning I am in a bus going Haridwar. I will take day rest in Haridwar and then move to Tihri or New Tihri as it is known now…

It’s still winter in Nainital. I shivered till Haldwani, Plane area of hills, after Haldwani cold get away. Bus is almost full and warm become hot now. This road is one of the roads which are full of my childhood memory but scenario has been changed now. Anyways I am enjoying what I see like jungle like town like big farming land like advertisement on walls specially advertisement for the sex problems…

Reached Nazimabad, a small town, where bus stop for the lunch. After lunch when bus starts again it was a brutal road accident. Some vehicle hit the bike and guy was thrown on road. Everybody watching dead body and moving but no one has time to stop for a second. Bus stops so I went out and asked to a roadside shopkeeper about it. He said – it’s not my job and what I can do, we have informed the police. Police will come and do whatever they have to do and he got busy to attend customers…

We become so much inhuman or may be our law and police investigations are so unfriendly that everybody wants to stay away from all this. It’s pathetic. I back to seat and wait for the bus to move.  Guy sitting next to me is a young who is busy chatting in whatsapp and listen music in headphone. Life becomes technical now… 

I reach Haridwar by 1.30 and search out my hotel with the help of local GPRS means I prefer asking people instead of mobile GPRS. According to me it makes connection with new people. Though I am a gazette freak person but I don’t like depending on them every time. After some struggle in hot weather I reach to my hotel acquire room get fresh and went off to the streets of Haridwar.

Don’t know how many times I have been walk alone on these streets but every time they give me new feelings. I walked a long distance to reach River Ganga and then sit in a silent corner of river start watching the flow of celestial water of Ganga and also people busying with their lives…

 After half an hour I walk in Ganga Ghat upto Har ki Paury the main part of river where big Arti would perform after a while. Nothing is change here and nothing is change in me too. I went to shop buy a flower wick lamp went to river give my reverence to River Ganga ignore all stupid talks of pandas. I do this every time when I come here…

  

I then came to opposite end of Ganga so that I could see the main ceremony of worship. Next to me a Japanese couple is sitting who are so much engrossed by the shaved head and little pigtail on the back of saints’ head. They clicking pictures with enjoy and laughing. I am also enjoying the moments with my camera…

 Main ritual starts and all become quite. I only hear voice of chants buzzing by priest. This is so spiritual so pure that I feel relax, calm, quite and completely unburden. I can feel the purity of it and want to be a part of it. It goes around one hour but after this I again sit there for more time and then way back to market finish food and get back to room. After a while I fall asleep…

 Morning I again walk toward Ghat which is bustling with pilgrims. All are busying to wash off their sins but I don’t want to so I give my offering to River Ganga and back as I have to go to New Tihri today…

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