A school in Bahrampore
Day 9 - Sunday 23rd November.
"Ekdum Suijjerland (Switzerland said in a Bengali tone)" the manager of the WBTDC lodge remarked speaking to us about the riverside road connecting the area where the Lodge is situated to the famous Hazarduari Palace at Murshidabad. He said 10km's will take 10mins maximum.
Well, welcome to the ninth day and the final day of our family outing. We had decided to stop over at Bahrampore on the return journey and explore around a little, like the nearby Murshidabad town, which is the most historic town in Bengal of amazing importance in the past.
After having our breakfast, the Ikon 1.6 and its passengers rolled towards the road by the river and the Switzerland connection was obvious, the cows. Although they did not have the bell on their necks. The road surface, though paved and a welcome change from what we saw on the NH34, was full of little ripples. But then, not many are previleged enough to know that the roads in switzerland were far better even 20 years before one first visited the country 20 years back.
Anyway, 10 mins were spent just going past the bazaar they setup at the start of that road. Chickens, Muttons, lungi clad people being on the road
ensured that progress was quite slow but steady. Soon we were at the Murshidabad entry checkpost. We had to stop to pay the Levy. A white t-shirt, white trouser clad, long haired, short gentleman made an appearance. He went straight at my Dad's window, informed he is a guide, he would like to have a word with him, directed me "Bhai switch of the car, no need for wasting fuel". I simply obeyed, as I sensed entertainment, besides, not many days we get to experience this.
Dad told him that we only wanted to see Hazarduari, to which he took big offense, "Murshidabad is such an important place on the chest of our great country and you want to see only Hazarduari?" I gestured to my sister to control laughter. Dad informed him about the shortage of our time, and he said, "let me assure you, I will utilise the time you give to me, and show you around. Getting me is your good luck. Everybody knows me in this area, I am the Sanjoy Guide."
The Sanjoy Guide
He said, he will fit into a small space my father would liberate on his left side and his small frame did.
As the car rolled again, the livewire began his performance. At times he was asking me to drive a little slower so that he can time his lecture with our arrival at a venue. Everyone around knew him, and seeing his face made way for our car!! (The real reason I will say later)
First up was the Mirjafar house/Jafragunj gate and the cemetery (Mirzafar and his family is buried there) surrounded by the famous Moti jheel
The Moti Jheel (Looking at it it does not seem that it has any historical significance but this horseshoe shaped waterbdy has seen a lot)
Very soon we were faced with the prospect of not following the context of the guides tales but savour in the entertainment. He took offense, he said, I will ask questions, Murshidabad is not a laughing matter. lthough I wasn't laughing externally.
From there we went to this fantastic Jahan Kosha cannon, the history of it is also attached!
Then we went on to the Katra Mosque. Some pictures there. The founder of Murshidabad lies there.
It was time to drive on to the Hazarduari palace, that we actually came to see. Hazarduari as the name implies, thousand doors. There are 900 real doors to this palace and 100 fake ones (made of concrete and painted in wooden color). It has the famous Armory room containing amazing period exhibits from Arms to oil paintings of the princes, old clothes to palanquins. Photography inside being strictly prohibited, one had to deposit mobiles at the gate too.
Just opposite the Hazarduari is the Imambara and in the same premises is the Madina Mosque, that has in it the sacred soil of Madina brought in by, if I am not mistaken, Mirzafar.
Chowkbazar palace was just across the street.
But then time was running out, it was time to wish the guide goodbye. Murshidabad obviously demands a longer period of stay there to let the place speak its history to you. But then apart from the history of Murshidabad, we also found the phenomenon called Sanjoy Guide. We took his phone contact and promised to see him again. Recommend meeting him for the revelation he is.
we head straight to the Lodge, collected our stuff and hit the road. This time the destination was Howrah, our home.
But having said that, I had already mentioned the 30kms that we had to face from Moregram to Berhampore. Continuing on the same NH34 southwards would make us reach home, but the road condition was deplorable. Driving back 30kms to Moregram was also a pain. Just to give you an idea of the road surface of the little we encountered of that surface on our eventual route.
This my fiiends is a NATIONAL HIGHWAY (and not that it has suffered any recent flood or something, it stays like this forever)
Driving North on NH34 for a km or so we took a left turn, a road that goes to Kandi, Kuli, Andhi, touching Sainthia, and coming out on Md Bazar on the NH60 (The Panagarh-Moregram highway).
The road had scatterred potholes the initial 8-10 kms, then a good surface, till Kandi, 28kms. Kandi to Kuli about 6 kms was not bad. But Kuli to Aandhi around 5 kms had sporadic potholes. Andhi to Sainthia being 15kms had stretches of Good and bad mixed. Where it was bad, it was real bad.
A statebus overtaking a private one, the rightwheel is on the road burm. Needless to say the surface is uneven, but does the driver care? The passengers think, this is quite a great ride, akin to Suijjerland.
But driving on this stretch we encountered something unexpected. A group of camels, kept grazing, unattended.
After taking snaps we drove off discussing in what ways the camel comes in handy, not even dwelving on the "horse designed by a committee" angle.
After 62 kms of careful driving we reached the Panagarh-Moregram highway. The throttle was given the boot, reason, the setting sun, and the fact that we did not have anything to eat since breakfast.
We reach Panagarh by daylight for a "Tarka Roti" session. Then on, home was 150kms (164kms by the route we actually took on the way back) away, but on the expressway.
Dad took over, however there was a huge truck jam at Panagarh. It took us 30 mins to extract ourselves from that.
After hitting the expressway, Dad handed the car back to me, saying he was unable to see anything. He had a recent laser surgery on his right eye, which he felt was completly unnecessary given that his vision problems were actually in his left eye. But then the Opthalmist must have known better.
After taking charge, it was just a matter of keeping the steering held, blipping at the trucks, soon we were home. Towards the end, I was driving dead slow, cause did not want this to get over. But it still did.
It was just supposed to be a family reunion tour, but what did it turn out to be!
Thanks for bearing with me on this journey! The roads were too bad.