Visiting Lar After 22 Years

DEORIA – UTTAR PRADESH – INDIA           JUNE 30 , 2013           08.30 P.M.

Yesterday on June 29 , 2013 I visited Lar , a small town in Deoria district . It was a visit which happened after almost 22 years . So naturally when I was passing through the rain – washed roads of Lar , several floodgates of memory suddenly got opened and I was inundated with myriads thoughts , various feelings – some fresh , some a little bit obfuscated .

Main Road Lar – Deoria

I vividly remember my first visit of the town , which I visited 39 years back . My father died in February 1974 and then I started managing my ancestral properties . In that connection I paid visit to Sohagara , a village in Bihar on the bank of river Gandak , which is the village of my forefathers . It was noon time in April 1974 . I alighted from the bus in the blistering heat and proceeded for my onward journey to Sohagara . Since there were no pucca roads or any vehicles to ferry me to Sohagara ,  I started my journey on foot .

I passed through the market . It was first time that I saw Lar town and the bazar , which is situated on the both sides of a narrow pathway . I crossed the bazar and took the road connecting Lar to Chanuki Ghat . After crossing Gandak river I set foot on the dusty road of Sohagara village .

Chhoti Gandak River- Sohagara is on the right of the river

Main Road of Sohagara

It happened 39 years back but visuals are still fresh in my memory as if it all happened recently . After that day it became almost a monthly ritual to pass through Lar for onwards journey to Sohagara . In those days I had no friends or acquaintances in Lar . Barring a Mithai / tea shop near Bus Station , I had no place to even sit for some time .

After few years , around 1985 I started working in social field . Now  my visits to Lar became more frequent . From monthly visit to the town , it became almost weekly . I started interacting with people . During my those social service days , I got to know Shri Bhanu Ji and various other people of Lar .

Suddenly life took an unknown turn . It took another route ; a route less travelled , a route not well-known , a route very daunting , a road full of pitfalls . I left Deoria for Mumbai [ then Bombay ] in 1989 and after that my association with Lar was snapped abruptly . I was not able to visit Lar . I did visit Sohagara but I always took another road through Majhauli . Relationships , friendships and all the connections got frozen and they remained in frozen state since then . Lar did remain in my memory but as I said earlier everything remained frozen , dormant .

I was busy in Mumbai . Running acting institute is not an easy task . It took most of my time . Because of the nature of my work , I got used to internet and became active on various social networking sites . Suddenly and unexpectedly life again took another turn and a turn for better . Bhanu Ji’s son Suryendu Kumar caught hold of me through facebook . Ice started melting suddenly . As if ice – age ended and warmth of  life was there again for everyone to feel . Relationships came out of deep-freezer and once again got fresh lease of  life .

In June 2013 I reached Deoria for my annual trip and Bhanu Ji and his son Suryendu Kumar came to meet me . They were kind enough to invite me to inaugurate the new session of their school , ANJANEYA PUBLIC SCHOOL .

I readily accepted the invitation . I started in the morning from Deoria , reached Lar around 8.30 . The town has changed drastically . Chanuki Mod , which was a desolate corner 39 years ago , is bustling with activity and is changed beyond recognition .

I had tea at Bhanu Ji’s house . Then we proceeded for Matiyara .

Fate is strange . Destiny is mysterious . They play curious games with hidden hands . Once again I was travelling on the same road , which I took 39 years ago for my journey to Sohagara . When I left Deoria , I thought that I would never be able to see the road again . But as I said , destiny plays strange and curious games . 39 years ago it was blistering heat of April and I was walking on the dusty road . And this time it was wet , rain – washed June and I was travelling in a car . But the road was same .

Anjaneya Public School , Matiyara , Lar , Deoria

I am happy that I agreed to go for the function . It was nice to meet bright boys and girls of ANJANEYA PUBLIC SCHOOL . It was heart-warming to meet some old acquaintances . It was nostalgic to travel on the same road after 22 years .

On behalf of all the students and staff of VIDUR Acting Institute , which is known as Vidur’s Kreating Charakters  , I wish the boys and girls of ANJANEYA PUBLIC SCHOOL a very bright future .VIDUR Editing Studio , VIDUR Club and VIDUR Theatre would also like to wish them well in their glorious journey ahead .

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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