Bodhgaya:Rural Bihar,Photos,Videos

The popular and not-so-popular Bihar

All previous posts on Bihar: 

The ploughing of field is as equivalent to workout in a gym. But its fun!
I trembled to recollect my past visit."Serial blasts rock Bodh Gaya temple" was the traumatic news in my morning newspaper few days back .I refuse to digest the news. Slowly and patiently, I opened my laptop and searched for my folder "Bihar”. The pictures reminded me of fond memories of the holy land as if each and every place was coming as a flashback in my head. The only question was "Is it as the same before and after the blast? Or have things changed?"Are religious places now targeted as vulnerable attack sites or as victims of god's fury? Who do we seek support of? I didn't have an answer.  

                              Didn't know before my search that it would take me to someplace this beautiful 


In the last article, we discussed on how I intentionally decided to track my roots. Little did I know that the Bihar which I had in my mind has changed long back. Surprisingly not many dare to go and explore this land, hoping that they might just be kidnapped or taken away by goons. Tourism runs low except Bodh Gaya. Yes, Bihar is solely known for Bodh Gaya world over.

                                                                   Mahabodhi Temple,Bodhgaya

Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment in this famous and religious land. The last blogpost contained my journey to single seated ropeway in Bihar and to Nalanda. This time we literally ploughed the fields and walked through the mushy land of water to discover the hidden gems of rural Bihar.

So let's get a little dirty, and enjoy the rest of the trip! But before we do I have good news for all of you:

"I will be part of ‘One Year To Go commonwealth games2014 event' starting next week. Another adventure ahead.....and many more stories to come".

The video on Bihar

Rural and Remote Dona, Bihar 

                                    The view from my window,mindblowing isn't it?

I woke up to the most beautiful morning I have ever seen. I didn't wake up to brush my teeth this time as usual, I woke up to view the mist clad scene outside from the small window of the hut partially opened. The view was as a painting "two three huts, fields ranging infinity, cows on road, one or two jeep passing by". The feeling of being disconnected to the outer world and yet deeply connected to nature was as sweet as fresh nectar.

Dona isn't very far from Nalanda,Rajgir and Bodhgaya. Rajgir to Dona is 45 minutes. The village Dona is named after Dronacharya from the epic Mahabharata. It's interesting how the epic gels with the modern. In spite of my fear over the road connectivity I found roads to be just perfect.

                                                 The greens are always a therapy,it brings an instant smile

That morning when I woke up I didn't have any hidden agenda. Last night, I had the yummiest chicken ever prepared on chulha in Dona. Even though the electricity wasn't there at night, I never felt the need to have it. We chatted half the night below the twinkling stars and a lantern. It was amazing to know how people live. And more how people live so simple. I was amused at their level of happiness and satisfaction. I was bowled over by their hospitality. The chicken I had was incomparable, I felt like licking my fingers till morning. It had the scent of coal and wood. For the first time I had more than 4 chappatis to this homely made fresh and soft chicken and all under one roof in Dona.

                                                                       Farming of the Indian paan

Once you are in a village, what do you think you can do?For most of the urbanities including me, we tend to confuse exploration with a mere googled plan. But alas! we had no plans. We set out to discover, this time we didn't have honks or beeps to stop us or a fixed plan to cater to. Me, my cousins, my mom, my brother and my mamaji along with the bhaiya who used to work for us before and now stays there, we all set for a journey I wanted to be part of since long but never got chance. Some say group travel isn't fun anymore, but I prefer it to solo. I don't mind solo travel which I have done a lot of times before, but over the years I realized it’s the people who you can celebrate with, is much much better.

Like this particular place would have been a little boring had it been done alone, but with a group the muddy fun just got exaggerated to the levels unimagined.

Getting wet, dirty and muddy in Dona Bihar

                                                          The only way to get to the other end.Dip in!

If you get one day to take a mud bath, would you love it or would you stay away ?If you get one day to cross fields without your chappals, would you still be with me ?

                                                                                       Field fresh

But if I say if you get one day to cross fields and fields and fields and plough the field and go in the paan fields along the small ponds where they say is home to the snakes or cross the small divided lines which separates one field from another without slipping down in all the muddy panoramic views around, you might consider.

                                                                   This dip of water isn't that bad,is it?

No, you should. The feeling of walking with those bare feet in the fresh mud and finally giving up to just jump in the water to cross is unbelievable. The feeling of local villagers shouting and starting at you for your bemused muddy expression is laughable. The feeling of those same a minute back giggling villagers posing for you, is inescapable. That's all we live for isn't it ? The simple pleasures of life.

Dona village also contains a very ancient temple with a pond in front where it is believed that whatever you ask for is given. I wish..I just get to travel the world; I hope my god's listening.