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दिनेश कुकरेती
लंबे अर्से से कुछ नहीं लिख पाया, लाख जतन करने पर भी। लेकिन, आज शब्द खुद-ब-खुद प्रस्फुटित हो रहे हैं। मन कर रहा है बिना रुके किस्से गढ़ता चला जाऊं। ...तो शुरू करता हूं आज की कोटद्वार यात्रा से। दीपावली के दौरान मैं हर साल घर पर ही रहता हूं। तमाम झंझावतों के बावजूद त्योहारों के मौके पर परिवार के साथ रहना सुकून देता है। इसलिए मैं दो-एक दिन पहले ही देहरादून से कोटद्वार चला आता हूं। लेकिन, हर साल ही आते हुए काफी परेशान होना पड़ता है। आज भी ऐसा ही हुआ। हालांकि, मैं इसके लिए पहले से ही तैयार था। बीते कई वर्षों से मैं लैंसडौन या धुमाकोट जाने वाली उत्तराखंड परिवहन निगम की बस से कोटद्वार आता हूं। ये दोनों बस सुबह साढे़ पांच से छह बजे के बीच आईएसबीटी देहरादून से कोटद्वार के लिए रवाना होती हैं।
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आज भी मैं ठीक पौने पांच बजे अपने रूम से आईएसबीटी के लिए प्रस्थान कर गया था। रूम से आईएसबीटी तक लगभग चार किमी का फासला मैं हमेशा पैदल ही तय करता हूं। पैदल चलने के किसी भी अवसर को मैं कभी जाया नहीं होने देता। वैसे भी स्वास्थ्य की दृष्टि से पैदल चलना बेहद लाभकारी है और वक्त भोर का हो तो कहने ही क्या। तेज चलने के कारण इस दूरी को तय करने में मुझे बामुश्किल चालीस मिनट लगते हैं। सुबह भी सवा पांच बजे मैं आईएसबीटी पहुंच गया था। ठीक साढे़ पांच बजे मसूरी बस अड्डे से धुमाकोट जाने वाली बस भी वहां पहुंच गई। लेकिन, यह क्या? जैसे ही मैं बस में सवार होने को हुआ, कंडक्टर ने स्पष्ट ऐलान कर दिया कि सवारी फुल हैं, इसलिए सीट नहीं मिलेगी। चाहो तो खड़े-खड़े चल सकते हो।
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होली-दीपावली के मौके पर पहले भी कई बार ऐसा हो चुका है। एक बार तो बस न मिलने के कारण मुझे वापस रूम में लौटना पडा़ था। तब मैं शाम के वक्त कोटद्वार के लिए चला करता था। दूसरे दिन भी जैसे-तैसे ट्रैकर मिल पाया था, वह भी तय किराये से 50 रुपये अधिक देकर। जबकि, एक बार खचाखच भरी बस में मैंने खडे़-खडे़ ही सफर किया। उन्हीं अनुभवों से सबक लेकर मैंने ठान लिया था कि इस बार सीट मिलने पर ही बस में बैठूंगा। सो, कंडक्टर के इनकार करने पर मैं बिना जिरह किए पास ही खडी़ हरिद्वार आने वाली बस में सवार हो गया। बस 15 मिनट इंतजार कराने के बाद गंतव्य के लिए रवाना हुई। हां! ऐसी परिस्थिति के लिए मन से तैयार होने के कारण आज मैं तनाव में नहीं था।
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Reached Kotdwar like this to celebrate Diwali
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Dinesh Kukreti
Couldn't write anything for a long time, even after making a million efforts. But, today the words themselves are erupting. I feel like going on creating stories without stopping. So let me start with today's Kotdwar Yatra. I stay at home every year during Diwali. Despite all the hassles, being with family on the occasion of festivals is comforting. That's why I come to Kotdwar from Dehradun a day or so in advance. But, coming every year has to be a lot of trouble. The same thing happend today. However, I was already prepared for it. For the past many years, I come to Kotdwar by Uttarakhand Transport Corporation bus going to Lansdowne or Dhumkot. Both these buses leave for Kotdwar from ISBT Dehradun between 5.30 am to 6.00 pm.
Even today I had left my room for ISBT at exactly five o'clock. I always cover the distance of about 4 km from Room to ISBT on foot. I never let any opportunity to walk be wasted. Anyway, walking is very beneficial from the point of view of health and what to say if the time is early morning. It hardly takes me forty minutes to cover this distance because of the brisk walking. I had reached ISBT at 5.15 in the morning also. The bus going from Mussoorie bus stand to Dhumakote also reached there at exactly 5.30 pm. But, what's this? As soon as I was about to board the bus, the conductor made a clear announcement that the ride is full, so the seat will not be available. If you want, you can walk standing.
This has happened many times before on the occasion of Holi-Deepawali. Once I had to return to the room due to non-availability of the bus. Then I used to walk for Kotdwar in the evening. On the second day as well, the tracker was able to be found, that too by paying Rs 50 more than the fixed fare. Whereas, once I traveled standing in a packed bus. Taking lessons from those experiences, I was determined that this time I will sit in the bus only after getting a seat. So, on the refusal of the conductor, I boarded the bus coming to Haridwar, parked nearby without cross-examination. The bus left for the destination after waiting for 15 minutes. Yes! I was not under stress today as I was prepared for such a situation.
The bus reached Haridwar Chandipul around 7 o'clock. Apart from the GMOU bus coming to Kotdwar, two trackers were also standing there. One of the trekkers was to come to Kotdwar, while the other was to reach Najibabad. I didn't have to come on the GMOU bus, so I turned to the tracker. bus! This is where I got caught in the illusion. The driver of the tracker which was coming to Najibabad was also shouting Kotdwar-Kotdwar and sitting passengers. I was the first person to sit in that tracker, so the Haridwar resident could not fathom the driver's mind. Although, seeing the position of the seats in the Tracker, I had a slight sense that something was amiss, but the behavior of the Tracker driver did not seem to be misleading.
It took about 20 minutes for the driver to fill the ride. In the meantime, the thought also came to mind that why not sit in another tracker, but then it seemed that the fear of the tracker not going to Kotdwar was unfounded. I didn't get off the trekker in this euphoria. Now the tracker was packed. The driver had accommodated 11 rides instead of nine, but due to the absurdity of one ride, he was unable to leave for the destination. Actually, this ride was engrossed in eating chickpeas in a kiosk nearby and the driver was looking very helpless waiting for him. So! The ride pleased to board the trekker, so we also proceeded on the way from Haridwar to Kotdwar. But what's this? After walking for about a kilometer, the driver diverted the trekker towards Kangri village. It was learned that he also had to deliver the belongings of an acquaintance to Najibabad. The driver told us that he is a resident of Kangri and the acquaintance is his neighbour.
Jagrata ka pudding
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They had moved ahead from there that half the road was seen with tents on the way. The driver tried to remove the tracker from the shore. Then four-five persons stopped the tracker by giving their hands. He told that Mata's awakening was going on here and just now the bhog has started. At the same time, he urged all the passengers sitting in the tracker to offer bhog and everyone started catching pudding in a cardboard bowl. I hadn't even brushed it yet, so politely declined. But, most of the passengers broke down on the pudding as if they were hungry for birth after birth. Some even took three bowls of pudding. On the other hand, the driver started expressing his gratitude towards the mother. It was said that we are very fortunate, who came from here and got the prasad of the mother. The passengers were also giddy. After stopping for five to seven minutes, the trekker proceeded through the bumpy road of Kangri. Now our reins were in the hands of the driver, where he wants to take him. After about ten minutes, we came to the highway sometime before Shyampur. Come on, by the grace of the driver, I also saw Kangri village right today while walking.
Historical Village Deedar
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On March 4, 1902, Swami Shraddhanand, a monk of Arya Samaj, laid the foundation of Gurukul (now Gurukul Kangri University) on the banks of the Ganges in this historic village. Then this village used to be a part of Bijnor district. At that time there were some huts here, which gave the feeling of some ancient sage's ashram. On 24 September 1924, when the course of the Ganges changed due to rising water, the Kangri village was flooded, which caused severe damage to the buildings on the banks of the Ganges. So, on May 1, 1930, the Gurukul was shifted from the eastern bank of the Ganges to the present location near Haridwar on the western bank for protection against future floods.
punctured tracker tire
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After leaving Kangri, we must have traveled only five-six km when a bike rider passing by told that the rear tire of the tracker was punctured. Now I was cursing the time when I boarded the tracker. By then it also became clear that the trekker would go only till Najibabad. It was also evident in the tone of conversation of other passengers that their destination was Najibabad. But, when the arrow leaves the command, there is no other option but to be patient. The driver parked the tracker on the side of the highway to replace the punctured tyre. The tire which the driver was replacing the punctured tyre, was also in bad shape. The mind was getting apprehensive that even this tire might not answer on the way.
Chakkarghini in Najibabad
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After about half an hour the tracker proceeded. It may have taken us an hour to reach Najibabad from there. When I got down from the tracker in Najibabad, the bus or the tracker coming to Kotdwar was not visible far and wide. So, I started towards Haridwar Road Tirahe in search of trekker. Two trackers were standing at the entrance of the railway station. One of them was packed and left for Kotdwar after five minutes. I kept on going. There was silence on the Haridwar road intersection, so I started going towards the bus stand again from there. On reaching near the railway station, I asked the passengers sitting in the other tracker standing there and came to know that the tracker would go to Kotdwar. There was one seat left behind, so I also got into it. As there was enough luggage in the bag, I asked the driver to keep it in the terrace. Finally, after about a quarter of an hour, the trekker reached Kotdwar.
got a good lesson
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Now I took my way home on foot. Due to the change of three vehicles and the painful journey, the fatigue was enough. Today was also one hour late than other days. On the way home, I was getting angry with myself that why I got caught in the trap of that tracker in Haridwar. To say that Haridwar is a religious city, but the people living there can fool anyone like this, I had not even dreamed of it. So! A lesson has been learned from this that even the innocent looking and sweet speaking should not be trusted blindly. Especially! Absolutely not in Haridwar.
