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“ There are limits, beyond which human conscious is reduced to a mere sensory perception, and beyond which lies the throes of the unknown, or the supernatural, as we know it”…
As I sit down to recount that journey, an unknown feeling of fear still grips my mind- something that forbids me to share this- a literal sense of reliving the past, experiencing those moments, bringing on a complete sense of Déjà vu. Yet, I must complete this, or else- a beautiful chapter, wrapped in the dark hallows of eons gone by, shall never be revealed-never untold to those who are still non-believers in the art of “What lies beyond”, our conventional perception of what we know is true and tangible, and what we can’t see, but just feel, creeping up our spines.
It was the second leg of our otherwise enjoyable trip to the pink city- Jaipur- a land with innumerable hues and colors, that had us reveling in the joys of the old, and the new alike. After having a blast at the innumerable forts, dancing with local bards at Chokhi Dhani, and gorging on the Dal Baati/Choormas in the local cafes- it was time for us to head back home. As we stopped at a roadside temple to offer our prayers to the great one- before embarking upon the long trip back home- a sudden thought struck my mind. I had heard about this place, on a couple of teleshows on the supernatural, and it lay around 100 KM, enroute to Delhi, somewhere in Alwar. I suggested the same as a stopover route to my fellow travelers-Our Customer care manager, and his better half-our companions on that trip. The initial reaction was not a positive one; or so, I thought, as the ladies thought it prudent, to go in for another round of shop-hunting, then wasting our time in travelling to a nondescript place that no-one had heard of/been to. However-by fate/by circumstance- The male domination mindset took over, and in order to avoid burning yet another hole in our already minuscule pockets- we decided to take the route to Bhangarh instead, and set off. In spite of the loud protests by the ladies- the car took a sharp turn just off the Delhi-Jaipur route, and we were on our way...
The route to Bhangarh, on the alwar state highway, seemed to pop out of a fairy tale!! In the otherwise arid and dry land of Rajasthan- there are small pockets of green hither and thither, and local villagers huddled in groups wave goodbye, as you shoot across them, at break-neck speed. The drive is marked by spectacular changes in the landscape , as one meanders from plain village paths, right onto the heart of the Aravallis, and the landscape is purely amazing..a treat to the senses. The age old rock formations seem to stare at you with nonchalance, and even as you pass them by, a sense of rejuvenation and pure joy breaks on in your soul. The playful herds of cows, little village belles crossing the streets in their rainbow attires, acres of yellow, muddied land- all of these conjure up the feeling of really being out there, away from the conundrums of the otherwise boring existence that we are conditioned to “survive in”…Those concrete metalled edifices, the constant clicking of computers, the rat race- all of that seemed to fade away in the horizon of the setting sun, as we began to near a small hamlet, that was to be our milestone in the journey ahead.
Fortunately, our leading ladies had decided to take a small nap to beat the travel blues- when I and Sunil stepped out to enquire about the directions to the lost city. Our question evoked a sense of trepidation -and fear in the local shopkeeper, as he warned us in a rustic tone- “Arre Saa, Bhooton ke Bhangarh ja rahe ho- Pehra dhalne se pehle wapas a jana..Uske Baad wahan rukna theek nahi”. We laughed it off- seemingly in jest of the ignorant village idiot, but deep within- I must admit- I felt scared. But anyways- we were just 5 KM off the Promised Land, so began the final countdown to the summit. The zip-style state highway disappeared soon after- and we found ourselves trudging heavily onwards on a Cucchha road, bereft of any signs of human habitation. The last that we saw was in a small village-somewhat referred to as “Gola-Ka-Baas”- wonder where that came from. After a drive of around 15 minutes- we stood face-to-face with a huge edifice in grey/black stone, that had been cordoned off by the ASI (Archeological Survey of India)….Bhangarh..
The very first thing that strikes you is the signboard put by the ASI- it has an unambiguous warning that warns people to step out of the premises after sunset, and forbids entry till sunrise. Its probably the only place in India, where the ASI office hasn’t dared to open an office in the monument area, and lies 2/3 KM down the road, away from it all- The story goes that around 400-500 years ago, Bhangarh was a flourishing city, replete with markets, strewn up with colorful locals, and ruled by a benevolent King, and his equally ravishing princess Ratnavali. It so happened,
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Travelogue on
Bhangarh
,
Rajasthan
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