16 march, bharata yatra 2008, varanasi to kolkata
after the stay at varanasi, we started off to kolkata. a few kilometers later, we entered the states of bihar, and then jharkhand. if it was cultivation in bihar, it was mines in jharkhand, on either side of the road. most of them were coal mines. you pass many trucks carrying coals. people on the road all look painted in black on their face and clothes. the road side trees and plants all have black shade in its leaves and flowers.
when we stopped for dinner, it was not easy to find the spot for all to sit. at last, we find some space. it was in front of a daba (roadside restaurant). there was no light. it was almost dark. there were other dabas in the vicinity with electrical lights, but the one where we had parked had only a small kerosene lamp. do you know the name of the daba? it was ‘ma bhadra kali’ !!
we all gathered around amma.
there were some miscalculation, as the food we brought was not enough. so we asked if the daba can make a few hundred rotis for us. he was so excited and started making rotis, baking it in the fire pit. They first shape the dough by passing and flattening between one hand to the other. Then they paste it in the fire pit which is shaped like a jar. hmmm, yum yum, very tasty! The owner made all the rotis that we requested, with only the light of a small kerosene lamp. at the end, before we left, the owner of the daba came for amma’s darshan. After having his first darshan with Amma, that old sardarji (a name for Sikh people) said ‘now that amma’s glance has fallen on my daba, it will flourish.’
we paid double the amount of the rotis to the owner as a gift from Amma.
may his wish be fulfilled.