Ranchi was on the cards for a little while now, ever since my former flat mate from Delhi informed me of his impending wedding. Finally the wedding invitation arrived and the dates were clear and we made our plans. A bit of R&D online and we figured that it wasn’t too far away, a mere 400 odd kms. So we decided to drive.
So the night before we left, as always, we couldn’t get to sleep as the adrenaline was rising and finally we got to bed at the wee hours. Our plan of leaving at 6 am got pushed to 8.30 am the following morning, but we did leave. A unsuccessful stop to get some ice for the ice box, and then a pit stop at the petrol pump to fill some fuel, and off we were just about managing to miss peak morning traffic as we sailed over the Vidysagar Setu. After paying the toll there we came to the T-point where the Kona Expressway meets the National Highway: right for Delhi, left for Mumbai. I went over the bridge and got on to the Delhi Highway. After a few Kilometres, I asked my wife which was the first point and she said Kolaghat. For a minute there, I was a bit confused. All along I have no idea why, I thought we had to go via Durgapur, but after she read out the route again, it was evident we were headed in the opposite direction, so I made a quick U-Turn and headed back on the Highway towards Kolaghat. Things weren’t looking up, we left late and right at the beginning of our journey were headed in the wrong direction.
Anyway, till Kharagpur the route was known, having done that on our previous trip to Orissa. So I decided to make good speed and soon we were on the Flyover just short of Kharagpur where the Highway bifurcates and one goes towards Mumbai on the flyover and the other to Balasore under the flyover. As soon as we crossed the flyover, we came to a roundabout with the left going to Kharagpur, which I had taken on my last trip and lost precious time, the straight going to Mumbai and the right going to Midnapore. We took the right because as per the places on our route map, Midnapore was mentioned. Fine we kept driving and the road kept getting narrower and then at one intersection we decided to ask some Policemen directing traffic the way to Jamshedpur and they directed us left. So on we drove into the narrow streets and lanes of Midnapore. At this point, I kind of realised something was terribly amiss. My logic was that the TATA plant couldn’t be connected to Kolkata through such a congested and narrow road. How could they transport large tracks from their plant at Jamshedpur through this place?
Sure enough after we reached an intersection in the midst of absolute chaos, we asked for directions and sure enough, we were directed back to the roundabout and told to head straight on the Mumbai Highway. I was glad to be back on the Highway again and tried to make up for lost time. We crossed a sign which said Kalaikunda Airforce Station and then drove through a forest before going over a long curving bridge over railway tracks. Signs of the coal belt becoming evident. We kept driving through the country side till we came upon a stretch that was lined with trees. Why I remember this belt is because the tress were lined perfectly on both sides of the highway; so that all you saw was black tarmac, a red sand lining on each side and then the greenest trees on either. The stretch was quite intoxicating and the straight road made me step on the gas. And not too soon the second reason for remember this stretch came running bang in front of the car. I was absorbing the beautiful sight and yet had my eyes fixed on the road and then as I noticed the truck approaching from the opposite direction, I also saw a line of little goats playfully chasing each other and then forming a straight line and heading straight up from the left side onto the highway. There was only one thing to do, step hard on the brakes and hold tight onto the wheel, keeping the car straight. As it came to a screeching halt, we heard a faint thud on the fender towards the left. I thought he worst had occurred, but to our delight I saw the bunch of giddy goats running off back towards the tree line. I drove another 50 yards and decided to stop and check the bumper. Nothing! Thank God for that, but it was a close call. As we drove on, we kept a cattle, goats and chicken alert on at all times. Whenever we spotted any in the vicinity, we’d call out.
Anyway as the kilometres passed the real scenic part of the drive began as we entered the hills of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. One moment we could see them in the distance and the next we seemed to be ascending or descending some. The undulating terrain was a photographers delight not to mention great fun to drive through. And perched somewhere in the midst of this was the famous getaway Ghatshila. From here Jamshedpur was not too far and the first signs that we were nearing were the ‘Tinga-Tangas’. If you’re wondering what these are, they are the TATA Trucks with only the chassis and the front grill and windscreen with a driver’s seat. Well that’s what we used to call them as kids because of a certain clanking sound that used to emanate from them as they drove past in convoys outside our colony in Kolkata.
Before we knew it we were inside Jamshedpur and kept to the Highway after a stop for directions and some drinking water. It was afternoon now and we had about another 120 odd kilometres to go to Ranchi, so we would be there before sunset. Our objective after all the advice we got about driving into Jharkhand was to get into Ranchi before sunset. We drove up through a meandering hill road and out of Jamshedpur and decided to make a stop for lunch at a Dhaba. On trips, I just love the dhaba food and this was as good as they get. I loved the presentation of the salad, truly artistic.
Thereafter it was quite a straight and scenic drive till Ranchi with us making note of some of the Dams we had seen to be checked out on the way back. We entered Ranchi through Namkum which housed a huge Army Base. Following that we noticed that Ranchi also seemed to have a huge number of Christian Missionary Schools, all those rumblers on the road made us take cognizance of this fact.
After a bit of going around in circles, we finally came upon our Hotel. It was an odd design, but the rooms were decent, toilets were good and it had air-conditioning and that’s all that mattered.
We had reached Ranchi at about 4.30pm, before sunset. Yippie!!!
After we had rested for a while, we got dressed for the wedding. Yes my purpose of visit was the wedding and we reached the Banquet hall called “Milan Palace” a bit after 8pm. The card said 7.30pm, but we thought they’re always late so why not go there once the “Baraat” arrives. Much to our surprise we were greeted by the girls side and waited and waited until the “Baraat” finally arrived at about 9.30pm. They must’ve taken another 45 minutes or so to enter and while we stood outside and watched the chaos, we were completely flummoxed by how the traffic had come to a grinding halt on both sides of the road till as far as the eye could see and people just sat in their cars quite used to the proceedings on the road. Firecrackers lit the road and sky alike and this one single “Baraat” seemed to bring Diwali in early.
Anyway they finally did come in and we hung around and met the “to be newly weds”. Witnessed the “Mala Ceremony” and then indulged in some “Shaadi Ka Khana”. So what time was the actual wedding? We got to know it was going to start at about 1am and go on all night till about 4.30-5.00am. There was no way we were going to survive that, so at about 12.30am we called it quits and headed back to our hotel to crash out.
SUSHANT Weds SHIKHA
So the night before we left, as always, we couldn’t get to sleep as the adrenaline was rising and finally we got to bed at the wee hours. Our plan of leaving at 6 am got pushed to 8.30 am the following morning, but we did leave. A unsuccessful stop to get some ice for the ice box, and then a pit stop at the petrol pump to fill some fuel, and off we were just about managing to miss peak morning traffic as we sailed over the Vidysagar Setu. After paying the toll there we came to the T-point where the Kona Expressway meets the National Highway: right for Delhi, left for Mumbai. I went over the bridge and got on to the Delhi Highway. After a few Kilometres, I asked my wife which was the first point and she said Kolaghat. For a minute there, I was a bit confused. All along I have no idea why, I thought we had to go via Durgapur, but after she read out the route again, it was evident we were headed in the opposite direction, so I made a quick U-Turn and headed back on the Highway towards Kolaghat. Things weren’t looking up, we left late and right at the beginning of our journey were headed in the wrong direction.
Anyway, till Kharagpur the route was known, having done that on our previous trip to Orissa. So I decided to make good speed and soon we were on the Flyover just short of Kharagpur where the Highway bifurcates and one goes towards Mumbai on the flyover and the other to Balasore under the flyover. As soon as we crossed the flyover, we came to a roundabout with the left going to Kharagpur, which I had taken on my last trip and lost precious time, the straight going to Mumbai and the right going to Midnapore. We took the right because as per the places on our route map, Midnapore was mentioned. Fine we kept driving and the road kept getting narrower and then at one intersection we decided to ask some Policemen directing traffic the way to Jamshedpur and they directed us left. So on we drove into the narrow streets and lanes of Midnapore. At this point, I kind of realised something was terribly amiss. My logic was that the TATA plant couldn’t be connected to Kolkata through such a congested and narrow road. How could they transport large tracks from their plant at Jamshedpur through this place?
Sure enough after we reached an intersection in the midst of absolute chaos, we asked for directions and sure enough, we were directed back to the roundabout and told to head straight on the Mumbai Highway. I was glad to be back on the Highway again and tried to make up for lost time. We crossed a sign which said Kalaikunda Airforce Station and then drove through a forest before going over a long curving bridge over railway tracks. Signs of the coal belt becoming evident. We kept driving through the country side till we came upon a stretch that was lined with trees. Why I remember this belt is because the tress were lined perfectly on both sides of the highway; so that all you saw was black tarmac, a red sand lining on each side and then the greenest trees on either. The stretch was quite intoxicating and the straight road made me step on the gas. And not too soon the second reason for remember this stretch came running bang in front of the car. I was absorbing the beautiful sight and yet had my eyes fixed on the road and then as I noticed the truck approaching from the opposite direction, I also saw a line of little goats playfully chasing each other and then forming a straight line and heading straight up from the left side onto the highway. There was only one thing to do, step hard on the brakes and hold tight onto the wheel, keeping the car straight. As it came to a screeching halt, we heard a faint thud on the fender towards the left. I thought he worst had occurred, but to our delight I saw the bunch of giddy goats running off back towards the tree line. I drove another 50 yards and decided to stop and check the bumper. Nothing! Thank God for that, but it was a close call. As we drove on, we kept a cattle, goats and chicken alert on at all times. Whenever we spotted any in the vicinity, we’d call out.
Anyway as the kilometres passed the real scenic part of the drive began as we entered the hills of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. One moment we could see them in the distance and the next we seemed to be ascending or descending some. The undulating terrain was a photographers delight not to mention great fun to drive through. And perched somewhere in the midst of this was the famous getaway Ghatshila. From here Jamshedpur was not too far and the first signs that we were nearing were the ‘Tinga-Tangas’. If you’re wondering what these are, they are the TATA Trucks with only the chassis and the front grill and windscreen with a driver’s seat. Well that’s what we used to call them as kids because of a certain clanking sound that used to emanate from them as they drove past in convoys outside our colony in Kolkata.
Before we knew it we were inside Jamshedpur and kept to the Highway after a stop for directions and some drinking water. It was afternoon now and we had about another 120 odd kilometres to go to Ranchi, so we would be there before sunset. Our objective after all the advice we got about driving into Jharkhand was to get into Ranchi before sunset. We drove up through a meandering hill road and out of Jamshedpur and decided to make a stop for lunch at a Dhaba. On trips, I just love the dhaba food and this was as good as they get. I loved the presentation of the salad, truly artistic.
Thereafter it was quite a straight and scenic drive till Ranchi with us making note of some of the Dams we had seen to be checked out on the way back. We entered Ranchi through Namkum which housed a huge Army Base. Following that we noticed that Ranchi also seemed to have a huge number of Christian Missionary Schools, all those rumblers on the road made us take cognizance of this fact.
After a bit of going around in circles, we finally came upon our Hotel. It was an odd design, but the rooms were decent, toilets were good and it had air-conditioning and that’s all that mattered.
We had reached Ranchi at about 4.30pm, before sunset. Yippie!!!
Anyway they finally did come in and we hung around and met the “to be newly weds”. Witnessed the “Mala Ceremony” and then indulged in some “Shaadi Ka Khana”. So what time was the actual wedding? We got to know it was going to start at about 1am and go on all night till about 4.30-5.00am. There was no way we were going to survive that, so at about 12.30am we called it quits and headed back to our hotel to crash out.
SUSHANT Weds SHIKHA
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