Since we had spent a day driving to Ranchi, it would be a pity not to do some sight seeing. So we did exactly that. Only that our day started a bit later than anticipated. Anyway the first destination on our agenda was the celebrated “Rock Garden”. Nearly everyone we spoke with at the wedding and even at the hotel reception suggested it. So Rock garden it was. We drove across town asking for directions and finally got there.
But one of the incidents on the way was hilarious. I stopped at a busy intersection and as had been the practice so far, asked a Policeman for directions to Rock Garden, which he quite helpfully did give. Then as he walked back to where he was standing to direct traffic, he looked at the number plate. Then took a second look and then signalled to me to pull over to the side. I didn’t quite react and he signalled again. That’s when I knew we were in some sort of trouble. Sure enough as I pulled up to the side, he pointed out to me that I had dark film on my windows. So I asked him what the problem was with that. So he told me it wasn’t allowed. So I told him my car didn’t belong to the state and I was just here for a day? He told me it didn’t matter, and that I’d have to pay a fine. I told him I was just here for a day and what he was saying didn’t make sense. So then he tried to draw out his trump card and told me that even ‘Dhoni’ had been fined for having tinted glasses. I told him I didn’t care.
So then he asked me for my car papers and as I showed him my Registration, I told him I was going to make a call to sort this matter out. I realised I needed to stall him as I knew for a fact that my car insurance papers we back in my bag and that I didn’t have a Pollution Under Control Certificate as I hadn’t got that done in a while. Ok sue me for being a bad citizen, but at this point, I was going to get robbed in Ranchi. Yes Robbed by Cops. I wasn’t going to let that happen. So I just carried on with the phone trying to connect to my lawyer friend. He was quite connected in Ranchi, having one of the local MLA’s and the DIG of Police dancing along with his Baraat.
So while all this transpired and the Policeman went back to his officer, I was trying desperately to call my friend. Then he called me and said that his ‘Saheb” wanted to talk. Ha! I was getting the upper hand. So I got out of the car and went to meet the ‘Saheb’ (Officer). So he also told me the same story of how the fine was Rs. 1800/- and all and they had just pulled up another biker and were trying to extort money from him too. I told him I didn’t care and that I was just passing through and the rule was absurd. Seeing that I wouldn’t budge, he told me that I’d face this problem at the next intersection by the cops there. So I told him, I’d handle that. So having no choice, he let me go.
I got in the car, both my wife and I had a good laugh and took off. The rest of the drive was uneventful, save the fact that my wife spotted a Hot Chips shop and asked me to pull over. Yeah a south Indian Hot Chips shop in Ranchi! What are the chances of finding one? We don’t have any in Kolkata, or at least haven’t found one till date. So she bought a load of stuff from there. And then we finally came upon Rock Garden.
We drove up the little slope and then went into this tourist attraction atop a hill alongside the Kanke Dam. It was really nice and one could easily spend a romantic afternoon or evening here. And that’s what we saw, dozens of couples finding themselves a cosy spot here and there among the rocks.
After that, having nothing else to do, we decided to stop at the first place we saw for Lunch. Momo Corner it was and after we tried one plate of moms, decided to search for something more appealing. So we ended up going to Café Coffee Day at this fancy building called Capitol Hill. From here we went back to the Hotel, parked our car and decided to do something that I had told myself I would do, since I wasn’t being able to in Kolkata. And believe it or not! I bought a measuring tape from Shree Balaji Hardware Store Opposite Big Bazaar in Ranchi. After which we crossed the road and did some lukkhagiri in Big Bazaar. We even bought some stuff from here. Unbelievable!
After Big Bazaar, we enquired about buying ice right outside at the chuski wala (Ice Stick) and to our surprise or delight, I’m not sure one or both, there was an ice factory right opposite our hotel. So I decided to take care of another thing I had wanted to do and got on a cycle-rickshaw and got to the Ice Factory from where we bought a block of Ice. In my zest I had bought a huge block as I realised when we got to the car. But no worries, I took out my Swiss Knife (nakli one) and used the knife to break the ice. Finally put it in the Ice-Case, laid the beers (we had lost one to the potholes on our drive through Jharkhand) on the ice and headed to our room.
I came down later and picked up several and we had beer and ordered Chinese food in our room. We had to get up early the next morning to head back to Kolkata along with doing some sightseeing on the way.
But one of the incidents on the way was hilarious. I stopped at a busy intersection and as had been the practice so far, asked a Policeman for directions to Rock Garden, which he quite helpfully did give. Then as he walked back to where he was standing to direct traffic, he looked at the number plate. Then took a second look and then signalled to me to pull over to the side. I didn’t quite react and he signalled again. That’s when I knew we were in some sort of trouble. Sure enough as I pulled up to the side, he pointed out to me that I had dark film on my windows. So I asked him what the problem was with that. So he told me it wasn’t allowed. So I told him my car didn’t belong to the state and I was just here for a day? He told me it didn’t matter, and that I’d have to pay a fine. I told him I was just here for a day and what he was saying didn’t make sense. So then he tried to draw out his trump card and told me that even ‘Dhoni’ had been fined for having tinted glasses. I told him I didn’t care.
So then he asked me for my car papers and as I showed him my Registration, I told him I was going to make a call to sort this matter out. I realised I needed to stall him as I knew for a fact that my car insurance papers we back in my bag and that I didn’t have a Pollution Under Control Certificate as I hadn’t got that done in a while. Ok sue me for being a bad citizen, but at this point, I was going to get robbed in Ranchi. Yes Robbed by Cops. I wasn’t going to let that happen. So I just carried on with the phone trying to connect to my lawyer friend. He was quite connected in Ranchi, having one of the local MLA’s and the DIG of Police dancing along with his Baraat.
So while all this transpired and the Policeman went back to his officer, I was trying desperately to call my friend. Then he called me and said that his ‘Saheb” wanted to talk. Ha! I was getting the upper hand. So I got out of the car and went to meet the ‘Saheb’ (Officer). So he also told me the same story of how the fine was Rs. 1800/- and all and they had just pulled up another biker and were trying to extort money from him too. I told him I didn’t care and that I was just passing through and the rule was absurd. Seeing that I wouldn’t budge, he told me that I’d face this problem at the next intersection by the cops there. So I told him, I’d handle that. So having no choice, he let me go.
I got in the car, both my wife and I had a good laugh and took off. The rest of the drive was uneventful, save the fact that my wife spotted a Hot Chips shop and asked me to pull over. Yeah a south Indian Hot Chips shop in Ranchi! What are the chances of finding one? We don’t have any in Kolkata, or at least haven’t found one till date. So she bought a load of stuff from there. And then we finally came upon Rock Garden.
We drove up the little slope and then went into this tourist attraction atop a hill alongside the Kanke Dam. It was really nice and one could easily spend a romantic afternoon or evening here. And that’s what we saw, dozens of couples finding themselves a cosy spot here and there among the rocks.
After that, having nothing else to do, we decided to stop at the first place we saw for Lunch. Momo Corner it was and after we tried one plate of moms, decided to search for something more appealing. So we ended up going to Café Coffee Day at this fancy building called Capitol Hill. From here we went back to the Hotel, parked our car and decided to do something that I had told myself I would do, since I wasn’t being able to in Kolkata. And believe it or not! I bought a measuring tape from Shree Balaji Hardware Store Opposite Big Bazaar in Ranchi. After which we crossed the road and did some lukkhagiri in Big Bazaar. We even bought some stuff from here. Unbelievable!
After Big Bazaar, we enquired about buying ice right outside at the chuski wala (Ice Stick) and to our surprise or delight, I’m not sure one or both, there was an ice factory right opposite our hotel. So I decided to take care of another thing I had wanted to do and got on a cycle-rickshaw and got to the Ice Factory from where we bought a block of Ice. In my zest I had bought a huge block as I realised when we got to the car. But no worries, I took out my Swiss Knife (nakli one) and used the knife to break the ice. Finally put it in the Ice-Case, laid the beers (we had lost one to the potholes on our drive through Jharkhand) on the ice and headed to our room.
I came down later and picked up several and we had beer and ordered Chinese food in our room. We had to get up early the next morning to head back to Kolkata along with doing some sightseeing on the way.
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