As I start on a journey of putting my thoughts into words & sharing them with you, it is just befitting that I start from the very beginning. The beginning of me!

I hail from a small town in Bihar (India) called Jamalpur. And, I wouldn’t blame it on you for not having heard of it earlier. I would start with describing it for you as the most beautiful town ever, picturesque, full with its share of hills, lakes & waterfalls. It is best known for hosting India’s first & the largest Railway workshop. It also boasts of churning out in its foothills, the most revered Special Class Railway Apprentices, better understood as the Indian Railways’ top brass, its mighty officers. Thanks to the Railways, Jamalpur has always had a very cosmopolitan feel.

Everything about this town is special… where on the one hand it has that oh-so rustic feel, on the other, its people display such broad-mindedness that could put into shells many of our metropolitan-denizens. It is a town as self-sufficient as could be. After having widely traveled the length & breadth of the country, I still maintain that I have not seen a school as mighty as Notre Dame Academy. This school has some of the greatest teachers who everyday play a very crucial role in churning out an enviable alumni list! You could say I am biased, but I say I have been fortunate to have spent my school years in this wonderful institution. And, I say so after having studied in some of the finest & highly prestigious colleges later in life. Alumni of this school have stormed the world & excelled beyond narration!

Everything about this place, small and big is special. The tinned Workshop boundary with long entwined black pipes welcome you as your train enters Jamalpur Junction. The majestic spread of the Workshop can leave great architects spellbound. As you enter this small town, be ready to appreciate the warmth that its people & buildings have to offer. The Kali pahaad defines the skyline of the town. Climb up and you get to see the Water Works and the ancient Kali temple. Come monsoon and the sparkling waterfalls would be ready to wash down the hills.

No description of this town is complete without mentioning the very famous Golf Ground. I could even go on to say (& not get challenged) that no kid in this Railway township would have attained puberty without having tried a hand at golf. Or swimming. Or tennis. Or billiards. The Officers’ Club has all of these and much more within a 10-minute walking distance; things you would end up spending a couple of grands & traveling tens of kilometers in a city like Delhi or Mumbai or Bangalore. Right from the years of British slavery, people of Jamalpur have been interested in sports & we do have those white men to thank for establishing the JSA Ground (stadium). Not to forget the Gymkhana, the Railway Institute & the Central Institute (CI) all of which gave cultural entertainment an all new scope & definition. The pandal at Children’s Park during Durga Puja would become the hub of all action, boasting of the Who’s Who of Jamalpur & nearby towns.

Jamalpur is also known for some exquisite delicacies. Who would have sampled anywhere else on this planet, Mughlai Parantha the way Cooking House and Madras Coffee House prepared it & served so uniquely with a South Indian sambhar! And, that chicken curry at Hotel Yatrik, would leave behind preparations by the greatest of chefs in our star hotels.

Move a few kilometers ahead and you would reach Munger, Jamalpur’s twin town. The Bihar School of Yoga, established as the headquarters of the International Yoga Fellowship has catapulted this town onto the world map. The Ganga flows serenely through this mystical town, washing away all sins & sorrows, which is why it is aptly called the Kashtharni. This town is also said to have great historical and mythological significance as being ruled by Karna during Mahabharata. The Fort ruins are still an indication of the might it would have commanded centuries earlier.

Having spent half my life in Jamalpur, I migrated to Delhi to fulfill my professional dreams. Today, when I visit my hometown, it embraces me with the same warmth as it did when I was younger. It feels great to fly the world with wings of freedom, but I never forget that my roots are still very firmly planted in the soils of Jamalpur!

(All photographs posted here have been provided by my friend Rajnikant.)/

Source: http://richa-sinha.blogspot.com/2010/02/jamalpur-beauty-of-small-town-as-i.html

People used to walk to the lake below Kalipahad on that day even before you could hear the birds wake up in the morning with their dalas (puja offerings to the sun god).Then their used to be the set of ladies who used to do the main puja (offer their prayers) through different hat yogs by even walking a couple of steps on the asphalt and then prostrate themselves to god and again repeat the process for kilometers.
I bet you wont be able to do it unless you have faith in the act with the desired standard of piousness in your hearts.
I used to hear the chhat songs blaring on the loudspeakers as I crossed the golf ground to head towards the lake and stand between the two palm trees where there used to be free tea stalls for people offering prayers.There used to be innumerable volunteers to help you out.

After taking a sip of tea,meeting a friend or two, placing my obeisance I used to start my climb.There are well traveled steps and now they also have electricity to the top of the kali temple on top of the hill.As you climb up with the sun rise in progress ,the august view of Jamalpur comes in it full bloom.The clear sky will make you take a lung full of fresh winter air something that you would give your right arm for in kolkata.
On the right the panorama would extend up to the Pir Pahad where you can see the radio tower ,the railway line surrounding Jamalpur from east to west.,the Ganges river appearing as a white strip on the horizon and the shimering railway shed on the left.Below as you loom where the puja is in progress you can see thousands of lighted lamps floating in the water as you see people standing in the freezing water unaware of the freezing cold in holy bliss offering their prayers.The clear winter sky appears red with the sun just showing on the horizon.
It is at this time God stands beside me and makes me aware of the divine presence .Give me a pause here to just soak in what I have written.I need to close my eyes and take a deep breath before starting again.

As you start climbing the steps you will see lining of low grade quartz like stones on the rocks ,some ferns ,bushes and yes that one berry called bhutkun violet or red in color.At the top of the track there is a banyan tree .Beside which you will see the Kali temple and a small place where they still make the animal sacrifices on the eve of Kali puja.Move ahead and there is a small pond with stagnant water.They still use this water for all temple activities.There is a pucca ghat here.Following which are some winding steps which lead to the temple on the top dedicated to Lord Shiva.

If you go beyond this point there is a dilapidated structure and the vast greenery of the Kali hills calling out to you.If you have a sharp eye you may catch a group of Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) grazing in the distance.And yes hares.You can also hear the call of the peacocks at a distance.Take a round about and head east on the well made tracks and follow the town below over the hills.Dont worry ,you wont need fancy shoes.I used to cover this with my slippers( chappals) .

As you move towards the tunnel ,you will cross the railway diesel shed on the left,a few goods wagons down below loading stone chips from the quarries below .As you come across the tunnel you can see how the railway line goes beyond Ratanpur how the road from Ratanpur takes a curve towards the village.You will also be able to see how the railway line takes a bend after crossing the tunnel towards Jamalpur.

Start climbing down.Nothing stops you from taking a look at when the tunnel was built(1860-61) yet to be declared defunct.
Years back when I was introduced to Bernoulli’s theorem I had tried to experiment that inside the tunnel when the Brahmaputra express passed the tunnel aroud 9.20 AM.I assure you I wont do it ever again!!

As you keep on walking on the tracks or beside it , hunger will build up.Get down at the underpass and take a left towards the fish market,cross chura mill,and you will see jalebis being fried fresh.Try them.
At least buy some good chura (rice flakes of katarni variety).You can just smell them and know you have the genuine thing.
That is Jamalpur for me
Source: http://gaiapriest.blogspot.com/2009/12/walking-to-jamalpur-tunnel.html

Dada Jitendriya

Meditating by the lakeside tamarind tree.

Dada has just completed his 3-year training to be a monk, meditation teacher and social service volunteer. He is now starting his work in Brazil.

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharmasphere/86297502/

Baba's Birthplace

This site is the birthplace of the social activist and spiritualist Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (spiritual name Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, or simply ‘Baba’). He was born on the full moon in May 1921.

The building in this photo is new and is used for practising meditation. The sign for “Abha Seva Sadhan” is a service project giving free medicine to the poor. The sign “Baba Naam Kevalam” is a mantra meaning ‘Everything is an expression of one infinite, loving Consciousness’.

Baba’s orginal house was to the right of this photo. The building is no more. Instead, a garden of many flowers and plants is being nurtured in its place.

The Last Palm

This is the last survivor of a renowned trio of palm trees. Stories of occasional visitors to these trees – travellers and
spiritualists from afar, many mysterious and mystical individuals.

On the dark nights of the 1950′s, Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar would sit on nearby Tiger’s Grave,
accompanied by a following of spiritual devotees. Sometimes, people
would arrive at the three palm trees and request to speak with him -
seeking advice and divine insight…

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dharmasphere/92154003/

Jamalpur, Bihar state, India

Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar used to sit and meditate at this tamarind tree when he was a boy. It is by the lakeside in Death Valley.

There is another tamarind tree that is even better known as a meditation spot for little Prabhat.

Jamalpur, Bihar state, India

This tree has a story. Apparently, in its previous life it was a human being. It was a man who asked to borrow money from his father. When the father refused, the son was so angry that he took an axe and killed him.

As a way to exhaust the mental reaction created by this axe-murder, the son was reborn as a tree with a cleave down its middle.

It has been around as a tree for several decades now. The monkeys seem to enjoy its company.

Jamalpur, Bihar state, India

Dada Arddhvendu Maoli.

The Death Valley gets its name after a group of soldiers disappeared in the area. Nobody knows what happened to them.

Baba used to spend a lot of time here, particularly meditating under the Tamarind Tree.

Well, it’s a lake actually…but peaceful all the same!

Premasagar meditating under another Tamarind tree by the lake in Death Valley, Jamalpur. A special place for the practitioners of Ananda Marga meditation.