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I was searching for the small magazine shop near Shyam Talkies, but could not find any traces of that shop. This shop has been my main supplier of magazines when I used to be in this town and whenever I used to visit for a few days. There was chaos all around, undecipherable changing patterns made by rickshaw, motorcycles, cycles and pedestrians were all around me. The half constructed fly over, a result of botched construction work and in same unfinished position for last three years, has changed the face of Motijheel. Shops have been shifted, roads have become muddy, all the places such as Sindhi Chat, the Pav Bhaji shop near town thana, Music Shops.. which once used to be the main attractions for many visitors have lost the sheen. Muzaffarpur has got its face disfigured. I did not feel like visiting Motijheel or that part of the town unless forced by unavoidable circumstances. Same was the case with Chandralok chowk and Dharmsala chowk. The only solace was the hope that sooner or later these construction works would be over and these places would get a new sheen, I cannot say that it would match the old days charm, but at least it would not be blotted like what it is today.
I am in Muzaffarpur for my vacation, yes, this is not the typical place where you would like to spend your vacation. The electricity supply is erratic, roads are only suitable for pedestrians, there is no place where you can go and spend sometime in evening. The internet connection sucks (yes, even the hyped broadband datacards do not guarantee that you can feel connected to cyberspace), there is no coffee-shop (I think we do not even have a single decent coffee shop in all of state..), if you want to grab a decent read for your leisure, your best bet is AHW shop at railway station. In nutshell, nothing that can make you think of spending your vacation. But who cares for all these, my family stays there and I spent most of significant past here. Nothing else matters. I am still very much the small town low profile Bihari guy.. frequent power cuts are not unusual for me; I can adjust myself on the front seat of auto with 4 other people along with the auto-driver; I do not mind savoring tea at the roadside tea-stall with half a dozen expectant dogs eyeing your tea glass and other edibles. The conversation surrounding me gives me a pleasing deja vu what if the 5 minute conversation had more profanity and cuss words than in all the Vishal Bhardwaj past and future movies combined. I am not complaining.
very touching…..i was transported to my past.
and very nicely written…about the dogs, the old hang outs and finding meaning in your roots no matter what they are!