NH camp

It was my first visit to the camp. Several lights during light gave it a look industrial area. I visited the place during day, huge machine, dumpers , loaders and hundreds of people employed directly or indirectly. People had many stories around the making of the NH 57. How land was acquired, opposition to compensation, corruption and of course fantasies of how the world will change around. People who had not gone beyond district head quarters talked about how near Silliguri and Guwhati will be. Soon all this was over and construction company left this place. Not keeping its promise of returning the land on "as it was". The good fertile land was left with concrete ,slabs, stones and bricks. The land had lost every thing, innocent villagers who fell for it now have no one to blame. This baron piece of land needed a life and so did I. it took some time for final possessions but all this had a huge price. Price of emotional disconnect. 

Making of NH 57

Road construction was contracted out to a private contractor. They were looking for a place to build a site office. Place where staff will stay, stock and material can be processed. My Brothers after many deliberations gave about twenty acres of land on lease. Seven years later road was ready. It took quite a grind, lives lost, land lost. When government acquires land it not just number with some dimensions, they take away your identity, your heritage. These emotions are difficult to understand if you do not belong to the soil. Luckily all vacations as child spent in villages paid off. I decided to come back here. It was not an easy task to announce. first time when I broke the news every one at home thought either it is a joke or I have gone mad. You can not spend 48yrs in town and decide to come back. idea was a wide a the road and as far as the destinations.

NH 57 a ray of hope

A decade ago there was no road. Darbhanga the nearest town 63 kms away could take any thing between four to six hours. Bridges that could collapse any moment, floods, diversions and road side villages added to misery. Suddenly NHAI on its task of sealing border roads also started construction of what we Proudly call NH or four lane. Patna is 200 odd kms away and can take about four to five hours depending on time and day. Road can change life, connectivity has affected exposure, local economy and life styles of people. Four hours to cottage in Nainital and four hours from Patna. Ancestral land gave a wake up call

When need drives it more than desire.

Post my back surgery that left me partially unfit for job, I often used to think about years to come. Advertising Industry gets rid of people moment they reach seniority. Unless you are a brand and agency reaps profit out of your being around. I used to ask my self what next. One wise decision we took and I have to thank Anita, my wife for that, she pushed me into buying house, not one but two. At least one could rent one and survive or sell if worst hits. cost of living in Delhi was going up by the day. The need forced us to look for alternatives that would be cheap and manageable. We looked at third option a cottage in Kotabagh , uttrakhand. We planned to some food business around corbert national park and make a living. A bit of agriculture was on mind even then.We explored land on lease. At times it felt stupid to leave your own ancestral land and look for leased one. But we kept inventing. Two  rooms in this cottage with river, greens and orchards around were enough to bring in fresh thoughts.