I told Abhi about the conditions in Varanasi and Lucknow. I was in Nainital, a beautiful mountain painted with buildings and artificial lights that glittered more than the stars at night.
On my ride to Varanasi, I was accepted as a guest on Couchsurfing by a guy. I also had a minor accident when I banged into a bike that rode suddenly to the middle of the highway, I had no choice and my brakes weren’t just enough. Fell with a bang on my head, saved by my helmet and escaped with just a sprained thumb. I picked my bike up and some cops who stood nearby pounced on me for negligence except for one who had seen what had happened.
The Bike was okay and the two men on the other bike were mad at me. The cops asked me to leave as fast as I could and I did. Didn't stop for another 20 kilometres before I stopped to check on myself and the bike properly. Both were doing just fine. I pushed myself to the maximum that day and reached Varanasi at around 7:30 PM. This guy shared his location with me and upon meeting him he said his parents were conservative and they wouldn't like me with my baggage and looks, I hadn't taken a bath in a few days.
Coming back to the ride in Bihar, the place was so dusty, polluted and so much of poverty around. That day I had ridden without covering my face and it gave me an infection in my lungs because of the dust. I thought about it but then thought about how people there were living and continued my ride. Until today I had its effect though it's been over a week and that's why people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were known to be rugged. I wore 3 layers of clothes and still shivered while I saw kids who found it hard to afford even a proper uniform, biting their teeth from the cold while they ran to school.
I didn't even eat properly because I just didn't feel like it. Everything was polluted from the air we breathe to the food and water. Rivers looked a complete disaster. From what I had seen so far, people from these two states had the highest number of differently-able people. Many born with the defect, and many with lost arms and legs due to ruthless riding or accidents. Tea and puffed rice was the breakfast for many. The place itself is dry and dusty, with nothing much to do for a living and money was a need to survive. I saw a lot of brick factories around which picked people to work from a crowd every day and some survived by agriculture. Sowed their grains and waited for the rains to do anything else.
Varanasi is a city that survives with religion and temples. Most shops sold religious items filling the street with similar shops and too many people on the streets begging. On the banks of the Ganga, many youngsters were waiting for tourists so they could serve as guides to them, around the ghats, too many boatmen. It was a real fight for survival. People ready to offer any service for money.
Told him about a Lady from Tamil Nadu on the boat. When the boatman saw her feeling uncomfortable he asked her to sit down and talked to her asking what happened. She had come to sprinkle the ashes of her parents in the holy river. She said she was asking the spirits to take her too. I asked more questions and understood that her children weren't keeping her happy. I comforted her as much as I could. Being very religious she had been fasting and had not eaten anything causing her giddiness. I clearly told her it was not her age to follow those practices anymore.
Then the story of this millionaire guy who stayed at the hostel. Saw him in the morning, he was all by himself, looking lost. When I walked around the town later I bumped into him again walking cluelessly with his earphones on. Even in the evening while we had a conversation around him he didn't seem bothered. I finally broke the silence and asked what's up and looked like he was waiting for someone to ask. A real estate company owner in Delhi with its own sites and construction unit, his dad must have built it but about a year ago his dad passed away and things landed upon his head. Rich families come with too many people trying to grab a handful of whatever they can and that stressed him out. Made him want to run away once in a while. I filled him up with some positivity and finally, he joined in the group conversation about politics and life.
Abhi suggested I do visit Jim Corbett which I was thinking of skipping, he had been wanting to go there for some time now. His business was picking up he had a new real estate client but wasn't finding the right people to hire. People didn't want to work but wanted a good package. His parents were doing good, especially his dad who had heart surgery when I was in Bangalore. They have been trying to find a partner for him for a long time now. I wished him luck. Told him, I missed the food at his house because in my whole life the best vegetarian meal I've eaten is there. He said I was welcome anytime. Again he asked me to continue writing and said he would get it published at least 100 copies. When I asked who would read, he says someone might and the thought of a reader shouldn't bother me in penning down my experience. He filled me up with hope and after talking for more than an hour we said bye to each other.
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