Sunday, February 5, 2012

!ncredible India. (Delhi to Bodhgaya/Bihar)

बोध गया, बिहार 
This is the first image of Lord Buddha, every inch was correctly instructed by his nephew. Inside Mahabhodhi Temple.
{All the information here has nothing to do with any political or personal gain. It is just my personal knowledge from the books, and the stories that has been told by my family members, school teachers; lastly little bit of my own faith, and opinion from my journey. Nothing more; nothing less}.

This applies same to any other caste! 


आईटी हस बीन अल्मोस्त अ वीक सींचे इ रेअचेद होम इन उनितेद स्टेट फ्रॉम माय इंडिया ट्रिप एंड इ हद तो गेट बेक तो वर्क थे नेक्स्ट डे एंड ओनली येस्तेर्दय इ गोत माय सिस्टम बेक तो नोर्मल. इ हवे मनागेद तो गेट फुल एइघ्त हौर्स ऑफ़ स्लीप, एस इट्स अ लुक्सुरी! इ वेंट तो इंडिया तो अत्तेंद हिस होलीनेस थे दलाई लामा'स कालाचक्र इन बौध्गाया, बिहार; थे बिर्थ प्लेस ऑफ़ लोर्ड बुद्ध'स "व्हील ऑफ़ धर्मं" तेअचिंग. वहत कैन इ से अबाउट थिस स्पेशल प्लेस........
इ रेअल्ली दोन'टी क्नोव फ्रॉम वेयर एंड हाउ तो एवें स्टार्ट पेंनिंग डाउन अबाउट थे होली बुत इ विल देफिनितेली तरी माय बेस्ट तो व्रिते सोमेथिंग अबाउट आईटी, सो प्लेअसे बार विथ में इफ सम त्रुथ्स ठाट इ हवे सीन अरे तू बित्टर तो एवें स्वल्लो.............................
तो बे कोन्तिनुएद........
Alright the hindi treat was just for the introduction of my beloved Bodh Gaya! :-) 
We left delhi early in the morning of 30th december, 2011;  We were suppose to fly kingfisher at 6 am but unfortunately due to delhi thick fog we had end up chilling at airport all day long, doing nothing of course. But still it wasn't too bad since there was this very amusing women sitting across us. Not that she, herself was aware of her amusement or neither she was doing anything funny to make everybody at the boarding site of (DELHI TO PATNA)  giggle, stare, and get all that attention. It was actually her outer appearance which made us laugh, giggle all day long. For me, my closest guess was she might be some very famous bojpuri item girl. Her face was covered with extremely full of  cheap cover girl like white powder and I must say if not with all those strange over the top (fancy dress) like outfits, she is actually not so bad looking. What killed me was her tight leopard pant with brown leather coat that doesn't even cover half of her JLO ass, wait,,,,, on top of that round jeans fabric hat that had countless shiny diamonds embedded on it.  And how can I forget those striper heels and pink hand bag which looks like she had purchased it from road side thay-la. he he he What surprised me was even with all our (including myself) giggle and strange behaviors, still she has not once uttered a word. There, she just sat there, and did some walk here and there. Unlike us, she had no carry on luggage or company. Any way, she had managed to get all the attention and even one pervert  at boarding counter who looks like Patna airline staff stared right in front of her face for good hours and hours. Since he couldn't view her properly with all that floppy and shinny hat; While standing tall on his feet, he had to even bow his head down while his one arm was hanging on the ticketing counter to get piece of her. Which of course was a cherry on cake to our show and made us ROFL...... And yeah, her eyes were glued with her tea colored brown shades as well, which even made her ardent admirer even harder to view. Over all it was nothing less then watching some B grade Bojpuri film for the first time and yes, we did got free lunch from kingfisher as well. hahahaha On that note, we left Indira Gandhi airport at 6 p.m. instead and after 2 good hours we had safely landed at some gentleman name Jayaprakash Narayan Patna airport!!!! And I have no idea who Jayaprakash Narayan is/was..........? Still have yet to know/learn about him when time permits........
It was around 9 or 10 p.m as we left that same night from Patna to Gaya and from there we had reserved four TATA Sumo to get to our destination! Until then enjoy these pictures that I clicked at one of the most recently developed metropolitan of Delhi. P.S I'm very much impressed with that city. 


(This is at Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon, Delhi)



As we had passed each temporary constructed welcome gate for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Kalachakra event; we had safely reached Gaya early in the morning around 4 a.m. The streets were quite with cool breeze in air, I can already sense peace in my mind. From Patna to Gaya we had fun and safe journey. Our driver seem to be around my age and we had a great conversation. He seem to really admire their newly elected CM Nitesh Kumar and obviously why not, since he has done so much for the development of his state and also at the same time this Kalachakra would not had happened if not because of him. Many moons ago, there was suppose to be one that was going to held in Gaya during Lalu Yadav but that has been miserably cancelled/ failed due to very private/secret misfortune of his governance. Back to our present event, we had reside at this Bihari house at the place called "Chatarpati"   that we had managed to get after countless search way back in US, before we even began our journey to India. We try to book reservations at hotels months and months as early as we could but unfortunately all the hotels have been booked. After our much needed rest at our guest house, we took a tour at Mahabodhi temple and also welcomed His Holiness The Dalai Lama's first arrival in Gaya. 
(His Holiness The Dalai Lama in this tiny white car) Blessing!


(Richard Gere and his friend arrived in Gaya for Kalachakra poja)
(Bihari Pride)
(With my Chulbulliy Pandey: Met them at pani puri station and they wanted to take pix with me from their cell phone and I got one from my own as well. And they are all doing great job keeping an eyes on mischievous Rikshawhala so that they don't cross their line/ elaka.) LOL Seriously, every day and night we witness these rikshawhala getting their ass whopped by these Bihar police. At times, even we end up saying: "Sir mujay be ek maryayy." ha ha ha But of course we don't get hit for no reason, instead they end up laughing their ass off! :p It's getting late here in (Minneapolis, US) right now so I better stop right here and stay tune for more DRAMA & DHARMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Tashi Delek and I'm back! 
On a night of our first arrival in Gaya, it happened to be the New Year's Eve even thought we completely forgot about it. I hangout with my cousin Dolma and her friends from India. We went to eat at Hotel Tokyo which is right next to our guest house in Mastipur. The worst hospitality I had ever experienced in my life. That chinese buffet that he had was disgusting, cold, and on top of that the manager that was in charge was even worst then any dog poop. Right after when we entered the hotel I asked that man if there is anything we should know or he would like to tell us about the service and the man expressed in very strange look: "No go right ahead and start your dinner." In my head I thought, "hello! what happened to the customer service, aren't you suppose to take us there?" But then before we began our dinner, that idiot comes to our dinner table and says did you know that the buffet is 350 -/ per person. Ehhhhh #facepalm!!!! So what?????? Gross!!!! The man was making such a big deal out of the meal which cost less then $5.00. Shame! My parents had tough us to always tip maximum $10.00 at any service we get & I've been practicing that ever since I can remember. Here, he had no shame in insulting his customer over less then $5.00 meal. Pathetic, and he wears suit. The most annoying part was he keeps stalking us over his cold and disgusting buffet. Such a pity yaar! Go to hell! I was really pissed that I didn't even left single penny for a tip and neither I will ever forget that man's face in my lifetime. I'm not sure if it was the pajama that I was wearing that night that made him treat us like that but still in my humble opinion that's not a wise reason to put his business in drain. Obviously, I'll not go to that cheap place again and I will also make sure others won't as well.
(This is at Fusion Food)
(Bojpuri aunties breaking the floor)

(Mr. Khan from Master Chef India)

(Dolma's friends)
(Dolma and her friends enjoying the party along with that bojpuri aunty and I don't know why my bodyguard's friends were scratching their hair for? Lost? )
















After that awful dinner we were on our way back home, all of sudden right on Sujata bypass we heard this loud music coming from Fusion food restaurant and came to think of it realized it was actually new year's eve. So we all rushed there to see what's going on; and there, we had spot two bopuri ladies selling tickets for party. Something that I had never guest in my wildest dream. Party in Bodh Gaya?????? Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It cost us 500-/ per person and it sure was well worth it. The music was good, people were very different, very amusing to watch, full on entertainment, and we had blast! On top of that, there was bollywood celebrity as a guest. The co anchor from MasterChef India was the chief guest of the party. Even thought I've no knowledge of who he is and had ever watch that show as well. Any ways, even though I was in my pajama still I have accidentally found my {BODYGUARD}. He asked me for dance and we end up saving a mother and a child on our way to roof top; after that he start chasing me and we took countless walk around Mahabodhi temple with my cousin Dolma. Our strange love story has begun from the Buddha Temple of course<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 Until then enjoy this song!



http://youtu.be/sP7ixdeFoB4
The party has been over; I had already said farewell to everything that has been past and yes! it was time to move ahead with new goals, new friends, new day, and another new year. I had started my New Year with a sweet & romantic kiss on my hand<3, of course at the heart of India!!! The next day we went to Varanasi and my bodyguard of course decided to follow me there as well. Varanasi trip wasn't as joyful as I expect. Our driver is way too young with very little direction skill. Due to that, he has failed to take us to the holy Ganga Ghat which is one of the world oldest site but we reached Sarnath thankfully. It rained all day long and we did our pilgrimage in rain. Our taxi driver stayed at the parking load and we took tambu to visit the places that are near by. I must say traveling in wet wasn't so joyful but the tambu driver made me and my cousin dolma,, ROFL. Just because the size of tambu was so small, our uncle and aunty sat at back seat while without any hesitation me and dolma tag/squeezed with the tambu driver at front. So the poor soul has been squeezed between two of us and I wasn't paying any attention to it but I guess he really enjoyed the fact that we shared seat with him and all of sudden he decided to play very very loud bollywood music. OMG! OMG! Big show off,,,,,LOL LOL LOL. Everybody from street were looking at us and the dude had his 5 minute fame right there in his hood. lol After couple miles, we reached our destination, at the Tibetan Temple right next to Birla ashram and from there, we had lunch and left Varanasi. We left Gaya early in the morning around 7 a.m. and got back around 11 p.m. 
(Sarnath, Varanasi)

 (Tibetan Monastery in Gaya)
 (Gaya's local mini hero)
 (Travel agency at Gaya; their business rocks. They got 24/7 transportation service with all kinds of buses and cars. Gaya travel agent was much better, cheaper, and reliable compare to bombay.)
(In middle of Bodh Gaya)

(Around MahaBodhi Temple)

Sujata offering rice milk to Lord Buddha<3

Hi, I'm back! Today is our Tibetan New Year (LOSAR) 2139, the year of male water dragon in India. If I were in India or  Lhasa/Tibet, I must be busy attending Opera shows of Milarepa, Nangsa Obum, Padmasambava, of course the tale of famous Tibetan Buddhist folklore, etc but sadly that isn't the reality. I'm far home away from home instead and typing my blog on my visit back home here in US. Forget about Tibetan Opera, it seem as this Bihar tale will never going to mark a full STOP.

(LOSAR-2139, GREETINGS TO ALL)



(Arya Tara)


(Tibetan Market at Bodh Gaya during Kalachakra)
 In order to get in we have to be able to wake up at 4a.m. in the morning and stand in line for couple hours to pass the security check and the Kalachakra poja doesn't start till 1p.m in the afternoon. So we have decided not to face this tough war and showed up only an hour before the prayer and settled with open air poja session while all the elderly people went with first and best option. LOL
(Desperately waiting for temple's bread and butter tea.)



Dolma's friend (tenDol) getting ready to cook lunch! We had great time here. This is at Kushbuaaa's home where we took refugee for 2-3 weeks with 10 -12 family members and made tons of friends in Mastipur.

This little girl is one of my favorite. She can multi task so many things and when first time I attempt to take her pix, she refused and said, "didi are you going to show the world that this is how people from bihar looks?" I must say I'm very impressed! She welcomed me to her home and offered me some tea and we became friends. 
(Rajgir, Bihar)








(Bimbisara treasure cave)
(Lord Buddha statue at Bodh Gaya)

(Up on hill where Lord Buddha first taught the wheel of dharma)



(The site where Lord Buddha laid down and took the last breath of his life on mother earth)
(Up on hill in Rajgir where Lord Buddha first taught the wheel of dharma) 




1 comment:

  1. Looking for a vector Kalachakra image.

    End up taking tour with your wonderful spiritual journey.

    If you that image please share.

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete