Deoghar Trip on 17-21Dec 2019

Deoghar is a holy city beside the Mayurakshi River, in the east Indian state of Jharkhand. The ancient Baba Baidyanath Temple complex is a significant Hindu pilgrimage site. There are many famous ashrams here. Anukul Thakur Satsang ashram, Swami Balananda ashram and Ramkrishna mission Ashram are some of the well known ashrams here. The town is small and picturesque. There are many budget hotels here and food is tasty and good. The climate and water is good for health. Very little pollution.

 Our Deoghar Trip was one which we almost cancelled, went at the nth hour, almost scared to death at arriving there but ultimately we had a single good day , returned safely and all in one piece. Our onward journey was almost cancelled the prevous day when we learned of the Howrah station trains being disrupted due to NRC-CAA ruckus. Thankfully we did not cancel it. The train was on time and we reached Deoghar on time. We reached the ashram were we were to stay. I had booked the tickets long ago as it was Ma's great wish to go there with us all. So though I had booked the forward and return journeys allright I did not search or book any hotel as I assumed we would be staying at the ashram for which we were primarily going. I was wrong here. Later came to know from my relatives that they all stay in hotels when they visit Deoghar. Ist mistake. 2nd mistake : Although we expected Deogarh to be cold in winter we didnt expect the intensity of the cold. The first night in the ashram it was so cold that we were all shivering under the thin single blankets even with sweaters and socks on  and could not sleep the whole night. Baba thought he would kick the bucket there itself. He had been made to walk almost for 1 hour after reaching the asram in order to get the rooms . At his age (82) we were all scared what would happen to him. I was scared stiff. Anyway, somehow we spent the night. Next morning first half was spent hunting for a hotel. Here Murphy's law once again proved itself. The hotels which we liked were all full or too expensive. The ones which were offered to us we rejected. After roaming through the city in an auto and visiting umpteen hotels we at last homed down on a hotel Shivam which had broken balconies, a lift which barely worked and geysers in the toilet which did not. It was an international hotel but without hot water. Seems a fire or short circuit had conked out the electrical power wiring. We took rooms in the hotel which we again had to change midway as there was no light in the toilet. After angry heated altercations with the staff during which they tried to stick us with the room allotted(without lights in the toilet) an we claiming that we would walk out of the hotel though we were all tired out we made a compromise at getting a bigger and better room at same price.

      Next day was a good one. We booked a car to go sightseeing. The weather was nice and sunny and we could visit Trikut pahar, cablecar ride, Tapovan and Baba Mandir. It was a good trip. We found a nice hotel in walking distance from the hotel where the meals were good. Our return journey was also nice with new train compartments. Baba proved to himself and to us that he was still fighting fit. So it was an eventful trip for us. On one day Sona suddenly blew her fuse and had a huge quarrel with Dadu as to why he was switching on the room lights and waking everybody when she was feeling sleepy. That had nearly spoilt our second day as well, but she came around and we all went sightseeing together.