On the way from Keonjhar to Deogarh, there came three valley road which was thrilling to passed it which was inevitably accident prone especially in the night, for each 5 kms we had seen different exposure of 40 kms (in total of three) death road.(reference-Keonjhar trip)
At 18:00 hrs Deogarh arrived as the valley reduced us to 50 kms/hr.
Twilight was running on its initial phase,
87 kms to go for Sambalpur ,I was pretty much sure by the road quality what we went so far that it would be covered in an hour and half at the most, but the real twist had yet to come.
Lowering of sun reciprocates our speed, with gaining engine sound, it continuously came in our sight that road was degraded with a faster rate. After 15 kms we reached a point where the road is bifurcated, one was persisting NH6 towards Sambalpur and another one was streamed out as NH 200 directed towards Jharsuguda but was not safe as heard all though we never heard any piece of statement about the other way so we decided to carried on NH6 as one of my damn well wisher preferred that road anyways I love experiments without taking care of the consequences but sometimes it’s cost you.
18:30 hrs
We proceeded towards Sambalpur, light was still enough to getting the looks of potholes which were going worse and worst but feeling of reaching near to home made us so excited that we had started maneuvering (at the cost of low speed) from those pot holes which were of 8 to 9 inches depth, and eventually our compatibility got jerked off .Bird got overturned just over me and skidded up to 9 to 10 meters leaving me at the falling point.
Hail......... those protective wears, those were the real survivor, I was fallen down directly on my knees and elbows simultaneously but not even a single scratch I had got.
My wrist was badly injured; shirt and cargo had got beyond stitched. By the time sun was out of sight , mind was running out of ideas and freshness needed a quick halt but finally concluded that it was better to left the wounded season and picked the bird kicked by 30 times and was taking the way. Bird’s exhaust was damaged and crash guard was almost bent by the side.
19:00 hrs
We were almost 80 kms away from Sambalpur. Proceedings were continuously loosing the rhythm, were running at total exhaust. During the whole journey it was only Nimbooz or some other soft drinks which were energizing me was out of reach there. Among those 620 kms we had traveled so far, 400 kms were almost in forest among which we had countered filling station in every 50 kms or any drink shops. During the crash when bird got turned a high margin of petrol moved out through a small outlet which was given to prevent carburetor from being flooded by fuel, but it cost me to went in reserve after 20 kms.
60 kms to go, no filling station, reserved limit was 1.3 liters on full stretched 40 kms max.
No light, forest area was embracing deeply ,road was almost covered with streamline trees ,different kind of pot holes , it was seeming that someone intentionally broke it down ,at different stops ,vehicles were halted with their deeper on, but not always they took the sideways, sometimes they were in the middle of the road. Later I realized that they all were being hunted like me. Maneuvering still on, not for fun but to went across it. Only headlights were showing the path in the middle of the forest, different kind of hoardings were flagged uniformly with a picks of some wilds (comprises LEOPARD, ELEPHANT, and many other else which were beyond my recognition capabilities) with a Oriya inscription on it which made me feel that those ones were the owner here not me so it was better to leave it ASAP but due to fuel limitation I had restricted to optimum.
It was 1930 hrs 40 kms to go to Sambalpur. Almost 1230 hrs since we had been driving. It was the time of next twist, after accompanying me for the last 1230 hrs since we had started our journey, my Walkman got discharged, and everything was sounded on a different tone. Different kind of living creature’s natural born sound and of my bird’s really made that place haunted, sometimes other motor also accompanied. Still it was normal to heard those sounds because I was incessantly leaving them as we were gaining miles, But my bird was not going to leave it so early ,may be it wanted to hear them crystalline. with a jerk it gave a halt in between the forest with no other vehicle around .Now there was no other motor sound, you could hear each and every sound more clearly and with more dread. I was standing with my bike with headlights on, watching around, helpless and shattered enjoying all the acoustics. Streamline trees were on mood that time .As it was the summer time. Heavy wind made them moved on a way with full sync creating amazing sound. It was sound really soothing but the feeling of the place and situation where I was standing, prevented me to enjoy that. For a while I just switched the headlights off and took a look, moon light was almost nil, the only light was on the sky were of stars, I just stretched my head and watching the sky. There was some bunch of stars which were glittering the most. I was trying to structure them, after a few seconds gazing I concluded a shape which was just like SMILEY.
“Hmmm, someone is also here for making fun of me,” I was thinking disappointingly
But whatever the shape they made and whatever the shape I realized .one thing which was true in both the whatevers that they were looking great. A true natural beauty………………..
NOW the kicking process started, during the trip I was used to kick it by 20 times, when I kicked, my hope of got start generated after 15th kick and traveled a bell curve (inverted V),average kicking was 20 and maximum was 25,but this time I had crossed max. After 25 each kick just hit my heart beatz as I was feeling that time. With injured leg it was not much possible to carry on kicking process but situation made me all time stubborn and got the jackpot at 35.it was the experience which was etched in my memory for the lifelong.
So we were again moving, but still fuel problem encroaching my patience.
“No filling station no filling station ,what the heck happening” I was damn thrilled of not getting fuel at that time, it made me fearsome of thinking the situation standing on a road again with my 200 kgs bird without any move with a dark where even the sight of your own hand was impossible.
30 kms to go, reserved limit left only up to 10 kms. A filling station sighted…….
“Fill it” with full of happiness I showed the vendor guy 200 bucks
“Sorry sir, there had no tanker came for the last three days” my all hopes and excitement were thrashed in a single moment
“Hey, any guessing about next station” totally exasperated words were leaving my lips
“Yeah sure Sir, it is just a while after, 10 kms only”
I was really f***** up, again 30 kicks and went for last limit …………
Hmmmm no words could be expressive to describe those 10 kms, at least not possible for me……..
9 kms over and my bird was also got over. Pushing 200 kgs bird was really awesome with wounded and over exhausted body.
Reached to next hoping station means filling station.
“Do u have it or not?”
“yes sir, how much?” how much I was happy at that moment was unexplainable it was the moment when my excitement pulled me on cloud 9 or even greater that I was thinking of kissing the guy’s bald head but dropped it on the next moment, I gave him 200 bucks.
“How far is Sambalpur?”
“17 kms, Sir”
“Thank you”
“Sir, don’t you know about this road? no one travels here in night ”
“Is it so! next time I will be damn assured about it,.thanx again”
“My pleasure sir, have a great journey ahead”
20:15hrs
Finally we reached Sambalpur, on the way there was a tractor got its petrol tank leaked out just by the grace of these pot holes. On my mind I was just thinking about my friend‘s benevolence who suggested that road.
So when reached Sambalpur, it was a piece of cake to reached home which was 50 kms ahead I could cross it on a blind and I had done it. Meanwhile I had took Manish from the Station as he was also out of town and I had promised him to reached Jharsuguda on the same day……………….
21:45 hrs
“Hey Tippu, what’s up”
“Hey, where are you? Keonjhar or else?”Tippu was excitingly questioned
“Just ordered, chicken munchow in Shankar, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” I answered
“Hey, what are you saying? How come? Unbelievable!” Tippu was almost electrified
“Just as, come back, I will explained it briefly, any ways best of luck for your interview”
That was all my most thrilling ,delighted ,excited and kicked bike trip I ever experienced, had came to an end………………………………………….
23:00hrs
After dinner I was roaming on terrace ,there were vehicles pacing around the road with loads of dirt flowing all over made the sight almost invisible just because of the reflection of light through the dirt particles coming from the street lights, so disappointingly I was looking at the sky, after continuous gazing it was seeming that the bunch of star sparkling with utter brightness and shine but due to ambiance light it was somewhat diminished, however I stressed myself to watched them, it was giving an impression of some different kind of structure just like an inverted bow but not clearly visible, suddenly power got off. And darkness took over the ambiance...Visibility got crystal clear .just a few seconds ago when it was almost translucent to watched. I was unable to found out what actually the imitation occurred here but now the same light made thing possible.
I was thinking that the same light which made things to watched clearly sometimes did the opposite .That amusing thought made me smile but when I looked in the sky I felt the reflection. It was the same SMILEY which was with me then, when I was in total despair and now too when I was in total comfort. It stressed me to contemplate about the earlier realization again .
Finally I decided that now when the day with full of action was about to over, and as I was safe and my bike too so it would be better to did the end of day with a nice and sound sleep…………………………
