8.01.2010
To,
Sri Awanish Kumar Awasthi
Director General UPSTDC
C-13,VIPIN KHAND
Paryatan Bhawan
Gomti Nagar
Lucknow
Respected Sir,
Re.: Tourism development possibilities at Kaithi-Markandey(Varanasi).
Vis-a Vis proposed four-lanes expansion plans of NH.29
1.Village Kaithi was settled by the mighty Raghuvanshy warriors of Katehar in 1465 AD ,namely by Rai Khemraj Singh by putting up his five years old son Rai Chan Singh judeo ,at the site of the Sees Chand Mansion,later built by his grandson,in around the year 1500AD. And still lived in by his descendants,including 1857 martyr Jaipal Singh.
2.All Hindus are aware of the first “Adi-Linga” of Markandey Mahadeo.And those having perused the Skand and Bhavishya Puran are also aware of Raja Divodas settling on the banks of Ganga and Gomti,after Lord Shiva’s disciples forced him to vacate Kashi,as desired by Lord Shiva to be devoid of human beings for use of it as his own abode.The new settlement of Divodas –Prajapati was known as “Lahuri Kashi”.
3.Bhagwan Ram came here as ordered by Sri Bashishtha for the penance-yagya for killing a brahmin.King Yudhishthir came here to cross the Ganges to proceed to Viratnagar for his thirteenth year of banishment and the last year in hiding.All the seven sages of the “Saptarshi Taramandal” meditated in Kaithi.The ashram of all have fallen in the Ganga or Gomti save that of Gargacharya situate north-east of the Mahadeo temple and made alive by learned Bangali-Baba
4.But the most famous son of Kaithi was the immortal sage Markandey rishi,born to the holy consort of the sage Mritand,who,in turn,was a great grand son of Lord Brahma,the Creator of the Hindu mythology.The penance of Mritand and Markandey brought about the immortality of Rishi Markandey,turning away The Death God,Yamraj,for ever.
5.I have related the story of “Sher Shah in the court of Doman Deo” in the IHCR session at Bombay,in 1979 ,but not about his return to Kaithi in 1545AD,on his way to Bengal expedition.His Generals came first and demanded military supply for the expedition,to which Doman Deo replied in negative,only to face the wrath of a General who destroyed his mud-fortress on the banks of the Ganges at Chandravati and Doman Deo escaped because his horse could walk and gallop on the surface of the Ganges,as the Raghuvanshies of Dobhi recite even today.In his fury the Generals forces tried to break the idol of Mahadeo,only to be repulsed by a storm of the big black bees,stinging the desecraters to death.A mass- grave was raised in the name of their leader ,Sayeed Baba,where all worshipin the name of national; integration.It is bang opposite of the northern gate of the a hundred and fifty years old PWD Dak Bunglow,where you must have visited as Collector of Varanasi.
6.Class fellows of my brother and also of V.P.Singh,the late prime minister used to tell me that in the UP College they called Kaithi as Paris of Benares and always longed for a picnic,there.Recently a Rain Basera has been built on the site of a dirty refuse pond, just outside the temple.A few more are required to entice the tourist traveling on the NH29,a lot of them may be Budhist from far east and it may cater to their requirements.I can give one or two plots,myself for such novel purpose ,to catch tourists from the proposed 217 Kms four-lane NH29,if there are provisions for a detour of the tourists traveling on the said Express Way ,proposed by the Ministry of tourism,Govt. of India and your own goodselves in the State Govt.
7.There is a great rush from all and sundry to visit Mahadeoji in Kaithi both on inaugural of a venture and as much on the successful completion of a deal and every day many times fleets of powered limousines make a ferry to the temple,making a mockery of the peace and quite of a village life and putting the life and limbs of the pilgrims and the residents of the village,going about their visits to the temple,the Bazar,the primary and High Schools,at stake and at peril all the time.Our rickshaw was hit by one such speeding vehicle,in front of my house as we were alighting from the rickshaw to go in the house.The damage was to the decorative plastic rib on the vehicles rear wheel ,but the occupants just fled away,as it was right in the midst of the thakurs house-holds.But there is always a greater chance of the rickshaw occupants being on the receiving end of the damage and a case of hit and run on the motorist record.I would inform you,kindly that about forty arms licensees are in the village and it can turn into an ugly incident,for no fault of anyone in particular.Therefore,I was thinking all the time,when I was in the village for a solution of the problem.
8.Three things came to my mind.
First:that a pre-1966 situation has arisen again,when the traffic passed through the village and once in a while a child got himself crushed under a Bus or a car.But things generally subsided as those were tolerant days.Now everyone is hot-headed and an ugly situation will arise at the snap of the fingers.Knowing the fire-power of the occupants of the powerful limousines and the prestige of the Raghuvanshies of Katehar,it could easily erupt into a riot with bloodshed and murder.It is an explosive situation and it is time now that the district administration should be sincerely getting alert about it.
So,it would be best to divert the traffic of the speeding fleets of heavy duty limousines to the back of the temple from Km.28(from Vns.) and build a special tourist/visitors/pilgrims passage to Markandey Mahadeo,which could be,so kindly,taken-up by your goodselves.
Secondly,should there be a cash-crunch,two things can be done on the existing road through the village,to accommodate all,safely and happily.
One:By erecting a Fly-Over like in the big cities and on the High ways and Expressways.Let us say the proposed Fly-over starts rising around the proposed Electricity Board’s Sub-station,shifting from Ugapur to Kaithi ,carrying - on northwards, all along the population’s living quarters and starts descending before the Dak Bunglow,providing for minimum hindrance at both ends.Speeding fleets can accelerat even more and get quickly to the Mahadeo and make the get away even faster, while the villagers and on foot pilgrims walk peacefully to their whereabouts,or even ride a rickshaw,if they so need,underneath the great big Fly-over. A blessing for all concerned.
Two:Again the budget may not allow such a venture as above plus lack of political will.
So let us resort to “the SKY-WALK”,Bombay style and add romance to the tourist’s itinerary right royally and fun for the village folks with safety angle foremost in the mind.
I will send you some news-paper photographs and reporting on the now-thing in Mumbai,which is coming-up all over the place and with good results,and a debate on whether to permit the hawkers on the two sides of the sky-walk path is taking place in the news-paper columns every day. We can allow the evening vegetable market (of the Bazar ) on the left and right sides for the sake of both the buyer and the seller.Only the old and the feeble will,yet,grumble in climbing the stairs ,while cursing you and me,even as quietly blessing us for the safety of the young ones.
There is a sort of Sky-walk at New Delhi Railway Station,joining Paharganj side to Kashmiri-gate side and some insight can be gained looking at it about the proposed Sky-walk in Kaith-Markandey.
I feel your personal interest in the above scheme towards the tourism development,with a hidden agenda of the safety of the village folk from the greedy blessing-seekers from the village deity situate at the northern-end ,with the Kuty Ghat on the Ganges,from where Doman Deo escaped the clutches of the Afgan Generals and the scenic confluence of the Ganga and Gomti,near-by calling the Budhist and tourist in general for a visit to feel it’s glory , grandeur and serenity in one go.
I have to be in Lucknow on the 17th and will make an effort to call on you to draw your kind and urgent attention,while drawing the attention of DM and Commissioner Varanasi through this letter and for keeping the Govt.aware of the law and order angle by copying it to the Chief Secretary,for which,prey no offence may be taken.
Thanking You for your kind attention and looking forward to arousing your interest.
Yours Obediently
Suresh Pratap Singh
Tenant and cultivator of Vill. Kaithi
Chartered Engineer(London)
Marine Chief Engineer
Sees Chand Mansion
Vill. & Post:Kaithi(Markandey)
Thana:Chaubeypur
Block:Cholapur
Distt.Varanasi
Pin;221116
Email:spsinghnavy@hotmail.com
Phone:0542-2361159
Mob.:09935398306
A nephew of Thakur Ram Rup Singhji,
Late of the IAS & UP ASssembly.
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