Itinerary Part-14: Bihar and Jharkhand
Dear Readers,
Moving on my journey as a solo traveller across India and
having covered twenty three states of India, I return to the mainland India
from the remote North-east region (link to other itineraries at the end of the post). In this leg of the All India Solo Trip, I'll
be covering the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. Also, in this leg, I'll be
visiting places in the state of Uttar Pradesh, which I had to skip in the
earlier part due to location and transport difficulty. Bihar is the third-most
populous state of India and is an amalgamation of three distinct region -
Magadh, Mithila and Bhojpur. Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on
November 15th, 2000, is the state which accounts for 40% of mineral resources
of India.
As with all the other Itineraries, I've had help from friends, fellow bloggers,
tourism department of Bihar and Jharkhand, travel companies and readers, providing
me various inputs on availability of local transports, places to visit, places
to stay, etcetera, to develop this
itinerary. And, as mentioned in previous posts, this itinerary is loosely based
on various ideal situations. Thus, following it may not be possible due to
reasons out of our hand during the trip.
So here's the itinerary for the fourteenth leg of my All
India Solo Trip in the state of Bihar and Jharkhand:
Day 1: Patna. The
start of this leg of the trip will be a 20 Hour long train journey from
Guwahati (last destination of previous leg) to Patna, the capital city of the
state of Bihar. So nothing but rest for the whole day.
Day 2: Vaishali.
The first proper stop in this leg of the journey will be Vaishali, a city of
great relegious and historical importance. This place has a vivid mention in
Mahabharata. The place is named after King Vishal of the Lichhavi Republic.
This place resonates the Buddhism preaching with Stupa, monasteries and pillars
across the city. Night stay at Patna.
Day 3: Nalanda.
Next stop, is the house to the famous university of the same name, Nalanda,
known as a center for learning since ancient times. The ruins of the university
are of great importance with historical, mythological and cultural knowledge
etched across the place. Night stay back at Patna.
Day 4: Dhanbad.
Now, I'll enter the state of Jharkhand which was carved out from Bihar in the
year 2000. The first stop in this state will be Dhanbad. The Coal Capital of India, this city is a
perfect confluence of nature and technology. While on the one hand the massive
coal industries take you by surprise, on the other, the opulent panorama
rejuvenates your soul.
Day 5: Ranchi.
Next stop, is the capital city of the state of Jharkhand, Ranchi, the city of
waterfalls. The hilly topography with dense forest is a feast to the eye and
soul.
Day 6: Netarhat.
The next place is known as the "Queen
of Chotanagpur", Netarhat, which lies in the Pat region of the Chota
Nagpur plateau. This hill station is covered with dense forest, lush woodlands
and majestic rocks. The architectures of the British Rule period is also
evident here across the gardens, churches and colonial architectures. Night
stay at Daltonganj
Day 7: Palamu: Next
stop, and the final in the state of Jharkhand, is a place with rich
biodiversity, Palamu. An exploration of the Palamu Park proves to be an
enrapturing experience to all those to seek recourse in the bounty of nature
and wish to reconnect to their primeval selves. Night stay back at
Daltonganj.
Day 8: Sasaram.
Next stop, is a place with vivid historical past, Sasaram (Bihar). This city
has perfect confluence of natural beauty and architectural marvels. The
birthplace of legendary rulers such as Rani Laxmi Bai and Raja Harishchand,
their legacy is still evident on the preserved monuments they left behind.
Day 9: Varanasi.
Now, I'll re-enter the state of Uttar Pradesh, having visited its western part
earlier (Agra, Jhansi etc.). The first stop in the eastern part of the state
will be Varanasi. This city of temples, located at the banks of river Ganga, is
a holy place with huge historical value. The city is a mixture of religion,
philosophy, art and culture.
Day 10: Allahabad.
Moving on to the second oldest city in India, Allahabad, with its origin
tracing back to Vedic period. This city is home to Triveni, which is the
meeting point of river Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. This place is a major
pilgrim spot and a booming economic center as well.
Day 11: Lucknow.
The final stop in this leg of the journey will be the capital city of the state
of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. The "City
of Nawabs" is one of the most pristine
and multicultural tourist destination of India. The various historical
monuments, the architectural wonders and the cuisines unmatched to any other
place makes this city a cultural hub in itself.
From here, I'll be taking an overnight train to Tanakpur,
Uttarakhand, as I proceed to one of the most treacherous period of the trip.
So readers, if you feel
that I should change the itinerary in some way or other for me to move much
better between places, please specify them on the comment section. And ,as I've
mentioned in earlier post, if any of you reader wants to join me in any
juncture of this journey, I would love to share the journey with you.
You can also write to me at muditacharya28@gmail.com with your
valuable suggestions and questions about this trip.
And keep following the blog as I release further details and
further itineraries of the trip.
Cheers!
Links to other Itineraries:
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