Journeys, whether long or short, always teach you something. For writers like us they are the best means to rise above writer’s block. Last month I happened to visit Gorakhpur, situated in underdeveloped eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, to attend a seminar organized by Aavartan Magazine devoted to quality research pertaining to social and environmental concerns. This research journal in the past has published excellent papers which have revealed lesser known facets of critical issues. This time Aavratan organized a seminar in coordination with Deen Dayal Upadhyay University situated in Gorakhpur. The seminar was dedicated to promotion of Hindi- the official language of India. The star attraction of the event was the presidential speech by Dr. Genadi Shlomper, who happened to be Hindi Instructor at East Asia Department, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
It was a pretty interesting experience to hear from Dr.Genadi about his involvement with Hindi during formative years of his career. His insights proved to be an eye-opener for huge crowd which had gathered there to listen a foreign visitor throwing light on worth of dealing in Hindi! After all, despite constitutional obligations Hindi has failed to get status of national language. Even in routine life of an average Indian enjoying upper middle class stature Hindi enjoys position of illegitimate wife! Indians have beaten Englishmen in exhibiting their love for Victorian ideals and, of course, for English. Besides Dr. Genady, listeners also had a wonderful opportunity to hear Israeli students pursuing Hindi language course at Tel Aviv University. Offir Mizrahi, Tal Gorsky, Matan Massika, Yakir Dahari, Alexandra Fer and Adi Fischer who were visiting various parts of India to understand the essence of Hindi in more refined manner had so many interesting tales to narrate regarding their experiences which they gathered during their current visit.
The photo feature specifically deals with places which I came to visit along with Israeli delegation comprising of students. We were mainly interested in seeing places around Gorakhpur rich in cultural terms. That included Gorakhnath Temple, Kushinagar associated with cremation of Gautam Buddha and Maghar which marks the spot of Kabir’s cremation. Gorakhpur has literary significance as well since great literary personalities like Firaq Gorakhpuri and Sachchidananda Hirananda Vatsyayan ‘Agyeya’ were associated with this city. Ageyeya was born in Kushinagar district.
Overall, it was a rewarding trip since it enlightened both head and heart. It’s time to let pictures tell the whole story about the various episodes of this beautiful journey. Interestingly, Dr. Genady was reluctant to tour this city since the place lacked desired cultural value. However, at the end of visit, he appeared to be overwhelmed after witnessing glorious facets of Indian history at such isolated places in this region especially temple and tomb of Kabeer standing adjacent to each other!
It’s always a good thing for a human soul to have glimpse of the world outside from a train’s window 🙂
An important place! The Non-cooperation movement started by Mahatma Gandhi ended abruptly due to violent clash between the freedom fighters and Britishers at this place! That led to death of many policemen posted at police station when it was set ablaze on fire by the protestors.
Small Indian railway stations always fascinate me 🙂 Such a cute name: Gauri Bazaar 😛 😛
Gorakhpur Station. Felt Happy On Being Land Of Great Yogi Gorakhnath Ji 🙂
Another View Of Gorakhpur Station 🙂
A View Of Gorakhpur City 🙂
Deen Dayal Upadhyay University, Gorakhpur.
That’s U.G.C. Guest House Where We All Stayed During Aavartan’s Program Organised In Tandem With DDU University, Gorakhpur.
That’s how the day began for all of us each day during three day stay in Gorakhpur 🙂 All Of Us Enjoying Breakfast 🙂
Dr. Genady Making Alexandra Rehearse Her Lesson Before The Start Of Program At University 🙂
Ofir whose Hindi was better than others in discussion with Mr. Genady 🙂
Seminar Organized By Aavartan And DDU University In Progress At University’s Hindi Department 🙂
The Event Also Witnessed Release Of New Edition Of Research Journal Named Aavartan 🙂 Along With Professsors From Gorakhpur Univesrity One Could Also Notice Dr. Genady Shlomper, Vaibhav Mani Tripathi And Editor-In-Chief Of This Journal Dr. Shafique Ahmed!
Mainstream Hindi Newspapers Gave Proper Coverage To This Event 🙂
In My Eyes This Billboard Explains Why Hindi Never Gets Proper Place In India! This Poster Was Displayed Not Very Far From Gorakhpur University 😛
But I hope these beautiful souls from Israel will keep loving Hindi 🙂 From Left: Matan Massika, Adi Fischer, Yakir Dahari, Tal Gorsky and Ofir Mizrahi.
Inside Principal’s Office At Government School At Bhathat, Gorakhpur For Right Reasons 😛 Myself Right Behind Adi, Alexandra and Vaibhav Mani Tripathi Ji. Vaibhav Ji Played An Instrumental Role In Organising Most Of The Programmes During This Tour.
Highly Disciplined Students Of Patel Smarak Inter College Garlanding Israeli Hindi Students 🙂
Our Students Were Really Very Excited To Meet Foreign Students 🙂
Students Listening Very Consciously Speech Of Dr. Genady 🙂
This Inter College Has Lots Of Trees On Its Campus 🙂 A Good Job On Part Of College Administration!!
Greenery Prevailed On Road Leading To Bhathat From Gorakhpur!
Places Close To Bhathat Are Famous For Making Images Of Terracotta!
Beautiful Terracotta Images 🙂
Great Art 🙂
Terracotta’s Lord Krishna 😛
Shiva Carved With Help Of Terracotta 🙂
This Cute Ganesha Looked Very Charming 🙂
They are the makers of these beautiful images from terracotta! Hope Lord keeps these blessed souls truly happy 🙂
Outside Gorakhnath Temple 🙂
This Magnificent Temple Belongs To Nath Sampradaya Started By Yogi Matsyendranath 🙂
Beautiful Statues Of Various Yogis Inside The Temple 🙂
Impressive Statue Of Lord Shiva Placed Inside The Temple 🙂 Om Namah Shivay 🙂
That’s Bheem Ji In Sleeping Mudra Inside This Temple 🙂
That’s Lord Gorakhnath Maharaj 🙂 Jai Gorakhnath Baba Ki 🙂 Hope His Blessings Always Shows Yogis The Right Way 🙂
Beautiful Night Scene Inside Gorakhnath Temple 🙂
Gorakhpur Lies In Underdeveloped Part Of Uttar Pradesh But It Can Still Boast Of Good Hotels Offering Delicious Food 🙂
It would take a long time to erase memories of this togetherness with Mr. Genady And His Students 🙂
River Rapti 🙂
At Maghar 🙂 That’s Cremation Site Of Saint Kabir 🙂
We reached there during evening hours. Deep silence greeted us 🙂 -)
That’s Samadhi Site Of Saint Kabir!
Inside The Kabir Temple Built By The Hindus!
That’s Placed Inside This Temple 🙂
All Of Us In The Company Of Saint Kabir Ji 🙂
That’s Description About This Temple’s Origin 🙂
That’s The Structure Built By The Muslims Adjacent To This Temple Which Bears The Tomb Of Kabir!
Tomb Of Kabir Ji Placed Inside This Structure! It was relatively more peaceful site than temple where one could trace many visitors!
Before We Move To Kushinagar Let’s Taste This Shuddha Chane Ka Sattu 😛 😛 😛
Dr. Genady Dealing With Queries Of Students Of Buddha PG College Situated In Kushinagar! The Students Did Ask Thought- Provoking Questions!!For Instance What’s The Future Of Hindi In This Age? Dr. Genady Citing Increased Role Of Foreign Companies In India Expected Better Growth Of Hindi In Coming Days.
For Queries Posed By Alexandra In Hebrew All I Came To Say : I Don’t Know What You Say 😛 😛 😛
Found No Opportunity To Have Conversation With Fischer! However, I realized After Listening Her Speech At University That She Was Pretty Sensitive! And Yet As We Parted Ways At Railway Station On The Last Day She Made It Known: “Aapse Milkar Bahut Khushi Hui”. Me Too Felt The Same For Her 🙂 But With Realization That Modern World Is Not Made For Sensitive Souls!
At “Pathik Niwas” in Kushinagar 🙂 Shuddha Hindi is sometimes tongue twister 🙂 Anyway, this restaurant did not give the impression that it was run by government 😛 It was clean and service quite good 😛 😛 😛
All Of Us At Hotel Pathik Niwas In Kushinagar 😛
Hotel Pathik Niwas Exhibited Good Images Of Lord Buddha 🙂
Another Image Of Buddha At This Restaurant 🙂
However, I Noticed This Beautiful Krishna Painting At Anand’s House Who Is Teacher In Gorakhpur!
Standing Before Ramabhar Stupa In Kushinagar. It’s The Place Where Guatam Buddha Was Cremated Kushinagar is associated with Parinirvana of Gautam Buddha!
Inside Ramabhar Stupa 🙂
Ruins Of Stupa Inside Ramabhar Temple!
Tol Gorsky And Monk Under The Same Umbrella 😛
A Huge Peepal Tree Inside Japan-Sri Lankan Temple In Kushinagar!
Standing Before Japan- Sri Lankan Temple 🙂
Inside View Of Sri Lankan- Japan Temple! This is used as place for meditation. I saw many people meditating at this place.
Inside Mahaparinirvana Temple which hosts Reclining Buddha!
Standing Outside Mahaparinirvana Temple In Kushinagar 🙂
That’s Reclining Buddha! At This Place He Breathed His Last With Words “Behold now, brethren, I exhort you, saying , decay is inherent in all component things ! Work out your salvation with diligence”
This Reclining Statue Built Of Chunar Sandstone Was Discovered By Carlleyl in 1876.
This Huge Bell Placed Inside Mahaparinirvana Temple Always Manages To Capture The Attention Of Visitors 🙂
The Structures Unearthed During Excavation At This Mahaparinirvana Temple.
Mahaparinirvana Temple 🙂
Dr. Genady Capturing The Best Moments 🙂
I Came To Witness This Monk Lost In Meditation 🙂
Vaibhav Ji Leading From The Front 😛 Hope They All Remain On Right Track 😛 😛 😛
This Huge Tree Inside Mahaparinirvana Temple Caught My Attention 🙂 😛
That’s The Temple Built By Myanmar. It’s Called Burmese Pagoda!
Standing Before Burmese Pagoda In Kushinagar 🙂
Beautiful Entrance Of This Temple 🙂
Must Thank To Lord That I Found Myself In Land Of Buddha 🙂 Luckily, I have Also Been To Sarnath!
Glad To Be In Company Of Such Lovely Ancient Structures!
It’s Time To Bid Adieu 🙂 Glad That Our Togetherness Ended On A Happy Note 🙂
Hope We All Remain Together 🙂 India Has Always Been Close Ally Of Nations Like Russia And Israel! They Came And Sang For Us Some Popular Bollywood Songs To Mark Their Respect For Hindi. And So It Would Not Be Out Of Tune To Attribute This Song To All Of Them ” Jaaiyein Aap Kaha Jaayenge Ye Nazar Laut Ke Phir Aaayegi :-)” 🙂 🙂 🙂
Departure Makes One Sad! But We Seem To Be Smiling 🙂
Noticed These Children Of Lesser Gods Inside My Train’s Compartment! Beautiful Faces Mired In Pain!!
Reached In My Own Land! Journeys Always Make Me Feel We Depart To Meet Again 🙂 Hope To Find Beautiful Faces Once Again In Some Different Land In Some Different Time Period 🙂 🙂
Must Not Miss This Article In Hindi To Know More About This Indo-Israel Connection 😛
हिंदी सिर्फ हमारी ही नहीं है: इजराइल के हिंदी प्रेमियों के संग गुज़ारे कुछ यादगार लम्हे!
Indowaves's Blog 
रोचक! मुंशी प्रेमचन्द का भी गोरखपुर से रिश्ता है। यहां उनके पिता पोस्टेड थे और कालांतर में उन्होने भी नौकरी की गोरखपुर के विद्यालय मे!
धन्यवाद इस दिलचस्प जानकारी के लिए। मेरे ज्ञान में वृद्धि हुई। और हां यदि अगली बार आना हुआ तो आपके घर पे दस्तक जरूर दूंगा 🙂
Many thanks to these visitors who immediately registered their presence on this post 🙂
Carmen Ampuero, Lima Peru; Yakir Dahiri, Kefar Seva, Israel; Nikhil Garg, Noida, Uttar Pradesh; Dr. Genady Shlomper, Israel; Noa Muzzafi, Tel Aviv, Israel; Vidhya Bhushan Pandey, Senior Prosecution Officer, Allahabad High Court, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh; Satyam Singh, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh; Parmod Pandey, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh; Niketan Magadh; Neeraj M; Sharang Chaturvedi, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh; Katie Paulson, New Ulm, Minnesota, USA; Deepak Sarin, New Delhi; Yugal Mehra, Kota, Rajasthan; Rekha Pandey, Mumbai; Deewaker Pandey, New Delhi; Arun Prakash Srivastava, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh; Annirudh, Mumbai and Vishal Sabbharwal, Ludhiana, Punjab.
Aniruddh, Mumbai, said:
Arvind K. Pandey, I am suggesting Narendra Modi to give Israel 2-3 some city to develop as Smart City including one in Kashmir to increase strategic, bilateral and cultural co-operation.It will be a second home for the tiny nation like Israel. Hindus in India are quite happy and there will not be any objection for the same.Japan, Germany, israel and other nations which is friendly with India can be allowed provided with strong military, industrial, agriculture and other sector co-operation. This strategic move will reward in a long run as we have to cope up with growing Muslim population, while Hindu population declining. India going to face various problem due to population explosion. Narendra Modi govt. should make a strategic thinking on this issue as there is no harm in it. Rising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as Hindu nation will not make a threat to any nation and unlike earlier regime the perception about India will change with the support of friendly nation. Now the idea is at the table of Narendra Modi – Prime Minister of India, he need action.
This is the repercussion of appeasement politics of Congress party. Yes, we are rising. It is unstoppable. Let us dream of end of pseudo secular Bharat, a Kangress Mukt Bharat.Before 3rd world war, India should get ready with new friends deepening co-operation and strategic partnership. India’s agony is troubled neighbour who is showing expansionist tendency, a security threat to the Indian nation.
Let your Israel friend show this comment and discuss.
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Author’s Response:
I thought the same 🙂 I spent long hours in preparing this photo feature. Hope you come to see it in all its totality. I am really happy that my conscious friends like you have some great ideas. Indeed, it would be a great idea to allow Israel to develop smart city in Kashmir. The government must act fast in this direction!!
Yakir Dahari, Israel, said:
Thank you very much mera dost! I enjoyed our time together in Gorakhpur and I hope we meet again. Phir milenge!
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Author’s Response:
Hum alag hote hi hai phir se milne ke liye..Yahi bataya hai maine is post me..Us mod ka intezar rahega “jab we met” hum karenge ek baar phir 🙂
This post is an ode to our friendship 🙂 I shared so many memorable episodes during this brief stay with all of you and I recycled them all to create this post/article which is like a short movie the words way 😛 😛 😛
Vishal Sabharwal, Ludhiana, Punjab, said:
Yes I ll Arvind Prabhu . Normally your posts are quite thoughtful ones. Hare Krishna.
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Author’s Response:
That’s because I take my issues with great seriousness 🙂
Carmen Ampuero, Lima, Peru, said:
The radiance of yours gives impression of golden aura of sun 🙂 Thanks for sharing this pic 🙂
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Author’s Response:
I know you are damn busy soul..But I request you to have a look at the images in this post with heightened seriousness 🙂 You will really be filled with bliss…Even though I have prepared this post I am having different sensation as I revisit this post as a reader, as an observer!!!
Thanks a lot for liking glowing appeal And you know well the exact reason of it It’s because of company of beautiful souls and that surely includes your evergreen presence in my life 🙂
Deewaker Pandey, New Delhi, said:
In fact, gorakhpur is my native place to nice to see the things written for the city. Only problem i could sense in touring those places ib Gorakhpur is narrow roads and heavy traffic in city.
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Author’s Response:
That’s such a good news for my ears 🙂 Then you must have truly identified with the post …And also, long power cuts at wrong hours!!
Niketan Magadh said:
Arvind Bhai… Isarel ke students India mein
bada sukhad aashcharya hua 🙂
Lekin man mein ek prashn ye hai ki wo Hindi mein degree lekar kya karenge???
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Author’s Response:
Israel Bharat Ka Ek Bada Aaarthik Mitra Hai…Sabhi Companies Bhavishya Mein Bharat Ki Taraf Aaayengi…Aise Me Hindi Jaanane Se Vyapaar Mein Madad Milegi Ki Nahi!!
बहुत सुन्दर वृतांत अरविन्द जी ! साँझा करने के लिए धन्यवाद !
हां जीवन में अच्छे क्षण कम ही आते है। और जब आते है तो मुझे यही समझ में आता है कि इन्हे ईमानदारी से सुन्दर तरीके से अभिव्यक्त किया जाए। और मैंने यही किया। वैसे इन सब से यही एक बात समझ में आती है भारत बहुत सुन्दर है और इतना कुछ है देखने के लिए कि ईश्वर से मेरा आग्रह है कि अपने पुनर्जन्म डिपार्टमेंट को समझा दे कि मेरे सारे के सारे अगले पुनर्जन्म भारत के नाम कर दे 🙂 😛 🙂
Amod Kumar Rai, Assistant Professor, Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, said:
Gorakhpur has rightly been recognized as a microcosm of our country.
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Author’s Response:
True…The perceptions that permeate there confirm what you state.
Author’s words for Vaibhav Mani Tripathi, Sub. Registrar, Ranchi, Jharkhand:
I played my part IN TIME 😛 And I am sure I did it in perfect way since the article has made news even in distance unheard places 🙂 Too happy that it received such a great response. This article is an ode to all good things that flowed towards me in Gorakhpur and now I feel bit disburdened!!
Author’s Words For Prassoon Suryadas, USA:
When I am at such beautiful places cut off from the global instincts of modern India I feel in sync with amazing feelings within. I emerge refreshed and bit more evolved. In nutshell, I come to realize India is really very beautiful despite being chased by so many issues. I hope you had a close look at all the images even as I realize that I need to use better camera 😛 😛 😛
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Author’s words for Urmila Harit, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi 🙂
I hope you did not miss to see all the images in post…Such places make me realize you need many births to preview the beauty of India in totality….
Noa Muzzafi, Israel:
A great article for students learning Hindi in Israel!!
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Author’s Response:
I really appreciate the fact that not only you had a close look at it but like any good reader you made it within reach of other readers as well…Thanks a lot for your kind gesture 🙂 🙂
Sharang Chaturvedi, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, said:
Well Come Sir! Same is the scenario with Kanpur. Old infrastructure, densely populated, largest or 2nd largest tax paying (industrialist) city in U.P. Anciently called as Manchester, yet with empty hands.
( Keeping in mind long power cuts and bad roads in Gorakhpur)
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Author’s Response:
It’s all because of absence of real leaders in Uttar Pradesh. It’s really tragic that governments come and go but lives of common people remain same….This must change…
@ Personal Concerns..
So once again you appear after a huge gap :p Many thanks for being here 🙂 🙂