The Grandeur of Bundelkhand

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The Grandeur of Bundelkhand

 

           An official visit sometime back took me to Lalitpur Power Generation Unit (LPGU). The thermal power generation complex is situated in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh; a region steeped in history and replete with multitudinous nuggets which attracts the attention of populace both domestic and overseas.

Meanwhile the Bajaj conglomerate had recently made a foray into developing a state of the art super-critical thermal power project in Lalitpur district of the state. We at North Central Railway (NCR) - headquartered at Allahabad- carry coal received from various collieries in India to the power house. 

This modern structure is situated near the historical town of Jhansi and generates 1,980 megawatts of power. Lalitpur Power Generation Co. Ltd., has synchronised its Unit 3 of 660 MW capacity on 30.03.2016. Three units of this gargantuan powerhouse are vitally critical to supply ‘power’ to this arid region of the state. 

I have had the opportunity to visit several power houses in my career thus far, but in no control room other than this one could I see coal being thrust into the furnace (on computer screens). We watched the splendorous spectacle from the salubrious air-conditioned environs, but I could well imagine the extortionate temperatures in the smelting zone.

It was a riveting sight to watch the smouldering fireball. One could envision that at a distance of 149.6 million kilometres is a star where tonnes of fuel produce Brobdingnagian flames.

Come monsoon, this seemingly infecund and parched land metamorphoses into a verdant area. This mystery of nature perennially leaves me wonder struck. How is it that the vapid and baked landscape, during monsoon and winter blossoms into a viridescent and graminaceous landscape. It is water. Elementary, dear Watson! one could say.

Sandwiched between inspecting the super thermal power house and smaller stations on the way, was a quick detour to the bijou town of Orchha. 

The Ram Raja Temple is a sacred place for the faithful situated in Orchha and attracts devotees in significant numbers regularly. Interestingly, this is the only temple in the subcontinent where Lord Ram is worshipped as a king. The speciality of the temple deity is that Lord Ram has a sword in his right hand and a shield in the other. Another interesting feature of the temple is that a Guard of Honour is held for Lord Rama every day.

The Orchha Fort complex bearing the stamp of nagara architecture houses several ancient monuments including the fort, palaces, temple and other prominent edifices. The majestic fort and other structures in the precincts were constructed by the Bundela Rajput sovereigns, beginning from the early 16^th century by King Rudra Pratap Singh, and extended by other valorous kings who subsequently ruled.

It was late in the afternoon by now and we motored our way back to base camp, Jhansi. As the evening sun sank in the ancient city of Jhansi, a coruscating and lambent glow spread across the robust fort of Jhansi and the surrounding skyline. As the shadows lengthened, only an odd bulb here and there reminded us that we were in 2018. The sheer grandeur and majesty of the fort transported our febrile minds to aeons back. 

We were about to witness history through the baritone voice of Om Puri. The one hour sound and light show conjured images of the robust and brawny Jhansi fort, its history and provided glimpses of the run up to the First War of Independence in the country.

The construction of the Jhansi Fort is ascribed to the Bundela Rajput chief and ruler of the kingdom of Orchha, Veer Singh ji Deo Bundela in 1613. Though the kingdom was administered by several rulers, is singularly associated with Raja Gangadhar Rao and his wife Maharani Lakshmi Bai.

The pious Shaivite was a woman of steel and substance. The couple rather unfortunately lost their only four month old son named Damodar Rao. The couple adopted a child called Anand Rao (offspring of Damodar Rao’s cousin), who was also rechristened Damodar.

However after the death of Gangadhar Rao, Lord Dalhousie, then Governor General invoked the instrument of Doctrine of Lapse and usurped the kingdom.

Then began the struggle to free Jhansi from the clutches of East India Company by Maharani Lakshmi Bai and led to her pact with Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and other chieftains spawning from parts of India. The bugle of independence was first sounded during the First War of Independence in 1857. Jhansi ki Rani succumbed to injuries while in action on 18^th of June 1858. 

But she fired the imagination of millions of women of India who scrimmage for their rights to this day. India was free from the foreign yoke on 15^th of August 1947, but not before, Netaji Bose had formed a Lakshmi Bai regiment in his celebrated Indian National Army.

My eyes welled up at the end of the son et lumiere show. As I headed back to Prayagaj, the images that were conjured on the canvas of my mind seemed indelible.