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Friday 8 November 2013

Yes, I proudly say that I belong to Jabalpur!

To those of you who had never heard of Jabalpur before,

Yes, it is a city in the heart of India. It is a city where life takes beautiful turns, owe it to the places or to the people you will meet here. I am from Jabalpur, and being addressed as a 'Jabalpurian' is indeed a matter of pride for me.

Sometime back, one of my very good friends(who had stayed in South India for quite sometime) told me that he often had to explain people about the whereabouts of his city, because those in the far east or far south did not know where Jabalpur is, so he preferred to say that he belonged to M.P. During my stay in Trivandrum for some time, I had a similar experience. People from most of the Southern India seemed to have heard of the place for the first time. One day I saw another colleague of mine from the North-East, trying to explain a South Indian, where exactly his city was in West Bengal.

Well, that scene, though it seemed entertaining to me, left me touched. When he could do so, I wondered why it was so difficult for many of us to explain our whereabouts. After all, a vibrant and rich-cultured city like Jabalpur has a beauty that needs to be explored at least once in a lifetime, and as a resident of this lovely city, it was my obligation to let people know where I belonged to. It might seem crazy and I admit that it was nothing as an effort to salute the spirit of my city, yet I choose this way to express my love for my city.

You might have heard of Jabalpur for the famous Bheraghat waterfalls. Of course, that is one of our heritage sites that we are proud of. But there is lot more to Jabalpur apart from that. Trust me, only a person who has lived in this city will understand what I am trying to say. And what I am saying is a feeling from the bottom of my heart, with many unexplained feelings and memories that leave me mesmerized, especially after I have lived for sometime in South India and in one of the so-called advanced mini metro cities. In fact, one of my colleagues back in Trivandrum had expressed his surprise for talented people coming from Jabalpur, to which I had a long answer for him.

I say it with a sigh that I always get a longing for my city whenever I am there. And once I am home, I go back with a lot of reluctance. There is a life running on every street and every corner of the city. Be it the landscapes around the city, the awesome places that surround us, the people who reside here. Yes, it is rightly called the 'Cultural Capital' of M.P. Jabalpur houses the High Court of our state apart from other important offices.

If you ever get a chance, definitely visit the city during any festive season. We celebrate every festival with our hearts. The city gets a new life be it on Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid, New Year, Lohdi or Christmas. In fact, if you do not know, then definitely visit the city for the Punjabi Dussehra celebration in our oldest stadium. The grand occasion is one of the finest and famous all over the country.

The best part about Jabalpur is that we do not judge you or favour you on the basis of your origin. It will not matter more to us if you can speak in Hindi, Tamil, Malyalam or in Marathi, that we will favour you more. Of course, it will not be less favourable either. You will always be welcomed with an open heart and blended into the city with its genuine love. You will become a Jabalpurian too once you are here.

Talking about education, we proudly have one of India's oldest medical colleges and our Engineering college has one of the oldest Machine labs of Asia. We have a stream of talent that blossoms every now and then. Not just students, we have talented people, who are now spread across the country, all bringing glory to our city.

Jabalpur proudly houses so many of the Ordinance and Defence factories and of course the GRC cantonment. If you know, it is the zonal headquarter for West Central Railways. I am sure you would not have cared to hear about the Bargi Dam or M.P.E.B., which apart from the resources, offers places so beautiful that you will never forget them.

We do have malls, coffee shops and shopping plazas to hang out, but we are not addicted to doing that. In every locality you visit, you will find a variety of cultures and places to go out for every occasion. From the elegant and classy places to the oldest places of historical interest, from the places where you will find peace to the hustle and bustle of common people in the markets, you will find everything here.

Oh and did I mention the most beautiful aspect of the city, the mesmerizing banks of River Narmada. If you have been to Gwarighat on a moonlit night, you will never need any other heaven. It is so peaceful to feel the breeze quietly on your face. In the mornings, you will surely be awakened by some religious songs being played somewhere in a distance. Apart from being proud to be near the cleanest river of India, we have a variety of seasons, that you will not experience anywhere else.

Well, apart from summer and monsoon, have you heard of a winter like the North, accompanied by rainfall, every time it chooses to increase the beauty of its chill? If not, then Jabalpur is the place. And you know, if you are a resident of this city, every street that you visit will bring back a bunch of memories with tears and smiles, that go on forever. Of course, it is possible that you will get to see somebody you know and they will greet you as if they have seen you after a long time, every time you meet them.

Even if you take some time out to visit your own terrace in the evenings, you will relive a peaceful journey of your own self into the city. And there apart from the birds in the sky, you will get to watch the usual commercial airplanes and from the defence air base as well.

Phew! I have said so much about Jabalpur, yet I am sure I have missed out a lot you know. It was just a glance of this city where I have lived. Do visit once. You will know it is all true. You cannot leave from here without falling in love with it. I have, and wherever I remain, my heart lives in this city of hearts, for which I am proud of being here.

:')

4 comments:

  1. I read it completely.... just because it talked about a person's hometown.(dats u of course). And I was sure when I'll read it, it'll make me remember my city too (same reason y people love romantic movies).
    Belive me ur personification of ur city have created spark..n surely I'll someday go to ur city.... :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! :) Yes, I tried to write it in a way that it depicts the belongingness and magic of a pesron's hometown and I am glad you could connect it to your city as well.
      You are welcome to Jabalpur anytime :) Thank you for reading it.

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  2. Amazing description of Jabalpur Aditi... :) Really like the way u expressed :) ;)

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