Just got a call from Mitali. She and the girls are on the train. If all goes well, and the train is not delayed, they should be here by 1:00. But like everything in India, everything is unpredictable -- even the apparently predicatable.
A while ago I discovered that the Maoists have called a Jharkhand Bandh (strike). A friend, who was planning to take a train from Ranchi to Kolkata, called to say that he had to take the early morning flight from Ranchi because of the strike. So I called Bhola to find out if he was stuck in Jharkhand. He said that he was already in Siuri, which is about an hours drive from here. He hadn't heard of the strike and had no problems crossing into West Bengal. But then he called about 20 minutes ago to say that he has been stopped at a road block. This happens almost every time Bhola comes to Bolpur. It's amazing....
Apprently some villagers had decided to block the highway because the administration had not released water in the canals! The place is only 5 kms from Bolpur. So now God alone knows when he'll get here! I spoke to him a few minutes ago and he said that he had tried one alternate route, but that too has been block. He was going to try another route to get here. Let's hope he succeeds and gets here before Mitali and company arrive. He's supposed to fetch them from the station. But that's not a problem because they can always take a couple of cycle rickshaws and get to Mission Compound.
So that's the story so far.... once they arrive, I may get too busy to write the blog. I'm looking forward to the visitors. I've been a bit "lonely" lately. It would be nice to have company even if it's only for a day!
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