God's own constituency (4)

                                Bandit Queen preceded Narendra Modi in Varanasi region

                                        After bandit queen Phoolan Devi's election debut in neighboring Bhadohi constituency in 1996, the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Varanasi assumed an event of national or to some extent international interest with Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal as prime candidates. Varanasi is the nerve centre of the socio-political activities of the entire purvanchal belt extending from eastern Uttar Pradesh to western Bihar. Phoolan was from Chambal-Yamuna ravine region while Modi and Kejriwal are from Gujarat and Haryana / Delhi respectively. 

                                       Just after her release from jail Bandit Queen jumped into election fray in Bhadohi and won the elections. Bhadohi was part of erstwhile Varanasi princely state and about two decades ago carved out as a new district. As a correspondent of a national news agency I covered this high profile election, accompanying  the Bandit Queen, on a few Occasions,  in her election campaign. 

                                     When I first met Phoolan at Bhadohi on April 12, 1996, she appeared to me a vajra dehatin (pure rustic). With folded hands she was urging us (journalists) to help her in the election battle. When I last met her before her assassination, she was a changed person. An elegant, dignified woman and an astute politician.A woman in unkempt dhoti was turned into a lady in beautiful saree.

                                     In 1996 I was chasing her during her campaign on the plateau of the great Vindhyas, my taxi driver reminded me of a story of Bandit Ratnakar. One day, Ratnakar threw away his arms and took up a pen to become sage Valmiki an write the great epic of the mankind, the Ramayana. On April 20, 1996, after a tiresome day-long schedule, our car stopped near a small habitation. I inquired about the village. It was named 'Dasyupur' (village of a bandit). Village elders told me it was the home of bandit Ratnakar turned Valmiki. Each year, the villagers celebrate the anniversary of of Sage Valmiki here.

                                   Chasing a Bandit Queen in India, leads you to the Bandit prophet and you simply wonder whether it is 1996 AD or BC.

                                    A base profession called journalism becomes a way of salvation in Varanasi.