MY BITRAGUNTA! MY PRIDE!

Bitragunta………..

That name itself makes my heart skip a beat!

 Yes truly, those were the best days of my life ………………………..          

 the unpolluted atmosphere, the innocent childhood, the Railway school, the non-stop enjoyment with friends, the Bogole bazaar, the Ibrahim pet Market,  the vast Railway Quarters, the old loco shed and of course the constantly heard rhythm of the trains……… Coooo…………. That’s what makes Bitragunta perfectly unique!

I just felt like reminiscing once again the good old days spent in My Bitragunta! My Pride!

The Railway Institute established by the British , not only boasts history of some very great events that happened there – Eye camps, Health camps, Cultural fests & competitions, but also provides platform for several indoor games – shuttle, caroms, billiards, table tennis etc. Even today it is being used by several people for sports activities, my father being one among them who is a regular shuttle player. Being a doctor (Dr.Sagar), he also took an active part in many health camps conducted there. In this instance, I should definitely make a mention of the service rendered by the Scouts & Guides, who always offer indispensable and self less service at every situation needed, be it health camps, wherever required in and around the village. I can also recollect my old memories attached to this institute, when I won prizes in several literary and cultural competitions organized there. Besides, the institute is also a great place for marriage events; where in some thousands of marriages might have been performed by now. (My wedding and my sister’s wedding also took place here in this great institute.)

RAILWAY INSTITUTE DECKED UP FOR MY WEDDING (YEAR 2006)

The majestic Railway school building, which is originally said to be Church, later transformed into a school, with its beautiful European style architecture only adds more beauty to this already beautiful place. The widely spread Railway play ground stood as stadium for several national level sports.

RAILWAY SCHOOL

Bitragunta Railway Station – Once upon a time, there was not a single train that passes by Bitragunta without stopping here for at least half-an-hour! All the trains used to stop here for engine change and for filling up of coal and water at the loco shed here…  The long and elegant looking platform with its antique British construction keeps reminiscing us of the old charisma of Bitragunta, which held the credit of the biggest railway cantonment between Vijayawada and Chennai. Bitragunta Stop was also popular for Meals…. Bread & Omelette khana hai tho, Bitragunta station mein hee khana hai….….. Simply irresistible! But to my disappointment, they have stopped preparing it now….

BITRAGUNTA RAILWAY STATION

When I was small, my grandfather used to take us for a visit to the Loco shed which was more than a century old and he used to explain the functions of the shed. It is said to be one among the only two locomotive sheds of its kind in India, which had the revolving round house mechanism that hosted steam engines (the other being in Mysore). The remains of the loco shed still stand as a proof of the past glory of Bitragunta in Railways. 

NOSTALGIC OLD PHOTOGRAPH OF THE LOCO SHED AT BITRAGUNTA

(REVOLVING ROUND HOUSE MECHANISM)

My grandfather also used to take us for a trek into the hills of GangaThippa (South of Bitragunta), which would be very exciting.

However, our greatest sources of entertainment used to be the cinema theatres Sajid Mahal, Apsara and PanchRatna, where we used to sit and watch the movies crazily on extra added benches, even when the hall was house full. Of course, sadly not all the theatres are running today.

Well, Bitragunta is no short of the basic medical facilities. Apart from Railway hospital, there are many more good private hospitals. (One among them is the hospital established by my grandfather Dr. Raghavendra Rao about 50 years back and now being run by my father Dr. Sagar. I feel a lot of personal attachment with this hospital, without which I just can’t imagine this place.)

One can undoubtedly say Bitragunta is a cosmopolitan, in the sense, this place is a mixture of all cultures and religions……………one can find people from all North Indian and South Indian states, all communities - Anglo Indians, Hindus, Muslims, Christians…….. all co-existing in a brotherly hood way. There are so many good places of worship. To name a few of them, the Sai Baba Temple,  Ramalayam and Sri Pothuleri Veerabrahmendra Swamy Matham in Viswanatha Rao pet, RCM church, the age old Chennakesawa Swamy Temple in Bogole,  the Mosques in Bogole and the number of Churches…………….. the list goes endless! Of course, one can’t forget the famous ‘Thirunaallu’ that takes place in Konda Bitragunta every year, when the place is flooded with tractors full of people. Besides visiting Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple, how we used to enjoy the heavily crowded thirunaallu full of sweet shops, toy shops, merry-go-round, giant wheel (of course not giant in size), how we used to bring home our great purchases like earthen pots, sugarcanes………… Ah! That enjoyment is something that can’t be explained in words but should only be experienced!

PRASANNA VENKATESWARA SWAMY TEMPLE ATOP HILL AT KONDA BITRAGUNTA

The Busy Bogole Bazaar…. Some time ago…. Wherever you see… people and shops… colourful cinema posters….  Of course now it looks more like a barren land! The Railway Quarters which used to be so lively also lost some of its grace…. Today the quarter’s areas look deserted.

Let us hope, Bitragunta will get its old charm once again….

 But of course, I just love Bitragunta… the way it is….

Be it shopping in the Bogole market (I still remember I used to take a toy basket and go vegetable shopping with my grandfather when I was hardly 4), enjoying bicycle races with friends (of course falling over and over), the fresh and unpolluted breeze coming from the neem trees and the paddy fields, the birds chip chirping and coo cooing in the evenings………. Where else on earth you can find this happiness!  

My family members always remind me of this incident: - When I was about 3 years old, whenever my aunt asked me, “Why do you like Bitragunta so much? What’s there in Bitragunta???”, I used to say “Maa oorlo matti undhi, gaali undhi, chettu undhi……”

Yes, I really miss them all now……….

All such little things in life give big happiness! Wish I could go back to my childhood days in Bitragunta, the best days of my life!