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This story is from November 8, 2015

In Nitish's birthplace, edgy villagers hope good times will keep rolling

Ten years ago, Kalyanbigha hit the jackpot. Till then it was just another village in Bihar’s Nalanda district. In 2005, it found a new identity as the birthplace of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Goodies followed — concrete roads, 22X7 electricity, an SBI bank with ATM, a water tank, upgraded schools, an industrial training institute and a double-storey government hospital, although you can’t get even a single allopathic medicine there. And wonder of wonders, there’s a shooting range where young boys and girls from nearby villages dream of being the next Abhinav Bindra
In Nitish's birthplace, edgy villagers hope good times will keep rolling
Key Highlights
Everyone in Kalyan Bigha claims to have voted for Nitish.
Most villagers gloat over the fact that Kalyan Bigha gets 22-24 hours electricity.
Even in Kalyan Bigha, development and democracy are always works in progress.
KALYAN BIGHA (Nalanda): Ten years ago, Kalyan Bigha hit the jackpot. Till then it was just another village in Bihar's Nalanda district. In 2005, it found a new identity as the birthplace of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Goodies followed - concrete roads, 22X7 electricity, an SBI bank with ATM, a water tank, upgraded schools, an industrial training institute and a double-storey government hospital, although you can't get even a single allopathic medicine there.
And wonder of wonders, there's a shooting range where young boys and girls from nearby villages dream of being the next Abhinav Bindra.
The good life can be addictive. And Kalyan Bigha fully knows it will continue to be pampered only if its prodigal son retains his job. There's much bluster that sahib (as the village generally refers to the JD-U leader) will roar to power. But barely 24 hours before the vote count begins, there's anxiety too.
"Hum to 16 anna sure thhey, par Chanakya poll se thoda suspicion ka matter ho gaya hai," says marginal farmer Dharamvir Singh. That's not an isolated view. "Exit polls se duvidha (dilemma) hua hai. Abhi bhi 14 anna to gathbandhan ka hi chance hai," says Ram Sohan Singh, another marginal farmer. Both are kurmi by caste, like Nitish.
The shadow of doubt, however, hasn't stopped Nitish-bhakhts like Dharamvir from placing a 20-kilo order of laddoos and baalushahi, sahib's favourite sweet for likely celebrations. But the timing would depend on the direction of the early trend as shown on TV. Villagers say, if the roojhan (trends) are positively inclined, the dhol (drum) and the manjira, a much-used percussion instrument in these parts, will be out early in action.
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Panchayat member Rajnish Kumar says Kalyan Bigha has a population of 6,000 and 1,665 voters. Kurmis are the single-most numerical caste, followed by kahars and manjhis. "Samucha gaon teer hai (The entire village has voted for arrow, JD-U's poll symbol)," says Diku Ram, a 26-year-old kahar who ferries people in a makeshift auto to Harnaut, the nearest bazaar. He is a direct beneficiary of the newly-tarred roads connecting Kalyan Bigha from several directions that were laid out during Nitish's reign. Unlike the doubters, Diku is still betting 16 annas (100 per cent) on the gathbandhan that includes Lalu Prasad's RJD and Congress.


Sitaram, caretaker of Nitish Kumar's ancestral home at Kalyanbigha village in Nalanda, talks to visitors on Saturday.
Most villagers gloat over the fact that Kalyan Bigha gets 22-24 hours electricity, something unthinkable in the past. There's one major exception though. Nitish's ancestral residence is still without electricity. Cowdung cakes hang on its outer walls like artworks in symmetry. The wooden door has a classical old-style iron blades and decorations. The roof is made of khaprail, traditional tiles that evoke memories of another era. The frail and frugal house is like a carefully-crafted museum of innocence. A small well, a mother's bust and a large wooden trunk filled with pans and memories. Part of the house has earthern floor, but the bathroom has sparkling white tiles.
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Sitaram, caretaker for five decades, loves to narrate why there's no "bijli". "I have promised to bring electricity to every home in every village. I will get an electricity connection here only when I achieve that. Pehle Bihar ko banane dijiye," Nitish reportedly once told Sitaram, a kahar by caste whose father carried palanquins. "Yahan to dhibri (earthern lamp) jalta tha," he recalls. That's until a gentleman installed a solar panel sufficient to light two bulbs. "But it has not been working for a few months now," he says.
Sitaram walks with a stick for support. Polio damaged one of his legs. "Sahib bahut prayas kiye par success nahi rahe," he says. Garrulous and articulate, he firmly believes that sahib will be Chief Minister again. But he will have to go elsewhere to watch the results unfold. There's no tv here.
Among other Nitish fans is Radha Devi. She is the village team leader of Ekta Jeevika, a women's self-help group. "We want Nitish ji because he has promoted women's empowerment: from distributing cycles to making loans more easily available to us," she says.
Raj Kapoor Sharma doesn't explain how he got the name. But the 19-year-old college student is among the 40 boys and 7 girls who are aiming for a sporting life as marksmen. Sharma shoots in the air pistol category but says that Bittu Kumar, a boy from nearby village from the air rifle category, is the real talent. He's thankful to Nitish for creating a shooting range in the village.
Everyone in Kalyan Bigha claims to have voted for Nitish. But not everybody is happy with him. Grocery store owner Chhote Singh says he used to share khaini with him in the 1970s. "But I have only spent on him. I have gained little," he says.
Driving out, one comes across the government hospital, an impressive red brick building. Few politicians would have resisted the temptation of naming it to further personal or political ends. Not Nitish. It is simply called, Government Hospital, Kalyan Bigha.
Inside, Dr Anil Kumar is having a hard time explaining to Meena Devi that there are no allopathic medicines available - not even a cough and cold syrup. "What can I do? I just make requisitions. But I cannot fight with patients. They have the right to complain," he says. "We only have ayurvedic stuff at the moment," says pharmacist Rajesh Roshan.
Even in Kalyan Bigha, development and democracy are always works in progress.
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