Just when everyone are excited about 'M.S.Dhoni: The Untold Story', isn't it interesting to know about some important places related to M.S.Dhoni's life? When all are gearing up for Captain Cool's success story, let us tour around the places that are part of this success tale!
Photo Courtesy: thatscricket.com
Ranchi
Probably, Ranchi got its fair share of publicity through M.S.Dhoni. Yes and why not? M.S.Dhoni was born and brought up in Ranchi. The beautiful Capital of Jharkhand is where Dhoni grew up to be a sportsperson.
Dassam Falls
Photo Courtesy: Samratbit
Though Ranchi became popular after M.S.D came into the cricket arena, it has been a silent destination with lots to explore. Yes, Ranchi was earlier called as a hill station in Bihar (as it was part of Bihar). In fact, it is known as the 'City of Waterfalls'. Dassam Falls, Hirni Falls, Hundru Falls, etc. are some of the popular waterfalls which are a must visit in this city.
Famous Waterfalls in Jharkhand
Coming back to M.S.Dhoni, the city has played an integral role in the cricketer's life. He was an excellent sportsman from the school days; played football, badminton and many other sports. Even today, M.S.D lives in Ranchi with his family.
Dhoni's Favourite Temple in Ranchi
Maa Deori Temple
M.S.Dhoni often visits Dewri Mandir (Maa Deori Temple) in Ranchi. It is said that this mandir is his favourite place of worship. Goddess Durga is the principle deity of Maa Dewri Temple. Here the goddess is in the form of Solha Bhuji and it is one of the oldest Durga temples in Jharkhand.
Maa Deori Temple
Photo Courtesy: Tribhuwan Kumar
Maa Dewri Temple (Maa Deori Temple) is located at the town of Tamar which is around 60km from Ranchi. It is said that M.S.Dhoni is a great believer of goddess Maa Deori and visit this temple whenever he is in the home town.
Tourist Places Near Maa Deori Temple
The most famous Dassam Falls is at a distance of 40km from Maa Dewri Temple. Dassam Falls is created by the Kanchi River and it is one of the top tourist places in Ranchi.
Jayda Temple
Photo Courtesy: Anupmahato
Jayda Temple
Jayda Temple is one of the famous temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the best temples in Jharkhand. Jayda Temple is situated in Chandil and is around 50km from Deori Temple.
M.S.Dhoni's Native Place - Lawali
Lawali, a small village in Almora is the native place of Dhoni. Earlier, his parents lived in Uttarakhand but shifted to Ranchi after his father got transferred. Lawali or Lvali is a tiny village in the Kumoan hills of Almora district. As fun as it sounds, many fans of M.S.D have visited this place after getting to know that it is his native place.
Almora
Photo Courtesy: Travelling Slacker
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, enchanting vistas of Almora attracts many visitors. The bounty of nature along with religious sites offers a lot for tourism in Almora.
Best Places to Visit in Almora
Continuing with the places related to M.S.Dhoni's life, let us go to Bihar!
Bihar Ranji Team
In his school days, Dhoni was more into football than cricket but somehow he also got into cricket. Even in his younger days, M.S.D was known for his wicket-keeping skills. However, his first break was when he was selected to play for Bihar Ranji Team. Yes, Dhoni debut was from Bihar Ranji Team and also got selected for U-19 squad from this team.
Bihar
The politically famous Bihar was a major centre of Buddhism. The erstwhile Magadha (Mauryan Empire) was none other than Bihar. Today, it is one of the historic destinations in India. It is known for numerous monuments and religious sites. Bodhgaya (where Buddha attained enlightenment) is one of the most popular tourist and religious places in Bihar.
Bodhgaya
Photo Courtesy: G41rn8
While he played domestic cricket, M.S.D began working as Travelling Ticket Examiner at Kharagpur Railway Station. Kharagpur is a city in the West Midnapur (Paschim Medinipur) district in West Bengal. Jhargram Palace, Chilkigarh, Gopegarh Heritage Park and Bishnu Temple are some of the tourist attractions in Kharagpur.
Later, Dhoni began playing from Jharkhand Cricket Team. His success in Jharkhand Cricket Team was recognised during BCCI's Small-Town Talent-Spotting Initiative (TRDW). Thus, his entry into National Cricket began through this selection.
The rest as we know is history! And today M.S.Dhoni is not only the most famous Indian Cricket Captain of all times, he is also one of the youth icons in the country. Indian cricket also saw a huge change and is one of the leading International Cricket Teams. Dhoni is still creating magic through his amazing captainship!
Dehradun
Photo Courtesy: Dr. Umesh Behari Mathur
Dhoni's Marriage in Dehradun
In the peak of his career, he was also the heartthrob of all the girls. He got married to Sakshi Dhoni in 2010 in a private affair in Dehradun. His wife Sakshi Singh Rawat (Dhoni) hails from Dehradun. The marriage took place in Vishranti Resort in Dehradun.
Vishranti Resort
Vishranti Resort is a beautiful jungle resort located amidst the nature of Doon Valley. It is a luxury resort which gives an awesome stay experience. Exoticly designed interiors, spacious rooms and cottages along with backdrop of the hills make it one of the top luxury resorts in Dehradun. The resort also has a spa and organises many activities for the visitors. It is in this star resort that Dhoni married Sakshi (his school mate).
Now as we know that Dhoni and Sakshi have a cute daughter named Ziva whose photos keep storming the Internet.
Today, we all love our 'Captain Cool' for all his strategic developments in the Indian Cricket Team. His calm attitude, splendid wicket-keeping skills and helicopter shots have stolen many hearts. The bipoic M.S.Dhoni: The Untold Story (film on Dhoni) has just got released and all his fans are rushing to the theaters. On such an occasion, these places which are part of M.S.Dhoni's life are definitely worth knowing and travelling!
Read in Malayalam: ധോണിയാണോ റാഞ്ചിയാണോ കൂടുതല് പ്രശസ്തം