Resuming my weekend breaks - from royal Rajasthan

This one is definitely about forts and palaces...What if it was on a day with soaring temperatures...Travel is something that sets up a new rush of energy within me...:)..Hope to have more of lonely planet trips this year !!

African street (colour) scape !

Unfounded Fear

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When I was asked to visit Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as usual my excitement was manifold. However it did not last long. Multiple security clearances and field safety exercises (on first aid, terrorist attacks, hijacking, landmines, trauma counseling) laid down in the arduous tests and clearance process dissolved my enthusiasm to the hilt. Finally, I got through the paper work and was ready to travel.

Excitement and fear mixed in equal proportion in my mind for a country under Phase I security conditions. (this is a phase categorized based on security and political conditions existing in countries). It essentially means, choose a secured hotel, don’t spend too much time in lobbies, prefer rooms near elevators/fire exits, avoid unnecessary travel in city, avoid crowded places and restaurants –coffee shops, remain in constant touch with security focal points etc.etc). With no choice I gave up and decided to stay indoors!! What happened in next few days laid down the foundation for my sincere appreciation of the principles of freedom, stability, peace and security.I t further reinforced the value of carefree life in the streets, the sense of brotherhood, openness and gender equality that is essential for our way of life.

After a tiring journey, I land at Queen Aila airport, small and confined. As I go through the immigration and exchange my notes. Several thoughts cross my mind. I cannot wait till I get the clearance stamped on the passport. I drive through the highway to the capital city - Amman. I see sporadic buildings by the roadside, barren landscapes, beautiful bungalows in local white stone, but no sign of Life!! How many times have I cribbed about Indian practices of hanging necks and clothes out of their balconies, peeping in to neighbor’s balcony, gossiping about kids, ration prices and other women? As an architect, it spoils my façade. Now I felt, it actually gave life to all those homes. Here it was like isolated houses devoid of any human activity. But, I must admit the houses were beautiful, gardens neat, straight out of the fairy tales!!

The nooks and corners of all highways / roads are guarded by small teams of army men in jeeps with rocket launchers, hand grenades, AK 47 and a lot of stuff that I have never seen. As I foodie and street food enthusiastic, I am keen observer of road side food stalls. Here it was only guns stuck out of the check points!! Enough to scare the life out of me!! I wonder how they (arms and ammunition with neat army men) could be so entertaining in action packed movies. While in real life, they had a deep psycho impact that screamed fear.

I enter the city and realize there are hardly any people on streets, only cars with pulled dark glasses that ply through the roads. Just a minute, no women on streets!! It was just my driver who was trying to lure me to visit the cosmetic shops, (that make creams which claim goodness of Dead sea water) which assured me that women exist in this part of the world!! Finally, I was able to see some women behind the steering wheels on my way.

However, I must admit the streets are clean, traffic is orderly without honking and people are soft and mild. I check in to my hotel, call back home and colleagues, who have religiously asked me to be in touch at every major arrival and departure.

For the next few hours, I peep through the large French window trying to figure out the parking lot and the city. The room is cozy, food up to the mark and bed perfect. I read through the hotel city guides and stuff googled about the city, its culture and local practices. It doesn’t seem convincing. The light fades out and I cannot anymore see through the window. Its only the hundreds lights that spread up to infinity with soft arabic tunes playing on my tv set in the background.

I want to scream “Will someone please let me out?” But I blabber softly. I have to start early tomorrow morning. I better switch off my lights and try to get some sleep! (to be continued)

Blessed Morning !

I had often heard it from other travelers. Decided to give it a try.....A 1600 kms long journey through the fertile coastal coconut land of Kerela deported me to the southern most tip of India - Kanyakumari !!

And this is what I caught !! There is something in the morning air that enlivens your soul & immerses you completely in itself !! The sunrise experience - that is too personal to put in to words...So let my pictures speak to you !!

Kanyakumari is also synonymous to the great legend Vivekananda, in whose memory that Vivekananda rock has been erected. Let me quote a few lines from the legend who enlightened not only a nation but the world with his incomparable wisdom:

"All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction.
Love is therefore the only law of life.
He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying.
Therefore love for love's sake,
because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live.

- Swami Vivekananda

(ps: all pictures taken from sunrise point at Vivekanandapuram)

Some places have the serenity and glamour to immediately register in your sub conscious mind. Like this one – German Bakery at Kovalam beach in Kerela. Hope will be able to go their again, sit before the vast canvass of calm sea and lie idle for hours. Till then the memories will suffice!

She was at an arm’s length from me, walking along the shore silently. My eyes followed her, wondering the calmness in her so alien to her age.

After walking a long way, she suddenly dropped herself down and with a free fall sat down splashing in the waves that kissed the shore.

Not to mention that it inspired me as well, to shed my things and splash with her. But only after I captured her unconditional joy in my lens!

Stone Language !

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The subject, I hated most during my Architecture days was beyond doubt “History of Architecture”. Our smart teachers used to proudly announce before the lunch break that post lunch will comprise of “Sketching” session for the subject “History of Architecture”. That was enough for half of students to bunk the post lunch session. Rest of us filled ourselves with heavy meals just to be able to doze off in the sketching session and pretend sharpening our sets of HB, 2B pencils. A few of us blindly copied the motifs cramming the styles of Architecture and benevolent rulers who promoted the art. I managed to pass my subjects; declaring the motifs, art forms will never create any little interest in me.

Eight years down the line, I have proved myself wrong! (Life, I guess is always about challenging, changing and devastating your beliefs and replacing them by new ones!!!). It happened when I visited Sun Temple at Konark (Orissa). The poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of Konark: "here the language of stone surpasses the language of man."

The temple takes the form of the chariot of Surya (Arka), the sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels. The entrance is guarded by two lions, which are each shown crushing a war elephant. Each elephant in turn lies on top of a human body. The temple symbolises the majestic stride of the Sun god. Its all in stone, live in front of your eyes…… Most of the architects today will find it difficult to even sketch it, forget build it!

Each motif has a story, an anecdote, a story related to it….With my jaws dropped, I listened carefully to each and every word coming out of my guide’s mouth….This fellow (a local guide) toured us for one hour narrating the history, background and the significance of motifs carved in stone…..He spoke broken English in between, a skill he might have developed to cater to foreign tourists…We gave him undivided attention listening to all his details….When we left it was a great feeling…to be lucky enough to see this magnificent piece of Architecture and proud to be able to appreciate the art…

As I got back in my car, a though crossed my mind… Only if he had coached me in the college days… I hope my history teachers are not reading this….

I take off from Hyderabad airport – spacious, lavish and flamboyant and land at Bhubaneswar – small confined and claustrophobic. Bhubaneswar streets are wide open, with slow moving traffic and almost no air movement. Humidity sticks you. The slow moving traffic, low pace and a few people on the roads hardly present any attractions on my drive to the hotel…With nothing to think or see, mind games vanish and doze off…Thanks to the recent developments, the roads are carpeted finely with tar and enable a smooth ride through the city…And from no where I arrive at this huge concrete 10 floor building that represents mundane neo architecture that almost tears through the traditions of the land….This is one face of Bhubaneswar – like any other small time urban towns…

The next day, I take out my map and draw a travel route through the city…As I drive, I discover a different face of the city – narrow streets….lush green….temple complexes sprung up every 200 mts....Shikhars reaching for the sky….

I choose to share through my pictures…Fortunately the beauty does not require any description and talks for itself…Surprisingly it fails to inspire the modern architects / builders of the city… To a passer by the place and its ornate architecture is full of inspiration and joy!

Forest talk

I am a forest lover and ardent admirer of natural environment. This time I was lucky to get the privilege of driving through Melghat Tiger Reserve (located on southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range in Central India). It is a prime habitat of the tiger. The forest is Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests, dominated by teak. The Reserve is a catchment area for five major rivers all of which are tributaries of the river Tapti. The northeastern boundary of the Reserve is marked by the Tapti river. There is no habitation in the core area but some tribal villages in the reserve, buffer zone and multiple use area.

As we drove through the tourist route predominantly used for wildlife followers, all we could feel were the dry leaves hissing in the hot wind and thirst rivulets and streams. For a couple of minutes we stopped. All man made sounds terminated and there was a complete silence. I wanted to think something but my mind was blank. Could not think of any ramblings and went blank! It felt so close to that Nirvana state!!

Time out

Certain things/moments come across very powerfully in life and shake you instantly. A similar thing happened on my recent weekend drive with a couple of friends to a nearby wilderness. We had no intention of visiting this place, but we saw a small sign board and thought to give it a try. Following around 9 kms of muddy road we landed to this place. Throughout the road, we were not sure what we are up to! But I guess it was worth it.

We spent some time at this spot. It set me thinking, the best things in life are natural – by itself, not attracting attention or making loud noise. Just existing to enjoy be themselves. One needs to have the desire and patience to explore them. Once you do, life is never the same. With a lot of effort, I dragged myslef back to my urbane life, but with a handful of liveliness and bliss to be with me till I come back.

Life finds it's way

While treading along a rocky path in Shimla, I came across this. It set me wondering about what makes this flower survive in this uncared for environment ! But still life found it's way...

A day at the dairy farm

Meet - Renu - 0090....

Seems like a James Bond Agent number (missed by a few digits). I guess you are wrong ! This is what our dairy farmer friend in Moga (Punjab) addreses his (milking) cow - Renu 0090... And believe me she's very prompt to answer back. Renu's daily routine is quite similar to others on this big dairy farm... Eat whole day and provide milk, which is traded by the farmer to earn his living.

Some dairy farms are quite big, ranging to around 80 cows in number and it seems like a get together....In between the herd of these cows is also tuned to hum some group songs (I was not clever enough to make out) that keep the environment alive... What a life... eat - sing and sleep....

Dont tell me you are jealous of Renu.....

Fleshpots - amidst nature

I am happy doing what I enjoy most - wandering aimlessly (yes) amidst the coffee and pepper plantations here. Now I know why the term "Mother Earth" was coined. The magnificient power to heal and rejuvenate here is unique. I am convinced it cannot be matched by anything else.

The Ghostly Banyan.....

Banyan trees and ghosts seem to have an everlasting mention in the horror stories of our times... So when we passed by this gigantic banyan in Srirangapatna, we decided to test it ourselves...

Honey's claim was that when we print this one, we will see some looming spirits... Unfortunately we were dissapointed....

Better luck next time... Till then I am sure, this guy will use this picture to impress his girl friends....

Unspoilt Charm - a station near Bangalore

This neat station (near Bangalore) reminded me of the Bhatinda railway station where the climax of DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) was shot...

SRK (doomed by the failure of convinving Kajol's family) is leaving with his pop and Kajol is struggling with her dad to let her go.. to follow her dreams.... And finally she is let off free and runs through the station to catch SRK's hand ....

All to follow her dreams....and subsequently everyone on the station cheers....