Schengen Sojourn

A two-week work related trip to Netherlands gave me just the break I needed from the bustle at home. Shared here are notes and pictures from my weekend jaunts when there.

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Weekend-1 (The Hague)

Sleepless eyes and sore limbs didn’t deter us as we set out to explore The Hague, just a few hours after we landed in the Netherlands after a long flight from India. The Hague (or Den Haag, as the Dutch call it) although not the constitutional capital of the Netherlands, is a politically important city – it is the seat of the Dutch parliament, hosts the International Court of Justice, residences of the Dutch Royal family and is also home to most of the foreign embassies in the Netherlands.

It took us an hour by train to reach The Hague and our first visit was to the miniature city of Maduradom via a tram ride from the central station.

Maduradom, named after  George Maduro, replicates famous Dutch landmarks in miniature style (25 times smaller to scale)

 

The nameless Hero of Haarlem greets you outside. 

 

The stroll inside is quite enjoyable, although the biting cold kept most visitors away on that day.

And since I didn’t get to see any of the real Tulip gardens, I was pretty happy to have seen this. At least these do not wilt away in the winter

The coastline of North Sea is just a stone’s throw away from Maduradom. But gusts of winds were so strong and chilly that morning, that nothing in the world could have coaxed us to go anywhere close to the waters. We chose to turn around and made our way to the Peace Palace instead.

 

The Peace Palace

 

Since this is a functioning palace building that hosts the International Court of Justice (ICJ), visitors are not allowed inside, but what we do get to see is a museum adjoining the Peace Palace that gives good information to visitors on the the key people involved and the important historical events leading up to the setting up of the ICJ, via a good collection of books, pamphlets and audio-visual guides.

By this point, it was late afternoon, and the cold, tiredness and hunger had gotten the better of us. We dropped our plans to visit Rotterdam (one of the many important tourist destinations I did not get to see this time), grabbed a quick lunch at a Showarma place, and finally got on the train to take us back.

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Weekend-2 (Brussels)

Note: I had drafted this post much before 22 March – that fateful day when Brussels was ripped apart by multiple blasts that killed and maimed many – and had no idea of what was to come. It still shudders me to think a few mad men had laid waste to some of the very places we had cheerfully roamed around hardly a month earlier. My heartfelt prayers for the city. 

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Brussels, the capital of Belgium  – the land of Comics, Hercule Poirot, mouth watering chocolates, Diamonds, Beer and much, much more – beckoned us on the first day of the second weekend of our stay. Braving the sub zero temperatures and chilly winds, we set out early in the morning. A few hours of train ride via picturesque European countrysides and a couple of station hops later, we found ourselves outside the crowded central railway station. But there was a small problem – we hadn’t done our home work. We had landed in Brussels with neither a city map nor a vague idea of where to start and what to do. It did seem daunting at first, but after roaming around for a few minutes, we lucked out and stumbled upon what seemed like an important place. It later turned out to be the Kunstberg or Arts Mountain.

 

Kunstberg or Arts Mountain

Monuments in Arts Mountain

Situated between the Royal Palace and Grand Palace, this was originally a hilly residential area later converted into a home of sorts for artistic symbols. A garden (unfortunately barren during winter), fountains (again non-functional, when we visited), wide cascading stairs and a host of important buildings and artistic imagery mark the area. Most importantly, it is a vantage point from where one can see a good part of the city

On the left, a glimpse of the vehicles plying on the cobbled streets outside Mont des Arts; The spire of the Brussels City Hall is visible in the background.

On the right, a statue of King Albert (grandson of King Leopold I, the first King of Belgium) greeting visitors at the entrance.

 

By the time we were done with the Kunstberg, luckily for us, we found just what was needed – a Hop-on-Hop-off bus stop.

A Hop-on-Hop-off ride is one of the best ways to explore Brussels. They have two routes (called the red-line and the blue-line) It comes at ~23 Euros for a whole day’s trip and gives you enough time and space to cover most important places at your own pace. We boarded the bus and started with the Atomium.

 

Atomium

Atomium is a magnificent  exhibit consisting of giant, interconnected stainless steel balls meant to represent the structure of an iron crystal. It is not just beautiful to look at, but is also a museum in itself, a symbol blending the best of art and science. The day we went, despite the cold, there was a long queue of eager visitors waiting in line to ascend the Atomium and wander through the maze. We would have loved to too, but since there was so much more to see in Brussles and so little time left, we satisfied ourselves with a few photo ops from the outside and hopped on to the red line bus for our next pit stop.

 

The Waffle Factory/Manneken Pis

We skipped a whole lot of important locations (although we did get to see a glimpse of these from the bus – landmarks such as the Business District, National Basilica and The Royal Residence) and arrived straight at the Manneken Pis.

(Brownie points if you can spot a urinating boy anywhere in the picture above)

The world famous Manneken Pis is a small, four-hundred-year-old bronze sculpture, depicting a urinating boy. But to our utter disappointment, it turned out to be located in a nondescript street corner thronged by tourists and was barely visible. Further more, it was so completely draped in colored clothing on that day, that we could have sworn we were at the wrong place.

So after the mandatory photo session, we trudged along and entered the shopping streets. And boy, what a greeting we got! All around us were rows and rows of shops selling sumptuous waffles, desserts and chocolates. A chocoholic’s heaven, it wasn’t merely a treat to taste buds but also to one’s eyes and nose.

After some shopping and a lunch of (what else, but) waffles and Frittes, we strolled on and entered another of Brussels’ famous tourist spots, the Grand Palace square.

 

The Grand Place

The central square of Brussels is a large, open area surrounded by important buildings and shops. Even on that cold, winter morning, it was bustling with visitors, shoppers, and mini markets selling a variety of stuff. Needless to day, some of that ‘stuff’ also prominently included jewelry and (more) chocolates.

 That’s us (whitened out, of course) posing in the vibrant courtyard/sqaure

 

 

By now, it was early afternoon and we had less than two hours left to board our train back. But then, another important destination remained – without visiting which we weren’t about to leave Brussels.

 

Comics Museum

The last item on our agenda was the Comics Museum, a short walk away from the Central Station where we had started our sojourn in the morning. A manna for comic-lovers, it is a beautiful three storied building located on  a neat cobble stoned street.

Outside the Museum

 

Housing a wealth of pictures and information, the Museum brings out the origin and growth of comics in great detail.

The Museum’s most famous inhabitant and his creator

The souvenir shop in the ground floor selling comics and comics-related collectibles is surely not to be missed too.

 An original Tintin collectible I picked up

A memorable trip also had to end memorably. After an engrossing few hours in the museum, we realized we had only a few minutes left to board the return train. And that meant our last act of the day was a hurried exit and an Usain Bolt-like sprint from the Museum to the Station. Completely unmindful of the surprised stares of the people on the streets and fellow travelers, we made a dash to the station only to find that we’d had the train timings wrong and there was still some time before our train would arrive. It was thus, gasping for breath and over mirthful laughs, we ended our short but sweet trip to Brussels.

 

Weekend-2 (Amsterdam)

Another lovely train ride and another lovely destination. How could one stay for two weeks in the Netherlands and not pay a visit to its dazzling capital Amsterdam? And it was but natural that we reserved the best for the last – the last Sunday of our trip was thus earmarked for the “Venice of the North”

True to its sobriquet, canals are the most distinctive feature of the Dutch capital. A canal ride is readily available for ~17Euros just outside the main station. Once you hop on the boat, it takes you on a guided tour across the city’s canals that span for over a hundred kilometers. Floating on serene waters, what one gets to witness is magical – glimpses of the past and future, the beautiful and the derelict, all at the same time, all part of the same city. The ride takes you back in history and explains how the city was born and grew and survived some of its worst experiences, including the Nazi occupation and Holocaust. Like most European cities, Amsterdam is a beautiful blend of the old and new, a reminder of bitter memories of the past, but nevertheless also a harbinger of hope.

Behind these lovely facades are a host of stories, many of them untold yet

Buoyed by that lovely ride, we had to ensure that our next stop was equally impressive. And it indeed turned out to be wonderfully so – the Rijksmuseum.

 

The Rijksmuseum

This museum, apparently the most popular (I surely can understand why) in the Netherlands, is a gift from heaven for art lovers. It houses rooms and rooms of precious relics of history some even dating back to the early 2nd millennium AD . The floors and rooms are themed and the themes are varied – ships, artillery, jewelry, musical instruments and so forth.

There are separate floors for art and paintings. The collection is fabulous, ranging from the pre-Renaissance era to contemporary art (Anish Kapoor) And of course, Rembrandt and other notable painters have their place of pride in the hallways  too. The themes are largely religious or socially relevant, as they were wont to in those times. Notably, there was a gruesome depiction of Herod’s soldiers killing infants and the villagers retaliating. Or that of the perceived differences in Catholics and Protestants  as two shores of the same river, one fertile and the other withering (cannot remember who was what 🙂 though) And there was one where daughters are trying to seduce their own father as mankind approaches its doom (Lot and his daughters? Not sure)

Portrait of Catharina ehagel by Jacob Jordaens

 

I wish time had stood still while there, but it didn’t and before we knew it was time to return. It was with a heavy heart and through a super human effort I tore myself away from those hallowed galleries, walked towards the exit and finally boarded the tram back to the main station.

A busy week at work loomed ahead and it was time to end the sight seeing trips.We had barely covered a twentieth of what needed to be visited in Amsterdam, but this time we knew it was surely quality over quantity.

I sure hope I will get to go back there soon. Important places (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Luxembourg) remain to be seen and important experiences to be had (like ambling across acres of tulip garden). But till then, I am happy to have been there and come back safe, carrying fond memories that I will treasure for ever.

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Culture

As an aside, wanted to mention this special Dutch tradition. The birth of a child in the Netherlands is celebrated by distributing this special delicacy – a type of dutch rusk with a Muisjes topping. Muisjes are sugar coated and colored aniseeds (they taste very much like our own அரிசி மிட்டாய் in Tamil) and literally mean ‘little mice’

Expectedly, blue/white muisjes mark the birth of a baby boy and pink/white ones mean baby girl. Apparently, the royal Dutch babies get orange/white colored aniseeds in their honor, irrespective of their gender.

We managed to take this picture above showing the last lot of the rusks my boss’ boss had treated us to (on the birth of his baby boy) before they were all devoured. A yummy tradition indeed!

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Year-End Post/Trip to Mahabalipuram

Wow, twelve months now since I started this blog and life saw many ups and downs in this period. But some things remained the same – my quests, my yearnings, the travels, the learnings, the inward tug-of-wars and so on.

So here’s a toast to another chequered year gone by and wishes and prayers for a new one that is around the corner…

 

Trip to Mahabalipuram

For the second year in a row (read about the 2014 year-end family outing here), we had a family trip away from Bangalore to wind up the year – this time to Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, as it is also called, a bustling sea side town 60 kms from Chennai that was once upon a time an important port city of South India.

The town, like Chennai and many other coastal places severely impacted by the devastating floods  earlier this month, has sufficiently recovered to welcome back visitors and tourists. There are no signs of the damage wrecked and everywhere it seems to be business as usual. Speaks a lot of the grit of the people (not that we have an option to mope about and drown in sorrow for long. As humans, I think, our indomitable spirit surfaces sooner or later, whether we like it or not)

A cozy retreat

The resort was not so expensive considering the peak holiday season and okay-ish to stay in (they can certainly do a lot better than they are doing now) but was only a stone’s throw from all the exciting places to visit, and more than made up for any inadequacies. More than anything else, the fun time with the 30+ members of our extended family, including the 95 year old matriarch who gamely joined us in all our adventures, was the best thing about the holiday. Fun trips together  to the various tourist destinations, temples, shopping spots, beaches, 7D movie shows and the raucous family games are surely memories to cherish.

A quick recap of what we saw below

(we didn’t hire a guide this time, so unfortunately didn’t learn enough about these magnificent masterpieces)

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The architectural work in Mamallapuram date back to around 7th century AD, when the powerful Pallava dynasty ruled most of South India with Kanchi as their capital. The Pallavas Kings, Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I, are credited with patronizing arts and commissioned, it is said, many of these stunning monuments – some especially even after repeated failed attempts.

The cave temple-Arjuna’s penance Bas relief

The cave temple is a pillared temple complex, unmatched in its majesty and beauty, and carved out of a giant single rock. Look closely to see the ubiquitous Pallava emblem – The lion, etched on every pillar. This is one of the monuments that the King managed to complete after repeated failures… and how! That it has stood the test of time successfully is proof enough of the Pallava tenacity and persistence.

Immediately next to it is a giant openair bas-relief carved on two monolithic rock boulders made of pink granite. Look out for the number of figurines etched on the surface, all characters and tales from the unending Hindu lore.

A few meters away from this is the famed Butter Ball (the heavy rock that never rolls down although it appears as if it might, any moment) We saw it from afar but did not have the time to go closer and examine it in detail.

 

Shore Temple

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, a temple complex whose iconic gopurams have come to represent Mamallapuram today.

It is said that most of these stunning pieces of Pallava artistry lay hidden beneath mounds of sands until British archaeologists unearthed them and revealed them to the world. Today it hosts a non-functional temple sanctum and  ruins. Centuries of enduring harsh winds from the sea and the coarse beach sands (not to mention the millions of tourists that throng the place around the year) have left them ravaged, but with their beauty intact nevertheless.

Pancha-Pandava Rathas

Another shining example of monolithic rock cut architecture of ancient India, this is an assortment of 5 different monoliths in one temple complex, each representing a Pandava prince along with their (common) wife Draupadi.

 

Nakula Sahadeva Ratha

 

Draupadi Ratha and next to it, Arjuna Ratha

 

(My Ratha strongest) Bhima Ratha, for the mightiest and biggest of the Princes!

 

Dharmaraja Ratha, the most elegant for the eldest Prince.

 

Thirukazhukundram

This pilgrim town is known for its temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple precariously sits atop a steep hill (above, in picture) and is at the end of an arduous climb of 560 steps. Not for the unfit, very old or ailing people surely. But if you do manage to make it to the top, you are rewarded with a spectacular  darshan of the Lord.

A splendid view of the town from above, along with the view of gopurams of another temple and temple tank. In one word, magnificent!

 

 

The Beach

How can one write about a coastal town and not mention the alluring, cool waters? We went to the beach adjoining the shore temple to witness in time not just a glorious sunset but also a mesmerizing dawn the next day. Not only that, we were also lucky to capture the radiance of moonlight on the shimmery waters below. Ah… glorious nature!

The sun, rising from the waters

 

 

The sunset, as witnessed from the Shore Temple

 

This poor quality picture does no justice to the sheer beauty of the moonlit night, but this is all I have as a memoir from that night

 

As always, it was a memorable travel that left us wiser and richer for the experience!

A wilder, bo(u)lder adventure

When we set out to Hampi, all we were hoping for was an exciting holiday. But what we got was beyond our wildest imagination – a memorable vacation that turned out to be a heady mix of history and adventure.

HAMPI

Hampi, as any internet search would reveal, is an ancient Indian city. A city, that today lies in ruins but is nevertheless a stark symbol, reminiscent of the glorious past and riches of this region. Lying on the banks of the Tungabhadra river, it is a 6-hr drive from Bangalore. The drive on the national highway leading up to Chitradurga (more on this town later) is a breeze. Thereon, the remainder 150 kms to Hampi takes longer due to the slightly bad road conditions. The resort, Hampi’s Boulders, we stayed in, is awesomely built – amidst total wilderness, away from civilization (which makes it difficult to locate too) and right on the banks of the roaring Tungabhadra.

The stay

Amidst nature at its alluring, mesmerizing best – is simply how I can describe the stay. Our cottage, perched atop a rock.

Included in the package were guided treks over boulders and rocks to the waterfalls and sunset points nearby.

Island walk – over treacherous, rickety bridges and all the way to the top.  The incredibly smooth texture of the rocks seen in the picture is due to years of water eroding its surface. This year though has seen scanty rainfall and the bare rocks are visibly, eerily exposed. For some reason, it reminded me of Skull Island 🙂

View from top – one of the cottages below seen

Dawn breaking  – our morning trek to a mini waterfalls (right).

 

The Town

We had to travel a few kilometers to another part of the Tungabhadra-shore before taking a boat to cross it and reach the other side.

Verdant fields on the way to the river.

The mighty river is now more like a rivulet due to poor rainfall this season.

The shaky boat that ferries people (and one time, as we witnessed, four giant bikes and a couple of bicycles also) across

On the other shore, we find streets dotted with shops selling trinkets and clothes where one can shop to heart’s content. There are also small eateries to cater to the thronging crowds. What’s remarkable is how these have adapted to be (non-Indian) tourist-friendly. So it is not surprising to find a eatery specializing in Israeli cuisine or a moneychanger, bang in the middle of a narrow alley. Reminded me of Goa, where there is a higher probability of bumping into a white man or woman than a brown one.

One such eatery below.

We just couldn’t get enough of this place. We kept going back to enjoy their sumptuous spread. Not even in Bangalore have we found this kind of variety in cuisine and exceptional taste – all under one roof. And also for the unique sight of authentic, mouth-watering Pizzas and Spaghetti served on banana leaves on stainless steel plates.

 

Now, let’s plunge right into the heart of the trip –  Hampi’s ruins. The idea of trudging from spot to spot in the searing heat dragging the kids along didn’t daunt us one bit, as we set out to explore the vestiges of a splendid Vijayanagar Empire, eager to see them rising and shimmering in front of our eyes

The Virupaksha Temple Complex

Rests on the banks of the river Tungabhadra and tops the list of must-see places in Hampi. Huge, sprawling place – the majestic (and still functional) temple is the main attraction.  Here the complex with its towering central gopuram and the other umpteen smaller temples in it captured.

Ugra Narasimma

Apparently the Narasimma (a half-human, half-lion avatar of Lord Vishnu) was meant to be Lakshmi Narasimma, blessing devotees with His consort Lakshmi beside Him, but the damaged face and missing Lakshmi on his left lap led people to wrongly interpret and address Him as Ugra Narasimma or angered Narasimma instead. One of the hallmarks of Hampi.

The Vitthala Complex

Another famous landmark – the Vitthala Complex. It is said that the famous Vitthala idol in Pandharpur originally belonged to this temple but was taken away and re-instated there to safeguard it from rampaging armies of Vijayanagara’s enemies.

(The destruction these armies wrought in other places is unmistakable though)

The prominent broken gopura is a sign.

Many stunning proofs of our past architectural glory awaited us inside the temple complex.

These musical Pillars were used to play music during cultural performances in place of traditional instruments.

The famed stone chariot, another monumental landmark.

The Royal Palace Ruins

The Navaratri Dibba – an eight-meter high, raised platform the Kings used to perform royal ceremonies on.

The famous stepped water tank, is part of the Palace ruins.

Harking back to those glory days, the depictions on these stones –  that of traders, horses, jewellery et al – are clear indications that five hundred years ago trade flourished, art and artists were patronized and people prospered.

BADAMI

A town famous for its sixth century rock-cut caves (yes, these are a thousand five hundred year old but largely intact thanks to ASI). There are four caves, each a monolithic work of outstanding artistry and depicts important fables and characters of Hindu Gods Shiva and Vishnu. On Day 2 of our trip, we drove up to Badami town from Hampi. It takes three hours to travel the 150 kms distance.

Striking sunflower fields like these liven up the largely arid, brown landscape en route.

The caves

The imposing caves are on the banks of Agastya Teertha, a large beautiful tank where sage Agasyta is said to have devoured the demon Vatapi.

Each cave is an architectural masterpiece. The intelligence and effort that has gone behind sculpting every peice of these needs to be seen to be believed.

Below – two similar looking engravings, but on closer look the former has a start point, while the latter shows a closed loop with no beginning or end (depicting poornatvam, an important concept in Hinduism)

   

A unique dancing Shiva, with nine hands on either side. It is said that when one hand on one side joins another on the other side, a unique mudra is born. Thus there are eighty one mudras in total.

Lord Vishnu, as seen in temples, is usually depicted in a standing pose or a lying pose. This unique pose below He adopts represents the posture taken by the Chalukya rulers in their court while ruling the kingdom. It showed their flexibility with regards to religion (a thing or two we could learn from them today)

Shiva donning the ardhanaari avatar (with the right half as Shiva and left half his consort Parvati). The famished figure to Ardhanareeshwara’s right is Bhringi, a sage who refused to accept the feminine Divine Mother Parvati and was cursed for it. Proves that the concept of gender equality, as demonstrated by the Lord Himself, was not an alien concept in ancient India.

Pattadakal

Another World Heritage Site twenty kilometers from Badami. And another stunning proof of Chalukya architecture. A few glimpses of its sheer beauty below.

It is our great blessing (and an ode to our ancestor’s perfection) that these architectural marvels have stood the test of time and are giving us the opportunity today to soak in the visual treat.

CHITRADURGA

The great Chitradurga Fort, a relatively recent structure (built in the sixteenth century) is a testimony of ancient India’s superior warfare/defence skills, and also a witness to its heroi(ne)sm. Read more here and here.

Unfortunately, we could not see much of it due to lack of time. The best way to visit this would be – set out from Bangalore one early winter morning, reach the fort by 9.00 AM or so, take 4-5 hours to slowly trek up and relive history along the way, return to Bangalore by nightfall. That is exactly what we are planning to do sometime in future. Till then this section needs to remain a short one.

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In summary,

To cover all we saw and share every joyous experience in detail, a book probably wouldn’t suffice, forget a blog post. So I will leave it at this with a tip – it is highly recommended to plan the visit well and seek guides at each of these sites, ones who can explain the history and significance behind the art. These guides don’t typically cost much (and worth every penny, even if they do) The rapturous stories and wealth of knowledge they share will only leave us appreciating these marvels better. And needless to say, yearning for more.

Trip to Ireland-France

An account of V’s (official) trip to Ireland followed by a week in France, in INSEAD School of Business, Fontainebleau for a short course on Strategic R&D management

In one word, memorable~ 

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I.R.E.L.A.N.D.

Dublin

The famous Guinness Brewery, one of the largest in the world

Gothic Style Architecture St. Patrick’s Cathedral –  a must-see

A riot of colors greeting us outside

Dublin City Tour

Streets of Dublin

Galway

The beautiful city of Galway and its waterways connecting the Corrib river to the Galway Bay

Galway Bay – rocky shoreline and sparking waters, a sight to behold.

F.R.A.N.C.E.

Paris

Cathedrale Notre-Dame

A squeaky clean street on the way to the Pantheon

The Pantheon.

The facade (on top) and a view of the underground passage inside the Pantheon

Jardin de Luxembourg.

The garden attracts a lot of crowds, especially on a sunny day, playing with their sail boats or leisurely taking a stroll.

The Louvre

Eiffel Tower

The tower, by night

Dusk descending on Paris, as seen from the Tower. Love the hues of pink and orange spreading in the skies above, while the serene, grey waters of the Seine gently flow by below

The Opera House

Sac re Coeur Basilica on top on a  hill

Off the beaten track, Jim Morrison’s tomb in the  massive Pere Lachaise Cemetary

 Lafeyette Gallerie, shopping paradise for loaded wallets

Roland Garros, mecca of tennis lovers

and finally, INSEAD

The welcoming campus

A business school or an idyllic resort? 🙂 Huge Forests adjoining the business school  campus

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Trip to Wayanad-Mysore (contd)

Part Deux: Mysuru/Mysore

I’ve always loved Mysore. In my opinion, the city is just the right blend of the old and new. While it continues to fiercely protect its historical symbols, it has not shied away from embracing modernity either – but in the right way and right quantities. The roads are broad, at least in those parts that I have seen, clean and devoid of congestion (a thing or two Bangalore urgently needs to learn) Above all, the strategically located Mysore serves as a gateway to many of the much sought after tourist destinations in the south like Wayanad, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Coorg, Ooty et al.

This time, we happened to stay in a resort in the foothills of the Chamundi Hills, a vantage point and a stone’s throw away from the places we wanted to visit. Some experiences shared here.

Mysore Palace

A visit to Mysore almost always begins with a mandatory visit to the palace. The home of the erstwhile rulers of the kingdom, the Wodeyars, it continues to attract footfall despite the irrelevance of royalty in today’s times. The day we went, the place was teeming with people, both locals and foreigners. The nearest I have seen, in terms of the strength of the crowds, is in Tirumala – pilgrims who have been to Tirumala can now probably picture it. Queues were long, and visitors were jostling and craning to catch a glimpse of a royal chamber here or a glistening pillar there. Needless to say there was not much we could appreciate in such circumstances and we did not spend as much time here as we would have liked to.

The reason for the unusual crowds, as we learnt later that day, was that the palace had reopened that morning after a 3-day shut off period. People who were finishing their vacation had probably thronged the place to make sure they didn’t miss the star attraction in their itinerary.

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens

Indian zoos are not exactly known for their high maintenance standards, but the Mysore zoo is a pleasant and surprising exception. Stretching over 150 acres and housing over a 1000 animals, it is for sure one of the best-maintained zoos in the country, maybe on par with some of the best ones worldwide too. Helpful signboards, alert guards and information plaques dot the entire area, ensuring visitors have a smooth experience. Buggy rides are available for people who cannot cover the place on foot, but the only glitch is that these have to be booked before 2.00 PM

The animal enclosures are clean and big. The furry/slithery/feathery inmates are fed lovingly and endearingly addressed by their names (the tiger we saw for example was a majestic Vayuputra!) With such great care and pampering, I am sure this adopted home is the best they can get outside their wild habitat.

Chamundi Hills

Exhilarating is how I would describe it, in one word. The one place no devout Hindu should miss during a visit to Mysore.

The climb to the top of the 3000-ft high hill is easy since the road is motorable, and regular buses and cars keep plying up and down. The main temple is that of Chamundeshwari, and is one of the important eighteen Shakti Peethas.  Durga, the deity goddess acquired this name when she slayed the demon generals Chanda & Munda. The statue of another demon king she killed, the buffalo-headed Mahishasura is an iconic landmark. The temple itself is said to be nearly a thousand years old and the resplendent main goddess is said to be made of gold.

True of most Indian temples, there was a huge number of devotees and poor crowd management, but we didn’t let that mar our experience. With the Mahishasura Mardini prayers on our lips, we patiently awaited our turn, had a great darshan and as the evening drew to a close, ended our holiday with a feeling of gratitude, not just for the opportunity but also for the many bountiful gifts in life we have been blessed with.

Trip to Wayanad-Mysore

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

I have no idea when was I first bitten by the wanderlust bug. But what I do know is that I am yet to recover from the effect, and perhaps never will (would never want to, either) To me, traveling is a meditation-like experience – you get to step away from the chaos for a short while, detoxify the mind, and return invigorated, ready to take on challenges that life throws at you, with renewed energy.

And thus, true to character, last week the gvsafamily once again packed bags and set out, to explore new territories and garner new experiences. Here, sharing some of those cherished moments and memories.

Part Un: Wayanad

Our first destination was a picturesque resort in Wayanad district, tucked away among hills in the northern part of the state of Kerala. If this place had synonyms, heaven would probably be one of them. A nature-lover’s paradise, the abundance of greenery around is mind boggling.

Just a sample of the riot of colors around our villa:

Tea and coffee plantations are widespread, but other varieties of flora too dot the area

JACKFRUIT

COCONUT

PAPAYA

MANGO

GRAPEFRUIT

CARDAMOM

COCOA

AVACADO

A closer look at the tea and coffee plants

Can you spot the tiny coffee berries waiting to ripen?

Tea fruits! Ever seen one?

Tea flowers – shy and hidden!

Fresh tea leaves waiting to be plucked

The sprawling tea estate and the winding road leading up to it

Thick foliage – what a lovely sight!

The snaking brown road from a distance

Not just greenery, sunlight and warmth was in abundance too. So much so that I was forever trying to capture snapshots of those magically brilliant moments.

Love how the slanting rays illuminate the plate of fruits

Interesting play of light and shadow 

The brightly lit garden

              Mr.Sun, bidding adieu for the day

After a few blissful days in paradise on earth, we proceeded to our next destination – the different but equally enchanting Mysuru (Mysore)

Next: Mysore, onward ho!

(to be continued)

Berlin Beckoning

Work took me to Berlin last month. Made most of the weekend travelling and taking in the sights and sounds of winter in the Grey City. Snapshots from my whoa-whatta-trip!

-V

Potsdamer Platz

Public Square close to the German Parliament Building

Tiergarten

We went to the Tiergarten on the way to Brandenburg Gate from Postdamer Platz

The place, blanketed by pristine white all around

Goethe Denkmal (monument) in Tiergarten

The beautiful snow covered walkway outside the Tiergarten

Brandenburg Gate

The famous arch that has come to symbolize the city.

Berliner Dom (Cathedral)

View of the majestic dome from the river bank in Berlin’s Museum Island. Notice the breathtaking interior of the cathedral…

Reich stag – the German Parliament Building 

A glimpse inside the Parliament building – every bit as impressive as the outside. Sample this twirling glass pillar. A climb to the top of this building gives one a 360 degree view of the city covering all its important landmarks. An audio guide too is available for help.

Neues Museum 

One of the five museums in the Museum Island. Famous for its Egyptian artefact collection.

A few of the collections in the museum, although its most famous exhibit is the bust of Nefertiti (photographing which is not allowed)

East Side Gallery

Undoubtedly the most famous icon in Berlin – the remnants of the Berlin Wall – called East Side Gallery. I walked along the 1.3 km graffitied stretch, feasting my eyes on the colorful art on the wall, that has now come to symbolize more than just German unification.

City of Potsdam

The Sanssouci Palace, summer palace of the Prussian King Frederick. Not massive or imposing but beautiful nevertheless.

I wrap the photo album with shots of the Dutch Quarters and city centre of Potsdam on that cold, wintry night. Walking along the cobblestoned pathway amid the gently descending snow flakes, I hummed “Ich liebe Berlin”.

Thoughts on “Following Fish” by Samanth Subramanian

Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a critical book review. It is more about how a particular book touched me, what I thought of it and how I felt on reading it. So the write-up is highly subjective and meant to be so 🙂

 

“You are going to read a book on fish?” V asked me in surprise, when I picked up a copy last weekend.

His reaction was not entirely unjustified. Not only am I a strict (or rabid, as some may call) vegetarian, I actually loathe fish. So much so that they occupy almost the very top position in my most-hated list, second only to that other scaly species, the reptiles. Even during visits to aquarium, when a fish comes too close to the display glass, or I when walk down the road and find a fish monger with his ware spread on the cart, I tend to veer away unconsciously. So why then would I want to pick a book on fish?

From what I’d been reading about ‘Following Fish’ and the glowing reviews I’d come across, I had gathered that the book was more a fascinating travelogue than anything else. Truth be told, the very idea of a story starting from the shores of West Bengal, moving down to reach the southern-most tip of the Indian mainland and then winding upward all the way to touch Gujarat, is juicy enough, bursting with the promise of countless stories waiting to be told. In the hands of a consummate author, I knew that this would most certainly translate into a gripping portrayal of life along India’s coastline.

And so the traveler in me prevailed over the fish-hater, and thankfully, it was not a case of misplaced optimism. The book captures exceptionally well the author’s sojourns, the interesting people he meets, their mannerisms and their culture. Helped with adequate sprinklings of humor and emotion, his effortless storytelling shines through in this collection of nine essays. Fish, in my opinion, happens to be just incidental to the entire narrative. In fact it starts out occupying center stage in the first piece, but is soon relegated to playing supporting roles (to the humans or even to toddy, as the case may be) And by the time the book ends in Gujarat, fish does not even make a customary appearance – although this may also be attributed to the largely ‘vegetarian’ nature of the state, as the author himself remarks.

The tales start with a bang in Bangal Bengal, perhaps the only state that can do complete justice to the titular protagonist. Naturally, the spotlight is solely on Hilsa, the Bengali superstar among fish. The author’s love for fish is in full display here as he goes about describing his painstaking search for the best-tasting Hilsa preparation available, interspersed with commentaries on the different methods of cooking and eating it. He then moves on to other territories (literally too) traipsing across to Andhra, home to the famous fish medicine cure for Asthma, Tamil Nadu focusing on its coastal Christian community and its strong bonds with fish, Kerala and its toddy-fish obsession, then on to the rest of the west coast covering a broad range of themes including angling, tourism, environmental degradation and boat-building. Surprisingly, Orissa is the only major coastal state conspicuous by its absence, although I doubt if the author intended to religiously cover each state and Union Territory along the way. As though compensating for this miss, the west coast does get additional coverage.

While the great premise and the riveting narration style were by themselves enough to hook me, nostalgia further sweetened the reading experience. I was born in Gujarat, spent all my growing and adult years in the four southern states and have visited or vacationed in Mumbai, Goa and Kolkata more than once in my lifetime. So when I read descriptions of lazy by-lanes in Mangalore, or idling tourists in Kerala, it wasn’t difficult for fond memories to come rushing back making it all the more delightful to relate to his journey.

The book as a whole is a dazzling piece and each essay, I would say, a gem in its own right. The only exception, in my opinion, is the last piece, which I felt was a let-down. The excessive technical details of boat building and the missing overarching human (and ironically, fish) element did not quite appeal to me and I could not engage with the author’s exploits in Gujarat as much as I did in the other states. It was almost as if the extensive travel and overdosing on fish had taken their toll on him causing his interest (or was it mine?) to wane.

In summary,

The last comment not withstanding, I’ve fallen for it hook, line and sinker.

Enough said.

Trip to Chikmagalur

My year-end visit to Chikmagalur (my first to this popular hilly tourist destination) with family and cousins was just the break I needed after a hectic 2014. En route we stopped at Belur to visit the famous Hoysala shrine, and Halebidu, its twin town, we visited on our way back.

Sharing a few photos from the memorable trip.

Belur

Was bowled over by the intricate work I saw firsthand (I had previously seen and admired their beauty only in photos/movies) in the Chennakesava Temple, Belur. The Hoysalas’ exquisite craftsmanship has clearly stood the test of time and how. The place was teeming with tourists, and guides offering to explain the history behind this wonderful temple and architecture are also dime a dozen. If you have at least a couple hours to spare, it is best to take the help of a tour guide and get to know the details thoroughly.

Halebidu

  

The place outside the The Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu wasn’t as neat as in Belur and comparatively not maintained well at all. Inside the temple complex, however, was a totally different story. The temple and architecture was very similar to what we saw in Belur, but bigger. The sweltering afternoon heat and thronging crowds did not deter us from spending a few good hours immersing ourselves in the splendor and beauty of the place. Once again, I was reminded of how glorious, diverse and advanced our civilization had been centuries ago and how sadly, we now seem to have lost the plot totally,

Chikmagalur

The ubiquitous silver oak trees dot the coffee plantations all around. Pepper vine grows on these trees and the green, raw peppercorns can be plucked and pickled with lime to make a tasty accompaniment to rice and curd.

The scenic Deviramma temple, lit up at night.  The silence and uncrowded space is a welcome change from the usual chatter we find in temples.

The Ayyankere lake (touted as Karnataka’s second largest lake) is a great picnic destination. You can relax and calm your senses just looking at the serene waters.

The base of Mullayangiri, Karnataka’s tallest peak. Although I should concede that the drive up to this point can be dangerous since the winding route is treacherous  and tricky, especially to people not familiar with it. Best to use the services of a driver familiar with the terrain.

The view from the hilltop.  It takes 460 stony steps to climb and reach the tip of this hill at 6337 feet, where sitting pretty is a small Shiva shrine. Definitely worth the sweat,

The undulating western ghats form a superb backdrop

Buttermilk Falls – another popular trekking destination. We however chose to travel a few kilometers on a rickety jeep till we reached a rocky, narrow strip of land (from where it was impossible to use a vehicle) and then trek for a few meters from there. It took a few minutes of careful walk before we heard the sound of gushing waters and finally the view of the milky cascade emerged from around the corner. Pleasantly for us (unlike in other popular waterfall destinations) there was nobody except us. Soaked in the lovely sights and sounds for a half an hour before we started back to our resort.