In the land of the Famous five and Elizabeth Bennet

i am back to blogging after a while. And the best part of it is that i am back from a travel experience that’s going to be a part of me for a lifetime. The land of Jane Austen and her novels, the countryside that Enid Blyton described enchantingly in each of her tales, from the land where we took to this wonderful language – English.

My first visit to a place outside of India, turned out to be the place of my childhood stories and fantasies - visuals of open green landscapes, stone castles and children hanging around sipping lemonade and gorging on home-made apple pies and tarts. Well, i got to re-live all of this and i got to re-live my childhood! Nostalgia! The smell of the wet green grass by the Loch Lomond, the sight of the picturesque countryside as the train took us closer to Windsor, the sounds of the birds chirping by the Thames, all of these were right out of those books that i grew up reading. i got to live a sunny, bright, clear-skied British summer!

As I walked past the aged castle in Helensburg, with a clock tower at its face, with german shepherds, and terriers hopping past the green lawn, I visualized the famous five set on a mystery. As we walked by the lake, it drizzled lightly, the Captain from one of the steamers chirped, “This is Scotland for you. 4 seasons in an hour’s time!” The stones and boulders at the edge of the park made me wonder if Robert Frost witnessed these very lands as he wrote his poems.

Entrance of the Balloch Castle Country Park, Balloch, Scotland

Loch Lomond

Here i was, thousands of miles away from home, but as i walked past the river, it all looked and felt so familiar. i felt so much at home in a foreign land! It felt as though i’d been here before. The sight of the river with the boats anchored every few yards looked enchanting. So were the large trees standing by the river, as if telling the stories of the folks and the royalty of a bygone era.

As i get back to my mundane life, it is not technology, neither the skyscrapers that call back my thoughts. All i long to experience again is the warmth of nature, by the silent banks of the river, to lose track of time as i hear the birds tweet and see the stream flow. All i long to feel is the smell of the wet mud after a drizzle, and watch the swans float past me one after another.

A quiet evening by the Thames

This connection is here to stay. This one for a lifetime.

Find more pictures from this trip to Britain and Scotland, here.

Dreaming of a World without Borders

i seldom follow the lives and lines of international or national movie stars, but a recent quote that i came across got me thinking and did tempt me to pen down my views.  

“I am the kind of person who doesn't recognize borders. I don't understand why we think it is okay to keep someone within one border when they are unable to feed their family when they could be getting help somewhere else. I don't see people as different so I don't understand the idea of borders in this world.”

These words by Angelina Jolie make so much sense today with countries combating poverty, hate crimes and militants, all at one go. It is appalling to know children are dying out of hunger and disease in some part of the world for the only reason that they were born in the wrong country; that a hapless government, with its own set of international debts and internal agitations, hasn’t got funds enough to feed its people.  How fare is it that while one country strives to put together these funds to feed and nurse its ill, another spends billions on putting together ammunitions for the Armageddon?

Couldn’t there be a way that the United Nations or the World Bank probably, like many other international regulations, makes it mandatory that every developed nation puts aside a fixed sum of money for the les misérables of the world. When the good-fortuned can glide past physical boundaries of a country to fix their businesses and salaries, why shouldn’t there be some way that the ill-fortuned get treatments, food, or even shelter across borders at minimum expenses. 

Picture epitomising our world today

When there’s no census on how many birds flew past the border and how many remained in the country, i wonder why we bother to have the same for humans. When nature doesn’t confine itself within borders, why then would a part of the desert be India and the other Pakistan! Why should one end of the road be in the US of A and the other in Mexico, while they could have rather been a part of one unified nation, that which belonged to the whole mankind. Couldn’t the world tread along in the direction set by the European Union?

From the current standing of the nations of the world, visa regulations to travel from one part of the moon to another, could soon be the norm, even before we decide who’s gonna travel next to the moon. On a lighter note, if this was a world without borders, i could be an Indian and still be saved from the months-long visa process to travel abroad for a vacation! True, that wouldn't be called travelling “abroad”, then!

Let the divine lamp light the lives of one and all! Happy Diwali all!

This Diwali, when it’s time to celebrate the festival of lights, i pray for a world without borders, one that would bring life, light and peace to all, across borders, religions and ethnicity. i pray for a world that is united in a mission, to bring smiles on the faces of the less-fortuned.

A "night-out" at the Sholay hills, Ramnagaram!

There are many-a-places around Bangalore which nature-lovers and history-enthusiasts like me would love to visit on a free day at hand. In this post i bring to you my experiences from one such place, Ramnagaram aka the Sholay Hills.

Probably the spot from where Gabbar kept an eye on Ramgadh 

Ramnagaram is known to most people as the Ramgadh of the evergreen blockbuster of Hindi Cinema, Sholay! Yes, this is the place where Basanthi was wooed by Viru, where Jay stole glimpses of the widowed Radha, where Gabbar Singh screeched “Arey o Samba! Kitne aadmi the!”Although at a distance of just 50 kms from the city, the villages around these hills are sparsely populated and hold good their rural feel and splendour unlike most places around Bangalore. The barren, rocky hills of Ramnagaram still seem to echo of Gabbar Singh’s grunts and screeches.

Our outing was an overnight one complete with tents and a camp-fire. With torch lights by our side and muddy sleeping bags to keep us warm, we lay down in our tents. Camping overnight in the fields, under the stars, for me, was a never-before experience. The only thing visible in the dark was the faint light of a far-away lantern probably hung outside a villager's home. Away from the hustle of the city, in the eerie-silence of the fields, it was a dreamy night under the tent, like a page out of Enid Blyton’s mystery plot in the moon-lit English moorlands. Well now, this was an experience straight out of my travel-wishlist!

Sri Ramanjaneya carved on a rock

In the morning we trekked up the highest of the hills, past the Ramagiri temple from which the town gets its name. Quite a tortuous path it was for a non-trekker like me, with narrow steps carved out of rock as we neared the peak. The sprawling view from the top though, like from most hill-tops, was one worth the trek. All around were rocky hills and boulders, dotted with green shrubs, quite a treat to the eyes!

Back from the trek, at our camping site we had some nice, steaming hot South-Indian style idli-vada breakfast waiting for us. We ended the outing with some Rock climbing and Rappelling activities. It was a wonderful trip, the best part of it being the night-stay in the tent and waking up to a foggy morning in the fields. Looking to have more such trips in the lap of nature! Looking to share more such travel-experiences that did strike a chord with my otherwise not-so-easily-excited-heart!

TRAVEL TRIVIA:

Tidbit! Ramnagaram is home to Asia's second largest (silk)cocoon market 

Best Time to Travel: Round the year
Location: Bangalore-Mysore (Karnataka) State Highway 17; 

• Distance from Bangalore - 49 kms  (approx. 1 hr by road)
• Distance from Mysore - 94 kms (approx. 2 hrs by road)

Amche Gao... G O A

GOA!! For many the party paradise, for some the place to find peace along the Sea. Surprisingly, i, have always had a different picture of Goa in my mind. Away from the partying zone, the other face of Goa is what excites and interests me. Nestled in the hills, are those ancient temples and churches, in the land of the friendly Konkani-speaking farmers and fishermen. And this picture always brings an amazing sense of tranquillity to my mind!

Ancient temples of rural Goa are in themselves a theme for the travel bugs

So are the Portuguese-era churches!

i’ve travelled to Goa quite a few times, essentially to visit the temple of the family deity that lies there. But all these visits were usually pertained to the temples and a short visit to one of the beaches around Panaji. Of late, during such trips i would long to get down from the vehicle and walk around the towns that we left behind, to explore the beautiful old houses and the rustic lifestyle of the local people.

So last summer we went exploring these parts of Goa on a rented bike. And a fun experience it was to say the least.

i had to tediously research the web to find out more places to visit in Goa, i.e. beyond the packed beaches. In the pursuit of something more serene, something off the beaten track, i came across a note about a village called the Chorao Island (natively, Chodan Island). i liked the description of the village along with the fact that there was a huge lake in there. Also, what caught my excitement was the ‘Island’ part of it.

From the mainland we took a ferry down the river from Ribandar (which comes from the two Konkani words, Rai – King and Bandar –Port; the port is said to have been built by an unnamed King centuries ago). A surprising fact about this ferry is that they don’t charge you; the service is free for the people, by the local government. Also, people can, not just transport themselves, but also their two- and four- wheelers to and fro from the Island village thanks to the ferry service. So we did not have to depend on any other form of local transport to explore this village.

Ribandar, the beautiful, unexplored countryside of Goa

Ferry to the Chorao Island (seen in the backdrop)

Goan house on the Chorao Island

The ride around the island village was a fun experience. We spent some time at the scenic Mayem Lake here. Back in the mainland we explored some local churches in Old Goa. A quiet, laid-back, breezy evening along the Mandovi River at Ribandar seemed to us the best way to end the eventful day. With the sun setting in the far west, as we rode back on our bike, my thoughts wandered to the Goa of the Portuguese era. How would life be in those beautiful archaic bungalows, with the arched entrances, mosaic floors and solid pillars! It all seems like an out-of-the-world dream!

The ride through the rustic towns, getting our roads right from those blushing village ladies across the road, hogging "bhaji-paav" with extra paav in the local eateries; these experiences were some of those many things that made it a truly unforgettable goan road-trip.

I would say, in the lines of Amitabh Bachchan, "Aayei, kuch din toh guzariye Goa ke in gaon mein! Breathe in a bit of rustic Goa!" Beauty for the eyes, and hospitality for the senses, someone aptly called it, The Rome of the East!


TRAVEL TRIVIA:

Best Time to Travel: Mid-September to Mid-March (Dec, Jan get crowded due to Christmas, New-Year celebrations; Summer months - hot and humid)
Location: South-western coast of India; 

• Distance from Bangalore - 578 kms  (approx. 10.30 hrs by road)
• Distance from Mumbai - 584 kms  (approx. 10.30 hrs by road)
• Distance from Mangalore - 357 kms  (approx. 5.30 hrs by road)
• Distance from Pune - 440 kms (approx. 8 hrs by road)

Suggested Mode of Transport(within the state): Rent a 2-wheeler/ 4-wheeler(with or without driver)

Pictures from the native soil..

This time I've put together some clicks from around my home town. The place close to my soul and partly the reason behind why i am what i am. Again, i am no where near to being called even an amateur photographer. But pictures do speak louder and better than words. Hence, here i go, (visually) bragging around about the place i love the most! Reliving divinity, on replay mode!


People on the hunt for serene beaches that seem to be picked out of some western travel magazines gotta come over here. No exaggeration. Come over on a Saturday evening, and blessed you will be. You can be as selfish as you possibly can, 'cause you'd be having the entire length and breadth of the beach all for yourselves.

There's more to this place than just the serene beaches. Flowing rivers, sprawling lakes, rocky hills and paddy farms; the place offers to you the diverse sides of nature on a platter, garnished with the simplicity, humility and friendliness of the native people.


 A walk along the Sita Nadi (Kannada term for 'River'), on the outskirts of my home town, as the sun sets in the far west, is an experience i love to indulge in when i'm home on a long vacation. A mode of reconnecting with the nature,it is; something not readily doable in the city!

Pictures from the native soil.., a set on Flickr.

Pictures from my travel to Chikmagalur

The velvety green hills of Kemmangundi, lying between the sprawling tea and coffee estates of Chikmagalur and the Bhadra Sanctuary, are a treat to the travellers' eyes.

In this collection i've put together few clicks from different places around Chikmagalur that i've travelled to - Kemmangundi, the Bhadra Sanctuary, Halebidu, and Kalasa.   I've loved each one of these scenic towns!  

The journey to Hebbe falls needs a special mention. This place was one that we initially voted against visiting, cursing ourselves through the 13 km long bumpy jeep ride on the rocky dirt track. But, walking/wading through three knee-level streams that took us to the falls in the middle of the jungle, did make us feel really thankful for opting to visit this place.  The ride to the falls too, although spine-rattlingly tiring, was very very scenic, with the green hills and tea estates all around. The Chikmagalur trip would be incomplete without this bumpy adventure!

Beauty, truely heavenly. But a place, sadly, very understated!

Find more of my travel pics at divya.nayakBhat's photostream on Flickr.

The Nilgiris.. Bandipur, Nagarhole and more..

i never was (or probably never realised i was) a serious nature enthusiast. Never been the gardener-kind. But seems like my recent trips through the forests of South Karnataka did awaken this side of me; love for nature and forests and the wild.

We've driven through different parts of the Bandipur and Nagarhole forest reserve, south of Mysore city, many a times. This includes the drives to and from Ooty in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad in Kerala and the trip to the serene Gopalaswamy Betta. And each time it's been a mesmerising experience. Be it the herds of deer grazing in the greens or the wild elephants that were at touching distance. Every single time it’s been a treat, to the eyes, ears and the soul!

There's been a sense of excitement each time we've entered the sanctuary and, not to exaggerate, but a sense of bereavement at the sight of that sign post saying “Thank you for visiting Bandipur National Park. Visit again!”, and “visit again”, i’ve always wanted to, each time i’ve been there!

A Giant Malabar Squirrel that we spotted in the jungle

These drives were enchanting, to say the least. You know it when you enter the forest. There's an amazing quietness. It seems to be just you and the sweet sound of birds chirping away happily and probably a few locusts whistling through the trees. What you feel for the rest 20 kilometres is just divine! As you drive towards Ooty, you enter the Madhumalai Forest Reserve, which is the same forest but in the limits of the Tamil Nadu state.  

The drive through Bandipur forest, towards Ooty!

A must-visit-place inside the national park is the Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta, an ages-old temple atop the highest peak in the Bandipur forest, 80 kms south of Mysore. The name literally translates to the 'hill of Lord Gopal', and the fact that it's covered by fog almost throughout the year makes it ‘Himavad’. The place is frequented less by people and more by elephants and thus still holds its serenity.   Although we did not come across elephants here during our visit, we did come across fresh elephant dung as we drove to the hill top. There was a sense of excitement in the air that there were elephants around few hours before we reached the place.

Holy Cows! On our way to the Gopalaswamy Betta..

A very misty view from outside the Temple

Entrance to the Gopalaswamy Temple

Then there are those tribal settlements you come across inside the Nagarhole forest reserve. These people have been living in the forest for generations, amidst the wild animals. Their way of living is truly fascinating given the age of internet banking and online shopping that we live in. They seem not very touched by modernisation and probably live without electricity and running water. But thankfully, the governments have set up schools around the settlements in order to educate the tribal kids 

Lion Tailed Macaques around the settlement

This journey was a beautiful one. And as i write these words i long to get back to the wilderness soon. The next thing on my vacations-list is a Jungle Safari. Divine Bliss, it's gonna be!

Closer to Nature...in Yercaud!

My first post on travel, this one, and am really excited to share my experiences. New-year weekend it was, and with 3 days off from our routine lives, we wanted a getaway, far from the city, its crowd, smoke and man-made high-rises. "Where?", was the first question that rose in our minds. A day-long research on travel sites and reviews, and i found Yercaud to be the destination that fulfilled our criteria, a five-hour-long scenic drive from Bangalore, scenic hill-station, and most importantly: not crowded. 

The beautiful Yercaud lake, surrounded by a host of teak and pine trees, 
epitomises the beauty of this hill station 

Yercaud is a sleepy hamlet  lying amidst the Shevaroy Ranges of the Eastern Ghats of India. It lies atop these hills, around 30 kms, from Salem town, Tamil Nadu. The name 'Yercaud' comes from two Tamil words : yeri meaning 'lake' and kaadu meaning 'forest' or 'wood'.


This small town it also termed "The poor man's Ooty" after South-India's famous hill-station Udhagamandalam aka Ooty. For people who have visited Ooty, Yercaud's scenic valleys may seem familiar. But what makes the small-time Yercaud still a sort-after tourist destination is the fact that it is away from the complexities of the present-day urban life; no glitzy malls to visit, no hyper-fashion-conscious men and women, and only traces of commercialization here and there.


We initially made a list of the hotels and lodges that we could choose from, but when we called them up we learnt that all the hotel rooms were booked due to tourists visiting in large numbers, that being the New-year weekend. "Let's spend the night in our car, then", we thought and started off towards our destination. To our good-fortune, though, we found out about a guest-house, 'The House of Peace', run by a Christian Missionary Trust, from a travel magazine (and i'd thought, Travel guides aren't exactly of much practical use for commoners like us). And this place turned out to be the best part of the whole "Yercaud-experience"!

True to its name: The House of Peace !

The beautiful British-style windows of the House of Peace

It was mid noon, and after a quick Tamil-style lunch at the House of Peace we set out to explore the town. The Montfort School was the first stop, and what a place that was! The school has a truly mesmerising campus with well-kept lawns, a chapel, a huge soccer ground, a swimming pool,  and its-own mini zoo with various species of birds, from emus to parakeets. 

The Monfort School Campus

The soccer ground inside the campus

The Kiliyur falls was our next destination, around 8 kms from the town. And reaching the waterfall was in itself an adventurous experience; with sunset minutes away, the place deserted, and the path leading to the waterfall frighteningly rugged and tortuous, we had a kilometre to be covered by foot! But once we did reach the falls, all the pain was forgotten. I did feel a sense of achievement at the site of it! Though not one among the highest or hugest falls, this one was beautiful!

The Kiliyur Falls

An enchanting view of the Shevaroyan hills at sunset, 
on the way back from the Falls

The chapel adjacent to the House of Peace

Back to the town, we had a stroll around the Yercaud lake and the Anna Park opposite the lake. As the night set, the breeze got cooler. Back to the guest house, and after a homely dinner, we were free to go 
around the House of Peace. The chapel adjacent to the house had been decorated for Christmas and had a display of tiny clay figurines depicting the birth of Christ .

Since it was mid-winter, it was breezy and the temperatures had dipped, especially during the nights. It was freezing cold, by South-Indian weather standards. My teeth were chattering and i couldn't stay out for long. To our pleasant surprise, there was a lovely bonfire arranged for a visiting family that was celebrating their kid's birthday. 

In the comfort of a bonfire at the House of Peace

Christmas display

The next day we woke up early enough to feel the misty weather, walking down the by-lanes of this tiny town. The feeling was truly heavenly, the roads were narrow and the place was calm and pristine. We could hear the birds chirp and the walk was one to be remembered for a lifetime. You can clearly feel the difference between a metro and a tiny town when you go around a place by foot. Admiring the beauty of nature is among the best ways to  keep oneself cheerful. 

The rest of the trip involved visiting the Shevaroy temple atop the hills, which is a small dark cave where the local God is worshipped. The temple has mythological significance and supposedly has a tunnel that runs all the way up to Talacauvery in Coorg, Karnataka. One can have a bird's-eye-view of the whole town from outside this temple. On the way back to the town, we also did visit a newly renovated Sri Chakra temple that is claimed to be the world's largest of its kind. The drive en-route was breath-taking as we drove past rows of teak and pinewood. 

The Sri Chakra Temple, considered the largest in the world

En-route the Shevaroy temple

There were multiple view points throughout the town with fancy names like Arthur's Seat, Ladies' Seat, the Pagoda Point and so on. These places are more likely to have tourists and hence be littered. The beauty of Yercaud lies in those rustic village roads and enchanting pine forests where Nature still holds her virginity, untouched by man and his technology. Nostalgia did strike me as i walked through those lanes. Yercaud is among those places that i have come the closest to Nature, a place just a few hours away from a metropolis like Bangalore, contradictory it is! 

Reminds me of home....reminds me of John Denver's words..........
Country Roads,....
... Take me home.......
.... To the place i belong.......

TRAVEL TRIVIA:

Tidbit! Yercaud is known as "the poor man's Ooty"

Best Time to Travel: Round the year

Location: Salem district of Tamil Nadu; 

• Distance from Bangalore - 230 kms  (approx. 4.30 hrs by road)
• Distance from Chennai - 355 kms 
• Distance from Coimbatore - 195 kms 
• Distance from Trichy - 163 kms