East Coast to the West!

The first day of the year, January 1, is actually a great day to embark on a road trip. For many reasons......one, the roads were empty and we got through the otherwise tortuous sections in little time. Second, we got to see what the roads looked like without vehicles. And, third, rather superstitiously, I think we will do more road trips this year!

Our trip took us from the Eastern Coast of India to the West, in one straight line. And, the route we took can be seen in the maps below.

Day 1: Chennai to Hassan

Day 2: Hassan to Shiroor

Day 4: Shiroor to Jog Falls

Day 4: Jog Falls to Kuteeram

Day 5: Nrityagram to Chennai

It's a pleasure driving in most parts of India these days. Roads, especially the National Highways, are in pretty good condition. But then there are stretches that are nerve wracking as you have to deal with bad road conditions, stray cattle and humans darting across busy sections of roads. And, the drive was even more exciting since we had wonderful and varied scenery along most of the route - the majestic Western Ghats, the gentle Arabian Sea - including a beautiful, narrow stretch in Maravanthe along the coast, with a Sauparnika river on one side and the sea on the other (here is a video clip that I found on YouTube - Maravanthe stretch - 0:52 to 1:22), lush green fields and landscape that reminds me of my native place in Kerala with coconut palms.

This was a trip that combined history (Belur and Halebid), nature (Western Ghats, Dakshin and Uttara Kannada districts and Jog Falls), faith (Kollur) and culture (Nrityagram) besides a lot of time for relaxation.

Looking forward to lots more of travel on road in the coming months........

Rustic luxury!

This January, we started the year with a road trip, heading to the Western coast from the East, where we live. Please read more details of the road trip in my other post.

On our way back, we wanted to spend a day at Nrityagram, the Odissi dance gurukul started by dancing diva Protima Gauri Bedi. And, it became so convenient with the option to stay at Kuteeram, a resort run by the Taj group of hotels, just adjacent to the dance school.

Kuteeram is like no other Taj resort. No plush lobbies, no sanitized interiors, no state of the art designer fittings, no fine dining. None of the intimidating style that one often encounters in a five star hotel. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it was a great getaway. We woke to the sounds of birds. And, the air was pristine. There were none of the usual city sounds.

To me, it was truly like being in a home away from home - a sort of rustic, earthy, homely luxury. The beds were crafted from stone. Terracotta and shells were used for light fittings. The tiles in the bathroom seemed like they were leftover from some earlier construction. Coloured glass windows allowed sunlight to filter in. Artifacts made of clay adorned niches and walls in the room. And, the room even had a dome for a roof! Food tasted like it was home cooked. And, the service was so special and personalized. For me it was the ultimate in rustic luxury!

Many years ago, we celebrated the New Year in the company of a gentleman named Gerard Da Cunha, in Goa. He was a friend of a Goan friend of ours. And, we were in Goa for a holiday as were our friends. We were introduced to him across car seats as we drove to the party venue in bumper to bumper traffic. We spoke little through the dance, dinner and party but just as we were saying our goodbyes, he left his visiting card with us. I was thrilled to know that this resort was the handiwork of this gentleman! Wish I had got to know him more........

For more pictures of the resort, go to the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/gangapriya/Kuteeram Resort