Navarasas!

In the last fortnight, we have been moving around quite a bit - it has almost been like a brief capsule of real life. I say this because I got to experience all the NAVARASAS - the nine emotions/ essences that were described by Bharata in his treatise, Natyashashtra.

Shringara (love) - Just being with family through most of the last few days, though we had our moments of fights, disagreements and arguments. Whether it was my brother, mother-in-law, niece, nephew, sister-in-law besides my husband and son, the circle of love one's strength and pride and worthy of protection always.

Hasya (laughter) - The millennials are a funny lot. At a convocation ceremony, which in my time was a solemn and heavy function where you had to conduct yourself well, students, soon to be freshly minted graduates, walked up to collect their degrees, suddenly burst into a jig - one did a Dab dance (check out YouTube to know more about this dance!), another blew a heart to the audience while a third got the chief guest to pose for a picture with him - not the other way round. I must give it to them for never losing an opportunity to be themselves :)

Karuna (compassion) - Performing the final rituals for my brother on the first anniversary of his passing away along with several others doing the same for their long gone relatives, it was indeed a humbling experience - the pervasiveness of loss should in fact make us more empathetic and compassionate, because we are all not here forever. The fact that his children stood next to me in the Papanasini stream flowing beside what may be India's oldest temple at Thirunelli in Wayanad was special, truly special.

Raudra (anger) - At every family or social gathering, all the discussions meandered towards BJP, Modi, Congress, Secular, Muslim, Beef, 2019.......everyone had all the facts and figures to support their arguments, not sure if anyone had everything right. The heat generated by the discussions was palpable. People were identifying with people like them. Of course, I mostly withdrew while some others slept. Politics seem to tear right through the middle of family and friends. Is this all that we are destined for? Makes my angry, really angry!

Veera (courage) - Driving through Nagarahole in the hope of spotting that elusive Tiger, one is all courage. So, I never got to test my courage (or the lack of it) since we did not see any, despite many forays into the forests. Disappointed, disappointed, very disappointed......but courage intact!

Bhayanaka (terror) - On a forest trek through thick forests near our resort, the guide brought to our notice the fresh smell of an elephant and the sound of his belly rumblings. The eerie silence of the forest when peppered with these telltale signs of wildlife, with the realisation that you are pretty much at nature's mercy, was really scary.

Bheebhatsya (disgust) - Being routed on landing in Shanghai airport to a line of machines for capturing biometrics - all ten fingers, before immigration clearance. Now, I am not entirely comfortable sharing my unique identity with my own government, why should I do this for another government? Can I refuse? Perhaps yes, but that would mean I turn around and go back home. Catch 22, indeed!

Adbutha (surprise) - Landing in Delhi after a brief trip to China and (for the first time) not cursing "my wretched country" (my own words) for not getting anything right. In fact, everything was perfect - the airport and the efficiency all around, no wait for the luggage, no jostling taxi drivers, clean and neat roads lined with golden showers of laburnum. It helped that it was peak summer and there were few people on the roads.

Shantha (peace or tranquility) - Sitting in our jungle facing deck at our resort, watching flocks of deer, a pair of wild boar, Mr. and Mrs. Peacock, a family of gaurs, a majestic tusker making a grand entrance, all ambling towards the waterhole in the evening.....with the chirping of birds and the indefatigable cricket, in the background. You realise that the Lord God made everything in this world with a perfect sense of balance and order!

A railway station that time may soon forget.......

Castlerock - a fancy name that still remains. The first station in Karnataka as you enter the state from Goa.

Light and shade - blue and green - old and new!

Nothing like this to catch an Indian's attention......remember the school bell?

The big boss of the place! The designation has an American feel to it compared to the more British, Station Master!

Who in India does not have a railway connection? The Railway Unions would never lose an opportunity to fight for justice!

What may once have been railway quarters for the staff......now in shambles.....

I am sure someone has fond memories of having stayed in this house

When there are no people, what's the need for an ambulance?

If you find them, do report. But only one lady rogue - where's the diversity?

Cast in stone! CASTLEROCK!

A trip to the Sea of Milk!

That could have been the setting for the Temple of Doom!

We had checked out the timings of the Vasco – Vailankanni Express. It was to depart from the Margao station at 9.20am and so we were ready from our Siolim base at 7am, a rather early start for a holiday activity. The drive to Margao was uneventful, the fog from the previous day had not lifted in some places, the sun had yet to dry up the early morning dew and there were few people of the road. We parked the car and the parking contractor did not bat an eyelid when we informed him that we’d be away for a day to view the Dudhsagar (pronounced Doodh Sagar, not Dudh Sagar!) Falls – he seemed quite used to this based on his past experiences, when folks like us may have followed the same routine. 

We boarded the train and after some initial jostling for a comfortable (as comfortable as comfortable can get!) seat in an unreserved compartment, we were on our way. We passed paddy fields first, saw lush green vegetation along the tracks and gushing streams every now and then, all mostly the result of the recent monsoon rains. This is the kind of scenery that would have inspired a Rudyard Kipling or Indiana Jones.

Kulem station - building an air of anticipation

We stopped briefly at Kulem which is a small and nondescript station with an air of a busy Victoria Terminus. There is an inherent sense of calm and quiet that envelops the station but there is evidence that the station does not want to be passed over. After all, it was the gateway to the Falls from the Goa side. Until fairly recently, people wanting to see the Falls would have “alighted” (that’s the word!) at this station and made the trek over the tracks to watch the Falls in all its splendor. 

A couple of railway tunnels later, there is a buzz in the compartment and all eyes (and cameras) are trained on the waterfalls that make their first appearance (on the left side of the train). But I have been awaiting them on the right side! So, did I miss them? Just as I was drowning in sea of disappointment, I am reassured to keep faith……and lo and behold, the Ocean of Milk appears on my side (the right one!). Closer, grander and laden with water. It is simply spectacular! 

Winding train tracks

There is a sigh of contentment as the train moves on……many years ago, I am told, that the spray from the Falls would drench the passengers in the train, it appears to have thinned out over the years – perhaps rains have been lesser, we have played with the water flow….. And, I also understand that the train would make a “stop” close to the Falls – ostensibly for technical reasons but I believe, to give passengers a better view of the Falling Waters! I wonder why this was stopped.

Cannot really call it a station!

The train then makes a brief halt at an apology of a station, Dudhsagar – a place that seemed to have chosen to give up its own identity for the natural phenomenon that gave it its name.

Winding the other way!

Our journey to view the Falls ended at the Castlerock Station, some 15 tunnels beyond the mighty Falls. A delayed train forced us to spend some languid three hours in a place that perhaps time forgot. 

When the train arrived, we boarded it, this time wiser and prepared to catch the Falls from the other side too.

It all comes together here.... 

Pouring over.....

Streams from all over.....

Dudhsagar is a tiered waterfall!

Don't miss that bridge the the train went over!

The last glimpse!

Ayisha Manzil

Tellicherry (Thalassery in Malayalam) is my father's hometown and a town that I have visited since my childhood. Famous for the three Cs - Cricket (the first cricket match was played by the natives here), Circus (Keeleri Kunhikannan, considered the pioneer of Indian circus hailed from here and so did a good number of circus artistes) and Cakes (the bakery revolution of Kerala was ushered when the first cake was baked here) - the town brings very fond memories of holidays spent with uncles, aunts and cousins in my grandmother's place - located along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala. Our locality in the town was dotted by homes of relatives that we usually stayed in while on visits - and there was never a question of checking for convenience, for it was taken for granted and that was the expectation. 

View of the Arabian Sea from Ayisha Manzil

So, to stay in a homestay when we were visiting for a niece's wedding was something that was unusual in terms of family protocol. However, we were too drawn to the idea to not make use of this opportunity to savour the experiences at Ayisha Manzil. Situated on a hillock abutting the Arabian Sea, is this quaint and much lived bungalow which is over a hundred years old. The owners have mostly retained the originality and character of the place except for modern comforts like better bathrooms, air conditioning and the addition of a swimming pool. 

Traditional Kerala architecture with modern enhancements

It felt like we were coming home after the long 16 hour drive from Chennai. The drive had been uneventful but for a flat tyre detected near Mysore. This is a trip that we have done many times before, trying different routes on previous occasions. The man of the house, Moosa, was expecting us at his much appreciated homestay. Unfortunately, the lady of the house, Faiza, was away for a business engagement. Moosa, a graduate from the Madras Catering College, was a pioneer of the homestay "industry" in God's Own Country, Kerala. His homestay has been popularised largely by word of mouth and many of his guests come back to spend a few days every year or two. During our stay, he regaled us with stories of British aristocracy who came with a fleet of vehicles that carried their luggage, Belgian royalty who stayed over for experiencing a slice of real India and a famous author who penned one of his popular works sitting in one of the rooms.

Moosa makes for an excellent host. Gifted with tremendous energy, innate curiosity and genuine sensitivity, he takes a personal interest in making his guests comfortable, attending to their every need and request. He takes his guests along when he makes a round of the local fish market at the crack of dawn to select the items that will end up on the dining table later in the day. He organises trip to nearby temples for performances of Theyyam that are popular in this locality. He can organise a visit to one of the weaving places that dot Kannur, in the neighbourhood, and you can have access to home furnishings that find big brand buyers from across the world. And, how can one forget the spice markets that have brought fame to Tellicherry with the pricey and aromatic black pepper - an ingredient that in reality, finds little use in traditional Moplah cuisine.

Faiza manages the food at the homestay, its other hallmark. She has a reputation of being an authority on Moplah cuisine, local Muslim fare which carries influences that Arab traders brought to Kerala on a base that is entirely identifiable with the state. You cannot single out a dish that is her trademark - all of them were outstanding. During our stay, we had the good fortune to taste her fish biriyani, arikadukka (mussels wrapped in rice flour), mutta appam (lacy appams topped with an egg), neichoru (ghee rice), meen pathiri (fish stuffed rice pancakes), vattilappam (local caramel custard), mutta sikka (egg coins, literally) to name a few items - all cooked by her team that has obviously been well trained. If you are lucky, you could learn how to cook them in the cooking classes that she conducts for her guests. 

Between the two, all I can say is that they know how to get to their guests' hearts.

If you are looking for five star luxury, this is not the place. If you are looking for personalised and top rated service, this is not the place. However, if you are seeking a niche and special experience that will stay with you even after you have left the place, Ayisha Manzil is for you. 

Three nights at Ayisha Manzil and I was feeling like this was home. The food and the ambience of the place added to the experience of "being at home". If not this, what else is a homestay supposed to be?

Two States!

It is over twenty years since I married Arjun. We are from two different communities. People often talk about the similarities that exist between our two cultures and are quick to rush to conclusions about things that attract folks from our respective communities to each other. This blog post tries to put things in perspective.

Let me start with the weather. The weather works similarly in the two states. The humid summers and the damp monsoon season are common to both states. And, there is little one can do about the weather but complain which both communities love to do.

Our marriages were always conducted in the evenings and solemnised with the husband promising to take care of the day to day needs (aka food, clothing) of the wife. That did not take away from the fact that the Bengali matrimonial ceremonies are predominantly religious while the Kerala practices are more for social confirmation. Our gold jewelry is famed. In Kerala, the intricate designs are made in gold that is made malleable by the addition of copper while the work from Bengal relies on lac filled metal being crafted to exquisite designs and patterns. White and off-white are considered auspicious colours in our states and often you see women dressed in these colours at religious ceremonies. The matrilineal system empowered women in Kerala and made them owners of land and property. She held the keys to the wealth on paper though in reality the males in the household had a louder voice. In Bengal on the other hand, the woman of the house is likened to Kali and is often the "de facto man of the house" - owning little but controlling all.

Our common love for fish stands out as the most striking similarity. Yes, Kerala and Bengal have long coastlines and access to fish is therefore abundant. However there is one salient difference. Keralites have a preference for sea fish while the Bengali prefers fish from the river or the neighbourhood pukur. The fisherfolk in the Malayalam classic Chemeen went out to fish in the Arabian Sea. The Rani Rashmoni of Dakshineshwar fame belonged to the community of fisherfolk who owned the rights to fishing in the Ganges. That says something for the preferences.

We use a lot of common vegetables - raw banana, banana pith and flower, varieties of gourds - ash, bitter, etc - in our cooking. Though the vegetables may be the same, the medium used for cooking is very different lending our respective cuisines their typical flavours. Coconut oil is the preferred medium for those from Kerala and Mustard oil for those from Bengal. The taste for these cooking medium is acquired and can be a make or break factor in liking the cuisine.

A faith in Communist ideology has long been seen as another common characteristic. Kerala had the first Communist government in the world. And, Bengal was governed by Communists for the longest period in history. Though the ideology has empowered the common man through land reforms and brought in a relatively classless society it has all but wiped out enterprise from both these states. Naxalism found a number of takers in these two states in the 70s. Both states now face backdoor entries of capitalistic ideas that end, more often than not, in spurious organizations and nefarious means of money making. Bandhs and hartals are a regular feature of people's lives in Kerala and Bengal and the Communists having taught the citizens to use this tool effectively in their fight for their rights and against exploitation - real or imagined.

Our bookshelves will feature Marx, Lenin, Tolstoy, Bankim Chandra, Dostoyevsky, Chekov and Sarat Chandra or the works of these great authors will be serialised in our magazines for consumption of the masses. What is amiss is that works of an M T Vasudevan Nair, a Vakkom Basheer or a Thakazhi or a Madhavikutty have not found the same enthusiasm in Bengal as that of Bengali authors in Kerala.

Our films are dark and gloomy and there is a lot of still life in the motion pictures. Subjects like existentialism and the despair in life are often subject matter in our movies. Kurosawa, Scorsese, Cupola, Polanski inspire our directors. Ray is God and Adoor is King. Realism is writ all over our films and there is no concern for entertainment. Bollywood is flippant and shallow.

Tea and our love for the beverage holds us together. Strongly brewed tea at the addas and chaaya kadas inspire us to discourses around the rights and wrongs of everyday life. The portions are small but the brew is potent. Whether served in mud kulhads or in thick glass, tea brings together people from all walks of life.

Football is another common thread that weaves through our communities. The game raises passions though cricket has blunted some of that in recent times. The game is followed keenly in every part of the world. The success of Sourav Ganguly as the skipper of the Indian Cricket team, the "flash in the pan" performances of cricketers from Kerala, the rise of the Kolkata Knightriders team in the IPL and the fall to disgrace of the Kochi Tuskers have all added to the masala around cricket that now has a great following in both states.

So, having said all this, I do not want to stereotype the typical Bengali or Malayalee. Or put them in the same bucket. But I would not miss adding that they are singularly delightful and fantastic in combination! Some examples are below.

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/03/17/stories/2006031702150300.htm

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/brinda-and-prakash-karat-rising-power-couple-of-indian-left/1/194770.html

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