The Nomadic Gene: Uttarakhand Page I

It's high time I posted a few pictures from our trip to the north. It was fun. The kids freaked out and experienced harsh, cold weather for the first time in their lives. Rish was all excited and was dying to feel snow, but unfortunately the timing was just not right. Maybe, we should have started a little later in the year. But nevertheless, we had our share of fun without the snow too. Sometimes the temperatures did dip to low as 2 º C, but did we care?

Nooooooooooooooo!

Little Amu had a gala time running around her big brother at the Jim Corbett National Park. She loved the place where we put up - The Club Mahindra Nature Trails Resort. 

Early mornings were fun-filled with a grand spread for breakfast and then soaking in some sun by the pool followed by bicycle rides inside the resort.

Big brother too enjoyed posing in the sun and jumping up and down the huge rocks that were strategically placed inside the compound.

And that's us with our printed guide on Uttarakhand.

We managed to go tiger spotting into the park but, Alas! we missed seeing them. But no worries guys, the whole drive from our resort to the tiger reserve was an experience in itself. Open gypsy, spine-chilling cold, warm snuggles and lots of guffaws and giggles.

En route we stopped at a tea stall for some chai and pakodas...

and also clicked a few snaps...

and some more...

Inside the reserve

The Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand is  one of the oldest national parks in the country and is home to a decent number of Bengal tigers and close to 600 species of birds. Statistics point out that out of the 1200 species of birds found in India around half of them can be spotted at the JCNP. But if you are serious about tiger spotting ensure that you get yourself a place inside the reserve. There are a few Government of India run guest-houses. 

You can get more information on

http://www.uttaranchaltourism.in

The Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge

"We had a kettle; we let it leak:
Our not repairing made it worse.
We haven't had any tea for a week...
The bottom is out of the Universe."

- Rudyard Kipling

* The first of its kind tea lounge in Mumbai

* Assam tea, South Indian tea, organic tea, green tea, Darjeeling tea, flavoured tea

* Taste your tea before buying it

* A good variety of snacks...brun maska incuded

Wagh Bakri Tea Lounge

Opp. Parleshwar Temple,

Hanuman Road,

Vile Parle (E)

The stepwell near Connaught Place

A few weeks back I was watching Malishka on TV, gallivanting through the streets of Delhi, both old and new, showcasing the splendours that lay hidden in some of the busy lanes of the capital city. Delhi, definitely, is one of the cities that can flash with pride its resplendent and glorious past through its various monuments.

And one SHOULD visit the capital city to feel and experience the magnificence and flamboyance of the Mughal Empire that ruled it...once upon a time. Amidst the silence of a bygone era lies the cacophony of a city that can throw the most staggering surprise to the one who has an eye for architectural marvels. Yours truly was one of them. I was fascinated by this particular step well, right in the heart of the city, a few kilometres away from the famous CP (Connaught Place).  I remember Malishka showing it on TV and the mind had made up its mind to see the place, to be there, to breathe the air.

Since this was my first visit to the city, I had my friend Kabir take me around the place. He had spent a good part of his life growing up in Delhi but had never heard of a step well right in the centre of the city, that too close to one of his regular hangouts, CP. In plain words, he refused to believe of its existence. And to add to my woes, none of the rickshaw wallahs had heard of the place either.

We stood there like anomalies. And then, suddenly, he walked towards us, like Zeus. A sturdy figure with a few days old stubble, he spoke, "Kay chal rahya se?" On hearing "Agrasen ki Baoli', he told us he'd charge Rs.50/- and to hop into his auto if we agreed. Of course, we agreed!

Finally, winding our way through twisted alleys and lanes we reached the place we had set out for. 'Agrasen Ki Baoli' (Agrasen's Stepwell). And believe me...it was worth it!

Here it is,

Read about it here

FAQs

Was it difficult reaching the place?

I would not say no. We had a tough time explaining it to people that a place like that does exist. But I am sure you will get people to help you reach there like we did. If you are a walkaholic with a keen interest in triangulation, walk it up, I say!

Is it a safe place?

Tough it's an isolated structure, it is a safe place. But to keep your fears at bay, it would be ideal to travel with someone familiar to you.  

Kerala - Postcards from Mattancherry

I got introduced to the alleys of Mattancherry when the husband and I went furniture shopping for the new  house. Our research had led us to this shop called Crafter's Antique which is more like a storehouse of beautiful and intricately designed furniture and other accessories for your house. The trip being a very short one, did not give us much time to gallivant through the lanes of this old town. But nevertheless, we enjoyed our trip, not to forget the sumptuous lunch at Hotel Abad.
    

Crafter's Antique

The world's biggest varpu - 12 ft diameter, 3184 kgs

Mattancherry is a few kilometres away from Ernakulam Town and can be reached by bus or by a boat. Yes, there are boat services available from the boat jetty near Subhash Park. Historically significant, this place is famous for it's Jew Town, synagogue, the palace, the museum, the spice markets and the streets selling antiques, providing you with plenty of opportunities to shop. 

Pallankuzhi - a traditional board game, at Crafter's

http://kickingboredom.blogspot.com/2008/09/pallankuzhi.html

It is said that most of the items that you see here on sale are things that were left behind by the Jewish traders when they migrated to Israel. 
You can buy Chinese jars, wooden spoons, Kerala style doors, spice boxes, dowry chests, lacquer boxes, traditional cooking vessels from Kerala, furniture, murals, paintings et al.

Spices and more spices

 

Variety is indeed in this box of spice

Wooden cowheads

A perfect combination of busy arterial lanes on one side and serene backwaters on the other, the place exudes bits and pieces of history in all that you get to see there.  
Though a good and productive two days were spent in Mattancherry in two different trips, I am yet to discover more about this historic place. The synagogue, the samaj temples and the palace are yet to be seen. 
I only wish to say that right now I am enjoying the pace at which I am unravelling the pages of Kerala.

Mumbai - Cafe Mondegar

Mondy's, that's what it is popularly known as...
:) Located near Regal Cinema, Colaba Causeway, Mumbai
:) Just a few metres away from the Gateway of India.

:) Ideal for some beer and snacks.
:( What? You walked the entire stretch and you didn't spot it? Hmmm, there's a lot of hustle and bustle around the place and hence you may have missed it. And it gets a little hidden too. So, if you are new to the city you may have to be a little alert.
:) The walls of this landmark cafe deserves some attention too. The Mario Miranda illustrated walls bring out the essence of Mumbai - the spirit of the city.

:) Another highlight is the jukebox kept in the corner. I don't know if it still works, but I remember that it had a great assortment of wonderful songs from different genres.
:) Once you are inside the cafe, you can also try Innside, yes, another restaurant within Mondy's, less crowded and less louder.

Though, sometimes I do feel that Mondy's is a little over-hyped :D 

Maharashtra - Sago saga

If in Maharashtra, do it the Maharashtrian way...enjoy their yummy fastfood.

Nah! Don't get me wrong. I'm not referring to the ready-to-eat food served at the local Chinese wala in Maharashtra. Here the term fastfood refers to 'food that you are allowed to eat when you are fasting'. 

By the way, did you know that the word Chinese can be written in different ways, well, yes, that too in English by just exchanging the places of letters in the word? No? Well, we'll look into it later. 

Let's come back to Maharashtrian fastfood. Interesting isn't it? That's what India is all about...in fact we can boast of a culturally varied fastfood fare ;)
Ever heard of that one before?

The Marathi list would comprise sabudana khichdi, sabudana vada, potato chivda, varicha bhaat and many more. 

Let's go slow, one at a time. We shall fist scrutinize the unavoidable Sabudana khichdi - a yummy snack made of sago (sabudana). It's easy to make. But only after some practice. To be honest, sago can be a rogue if you don't handle it properly. The first time I tried making this khichdi it ended up as poppadums. 

The second time I made it, my husband sensed that there was something wrong in the preparation. The sago hadn't turned completely transparent. Now that wasn't my fault, if the sago didn't feel motivated enough to get cooked. But my hubby wouldn't understand this. So I told him that this sago is different. And I don't think he believed me.

Months later I had the same stuff at Ramya's place. From her mom I learnt that I was messing it up with the 'soaking time'. Finally, things were set right and I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I could see my family relishing the khichdi that I had made for them. I tried and now I am an expert. 

See...

You can also make sabudana vadas out of this. 

One place where I have devoured this delicacy is at Prakash, Shivaji Park, Dadar (W). This place is quite popular for it's authentic Maharashtrian fare.


So, go! Indulge in some Sago :)

Kerala - Fort Kochi

    The streets of Fort Kochi were never unfamiliar to me. Though I hadn't visited the place, there was a strange connect that I experienced. A connect that I share with Dehradun too. The latter one, thanks to the several poems, essays and stories of Ruskin Bond and the former one, thanks to my father-in-law, who was so insanely in love with the place. 

    It's quite a strange thing. Throughout my life, inspite of the several visits to Kerala, I had never managed to visit Fort Kochi even once. The reason being the annual visits to relatives' houses which by itself was so time consuming and fun that we never managed to steal time to visit places. And I'm ashamed to confess that finally at the ripe age of thirty, my eyes were ready to take in the sights in and around Fort Kochi.

    And while I stood there gazing at the myriad, beautiful lanes adorned by little houses on either sides I realized why Fort Kochi was a favorite with Papa. If the place could evoke a sense of nostalgia for a first timer like me, it had to be an overwhelming feeling for him.

    He knows every nook and corner of Fort Kochi. Every restaurant, every hotel, every street. Mention the names and he has stories to tell.  

    I happened to spend three days in and around Fort Kochi. There was something magical about the place. Perhaps it was the I-don't-care attitude of people, or maybe the food, or the churches, or the quaint shops, or the by lanes that tempted you to take long walks... 

    





































All you need to do here is to wander, sometimes glancing at the beauty of the heritage structures, the houses, the colourful lanes, the busy spice markets, the antique stores, the cafes, the signages...

...the Chinese fishing nets

Another attraction here is the local market from where you can buy fish and get it cooked at the make-shift shops across the street.

Fort Kochi is full of life. Tourists, shopkeepers trying to attract customers, residents, food courts, cafes all add to the life of this place. A very cosmopolitan culture. 

Well, an ideal place for the one with the nomadic gene...just keep on wandering. I am sure I am going back to this lively and lovely place, SOON!