Travelogue

Introducing the driver,

                                                      

the cleaner

 

 

 

 

 

..........and the madame.

 It all started with major plans of driving the North India but again the pocket seemed to be tearing hence South India it was. But again, there was a bigger tear in the pocket so we decided to club our nephews' birthday along with the trip so covering Madanepalle, Bangalore, Mysore, Bandipur, Coorg.

The day started at 9:00 p.m. on 14th January traveling by bus to Madanepalle. A small town in AP and the hometown of a dear friend M whose parents were gracious enough to have us in. So we had two days of heavenly food and visited Horsley hills, the only hill station around that area and extremely hyped of a place considering there is nothing much to do except pack beer in a jeep and sit on top of a hill and admire the country side below. On 16th started for Bangalore to spend time with the nephew. He of course was thrilled to have us in, though the niece was not so sure about us. After a nice evening and some family time, started off to Mysore.

Reached Mysore after a brief halt at two banyan trees which are supposed to be spread across a huge area and are centuries old. One of them situated behind a famous ashram. Added a touch of the spiritual side too and met the Godfather himself. Reached Mysore by afternoon just to realize that the palace may not be open to public yet and also as usual R had his stomach growling for a loo break after the MacD's burgers we had gorged on the way and a halt to Hotel Roopa was due.

M & I couldn't resist the biryani even if it meant stuffing us up till our throats. After being fed and watered time to visit the Grand Palace. Clicked a lot of pictures but unfortunately lost all of them for reasons less known. Seen here is a distorted one I managed to click of the palace by night.

Headed to Bandipur after that just in time to catch the last bus to the wildlife. Caught a glimpse of the wild elephant and some deers and the likes. The drive awesome and the vehicle awful. We had decided to stay the night in the wild but there seemed to be nothing much to do hence we decided to come back to Mysore and stay the night there. On the way back went to get the view of the palace and gardens by night. Thereafter, Hotel Roopa it is and beer and more food time. Got stuffed yet again and dropped off to bed to wake up next morning to kick start for Coorg.

Day 5: Woke up got ready, tea and threatened R for no food till Coorg and took off. R saw a CCD and refused to drive further till he was fuelled. So breakfast time at CCD and straight to Kushalnagar en route Coorg. Kushalnagar happens to have the second largest Buddhist monastry in the country called Namdroling. It has a huge form of Buddha in gold alongside 2 other important Buddhas.

The entire settlement was huge and very serene. We spent almost over an hour there before lunch at a local restaurant with thukpa and chowmein. Some window shopping and then to Coorg.  

At Coorg we kept driving for forest flower which was deep inside a coffee plantation and a beautiful inn with wooden cottages and a tree top swing below which a stream flows. Awesome! Service not good. They did not know the word complimentary and even water was to be bought. But then again one does not stay in such places for the service; they stay for the peace and quiet that nature has to offer.

Once we settled into the place we went to the local town for sightseeing a negligible visit to Abbey waterfalls which was a bit of a joke for waterfalls, and food and some beer. Then it was chilling time at the inn and some photography and HTHT.

Day6: Dubare Elephant camp it is at 6:00 am. We got wrong information and reached there early morning but the elephants apparently don't wake up before 9:00a.m! So some timepass in the river and again food and some more timepass at the camp itself before the kings arrival. They arrive like the royals and the pompous walk can give Her Highness a run for the money. We were allowed to pet them when they get into the water for a bath and also are allowed to bathe them. My first touch of any animal and it felt weird. After the shower it was food time for them too and soon after it was time for us to take their leave. We come back to the other side by boat and then back to forest flower for a quick shower and pack up before heading for Rishi Agastya's ashram and the root of the kaveri river. The tree under which Agastya rishi sat still exists and the vibrations still feel strong. The drive itself was killing and by the time we got back to the town it was 4:00pm and we were starving. We hogged on Chicken and rotis and then started for Bangalore.

Reached Bangalore late in the night, I slept throughout the journey and don't remember much of the drive anyway, and crashed straightaway once we reached home. Next morning M left and we were by ourselves. Thus ended one of the most memorable holidays and now for Adu's birthday in a couple of days. Till then its chillax at home with the kids and enjoying the Bangalore hospitality.

Love Lost

"A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave" - M.K. Gandhi

We humans, though considered a highly evolved species, are the least evolved when it comes to love. Either we have not understood what it is to love and be in love or we have not experienced love at all. Either we have people crying and dying over lost love, or we have people killing others for love.These are the extreme cases but in most normal beings, love is just a measurement about how much (s)he have done for the other, which is to say how far the other one has gone to keep the partner/lover happy. Me included. This holds true for all the other relations as well. But the past year and few amazing people have changed my perspective. Love is about graciousness and love is only about giving. We give to everyone, but with the expectation of receiving. Love is that which is beyond all boundaries. Love gives compassion and love brings joy in surrendering.
Today, while having lunch, I saw 3 birds perched on the roof of a building nearby and on close observation I noticed that one of them was struggling with its feet as it was hurt. Immediately 2 other birds flew next to the first and started licking the bruise and did so for a very long time. Soon after, 1 flew away and came back after a few moments with something to eat. It gave it to the first bird again licked his bruise for somemore time. Now the bird started hopping and seemed to be capable of handling itself. Satisfied, they flew off into the distance. This scene was so divine that it left me speechless. Sitting there I realised how minuscule we are in our feelings towards the others and how much I learnt from 3 little birds  which were non-existent for me a while ago, and how larger than life they had suddenly become and how small and thoughtless I was. Was there anything that bird expected in return for the compassion shown? That tiny creature had a tiny heart and yet made of gold.

At the same time a colleague of mine and I were discussing love and expectations built around it. Somehow while talking to him I felt that we have succeeded not only in adulterating nature but also all the purest forms of emotions available by nature. We call ourselves a social animal and take pride in the way we are civilized and socialized. But are we really? We have only tried our best to keep our footing in the so called "society" by behaving how others want us to and being what we are actually not. In doing so, we are becoming so focussed towards pleasing the others eye that we are actually becoming downtrodden in the way we feel or think towards the same person or anybody else.We feel and care too much about the societial norms and some pre-defined rules but the basics are long gone and forgotten.
When we were animals we knew to survive and while it was survival of the fittest we also were ferociously guarding and protecting our herd, but now being a social animal where is our herd and what are we protecting? Except for all the glossiness in our lives we have nothing to hang on to or call our own. And all because we have lost the love that was once ours.

Title borrowed from Ravi Warrier

Happy New Year!

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."


Another year has come by and with it has come new hope, new dreams and new goals. The new year is always a time when we start planning on the new activities for the year, and while that is good as it gives a sense of direction, how many of us actually sincerely live by the resolutions or decisions we take? I remember, last year I had decided on a whole list of this to accomplish, but a lot of it didn’t. As the new year approached I was kind of disheartened that I couldn’t complete the tasks I had thought of through the year. But in retrospect, maybe I didn’t get to do which I decided upon, but I did actually have an eventful year, and 2010 would be one of those years which has taken me to a different dimension.

I completed my 2nd Post Graduation. I bought my mini notebook (my first expensive piece of gadget), stayed away from R for the longest time ever, met SP and NR. Two people who added tremendous value in my life. Got disconnected and reconnected. The reconnection was of course an invention by itself and therefore have started an altogether new journey. Got into a different dimension in spiritualism. So these are a few firsts that happened last year.

This year, I want to travel, I want to read  a lot of books I missed upon ealier and I want to evolve. So the task for this year is pretty clear though its going to be one big challenge.