Saturday, December 18, 2021

Second Chance

 


In a country like India, second marriage, divorce, single parenthood etc are considered a social taboo. There are parents who in spite of knowing ill habits of a guy get him married thinking everything would set right once he gets married. But what if things don’t go in the desired way? Who is to be blamed here? The girl who was supposed to change him has to give up her dreams & tolerate everything till the end of her life. Even though she is not wrong, she is not supposed to get rid of the toxic relation. Our society doesn’t pull backwards the men, if they are the one who move on.

Again, imagine another scenario in which after marriage, if things are not going well as expected and suppose the man/woman talks about it to a third person. The reply would be everything will fall in its place once you have a kid. Bringing a new life into an unstable family is another curse. Now for the sake of the child, the incompatible couple, now parents stay under one roof. This builds wrong implications of family life in the innocent minds of the child growing up there. And this continues as a vicious circle. One can neither live together nor get separated.

We come across many deaths related to dowry nowadays. Aren’t the parents of groom & bride themselves responsible for this? Once a girl child is born, parents spend their whole life saving for her marriage. Instead, why can’t they use that money to educate her and make her capable to stand on her own legs? Similarly, if the groom can’t provide for the woman he marries, why does he marry? He should opt to stay single. I was also brought up with these beliefs like marital home is my home after marriage, whatever may happen with me in my husbands’ family, I should learn to adjust & adapt etc. These rules laid by the society were made by the people who are the part of the society. Rules are imposed so that everyone in the society can lead a peaceful life. But those are meant to change along with the time & situation. We make society. So, if changes are to be brought, it has to be started from us & gradually it will impact society too. Don’t these girls really deserve a second chance in life or is suicide the only option?

When life gives someone a second chance, its after giving long & deep thoughts, they try to embrace it. Because after going through whatever they have faced, a fear or doubt remains in their heart always. The scar which was left with them after the previous experience, would never fade that they become thoughtful or rather doubtful, when life gives them a second chance.

There wouldn’t be a single person who has not wished for a second chance at least once in his life. Then why do we frown at those who try to grab their second chance?

The book Second Chance is written by my cousin Meera Gopalakrishnan which will make you think about it. It is the story of Aravind, Archana, Ancy & Karthik. But we can see each of these either in ourselves or in people around us. We always talk about there is only one life, we live only once etc. Then why should we live with a person who is not compatible, just because of some stupid rules laid by the society? I believe in live yourself & let others also to live.

I hope this book Second Chance would help at least few people to think & act differently thereby bringing a change for a happy world.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Second Self

 


Just like any other relation, friends should also be an integral part of our life. There may be many things like few secrets or some anxieties etc which you may not be able to share with your family or even with that special person in your life. But you can do it without any doubt or hesitation with your friend. Everyone needs such a friend on whom you can rely upon, irrespective of time or surroundings. There should be some handful of friends from each & every phase of your life who have seen your best as well as your worst side. A friend who supports, listens & understands you without any prior conclusion or judgement. He/she need not be the one who can provide you the solution. But friend is a person with whom you can share your problem and lighten your mind which might in turn help you to make a decision or solution. It is not the number of friends that matters, but the quality of friends who stand by you through thick & thin. But remember to choose your friends wisely. A false friend is dangerous than an open enemy. We would definitely at some point of our life reach a stage where in we get tired of playing the roles of mother/father, uncle/aunt, brother/sister, then we might need a friend with whom we can be ourselves. A friend with whom we can be the true self, which we forgot or got buried deep under somewhere during those busy times of our life.

P.S. Phases of life means school, college, work or any other social activity.

Friday, November 12, 2021

Padharo Rajasthan Part 2

 


Day 4

Udaipur is known as city of lakes. The Lake Pichola is an artificial lake which is the source for fresh water. We covered City Palace, Jag Mandir Palace, Monsoon Palace or Sajjangarh Palace, Bagore Ki Haveli, Vintage Car Museum, Doodh Talai Musical Garden & Ahar Cenotaphs on the first day of our stay at Udaipur. Jag Mandir Palace & Lake Palace are situated in the middle of the lake. So, you need to go by boat. Lake Palace is run by Taj Resorts & it is open only for guests who stay there. But Jag Mandir is open to public as well, even though there are some restricted entry points so that the privacy of the guests staying there is not hampered.

Day 5

On second day at Udaipur, we covered Fateh Sagar Lake, Saheliyon Ki Bari, ShilpGram & Eklingji Temple. The temple has a marvellous architecture with pyramidal style roof. Photography is strictly not allowed. The temple is dedicated to lord shiva with four faces. This temple is 20 kms from Udaipur. Shilpgram is a rural place which is 3 kms from Udaipur, dedicated for arts & crafts. It depicts the lifestyle of the folk & tribal people. There are handicrafts shops at Shilpgram and also various cultural programmes like puppet show, dance etc presented by people living there.  

The other highlights of Udaipur is the presence of two restaurants which we liked very much. This blog would be incomplete if I don't mention about them.

  • Charcoal by CarlssonTheir speciality is food cooked over charcoal. The staff are very friendly & helpful. They provide you whatever information you need about the items in the menu. The food is great and could be enjoyed with spectacular night views of Lake Pichola. This is a rooftop restaurant on the 4’th floor of a building and we have to climb a number of steps (P.S. No lifts). But one would never regret climbing those for the food, surreal ambience & views you get. It would be best if you could arrive at the restaurant few minutes before the sunset. Don’t forget to book your table beforehand itself to get those boundary seats.

  • Ambrai Amet HaveliThis restaurant is situated on the banks of Lake Pichola. The view, ambience & food are really good and not that expensive. It is an open-air restaurant with well shaded trees and is on the same level of the lake.


Day 6                         Udaipur -> Jodhpur                   276 KMS, 6.5 Hours’

After breakfast we started our journey for Jodhpur. On the way we had a stop at Kumbhalgarh Fort for site seeing. Kumbhalgarh Fort is known as Great Wall of India. Here you have to reach on or before 11 am or else you will have to park the car very far and have to climb the road to fort. The fort is situated on a hill. It is the second longest wall in the world after Great Wall of China and also is included in UNESCO heritage site.

On reaching Jodhpur since we had time, we decided to enter Umaid Bhavan Palace. Moreover, Umaid Bhavan was along our way to our place of stay at Jodhpur. A part of Umaid Bhavan is managed by Taj Hotels, but a part of it is open to general public for site seeing.

Day 7

We went to Mehrangarh fort, Jaswant Thada, Rao Jodha National Park & Mandore Gardens which all were in 2 km radius.



Day 8                              Jodhpur-> Jaisalmer                  281 KMS, 4.5 Hours’

We decided to stay at a desert camp at Sam Sand Dunes. Before checking in to desert camp, we went to Lodhurva Jain Temple, Kuldhara Village & Khaba Fort. Khaba Fort & Kuldhara Village are amid great Thar desert. The village of Kuldhara also called ghost village, was home to the Paliwal Brahmins from the late 13th century. Around 80-90 families were residing in various huts and small houses scattered around the village. The mysterious story of Khaba starts in 1825 when one night, all the villagers deserted the village and went to some other place. Till date, nobody knows where the villagers went and this remains an unsolved story.

The desert stay was a different experience. Once the sun sets, the desert temperature falls down and it turned to be very cold. Here we went for a jeep safari on sand dunes & a camel ride. We could only see heaps of golden sand all around us. With every wind a new sand mountain was formed and old one vanished. Till then I had seen it only in movies. At night, there was a cultural programme arranged which was in an open-air theatre. It included a puppet show and dance programme.


Day 9                 Jaisalmer -> Jodhpur                             281 KMS, 4.5 Hours’

After checking out from desert camp, we headed to Jaisalmer fort and then also went to Salim Singh Ki Haweli, Patwon Ki Haweli & Sadar Bazar. Initially we had planned to stay at Jaisalmer. But due to previous day food, we decided to stay somewhere on the way to Jaipur. That’s how we settled at Jodhpur which was half way. On the way to Jodhpur, we also paid a visit at Jaisalmer War Museum.


Day 10                       Jodhpur -> Jaipur                        350 KMS, 5 Hours 45 Minutes

We went to Amer Fort, Jaigarh Fort & Nahargarh Fort. It is always better to wear a pair of comfortable shoes. In Rajasthan, to enjoy the beauty & marvel of the architecture, one has to see these forts & museums for which we need to walk a lot.

Day 11

The site seeing on this day includes Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh, Central Park, Albert Hall Museum. There is an Egyptian mummy at Albert Hall Museum. Rest of the day was spent for shopping in local markets like Tripolia Bazaar, Johari Bazaar & Bapu Bazaar.

Next day morning we headed back home with lot of sweet memories of Rajasthan hoping to come back once again to visit the places which we missed. It includes Pokhran, Mount Abu, Abha Nagri, Bhangarh Fort and a safari at Jhalana National Park & Desert National Park at Jaisalmer.

Click here for photos from Ranthambore National Park.

Click here for photos from Rajasthan.

The two restaurants/cafe I should mention about

  • Meraakki Kitchen The place is well setup with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The whole decor and lightings are well done. The food is exceptionally good and so is the ambience. The staff can be trained on a bit of soft skills otherwise this place is perfect. 
  • Tapri CentralThe cafĂ© was really good. It offers an indoor & outdoor seating with very good ambience. The masala tea I ordered was very tasty that we bought a packet of tea leaf before heading back to our place. But its bit overpriced. A rooftop restaurant which is opposite to the Central park with a store below from where we got the tea leaf. In case you need to speak to the waiter, you don’t have to call him. Instead, just press on the bell placed on your table.

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Padharo Rajasthan Part 1

Rajasthan is indeed a priceless jewel in the crown of India. Rajasthan was in our bucket list since long. To cover the entire state, one has to either visit it 2 or 3 times or at least 12 days at a stretch. Also, the best time to visit the state is during winter. There are no direct flights from cochin to Rajasthan. So, we had a short stay of a day at Mumbai to meet one of our cousins. We flew to Jaipur from Mumbai. It was almost dark when we reached our hotel (Ibis, Jaipur) at Jaipur. We got fresh, had our dinner. Since we arrived late, the dinner buffet was closed and they asked us to order from their 24x7 restaurant menu. We were very hungry & tired that, we ordered for Rajma Chawal without diving much into the menu. It was finger licking good.  Without wasting much time we went to bed for a sound sleep as we had to kick start for our long energetic trip. We chose to drive ourselves by hiring a car from Jaipur. 

Day 1                                 Jaipur -> Ranthambore           188 KMS, 3.5 Hours’

After breakfast, we headed for some site seeing in Jaipur which included City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar.

The City Palace, Hawa Mahal & Jantar Mantar are close to each other and are at walkable distance. The City Palace complex lies in the heart of Jaipur city. The entry fee is 200 INR per head and open from 9.30 AM to 5.00PM. Hawa Mahal is open from 9.00 AM to 5.00PM and entry fee is 50 INR per person. Inside the Hawa Mahal it was very airy & cool as its name due to its honeycomb like structure with many small windows. The place which attracted & seemed interesting to me was Jantar Mantar. It is open from 9.00 AM to 4.30 PM and entry fee is 50 INR per person. It is a collection of astronomical instruments which helps in measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking location of major stars and other celestial objects. These were built from local stones & marbles and was built in 1700’s where science was not that advanced.


We had an authentic sumptuous Rajasthan thali from Govindam Retreat which was very close to city palace in Jaipur.  After lunch we went to pick up our car from where it was parked. First impression was really horrible. We were pissed off. Firstly, the car was parked in a remote place. Secondly, the car was full of dents. Thirdly, the car was bearing another state registration. Only thing which impressed us was that the car pick up was entirely app based and secondly the interior of the car was neat & pleasant. Finally, after half an hour of chat with the zoom car representative, we chose to start our journey ahead.

Ranthambore was our place of destination. Ranthambore is a vast wildlife reserve which is known for its large tiger population. The Park is famous for a tigress Machli, the queen mother of tigers and it is said that all the tigers at present in the park are all related to her in some way or the other. It was 3.5 hours’ drive from Jaipur. It was little bit dark by the time we reached Ranthambore. It was very cold there during nights & early morning. After delicious dinner, we slept early as we had Jeep Safari early morning next day.

Day 2

We woke up at 5 and got our packed breakfast. We had booked our safari tickets online, 2 months before our journey. We opted for a half day safari which took us to 3-4 zones where chances of tiger sighting are high. Before starting our journey, we were provided with 2 blankets which I felt amused. But all changed the moment the jeep was started. We reached the park gate at 6.00 AM and there were few jeeps waiting to enter the Park. It was very dark inside the reserve due to thick forest. After few minutes, we heard a warning sound of a Sambar. On hearing which all the vehicles slowed down and almost stopped to locate the sound and to check. After sometime we saw a tail of a leopard which was hiding behind a huge tree. Even though we couldn’t see it properly due to darkness, it was enough to wake us from our sleep and coldness.


Then after half an hour drive through dry forest, we finally got to see 2 cubs. I still can’t believe that they were cubs as they were really big and it was the first time, I saw tigers that close. We were lucky enough that we got to see another 2 cubs as well in some other part of the reserve. We got almost an hour with these 2 sets of cubs for clicking the pictures as well as watch them play with each other. There was a moment wherein I could feel my heart beat. One of the cubs crossed by in front of our jeep and it was so close that, if ever I want to step out of the jeep, I will surely step on it. It was in that moment Dileep asked me to click a picture and I literally forgot how to click photo. (P.S. The same camera is being used by us for several years by then). There were so many things which were running through my mind like what will we do if in case it jumps on us. I was really excited of this trip and had imagined of spotting tigers as well. I had even gone through the documentary on Ranthambore National Park which featured Machli. But the moment it was close to me, I was dumbstruck. But I’m really happy that we could see the wild cat because that energy/vibe was there in the entire Rajasthan trip.


Other than tiger & leopard, we saw Deers, Nilgai, Sambar and few birds like Peacock, Parrots. The jeep was parked in a place for us to have breakfast. But we were not allowed to get down from the jeep even if it was parked & the engines were on. The safari continued till noon. We had a sumptuous lunch at our resort and rested for a while. And in the evening, we went to the Padam Talao Lake, Ranthambore Fort which is on a hilltop. You could see lot of peacocks, parrots & pigeons in the fort.

Day 3                                  Ranthambore -> Udaipur                 463 KMS, 8.5 Hours’

We got up early morning since it was going to be a long day. From Ranthambore, we headed to Udaipur. It was 8.5 hours’/463 Kms drive, but we had to stop at Garadia Mahadev Temple & Chittorgarh Fort. The Garadia Mahadev temple was added to the itinerary after seeing it in the advertisement for Rajasthan tourism. That was breathtaking view and climate. But the problem was we arrived a bit early and also there was cloud because of which sun was absent. After clicking some pictures & relaxing for a while, we headed to Chittorgarh.



The Chittorgarh Fort also known as Chittor Fort is one of the largest forts in India. The fort was the capital of Mewar and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The fort is spread over a hill with 4 palaces, 19 temples and many water bodies etc. The fort is open from 9 to 6 and entry fee is INR 50.  It will take around 2-3 hours exploring the entire fort complex. Make sure you have enough time and wear comfortable shoes as you will have to walk a lot. But the walk was worth. It was around 6 when we reached Udaipur. 

Click here for photos from Ranthambore National Park.

Click here for photos from Rajasthan.


                                         (Click here to continue reading........)

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Dear Sir/Madam

                                                



This happened a few days back. An elderly person who is a relative, comes very often to our house to meet my father-in-law. As usual they were in midst of some conversation when they called me. The other person asked me how do we address a person in an English letter writing. It depends on whom we are writing the letter to. I also added that there are 3 types of letters which are formal, semi formal & informal. He interrupted me in midst of my explanation and asked whether we can “Dear Sir”? I again replied that we can use Dear or Respected as the case and country may be. He was not at all interested what my reply was and he always tries to impose whatever his opinion is. So normally I avoid conversations with him using either of these: Yes or No or I don’t know.

He started explaining that usage of ‘Sir’ is wrong and so on. It is an abbreviation for Slave I Remain. I didn’t want to argue as I too was not in a position to give him a convincing explanation and moreover wanted to avoid an unnecessary argument with an unimportant person in my life thereby not hurting his ego. But I had to discuss about ‘Sir’ thing (not about actual incident) as letter writing is an important aspect of our life especially professional wise, though Email has replaced conventional letters. But the format remained more or less the same.

And thus, I got to know that Sir is actually derived from the word ‘Sire’. Sire is used to address a person of importance or in a position of authority, as a lord. It is a respectful form of address for reigning kings in Europe, ultimately being related to Latin word for senior. The female equivalent form for which is dame or Madam.

Sunday, September 19, 2021

A Pearl Shaped Island Nation – Sri Lanka



We reached Colombo by noon. It was drizzling when we reached. Wherever we went, when people came to know we are from India they had to ask about the flood only. We had been to a restaurant “The Gallery CafĂ©” on Alfred House Road, Colombo. The place is fantastic not only for food, but it was a Gallery indeed. The next morning, we started our trip from Colombo (Fort Station) by train to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The nearest railway station is Rambukkana. It takes 2.5 hours by train. The elephant orphanage is 2 kms from the Rambukkana railway station. We spent there 3 hours enjoying the elephant bathing, feeding etc. We also visited a nearby factory wherein the elephant dung was used to make books & paper. We happened to see a demo on how paper is made out of elephant dung. The shop also had a corner for souvenir.  


From there we went to Kandy. Kandy is known as the spiritual capital of Sri Lanka. It was another 3.5 hours journey by train. We stayed at Kandy for 3 nights. We were happy that we could witness the Festival of Tooth which is known as “The Kandy Esala Perahera”. It is a procession with a number of decorated elephants. One can also witness an elephant carrying the casket which holds tooth of Buddha. It is an annual festival to pay homage to the sacred tooth relic.




There is another temple dedicated to Lord Buddha - Bahirawakanda Temple. The temple is 2 KMs from the city center, but situated on a hilltop. This temple is known for the giant Buddha statue in white which can be seen from almost anywhere in Kandy. The night view of this statue is absolutely stunning. 

Next day of our travel was to Minneriya National Park(Click here to know more). It was 2.5 hours journey from Kandy. On our way, we had stopped at Ranweli Spice Garden, Sigiriya & Dambulla Cave Temple. People who have visited Kerala or living in Kerala, the spice garden is nothing new. The Dambulla Cave Temple which is also known as Golden Temple of Dambulla is a UNESCO world heritage site. Sigiriya is also another UNESCO world heritage site. It is an ancient rock fortress which has a gateway in the form of an enormous lion.  

Our next destination was Ella. Ella is a very small town. But what makes Ella so important is the train journey to Ella from Kandy. It definitely is one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. It is 9-10 hours journey. You would go crazy seeing the crowd on the train. But the journey is worth. The most picturesque journey ever. The train runs along a narrow mountain ridge & the landscape shifts from misty forests, beautiful waterfalls & mountains, tea plantations along with cool climate. Remember we are climbing the mountain, so the train would be slow. The tracks are single in most places except for the stations.

Nuwara Eliya is between Kandy & Ella. But one has to travel till Ella to enjoy the picturesque view. Nuwara Eliya is a hill station full of tea. Sri Lanka is famous for tea and Ceylon Tea is considered the cleanest tea in the world. The nearest railway station to Nuwara Eliya is Nanuoya. This is 5 hours journey by train. Lovers Leap waterfall was very close to the place where we stayed. We decided to hike the road that leads to this waterfall as it was very close. The stroll was even more beautiful due to the cool climate & we were surrounded by tea plantations. The fall is said to derive its name from the tragic tale of a prince, who while hunting in the jungle, lost his way. He was rescued by a beautiful girl from the local village, and the two became inseparable lovers. But the match was opposed by the king. So, the two decided to immortalise their love by leaping from the top of the fall to their death.


Next day our journey to Wadduwa started. We hopped into the bus which was to going to Colombo, since there was no direct bus going to Wadduwa directly. It was supposed to be 5 hours journey to Colombo and then another 1-hour journey to Wadduwa. But somewhere in the midst of our journey, Dileep realized, if we get down at a point ahead, we could save time as there was some other road that led to Wadduwa without reaching Colombo. And he was right too, we were able to reach Wadduwa in the meantime the bus reached Colombo or may be early.

Wadduwa is a coastal town which has many resorts facing beach. Since it was in the evening that we reached, we decided to spend time there itself at the beach. Next day morning Dileep’s colleague who was the reason for our tour also joined us & we went to Galle which was 1.5 hours journey. We spent the whole day at Galle & Unawatuna whole day. Then next day we visited his family who were away for 2 days as they had some family function. Galle & Unawatuna somehow reminded me of Pondicherry which is now Puducherry.


Again, our return flights were cancelled as Cochin airport remained closed. We were given flights for the next day to Trivandrum. We got a day extra which was not in our itinerary. So, after checkout from Wadduwa, we headed back to Colombo and chose to stay close to airport as we had early morning flights.

 Click here for photos from Minneriya National Park.

Kerala Floods - A Prologue to Srilanka Trip


 

It has been 10 years since we have been travelling together. Recently during lockdown, we thought of making an album which would comprise of our travel photos alone. Since all these years we have been storing them digitally, there were no physical albums. So, we were going through the process of selecting & sorting photos that needs to be printed. That’s when we realized that “A photo indeed freezes not just that moment. It also carries a lots & lots of memories along with that.” And that’s how the idea popped up in Dileep’s mind of writing blogs on our travel.

Sri Lanka was in our bucket list since long due to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Sri Lanka for me meant nothing more than Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. But it was in 2018 that finally the trip happened. And it was a trip which we thought got almost cancelled even after a much planning & bookings which we had never ever done with any of our trips. This trip was planned just because Dileep had a colleague from Sri Lanka in his last ship. He gave a list of must visit places. So, we wanted that trip to happen immediately. That’s how the trip was planned that too when Dileep was still onboard. Dileep came back from the ship on 9’th of August and the trip was booked for 16’th of August 2018.

The Sri Lanka Trip experience would be incomplete without telling about Kerala Floods. In 2018 Kerala received pretty much heavy rainfall that all the dams were full. We knew the dams would be opened one by one and we never knew what would happen. Most of the flights were getting cancelled those days due to rain which led to difficulty in landing & take off of flights. We met my friends who were residing in Africa & were supposed to leave the very same day Dileep reached Cochin. They were also not sure about their flights till they reached Africa. And the entire discussion during our lunch was about their flight whether it would take off or not. My friend who was about to leave that day, was at times busy calling the airlines, but was not able to connect with them. This was just the beginning. Kerala was yet to see the worst days & so were we.

The 2018 flood created a number of records in the history. It was raining continuously from 8’th of August. All 14 districts were given red alert. Kerala being such a small state has 54 dams and that’s when we also came to know that these many dams were built in Kerala. Out of which 35 of them were opened for the first time in history which resulted more water & flood. Even many places were isolated. Our flights to Colombo were booked. It was scheduled to fly on 16’th August from Cochin International Airport. On 15’th Cochin airport was closed and we tried to contact with airlines from noon which we got connected in the evening. Finally, our flights were rescheduled for early morning from Trivandrum. Meantime, here we were getting news of trains being stopped in mid stations due to water on the tracks. Similarly, buses were stopped, as roads were flooded. Now we started thinking of chances of reaching Trivandrum. Dileep booked the train tickets to Trivandrum which was supposed to go till Nagercoil. But chances of us reaching Ernakulam South Railway Station seemed to be bleak. The railway station was just 2.5Kms. But with luggage & the heavy downpour, walking to the railway station was impossible. But somehow, he managed to get an autorickshaw and we reached railway station on time. On reaching Trivandrum around 3-4 AM, there was an announcement that the train which was supposed to go till Nagercoil is ending its journey at Trivandrum due to landslide ahead. Railway station was crowded and there was chaos all around. And luckily, we managed to reach airport somehow and finally flew to which was so called Land of Demon. Little did we know the wrecks going to happen. 

                                                                                     (Click here to continue.....)

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

A Trip Through The Wilds - Angamoozhy to Vandiperiyar

This blog is about a trip to the forest on a Jeep. These places are for those who want to enjoy the forest & the wildlife. Recently the state government has been working on eco-tourism projects. A place for nature lovers with lush greenery & refreshing climate. When we started our trip, it was very hot outside & it was sweaty too. But the moment we entered the forest & crossed the check post, it all changed. We started to wonder which part of the world have we reached. It was full green & very dense with tall trees reaching up to sky. There were places where we could feel the presence of the sun. It felt as though the Sun was trying hard to reach us. Our trip was on an open jeep which we had hired for the day. So, we could stand in full length & our lungs were filled with fresh cool air.


We were staying at Thekkady, & we had to travel almost 2 hours by road to reach a place Angamoozhy. Angamoozhy is a village in Pathanamthitta district & on Pathanamthitta – Kumily Road. It is the entry point of forest. It is also known as the gateway to Sabarimala. Once you reach Angamoozhy, you just have to follow the road signs to Sabarimala. The forest check post opens for public at 8.30 AM. We had to wait there for some time. While we were waiting our guide cum driver spotted & showed us Red Jungle Fowl & Grey Jungle Fowl. A little while later we heard very huge sound of wings and its then we saw a big Hornbill. Till date we had not seen a Hornbill this big & close. And after a wait for 15 minutes & our light breakfast which we had carried with us, we got our pass to enter the forest. It is important to note that the journey through this forest is one way. We enter through Angamoozhy and the exit is at Vandiperiyar. The journey was a 90 Km through thick forest, but the roads were tarred as the forest is also house for KSEB which has 5 dams. The only vehicle coming in opposite direction would be belonging to either KSEB or forest guards. 



We got to see Anathode Dam, Moozhiyar Dam, Kakki Dam, Pamba Dam & Gavi Dam. One cannot take any photos at Dam sites as it is prohibited. There is another option for those who are for short time of visit. The same Jeep Safari from Kumily to Gavi and back to Kumily. There are numerous tribal inhabitants in the forest who have their own traditions & beliefs. These dams are the water sources for Sabarigiri Hydro Electric Power Station. There is a point in the forest where one could stop to have a look of penstock pipes from the dam leading to this power station. Our guide showed us a tree on which there were scratching marks of an elephant. That huge tree was a scratching post for the poor big mammal.


On our way, we got to see few deer which were sitting on a steep mountain. If they had not been spotted by our guide, we would have missed sighting them. We got down from our jeep to take some photographs. It is then one of them made a huge sound as if it was a warning for the rest. The male sambar deer would have long antlers. Sitting on the top of the mountain gave them the entire view of the forest & the valley.  The other animals which we got to see in this Goodrical forest range are Long Tailed Macaque, Langur, Barking Deer & a number of Malabar Giant Squirrel. 


It was when we reached Gavi, we came to know that people who were ahead us got to see a wild bison. We stopped over there for taking some photographs & for having our lunch. Even though our roads were full filled with Elephant Dung we were not lucky to spot even one. Seeing the dung on the road, it felt like the road was paved using elephant dung, not the tar.


Our guide showing us a big tall tree with a fat trunk was saying that it is the tree which was used to build ships. It is Benteak tree which is commonly found in western ghats. He also showed us a snowbell tree, the resin of which is used as 'sambrani'. Sambrani is a dried form of the resin which is burnt during any divine ceremonies or as air purifier.


And finally, towards the end of our trip, we got to see a wild tusker which was roaming alone in the deep valley. It seemed to be aggressive. We were lucky as we were on the top. It trumpeted on hearing us. And thus, spotting the biggest mammal, the trip became a complete one. If interested one can go for a coracle ride and also there is a trekking trip at Gavi where they take you to a point from where we can see Sabarimala. This trekking is included in half day, full day or a package that includes a stay at Gavi. It was 2.00 PM when we were about to exit the forest check post. But it was a zombie experience overall.

Click here to view more photos of this trip.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Bhoothathankettu & Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary

Recently due to covid we have been travelling to places which are at drivable distance and also to places where we can avoid night stays. Most importantly we wanted a less crowded place too. During such trip, recently we had been to a place called Bhoothathankettu. It is a dam in Kerala. The name means Monster Fort. The dam is very close to my college from where I had completed my graduation. Nowadays the dam is closed because of which we can’t walk over it. But a new bridge has been built across the reservoir parallel to this dam. We can cross the bridge to reach an eco-tourism point. Nowadays you can see various eco-tourism picnic spots like Thenmala, Paniyeli Poru, Kapprikkadu, Gavi etc. The objective behind eco-tourism is to preserve the nature as it is. One can have a picturesque place that are silent & green. One can experience a rich collection of fauna & flora as well.


So, you can walk/trek through the forest listening to the flowing water for 1 km until you reach the banks of the river where you can see the so called Bhoothathankettu. The river never leaves you even if one can’t see it. You can spend hours sitting at the banks or climbing over the stones or even can have a dip where the river seems to be shallow. When we reached the river bank, we were mesmerised by the view. It started raining in a while after we reached and it was another pleasure to eyes. But we were not lucky enough to hop over the demonic stones as it was raining heavily & the stones seemed to be slippery. I will make sure I visit this place again during summers. We were welcomed by a guide who narrated a story/myth behind this which I felt interesting.

There is a temple which is considered to be the last shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva by Parashurama. It is known as Thrikkariyoor temple. So, the story is related to this temple. The narration goes as Lord Shiva was very happy with the devotees that he started to meditate there leaving his wife Parvati abode. Parvati after few days started searching for Lord Shiva & came to know that he is undergoing meditation at Thrikkariyoor. Parvati wanted to wake up Shiva. But she was afraid of Shiva’s anger & third eye. So, she asked the demons to block the water of the river so that the water level would rise ending up submerging the Thrikkariyoor temple. Demons who also knew about Shiva’s anger & third eye were reluctant as they cannot deny Parvati’s order either. And hence they came up with an idea that, they would block the water just till dawn. Lord Shiva, who was omnipotent came to know about this trickery, faked the approaching dawn by a rooster’s sound. Demons fled away leaving their work half way.

We can see the river flowing through the narrow gap which demons left before filling up. One can walk up over the boulders to see the gap during summer.

There is a bird sanctuary nearby as well. It is named after the famous ornithologist Salim Ali. It is ever green low land forest on the banks of Periyar river. We were welcomed by a squawking of a beautiful & big peacock which was sitting on a branch of a tree in the parking area. It made the sound whenever there was a visitor. Before taking the trail for bird watching, one can even visit animal rescue center which include Peacock, Python, Monkey, Civet etc & a beautiful butterfly park. Earlier there used to be boating as well. One can cover the sanctuary in 3 hours of trek.  

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Some Social Rules That May Help

 



1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to.

2. Return money that you have borrowed even before the person that borrowed you remember or ask for it. Same goes with umbrellas, pens lunch boxes or even a piece of paper. For you it may seem worthless, but it shows your integrity and character.

3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is giving you a lunch/dinner.

4. Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or why don't you buy a car? For God’s sake it isn’t your problem.

5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a guy or a girl, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public.

6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, try paying next time.

7. Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what's 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, second opinion is good for an alternative.

8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all.

9. If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It shows how appreciative you're.

10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you.

11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately.

12. There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will.

13. When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next.

14. If a colleague tells you that they have a doctors' appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say "I hope you’re okay". Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they'll do so without your inquisitiveness.

15. Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect.

16. If a person is speaking directly to you, staring at your phone is rude.

17. Never give advice until you’re asked.

18. When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, don’t ask them their age and salary.

19. Mind your business unless anything involves you directly - just stay out of it.

20. Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. Moreover, eye contact is as important as your speech.

21. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don't talk about your children in the midst of the barren.

22. When you are sitting in a group and you get a call, try to keep the call short and your volume in control. Or else its better to move away and talk.

23. If you want to be respected, respect others as well irrespective of their age or relation. Being a brother & to be a brother both are different.

24.After reading a good message try to implement and pray to follow the right path. APPRECIATION remains the easiest way of getting what you don't have.