Saturday, February 21, 2015

Thank You Mr. Bell!

Our Arunachal trip was a usual last-minute unplanned 'let's go anywhere. My friend had just returned from Canada after a rigorous MBA torture and wanted a break, while I was visiting Assam, the neighboring state.

I announced the exciting plan to my (presumably) not-going-to-be-very-excited father, 'Baba, we are off to Arunachal tomorrow!' Nonplussed, he questioned, 'Who goes to Arunachal in peak monsoons?'

I sheepishly grinned back at him making the "I" very evident! My travel partner joined in to convey a stronger "we"!!

There was a silent, yet very obvious 'you kidding me?' SIGH! Having known me all my life, Baba decided not to waste a second or a syllable putting sense into my obstinate head. He gave a hesitant affirmative nod and dived back into his morning newspaper ritual.

We headed out to get the inner line permit from Arunachal Bhavan soon after breakfast. And there took place our little episode!!

Yup!! little did we realize the 5-minute task would cost us an entire day and a bit of our feminine dignity (Now don't imagine the worst, it was less than too serious). When we handed in the application form, the registrar at the desk, scanned us thoroughly from head to toe to my utter discomfort. "Hmmm! Who else is going with you?" he said turning his glance back to the application forms on his desk.

"Oh! I am going with her and she is coming with me :)" I said, closing the eager reply with a big smile recalling some wise words of a wise soul that 'smiles especially with dimples often induce speedy service.'

"Hmm!! So you are going alone!!" :/ he replied sounding much too disinterested.

"Absolutely NOT Sir!! I think you heard me wrong! We both are going together!" (Big Smile again)

"Yes! That's what I said, you both are going alone!" he was still perusing the measly one-page form as if it contained years of historical research that needed meticulous examination.

"Well NOT really Sir, I think there is a slight confusion. SHE and ME are going together. TWO is not equal to alone :)!!!" (Barely holding on to the Big smile! - my cheeks had started to hurt!!)

Piqued, he replied, "Exactly, two young girls should not be traveling alone. Do you have no objection letters from your parents?" he looked up just when I gave my cheeks their much-needed rest.

Surprise took over the smile! We looked askance at him. 'Why do we need No Objection letters? (Having traveled all across the globe in the last two decades, this is the first time we were asked for any such thing as a NOC). 'We are above 18, well above 30 if that helps. Here are our passports in case you have any doubts, I retorted still trying to smile.

Mr. Baruah was obviously oblivious to the hint given. 'WE are INDEPENDENT women'. He simply scanned us again with greater scrutiny this time, almost making me sound like a habitual liar, " Hmm! Guess passports can't be wrong!! So, do you have No Objection letters from your respective spouses?"

AArgh !!! Even the fact that he still doubted our age in the passport (which on any other given day would have been a reason to celebrate) couldn't stop the desperate scream almost forcing its way out of my larynx. Thankfully I managed to swallow it back (together with the hurt pride) on time!! Holding my calm, I said, "Sir, We are not married!!"

Bam!!! His eyes grew big, round, and curious. I was on guard. Yes!! we have met that expression a million times before from strangers and non-strangers, especially from sexagenarians. I could clearly read the myriad thoughts that ran through his inquisitive brain. Past experience instinctively prompted us to revert his focus to the main context before he digressed into the next obvious track. I was not willing to welcome unsolicited advice regarding the sanctity of social precepts...blah blah blah

"Don't you think girls.... by 30 you should be...."

I hastily interrupted what sounded like the opening of a very familiar speech, "Sir, I have come from Delhi and she from Bombay. It's impossible for us to get NOCs from our parents right now. We have only 7 days' leave and we would like to start our trip tomorrow. We shall be greatly obliged if you can kindly ...." Suddenly I found myself weak in genteel vocabulary.

"Rules are rules ladies! I can't do much. Girls get into all kinds of weird mess and then we are unnecessarily harassed by parents." He popped a 'pan' into his already rufous mouth and added. " Please go and meet the Director. If he approves this, you are good to go."

I was all agog to know 'What' weird mess (particularly) girls get into? Ever so frustrated, this time I was on the verge of a verbal explosion when the Dalai lama photo hanging on the wall behind Mr. Baruah whispered, "Peace on earth!!!! Focus on your agenda - the permit." We nodded, controlled that pugnacious urge, and headed for our next destination - The Director's office.

The same round of questions followed at the Directors! Sigh!!! And all we really sought was a permit for a week's travel in Arunachal Pradesh Why was it so difficult?

The WHY actually has a simple answer 'We are women'. If something unpleasant happens, we, apparently, have a lot more to lose! Second thoughts, are men really safer than women? Don't we have the right to be responsible for ourselves? I wondered?! "Do you require parents or spouse letters in case of men traveling 'alone' in twos!! I think that's more important? The weird things are because of them!! and sometimes the weird things may happen to them as well" (Not quite the feminist nazi but this seemed honestly unfair)

The director flashed a guilty grin and said, "No only under 18s!!" I looked around for another 'Dalai Lama' photograph. Dear Lord, do we waste time arguing about fair and unfair, or just beg, plead or even threaten at gunpoint - "Give us the blessed permit"!!! We voted for begging and pleading. Humiliating as it may sound that was the ONLY closest thing possible to get us moving towards our destination the next day. Maybe we can sit on a 'dharna' (agitation) in front of Arunachal Bhavan on our way back looking at the new trend in our country.

Back to agenda - How do we produce a No objection letter?!?? Go back home, get a letter from Baba, ask uncle to send my friends and waste another day, or (simply Write one ourselves right now). Damn! the idealist me!! can't lie!! Can't fight a wrong with another wrong!

The closing time was just a few minutes away and we were about to go back home disappointed when the phone buzzed - Mr. Bell at our rescue:)

"Sir, would you like to talk to our parents or even video conference?" He reluctantly agreed. We got our permits. (Very Big Smile :)

..............

Dedicated to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell and Mr. Martin Cooper who made our trip possible.

Closing On the lines of Satyamev Jayate: Should Arunachal Bhavan rethink the No Objection letters for women above 18? Vote for Change!!:)

PS: 1. Monsoon was indeed the wrong time to travel.
2. There were definite safety concerns in Arunachal.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The Italian Holiday

They keep saying on the radio here - If you are bored You are boring. Just had a lazy Saturday afternoon. I was so bored that I could die :) Finally decided to watch an old classic "Houseboat". Carry Grant and Sophia Loren did wonders:) Loved watching the movie all over again and more so loved to hear the "Bing Bang Bong" Song. It made my day:)

And the gorgeous Diva reminded me of my Italian Holiday.

Prego, prego

Source: Pinterest

Anywhere you may go
Make each day be a day full of fun
If there's a game or a girl to be won
Do it with a Bing Bang Bong
(A Bing Bang Bong)
A Bing Bang Bong

Presto, presto
Do your very besto
Don't hang back like a shy little kid
You'll be so glad that you did what you did
If you do it with a Bing Bang Bong
(A Bing Bang Bong)
A Bing Bang Bong

Be like Cristobal Columbo
Take a chance, take a chance
Don't be a dopey or a dumbo
Goin' 'round in a trance

One step, two step
Step into a new step
Live your life with a zip and a zing
You'll have the world on the end of a string
If you do it with a Bing Bang Bong
(A Bing Bang Bong)
A Bing Bang Bong :)

For an architect, Italy is heaven, and being there felt like the big fat History of Architecture by Sir Bannister Fletcher came alive. No words are enough to describe that country that simply mesmerizes. Italy was a backpacking trip with a few friends. We flew from Chicago to Zurich. After a couple days in Switzerland, we took the Euro rail to Milan from Lucerne about 4 and a half hours of scenic rail journey.

Imagine enjoying an Italian gelato standing by the Grand Canal right under the Rialto bridge at midnight and staring at the starlit sky... :) An absolute Dolce far niente moment yet by far so blissful. So I learned the wonderful phrase in Italy which meant 'Sweet Doing Nothing' :)

The Italian Holiday 1 (Itinerary details)

From Milan, we took the train to Venice, one of my absolute favorite cities in the world. From Venice, we headed for Pisa and Florence. From Florence, we took the train to Rome and later the Vatican. From Rome, we flew back to the States.

www.Eurail.com will give the latest information on ticket pricing.

Italian Rail Network

Monday, November 3, 2014

The Story Of The Haunted (?) Fort Of Bhangarh

The Market Place of Yesteryear

The word haunted sends shivers yet excites. I like to believe there are no spirits, yet I am every bit scared. Right now! at this wee hour of the morning, typing about Bhangarh and reading the various related stories on the internet is giving me goosebumps. I am told the subnatural/supernatural is most active at 3 a.m. Guess what? It is 3 a.m. on my clock! And that's spooking me :)

So, Bhangarh's USP is its ~~disrepute~~ reputation of being haunted. Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, we didn't see any bhoot pret petni pishach shakchunni or any other type of ghosts!! :( But the place definitely holds an air of intrigue.

Can this be interpreted as a poltergeist effect :P

Perhaps, even the spirits are facing the loss of habitat and are on the verge of extinction?? :( Thanks to all ghost hunters flocking to these ruins!! (yups that includes me and am contradicting the very purpose of this blog :P). Never mind the weird theory, ghosts are ghosts and they will drive us, humans, off if they need to protect their home, and isn't that what we seek, the thrill of fear!! If you are the daredevil adrenaline junkie, this is THE PLACE for you, BUT only after sunset and before sunrise, you might just get lucky enough to romance the ghosts.

I asked a night guard if he ever chanced to witness any paranormal activities during his night rounds. His answer was "Sab Hawa mein hai. Kabhi Kisi ka samaye kharab hota hai toh shayad kuch dikh jaaye." (It's all in the air. If someone is in for a bad time, he might get to see something." Well, many have claimed to have felt the paranormal presence at the fort. The internet is full of such stories. A program on the Discovery Channel even went on record to say, it is the most haunted place in India. Rocky and Mayur's show on haunted places described Bhangarh as an eerie place. Giving a gruesome example of their experiences in Bhangarh, Mayur says, "While we were shooting at night in Bhangarh, many times we heard very high pitch screams from the mountains. Once we saw a blurred figure of a woman walking around. Though it was only for a few seconds we could easily make out that something is there and we can not deny their existence," adds Mayur. Excerpt from an article in the Times of India. That reminds me of my High School St. Thomas. I think St. Thomas is one of the most haunted places on Earth. (Personal experience - shall bring the stories later).

The Archeological survey has a board at the entrance forbidding anyone from entering the premises before sunrise and after sunset. A clarification from the department was, that they prefer people away after sunset because this fort is very close to the Sariska Animal Reserve and wild animals often wander off from the forest to the fort. Not to forget a million snakes. Rajasthan is home to 30 varieties of snakes including the great python and the 4 venomous Cobra, Krait, Russel Viper, and Pud. The Aravali terrain also gives shelter to the deadly scorpions. I guess these are as scary if not more than the ghosts

Well ghosts or no ghosts, this place is worth a visit. The journey is every bit haunting, from Sariska to Bhangarh........from the past to present. Every ruin echoes a time gone by. Some voices are left behind to tell their stories and when we hear those whispers, a chill runs down the spine.

LOCATION

Country: India
State: Rajasthan
Closest City: Jaipur

HOW TO REACH

Bhangarh is located approximately 95 km from Jaipur and approximately 300 km from New Delhi. If you are a hardcore bag packer, take the bus. Buses are available from Delhi and Jaipur.

Or take a personal vehicle. It is possible to make it a day trip but if you have a couple more days to spare, you might make the trip more interesting with Sariska Tiger Reserve, Alwar, Abhaneri, and Ajabgarh included in the itinerary. (Click for Abhaneri post)

From Jaipur, there is a short direct route to Bhangarh through Gopalgarh (I have no idea about the road condition), the second option is NH11 via Dausa. The road to Dausa is a 4-lane highway. Dausa to Bhangarh is through small villages.

From Delhi, the route follows Gurgaon - Bhiwadi - Alwar - Sariska (going around the reserve) - Thanagazhi - Pratapgarh - Ajabgarh, and finally Bhangarh.

There are hardly any petrol pumps, restaurants or lodging options once you cross Sariska. Keep your petrol stock, food stock, and even a spare tire. Carrying a torch would be handy if you are the inquisitive explorer in search of the real ghost:)

WEATHER and WHAT TO WEAR

It's mostly warm. Preferably wear closed shoes, as mentioned scorpions and snakes have their abode in the ruins.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Anytime is a good time to visit. We visited in mid-March and the weather was pleasant.

WHERE TO STAY and WHAT TO EAT

Sariska Reserve has a hotel that should be booked in advance. There are heritage hotels and budget hotels in Alwar. That's the closest lodging available. Preferably carry your own food. No food options at the fort except for an ice cream cart.

The Journey in Photos...

Pratapgarh

It was quite a long 8-hour journey through small hamlets, villages, and deserted forts. Every fort gave the impression of the richness and grandeur of the 'once' Rajputana States. Each is as haunted as Bhangarh. History in ways does give goosebumps.


A Shaky Pic of Ajabgarh (I use an outdated antique digital camera :P)

And more forts

The route is beautiful, flanked by red flowering trees. A small stream runs parallel to the road and other yellow trees adorn the landscape. I didn't get an opportunity to stop our vehicle to click the pics due to time constraints. All the more reason why one must visit these places with more time to spare

The entrance gate to the market and temple complex leads to the fortified palace gate

This fort was built by Raja Bhagwant Das, King of Amer and father of Mughal Emperor Akbar's General Man Singh for his second son Madho Singh in the mid 16/17th century. Legend says this small state was wiped out in one night. There are two popular stories to support this theory.

One of the many temples in the complex

Story 1

Madho Singh was a disciple of Guru Balu Nath. Guru Balu Nath permitted Madho Singh to build his fort with the condition that Bhangarh could grow only to a point where its shadow would not touch his ashram. It was the Guru's way of teaching his pupils to not cross the limits of power and riches.

The Shiv Temple

As years have gone by, the King and his descendants forgot the condition. The Bhangarh fort expanded and one day it reached a height from where its shadow touched Guru Balu Nath in meditation. The angry hermit laid a curse on the kingdom, and overnight it perished, never to be revived again. It is said every single living being died and perhaps those untimely deaths left the place haunted.

The temple on the Top: Some say it's the Bhairon Baba temple. Some say that was the watch tower while some say it was the place of worship of the tantric Shinghia

Story 2

Ratnavati was the beautiful daughter of Madho Singh's descendant. Smitten by her charm A Tantric named Singhia tries to win her by offering her a special oil on which he casts some love spells (kind of the love potion in Mid-Summer Night's Dream). Having known the tantric's intentions, the princess throws the oil container. The container breaks! breaking (literally) the tantric's heart. The dying tantric curses the princess that her kingdom would perish in a night. Soon after, Ajabgarh attacks Bhangarh. Bhangarh is destroyed and Princess Ratnavati dies. Locals believe Ratnavati will be born again and shall come back to revive the glories of Bhangarh. Well so far Ratnavati has not reincarnated and the Tantric's soul haunts the fort. Reminds me of a certain Telugu movie.

The 7 storied Palace within an inner fort

The Aravalli Range

The Peepal trees: In India, it's an age-old belief (of those who believe in the existence of spirits) that ghosts reside on Peepal trees (Ficus religiosa) It is said that this tree is the staircase to heaven. Those who have sinned are not allowed to exit to the other world and they hang from the Peepal tree's branches as ghosts. :P Honestly, with roots like that, they are bound to scare people. And to think there's a ghost in my backyard :P sends me shivers.


The Chattri (Memorial tomb which does not have the grave of the deceased)

Like all princely states, Bhangarh went through its ups and downs. Mughal Siege, slow decline, and then famine. Bhangarh breathed its last in the 18th century after the famine.


The ruins of the village within the outer fort

The part of the village that's still inhabited

The last gate / The first gate...The end to begin again.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Cherrapunji / Sohra, The Wettest Place On Earth

On the way to Cherrapunji

As a kid, I had this strange obsession wanting to visit Cherrapunji having read about it in school as the wettest place on earth (the position has now been gracefully taken over by Mawsyngram). My grandfather was posted in Shillong, hence we often visited the then Scotland of East almost every summer (Shillong is not the same anymore), and each time I voiced my last wish as if it were so, to visit the land of oranges, as it meant in the native language. Reaching Cherrapunji then was no less than an adventure with bad roads and limited means of access much unlike today, Hence, that wish kept getting postponed year after year until my grandfather moved out of Shillong, and the Cherranpunji visit got stalled for years. Finally, in 2014 D day arrived, and I got the opportunity to visit Sohra, the old name of Cherrapunji that has been reinstated by the Meghalaya government.

Places of interest close to Cherrapunji

It was wet literally

It was more like God wanted me to experience what the kid me had wished for many many years back - the wettest place on this planet, though that wasn't exactly what I had in mind after growing up :P. It drizzled the entire day with lucky sun breaks once in a rare while.

Cloud-covered lush green valleys

The fog had shrouded the entire valley. Even driving was getting risky at times, the road was only faintly visible most of the journey. At times when the fog lifted and the drizzle stopped, I would hungrily savor the lusciousness of the panorama in front of my eyes. Wow!! could anyone even imagine there was so much green behind all that white ?!?

Enchanting! Dreamy !! Surreal !!! I could sit there for hours just to stand and stare and then disappear into the next misty spell.

Nohkalikai waterfall

Luckily enough, I saw the Nohkalikai waterfall, the tallest waterfall in India. It wasn't in its best flow but still spectacular. The name Nohkalikai is associated with a tragic story.

Ka Likai who lived in Rangjyrteh, a village close to the waterfall, had a suspicious second husband. The man disliked her child from her first marriage. One day, when Ka Likai went to the forest to collect wood, her husband killed the child and cooked a delicious meal of her meat. He served it to K Likai when she returned hungry and tired. Without much thought she ate the food and turned to her husband, asking him what had he cooked? It was so delicious. The evil man smirked and said it was her child. The shock of the heinous deed and her own guilt of eating her own child turned Likai insane. Maddened she ran out of her house screaming for forgiveness and waving an ax at anyone who tried to stop her. She ran till the edge where the falls plunged off the precipice and threw herself along with the raging water. Ever since then, the fall has been called Noh Ka Likai ( from where Ka Likai jumped - Noh means jump in Khasi).

Site of the seven sisters waterfalls

The scene at the Seven Sisters, Nohsngithiang Falls was veiled in white. We could only hear the gushing water. The locals said to wait till the wind blew the mist away. We waited for hours but the curtain refused to rise to our greatest disappointment :(

A photograph of the Nohkalikai at a restaurant near the falls shows its full flow right after monsoons around July. Calls for a return.

The same followed at the Mawsmai caves. We were told the water in the caves was pretty high, though many people still ventured in, so we decided to pass it. On the way, the fog had cleared a bit and we spent some time along this pretty streamlet.

Not before long, the fog curtained the magical greens, blues, browns, and all the many colors with stark white, as if to say, "That's it for now! come back again for the whole movie, this was only a curtain raiser" Of course, I definitely shall! for so much was missed! :) At times I think, I can rechristen Sohra as Kohra (mist in Hindi) :P

Shillong And The Khasi Hills

Shillong is the capital of the Indian State of Meghalaya and the headquarters of its East Khasi Hills district. Nongstoin is the headquarters of the West Khasi Hills district. Shyllong, a local native deity, gives this City its name. Its old name was Yeddo and Lewduh. It was a favorite destination of the British when the East India Company occupied India. They found a climate similar to Scotland and called it the Scotland of the East. In 1874 after the formation of the state of Assam, Shillong was made its Capital. In 1972 after the division of Assam, Shillong was made a part of Meghalaya, and Dispur became the state Capital.

Hills of Meghalaya

Mary Help of Christians Cathedral

My mom grew up in Shillong and has very fond memories of the city. In my childhood, we spent many a summer in this beautiful city. Honestly, Shillong has changed a lot now. It was prettier when we were kids. Now it has grown and looks like any other City. The beautiful mountains are now covered with concrete and buildings. However, outside Shillong, much of Meghalaya is still untouched, unexplored, and free from urbanization which is in one way a blessing. Urbanization often ruins the natural ecosystem.

History of the Khasis

Legend of Origin

The Khasis are an indigenous tribe who probably migrated from southeast Asia (most likely from the great plains of the Mekong River in Cambodia) through Myanmar and Bangladesh and are of Mon-Khmer origin. The Khasis are said to be one of the first tribes to migrate to India.

The origin of the Austroasiatic people is probably the great plains of the Mekong Basin including Laos and Cambodia. Khasic, Munda, and Nicobarese are the only three surviving Southern Austroasiatic languages spoken

Legend has it that the Khasis are a direct descendent of Hynniew Trep (meaning 'seven huts' in Khasi) who was the equivalent of Adam in the Bible (the first human created by God). Hynniew Trep and his seven sons belonged to 7 of the 16 clans of Heaven (Khadhynniew Trep - Heavenly huts). They descended to Earth from Heaven through a sacred vine, located at U Lum Sohpetbneng called Khynriam Ka Brew Ka Bneng which meant the 'Golden vine bridge of heaven', a kind of living root-ladder-like bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. The 7 clans were called Ki HynniewTrep (people of seven huts) and their land was called Ri HiniewTrep (The land of the seven huts). The seven sons were Khynriam, Pnar, Bhoi, War, Maram, Lyngngam, and Diko (extinct now) who founded the seven Khasi tribes. However, many sociologists believe, that Khasis do not have sub-tribes but are classified by their place of habitat.

Ramew, Mother Earth, and Basa her husband were created by God (U Blei Trai Kynrad) as a part of the Universe. Over time Ramew felt lonely and requested God for company. God blessed them with 5 children in the form of Moon (son), Sun, Water, Wind, and Fire (daughters). Ramew and Basa were happy, yet there was emptiness since the beautiful garden of Earth nurtured by Ramew, Basa and their Children did not have anyone who could avail and enjoy this nature's trove. Realizing, the need, God then sent 7 of his clans to Earth. The remaining 9 clans remained in Heaven. However, God gave the condition that as long as the seven clans lived a righteous life, they could visit Heaven through the bridge but the day they chose the dark paths, the living bridge would wither and die and so it did when the clans began to fight among themselves and cut down a sacred tree at Lum Diengiei.

The places formed by legends

The location of the seven huts

The Khasis like the Jaintias are matrilineal and matrilocal. The youngest daughter inherits the property and takes the responsibility of the family. In the absence of a daughter, the mother's youngest sister inherits the property and family responsibility. The surname is passed down by the mother and the groom moves to the bride's family.

The Khasis originally were nature worshippers and their religion was called Niam Tre or Niam Khasi. Later many converted to Christianity and Islam or adopted the Hindu way of life.

Khasi Kingdom

The Khasi kingdom comprised 25 sovereign states (Hima) under 25 powerful Chiefs (Syiem). Later, many of these states were annexed by the Jaintia Kingdom. By the 19th century, the entire Khasi kingdom came under British rule and became a part of the Assam Province. In 1830, the Khasis led by Tirot Singh, the Chief of Nongkhalaw, revolted against the British but were eventually defeated after a four-year-long uprising.