Places 2 go...Sites 2 c!!

Disclaimer...this post is the result of watching too many travel shows n reading too many lonely planet guide books:):)

I have always dreamt of visiting every place possible in India n abroad, of exploring little streets, eating all the local delicacies (as long as it isn’t anything creepy crawly...or brinjal:):),watching people n their acts, tryin to ctahcup on the various customs, cultures & attitudes.....

My favorite channels would have to be Discovery Travel and Living just because of the amazing line up of travel shows(..have always envied the anchors...well who wouldn’t right:).But eversince Jia has developed a crush on Cartoon Network .....my interests have taken a back seat!So wat do I do?Do d next bets things...catchup on some desi travel show on either Sony or Star amidst the various soaps dat my wife watches....n try 2 soothe my soul....

I'm forever reading up (lonely planet), on all places possible collecting info as if I will be going there sometime soon:):)...no harm in being prepared right....what if I win a lottery or if I just get noticed in the mall by some director n' am asked to host some travel show...lol, ya I know will happen the same day aliens takeover earth or when Stallone or our own Salman does a whole movie with his shirt on:):):)

Just pack my bags n go......god that would be so cool:):) n impossible. Think I am to be blamed 'cause regardless of all my plans I am a procrastinator...I always keep things for tommoro:):) n of course I don’t have the money too, damn those shopping malls!!:)

So anyways, the only traveling I have done is to a few beautiful places in South India n to a few places in Southeast Asia. Now I have this ever growing list of places I want to visit.

In India:

Amchi Mumbai: Phew! this place rocks!Mumbai is in my heart & mind! I could write a entire book on this place & what it means to me!All my vacations were spent here with my maternal grandparents & uncles. From early childhood was impressed with the speed & d lively buzz around !First luv is hard to outgrow & so are impressions created during childhood!Yes, this is the city I fell in luv with as a young boy.My best childhood memories are associated with this place-thanks to the pampering & exposure my relatives gave me here.Everything seemed the same & got better as I got to be stationed here professionaly for over 3 years from '97-2000!The people, the crowds,the speed -essence of the city, the places around -all thanks to the excelent company that helped me experience life/place & mould me into the person I'm today.The Elephanta caves, the Mahalakshmi temple,fashion street,flor fountain,Nariman Point(Makers Chamber),Churhgate,VT(Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus),Dadar n bylanes for footpath shopping, HareRam Mandir at Juhu,Chowpathy & Juhu beaches, Aquarium on Marine Drive,Madh Islands, Tiwala Ganapati temple, SiddiVinayaka Temple, MaryChurch, BandraBandStand, Powai Lake, Arey Dairy, Chota Kashmir, SanjayGandhi National Park, Byculla Zoo,Mulund,Bhandup,Thane, BAARC ,Ghatkoper,Khar, SantaCruz, Dombivilli are the places associated with my growing up years & a must visit for me everytime I step foot there.Later on when I started living there -NaviMumbai-Vashi, Nerul, Belapur &Panvel through the beutiful lush green places around like SagarVihar,SaiMandir, etc made it a experience worth re-living all my life!Hats off to the palce & people who left their mark on me!Cant seem to have enough of this place,irrespective of the fact that not many in my closest family like this place!If one place defines me-its Mumbai!

PUNE:Hmmm..many a weekends of mine were in honour of Pune whilst I stayed in Mumbai fom 1997-2000.My aunt's place was my recluse then.Whatever I hv seen n felt of Pune have a direct relation to the outtings we had as a family during those short stints over weekends.Infatc the firts aplce self n wify,Kavi visited after honeymoon was Pune.Luv Pune in rains.The place reminds me so much of Bangalore!Yes it did!The MG Road,the drive to Nigdi from city centre,the drive fomr airport to Nigdi,the amusement park,the Ganapti festivities, the culture,the language..all had me hooked!Shall detail a lot more of Pune & its imapct in a different post!!


MANGALORE: Hmmm..my native town!Strong family roots bound me to this small bubbly town drenched in typical culture engulging the place.My dad's family & mom's grandparents are the lineage holding connections to this place. Visited this place during vacations on some special ocassions like some1's wedding , death or house warming ceremony.Managed to see a lot more of the town when my sister was doing her MBBS there at KMC. Carry with me deep impressions of the picturesque locations, lush green fields, coconut trees, humidity,rains,summer, the boat rides across the river Netravathi & the its closeness to Arabian Sea at SultaBatheri (place where my Dodda & family lived), Taneerbavi,Tippu fort at Sultan batheri, the flower market at HappanGhata, the KeduBithil near Mahamayi temple close to the Venkatramana Temple Square,the DASARA Veshas(fancy dresses),the Sharadha processions & immersion , the poeple,their outlook to life,their humour,their issues,their preoccupation with water,power issues, the jolly godd fish curries,the various temples-Kadri Manjunatha Kadri Hills, Jogi Mutt, Gokarna temple & few extended family members are the highpoints . Strangely been there only twice ,each for a day during the last 8 years & yet it is very close the heart!Sometime, plan to spend some leisurley time catching up on names/faces/places hearing which I hv grown up!

HYDERABAD/SECUNDERABAD: My association with the twin cities is primarily thanks to my sister staying there & my official visits. My earliest visit was in 1990 for a family friend's wedding & ever since my sister's wedding in 1996 has been a periodic visitor. Perosnally I fel dat d' cities hv d potential 2 be a gr8 city!But somehow always felt it holding onto its past with a lazy carefree outluk & its people luving its chaos.Nevertheless, d' Safdarjung musuem, RamojiFIlm City, Necklace Road, Budha Garden, Hussain Sagar, Birla Temple, Charminar, Pearl shops,n d' busy bylanes in d old city where u seem 2 get anything n everything are a must visit!Last but not the least is d Karachi Bakery with its yummy biscuits & Paradise for ist mouth watering dum biryani are a must visits for any1 visting these twin cities! Planning to visit the nearby getaways liek Nagarjuna Sagar & Golkonda forts during my next few visits .

CHENNAI:What can I say about this place?!Its been a complete paradigm shift from my 1st impressive impression of this city during my official visits starting 1995 & freaky disastrous staying in 1997-Hence carry with me mixed experiences!Whatever lilttle Tamil I speak is mainly thanks to this medival city & its conservative people!With due respects to the city & its people - like its Marina & Beasant Nagar beaches, the Central Railway Station, Guindy snake park,Annanagar Park & maybe the Marina salai!Rest,less said the better!I livedin this city for a year in 1997 & It was one of the most forgettable memories ever! The auto rickshaws were noticed to be all calibrated & cheats.The people lived ina flase sense of hypcoritical society where bachelors were looked down upon as some aliens and landlords preferred brahmins!Yet the touch-me-not kinda attitude of the city was in dark contrast to the couples hudding below lampposts n catamarans all over the beaches n any secluded corner!So much for beineg conservative!The perennial water problems, the congested roads, the frequent power cuts -especially at nights during summer,the flooding of roads during the monsoons -all in tandem with the high moral ground of piousness & righteousness of the so called cultured people could not be digested easily!The best I can say about the city is its conenctivity & locla mode of public transportation.Highlight though is the cheap yet stomach filling food you get anywhere-espeically if you like rice , sambar & Thair(curds)!! I never used to like curds before & thanks to the city & its food culture I drink & use curds now aplenty! My worst day was the day I got a call from mom/B'lore informing me of the cardiac arest my dad had suffered in the early morning on 14Nov'96.Though I started at 7am, believe it or not I could reach B'lore only at night 11pm,though there are innumerable road/railway n air conenctions between the two cities! The city,its people & few so called relatives didnot add much to my experiences & no wunder that I agreed immediately to the idea of a official transfer to Mumbai!Good riddance!Hats off 2 d people living there!!


PONDICHERRY: yup shameful na, that I got to visit pondi only once!That too witha few collegaues when I was working in Chennai for a twodays-one night stay ata sea resort.Woooow,all that we did was be drenched in the sea, oogle at all the gorgeous goris who came along & drank pots n pots of beers,whisky n u name it!! Think I shud plan a trip soon...to enjoy the rest of the place...like the Aurobindo Ashram, Orevilles( exclusively for the foreigners..)

KOLKATA: Hv been there a few times between 1995-2000 when it was still called CALCUTTA.Every time was there-luved it more! The sweets , the language, the life styles, the place....isn't it reason enough for em return there more often??!!! lol, but seriously I would love to go here during the Durga puja...have seen it on TV n have been totally intrigued by the festivities.The Nteaji Subash Chandra Bose Airport, The SaltLake-Science City,D Nicobar Lake-Park, VICTORIA MEMORIAL under lights, EDEN GARDEN packed to capacity (ya was lukcy to watch a India v/s South Africa one dayer that India won!!) ,the old Howrah & new Hoogly bridges, the Hoogly & the catamarans , the rickshawallas,the Taxis, Writers building, Subash chandra bose's house,Ramakrishna ashram/Vivekananda piligrimage center, Birla planetorium, the festivities & traditions at the famous Kali Temple, RabindroSadan(I gave my 1st television interview after watching a play..though know not if that was ever telecast), the METRO ,Tollygunj and the TRAMPS , CAMAC Steert...all have a special place in my heart.

DELHI:Holala!!I cant seem to get enough of this place!Luved it BIG TIME!Spent some real memorable moments at all the must see places around town!Added to the fun was my close pal,(more of a lil borther-Jassi-Jaspreet Singh Randawa) & his family made it all the more pleasant .It was like home!I spent majority of 1995-1996 in Delhi!Just adored the aristrocracy of the place! I can wirte a whoel big blog on Delhi....So the experiences will be shared in a different post!

Dwarka & Probandur:Had read a lot about his place!More so in d various AmarChitra Katha comics ,as Lord Krishna's place!So was all the more hyper to explore that place.Sadly!Anticlimax,as I could stay just one night n 2days at this palce..during my onward journey towards Mitaphur ona official visist to the Mitapur Cement factory!Saw the Krishna Temple from far,was not lukcy enough to enter it!Blame it on time!Was intrigued by stories as to how majority of Dwarka & its palaces are now beneath the sea.What I remember vividly about that place is the yummy Katiayavadi Gujarati Thali..dinner.phew!never have I eaten such a variety..at suchha low cost! Probandur is a sleepy coats town and a irony of our times.Gandhi the preacher of peace haisl from here & this place is notorious of its gangwars, landlords, kidnapping & arson!Shame that such a nice place at the edge of the kutch is vasted in poverty & garbage everywhere! Never ever woudl I viist Porbandur again!


AGRA:Wow....Was like a dream come true!D TAJ MAHAL..in all its glory!Found it much better than what I had expected!I felt connected to a higher entity with the sheer splendour of the structure.Something deep within me made it a very divine experience.Felt light and empty after going through the place.Just dindt feel like moving out!Clicked a few snaps & was left awestruck with the efforts that had gone to make the place what it is!!No other monument has moved me the way this TAJ did!Time stood still as I just couldnt get enough of the gardens, the fountains..all made me feel very very emotional & touched! Sadly ,I can not say the same about AGRA!AGra n the way to the TAJ hurt me!Ya,was hurt with the poverty, uncleaniless,the slums,the narrow paths,the taunts trying to make a fast buck,etc and only two things that I liked about the place was AKBAR'S FORT & the yummy vegetable salad comprising of raddish,carrot,beetroot,cucumber ssplashed with salt,pepper that helped soothe the pangs of seeing the chaos in AGRA!!


MATHURA:Phew!!That was a unepxected stop enroute to Agra from Delhi!Was so curious to see the shrine.Felt humbled and privileged ot have the darshan amidst tight security!Yes,for the 1st time felt how it was ot visit a place of worship with guns,troops at the background.The mosque built by Aurangazeb shares majority of the complex with thie Lord Krishna shrine!The campus was vast & full of people...or shoudl I call it security/army men keeping a close vigil! The NandanaVan, the Vridavan with its shares of cows/calves were all a soothing experience(though I had expected a lot more of these places).Something deep within me told me that I might not come again to this place!Yes, 1st time I felt as if I was tryingh to get more of the place & time was slipping away from my hands to see more of the place.


MYSORE: A sleepy ol' town!Thats my 1st impression of dis historical town since my 1st ever bike adventure to the famous Chamundi Hills way back in 1994 with my cousin! My impressions have not changed ever since! Been there a few times with fmly on holidays & few official visits.The only difference noticed over the times is the cropping up of a decent industrial area housing the famous Infosys campus & a few other leading industries .The Mysore Zoo(could spend the entire day there), the Palace(awesome under lights!),the Brindavan Gardens, the KrishnaRajaSagar Dam, Chamundi Temple & few drives around the town with its lush green trees are worthwhile. Offlate in Bahrain , been hearing a lot more of the different shades this sleepy town through some new friends from Mysore .But frankly going by my own experiences , feel that the town has a lot of potential & will be a lot more fun exploring with a few local guides,thrown in for local flavor!So luking forward ot more of the city in future!

SriRangapatna:A quiet,quizzical town off Mysore .Surprised to note the massive muslim tradition co-existing with the Hindu customs at this once stronghold of TippuSultan & HyderAli.The SeshaSayana Venkatswamy temple, the bathing & burial ghats, the TriveniSangam ,the Rose Garden & Tipu's tomb are a few of the must experience sites there!

COORG: Wow!Watta place!! I luv it!Though had bene to this palce in 1994 with my engineering classmates enroute our project work ,got to experience the real delites of this place only when my mom was officially transferred there for 2years in 2003.Been there thrice & each time fallen in luv with its loft hilly terrains, drizzles, kool clime,narrow winding roads, d lifestyles, the estates & generally the holding up of the Colonial ways of life-even of a common man ! D' Drives to & fro Talacauvery,the dip in the pond at Talcauvery, the misty Bhramgiri mountain from where you can actually see the Arabian Sea on a clear sky day, the RajaSeat ,the Abhey falls, the nearby Kushalnagar with its Buddhist colony & temples around , the bamboo gardens at Nisargadama & the river Kaveri , the khaddas /elephant training centre, the dense forests & greenery around,the wildlife, the eating habits with the pork & wine are all memories that are hard to erase once experienced!I do not mind settling down in Coorg ,once retired!!

Cochin: Hmm...picturesuqe!Have been a few times to Ambulmugal -industrial belt from 1996-2002.Imemdiate recollection is the lovely sea food & quiet intellectual in the fact that I noticed everyone tucking a rolled newspaper under their arms , reading something or the other..even in busses,bus stands,boats .I enjoyed the city more on a personal level with a boat ride on d Arabian Sea.Would definitely like to explore more of Cochin & all of Kerala...especially in the rains!Allepey-the boat houses, kovalam,Wynad, Idukki,Munnar,Trivandrum,Kannur,Bekal fort are the places that I have read about a lot & dream about visiting someday!!


Vizag: I know not ahy I luv this place! I hv been there twice,both of official duties but ended up extending my stay over the weekends to explore more of the place. Just enjoyed my visits to the serene Ramakrishna beach, The Venkatagiri/ShivGiri hills overlooking the bay,The ashram,Vizag Steel Plant, Naval academy ,etc.The best facet about this place is that its soo friendly n relaxed.Would like to take my family once there,sometime!


DHANBAD,Bihar: Hate that town! Coal town & full of guns wielding thugs!I happened to stay over at that God forsaken land over two nights & never have I felt so unsafe! I ws fleeced off all my cash & transport from the moment I got down the train at Danbad. Strongly recommend none to visit that place!Wonder how the locals live there,for ever under pressure from local politicians for ransom & even private cars!!

OOTY ,CONOOR & KODAIKANAL:Memorable & pleasant memories associated with these places Was almost a honeymoon getting drenched in the perennial drizzles even in April & felt kinda filmy romancing through the vastly famous must visit-sites , made famous by the advent of bollywood!Can never have enough of these places ,especially the sights onboard the tarin journey from Conoor to Ooty made famous by the Shahrukh-Mallaika jig in DilSe!. Strongly recommend the stay at the cosy wooden cottages over looking the coffee/tea estates across the LADYHIll VIEW......amazzing experience dat!!


AURANGABAD/AJANTA-ELLORA: Hmm,one gets caught up in the glorious past & the advancement in explicit expression vide sculptures even in those days!Symbollic are the caves and buddhist monastries that leave a lasting impression!Should mention the special PAAN packaged in silvery foils & rose petals that are absolutely a delight!Strongly recommend these paans for experience!!


GOA: Sun, sand, sea, fennies, old churches, foreigners in semi nude dresses prancing around..is not all that is there to GOA!I used to frequent Gos ona official visits to industries far flung & isolated from the now world famous reasons what Goa is known for!I had the privilege of biking alone in the long curvaceous orads,tarvelling on boats across small tributaries,eating from roadside hotels & at same time experiencing the best of 5star hotels & massages!phew!! This place has so much resemblance to Mangalorean way of life! Some day want to holiday there with family & freak out!!


BARODA: Colorful to say the least!Especially during DASARA is ultimate experience with the night out dandiyas and all the splendour associated.Was lucky to experience Dasara twice-1995/96 at Baroda amidst the various other offical visits made .Developed a strong friendship with a few locals who helped me roam around and fele the city at its best..at the University campus,palace, army jawan park, etc..The chaats available at Baroda are ultimate!

AHMEDABAD/Surat/Rajkot/Jamnagar & Bhavnagar: You get the same feel as if in Mumbai!Dasara is stand out attraction but more bollywoodish!Countless visits from Mumbai to Baroda,Surat Ahmedabad, Shipping building at kasar, Reliance Hazira/Jamnagar & ONGC Mehsana have left a impressionable impact with the causal way in which people cary crores worth diamonds in their pouches is amazzing! Gujarat rocks & how!!

DAMAN N DIU: Alcohol is prohibited in Gujarat-the state of Gandhi!Hence people make short binges to Daman & Diu the closest union territories where liquor ie easily available!People make a living out of selling liquor here!Funny it is to observe people cross the checkpost..enter the closest cottage & guzzle up all they can & return bakc dead drunk bakc acros sthe post on the highway!! This in no way diminshes the great beauty of the sunset & sunrise at these pictursque islands .The best of resorts & massag centres are available here!!

Udupi : Lord Krishna's & Dasa's place!STrnagely have bene there oncly twice though it is so close to Managlore.Plan to explore more of the place sometime..

Dharmastala : Love the aroma of the food served at the Manjunatha temple.Adore the Gomateswara idol & serene banks of river Netravathi.

Kukke Subramanya : Finally,was able to a make it to this sleepy town of Subramanya for a visit to the temple in 2003!Always had heard a lot of his place & so enjoyed the experience!typical small town amidst the clods filled western ghats!

Katil : Been there only once!Freaked out at the river waters gushing aournd the small island where the Katil Mookambika temple is!!

Chitradurga : The fort!!Yes Obavva's cave is the stand out!Yet to fathom how the Britishers managed to crawl through that small opening in the FORT's wall & not be noticed by any one else!!Perfect excursion spot for shcool going kids from Bangalore


Places where I would like to go....someday....

Rajasthan: I am a very colourful person...n don’t think there is any place in India with so much of colour. In particular I want to visit Udiapur, Bikaner, Mount Abu and Jaisalmer. Those sand dunes, colourful outfits the dances...everything sounds so beautiful.

Punjab: Want to go to the golden temple @ Amritsar. Wanna do the bhangra with the people there n ofcourse wanna eat those yummy parathas n tandoori chicken ( ya ,ya its avialable everywhere...but comeone I'm sure it tastes different in Punjab!!!):):).Not to forget the glass full of yummy lassi & rotis with all their exotic dhaals.

Shillong: "The scotland of the east"--had some juniors @ our college from here n they forever told me that the place was amazing.

Himachal pradesh: Kulu Manali, Shimla, Chamba...all these beautiful places are in Himachal. I also have an obsession with snow...the only snow i have seen till now was @snow world , Genting and Hyderabad:):)...I need to see real snow people!!!

Darjeeling, Leh Ladak: Snow being a major factor here :):)

CHEERAPUNJI:


SRINAGAR:

CHANDIGARH:

KANYAKUMARI:

Also want to go to endless:):):) other places...........to be continued