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Category: Travelogues

  • Life Detox Mantra – Yosemite

    Life Detox Mantra – Yosemite

    Yosemite is the Life Detox Mantra. Yosemite is a magical valley with beautiful meadows, awesome greenery, wonderful waterfalls and granite cliffs. The Tunnel View @ Yosemite presents the picture perfect view of Yosemite. Mariposa Grove takes us to another era. Giant Sequoia trees make you feel humbled yet amazed and happy !

    Saturday-Sunday was going to be a great weekend as Yosemite was our weekend destination. I woke up at 4 am on Saturday and we left the home at 8 am. We got the gas and started our drive to Yosemite. We took a coffee break at Starbucks on the way. We spent 30 minutes there and moved on. The small villages on the way were beautiful. The traditional shops, the churches, the farms – all made a good sight. As we started reaching towards Yosemite, the sights were turning beautiful. Huge trees. Total greenery. It was very very refreshing. The drive itself made you feel good. The giant trees made you feel that this was a different world. A different era. Lovely.

    We reached Yosemite at 1 pm. Yosemite National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a huge national park covering an area of 761,268 acres. Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity

    It takes a lot of time to travel within different areas of Yosemite. Our first stop was Bridalveil Fall. Yosemite is famous for its high concentration of waterfalls in a small area. The most prominent of the Yosemite Valley waterfalls was Bridalveil Fall, which was the waterfall seen from the Tunnel View viewpoint at the east end of the Wawona Tunnel. Wapama Falls in Hetch Hetchy Valley is another interesting waterfall, which we saw the next day. The Yosemite Falls is the highest in North America at 2,425-foot (739 m) – that also we planned to see.

    The next stop was Mariposa Grove. On the way, we stopped at Tunnel View. It has the picture perfect view of Yosemite Valley. The Mariposa Grove has giant sequoia trees. This species grew larger in volume than any other and are one of the tallest and longest-lived. Mariposa Grove was indeed wonderful. The huge sequoia trees were hundred of years old. Trees that were like giant trees from Jurassic Era. These trees had their roots very deep into the ground. Their roots could spread across miles. The trees had layers of barks. Each season a layer would be added. Researchers could look at bark and determine the seasons that tree faced and the duration of the each season. The thick barks also helped the tree to survive in case of the forest fires. Forest fires were frequent and they helped in the emergence of new trees. For a few decades, the forest department stopped the forest fires. After a few decades, they realized that the growth of trees stopped and no new trees emerged. The balance was disturbed and other trees emerged. Now they allow the forest fire to happen and also simulate natural forest fire.

    We saw some wonderful examples of Sequioa Trees and unique shape formed by them. And they were beautifully named and marketed by smart US Marketers ! Some of the names were :

    The Grizzly Giant – a huge tree that was between probably 1900–2400 years old. It was the oldest tree in the grove
    The Fallen Monarch: A tree that fell more than three hundred years ago. Giant sequoias are resistant to decay, so their remains can linger for a long period of time if undisturbed.
    The Bachelor and Three Graces: A group of four trees, three of them growing very close together, with a fourth a little more distant. Their roots are so intertwined that if one of them were to fall, it would likely bring the others along with it.
    The Faithful Couple: A rare case in which two trees grew so close together that their trunks have fused together at the base.

    After visiting these trees, we moved towards the Tunnel Tree. By this time, we had trekked for 0.8 miles. There was a another Fallen Tunnel Tree at 2.1 miles. We decided to continue the trek.Our initial mental resistance and physical tiredness made the trek difficult. The last 0.5 miles were the most difficult. The elevation increased quickly. Finally, we reached the Fallen Tunnel Tree point. I got the same feeling as when I visited Eiffel. It was a letdown – after all the effort. However, as philosophers say, the journey is the most important thing than destination. We enjoyed the trek. We could achieve more than 5 miles of trek after a long journey, long day etc. This boosted our confidence for the next day’s trekking.

    After the trek, we decided to have an early dinner and go to the hotel. We decided to go to Curry Village. It was a 10 minute drive. The most interesting thing to note was that darkness descended very quickly. At 4:30 pm, it was nice and warm when we descended the trek. As we were on the way, by 4:45 it was getting dark. At 5:00 pm, it was dead dark and dead cold. The importance of Sun could not be over-emphasized. Even during the trek, the place with sunshine was enjoyable and usually full of life. Whereas the place in shade would be cold and dull. No wonder Sun is the most important source of energy and centre of our universe.

    We reached the extremely cold and wet Curry Village at 5:15. We had cold vapors from our mouth. We directly went to the Pizza Joint. We had a large Veg Pizza – which was very large – all three of us could not complete it. I enjoyed the Hot Chocolate with my Pizza. Nothing like a great food after a day of long work and hunger. Nothing like hot and delicious food in the cold environment. We relished our expensive but great meal. We took the journey to our hotel – another 30 minutes. We purchased some groceries from the hotel and went towards our room.

    A young lady and young teenager came running towards us. They were shouting that there was a large black bear in their building lobby. The lodge had six to seven main buildings, with lot of rooms in each one of them. This particular building was right in front of the Merced River and the bear had entered the hotel from the riverside. We were too tired but apparently the hotel staff came and helped to send back the bear.

    After a change of clothes, I hit the bed and was fast asleep in few minutes. We slept at 8 pm !

    However, I woke up at 2:30 am. The hotel had no network and hence I could not make any phone calls. We had had not brought our laptops. So I had nothing to do. I caught up on some reading and got back to sleep. I again woke up at 5 am.

    We checked out of the hotel at 8 am. We had our breakfast of fruits and snacks from the last night’s grocery purchase. Based on the maps and guide, we decided to explore Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Valley. Also, we were told to visit Mirror Lake Trek – it became our first place of visit for the day. We had to park our car at Curry Village and take a shuttle to Mirror Lake Trek Bus Stop. At Curry Village, we first decided to have a hot coffee. I decided to taste Chai Tea Latte and it was one of the worst ones tat I ever had – but it was hot at least ! We took the shuttle and started our Mirror Lake Trek from the designated spot. The trek seemed quick and fast. Though due to early morning, we felt cold. We reached The Mirror Lake – it turned out to be another dampener. It was bigger than a small puddle of water and it had reflection of Half Dome and other mountains. Hence it was called the Mirror Lake. We came through the Trek route. On other side was the proper road – we could have driven to that place as well.

    We headed back to the Curry Village to take the car. We went to the local shop for some souvenirs. Our next stop was Yosemite Falls. It was a small trail. But I decided to climb the rocks surrounding the falls. We enjoyed that part more. After a good time at Yosemite Falls, we watched the Yosemite Valley. It was a huge valley. Yosemite indeed was a great place. El Captain, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome are the famous Granite Domes and are popular rock climbing destinations. The high country consists of beautiful meadows.

    The Glacier Point and Tioga Pass were closed due to snow. Thus we had nothing more to see. We decided to go to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Dam. Hetch Hetchy Valley is a glacial valley in the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park in California. It is currently completely flooded by O’Shaughnessy Dam, forming the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The Tuolumne River fills the reservoir. The Dam on the Reservior was built within three years. This Reservior provided the water to the entire SFO Area including Freemont and the 2.4 million people in these areas. So I was having water from this place ! It was built very quickly. The engineer had built a power plan as well. He also designed a railway track to expedite the flow of the material and men for the dam between the power station and the dam site. The power-generation facilities and transmission lines are concealed to protect the valley’s famous scenery.

    The place was too silent and too beautiful. It was so silent that I noticed how much noise we have in our lives. And our India. This kind of serene silence and tranquil peace seemed a dream in India ! wonderful.

    We identified a new point – Novel Point – a beautiful place overlooking the reservoir, under the shades of tree, where one can enjoy a Novel on a hammock.

    With a heavy heart, we returned from Yosemite. A place that will call me again !

  • Napa Valley Restaurants

    Napa Valley Restaurants


    Firewood Cafe – Very Good

    Firewood Cafe is a nice and lively place. I enjoyed the Garlic Bread, Pizza and Lemonade. The service was quick and the food was nice. The overall ambience and food quality was great.

    The Taste Of Himalayas – Good

    The Taste Of Himalayas was a Himalayan / Nepalese restaurant in a historic building – a Spanish Adobe converted into a restaurant. The ambience and overall setting was nice and warm. We ordered Samosa Chaat and Mix Pakoras for starters. We enjoyed it – though Pakoras were better than chaat. The curries were fine. The Garlic Cilantro Naan was really amazing. But the service was very slow – we had to remind for everything – we got the Papads towards the end of the dinner. Maybe it was due to the full house on that day. Overall a good place with nice good food but average service.

    Celito Lindo – Excellent

    We had gone to Celito Lindo for dinner. No exaggeration – this was one of the best Mexican restaurants. The place was nice, the service was very good and the food was even more amazing. The waitress was quite helpful and she gave her recommendations. I saw how everyone jumped to Jalapeño Mango Margarita. I am always happy with Mexican food as it resembles our Indian food and I have more Vegeterian Options. I enjoyed the nachos with hot sauce. Our starters were good and I had Veggie Fajitas. Infact, I enjoyed everything with the hot sauce.

    The Habanero Chili is the hottest chill with a Scoville Rating of 100,0000 to 350,000. The Scoville scale is a measurement of pungency, the “spicy heat” of all chili peppers. Forget the scale man, that Habanero Chilli sauce was the hottest sauce as our tongues were on fire !

    Ca’ Momi – Very Good
    The next restaurant we enjoyed was a Italian Pizza place called Ca’ Momi. Ca’ Momi claimed to an obsessively authentic Italian restaurant by following traditional Italian recipes prepared with best organic local and imported Italian ingredients. And it was true ! Our friend wanted some variation in his pasta, but he was disallowed the same by the waitress. They did not want to dilute the authentic experience. He was clearly not used to this and he was not happy.

    I had one of the bitterest Ginger drinks and some Pizza breads. I had some coffee as well as I was feeling cold. The restaurant was quite nice and the waitress was the cynosure of everyone’s attention. Her oodles of energy was matched by her effortless Italian accent. She told that she had learnt Italian to qualify for the job.

    The lady also gave suggestions to us on what to order etc. She forced us to spend more. She suggested the House Wine – which everyone relished a lot. She suggested Tiramisu in a jar – which I saw that everyone enjoyed. She got a handsome tip as her reward and lot of appreciation from our group.

  • Napa Valley Balloon Ride !

    Napa Valley Balloon Ride !

    Ballooning is a fun outdoor adventure activity – A hour long flight that lasts forever in our memory ! Moving with the breeze, we become the wind ! I experienced my first Balloon Ride in Napa Valley last month.

    On the early morning dawn of a cold November Monday, I was ready for my first balloon adventure – my camera was ready too ! As advised, we were wearing comfortable layered clothing and a hat ! The coldest part of the morning was to be in the ground.

    The Balloon Company, Napa Valley Balloons, had been flying hot air balloons over the Napa Valley for over 31 years. They had FAA certified pilots and aircraft, a professional staff and an outstanding safety record. I was feeling safe !

    Our team assembled at 6:15 am at the Hotel Reception at Silverado Resort. The Balloon Company coordinator was there. We first signed a declaration ensuring that they would not responsible for any mishaps and we understood the risks of the ride. We had some hot coffee and boarded the mini-van for a ride to the Balloon Company meeting point. We had questions for the driver. Was Ballooning Safe? Absolutely, statistically flight was the safest form of transportation and ballooning was statistically the safest form of flight. Maybe the drive to the meeting point was the most dangerous! The balloon company had skilled and experienced pilots and crew with impeccable safety records. They were regulated by the Government. Why did we had to wake up so early on a vacation? Balloons flew best in cool, calm, stable air – which was usually after the sunrise.

    The meeting point was at Domaine Chandon’s Etoile Restaurant. We were welcomed at the restaurant and were treated to more coffee and a light breakfast. We were given a quick orientation and overall instructions for the balloon flight. We then went towards the balloon take-off point. It was a huge ground. The green ground was full of Golf Balls – an indicator of the popularity of the golf in Napa Valley.

    We could see huge balloons. They were being heated up. It was a good sight to see. We then boarded the Balloon. A balloon had four earmarked spaces where four people can stand – so a total of sixteen people could enjoy the balloon ride. The balloon took off – The hum of the inflator fans, the lively colors of our state-of-the-art balloons and the roar of the burners. Due to the well trained and skilled pilot, we had a safe and comfortable launch. Slowly we were gaining altitude. The entire Napa Valley became more and more visible to us. Normally, a balloon would gain an altitude of 600-800 feet. We gained as much as 1500 feet in height. A lucky day for us.

    The burners roared and then silenced. Gently, the balloon lifted into the early morning breeze and peacefully carried us above the corridors of grapes, tree tops and panoramic mountains. We were in one of the most magnificent valleys on Earth. Soon we started moving with the wind and we became the wind. The best site was to see the mirror view of the balloon in the lake below us.

    It was a great sight to see the captain managing the balloon – its direction, speed and altitude. It required lot of skill and judgement. More than the actual flights ! The gas took 6-7 seconds to push the hot air inside the balloon. The best part of the ride was the planning for landing. They had to select a open space where they could land correctly. Then they had to manage that the balloon reaches the right spot, it gradually slows down and lowers itself. After scouting for 3-4 locations, we finally descended on a open area near a winery. Then the balloon company team actually guided the balloon to the parking area. Then we disembarked from the balloon and they started packing the balloon. It required lot of effort. There was another balloon which actually landed on the parking place of the winery – it was a perfect landing ! The one hour flight ended – but memories will never end !

  • Vintage Car Museum – Auto World, Ahmedabad

    One more landmark of Ahmedabad visited today – The Auto World: The Vintage Car Museum of Shri Pranlal Bhogilal. The finest and the famous vintage cars from all across the globe find a place here!

    Aditya is crazy after cars, trains and planes – like any other boy! He loved Cars 2 – the wonderful car movie and today we decided to educate him with the Vintage Cars.

    Auto World Car Museum

    Shri Pranlal Bhogilal is a connoisseur of vintage cars. He has converted his private collection of vintage cars into a museum named Auto World Vintage Car Museum at Dastan Farm House. The Museum has a collection of more than 100 cars. The cars are amazing and lovely. One could find all the best cars of the world – Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maybach, Jaguar, Cadillacs, Austin, Chrysler, Lincoln, Ford and many many more. Each car is in a perfect driving condition. In fact, you can even drive them by paying a hefty fee – Rs 500 for 3.5 km drive in a historic car!

    The Museum showcases that time of history when an automobile was not a mere means of transport but a symbol of wealth, power & style. The Museum has all of them – the mighty ceremonial limousines, the romantic convertibles & the snappy Sports Cars; Cars specially coach built like Railway Saloons, Horse drawn carriages, Boat tailed Wooden Speedsters, Shooting Brakes; Cars built for the rich & famous; Cars to see and be seen in. They are all hand built to individual specifications of the buyer. Here are special cars like Limousines & Grand open Tourers for ceremonial Occasions, there are convertible cars for evening drives, there are station wagons like boats as well as like a horse drawn carriage especially built for the family’s evening drives.

    The Vintage cars are a part of history. I was happy to see the Ford’s Model T – the one that is discussed again and again. These cars are collected from different regions and many were with Indian Maharajas. All these cars are work of perfect craftsmanship. Each one is a beauty and the curves are indeed enticing! Many had multiple headlights. One even had a place for a gun! Our today’s cars are replicas of each other and carry no individuality or uniqueness. That is true of everything in the manufactured economy – Shirts, Cars, Shoes, and Houses!

    The Museum is well maintained. It also has a fun place for kids with fun rides. It has a good restaurant serving Gujarati Thali. The best time to visit is the daytime. Savor the history of cars, walk around and then have a heavy lunch!

    Address :
    Dastan Estate,
    Sardar Patel Ring Road,
    Kathwada,
    Ahmedabad-382430,
    Gujarat, India
    Phone: +91 79 22820699
    Fax: +91 79 22820699
    Mobile: +91 98242 76653
    Email: dasco@vsnl.com

  • Postcard From Mahabaleshwar – 2002

    Sharing An Old Travelogue – Mahabaleshwar 2002

    Travel – Mahabaleshwar

    I am back from one of the most awesome trips I have experienced. My 3 day Mahabaleshwar trip was really refreshing exciting and memorable. Instead of using more adjectives, let me share some of my wonderful post card memories. I have lots of things coming in my mind now and I do not know whether my words will do justice in expressing my thoughts!

    Well here it is goes…

    The partners in crime were:

    1. ZAL* Kumar – Nayan (Bhayander’s darling Principal Nayan was left back in Mumbai though the teacher in him took over sometimes) * ZAL = Zoom, Accessories & Landscape
    2. AVP / Chi Chi / Kotak / Missile Pav – Chirag (Our thanda thanda cool cool guy. Black Stallion of Kotak Mahindra. They called him 12 times in a day to discuss with Chirag -Intrusion of Mumbai life continued for Chirag)
    3. Fekuchand / Mr. Pakao / Alu / Amar Fuddi – Pratik (Apan ka hero. The Biggest Trump Card of StanC Custodial Services.Visiting Faculty at Harvard / MIT / Wharton / Oxford on Fekology)
    4. AK47 / MBA* – Ashok (Main Khud Ki Taarif Kaise Karo) *MBA = Main Bada Atrangi (I am a big eccentric) / Mane Baddhu Avde (I know everything)

    The famous four gang had one serious agenda for the trip: Fun! All four of us wanted to chill out and spend time with each other without the intrusion of our urban Mumbai life. So we went with a clean postcard to make it a collage of wonderful memories. And we came back with a bagful of memories which will remain green for a long long time.

    Mahabaleshwar is a place with wonderful scenic beauty. One smart thing that we did was to stay from the main town. We stayed in hotel which was 1 km away from the main market. The hotel was truly beautiful and it complemented the beautiful surroundings. One could have spent two three days there in the hotel itself. We had a beautiful pond below our rooms and the majestic mountains in front our sight. A room with a view! The best part of the hotel infrastructure was that it had totally non-urban, spacious, traditionally styled look and ambience. The food was a delight puranpoli, gulab jamun, pav bhaji, khichdhi, biscuit bhakri, wheat and bajra rotis. Our stomach and heart both were filled joy. The proof is that a total junk food patron like me did not spend a single penny on any junk food.

    Our first adventure was at Helen’s point. During our random stroll, we came across a signpost directing towards a certain Helen’s point. The adventurer’s spirit in us overtook us and we decide to explore it. Initially it was fun. Then it became more and more eerie. There was not a single soul in sight apart from us and there were only 2 footmarks on the road. They also did not come back! Three kilometers down the road and no signs of any point. Only trees , trees and more trees with a very thin path. We looked back and the memories of Raaz came alive. The setting was strikingly similar. We decided to go back and explore Helen’s point later preferably in the middle of the dead night. It would be a great adventure! But Helen’s point introduced the Raaz effect in our trip.

    After a nearly 7 km walk and sumptuous meal, we went ahead to Tapola or Mini Kashmir in our private taxi. The roads were sexy! The hills, the valleys, the woods, the rivers, the monkeys & a deer, tiny hamlets, waterfall without water made a soothing and satiating view. Yeh dil maange more / Yuhi chalte rahe hum….. Everywhere in Mahabaleshwar this is the common thought one encounters. The wonderful scenic beauty makes a perfect recipe for romance. Add to this a spice of Yash Chopra and other romantic songs. Waadiyan mere daaman raaste meri bahein / Yeh kahan aa gaye hum…. Deadly combo! Hence it is a favorite honeymoon point. Majority of the fellow travelers are honeymooners or couples having a great time. Countless lovebirds! Four crows!

    Coming back to Tapola or Mini Kashmir; it is a boating club point on the Koyna river. Boating on a river amidst the majestic and imposing mountains is a one joy to cherish. Words fail here.

    After our dinner, we had a great time playing Table Tennis. We hired a VCD to watch Raaz. As this idea was inspired at Helen’s point, the best plan of action could have been to see Raaz from 12 to 3 and then go to Helen’s point. But the idea failed! Only 2 of us survived till the end of the movie. The others were dead asleep. The whole day of adventure, roaming, sight-seeing, playing and above all heavy tasty meals had ensured that Helen’s point will have to wait. ZAL kumar was heavily disappointed. The first day thus went off very well. Only one intrusion was AVP’s phone calls from his office. Every time AVP was doing something fantastic or winning a TT game, phone would ring for him! I am sure his deputy will have a good firing today!

    One of the biggest pleasures was the non-stop sleep. It was like one brief moment – we slept and we woke. In spite of a rigorous schedule from morning 6:30 to 2, 5 hours of sweet sleep refreshed us fully. We were not tired nor did we felt like sleeping some time more. It did not even hamper our energy and enthusiasm on the next day. We were ready for more action! And in Mumbai one local train trip from Andheri to Churchgate makes us to take some rest and then resume our work.

    We started the second day with our trip to Panchgani. It is the second largest plateau in the world (first is in Tibet). Most of the Hindi movies were shot here (now they go to foreign locales…some still come here). The wonderful part of our trip was horse riding on the plateau. Though it was damn slow initially, once we got the trick and built a rapport (with horse?), it was great fun. Especially when it went galloping fast, we were literally bouncing and even afraid that what would have happen if we fall? Panchgani is also home to many many wonderful schools where the real emphasis is on extra curricular activities. The students had the best facilities, convent grooming, personality development initiatives and tons of nature. Their consisted on beautiful bungalows! One must say I have missed one great way of learning!

    During our entire trip, there were many irrelevant points but we made sure that we brought life to them. There were points like the waterfall without water, the echo point with weak echo, the monkey point (three stones in the shape of three monkeys – we compensated by 3 of us becoming monkeys), the 2 points in between which Aamir Khan ran in the film Raja Hindustani (???) and Amisha Patel’s school in Gadar (!!!). We also invented one point – Bison Singh Bedi (BSS) point. One wild bison was roaming around and dancing near a certain Malcolm point. We stopped there to watch it. Many other people saw and joined us. We started telling that this is the Cow point and is also called BSS point. Three fellows went further and started taking snaps with the bison!

    At various sight seeing halts, we had various serious discussions. Obviously when 2 CAs, 1 CS, 1 MBA come together they can convert Sunset point into Intellectual Property Rights discussion meeting. We had many discussions – perfect place to watch sunset, evaluating criterion for echos, dignity of human beings, how can 5 rivers meet at one place, Lagaan v/s Amelie v/s Monsoon Wedding… One serious discussion that became debate was regarding the marketing strategy to two local fruit products companies – Mapro and Mala (the marketing beast in me had to wake up finally). One lady overheard our debate and her first remark was: “I think someone from you must be an MBA!” Finally, I behave like an MBA. Unofficial convocation! Well our debates have always made new contacts. We had a chit chat with that lady and we moved on after exchanging our visiting cards. We also made friendship with an Israeli Colonel and Vietnamese professor studying Buddhist Literature! Also our remarks and comments on the Mahabaleshwar-Raaz comparison won us many smiles.

    Another strong hallmark of Mahabaleshwar is its berries – Strawberry, Rasberry, Mulberry, Gooseberry. We saw strawberry farms and had a feast on ice creams and milk shakes of fresh strawberry. We also enjoyed the fruits in their natural form. My favorite is the Mulberry fruit. It is too good!

    The second day night was reserved for hypnotism and gambling! After the carom, table tennis and dinner Chi Chi decide to hypnotise us. Alu and ZAL did not agree to become the subjects. I agreed to become the subject. I decided to fool them by giving all wrong and cocky answers. It started well. Then I was in Goa. Then they asked me if I could feel the water. I said no. And then they threw water over me (my eyes were closed). The revenge and the counter revenge continued. Holi was ahead of its schedule! In the gambling session, Nayan was roasted for devil’s dinner as he lost nearly 130 rupees (Our conversion rate was very tiny). I made a killing of 110 bucks. The final night was over amongst fun and frolic.

    On the third and final day morning we had a long morning walk. ZAL Kumar was highly enthusiastic as it was the Oscar morning. He checked out the status of Lagaan on TV. As the awards continued we started packing and then we moved out. He was glued to the TV till we left at 9:00 a.m. he kept on inquiring on the way about the status of Lagaan. Finally we became aware of the sad news. Sanjana continued to haunt us. The movie shown in our bus was none other than RAAZ! So Raaz theme continued everywhere for us – comparisons, discussions, comments to fellow passengers, music in the market, our VCD movie, bus movie. We know each and every scene of the movie now! We were back at 5:00 in Mumbai and back to the good old life from a wonderful break.

    Well Mahabaleswhar was not all about fun. It was not only about forgetting Bombay Blues and sleeping with Nature. It was not only about mulberries, Raaz and various points. It was about our friendship. Nothing can make those picture perfect postcard memories more greener than our friendship! Thanks, God!

    March 26, 2002

  • Kerala Snapshots 2010

    Pictures From Our Kerala Trip – Sep 2010. Detailed Travelogue To Follow !

    Best Of Kerala 2010

  • Beautiful Barcelona

    InfoStretch participated in Mobile World Congress 2010 in Spain and I got the opportunity to explore Beautiful Barcelona. Some snapshots shared here !

    Beautiful Barcelona : Feb 2010

  • Opinion Online is Live !

    Opinion launches its digital avataar ! Opinion, the leading Gujarati Thought Journal, unveiled its digital avataar on April 18, 2009. The digital version will ignite the readers with its provoking articles and analysis. Visit the site at www.opinionmagazine.net


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    Opinion is a serious Gujarati monthly magazine published from London for the last 14 years. Opinion has earned a respectable place in Gujarati journalism for its views, commentaries, articles and literary contributions. The magazine covers all aspects of life, but is focused essentially on literary and cultural affairs of India, especially Gujarat, and those of the Gujarati Diaspora in the U.K. It is a must-read magazine to those who want to follow the developments in the related fields in Gujarat and U.K. Its issues contain some very useful and original material about Indian Diaspora in East Africa and the U.K. Following some basic principles reminiscent of Mahatma Gandhi — its title derives from ‘Indian Opinion’, the journal that Mahatma Gandhi edited in South Africa –, Opinion follows committed and independent line of thinking and action. As a matter of principle, it has never accepted any advertisements to earn its revenue :  its only revenue source is its readers’ subscriptions and contributions.

    Opinion was born with a planned end date. However, recently, when the conclusion of Opinion Magazine as per the original vision was informed to readers, the Opinion office was inundated with requests to reconsider the decision. Opinion had touched people and shaped views beyond imagination. The original vision could not be compromised. At the same time, feedback and views of readers could not be disregarded. Finally, it was decided to arrive at a win-win idea – Digital Version of Opinion.

    Opinion Online marches ahead with the strong flag of Opinion. It will continue to showcase the best of contemporary diasporic literature. It will also highlight the glimpses of diasporic culture, language and history. An interesting feature is the profile section where the stalwarts and hidden stars are brought closer to the reader. Opinion Online is also a treasure house of contemporary diasporic literature. Opinion is a subject of M Phil and other research level studies. Now, all the editions of printed Opinion can be accessed from the site. Opinion is a witness to the changing times and the publication is rich source of information for academicians, researchers and lovers of diaspora.

    Opinion Online is a interactive website. Readers can write back, rate the articles and give feedback. The site has planned other enhancements including Live Chat with noted authors, polls, cartoons etc.

    Check it out !

  • Ahmedabad Heritage Walk

    Ahmedabad Heritage Walk

    It was my long standing desire to explore Ahmedabad’s Walled City. What better occasion than birthday of Ahmedabad itself? What better way than Ahmedabad Heritage Walk? Feb 24, 2008 marked 597th birthday of Ahmedabad. And we were celebrating Ahmedabad’s ancient culture on that day.

    Ahmedabad heritage walk started from Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur. We explored the various Pols in the walled city and completed our walk at Jumma Masjid. The tour was completed in 2 hours.

    Ahmedabad Heritage Walk is organized by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation along with CRUTA Foundation.

    Some key take-aways from the walk:
    1. Ahmedabad was founded in 1411 by Ahmed Shah. We visited his tomb near Jumma Masjid. He founded this place at the site of Ashaval and Karnawati when he saw rabbits chasing higher animals.

    2. Old Ahmedabad is known as the walled city and had various Pols inside. Pols means Gate or Entry and is derived from the Sanskrit word Pratoli.

    3. The old walled city of Ahmedabad has 600 pols. Each Pol is a self-contained neighbourhood with shelters for people, chabutaras for feeding birds, community wells, temples etc. These pols were small villages by themselves. Each Pol has a unique name, secret passages and protecting gates. The first Pol was Mahurat Pol symbolizing the first auspicious pol. There was Zaveri Pol for jewelers and so on.

    4. I have always experienced that our forefathers were more intelligent and advanced than us. Whether it is Koba Museum of Jain Artifacts and Manuscripts or Vishalla Museum of Utensils, this point is proved again and again. This heritage walk of Ahmedabad confirmed the same fact. Each pol had beautiful architecture, provision of humans and birds and animals, natural lighting and ventilation planning etc.

    5. Ahmedabad has a rich mix of Hindu and Jain temples along with finest Islamic monuments. The carved wooden houses are wonderful. At one chowk, we saw Persian, Maratha, British and Islamic style houses – 4 cultures in one area!

    6. Kalupur Swaminrayan Temple is the first Swaminarayan Temple of the world.

    7. There were 60 Jain Temples in the 1.5 km Heritage Walk.

    8. Famous Poet and Reformer Kavi Dalpatram’s house has been converted into Dalpatram Memorial. Befittingly, many plays and skits are performed at the memorial.

    9. Manek Chowk is one of the biggest gold markets and everyday millions of rupees and tons of gold change hands. One can see bricks of 5 kg gold here in the evening!

    10. Manek Chowk and adjoining areas are a busy market. One gets variety of things here at cheap prices. The famous Rukmini Pani-Puri wallah is also here. Since our walk was at morning 8:00 am, we could walk leisurely else it is a heavily crowded place.

    11. We visited one Jain temple where there were giant idols in the basement. Inspite of the idol being in the basement, lighting and ventilation was perfect!

    12. The tomb of queens, Rani-No-Haziro, has become fashion street for women’s clothes.

    13. Jumma Masjid is a majestic and a very imposing Masjid.

    The tour increased my knowledge about Ahmedabad and its rich cultural heritage.

    Related Links:

    Snaps from Ahmedabad Heritage Walk – Gallery

    Outlook Traveller on Ahmedabad Heritage Walk

    Vikas Garg’s Photos

    Flickr Snaps by Inner Eye!

  • Gujarat Monsoon Mania

    Summary

    – Ashok’s floody adventures continue for a third time
    – Left Mumbai amidst heavy rains and adventure
    – Brief halt at Ahmedabad where it had rained that night only
    – Resumed journey with wife to Rajkot
    – Great journey with lovely atmosphere, great view, new leaves, bad movie Bhagambhaag
    – Heavy rains encountered on the way and they entered the bus
    – Rajkot streets were full of water. M K Gandhi Vidyalaya had become an island
    – Rested at Bhabha Hotel, had nice Darshan and Aarti of Lord Jalaram at Virpur in the evening
    – War of water on earth continued in the night and transportation collapsed
    – Luckily mobile phones allowed communication
    – After hours of wait, boarded a bus to Shankheshwar and made the way through dark clouds, lakes and fear
    – Wonderful Darshan at Shankheshwar, revisited some basics of Jainism
    – Stranded in Shankheshwar as roads were damaged and / or under water due to heavy rains

    Gujarat Rain Snaps…Click Here
    Gujarat Rains Travelogue

    I left Mumbai amidst heavy rains. Luckily my trains was late only by half an hour and rains had not ventured into Gujarat. To put it the other way, I had not carried the pregnant clouds to Gujarat.

    Lokshakti Express started at 9:15 from Borivali in the night. The train was empty as many Mumbaikars had dropped their travel plans at the last minute. Also, the schools had just started and family people would not be looking at new vacations as of now. I was reading the latest issues of Business Today and Businessworld as train chugged on. I slept at 11:30 and could hear the music of rains. The melodies continued throughout the night and indicated to me that the rainy adventures will continue.

    I reached Ahmedabad in the morning at 7:00 am instead of 5:30 am. The streets indicated the strength of the downpours. Many small streets were submerged under water These small streets were indeed small. They could not bear the impact of first rains and had given up. I reached at our relative’s residence where Komal was staying for last 2-3 days. I had a quick tea and then we both started for Virpur via Rajkot.

    Our travel bus was named AshwaMegh Travels. Good name. Bad service ahead. AC bus was postponed and now there was only non-AC bus. The bus started 45 minutes late. The bus was damp and all seats – curtain were wet. Entire bus had terrible stench which got diluted as the bus covered kilometres and we also got used to it. The choice of movie was comedy, as always. Movie was Bhagambhag.

    The view on the way was picturesque. The first few days of rain had resulted in the emergence of fresh new green grass. It looked lovely. The air was windy and sun was on vacation. We both enjoyed the view and were happy. After we crossed Limbdi – Chotila we had a halt at Hotel Darshan. After a difficult selection from limited options, we had a quick bite and then we resumed our journey. The rains now started and with each passing minute it got worse. It is very beautiful to watch the rains when you are not in the middle of it. Only exceptions are children. Our bus roof was leaking and we could feel the rain outside. The visibility was poor and it had grown dark outside with presence of fog. We reached Rajkot at 12:30 pm.

    The streets were full of water. We got down near Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya in Rajkot. Next to it is the famous Gujarati Thali Restaurant and Hotel, Hotel Bhabha. We decided to get stock of the situation while we first have our lunch at Bhabha. We took the auto for a few hundred metres as it was waterworld. We had our lunch and we decided to check in at Hotel Bhabha itself instead of moving to Virpur now. Hotel Bhabha is a traditional hotel. The service is functional and decor minimalist. But it has its own unique style and a culture.

    We rested for a few hours and then woke up at 4:30 to see receding rains. We quickly moved out at 4:45 and luckily got an express bus to Virpur. The roads were empty. The markets were empty. It was Sunday plus a day of heavy rains. The NH8B Highway was also clear and was beautifully maintained. The wide roads had rows of trees and flower plants planted in the divider section. The journey was beautiful. GSRTC Bus had improved its service and we reached Virpur within an hour. We got an auto quickly and he demanded reasonable fare. I was surprised as I was expecting bargaining session. Maybe he had not done good business that day or was one of the few good men.

    We reached Virpur Temple at 6:00 pm. We had a nice Darshan and we spent an hour in the courtyard. Then we witnessed the 7 PM main Aarti and then we had Prasad Food of Khichdi and Kadhi with Rasdar Alu. Then we moved to the S T Station and got an super express bus. This GSRTC Bus Conductor had an automatic ticketing machine and I was impressed. At the same time, I was imagining how the simple ticket we are used to now, will become an extinct thing and an item for museum / nostalgia. We reached within 45 minutes to Rajkot and we walked down to our hotel. After heavy rains, the road were wet and night was quiet. We reached our hotel at 11:00 pm and soon went to sleep.

    The rains again commenced their war on earth in the night. It rained heavily throughout the night with strong lightening and stormy winds. When we woke up in the morning, we saw water, water and more water. We waited for nearly 2-3 hours for the rains to subside. Finally, we gave up and decide to move out. We knew that highways would be clearer and we should move on rather than wait in the hotel. But we did not get the auto for next half an hour. There were few autos. Those on the roads, were occupied. And some were just not interested in short distances or pull in their auto in the watery streets to collect our luggage from the main gate. Finally we got an 12 seater auto and we moved to S T Station after paying double the normal fare. Small price.

    We were in tough luck. A direct bus to Shankheshwar had left 5 minutes before we ventured in. We were at S T Station from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM. We were tired. I had a bad time running after buses in the S T Stand in the rains to check in whether they would take us to Shankheshwar or Viramgaam or Surendranagar. Most of the buses directly went from Chotila Limbdi to Ahmedabad on the highway.

    Inquiry officer at S T Stand was good for nothing. All his information on buses proved to be incorrect. We were promised that a bus for Viramgaam would come at 11:30…then at 12:00 and one for Shankheshwar at 1 pm. Earlier, he also told me that there was no bus for Shankheshwar. I did not trust him. Of course, rains would have wronged his estimates.

    Many people in the bus stand were frustrated like us. People were cutting short their trips or returning abruptly. There were stories of many places being submerged and roads being cut off. The gravity of the situation started sinking.

    Komal and I decided to have food while we waited for 1:00 pm. We went into a restaurant behind S T Stand. Komal made a wise decision of ordering Kathiwadi food. I made a mistake of ordering Pasta in Afghanistan. I ordered for Pav Bhaji which I left after the first morsel. Then I gave up on the next toast sandwich. Finally my favorite food of my Henkel Sales days saved my day. Parle – G! My wife was smiling.

    1 pm bus did not come but we got inside the 12:30 bus which was still in stands at 1:15 pm. But this bus was till Viramgaam only. However we chose it over the direct bus to Shankheshwar. It was a wise decision to not wait for the 1pm bus. This GSRTC bus impressed me further. Apart from the automatic ticketing gizmo, this one had music playing on. Like private luxury buses, GSTRC has experimented the music stuff. This one also had HUTCH PCO inside like BEST buses in Mumbai.

    We could see the impact of rains outside. People were flocking to safer places and moving their wares. Some people were busy on bridges over rivers to see the never-seen volumes of water. Almost all rivers, rivulets, streams had record level of waters. Cows were busy searching for a roof over their bodies. The entire stretch of fields on either side of road were filled with waters. I had seen this water during Gujarat floods. I could recollect my bus moving between fields / lakes on either side. We had diversion in Surendranagar City as the road ahead was not safe. Then there was immense darkness and I saw huge stretch of black clouds. We had never seen mega clouds like these before. As soon as we reached near clouds, we were under a huge deluge. After a few hours, rains weakened. We were now ready for music which had been stopped. Nadeem Shravan hits like Payaliya, Sapne Saajan Ke were on.

    We reached Viramgaam at 4:30 pm. We waited for an hour. Finally we got the bus for Shankheshwar. We reached Shankheshwar at 7:00 pm. We checked in at Bhakti Vihar Dharamshala at 108 Parshvanath Trust. There was only one more family. The room was damp and also dusty. Since very few pilgrims were there, not enough attention being paid. Also renovation was on. We had our bath and went for the darshan of Lord Parshvanath. The atmosphere there was magical and all our tiredness vanished. The beautiful image of Lord Parshvanath and the devotional climate in the temple had its impact on us. Bhavana / Stavans had started and we listened to few Stavans. Then we returned back. All the small shops selling puja articles, religious items, clothing, mukhwaas, etc. were closed. Normally they close at 9:30 – 10:00. Weak traffic and rains were the main reason. We had our dinner in Mahavir Bhojnalay as the main Bhojnalay operates till Sunset only. The food was good and returned to our dharamshala. The rains had stopped and we sat in the open space benches near the dharamshala. We retired for the day. Komal went to sleep while I was checking my mails.

    Due to heavy rains, many insects / living creatures had made their way into the dharamshala. Those living under the ground, had seen their homes flooded with water while many other were washed away. We did not have proper sleep. The next day Dharamshala had no water as boring well was being repaired. We shifted to VIP AC Dharamshala. Usually it is reserved but today there was no one. This Dharamshala will put many hotels to same. Our mind will have many questions but this was an example of religion meeting modern day comforts. If we want our VIPs / Ministers to visit our temples, we need matching facilities for their comfort. Or is religion about non materialism ? Many questions were in my head.

    Heavy rains were on while we shifted to the new Dharamshala. We had our bath and visited 108 Parshvanath Temple. I shared some of the basics of Jainism to Komal. She already knew Navkar Mantra and method of worshipping. I told her other basics of Jainism, concept of Nissihi, types of Puja, precautions, meaning of Swastik etc. I told her the following:

    Ten Rituals of the Temple (Dasha-Trik)
    01 Nissihi Renunciation of worldly matters, while in temple
    02 Pradakshinä Circumambulation – going around the Jin’s idol for three times
    03 Pranäm Salutation with reverence
    04 Pujä Worship through verges of prayers
    05 Avasthä- chintan Contemplation upon the various states of the Lord
    06 Dishätyag Concentrate only on Jin’s idol
    07 Pramärjana Cleaning the floor before sitting down
    08 Älambana Mental support
    09 Mudräs Postures for meditation
    10 Pranidhäna Remain meditative

    – One should repeat the word Nissihi three times to discard all the thoughts relating to worldly affairs. (I have always been unsuccessful to completely insulate my mind from world while in temple)
    – One should not be distracted by anything while in temple. Your eyes and mind should concentrate on the idol and you should not look up, down, sideways, or behind.
    – Before sitting, one should clean the ground three times with your upper cloth, so that no small insect may be hurt by you sitting there.
    – The flowers, the decorations, and the sandalwood paste should be kept on a clean plate and should not be allowed to fall to the ground. In case they do fall, they should not be used in Pujä.
    – Never wear black or leather or silk while visiting temple
    – Never show your back to the Lord…Walk three steps back while facing the lord and then turn sideways.
    – Personally, as long as one knows Navkar Mantra and bows three times to Lord, things are fine. Navkar Mantra is very powerful.

    We were the first visitors for the day at 108 Parshvanath Temple and Poojari offered to offer flowers to Lord Parshvanath on our behalf. This temple has 108 different idols of Lord Parshavanath in different moods. The temple also had beautiful sculpted architecture. I had seen this temple complex from day one when this was just a plain ground. I had seen the foundations. I have seen Rajasthani workers working on carvings and bringing life into stone. I have seen idols of Lord Parshvanath in a room, when they had arrived from different parts. I had seen the first definition of garden when a few trees had been planted. Today this 108 Temple is a huge complex with Dharamshalas, Bhojnalay, Garden, Community Hall, Sadhana Bhavan, Lovely Temple, Beautiful Garden etc. I have been coming to Shankheshwar every year since I was born. Sometimes I come twice a year.

    Shankheshwar is an important place of pilgrimage for Jains. It is next to Shatrunjaya in importance for Jains. Shri Krishna had blowed the Shankh here and hence the place is called Shankheshwar. Lord Parshvanath is worshipped here. His idol is suspended in air. It was made of mud and other material and was found on its own. Poonam or Full Moon Day are important days of worship. Diwali / New Year is the main day of worship for pilgrims and thousands and thousands of people converge here.

    Initially there was only one main temple. This is the temple for which Shankheshwar is famous. There was only one Dharamshala with common accomodation for all and general bathroom / toliet blocks. Now there are many more Dharamshalas, more Bhojnalayas and more temples. Some of the other temples are Agam Temple, 108 Parshvanath Temple, Halari Temple, Parshva Padmavati Temple.

    After our visit to 108 Temple, we returned. We were totally drenched in 5 minutes. We changed into another set of clothes and went off to Main Temple. The roads were emplty. The temple also had very few people. After Darshan, we had our lunch at Main Bhojnalay. Then we came back. The cold climate and watery environment made us lazy. We enjoyed the siesta.

    In the evening we went to Agam Temple. Then we went to Parshva Padmavati Temple. We again had darshan at main temple and had an early dinner. The town was empty, shops were closed, roads were closed. We were back in our room at 7:00 pm. I and Komal chatted on various topics, spoke to our parents, checked my mails and then went to sleep.

    Today we were supposed to return to Ahmedabad. After waking up, I had my tea. But today no newspaper were available. This indicated that the roads had not opened yet. Anyway, we packed our bags, visited temple and had an early lunch. We inquired and our doubts came true. The roads were still blocked. On the left side side of the highway, a small pool had broken. So one could not go towards Sami / Haarij / Radhanpur. On the right side of the highway, the river had gone crazy and was overflowing. The waters from Taraanga and other high altitude place were flowing in. No vehicular movement on this side too. So one could not go towards Viramgaam / Ahmedabad too. So we were stuck in Shankheshwar and had the opportunity of more Darshan of Lord.

    State Transport bus which had arrived yesterday afternoon was still here. The passengers were given temporary accommodation and food. We arrived back in the room and decided to check the situation after 3 hours. Komal slept while I started to write this diary.