Goa Galore

I finally managed to land in Goa. 
Sometimes, serendipity is for real. Just talking about your wishes can get them to be true.

It was a trip so perfect. Perfect because it was so short that it makes me yearn for more.
For most of the people not from Goa, a vacation there only means two of the things - booze and bikinis.
Honestly, there was indeed a lot of reasonably priced alcohol available. 

And also, a lot of women in clothes we don't really see them sporting in the bigger metropolises either.
What enticed me was, Goa is cool in the real sense of the word cool. 
You can be a hippie or a preppy. You'd be be at home in Goa.
Goa doesn't judge you.

What's great is the fantastic freedom-y vibe that's all so pervading, you'd just want to dance and sing. And it's possible even at three in the morning. Or five, if you so please.

We went to a quieter and cleaner beach called Candolim. The resort was just a couple of minutes walk away from the beach.
The walk was great - we went through a small village and voila, landed at the beach!

Drunk on the peace and the sounds of the waves crashing, I had to be literally dragged away for breakfast. 
I promised to return.

Baga was a different world altogether. With musical shacks and great food, the swell of humanity engulfed us in their happy sounds and happier spirits. Strolling on the beach was a great way to spend good part of the afternoon. 

I can still taste this pizza! Yum.

Anjuna. Okay, so this is a different animal altogether. Boasts of an old old party place called the Curlies. Where West meets East. Literally. Most of the parties with the 'western' sounds and people happen here. Or so the legend goes. 
We had a great time standing at the terrace overlooking the big black sea up ahead of us. There were people strewn on the beach, laughing so loud, we could hear them even over the din. Or maybe it just felt they were laughing, i could feel the joy seeping through.

The people are friendly in Goa, if you are friendly with them. We had all the cab/auto drivers chitchatting and giving super tips on where to go and what to do.

Driving one day over the bridge, we chanced upon a spectacular sight 
Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, I...I love you

Baga at night is what romantic dreams are made of. For the average Indian traveler, it doesn't get more real than this. 

The Shacks-by-the-day go all out and spread out their best wares on the beach. There are tables with candles (because, no electricity on the beach) and easy chairs.

With servers scurrying around from table to table. Interestingly, drinks are once again easier to come by than the food. 

We walk through the night on the beach, and then sit down and then walk again. Only to enter a club at 1 am to see tourists(mostly women) dancing on table top, not giving a damn to the world. 
If this is not freedom in India, then I don't know what is. 

Triveni Terrace Cafe

Delhi has a lot of hidden gems, be it for food or shopping. Food more so, maybe. After all it is not the food capital of India for nothing!

Relishing food, of course includes but is not limited to just the taste. Ambience plays a very important role in the overall experience as well. This is where Triveni scores! 

With a choice of indoor or outdoor seating, we chose to sit outside, next to a fantastic 'green' open air theatre. 

Designed in the unmistakable style of Joseph Allen Stein, the Art gallery provides a perfect backdrop for the tranquil café. 

Albeit a limited menu, the choices seem abundant for a first time visitor. The regulars have the ease of not having to consult the menu and can straight away place the order - by writing down on their own, which a first that I saw. 

This is something that while saving the servers' time also makes them more efficient than the regular cafés dotting the city's food scene. 

There were two of us and we ordered the following - 

Veg Toasts(3/5), Aloo Tikki Chaat(4/5), Brownie(4/5) and Cold coffee(5/5) 

Had ordered for the Pakoras earlier but changed last moment for the Aloo Tikki Chaat. The food was hot and brought in quickly. Each portion was enough for one and filling. 

Very reasonably priced as the total bill came for 287/- for all of this, plus the ambiance was priceless. :) 

Would go again for - Pakoras, Coffee and Aam panna. 

And all the Art that makes us happy! :) 

The Cultural Triangle Fiesta!

We took day trips to Anuradhapura and to Pollonaruwa and to Sigiriya too. What an experience that was.

Negombo to Anuradhapura took about 3-4 hours by road. The air turned from humid to dry. As we traveled inwards from the sea to land, scenery turned from green to brown. 

And our spirits – from high to higher!

 

Anuradhapura

Sacred City beckons.

The anticipation of reaching the first destination on our itinerary made sure we sat wide eyed and looking out of the window the entire way.

Anuradhapura is an ancient city. The way the heritage sites are woven in the city fabric, it very much feels like nothing much must have changed in the years gone by.

The religious vibes are very strong in the neighbourhood here. Sharing similar ancestry, Indians and Lankans have a comfortable camaraderie. Maybe that’s the reason why we were asked on a number of occasions if we are Buddhists. But then, we also went around the Stupas like locals.

 Ironically, Kri was asked by a group of very excited kids to get pictures clicked with them. which she misunderstood and instead here we see her clicking them instead! ;)

The Stupa stands tall, TALL is more like it. We were mesmerized by the sheer scale of the structure. And by the serenity all around. 

Fluttering Buddhist flags.

The very ingenious Diya stands. These are kept under a specially fabricated structure to protect the flames.

The cucumber seller helped us replenish the energy to go on further. Very hot these part of Lanka are! A slice of Cucumber or watermelon is very very welcome during the day.

There's a huge Step well in the city - clearly demonstrating the planned nature of the settlement even back then.

Lord Buddha's statue at another location.

Moon stone. These are elaborate carvings semicircular monolithic stone pieces set at the staircase entrance to any building of importance.  whew! I am almost out of breath after the loooong description. Just as breathless as we were, when we saw these in person.

Even the Step risers were fabulously designed and executed. Details, details, details.

There are coconuts. And then there are King coconuts! These are lovely golden hued coconuts for all of our parched beings. These coconuts sweeeeeet. Like really really sweet! Available for 50-100 Lankan rupees at the roadside stalls.

This was an interesting tradition we were able to witness. All devotees help carry a red band of cloth to be tied all around the Stupa everyday in the evening. It is fantastic to see the white clothed men women and children excitedly move towards their place of worship.

Sri Lankan Memories

It’s been a year now that we went on this trip. My sister and I. To Sri Lanka.

When we started to plan for the trip, we would only associate two things with the country 

1.   Ravana
2.  Geoffrey Bawa

Oh. And also the teas. The lovely Ceylon teas.

But we came back with more, much much more.

There are a lot of memories we made.

This series will be a capture of some of those memories. 

Of the moments when we got lost. And also of those wherein we found ourselves.

Konark, The Sun Temple

The Sun Temple at Konark has always been an intriguing example of reverence in the Indian mythology. Built in the 13th century, this has been an architectural marvel not only for the detailed carvings it houses but for the sheer concept of the same.
The Sun god or the Surya devta as we lovingly call him has been known to be flamboyance personified. He arrives in a chariot no less, drawn by seven horses depicting each colour of the rainbow.
The temple, therefore, not surprisingly has been built as a chariot befitting only the head of the navagraha, the Adidev, Lord Surya.

Karna, also called the greatest warrior in Mahabharata has been fabled to be the progeny of Surya.



Being always fascinated by Surya- lord of light, presiding over the interplay of light and shadow in the architectural parlance, this has been on the must-visit list for many years.

From the History of Architecture lessons in the architecture school to be here at the Konark Sun Temple. Wow. A photographic journey through the wonder that it is. 

The magnificent entrance to the Temple - the Singha Dwar.

Am I looking up at you, or are you looking down at me. :)

Paying the respects.

 The horse that chariot-ed  the Sun.

Lovely colours of the local devotees.

The Natya mandir, a home to the lovely devdaasis back then-in the more tolerant of times. 

Humongous wheel of the Sun chariot! Each spoke here represents the 'pahar' in a day. The day, early on was known to have 8 pahar. Each spanning 3 hours, totaling 24. The spokes have the stories of different people carved on each one of them - detailing out the pahar by pahar activities. 

Pedestal of the Chariot. Details out the daily routine of the people in that era

 I like being careful, do you too? :P

 The lovely stretch of beach enroute Konark to Puri.

Humayun's Tomb

Once upon a time at the Neemrana Fort Palace. Delhi-Jaipur Highway.

Until we had finally reached the fort, the nondescript signboards and the ambiguous gps service made us wonder if we were indeed on the right track.

the gleaming blue pool. an oasis in the arid landscape.

 the holi kund.

 simple. effective. great design.

 splash.

 what's near what's far. what's big what's small. it's all relative.

 Jaalis and louvers, intrinsic elements ever since the Indians learnt to build. a boon for the tropical climate. and the purdah system.