Recently I went on a trip to Jodhpur. During that time I was using twitter to update whatever came into my mind “on the spot” and also to document my trip for a later revisit. Many people asked me if there’s one place where all my updates, spread over a period of 6 days, can be seen together, so here it is!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jan 3rd

final packing happening for Jodhpur. train seems to be on time. # 6:37 PM Jan 3rd from Seesmic

Seated in the train. en route to jodhpur. my dad just dropped me, @mojosanjay n his wifey at sarai rohilla station. quaint place. # 10:09 PM Jan 3rd from mobile web

And we’ve embarked on our journey on time! had forgotten Wat its like to peer out of the door of a moving train :p # 10:40 PM Jan 3rd from mobile web

Seems i was right all along! the great indian tweetup shall happen on the train! @shivamvij is in same coach as us! # 12:06 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

Looks like i just shocked @shivamvij outta his wits! by identifying him in the same coach n introducing myself :p # 12:25 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

The ppl in my timeline currently in a train- @mojosanjay @shivamvij @bdutt @s4sukhdeep n of course me # 12:31 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

@shivamvij i was anyway gonna ask u, even if Twitter hadnt existed. btw guy under ur berth – his eyes almost popped out when u squealed :p # 12:35 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

settling down with @ashokbanker’s gods of war. # AM Jan 4th from mobile web

Jan 4th

Our train’s running at least 2hrs late . rajasthan is covered with fog # 10:36 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

Forgot to carry extra AAA cells for my mp3 player else u all may have got live commentary on my music like in my bhopal trip :p # 11:39 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

Omg! the train’s so late they’ve started taking orders for lunch! kab padharenge tumro desh? on a good note the sun popped out just now! # 11:55 AM Jan 4th from mobile web

@mojosanjay sounds like brain biryani that u get in chandNi chowk. eww # 12:04 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

Just told @mojosanjay n wifey abt how once @culdivsac almost missed getting onto a train in search of a cola bar. chain pulled.much drama. # 12:12 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

For year 2009: 5 most popular tweeple are @gulpanag @shashitharoor @b50 @twilightfairy @anaggh Check http://is.gd/5H7ze ^AK # 12:43 PM Jan 4th from web Retweeted by you and 4 others

Finally reached.quite sunny n warm here. quaint place devi bhavan. made of sandstone n lotsa bougainvillea. feel sleepy now # 1:58 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

Liking sunny jodhpur. every city i goto i want to own real estate! # 3:07 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

Sitting with owners of the place where we r staying who turn out to b family friends of @mojosanjay’s wife! # 4:01 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

They tell us they own the property where most of dor was shot with @gulpanag it was just before its renovation. will check it out # 4:03 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

@paavani there’s no such thing as free lunch or stay :p btw i uploaded a flickr pic before leaving @mojosanjay # 4:04 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

At nai sarak. not v different from the one in delhi. ear muffs seem to be the rage here! all hawkers wear them too # 5:53 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

And @mojosanjay just got pushed by a calf as he was standing in its way! survival of the fittest. or should i say the horniest :p # 5:58 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

Having a camera is like a magnet for all street kids shouting hello n wanting their pic clicked. if u oblige they ask for money! # 6:18 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

Beautiful twilight shots i got. saw some shops selling funny looking vaseline in green colour! most ppl r interested in getting clicked # 6:52 PM Jan 4th from mobile web

M in august company! thanks 2 all ye followers! RT @90di: 5 most poplr tweeple yr 2009: @gulpanag @shashitharoor @b50 @twilightfairy @anaggh # 7:01 PM Jan 4th from dabr

Now that @iamsrk is here, no chance for us mortals to make it to any popular top lists # :p 7:05 PM Jan 4th from dabr

Can anyone suggest a good restaurant in jodhpur pref rajasthani cuisine. nothing too fancy # 7:53 PM Jan 4th from dabr

Jan 5th

i always wonder about olden times Wen i see heritage. Planning to cover the mehrangarh fort tomorrow. # 12:32 AM Jan 5th from mobile web

The sky is an incredible azure blue in jodhpur. lovely. almost like ladakh # 3:40 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

Spent the day at mehrangarh. now watching durrie making in progress. some local artisans singing their version of Nimbuda. # 3:52 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

@madversity yes i know. @vijaybainsla err no never seen green vaseline ever @pritishnandy delhi in jeans n shirt? Wat were u thinking :p # 4:38 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

Looks like ‘top 5 in 2009′ khitaab by @90di has got me many new followers. welcome ppl, hope to keep u interested n make it worth ur time # 4:42 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

Out of the top 5 in 2009 by @90di – m following all & m also being followed by all except @shashitharoor. wonder when he wd if he does :p # 4:59 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

ravikapoor">.@ravikapoor one assumes that if @shashitharoor wd follow non-celebs like us it might make him more aware of wat WE want in our govt? # 5:49 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

Caught some sunlight at the golden hour. saw the blue city from the fort. the sounds of the city travel far.almost a person it is like. # 5:54 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

Unfortunate truth- every fort i’ve visited has ppl peeing on the parapets! confronting them makes them turn a deaf ear. disgusting behaviour # 6:00 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

The sun has set. azaan calling out. the whole city’s reverberating with that.twinkling lights r slowly coming on in the blue city of jodhpur # 6:02 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

@flyyoufools wanted to shame them by clicking their pic. but realised its least of their concerns. nothing shames such freaks # 6:06 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

twilight time! took long exposure shots. used my purse as tripod. lovely shades in the sky # 6:33 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

The sandstone path. the swallows chirruping. the wind blowing. the maharanis would have passed all this before making sati marking on walls! # 6:44 PM Jan 5th from mobile web

@ravikapoor m sure all celebs like @shashitharoor get bombarded with info, bt dunno how much of it is relevant.hence “normal” ppl suggestion # 10:49 PM Jan 5th from Seesmic in reply to RaviKapoor

almost every shop in Jodhpur writes “recommended by lonely planet” for itself! along with some french mag names too. smart at marketing # 11:01 PM Jan 5th from Seesmic

Jan 6th

Smelt lot of ittar today at the fort.one was opium. smelt like incense sticks. one was called monsoon. did smell a bit like the rain on mud! # 12:26 AM Jan 6th from mobile web

Off to ossiyan for the day. agenda is to see the temples, camel ride, check out fort used for shooting of dor # 10:39 AM Jan 6th from mobile web

to All followers esp new ones – m currently travelling n have limited connectivity via phone. frequent replies not possible.pliss to adjust # 11:26 AM Jan 6th from mobile web

@enbose thanks. did u mean don’t get fogged out? jodhpur is sunny n bright # 11:32 AM Jan 6th from mobile web

Sitting in a vehicle without a seat belt on makes me really uncomfortable. sadly the ones in backseats of most cabs r mere showpieces # 11:34 AM Jan 6th from mobile web

What is it about the winters n the warm sun that makes one so sleepy! # 11:57 AM Jan 6th from mobile web

First stop! the haveli ummedgarh where @gulpanag’s dor was shot. girish karnad stayed here in the film. the place is full of pigeons # 12:09 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Tikam chand from the haveli says hi to @gulpanag # 12:10 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

A central courtyard around which the main house builds up. a tulsi plant in the designated corner.oh for the want of space in modern houses! # 12:29 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

@aparnaandhare yeah i don’t have a courtyard :p one always wants more n more greenery # 1:04 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Out from the different world that was ummedgarh. the silence only broken by pigeons taking flight, sparrows, parrots n bulbuls tweeting. # 1:07 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Just saw some windmills in jodhpur. the driver tells us that they belong to @juniorbachchan n ash! they get carbon credits for it # 1:23 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Saw very few solar panels in rajasthan considering the sun they get. on that note, reached sun temples now # 1:25 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Just had bajra roti with ghee n gud/gul at a local dhaba. # 4:17 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Riding on camel back n tweeting :p the camel standing up was really rotfl thing # 4:46 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Off the camel back now. plan to watch the sunset from the sand dunes. # 5:13 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Done with the sunset. n took some silhouette shots. the sun goes down really fast in the last leg # 6:01 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

One more camel ride done n we r on our way back to jodhpur.the camel owners held my hair in their hands to check if it was real! much fun # 6:29 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

one camels name was maanak. the other was paapu. 6 & 8 yr old respectively. shitting n pissing all the time. :p apart from giving bumpy ride # 6:40 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

@om not really  @madversity hardly straw like :p @pathfyynder was there today # 8:53 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Looks like bollywood was there in autoexpo today. much like they r now on Twitter. just saw @iamsrk on news thanking us Twitter ppl! # 10:35 PM Jan 6th from mobile web

Jan 7th

Delhi u better get the fog outta the way by the time i get back from sunny jodhpur. almost got sunburnt yesterday # 9:22 AM Jan 7th from mobile web

Though i’ve driven in zero visibility fog many times n had lot of fun it can be done without. # 9:26 AM Jan 7th from mobile web

pigs n beautiful peacocks scavenging the same garbage dump together. yeh mera india. # 9:34 AM Jan 7th from mobile web

In jodhpur ppl seem to love driving on the wrong side. yes more than in delhi. auto drivers seem to be on a permanent opium diet. they sway. # 9:36 AM Jan 7th from mobile web

At bal samand lake palace. beautiful place. bt surprisingly not a single soul cd b spotted to direct us around.wandered around huge estate # 2:02 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

Saw a colony of bats on a banyan tree. for the 1st time in my life i found them ‘cute’.they wrapped their huge wings like blankets arnd self # 2:06 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

seen mehrangarh,nai sarak,osian village,mandore garden,balsamand palace in jodhpur.Wat else is worth? ummed bhavan has 3500 cover charge # 4:09 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

@pritishnandy quite nice weather here. no fog. comfy warm sun. nights r chilly. a nice azure blue sky to boot. # 5:31 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

@pritishnandy @hiway i know ppl who r scared of anything that moves # 5:34 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

so we weren’t even allowed near ummed bhavan cos museum closes at 5.main hotel has cover charges of 3500 per person just to enter! no thanks # 5:39 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

@pritishnandy it is quite nice indeed i like quiet places n the place where we r is one such place. balsamand lake palace is another # 5:49 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

@austereseeker none at all. din let us get past the gate! not even to exterior. # 5:51 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

@lakshmi_h was planning to add hashtag but it takes up precious real estate in tweets. m likely to put all related tweets manually in a post # 5:54 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

Now sitting by the pool. the sun’s gone down. sounds of an egret like bird r filling the area. @ashokbanker’s gods of war for company # 6:09 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

@anaggh my pic uploading is quite bad .. will try to make one album or a travelogue or something.. may write for a paper too # 6:52 PM Jan 7th from Seesmic in reply to anaggh

me there too RT @mojosanjay: sitting by the blue pool at the hotel, in lush green, here’s a pic of what i see http://tweetphoto.com/8198662 # 7:00 PM Jan 7th from Seesmic

@Twindhu no its the pool at devi bhawan, where we r staying @mojosanjay # 7:52 PM Jan 7th from Seesmic in reply to Twindhu

@pritishnandy ”myinnisfree” is a place? or u have ur own place in every city? # 8:07 PM Jan 7th from Seesmic in reply to PritishNandy

Plan to goto bishnoi village tomorrow. hope to spot a blackbuck , a chinkara or two. will shoot but not like salman khan # 11:07 PM Jan 7th from mobile web

Jan 8th

On our way to bishnoi village. in an open jeep! covered up in shawls. comfy. but can’t imagine a stunt like this in delhi at all # 8:37 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

Salman blackbuck shooting seems to be the high point in the history of this village. all references start with that. sad in a way # 8:40 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

Baba ramdev seems to be quite popular here in jodhpur. his face seems to have launched a million health centres. # 8:43 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

Saw a potter at work. not the harry kinds. i tried my hand at the wheel too! got the cliched potter wheel shots too # 10:09 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

@cgawker thank u sire. to Wat do i owe this pleasure? # 10:13 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

Saw the opium making ‘ceremony’. tasted a few drops. extremely bitter. calm n serene mud houses. fat & unafraid sparrows pecking on millet. # 11:12 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

@flyyoufools yeah? i said ‘fly you fools’ to those fat sparrows. they din even bother. kept munching the millet :p # 11:22 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

now at a weavers place. showing us how he weaves durries. m being the good samaritan by translating for some foreigners n the weaver # 11:30 AM Jan 8th from mobile web

The wildlife part of our trip was an anticlimax. got to see only deer n neelgai. no chinkara no blackbuck. the buck’s stopped here. # 12:28 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Done some shopping. enjoying the sun before dreaded dhundh in delhi. photography in old city now. have had my fill of kids asking for money # 4:37 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

The shopkeepers here r v smart. keeping in mind the clientele they put up toilet paper rolls at the entrance of shops.like the nimbu mirchi. # 6:06 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Ok jodhpur i m NOT a foreigner dammit.its getting to the point of harassing the way everyone comes n says hello wats ur name n asks for foto # 8:09 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Our safar back to delhi has just started becoming suffer. seems train is 2hrs late from jodhpur.dunno how much it would be further # 8:14 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Ok jodhpur i m NOT a foreigner dammit.its getting to the point of harassing the way everyone comes n says hello wats ur name n asks for foto # 8:09 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

@zigzackly actually they see the camera n want their foto only, not mine. but its quite harassing – the zoo display animal feeling # 8:17 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

@cgawker ah so its all good then :p. M back to city life by tomorrow # 8:21 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Thank u all for the follow fridays. finally i realise its a friday. regular programming to continue from next week # 10:02 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Sitting in the jhoola opposite the pond with the koi fish. at this time i should’ve been in my train instead. its so damn late. groan # 10:19 PM Jan 8th from mobile web

Finally seated in the train. still a lot of time to departure. this trip would have been best as a road trip in a car # 12:35 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

Goodbye blue skies of jodhpur. goodbye starry nights. hello white wall of fog aka delhi # 12:47 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

The indian railway coach we r in, is one of the worst i’ve seen in a long time. filthy & modified in a way that the end seats r compromised # 1:04 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

All those asking, its AC2 not even 3rd AC. now requested TT & exchanged the berths with better ones # 1:49 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

Jan 9th

areas near alwar seem sunny in parts. hope delhi is too. # 11:03 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

The jodhpur travel microlog has come to an end. thanks to those who kept writing in betwn. removed the illusions of it being a monologue # 11:06 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

@nithinkd that’s good news. sara credit khud hee? :p i got the warm sunshine from jodhpur too # 11:08 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

Khatara AC2 coach that we r in doesn’t even have plug points for charging! no blue night light either. total fail! # 11:18 AM Jan 9th from mobile web

Reached ncr now. hope to reach our station soon. # 1:18 PM Jan 9th from mobile web

back to home sweet home after the jodhpur trip and finally online.. what did I miss in the past week ppl? # 7:32 PM Jan 9th from Seesmic

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I have been powdered over. As I walk back from office, I can see white swirls all over my hair.. the whole place has that bluish tinge. The night is not black any more. It’s blue. It’s started snowing since Monday. Sigh..I am more of a summers person. I don’t get all mushy when snow falls. It’s the snow that does. I don’t get all excited seeing everything only in white, forget black & white. I need colour. If I had to see white flakes, I would just look at my own reflection in the mirror sans moisturiser. I don’t need lessons in skiing. Every day is a new lesson in the art of balance. It pays to know your own centre of gravity and of course your weight. Plus that weight of the groceries. Plus that weight on your mind. But it does feel nice to imagine that now I have the freedom to build those unearthly snowmen like Calvin. In a span of 4 months, I have seen spring, summer, rains, autumn and now snow too. Wow.

Actually speaking snow does make me feel nice and lucky also. When it reminds me of a skimpily-clad-Sonam or a baring-it-all Kimi Katkar or even a I’m-still-in-south-India ‘Chandni’ aka Sridevi, braving the snow during their respective scenes. It also gives me a sense of “making a mark”. Somehow when I walk along those deserted roads, with those swirly things dancing in my hair, I start identifying with
“tum samein kee ret par, chhodte chalo nishan, chhodte chalo nishaan;
Dekhti tumhe zameen, dekhta hai asmaan, dekhta hai asmaan”.

It’s time for some “art of balance” and hence I am off to Switzerland for a quick trip. Wish you all a happy, colourful, sparkling, joyous, prosperous, safe and if you desire – snowy – Diwali!!!

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…is what I want right now. I am drowning in a lot of things on work front and personal front both. Also on my agenda is a rushed trip to Paris – the romance capital, with guess whom – I, me and myself. (Wow, I have choice on which one to call Irene). As of now, not only do I need to “finnish” my work, give myself some much needed peace of mind and purge all those thoughts niggling at my mind for quite some time, but also need to chalk out an itinerary for the 4 days I spend in Paris. I also need to find myself a soft copy of the Da Vinci code, which I know very well, I would not be able to scan before I visit the Louvre museum. I also need to get a jhatpat crash course on *how* to use my hi-fi new digicam that is the most expensive impulsive shopping I ever did, last night, just so that I have a good camera before leaving for Paris. My good old Sony handycam met with a much tragic accident – OJ spill. It’s no consolation that it’s such a common thing that it’s even got an abbreviation on the net – this orange juice spill thing. The faithful old thing still clicks great pictures, but unfortunately no movies, and I almost feel disloyal by beginning to use the new Canon Powershot S2 IS. As if all the above mentioned things aren’t enough, apparently now I have more attachment to my non-living posessions than even my own colleagues or the neighbour’s kids.

Ho-hum. Well anyway, I can put “buying a new camera” as trying to give some competition to a certain Leonardo da vinci, in the reproducing-the-subtle-smile-of-a-lady department. Hopefully that smile would be my own.

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She glanced nervously towards the buildings towering over her. Her hawk eyes scanned the parapets and terraces for any movements. “You never know, when they might strike.”, she thought to herself. Even though she had taken cover from the overcrowded parallel streets, by switching to the narrow bylanes between blocks, she was still feeling uneasy. It was already difficult to make her way through the seemingly desolate streets, trying to keep an eye on the road as well as an eye above for ariel strikes too. The feeling of being watched was constantly dogging her. She was walking in such a hurry, it seemed that she was almost running, but since she didn’t want to come into notice, her gait was a funny sort of “fast walk”. The past instances of being hounded kaleidoscoped through her mind.

And with this background dear reader, here’s wishing you a very HappyHoli. Please don’t throw balloons/eggs/what-have-you’s at passersby.

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No, I am not on a blog break or anything. It’s just work, work and more work, which has left me with little time for anything else. But I’ll definitely resurface soon enough. Here’s wishing everyone a bright, sparkled diwali and Id mubarak!! Hope everyone has a safe, pollution free, dangerous noise level free, traffic jams free – weekend.

Hope you like these small little fireworks on this page.

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Shucks! It’s that time of the year again… when the year is ending and I am yet to come to terms with the number of resolutions I had started with and the usual consistency with which I miss the so called ’set goals’ for myself. It’s that time of the year again, when I am wondering what to do on New Years Eve and even after vowing that I wouldn’t spend it at home, rolling in the New Year while watching some jerks histrionics on TV, that’s what I end up doing year after year . But it wasn’t so this particular year. Luckily I was in Japan at this time of the year, last year. I was excited and sad about it at the same time. Excited cause I was in an all new place and would get to see something I haven’t seen ever and also because I would have the independence to do as I please, which gets toned down majorly when I am home… (yeah talk abt it being 21st century and all that, but it only implies more restrictions AFA my parents are concerned). Was sad, cause after all, I wouldn’t be able to spend it with my folks back home…kya karein the grass is always greener on the other side. But definitely the excitement was much more than the despondency and I was in major josh about the new year plans.

Now it so happened that initially I was going to be all alone (from the desi junta at my office), but later, it so turned out that there were 5 of us there on New Years Eve. Our plans were subject to a lot of hindrances. The first and foremost being that we were all at the client site, working our butts off, working on weekends etc and the prospects of 1st Jan being in jeopardy were quite high. The other reason was that we were being thrown out of our accomodation.. ok I’ll substitute a politically correct term -> we had been asked to vacate our guesthouse (also called skyhouse) because it was to undergo renovation and we were supposed to shift to some place else, maximum by 31st dec (that was not a headache for our client, but for us). This problem had sort of been taken care of by yours truly, at least AFA finding a suitable place which would be convenient for us desis in terms of cooking, costs, distance etc, is concerned. But the shifting bit was still pending. So I’ll cut down to the actual moment, cause that is the interesting bit. Eventually there were just 3 of us, for a so called new year bash. The other 2 preferred to gift themselves some sound sleep instead. Believe me, it’s a very sensible gift, if you have been slogging like that. However, unlike those 2, we, (P, R and I), were bent upon making it a memorable New Year celebration for all further ones to come. We were pretty sure, we wouldn’t be coming back to Japan ever again if we could help it, so this was our only chance to celebrate New Years here. We decided that we would shift into our new Hotels on 31st Eve and then leave for gallivanting around Tokyo!

On D-day, (31st) we left a little earlier than usual (read on time) so that we could get on with shifting. I had the maximum stuff to do. I had to pack up the mini kitchen I had setup and also finish off the cookable stuff because the new hotel in which I was to shift, didnt have the provision of cooking. Also, not only did we have to vacate the room, we also had to CLEAN it up properly, get it APPROVED from the attendent and *then* check in into the new accomodation! For this, an ‘appointment’ had already been fixed with the attendent and there’s nothing in the world that the Japanese are more particular about, if it’s not punctuality. Now these were mammoth tasks especially when one is in a hurry to take some time off for New Year celebrations. Imagine having a deadline to meet here too. Anyway, I hurriedly got along with it. Thankfully we had already done a photo session of that place earlier, anticipating this schedule. Packing up took a lot of time and before that I also had to finish of the perishable items. So I decided I would make Aloo Ke Paranthe to at least finish of the atta and the potatoes. Besides, we deserved some sort of a New Year treat . P & R had already done their bit of packing, cleaning and even inspection. So they came to help me. Here it would enlighten one to know that both P & R are guys and you know how they are in matters of the tummy. They both came to check out how I was doing and of course decided to help me out. I deftly made hot and crisp Aloo ke paranthe with extra ghee (in an effort to finish it off, nothing else) as if that’s what I had been doing all my life, while these two tried to clean up the place and also disposed off the garbage (that was really sweet of them). Of course, they made it a point to rub it in too. I fed them with a lot of paranthas in an attempt to show them my gratitude. Not only were they helping me with my stuff, they were also helping me empty out my kitchen . We were all on a high since we had finally got the chance to go and enjoy ourselves and moreover we were having hot n sumptuous Desi Ghee wale Aloo ke paranthe in *Tokyo*, which was something totally unheard of, at least in our restricted, poverty-stricken desi circles.

So the itinerary had already been chalked out by who else but yours truly. I had asked a couple of Japanese colleagues about what we could do on New Years Eve and I was told that there are 2 things we could do. We could either go to a Buddhist temple, chant through the night and be blessed by the holy sunrise (which would thaw us), the next morning or we could go to a particular street in Tokyo called the Tokyo Millenario and check it out. Supposedly it looks absolutely heavenly and breathtaking. There’s some lighting done on the street and lots of crowds throng to see this. Needless to say, that we were not inclined to spend the whole night in a temple, waiting for sunrise. So we chose option#2. We also decided that we would go to Roppongee after that. Here I must add, that Roppongee is a rather cosmopolitan place especially for Japan. We had already been there once and for the first time saw a place in Japan which had a large number of non-Japanease population rather than a Japanese one. That place is full of pubs, hard rock cafe’s, Karaoke Bars, strip clubs.. err you get the picture. In other words it was a rather hep place and it also offered a lot of variety in terms of food and entertainment.

Our plan was to check out Tokyo Millenario and and then set off to Roppongee. We would spend the whole night in Roppongee and then go to Akhiabara which is the place where all Desis buy their electronic stuff from. This place has its sales on special occassions, New Year being one of them. We were aware that a throwaway sale (it really is that) is on from the 1st of Jan and what better way to join the queue there than going straight from Roppongee. Here I must add, that all desis there (and this means Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Indians, Srilankans and Nepalese) queue up at the place much before sunrise in true desi style. Need I explain more! So having decided the schedule, we set out at around 10:30pm for our first halt – Tokyo Millenario. My japanese colleague had very helpfully given me the printout of a map of that area on which he highlighted the streets and wrote their names in english and also told me how to get there. (Those guys go out of their way to help ppl). Now it had been quite a while since we had devoured the Aloo Paranthe and both P & R were desperately searching for the ‘real stuff’ (read booze). We checked out all convenience stores after getting off at Tokyo station, but the lord had other designs for us. Not even a single store had anything of their interest coz it was all sold out! We didn’t have any contingency plan for this situ. Finally they managed to get some fruit beer from somewhere and decided to make do with a can each and wash it down with a doughnut. I also had a sandwich or something and just as we were getting out of the store, we saw humungous crowds running in a particular direction. Panic struck us as we wondered what was wrong, but then a brain wave made us realise that they might be going to watch the ethereal Tokyo Millenario. As was evident, we also mingled with the crowd and started rushing in that direction. After some time we saw that there wasn’t just that trail of ppl, in fact ppl seemed to be pouring from every nook, corner, alley and there was a lot of police to control the movement. There were some traffic lights for this heavy traffic! Imagine a number of lanes of *ppl* moving based on the traffic lights, the way we do with vehicles! Till this time we were sure that this mad crowd was definitely heading for something big and saw the crowds merging into a particular street after some time. But even though the crowds were merging somewhere, we were just not able to fathom the end point, what lay ahead .. the street which was supposed to get lit up at 12. It was highly amazing to see that inspite of the size of the crowd, it was still quite a tranquil affair and nobody was panicking, screaming, breaking out of the line or generally creating a ruckus. Comparatively Indian crowds have never been tame.

Suddenly the clock struck 12! Contrary to what one would expect, there was no commotion in the crowd.. people didnt even bother to wish those around them..anyhow we wished each other, feeling silly that we have entered the new year just standing in a stagnant crowd! As we progressed further, suddenly everybody was out with their camera cell phones and going clickety click. ( a very common thing in Japan). We could see some lights in the distance but nothing much. Finally apna number bhee aaya, we also managed to enter that street which had rows and rows of arches covered with coloured lights and the strains of some sad mournful western classical music (it almost sounded like someone’s death ceremony instead of new years) reached our ears. Both P & R were completely disgusted by then. The Tokyo millenario had turned out to be a damp squib and they had definitely seen better lightworks in our desi weddings itself.

We decided to chuck it and reach Roppongee. We also had plans to eat there itself. Roppongee was a very different scene altogether. The streets were full of people and litter!! This was something quite amazing since Japan is a really clean place and no one litters around. May be New Years was an exception. But there were more exceptions than this. Instead of a savvy cosmopolitan crowd, we saw our own desis on every galli, nukkad, drinking away to glory and mouthing punjabi obscenities by the dozen. Khair, P & R continued with their search for the ‘real thing’. We scanned almost all stores, but by that time (2am) nothing was left. I was tired of their futile search and was hungry, but P & R were just not willing to start their day without any booze. Finally we entered another store, where they managed to find some Bacardi. I was too disgusted to enter the store and hovered around the entrance. Suddenly some unknown desi guy came upto me and wished me ‘Happy New Year’. Not in a mood to pick on something afresh, I also responded with the same. That chap went inside the store and as luck would have it, came out with P & R. To his amazement when I started coaxing P & R to hurry up, he realised that I was with them. One should have seen his face as he told P & R that he had thought I was spanish and was surprised to learn that I was a desi too. Somehow P & R managed to get rid of this guy who was quite unwilling to leave us. Now came the booze party. On not finding anything smaller, P & R had purchased a 1 ltr bottle of Rum! They had also bought 2 small coke bottles to dilute it (which were definitely not enough). I wanted to break the bottle on their head itself as they were *still* not willing to go for a meal. They wanted to ‘enjoy’ their drink first. The booze party started on the street itself, like all the other desi groups hanging around that place. Obviously these guys were not able to finish it and wanted assistance from me. I was also continuously reminded of how cold it was and how some sips would keep me warm. I had a couple of sips (neat). Itne mein ek aur desi jee hum logon ko milne aaye. He came upto us and wanted to shake everyones hands and wish them new years. Complied with this drunk blithering idiots wishes too. P & R were dead sure, that he must have placed a bet with his gang that he would accost us and shake hands with me or something. By this time, I was not willing to listen to any other excuse for not going for our dinner.

We set out for a particular Thai Restaurant there. By the time we reached that building, I could make out that both P & R were quite drunk and were being quite funny. I was also feeling woozy as I had managed to fill in a lot. Anyhow, somehow managed to drag these two upto the 14th floor of the building only to be informed that the restaurant had closed. We had spotted a Hard Rock Cafe somewhere and set out for that. When we reached there, it was already 4:15am and the last order was at 4am. With no other resorts left to us, we set out for Mc Donalds. By this time, P was going on thanking me (repeatedly) for getting him there and how he was having the best time of his life. I was also thanked for being his true buddy (huh?). R was quite happy with the way things were and somehow he had probably started thinking he was a plane or something. He spread his arms and ran across the streets saying, ‘I LOVE JAPAN, JAPAN IS REALLY GREAT!’. He even tried his hand at a somersault and fell flat on his face. Needless to say, all this was attracting a lot of attention. P was slightly more sober than R. We managed to get to Mc Donalds somehow, where R told the attendent at the counter, ‘Give the lady what she wants, I have a million dollars’, pointing at me while making this claim. The attendent was all smiles and took our order. God knows what these ppl ordered but I wanted a hot chocolate for myself. I didn’t feel hungry anymore. When the stuff came, R tried to feed me with some French fries by stuffing them into my mouth! I kept cajoling R to come in ‘hosh’. R was literally ‘jhooming’ and P had somehow sobered up seeing that R was all out of control. R kept on with his jabber and now it was his turn to thank me. He also started telling all onlookers how good this cute li’l girl (me!!!) is. He even proceeded to pull my cheeks! Now *that* did it, but I was feeling quite sickly by this time to give R a good retort and just managed to push him away. We decided, it was time to make a move and went to the station.

Even though I wont be able to highlight the train system in Japan in this blog, I would like to mention that one has to buy tickets there, which are sensed by magnetic detectors and then a person is allowed to pass through. If someone however doesn’t do this, small obstructions suddenly jut out to prevent the person from getting through to the platforms. On this particular day, there was just no stopping anyone, and everyone pushed there way through the obstructions! Yet another desi, came up to me and asked my name. I was quite taken aback at this attitude and before I could give him a ‘what’s ur problem look’, R had already told him my name. ‘This cute little girl is my best friend’, he added. Thankfully that guy introduced himself and after getting a cold shoulder from me and funny answers from R, he made a hasty exit. We finally managed to find some suitable place and sat down on the steps there as I was not feeling too well. Suddenly I started feeling really vomitish. Before I knew it, I had started puking! P quickly zapped back into ‘hosh’ and took me to the ladies restroom while he waited outside. I emptied out whatever little I had managed to eat and felt *so* sickly, I couldn’t believe it. Somehow I managed to wash up but couldn’t help feeling rather weak and ill. Some passerby asked if I needed help, but I declined. Due to so much coughing, somehow one of my earings came loose and fell into a drain nearby. On seeing my face in the mirror, I looked like a nightmare, hair all strewn, lipstick all washed out and looking like something the cat dragged in. I managed to drag myself to the loo and hardly had I entered it, when I heard P calling out my name! I snapped back to my senses wondering what he was doing in the ladies restroom! I assured him that I was ok. He had come inside looking for me cause I had taken so long and he was thinking I might have fainted somewhere.

After I went out I was informed by P that R was also somewhere in the mens room. Feeling too tired and ill I sat down on the floor, with P settling beside me. Although I wasn’t sleepy, I closed my eyes. Hardly a few minutes passed by when I heard someone talking to P about me!! I was upto my throat with that typical desi attitude and didn’t bother to even open my eyes. ‘Is she your sister?’, I heard that guy asking P and also why I was sitting there with my eyes shut. P gave him some info to mull upon. I heard that he was a Pakistani guy. ‘Desis will always be the same everywhere’, I thought. Before long, he was on his way, of course *after* wishing us a happy new year. It was quite some time and R was still in the men’s room. P told me that he was going to look for him there and now I was alone to fend myself from anymore drunk desis. I sat with my eyes open this time and tried to look as menacing as possible. Soon P returned with the news that R had passed out in the restroom itself and was in a bad state.. bad enough to not know what was happening and to not even get up. He had even misplaced his bag somewhere which contained his passport, but thankfully P found it on some peg in the restroom. By now P was completely in control and decided that he would leave me back to the hotel and we would skip the Akhiabara sale. The vision of a hot bath and a warm bed was too tempting to resist, but then I recalled my sisters ‘farmaish’ for an SLR. So I decided that I would go ahead with the sale. I was feeling much better now, but R was indisposed and we didnt know what to do. P made the weird decision of leaving him there only. He figured that once he’ll come back to his senses, he would get back himself, while we could carry on. Despite my objections, this is what we did. We left R in the restroom and went to Akhiabara. We reached there at 6am thinking we would be the first ones in the queue. To our dismay, the queue was already spiralling down the street and we were somewhere quite in the end. It was *so* cold, that my limbs were going numb. To warm up our bodies, we started jogging on the spot and running etc. But that didn’t really generate much kinetic energy to keep us warm. The store was to open at 10am! Imagine the piteous state we were in. Finally the clock struck 10 and we got in. But by the time we got in ( people are supposed to enter 1 by 1 in the order of the queue and make purchases), the items on sale had already been sold out. It was 12pm on 1st Jan by the time we got home. I finally took a hot bath and crashed, vowing never to have any rum again. Even the rum chocolates in my room nauseated me now. All in all, the whole experience was quite enjoyable (apart from being troublesome), especially R’s antics. He got back safe and sound. Some japanese person found him in that inebriated state and seated him in some appropriate train to get back. The 3 of us have a good time whenever we recollect the New year party we had.

Oh and did I mention, this year also I am gonna be sitting in bed watching some jerks histrionics on TV. Maybe it’s not so bad after all. Happy New Year!!

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….a small island with beautiful, clean, pristine beaches, huge groves of Casurina trees and small convenient looking bamboo log huts for you. The huts are on a higher level than the ground on a ‘Machaan‘ of some sort (like cottages in Assam etc). Just outside your hut you have a hammock tied, to pamper your sense of lethargy and revel in that ecstasy..the lazy afternoon sun streaming through the trees while you are napping with a book (that you have been reading) on your face..aah!! bliss…of course, you have all kinds of nature sounds to keep you company.. the waves bashing against the beach, the crickets making their sounds, small little birds twittering around.. peace, quiet and solitude..one could live here forever.

The innumerable dry twigs from the casurina trees form a carpet on the soft sand. You already feel like walking barefeet. The fresh air makes you take in gulps of it. You switch to exploring mode and head straight in any direction. It’s a small island, you are bound to reach the sea. You notice that the trees suddenly stop after a point and from there starts the virginal beach..the sun is blindingly bright but thankfully the trees form a cool green canopy over you. The waves are gleamingly furious and lashing with full force. It’s high tide. The sand also gleams and gives the impression that you would be burnt alive if you step on it barefeet. You take in the expanse of the neverending Arabian Sea in your view, spot a couple of small islands and then look beyond where there’s just the water bobbing up and down and marvel at the way the ocean seems to have a life of its own..and the way it reminds you of a wild animal wanting to break free.

You promise yourself to come here the first thing when the sun weakens a bit. You notice makeshift showers erected at regular intervals, just before the beach starts. They have been put up to wash your hands/feet from any sand. (you can also do a ’satyam shivam sundaram’ if you feel like it ).
You get a notification from your stomach in terms of a groan (mebbe a growl) that it’s time to put something in it. You head for the central bamboo log cafe but suddenly remember that you should wash your hands and also check out the bamboo log hut assigned to you. You head for the hut, climb the wooden stairs and get in the room. Whoa! The room has a comfy spic and span look about it, with all necessary basic amenities thrown in. There’s an attached bathroom which is bigger than you would expect on a small island like this. There’s arrangement for electricity (through generators at specific hours). The beds look *really* inviting and the sound of the sea is actually lulling you to sleep. Hunger wins over sleep and you wash and go to the cafe.

After a sumptous meal, you decide to go to the beach. You head for the beach and this time, the sun is almost kissing the ocean over the horizon. The waves seem to be reaching out just so to catch a bit of it. It seems to work.. the sun is sinking deeper and deeper.

The beach looks much bigger and the ocean much farther. Lot of water has receded and it is low tide now. You eagerly step on the sand and almost sink in! The dry sand is so soft it takes you in..all over the place you see small little crabs scurrying around hastily as they see a Goliath (You!) approaching. You are left to see the zillion patterns they have made on the sand while digging a home for themselves. They actually dig, collect a lot of sand, make globules out of it and deposit them on the outer surface.

You reach the wet sand and its easier to walk. It has retained a lot of water. The splash of the loud waves excites you and you discard your footwear (you could do the same with your clothes too, the beach is pretty private) and run into the water. The cool water kisses your feet and recedes back as if taking blessings…LOL:-).
You notice more crabs scurrying around for dear life and a lot of starfishes embedded in the sand. In a lot of places the starfish has just left a deep impression in the sand whereas it is actually not there..
It’s getting darker now.. and the sky has various shades of purple, orange, yellow, grey..Every passing moment gives you a newer and more amazing, picturesque sunset. The colorful hues of the sunset reflect on the wet sand and it gets on a deep orange sheen. At the same time, a nascent moon peeps out in one corner of the sky, almost going unnoticed. It’s twilight! You feel one with the nature.

The colors on the sand become deeper and deeper and finally merge into darkness. The sun has completely set and the twinkling lights on the neighbouring coastline can be seen. A lighthouse flashes its rotating light after every few moments and it vaguely reminds you of that story ‘The Foghorn’ that you had read in your english text book at school.

There! How would it be to spend a couple of days in such a place?
Add to it, adventure activities like kayaking and parasailing, nature walks and island exploring, some fun stuff like a volleyball court on the island and a carrom board in the cafe, indescribable experiences like the chance to play your flute with the waves bashing in the background and the serene solitude that the place offers you and it becomes a perfect vacation.

We also had a motorboat ride somewhere into the ocean. This was another nice experience.. the spray of the water on you when you are speeding, the boat bobbing up and down when you shut ignition in the middle of nowhere..you get to feel the ocean up close and personal..it’s almost as if it’s alive and breathing.. a giant amoeba, inhaling and exhaling.. you wait and watch with bated breath to see dolphins.. suddenly you see a whole group jumping in and out of water! But it’s too sudden to be clicked.. a couple of handycams are able to capture it though. A couple of gulls come down and fly very low, suddenly they swoop on the surface of water and you realise that you have seen them lunching. The dolphins play ‘aankh micholi’ a couple of times. The tour includes a close up of all small little inaccessible islands with jagged rocks as a coastline.

The place is Devbagh – a small little, relatively unknown island on the coast of Karnataka. Although the actual stay on the island was just 2 nights and 3 days, I cherish it much more than the rest of my vacation. which I spent at Bangalore (with one day in Mysore thrown in).

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This has been typed out by me..just the way it was jotted down during my train journey from Delhi to Bangalore. It might be a little abstract in portions.. where I have just penned down whatever came to my mind without paying attention to grammar etc.

28th September’03 (have already spent one night in the train)
My train journey consisted of panoramic views whizzing past, green countryside..dotted with stray cattle, past the famous ‘thumbs-up’ point (a name given by travellers on this route to a mountain which has a rock shaped like a thumbs up sign, on its top).
Railway Stations always fill me with a disturbed feeling that I associate with paranoia and tension…mebbe for catching the train on time…the smell of human excreta along with the smell of dirty coaches…the noise of hawkers with their ware, noise of announcements on various platforms…it all disconcerts me.
Till the time of boarding the train, the feeling hadn’t sunk in…had no time to think..was so preoccupied with my work. My parents had freaked out just the previous night when I had come back @12:30 pm in the night from office, that too after having driven back myself at that unearthly hour. No interesting company in this cabin in which I have to spend 2 nights. One talkative kannadiga, bent on knowing my interest in music, literally interviewed me on the topic! He described himself as a good listener of music. He owns 3000 cassettes (”Is that all”, I wanted to ask). Robert Miles makes him cry…he went on asking about my opinion on per singer/group basis ..when we reached George Michael and I was just beginning to wonder whether GM doesn’t make him cry, he promptly added on his own that he did (Jesus to a child seems to be a painful and soul stirring tragedy) and broke into song to no one in particular…

Sheesh! I have got the worst choice possible for a novel to read in the train. I had hurriedly asked my mom for something to read in the train and she handed me a book titled ‘great american short stories’. Interesting you would say, but for the fact that all authors are 18th century ones and most of the stories have either cowboy language (Ye get on the horse) or shakesperean english (thou shalt not read a novel). Too late to repent..

Whatever attempts I make of retreating to my shell get thwarted. FK (friendly Kannadiga) keeps asking me about anything that I happen to be doing. If I read my novel, he wants to know the stories. If I listen to music, he’ll ask me what songs are there in the cassette. Before I knew it, he had asked for my walkman and the next thing I knew was that my treasured possession was in his hands. But I relented, thinking that at least that would occupy him for some time and I would be left alone to myself. I explained Kandisa and Indian Ocean to him, but he couldn’t comprehend it.
Even while listening to the walkman he went on asking me about the other cassettes that I have…told him, but that has whet his appetite more. He wanted to know the 3rd song on the B side or the 5th song on the A side of one of my cassettes!! For heavens! I dont remember them like that! I named a few… he wanted me to *sing* them!! I hesitated, said I am not a public performer.. he pestered.. I end up humming the tune and then singing.. again, it only makes matters worse. He wants me to sing various songs now.. (which are not a part of my cassette collection), recollect their tunes.. I decided that I have had enough and strategised to use his methodology on him. Now *I* asked him to sing particular songs.. some english..some Hindi.. my strategy works!! He’s transformed to a kid who’s been conned into getting engrossed in his own thing. I took out my pen and paper again and jotted something. As expected, he’s inquisitive about what I have been jotting all this while.. wonders if I am a writer or a journalist..later I get branded as a spy..:-). Every time I take out my tools (pen/paper, me no laptop carrying executive), I get referred to as the spy making notes. I’ve come to enjoy it..
FK has started singing songs in all languages he could sing in.. that includes hindi, english, tamil, telugu, malyalam, kannada..even some broken punjabi.

Time 4:30 pm..place: somewhere near Manmad
It’s raining heavily. I have finally managed to get my walkman back and am listening to some great english classics instead of those ‘yellum belluvam’ songs..As the train whizzes through the rain, I see the rear end coaches following like a snakes tail, when the train takes a turn..Chris de Burgh croons ‘Lady in Red’ in my ears as I feel like dancing cheek to cheek, dressed in red…

Time 5:00pm
The FK is becoming a real jukebox (no pun intended). I’ve had an overkill of South Indian songs. As I pump up the volume in my walkman, Ozzy osbourne asks me what I would do if God was one of us, just a slog like one of us…
I drown my auditory senses in music and I see, FK entertaining the rest with his south indian songs, with the utmost zeal and passion.. Occasionally, he glances at me too, with an expression akin to an actor, enacting a duet, when he has to show passion on his face, his eyebrows and eyes expressing intense passion.. I give him one of my disarming smiles as Shanice says, ‘I love your smile‘. The rain’s stopped and the sun peeps through the thick black clouds.

Time: 6:15pm
History is being made. The FK has been crooning for the past 2.5 hrs now. Some guy comes and congratulates him, introduces himself as a bigshot who has known Sonu Nigam from rags to fame… tells him that he must pursue music professionaly. He drops a few more big names like Naseeruddin Shah, Gulshan Kumar etc. and I start thinking he’s a farce. Things get rather melodramatic when he asks for FK’s card and promises him something if he ever shifts base to bombay again.
I get back to my novel with Indian Ocean singing ‘Hai tamasha yeh kya..‘ from Kaun. Pretty apt. A picturesque sunset charms me as I look outside and contemplate. ‘Kaun chaday roz yeh sooraj, pawan kaun phoonke’…apt again.
The sky has a greyish blue hue, whilst the horizon is dense with dark clouds forming weird shapes..thru the cocoon of the clouds the sun manages to let out the last few bursts of flame before settling down completely. the intense black clouds look as thick as a fortress and slowly but surely they are engulfing the sun…
Another guy congratulates FK.

Day 2, 9:30 am
I need some sun.. I feel like a leaf unable to perform photosynthesis because of deprivation from sunlight. Finally had something edible at the last station..aah.. hot fresh vadas with chutney. People have started calling me the spy..coz I keep jotting down stuff. 4 more hours to go.

Day 2, 9:45 am
CS (FK hereby rechristened as celebrity singer) is up and energised even after a not-so-sumptuous breakfast. The “Piramalam Yelladeva” session starts again. Mohit (another passenger who’s joined the bonhomie) is also bored now. The 2 of us try to get him to english numbers but somehow CS sticks to south indian songs only. I try to look as bored as possible in an attempt to at least stop the session. No use.

Day2, 1:00 pm
Aaaaaaaarrrggggggh!!! The train is already late.. it’s supposed to reach bangalore at 12:50 pm and we are nowhere near bangalore yet. I can just not sit still. CS aka FK has stopped the music sessions some time back. They all seem to be concentrating on how I seem to be restless and *too* keen on reaching bangalore. What the heck!! Of course I would be! I am on vacation..am excited about meeting my best friend after 1.5 years! I have had to consciously check my smug grin into a sober face *so* many times. I defend myself by saying that I am not from Bangalore so it’s not a subtle homecoming for me.. I get permanently labeled as ‘The spy’ (not the one who shagged) and Mohit is warning CS that the next days papers might have all kinda uncomplimentary things written about him.


My train was late by about more than an hour. I really enjoyed my vacation. The next post shall be about my devbagh trip. Till that time, visit my photo blog for the pics of the place and my new blog (no I am not leaving this place as of now) for a short account of the place.

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© Twilight Fairy for Twilight Fairy, 2003. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Do not copy contents or images. If you like a post then link it back with an excerpt instead of copying it. Permalink |

Disclaimer
This thing was written long time back to be published on the intranet in my office. It’s a rather long piece. Look before you read…

After all the speculations and apprehensions et al about being a non-swimmer and the phobia with water, I finally decided to embark on this trip. We left this place at around 2:30 ish on the night of 20th March from our houses. The majority of the junta hadn’t slept at all, courtesy the India-Kenya World Cup match. There were 4 qualis’s in all with around 30 ppl (after 2-3 ppl dropped out) with the qualis’s divided in east/west/north/south delhi etc. We all had to meet at ‘Noida Mod’. So we set out in the middle of the night, all charged up.. with the music at full volume.. and the qualis at full speed, what with the absolutely empty roads and all… that special sense of romance that the night lends..and the cool air.. one can imagine what it was like. We covered up quite some distance in the early hours of the morning. On the way we stopped at Cheetal Grand, a restaurant complex with an amazingly beautiful variety of flowers. There were a lot of photography sessions here due to the exquisite view the place provided. By this time all sleepy heads were also wide awake.
We set out again for Rishikesh, which was quite some distance and many temples ahead. With all the spot photography sessions we reached Kudiyala at around 11:30am. We were asked to quickly change into our rafting gear and have a quick bite of breakfast. After this we were supposed to go to another place, DevPrayag, from where we were to raft downstream to our camp. Hurriedly, we all changed and then had a quick brunch which had so much variety, I only wish I had some more time to relish it, not to forget the intuition that the next meal would be a long way off. We all set out for Dev Prayag in our qualis’s whereas the luggage was to be loaded on mules and taken directly to our camp via a shorter path. Just before the starting point of rafting, we came across a ‘Sangam’ where the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi join the main river – Ganga. One could clearly make out where the two rivers were meeting each other because of the light green and the dark green colours of the water. We reached the rafting point and were given life jackets and helmets to adorn. I must say the life jacket nearly smothered me! We were given oars and the whole atmosphere suddenly changed from funfilled to highly professional.
We all assembled in front of the 4 rafts where we were introduced to the camp incharge, Anil Bisht and his team members. We were also given safety instructions about rafting and familiarised with various commands that a guide might give to the rafting team. Some of the commands we learnt were “paddle forward”, “paddle backward”, “relax”, and “highside”, out of which the 1st three are pretty obvious to understand whereas “highside” means putting ones weight on the front section of the raft by lying down there. This was to be used to tackle fierce rapids. So here we all set out in our respective rafts with most of the non-swimmers gathered in one particular raft. Amit was kayaking separately. Everyone was taking turns at rowing and generally getting the feel of rafting. People were also taking dips in the cold water by holding onto the rope that sidelined the raft, the rope being called the ‘lifeline’ for obvious reasons. Those who were comfortable swimming in the river had a frolicking time. By this time the sun had started burning overhead and more and more ppl grabbed the chance to get into the water. All the rafts also started having water fights where people would start splashing cold water at any nearby raft. Now everyone started innovating on the ways to make others wet. They used their oars and empty buckets to this effect, not to forget clambering onto someone else’s raft to make everyone else wet. Now that everyone realised that the empty bucket was a good weapon, all the rafts had some swimmers hounding for it, with their respective raft cheering them. It was good fun, sailing through the river and also having some games on the way!
We spent the whole afternoon toiling away, paddling and then had our lunch break around 4pm (as I had guessed) at a sand beach on the way. The moment we took that break, we realised that the lunch and drinks for the whole group were in our raft and we were the ones with the minimum number of oars, slaving for everyone else’s benefit! After the refreshing lunch, which again had enormous variety, we set out for our base camp. By this time the sun had started descending and ppl felt less inclined to get wet, as the wind was anyway cold. As a result, the remainder of the downstream trip was very calm, with no water fights and no one taking dips in the water. Everyone was just sailing away, taking in the beauty of the surrounding mountains, clicking snaps on the way. We reached the base camp at around 6:45 pm. Here everyone collected their luggage and chose a tent and a room mate for themselves. After arranging our stuff, I went out to take another dip in the water, in the presence of the main in-charge Anil. By the time I got out and changed to some dry clothes, I had missed the tea and pakoras, which had smelt heavenly and inviting when I had chosen to take a dip instead.
Since we all had a lot of time to kill before dinner, we decided to just sit around in a group. As it got darker and darker the place just got more and more scenic with stars peeping out from every inch of the sky. It was a dream for stargazers and amateur astronomers. We all went to a makeshift area with wobbly rocks and adjusted ourselves there for some conversation. It was absolutely dark now, what with no electricity in that area and no inhabitation in the nearby mountains. Occasionally we would notice the sharp beam of some vehicle on the mountain roads, which actually appeared quite eerie. The zillions of stars and all the constellations could be easily spotted with the naked eye because of the absence of the disturbing factors like city lights, pollution etc. The sound of the waves splashing against rocks only added to the ambience. In some time, the camp in-charge, Anil came along with another of his guides, Lama, who had a guitar. We had a short guitar session after which we had dinner in the ‘café’ which was an area with lots of cane furniture and a thatched roof. After dinner, we all retired to our respective tents. Some people were still not in the mood to sleep and were generally singing songs, some people were chatting in their tents, not that it made any difference to the outside world as everyone’s conversation (and their snores too) could be heard clearly because of the “thin walls”!!
The next morning, I got up early and had some juice to begin with. After that I went to get acquainted with “storm” and “scissors”, 2 puppies that Anil has. After a photo session with them we had a sumptuous breakfast with a lot of variety again. After this, a group of people went to explore the nearby waterfall and had a splash there. People could also indulge in miscellaneous activities like kayaking, beach volleyball, badminton, diving into the water from high rocks, building sand castles or just lazying around in the sand, with lunch in between of course. We had a session of dumb charades after lunch and then ppl opted for rappelling and rock climbing. By evening ppl were tired of all the activities and we had a bonfire where everyone just chilled out. Some ppl were playing antakshri, others were busy in their drinks and still others were busy chatting. After this we had an amazing chinese meal, complete with the soup and all. Some people wanted to leave early the next day to watch the world cup final but finally the evolved consensus was to stay and attend the 2nd day of rafting which included fierce rapids this time. Throughout the trip, everyone had heard so much about the rapids, that everyone had their own personal perception about them by now.
We set out early the next day and the last day of the camp trip. Everyone took photographs because after this, photography wouldn’t be possible in the turbulent waters that were expected. With all the talks about rapids and especially “The Wall”, I must add that most of the people were quite apprehensive of that rapid. The waves were supposed to rise as high as a wall and this could capsize any raft if not tackled properly. The chances of the raft capsizing were given to us as 100% as anything was possible! So we all set out, with our raft in tow with others. Ours was a maximum non-swimmers raft and that’s why we were probably kept 3rd throughout the downstream trip. There were lots of kayaks also so that if any rafts capsize, the rafters could be “rescued”. The first rapid was “Daniel’s Dip” which had high, fierce waves hitting the rafts like anything. Everyone had taken his or her respective positions, with our guide trying to calm down everyone. We had been given strict instructions for keeping absolutely quite. The experience of crossing this rapid was awesome. But still the tension of crossing the next rapid – ‘The Wall’ was quite prominent. Again, we had been given strict instructions about everything, all members took positions, with our guide shouting out the commands amidst the roaring of the waves. The ones who were supposed to paddle were doing so furiously even as they were almost being jolted out of the boat. As soon as the command for “highside” came, all the three highsiders, put their weight on the front section of the boat. HUGE, never-ending waves were hitting furiously and drenching all the highsiders and suddenly before we knew it, we had crossed ‘The Wall’ and approached calm waters. Everyone was elated and we had a ‘three cheers’ session for our guide, Som. Just as we finished cheering for ourselves, we saw that another raft, (the one following us) had capsized and all the rafters were in water. We took hold of the ones floating near our raft. Others were taken care of, by the kayaks.
After this rapid, we crossed a few other rapids, like ‘The three blind mice’, which is a series of three rapids, one after another. Another was ‘Good Morning’ and yet another was ‘Cross Fire’. The rafters were encouraged to do ‘body surfing’ in one of the smaller rapids. Some of the people jumped into the water, while holding onto the lifeline, just before the rapid appeared. Others took dips in the water once it became calm.
Our rafting trip was nearing its end now. We also saw an ad being shot at some camp for ‘Ganga Mineral Water’! Finally our rafting session came to an end at Shivpuri, where we had lunch, had a final photo session and finally bid goodbye to the camp in-charge, Anil and his team. After this we set out for home, all tanned and tired. Now everyone’s focus suddenly shifted from the trip to the World Cup final being played between India and Australia.
On the whole I am sure everyone had a fabulous time, made a lot of new friends, and shared a lot of fun times with them. We have been exchanging snaps quite frequently to say the least. Thanks to the organisers for taking the initiative to organise a trip like this!!

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© Twilight Fairy for Twilight Fairy, 2003. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Do not copy contents or images. If you like a post then link it back with an excerpt instead of copying it. Permalink |