Our locomotive buddy

It is in pouring rain I step out of my apartment block with a huge floral umbrella for company and start my slow walk towards the train station. The 6 lane road, that borders my house and the station, is full of crawling traffic with huge drains swallowing litres of water by the minute. I walk up to the station…and am just in time to board the local that is pulling in to the station.

There is this humungous crowd of people and luggage and somebody’s slippers, a shawl, broken bangles and other such sundry items that make their way to the platform. “Dikhta nahi hai kya? Kitna gardi hai.. baaju mein khada rehne ka” (Am I not visible? Why don’t you stand aside, it is so crowded) that’s the typical dialogue you would here from irate passengers who alight and board at the many stations that form the eternal lifeline of Mumbai City- The Mumbai Suburban Rail.

Next moment as I was wondering as to how I would board a crowded train like this that I am jostled around like a beach ball and lo behold I am inside the correct train fortunately. The rest of the co passengers are “extremely” cooperative and do all the pushing and shifting so that I end up getting a little of leg space near the other door. Here I get to finally breathe peacefully for a few seconds before the train pulls in to Dadar, Mumbai’s most crowded station. Dadar meaning ‘steps’, is a myriad jungle of concrete steps covering 16 platforms. I find this huge lot of people alighting and running towards the massive stairs that covers both ends of the platform and an equal number boarding the train. It’s amazing to notice how so much of activity takes place within 20 seconds of waiting at each station.

At this point I would like to mention another feature of the Mumbai local trains is the amount of work that women can actually pack in if they board at Churchgate and alight only at Virar (the start and end points on the Western Suburban line). From cutting vegetables for the evening dinner to knitting a cap for one’s child to shopping for a matching earring or buying cosmetics which are light on the pocket and heavy on the skin. There is hardly any thing that you can’t buy on the train. In fact if you are a smart shopper you can actually take away partial dinner for the family.

Getting back to my story, the train moved towards my destination. A group of students board the train and their chatter keeps all of us entertained. Next station another surprise- a group of children get in to beg. One of them seems to be polio affected and crawls all over the place collecting money from some really sympathetic women. The train halts between Marine Lines and Churchgate before it pulls in to the final station, and wonders never cease happening. The begging group all jump out of the train and start running towards the barred exits. The supposedly polio affected child ran the fastest! I finally alighted at Churchgate, while the rain continued to pour. A dozen of men in a trademark white kurta, pyjamas and topi alight with hundreds of colorful tin boxes all carefully coded, containing lunch for all those who work in Mumbai’s business district. The Dabbawals and their work depends on the local trains of Mumbai, nevertheless day after day they deliver food at the right place to the right person bang on time.

I walk out of the station and meet my friends who have all arrived before I could. The rain has stopped and we wonder as what to do as the movie was to start almost an hour later. The roads are washed clean thanks to the rain God and not BMC and we decide to spend our time sitting on the promenade and watching the huge waves hit the rocky shoreline. As I walk towards the sea in the damp breeze that is blowing, I realize be it the countless number of men who travel to work or the women who accomplish so much while traveling or the Dabbawalas who are known for their accuracy or the group of children who beg for a living, for all of them, the trains of Mumbai are an integral part of life. As we sit on the promenade to look at the vast expanse of grey overcast sky and choppy water I decide to write about this experience. Writing this piece on my local train travel might not be the best write up I have written but for a true Mumbaite it doesn’t matter- our hearts are with our locomotive buddies which criss cross the island city.

History longer than mankind!

We have a history longer than mankind can believe, just as a Bollywood movie typical dialogue “Yugon yugon ka saath hai humara tumhara”… Sitting at our village home sipping a hot cup of coffee early on a Sunday morning my father was like “Let’s go to Sri Lanka. After all Uncle Ganesh has shifted again and is now stationed in Colombo”. Seeing him grin like a ten year old made us all agree with him whole heartedly. It was after a gap of 6 years that we were planning a full family holiday outside India.

‘Chalo bulava aya hai... Uncle ne bulaya hai…’that was our tune when Uncle Ganesh replied positively to our mail and we all planned the week of Vesak in May to visit our small southern neighbour. Vesak day celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. Buddhism is the prime religion in Sri Lanka. We started our long journey all the way from Mumbai to Srilanka via Chennai. The 30 Km Palk strait, the so called Adams Bridge or Ram Setu was a delightful sight from a height of 8000 feet. Landing at Colombo we were driven straight to Uncle’s new apartment in the up market district of Colombo. That evening we went for a stroll along the court and parliament district along the sea face. WE were royally welcomed by on the spot showers and drenched to the skin in a matter of no time. Later, over some highly ok tasting Indian food from the eat out, we planned our trip itinerary. We planned to pack in the Golden Triangle of Srilanka’s old capitals and if time permitted decided on going to Nuwara Eliya or Kandy.

The long road journey started the next day as early as six in the morning and as obvious we all dozed off through the early part of the drive. The drive was extremely stunning with paddy fields on both sides of the 2 lane highway and the blue mountains making an ideal backdrop. We stopped at a tree house café before proceeding to our first stop- City of Dambula! Dambula has a huge golden Buddha beckoning all devotees and visitors. Under the statue is the entrance to the Museum. A little walk away begins the flight of steps that take us to top of the hill where the caves house some real heritage belonging to as early as 1 and 2 BC. The monks have patiently carved statues of Buddha and his various moods and engraved inscriptions in an ancient language. The caves are very well maintained and have been made navigable. The ceilings have been painted with natural dyes and in particular there is one cave with 365 paintings of Buddha on the ceiling!

Our next stop was supposed to Sigiriya the construction of which took place during the reign of King Kashyapa in late 400 AD. Sigiriya is a monolithic rock on top of which an impregnable fortress was built. Unfortunately some unknown tourist had disturbed one of the hornets’ nests resulting in evacuation of people till everything settled. So we gave it a miss and proceeded towards Polonnaruwa. The Polonnaruwa period started in 1073 AD when the capital was shifted from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa. This capital was deserted for almost 400 years and the palaces and temples were rediscovered due to the tall Stupa at the western end. We were always pursued by guides who wanted to show us things that they feared we might miss but in the end we gave them a miss. On completion of the now UNESCO heritage site, we stopped for a cup of Ceylon Tea at a boat house club. For the night we drove down to an eco friendly resort nestled in the woods between Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.

All around there were festivities and lanterns being lit. Lanterns and lamps form an integral part of Vesak celebrations. After a quiet dinner and a cultural dance performance we retired and all of us just crashed on our beds. The next day dawned early and we proceeded towards Anuradhapura the capital set up by King Devanampiya Tissa as early as 200 BC. The layout and the science involved in building such a flourishing capital is something that needs to be experienced. My words would fall short for describing the architectural and engineering designs of that period. Anuradhapura is based on a circular pattern with the Stupas forming the core center and all other establishments in concentric circles around the place of worship. The kings had then used sluice gate principle and gravitation of earth as methods to build the extensive water and drainage system in the capital city. Most of it is still existing and good to use.

Being Vesak day there were numerous celebrations all over and so many devotees had gathered at the Bodhi tree site. Legend says Princess Sanghamitra; daughter of the Indian King Asoka brought a branch from the Bodhi Tree in Gaya where Lord Buddha attained enlightment. The tree is 2500 years old and still continues to grow. Many more trees have sprung up from its seeds and branches being replanted around the temple complex over the centuries. After the visit of the holy tree and seeking blessings of the Lord we proceeded to our hotel. That evening we decided to pay a visit to the elephant national park opened a while ago. Our driver and guide was an 18 year old who spoke Tamil with a Sinhalese tinge and was fun to see him drive without inhibition all the way to the park. We saw many herds along the highway and an occasional billboard stating ‘This is Elephant land. Elephants have the right of way.’ We laughed but a short distance later we saw a female herd of 10 elephants along with kid elephants in all sizes lumber down the highway to the other site. It was overwhelming, both their size and their acceptance of us in their midst.The nature park was a fabulous experience ad though it rained we all loved it. On our way back we had 2 huge tuskers for company who wanted to get photographed but withdrew the moment the flashes began. Poor things got scared and started to run and we all (10 jeeps back to back) had panic attacks till they disappeared in to the undergrowth trumpeting on their experience.

The next day we had a long journey all the way to Kandy, and it being the day after Vesak celebrations continued. The journey up the hills was breathtaking with tall eucalyptus trees occupying major portion of the slopes. After a 5 hour journey we reached Kandy for the mid day celebrations. It’s truly an inaccessible capital which remained so during all the European ruling through out the centuries.The temple of tooth , where the tooth of Buddha has been stored underneath a golden stupa was overflowing with devotees and the whole city was festive. We had a sumptuous lunch and I also tried out the Sinhalese form of wearing a sari. It was hilarious as I looked more like a 10 year old than my age. We got back to Colombo hearing Radio Ceylon which shook the nostalgia box of my parents and uncle. That night we all just had a dinner of rice and dal and went off to sleep. Next day was shopping and beaches in Colombo. On day 7 we flew back to India with a sense of not seeing enough and an urge to pack in more the next time, before the internal war ravages the beautiful country of Ceylon.

A Sea of Sand

There was not a soul in sight. All I could see was a vast expanse of land highlighted pink and gold in the evening sun. Looking at it from a height of 5000 feet was an awesome experience and I felt instantaneously transported to an Arabian Nights tale. Arabia is beautiful, owing to its golden hued sand stretching across miles without any borders that stop its flowing.

Landing at Dubai International airport on Christmas evening was a dream come true. I had heard so much about the UAE that when the opportunity came by I couldn’t resist lapping it up. After the sandy experience prior to landing, I was welcomed with bright lights, lush palm trees and 8 lanes of traffic. Well I had arrived in another metropolis and nothing was so unusual.

My family and I love traveling and most of our travels have been great and full of fun and we expected nothing different in this case either. Our first stop was Sharjah, one of the 7 emirates that make up the UAE. Driving down to the city was fascinating as the intercity roads were flooded with lights through and through and the sheer expanse of sand and water was beautiful. The cities in all the emirates are witnessing a transformation from a sleeping desert town to international hub for trade and tourism.

Sharjah offered a glimpse of history in the form of the Al Hism fort in the business district and the numerous museums built across the docklands to preserve the little organized history of the northern UAE. The souks that dot one side of the city have been maintained very well and reflect the charm of the olden day markets.

Our next stop was Dubai. We returned with the determination of packing in a lot of sight seeing and shopping. Dubai’s most famous landmark the seven star luxury hotel Al Burj Dubai was a beautiful sight to behold in the evening. Lit to the fullest it truly signified its status and popularity. The Sheikh’s palace is vast but non descriptive as we cannot glance more than the palace walls at any time of the day.

The palm islands and their construction off the coast of Jumeirah are an architecture marvel and a place worth driving to. The old district of Bastakiya is ‘old’ yet very charming and the heart of Dubai. It takes us back in time and houses most of the restored structures of Ancient Dubai and gives us a tantalizing view in to the Arabic lifestyle and history. The Al Fahidi Fort built around 1787, now houses the Dubai museum and depicts the entire journey of Dubai and its neighboring areas all the way from the early settlements till thy struck oil. The old city also houses the Gold Souks where shopping for gold is an experience to cherish. In the cold winter chill while the sun sets the dhows that dot the creek take you back to those days when dhows from India carried loads of precious items which were then passed on to Europe by the Arabs.

Our next destination was Abu Dhabi the capital of UAE. The drive to the capital city was one of the best stretches I have ever driven. With huge mounds of sand that surround the road on both sides, they are ideal for the Desert Safari tours. With the weather getting cooler by the minute it was fun to spend the evening at the Corniche that runs along the eastern side of the city. Abu Dhabi is a treasure trove with the emirate spreading all the way to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. The city of Al Ain and the Liwa Oasis are famous tourist destination and good weekend getaways.

The Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi is not only an architectural wonder but also a beautifully done up luxary hotel that gives you a glimpse of Oil money. We had the most wonderful coffee and heard some nice music while we went around the hotel, which was decked up for Christmas celebrations. The Rolls Royce phantom cars that form part of the hotel’s pick up service were a treat to the eyes.
Flying back home when I sat wondering how am I going to actually describe this travel I had no idea that one afternoon I would pour out everything and help others see the world through my eyes.

Stones of time

Misty autumn morning in mid May was something very unusual for a true Mumbaite. But then when you are in the southern hemisphere you are expected to know such practicalities. Well Melbourne city was already up and running at 8 in the morning as I trudged alone to find the way to my coach that would take me to the Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean road.

Remember Salaam Namaste, where Saif and Priety have a cute house facing blue waters??? The great ocean road is a long winding road covering several miles built on the edge of the mountains that border the pacific and south ocean. The Great Ocean Road is more than a road – it represents the coastal region of south-west Victoria, Australia, running from the Bellarine Peninsula to Warrnambool.

Were you aware that the Great Ocean Road is the world's biggest war memorial? The Great Ocean Road which stretches along the South Eastern coast of Australia was built between World War I and World War II by returned servicemen in honour of their fallen comrades. The road took 16 long years to build and it was all done by hand using picks shovels and dynamite. Both the water and terrain is extremely treacherous and moving through this region in the olden days was a huge task by itself.
When we started towards the coastal town of Torquay, I was so amazed to see such a variety of blues. Popularly known as ‘Surfers’ paradise’, this pacific coastal town was indeed paradise. There were many surfing enthusisasts down at the beach braving the cold winds trying to ride a wave. It was a very different experience for someone who has a huge coastline back home yet can’t seem to know what to do with it. The tour proceeded towards our destination. We passed through the first official town of Lorne. The town was also proud host of a national park which had its own share of flora and fauna.

Our coach guide Tony was so much fun, that it was a real pleasure to enjoy the picturesque surroundings. The best part of the Great Ocean Road was its winding, narrow roads which dipped and upped depending on the natural mountain formations. The road moves through farm land, kangaroo land, evergreen forests and high cliffs.

Hugging tightly to the coast, the road offered us some outstanding views of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean and covered some of the most photogenic coastline in the world, because of its striking and dramatic natural rock formations. We entered Apollo bay a quaint town which offered us a panoramic view of the ocean with the waves softly lapping on the beach. We had lunch along with the ever chaotic sea gulls for company.

On boarding the coach we were acquainted with a legend. The original road plan was to build the entire stretch parallel to the coast but unfortunately this was not possible due to the terrain. I was so thrilled to follow the dark aquamarine colour of the pacific when suddenly the coach moved inwards towards the evergreen forests that bordered the slopes.

We had entered a protected eco sensitive area. The Otway National park a koalas’ reserve on the Great Ocean road. It was breath taking experience seeing rows of eucalyptus trees and the ever lazy koala’s sleeping on their horizontal branches. The Otway National park today comprises of the former Angahook-Lorne, Carlisle and Melba Gully State Parks, as well as other state land. However most national parks in Australia have a natural enemy- the bushfire. Bushfires are a natural occurrence and shape the forests of the Otways. Historically several wildfires have burnt through the Otways - the last major fire was Ash Wednesday in 1983, which also has a memorial to its credit.

Heading westwards we moved in to the South Ocean zone. Cape Patton welcomed us on our way towards Port Campbell national park. The coast beckoned us to be adventurous and look out at the beautiful creation of Nature. We had reached the town of Port Campbell, which boasted of the marvelous limestone rock formations jutting out like pillars slightly off the beach at Campbell bay. Being an avid traveler I wanted to see the entire formations and so decided to take a helicopter ride. The aerial view was so breathtaking. From a height of close to 1000 meters above sea level the apostles looked every bit the guards of history, standing witness to the cold winds, rough waters and the colorful history of state of Victoria.

The Twelve Apostles were formed by erosion of the original coastline. The constant action of the sea on the limestone slowly wore down the rocky cliff, gradually leaving individual rocks. The cliff is still being eroded and in the future is likely to form more 'Apostles' from the existing mountains.
The twelve apostles are not the only formations at Port Campbell. There are a number of other attractions, which are equally stunning and have a history or legend supporting its existence. Loch Ard Gorge is a huge and tricky gorge formed due to the constant erosion. The gorge was the site of a shipwreck of the clipper Loch Ard that had traveled with 118 passengers all the way from Ireland. Only 2 people survived the wreck and are considered to be local heroes. A flight of 70 steps named the Gibson steps takes you down to the narrow beach with knee-deep sand.

We then proceeded towards London arch formerly known as London Bridge, due to the close resemblance of its double arches to the actual bridge. The name changed to London Arch in 1990 after the first arch collapsed, leaving two tourists stranded on the outer arch. The sunset here resembled the canvas of nature dipped in hues of pink, coral and orange. Spending those last moments before dusk settled in at the cliffs edge, I had the sensation of being at the end of the world with nothing but the vast expanse of the sky and ocean surrounding me.

The return journey was made in absolute silence with each one of us soaking in the beauty of our journey to the end of the world where there was no one except you and nature’s reality. I wondered what it would be like to return to the insane world of humanity.