I have
travelled nearly 18 lakh kilometers in the last 35 years that
I can recount and yet every new journey is a harbinger of a
new experience, a new exhilaration, a new discovery, a whiff
of freshness which takes away all the tiredness and fills me
with added zest to walk the next mile.
This time I travel from Shillong to Guwahati, then onto Kolkata,
Bangalore, Goa, North Coastal Karnataka, Pune and finally
back to Shillong via Mumbai. Another 5000 plus kilometers
of travel and excitement, I reckon and with a few more small
stories and observations. Being in the North East over the
last two and a half years has only deepened my love for the
people of this region and I try and look for the lovely lively
North Easterners where ever I travel.
Oh Kolkata
Oh Kolkata! The first impression which comes across is the
ancientness of the airport which was great if we were in the
India of 1980s and then the old dilapidated ambassador taxis
charging more than Rs 15/- per km doesn’t help to change
the impression. However, I have great regard for the people
of this great metropolis as I grew up in this city and so
move on. My destination is the Ambuja Housing Society on the
EM bypass. We go past the airport road which is now full of
housing complexes, malls and hotels. As I turned past the
Ultadanga crossing and moved on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass,
I couldn’t help ruminating. Even in the late 80’s
the Jal Vayu Vihar and the Yuva Bharati Kriya Angaan were
the only two UNMISTAKABLE landmarks on the Eastern Metropolitan
bypass and today; you have to look for them. This is the face
of CHANGING INDIA. It is a reflection and manifestation of
the growth of the considerable middle class. The consumption
pattern is discernable and the relative prosperity is there
to see. Malls, hotels, restaurants, housing complexes and
hospitals have filled up all the vacant spaces. I only wonder
why the old vintage ambassadors of the 80s and the airport
haven’t changed. They both need to be voted out. I go
to meet Anjishnu Biswas, who teaches English to boys of class
XI and XII but is a journalist at heart. He started his career
as a journalist in Arunachal and later thought teaching was
a better profession .He continues to write as a hobby. We
talk about many things about the North East and he reflectively
confesses that he wanted to contribute in whatever way possible
to bridge the gap between the North East and the rest of the
country and suggested launching an Informative Magazine exclusively
about the North East. I was excited and said we would consider
the proposal if he volunteered to spearhead it. On my return
to the airport I take another route to avoid the traffic and
go past the Nicco Park and Rajarhat with the IT parks and
the modern architecture. This is the first time I am seeing
this part of Kolkata. I am impressed to say the least and
feel really happy. This is the fortitude of the competitive
world class Indian that I see all over the country in pockets
and patches. We can create our own islands of excellence when
we want but we want it only once in a while.
Bangalore, the IT Capital
From Kolkata I travel to Bangalore and the Indian Airlines
flight is full with at least 25 passengers from the North
East. The proof that the people of the North East are reaching
out to the Metros in much greater numbers than it did earlier.
I remember on my last visit on this route in Feb 1995 from
Kolkata, I could count not more than two passengers from the
North East. After that I visited Bangalore thrice in 98, 2001
and finally again in Mar 2004 on my way to and from Ooty.
I had heard that the city had a new airport now and was eager
to see it. The airport is new but not grand enough. I felt
the city which has exalted the country as IT leader of the
world deserved something bigger. In the next five years this
will be incapable of handling emerging India’s rush
to the airports. The parking area fortunately seemed big enough
and here I saw India’s Singapore. Nice sign posted bus
stands with low floor AC buses with running electronic sign
boards showing the destination which even Singapore did not
have at least till mid Oct of 2008.Yes, I told you we can
do it really well when we want. I go to the Richmond Town
after a long but comfortable journey. Get up early and want
to catch up with a cup of fresh grounded coffee and take a
walk to see the waking up city. 300 metres from where I am
staying I see a nice little park with a walking track, benches,
a fountain and trees and manicured bushes. It makes a good
sight seeing the young and the old puffing and heaving past
each other. Thank God at least some of us wake early. The
most noticeable feature for me here was an elderly Metei Lady
(the pattern of her Lungi, a sure giveaway) with a young girl,
presumably her daughter and a Tibetan married lady again identifiable
by the branded apron atop her traditional dress doing Baba
Ramdev's Yoga. I remember immediately a movie I had
seen at a Tibetan Film Festival at the India Habitat Centre
in Delhi in the summers of 2008, where they had shown how
the young Tibetans whose parents were settled in Karnataka
by the Government of India came looking for jobs in Bangalore.
Yes, another young Tibetan has definitely found a job in the
IT CAPITAL. During the day, I visit an advanced simulator
Firm; the UB City Mall have Italian dinner at Toscana with
Col ( retd ) Arvind Saksena who has made a name for himself
as an IT administrator and then have coffee at a great Café
Coffee Day counter called double take to be served coffee
by Sakeeb from Hojai. Hey, a boy from Hojai in Assam in Bangalore.
The night I spend at Koramangla with a young couple both working
in the IT industry ,30 something’s, double income ,no
kids with a house that working people in the last millennium
could have hoped to have only after retirement. They have
a huge St Bernard named Spark whom I choose to call Chotu
Singh because he is just a year old but really looks grand
and majestic. The most interesting part of my Bangalore stay
was a South Indian Thali lunch with Paul Chowdhury at the
Bangalore Club. Paul is an interesting guy, he is an engineer
by profession, stayed in the States for many years and is
now back in India and brewing beer that he promises will be
different. They are Indian recipes but being brewed in Germany,
this is a global Indian. The beer interestingly is called
“GEIST” which in German means the spirit. I immediately
invite him to Shillong which I say is the Scotland of the
East for the North Eastern Launch. Bangalore is perhaps the
only city in India where design as an element in commercial
spaces equals that of what is seen in Singapore.
GOAN DELIGHT
I am finally again in Goa. It’s my thirty third visit
and this time, I head to the Bogmallo Beach which is just
below the plateau on which we have the Dabolim Airport. Experience
tells me that this is the beach where one would find the highest
density of British tourist per square km in Goa considering
that it is a very small beach. This time I choose to stay
at Sarita’s Guest house on the beach. I met a very lively
bunch of tourists from Poland. The first set I have ever met
infact. There were two couples and their friend Rikard whose
name they pronounced as Raychard and on being told that there
was a Goan Masala pronounced the same way he was amused. I
told them whatever little I knew about India and showed them
photographs of the latest Hornbill Festival of Nagaland with
a video of a Rengma Dance. They promised to visit the North
East the next time they came to India. Also met two very angry
middle aged Indians, Vishrant who works for a MNC and Tiwariji
who lampooned the country and its politicians while gulping
down chilled beer by the blue azure Arabian Sea. Had dinner
at Joets, the beef steak was fine but the place seemed a little
busy and the service was not as good as used to be
The next day took a leisurely walk to the Hollant beach and
went to the Sancoale railway station just above the Hollant
beach which I have often described as the only railway station
in the world which is almost on the sea. A train journey through
this station gives one the feel as if the waves of the sea
are touching the base of the railway platform. Took a local
bus and went to the Vasco Town and the railway station to
book the train tickets to the North Karnataka coast. The railway
station and all beaches in Goa now have pickets of the CRPF
which must be instilling a sense of confidence amongst the
tourists. The railway reservation system and the information
display system seemed quite good. I couldn’t help but
appreciate Lalu who after the infamous fodder scam, has given
some food for thought of how to turnaround Public sector utility
providers. Hope he becomes the next aviation Minister and
turns around the Air India. Had Goan fish meal Thali with
Kishmur (the Goan Dried scrimp preparation with coconut) at
Anantashram to taste Hindu Goan cooking. Came back to the
Bogmallo beach after lunch, had an orange juice and wrote
about the journey and then went for an ayurvedic full body
massage at the Bogmallo Beach Resort. Though the place charges
a little more but the huge ayurvedic massage hut made out
of woven coconut leaves gives a grand feeling and the massage
is as good as it gets. Had a long long bath and finally just
came down for dinner at the John Seagull Restaurant on the
beach.
IT'S 1945 H AT JOHN’S SEAGULL IN THE
BOGMALLO BEACH
This is now perhaps the best restaurant on the Bogmallo Beach.
It’s well spread out, does not seem too crowed, not
too loud, and has a very nice personal touch about it. I have
ordered my favourite Pork Chops again. It is run by John and
definitely has his touch all over.
Here comes the Chop, it seems drier than I remember and a
bite tells me its cooked rarer than before. Ok on second thoughts,
I think Swish in Shillong makes it pretty well except that
is has some fat which is not so good. Theirs is tenderer and
therefore easier to bite into. Any way, rare or no rare, I
have had the whole plate and I am hungry for more.
Will ask John. John was here and I told him what I wanted
to and he said I WOULD GET BACK MY GOOD OLD WELL DONE chop
and what is interesting he said that he had a Thai Chef and
from Thailand and I said lets have Tom Kha. Will comment on
this in a while and then it will be the chops again. Its 2020
h now.
Here comes the Tom Kha, the flavour is nice and good but
there is too much chicken which has a shredded feel and spoils
the watery texture of the soup. Now the second plate of chops
comes again.
This time its browner and tendered. The best thing is that
they are long and with all the fat taken off. This is really
nice and with a small Budweiser it is going down rather well.
For the average carbohydrate compulsive Indian the Goan bread
pao would do really well and for the khasi a little rice may
be. There is .also a pool table in the place and some customers
are playing. Really cool I say. The guys are enjoying it and
this is a nice way to chill out and hats off to John who has
sacrificed at least 16 covers for the table. The players are
Mr Mike from London who is a carpenter who came on a two week
holiday and has decided to extend it by another three weeks.
The other gentleman is Mr Mat and he is with his girlfriend
Samantha and they decided to get married on this trip to Goa.
So it would be apt to say BLAME IT ALL ON GOA. It is 2107
hours now.
THE KARWAR COAST
Sat on seat number 73 of D1 reserved compartment and co passengers
were Canadians from the French part. My immediate co passenger
was Isabelle. An employee of the GE Capital and her work related
to leasing of equipment. She joined her friend in Mumbai and
after a couple of days in Panjim they were on their way to
the Om Beach Gokarna. Since I had been to the Om beach more
than a couple of times, I explained the layout of the Gokarna
town and the beach and where to possibly stay. From Gokarna
they would go to Allepey and then onto Trivandrum. From Trivandrum
they would travel to Kolkata via Chennai. Before they returned
to Canada via Delhi they would touch Varanasi, then Khajuraho.
Probably they will manage to see what even 10 percent of Indians
wont. My Karwar sojourn takes me to Honavar, a small coastal
town which had a very thriving Port during the time of Tipu
Sultan. Honavar in the local language literally means “The
pot of Gold” I have been visiting Honavar off and on
since the 1990s. The change has taught on even in Honavar
and it is there for everyone to see. Had some great steamed
rice breakfast dish called Khotoy which is steamed rice wrapped
in Jackfruit leaves. Took a long walk on the ridge above Prabhat
Nagar and saw the mesmerizing valley below. We have developed
a very nice travel circuit in this place which I call “Sea
to the Sky” a borrowed adage which I picked up from
Edmund Hillary’s expedition many years ago from the
mouth of the Ganges right upto its source. In this case we
travel from the mouth of the Sharawati River to the highest
waterfall of India, namely the Jog Falls. I have taken my
French, Spanish, Irish, Indian and New Zealander friends on
this journey and without an exception people have sweared
by the circuit. In one day one gets to go on the river and
see the life on its banks from very close quarters, they go
to a coconut de husking centre, see the highest Water Fall
in India, then go on a Tiger and Lion Safari and finally cap
it up with architecture appreciation of a 16 CENTURY temple.
After a couple of days in Honavar, I am off to Pune.
AAMCHI PUNE AND BENGALI CUISINE
Hats off to Pune. This is one city I know well. I stayed
in this city for more than six years in my two tenures there.
This time I stay with the Biswas Ali family at the Graficon
Paradise on the NIBM road. My tryst with dogs on this trip
doesn’t end as there are 07 Chi hua hua’s in the
Bungalow. While the new generation has named the dogs BUZO,
CHOCOLATE, GYPSY, ALIEN and so on, the grandfather in the
house has renamed BUZO as BHOJA, CHOCOLATE as GURGURI, ALIEN
as KALI and so on. Buzo is the spoilt brat of the pack and
responds to both calls of Buzo and Bhoja with equal alertness.
So much for Bengali’s in Pune and there nostalgia for
pet names for their dogs. One of the most interesting things
about the Graficon Paradise was that the complex had each
building in the complex named after the KARGIL MARTYRS. What
was very heartening to note that 02 out of the 08 blocks were
named after MARTYRS from the North East, namely LT KENGRUSE
from Nagaland and Capt Clifford Nongrum. The builders of the
project definitely deserve credit for this noble gesture which
the bureaucrats don’t seem to appreciate and understand
beyond lip service. We topped the trip with a visit to OH
CALCUTTA restaurant owned by the Mainland China Chain and
I daresay the food, the ambience and the service were exemplary.
The only chink in the armour was a piece of information which
angered me no ends. For a simple Gall Bladder operation and
stay of four nights at the Ruby Hospital, one family had to
pay a bill of 77,000/-. How can the not so privileged in this
country afford good health care at these rates. This has only
strengthened my resolve to try and see that we develop models
where basic healthcare is made very affordable for the masses.
MUMBAI THE UNSTOPPABLE CITY
From Pune it is way back to Shillong via Mumbai. There are
no visible signs of the 26 /11 attack apart from the additional
barricades before one drives into the departure terminal.
I am traveling through the airport after about a year and
the departure lounge seems much better than the last time.
I pick up Nandan Nilekani’s book “Imagining India”
at least 06 magazines to make a comparative study of the advertisements
in each of the six magazines. Outlook wins hands down as the
magazine with most advertisements amongst the six I compare.
Mumbai as a city seems hurt but unstoppable. Salaam to the
brave hearts of Mumbai, I on my part promise to do what is
in my capacity to root out the monster of hate and terrorism.
CLOSER HOME THE BEAUTY OF LAITLUM, BULL FIGHT AT UMTHLI,THE
WATER FALL AT THANG SHNING AND THE BORDER VILLAGE OF NONGJRI
Closer home on my return to Shillong I am mystified by the
beauty of Laitlum and made a promise to make a trip down to
the village of Rasong with my diabetes testing team of Deshalson
and Longkhraw. The trip down to the Rasong village will take
two hours and the climb back another three. Come on, many
residents of the village do it every week. We will perhaps
do it once in our lifetime. Saw the preparations for the bull
fight at Umthli and ran out of patience to wait for it. Patience
is a great virtue and by the measure of patience shown by
the potential spectator’s one has no hesitation to proclaim
that one was blessed to be among a very exalted and virtuous
audience for more than an hour and a half and was so intoxicated
by the wait that one could take it no more and retreated.
The village of Thang Shning has literally got its name from
an activity of burning the slaughtered pigs there before taking
them to the Haat at Smit. Just 3.2 kms from the junction is
a beautiful waterfall. Climb down 250 steps and get to almost
the bottom of the fall. The fall will be just awesome during
the rains. My last leg of the journey takes me to the village
of Nongjri near the Bangladesh border. The village is a relatively
clean one and extremely picturesque. The special feature of
this village is a very ancient Banyan Tree, revered by the
Seng Khasis. I learnt about the nuances of bee keeping and
honey extraction in the hamlet of Rana there. I also learnt
that the bee keepers speak to the bees before they take out
the honey and how they go to the jungles trying to capture
a queen to make another hive. Drive from Lad Nongkrem to Nongjri
takes about two and a half hours via PYNURSLA. A visit to
this village is an absolute must I feel. |