Different Kind of Love

The smell of coffee, Christmas bells, dim lights and a buzz of laughter… Here I was at Starbucks, with two of my closest friends from college. We were chatting as usual, about all things under and over the sun, poking fun at each other. Talking oodles of nonsense, cracking disgusting and dirty jokes, making whimsical situations out of nothing… Losing track of time and finally realizing how our parents are going to burn us alive.

There is something about hanging out with friends nothing can replace. When I say friends, I don’t mean the huge group of 15-20 people who can match your face with your name in their memory. I mean the 2-3 of them who can name all your allergies.

I was depressed in the morning, over thinking and questioning our very existence. We all have those days when we go so deep into the meaning of life, that we forget to make a meaning of it. Due to a long month of exams, I couldn’t hang out with my friends. All I did was sleep, tweet and eat(and a bit of studying). And yes catch up with some football. The more time I spent alone, the more I drove myself into an insane depression.

After ages, I went out with my best buddies to Starbucks. We spoke of philosophy, history and wonders of nature. We discussed of spirituality and science. We also discussed about the latest episode of Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother. My friend went on about how she has fallen in love with BBC’s Sherlock Holmes. We took numerous pictures and freaked our innocent little angel for a friend with talks of the forbidden(shame that its still a forbidden topic).

Your friends are an anti-depressant pill. They are something your boyfriend (or girlfriend) and family can never be. Love isn’t limited to the boy-girl thing, its abundant for everyone, that’s what friends teach you. Friends always have your back, though they might joke about pushing you off a cliff with full joy. With them you can be your ugliest, meanest and silliest. No formality over the last piece of pizza, but a war instead! Want to feel extra awkward in front of your crush, count on your friends. They openly claim they pray every day for a bird to poop on your face.

Yet when you cry, they become your personally hired clowns. They always manage to put a smile on your face, even when you are suicidal. When you are serious, they bring your insane side out. They can make you laugh just by their mere presence. You can share your secrets, fantasies and dreams, which you won’t dare to reveal to anyone else. Not even your family or lover. You may say that a lover makes life worth it, but friends make life beautiful and lively.

While you still breathe, make space and time for your friends. Don’t lose them. While false friends are flowers, who shed away in autumn of your life, true ones are like roots, support you till death. While we always manage to keep in touch with family and be in relationships, somewhere in the journey of life, friends are left behind. 

Kerala: Last Quarter - Thiruvananthapuram

I have a humongous description of the entire trip, so i thought it would be a good idea to break it into parts. We had four stops at Kerala, so I shall dedicate one post per place. In this post I cover up Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.

December 30, 2012.

A noun bigger than my surname – Thiruvananthapuram. This place is located at an elevation, with cliffs and bordered by a beach. Indeed enjoys the best of both worlds. This city enjoys a good night sleep unlike Kochi. You won’t see too much public on the roads after nine. I wouldn’t really call it too safe, which I am used to in Mumbai during nights. Of course I had my family so I didn’t have to worry too much.

We had dinner at Hotel Thiruvananthapuram. The food there was home like and delicious. It had good amount of spices but not too much to murder the food. So the food felt light on the stomach as well. You must try the parathas here, the details being a surprise for you. This hotel also includes a Cocobar, for all you chocolate and milkshake lovers. It isn't too heavy on your pockets as well, I would give this place a thumbs up.

We stayed at Hotel Residency Tower. Our deluxe room was upgraded to a suite, large and spacious. We got two idiot boxes so that dad could catch up with some cricket and me, football. India lost badly to Pakistan, their current form doesn't look too good. Meanwhile I enjoyed seeing super Frankie’s two goals.

December 31, 2012.

We left for Kovalam beach at what I would call noon. We hadn’t any idea of going to some other place. Our driver turned out to be a blessing in disguise; if he hadn’t heard about it from another driver yesterday; we would have missed on the most incredible part of the tour. Besides I wouldn't have got, what I proudly claim as one of my best photos (ok it’s not the best, but my best).

We went on a boat ride in Poover. The boatman took us between a mangrove forest, which thrives in the backwater in Thiruvananthapuram. Coconut palms leaned into the water as if to welcome us. Kites made an abode of this locality. They glided over water to catch their meal and flew on to the top of the coconut leaves. They sat there to eat, giving me a nice pose for a nice click. These winged creatures have been a fascination for me ever since my childhood. They sore up to great heights, with ambition, pride, grace and beauty.

We stopped by the Golden beach, which happens to be a beach* even in Hindi. It lies between a lake and a sea. On one side, the Arabian sea roared furiously, causing huge waves. On the other side was the serene lake, calm and peaceful. Many villagers swam in it, performing their daily ablutions. Some of them waved at us, carefree and joyful. They knew the boatman, and wanted a picture of them. An old man in the middle of the fluidic lake sold coconuts on a boat. It had refreshing yet sweet water, and the tender malai*.

We had food from a dhaba and headed to the beach. This beach was populated with humans from different lands. It was so flat and shallow; you could go far into the water without wetting your abdomen. A light house on a cliff was on the left of the beach, while another cliff on the right had resorts meant for billionaires. Being new years eve, the beach felt more alive than usual.

We had our first experience with a speed boat. The sea felt like a series of speed breakers, really rough. Some water splashed on us along with its salinity, so I could taste salt. Mom felt a little uncomfortable, as the handles hit her legs with every bump. My advice, go for a speed boat on surface not so violent.

January 1, 2013.

I got up in the morning to have breakfast. This hotel has a wide range of meals for the morning – porridge, croissants, fruits, omelette, idli, upma, sausages. I loved the variety over here.

“….please fasten your seatbelts.” I looked outside the window, a last look at the green paradise. It was time to bid farewell to God’s own country and get on with the humdrums of our life. While I was sad because it’s over, I will always be glad that it happened.

Happy New Year folks!  

On the way to Poover

Coconut trees welcoming us

Poisonous fruits on Mangroves

Through the forest

Green roof

Brahminy Kite standing with pride

Looking beyond the horizon

Golden Beach

Mother Mary carrying a dead Jesus(before resurrection)

My picture perfect shot - perfect timing, angle, zoom and the placing

Violent waves

Friends on the leaf

Collecting coconut for a living

Yo baby, its me

Rock on Kovalam beach

Meal time(no they aren't kissing)

My crazy parents

Sun going down the sea

Timing!

Light house beach - Kovalam

Skies over water

I could be anything,
so i became a plane.

Kerala: Third Quarter - Kumarakom

I have a humongous description of the entire trip, so i thought it would be a good idea to break it into parts. We had four stops at Kerala, so I shall dedicate one post per place. In this post I cover up Kumarakom, known for its fauna and flora and brings us closer to mother nature.

December 28, 2012.

Green coconut trees everywhere! Kumarakom is beautiful in every sense. It is the picture perfect Kerala you see in Travel books and television. Lying on a small patch of land in the vast lake, it forms an habitat for various birds. House boats float on the lake, leisure for tourists here. The perfect escape from reality! It takes you to another world of its own.

We checked into Saro Lake County, a resort. It had four rooms, a carom board and a hammock. It felt more like a house of your own. As my mom and dad enjoyed playing some carrom, I laid on the hammock with an eBook in hand. Just besides the house was the still lake, vibrating an aura of peace. We saw some neernai* in the lake, a species unique to this place.

In the afternoon, we went to eat at Hotel Rivera Royal. A better place than Grand Hotel, the fish was cheaper and healthier at the same time. Karimeen** served here was full of white meat, soft and delicious. The gravy is an authentic Kerala one, with the perfect balance of spices and coconut milk. A gift you must give to your taste buds. For dinner, yet again another appetizing karimeen treat. If you eat non-veg, don’t miss karimeen in this part of Kerala. You don’t really travel to a place unless you try the cuisine there.

December 29, 2012.

A trip to Kumarakom is a dumb thing to do if you don’t take a house boat. We left to spend our blissful day in one of them. You would want to book one of them in advance or you are headed for a disappointment. It’s the best place to spend time with your family, friends or lover. For all you click-click types, this place provides you with picturistic view(I belong to this category too). You could read a book amidst the calm of the lake or even write a poem. Carry some Indian classical music(santoor or sitar instrumentals will serve the best) to make your day more beautiful.

We went through a canal to join the main lake. The banks are jeweled with coconut trees. Between these trees, you may find huge, spacious cement huts. Purple water lilies and sea weeds floated on the surface. We could hear chirps and quacks all around you.

We entered the enormous lake, ending nowhere. The water reflected whatever little of sunrays the clouds allowed. Egrets stood proud and tall on the weeds looking high(for all you corrupt minds, no one smoked any weed), displaying its pure shade of white, which shone brighter than the clothes in your tide ad. Cormorants peaked out of the water, looking cute and lost. Some geese spread their wings and stood magnificent, in a titanic pose. Kingfishers showed off their pretty shade of blue and yellow, occasionally diving into the water to catch a fish. Plants resembling sea urchins grew under water. Small school of fishes swam past the boat.

The boat stopped by a bank. We got down to purchase fish for lunch. A cook had accompanied us to make us some food. This is the first time I have gone to purchase any fish, the family selling it to us had big karimeen and lobsters. We bought three of each, for dad, the driver and me. Dad also got a Kingfisher beer for himself. Don’t get me started on all the kingfisher puns he spoke about.

As the cook worked on preparing us the meal of our lives, we tried a hand at fishing. The cook gave us some flour mould to use as a bait. The fishes were damn clever. They ate the food and ran away before anyone could lift the rod. You guessed it right, not a single fish was caught that day.

After a while, the sailor parked the boat near his house to get some banana leaves for us. We saw his cute little baby, looking at us with curiosity. Then he parked the boat at a quiet place which was shaded by huge coconut leaves so that we could eat in peace. Mom is a vegetarian so the cook made cabbage thoran, avail and beans for her. For us he prepared fish curry, marinated karimeen and lobster. I had to take out all the shell from the lobster, but it was soft and delicious. The karimeen was soft and succulent. It’s a feeling I cant explain, but every seafood lover will understand.

December 30, 2012.

Dense green forest all around! The gentle rays of morning sun touched the skin. Butterflies wandered around the place. Musical of different birds! The waves gently washed the banks. Cool breeze nullifying the warm rays. We were in Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.

I had to wake up early in the morning to visit the place. We walked for 2-3 hours, to and fro the pathway created for humankind. We could hear the airborne creatures continuously but not see them. We were lucky to spot a couple of koel, flying from branch to branch. You will find more birds on the lakeside but it’s worth going to this place for its greenery. It serves you a refreshing morning walk. If you have any luck, you may spot some birds as well. And do see the butterfly garden as well. And another tip, visit this place during sunrise for any luck, otherwise all birds fly away to hunt for their meals.

Saro Lake County

Leaves against the evening sky

House boat on the lake - taken from the resort

Water lilies

House boat all set to enter the lake

Bird peeping out of the water

Egret making home of the lake weeds

The ray of hope and all things

Birds sanctuary

Thick forest in the Bird Sanctuary

The picture perfect Kumarakom

Egret standing tall

beyond the horizon

I wanna spread my wings and be free

Up above the eye

Butterflies

The walk of life

*neernai - River otter
**karimeen - Pomfret

Kerala: Second Quarter - Kochi

I have a humongous description of the entire trip, so i thought it would be a good idea to break it into parts. We had four stops at Kerala, so I shall dedicate one post per place. Now I shall talk about Kochi, the port city, which is a lot like Mumbai.

December 26, 2012

By around seven we arrived at our hotel in Kochi. It’s a place called The Wood Manor in M.G Road. This road is an equivalent to Mumbai’s Linking road, which is also a shopper’s paradise. Branded shops like Nike, Levi’s, Fast track, Woodland were amongst this shopping area for the Kochi residents. Two-three storied showrooms were kept specially for gold jewelry. Only God can explain South Indian obsession with gold.

Christmas spirit outside Grand Hotel

We went for dinner at Grand Hotel at someone’s recommendation. The place is known for its fish preparation. Karimeen* is supposed to be the speciality of this place. Maybe it wasn’t our day, because we got a malnourished karimeen. I had to hunt for some flesh among the bones they served us. We had to order fish curry as well to fill our stomachs.

Tomorrow we are visiting a Jewish synagogue, Dutch palace and Cherrai beach. Adios for now. 

December 27,2012.

At around seven, my mom woke me up from my blissful sleep. I went about my morning regiment and went down for breakfast. This place served a good variety for breakfast including fresh fruits.

Jewish street

A Jewish street led us to the Paradesi Synagogue. The street was filled with custom made Indian shops for foreigners. I caught fancy of these salwar like pants many foreigners wore, consisting of Indian prints, mantras or elephant design. I bought two for myself and a nice stole for my aunt.

Paradesi Synagogue

The synagogue was like any other home of God, peaceful and serene. There was a pulpit of gold right in the centre for the priest to conduct holy sermons. A few tablets were erected in someone’s honour. The floor had mosaic design.

Judaism made itself known around 900 B.C in Kerala. King Solomon’s people had come to the port of Cranganore for trade. Some of them settled down here and inspired few Keralites to convert to the religion. The king allowed and promoted the Jews and other religions to coexist in peace. It continued this way until the Portuguese invaded Kerala. Currently 90 Jews live in Kerala, 30 of them in Kochi who come every Sunday for service.

Street leading to Dutch Palace

We went to the Dutch Palace, which was just nearby. The place by itself isn’t that huge or attractive. It has a quadrangle structure with a Vishnu Temple in the middle. The temple was closed. The walls were old and charred.

The interior had paintings depicting the story of Ramayana and other Hindu mythology. The Royal Family’s history was written as well. The Varma dynasty ruled over the state of Kochi. I remember coming across atleast half a dozen kings by the name Rama Varma. Probably they honoured Lord Rama too much. The rulers valued education and maintained good foreign relations. You can see the Portuguese and Dutch influence in this place.

The royal women weren’t confined to just strolling in the garden, being attended by an army of servants. They participated in the administration and decision making of the family. The heirloom concept is an unusual one here. Instead of the king’s offspring, his sister’s offspring enjoys the privilege of being the next kin.

If you reside in either Mumbai or Dubai, you must have definitely come across one Nair friend. Nairs were the warriors of the olden days. They mastered Kalaripayatu, Kerala’s own form of martial art. Both the sexes learnt it till puberty, but only a handful of women went on to master it throughout their life. However women were strong enough to protect themselves. Nair community extends to the last name Kurup, Paniker and Nambiar as well(I know friends which go by each of the surname).

We went for lunch to Woodland’s Rangoli. It wasn’t too impressive. The paper dosa was fine but other stuff were below average. We rested in our hotel for a while and then left to the beach.

The sun shining above Arabian sea 

Air, Water and Land coexisting in harmony

Dad at Cherai beach

We arrived at Cherai beach at around 4.30 pm. The beach is long and clean. By clean I don’t mean perfectly clean but better than Juhu in every way. The water sparkled, reflecting the sun rays. 15 km of beach was available for a good walk. Many resorts marked their territory on the shores. For the first time in my life, I swam in the sea. Just a few seconds in shallow water. I could have gone further but I was afraid as there wasn’t anyone in the deep. Besides an offlate fear of waves in born in me, something I wouldn’t really like to discuss here.

We went back to Hotel Grand to have dinner. The food there is good, but overrated. You must however try the fish cooked in banana leaves over there, it was different.

December 28, 2012.

Kochi port

Fishermen at work

We had to wake up early in the morning to check out from the hotel. It’s always a struggle, waking up. We went for a boat ride along the port. The start to the ride is just around the same place as the Dutch Palace. We saw carriages being taken from the ships. Egrets embedded the coconut trees on an island we passed. Fishermen rowed their boats and hoped to catch a full meal for the city. Cruise boarded with over enthusiastic passangers.

Egrets resting on the leaves

Standing tall

After that we went to Fort Kochi. I will keep this bit a surprise for you. But you must visit this place. Remember to visit the Chinese fishing nets as well.

Chinese fishing nets

The Chinese fishing net is huge and full of woodwork. It used all sorts of basic force laws we learn in mechanics(science and engineering students will know what I am talking about). One of the fisherman showed us its working, and even let us pull the rope. I didn’t use even a bit of force for pulling, the others compensated well for me. I even held a fish which was restless to jump back to the waters.

Fisherman taking the captured fishes out

From there we left to Kumarakom.

*Karimeen - Pomfret

All photos taken by me.