Spicy look for season

Lakme Fashion Week is round the corner, and has ignited the designer in me. Here is a look I've envisioned, with products from my favourite online shopping site. You may click on the links to check out the products.

A carefree look for the modern woman in a plain skirt with prints on the lower side and shoulderless, sleeveless top paired with a lacy black shrug. The orange of the top flows into the bracelet as well, to be worn on the right hand. The left hand should be left bare, from which a maroon handbag shall be slung. The look is accentuated with a red silk printed scarf, to be tied on the hair, to act like a hairband. Beautiful floral danglers, which have both red and yellow, are perfect for wearing with this ensemble. Red wedges complement the look. For those who have their noses pierced, this Ganesha nose-pin can be flaunted, which is funky yet traditional and glitters as brightly as the lady's smile.

What do you think?

Savouring Winter Menu @ Olive Beach

Innovations in food - that is what I would call the new menu at Olive.

Having heard about it a lot, I walked in with lot of expectations... and was met by a smiling chef. He sat with us, and shared with us his experiences from his long stint abroad. And he jokingly remarked that the new menu he has launched this winter had to be "Indianized" to match the spice loving taste of his country-men.

Although it was late winter, he offered us two of his special mocktails which were full of ice. All my apprehensions were discarded when I sipped in the green drink, called "Avalanche" - made with mint leaves. The orange one was a fruity concoction. He offered us choice of platters, but we surrendered to his will, for we wanted to taste the best. Here are the appetizers:

Confit Duck Legs - soft meat made into a dumpling, 

Pumkin Soup in Espresso Style, sprinked with ground pumpkin seeds

Cheese Balls

 Then came Round 1: Duck leg, with a burnt texture, coupled with turnips marinated in orange juice and dressed with plum jam. Coupled with warm bread and rosemary dip, it was too good. To top it all, came Goat cheese with beet, and walnuts - never knew beet and walnut tasted so good together!

Chef Sujan also treated us to Red Snapper fish, and informed us that he always used fresh fish, and not the usual frozen stuff available in the market.

He wanted to treat us more, but we were too full. So we went on to the desserts after a refreshing green apple sorbet, an effective palate cleanser. Don't the brownie and tiramisu look sinful?

It was a great experience for the foodie in me. I am usually very critical, but in this case, I could not even find a single suggestion to provide.

So next time you are in Chanakyapuri, make sure to check out this cozy joint in the ground floor of Hotel Diplomat.
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Photocredits: Chef''s: Team Olive, Rest: Atul Tayade 

To our Gang Leader

My sister, Ananya.

It is said that God sieves out the good people and beckons them, irrespective of age or any aspect. On January 8th, 2014, God freed her of all earthly ties.

Just under 40, she was suffering from Cancer, a disease whose very mention shakes us up. But not her. She was someone who could face every challenge head on, and had emerged victorious every time. When we came to know her cancer had metastasized, I was encouraging her not to be afraid, when she said, "I am not scared. You all are."

Indeed, we were the weak ones. We cried, worried, got tensed, feared the worst everytime she went through rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, medication and intense pain. If we would ask her how she felt, the answer would always be, "Recovering.".... knowing fully well that she was doing no such thing.

She was named Dihing after a river in Assam. And so much like her name, she lived a life on her own terms. Never afraid to break the rules, she was incredibly smart and intelligent. She was a great dancer, and had a flair for language. Do you think South Indian languages are difficult to learn for someone who was born and brought up in Calcutta? She not only picked Tamil up, she used to converse fluently with her Tamilian maid, run a business in South India, and went on to marry a Tamil guy.

All through our lives, she stood by her younger brothers and sisters - guiding us, sharing our deepest secrets and yet, leading from the front while playing pranks. She was the darling of everyone in the family, for beneath her "I-dont-care-a-bit" attitude, was a caring and loving girl.

She wrote her destiny herself until this dreadful disease got the better of her. While we are happy that she has been relieved of inhuman physical pain, her sudden disappearance from our lives have created a void that nothing can ever fill.

We love you, Dihing-Di.

Too much work? Who cares?

Overloaded at work and household responsibilities, I seemed to have lost all vigour. A friend of mine, having had enough of my complains about it, literally dragged me to South Ex Market - afterall, the best way to relax known to women is shopping. Strolling around, we chanced upon a sign that pointed to Four Fountains De-stress Spa.

"This is where I wanted to bring you", said my friend, grinning.

I had never been to a spa before, and I had many apprehensions. She literally shoved me up the staircase. Upon entering a dimly lit soothing reception area, I felt much better. There was a welcoming aroma lingering around, that soothed me. The staff were friendly, and they helped me choose the Ayurvedic Oil De-stressing session with Swedish Massage.

I was led to a chamber that was laid out in a welcoming fashion. The session that followed was simply out of the world - one feels like a queen while experienced hands of the therapist massage hot oil all over your body. I had a lingering low back pain that is common to all who have desk jobs - the massage relaxed each body part and took away all sorts of body ache.

It was a good overall experience. Now whenever I am stressed, I know where to go to.   

A small piece of advice from me: 

However relaxing this experience may have been, I feel one can avoid such sessions in winter. The oil is warm, and can be applied on only one part of your body - so the rest of the body tends to go cold, inspite of the covers.

Here's wishing you all a very happy 2014!!

Christmas & Wine

This Christmas, a friend had brought a bottle of wine over in the party at my house.

"Perfect wine for the Barbeque", he said, handing the package to me.

While serving, I was awed by the ruby red colour and fruity aroma. It seemed thicker than usual. When I mentioned this to my buddy, he said, "Shiraz is a full bodied wine, so it appears like that. However, you would like the taste."

The first sip had me wincing. I thought it had too much tanins. Seeing the grin on his face, I tried another. After which, I just fell in love with it. It is a taste that you have to get used to. Its smooth, and lingers in your tastebuds even while you munch your food.

Later, I found out that Ritu Wines, the export version of Four Seasons has recently won six medals in the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Competition!

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To know more about this wine, click here.  

Uzuri - bringing Europe and Africa together

Wandering in M Block Market, Greater Kailash II, my husband and I were looking for a cosy restaurant to relax, when we chanced upon Uzuri.

The unique name caught our attention - and we walked in. There are two levels - The friendly and courteous staff showed us both - the comfortable dining area and the open air deck (which is perfect for a winter afternoon). We chose a comfortable corner in the lower level, overlooking the greens.

There's something unique about the decor - there's leopard print on the walls and furniture, the artifacts are rustic and have a tribal feel. They have been imported from Africa, we were told.

In fact, "Uzuri" means wellness in Swahili, the indigenous tribal language of Africa (Kenya to be precise). The cuisine is European, which is inspired by Africa. Thus began our gastronomical journey:

What you see above are two unique mocktails - Uzuri Fresh made from fresh mandarins, mint leaves and Apple Tango made from fresh apples and cinnamon powder! We were served cinnamon bread with beetroot jam topped with goat cheese in a cute little bottle. The mustard lamb shoulder and Cape Malay fish cakes just melt in your mouth. Making out that we were very hungry, the staff recommended few dishes:

The pork belly in fennel and grilled vegetable ratatouille are dishes whose tastes are as unique as their presentation. The sinful chocolatey desert with semi frozen trufles filled us to the brim.

 

The food was exquisite and very very unique - its almost experimental, but very tasty. Upon enquiry, I was informed that most of the staff have international experience - great people have together to launch this new venture.

I'll give it 4.5 stars out of 5 overall. Do check this place out, and tell me what you think!

Nainital - a Snippet

My husband and I were due to visit Rudrapur for work, when we just decided on a whim that we should check out Nainital as well. A friend of ours is presently training there, so it was an added attraction.

So, early next morning we caught the Shatabdi Express and got off at Rudrapur. Free by late evening, we took a lift till the taxi stand in Haldwani, about an hour's drive from there.  The taxi drivers gave us two options - either we could book an independent vehicle, or on sharing basis with two or three fellow travellers. Since it was about to get dark, we booked a car for just ourselves and moved on towards Nainital. We reached around 8PM, and our friend joined us in the hotel he had booked for us. A month long fair was on, so there was music and lights around the Naina Devi temple. The town was still awake, and I was happy to see  more pedestrians than cars.

The trio of us started early morning on our explorations with a walk around the massive lake. The town derives its name from Naina Devi Temple and this lake (meaning Tal). There are fishes in the water - we fed them bread crumbs. Further down, we crossed two aeration pumphouses that have been set up to keep the water clean. We came back to our hotel, had breakfast and went out again to visit the tourist attractions.

The foliage is thick and views are very soothing to the eye, especially after the chaos in our urban lives. 

There is a ropeway that takes you across the lake, which is a thrilling experience. In winter, Nainital experiences snowfall, and the lake freezes. For this reason, the location of the ropeway is also called "Snow View Point".

Next comes "Lake View Point", from where the lake appears mango shaped. Tourists love to get themselves photographed here. I took the opportunity too.

Our taxi driver brought us to a point from where a rocky trail along the hills takes off. The track had been laid by Britishers, and there is no other option except riding. The path is through a jungle, and various view points and locations for shooting films lie along it. The weather was a bit cloudy, but we were lucky to get some nice shots.

From Nainital town, we came to Kathgodam at the base of hills to board the train back. We reached late night, and next day in office, I was left wondering, "Was it a dream?"

Keep shopping till you can!

I arrived in the airport only to be informed that my flight had been delayed. I had arrived well in time, and now I had a couple of hours more in hand.

For once, I did not seem to mind at all, as I was in Terminal 3 (T-3) of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. It was renovated a few years back, and being in the building itself lifts your spirits.

Perhaps it would not be wrong to say that shopping gives maximum pleasure to a woman. And T-3 is a paradise on earth for shopping and eating - there is something for everyone. I was travelling right after my marriage, and had already bought some token gifts for everyone in both families, especially the children.

"What is the harm in window shopping?", I thought to myself and walked around.  I was attracted to the Delhi Duty Free shop. Till date, I thought duty free shops were an international concept. I was pleasantly surprised to see one in Delhi and stepped in.

The image above will give you a glimpse of what I found in it - the essence of India. You can keep shopping till time binds you, for everything one may wish to buy is available -  souvenirs, chocolates, tea and more!

I was excited to find some perfumes that were not available on the shelves of even premium outlets - the pleasant sales girl told me that the perfumes as well as some other products have been made exclusively available at Delhi Duty Free to test the market response.

Don't think that shopping at the airport is expensive - in fact, prices of items were lower than usual, because the local taxes etc were not applied.

Aah, now I have a new shopping destination where I can shop till the last minute!

Pasta and Pizzas at Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut has been a household name in India for some time and has been dominating the market because of their constant endeavour to customize their menus as per the local tastes. At least, that's what I think - for I have seen stuff titled "Punjabi Mania" in North India, where people love spicy stuff.

 

The latest innovation from them is introducing pastas in their palate - they have tied up with Barila (international pasta brand). Chef Arjyo Banerjee of Pizza Hut and Chef Luca Ciano of Barila came together in a very lively and interactive evening and shared with us tips and recipes of preparing various dishes. Do you know there are more than 100 types of pasta shapes available in the world?

Both Arjyo and Luca served us personally the dishes they had made and took note of our observations. There were some unthinkable improvisations - like using fried brinjal skin as a dressing!! Of course, the traditional pizza and dessert were also included!

 I returned home with the tastes lingering in my mouth!

Genius of Water Purifiers: Aquaguard Geneus

Safe drinking water is a major concern for all of us, but often we are confused about the purifier to buy- more so, when there are many similar products available. So, when I had to select one for my new home, I fell back on the most trusted name: Aquaguard from Eureka Forbes. 

I went with memories from childhood, and was amazed at the smart look of the latest product: Aquaguard Geneus.

As I was marvelling at its sleek look, I was informed that all technologies of water purification, be it RO, UV or UF, have been amalgamated into this creation which would ensure the best quality water. The intelligent technology shall not allow the taste of water to change even with the passage of time or with variation in the input water. What is more, one can modulate the mineral content as per his preferences.

I have been using this product for about 15 days now. Its extremely convenient to use. There are LED lights that indicate the water level in the purifier. You can obtain water just by pressing the lever gently. There is a platform to place your bottle of water.. there is no need to hold it. Isn't that superb design?

Its absolutely hassle free with automatic cleaning technologies, and an Early Warning feature to inform you whenever there is need to replace the filters.

I love it as it has enhanced the look of my kitchen as well as taken off the worries of water borne diseases from my head. It's worth every penny spent, I assure you.

What makes Eureka Forbes a great company is its superlative customer service. A sample of the water from the purifier was taken to the laboratory for testing and the results have been posted to me. The quality of the water has been found to be compiant with ISO 10500-2012 standards!

Don't you think its a wonderful product?

Just a small thing to keep in mind: ensure that you have enough water pressure (the source of water must be at least 4 feet below your water tank), otherwise this unit may not work properly.

Girls Day Out at Cafe Ludus

My buddy Sushmita and I, met up last Saturday afternoon at MGF Metropolitan Mall and decided to check out the newly opened Cafe Ludus. We were pleasantly surprised at the spacious layout! There are cosy corners for small groups- be it in the book/ magazine corner, or near the bar as well as large clusters for a gang of friends - each space adequately separated. Greeted warmly, we were offered to check out the outdoor terrace.. it is indeed lovely!

 However, we chose to sit inside as it was hot and sunny outside. I really loved the contemporary design elements that have been used - funky, yet subtle.

The lighting was perfect and music to set the mood. There's provision for a loud party, gaming consoles and all sorts of modern gadgets!

We ordered two coolers (Soft Sangria & Skinny Pinacolada) to refresh ourselves - as we were exhausted after shopping.

The staff were smart, cordial and helped us choose the starters and main course. We ate so much that the chef came to meet us! He shared two of his signature dishes - Stuffy Mushrooms & Chicken Casanova.The food was awesome and sumptuous!

Add Cafe Ludus to your must-check-out list in this mall - it is right next to escalators on the second floor. There are new initiatives up their sleeves, such as an European fine dining restaurant (open air) and mid night deliveries.

Just Chill !! And yes, read Sushmita's views too!

The True Way to Travel

Most of us travel to various places. We arrive, find accommodation, stay for a definite period, check out tourist destinations, click some photographs, do some shopping, relax and return happy and content. That is, usually this is what we would do.

Adam Shepard, the author of the best selling book, Scratch Beginnings, has come up with a book which has got me thinking. Called "One Year Lived", the story has been narrated by a seventy year old man (author) who reminisces how he spent the 29th year of his life travelling to various places.

Yes, travelling for one year at a strectch! Crazy as it may sound, you would agree that it was worth it when you read the book. The author gave up his job and embarked on a journey on his own terms with some savings of his own. This journey is his alone mostly, except when he falls in love and is accompanied by the young lady during the later part.

This was not a race to tick off items on a "must see" list. Instead, it was about being part of the place he visits, stay for some time, join some voluntary services, participate in the local activities, and try to contribute to the society. Shepard highlights some social issues whose existence we know about, but never give a second thought.

I have liked this book and storyline. The language is simple, but it connects effectively with the reader.

If you wish to read the book, join me on Facebook and leave your e-mail id.

Eighty Three at Sixty Three

My Dad is 63 - retired and old.  He has scored 83 out of 100 in a course in Spanish language! I am more excited than him, it seems.

After retirement, Dad enrolled himself for the course mainly to keep himself occupied. It had been his long time wish to learn a foreign language, but with family and professional commitments, he could not.

Dad was faced with the challenge posed by his age - "My brain is not that sharp anymore", he says, "and I find it difficult to study".

His classmates were much younger - perhaps our age or even less than that. Plus, when you head the family, you have to take care of so many things - be it home supplies, social commitments, taking care of my mother and his (my Granny), paying bills, and much more. Studying inspite of so much is a very very steep climb indeed.

"It was difficult", says Dad, as he caresses his certificate, "but I relished every bit of it." He did not give up when faced by adversities and wrenched out time to study between various activities. He is not very computer or internet savvy yet, but he got the cable operator to broadcast a Spanish channel on television. Now, that was innovative!

Isn't that awesome? Congratulate him here!

We are inspired by you, Dad. Love you.

Fighting the Invincible

A continuous shoulder pain led to a MRI scan and the results revealed a depressing fact: its not some

posture related or stress related problem it was suspected to be. It was cancer.

The very mention of the disease shakes your spirit. What is the condition of the patient, who is barely in her late thirties, a mother of two, has loads of dreams, when she is told that her disease is in an advanced stage and there is no known cure for it?

Shaila sat stunned as her doctor explained the implications of the spots that showed in the scan reports. But when she emerged, she was a woman of steel. 

She shared her predicament with her near and dear ones, but refused to let them be flustered. 

"It was no use being tensed about something out of one's control", she said, "Let's fight it out".

Chemotherapy sessions, medicines, bouts of illness, draining of savings, contradictory statements from various sources - it was a situation very difficult to deal with. Shaila stuck to her resolve, terming it as a challenge that life had thrown for her. 

There is a saying that you should not let the disease get into your mind. Shaila lived life like a confident woman, playing her multiple roles as a daughter, mother, wife, professional and more. She stuck to her medical commitments diligently. Today, more than 15 years after that dreadful day, Shaila lives to tell her tale. "Albeit few restrictions, I've faced such a scary disease head on, and have relished fighting it out." 

"Its awesome to be alive", she says, and hopes that her story shall be a source of inspiration for all cancer patients.

Pursuing His Heart

Rahul was with me in school. While we were listening to teachers, his mind would always wander to his guitar and music. Needless to say, he did not do well in the exams and after repeated attempts, could barely graze through school.

Bengalis may be a very open minded race, but they could have some limitations too. They think the world comes to an end if you do not do well in studies. His parents were apalled at his dismal marks, and were wondering how to get their boy back on track.

Rahul wanted to be a musician. He opposed his family and was ultimately thrown out of home and school. We had lost touch until one day, after good five years, I met him at a stage show.

Time had changed him, but somewhere deep within, he was still the school boy who studied with me. He recognized me in the crowd and jumped off the stage immediately after the performance. Long hair, confident attitude, a much sophisticated guitar hung around his neck - he seemed to have been reborn.

We exchanged numbers and next day, I met him for coffee, when he told me about his whereabouts in the interim period. He had to face the world on his own, without a place to call home and no money.

"But I had my baby", he said, holding his guitar up. Yes, he came for coffee with the instrument hung on his back.

I probed him for more details... and he spoke his heart out. Life had been harsh, but he had kept his cool and followed his heart. No matter what, he'd not part with his guitar. And gradually, he joined a music band who paid him on performance basis. Later his talent got recognized, and soon, he became a musician much in demand.

Looking at my spellbound expression, he said that he had relished the challenge the world posed for him, learnt a lot the harsh way, but has finally emerged victorious by clinging to his passion.

"No one asks for my degrees anymore", he grinned.

Granny Darling

Married at 17. Widowed at 33, while carrying her 5th child in her womb. My Granny - Mrs Anjali Mazumder.

Destiny threw this challenge at her. She was young and beautiful, widowed and mother of five. And without any source of income. To make matters worse, all relatives distanced themselves from her, for they did not want six extra mouths to feed.

Grandpa was about 45 when he had that sudden heart attack. He was a simple man, and had meagre savings. In those (pre- Indepence) times, salaries were low as well.

As if God was not pacified by Granny's plight, He added more suffering. She lost an eye, one of her knees went stiff. But what God perhaps overlooked was the fighter in the lady.

She struggled, sold her jewellery, did odd jobs and whatever she could do to bring her two daughters and three sons up. All of them are established and successful in their careers, married, have children and even grandchildren. Today, at 96, when she shares her memories from those days, she grins and says, "I've relished being challenged by Almighty, and my success story is being told by the next generations!"

Passionate about education herself, Granny can speak English fluently and has taught us during our childhood too. She has a sharp brain and has an exceptionally modern outlook. We are truly inspired by her.

Her 96th birthday is on this 25th June. May she be there to guide us all our lives. 

Stuck up There

My Dad was posted in Gangtok, a beautiful hill station - my Mom used to visit him with me and my brother every weekend from Calcutta, no matter what. We would start on Friday, reach on Saturday, again start on Sunday and attend school on Monday.

It was one such trip in July 1990 when North Bengal and Sikkim had received heavy rain. We were travelling from Siliguri to Gangtok, and midway on the hills, we found ourselves behind a series of vehicles, all stuck up because the road ahead was blocked by a large boulder.


Landslides are a pretty common phenomenon in this part of the world, especially in the rainy season. My brother and I, all of 10 and 11 years of age, got out our taxi to check the situation out. Mom was apprehensive, but she let us move out so long we remained in her line of vision. There were no mobile phones at that time, so there was no way one could communicate with anyone in the outer world.

A chill ran down our spines as we looked down - we were on the edge of a steep cliff, and the landslide had broken the barriers on the edge of the road. The boulder that blocked our way sat on a bed of smaller rocks and uprooted trees, and seemed to hold back the avalanche. The balance seemed delicate, and the slightest disturbance could bring the mountains down. 

There were people leaning against their vehicles or walking around, hoping that help would arrive. Our challenge was not to overcome this critical situation, but keep our cool.

Hours passed, sunlight dimmed. Our mom, along with others, was looking tensed. The idea of spending a night in the wilderness with two children was definitely scary.

We were lucky to be children - worry was something that we were unfamiliar with. The thrill of being in such a critical situation seemed to egg us on, and we seemed to relish the challenge of being completely helpless to Mother Nature.

My brother and I tried to speak to people who were complete strangers, whose languages were unknown to us (we could not speak Hindi too at that stage), and somehow lower the tension. No one had anything better to do, so they communicated with us through smiles, facial expressions and gestures. We kept the spirit up, and would not let anyone panic.

Late evening, an army truck came downhill and took charge of the situation. They put some sandfilled gunny bags and made a stable path for people to cross. They managed to interchange passengers from one side with those on the other; so that they could use each other's vehicles to move towards their destinations.

The present rainy season has brought back memories of a this scary experience. I've been hearing of tourists and pilgrims stuck up in the hills - I can identify with their plight, and hope that this blogpost brings some ray of hope to them.
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Photo: An old one scanned for you - the monkey watches human beings in distress.

From DINK to SINK

We were a happy to be DINK couple - Double Income No Kids. Until one day, when my husband, the member with the larger income, chose to give up his job and go in for full time studies.

While his challenge lay in being a student after a long break, mine was running the family on single income.

We estimated we could barely manage and let him pursue his heart. 

A beep on my mobile phone changed all our calculations. It was a sms informing me that a cheque has bounced. Unable to recognize the transaction, I enquired with by bank and was informed that I would have to pay EMIs for my housing loan from that month.

"Wait a minute!", my brain screamed, "But they were not supposed to start now! I've just come down on single income and you want me to pay half my salary for instalments? That too, above rent?" 

It was a sticky situation - how to manage? Life had thrown a bouncer at me, waiting for me to live up to the challenge.

How I survived those two years is a long story - cutting down on recreation, optimizing on resources. It was tough, very tough. But after the initial phase, I realized that I was relishing the challenge - it was a learning experience. The fighter in oneself is rejuvinated and you can take on any challenge.

Thankfully, we are back to our professional versions. And now we look back on those days of hardship for inspiration, sharing our experience, and feeling awesome about it.

Excellent Wine for You

That's what I thought of the wine, when I tasted the Merlot - a red wine from Four Seasons. 

Are you surprised? Some of you who know me personally are aware of the fact that I stay away from alcohol in most cases. But when offered a taste of this ruby red wine (its a bit darker - close to the garnet stone), I decided to try it.

We were at a friends' housewarming party, and the menu for dinner was a platter of attractive Mughlai dishes. While I was appreciating the aroma that filled the dining space, my friend grinned and said, "The secret ingredient is the wine you are holding."  

Believe me, the food tasted awesome. Conventional, but hinting at something that enhanced your experience.  The wine tasted perfect alongside - there is a strong fruity flavour in it which lingers in the aroma as well. 

Do try this flavour and relish the experience! 

To know more about this wine and others, visit the Fourseasons website. 

Honeymoon continues

Producing a book titled “Weekend Getaways from Delhi”, my husband announced that our honeymoon shall continue in phases on his new Thunderbird (a massive creation by Royal Enfield). 

The first destination was Garmukteshwar – the location where distance from River Ganges and our city, Delhi, was minimum. But that is no less than 125 km! I was skeptical for do what I may, I cannot drive the monster machine, even if he’d let me. The passionate biker in him scoffed me away assuring that he did not mind doing all the riding – adding to please me, “with me behind him” and actually meaning “with an excuse to ride such a bike”.

It was August, just after the monsoons, so the condition of most part of the road was not worth mentioning. Once the urban sprawl had been left behind, we came across a Y junction – one road led to our destination, and the other was a village road with no signage. The driver turned towards me, and one look at his eyes through the windshield of his helmet told me which path we were about to take.

It was a completely new world – lush green fields rejuvenated by the rains spread out on both sides, occasional trees here and there, no sign of any development anywhere. Moisture still lingered in the air. We rode along, enjoying the landscape. There were undulations, but it was a fairly motorable road.

The road finally took us to a small village – children were surprised to see such a monstrous bike and started running behind us. We stopped at a well, where they gathered and wanted to be taken on a ride. Smiling, my husband obliged them, as I joined few women who were sitting nearby. They gave me water to drink and offered me some tea.

After enjoying such hospitality, we asked for directions to our destination – luckily we did not have to trace back the entire path. We ate at roadside restaurants, and rode through various small towns. You can be assured that we took small detours to visit anything that caught our eye – a tall pyre of a church, a signboard announcing a tourist attraction, the sound of a school bell, and more!

We did reach Garmukteshwar finally… but more than the town, I’ve cherished memories of this road trip!

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Sorry, this was about 7 years back, and I could not find the photographs.