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Tamara Coorg – A Critical Appreciation

18 May

I am always on the lookout for unique nature resorts – Ever since I first saw the Ad of Tamara Coorg in a Jet Airways In flight magazine a year back I have been wanting to visit – which I finally did last weekend.

I always pronounced TAMARA the american way – the way it was spelt – only while booking did I realise that its pronounced as if it were a Tamil or Malayalam word (Tamara in the S Indian languages means Lotus) – and Tamara is indeed a beautiful nature resort blooming in the southern part of Coorg.

Getting There 

The resort is about 275 Km from Bangalore – takes you 6 1/2 hrs on a  normal day. Bangalore – Mysore road is busy and you will at best manage 45 Km/hr – average speed – getting out of Bangalore and navigating past the towns of Kengeri, Bidadi, Chennapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna – does take its toll – this road desperately needs an upgrade to a Tolled National Highway – its a shame that 135 Km from Bangalore to Mysore takes almost 3 1/2 hrs.  After Srirangapatna you take the bypass from Ranganthittu (12 Km of patchy Road) – and then you zip along the Mysore Mangalore highway all the way past Hunsur. Take the fork towards Virajpet (You avoid Kushalnagar and Medikeri). The Roads are in excellent condition all the way to the resort. And you pass through some forests – if lucky you may spot some elephants.  We left Bangalore on a Fri at 11 AM and reached the Resort comfortably at 5.30 PM – with a short 30 min lunch break. After 14 years we were on a  trip without kids – I was driving on a long trip after many years – and it was a pleasant difference to be in a car on a long trip with no kids.  There are signs all along the route from Hunsur so locating the resort is not a problem – no last mile problems.

The Property

The property is amazing – its almost a structural design masterpiece. The resort is on a hill –  landscape design is by an Indonesian and its built on the concept of balance between man, nature & God. The architect is from Kerala and between the two they have indeed created a magnificent and unique luxury resort. The total property is 178 Acres – Resort 9 Acres, 10 Acres of Cardamom plantations, 125 acres of Coffee Plantations and the rest are thick forests. You can smell the rich bio diversity – and at night the crickets and cicadas create a ruckus while early morning the birds and the woodpeckers awaken you with their chirping and tweets.

The 52 Cottages are built on the style of Alpine Chalets – and they come in 3 forms – Luxurious , Suites and Superior Luxury (2 Bedroom units with a Jacuzzi) . Each one is unique with 100% privacy, lots of light and lovely views. The Cottages are built all along the hill – you drive 4 Km uphill from the main road  to the reception and then the battery operated cars take you to your rooms that start at 1132 metres. We stayed at a suite that had 1 bedroom, 1 dining / hall and a large open patio – all of this mounted on stilts on the hill. Very aesthetically done. The interiors were plush and luxurious. 2 LCD TV’s, Hot water, Excellent Beds / Sofas – nothing to complain about. (If I force myself to be critical –  I would have liked a seating with a backrest in the patio where I could comfortably sit crosslegged for my early morning meditation and maybe a little lesser furniture in the front room and a yoga mat in the room)

Tamara Coorg

 Tamara Coorg Properties

The distance from the first room to the last would be about 2 Km – so pick a room thats centrally located and not very far from the Central complex that houses the restaurant & bar. This is a beautiful complex – with one large Restaurant – The Falls that actually overlooks a waterfall which is full of gushing water during the rains. The well stocked bar – Deck and a large spacious Conference Room – Windows – (My first thought was that working in Apple I may struggle to justify a conference for my team here if the conference room is called Windows) –  the interiors are solid and classy.

beautiful complex

Food is served in the FALLS – the only restaurant – a large one which has a dance floor made of glass. Variety of food is good but the taste is just about OK – Not WOW. The Sambar lacked salt and tanginess, the Chutney lacked spice , the Rassogolla tasted canned and old, and the Medu Wada tasted like it has been refried 3 times. From Indian – Continental – Chinese – Local Kodava Cusiine it was all there – but the food was a  3 /4 star hotel standard – not 5 star. Eye for detail was missing – the table did not have sugar sachets, you had to remind people to fill your glass with water , tea and coffees was self service – Nett nett food and service lacked the quality and class one would expect in a  luxury resort.

That was a general feeling I had on service – good soft spoken people – but they lack the pro-activeness and engagement that I have seen in Ananda Spa, Orange County, Windflower Mashobra or most of the Oberoi properties. When you are walking the battery car passes by but almost always they never stop to ask you for a lift. The person staffing the reception at 7 AM looks haggard and sleepy  – small things but these are the small things that transforms you from good to great. Maybe the place needs a GM from the Oberois who can inculcate the right culture & training. (Having stayed in almost all the global hotel chains extensively The Oberoi to me is still the gold standard on service)

Moving onto activities – we enjoyed 3 activities at the Resort – a Yoga session, a long Plantation walk around the property and a lovely early morning 3 hr trek.

The Yoga session was good – but not great. The session was to start at 7 AM  – we were told to report at 6.45AM which we did punctually – but the instructor came at 7.10AM and by the time we walked to the Yoga Platform and started it was 7.20AM. Punctuality is in my blood and I get bugged if my morning Yoga session is delayed. The Teacher was a very good practitioner – a young student doing his Phd in Yoga but not trained to be a teacher. He spoke so much during the session that I felt like telling him quieten down please. The Yoga Platform is in a great location – beneath a Rudraksha tree with a small stream gurgling along. Its hard concrete – open. I would have liked this to be beautiful designed pagoda with wooden / granite floor ( again I go back to the Yoga Hall at the Ananda Spa that was beautiful) that could fit well with the overall architecture of the resort. A small point – the Yoga mats were 4 mm thick – on hard concrete that makes it uncomfortable – would have been good to have 8 mm mats. (I used two mats one on top of the other)

beautiful designed pagoda with wooden floor

The plantation trek was nice – the guide was very knowledgeable and told us all the facts about the Resort, history of Coffee, Spices etc… showed us some nice picnic spots, explained the Rudraksh trees and helped us identify numerous flora and fauna (including a unique All Spice plant) we had heard about but not seen.

plantation trek

We ended the walk at the Verandah – a centre which houses a store, the evening snack place and some books for reading. It also has the demo centre for making coffee. You actually get to select coffee beans, roast it and grind it before making your own cup of fresh Coorg Coffee – a lovely educational experience that we enjoyed.

evening snack place

The next day morning we headed for a trek at 6.30 AM – a 14 km long trek to a small hill called Ballayatre. Took us about 3 hrs – a lovely trek – medium grade. Fortunately it was not raining – but the previous days rains had made the terrain slippery. Climbing, slipping, forests, leeches, flies – stories of snake bites, pug marks – all of that made the trek indeed very interesting and the view from the top was the reward. Our guide Lokesh  an ex serviceman was absolutely superb.

lovely trek

We were back from the trek by 9.30 AM – had a relaxed breakfast and were ready to check out at 10.30 AM. Our first holiday after 14 years with no kids – day 1 was good and relaxed but by day 2 we started missing the kids. We left Tamara at 11 AM and were back in Bangalore at 5.30 PM.

Other Pointers 

  • Rates at the resort are all inclusive – no extra charges for breakfast / lunch / dinner / treks / Free Wi Fi (they better be when you are charged almost $ 400 / night)
  • The swimming pool and Gym is under construction – should be opening soon
  • The Spa looked OK – we did not try it out.
  • A Badminton and Tennis Court – looked like the Yoga Platform – solid cement – not fitting in with the ambience of the resort.
  • We did not see any foreigners – mainly young couples probably on a  honeymoon. (Rich young couples – I could never have imagined spending this money when I was 30)
  • The Resort opened in 2012 – so its spanking new – excellent condition
  • All the water used in the resort comes from natural springs – I was told that during the rains the place is full of streams and falls – that will be beautiful indeed.
  • They get power from the State electricity board but the power goes frequently and it switches to generator supply
  • Talacauvery is just 30 Km away – we stayed indoors – we have been to Coorg many times and avoided the Abbey Falls, Raja Garden, Tibetan Monastery …… regular touristy get aways.
  • The Bittangla Golf course is not far away
  • Kids below 12 not allowed – thats good , at times it nice to be in a place where you don’t have naughty toddlers screaming and messing up the place spoiling the harmony and tranquility.
  • Oct to May are the best times to Travel, June – Sep heavy rains

In Summary – lovely property – good break – but expensive – the advantage is being close to Bangalore there are no flight charges. I have been to many amazing properties – I felt that The Tamara was missing something – let me call it a personality, soul, spirit – thats something the people who run it need to think about. The staff are good but many are not passionate – they are just going about their jobs (Like the folks at Infosys / Wipro) – which reminds me that this property is owned and developed by Shibulal and his daughter – and its great that they have invested their hard earned money in creating a memorable getaway for people like us so thank you for a nice relaxed break.

 lovely property

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Khajuraho – Ready Reckoner

5 Feb

A visit to Khajuraho has been on my to do list for long. History and architecture in a beautiful setting can transport you back centuries and that’s exactly what this visit did – it exceeded all my expectations. Getting to Khajuraho is a challenge. Flights are Via Agra or Varanasi, Road journey from any Airport/Big City is a minimum 4 – 5 hrs. The only direct connectivity is a train from Nizamuddin Junction – (12448) that leaves Nizamuddin at 20.10 and reaches Khajuraho at 6.30 AM. The return is at 18.10 reaching Nizamuddin the next day morning at 6 AM. (You also have an option of taking the New Delhi Bhopal Shatabdi to Jhansi, spending a day at Jhansi, Orchha and then driving the 185 km to Khajuraho in 3 – 4 hrs)

 visit to Khajuraho

Khajuraho is home to architectural splendor. Probably the only temples in North and Central India that have survived the 1000 years of Muslim invaders. Built in a span of 100 years between 950 – 1050 AD*, there were 85 temples across a 2 Sq. Km radius. (25 of them survive today – of which 3 are ruins) You can divide them broadly in 3 clusters – The Main Western Cluster, the Eastern Cluster and finally the Southern Cluster. Built in the Nagara architecture style they all look similar and were built by different kings of the Chandella Dynasty (More about Chandella Dynasty in the footnote).

* 900 – 1100 AD appears to be the best time in India for building temples. The great temples at Badami by the Chalukyas. The Tanjore temples by the Cholas, the Sun Temple at Konark, the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram  and the Temples at Khajuraho all seem to have been built around the same time.

 Tanjore temples by the Cholas

The Western Cluster is the UNESCO World Heritage site and this is where you spend most of your time. (2 – 3 hrs) Well maintained, spread over a large area in a compound spanning 12 temples – the two main temples here are the Lakshmana Temple and The Kandariya Mahadev Temple. The Matangeshwara Temple is part of the same cluster but is outside the compound as it’s the only functional temple. This temple has an 18 foot tall Shiva Linga.

Built of sandstone the carvings and the sculpture are exquisite and depict life in its different forms. The walls of the temples are so profusely sculptured that for a minute it looks like a single gracious wall of fine intricate designs. Not an inch of space has been left devoid of sculpture. The eye for detail is amazing. The depiction of strained muscles, cuts on the calf muscle are all unparalleled in any architecture across the world. Beside the erotic sculptures there are court scenes, scenes of battle, scenes of daily life and scenes that advice the citizens. All the sculptures and figures are dynamic and they appear to be in action and movement.

erotic sculptures

All the sculptures can be divided into three categories

  • Image of principal deities – Shiva, Vishnu, Surya and the Jain Tirthankaras
  • Second category is of minor gods and divinities – Apsaras and Surya Sundaris
  • Third category is of “Mithunas” or couples engaged in sexual acts

Across the temples erotic sculptures are prominently visible only in a few – namely the Lakshman, Kandariya Mahadev, Devi Jagadambi, Chitragupta and Vishwanath temple. Some are also found in Chaturbhuja, Vamana and Duladeo temples. These have been a cause of controversy although they are the key brand value that attracts tourists in hordes.

Given the rapid spread of Buddhism and Jainism there was a need to have the common man focus on family life – that’s one school of thought for building these temples, given that the temple was the Centre of day to day life for the common man. The other explanation is that it’s important to complete your desires before you proceed on the path to spiritual consciousness.

Point to note is that even the puritanical (and maybe hypocritical) M.K.Gandhi protested and gave permission to vandals to deface the temple of these sculptures before Sri Rabindranath Tagore wrote to him and was able to stop this rampage. (Reminds me of the Taliban defacing the Bamiyan Buddha Statues in Afghanistan).I sometimes wonder if Gandhi was a saint or a shrewd politician! But thats a separate debate.

 The highlight of the visit to the Western Complex is the Light and Sound show. It starts at 6.30 PM and runs for 45 min. (The Hindi version starts at 7.30 PM) Easy to get tickets priced at Rs 200. I was there on a full moon night with the sky full of stars. The majestic voice of Amitabh Bachan and the vast open greens of the complex brings alive the mesmerising past as the spirit of the master sculpture carries you back to the golden ages of 950 – 1050 AD. The commentary, the light effects and the sound of temple bells, armies marching are surreal. This is a must attend show. (There are other folks Dance shows also organized by MP Government and Private hotels, which I believe are very entertaining)

 Kandariya Mahadev Temple

The Eastern Complex is dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. It is smaller, functional and is managed by the Jain community. The artistry and theme remains similar, but there are only a few temples and there is no erotic sculpture visible anywhere. Located a few Km away from the Western cluster – should take you no more than 30 min to cover this.

Lakshmana Temple

The Southern cluster is not inside a compound and most temples here are spread across the villages. Barring a few almost all are in ruins. You can skip this or maybe visit only the Duladeo and the Chatarbhuj temples – these were the last set of temples built by the Chandelles.

If your Train reaches at 6.30 AM – you can reach the hotel by 7, freshen up get started at 9.30 AM and by 12.30 you can cover all the temples and head back to your hotel for lunch and an afternoon siesta before you come back at 5 PM for viewing the W Complex in the sunset and then stay back for the light & sound show.

Few more points to help in your Khajuraho visit

Khajuraho is a small town. Its got a rustic rugged feel. Distances are small and you can reach the hotel, station, Temples in 10 – 15 minutes. Along the temple road most of the hotels are situated – the best are Lalit, Taj Chandella, Radisson and Clarks. I stayed at the Clarks – a nice 100-room property with sprawling lawns. Good service, decent food, Working Wi Fi, Comfortable rooms with Tata Sky. A good 4 star hotel and the rack rate is Rs 6000/- .

  • Lots of places to eat and you can get Veg / Non veg / Italian food – mostly place is frequented by Foreigners. Try the Marwari Agrawal Restaurant for pure Veg Thali and Veg food. Small place like a mess – serves excellent food. Is always packed. I had a great Thali and even packed my Train Dinner from here. (Located Near Harmony Hotel , Jain Temple Road)

Marwari Agrawal Restaurant

Places to visit near Khajuraho include

  1. Panna forest reserve and National Park – a 1 hr. drive (32Km) very bad road – surprised that it’s a National Highway. The Jungle and River Ken are calm and serene – but all you see are spotted Deer’s and Sambars. Its a large reserve spread across 543 Sq Km of dense Teak Jungle
  2. There are 4 Dams and a few waterfalls located at 30 – 45 min driving distance
  3. Ajaygarh Fort – 61 Km from Khajuraho, further ahead of Panna
  4. Jhansi – 158 Km, Good place to see historic forts and learn about Rani Lakshmibai. Shatabadi from Delhi stops at Jhansi.
  5. Rajgarh – 25 Km , Majestic 150 year old Hilltop Palace
  6. Kalanjar fort – 100 Km – a ancient site in Bundelkhand and a venerated seat of Lord Shiva. It was originally a prominent city built by the Gupta’s. in 3 Century AD.
  7. The closest Big city is Satna about 110 Km – Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Varanasi are all 300 – 500 Km away
  8. An overnight Train connects Khajuraho to Varanasi – and Varanasi to Bodh Gaya is not far away. So if you plan a holiday you can do Delhi – Jhansi / Orccha / Khajuraho / Varanasi / Bodh Gaya in 7 – 9 days.
  9. Bandhavgarh one of the best national parks in the country is 250 Km away – 6 to 7 hrs drive. The NH75 is under development and hopefully in next 6 months will be better.

Weather can be extreme – similar to Delhi. Winters are cold and summers are very hot. Best time to visit is between Oct and Feb. This is Bundelkhand the heart of the country. Surrounded by the Vindhyas it is well fed by rivers and has rich dense forests. The terrain is rugged. Still not developed well for tourism.

Myth & History of Khajuraho

The name Khajuraho comes from “Khajoor” or date palms. In 900 AD this place was a garden of date palms. It was well bestowed by nature with river, forests, fertile soil. Chandellas are a part of the Rajput Clan and claim to be descendants of the moon god. Legend has it that the moon god was attracted to a young widow Hemvathi and therein started the clan of the Chandellas. History however records the Chandellas as feudatories of the Pratihara kings. They proclaimed themselves independent when the Pratihara empire weakened. The Chandella dynasty ruled for about 400 years from 900 AD. On of the Chandella rulers Vijaydhara even successfully fought against the invader Mahmud of Ghazni. The Kandariya Mahadev temple was probably built to commemorate this victory. After 1100 AD the Chandella dynasty and Khajuraho declined rapidly and in 1350 when Ibn Battuta reached here it was a sad state far from its days of glory. It was only in 1838 that a British Officer T.S.Burt found Khajuraho and the British started its restoration.

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Wildwoods – Nature Retreat – Off Mangalore

4 Oct

Always on the lookout for offbeat locations I was lucky to find Wildwood’s Spa on the internet . Most folks in Bangalore wait for long weekends to plan a getaway – and after a few years having covered Coorg, Ooty, Kodai, Bandipur, Chickmagalur, Waynad, Hampi & Badami – I was happy to find another great location in Karnataka. We are lucky that Karnataka has so much to see

Getting There 

Located 130 Km from Mangalore (3 hr Drive) its north of Mangalore on the Mangalore – Goa highway. We took a flight to Mangalore and then drove to the resort – Roads are single track but decent for 90% of the route . There is however a more convenient option of taking a night Train from Bangalore 16523/24 Karwar / Kannur Express that leaves bangalore at 8 PM and reaches Byndoor at 11 AM. Byndoor is a 15 min drive from the Resort. I recommend you take this – don’t get confused by the name – the train that leaves Bangalore splits into two at Mangalore – one half goes to Kannur and the other to Karwar.

About the Resort 

Its a new resort – 18 months old with 9 Cottages and 16 Villas. Spread across two tracts of land 4 Acres & 16 acres separated by a village road. The Cottages are in the 4 Acre property and the Villas in the 16 Acre. The Resort is in the last stage of completion and the Villa section is 90% done. Its a botanical resort with over 7000 species of plants set at the border of the jungle with a nice small river encircling it. The greenery attracts a lot of birds and butterflies – a rarety for city dwellers today.

3 Things that make the Resort appealing

1. Lovely Location – Lots of greenery – Gurgling River less than 50 feet from your room

2. Nice Rooms , Great Service , Homely food

3. Lots to see – Beaches / Temples / Treks

The Rooms 

Wildwood's Spa

The rooms are nice & spacious. We had booked the largest room (Room – 1) that came with 2 Bedrooms – 2 Baths. The Bathrooms are well designed , with all modern amenities. Rooms are designed with Thatched roofs and well covered – so even during day you need the lights on.

A TV in both rooms with Cable connection , AC , Fan and Coffee Machine makes it effective and functional with all the amenities you need. The rooms has a small sit out with a bench that overlooks the river.The Cottage section of the Resort spread across 4 acres is small – the Restaurant and Spa are a stones throw from the room.

We Paid 15 K / Night for the two Bed Room – that included all meals.

Food is homely and tasty , mainly Veg. Spread is decent but not as expansive as a 5 star hotel. The Chef is open to suggestions from guests. One day he even served us “Brahmi Spinach Curry” – thats the leaf that helps with your memory. The morning juice was also exotic – on day 2 we were served a drink that looked like it was full go fish eggs – on enquiry we were told that its a local drink called ” Tampina Beeja” which is supposedly good for keeping the body cool.

Brahmi Spinach Curry

Liquor is not served – but you are welcome to get some from home and have in your room. If you came here thinking of Mangalorean fish – then you may be disappointed (We were happy not to get the Fish smell)

The best activity 

While there are many things to do the best activity we liked was the trek up the Kosalli Falls. Its about 6 Km – and takes 2 hr one way. A tough trek ( by my standards) its thru thick jungles and some parts are on the edge of the hill. I just made it puffing and panting – but the kids had great fun and beat us hollow.

trek up the Kosalli Falls

The other attractions nearby are the beautiful beaches.

We visited 3 beaches of which 2 were outstanding.

The Someshwara beach is the closest – 15 Km , 30 min drive from the Resort. Its also the beach where a river meets the Arabian Sea. Empty , neat and clean its rare to find a beach like this in India. No hawkers, No shanties, Nobody ogling at women – its a great beach. The other beach I would recommend is the Marawanthe beach – a 1 hr drive from the resort its on the way back to Mangalore. The temple town of Murudeshwar also has a beach – but that is very commercial. Water in this part of the country is rough and swimming is not advised. 

Someshwara beach

pics near beach

For the religious minded there are some famous temples to visit. Udupi – 85 Km , Kolur Mookambika – 40 Kms, Gokarna – 120 Km , Murudeshwar – 37 Km. And for some more fun Jog Falls is 120 Km ( 3 hrs drive) and Goa is just 4 hrs away.

This is also Cashew land – you can see forests of Cashew trees on both sides of the road as you drive. We visited a cashew factory and saw the laborious process of how Cashew Kernels are boiled/burnt and then the nut is cracked open. Post that they are manually scraped and cleaned and then graded by size. At the end of it you get amazingly tasty cashews at a price thats almost 50% of what you get in Bangalore – Rs 500/- Kg.

Cashew land

Other activities – Long Walks , TT & Badminton, Non Monsoon season they arrange for River activities, and even Snorkelling. Many of the activities are seasonal. We enjoyed our morning walks along lush green paddy fields every day. But Kids can get bored – so plan to come in a group.

morning walks lush green paddy fields every day

Weather

Its humid – even in end Sep the Temp was 30 +. The best season as always is Nov to Feb. Summers can be very hot and Monsoon is clearly avoidable.

In Conclusion – we loved the place. Yes getting there was a bit of a challenge and the 5 K for the Innova from Mangalore to the Resort was a bit too expensive. Food was good, service was great and we had enough to do for 3 days. It did help a lot that were two families – I strongly recommend that you go as a group. It takes a lot of passion and energy to run a resort like this – hats off to the owner and his team for doing a super job. I don’t think they make any profit out of this venture.

If I were to make 3 suggestions to the Hotel management – they would be 

1. Decide your positioning – Spa Centric or Nature Centric , The name Wildwoods Spa – gives it a feeling that its Spa Centric , but in reality its a Nature Resort

2. Package your activities – 1/2 day modules , and sell that package , as of now you decide where to go and the hotel helps you with local transport.

3. Create more activities for Kids – if in Monsoon river activities are not possible , create something like Cooking , gardening etc – Kids need activity – The Cashew burring activity we did one day was excellent and well appreciated by the kids.

Yes the place does not have Internet/Wifi – I think thats a blessing in disguise.

Cashew burring activity

As we wrap up one holiday we are already set for the next one in Dec – as we head to the Himalayas, our bookings are done and we are looking forward to some mountain fun and snow time at Soulitude in the Himalayas. Look out for that Blog in Dec

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Aihole, Badami, Pattadakal – In 48 Hrs

20 Aug

Not many people know that Karnataka has two UNESCO world heritage sites. Hampi & Pattadakal – both located in North Karnataka. We had visited Hampi a few years back and have since long been wanting to visit the heritage sites of Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal – which we finally did recently.

Our History books are filled with content of N India from the Indus Valley Civilisations, Buddhism , Jainism, Mauryas, Guptas, Harsha and then the Turks, Mongols, Rajputs, Marathas  and Mughals and finally the British. Very little is mentioned of S Indian history. Karnataka alone is home to 5 great dynasties that ruled from as early as 450 AD. The Chalukyas (Head quartered in Badami – Then Vatapi), Rashtrakutas, Vijaynagaram Empire, Hoysalas and The Wodeyars/ Tipu.  Outside of Karnataka you have the Pallavas, Cholas, Cheras, Pandya’s , Kakatiyas and some more.

Here is an update from our  2 day trip recently to this amazing place. Thankfully its not one of those busy tourist circuits and we could admire the beauty of 1500 year old architecture in relative peace and calm with no major queues and crowds.

The Chalukya empire ruled from Aihole, Badamai and Pattadakal and you can see an architectural marvel in Red sandstone. The beginning of temple architecture in India may well have started from here. Aihole was  the 1st capital of the Chalukyas who ruled almost 3/4 of India under the famous Pulakesin – II. The empire had its golden era from around 500 AD to 750 AD. The temples and structures we see in Aihole , Badami and Pattadakal would be amongst the oldest structure (in good shape) in India.

chalukyan rulers of badami

 

The initial set of temples were constructed in Aihole, the 1st capital – 125 of them , most have been excavated and are in decent shape. The structures are simple with limited sculptures and architectural beauty. Aihole is about 30 Km from Badami and a 45 – 60 min drive along reasonable good village tarred roads with lovely green fields on both sides. Most of the temples in Aihole are dedicated to Vishnu – but later the Chalukya’s became Shaivites and in Badami and Pattadakal we see mainly Shiva Temples.

According to mythology Aihole is the place where Parashurama washed his axe after killing the Kshatriyas. Aihole has historical significance and is called as cradle of Hindu rock architecture.

simple with limited sculpturesof aihole

Aihole also has some rock cut caves – but these are basic and the outstanding ones with elaborate sculpture work is seen at Badami

rock cut caves

From Aihole we travelled to Pattadakal – a 20 min drive on the way back to Badami. Pattadakal  is the UNESCO world heritage site. This has some amazing temples in a large compound. You can see temples of different designs – Nagara style (Like the one you see in Lingaraja Temple Bhubaneswar) , Pallava Style (Like the Shore temple), Traditional S indian, N Indian and the Chalukya style . Of the 3 sites – Pattadakal has the most evolved design and architecture and its interesting to see the development in Temple design from Aihole – Badami – Pattadakal in less than 300 years. The temple site is located on the banks of the Malaprabha river – one of the few rivers in India that flows from South to North. You can easily cover Aihole & Pattadakal in 5 hrs (Aihole has multiple sites to visit and Pattadakal one main complex)

Pattadakal  

 

Indus Valley Civilisations

Badami was the new capital post Aihole. Its earlier name was Vatapi. Its called Badami because of the red colour of the sand stone used in construction – which looks very much like that of Almonds (Badam).

There are 4 important things to see in Badami –  Rock Cut Caves, The Bhootnath Temple and the massive lake adjacent to it, The fort and the Museum.  All 4 are very close to each other.

The Rock Cut caves – are amazing. Its created by scooping out rocks from the gut of the mountain and then finishing them aesthetically with intricate sculpture. There are 4 sets of caves – some dedicated to Vishnu, others to Shiva and the last one to the Jain Guru’s

Rock Cut Caves

You climb 250 steps to see all the 4 sets of caves and the view from the top is beautiful. You can get a wonderful panoramic view of the lake and the Bhootnath temple below. The temple is peaceful and serene – and without a priest and the crowd you can sense the divinity in the old ruins.

4 SET OF CAVES

The fort is again a climb up a hill – not very step but has about 500 steps ( 25 min climb) – not much of the fort left – a few cannons perched on the walls , a few sentry posts and a temple on the top of the hill. Its a nice trek and the kids loved the climb. Lots of monkeys enroute – so look out for them . Right below the fort is the Lake , the Bhootnath Temple and a small but very well maintained museum – which has one of the oldest statue of Lajja Gauri the ancient fertility goddess.

Some more useful Information

Badami can be reached from Bangalore by Train – The Gol Gumbaz Express from Mysore to Sholapur leaves Bangalore at 6.40 PM and reaches Badami at 7.00 AM. Its a slow train with multiple stops (thats why it does 590 Kms in 12 hrs). The train has 1st AC , 2nd AC , 3 Tier AC. Pack your dinner from home – there is no pantry car. The return journey starts at Badami at 7.30 PM and reaches Bangalore at 8 AM. (there are other trains also)

There are very few decent hotels in Badami (and none in Aihole / Pattadakal) – we stayed at The Heritage – a 5 min 2Km drive from the station. Two other hotels that looked decent are Krishna Heritage and the Badami Court. All hotels have rooms at 3 – 4 K/ Night. The Heritage took good care of us – rooms were nice, service was good and they had organised an Innova to pick us up, stay with us for two days and then drop us back at Badami station. Food @ Heritage was homely and simple (Only Veg) the other two hotels serve Non Veg.  Rooms are neat, clean efficient and Basic (AC , Hot water , TV , comfortable beds, balcony) – food is cheap – a good healthy nourishing S Indian Thali is only Rs 90/- and an A La Carte meal for 3 will not exceed Rs 500/-

Krishna Heritage

Not much of shopping/markets in Badami – its a 1 street town. Mainly agrarian – and we drove with lovely fields on both sides growing Jowar, Bajra, Cotton, Sunflowers, paddy, Maize. Its  black soil and very fertile.

sunflower plantation

Telephone connectivity is good – 3G works all thru the town, even in Aihole & Pattadakal.

The largest city in the vicinity is Hubli – which is about 100 Km before Badami. Hubli is Karnataka’s 2nd largest city (Yes – bigger than Mangalore & Mysore). Further ahead from Badami is Bijapur ( ~ 100 Km) and its a 2 hr drive. This place again has a lot to see including the famous Gol Gumbaz – its Sultanate territory. Hampi is not far away – though Hospet is a different train route. So if you have more time – you can easily do a 5 – 6 day trip to Hampi, Badami & Bijapur.

You are in the heart of Deccan – summers can be very hot. Even mid Aug it was 30 Degrees +. Best time to travel is in Winter – Oct to Feb. Thats when the foreigners come here in hordes and with the limited room supply you need to book in advance.

Overall a great trip – amazing architecture, lots of History, not crowded, neat and clean, easy on the pocket and convenient connection to Bangalore. The person at heritage Hotel who helped put this together for me was Mahantesh –  those interested you can connect to him on +91 93 53 023006 (email – info@theheritage.co.in)

So when you get your next long weekend plan a trip to Badami – I am sure you will enjoy as much as we did.

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“Anandam” at Ananda

20 Jul

The word ‘Ānanda’ means ‘bliss’ in Pali, Sanskrit as well as other Indian languages. And BLISS is the best word to describe what I experienced during my 3 day stay at the Ananda Spa & Resort in the Himalayas. I have heard so much of this place that its been in my “To Do”  list for a while. And finally I told myself – “Don’t Think – ACT” and made an impulse decision to come for 3 nights. 9W 824 is a one hop flight from Bangalore to Dehradun Via Delhi (leaves at 07.50AM) and reaches Dehradun at 11.45. From the Jolly Grant airport Via Rishikesh its a 45 min drive to Ananda and I was in the hotel by  1.15 in time for a princely welcome and a stately lunch.

anand spa

The majestic hotel is housed in the property that was the Palace of the Garhwal King and is located at Narendra Nagar. Its named after Ma Ananda Mayi a Sadhvi who was the spiritual guru of the Maharaja. Its spread across 100 acres, of which 25 Acres is developed as the Resort and Spa. The main Palace does not have any rooms (Barring 1 regal suite) and the rooms are located 500m away from the reception/palace. Ananda has 78 rooms , 5 Suites and 3 Villas.

While there is a lot to talk about Ananda there are 3 things that stand out

1. Verdant greenery, pristine and manicured

2. Excellent service – very well trained professionals

3. Great Spa – with wide variety of excellent treatments

The fresh verdant greenery is soothing and calming to the eyes. As you enter the hotel and drive to your room you see these well maintained gardens . The gardens even have peacocks and the entire area is filled with a wide variety of chirping birds.

fresh verdant greenery

The rooms are nice and comfortable. They all come with a  balcony, a nice walk in closet and all the latest amenities that you will find any 5 Star Luxury hotel. The Wi Fi is super fast and Phone signals are strong. You can even pack light because they give you sets of Pyjama/Kurta your size and encourage you to wear that in the property. They have 24 by 7 room service and a TV / VCR.  The view from the rooms is lovely – its either a garden view or a Valley View. The valley view in the morning is heavenly. And if you asks  kid to draw heaven this is what she will draw – Green hills with multiple layers of clouds and a blue sky.

The Villas are luxurious – and thats where Oprah stays when she comes to visit Ananda in her private jet. Many a former Prime Minister, dignitary and famous people have visited Ananda. (http://shanti.shawfirecreative.com/oprah-winfrey-returns-to-ananda)

nice and comfortable

The Spa and the restaurant are very close to the Hotel rooms. The Spa has about 25 Treatment rooms and a wide variety of Treatments – Ayurveda, International Experiences, Healing With Hot Stone, Tibetan, Hydrotherapy – you name it they have it. The Spa is spacious , spotlessly clean and classy. All that it takes from ambience and experience to make it amongst the best in the world. Costs vary from Rs 4500 for a 55 min session to 8500/- for a 90 min session. But get your appointments at check in – they are almost always packed out. Adjoining the Spa is a large heated swimming pool and a decent Gym.

The restaurant serves a wide range of dishes from indian to international cuisine. You can have “Mung Dal Chila” for breakfast, Pasta and Thai Green curry for lunch and Curd Rice for dinner. You name the dish they have it. But what you must try is the special Garhwali food. This is made to order and comes with its own set of starters, soup, main course and desserts. The kababs are fabulous and the main course consisting of Jakhiya Aloo, Pahadi Kadi, Jakhiya Paneer, Gahat Ki Dal, Jakhiya Rice, Mandwe Ki Roti was a wonderful dinner. (And if you are wondering what is Jakhiya – its a smaller version of Mustard that grows here). The service in the restaurant is outstanding – and thats a common theme across all of Ananda, superlative service at every step.

ananda restaurant

One good thing that adds to the peace and tranquility of the place is that they do not allow kids below the Age of 14. This place is perfect for couples or to come solo. There are many activities – they have Yoga classes for beginners and intermediates in the morning, a 9 Hole Golf course, Vedanta classes, Cooking Classes etc. Outside the resort you can go for the Ganga Aarti at Rishikesh or White Water Rafting at Shivpuri (During Non Monsoon Season). Peak season is Oct – Feb when the foreigners come in hordes, many of them staying for weeks and months.

vedanta classes

In July with the Monsoon it was perfect for me. Occupancy was a low 30% , it was raining 50% of the time – that added to the charm. At the pavilion in the midst of nature at 5.30 Am when you sit down to do your meditation listening to the pitter patter of rain and chirping of birds – it indeed feels like waves of peace are blowing over you. The “Kavad” season made Rishikesh so crowded that we were asked to stay away. The Ganga was in spate in Monsoon so white water rafting was closed. It starts again in Sep. But all this was good as it allowed me to spend all my time in the resort and soak in the nature, peace and tranquility.

I did take a few hrs and visit the famous ” Vashisht Caves”. This is located 45 Km from Ananda – 1 hr drive. Located on the banks of the Ganges this is the cave where the Brahma Rishi – Sage Vashisht is supposed to have meditated. Since then from Shankara to Sir M – many spiritually evolved people have come here to meditate. The place is empty and nice and the caves have strong vibrations which you can sense when you sit there for even a few minutes. Fortunately its not crowded.

Vashisht Caves

As I sat by the Ganges – flowing relentlessly you realise the power of Nature and the thought that this river has been flowing for millions of years leaves you with a sense of awe and humility. The river feels alive and it can teach you so many lessons. The summary of what it says is  – “Keep moving and don’t look back, for men may come and men may go but life goes on for ever“

ganges

 So will I come back to Ananda. Most people do – and I definitely want to come back with my wife soon. Maybe in a  different season. I am looking forward to that day. Ananda beckons. 

ananda beckons

 

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Orange County – Coorg

27 May

Orange County Coorg , Located at Siddapura about 235 Km from Bangalore ( 6 Hrs Drive) is a lovely resort embedded in the midst of nature. Along the river Cauvery in the midst of dense greenery Orange County is a 300 acre Coffee / Spice Plantation – the resort in the middle of this is spread over 35 acres.

orange country coorg

Coorg is often called the Scotland of India because of the uncanny similiarirty – both were cold , misty mountainous regions. On my last visit 5 years back I was happy to see that Coorg was still not exploited. Club Mahindra and Orange County were the only 2 large resorts. But this time I found many many more – Windflower, Amana, Tamara, Taj and a second Club Mahindra. Some of these are at the beginning opt Coorg while others are deep down. Windflower and Amana come first and Tamara is the farthest away. It took us 6 Hrs to Reach Orange County on a long weekend that included a 30 min breakfast stop and we were in time for the 2 PM lunch Buffet. The good thing is there is no hill drive and Pin bends – so works fine for people with funny stomach. The Bangalore Mysore Road is jammed on long weekends and the road from Mysore to Coorg Via Hunsur is also getting busy. Roads are in great condition

nice resort in coorg

 

The Resort is a Villa only property ( 60 of them) and come in different shapes and sizes. We had the Lily Pool which is a Villa with its own small private pool. Large hall , dining space , very large bedroom and bath and a portico facing the pool. Its a 20 year old property but very well maintained and the quality of service is impeccable. The property is well spread across 35 Acres has multiple water bodies , pools and 3 restaurants. Its nestled in the midst of greenery and in the morning it took me 20 minutes to make a relaxed walk in the misty green ambience. It had rained the previous day and you can smell the mud, hear the dew drops falling on the leave , the birds chirping and smell the fresh mountain air packed with spices and medicated leaves.

IMG_2820

The place is meditative and you can sit down below a tree or next to the lake or even climb the tree house. You just need to close your eyes and peace and tranquility creeps in immediately. The 1 hr of peace and solitude in the morning makes up for the expensive luxury ( 25K / night for all inclusive family package – Room , + all meals + activities)

planner

The resort has many activities that start at 7 in the morning and continue thru the day. You need to make advance reservations. Of the different ones we loved the Plantation Trail – which is a ride in a Tractor all through the plantation and the Mountain bike ride in the morning.

plantation trail

 

The place has 3 lovely Restaurants – Granary ( Multi-cuisine) , Pepper Corn ( Continental) and Plantation Leaf ( Veg S indian) – food quality is great and the variety in the buffet for breakfast and lunch is impressive. Pepper Corn is a candle light dinner place. Dinner reservations are needed at both Pepper Corn and Plantation Leaf. There is a kids activity centre and a well stocked reading lounge – a well maintained Ayuverda Spa that offers great rejuvenating massage, and every evening they put up some show with local artistes.

grannery

 

River Cauvery runs along the Resort – 5 min walk and the Dubare elephant campus close by ( 15 min drive) . Other things to see in Coorg are the Abbey falls , Talacauvery ( Source of Cauvery – good 2 hr drive) and the Tibetan Monastery. A small park called Nisarga Dham is close to the Monastery and has a deer park. The public spaces are not well maintained , crowded in peak season – I would rather you stay away from them.

nisarga dham

The resort is relaxing and peaceful for a 3 night stay and if your objective is to de-stress and relax just stay in the resort and don’t venture out. Long walks , good food, fresh air , sleep in the afternoon , family time – its as good as it can get.

The service is excellent and we had nothing to complaint about at the end of the trip. Mobile phones work , TV connection is good , Bathrooms are well equipped , room service a tad slow but works. They provide accommodation and food for drivers.

fresh air in park

Having visited Orange County we are looking forward to the next trip to Orange County Kabini – and the best time to visit that place is after the rains maybe in Oct.

Directions

Bangalore (235 Kms) – Mysore Highway – Ramnagaram – Maddur – Mandya – Srirangapatna (4 Kms from town turn Right towards Elivala) – Elivala – Hunsur – Piriyapatna (1/2 km after town turn left towards Siddapura) – 3 Kms before Siddapura town, turn right for Orange County, Coorg

 

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Flameback Lodges- A lovely getaway in Mudigere (Chickamagalur)

10 Feb

Bangalore has great getaways. Most people head to Mysore and onwards to Coorg, Bandipur, Waynad, Nagerhole, Kabini & Ooty. There are numerous nature spots all along the Cauvery. And Chickamagalur  is another lovely destination 250 Km ( 4hrs from Bangalore).

I always thought it was called Chickmangalore (Small version of Managlore)  – but realised after reaching there otherwise. Chickmagalur means – Chicka ( small ) Magal (Daughter) Ur ( Town) – It is said to have been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakrepatna. I have heard of Chickamagalur for 3 reasons – this is where Indira Gandhi fought and won elections after Emergency , The Chick Chicky Chicks of Chickamagalur was a common JAM topic in College and Cafe Coffee Day owner and beans for CCD Coffee comes from the vast coffee plantations of Chickamagalur. Nestled in the midst of nature and not too crowded the place has been inviting for many years.  This X Mas  we took off to Chickamagalur for a 3 night 4 day trip.

Getting There 

Its a nice drive. NH48 Bangalore – Mangalore is an excellent road and you can Zip at 120 Kmph. We left at 7.30 AM and by 9.30 were at our first stop Shravanabelagola. ( Blr to Shravanabelagola 158 Km) This is supposedly the worlds largest monolithic statue 57 Feet tall perched on the top of a hill. A holy site for Jains – the statue of Gomatheshwara Bahubali is revered by Jains from across the world. You need to walk up ~ 650 rock cut steps ( and you need to walk barefoot) – so avoid this in summer as the place can get really very hot. Its an easy climb and going up , visiting the shrine and coming down can be easily done in 1 hr. Was it impressive ? Maybe for some – we found it OK.

Shravanabelagola

From Shravanabelagola we drove down to Hassan for lunch ( 51 Km ~ 60 Min). The best place for lunch is Hotel Ashok Hassan. Good spread – Indian, Italian at reasonable prices. Place was empty, neat and clean.

hassan-ashok-hotel

From Hassan we headed to Flameback Lodges at Mudigere. You can reach this place without touching the town of Chickamagalur. Going Via Belur. Its about 45 Km and takes an hr. IMP – Avoid Google Maps – it takes you to no mans land. It does locate Flameback Lodges but fails miserably in guiding you. We reached by 2.30 in the afternoon ( after a 30 min last mile problem).

Flameback Lodges

Flameback is located inside Kathikeya Coffee Estate spread across 200+ acres. The lodge is over 10 acres. It is set in the midst of nature , includes a serene lake , overlooks the hills and is adjacent to paddy fields that stretch to the jungles. Its an oasis of peace and tranquility. There is an eye for detail in everything and why not – its owned by royalty. The owners are descendants of the King of Sandur (Bellary Mines) who in turn are descendants of Shivaji.

They have 8 rooms – 3 Cottages , 3 Villas and 2 Suites. We stayed in a Villa that was facing the lake. It was well done up had a hall with a fireplace, a large bedroom , a pantry , a powder room , and a very large bath. It was like a 1 BHK house with  a huge patio that faces the lake. Rooms come with TV & Satellite connection . The Villas are perfect for a family of 2 Adults + 2 Kids. The suites are also big – but located in the main building they have no nature view. The cottages are perfect for couples. The place has 24 by 7 generator, RO Purified Water, a small but lovely pool and a 24 by 7 restaurant that serves Veg * Non Veg food.

kathikeyan cottages

Its best to come to the place in a group and maybe book all the 8 rooms. Food is customised and liquor , tea , coffee everything is on the house. One rate that is all inclusive. Breakfast , lunch , dinner , canoeing in the lake , trekking. The buffet spreads are decent and the food is tasteful. Service is excellent. They have a small Spa and the quality of treatment is A++ , good fusion of Ayurvedic and Swedish Massage – and its very affordable at just Rs 1000/-. We paid 17 K / night – and had booked nearly 4 months in advance. They have no meeting / conference halls – so planning a company offsite here is a challenge.

What else can you do 

Flameback has limited entertainment. There is a lovely lake and you can go kayaking. They also take you for long treks – in and outside the plantation. Treks can vary from 1 hr to a few hrs. There are some ancient temples , waterfalls close by which are worth a visit. But by and large its nature and solitude.

lovely lake

Few other places you can head to

1. Belur , Halebid – the lovely rock cut temples built by the Hoysala Dynasty around 1117 AD. Belur is home to a Vishnu Temple and is still operational. The road from Mudigere to Belur is in good shape and you can cover the 38 Km distance in 45 Min. However the road from Belur to Halebidu ( 16 Km) is in very bad shape and will take another 45 min. The architecture of both temples are very similiar – so if you have seen one you have seen both. They have remarkably intricate rock cut sculptures. Unfortunately they are not UNESCO heritage sites and I could see the steep deterioration in maintenance now and from my previous visit about 17 years back.

lovely rock cut temples

Sringeri – Land of Shankaracharya and orthodox Hinduism is 120 Km – 3 hrs away. Drive is scenic thru steep ghats. Roads are not in great condition. Further down from Sringeri ( 30km) is Agumbe – The forests here have the highest concentration of King Cobras in the world. It takes a lot of courage to trek in these jungles and many do.

Bhadra (Muthodi) Tiger reserve is 55 Km away – about 2 hrs drive. We did not go there – but were told that the access is only to the fringes of the sanctuary so the chances of seeing Tigers are remote

If you are in Bangalore and have done Mysore , Bandipur , Ooty & Kodai – then Chickamagalur is a good 3 night – 4 day break. A good mix of nature , old temple architecture and quiet laid back relaxation with some simmering hot coffee and tasty food.

http://www.flameback.in

Contact : Bharath +91 9242714197

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Paris in 48 Hrs

8 Jan

Family holiday’s are both a Holiday & a Project. When you have kids, 6 + pieces of luggage , you shortlist restaurants based on the cleanliness of their restrooms, are constantly worried that everything goes as per plan  – you come back after many a holiday happy , relieved & TIRED.

While I am on business travel almost every week – I was yet to take a holiday all by myself. So when the next business review at London came on a Mon I planned a weekend at Paris – all alone. The Schengen Visa was already there and Christophe my good friend was all to keen to host me and show me around.

Jet has a convenient flight from Mumbai that lands at Heathrow at 630 AM – you can clear immigration in less than 30 min (if you have a fast-track card) – and reach the rail station St Pancreas by a cab in another 45 Min (The Heathrow express is cheaper but it’s a hassle to change to a cab at Paddington – especially if you have luggage). The check in & Passport control is simple and you can complete all formalities in less than 30 min and enter the Eurostar. I had booked 3 months in advance so my rate was 60 GBP (One way). Its efficient – a high end Shatabdi which covers the London to Paris distance in 2 Hrs. 15 Min (Peak speed is 350 Km / Hr, Rajdhani Peak speed is 125 Km  / Hr). Point to note each adult is entitled to 2 large bags – no weight limit.

Eurostar

Christophe met me at the Paris Nord station at 2.45 PM on Fri and stayed with me all through till I took the Eurostar back to London on Sun at 7 PM.

Day 1 Fri from 3.30 PM Onwards : Walk , Walk & Walk – smell the city , feel the pulse, enjoy the environment

We walked past the Pompidou Center down to Seine river then to the Prefecture de Paris building facing the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral.

View across the Siene

Then across to the Concièrgerie (a palace where Marie-Antoinette was held captive before her fatal execution during the first French revolution in the late 18th century).

France has over 9000 varieties of Cheese

Cheese bar

We then wandered across the Seine (saw a bridge full of locks – a symbol of lovers locking their love for eternity) had a quick wine and cheese stop-over in L’Écluse and entered the Latin Quarter (south bank of the river)

A lovely wine bar

Wine Bar

Day 2 – Palace of Versailles, Eiffel Tower , War Museum

We started day 2 (Sat) by visiting the Grand Palace of Versailles. It’s supposedly the second most visited tourist spot in the world after the Vatican. The palace is located about 30 Km from Paris – and was built when the King wanted to leave the madness of the Paris. Palace opens at 9 AM. We spent 90 min here.

Palace at Versailles

On the way back we stopped by the town of Versailles and then headed back to Paris for a ride up the Eiffel tower to get a great view of the city. (An even greater view is to se the Eiffel tower sparkle with lights for 10 min at every hour in the evening) – The Q for the lift can be long – Minimum 1 hr. There are 3 levels to which the lift goes and at the peak  it’s impressive.

Eiffel Tower

After lunch we visited the memorial of Napoleon (A Hospital that has been converted to a war museum) and spent some time at the war museum that has exhibits spanning the Napoleon Era, WW 1 & WW 2.

After so much of walking we managed to stop by for a quick foot massage and dinner then headed to the Notre Dame for an evening service. And finally ended the day with a drive past the Moulin Rouge all the way to Sacré Cœur in Montmartre. This is a beautiful Church located on top of a hill with a lovely view of the City.

Day – 3 , Sun – Louvre

We started Day 3 (Sun) with a visit to a Open Air Market in the outskirts of Paris  – fresh vegetable, fruits , meat and a stew that looked like Alu Dam.

Open Market

Aloo Dam 3

We finally visited the most spectacular piece of Paris The Louvre. A palace converted to a museum by spending over 10 B Euros (A grand Vision of Francois Mitterrand). The Louvre is grand, breathtaking , immaculate, perfection – I could go on and on. Its so large that a student of art may spend weeks, and even a tourist will need at least 1 full day to do justice to the grand display of paintings and artifact’s. The entry fee is 11 Euros – but on a Sunday the entry was free.

800px-Paris_July_2011-27a

Yes it houses the most famous painting of the world “ Mona Lisa” (La Jaconda) and there are signs that direct you towards it (and most tourists do make a rush to get there first) but I personally felt that here were  many more painting that outshine the Mona Lisa. The lady in Red also painted by Leonardo Da Vinci is equally impressive but sadly unknown.

Girl in Red

Eyes

There is also an interesting statue in the Egyptian section that resembles a Indian Priest. the statue is over 4000 years old.

Scribe - Egypt 4000 Years Old

Post lunch we walked down the Avenue des Champs Élysées leading to the Arc de Triomphe and then trudged our way back thru the Avenue de l’Opera crossing the magnificent opera House, the statue of Joan of Arc and the CAX.

Back at Paris Nord by 6 PM for the 7.13 PM Train to London.

What else could one have done – well there are many more museums to visit and the famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret. You can attend a show at the Opera House or watch a play. The cultural life is very busy & of course visit the Disneyland.

I stayed at a nice bed & breakfast on the outskirts of Paris facing a serene lake located  very close to Versailles.

IMG_1266

Few Quick points for Travellers from India

  1. Unlike London you will need to hunt for an Indian restaurant (Yes they exist but in specific localities dominated by SE Asians)
  2. Most restaurants are local mom & pop stores – even the Pizza Huts and McDonalds are rare to find (I saw 1 Pizza Hut & 2 McDonalds in the 2 days I was there). In most restaurants Veg food options are very limited.
  3. French specialty can sound  scary to vegetarians – I was shocked to see my friend relish Steak Tartare (Raw minced beef meat with a mustard dressing) and at the table next to us our neighbor was  enjoying Andouillette – a very parisian delicacy. (Sausage composed with a selection of Pig entrails. It is does smell a bit).
  4. Malls & Large Chains – Tesco, Carrefour, Metro exist but are difficult to find in the city. They are located in the suburbs.
  5. In Paris people understand English – but without a local like Christophe it would have been very difficult. In the suburbs it becomes even more difficult to communicate in English.
  6. Cabs are difficult to find. Did not see too many buses. But yes the city has a Metr0.
  7. Most cars are small (mainly French Brands – Renault, Citroen) and parking space is a hassle.
  8. Entry rates to most attractions vary from 5 – 10 Euro’s. The car parking is more expensive. Meal for two in a decent place with a few glasses of wine can be Euro 50.
  9. Paris is expensive – This short break ( 2 Night , 3 Day) can cost you  ~ 35 K INR  Ex London (This includes the cost of Eurostar tickets ) – I was lucky that my friend was taking me around all these places in his car – if I had to use a Taxi maybe I would have spent an additional $ 500.

In conclusion a wonderful 2-day break – and this would not have been possible without Christophe. It takes a lot to spend your entire weekend and be such a gracious host. Not just by accompanying you  – but also in providing  a wonderful commentary on all the interesting insights, helping me understand the culture & history of the place. Most importantly this was my first holiday in many years ( probably since I was a kid) when there was no responsibility and somebody was taking all the decisions. Sometimes it feels so good to sit back and relax.

Christophe

We have started planning our next trip – both of us are WW 2 buffs and maybe the next trip will be to Warsaw to see how the Nazi’s operated their concentration camps at Auschwitz. Here is hoping that the next QBR is also on a Mon !

And finally a parting word to all men – women have Wanderlust, its time you did something for yourself and planned a few days once in a while all by yourself. Get some free space – you owe it to yourself.

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Elephant Valley @ Kodai

30 Dec

2012 has been a year of amazing holidays. We wrapped up the year with yet another lovely holiday at the Elephant Valley Kodaikanal. Hill stations have become commercial trash – but there are still jewels like Destiny Farm (Off  Ooty) and Elephant Valley that still exist.  Situated 20 Km before Kodai (2 Hr drive from Kodai Road)  – its a perfect haven for nature lovers. Set in a valley with a lovely stream flowing thru it ( where Elephants come to drink water in sumer) – its peace & tranquility symbolised.

Elephant Valley Kodaikanal

The resort is a 100 acre property with 20 rooms. The rooms are rustic but efficient & functional (or as my daughter would say “lovely halli place” ).  They are spread across a vast area and some are a good 10 – 15 min walk from the central office / restaurant. So please check this out when booking.

Hot water available in morning and night. No TV , No Intercom , Limited Cell Phone connectivity & no room service . But yet we managed to spend 3 days and the time just flew. A lot of credit for that goes to the fact that we were a group of 3 families and the kids kept themselves busy with horse rides , treks , innovative games and many iPads.

nice plantation

With 100 acres there is a lot of forest to walk around – and the trek is a must do. You can do a 2 hr or even a 6 hr trek. We did a 3 hr Trek and the kids jumped on to ponies – so they were not tired (the Resort has a stable of lovely horses). As you walk around you see Coffee plantations , Pepper carpeting the barks of large trees , sweet lime , goose berry and a variety of exotic fruits trees – all set in lush green canopy. The guide ( 55 year old Madaswamy) was swell as he enthralled us with stories of elephants and bisons that came right inside the resort in summer to drink water.

Team images in forest

The kids love the horse rides – and its priced at just Rs 250 for a one hour trip. That was a big hit with the kids and Captain & Chetak (who the kids renamed Black Beauty) became their best friends

Horse ride

The resort also has a lovely farm where they grow a wide variety of fresh organic fruits & vegetables. Almost all the food prepared at the resort is from the farm produce. Surprisingly its not very cold – last week of Dec the temp was about 15 Degrees Centigrade. The valley effect and cloudy nights helped in keeping the place warm.

Farm

Food at the restaurant is very homely and tasty. Limited in variety but spans both Indian & Continental dishes – Veg & Non veg. Breakfast & Dinner are buffet meals. The service is excellent but being peak season the guys were really overworked. More than 50% of the guests were foreigners – a large % of them French.

Girls Gang

Room rates vary from Rs 3300 – Rs 7200 ( Inclusive of breakfast) . We stayed at the Tectona – the only room with 2 bedrooms . The Tree House is located a distance away and one needs to cross the stream to reach there. The honeymoon suit is again tucked away in wilderness. Food is very reasonably prices – so a 3 night trip inclusive of 2nd AC train fare from Bangalore to Kodai Road , transfer and a 1 day sight seeing trip to Kodaikanal should be in the range of 50K for a family of 4.

Sleepover

On the way back we managed to stop by at the famous Meenakshi temple ( Claimed to be 3500 Years Old) at Madurai. Madurai is 40 km from Kodai Road ( 1 hr drive) – so from Elephant Valley to Madurai is nearly 3 hrs. You can also plan a 2 night stay at Elephant Valley and then do a night stop at the Taj at Madurai. Just remember to book your return tickets from Madurai to Bangalore.

1000 Pillars

Overall a wonderful trip – and what made it memorable was the group of 3 families. Thanks LAN & Rakesh for joining . Lets now look forward to the next trip to Kashmir in April

Team 1

All trip photos can be viewed at the following Flickr Link http://www.flickr.com/photos/vak1969/sets/72157632381025548/with/8324642786/

madurai kodai kanal

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Goa & The Park Hyatt – Lush Green Luxury

16 Nov

We finally made it to Goa. Thats the irony of life – we travel to exotic places abroad and many a time forget paradise thats right at your backyard.

The Park Hyatt at Goa is truly heaven on earth. Lush green meadows , rooms in lovely Portugese Villas, a huge pool, a great activity Centre for kids – Camp Hyatt , 5 great restaurants (Including one on the beach) and a lovely beach which is as good as private. a lovely gym and a great Spa. ( What else can you ask for !) The only thing missing from this Indralok was the dancing Apsaras (The middle aged Russians & Europeans – couldn’t quite match up to the task) And if you get all of this free (Thanks to Hyatt Platinum Points) – you just say WOW !

The weather in Nov is perfect – warm , sunny and a little humid. And  thats what drives the hordes of foreigners at this peak season. 90% of the hotel guests were foreigners and a vast majority were Russians. Surprisingly almost every guest was a family of 4 or 5 – with kids in the age group of 3 – 12.

The Park Hyatt has 205 rooms & 12 suites and is spread across 100 + acres and extends to the beach. The sand is soft and fine like talcum powder and the water really warm & nice. Right on the beach you have water sports run by private agencies. These are not cheap – a 10 min Para Sailing or Jet Skiing can cost Rs 1000/- , and a trip in the morning to watch dolphins can put you back by Rs 3000/- (But you do see dolphins – we saw 5 of them playing around with our boat)

There are some lovely restaurants in the Hyattl – Indian , Italian , Multi cuisine , Sea Food etc – all of which have a common open area where every evening there is some entertainment happening. The Palms restaurant is located right on the beach. Food is decently priced and dinner for a family can cost up-to Rs 3K (Liquor not included). The Child Menu has a lot of options. The breakfast buffet is extensive – so do ensure that your room rate includes breakfast.

What can you do beyond the lovely hotel at Goa ? A Lot – here are some useful tips

1. Goa is a State – so it takes time to go from one place to another. Most of the resorts are in S Goa ( The Park Hyatt is at the N end of S Goa and is 20 Min drive from the Airport) – but some of the popular beaches like Baga Beach , Anjuna etc are in N Goa. You may hear the oft repeated statement that ” The action is in N Goa” – I beg to defer. We visited Tito’s in N Goa , Baga Beach one night – Crowded , Loud Music , mainly youth in their 20’s , Indian Liquor served in plastic cups – NOT my idea of something Classy, and I would definitely not not go back there again . If you are 40 + and want style and class stick to the entertainment venues in S Goa – Martins, or even the Tito’s in S Goa .

2. If you are staying in a wonderful resort with its own beach you may not want to visit the numerous beaches of Goa.

Some of the other Tourist attractions are

a) The Sahkari Spice Garden – A must visit. A 3rd Generation Family Farm spread across  200 acres. they have a tour that includes a nice homely lunch. You get to see all the spice plants and even buy fresh stuff. Tickets are Rs 400 / person. ( This includes a shot of  Feni which they distill at the farm) – and a lot of useful tips on how Spices can help you in day to day ills. (Maybe I should start a blog trail with some of those recipes – called Grandmas home made remedies)

b) The Churches in old Goa. Do visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus UNESCO Heritage Site in Old Goa , it contains the tomb & mortal remains of  St Xaviers .

c) A few temples – including the 500 + Year old Mangeshi Temple ( This village is home to the Mangeshkar sisters) –  not very impressive unless you are very religious and lord Shiva here has a moustache and looks like Ajay Devgun.

d) You can visit Panjim – the capital and do some shopping, drive around the old Portuguese colony Fontainhas, and then drive to Dona Paula. On the way stop by for lunch at Mum’s Kitchen

(Its a great place for Sea Food – Limited Veg options, thats trues across most restaurants in Goa) . Some other places for food – Cafe Mangii at Panjim ( Italian) , Inafnatria at Calangute Beach – Breakfast , Croissants , Sandwiches etc, Fidalgo at Panjim – Gujarathi Thali.

On the way back drop by at Zantyes to pick up Cashews & Feni. (There are 8 stores  in Goa). Cashews are priced around Rs 600 /- Kg. ( Point to note – You can find equally good quality Kaju at similar prices at Bangalore . They have farms in the Goa Mangalore coast. Achal Cashew Centre , Shop 2, Sri Jayadeva Shopping Complex, 5th Main , Gandhinagar, Ph 080 22385374,22351777, Near the Horse Racing Track)

e) The Dudhsagar Waterfalls is about 2 Hrs drive from S Goa. We did not go there – but thats almost a days trip. Heard that it is impressive.

f) There are Casinos on the River – housed in large ships on the river Mandovi. Having been to Vegas & Macau we decided to skip these.

g) A visit to Fort Aguada (They also have water sports here. The Taj Group has a hotel here – one of the few large hotels in N Goa) )

h) Boat rides on the River Mandovi

i) A visit to the late Mario Miranda’s museum at Bardez

You can cover most of the sites in 2 day sessions from 10 AM to 4 PM and be back in the evening to hit the beach.

So a 3 night , 4 day package to Goa is all you need to cover this beautiful place, and be rest assured that just like Tirupathi , if you have make a visit to Goa you will be back soon.

The little one loved the resort so much that she was very unhappy when we were checking out and we promised her we would be back soon.

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