WATERFALL SAFARI- LAVASA

"I don't really need much to enjoy a good holiday- just my family and the bare essentials"- Jean Reno

And so when someone suggested 'Lavasa' for summer holidays ( where on earth was that??), I caved in, for, everybody in the family, and the definition extends to some very dear friends, wanted to try someplace different, away from the melee of overzealous tourists and thronging holiday crowds.

Lavasa is a one of its kind, privately planned hill city sprouting up in the Mose Valley of Western Ghats, near Pune, India. This newest hill station on Indian map, spread across seven hills is touted to be an avataar of the Italian town Portofino. The vacation started right after we landed at the Pune airport and boarded our private mini bus. The lavish breakfast (read- fingerlickingly awsome!) over the din of excited jiber jaber at the hip German bakery set the bar high, the holiday jaunt was already looking promising enough.

Our road trip from Pune to Lavasa had all the right ingredients of a family blockbuster holiday; innumerable journey breaks, unlimited photo stops, unnecessary food binges and non-stop chitter chatter. Rain pattered down the silver clouds who had swilled more liquor than they could contain, as the road snaked through the kaleidoscopic vistas of lush mountains. And then we came across this breathtaking, picture postcardesque waterfall cascading down the glistening rocks. Then came yet another, bigger shower catapulting down like white foam on molten copper, therafter, the counting didn't stop.

The hotel was nice and comfortable; though we all chose to huddle up in one room for games, chit chat and tea. All plans made for the next two days were washed down as rains hammered relentlessly. We mostly remained indoors, gorging on savouries, singing songs and playing 'Dumb Charades'. The more adventurous of our lot, dared to take a plunge in the pool as well! The heavy downpour gave mini breaks when we could venture out, soft drizzle pecking our cheeks, to the beautiful lake front promenade lined with uberchic eateries.

The cobblestone paved boulevard was the epicenter of all activity. My son jumped in the tiny puddles with his little cousins, for once chucking his 'teenage airs' while we made small talk sitting under patio umbrellas, drenched wet yet warmed for the bonding moments. Lazy strolls along the quiet esplanade with the breeze (or was it the clouds??) caressing you and raindrops softly teasing, were threateningly addictive.The complete absence of shopping options kept the guys in good humor while we tried to feed the shopaholic in us by visiting the corner grocery store .  Riding the mini train, we discovered, was a totally fun way of getting around this idyllic small town nestled in the cocoon of lush green hills

Nature trails, water sports and musical fountain show are also on the Lavasa platter and so is a private club and spa, however, the rain drumroll didn't let us explore the options.No regrets though, because the company more than made up for it!

 

P.S. # Lavasa is a privately planned city in Maharashtra, India, spread over 7 hills and being built in a phased manner. Please check with authorised websites before booking a tour. Most of the present activity and hotels are centered around Dasve.

# It takes over two hours from Pune to Lavasa by road

# The best season to go is monsoons when the waterfalls arrive from nowhere, though, water sports may get affected if the rains are continuous. 

# A gaming arcade and a splashpool figure in the list of the limited activities the place has to offer.

# Absolutely no shopping options, shopaholics run the risk of bouts of depression.

# Recommended to only die-hard romantics or big boisterous groups, basically, to people who are in a happy space and just need to be in a happy place. 

THE MELTING POT-DELHI

This Valentine's Day, my husband took upon himself to take me to all my favourite haunts from then to now (and yes, it did include a jewellery store!). This trip down the memory lane began with our college campus, nostalgia gripped me and emotions threatened to choke as we revisited the vignettes of our story. It had been so many years since we had first sat on that parapet, watching a squirrel frolicking around the riotous purple of the blooming Jacranda. Nothing much had changed and yet, everything looked a little different, a lot stranger and totally, alien. Thus, began my reflections on the City of Cities-Delhi; the city steeped in Culture, History, Faith and Heritage and yet, so modern, so contemporary.
Through most of its history, Delhi has seen sundry socio-political upheavals; its been captured, ravaged, brutalised and then rebuilt several times and each time this remarkable city has emerged stronger, unflustered and more vibrant.

LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW OLD FORT

CRICKET FRENZY

QUTUB MINAR

MARATHON AT INDIA GATE 

Delhi may not be the first choice for the tourists but the traveller in you cannot ignore this smorgasbord of cultures; its a heady potpourri of culture, of romance; of spectacular ruins and vistas of greens, of epicurean delights and street food staples. Delhi as I know it, is not for the timorous traveller, teetering after city guide books and following GPS commands. If you truelly want to get lost in this mishmash of the kitshy and the aesthetic, come, amble along; be a lover of the foot notes and the foot paths and soon you will be embraced in its endearing warmth. The city will enamour you with its lively, over the top, often flashy, seldom subtle attitude. The Qutub Minar, Hauz Khas vistas, the  sprawling Lodhi Gardens and the formidable Red Fort would woo you; the veritable gastronomical delights on offer- from Paranthe Waali Gali, Bittoo Tikki Waala, Karim's to the suave amore' patios, aqua and b bars will lure you.

MOUTHWATERING STREET FOOD

CLUBBING

Shopping is seductive; take a pick from the chic boutiques in Hauz Khas, a bling binge at Lajpat Nagar or the luxe charm of premium malls like Select City Walk and DLF Promenade to bespoke Emporio.

WINDOW SHOPPING

MALLS

CURIOS

The lush greens that adorn the city scape, the tree lined walkways, the Ridge forest cover, the manicured gardens and parks -are all proof of a green breathing city.

SUN SHINING BRIGHT

The Lal Quila (Red Fort) ,India Gate, India Habitat Centre and Sirifort Auditorium crank up the cultural quotient of the vivacious city, these places through the years have become a platform for showcasing the stance, the stand and the intellect of people of Delhi.

SAVE THE GIRL CHILD CAMPAIGN

I am completely smitten by the city, so much in love with it that I am willing to forgive the endless traffic jams, the torturous BRT corridors ( be thankful that the deadly blue line era has given way to the practical Metroline); I am so inured to the dishevelled, unorganised layout that anything more orderly might begin to bother me.
Delhi is a city of many shades, many moods, it is always changing , forever evolving and yet rooted firmly to its rich heritage. Delhi is Eclectic, Eccentric and Electric; come prepared !!

ZESTY!!

SEEN HIM HERE FOR AS LONG AS I REMEMBER

TALISMAN TO SAVE FROM EVIL EYE!

P.S. # Delhi is historically made up of a cluster of cities and thus known as City of Cities. Even today the metropolitan Capital city of Delhi or the National Capital Territory along with its neighbouring urban regions have been given a special status of National Capital Region NCR.
# Delhi is world's second most populous cities.
# Delhi in ancient times is also said to have been the ruling seat of Pandavas of  the mythical Mahabharata, in the name of Indraprastha.
# The Archaelogical Survey of India recognizes 1200 heritage monuments in Delhi of which around 175 enjoy the status of National Heritage Monuments.
# 3 World Heritage Sites, The Qutub Minar, The Humayun Tomb and The Red Fort have been recognised in Delhi besides other monuments of interest like the India Gate, Jama Masjid, Akshardham Temple, Bahai Lotus Temple, Tughlakabad Fort etc.
# Delhi is the hub for tourists going to Jaipur, Agra,Gwalior, Udaipur, Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala or Leh and Ladakh.
# Delhi Haat in Delhi showcases the cultural diversity in terms of handicrafts, curios and food of India, serving as a one stop shop for tourists looking for  local souvenirs.

PHOTO CREDITS

DAN HERBERT
JEETENDER GUPTA

THE CUCKOO CALLING- BHARATPUR BIRD SANCTUARY

"I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine", Caskie Stinnett

And so on one balmy winter morning, while my husband suggested going to the movies and afterwards a nice lunch, I tried cajoling him to take me for a long drive( some 500kms and 10hrs away) instead. We eventually settled for something inbetween - The Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a short 3-4 hour drive away from Delhi.

A quick reservation call, some add-ons dumped in my travel ready suitcase, a little cribbing on my better half's part; and we were ready for our jaunt.

KEOLADEO National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site is touted to be the richest bird areas in the world and is a habitat to rare and endangered species of birds. Thousands of migratory water fowl flock the sanctuary for safe haven during the winter months and if you are lucky enough, chances are you might spot rare Siberian cranes during extreme winters.This expansive avi-fauna sanctuary ironically, was originally, a duck shooting preserve for Maharaja Surajmal of Bharatpur. It is rumoured that in 1938, over 4000 birds were hunted in one shoot alone. It was only after 1964 that hunting was banned here and in 1985 it was declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Soon our rickshaw strutted down ( cars/motor vehicles not permitted inside beyond a point) the muddy trail past prancing peacocks and grazing cattle oblivious to the visiting tourists. The chirping of the birds, the tweets, the chirrup, reververated through the solitude.

This birder's paradise also is home to wild animals like sambars, spotted deer, jackals and bengal fox.

You could spend hours in this beautiful, lush mosaic of grasslands, woodland swamps and wetlands; listening to the cuckoo calling,watching the painted storks nurse their fledglings or capturing a picture of a cormorant diving to prey on a fish!

Tired after meandering through the vast stretches of wilderness, playing hide and seek with the elusive deers, trying to locate the camouflaged spotted owl couple, juggling the camera and the binoculars and taking mental notes of the 'authentic' general knowledge our rickshaw puller imparted; we finally headed for our rendevouz with the royalty - The Laxmi Vilas Heritage Hotel, a Palace to the erstwhile king's brother and our abode for the night!

The hotel, though, slightly expensive for the basic amenities it provides ( always remember that the heritage tag discounts for certain level of compromise with blissful luxury), was an experience in itself. Huge chandeliers in the lunch room, quaint lanterns adorning the corridors, stained glass windows and picture galleries speaking volumes of an era gone by- we were bathed in its resplendence, bowled over by its charm.

 And, we were so glad for this little spontaneous detour of ours. That night, instead of watching the stars on the big screen; we watched the stars embellishing the sky, listened to the chitter chatter of birds returning to their nests and drank in the nectar of life along with the flitting fireflies!

P.S. * Bharatpur, Rajasthan lies on the Golden Triangle Route, enroute Jaipur from Agra, India

*Rickshaws or Tongas have to be hired from inside the sanctuary as motor vehicles are not permitted.

*October to March is the visiting season, though, January is when you can spot the Siberian Cranes

*Over 366 bird species, 50 species of fish, 7 turtle species, amphibians and reptiles besides 379 floal species inhabit the area. Its an unrivalled breeding site for herons, painted storks and cormorants

*Sarus crane with its spectacular courtship dance can be spotted here. Recently, Greater Spotted Eagle has been reported. Great Indian Monitor lizard is of common occurence

*As of now there are very few options of boarding and lodging, though, Claridges chain is coming up with a heritage hotel soon

PHOTO CREDITS

JEETENDER GUPTA

SEEMA TALWAR

SMRITI CHETAL

GAURAV SOLANKI

REENA GUPTA

SHORT TRIP, FAST FRIENDS - LONG ISLAND

Its Thanksgiving today and what better time to send my thanks to friends seven seas across( now please, don't take my knowledge of geography too seriously!).  Friends that bring a smile everytime we think of them, friends who made travellers out of the tourist in us, who made memories of our vacation even more cherishable...they welcomed us into their homes and their hearts and together we discovered the exciting new flavours of life.

It was a friendship exchange program, an amalgamation of different cultures, lifestyles and way of life and this time we were going to Long Island, USA...why not NY city ?? I obviously, had to ask, as anyone uninitiated would have. I tried to shove the swarm of filmic images that flooded my mind; Manhattan skyline, Times Square, The Empire State building were smirking, mocking at me as I was going to be this close but yet so so far away from the razzmatazz of this adrenaline pumping, quirky metropolitan. I surfed the net like crazy, searching for every possible mode of transportation that would take us to NYcity from Long Island (wherever that was!!), noting down time tables, writing down numbers of taxi services- afterall 10 days in some dusty quaint island as compared to the flashy, vibrant, crazy New York city seemed a little dampening. But as they say, " Ignorance is not stupidity, but it might as well be" and I was ignorant enough to not know the beauty of the marginal roads that branch from the kitshy highways constantly shrouded in the thick fabric of touristdom.

Long Island is about charming villages, sparkling beaches, historic light houses; of walking barefoot on the golden sands or spending an afternoon sampling the latest vintages at a local vineyard; its the summer playground of the rich and famous.

The  favourite weekend getaway shown in all Hollywood glam movies -The Hamptons, is right here and a string of chic seaside communities adorn its map.

 The story begins at Quogue, slightly removed from the Hamptons happening party scene, founded in 1659 and home to our charming hosts. We were greeted by a deer grazing besides a couple of snow-white rabbits frolicking in the gardens. All images of the glitzy Manhattan faded in the background; I was completely besotted, deers in your yard, cherry blossoms in the background, daffodils flashing welcome smiles, bobbing their heads in excitement. The first evening was spent in getting acquainted with our hosts, getting a 'hang' of the beach which was right at the backdoor. A storm welled later in the evening and so our discovery trail had to be cut short and finally, we settled against the background score of pitter patter of the rainfall.

BEAUTIFUL LONG ISLAND

Call it jet lag or the strangeness, the thrill of being in a new place, we woke up early. Another friend of mine also travelling with us, suggested we venture out for a morning walk down the street; knowing little that Quogue was in throes of the 'yellow shower of sulphur dust', a spume of spray of pine spores colouring everything yellow, clogging every pore. Only the first aid of warm water down my throat saved me from choking that day.

 Today we went to Montauk Point Lighthouse, East Hampton, the first lighthouse in New York and which is still active, flashing every 5 seconds. Its a National Historic Landmark located on the lush Turtle Hill.

 Pirates are believed to have buried treasure at the foot of the lighthouse site in two ponds now known as Money Ponds. We didn't find any money though, and lost a lot, for, our next stop was Tangers Outlets, Riverhead-heaven for shopping buffs like me!

MONTAUK LIGHTHOUSE

Over the next few days we were taken to so many memorable places by our hosts and the friendship exchange team; all of them taking time out for us, accompanying us to places , organising lunches at exclusive restaurants, planning entertaining evenings and making us feel totally, at home. Here, Bob Berks abode is a place worth mentioning. Bob was an orient artist famous for sculpting images of  Popes and US Presidents, among his works figure the bronze bust of John F. Kennedy, a symbol of the Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts, Washington D.C. Meeting his charming unassuming wife was a privilege and experiencing his art was humbling.

BERKS ART

THE GANG AT BERKS

Fire Island and the Sunken forest with its over 300 year old primeval holly forest and fresh water bogs, also left an indelible mark with its unparalleled beauty and tranquil. Fire Island is a barrier island located off the southshore of Long Island, approachable only through ferries and personal boats. The picture of the sun kissing farewell for the day and the skies blushing a rosy pink while the azure sea stood witness to this eternal love affair, is still etched in my mind. I made an instant connect with Fire Island- and now I know why. My lovely friend, Nancy, whom I hadn't even met till then, lives here!!

SUNKEN FOREST

FIRE ISLAND

We did manage to go to NY city for the usual broadway show, Statue of Liberty, The MET and other museums while the kids attended American village school at Quogue after taking requisite permissions; but longed to come back to Long Island and LIRR train schedules were now at the back of our hands. The trip was fast coming to an end and our farewell dinner was being hosted at Greenport, a treasure trove for art lovers and a shopper's paradise. For me though, it turned out be slightly nightmarish; a photography session on a floating plank tied to the pier, proved a little more exciting than planned. The float managed to drift away from right under my feet; stupified with fear and unable to react, I almost drowned myself but for, the ropes that came into my grip. My husband and our doctor host tried to pull me out from the pool of circling jelly fish around me but it was only after five people, from the nearby restaurant, dived in to lift me, was I SAVED! It still makes for a good story; a trip which left footprints on the heart and bruises everywhere else! The aches and pain were soon forgotten in the merriment that followed (While I secretly, enjoyed the attention showered on me during the farewell dinner.).

"Life is a journey in which we are all travellers looking to make that great trip with someone", we found this out the perfect way! 

QUOGUE BEACH

  

 CREDITS

JEETENDER GUPTA

NANCY SOBEL BUTCHER

KAREN SOBEL

ROSE QUARANTA

Dr RAJ

SONIA KHANNA SAWHNEY
CORNIE
GWEN