Birthdays are strange things to happen once an year, every year…I kind of don’t get affected by this day and more or less, it is just another day for me…Yet, when your friends, colleagues wish you and you get calls from your relatives/friends in India and abroad, you kindda like it…Anyways, i am getting older (and perhaps wiser :)
We started on Friday at around 6 in the morning for Mysore on the way to Wayanad (Kerala). Mysore is around 160 Kms from Bangalore by road though after the BMIC project is completed, you will have an alternative route of only 111 Kms. All said, the road leading to Mysore was very good and it’s a smooth drive. We must laud the Government for constructing such good roads between Bangalore and Mysore. The only excepting being the stretch of Mandya where the roads are in bad condition. Our ex-chief minister Mr. S.M. Krishna hails from Mandya. While driving, I touched the speeds of +10 and +20 easily.
The first break we took was in Mysore at Hotel Kamath Vegeterian. It is situated on the start of Ooty road. The food is good at this place. After a break of half-an-hour, we started again. The start of Ooty road is ridden with potholes for a stretch of around 10 kms or so (roughly, I am not sure!). You have to head towards Nanjangud, which is 26 Kms south of Mysore. From Nanjangud, we drove towards Gundalpet, which is close to 40 Kms from Nanjangud.
From Gundalpet, you have to take a diversion towards Sulthan Bathery which is off Ooty road. While you are on this road and you have crossed roughly 20 Kms or so, you find yourself in the middle of forest with the trees covering you on the top. It started to drizzle a little while we were in the aforementioned forest area and I can term it as my best drive to-date. Nature at its best! The air was so soothing and refreshing that I wished the drive extended as much as possible.
First came Sulthan Bathery, followed by Kalpetta where we had booked two cottages in Royal Palm (http://www.royalpalmwayanad.com/).
That particular day, we visited only Pookat lake (or Pookode lake). Pookat lake is 13 Kms from Kalpetta and it comes under district Calicut. It was drizzling again when we reached there. We had been thru all kinds of weather on Friday so we didn’t find it difficult. We were carrying umbrellas with us though we chose not to use them. The lake was overflowing, the water was muddy but the scenery was just breath-taking. There was also an aquarium with variety of fishes. The lake is girdled by mountains on all sides and clouds seemed to descend much below these mountains. We also noticed all Tourism police personal enjoying a Malayalam movie on T.V.
We had dinner in Hotel Affas which serves decent dinner. We called it a day and retreated to Royal Palms.
Next day morning, we checked-out by 7:30 a.m. and set out for Karapuzha dam (pronounced as Karapuda) and Edakkal Caves. The drive is good but somewhat risky. Going back from Kalpetta towards Sulthan Bathery, Karapuzha dam comes first. You have to take a right from the main road and go inside 7.5 Kms. It is the scenery that is good. There is no dam as such or may be there was one in the past. We took some pictures and came back. This place can be avoided. We then reached the main road again and headed towards Edekkal Caves which is 12 Kms from the main road on the right. There comes a point further to which, you are not allowed to take your vehicle. We were either supposed to walk up until the caves or hire a jeep. Finding no jeep in vicinity, we had no option left but to walk. I would suggest you to take a jeep and reach the Edekkal Caves. You can do trekking thereafter as well. Since, we wanted to return to Bangalore the same day, time was scarce. We chose not to go inside the Caves. May be, next time!
We finally moved towards Mysore. It was very sunny and heat started to take its toll on us. We reached Mysore and had lunch in the same Kamath restaurant. They serve good tea here.
Now, our destination was Infosys, Mysore about which I will write later. After seeing Infosys, we started for Bangalore. After entering Bangalore, we were completely lost in finding our way in and around Majestic. There are no boards which show you the way to Airport, M.G. Road, Vidhan Soudha or any other important place. If there are some, they are written in Kannada. We would have set a record to ask maximum no. of auto-rickshaw drivers, the way to Vidhan Soudha. Finally, a Cabbie driving a Sumo helped us. The traffic on a Saturday evening in Bangalore is horrible and atrocious. We should have entered the city through Kanakpura road.
Junta, I will post the pictures later. All in all, it was a good and a memorable journey though I would like to add the following: Wayanad is not a place where you can see some points or important places. It is a place to relax, drive, experience wonderful weather, trek etc…Don’t go with an aim of seeing Wayanad. All places are very far from each other. For records, i drove 680 Kms in two days!!!
The character of Napolean in this awesome book can be found everywhere in our society in almost all echelons in one or the other form. You can find the character in Police Stations, Parliaments, your office, society, school/colleges, hospitals and almost everwhere…On the other hand, equally omnipresent is the character of Boxer whose only mottos are ‘I will work harder’ and ‘Napolean is right’. How many of us really question what is happening around us and not only intend to change it but try to change it? In the present example, we ignore the apathy of Government towards its people when it comes to infrastructure, security and basic amenities; Government ignores the threat from neighboring countries or their killing of our people with impunity. In one way or the other, we all represent the character of Boxer. I am not deprecating his dedication to hard-work but his inability to question and to follow blindly. This work of George Orwell is awesome, inspiring and timeless. There are only few pieces of literature, which i have read and found to be so succinct yet so fulfilling in their message. At present I can only think of the play, Tughlaq, by Dr. Girish Karnard which is at par. I read ‘Animal Farm’ again after a long time and still found it very interesting.
Went to see the campus of Infosys on Sunday after a not-so-enjoyable drive on Hosur road . It took 2 hours to just have a look around (probably because it was somewhat hot). One thing that I liked the most was the fish pond- there were fishes various colors in the pond, the biggest of them being around 15 Cms in length. It would be very relaxing to sit beside this pond with a book (even without a book). There were many billiards and pool tables too. Gyms were also good but it seemed they were there more to show-off… In all, a very relaxing place to work. Food in the food-courts was a let-down.
I get up in the evening and I ain't got nothing to say I come home in the morning I go to bed feeling the same way I ain't nothing but tired Man I'm just tired and bored with myself Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
You can't start a fire You can't start a fire without a spark This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark
Message keeps getting clearer radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place I check my look in the mirror I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face Man I ain't getting nowhere I'm just living in a dump like this There's something happening somewhere baby I just know that there is
You can't start a fire you can't start a fire without a spark This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark
You sit around getting older there's a joke here somewhere and it's on me I'll shake this world off my shoulders come on baby this laugh's on me
Stay on the streets of this town and they'll be carving you up alright They say you gotta stay hungry hey baby I'm just about starving tonight I'm dying for some action I'm sick of sitting 'round here trying to write this book I need a love reaction come on now baby gimme just one look
You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancing in the dark You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancing in the dark Even if we're just dancing in the dark Even if we're just dancing in the dark Even if we're just dancing in the dark Hey baby
Driving through the congested lanes of Shivajinagar thronged with people, buses and vehicles of all sizes, parking in narrow spaces near Commercial street and eating paranthas at Lalitha's is how I spent this Saturday. Sunday was more relaxed and passed away in reading and watching TV. A friend from U.S.A. called up last night and I felt really good thereafter. I open up naturally to this friend. We always keep in touch whichever part of the world we are in thru calls or mails or chat… Watched movies like Mask of Zorro, Sarfarosh, Along came Polly on this weekend for the umpteenth time…also watched Ishq Vishq which is a good movie. I didn't know that Shahid Kapur acts so well. Worth a watch if you don’t get bored with mushy mushy stuff...
