Panchala

Today my fond memories are taking me back to my maternal grandparents’ place, where my beloved mother grew up in the midst of greenery and water all around.

After gaining senses, I first visited the place when I was just 5 years old. I still remember the day though it is little faded, I was very happy and jumping around when my mother and father were packing the baggage and beddings; I suppose a day before the journey.

The day of the journey in Allahabad station, I was amazed to see so many trains whistling and the people all around. We boarded the train in the evening and reached Howrah station of West Bengal the next day afternoon. From the station we took a bus to reach our place named Panchala. From the bus stop we took cycle rickshaw to go to our grandparents’ house.

When we reached there almost all relatives of mine along with their neighbors came out to greet us with open arms. Initially I was taken aback seeing so many people around hugging and kissing me. It was almost dawn by then.

Next day my real adventure started when my elder cousins took me around the village, plucking flowers and fruits from different plants and trees. The sights which really appealed me were the ponds encircled by coconut trees. There were many fish moving around in the ponds and so I was little scared to put my feet in the water.

After that visit we visited the place once in every 2 to 3 years in my summer or winter vacations. Here the day used to start with the breakfast of Muri(raw rice roasted in sand ) with coconut sweet or Tele Bhaja (Pakoris) . Then the real fun time used to start, I used to roam all around the village with my cousins going to different houses of the locality. To my surprise most of the houses were having their own ponds named after the family surnames. None of us had watch with us but the biological clock of our body that is tinge of hunger and physical surrounding of people taking bath in the ponds used to remind us of lunch time.

In lunch most of the days, fish fry and fish curries were served along with plateful of rice and a bowl of dal with potato fry. After lunch each day my grandmother used to serve us with cool and sweet water of tender coconut, which I used to relish the most. These coconuts were not bought, they were dropped from the trees in our backyard each morning. 

In the evening after getting dressed, we used to go either to the village market or play in the big play ground, which was also beside a big pond. Sometimes our elder cousins used to take us  little further inside the village, where I witnessed  beetle leaf plantation and the huts made with mud and plastered with cow dung, having a thatched roof dry coconut leaves.

This place was like a different world to me, after going from Allahabad where I could hardly see any coconut trees or ponds except the river Ganga. This place was like the scenery drawn by me looking at the posters or the books.  

Panchala is situated near Ulluberia in Howrah district but it takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour from Howrah station by bus or taxi. This place is very famous for Kali Puja, which is celebrated every year with lots of devotion. People from different places visit this place during this time. They even perform the ritual of goat sacrifice, which I could never witness due to large crowd and my dislike to the ritual. The village is even famous for its Muggum work on saris, done by the Muslim craftsmen of the village.

When Man Goes For Mangoes

Mussoorie located near Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand state may be famous for all the good reasons as man goes to escape the summer and see many of its attractions like the Camel Back, the Mall Road, Kempty Falls, Bhatta Falls and Jharipani Falls…but as far as I am concerned Mussoorie is a Mango retreat for me. This small pretty hill station was just a hop for me and my friends during my younger days in Dehradun. The scorching summers of May month were just over and with all entrance exams done with…I along with my four friends got on to 2 bikes (triples are allowed) and headed towards Mussoorie to stay at Christ Church which had a dormitory (the dormitory doesn’t exist anymore ) behind it for 2 days. The parish priest knew me so accommodation was never an issue for only me but wasn’t sure for my friends.

Once we were out of Dehradun city limits we got on to the steep climb of Old Mussoorie Road and as we were nearing the MDDA Park enroute down came a hail storm from nowhere, we stopped our bikes and ran for shelter under the nearest tree. The storm was so intense that within no time we saw a volley of Mangoes (half ripe, full ripe and not ripe) falling along with the hails, we couldn’t believe it. None of us moved to pick up any of the mangoes as we thought somebody might be playing a prank with us because there wasn’t a single mango tree insight…but it was for real. The hails stopped falling but the mangoes didn’t. The storm stopped as we started to feel that we are standing in a ‘Mango Ki Mandi’. Each one of us ran (of course totally drenched) and started filling our haversacks with as many mangoes as possible before anyone could check us. We filled our shirts, jackets, bikes and what not with mangoes and more mangoes…took a ‘U’ turn and drove back to Dehradun.

So, remember Mussoorie is not just a place to escape the summer heat but also for free mangoes provided a mango storm takes you by surprise.

The 'Thrissur Pooram' this May.

The ‘Pooram Nakshatram’ day in ‘Medam’ – Malayalam month, which coincides with months of April and May, is the most auspicious day and the most awaited day in Thrissur (also known as Trichur) as Thrissur witnesses the biggest Hindu festival of Kerala which lasts for almost 48 hours nonstop – the event commencing at 7am on the 1st day.

The whole city of Thrissur is decorated with flowers and blinking serial lights from the day before the ‘Thrissur Pooram’ and everyone seems to be gearing up for the festival as they are involved directly or indirectly in the celebrations. The ‘Thrissur Pooram Paraphernalia’ comprising the gold ornaments of the Elephants is displayed for public CMS School Compound. This is the closest you get to these ornaments to appreciate them as it is hardly possible on the Pooram day.

Temples in Thrissur are to be specially visited on these 2 days of the festivals as they are decked up like never before. They make an amazing sight.

But the highpoints of the ‘Thrissur Pooram’ – who are called the show-stoppers who steal the limelight and for whom the whole city of Thrissur along with people from other parts of Kerala and India as well as some foreigners and of course countless media persons assemble along their walkway are the regal Elephants! About 100 Elephants are decked up in gold ornaments and paraded through the city of Thrissur royally to the incessant and rhythmic drumming and fireworks. Countless percussion instruments follow the Elephants throughout the parade. 300 music performers perform the ‘Melam’ for 2 continuous hours during the day which will just transport you to a different world.

This Elephant parade is like no other in the whole world and this is the closest you could get to so many Elephants all at once. The mere sight of them bunched together – posing for a million clicking cameras from all directions will give you goosebumps as you get all stirred up emotionally.

On Thrissur Pooram, Thrissur city does not sleep. All Elephants are made to walk a set route in the city which ends up at the Vadakkunnathan Temple – an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Thrissur Pooram festival has been celebrated since 1798 and was started by Raja Rama Varma – also known as Sakthan Thampuran – the ruler of Cochin. With the launch of the Thrissur Pooram festival and a host of other Hindu festivals here, Thrissur became the culture-capital of Kerala. It was Maharaja Sakthan Thampuran who unified a dozen temples which were situated around the Vadakkunnathan Temple and organized a joint celebration of all these temples which became a mass festival and involved the whole city and ten other towns.

On the night of the first day of the Thrissur Pooram, the city of Thrissur dazzles with millions of multi-coloured lights which run over all the streets of the city and the skyscape will have no space to breathe with scores of fireworks lighting up the skies. No wonder then that of all the festivals in south India, Thrissur Pooram is known to be the most thunderous and the most spectacular festival ever with several lakhs attending.

Summer Festival in the Nilgiris!

Nilgiris Mountains beckon all the flower, fruit, spice, tea, boat-racing, vintage-cars, horses, dogs, sports, art lovers from all over the country to participate in the 16-day Summer Festival organized by the Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu during the second-half of May this year.

The District Capital of Nilgiris District – Ooty – a Hill Station at 7350 feet altitude in Tamil Nadu, is going to play host to the Summer Festival held in May where the Nilgiri Mountain Range is going to display its proud possessions in various shows held at various locales in Ooty and its environs.

 o   Flower Show: More than 150 types of imported and indigenous flowers would be put on display at the Botanical Garden in Ooty. Indian floral arrangements, Japanese floral arrangements, flower rangoli, Bonsai, vegetable carving are some of the many activities and competitions held here. The Flower Show tradition in Ooty has been in practice since 1896. A 2-day Flower Show would also be held at Kodaikanal in which florists from all over the country would participate.

o   Rose Show: More than 3000 types of Roses will bloom this May in Ooty to participate in the prestigious Rose Show which happens every summer.

o   Fruit Show: More than 25000 tourists visit the Sim’s Park in Coonoor to participate or view the tons of fruits on display – organized by the Department of Horticulture which has been in practice for more than 50 years.

o   Vegetable Show: The Nehru Park in Kotagiri is visited by more than15,000 people every summer for the Vegetable Show organized by the Department of Horticulture for 2 days. The Star attraction of this show every year is the depiction of the Map of India using red, yellow and green Capsicums.

o   Spice Show: Department of Horticulture organizes the Spice Show at Gudalur in the Nilgiris each year putting on display the immense wealth of spices that grow in the Nilgiri Mountains.

o   Dog Show: The third oldest Dog Club in India – the ‘South of India Kennel Club’ has been organizing the Dog Shows in Ooty at the Government Arts College Grounds for more than 107 years. You will get to see some of the best looking and well trained canines strut around in this show. The same event shall be held at Kodaikanal as well.

o   Boat Race & Boat Pageantry: The Ooty Lake will dazzle with countless boats which will all muster to participate in this century-old spectacular tradition of boat pageantry and competitions in Ooty. This is a jumbo crowd puller with tourists and natives of Bangalore, Chennai, Kerala and other nearby towns thronging to the Ooty Lake to see this event every summer. The Kodaikanal Hill Station would also host a boat-race organized by its Boats Club this may in its scenic Kodaikanal Lake.

o   Vintage Car Rally in Ooty is an interesting piece of the Annual Nilgiris Summer Festival where many vintage cars will drive around the main town of Ooty to display their antiquities.

o   A Marathon Race would be held in Ooty for the ‘fit and the fast’.

o   The Breeks HADP open-air stadium in Ooty will be the venue for the 9-day Summer Cultural Festival comprising dance, drama and music programs.

o   Hot-air balloon Show: In one of the largest ballooning events of India, scores of hot-air balloons shall fill the skies of Ooty in a colourful and elaborate display of hot-air balloons.

o   Amateur Photo Contest: Ooty is where all the photography-enthusiasts and amateurs get their chance to click and compete for a prize in the Summer Festival.

o   Painting Exhibition: Artists are invited to showcase their creativity in their paintings in the Painting Exhibition in Ooty.

 

o   Heritage Building Trek: You would be given a guided-tour of the great centuries-old Heritage Buildings of Ooty which throw insights into the history of these Mountains and Ooty in particular.

o   Eco-trekking: Where there are verdant mountains, there is eco-trekking and Ooty offers myriad such opportunities to explore and enjoy the natural lush green Mountains, valleys, forests and tea-gardens.

 

o   Catch-a-Fish Event: This amusing event shall be held in Kodaikanal during the last week of May this year.

o   Horse Competition: Kokaikanal which is famous for its horses would hold a competition for Horses this May.

o   Sports Competition: Kodaikanal District Sports Office would conduct sports competitions in hockey, football, volleyball and mini-marathon in Kadaikanal at the Bryant Park.

 You may not be allowed to dance atop the Nilgiri Mountain Railways 'Shahrukh Khan style'…..but you certainly can ride this steam-locomotive-turned-diesel-locomotive – one of the rare and few ‘toy trains’ of India while you climb up the Nilgiri Mountains for an interesting summer this May.