Trip to Wayanad - 2010

I am not one of those who look for a company to pass the time; instead I enjoy solitude and always try to make most of it, and when it comes to join a huge group on some leisure trip my mind goes on a toil to decide ‘to go or not to go’, so did it happen when a group of 20 decided to go for a weekender trip to a hill station in Kerala called Wayanad, around 220km from our accommodation at Coimbatore. I had numerous reasons to say ‘no’ to the trip; I’m not very fond of the group, I didn’t know about the place, it’s a hill station so I could get sick, I had other plans for weekend; but somehow I decided to join in, and now I think it was the best weekend I could have had.

The trip was planned in a very haphazard manner, ‘coz till the very last hour we didn’t know the total number of people, the tour plan that we would take up and the budget, yet we managed to leave the hostel at 2400hrs of the Friday night(with final head count of 16 and a budget of 2500 per head). The take off was good as the bus was a luxury deluxe with a flatron TV screen and surround sound home theatre facility (the only trouble was that the backs of the seat were still covered with plastics that made us li’l uncomfortable).

The next thing I remember was of saturday morning; when our bus stopped somewhere and we got down to see something that I had never seen before.  It was a treat to eyes and soul; we were on the face of a hill, and it seemed we were viewing the world from above the clouds. The greens were trying to peep from beneath the whites of clouds, and the browns of the rocks were steering through to make themselves visible. This was the very moment I said to myself ‘good that u came Ajita !’.

The caravan moved ahead and we reached a point from where we had to be divided in two groups to reach till our resort in jeeps, and I was mesmerized by this 3km jeep trek too; the untouched nature that rests in peace in the lap of these hills shared their joy with me. The tea plantations, the coffee bushes, the cardmom herbs, the beautiful forest flowers all seemed to welcome me with the best of the faces, thus we reached our resort, and to my amazement the resort too was perhaps a replica of the heavens (if something like that could exist). The natural stream water pool, the cute wooden cottages embedded into the hillocks, the lush green sheet that covered almost everything, now even us, and the fresh cool breeze freed me of all my inhibitions about the things to follow. Our cottage was at the highest point of the resort, and the resort was called ‘Rain Country Resort’. Wayanad is one the rainiest places of the country (yes on the lines of Cherapunji, so was told by our guide Anik, though we didn’t see any of it in the two days we spent there).

The day was flanked by two spectacular trips, one to Banasura dam, that is Asia’s second largest earthen damn, and two to the View Point. At Banasura dam when most decided to go for boating few of us chose to trek down the rocky dam till the water, and what an experience it was.  I had never seen such a clear water body before, though I have visited to lakes around Delhi, to Hardwar and such places but the serene beauty of this dam was a never before experience (I know mom would have never let me go down the way I did, but in her instruction she had asked to not to boat only and I didn’t ;) ).  The clear cold water, the comfortably warm sun, the beautiful protective hills and I; I felt inexplicably in sync with the nature. Some similar feelings engrossed me at the sheet View Point too; we were on a cliff that’s end ran down straight till as low as it could. There was a forest river encrusted in between the greens of the view, and for the icing were clouds floating on the greens and silver of the forest and the river. I could spend rest of my life sitting there and praising the beauty.

Thus the day’s outing concluded, with the movie 3 Idiots in the bus, and we were back to the replica of the Heavens, our resort. This Rain Country Resort looked amazingly pretty at night as well, the small ball lamps on the pathways dimly lighting the place looked like shining pearls encrusted at intervals that made the surroundings glow with theirs. For me the night concluded with a traditional Malayali Chicken and Fish preparation in dinner (as for others the night was flanked with a bonfire dance party for which I was too sleepy to attend, like few others too).

The next morning showed another face of the resort; as I stepped out of the cottage I could see and feel that I was standing in a cloud, and so was the cottage, the trees around and everything else that I could see.  We chose this time to go on a trek inside the resort to reach to the highest hill top, the trek was freshening for sure, but the final treat was outlandish. The top showed us the phenomenon of the three states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, embracing each other in the witness of the skies, and now even us. Truly has been said for this place “God’s own country”.

After witnessing the glory of nature we checked out of the Rain Country Resort to marvel the man’s intelligence, we were heading towards the Edakal Caves that date back to 1400 B.C. . This cave was built due to a volcanic eruption that made a rock fall over two (‘Eda’ means 2 and ‘Kal’ means rock in the regional language), to give home to men who found it so. The encryptions and drawings carved on the rocks reminded me of my history classes when we were taught about the early stone-age man (wish we were given practical classes then to make us love the subject). I salute man for being so unbelievably intelligent (I wonder if we could be so fit in those stone ages).

Thus was my trip to Wayanad, refreshing, delightful and enlightening; a trip to experience nature’s miraculous creativity that man can never imitate; and a trip that made me realize that I could enjoy with myself in the big groups too.

A weekend at Livingstone : Chapter 3 Live Life King Size

Having experienced one of the most extreme adventure sports, the gush of thrill was still in our bloods. This trip had been very exhilarating so far, but what was to come next has amazed all who know and have seen our pictures of the day.

Africa is renowned for its wildlife and variety of Safari options, and Zambia is famous for one such extreme safari at ‘Mukuni Big 5’. The rustic route to the safari enclosure, flanked with thick forests on either side of rough patchy red-muddy road, with no traffic at all, counsels one for the forthcoming ultimacy.

Having got the passes and instructed by the facilitator, we marched our way bravely, with one sleek stick each, towards the King and Queen of the jungle. Following 40min walk was a royal experience with the Lion King strolling around and flirting with the Lioness, while they were trailed by us with their tails in our hands. Being marked by the king (with an invisible ink ;P), we emerged out of the forest with the Lion and Lioness petted by us. The respectful generosity of the Rulers of the Jungle has bestowed upon us the feeling of having tailed the royalty in real sense.

But this was not enough, and we went a little beyond our limits. Walking the King boosted our spirit to go ahead and play with the fastest living creatures; so there we were enjoying the company of three very agile Cheetahs in the middle of the wilds. I fail to recollect the names of the two other than the mischievous Lily, who had specially picked me as her favorite and constantly tried to hug me tight ;P; not to forget her mates warning glare into Nisheeth’s eyes (pictures show how loved he felt by him).

That concluded our Livingstone trip and we headed back to Lusaka, contended with the mind boggling everlasting beautiful memories, captured in our hearts, minds and cameras.

A weekend at Livingstone : Chapter 2 Jump of Life

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Visit to the Victoria Falls has given us a huge collection of scenic photographs that we'll cherish forever; but there is a set of photographs in the collection that gives us an adrenaline rush each time we see them. Heights, depths and adventure sports have always fascinated me and my husband and we do have our 'to-do' lists; one in my husbands 'to-do' list was to become 'have-done' here.

The Victoria Falls has been one of the worlds renowned bungee jumping sites, the 111m jump, from Victoria Falls Bridge over Zambezi river, between Zambia and Zimbabwe, has been a haven for adventure junkies.

The very step towards the bridge makes one's heart skip a beat or two upon the screams of jumpers scaling down the canyon walls, so did mine, specially knowing that my man would not miss the chance to do it. Fighting the constant conflict between difficulty, danger, desire and dare, the decision was taken, and there we were at the registration desk signing the indemnity bond. Craziness had taken us over; I am not sure who was more anxious, I or him, but we had eyes fixed and fear hidden to live a dream of 'being-there-done-that'.

I get exactly the same goose-flush every time I recollect the moment when my husband, clad in harness, was held by the instructor to step out of the platform and fall free. My heart didn't beat until the rope was full stretched and recoiled; that was the first moment I regained my conscious and clicked a photograph, the one that makes me feel a high of his desire being fulfilled, of having jumped 'the Jump of Life'.

Everybody clapped and enjoyed the jump, and I ran to the other end of the bridge to welcome my King who had just conquered the Victoria Gorge from Tip-to-Toe.

A weekend at Livingstone : Chapter 1 : Cloud that Thunders

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It was just two days that we had reached Lusaka and I was once again packing, though this time just a small weekend traveler sack bag, and the early next morning we had hit the road for Livingstone. Stopping at several places to stretch and flex our muscles; crossing many villages from Kafue to Mazabuka to Choma to Zimba, flanked or perhaps outlined with a variety of speed-breakers (from ass-shakers to back-breakers); cruising 600Kms in almost five hours and a half (thanks to Japanese roads) , we were finally at the historic city of Livingstone. Now named after the Scottish missionary explorer Sir David Livingstone, this town was earlier called Maramba but later renamed so, and listed amongst 'the UNESCO World Heritage Sites' for its splendid cascade of falling waters renowned today as 'the Victoria Falls'.

With 335ft high excitement (thats the max height of the fall) we reached the lodging facility of Jollyboys Camp Site, where a big poster of Mr Nangana-the crocodile welcomed us with a statement 'I Eat People' (typically wild welcome). Quickly finishing the check-in formalities and freshening up a little we headed straight to the pilgrimage of the day, The Falls.

While walking towards the wonder, from gates in the direction showed by Sir Livingstone, I could hear and feel the strong gush of water; soon the heavenly Victoria Falls, indigenously called 'Mosi-oa-Tunya', meaning 'Cloud that Thunders', was roaring loud in front of me. Though it was the commencement of the dry season (as per the climate statistic and fall standards), yet the enormousness of this water body could not be challenged. The height, expanse and depth I was experiencing was epitome of each.

Facing the lips of the waterfall that was once called 'the end of the world' by Arabs, I felt an unknown peace and gratitude to nature. Victoria Falls seemed to have carved itself to our amazement; multiple rainbows decorating 'Mosi' proved Davis Livingstone's words,“Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”.These falls truly are natures way of reminding us that the greatest and prettiest marvels are still natural, and not man-made.

From Miss to Mrs in 24hrs.......................

November 6, 2011, Sun had not risen but I had risen out from bed to take a look on my mehendi; the deep red color on my hands and feet somehow tickled me inside (for first time, out of the 3 in all, I was truly happy for being beautifully clad in mehendi). Anxiously I grabbed the phone and spoke to a friend (who couldn't come to Allahabad) non stop for next one hour (she was surprised with my words as has always known me as a listener and not otherwise). 

Gradually everybody started getting up and out of beds, and moving into the festive and chatty moods. I could see almost everyone doing something or else relating to wedding, as all had been assigned some or other responsibility by my mapa (I felt alien to be spared from being given a task for a change ! Not that I mind ;)  ). All were in haste but I. I was in a state of peace with myself. I knew that 'tonight was going to be a night to change my life and me' and I had readied myself to experience this change.

A lot was planned for the day; Tilak had to be departed with my brothers to Nisheeth's place; Haldi ceremony had to take place; I had to go to the parlour. But to commence in order, the reverend Pandit Ji was late. I think finally someone was sent to his place to bring him and so his arrival obliged us and ceremonies officially started.

It was the day that was to have me keep changing dresses. First was haldi ceremony in a yellow cotton saree (Dress no.1). I surely enjoyed the short and sweet ceremony, with ladies humming sweet traditional songs and naughtily applying haldi on me. I felt very pure and country like. But as soon as it was over, everybody got into their true selves and got after my life to hurry up and clean up and eat and leave for parlour (ironical !! all took their own sweet time to cover me with Haldi but expected me to get ready and leave for Parlour at earliest ! unfair !). But being myself, I managed ( :P ) and left in time with two of my girlfriends. 

I was very tensed for how I will look finally (I am not a bling-bling girl and the parlour though reputed in town was new for me at least). After 3hrs long torture to my neck and back (for being made sit in awkward posture) I rose from chair to have a look at myself (bearing around 10kgs of clothes and ornaments), and the look made me comfortable (Ok yes ! I was happy with the job done by make up artist  ;) ). After few final touch ups, we left parlour for the venue (in Dress No. 2 for the day). Back there everyone went crazy taking pictures even before I could actually get inside. Solo-pictures, group-pictures,posed-pictures, picture-pictures; I felt like a celebrity in front of shutterbugs (no one asked for autographs though  ;) ).

Now while I and my friends were having final few moments before my stepping out of spinster-hood and stepping into a new world, I could listen to thumping of bands and crackling of crackers. My heart pounded as my groom and his baraat was approaching to me. I was too curious to have a look, and finally sprung to the window to have a look. I couldn't stop myself from swinging to the tunes of band (Someone came up from gate to tell that I could be seen so should not ;) ). It was the most exciting moment of the day, with I, dressed up as some model from a wedding designer's portfolio book, dying to locate my groom in the crowd. The immersive view is still very fresh in my mind and no picture or video can be compared to what I can see it as with closed eyes.

My family-to-be were to be welcomed with some Vedic chants and then it was my time to finally go to my groom on the stage, to be his bride. 

Each step towards him had to be taken as if counted (I had received strict instructions to not to march up to the stage !). I was to and so was looking down, but kept asking everybody around me 'Is he looking at me ?' (I wonder why was it so important to know if Nisheeth was looking at me while I was coming to him). He extended his hand to help me come up the stage (though after being coerced by his friends :D )and I thus climbed with his help to stand with him, by him. The dramatic Jaimal took place and we were taken to dance floor (To be true I very much wanted to dance on my wedding  ;) so thanks to all who took us there!!! ). With anxious heart and happy mind I and Nisheeth did swing a little together (I still remember that it was playing 'Sheila Ki Jawani' then, mmmm wish it was Chhamak Chhalo instead  :D .. lollzz ).

After few hours of sitting on the stage and talking to each other while everyone openly scrutinized us and relentless photographers kept forcing us in supposedly 'picturesque poses', we left for dinner (wahaan bhi photographers ne peechhha nahi chhoda,, I wonder if at all they even dined).

It was soon time for me to get ready for wedding ceremony (it meant I had to get into Dress n. 3). Then started hours long riot of Vedic Chants, circles around holy fire and such complicated related rituals. All the time during this too, I and Nisheeth were chatty and smiley (all our pictures and recording has us with ear to ear smile :D ).  Thus the wedding was concluded with sindoor daan and blessings from our wedding. And so I was Mrs Ajita Nisheeth Saxena now :) .

With a few more interesting playful events in between, it was to be time for me to bid bye to my family, relatives and friends to get into my new family, Nisheeth's family (what was interspersed was the stubborn argument on Nisheeth's shoes stolen by my girls, and  :) few sweet answers to me for questions asked to Nisheeth by my friends n cousins  ;)  ). I was somewhere curious to know if I'll finally cry at my vidaai (I am pretty infamous that I never do !), and when the moment arrived, I lived upto everyone's expectations and smilingly hugged my teary mapa and relatives (I know they could and do understand what my feelings were) and left holding Nisheeth's hands firmly, to step into the dreamy world of companionship (in Dress No. 4).

Happy I was;Happy I am; to be blissfully married so .....