Meet Khloe :)

Our 6-year old beagle, a sweetheart we adopted a week ago.

The whole idea was formed when my ex-manager and dear friend, Neeta, forwarded a mail that took me to a blog that said “20 beagles from a lab need homes”. Of course, having a Labrador at home made me first think the mail meant these were pups of a lab-beagle parents. And then, I noticed a comment that said something about beagles being extremely gentle beings, which is why they are “used” in labs. Which is what made me research more on beagles in labs. That took me to the Beagle Freedom Project. I read about the horrors these lovely creatures are put through in animal “testing” laboratories. I was aghast. I came across this video, and was reminded of having seen it a couple of years ago.

Well, I did not need any more persuasion or convincing to take a decision. We wrote to CUPA who was organising this adoption drive, and was told we would get to adopt one on 19 Feb. I really really wanted to get two — so that they’d have each other for company always — but the husband refused to agree. Well, there would be more such adoption drives, I told myself

On 19 Feb, we went to the CUPA centre at Ulsoor, to find that there were 40,a nd not 20 beagles up for adoption! We registered, and had to wait for our turn to make the selection. There was one I had almost decided on; till then Khloe was not in my line of sight. It was when a car had to be reversed out from amidst the cages that the guy moved Khloe’s cage to another side. That’s when I saw her. And when it was my turn to choose, I opened the cage of the one i had almost set my mind on, and called her out. She was responsive, but did not budge. I opened Khloe’s cage, and she came out, slowly but with much affection. I gently pushed her back in and tried two others. Well, in the end, Khloe it was!

I guess it suffices to say that Khloe chose us She came to us happily, stood patiently while we put on her a new collar and clipped it to her new leash. She was curious, but anxious. She was friendly, but extremely docile. Every time we bent down to pet her, she would cower and almost set herself flat on the ground It ached to see her do that.

That was 5 days ago, and at the adoption center. The moment we reached home, she surveyed all of the first floor. She was hesitant to climb the stairs to the second. Since CUPA had to sterilise her, they operated her and there was a cut on her belly which was stitched and bandaged. We did not want to force her to climb, for fear of her wound causing her pain. She settled down extremely quickly.

Am I beautiful or not? Pic courtesy: Neeta

The first day at home is the ONLY time she slept on the floor. I guess she was not sure what the sofas were for; plus, I was sitting on the floor, so she must’ve assumed that’s where we all sit/sleep.

I’m at home here.

That evening, Neeta and the Queen of Subtlety came home to visit Khloe. They spent quite a while cuddling her, taking pictures, and generally giving her love therapy Close to 8, they were hungry, and decided to leave. I decided to join them for dinner. While I was gone, Khloe watched TV.

Wow. There are many dimensions to this world! Interesting, I say. Pic courtesy: Suraj

Khloe is now a happy girl. Because she has figured out the comforts of the various soft sofas, beds and settees in this house. Needless to say, she now owns them. The moment one of us sits down (mostly me, because the husband prefers the single seater), she considers it her right to climb up right up near me, shifts about till she gets into a position that lets her be squished between me and the backrest, and promptly dozes off. Ina day or two, she has come to the conclusion that she can doze off even without waiting for me to sit. As long as one of us is in the room, all is well.

The wonders of a certain thing called ‘sponge’. Pic courtesy: Suraj

Khloe is in love with Suraj; and, the feeling is mutual She just cannot bear to have him out of her sight. If he walks out of the room, she whines. If he goes to the bathroom, she whines. If he goes upstairs for a second, she whines. In fact, it was during one such moment of missing him that she climbed alllll the way up to the second floor, in search of him. We were shocked! We had tried two whole days to see if she will climb up, but she had always refused. Anyways, they are inseparable. Today morning, when he went out to buy some veggies, she waited for him at the stairs till he was back.

Where IS he? How long will he be gone?

Yes, it is not just her; looks like he can’t stay away from her for too long either. Two days ago, I asked him to come pick me up from work late evening, and had to make him wait for 20 minutes as I was finishing up some last-minute stuff. He was so mad at me, and came back and complained to Khloe that he “wanted to come back immediately, but she made me late!” So yes, they love each other. See how they spend time ‘together’

Hahaha…he’s right; it sure is a funny show!

Khloe is a happy girl We took her to the vet today, and he said she’s healthy, and seems happy and quite well adjusted in comparison to how normally other adopted dogs seem in a week of getting a home. She refuses to eat anything at all, but that is just because it’s a new environment. We took her on her first ever walkie-walkie today evening, and she was a good, co-operative girl! I’m proud of her.

Khloe Nayar Thomas, welcome home Here’s to a delightful new life, baby!

I look forward to sunshine, happiness, love and much joy in life.

Been a while since…

…I blogged last — not just posting on mine, but commenting on the million other posts I religiously read.

…I cooked a proper meal. Like, a complete lunch/dinner the way I used to.

…I really got down to gardening. I force myself to water them frequently to keep them alive.

…I spoke to my best buddies from school.

…I sang a full song, loud and clear.

…I’ve met some ex-colleagues I’ve been really wanting to meet (some things just do NOT happen).

…I’ve gone about taking random photographs. The camera is dying under a layer of dust (not literally).

…I’ve been fired by anyone for a really weird reason.

…I’ve done something mindless.

…I spent some real good time with family.

Been a while since I’ve been me. Sucks. Bah.

In Life. Just be fair.

I’m tired of writing come-back posts. So, don’t count this as one. For, I’m almost sure I’ll go off again.

Blogging, when in a bad state of mind, is not something I do or even want to do. Hehe…too many people may get hurt, shocked, whatever. So I’m not here to explain why I have been hibernating, for the umpteenth time. I just wanted to tell you…

I’m still kind of reeling under the effect of a major insight into what we fondly, angrily, exasperatedly and hopefully call ‘Life’! That no one has any right to judge another person—no matter what that person may have done or said.

I’m not the kind who sees or meets someone, judges them immediately (as being funny, nice, trustworthy, full of attitude, creepy, and so on) and compartmentalise them. I take my time, give them their space and study them well before I decide if I like them, love them, trust them, dislike them, hate them… But yes, over a period, I do end up judging them—as being good or bad. If they do/say something that is so against my principles and what I consider ‘right’, I do judge them. I suppose it is human.

And when I say we should not judge “no matter what that person may have done or said”, I mean it quite literally. Now, if you ask me if we should not judge someone who has committed a heinous crime—such as a murder for instance—well, I still think we shouldn’t. While you may judge someone for a physical murder, you may reach a point in life where you murder someone’s spirits, kill them mentally. As long as you destroy a person, it does not matter how. The end result is the same in both cases.

So yes, whatever whoever does—there is always a reason. The only thing is that their right maybe our wrong. What we cannot fathom, must have come so naturally to them, thanks to a lot of catalysts. Someone hates his parents, someone cuts off her best friend, someone falls out of love, someone cheats on a partner, someone walks out on his marriage, someone takes another person for a ride, someone steals, someone kills… They all have their reasons which we may never even be a million miles close to finding, ever.

So, when we judge someone, I think we need to know that at some point in time, invariably, we will find ourselves in that spot—the spot where that person we judged stood. At that time, our eyes will open wide, something will go smack in the head, make us stop in our tracks, feel our body go limp, sense our jaw drop…and we’ll be like ‘Oh my God…I never thought I’d ever be here /do this /say this…”

But one day, you will. We all will. I did. And I’m still shocked. I did NOT have this in mind, ever. I did not think I’d ever be where I am right now. But the fact is that I am…and I’m really shocked.

I guess the best we can do in life is to be fair—to the ones we love, hate, hurt, respect, bear with… Just be fair. Be fair, but don’t be sacrificial. Give them their chance at life, but not at the cost of yours. Grant them their happiness, but don’t lose yours.

OK, this is a little strange right now. I’m bad at these kinds of talks. So let me just admit I’m shocked, but I’m not sad about it. It could not have been avoided. Really. I did try. Quite many times, in many ways.

God, I’m shocked.

What’s your dream?

Dreams…who doesn’t have them? What makes the difference, I suppose, is what we do about them. If we believe in them enough to make it more than just a dream — rather, a dream come true!

I have a Dream, by Rashmi Bansal, is an inspiring, motivating book that tells us how 20 different people decided to take the “good” further, and not for profits or their own growth. The book starts off with the famous speech of Martin Luther King’s: “I have a dream…that one day all of God’s children will be able to join hands and sing… Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” If that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what else will

In the Author’s Note, Rashmi says “A tree is known by its fruit” and so the author’s note as it defines the book, best as “These are people like you and me, not Mother Teresa. They are using the principles of business, to create a better world” A world where profit does not equal greed where people come together for a greater common cause. A world where “I” does not mean crushing “them”. And this probably is what motivated me most to read the book till its final page.

Rashmi has done a great job at writing a simple, thought-provoking book, with inspiring examples—just a perfectly brilliant read for any aspiring entrepreneur.  The simplicity of the entire book is what I liked the most.

Rashmi Bansal is a writer, entrepreneur and youth expert.She is the author of two bestselling books on entrepreneurship.  ‘Stay Hungry Stay Foolish’ features the stories of 25 MBAs who left lucrative jobs to follow the rough road of entrepreneurship. The book created a new record in Indian publishing by selling over 300,000 copies and has been translated into 8 languages.  Rashmi’s second book, ‘Connect the Dots’ focuses on non-MBA entrepreneurs. It has also been a bestseller, selling over 100,000 copies. More about Rashmi here!

I’m an active community service volunteer, and I love doing it. I’ve always felt I should just team up with a few people and start something off. But there’s always the fear that there will be quite a few obstacles, which we’re not prepared to handle and overcome, given our position and contacts. This book did bring to light the nitty gritties and the challenges other like-minded people faced, and overcame as well. I think this is a great book for every inspired volunteer, to go ahead and do the things they’ve always wanted to do – with more confidence, with more hope and with more belief in themselves and in their actions!

I will not give out much of the synopsis, or what the book has – not ever any excerpts. I loved the one about Akshay Patra the most, though I don’t know why. Among the many Rainmakers, Change Makers, and the Spiritual Capitalists, which one are you? Throughout the book, I kept trying to find out which one I fit into And well, I think I can safely say I’m a Rainmaker—though I’m no “entrepreneur” in the right sense of that word But yes, I’m not interested in “charity”, I rather prefer to just do good Plus, I’m such a “rain” person

Wondering what I’m blabbering about? Get a copy of I have a Dream, and find out whether you’re a rainmaker, change maker or a spiritual capitalist Meanwhile, I wish you all a very meaningful Independence Day, and I hope you all have a dream for the betterment of our country — and get inspired to do something about it too

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com.
Participate now to get free books!

My first toy…

Penguin Race

…was this penguin race, which I absolutely adored. Well, if I remember right, it was my brother’s. My aunt got it for him, but well, me and the brother being best friends, we only had “our” toys. I remember the quiet evening we spent together, watching the penguins open their little door, come out one after the other, get on the slide and race. The most wonderful part was watching them go “plop, plop, plop” up the stairs. Now, when I think of it, I can’t remember why it was called a penguin “race”, because there was no way they could race each other I’m sure that toy is one main reason I’ve always LOVED penguins!

Two years later, the penguin race was broken to many pieces by a cousin, and I howled away to glory when the aunt chided “stop crying. it’s just a toy.” I still wonder if she realises it was never “just a toy”. It was my many evenings’ activity with my brother; a huge part of my childhood then; a factor that bonded us so well, apart from many others; my first memories of the joy of “sharing”.

Toy Horse

Another favourite toy, was a rubber squeaky toy horse. I remember the many evenings I’ve spent making that lifeless little animal hop all over my room. I have no idea what I was thinking. That was in 1992. And when we shifted from that house and relocated to Guruvayur, I left my toy horse behind, and was depressed about it! In 2002, when we returned to our own house (I was in Std 12 then; yea, go calculate my age I’m 26, silly! )  I spotted a sunbleached, moss-covered, barely-recognisable rubber squeaky toy horse on our sunshade. I still remember how overjoyed I was! I picked it up, cleaned it (it was even mis-shapen after 10 years of heat and rain and cold and dirt and dust and loneliness) and took it to mom to ask her if she recognised it. She did, and she thought I was crazy But I can’t tell you how much of my childhood came rushing back — not just about the times I played with it, but about the time spent living in that house, and a million other joyful memories!

Game of Life

Then there were the two Barbie dolls, which I cared for like they were my kids; then came the G.I. Joes (yea, I was a tomboy for a few years ), the cars, the guns; the the soft toys, the teddy bears, the tweety, the monkey. The bunny, the rabbit, the piggy, the somersaulting pup!

There were board games aplenty: Memory (a visual recall game that’s excellent for stimulating memory power, observation and identification); Scrabbles (of course, the famous vocabulary andword power builder); Monopoly (the one that brings out the businessman/woman in you); Life (about life itself, insurances, loans, family, health and what not).

Building Blocks

Needless to say, each game/toy had a lot of special memories attached to it; a lot of learning; a lot of wisdom; a lot of joy, fun and happiness. I still love toys — I’m not ashamed to say this out in public. Give me a little car, I’ll play with it Give me a penguin race, I’ll be as fascinated as I then was! Give me a box of memory cards, you wont hear from me for a looong while. Give me a soft bunny toy, I’d love to play puppetry with it (yes, I even use different voices for different dialogues! ) Yes, so I LOVE toys, and I love to see kids playing with them.

And now, when I look back on all the toys that we had,  my bother and I, I  realise that we had very few — i repeat: VERY FEW — toys that were meant for individual play. Most of our toys required two people to play…and if it didn’t, I think we took it up on ourselves to make it work that way, because that’s how we were conditioned with most of our other toys! I don’t know if it was intentional on our parents’ part to give us toys that made us share time, space and joy. I must ask. But whatever that was, we learnt the art of sharing, of building memories together, of learning to call it “ours” than “mine” or “yours”, of happily extending it to other kids, of openheartedly sharing our time, space and toys for the happiness of our cousins and friends…

And today, when I see toys or go to a toystore, I do not long for toys I never had as a kid — but I always long for my childhood to come back: those evenings where we would wait for Amma to return from work while the penguins went up and down the slides and steps…

Childhood is a time to remember…a phase of life when one is carefree, filled with innocence and finds joy in everything — the joy of learning, the joy of spending time with friends, the joy of playing with toys and the joy of having fun! I think toys are an integral part of childhood. They play a major role in moulding a child’s temperament, behaviour, personality and ideals. They instill the concepts of sharing, team playing, being responsible and so on.

Childhood definitely is a time to remember, and look back to longingly. And it is sad and heartbreaking that a huge number of children the world over have nothing but misery, loneliness and almost-nothing to look back to, remember, or long for!

So, when one fine day at work, I got this in a mail, I was sure I wanted to:

Donate a toy: make a difference.

We formed a group within office, collected toys from wherever we could, segregated it by age and gift wrapped it. We now plan to take them around to a few NGOs with the help of Toybank officials, so we can see for ourselves the joy on the kids’ faces when they open up their gift wraps I’m already excited!

We held a 2-week drive at office, and here’s an overview of what we collected: over 200 toys ranging from soft toys and figure toys to board games, building blocks, card games, balls, colouring books, and coloring sets…

I must say, we all had a gala time, sorting toys, ooh-ing and aah-ing over some real superb ones, thanking the many people who cared to give these away, even kidding about planning to take a few home We didn’t, of course: but I say that because some of the toys were REALLY AWESOME, and I sincerely am grateful to the parents who decided to give them away, and to others who decided to BUY NEW ONES since they didn’t have any at home! And all the while, we kept saying how much fun the kids who’d receive them would have, when we ourselves were enjoying so much.

Here are a few pics of what we collected and wrapped

Naimika pushing the complete load of wrapped toys to the storeroom (long story, sigh!)

As we were gift wrapping them all

The toys we segregated before wrapping them up

I urge all of you to take this up as an initiative in your respective organizations and bring a load of joy to some kids whom you’ve never even seen before! Toybank has a presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, UK and Bhutan. Even if you’re in a city where Toybank does NOT have its presence,I’m sure you can identify a few NGOs that would LOVE to take in these toys for the kids who they give a home to!

It’s an experience you’ll cherish for life. I can guarantee that!

***************************************************

Toybank stresses on the need for non-formal education through play for every child. The basic philosophy of this organization is centered on providing toys to children who have no access to them. Toybank will identify NGOs, municipal schools and hospitals for the distribution of the toys. Toybank has a presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, UK and Bhutan.

Toybank’s mission includes:
>> Ensuring that children from under privileged backgrounds receive toys through collection and distributions.   >> Bridging the gap between children from different backgrounds by creative play/group events/community events.   >> Making play space available for children through toy libraries using available infrastructure; to reclaim open public spaces for children.   >>Designing and provide toys that are context specific, and to have toys made in local languages as well.

Toybank accepts new and old/used toys as long as they are still in presentable/working conditions. They accept all kinds of toys, except for those that promote racial or violence streaks (like barbie dolls, guns, artillery, etc.). They also accept stationary: crayons, colour pencils and paints, solouring books, story books, notepads/books, pens and pencils, etc.

This post is part of BlogAdda’s Bloggers Social Responsibility (BSR) initiative. I am exercising my BSR by supporting Toybank.

You can too, with three very simple steps. Visit http://www.blogadda.com/bsr-list and support the NGO’s cause.

You can also take a step further, contribute as much as you can, and spread awareness about this wonderful initiative

sounds in the silence

I’m in love with the weather in Bangalore today! It’s partly cloudy, it’s not hot, it’s not humid, it’s not glaringly sunny. It’s just perfect (and personally, I think it could use some real good downpour as well!) But well, the weather report says there’ll be scattered storms and showers today and tonight. And well, in the weather’s favour, it does NOT “feel like 29 degree celsius”!

And though I love rains, and wouldn’t mind if it rains day and night, I think today’s climate — or at least how things are right now — is perfect! And it’s a lot silent when compared to other days.

The vegetable vendors have gone home after quickly selling off their wares — probably in anticipation of a storm So there are no more yells and screams of “pappaya, vendakka, pavakka, muringakkaaa”

There’s very little traffic flowing by the road in front — so things are relatively calm and silent.

There’s the distant drone of a concrete driller somewhere, that’s bringing in the effect of a waterfall closeby!

Pumbaa’s behaving well, and so there are no yelps, barks and “Pumbaa, NO!”s

The street dogs also seem to be mourning “Good Friday” today; I haven’t heard a single bark / fight since morning.

(Best of all) Hathway seems to have lost connection with the satellite; so the TV is dead and life couldn’t be better on a holiday, with husband at home

The crows, a few pigeons and some butterflies seem to like the area around my house, and have set up a conversation (yea, of course, the butterflies seem to just listen and not say a word!), but without any cacophony.

We celebrate our 5th unofficial anniversary today, and I opened my groggy eyes this morning to see a handwritten — yes, HANDWRITTEN!! — love letter from the husband, and a wonderful three-folder card with a lot many of my favourite pics of “He and I” designed in a lovely collage waiting for me! I knew right then, today would be awesome

And I was right. It’s an awesome day. And I hope it brings a lot of rain as it makes way for the night.

Oh, I think all Fridays would be this awesome if it’s a holiday

Goa :) so aah! – a travellogue: part 5

Well, after loads of parasailing fun on Day 3 @ Goa and more breathtaking moments on the same Day 3 @ Goa, we were ready to bid adieu to Old Goa. On our way back, we had planned to take a walk through the streets of Panaji, visit the Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church, and see some typical Goan houses!

Being New Year eve, the streets were all lit up, and the road leading to the church, in particular, was beautiful

The road leading to Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church, Panaji

One of the first churches built in Goa, it was the landmark for sailors to offer thanks for a safe anchoring. It was initially built in 1541 and later re-built in 1619.

The bell we see and hear today at this church was brought from the belfry tower of the St Augustine Complex of Old Goa in 1871. Apparently, it is the second largest bell in the world!

The church is truly beautiful at night.

The Christmas crib in front of the church...

The God family

View from the Church

After sitting around on the benches built on the pavement in the centre of the road, for about 10 mins, we set off for a walk to see Goan houses. While most of them resembles the houses back home in Kerala — with their red soil roof tiles and open verandahs and pretty houses with coconut trees in the yards — we did get to see some very typical Goan homes too…

A Goan home...

A Goan home...

A Goan home...

A Goan home...

A Goan home...and my fav of the lot

A Goan home...

After we had enough of Goan houses, we set off for another drive down the road connecting the Mandovi Bridge to the Miramar Beach. Pretty pretty buildings, clean clean pavements and a smooth smooth road!

On the way back, we stopped to see some really beautiful cruise ships floating on the Mandovi.

The wide, wide, really wide walkway that runs in between the road and the river

Them cruise boats and ships on the Mandovi...

The Casino Carnival -- the best there was on the Mandovi from where we stood

Well, that was a New Year eve well spent and enjoyed: but it wasn’t over yet. We had one more thing to celebrate — the brother’s birthday. Well, he has a birthday that the whole world celebrates along with us and him on 31 December

We planned to dine at Martin’s Corner, a restaurant located in Betal Bhim, off Colva — and made famous by the media, and by the stars that include the Bachchans, Sachin Tendulkar, Lucky Ali, Bipasha and John… The husband had seen the place reviewed on TV and had to HAD to go there I called up to reserve seats, and was told there’d be no entry for Pumbaa. There! That was the end of my appreciation for the place. Stupid, stupid Martin. What Goan is he, if he can’t accept a friendly Lab inside? Bah!!

Anyways, we went, bought food, bought a cake too — and went back to one place where Pumbaa HAD entry: the apartment

“]

We cut the cake... [I was so sorry we had to actually CUT such a lovely looking cake!

...hogged on all the typically Goan food Martin sent home...

…and sat around for another hour or so chit-chatting and reliving Goa and the lights and sights around, and went off to sleep. We were due to start our return journey the next morning.

We packed, gave away the cash and the keys to the apartment owner, and set off to Bangalore.

Bangalore to Goa is about 580km (about 9 hours), and we hoped to be home in about 11 hours, considering Pumbaa breaks

The way back to Bangalore was simply amazing!! Awesome views and awesome roads!

A shepherd with his friends on a sugarcane field...

The roads...

The countryside...

The 'thadaakam's...

and the roads again!

With roads like this, Pumbaa being a non-fussy darling and us going at super fast speed, we were sure we’d actually be able to make it n 9 hours!

Pumbaa in the car (sorry about such a badly done collage -- but this is the third time I'm "saving draft" and losing all the individually uploaded pics, I'm so fed up!)

But well, 2011 had other plans for us! By about 6p.m., we were short of fuel in the car. We were on the lookout for petrol bunks, but there were few! And of the very few there were, NONE accepted credit cards! We were shocked! We went on for quite a while and finally HAD to stop and fill petrol, in spite of not accepting cards! We filled about 5litres, and after dropping Pumbaa, me and the husband there, my dad and bro went to find an ATM centre. They found none for a long time; and the one that they found had a faulty machine. It was pathetic!

On the way from Kerala to Goa, there were ATMs and petrol stations that accepted cards ALL THE WAY till we left Kerala. Here, none. Not a single ATM for miles and miles. We were actually stranded on the highway for about an hour and half: till they finally found one, took cash and came back to fill the rest of the petrol and pay for it

We reached back home at about 1 a.m.!!!

Anyways, excluding the drives both ways, we had an awesome trip Such a fab time, that we’ve decided Goa is THE place we’ll settle in I’m so not done with Goa: it’s one place i’d love to go back to, again and again. And, again!

Goa :) so aah! – a travellogue: part 4

On the way back from Old Goa on Day 2 @ Goa, we had spotted what looked like some ruins atop a hillside to our left. The brother had rented a bike and rode alongside the car, giving more room in the car for Pumbaa to spread his legs

He told us to go on to Panaji, and said he’ll ride up the hill, take a look and be back. He clicked a few snaps, showed it to me and I was in despair that we had missed it! And my face had this downward curve which the husband, as always, decided to twist upward

And thus, to our new list for Day 3 @ Goa—which was planned to be a foot tour of the Panaji city post parasailing at Colva Beach and a dinner at Martin’s Corner to celebrate the brother’s birthday—was added The Ruins of St Augustine Complex, Old Goa.

So now, this in itself would be a whole part of the travellogue, because it was so stunning a place, I personally think it was the very highlight of our trip! Er er…actually, I’m a little confused between giving “The Highlight Of The Trip” award to parasailing or the ruins

Anyway, though the husband commented in passing the previous night that we’d go see the ruins the next day, I neither took it seriously, nor remembered it by next morning. So, when we suddenly took a detour on our way to Panaji to a direction that a board screamed out “Old Goa”, I was surprised.

The oh-so-sexy road to Holy Hill, Old Goa

And when I saw the towering, ominous looking, in-ruins belfry of god-knows-what, surprise turned to pure AWE! I almost threw off the mobile phone, grabbed the camera and jumped off the car!

Heavenly rays throwing light up on God's once-up-on-a-time abode

Oh my God. Don’t you think this is an amazing sight!? The sky was an amazing blue, with the bright clouds covering up a sun struggling to come out! And nothing else in the frame…not even a bird, but just a 46-metre-high colossal belfry tower of a church built 408 years ago! Yes, a full four-hundred-and-eight years ago!

This massive tower, the St Augustine’s tower, is one of the four towers that once stood at the site—the only remaining part of what was once one of Goa’s largest building—the Augustinian Monastery.

The 46 metere high belfry tower

Friars of the Augustinian Order arrived in Goa in 1572 and built a small convent on Holy Hill. The convent had three storeys, with two really huge stone staircases that led upstairs. The convent had two cloisters, many corridors, pillars, galleries and halls with numerous rooms, a refractory, guesthouse and a spacious infirmary. It also had vast dormitories, numerous cells and other structures (all of which are now in ruins).

View of the complex from the entry gate.

Interiors of the church...

The convent was later enlarged, in 1602, to become a complex–one that housed this colossal belfry tower, eight chapels, four altars and the extensive convent. The tower faces the east and was built of laterite, like most parts of the complex, and formed part of the Church of St Augustine.

One of the eight chapels

The altar...now the occasional seat of the lone guard

The building was completed between 1597 and 1602. Though the name of the designer of this magnificent piece of construction is not known, he is thought to have been Italian. And when it was completed in 1602, the grand Nossa Senhora da Graca Church was worthy of recognition for being one of the three great Augustinian churches in the Iberian world—the other two being the Basilica of the Escorial in Spain and the St Vincente de Fora in Lisbon.

The tower...and the church interiors

On entering the church, one gets a glimpse of a regal, grand retable of the high altar—with its large gilt tabernacle safeguarded within an arch, through a screen of arched piers. Vestiges of these piers supported a spacious choir which easily could have accommodated a large number of Augustinian monks; most of these vestiges were visible until recently.

One of the many inscriptions on the walls...

One more...and this time, a little more elaborate and wonderful!

Inscriptions on the floor...

The repressive policies of the Portuguese government resulted in the eviction of many religious orders from Goa…which led to its abandonment in 1835. The church fell into neglect and the vault collapsed in 1842, accelerating the church’s demise! The body of the church was soon destroyed as per government orders, but the facade remained intact.

The very, very, verrrrry pretty wall carvings

A slab of fine carving

The convent area

Another chapel, only a bit more complete that the rest

A partially cordoned off area...

The dilapidated interiors...

That's dad on the phone...does that put the size of the place in perspective?

Now if THAT didn't, this should! They on the right bottom corner are my dad, mom, husband and Pumbaa

The tower’s huge bell was moved initially to Fort Aguada and later, in 1871, to the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Panjim: where it still tolls!!! The facade and half of the tower fell in 1931 and more parts gave way in 1938.

The nave of the Church now stare up at the sky, from where God probably looks down fondly at his long-ago royal abode! The nape is open to the sky, under whose dilapidated yet lovely arches, local folk sometimes gather for a talk.

We stood around too…for almost an hour and half. Just walking around the place took us way back in time. And we murmured over and over again, “This place is just out of this world!”. As the day wore on, and dusk approached, the place grew more ominous, more quiet, more chilling. Thrilling nevertheless.

Ruins of St Augustine Complex, Holy Hill, Old Goa.I have only one word for it. Magnificent.

.

P.S. That I was watching the movie Day After Tomorrow as I was typing this out, did NOT help much, except add to the ominosity

Goa :) so aah! – a travellogue: part 3

Disclaimer: I drafted this post a day after I published the previous one — but well, all the pics were in my brother’s camera and he left the transfer cord at his friend’s place in Kochi. I waited and waited for two weeks before I got it couriered by him. So, here the post is with the pictures…

After many things ancient in Goa—Fort Aguada and Old Goa on Day 2 @ Goa—we had decided to keep aside Day 3 @ Goa for the modern And on top of the list for the day was parasailing!

A few weeks prior to the vacation—after making the list I forgot to take along—I happened to read a blog called Passion For Road Trips. The author, Subu (who i recently discovered is a much-admired and much-respected friend of my friend!! — small world, huh!?), had been on a recent trip to Goa and had a fab travellogue put up on his blog. From my research for the list, and reading through this blog, I had made up my mind to go for parasailing, scooterboat ride and something called a banana ride.

But after spending all that time at the Colva Beach on Day 1 @ Goa, I had decided that the scooterboat ride was too bumpy for my already bummed spine; and that the banana ride was not all that interesting—except that at one point of time, you’ll be toppled over into the sea and then have to climb back on to the banana-shaped floater which is pulled into the sea and back to the beach by another boat.

But parasailing…it looked awesome, exciting and was sure set the adrenaline soaring. The day we went to Colva Beach, we were approached by guides who offered to take us parasailing for Rs 800 per couple. We bargained, saying it wouldn’t be more than Rs 150 Finally, they brought it down to Rs 500 per couple, but we still did not give in: the main reason being that I’d come to the beach in a skirt

Anyways, 31 December in Goa—for that matter, at any place—is a costly affair…and parasailing was no different Once again, we were at Colva Beach, bargaining with guides who refused to reduce it even by a penny beyond Rs 800. The final one who came to us quoted Rs 800 as well…and to him I said in a voice filled with despair and disappointment “it was 600 when we came yesterday…this is unfair”, blah blah. When he saw me sulking, he relented and agreed for Rs 600. I was then chided for having blurted out 600 instead of 500 (or even 400!)…but well, I just wanted to parasail, no matter what In fact, I’d still have gone ahead and done it even if they stuck to Rs 800!

So, we finally agreed for Rs 600 and waited in queue to be the next for sail! The rides were coming to an end for the mid-day break and we were the last ones in queue.

As the couple in front was strapped, buckled and then sailed away, a million butterflies came to life in my tummy and I had second thoughts! The parachute went up to such a terrifying height…there was the sea below…and I didn’t even know to swim—as if it would help at all. Was I still sure I wanted to go in? I turned around to look at the husband and ask if we should back out…he wasn’t very interested in it in the first place.

:) Almost about to parasail!

But alas…when I did turn around to ask, there were two guides on both sides, strapping a life jacket and buckling it up, strapping us both together on to another buckle, the other end of which was fastened to the boat—and before I could say “hey”, we were moving! At 12.45 pm, on a sunny scorching New Year’s eve-noon, we were parasailing!

Up above the world so high... -- pic courtesy: my bro

Almost about to land -- pic courtesy: my bro

A parachute -- a pic I took

It was one of the best things I’ve done in life. The take off was as smooth as one could imagine it to be…there was no air rushing up against or out of me…and the feeling of being in flight, like a bird, was spellbinding. I really and honestly CANNOT describe it. To have to do it to know it.

And the sight! Oh my god, the sight from up there cannot be described! Perhaps if I were a poet, I could have done some justice. But well, I honestly think (and I repeat!) if you really want to know, you must try it someday!

As we sailed up, I began howling like how we do on one of those giant wheels at the theme parks. But I stopped it as soon as I started it: because it was so calm, it was soooo calm and smooth, I realised there was no NEED to howl or scream or even break the silence. All we both did then was gush…. “Oh, wow…look how…” “Ah…this is just…” “Awww…how small those people…”

The vast expanse of the sea beneath, the endless blue sky above, and a wonderful, wonderful sight of the shore, with palm trees lining one side and the virgin white beach seeming to be covered with people the size of mere ants!

Oh my god. I’m still getting goose bumps as I write this! The husband, who had to literally be begged to join for the adventure, was the one who perhaps loved it more that I did! He was glad he did it; it was thaaaaat good. (See, this is why you should TRY things out, darling! )

Again, being one of the last ones in queue, we had a pretty much shorter ride than the ones who went before us…we seemed to have gone up and touched back ground in a matter of 30 seconds. But it was worth every penny we spent!

Happy, content and satisfied of having had a wonderful trip so far, we headed back home to change, have lunch and head to Panaji!

I had no clue that an awesome sight awaited me—one that would leave me as breathless as this one did. Day 3 @ Goa had just begun!

Goa :) so aah! – a travellogue: part 2

Please note: photograph overdoseload. Please wait for the pics to load completely

After a lovely time at Colva Beach on Day 1 @ Goa, we were up and about early on Day 2. Old Goa and Fort Aguada were on the new list…and I thought if we could finish them off a bit early, there would be enough time to squeeze in a beach visit too

But alas, lil’ Pumbaa had his own plans. All that beach sand he ate up last evening had to be shat out, didn’t it!? Oh my gosh. The room was a mess. It did not stink, it did not even look ewww. It was just beach sand, but in a shade of brown than the plain white sand we saw at the beach So, while I sweated out the cleaning process, Pumbaa now beach-sand free, strolled royally out on the terrace

We’d bragged soooo much about the charm of Goa to Mom, that she seemed a tad disappointed in Madgaon. Though she agreed it was Kerala-like and was nice enough, she did not get the “Goan” feel yet. I could only console her with “Just wait till we reach Panaji and Old Goa and Fort Aguada and all, Amma…you’ll love it!” Well, she began loving it even as we began approaching Panaji

The Fatorda Circle, Fatorda, Madgaon

Road to Panaji

An iron ore barge steaming on over the Zuari River while 2- and 4-wheelers line the Zuari Bridge. If only an aircraft passed through the frame then!

The Mandovi Bridge over the Mandovi River, viewed from the road to Old Goa

So we drove on, crossed the Mandovi Bridge and drove on towards Old Goa.

Old Goa, constructed  originally by the Bijapur Sultans in 15th Century A.D. served as the capital of Portuguese India. In 18th Century, malaria and cholera epidemics ravaged the city, and it was then abandoned by the Viceroy, who moved to Pangim (now, Panjim/Panaji).This abandoned Goa then came to be known as “Old Goa”. All that remains of Old Goa are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The road to Old Goa is beautiful, though narrow. For quite a distance, the Mandovi river flows along with us on the left, giving us typical rivery views…

The road to Old Goa

Dredgers, barges and ferrys on the Mandovi River, seen from the road to Old Goa

Like all tourists to Old Goa, we also went first to the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Over 400 years old, this is one of the oldest churches, not just in Goa, but in India. The marble is inlaid with precious stones. Apart from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple.

The crowds that thronged the Basilica of Bom Jesus

Basilica of Bom Jesus

The main altar at the Basilica of Bom Jesus

The whole back wall, and the facade, is designed with numerous carving of pillars and friezes, all gild in pure gold. Above the altar and tabernacle stands a giant statue of St Ignatius of Loyola in priestly vestments, nearly three metres high. His gaze is fixed on the medallion containing the holy letters IHS, the first letters of the Holy Name of Jesus. Above the monogram of Jesus is the holy trinity—the father, son and the holy spirit.

On the left of the main altar

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Basilica holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, a pioneering Roman Catholic Missionary who was influential in the spreading and upkeep of Catholicism in India. Hi relics are kept in a silver casket, elevated inside the  Basilica and are brought to ground level when the Archbishop of Goa e Damão decides so. It is usually done every ten years. The last time that happened was in 2004, and was open to public for a whole month.

The silver casket holding the body of St Francis Xavier

Also within the Basilica

Also within the Basilica

Also within the Basilica

Also within the Basilica

Also within the Basilica

Also within the Basilica, in celebration of Christmas

Also within the Basilica

Also within the Basilica

The majestic trees within the campus of the Basilica of Bom Jesus

The archways that say a thousand tales (pic courtesy: Jaya, my best friend)

The Basilica of Bom Jesus...the side facing the Church of St Assissi

On the other side of the Basilica is the Church of St Francis of Assisi built in 1661.Here’s some info on the church, as seen on the plaque beside it.

“The three tier facade have octagonal towers on each side and in the central niche there is a statue of St Michael. The main entrance is decorated with circular pilasters and rosette band. The central nave is barrel-vaulted while the crossing is rib-vaulted which supports the choir. The internal buttress walls, separating the chapels and supporting the gallery on top, have frescoes showing floral designs. Above the tabernacle in the main altar is a large statue of St Francis of Assisi and Jesus on the cross, statues of St Peter and St Paul are seen below. The adjoining walls of nave retain painted panels depicting scenes from the life of St Francis of Assisi.”

The Church of St Francis of Assisi, built in 1661

The Church of St Francis of Assisi, built in 1661

Another much visited site is the Se Cathedral, the oldest and most celebrated religious building in Goa and one of the largest churches in Asia. We did not go in there Pumbaa would be made to wait outside all these places, and I really didn’t think that was fair to him

By now, Mom had changed her opinion. Goa was definitely beautiful and lovely, and Old Goa, especially so! We stopped for ice creams, licked them clean and then was ready to head to our next destination: Fort Aguada.

On the way, we also decided to stop over at Mapusa, near Calangute. Mapusa, also pronounced Mapsa by the locals, is the main market town in northern Goa.

An interesting idea for a "wedding car"! Caught on cam on the way to Mapusa.

The road from Panaji to Mapusa

The reason we went to Mapusa was to see the house where the husband stayed at while he was with SBI. We always used to say we must buy that house and the fields on both sides, demolish it and build our dream house right there It was a lovely place.

This time however, we were disappointed to see the surroundings heaped with trash

We also dropped in at Shama Medicals, to see the owner Uzma, a dear friend in Goa. We also met her daughter, who is super cute After a 10-minute chat and a few clicks, we were on our way to Fort Aguada.

Fort Aguada.

The water tank and the lighthouse at Fort Aguada

Constructed in 1612 to guard against the Dutch and the Marathas, this magnificent  piece of architecture also served as a reference point for vessels coming from Europe at that time. it was once the grandstand of 79 cannons, with a moat around the fort that  protected it.

The view from the fort. So pristine!

Standing on the beach, south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi river, the fort was once home to a freshwater spring that provided water to the ship inmates who used to stop by.

Another sea view

Aguada means water…and that’s how the fort got its name. Crews of passing ships would often stop by to replenish their fresh water stock.

The fort also houses a 4-storey Portuguese lighthouse that is the oldest of its kind in Asia: built in 1864.

The lighthouse at Fort Aguada

The Aguada prison is also close by, and is still functional, used by the Goan Police.

The sprawling bungalow of a diamond merchant, Jimmy Kardeka, where many Bollywood films were apparently shot. Constructed on one side of the hill without disturbing the natural geographical incline, the bungalow is estimated to be about 70 crore INR (as sourced from the web and from the blog Passion for Road Trips). I initially thought it was the Vivanta by Taj till I read his blog!

Father, Son and the Aguada Fort

We walked all around Fort Aguada and both dad and mom loved the place too. Dad had come here long back, sometime during the late 70s…but he definitely had no memories of seeing the lighthouse there We took a lot many more pics and then as the closing time fast approached (5.30 pm) and the sun began its descend, we also filed out. Pumbaa was tired (and refused to walk anymore, which explains why he’s in the Father’s hands ) and hungry, and we decided to stop at a fancy restaurant we’d spotted on the way to the Fort, to fuel up.

Sweet Chilli.

Sweet Chilli

A garden-style Goan restaurant, made to resemble a beach shack, this is a fab place to hang out. Yummy food, totally affordable rates and a most pleasing ambiance. And it being the Xmas season, it was all beautifully lit up too

The best part was the acceptance of Pumbaa without hesitation, and my heart immediately warmed to the place

Pumbaa after his fill...at Sweet Chilli

The reception-cum-bar...and the friendly waiter who even played with Pumbaa

The walkway into the restaurant

After a sumptuous dinner, we all filed back into the car and drove back to Panaji. We also decided to take a quick tour of Panaji City, for the parents’ sake. And it was only 7.00 by then. Ample time for a city drive before heading back to Madgaon.

We drove right from one end of Panaji to the other…and finally ended up near Miramar Beach. The husband could not quite miss the shine in my eyes, and we stopped over for some nice beach time

We alighted opposite the Club Tennis sports facility centre and walked to the Miramar beach.

Clube Tennis De Gaspar Dias

The Miramar Circle...as I call it

Beach volleyball

It was a breezy, cool, lovely night, and we spotted a few guys enjoying beach volleyball. We enjoyed at the beach for another half hour and then went back to Madgaon, to sleep away the tiredness and better savour the day through possible dolby digital colour dreams

Our Day 3 @ Goa, also the bro’s birthday, was to be spent mostly at the beach and in Panjim/Panaji city.