Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok

After hours in front of the computer Ashwin and Aruna revealed the surprise family holiday.  The initial plan to visit the South Indian temples we had missed on our last family trip was shelved, they said, to accommodate South East Asia (SEA).  We didn’t realize it was going to be only a change of destination.  Temples and Gods were going to be an intrinsic part of our travels.

With the wallets, passports and money in the safe custody of the ladies, we left the familiar landscape of Hyderabad for the unseen seascape of SEA.

Kuala Lumpur was our first halt and it was a family reunion of sorts.  As in Preeti’s earlier Cairo, Barcelona and Singapore residences, here also it was ‘class’ we witnessed in every corner of the house.  Sitting in a comfortable chair, Preeti seemed to preside over the drawing room conversation.  The grandfather clock which has followed her everywhere made us more than aware of the passage of time.  Sharath arrived a little after we did – from the Big Apple.  It was nice to be able to spend time with Sharath.  Of course, our schedule helped because we were in KL on two weekends.

A brief siesta energised us enough for us to decide to paint the town any colour.  We started with one of the top priority places to visit.  The landmark Petrona Towers was not a let down.   The structure stands tall and majestic overseeing the city and its environs.  Identical twin skyscrapers, they soar to a height of about 452 meters including the pinnacle and spire.  They boast of 88 floors with a popular skybridge  walkway  linking the two towers between the 41^st and 42^nd storeys.  We saw the towers only from the outside – that itself was a magnificent sight.  The park and the lake in front of the towers provide plenty of selfie spots for stunning pictures. The clean and green space is a veritable haven for families and couples.  Ashwin with his enviable camera slung around his neck looked quite a professional.  A few discerning visitors even requested him to ‘shoot’ them with the imposing towers as a backdrop.  We will never know if they later revised their view about his professionalism or cemented it.  For all of us it was a good outdoor experience.

One can go inside the twin towers to the famous shopping mall called KLCC Suria.  With its glittering, sometimes over-the-board  X’mas decorations,  it was  chock-a-block with humanity.  The festive mood was infectious.  We stopped where we could, to gaze and gape at the splendour all around. 

We motored to ‘Batu Caves’, a limestone hill that has a series of caves and cave temples. It takes its name from the Batu river which flows past the hill.  An iconic, popular tourist attraction, it is the site of a Hindu temple and shrine.  The caves attract thousands of devotees and visitors especially during the annual Hindu festival of  Thaipusam.  A steep challenging flight of 272 steps takes one to the caves.  We were happy to stand at a distance and watch people huffing and puffing and struggling up the steps.  But then that is faith in action.  Pigeons are a plenty and will even pick (and sometimes peck) from one’s hands.  Monkeys frolic around and look for a quick snack.  But their antics should not distract us.  A warning sign makes people zip up and hide their food bags from the alert and observant simians.

The 42.7 meter high, majestic gold plated statue of Lord Murugan in the foreground is reportedly the tallest Murugan idol in the world. A huge Hanuman statue and a temple in the vicinity give this tourist spot a religious aura.

Our Bangkok destination was beckoning us and we knew Preeti and Sharath would get enough breathing time and space before we swooped on them again.

Bangkok turned out to be a very friendly city.  Everyone’s smiles and   ‘Namaste's’ were heartening.  We had accommodation in a comfortable service apartment.  The foyer of the hotel had decorative elephant figures on both sides – Aruna  is an ‘elephant’ person and she loved the décor.

We travelled by Sky Train in the evening to ‘Terminal 21’ - a huge mall with a slight resemblance to an airport.  The girls at the information desk were dressed like cabin crew.

The unique aspect about this mall is that each floor is decorated with replicas of city landmarks from around the world.  You could call it a one floor – one theme shopping mall.  Each floor also offered unique food.  The Caribbean floor was decorated with a beach and a light house.  The Rome floor had exquisite marble sculptures, Roman mythological figures and well known paintings. 

The Paris floor had the landmark Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.  Designer boutiques and beauty shops would have thrilled fashionistas. 

The Japan floor was decorated with sculptures of a couple of Sumo wrestlers in action.  Meera would have been highly amused by them.  The London floor had the iconic red telephone boxes and double decker buses.  Istanbul had the market town theme with their typical street lamps.  The life-like man from Istanbul was ensconced on a bench which I happily shared for a moment.  The San Francisco floor had the celebrated Golden Bridge.  Apart from these, there were privately owned shops on each floor, not just the brand names.  The affordability and the range of jewellery and clothes is perhaps the secret to the popularity of this mall.  The plethora of escalators, food courts and shopping areas in the mall was mind-boggling.

The separate food floor had a baffling variety of dining experience.  Needless to say, all the floors thoroughly floored us.

The Buddha temples in Bangkok couldn’t have been negotiated without a proper guide.   Our guide Lin, who called herself a Chinese made in Bangkok, (her grandparents migrated from China and she was born in Bangkok) was petite and peppy.  In her soft voice she presented hard facts. The innumerable faces and postures of Buddha in various temples are to be seen to be believed. To name a few, the sitting Buddha, the standing Buddha and the reclining Buddha (much like our very own Ranganatha).  True to his temperament, Ashwin thought that the reclining Buddha seemed the happiest and the most contented!

The reclining Buddha is a massive 46 meters long, 15 meters high figure whose full length can be appreciated from one specific vantage point.  Along the image, we can find matching 108 bronze bowls where people donate coins, believed to bring good fortune.  In the other temples too, more than one donation box is kept, (we have seen 12 boxes in one temple), each one earmarked for one specific project of the temple.

The 3 meter tall golden Buddha (in a sitting posture) is made of pure gold and weighs 5.5 tons. As in other temples, devotees come here to sit in silence before the idol. If you find it difficult to sit, you had better take your standing position at the back! Monks sit on a raised platform on the side and meditate.

One of the temples we went to had small statues of yogic figures and their ‘asanas’. 
There was one of a masseur giving a vigorous body massage to a client whose face seemed contorted with pain. Lin, guessing that having come to Bangkok we'd try their body massage cautioned us, tongue in cheek, against it by drawing our attention again to the poor victim and recommending a foot massage instead! which Kuppu and I took later. However, instead of relaxing while the nimble hands worked on my legs, I was looking at Kuppu's masseur, making sure he as kneading his not so recently fractured ankle gently. 

The Grand Palace was a dream in colour and quality of design.  Blues, greens, yellows (golds) and reds combined in a splash of radiance and beauty.  The brilliance of the stupas and Buddha’s statues, the glittering pillars and columns, the chanting in pali and dulcet tones by monks in the prayer hall – all of it was a veritable feast for the eyes and ears.

 A strict dress code applies here.  The Grand Palace, with the temple of the Emerald Buddha is Thailand’s most sacred site.  Visitors must be properly dressed to be allowed inside.  The reverence for Buddha is such that in most temples there is a display board which reiterates that Buddha is to be worshipped and shown devotion and respect and not to be displayed on bodies as tattoos.  Such a show of irreverence would invite severe punishment.

  When we visited the palace, black or white or dark colours were recommended because of the recent demise of the king. Since the mourning period for the beloved king of Thailand was still on, and the king’s body lay in state in one part of the palace, we saw a seemingly interminable line of mourners in black, carrying flowers and other offerings to pay homage to their king.  The departed king is held in high esteem by all.  We explored the greater part of the 60 acre old palace premises.  For 150 years the home of the kings of Siam, the Royal Court and Administrative seat of Government, the complex now remains the spiritual heart of the Thai Kingdom.  Visitors continue to be in awe of its beautiful architecture.  The palace and the numerous buildings set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards attract both locals and tourists.  It continues to be a centre of ceremony and monarchy and serves as a museum and tourist attraction as well.  

Nobody resides here now, we were told, and part of it has been converted into a celebrity guest house.  (Lin told us that president Obama preferred to stay at a hotel on his visit to Bangkok recently).  The new palace is now on a site of 150 acres.

A replica of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat is the cynosure of all eyes.  It is nothing less than a masterpiece. In her quaint humorous pitch Lin told us that we would be seeing a damaged Angkor Wat in Cambodia. To see the perfect one, we must come to Bangkok!

The main flower market was a sight for sore eyes – a glorious burst of colours.  The lovely flowers seemed to be vying for attention.  Orchids, surprisingly inexpensive, were seen in basketfuls everywhere.  The flowers were closely and neatly strung into garlands on big needles.   Aruna and I were offered two short garlands by Lin.  She  said ‘sorry boys not for you’.  I’m sure Kuppu and Ashwin were anything but sorry! 

 

The next day we were on our own and headed to the River city shopping complex.  Also known as antique mall, it is situated next to the Chao Phrya river and is one of the most established venues for antique shopping.  There’s also a good range of fashion and jewellery shops as well as riverside eateries with outdoor dining terraces.  A beautiful, brightly lit up outdoor space, it is dotted with cute shops selling funky and traditional Thai items.  Boats ferry visitors around.  There is music, revelry and dancing on the cruise boats, all of which you can see standing on the river front.  Walking around this place was exhilarating.  The sight-seeing Ferris wheel is just right for those like Kuppu and Aruna who fear the dizzy heights that a Giant Wheel can reach (the kind we have in our Numaish).  We could see the river and the boats and the entire entertainment area from the comfort of the cabin and from different heights.  The place was magical, to say the least.

The outdoor eatery where we dined was out of this world.  Food was finger licking, rather fork licking good. Ashwin and Aruna enjoyed the sea (also SEA) food served there. Our hearts and stomachs were content and satiated with this delectable dining experience.  This was definitely the best part of the outing. 

Thai food is definitely to be tasted not just once but again and again.  The mango sticky rice we had on two different occasions was our favourite.  We also had Phad Thai, a special noodle preparation.  The Thai Green Curry was  another dish which we enjoyed.

Ocean World was another exciting stop.  The child in us was fully awakened and it was a thrilling get- away.  The penguins were especially adorable, swimming rapidly in groups in water and jumping onto land to catch fish being tossed at them. A couple of penguins were standing regal and aloof on a boulder and looking at the happenings beneath them.  The food assistant had to look up to them to feed them.  The shark tank was amazing – imagine huge sharks swimming right on your head with their fearsome teeth sending chills down your spine.  On the other hand we were in unfamiliar territory as far as the tiny frogs were concerned, resplendent and looking vulnerable.  We realized that we had witnessed both the mighty and the ‘mite’y.

One thing that was interestingly surprising was the presence of Garuda emblems on Government buildings. We were told that Garuda is the national insignia of Thailand – a symbol of royalty used by the king and the Government of Thailand to authenticate official documents. 

The sights and the sounds of Bangkok are unforgettable. So are the people.  The city’s vibrancy is only matched by the relaxed, friendly and smiling locals.

Hyderabad - Tianjin - Hyderabad

We are glad our first trip to China was to a small town of 15 million people and not to a big bustling city.  Our flight from Singapore landed in Beijing on time.

At immigration the long queues moved fast.  We were out in ten minutes, a record of sorts, and a good beginning to our China trip.

Tianjin – the name itself has a dulcet tone to it – is to the Northeast of China.  It is mainly a port city and must have gained notoriety because of the blasts that occurred in a chemical storage facility.  Thankfully, things are getting back to normal but the loss of life and property will continue to haunt minds.

The two and a half hour drive from Beijing to Tianjin was absolutely relaxing.  There is so much greenery on both sides of the express highway and on the median.  Small villages appear all of a sudden with farms showcasing their crops.  The roads are comparable to those in any other developed country.  The only indication of being in China are the signboards. Tianjin’s suburbs extend far and beyond.  It is a cute town in spite of the hundreds of apartments, each designed differently from the other.  There is variety in the style and architecture, but the greenery and the environmental concern has not been sacrificed at the altar of modernity.  On the other hand it is a very welcome co-existence.

Arjun’s house is in a gated community.  Almost all the houses are similar in style and structure (Italian) with perhaps minor variations.  The stone and wood façade and the quaint wooden benches and handrails add to the uniqueness.  A few rows of the look-alike houses are occupied by the expats and the rest by the more affluent Chinese.  It is a walker’s paradise because of the tiled paths that go all along the front of the houses.  Meera and her friends converted it into a cyclist’s paradise.

There is abundant and amazing lung space in Tianjin, as in all China, I’m sure. Parks and gardens with their roses and chrysanthemums greet and cheer you along.  Lakes and tall trees ( I have never seen such a profusion of ‘weeping willows’ anywhere else.  They brought smiles to our eyes) and manicured flower beds make your day every day.  

The ‘Water Park’, which is a short distance from Arjun’s house, has amazing rock sculptures. It is the largest park in Tianjin with three lakes and nine small islands.  Surrounding the water ways are pathways, pagodas and gardens which showcase both Chinese and European architectural styles.  The water lily pond is a popular attraction.  One can see (as in every other park) senior citizens having an enjoyable time with or without their grand kids.  They are either playing Mahjong, or indulging in Tai Chi ( which had its origins in self- defence  but was later recognised as a stress buster)or performing the slow and graceful fitness dance exercises like line dancing or entertaining themselves and others with their orchestral skills or just sitting on benches, looking at the lakes and drinking in the breeze. No dearth of options there! It is an amazing experience to see the goldie oldies enjoying life.  We were there on a muggy day but there were many joyous things to negate that.  Of course the heat made some men pull up their shirts all the way to the shoulders – they feel that heat will escape from the stomach.

The TV tower, 400m high, is close to the water park and reminds one of the CN tower of Canada.  There is a revolving restaurant which completes a circle every 50 minutes.  The interesting thing is that the lake on which the TV tower stands freezes in winter and doubles as a skating rink.

The China House merits more than a glance.  It is said that Porcelain collector Zhang Lianzhi, also owner and designer, turned a French style old building into a showcase of porcelain with more than 700 million pieces.  The museum is a most intriguing piece of architecture in Tianjin municipality.  In addition to the awesome porcelain sculptures, snake-like facade, benches, and walls, it has antique furniture on its five floors, cordoned off for security.

The People’s Park has a small waterbody with self- pedalling boats for kids – it was fun watching kids manoeuvring their boats and colliding with other boats.  There is also a big lake where you can hire your own boat and pedal it around. Binita and Kuppu pedalled, Meera steered the wheel obeying Kuppu’s instructions and I took over from them now and then.  The arches under which you could guide your boat and the scenery around were a delight. In the park you could see couples dancing in one area, others playing games in one corner, small groups playing diverse musical instruments in harmony or just sitting around enjoying themselves.  The pavilions reverberated with songs and one could see people grooving to their tunes.  I think one can grow old healthily and happily in Tianjin.

The park that fascinated us most was the Central park.  The garden with its beckoning benches and lovely bushes is surrounded by a street which becomes a matrimonial hub every Saturday.  A large number of parents come with relevant details about their marriageable sons/daughters which they place on benches in front of them or give to agents who do the same.  It is amazing to see sheets of papers on umbrellas, rocks, benches – interested parents peer here, there, everywhere wondering if something will ‘click’ and if a match can be made.  Hundreds walk on the street with purposeful steps while so many more sit with ‘detailed’ biodatas of their wards.  People who have migrated from villages also go through this important ritual. For us it was a matchless experience.

The concession areas in Tianjin are a riveting part of its history.  After the Peking Convention of 1860, it is said extra territoriality was granted to France and England who established their own concession areas for trade with China but with their own country’s import laws.  This concession was later extended to Germany, Italy, Hungary, etc.  So the majority of the river-front area of downtown Tianjin was subject to foreign control (of a different kind) and the natural construction of schools, hospitals and barracks took place.  These areas were occupied by merchants and diplomatic populations of Tianjin until the end of WW II.  Concession areas still stand firm today, offering insight into Tianjin’s recent past.

The Wu Da Dao (dao is a street and the name means 5 avenues) represents the former European Concession areas – 5 roads shape the area which contains a vast array of Euro-architecture villas and gardens.  This area is protected by the local authorities.  Any redevelopment can be taken up only under strict regulation. The villas are numbered with a categorisation number and marked as Important, Very Important, Most Important, and so on.  It is a great place to walk and admire the stately villas while getting a whiff of the old world charm. 

Wu Da Dao is also home to the Minyuan Plaza, originally Minyuan Stadium and built by Eric Liddel – famous Scottish athlete and son of Tianjin (he was born and raised there) whose story of running in the 1924 Paris Olympics was immortalized in the movie “Chariots of Fire”. Modeled on the Stamford Bridge football stadium in London – Eric Liddell’s favorite stadium and home to Chelsea FC – it was once the home stadium to Tianjin’s own football team. Now, it is a walking plaza with grassy field, a replica running track along its perimeter and surrounded by boutique stores and restaurants.   

Horse drawn carriages are ready and available outside the plaza to take you along the Wu Da Dao (the horses have receptacles to collect their droppings – the diapers of the horses, according to Meera).  The neat roads and foot paths are a sight for sore eyes.  We enjoyed the ride and were our own guide.  

The Italian Style Town is another must see.  Once the Italian Concession Area, The Marco Polo statue and Dante square with Dante’s statue take us into a bygone era. The Italian food we had here was truly Italian. Most restaurants in China do not serve ‘cold’ water or ‘cold’ juices (room temp. is a ‘given’) because they feel it is not good for health. You have to ask for it. Just as when  chop sticks were kept on our plates in restaurants, we asked for forks – ignorant folks, you see!

We took an open top bus here which took us around Tianjin.  The designer bridges, the gardens, the old style buildings alongside modern apartments, the lakes , the sights kept us absorbed and clicking. The Ferris wheel over the Yongle Bridge boasts a 110 m highest point. It is supposed to be the only F.W built on a bridge.  It is called the Tianjin Eye – reminiscent of the London Eye.

There are many malls milling with shoppers and foodies. Some malls are extravagant, and some normal.  One of them has a skating rink too. The different levels and the variety of brands available are mind boggling. 

The antique street comes alive on Thursdays with a display of innumerable hues of beads and gems.  It is an awesome experience seeing an entire covered quadrangle, with rows of vendors displaying their wares under one roof, selling every quality of beads, pearls, jades, corals.  The blues and greens and oranges are bedazzling.  Even if you don’t empty your pockets, moving from one pile to another can fill your heart with a sense of  wonder.  Haggling is normal here.,  But you can be sure you won’t be short-changed.  Honesty is something you confront everywhere and an offshoot of it is the feeling of safety you experience.

One doesn’t have to go to Beijing to experience a slice of history – The Great Wall Of China.  Tianjin has a good piece of that magnificence, located a good 2 hour drive North of the city.  We are glad we saw the impressive wonder here and didn’t decide to go to Beijing and be overwhelmed by the crowds. Binita and Meera stayed back as they had already been up there earlier.  What a sight the wall was from a distance, straightening and winding on the precipitous mountain ranges.  

Most people go up to the beginning of the climb in a vehicle as we did.  Then on, the huffing and puffing started. Arjun was the only one breathing normally.  Climbing steps (Kuppu counted 250 steps each way) walking the ramps gingerly, we saw people taking water breaks or just resting their feet or looking at others sweating it out.  The Wall and the watch- towers have stood the test of time, with regular maintenance.  The stress and strain we underwent was all worth it when we reached the Wall. Frankly we felt we had made a conquest.And the competition we had had! A toddler wearing sunglasses was running merrily and a pet dog also seemed to have enjoyed the awesome climb. At the top, on cloud nine,  It was time for photos and marvelling at the wall and beyond.

Hungry after the ordeal we ate at this place which the owner lady said was purely vegetarian but which we found also served every kind of meat with gusto. Say veg  food in China and you will have at least one dish of brinjal.  There was this couple at the adjoining table who’d been eyeing us for some time and who finally gathered courage and having said something incomprehensible stood behind us for a photo.  Our feeling of elation was short lived (fortunately, the picture had been clicked) because as soon as white foreigners came, all attention shifted to them. Earlier also we thought a couple wanted  us to take their photo but turned out they wanted  a ‘selfie’ with us. (No white in sight this time!) Selfie sticks are very popular with photo shooters.

 The Drum Tower,   which forms the center of many old Chinese cities and houses signal drums that were used for communication in the ancient days, is also part of old Tianjin and well preserved. Long streets with shops set to old architectural styles extend on all four sides of the tower.  Tianjin also has an Ancient Culture Street, which also preserves/recreates the city’s ancient architecture, and is typically more crowded with shoppers than the drum tower area. Walking along the street gave us a chance to practice our bargaining skills across language barriers, and we were able to come away with only slightly overpriced knickknacks.  

The traffic in Tianjin is quite disciplined on the broad roads except for the fact that scooterists and cyclists enjoy an unwritten concession. They happily   ignore the red light and the road users don’t see red either.  No petrol guzzling two-wheelers are allowed on city streets - only bicycles or electric two wheelers. There are other measures implemented to combat the scourge of pollution- like  prohibiting cars with license plates ending with specific numbers on each day of the work week (e.g. cars with license plates ending with 1 and 6 are prohibited on Mondays; those ending with 2 and 7 on Tuesdays etc.)  On high pollution days, or if the government wants to clean up the air before important public events, cars with license plates ending on even and odd numbers alternate every day of the week. Public transport is very good with a large fleet of buses and a well-connected metro rail system.

Go to China and not see Tiananmen Square?  We went to Beijing by the superfast train and reached our destination in half an hour, travelling on an average speed of 300 kmph (as was indicated in the digital display in the compartment).  The broad roads and greenery of Tianjin are replicated here.  T. Square was milling with people the day we went.  Unbelievable crowds made their way to where they wanted with their hats and umbrellas protecting them from the unrelenting heat.  Long lines moved to get a glimpse of Mao’s  mausoleum.

Part of the square was cordoned off in readiness for the September 3 parade – a celebration of the 70^th anniversary of surrender of Japan to the allied forces of which China is a member.  A replica of ‘The Great Wall’ was being put in place. People were enjoying shooting selfies and posing with their friends unmindful of the weather condition.

The Forbidden City (Palace of the Emperors) is a study in vastness. It was a test of our energy stamina and patience. Moving from outer court yard to the inner  to the innermost, jostling with crowds, climbing umpteen steps to admire the rooms and contents-this was an unforgettable  experience. Huge sculptures of lions seemed to be guarding the palace at vantage points. Such sculptures are also seen outside government buildings and important structures .Vast granite monolith carvings were impressive.  Everywhere in the palace the emperor had special path/steps for himself while the nobles and ministers took side steps – no side stepping was allowed of course.  The grandeur of the Emperor’s palace, the large court yards, the innumerable offices, the blues, greens, yellows and the reds painted on the ceilings and doors were mind boggling.  One has to see it to be enchanted.

The Temple of Heaven is a 3 tiered dome where Emperors used to worship twice a year for  a good harvest and for the wellbeing of the people.  Only men were allowed here.  Now it is non-functional as a place of worship  but functional in a different way.  The long passages that lead to the dome become veritable card-playing areas.  When we were there, about 10 to 12 groups of senior citizens were playing cards.  Chinese chess is also popular with the people who haunt these places to while away their time.

The Summer Palace or Imperial Gardens are a visual delight – canals and lakes are a hub of human activity, boating is popular.  Decorated Dragon Boats ferry tourists across the lake.  A boat made of marble used by the emperor and the empress during their summer sojourn to the garden sits in the lake in all its alabaster grandeur.  People are seen picnicking or lazing under the centuries -old trees without strewing any garbage around. We are told that this palace was one of the two that was completely destroyed during skirmishes with British and French forces stationed in China but was restored to its original grandeur while the other was left in its ruined state to remind the people of the havoc caused by the occupying armies.

I think we came away with a very positive view of China.  The respect shown to nature, the joi de vivre  seen in senior citizens, the desire to keep the historic past intact but also to move towards modernity, the reverence for history and traditions (which is why old structures are preserved/renovated), the work ethic, the enjoyment of life and the beauty of the city -  it was all so refreshing. Yes.  Learn to speak Chinese, and use chopsticks and you will have a whale of time anywhere in China. 

Pondicherry Trip

Our trip to Pondicherry (fondly called Pondy by many) was a surprise gift for our wedding anniversary by our dear ones. 

At the airport, waiting to catch the flight to Chennai, we saw many ladies in gorgeous sarees and jewels, obviously dressed to kill to reach some function hall from the Chennai airport itself. I wondered if the lady standing alone, bejeweled, flowers in her hair, and all the trappings of a newly wed, was the bride. How cruel to leave a lady (in all her finery) to bear the stares of all and sundry. 

Chennai was, as expected, humid. We had to wait long for a taxi - till the driver with all his papers intact (we would be out of Tamil Nadu) was assigned to us. Dressed in white, he turned out to be a colourful personality. When we asked him how many hours it would take to reach Pondy, he nonchalantly said 'If we go normal it'll be 3 hours otherwise 4 - 4.5 hours'. So his normal was our abnormal - rash and speedy! We said 'Normal', and relieved, he showed his motoring skills in all their splendour. He used both lanes without any partiality weaving in and out with elan, overtaking every vehicle in his path. But yes, we were in Pondy in 3 hours.

Our hotel was a majestic sight - a colonial building converted for tourists. It boasted a typical French (quarter) architecture. A walk, later in the evening, through the streets of the French quarter was interesting. we saw old colonial houses with their regulation balconies and arched gates probably leading to beautiful gardens. We were told there were still a large number of French families residing there. Their houses are painted yellow to distinguish them from Ashram houses which were grey. The hotel was a pebble's throw from the sea, so a walk along the beach was almost a 'given'. Before 6PM the breeze can be heavy and hot. Later, walking on the wide promenade can be a pleasure. People of all ages - babies to grandpas - seemed to enjoy the freedom of walking without traffic woes (no traffic is allowed along the beach after 6PM) and it was as if Sunday was an 'enjoy yourself' day for the Pondians.

The much anticipated visit to Auroville was 'dampened' by the heat and the humidity. Our timing was hopelessly awry because the afternoon sun beat on us mercilessly. Going to 'Matru Mandir' (walking more than a kilometer in torturous weather conditions) was a test of strength, will power and stamina. We covered our heads with what little protection we had but we could actually feel the sweat travelling down our hair and down our spines. We were completely drenched in sweat by the time we reached the destined place.  

Kuppu who was actually reluctant to make the trek at first was the one who avidly went up to the Mandir. We couldn't go inside as we were not given a pass, so we stared at the dome from the outside. Kuppu collected quite a bit of information about the Mandir. We joked that Kuppu would get distinction ('1st in 1st' as our heroes in movies do) if there were a Matru Mandir exam while we, enjoying the little breeze that came our way would only get pass marks. We were all truly 'done in' by this time, but fortunately could get back to the starting point in a bus. We could empathize with a girl who was just coming as we were leaving. We heard her desperate cries  'Tissue, anyone? Water, anyone?'.

The Ganesha temple we visited was something unique and amazing. The temple walls had Ganesha replicas from all over the world - by name. The ceilings were colourfully painted with scenes from Ganesha's life. There was one never-before-seen sculpture of brotherly bonding - Ganesha and Karthikeyan, together, on the peacock. The sculptures all over the temple and the impassioned crowds made it an out of this world experience. 

We went to a chocolate shop, with an exotic name Zuka, which had butterflies stuck all over the ceiling. We were told they were all made of chocolate, we had never seen anything like this before. 

The Aurobindo Ashram demands absolute silence from visitors. As we made our way to the Samadhi we saw breathtakingly colourful flowers in pots to our left and right. Sadly, cameras were not allowed. Men and women were meditating in one part of the Ashram, and we also stood in silence for one brief moment. The Samadhi was also covered with flowers which were lovingly and constantly being watered and kept fresh. On our way out, when I enquired at the Ashram library if there were pictures of the flowers they lady in charge looked disgustedly at me as if I had committed a sacrilege - 'We only have pictures of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother' she said. 

We enjoyed the hotel food, local pizza (the spinach touch was good) and regular thalis at the crowded eateries - all without facing any gastric problems! 

June 6th has come and gone but the memories are here to stay. 

Leela's 80th Birthday

Memories are made of funny, droll moments – and moments were aplenty with Leela stepping into her 80s.

     We were all sitting casually in Anu’s tastefully done drawing room – each doing her (there was only one 'his' in the room) thing. Leela was glued to the TV as was her wont, Anu had eyes only for her ipad, Seetha was upping her news quotient and I was twiddling my thumbs. Our protagonist Jay was busy on his smart phone, answering self-scripted queries. Suddenly, in all earnestness, he looked up and asked 'Anu, what is my favorite color?' Did we all enjoy that – and was Jay discomfited. And Anu’s quizzical look 'you should know your favorite color' made the whole episode funnier.

The IPL matches brought out the athleticism in us. The room itself would turn into an arena of sorts. If Bangalore started the game on the wrong foot, Leela would sprint to her bedroom and take solace in whatever serial was airing. If Hyderabad began fumbling and crumbling, I’d just run – any direction was welcome!

The ever mounting, never-ending 'Hum Paanch' (Rukma Vilas sisters) photo sessions encountered opposition from the 'Hum Dono' (brothers in arms) who posed for quite a few pictures just to get "even" – but that would never happen because we would always be "odd".

Nikhil, Vidya's Prince of Wales, greeted his grandma first all the  way from USA but his face was lost in the indistinctness of the screen and his voice was lost in an audio glitch. We were still sympathizing with his 'love's labor lost' when Akshay made up for it by his studied intonation of Kannada in american accent – he was endearingly hilarious

'Haider' (based on Hamlet) became a 'To see or not to see' experience. All of us had gathered to watch it for the 1st or 2nd or 3rd time. But the DVD seemed to have a mind of its own. Everyone pitched in with instructions, remedial measures and indulged in pressing of knobs followed by a roomful of sighs. Finally after all the hits, misses, the screen came alive (or should I say dead because of the Shakespearean bodies strewn all over). We got involved in the proceedings but the DVD had the last word. It went blank. We just couldn't see the final scene.

Leela was sifting through the congratulatory cards when she chanced upon one from her heartthrob Ranveer Singh. The uncrossed stamp in the envelop should have given the game away – but Leela was in a trance and Vidya insisted the cover had been 'handed' over to her by Ranveer's friend. One should have seen Leela blush a delectable pink as she read his message courtesy our fertile imagination! I guess she knew she'd been had – but I also think that card made her day. Leela has preserved the card – a keepsake!

The umpteen number of visits to the vegetable and fruit markets, snack centers, dry cleaners, malls – it was enjoyable to be part of this 'outgoing' band of women who had ample time on their hands despite the absence of watches.

Leela felt absolutely embarrassed to have her feet washed by her lovely daughters – part of the Puja ritual. Her feeble protest was quickly squashed but she was absolutely awkward when pushed into the limelight like this, knowing that 1000's of eyes were on her, watching the washing! After Ranveer's card this was the second occasion when she turned 'pink'.

Calling Senthil - the man friday - on all days and at any time was also a ritual of sorts. Every time the meter tipped, our short, shorts clad stocky help would saunter in, pull the ladder, stand on the top rung, do the needful with the meter, and put things away until the next call - it seemed as if Senthil said 'let there be light' and there it was!

At Eagleton (the high end golf enclave) where we neither teed nor putted, we went visiting a relative's house. The Spanish villa style bungalow enthralled us. We went in, up the stairs, and wanting to enter the inviting balcony, I walked right into the glass door. Nose, specs, chin - all went into damage mode. Adding insult to injury, my slippers decided to fall apart. That really made my/me trip! 

Our piercing eyes spotted a small lizard in one of the 2 lifts. That gave Anu the jitters (not that I wanted to pet it) so we would always take the other lift where also we felt we saw the critter. The lizard must have had a rocking time going up and down 6 floors - we also rocked and swayed but due to an icky feeling.

One evening we were talking about the sartorial habits of one of our uncles and we were trying to outdo one another in praising him when a voice piped in. Someone in an 'I knew him well' tone ventured', 'woh hamesha dhobi ke kapde pehenthe the!' How we burst into peals of laughter imagining our uncle wearing ‘dhobi ke kapde’ rather than ‘istri ke kapde’. Kumar's guffaw was, of course, heard worldwide.

There would have been more memorable moments but alas! I had to make my 'movement' back home. However if you see me smile or see the twinkle in my eye you will know that I am reliving one of those moments.

Glossary:

Anu - Leela's beautiful daughter - belongs to US!!

Viday - Leela's younger lovely daughter - she also belongs to US!!

Jay - Anu's husband - loves to live in the US

Seetha - Leela's sister

Leela - The Aries lady of the house in 'Capricorn' apartments and the birthday baby at 80

Kumar - The chief guest at Leela's wedding. A fun loving cousin, came all the way from Hyderabad like I did.

I - Leela's sister. Also Seetha's sister.