Impressions: Part 2

J&K: Paradise on earth. And I consider myself lucky that I have visited both Kashmir and Ladakh at the time of its prime, i.e. when there were less violence and less human interference. It will kill me to see the state it’s in today. The taste of roadside kababs and radish chutney in Srinagar still lingers in my mouth. And needless to say, Ladakh has been a life changing experience….the highest form of spirituality.

Gujarat: Strangely, this state was one the last in the list of places to visit for me. Somewhere vaguely there existed way at the back of my mind, a desire to see Kutch. When the time came, I saw Kutch and much more. Beyond the beauty and nature, was the fact that material progress was not far behind. It might be heartening to many….but for me that made me feel like the state is losing its innocence.

Maharashtra: Monsoons! I can never tire of it and I have never seen anything like it even in the Himalayas. It’s one of the very few things left that still makes me feel all gooey and romantic. Beautiful forests and my first tryst with royalty – the tiger.

MP: Much to explore but whatever little I have seen just strengthens my belief that our country is one of the most beautiful and varied places on Earth. Laid back capital city, warm people and an unhurried life. As the ad said, it’s truly the ‘Dil’ of India.

Chhattisgarh: It’s definitely not for tourists nor is it for those who call themselves travelers. Chhattisgarh is an experience meant only for those people who can ‘feel’. For me, it’s been the best discovery so far.

Karnataka: Hampi! A place that is still alive in every rock structure and temples. So alive that if you stand alone among its ruins, you can feel the life flowing in your veins and can hear the long gone voices.

TN: The first thing that crossed my mind when we entered TN was that it’s easy to see where all the tax money went - rickety buses, bumpy roads and no public facilities. Yet there was a time long ago in the 1980s when Marina beach was clean and deserted. I had my first taste of filter coffee here and had burnt my tongue. Ooty was a deserted place too meant for honeymooners where mist floated in inside the hotel rooms. My sister and I wore slacks (yes back then it was in fashion too!) with heavily oiled hair. In Kanyakumari, we stood watching the approaching storm as it blew sand grains all over us and created a clear demarcation between the ocean and the sea.

Kerala: Trees and hidden between these trees were villages which looked like semi-towns. Kerala is queer where there is no break in habitation; one village followed the other unlike most states. Brightly coloured houses dotted the landscape – I felt like being in a candy store, not knowing which coloured candy it will turn out next.

Andhra Pradesh: A chance discovery which led us to beautiful rugged beaches of black sand, estuaries and vales of red earth. Smooth roads, electricity in rural areas, friendly people and smell of chilly in the air. I couldn’t control my greed and ate so much chilly-laden local food that it ruined my stomach forever.

Goa: Is seductive – it works its magic slowly but surely and can mean different things to different people. My first brush with the monsoons (western India) happened here with brooding sea, short intense showers and a deep melancholy.

Pondicherry: A European experience and the joy of riding a bicycle freely amongst its many quaint lanes and bylanes.

Daman: A remnant of beautiful days gone by.


This list seems long, but I feel I still haven’t explored enough.