Revelations Of A Train Journey

By Abhishek Namballa

Speak of journeys and the mind will throw at you countless memories to look at and amuse yourself. Every day is a journey, and each journey – a revelation of sorts. It can be as simple as finding a new alley to something more meaningful such as an insight to the bigger question of life itself. It is not a coincidence that great authors, writers and philosophers are also extensive travelers. If not for the daredevilry of the early travelers and adventurers I doubt of any way we could have known for a fact that the world is round or the fact that there exists something or someone beyond the confines of our lives.

Photo credit - Chinmay Maheshwari

No other means of transport comes even close to a long train journey when it comes to the understanding and the wisdom it can impart to a receptive and sensitive human mind. Any person who has traveled by train would have come across people from myriad backgrounds, people with different mindsets and people with diverse tastes and interests. It can be fascinating at times to listen to the animated conversations that break out or rather started on someone’s initiative. And even more enthralling is its power to draw others into it.

One just needs to have an eye out for these things. Look around and you will notice assorted kinds of beings – the serious ones who like indulging themselves in their own world of books or on their laptops and smart phones, quietly doing away their work. Then there are the lazy ones, who prefer idling or sleeping peacefully in their berths often inconveniencing fellow passengers. Sub classification would include those (especially children) who love peeking out of the windows feeling the ruffle (rather gust) of the wind on their faces. Others include the ones a train journey owes all the din and orderly commotion – their talks range from personal discussions to contemporary national issues to sober issues of moral conduct and in some uncommon cases about the greater purpose of life itself!!

Personally, I am a bit of an introvert. Though I do have a knack of befriending people easily, I prefer sitting back and observing things and the people around me. I would most likely be classified along with the first class of people that I described above. This has given me an opportunity to learn new things over the years and augment my database.

The most recent journeys I can recollect of clearly did seem to offer a kaleidoscopic view of life. If on one train journey it was the incessant chatting and jabbering amongst fellow batch mates from another college, on an another occasion it was a disgruntled Gujarati serving what it seemed like a prison sentence in Chennai pouring out his heart to me (few of the occasions when I got chatting with my co-passenger). On yet another occasion I was in company of an amiable old couple. Well I know that some people do get lucky at times(you know what I am talking about), some more often than others, me on the other hand have never once been lucky!!

So next time when you are out traveling on a train try to observe – who knows what you might stumble upon, may be it will end in your book when you eventually decide to write one, or it might etch itself in your memory that you will cherish later. 

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About the writer : A 2nd year Electrical Engineering student at IIT Madras who, when not busy devouring the courses at hand loves to write, play keyboard, badminton and cricket and hobble around the internet hoping to stumble upon something that would prevent his brain cells from dying out..

Date A Girl Who Explores

By Vasudhaa Narayanan

Date a Girl who gets excited at the chance of taking a long walk discovering the tiny alleys of a neighborhood. Date her because she would rather be outside in the scorching heat finding that new bookstore instead of lazing in front of the couch watching “Jersey Shore”. 

You will find her talking about a new art installation in a tiny gallery that her friends didn’t know existed. Date her because she is just as passionate about surrealism as she is about street art. She will meet people who have dissimilar interests and ask them a million questions because she is as curious as a colorful wandering butterfly. She will take you to the unveiling of a photography display that’s in town for a week; she will beg you to go with her to the new Andy Warhol exhibit even though she has no knowledge about pop art, only because she is enthusiastic to learn.

Take her to the Saturday flea market in Brooklyn, or the farmer’s market in Union Square. She will revel at the sight of an old typewriter or a vintage camera. You’ll find her talking to the tomato sellers; asking them about their stories, their families.

She will always listen.

You’ll know she has a wandering eye when you’re ranting about your apartment woes and she drifts off mid-conversation pointing at a passing van painted with owls. She will treasure a little postcard over any fancy meal at the best restaurant in town.

If you look through her collection of scavenged items, you may find little concert tickets, blue beaded fish bracelets, visiting cards of different cafes, a novel she picked up on the side of an abandoned parking lot, colorful green and red tissue papers, coasters from her favorite bars in different cities, countries even. Her collection is a million little memories that would mean nothing to anyone else but her.

Photo credit - Akhil Pawar

When you talk to her, you will know she has a flair for words, as she does for scrabble. You will be consumed, in mind and heart, by her experiences and anecdotes that you can feel the adrenaline gushing through her speech, as she vividly describes her White Rock camping trip in Arkansas or river rafting expeditions in Dandeli. She will relive those memories, in that very moment as her muscles take shape to show her beautiful smile, her pupils dilate in excitement changing the tone of the conversation but forever altering the colors of your sight.

She is a people person. She loves meeting new people and making new friends as much as she loves the comfort of her own bed. Whether it’s a 45-year-old Australian couple she met at a rooftop bar, a 40 year old lawyer she met on the Hudson River or a shy 24-year-old American boy she fell for at Fulton Station, she will know what to say and how to say it well enough to leave a trail of her scent behind, making you long for her company just a little whiff longer.

Invite her to your city. If she loves you enough, she may even make a secret trip out of it. Watch her peel the layers of emotions, moods and colors as she beautifully captures each street corner or every treetop with her camera in a way that you probably would have never seen it. Allow her to transform your vision, disintegrate your previous reservations and make you fall head over heels in love with the city you used to be in love with, when you first moved there.

She appreciates and respects her roots. As much as she enjoys the independence of living alone and traveling the world, she does miss falling asleep on her mother’s lap, her sister’s silly laugh and her father’s big warm hug. She knows that every trip back home is one step farther from her next journey, but one step closer to these strong ties that keep her grounded. She loves her family and friends who have been a constant reminder of how far she has come; from seeing her as the little girl eating masala dosas in the school canteen to the woman cooking her own meals in a makeshift electric cooker.

Talk to her about music. Let her sing you a song or two. Her taste in music is as distinctively different as the changing seasons. She will take you to the cozy café tucked in the heart of Duxton Hill allowing you to discover that new artist you are now talking about on Facebook. Whether it’s a little slow jazz Sinatra song or an amazing guitar solo by John Mayer, she will sing it to you the way the street singer - Jess, sang it to her at Court Sq. station. Go with her on these little journeys; finding new singers, getting lost in transit and she will make you realize that your worries are so little compared to those who have nothing and are so happy with whatever little they make out of their passion for music.

Better yet, teach her an instrument.

Date her because she is eager to learn. Because she yearns to learn a new language, write a new story, help construct a new Lego set or even paint a new picture. In that process, learn from her how it is always okay to fail and start afresh, start something new, something that is yours.

No matter how far she goes to explore the corners of the world, know that you will always be a postcard away. In that way, you are there in spirit; holding her by the waist as you’ll stand on the east river looking at the diminishing skyline, or giving her a hand while hiking the Machu Picchu. No matter whom she meets along the way, she will always be a phone call away for you.

Join her when she lies on the green grass and stares into the vast beautiful sky. Allow her to see that in you. To find the depth of your knowledge and the length of your personality and respect you as you are. Make sure you do the same. If she lets you in, you’ll be as happy as a puppy and as content as a sleeping bear.

Date a girl who explores because you will always have something to learn from and teach each other. Because life is too short to be selfish about knowledge and too colorful to only see it in black and white.

(Have you read Date A Girl Who Reads by Rosmarie Urquico? If you haven’t, please do! My post is a little writing exercise I put myself through and an addition to the “Date A Girl/Boy who..” series! I hope you enjoy it, share it and can identify with it.)

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Vasudhaa Narayanan
I'm a 21 year old Indian, who grew up in Africa, India and Singapore. I love to dance and frolic in the rain! I am an animal lover, tree hugger, and a bit of a singer. When i'm not trying my hand at photography, learning french or travel blogging, I play my ukulele!

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The Editorial

By Vakul Mohanty



The jobless haven’t been jobless for the last few days, what with exams breathing down our backs it has been really difficult for us to pay as much attention as we would have liked to this issue. However thanks to my friend Pradeep Damodara, we were able to pull it off. He is responsible for most of the editing this time, one of the prime reasons some of us won’t be flunking our endsems. Anyway, here we are with LTGTR’s 7th issue, dedicated to travel. Considering that the holidays are fast approaching its more than apt that this be the underlying theme.

Now getting down to the editorial… Well this time around I’ll let you explore the contents. It should be more than helpful in assisting you on your endeavor of reading the magazine. I’ll go ahead and dedicate the editorial to explaining our notion of travel.

The mind is a wanderer, unable to linger on one thought or idea for more than a few moments. This fickle nature has manifested itself in our love for travel. Travel has for eons been associated to adventure. Every epic adventure, be it real life or in literature, has been a journey through the wilderness to an uncertain destination. There is nothing strange about this considering that there can be no greater adventure than tramping through the unknown, the unseen. There is always the immense satisfaction of seeing new places and meeting new people that makes travel so alluring. 

But then what about people like me, who find it impossible to uproot themselves from their little niche? Well, one might say I’m a dull person by nature, incapable of heading out on a true adventure. But I will have to disagree on that, for I have seen Paris, London and, for that matter, ancient Greece… the power of human imagination is truly remarkable. I know my words seem vague and unclear, and I don’t really have the words to express myself. Here’s my suggestion: Read through ‘The Shadow Line’ by Amitav Ghosh. Then maybe you’ll understand what I’m trying to convey. 

Anyway, adios. We hope you enjoy this issue of LTGTR.
 

Cheers and Keep The Good Times Rolling.

Heavenly Himachal

By Roopak Khandekar

Waiting for hours to ski and play in the snow at Rohtang Pass, and a few more hours when your return journey is delayed due to a landslide; visiting spots like the Hidimba temple; feeling the warmth and enjoying the pleasant ambience of British-era hotels; wearing a nice sweater you successfully bargained for in one of those jam-packed woolen clothes sales; or relishing some plums you picked off a tree… it’s heavenly, it’s Himachal. The state of Himachal Pradesh, located in the upper Himalayas, is a great place to escape the scorching Indian summer. Be it tourist destinations, scenic views, adventure sports, handicrafts…this little state has it all.

The Toy Train to Shimla passes through dozens of tunnels and takes sharp curves and steep gradients in its (in some people’s view, boring) 6-hour, 90-odd km journey from Kalka. If you are being driven round in Dalhousie, your driver suddenly takes a sharp turn and you find yourself going along a street you could not imagine existing in the location where it actually does. On at least one occasion, your vehicle will be crossing a fully-packed HPRTC bus on a narrow bridge. You look down from your window and see your vehicle perilously on the edge of the bridge…your heart skips a beat. Another heart-stopping experience is that of being tossed around violently while you cling to the ropes on your raft in the rapids of the Beas (wearing your precious helmets and life-jackets, of course). Or, you can join your feathered friends, though only for a few minutes, as you para-glide in the skies, seeing Himachal as the birds see it. And I’d strongly suggest NOT doing what I did en route to Rohtang Pass: falling asleep.

You’ll probably have some eatery within your reach whenever your stomach rumbles. Paranthas with generous amounts of stuffing and ghee make for a great start of the day. For people who eat meat, the Himachali trout (a type of freshwater fish) is definitely worth a try. If not, then there is Himachali pulao. Higher up in the mountains you can relish hot momos (not of Himachali origin, but certainly delightful in the cold mountain air). I remember some shop in Shimla which sold pickles of almost anything that can be made into a pickle. And, just in case you aren’t in the mood to experiment, there is always all that routine stuff like paneer bhurji or stuffed tomatoes or the locally quite popular rajma or some other item you’ll find on any menu card. Also quite common in the state are outlets of Himachal Agro Products selling jams, syrups etc. of a large variety of fruits.

Large crowds throng the markets at all major hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. There are plenty of handicrafts, woolen articles etc., for sale. There is something for everyone to take back as a souvenir of their journey to this wonderful place.

Losing yourself in the lush green environs of Khajjiar lake, or pampering your eyes with all sorts of flowers in all sorts of colours in Shimla’s Horticulture Centre, or letting all your worries be washed away in a sip of apple cider or hot tea while staring at the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas… it’s heavenly, it’s Himachal.

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Iran - A Misguided Na(o)tion

By Natasha Deboo

 Iran, as a country, has been subject to great prejudice from the outside world, especially sympathisers of USA. And, while I agree that every country has its merits and faults, one should not be deceived or disillusioned by Iran’s outward reputation, or its political aspirations, both of which are often prejudicially over-hyped by the media. Let’s leave that aside for the moment. Let’s instead talk about its history and the rich culture it commands.

In this holiday issue, I shall cover the imposing and awe-inspiring ancient city of Persepolis, which now lies in ruins and declared as one of the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. Just as Tehran is the political capital of Iran, Shiraz is said to be its poetic capital. It is known for its famous poets like Haafiz and Saadi, and for its imposing historical monuments like Naqsh – e – Rustom, Naqsh – E – Rajab, Persepolis and Pasargade.

Persepolis is the most important historical monument in Iran. Persepolis literally means ‘City Of The Persians’ and was the spring capital of the Achaemenian kings, displaying great pomp and splendour. Our first view of Persepolis left us all astounded. The city, perched on a platform, built on the foot of Kuh – e – Rahmat, (Mountain of Mercy) looked grand and imposing. To reach the top, there is a double flight of stairs. There are 111 steps on each side. The steps are very wide in width and short in height, so that chariots could easily ply over them and noblemen could scale them graciously. Talk about architectural genius so many years ago! It is said that the four lions on the Ashoka pillar were influenced by a similar capital at Persepolis. And when you see it for yourself, you can easily notice the uncanny resemblance.

Though it was Darius the Great who started building Persepolis, all his successors continued to build it. ‘Alexander the Accursed’ destroyed Persepolis one night in a drunken fit. As a result, all the wooden roofs and pillars were destroyed. It is said that Alexander pressed into his service the use of 2,000 camels, 4,000 horses and 10,000 mules to carry the loot from Persepolis back home.

What has survived the ravages of time; however, are the stone carvings and imposing pillars. Human–headed two–winged bulls flank the entrance to Persepolis. The architectural brilliance in an age without machines and cranes is difficult to imagine. The roof was supported on fluted columns, each resting on an intricately carved base.

The capital on the column consisted of two bulls, Homa birds, or lions, with their faces turned in the opposite directions. How the capitals were lifted up to that height taxes one’s imagination quite a bit! It is interesting and heartening to note that unlike the great pyramids at Egypt, Persepolis was not built by slaves.

In fact, there are stone tablets of that period indicating that each worker received a daily wage comprising a sum of money, a bottle of wine and a leg of lamb. What’s more, women worked side by side with men and enjoyed paid maternity leave. This sort of emancipation was unheard of even a century ago in the so called modern world!

Such was the high culture and civilization of ancient Persia! Another very distinguishing feature of the construction of Persepolis is that there was no cement used to join two blocks of stone. What they used instead, was a gargantuan metal pin, one you can crudely call a ‘huge staple pin’. This pin was ‘stapled’ between the two blocks of stone, thus ensuring that each piece of the palace was perfect.

There are also carvings of the mythical Homa bird. This figure has the paws of a lion to indicate strength, the head of an eagle to depict flight and ascendancy and the ears of a bull depicting wisdom. It is a symbol of good luck, to wish strength, growth and wisdom to all those who visit Persepolis. It is incidentally also the ‘Iran Air’ symbol. There are also other etchings on stone, of hundreds of soldiers preparing for war. What is amazing is the sheer detail carved by the stone masons of that era.

There is also depiction of the ‘10,000 Immortals’, which was an elite fighting force, for quelling any uprising in the empire. This army was so called because if any soldier fell ill or died in battle he would be immediately replaced by another, such that the number would never fall below 10,000.
 

The immaculate symmetry is also very commendable. If a wall has 123 soldiers sculpted, then the wall directly facing it also has the exact number of soldiers, and so on. There is also a relief which portrays Xerxes the Great sitting majestically on a throne carried by several attendants. The painstaking effort and the eye for detail in each frieze leaves you breathless and with a yearning for more.

The largest structure at Persepolis is the Apadana where the great kings themselves used to hold court. Next to the Apadana is a structure called Tachara or ‘Mirror Palace’. The Mirror Palace is called so because the stone is polished enough for one to see one’s reflection.
 

Carvings of people from different countries, including India (clad in the traditional dhoti, with a cow and spices as gifts); their costumes and weapons; and the various gifts that they are bringing to the king, adorn the eastern staircase of the palace. 

 
The panels depicting ambassadors of different countries are separated by etchings of cypress trees wishing everyone a long life. Elsewhere, there are also etchings of date palms to wish everyone a sweet life.

 
Some distance away are the tombs of Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III. At the far end of Persepolis is a stone panel depicting Darius The Great seated on his throne with a staff in one hand and a flower in another. Before him are two small fire altars and an emissary addressing the great king with his hand raised in salutation.

A replica of the image of Cyrus The Great with an Egyptian head-gear and long Elamite dress, seen at Pasargade, is also on display. There is also a museum which is built over a ruined palace in an attempt to reconstruct and make visitors get a feel of what Persepolis originally looked like more than two and a half millennia ago, complete with stump, column, capital, beam and roof.

 
It is very difficult for us to think of this ‘war-torn’ country of Iran as being blessed with such beauty. The truth is that one must never trust the myopic vision and opinions of others unless you first see it for yourself. What’s one man’s meat is another’s poison, and beauty always lies in the eye of the beholder.
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Excerpted from the Book titled: “Iran – Tracing Footprints Through Time” By Natasha V Deboo Published in 2009.

Araku Valley

By Hasita Krishna

So you don’t have too much time to spend on a holiday, and you are a localite. 

What do you do?
  

If you live anywhere between twenty minutes to twelve hours away from Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Araku Valley is by far the destination of choice for a short, yet memorable holiday.
 

For those of you who love being in the lap of nature, this place has just what you want. Everything here is just right-the weather, the locales, the people-you name it! As for those who love the journey more than the destination, driving to Araku is going to be one of your best memories.
 

Life in the woods has never come alive the way it does in Araku Valley. You can go on a trekking tour of the place, or if you prefer to have a lazier holiday, all you have to do is sit at the windowsill; the birds and bees (clichéd) are there to entertain you. But there is this ethereal quality about the place that makes you wonder if it’s the place changing hues or if it’s your eyes playing tricks on you. So irrespective of whether you are outdoorsy, laidback, sceptic or just plain bored, the place is sure to charm you.
 

 The Borra Caves are about half an hour drive from the main town, and they are one of the largest natural formations of their kind in the country. The caves are known for their cultural heritage and geographical significance.
 

The town is inhabited by local tribes as well as people who have settled in the area over a period of time. They are not only extremely helpful, but also have a lot of folklore to share with you.
 

So the next time you head out for the shortest possible duration, but don’t want to compromise on the fun you have, you know where to go!

Factfile:
 

Where: 115 Km from the nearest city, Vishakapatnam.
How: Either by train or an extremely efficient road transport system. We also recommend driving yourself.
When: Anytime apart from April, May. December-January temperatures range from 15 to 25°C.
What: Essentially the scenic beauty; Museum of Tribal Arts; The Tribal Dance
Who: We suggest you go with friends :D, but family ain’t bad either..