Our Sand & Snow Sojourn...continued

We’d heard and read about this place, somewhere in the terraces of  Meharangarh Fort, that is known for it’s traditional Rajasthani food and the view. Of course, the man behind the counter at our hotel tried to discourage us from going there saying there are much more “happening” places in Jodhpur serving much more variety.

Having decided to utilize our evening doing shopping and work up an appetite for our big dinner, we raided the market and returned empty both in our stomach and our wallets!

As the tuk-tuk actually started proceeding towards the fort through the pitch-dark roads of Jodhpur, with the Fort now looking dark and forbidding, the streets started deserting and the city’s blue hue started shimmering in the amber of the setting sun. As we saw the city lights come on, we reached the gates of the Fort…by now we were the only tourists around. Dropping us at the gate, the tuk-tuk driver left with the promise to return in a couple of hours to pick us up.

We cautiously walked up the ramparts of the fort…aware of every step we took and jumping at the slightest sound. The Fort loomed ahead…almost menacingly! As we walked up, expecting to be attacked at each turn, a security guard with an equally scary moustache greeted us politely and informed us that the fort elevator, which would’ve taken us straight unto the terrace, is out of order and hence a jeep shall be arranged. The jeep arrived in a couple of minutes and drove us through the dark and winding path up the fort.  By the time we reached the Fort Museum, we realized that we were the only outsiders here and even if we shouted, no one would hear us…was this all planned??

A new guard in complete Rajasthani attire came up and escorted us down the numerous narrow passages to our destination…or was it heaven on earth?

A sprawling terrace high up on one side of the fort with 7 to 8 tables laid out, a bard playing a haunting Rajathani tune on his Ravanhatta in the corner and the twinkling lights of Jodhpur city far below! This was ethereal…

The contrast in the mindset and the buildup of suspense, followed by this amazing site was absolutely amazing! The walls of the fort had hidden lights mysteriously lighting us the numerous intricately carved windows were throwing shadows everywhere. No words can actually describe the experience in totality.

The food and the warmth in the hospitality was amazing. We are sure that no other experience of ours could equal this one. The music was haunting, the desert night air was getting chill as we returned to our hotel. As we retired, we were in a trance. It was living a dream…

The Oddroad Story

"HOME"WORK

Born to a doctor in the Indian Army and his wife, an astute home-maker, I had a wonderful childhood and the enviable opportunity to see India as even the most ardent travelers seldom get to see. From the snow covered heights of Nathula in Sikkim to the forts & palaces of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, from the Buddhist chants of Leh in Ladakh to the ornate history of Hampi in Karnataka, I was blessed to feel the pulse of a land of incredible wealth - its cultures, cuisines, arts, architectures, traditions, religions, festival. And above all… its diverse landscape. No single country in the world can boast of some of the mightiest mountains, mystical deserts, pristine beaches, ancient rain forests, meandering backwaters, romantic islands and every other imaginable terrain… all blended seamlessly into the experience called "India".

When my dad got transferred from Kalimpong (West Bengal) to Gurdaspur (Punjab), I was in my fourth standard at the St Augustine School. On the last day, the Principal, Father Thomas asked me to stay back and live in the hostel. I, like most kids, held on to my parents and left Kalimpong. Twenty years later, as I stood near the window of that very classroom, my eyes were moist. Looking out of the window at the mighty Kanchenjunga (3rd highest mountain in the world), with the rippling of Teesta river flowing inexorably somewhere below, I realized that I had unwittingly denied myself schooling at one of the finest holiday spots in India!

Life had moved on. From one school to another. Then to college. By the time I walked out of the classrooms, bio labs, canteens, late night group studies… into the "real world", I had really seen a lot of India. And being a Bong by birth, the travel bug had bitten me incurably by then!

From serving the hospitality industry to my entry into the corporate world as a soft skills trainer, and finally heading global HR in an MNC, I got to travel a lot across the country. For both work and pleasure. In the recent years I have also been travelling parts of England, Scotland, Spain and Germany. This has given me a delightful exposure to a whole new world of people - their likes & dislikes, their tastes, their desires. And above all, their universal longing to explore India!

REVELATION

It was during one of these holidays at Tabo in the Spiti Valley of North Himachal Pradesh that an event left a deep impression in my mind. I was visiting the Tabo Monastry, built in 996 AD (http://tabomonastery.org/).
... to be continued.

But then, if you can't wait, please visit the following link & click on About Us - The Story:
http://www.oddroad.com/quicklink.php?tag=abt#

Our Sand & Snow Sojourn...

3rd June (Rajasthan & Himachal Pradesh)

It struck me on my way back from office that I have just 5 months remaining for our annual vacation...I HAD to plan in advance.... So, I decided it was time for me to have a broad plan in place to getting the best prices for travel and accommodation. Being a "travel-holic" since my childhood, holidays are always to be planned in advance; at least for me! :-) This was the start of the numerous hours I would spend on the internet. Two months since and I am still planning; bit by bit. This better be good.

Finally that day of travel arrived. For any Indian, born in a Middle Class family where annual vacations are sought after, this is the best day of the year, when we get ready for THE trip of the year! There is so much going that needs to be done in the last minute... work in office (always seems to be unending on these days!), packing, clearing the refrigerator, laundry, tickets etc, and the anticipation of a trip that we've been planning for half the year! This time as the name suggests, we were traveling to Rajasthan & Himachal Pradesh in West & North India.

An early morning cab took us to the airport and we flew to Jodhpur via Mumbai. Must've taken half the day considering that we'd left Bangalore at 3am!! We were completely exhausted by the time we reached Jodhpur airport. Just like railway stations, airports have a semblance across the country. You will know where you really are only after you step out. The Mehrangarh Fort greeted us from the airport itself. It stood majestically against the horizon; reflecting it's patience and endurance over time. Jodhpur city and the Fort seem to have withstood the economic changes happening across the country (except for the occasional banners of Airtel & Vodafone); it looked just like I'd seen it 14 years ago. Pal Haveli turned out to be just like how we expected. With it's grandeur and period furniture, it looked as if straight out of a story book... Beautiful!

After a quick snack, we started our walk around the city which turned into a climb upto the fort. Interestingly, all the kids on the road thought we were foreigners and kept asking..."which country?"and this quest followed us across Rajathan for the next 7 days. Like most city slickers, we were just not upto the climb and hence called for an auto (tuktuk), who drove us to the fort gate. The magnificent fort loomed tall in front of us. That's when the statistic of tourists visiting this place hit us...50% Europeans (mainly from western Europe), 5% from rest of India and 45% Bongs!! Hats off to them (I mean us!). We really go out of our way to see places, but on the other hand expect to get Maacher Jhal and Bhat wherever we go! Anticipating that, there were hoards of restaurants serving authentic Bengali food in the heartland of Rajasthan!!

The fort had cobbled roads within the walls and each turn had a story to tell. The sunset from the parapet of the fort was priceless and the city with the blue hue looked ethereal. However, what followed that evening was beyond our wildest dreams...                 to be continued.

Oddroad to debut on 15-Jan-2012!

Is the search engine's 9th post on the 3rd result page your best travel guide?

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Do you decide on where to holiday after you've searched for the cheapest travel options?

Have you ever wondered if there is an easier way to do this all? Well you've been right all along! There IS an easier way.

http://www.oddroad.com goes live on the 15th of January 2012!