Lakkidi: Kashi Viswanathan Temple at Home!

Lakkidi, a small village in Palakkad district Kerala, is life-size with its importance in major contributions to the culture of Kerala. I first visited this place as a new bride to my husband’s ancestral home, near Lakkidi Koottupatha. Little did I know about the importance of this place as well as the role played by the family to which I had married into!

The trees in front of Kashi Viswanatha shrine

In the first visit itself the calm but elegant ambience of the family temple enchanted me. Surrounded by shrubs and trees that had their freedom in the carefree wilderness, the temple evoked a sense of divine protection. As I closed my eyes in front of the shrine to Kashi Viswanathan, I felt that his protection will be there to remove all obstacles in our marital life. 

There is a story that is not old for more than a century behind the arrival of Kashi Viswanathan as the family deity. Manthredam, the family where my husband was born had faced a great threat, years before. In those days only the eldest son in Brahmin family was allowed to have marriage from Brahmin families. The younger sons could marry from other sectors of upper caste Hindus but wouldn’t have any right on their ancestral property.

The great grandfather of the present members in Manthredam was a younger brother in his family. As per custom his elder brother had marriage from a Brahmin families and he had a marriage from a Kovilakam¹ named Elyangattu. However even after many years, the elder brother didn’t have any children, so finally they checked the horoscope of the family.

As per the astrologer’s vision, the family would’ve continued only through the younger brother. Also, the astrologer told that someone should go to the holy place of Kashi. There, he should take three dips in the holy river of Ganga. The astrologer had predicted that on the third dip, the person would get the divine Shiva Linga in his hands. Those in Manthredam should worship the Kashi Viswanathan as their family without fail. 

But still, there was a trouble. The astrologer also told that whoever goes for this particular venture would die as soon as he returned home. Now, all were in a dilemma. Who would risk his life for the family?

It was then a poor Brahmin in the neighbourhood, who offered his assistance for the task. He agreed to take this adventure on the condition that Manthredam would take care of his family. It was very much agreeable for the wealthy family of Manthredam and they readily made the arrangements to send the person to Kashi.

The Brahmin went to Kashi on an auspicious date. As per the astrologer’s prediction he took three dips in the Holy Ganga. In the third dip that he had taken, there came Kashi Viswanathan into his hands in the form of holy Shiva Linga!!

The Brahmin came back with the divine presence in his hands. Kashi Viswanathan got welcomed to Manthredam in full festivities. Soon, the younger brother of the family was fetched from his wife and six children of Elyangattu. He got married from a Brahmin family. The divine intervention may be there; soon his wife gave birth to a son to continue the lineage of the family. The lineage still continues through the 21 children of this son and many children of his brothers. That eldest son became the grandfather to my husband too.

The Brahmin who sought the divine presence to the family, passed away two weeks after his return from Kashi. I wonder, whether his sorrow to leave his body looms as a shadow over Manthredam? Or, did his soul gained the supreme bliss through this majestic act?

Continues...

A Taste of Japan from Riyadh

It was our fourth Valentine’s Day after marriage and the one we were celebrating together after two missing Valentine’s Days. Since we are in Riyadh where there is a ban for this American celebration, we never anticipated to celebrate it in a grand manner. The roses or any gifts in red colour would be banned on these days. So, we had planned well ahead to celebrate this day in our own style. We resolved to try out something new-a visit to the Japanese restaurant in town.

I started to Google through Japanese dishes by evening of the Valentine’s Day. All dishes seemed to be so complicated and I stopped to search further. Before starting for dinner I helped myself with a boiled banana in fear of the unknown dishes that might fail me.

An appetizing aroma of dishes was in the air as we entered into the Tokyo Restaurant at Al Arouba Road. It was 9 p.m and already we were in queue.  We were not aware of the reservation procedure in the restaurant and not booked for the seats. We had to wait for an hour till our turn came and the waiting time went easily as we engaged ourselves by watching the other customers in queue.

The ambience in the restaurant was not so grandeur but with minimal touches of Japanese interiors. We got into a family room with 8 seats. The attendant who came to assist us was a Malayalee by name Basheer. (I remembered the joke of Neil Armstrong’s first visit to the moon. People make fun that a Malayalee gave him tea in the moon. The joke implies to the presence of Kerala people all over the world.)

Miso soup and salad

We were clueless on what to order! As a starter, we relished the free miso soup, green salad and Potato Korokke for Shreya. I was skeptical of using chopstick but managed well after two three attempts. The instructions on the Chopstick cover on holding it was really helpful for a beginner like me. Shreya managed quite well with chopsticks in her little hands.

Shreya with her Chopstick

Basheer assisted us to order the main course. We chose to have mixed tempura and chicken teppanyaki. We avoided the menu for Sushi since I was so choosy with fish and cannot have raw fish.  The food arrived in time we finished the starters and soup.

Mixed Tempura

The crispy pieces in the mixed tempura tasted so bland without the tempura sauce. However as per Sreejith’s suggestion, I soaked the pieces in tempura sauce. Wow! It tasted so yummy. The pieces in tempura vanished one by one. Even I who wrinkle nose for fish relished the crispy shrimps. Only once we happened to chew on fried garlic paste in the dish. But the other delicious pieces took over the bad taste soon from our taste buds.

Chicken teppanyaki.

Along with Mixed tempura, we tasted the Chicken teppanyaki.. We were silent while tasting it since we never deviated our attention from its taste. Finally, we finished our dinner with the raw rice and the leftovers in both the dishes. 

It was then time for paying the bills. The price for the dishes seems to be reasonable since we don’t mind spend a little more on special days. Thankfully our Valentine’s Day celebration didn’t flop out owing to the choice of this restaurant.

Additional Info:  Tokyo Restaurant in Riyadh doesn’t open on Fridays. The restaurant is usually crowded and it is always better if you reserve your seats in advance.

Welcome to Riyadh

 Continues from Water, Water, Everywhere...

We didn’t have enough of our time in Fujairah. The morning sky was so clear against the beautiful mountains, when we started our return journey. The travel was uninterrupted until we reached the outskirts of Dubai. Here, we started to watch out for speed checkers and our speed reduced to 120km/hr at these points.

We crossed Abu Dhabi and caught up with our travel companions at Al Sila. All must be so hungry since we couldn’t find a single piece of breakfast left out in the food carrier. We continued our speed since we were anxious of the delay at the border.

The border seemed to be crowded as we approached. Religious Saudi women, who didn’t wish to show their faces, were waiting outside the ‘Women Inspection Area’ with their Iqama. Curiously, that was the only crowd out there. We passed the border with ease. However as we had got back into ‘Abhaya’ I started missing something. I didn’t find the Saudi officer’s cheerful ‘Welcome’ welcoming also.

Sunset at the desert

Soon, it was noon and we had our lunch. Next few hours went in a rhythm. That’s when the scene I had most wished to view started happening-the sunset in the desert. The sky started changing its colors. The silver fire turned into an orange fire. Soon, it started to burn the clouds and turn them into a dark blue color of Lord Krishna. The sand around the desert became golden in color and started vibrating. Finally, the red orb started to roll down. As its tip finally sank down, I realized- one more vacation is over...

There are many things that we missed to visit during this vacation. But...

                                 Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
                                 Are sweeter;

                                                     (Ode on a Grecian Urn: John Keats)

                               The End

Water, Water Everywhere....

 Continues from Fujairah: The Land of Mountains and Beaches

Oh, yes! I had planned to wake up to view sunrise. However it was so sunny by the time we woke up. Well, there was no other plan than exploring the beach.

The parking lots at the beach were almost full by the time we reached Khorfkhan. Luckily, we got a parking space and after changing Shreya into a swim suit we came out. We crossed the green lawns and white sands to reach the water. The water was so green and blue and a wave of excitement came to me.

The Private Beach near Khorfkhan

At first, we planned to go out for boating. It was a fantastic experience to sit at the front of the boat. As I looked away, I saw one private beach amidst the mountains. The beach with its protective mountains walls, white sands and green watery line reminded me of the beach where Arlena Stuart Marshal lied murdered in Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the sun.

Shreya & Anirudh

As we reached back to the shore, little Anirudh and Shreya started excavating the sand. They were in their own world after finding a used fork and barbecue screw. So, I and Sreejith decided to check the rate for water bike rides. Interestingly the price has double up to the normal rate owing again to the Eid holidays. However we got a nice deal for half an hour.

It was my first experience to ride a water bike. The waves shuddered under our vehicle as we started. Soon, we started zooming in and out of them. The big waves started tossing our bike as we started to go further into the sea. I even doubted once whether there were gutters in the sea also!

Water Bike Ride

The last ten minutes of the scheduled time were allotted to me to ride the bike. It was totally a different experience to sit in the front than at the back. As I rode, I felt as if tearing through a green glass sheet with a sharp knife.

After finishing the boat ride, we got into the water with Anirudh and Shreya. Though they were excited in the beginning their small teeth started chattering soon and they wished to get out. After drying them up, we rushed to the shower rooms.

Again, the shower rooms in Fujairah are no different from other public utility areas. As I changed into dry clothes, I felt all the fun of the day draining out! Still, the more powerful moments of fun stay longer than those bad seconds.

Continues in Welcome to Riyadh 

Fujairah-The Land of Mountains and Beaches

Continues from Sahasra Nam

Fujairah, the land of mountains and beaches is like a smart homemaker. The small town, lies on the Gulf of Oman is free from the hustle and bustle of its contemporary emirates. However there are some special features that make this place unique. 

Fujairah was our last destination during the Dubai vacation. The travel from Dubai to Fujairah usually takes one to two hours. However as soon as we left the picturesque squares of Sharjah, our pace started to slow down. The speedometer showed 3km/hr for the next two hours. 

Fujairah Mountains

We were exhausted after the previous day’s desert safari and late night party. The sun beams started burning through the car windows. Hunger started gnawing our stomachs. In between we rarely paid attention to the Desert Mountains and the winding roads of Fujairah. After the tiring slow drive we finally spotted the sign post of Friday market from where our speed picked up.

Finally, we reached Fujairah after a tiring journey of four hours. However the peaceful streets of the city and the availability of ample parking space cajoled us.  Our tiredness left us after a delightful lunch with our cousin’s family. By the time, it was evening and we planned to get out for snorkeling. However, the crowd at the beach of Khorfkhan made us to move ahead towards Dibba beach. Again, Eid holidays have made the road so blocked and we took a turn and entered to a small beach.

The wind was very chilly as we got out. The beach wasn’t kept neatly and we gave up the ideas of getting into the water. However I and Jayada gave in to the excitement of little Anirudh and Shreya to wet the feet. 

The flashy car on Fujairah road

After half an hour we returned! Though crowded, the roads looked comfortable as in a small town. All of a sudden, it gave me the feeling of Pondicherry ambience. Then, in that small crowd, we located a sports car. The three wheeler car in flashy red color started showing off next to our car. That time traffic block became a blessing in disguise and we started taking photos of the smart vehicle. The boys in the car must have felt happy and as they sped up they waved to the babies in our gang.

Before I slept, I just peered out through my window. The night light reflected at the mountains on one side and the sea on the other side. I never expected a gulf country to be this much a nature beauty. I made a note in mind to view the next day’s sunrise.

Continues in Water, Water Everywhere...

Sahasra Nam

Continues from Desert Safari

Some people make an impression on us from the very first meeting itself. For us (I and Sreejith), Mr. Sahasra Nam is someone like that.  Before I start writing about him, let me tell you! I don’t know anything about him apart from the glimpses of our short meeting.

We’d heard so much about Sahasra Nam and his wife from our family friends Kunjanietan and family. We went to meet Kunjanietan in the morning before desert safari. So, when he told us about meeting Nam, we were absolutely fine with the idea. Even I, who usually hesitate to get introduced to strangers, agreed to it.

We were left alone in the living room before meeting Nam. The living room decorated with a mixture of modern and traditional taste made an impression on me before meeting its owner. Nam soon greeted us with a wide smile and I felt so comfortable.

As Nam drove us for lunch, I started to feel that I’ve met this person somewhere before! It was only an intuition. That’s because he talked subjects very familiar to me and I was at ease. Soon, I realized that if he meets some other person, he might talk topics familiar to them also. I got convinced that indeed talking is an art itself!

After the desert safari, we directly went to Nam’s house. I felt like going to a friend’s house that is familiar for years. At Nam’s home, I and Sreejith had our own fun time to pursue. Shreya lapsed into a good sleep after the tiring day. It was around 2am that we’d decided to have our dinner. The dinner comprised of hot rice, dosa and Sambar in the background of Indian classic music was very much unlike any other dinner I had during late night parties. 

I don’t remember when I hit the bed and woke up! As I finished mine & Shreya’s bath, Nam was ready in the kitchen. As we sat in the kitchen as he prepared the breakfast, we actually felt like sitting in the kitchen of a close relative. 

After breakfast, it was time for us to leave. Nam introduced us to his neighbors. Soon we got dressed up and Nam helped us with our luggage. He presented Shreya with a handy tiger toy and asked her to take care of him well.

As we bid good bye to him, I made a note in mind that if ever we come to Dubai again, we’ll visit him for sure.

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

The second leg of Nam’s story happened after we reached Fujairah. As soon as we got our luggage out, we realized that the laptop bag is missing! I must have misplaced it in the visitor’s lobby when we came out. What more? Our passport and multiple exit entry passes are inside it! 

We were lost. We were not in India, not in Saudi Arabia but in a third country! We won’t get entry to Saudi Arabia without entry passes!!All the fun we had out of the trip drained out from us. As we called Nam, there was no hope in getting back the laptop. Nam called back within two hours. His security had retained the bag and kept it safely. I had nothing else to believe than that all people associated with him must be extraordinary.

As I called him to say thanks, he laughed again with his natural humour. I, who always find it difficult to express my feelings through talks, felt so easy with him. As I kept the phone, I just remembered-I, who photograph each special occasion, hadn’t photographed our time with Nam.  But some special moments have to be cherished in memory, right?

Continues in Fujairah-The Land of Mountains and Beaches 

Desert Safari

 Continues from Bhurj Khaleefa and Dubai Mall 

In the third morning at Dubai we said bye to our good hosts. We’d earlier booked our tickets for the much appraised desert safari in the evening. We spent the morning with some inspiring company. 

We set to the desert safari around 3pm. The Eid holidays had given the organizers the best catch of the season. We saw a crowd of people waiting for the desert wagons as we reached the location. As we waited for the jeep to come, we just roamed around the desert mounds across us. Due to the rain in the previous night, the soil was moist and it felt like walking on the soil of a river bank.

Sunset during Desert Safari

The sun was setting with magnificence as we started our desert safari. After two steep rides, we reached the desert camp. It seems the organizers have reduced the driving time to one third of the original time. The rush of tourists also made it necessary for them to reduce the driving time.

The desert camp was crowded as we reached there. Interestingly, other than the free items, everything that we put our hands on was expensive. In the stalls of complimentary, there is a rush like bees. However, little Shreya took me away from all these hustle and bustle to the play area.  After some time, I started feeling bored of the little wing and slider. I had literally drag her away from enjoyment zone.

Shisha

Sreejith was having Shisha in the meanwhile.  We shared it for some time and I felt as if taking a good vaporizer. Shreya was getting adamant again and I was about to take her back to the play area.

Dharwish Dance

It was then, a Dharwish dancer came on to the stage. However I didn’t pay much attention to the dance as I was busy cajoling the screams of Shreya. Still, I don’t think I missed much here. The dance seemed very much similar to his contemporaries I’d seen at Bangalore shopping mall and at the Nile Cruise.

Belly dance

Then, it was time for the much awaited belly dance! I heard jeers and giggles as she appeared on the stage. However as she started moving, most of them fell silent. She was so graceful with her movements and I got convinced that belly dance is much alike any other art form.  I may also be able to look at these kinds of art forms from a different perspective after reading Memoirs of Geisha. The audience broke into a loud round of applause as she stopped.

The Dharwish dancers and belly dancers started taking turns on the stage and performed finally in a group. These eight dances comprised the best part of the desert safari.

In the meanwhile there was a long queue for the food. I checked one queue and left the attempt straight away. I and Shreya visited the empty mehendi stall and tried to put mehendi on her little hands. She admired it till she spotted Sreejith. As soon as she saw him, she demanded for his handkerchief and wiped the mehendi neatly away from her hands.

It was soon time to return! Our bus was crowded with Philippines. I remembered our host telling about increase in their arrival to Dubai. It seems they are fast replacing the Indians (Malayalees?)  from the domestic labors. Even the Indians prefer them for household work since they are more efficient than Indian workers.

Continues in Sahasra Nam

Burj Khaleefa and Dubai Mall- The Latest Attractions

Continues from The World of Architectural Wonders

As we drove back from the Jumeirah Walk, our host told about the new rule in Dubai. One shouldn’t drive a 10 year old car on Dubai roads. We looked out. Most of the cars on the road looked new, in total contrast to the cars I’ve seen in other places.

At Emirates Mall Metro Station

We got down at the metro station. I hadn’t traveled in a metro train so far and was quite excited for the experience. The Dubai metro was getting ready for its first birthday. As we waited for the metro towards Bhurj Khaleefa, I couldn’t help feeling surprised. There is a train in every two minutes to our destination. It seems a similar service is going to be opened in Bangalore also. I can’t wait to see that day, when the garden city is freed of traffic blocks. Sreejith laughed:

                In Bangalore metro, there would be a train in every half an hour that would be late for another half an hour.

Bhurj Khaleefa

It was dark by the time we reached Bhurj Khaleefa station. The view of this architectural wonder was breathtaking! Full moon shined on the top of the tower like a jewel.  Though it looked so close from the metro station, we had to travel about 15 minutes to reach our destination.

Bhurj Khaleefa was named Bhurj Dubai prior to its inauguration. However as an expression of gratitude to the neighboring Emirate of Abu Dhabi, its name got changed to the name of the Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It seems Abu Dhabi had helped to ease out Dubai's financial problems.

As we walked towards Bhurj Khaleefa, our plans started changing! The place was so crowded and we had to pause every now and then to move ahead. Finally we reached before Dubai Mall just in time to watch the Musical Fountain. It was a breathtaking experience!

The Music Fountain

The water fairies waved their hands to bewitch the audience. Their luscious movements got colored with each movement. As they jumped up and down in smooth flows, we whistled from pavilion. At last, they bid good bye with a melodious note.

We were making our decision on whether to go above Bhurj Khaleefa, when the crowd actually took us to the Dubai Mall. I, who hate crowds, started getting irritated at this time. However as soon as we entered the mall I just saved myself at a corner for the crowd to pass. I couldn’t help noticing a note from the founder (or Chief architect? Though I shouldn’t be, I forgot the name and designation). After mentioning his experiencing in building the largest mall in the world, he writes...

....On the day of the first opening, I waited with anticipation as my family was among the first visitors. After years I can proudly tell my children and grandchildren that I built this historical mall...

Wow! I was enchanted with this idea and moved ahead to view this magnificent creation.

As soon as we reached the first floor, we saw sign boards to aqua world and underwater zoo. We were not so keen in visiting the place but gave in for a good time for little Shreya. The aquarium in the Dubai Mall is in the Guinness records as the largest single acrylic panel in the world. Still it looked so small to the Sea World that we’d visited in Indonesia.

Play with a Penguin

The Underwater zoo turned to be really rewarding as we could get a good view of Penguins. Both I and Shreya got excited with them, as they started swimming according to our hand movements across the glass window. The scarcity of visitors in front of their exhibits provided us a good time too.

In front of Water Fountain

We were about to return, when we saw the signboard towards the waterfall. Thanks to the picture in my cousin’s Facebook profile, I realized the beauty that the place might hold for us.  It was true! The huge fountain has adorned with shapes of human figures floating downwards. We stood in silence in front of the mountain for a long time.

As we got out of the Dubai mall, we realized that we hadn’t even seen a bit of it. The time was late and we dropped our plan to go above Bhurj Khaleefa.

As we returned, the musical fountain was starting again. I just turned and looked. Here, I felt that the water fairies are dancing in praise of the wonderful creations made by human beings. These magnificent creations might be overtaken by other man made creations in the future. However, if nothing drastic happens to these architecture, I can see little Shreya and her future generation admiring the splendid view. Will she remember the time her little eyes had first set on these buildings?

Continues in Desert Safari

The World of Architectural Wonders

 Continues from Animals and the Mountain

Before I start, let me retain something. In 1999, during a visit to Thrissur, a small town in Kerala, I happened to visit the newly opened City Center. It was the biggest shopping complex I had ever seen and I was impressed! Three years later, my concept of the biggest shopping complex changed as I visited the Casablanca in Pondicherry.  Later, after three years the shopping malls in Bangalore presented me with a wide variety of shopping experience. Then I came to Riyadh, where a mall hopping itself would take a day from you. Lastly it is my chance to visit two of the largest shopping malls that I’ve ever visited-Emirates Mall and Dubai Mall.

It took us only five minutes’ walk from our hosts’ house to the Emirates Mall. We had earlier drove around the mall and even wondered about its vastness.  On Saturday, we’d even taken a short cut to the opposite side through the parking area.

We and my cousin had agreed to meet in front of the famous ski world in the mall. As we walked towards the ski world, I started feeling out of crowd. All the people who passed us looked extremely young and elegantly dressed in latest fashion. I felt so old in my jeans and casual T-shirt. Well, this is the mall that houses the famous fashion stores around the world. So, what else should I expect?

Skii Dubai

We lingered near the ski World for a few minutes. We were in double mind as to enter the area. Our dilemma got solved by an assistant who mentioned that children under three years are not allowed inside. So, in excuse for little Shreya, we came out of the place.

We started loitering around the mall. It was such a treat for me to chit chat carelessly and to walk without ‘Abhaya,’ after a long time. We passed many fashion stores with exclusive window shopping. While reaching near the bookstore ‘Borders,’ we saw the board “Sales.” Many books were being sold out for just 10AED and soon we had our share too.

Our legs started failing us at this point. A hot cup of coffee soon relieved us. We had spent almost four hours in the mall and decided to return. Then, Sreejith pointed out something to me. The first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is getting released after two days. I won’t be here on that day. I felt a sting-This time I’ll miss it! I who always made such a hype on harry Potter releases won’t be there to watch it in the first week. Anyway, I’ll be back in Bangalore by time to watch it in my favorite PVR.

From Emirates mall, we headed to the famous Jumeirah Walk. The sun was setting down as we reached there. As our car passed along the long walk, I tried to look at the people who relax out there. There are families getting together; solitary persons with a book, cigarette or drink; two friends chatting animatedly; a group with people in each of their worlds; couples exchanging romantic moments; Kids' groups... So many faces of life in a single location!

Continues in Bhurj Khaleefa and Dubai Mall

Animals and the Mountain!

Continues from Palm Jumeirah

We were not so particularly enthusiastic to visit Al-Ain wildlife Park and Resort located at the outskirts of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. However it was strongly recommended to us by our hosts as it might interest Shreya. 

The travel to Al Ain from Dubai was so tedious. Our GPS navigator took us through some routes where we got entirely lost. Once again, sign posts and intuition came to our rescue

.

It was about noon as we reached Al Ain. When I saw the scorching sun outside, I felt like watching the wildlife Park and Resort only from the reception counter itself. However little Shreya got enthusiastic and we had no other option than to walk.

Al Ain is an open wildlife park, where animals walk freely in a vast area. They are not in a cage but in man made habitat for them. The 400-hectare (988-acre) wildlife park had opened in 1969 and is now house for many endangered species. As we’d stood near the sign post we wondered on which direction to take! There is a reptile house, bird sanctuary, Big Cat house, Nocturnal home, monkey compounds and aquarium. Further, there are animals from all around the world.

It was then we spotted the zebra train. Marked in black and white lines, the train took us for a free safari in the wildlife park. The train journey was so short but, we could grasp a glimpse of the wildlife park. We decided walk!

Addax

Little Shreya was so enthusiastic than us and she guided us to each of the animal habitats. It was so tiring for me to walk long distances, but I kept pace with her. However it was a treat for me to watch the bath of the white tiger and the bird house. Also it was quite a scene when the desert antelope Addax posed like the ’Great Prince of Forest’ in Bambi.

A lady stopped us as we got out from the bird house. She was so enthusiastic to describe the details of the Arabian leopard in the habitat before us. My first instinct was to avoid her in suspicion that she is trying to mint some fees for us. However, thanks to the consent of Sreejith, she started her narration.

Arabian Leopard

The Arabian Leopard in the habitat, whom we’d mistaken to be a cub, was actually a grown up leopard. They will grow to a maximum weight of 30 kg (66 lb) and are much smaller than its contemporaries in the world. They are basically solitary animals who come together only to mate. They live basically in mountains and hunt on small animals. We were somewhat shocked to hear that we are seeing one among the last 200 Arabian leopards in the world.

The lady stopped her passionate narration telling that they are trying to find a female mate for the one in front of us. I doubted that she is planning to ask some donation for that venture. But she got into her zoo cab and waved us good bye. 

We came out of the wildlife park by 5p.m that is after getting into it before three hours.  We should have got into the park by early evening so that we could have enjoyed the wildlife park without much tiredness. We were planning to return, when we remembered another place suggested by our host-Jebel Hafeet Mountain.

We were actually in double mind to go to this place. However our passion for heights, took us to the road towards mountain. We would’ve definitely missed one of the panoramic scenes, if had opted otherwise. 

A view of Jebel Hafeet Mountain

Elevated to the height of 4,068 ft (1,240 m) the mountain offers a stunning view of the city. It was getting dark as we started our drive towards the top. However we got a chance to stop at the Emergency Stop spot and took a snapshot.

It was really dark within the time we passed the 12 kilometres to the top. As we got out of the car, chilly wind rushed past us. We couldn’t locate much of the unfamiliar city that lied beneath us. However, the view of the city decked up with night lights was just mind-blowing. However we couldn’t spend much time there, since we weren’t prepared for the chilly weather out there.

During our drive back down we chanced to view the entrance to the unique mountain oasis resort Mercure Grand. We fought our strong desire to enter the same since we were running short of time. The drive back to Dubai was less hectic than the drive towards Al Ain. 

Tomorrow there is much more to do and the much exciting part of Dubai trip is still waiting!

Continues in The World of Architectural Wonders 

Palm Jumeirah Island-The Eighth Wonder of the World (Self-Declared)

Continues from The City of Skyscrapers

A visit to Palm Jumeirah Island was one of the must one in my Dubai travel itinerary. I’d heard so much about this self declared eighth wonder of the world and was once lucky enough to get a glimpse of it from the plane. However as we drove through the trunk of the palm island, I didn’t get the feeling that I am driving through a man-made island. On and off we could locate the tip of fond.  In any way, we couldn’t help marveling the drive to the crescent through the sub sea tunnel. Even a claustrophobic like me would stop worrying in this tunnel.

The Palm Island again is a signature for Dubai’s craze for architectural profligacy. The island mainly consists of signature villas, garden homes and Canal Cove town homes. Our host updated that the price of these apartments and flats had considerably fallen down after the recession. It seems these villas are easily accessible for even the upper middle class in the Indian society. However, apart from being a sightseeing location, Palm Island has lost its charm in many ways. (Here I remember hearing a rumor about Bollywood celebrities like Aishwarya Rai, Sharukh Khan & many more, who rushed to purchase villas in this island!)

As I had mentioned before, when you are in Palm Jumeirah Island, you won’t get the feel that you are walking on palm leaf shaped architecture. If you are particular to have an aerial view of the Palm Island, there are hot air balloons centers to take you for the tour.

In front of Atlantis

We stopped our car in front of the luxury hotel Atlantis. The five star hotel seems to offer a breathtaking view of the Island. The room rate starts from 1450AED (as per the present day) and there are people who stay one night at the hotel, just for the heck of it. Situated on 113 acres, the hotel comprises of a 42 acre water park, Zigguret, 11 acre Dolphin bay and an exotic underwater world. After taking a few snaps in front of the hotel, we drove to the edge of the crescent. The place was almost deserted where we can calmly enjoy the beauty of Palm Jumeirah.

A view from Marina Walk

We drove back via media city and reached Marina Walk. Luxurious yachts boasted the luxury of the place as soon as we entered into the walk. A new building in a crazy twisted shape is under construction at the opposite side of the walk. There is only one word that can attribute from my perception of the place-cozily posh! This is the apt place to enjoy a lazy evening in the posh Dubai.

We reached home back by early as 8p.m. There is an exciting day waiting for us tomorrow. As I was putting Shreya to bed, I couldn’t help thinking-Oh My God! There is so much money in this world. Dubai seems to give birth to an architectural wonder on each day. When so many babies go hungry each night, people do find time to waste money like this. 

(I admit that this is a finicky thought from the mind of person who spent the early years of life in a poor village in India. Please excuse me for not understanding the value of these architectural wonders.)

Continues in Animals and the Mountain 

The City Of Skyscrapers

 Continues from A Drive through the Heart of the Desert

The sun was so bright when we woke up in the first morning at Dubai. It was as if we just closed the eyes and opened again into daylight. Here, our host had planned the day ahead for us.

In front of Burj Al Arab

Our first visit was to the extravagant architecture of Burj al Arab. Located on a sea reclaimed island out from Jumeirah beach, the fourth tallest hotel in the world is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. Its iconic structure is in the shape of a sailing ship, attributing the names “Arab Tower” and Arab Sail” for it. The book shaped projection from the building constitutes the dining area for its guests. However, in my opinion, the landing for helipad at the front of the hotel might save the grandeur from the evil eyes.More

The purse constrained us from entering the hotel.  So, we decided to take our next stroll to the beach near Burj Al Arab. We hadn’t planned to get into the sea. However the green and clean water was so enticing. Sayan and Shreya, the kids in our company, started getting uncontrollable with the sight of the water.

Shreya at the beach near Burj Al Arab

The beach was crowded with foreigners. The security guards were patrolling every now and then. It seems, sightseeing for bachelors is not allowed in this area. Also, most of the visitors to this beach are families who abide to the rules of swimming. It was very much unlike any of the beaches I’ve seen so far. The only thorn in this beach is the attack from Jelly fishes that can be mortal.

The afternoon sun was getting hot as we returned from the beach. During our drive back home I could see women driving, shopping and getting out together for shopping etc. All of a sudden I started craving for this freedom. I missed my friends at Bangalore, our shopping spree, my working hours and much more.

 Well, before igniting my aspirations further we reached back home and after a delicious lunch, I lapsed into a nap.

Continues in Palm Jumeirah Island

A Drive through the Heart of the Desserts

Dubai, the city of –skyscrapers, vivid cultures, shopping malls, clubs, pubs, wonderful nightlife, beautiful sandy beaches, relaxing walks, historical locations, exclusive souks and many more- had never fascinated me as a destination.  Therefore, I started my journey from Riyadh to Dubai, only as a way to pass out the sleepy Hajj holidays. I had never imagined the wonders that the place would hold for me.

The early winter morning breeze of Riyadh was getting cooler as we started our journey. The familiar roads of Riyadh and Al-Kharj started to pass out from our map within two hours of our journey. The road from Al Kharj to Batha border is a two liner one and mostly covered with long trucks. However, it was really a good drive as the truck drivers moved us ahead with signal lights and hand signals in the narrow road. Though there were many trucks, they never lowered our speed. The annoyance for trucks, inflicted in mind by the Bangalore truck drivers, ameliorated considerably during this journey.

The landscape was changing as each kilometer passed. Soon we were getting the signal posts of ‘Sand Dunes’ and ‘Camel Crossing.’ The desert on each side looked like untouched layers of butter. As I looked closely, I could spot large pits also among these sands. We were not tormented much by the scorching sun of the desert, since we were mesmerized by these beautiful scenes witnessing for the first time.

A wave of golden sand danced in the road before us. The mirage of a vibrating and silvery lake started to stretch before us at a constant distance. As the car sped up through these desert roads, I remembered Marina Nemat’s description of deserts in Prisoner Of Tehran

A view of desert

“I realized how the quiet the desert was without the constant hum of the car. B y the sea, even on a calmer day, one could always hear the murmur of the water, and in a forest, even if all the animals had chosen not to make the sound, one could hear the leaves brushing against each other.”(p.263)

Ever since I read this description, I had a longing to feel this silence in a desert. I can’t feel the silence, now since we are on a busy road.  It is then that Sreejith told me about the empty sockets. These are tricky places in the desserts, where even the natives can get lost. However, in the present day of technology, people explore the places with compass and direction maps. He also told about his colleague who had camped in the dessert last year and had a fabulous experience.

I was just expressing my desire to camp like that. As if to prompt me for that, two-three GMCs passed us with full of camping tents, water cans and other camping equipments on its top. (They must have passed earlier also. But I noticed them only then.) Sreejith got tensed a little.

         “We are going to make it late. I can see that there is a long queue at the border.”

Yes, we were reaching the border of K.S.A (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and U.A.E (United Arab Emirates). Shreya who was fast asleep with motion sickness woke up as the car sped down. 

The border between K.S.A and U.A.E is called Batha. This is where we take the ‘visa on arrival.’ Most of the Saudis like us stop at the petrol station before the border to fill the fuel.  After a few kilometres, the price of petrol will be thrice than that in the holy land of Muslims. 

When men in our gang waited with the cars in the long queue, we paid a visit to the restrooms. East or West, North or south, public toilets in Asian countries seem to be a nightmare as always!

It is after getting out of the Petrol station that we hit on to the first stone in our travel. The traffic block! It was a time just after the Salah and we are caught in the tiring queue to reach the border. The car started to take a slow pace here. As we entered the visa office, I actually felt like going back. It seemed that the whole Saudi is planning to visit U.A.E during these Hajj holidays.

The visa processing took almost an hour to complete. Though there were not any accurate instructions, we somehow managed to get into the queue after filling the applications and retina scanning! As we waited patiently for the sleepy officers to check our documents, I couldn’t help thinking-We, who rush and complain for even small procedures in India, can actually be patient and accommodating under circumstances

Sand Dunes signal before Batha

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We were at such a relief while getting the visa after a long process of five hours. The sunset in the desert that I had wished to watch was over! It was getting dark and the scenes were fading. By 6p.m darkness enveloped the desert and started to make the journey monotonous.

By that time, hunger started to nag our stomachs. We stopped at a truck station on the way and gulped our lunch and dinner. All were having the same thought in mind-to reach Dubai as early as possible! Moreover, from now onwards we have to rely entirely on the GPS.

Now, it was time to drive according to the directions of the GPS. We reached Abu Dhabi and soon realized that we are heading to the heart of the city than to Dubai. The GPS was constantly giving us instructions to take ‘Roundabouts’ and soon we started to drive according to sign posts and our instincts. Though this was confusing, we could also find time to enjoy a glimpse of the city decked up for the upcoming F1.

After passing a magnificent building at Abu Dhabi that looked like a palace, we finally got into the straight road to Dubai. Now, all of us were so relieved. After a drive of one hour, we started to reach the outskirts of exuberant Dubai. The first view was so rejuvenating. All of a sudden I felt that I am back at Bangalore. The truth is that a glimpse of Dubai is as much of Bangalore. I’d seen just the tip of an iceberg.

We corrected our watches ahead for an hour. Here we separated from our travel partners. Even in the late hours of night, our hosts were waiting for us. After a hot shower and hearty chat, we hit the bed.

Continues in The City of Skyscrapers