Arun Rajagopal

Tuesday, 12 Dec 2006: A date with the Gods in Varanasi January 12, 2007

Woke up early to begin our tour of Varanasi aka Banaras aka Kashi (which means luminous), the oldest continuously inhabited city on Earth, supposedly founded by the Hindu deity Shiva. Navigated the narrow and winding alleys to get to the Ghats. Jostled for space with the cows. The atmosphere was very relaxing, soothing, almost felt like being surrounded by the Gods. Went to the Ghats, rented a boat for 600 Rs for a ride on the holy Ganges along the ghats. The atmosphere was filled with the scent of holy fragrance, religious chants and a breezy wind. Went to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, was amazed by its gold covered roof. As I repeated the mantras told by the priests and made an offering, I felt like on top of the world.

The boat ride was interesting. Was regaled by tales of Varanasi and the Ghats by the boatman. There is a ghat in Varanasi called Narada Ghat, where only buffaloes bathe. It seems that any couple who bathes together in that Ghat will never know peace for the rest of their lives. Even watched a bloated dead body float by, a very scary feeling. A passing boatman commented – Sab ka gathi yahi hoga (this is the fate that awaits everyone). Loved the shudh hindi / Bhojpuri dialect of people in Varanasi. Ate breakfast from a Kerala restaurant in Varanasi which has been there for over 50 years!

Visited Banaras Hindu University, famous temples in Varanasi such as Durga and Birla Temples before setting out to Sarnath where Buddha preached his first sermon. Was awed by the Dhamek Stupa, a stunning monument paying tribute to Buddhism. Visited the Japanese temple and learnt how to say Budham Saranam Gachami… in Japanese! Fed carrots to the deer at Sarnath Deer Park. Did some rail-fanning in Varanasi Railway Station, even caught some junkies sniffing glue at the outskirts of the platforms. Didn’t hang around a lot… the guys were intimidating. Got back to the Hotel, indulged in a lavish traditional Kerala Ayurvedic massage, felt like ready to take over the world. Got on the Ratnagiri Superfast at 8.45pm. Mumbai beckoned.

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Wednesday, 13 Dec 2006: Crossing India’s heartland January 12, 2007

The 1482km ride on the Ratnagiri Superfast was interesting. Was quite hassled by a drunk co-passenger who was mad at me for exchanging my berth with a German traveller. He had asked me for the same berth, but I had absent-mindedly told him no. The German dude took out his guitar and strummed on as a crowd of curious onlookers gathered around him. Indulged in idle chit-chat with Rajneesh Kumar, a medical representative working in Allahabad, and the son of a railway guard. Found pleasure in swapping tales about raunchy SMS forwards. A new day began as the double WDM2 headed train ran from North India to Central and then Western India, as I soaked in the landscapes outside. I settled into John Grisham’s first work of non-fiction – An Innocent Man – didn’t enjoy it much. Bought a joke book from Itarsi. Laughed to myself frequently and had fellow passengers wondering what had gone wrong with me. Later, had fun explaining how flash-memory based mp3 players worked to a group of street urchins who had boarded the train in the evening. We stopped at Allahabad, Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Bhusaval, Jalgaon, Manmad, Nasik Road, Igatpuri and Kalyan before reaching Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) around 11pm, after a 26 hour journey. Caught an auto rickshaw from LTT, spent some time looking for rooms, apparently most hotels were full. Finally checked into Hotel Plaza at Sion, quite expensive for its modest amenities.

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Thursday, 14 Dec 2006: Mumbai madness, Konkan respite January 12, 2007

Set out from the hotel to Mumbai CST (Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the erstwhile Victoria Terminus) on a ubiquitous Mumbai local train to see if I could get the IndRail pass finally. Was the first person at CST when the International Tourist Bureau counter opened. They didn’t have the pass for the number of days I wanted. Was asked to go Churchgate Station. Took a bus ride to Churchgate, clicked a few snaps of the BMC / BEST double decker buses on my way. Got there only to find that they didn’t have any IndRail pass.

Finally got a 3AC ticket on the 6345 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Trivandrum Netravathi Express for the same day to Kollam Junction, Kerala. Was told by the queer lady who wore two spectacles at the ticket counter that I wouldn’t make it on time for the train that was departing at 11.40am. Decided to cover Churchgate – CST – Sion – LTT in trains, and thus avoid the rush hour on the roads. Thus began a mad dash, hopping from local train to local train, before reaching LTT around 20 minutes before departure. Phew! The rides were exciting… masses of people flowing in and out of trains that went like arrows helter skelter. The crowds were pretty ok, though I desisted from boarding trains that were jam packed. Felt goose bumps when I thought these very trains – the lifelines of Mumbai – where hit by the 2006 bomb blasts.

Netravathi Express took off on time, with an Erode WDM2 at the helm. Kollam was 1734km and 30 hours away. Had to take snaps of two kids who ran alongside my coach on a parallel track, they so desperately wanted me to click them. The ride was spectacular, with fascinating landscapes and superb curves. Konkan Railway is an unbelievable experience with its lush greenery, long tunnels, imposing mountains, expansive water bodies. You can see quiet villages from the train.

The train halted at Panvel, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Madgaon, Canacona, Karwar, Bhatkal, Udupi and Kankanadi before reaching Kasaragod in Kerala next day, early morning. Went berserk with the camera taking snaps, even took a video of the Konkan Jana Shatabdi, one of the fastest trains in Konkan Railway, whiz by. All said, Konkan is a must-see for every rail-fan. See it to believe it. Experience it to enjoy it!

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Friday, 15 Dec 2006: An encounter with Bharathapuzha January 12, 2007

Nethravathi Express entered Kerala early morning. Took some good snaps of the famous Bharathapuzha River in Kerala. Listened to a fellow passenger talk about how beautiful the river was back in the years and its sad condition now. It appears that sand mining has taken the gloss off this beautiful river. He was helpful in showing me good spots to take snaps of along the way. I particularly loved this station called Vallathol Nagar which is close to Shoranur. It is an ideal location for rail photography with its curvaceous platforms. A lanky gentleman sat next to me in the coach. Came to know later that he was Tom Joseph, the captain of India’s National Volleyball team. Nethravathi buzzed through North Kerala like a bullet, before reaching Ernakulam in the afternoon, and then ran through scenic Alleppey and one of my favourite scenic spots – Thakazhi before reaching Kollam in the evening. My camera didn’t remain idle.

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Saturday, 16 Dec 2006: Rail-fanning in Cochin January 12, 2007

 Woke up early morning to catch the 4.20am Kollam – Ernakulam Passenger to Cochin. Pretty uneventful ride. Went to my bank to get my ATM card issue sorted out. Took a boat ride along the Marine Drive towards the ship yard and back. Sat down with a palmist at the Marine Drive just for the heck of it. She reeled off my past with such accuracy that I soon vanished from the scene. But, highly recommended, it’s not every day that you have a total stranger narrate the worst about you for 100 Rs! Had lunch at Bimbees, my favourite restaurant at Cochin. Got a 3AC ticket for Kollam on the 2511 Gorakhpur – Trivandrum Raptisagar Express, which has now taken the avatar of a super fast. Clicked some snaps of engines at Ernakulam Junction. Ran into a lil pup who had its leg ran over by a passing engine. A Railway Mail Service (RMS) worker picked up the howling animal from the bushes and gave it some water. The thankful beast was last seen tagging along with his new friend. Hated the journey, the coach had a stench about it, and I watched a rat hop around. The bright point in this trip was meeting a lovely IIT professor with an incredible sense of humour.

To view more snaps from Kerala, click on http://new.photos.yahoo.com/schmoozeby/
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Sunday, 17 Dec 2006: Killer Kovalam January 12, 2007

Slept most part of the day. The travel bug bit again. Goa it was. Went to Trivandrum in the afternoon with a friend to book my ticket. Hated the bus ride in KSRTC. Walked into the reservation office at Trivandrum Central Railway Station just when they closed down reservation at 2pm. Came back with the vital information that there were seats on a special train to Dadar departing next day. Went to Kovalam beach, a famous tourist attraction in God’s Own Country – Kerala and then later to the Museum and Zoo. Didn’t find Kovalam to be that interesting. More hyped than substance. Wonder how tourists can get to chill in peace on the quite small beach, with hawkers out to hassle you all the time. Loved the Zoo, got some snaps of the animals. Got really pissed at a group of visitors who threw stones at a leopard sleeping on a tree to wake it up. Felt like feeding them to the poor beast. May not have been a good idea, cuz probably they would have eaten up the leopard. Got back to Kollam by bus. Pretty quiet day otherwise, went for a Malayalam movie – Mohanlal starrer Baba Kalyani in the evening…

To view more snaps from Kerala, click on http://new.photos.yahoo.com/schmoozeby/
Type ‘Kerala’ in the ‘search tags’ field in the top right corner and click ‘Go’. To check out my wildlife snaps, type ‘fauna’.

Monday, 18 Dec 2006: Konkan, here I come! January 12, 2007

Took the early morning 6348 Mangalore Express to Trivandrum to book my ticket to Madgaon. It is always easier to get a ticket from the originating station of your train, especially on the day of your journey, at least three hours before departure. You pay a lil extra for this facility. It is called as EQ or Emergency Quota in railway parlance. Met with the guard, who is a really close friend, rode with him in his cabin. Visited the Running Bungalow, railway quarters in Trivandrum Central. Got a 3AC ticket on the 168 Trivadrum – Dadar Express Holiday Special train, thanks to his efforts. Rushed back to Kollam on the Mumbai bound 6346 Nethravathi Express, again. The guard was yet another friend, and took a ride with him in the brake van. Got back to Kollam just two hours before my train to Madgaon. Ran around to get my baggage sorted, rode on a bike at breakneck speed and reached the station just as the train bound to Dadar, Mumbai thundered onto platform no. 5.

Took quite a few snaps of my train and crossing trains on a ride that lasted 1005kms. Thought about the merits and the demerits of travelling in AC class vis-à-vis Sleeper class. It doesn’t make much sense to travel in AC especially in winter. Also, you can’t enjoy much of the scenery through the darkened windows. However, you can make most of the complimentary bedrolls and pillows, and privacy you get in the AC class. You can hang about the doors with your camera and click away to glory. Even the loos are much cleaner. However, in sleeper coaches, you can get to enjoy the scenery and click snaps from your window. And it is much cheaper, when compared to AC classes. But getting tickets in sleeper class for last minute travel can be quite a hassle.

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Tuesday, 19 Dec 2006: Schmoozeby hits Goa! January 12, 2007

Watched the sun rise, as the train sped fast over the Sharavati River on the longest bridge in Konkan Railway near Honnavar in Karnataka. Chatted up to a British family who shared my sentiments regarding Kovalam. A fellow passenger was kind enough to share ‘dope’ on Goa – what to see and where to go. Vital information which came in much handy, later! Got down the train and posed for snaps as we waited long for a train to cross us. The almost deserted train trundled into Madgaon around 11am.

Posed for a pic next to the Kalyan WDM2 with my backpack, Pepsi bottle, et al. Trudged straight into the reservation office, to book my return ticket to Kannur (Cannanore) in North Kerala. Was told that all trains were full. So took a ticket to Mangalore which is close to Kannur. Got a bike taxi outside Madgaon Station. The driver, a Keralite himself, added onto the useful knowledge accumulated on Goa. Made my travel plans on the bike. He insisted that I take notes! It was going to be North Goa. Travelled from Madgaon to Kadamba bus stand. From there to Panjim. And then decided to take life on the road as it came. The ride to Panjim was exciting. The landscape bore much semblance to Kerala. Kingfisher billboards adorned the landscape… wherever you went there was Kingfisher. A fitting tribute to Goa – the land of good times. And then there were the Hutch hoardings. Wherever you go, our network follows. Very much ironical, as my Hutch connection never worked outside Kerala. Thus, Hutch hoardings were always an eyesore. Met a lady on my bus ride from Panjim to Miramar, where I wanted to stay. She too became my ‘Goa Guide’.

Like providence would have it, I got dropped right in front of the Miramar Residency, at the Miramar beach. Checked into a cosy cottage. Had lunch and then explored Panjim in the afternoon. Took a ride on the Mandovi River in a ferry. Even indulged in some shopping. Scoured Panjim’s lanes for the famed INOX theatre. Finally discovered it and watched Kabul Express. So-So. Decided to hit Calangute next day.

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Thursday, 21 Dec 2006: Calangute comes calling… January 12, 2007

Took a morning walk along the Calangute beach. Was more crowded than Miramar. Went for my GTDC organised North Goa tour that cost 140 Rs. Visited the Shri Saptakoteshwar Temple at Narva, Mayem Lake, Mapusa, followed by the beaches of Vagator and Anjuna. Didn’t go boating in Mayem Lake, but clicked scores of snaps of a plucky herd of ducks and the flora at Mayem. Found the guide to be excellent, and learnt a lot of things on Goa from him. Loved the beach at Vagator, with its bevy of topless babes. Even ran into an ‘eight-legged bull’ and its companions.

Picked up my first dhol (drum), at a handsome price after some shameless haggling. Had a hippie look about me and I could feel the ever-present grin on my face growing wider. Got myself photographed by a Swiss ‘chocolate’ on the rocks, tried hard to get her daughter in the frame. Succeeded only in squeezing her bum in.J Anjuna has a special place in Goa’s history, as it is the first beach where the hippies landed, putting Goa on the international tourist map. Today the sea has reclaimed most of the beach and this very rocky, hazardous beach doesn’t attract visitors compared to Calangute or Vagator.

However, the Wednesday flea market in Anjuna is still alive and kicking. Go to seedy dealers on Anjuna beach if you want to gamble… and loose all you got. Decided to miss the trip to Port Aguada and got down at Calangute. Went on a dolphin watching cruise, got to see those lovely creatures toss their flippers and play hide and seek with us. Was the only one in the group to get them on film. Well, at least their fins. They can be incredibly fast… and can do without the attention. Got myself two temporary tattoos… and then visited Suiza Lobo to bid bye to Goa and have a parting shot of wine.

Calangute to Madgaon on minibus. The kind bus driver ensured that bike taxi driver didn’t take more than enough from me. Wandered into the AC Lounge at Madgaon Railway Station. Loved it… Three lady tourists were poring over the map of India. Great conversation starter – Is that the map of India? All three gave me a ‘you don’t know India on a map????’ look. Soon we were talking, even took their snap. And that’s when I came up with the not so great conversation ender – What time is your train? Never seen anybody so shocked. Apparently they had forgotten that they were to catch a train. The ladies ran for dear life. I enjoyed an expansive shower as I made myself home at the lounge. Met with two elderly couples from Jodhpur who were touring South India. They were telling how Jodhpur is such a beautiful place to visit. It seems that the water there is sweeter compared to brackish water in other parts of Rajasthan. A while later, I cut my finger while fiddling in my backpack. The two ladies swarmed over me as I sucked on the cut finger. They were kind enough to lend me Boroplus and band aid. I dozed off to sleep, after requesting the lounge attendant to wake me up in time for my train. Soon the 2619 Mumbai – Mangalore Matsyagandha Express came chugging into Platform 1 at around 1am, almost half an hour late.

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Friday, 22 Dec 2006: Mangalore Siesta January 12, 2007

Got into the Matsyagandha Express, a train that once met with a nasty accident on the Konkan Railway route a few years ago. The 437km ride promised to be uneventful, till I met a family who had inadvertently booked tickets for the previous day and realized their folly when they boarded the train. The good Samaritan in me burst forth like a blooming flower and I gave them my berth. And soon, I was trying to sleep, in container rack where they store blankets and pillows in an AC coach. Woke up early just as Matsyagandha left Udupi around 4.30am. There were like a million stars in the sky. Ok, probably a thousand? But loved the view… just amazing. Matsyagandha trundled into Mangalore around 6.30 in the morning. Took a few snaps of the Erode WDM2 being shunted, before hitting the reservation office at Mangalore Railway Station to book a ticket to Cannanore (Kannur) in Kerala. Was told by the lady at the counter that it was better to buy it from the regular ticket counter on the day of the journey. Checked into the Hotel Hindusthan. Took a well-deserved break. Watched the animation movie ‘Open Season’ at an Adlabs theatre at the hep Bharath mall in Mangalore. Did some shopping before hitting bed. MTV blaring as always.

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