Reminiscing...

I have never been a hardcore traveler and for me traveling has always been something as a stress buster, not that right now I am into something which takes away 100% of my energy (yet you always want to feel that you need rest), and thus when I travel, I want to do it like a queen and never for once try not to experience the real essence of traveling i.e. the adventurous kind. But given the kind of money that I am being paid, not always it is possible to have the ultimate 'queen like and grand' way of living, and my endeavor has often taken me to the opposite side to my chosen one.

          Allowing myself to go for my first field work (but mainly just to see a new place), I chose Masulipatnam or Machalipatnam, at the Andhra coast and also because I was accompanying one of my good friend for the trip, who was accidentally going for much serious reasons, I just couldn't help myself. Living in South India for the last 5 yrs (4yrs in Hyderabad and now in Bengaluru), more than the IRCTC, the bus services enamored me more. Believe me, you can practically go anywhere through the buses, and these buses run in formidable speed, that you can't imagine. The seats of course won't recline and you have to push like an elephant and finally would just shift an inch - and most definitely the A.C. will stop working in the middle of the night. Most importantly, you have to enjoy South Indian films. That is compulsory. You will get to see the most extraordinary and colorful south Indian films that is possible. I remember my own experience of watching 'Dogaru,' (Sorry if I am getting the spelling wrong), and how wonderful it had been. The mere sight of Mahesh Babu, just set my heart pumping fast and how enthusiastically most of the passengers in that bus, had their eyes wide open and gulping down every move of Mr. Babu. I was also one of them (smirked). But most definitely an i-pod is a must. Make sure you have all the catchiest and the funkiest numbers, which you in any normal situation won't even give it a single try. Mine had the worst of the Hindi songs, some finely tuned Bengali numbers and Enrique Iglesias (don't know exactly which adjective to use). So I remember this situation once when I was traveling to Chennai, in one of these chariots, I met this absolutely weird soul, who did not have an wandering eye, but nonetheless chose to have a blank stare at me, through out his journey. And when I say this, I literally mean the whole 8 hours journey in the night. Whenever I woke up I found this man and his fixed glance on me. He would have been perfect to guard Rabindranth Tagore's noble prize, which has very grandly left the building. I was hesitant to even move my leg. I wondered what he was thinking, and somehow he never seemed to me one of those maniacs. After much struggle, I could gather that may be...may be..he sleeps with his eyes open. I mean, after spending 3 yrs in research, I totally can't refute the idea as we are taught in every step that 'impossible' means i-m-possible. Big problem for his wife! I won't say I get absolutely disturbed and feel utter insecure as a woman traveling alone. Such characters intrigue me and I like to remember them with curiosity and wonder how their lives might be. After all, who am I to judge.

         So Masulipatnam journey did not give me any such honors. Luckily, SRS travels was good enough to reach Vijaywada right at the crack of dawn, from which our second phase of journey was about to begin to our final destination. So feeling as drop dead adventurous, we boarded a local bus, squeezed myself in through the small entrance and managed a seat - probably best to say just the corner of the seat. I smiled looking around me. What I saw was this whole crowd of people, with so many different expressions in their face. Everyone had some kind of expectations some kind of hope, and that was so evident from their faces. I saw this particular child, who was counting coins with concentration. There was one woman who was adorned in every kind of jewelry and the most garish colored  saree that i have ever seen. There was satisfaction in her face, where she most definitely thinks herself to be Aishwariya Rai in her own eyes. I simply loved her confidence. I can  say that, that one bus might just be called an agglomeration of all the emotions of the world. There, I looked as the outsider, with my urban attitude and body language. I felt as if entering in a whole new hemisphere, which was so far away from me, yet so near. It is always advisable not to experiment with clothes when you are in a trip like this. Keep it simple and comfortable, and please do not try to be a style icon, as no one really cares. I think a pair of jeans, t- shirts, kurta and pyjama and most importantly sunscreen lotion - and off you go !!

             Masulipatnam is not Goa. Its not like every city on the Indian coast, needs to be so. There are no shopping malls, no dirty foreigners with 24/7 smoke around them or any pan Indian feeling. The place has its own heart, a very beautiful one, with people who gives it a different essence. I have never been to any small town in South India and Masulipatnam was my first attempt, and I can say it was worth. It does not have any scenic beauty of Switzerland, but you can feel the warmth that the city depicts. If I have to give proper factual data about this place then it is a city and District Head Quarters of the Krishna District, AP and is around 347 Kms from Hyderabad. We landed up in a small but comforting place, and was looking forward for the coming 3 days and 2 nights over there. For one thing that this place will remain in my heart forever is because of its abundance in variety of fishes. If anyone, like me is a fish addict, Masulipatnam is the place for whole new surprises. I still lick my fingers when I recall those delicious fish curries that I plunge into. Simply Wooooow ! So guys, forget about food poisoning, forget about cleanliness, pour your heart out and just eat. There are no specific restaurants to name, each and every place, big or small, has its own life.

       I was awe struck when I came to know from the locals, that Masulipatnam had one of India's first cinema halls (Minerva Talkies), police station and apparently Vijaya Bank has its very first branches over there. I did not have the privilege to see the latter two, but I did see Minerva Talkies, but unfortunately at that very moment my camera left me for some other world. What caught my attention was the name of the roads as the 'Fort Road' and 'French Peta,' the explanation to which was not available, only the word of mouths, saying the proliferation of the colonial powers in those areas. Another significant feature were the number of houses in North Indian style, not to mention one mansion also, with glazed tiles, colorful glasses in the windows and frequent presence of pillars, being quite uncommon from what is generally seen in there. I had the chance of walking through the streets and enjoying every scene in right momentum. Masulipatnam was important for the colonial Britishers as one of the principle ports, where trading activities were quite ramp anent. There is nothing extra ordinary in this small city, but it will be you responsibility to find out that one single moment which you shall treasure through out. India has so much to offer us, not in terms of its metro culture or rapid up-gradation of cities to compete with the world scenario, but through these small cities, which are, even today thriving with their own beauty. My work led me to the scenic beaches of the place, and it was so so clean. Probably it will take another 50 yrs to become another Goa, but the beaches were so pristine, untouched by the human presence.  The main sea beach is approximately 15kms away from the main city of Machilipatnam, much nearer to small village called Chilkalapudi. The beach is long, broad, and pristine, with pale blonde sands. It has a natural bay with shallow waters. There is an old light house, which is still standing. You can travel to these beaches in autos and buses, and of course the main time to visit is early morning. I shall not ask you to seat there and write poetry, but it is my heartiest request to forget the useless intricacies of life at least for 5 mins, and to enjoy what the mother nature has to offer. Standing on that beach my imagination took me some 150 yrs back, where I could see hundreds of colossal colonial ships sailing through the Indian Ocean and reaching the Masulipatnam port. How grand it would have looked, with people working and mingling. Wish I was born at that time.

                      If you are fashion conscious, and even if you are not, one place you should never miss are the places for Block Printing on fabrics. It was simply amazing and astonishing to see how these beautiful clothes which we supposedly buy from places like Fab India and Prapti, get produced by so much hardship. There were men and women, elderly ones who working for like 7 to 8 hrs per day, with these beautiful blocks and fabulous colors and giving it a perfect shape. It was whole new world all together. Each have this elaborate place and very specific method of doing, and this block printing is apparently an age old practice which even today is very much a part of the fashion world. Each and every person out there had a different story to say. Each had different expectations from life. Almost in every household, the block printing factory can be found. How beautiful the colors were and the striking factor, the owners are the supposed designers for these fabrics, who happened to not to have any kind fashion degrees from any NIFTs, or NYFIs, but the results have been so far quite satisfactory.
                  My prerogative to write this blog, is not to give you a detailed account as to what I saw and what not in that place but give you a fair idea as to how much life surprises you, and how in small packages this surprises arrives. I want to entice you with the kind of experiences that I had in a small place like this, which probably I won't have in any bigger part of the world. Some of the things that I have seen can't be expressed in words but are treasured in my heart. I met some beautiful people, who are not the so -called educated, or cultured, or smart but how wonderful they live, is the thing that I loved. The fishermen I met earn probably the lowest of the wages - they have complains, but not against God for making them like that, but against 'a specific system,'  who do not allow them to enjoy the different fruits of life. I still remember this one lady I met and had asked her about her husband (her husband was present), she said in telegu, later translated to me, which says 'kya bole memsahab, hamesha daru peeke para rahta hai,' and right after that both she and her husband laughed. They are happy, in their own way, and we are no one to put forward any opinion about right and wrong. So, people, pack your bags, go to these obscure places. You may never know what awaits you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRFBkXBzEIE&feature=youtu.be.....A quick look through my lenses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfbnWTE6SeQ&feature=youtu.be...Masulipatnam Temple