There are several thoughts that come to mind. I'll just write them all.
Why I did it? And why solo?
Because I wanted to. The perspective that one gets is completely different. Talking is noise. It distorts your mind from perceiving. As odd as it sounds, I wanted my subconscious to perceive and absorb India. When you drive a motorcycle, all your five senses get juice - including smell and the sense of touch (you can never experience how it feels when a dragon fly slaps you on the face from inside a car). So I guess I was merely exposing my self to India -- as it is at this point of time and across its huge geography. They say one tends to spend time and effort on something that they are curious about, interested about. Let's just say, I am curious about India, its people, its past, present and future, its history, its shitholes, its mountains, its rivers, its green, its land, its smells, its air, breeze, wind. I am simply curious about it. And that's why I did it. I did it solo because I didn't want the experience to be distorted or influenced. Bhaskar would've been different but I somehow was not encouraged to do it with anyone else.
India
What I'd say is the very obvious. India is big. It has too many people, everywhere. The people are fantastic. They are pretty much the same everywhere and are very intricately connected from Ladakh to Tamilnadu -- it's very common, the fabric is the same, the quirks are similar, the tendencies, habits, attitudes are similar. The market is huge and multi-everything. Opportunity is pretty much everywhere. The southern and western states are more progressive than the northern states. You get a feeling that people are waiting for new ideas, new solutions, products -- they will use it provide you show value. Opportunities are in every sector -- the basic (manufacturing, healthcare etc.) to the evolved (art). I feel very connected to every part I've been, very connected. There's no time to wait. For India, clearly the time is now.
Final words
When I see the map of India (I've seen it countless times recently), I feel happy that I've experienced India at this point of time. There's excitement everywhere and it feels great. In the grand circle of time and space, all this doesn't matter but that doesn't matter. I'm in so much gratitude for my Bullet...it's so solid and stable, like an untiring, majestic horse. It calmly took me wherever I wanted to go.
But hasn't the ride just begun? :-)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Day 6, 7: Kanyakumari and Vivekananda Rock
As I reached Kanyakumari I knew I was badly running out on time and I would miss the sunset (sorta my goal). I saw the town and without stopping I simply drove towards the sun wherever the road took me to. It cut across the busy streets and then the road went up towards a more calmer, empty area. There I stopped and saw the sunset. I didn't see the ball but I saw golden light disappearing slowly and gently in a cool, blue night. I saw on my right Arabian sea, in front of me Indian ocean, on my left, Bay of Bengal. Man, it was amazing. I was pretty high up...the road was pretty high up and I could see water all around me. One could tell that the earth was round. It's an odd feeling to see the solid like the earth being shaped by a wavy, liquidy surface like water. But that's what it is. I can see it now if I close my eyes.
The next day, I went to yet another temple - I believe Kali temple where Kali is believed to protect us all from demons. I went to the Triveni sangam, the point where all the water bodies merge and took a dip. While taking a dip, I lost my hotel keys. I stayed in Hotel Saravana by the way. And then wasted time in waiting for the guy to come, cut the lock, get my stuff, buying them a new lock and all that.
Vivekananda Rock
This was what I started out for - the small rock island that's the end of India. I wanted to follow the path what Vivekananda took to see what happens. Bhaskar seeded this idea several years ago. He also seeded the Khardung La idea. I first heard of both these places from him.
There's a temple (again) there and a statue of a Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar (133 feet high...one foot for every verse that he composed) and a huge memorial for Vivekananda (there's a huge statue inside) and there are book stores. And there is the dhyan area. I sat and meditated for I don't know how long. It was nice and it helped me to collect and bring together my entire experience into my center. It all came together. I reflected on our country, what I want to do the years ahead, what connects everything, our people, our history, our present, our future.
Kanyakumari-Trivandrum-Kollam-Ernakulam-Paravur
This was my final stretch. I particularly find driving on Kerala's 2-lane highway pleasing. It's developed throughout...through and through...and it's busy with traffic. Hardly polluted compared to the rest of India. Very green. But narrow. I reached home to my inlaws...who were waiting outside the door worried. Both were shocked to see my face...black with soot. My FIL asked if I applied something on my face to protect myself. I smiled. He opened a bottle of beer and I sipped relaxed in now-brown-previously-white Ts and jeans and TV. I smiled.
The next day, I went to yet another temple - I believe Kali temple where Kali is believed to protect us all from demons. I went to the Triveni sangam, the point where all the water bodies merge and took a dip. While taking a dip, I lost my hotel keys. I stayed in Hotel Saravana by the way. And then wasted time in waiting for the guy to come, cut the lock, get my stuff, buying them a new lock and all that.
Vivekananda Rock
This was what I started out for - the small rock island that's the end of India. I wanted to follow the path what Vivekananda took to see what happens. Bhaskar seeded this idea several years ago. He also seeded the Khardung La idea. I first heard of both these places from him.
There's a temple (again) there and a statue of a Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar (133 feet high...one foot for every verse that he composed) and a huge memorial for Vivekananda (there's a huge statue inside) and there are book stores. And there is the dhyan area. I sat and meditated for I don't know how long. It was nice and it helped me to collect and bring together my entire experience into my center. It all came together. I reflected on our country, what I want to do the years ahead, what connects everything, our people, our history, our present, our future.
Kanyakumari-Trivandrum-Kollam-Ernakulam-Paravur
This was my final stretch. I particularly find driving on Kerala's 2-lane highway pleasing. It's developed throughout...through and through...and it's busy with traffic. Hardly polluted compared to the rest of India. Very green. But narrow. I reached home to my inlaws...who were waiting outside the door worried. Both were shocked to see my face...black with soot. My FIL asked if I applied something on my face to protect myself. I smiled. He opened a bottle of beer and I sipped relaxed in now-brown-previously-white Ts and jeans and TV. I smiled.
Day 6: Madurai - Tirunelveli - Kanyakumari
When I got up the next morning at that Hotel Vallalur in Perambalur I still worried about my Bull and its rear wheel. So I rode it around and checked. It seemed okay. I was in two minds whether to get it checked by a local mechanic and trust him or simply trust my Bullet. I chose the latter option and rode on.
I reached Madurai and was again in two minds whether to go into the city and see Meenakshi temple or simply cut away to the highway. I went in. Took some pics. The temple was all covered and being renovated. I saw a Tamil bride and groom coming out -- just married. She looked so joyous - it was nice. I took a pic. I had parked my Bull in a busy, busy street. Anyway, I took away my shoes, prayed from the outside -- more like, a hello to the Madurai Goddess. And then I started again. The sun was beaming crazy.
I can't remember my drive to Tirunelveli. I made limited stops. I think I skipped lunch to save on time. I recall I filled petrol at a gas station that had no power and the lady filled gas manually. I had to trust her 5 litres were for real.
The drive after Tirunelveli and to Kanyakumari was spectacular - particularly the last 50km. As you keep driving you do get the feeling that land is ending. I could imagine myself and my Bullet driving on a straightline towards the Indian ocean with the land mass quickly ending on either side. But you get this feeling that the land is ending because of the wind. You get blown this way and that way from either side -- that perhaps helps balancing the vehicle! Anyways, by this time I had learnt to tell the time by looking at the position of the sun (I avoid using a watch in my travels). It was around 5.30 I guessed. The sun was hiding behind huge white clouds amidst a blue sky. A little further, I saw beautiful mountains on the right. And then started the wind wanes. Wow, it started with some 20 first, then 50, then hundred and then hundreds and hundreds of wind wanes -- huge wind wanes rotating wooof, wooof, wooof to the wind. I seemed to be in some science fiction movie. Mountains with a dipping sun on the right, huge wind wanes on either side going round and round and an ending road and an ending land mass....that would all end where this part of the world ends...into the world's most majestic water bodies. Finally I reached Kanyakumari just in time for a sleeping sun. Amazingly beautiful.
These last 50 km are one of the most beautiful drives I've done ever.
I reached Madurai and was again in two minds whether to go into the city and see Meenakshi temple or simply cut away to the highway. I went in. Took some pics. The temple was all covered and being renovated. I saw a Tamil bride and groom coming out -- just married. She looked so joyous - it was nice. I took a pic. I had parked my Bull in a busy, busy street. Anyway, I took away my shoes, prayed from the outside -- more like, a hello to the Madurai Goddess. And then I started again. The sun was beaming crazy.
I can't remember my drive to Tirunelveli. I made limited stops. I think I skipped lunch to save on time. I recall I filled petrol at a gas station that had no power and the lady filled gas manually. I had to trust her 5 litres were for real.
The drive after Tirunelveli and to Kanyakumari was spectacular - particularly the last 50km. As you keep driving you do get the feeling that land is ending. I could imagine myself and my Bullet driving on a straightline towards the Indian ocean with the land mass quickly ending on either side. But you get this feeling that the land is ending because of the wind. You get blown this way and that way from either side -- that perhaps helps balancing the vehicle! Anyways, by this time I had learnt to tell the time by looking at the position of the sun (I avoid using a watch in my travels). It was around 5.30 I guessed. The sun was hiding behind huge white clouds amidst a blue sky. A little further, I saw beautiful mountains on the right. And then started the wind wanes. Wow, it started with some 20 first, then 50, then hundred and then hundreds and hundreds of wind wanes -- huge wind wanes rotating wooof, wooof, wooof to the wind. I seemed to be in some science fiction movie. Mountains with a dipping sun on the right, huge wind wanes on either side going round and round and an ending road and an ending land mass....that would all end where this part of the world ends...into the world's most majestic water bodies. Finally I reached Kanyakumari just in time for a sleeping sun. Amazingly beautiful.
These last 50 km are one of the most beautiful drives I've done ever.
Day 5: Chennai - Vellur - Perambalur
I started around 11 or noon. Got out of Chennai city quite easily and got on the highway. Little did I know that this would yet again be a difficult riding day. The body and motorcycle were a little tired.
I think I skipped lunch because I wanted to make time. It rained on and off. Somewhere along the way I met some students from an engineering college in Chennai. We chatted. They told me they were going for their "ma'am's wedding" in Perambalur, which is near Madurai. At that point, there was so much wind that my motorcycle shook a lot. At one point I thought I had a puncture -- stopped, checked, it looked okay. Then I thought my wheel alignment was messed up and as I rode I worried if my rear wheel wobbled. I stopped, checked, nothing I could see. I kept riding. As dusk fell I reached nowhere. I was somewhere in Tamilnadu...no idea where it was and it started pouring like crazy. For large parts, they closed one side of the highway and were constructing the other. So you are sharing your little highway with trucks, cars, bullock carts, cycles in front of you and coming at you. Sucks! So it became nearly impossible to drive when it got so dark and started raining like that. I saw a light and I just pulled over to the side to that shack. A family that was about to go to sleep told me to drive 3km ahead and I'd reach Perambalur.
I did and what a relief it was to see city lights or city-type lights. Some civilization. I could get some food. I had an amusing conversation with the guy in the hotel. I tried to converse in Hindi, English...he didn't nod or understand. The conversation went like this, "Hindi? English? Telugu? Kannada?" He grinned widely, "only Tamil" and did his two thumbs up. wtf?! "Ok, can I get a menu?" "Enna?" "Menu? Dinner?" I curved my fingers to indicate food. "Oh, chapati, parota, kurma" "Great, I want Chapati and some vegetable curry" "Kurma" "Ok, vegetarian kurma" "Mutton or chicken?" "Huh, vegetarian, vegetarian.." "ok kurma only"
Man, I ate, watched half-naked women on Fashion TV - I desperately needed respite from the other Tamil cartoon network channel, ate my chapati and kurma and slept.
I think I skipped lunch because I wanted to make time. It rained on and off. Somewhere along the way I met some students from an engineering college in Chennai. We chatted. They told me they were going for their "ma'am's wedding" in Perambalur, which is near Madurai. At that point, there was so much wind that my motorcycle shook a lot. At one point I thought I had a puncture -- stopped, checked, it looked okay. Then I thought my wheel alignment was messed up and as I rode I worried if my rear wheel wobbled. I stopped, checked, nothing I could see. I kept riding. As dusk fell I reached nowhere. I was somewhere in Tamilnadu...no idea where it was and it started pouring like crazy. For large parts, they closed one side of the highway and were constructing the other. So you are sharing your little highway with trucks, cars, bullock carts, cycles in front of you and coming at you. Sucks! So it became nearly impossible to drive when it got so dark and started raining like that. I saw a light and I just pulled over to the side to that shack. A family that was about to go to sleep told me to drive 3km ahead and I'd reach Perambalur.
I did and what a relief it was to see city lights or city-type lights. Some civilization. I could get some food. I had an amusing conversation with the guy in the hotel. I tried to converse in Hindi, English...he didn't nod or understand. The conversation went like this, "Hindi? English? Telugu? Kannada?" He grinned widely, "only Tamil" and did his two thumbs up. wtf?! "Ok, can I get a menu?" "Enna?" "Menu? Dinner?" I curved my fingers to indicate food. "Oh, chapati, parota, kurma" "Great, I want Chapati and some vegetable curry" "Kurma" "Ok, vegetarian kurma" "Mutton or chicken?" "Huh, vegetarian, vegetarian.." "ok kurma only"
Man, I ate, watched half-naked women on Fashion TV - I desperately needed respite from the other Tamil cartoon network channel, ate my chapati and kurma and slept.
Day 4: Krishnagiri - Sriperambudur - Chennai
It's a beautiful highway Krishnagiri to Chennai. Nice views, clean roads, green, green, green. I stopped at Sriperambudur to see Rajiv Gandhi's memorial. It was surprisingly magnificent...it's right at the spot where he was blown to pieces by a terrorist LTTE bomber several years ago. It's a different spot now...nicely maintained lawns, stone sculptures, a huge India flag...it looks nice.
I ate a cucumber outside the place, surprised my dad (he wasn't sure whether I'd come or not), took directions for home. My mom was waiting for the gas-guy and I turned up and she was mighty surprised.
It was nice to be home. I rested. My clothes got washed and dried. Home food. Puja the next morning. Caught up on work phone calls. The plan was to leave the next day to Madurai.
I ate a cucumber outside the place, surprised my dad (he wasn't sure whether I'd come or not), took directions for home. My mom was waiting for the gas-guy and I turned up and she was mighty surprised.
It was nice to be home. I rested. My clothes got washed and dried. Home food. Puja the next morning. Caught up on work phone calls. The plan was to leave the next day to Madurai.
Day 3: Hampi - Chitradurga - Tumkur - Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri
I got up early at the Deva lodge in Hampi, got ready and avoided the city traffic in Hospet. I ate breakfast at a local cart near the bank's ATM where I stopped -- ate guntha ponganalu -- you make it with Idli flour...it was yum.
The drive from Hospet to Chitradurga is horrible. Guess this was day of difficult riding and bad roads. The bigger NH4 starts at Chitradurga but the highway to Chitradurga is full of potholes, unexpected bumps, speedbreakers, mud, trucks, dust, soot...At one point you drive with the Tungabhadra reservoir on your right...it's there for awhile and then it's all road. Too many trucks.
Chitradurga-Tumkur-Bangalore is one simple, smooth ride. I ate at Kamat's in Tumkur. Was surprised to see a Coffee Day on the highway. I called Ramesh from Tumkur but he couldn't meet and suggested that I take the "Nice Road" or the outer Ring Rd in Bangalore and avoid coming to the city altogether. That's was very good advice. So I took this nice road but it rained and rained and rained on this road. I rode in the rain for awhile and then it got just too difficult. I stopped under a flyover. Made a few phone calls and started to head towards Tamilnadu. There's a point when this Ring Road ends and joins the city before connecting to Hosur Road. That point is muddly, slushy and maha dangerous...it was worse than the road from Manali to Leh...where it's all slushy and the motorcycle could easily, easily skid. I saw a truck stuck between two points...its back and front wheel hanging on the ground and its rear wheels just stuck in between. Horrible...I wondered what B'lore was doing.
The drive to Hosur is filled with traffic, pollution, dust and heat. Bad. After Hosur, the real Tamil Nadu starts. And the state is a beauty. I had different impressions of TN before this ride and it all changed after driving through TN -- it's a cool, pleasant, green state with proud people and a deeply embedded culture. I reached Krishnagiri - surprisingly a town full of Telugu people and stayed at the cleanest lodge in my journey - Amaravathy. I searched for a cyber cafe and did some work that I had to do. Then I ate at Annapoorna - I ate set dosa I remember. Real yum. I was in a daze of travel by then forgetting where I started, what I covered, where I was going...I get into this zone...where I pause my brain and just drive.
Across Amaravathy, I saw a sign to Chennai and then to Salem. I was supposed to go to Salem. A phone call with my dad and then that sign changed my plans -- yet again. I also had a bad head ache that night and I decided that I'd do what I feel like the next morning. I felt a lot better after getting a good night's sleep -- I head to Chennai...250km from there...to spend time with my parents and be with them for Ganapathy festival.
The drive from Hospet to Chitradurga is horrible. Guess this was day of difficult riding and bad roads. The bigger NH4 starts at Chitradurga but the highway to Chitradurga is full of potholes, unexpected bumps, speedbreakers, mud, trucks, dust, soot...At one point you drive with the Tungabhadra reservoir on your right...it's there for awhile and then it's all road. Too many trucks.
Chitradurga-Tumkur-Bangalore is one simple, smooth ride. I ate at Kamat's in Tumkur. Was surprised to see a Coffee Day on the highway. I called Ramesh from Tumkur but he couldn't meet and suggested that I take the "Nice Road" or the outer Ring Rd in Bangalore and avoid coming to the city altogether. That's was very good advice. So I took this nice road but it rained and rained and rained on this road. I rode in the rain for awhile and then it got just too difficult. I stopped under a flyover. Made a few phone calls and started to head towards Tamilnadu. There's a point when this Ring Road ends and joins the city before connecting to Hosur Road. That point is muddly, slushy and maha dangerous...it was worse than the road from Manali to Leh...where it's all slushy and the motorcycle could easily, easily skid. I saw a truck stuck between two points...its back and front wheel hanging on the ground and its rear wheels just stuck in between. Horrible...I wondered what B'lore was doing.
The drive to Hosur is filled with traffic, pollution, dust and heat. Bad. After Hosur, the real Tamil Nadu starts. And the state is a beauty. I had different impressions of TN before this ride and it all changed after driving through TN -- it's a cool, pleasant, green state with proud people and a deeply embedded culture. I reached Krishnagiri - surprisingly a town full of Telugu people and stayed at the cleanest lodge in my journey - Amaravathy. I searched for a cyber cafe and did some work that I had to do. Then I ate at Annapoorna - I ate set dosa I remember. Real yum. I was in a daze of travel by then forgetting where I started, what I covered, where I was going...I get into this zone...where I pause my brain and just drive.
Across Amaravathy, I saw a sign to Chennai and then to Salem. I was supposed to go to Salem. A phone call with my dad and then that sign changed my plans -- yet again. I also had a bad head ache that night and I decided that I'd do what I feel like the next morning. I felt a lot better after getting a good night's sleep -- I head to Chennai...250km from there...to spend time with my parents and be with them for Ganapathy festival.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Day 2: Thoughts in and of Hampi
Hampi was the seat of the Vijayanagara dynasty that grew to prominence and flourished some 500-600 years ago and suddenly vanished around 1565 AD. It's the seat of the golden period of a Telugu empire and I recalled I studied about Hampi in my Telugu language books in school. The story goes that a group of priests saw a rabbit chasing a mongrel after being chased by the latter and felt that this land breeds fearlessness and a kingdom must be built here. They advised the brothers Akka, Bukka who founded the Vijayanagara dynasty. The empire's golden period was during the reign of Krishnadevaraya who expanded the kingdom and enhanced/ built some 2,000 temples. The power started weakening after Krishnadevaraya's time and finally Bahamani Sultans from the south planned, defeated and destroyed the empire and brought it to ruins, Hampi's current state.
When you walk around Hampi...you catch a whiff of this magical time in history. You feel transported somewhere else. It's all stone everywhere. All ruins. Several beautiful, unbelievable temples...all in ruins. Bats flying round and round in dark interiors of old temple walls. Lines and lines of markets made of stone of a forgotten past - that sold spices, precious stones and the like...Not so long ago in earth's history or even India's history, this place was alive, bustling with activity. The scale of the number of ruins is a lot...2,000 is a lot.
Hampi with its rocks had the power to bring one to the present moment, commanding one's full attention. It takes you away from wherever you are in your mind and makes you grounded. The Vittaleshwara temple with its pillars that make different musical sounds when you strike them, the stone chariot, the huge balance, the flowing Tungabhadra river, the elephant, the belly-less Ganesha, the 22 foot Narasimha swamy idol, the huge athletic playground, the queen's mahal, the plans for security....It all hits you when you are standing amidst them. You feel a sense of loss and emptiness. A feeling like whatever you may do does it matter because this is the end of the end. You can stand there and imagine a king walking around, climbing steps, you can imagine merchants selling, people buying, you can imagine queens and her maids sitting amidst guarding soldiers and enjoying a dance, you can imagine Krishnadevaraya planning improvements on temples, deciding on the architecture of several structures...you can imagine all this and then suddenly, it's all just gone. A speck of dust in the sands of time.
When you walk around Hampi...you catch a whiff of this magical time in history. You feel transported somewhere else. It's all stone everywhere. All ruins. Several beautiful, unbelievable temples...all in ruins. Bats flying round and round in dark interiors of old temple walls. Lines and lines of markets made of stone of a forgotten past - that sold spices, precious stones and the like...Not so long ago in earth's history or even India's history, this place was alive, bustling with activity. The scale of the number of ruins is a lot...2,000 is a lot.
Hampi with its rocks had the power to bring one to the present moment, commanding one's full attention. It takes you away from wherever you are in your mind and makes you grounded. The Vittaleshwara temple with its pillars that make different musical sounds when you strike them, the stone chariot, the huge balance, the flowing Tungabhadra river, the elephant, the belly-less Ganesha, the 22 foot Narasimha swamy idol, the huge athletic playground, the queen's mahal, the plans for security....It all hits you when you are standing amidst them. You feel a sense of loss and emptiness. A feeling like whatever you may do does it matter because this is the end of the end. You can stand there and imagine a king walking around, climbing steps, you can imagine merchants selling, people buying, you can imagine queens and her maids sitting amidst guarding soldiers and enjoying a dance, you can imagine Krishnadevaraya planning improvements on temples, deciding on the architecture of several structures...you can imagine all this and then suddenly, it's all just gone. A speck of dust in the sands of time.
Day 2: Belgaum - Darwad - Hubli - Gadag - Hospet - Hampi
I was happy to get up and get out of Nipani. NH4, the Mumbai-Bangalore highway is a beauty. So beautiful on the Karnataka side with flowers lined up in the middle. Clean. Wide. No potholes. The drive was amazing. It's dotted with green villages. The oxygen does so much good. When you drive with your hands wrapped on the motorcycle handle, wind gushing on your face, looking at green, bright green all over, a gentle sun still slowing getting higher up in the sky and then you take a deep breath -- wow, it's so clean, so refreshing. Your chest fills up.
I stopped for breakfast at a shack at a village along the way. Enjoyed nice upma, idli and a great conversation with folks there. When they asked, I told them I was going to Bangalore and they were surprised...why would you want to drive? One boy, I get so bored driving 40km, how can you drive so long? The owner of that restaurant shack was a great cook. As I prepared to start the Bull, a local man stopped me and wanted to chat and take a look at my maps. I casually inquired how far Hampi was and he said something...I think 4-5 hours or so.
Somewhere around Darwad or on the way, I kept chewing on Hampi. I've always wanted to see it. The idea was seeded in Ladakh when I met a Brazilian guy who always earned enough to escape to India and would spend time in Ladakh and Hampi. I wanted to see it. So when the sign for Hospet showed up, I didn't think much, I quickly took a deviation like I did with Wai and went off to Hampi.
As is my habit, I forget something or the other (that morning I forgot my helmet in Nipani)...I forgot the camera's memory stick. I was looking for a reasonably sized town/ city to buy one. That city was Hubli.
I was impressed with Hubli. It was clean, people were nice. It had all the amenities of an old Pune or old Bangalore or Mangalore without the pollution or the traffic. I stopped at a Sony showroom and quite easily bought the memory stick. The kids in the shop were amused that I was headed to Hampi. They asked, "How do you manage for food?" "Fuel?" "What's the average?" "Where do you sleep?" :)
The road to Hampi is one of those smaller highways. A little boring drive I must say. A little dry too if I recall. Hospet to Hampi is horrible if you drive through the city. The most painful part of this region is the number of unpainted speedbreakers you come across...I seriously think I went over 75-80 speed breakers to get to Hampi. You can't even see them. Anyways I reached Hampi by 2PM. Sticky with sweat and a little tired. Hampi deserves another entry.
I stopped for breakfast at a shack at a village along the way. Enjoyed nice upma, idli and a great conversation with folks there. When they asked, I told them I was going to Bangalore and they were surprised...why would you want to drive? One boy, I get so bored driving 40km, how can you drive so long? The owner of that restaurant shack was a great cook. As I prepared to start the Bull, a local man stopped me and wanted to chat and take a look at my maps. I casually inquired how far Hampi was and he said something...I think 4-5 hours or so.
Somewhere around Darwad or on the way, I kept chewing on Hampi. I've always wanted to see it. The idea was seeded in Ladakh when I met a Brazilian guy who always earned enough to escape to India and would spend time in Ladakh and Hampi. I wanted to see it. So when the sign for Hospet showed up, I didn't think much, I quickly took a deviation like I did with Wai and went off to Hampi.
As is my habit, I forget something or the other (that morning I forgot my helmet in Nipani)...I forgot the camera's memory stick. I was looking for a reasonably sized town/ city to buy one. That city was Hubli.
I was impressed with Hubli. It was clean, people were nice. It had all the amenities of an old Pune or old Bangalore or Mangalore without the pollution or the traffic. I stopped at a Sony showroom and quite easily bought the memory stick. The kids in the shop were amused that I was headed to Hampi. They asked, "How do you manage for food?" "Fuel?" "What's the average?" "Where do you sleep?" :)
The road to Hampi is one of those smaller highways. A little boring drive I must say. A little dry too if I recall. Hospet to Hampi is horrible if you drive through the city. The most painful part of this region is the number of unpainted speedbreakers you come across...I seriously think I went over 75-80 speed breakers to get to Hampi. You can't even see them. Anyways I reached Hampi by 2PM. Sticky with sweat and a little tired. Hampi deserves another entry.
Day 1: Mumbai - Lonavla - Pune - Wai - Kolhapur - Nipani city
It was much later than I expected by the time I got out of Mumbai. I was keen to hit the highway. I went to the Hanuman temple near the old apartment on 18th road and did a little prayer for the Bull. Then I was off.
Oh yes, the big absurd thing was I got on to the expressway inadvertently on which motorcycles are not allowed. A man on the way stopped me and advised me to take the longer route, which I did. Then again somewhere along the way, I couldn't spot no clear road signs and got back on the expressway. I was pissed and decided lemme just figure this thing out...whatever happens. There was no way to turn back anyways. And then the expressway patrol stopped me and I explained to them, "Look I have no intention of riding on this highway. I want to get off but I don't know how." And that man helped me out...I got out, took the longer, painful highway to Pune. Near Lonavla, I kept riding with the doubt if whether I would get back on that expressway.
Stopped at Lonavla, bought chikki...which was my highway comfort food up until Chennai. I'd eat it whenever my butt ached and I was disgusted with the dust on my face and it would make me happy.
And then I got lost in Pune. Missed the bypass. Got stuck deep in the city in traffic and pollution. I felt sad for the state of inside Pune and our cities in general. These cities and their populations are bearing the brunt of development. The cars and the motor vehicles create so much heat and pollution in the city that it's unbelievable what it does to your skin and face. My skin starts burning literally. Black soot gets stuck in between the hollows of your eyes. It's sick when you wash your face.
I was happy to get out of Pune. I was keen to make time and I drove and drove. I can't remember where and what I ate. But I did recall eating. There were a few days I skipped lunch to stick to my deadlines and felt silly for keeping goals and driving per goals when I just shouldn't do that.
On the way, I took a 12km deviation when I saw the sign for Wai. On the way, it started raining crazy and I Bulleted through. Wanted to. Wai is there in Swades movie...it's the temple where lot of stuff if shot. The village however is rough...nothing like the movie. The temple was a Ganesha temple -- lovely. Kids were playing outside. Very dirty. There's a small manmade lake closeby...dirty.
I was surprised to see Kolhapur, Parashuram's district. It was very well developed. I've noticed that one of the signs of developed towns/ cities are the car showrooms on the highway -- this trend is consistent.
It was getting late and I wanted to find a hotel...and when I'd ask in some town (forget the name) for a hotel, they'd point to a restaurant. And I'd say, "sleeping hotel" and they'd respond, "you mean a lodge" and finally I ended up in Nipani city on the border and near Belgaum. It's in Karnataka but they speak more of Marathi.
I stayed in place called Pravin Lodge (my namesake) and the place was a shit hole with roaches and all. The kid there showed me a big room and insisted it's the best that one can get anywhere. He kept saying, "soo good, soo good." The quirky, angry manager got friendly only the next morning when he knew where I was going. He said, "Lot of stamina." Oh well.
Oh yes, the big absurd thing was I got on to the expressway inadvertently on which motorcycles are not allowed. A man on the way stopped me and advised me to take the longer route, which I did. Then again somewhere along the way, I couldn't spot no clear road signs and got back on the expressway. I was pissed and decided lemme just figure this thing out...whatever happens. There was no way to turn back anyways. And then the expressway patrol stopped me and I explained to them, "Look I have no intention of riding on this highway. I want to get off but I don't know how." And that man helped me out...I got out, took the longer, painful highway to Pune. Near Lonavla, I kept riding with the doubt if whether I would get back on that expressway.
Stopped at Lonavla, bought chikki...which was my highway comfort food up until Chennai. I'd eat it whenever my butt ached and I was disgusted with the dust on my face and it would make me happy.
And then I got lost in Pune. Missed the bypass. Got stuck deep in the city in traffic and pollution. I felt sad for the state of inside Pune and our cities in general. These cities and their populations are bearing the brunt of development. The cars and the motor vehicles create so much heat and pollution in the city that it's unbelievable what it does to your skin and face. My skin starts burning literally. Black soot gets stuck in between the hollows of your eyes. It's sick when you wash your face.
I was happy to get out of Pune. I was keen to make time and I drove and drove. I can't remember where and what I ate. But I did recall eating. There were a few days I skipped lunch to stick to my deadlines and felt silly for keeping goals and driving per goals when I just shouldn't do that.
On the way, I took a 12km deviation when I saw the sign for Wai. On the way, it started raining crazy and I Bulleted through. Wanted to. Wai is there in Swades movie...it's the temple where lot of stuff if shot. The village however is rough...nothing like the movie. The temple was a Ganesha temple -- lovely. Kids were playing outside. Very dirty. There's a small manmade lake closeby...dirty.
I was surprised to see Kolhapur, Parashuram's district. It was very well developed. I've noticed that one of the signs of developed towns/ cities are the car showrooms on the highway -- this trend is consistent.
It was getting late and I wanted to find a hotel...and when I'd ask in some town (forget the name) for a hotel, they'd point to a restaurant. And I'd say, "sleeping hotel" and they'd respond, "you mean a lodge" and finally I ended up in Nipani city on the border and near Belgaum. It's in Karnataka but they speak more of Marathi.
I stayed in place called Pravin Lodge (my namesake) and the place was a shit hole with roaches and all. The kid there showed me a big room and insisted it's the best that one can get anywhere. He kept saying, "soo good, soo good." The quirky, angry manager got friendly only the next morning when he knew where I was going. He said, "Lot of stamina." Oh well.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Adjusting back in Mumbai after Phase 3
It's sunday. I'm back. It's a little difficult to adjust back to city life. If I shut my mind and just keep myself involved in an activity, then I don't think about it. And then suddenly I see myself in a tube, a zone - hands wrapped on the Bull. Roads. Smells. The feeling of wind jutting on my face.
India is beautiful. I traveled 2,650km in about 6 days all across South India. It's been 3 days already since am back and my thoughts are already fading. So I'd better write and capture these fleeting memories.
The big highs in the travel were the ultimate drive to Kanyakumari -- the last 50km with hundreds of huge wind wanes going round and round in the wind. I will write about this separately. The other high was doing the whole trip easily, without effort - it really wasn't a big deal once I got it into my mind that I want to drive to Kanyakumari. And the other high was the fact that I completed Khardung La to Kanyakumari on my Bull solo. I don't care whether who else might have done it or not done it but I did it anyway when India was 60 years young. If I have to think of yet another underlying high...I have a pretty good pulse of India and our people in several states...how does is it look, how do they look, their tensions, their needs, the stages of development, differences between developed and undeveloped villages, developed and undeveloped towns and cities, the new construction, our history, our land, our grass, green, our mountains, our rivers, our oceans...I have a feel for it all and that's a big, big high.
India is beautiful. I traveled 2,650km in about 6 days all across South India. It's been 3 days already since am back and my thoughts are already fading. So I'd better write and capture these fleeting memories.
The big highs in the travel were the ultimate drive to Kanyakumari -- the last 50km with hundreds of huge wind wanes going round and round in the wind. I will write about this separately. The other high was doing the whole trip easily, without effort - it really wasn't a big deal once I got it into my mind that I want to drive to Kanyakumari. And the other high was the fact that I completed Khardung La to Kanyakumari on my Bull solo. I don't care whether who else might have done it or not done it but I did it anyway when India was 60 years young. If I have to think of yet another underlying high...I have a pretty good pulse of India and our people in several states...how does is it look, how do they look, their tensions, their needs, the stages of development, differences between developed and undeveloped villages, developed and undeveloped towns and cities, the new construction, our history, our land, our grass, green, our mountains, our rivers, our oceans...I have a feel for it all and that's a big, big high.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)