The second maharajah meal was at Karim’s Restaurant ,New Delhi
.People say that late Emperor Akbar’s cook is running the restaurant . The
Mughalai experience was so delicious and memorable. Especially when a group of
south Indian girls impatiently wait for the meal after travelling for one and
half days by train and
saving up the stomach since morning for this auspicious ‘meal of the day’.We
sat there impatiently waiting for our order while we chit chatted in the only
language we were all thorough with, which is Malayalam while the people around
us stared probably wondering whether
we are eating a meal for the first time in years.
At Karim’s, Delhi
Travelling is not always as merry as they say. Delhi Connaught
Place is a spot I shall never forget . This is the
place where my friend almost got lost in the metro station. I remember how much
our adrenaline shot up at that moment. With little knowledge of the place we were in and
with our ridiculous knowledge in Hindi, for a moment we thought we are all done
here. But luckily the fate was on our side and she joined us soon to our
relief.
I didn’t know what a darga was until I visited one .The one and
only famous Ajmer Darga. What even more fascinated me is the road and crowd
that led to the place. The streets were overflowing with people, a thousand
activities taking place at a time apart from all these there were many people with special needs begging in the midst which was a very 'peculiar’ sight to
see. There were crippled people rolling on their backs as they had neither
hands nor legs. Such unpleasant sights are unusual to find in normal life even
though throughout India it is not something uncommon. Inside the darga it was very interesting to see how so
many people of different creeds and faith came there.It amazed me when the
devotees whether they be Hindu, Muslim,sikh or jain , were so preoccupied
with worshiping or doing their rituals and ceremonies that they never care for
any other activity happening around them. The place seemed to be like a Mecca
in India.
The first time I tasted Kulfi was in Jaipur. I have heard about
this delicious ice cream from some of my dear friends at school who happened to
be coming from these parts of the country. Jaipur is a large city that have a
rich history of past glories and wars. NowI know why the Indian Rajas are so
famous throughout the world. The palaces are astonishingly huge and stunning
and hats off to the masterminds who were behind those magnificent palaces and forts.
View from Amer Fort to MaotaLake,Jaipur
Marble carved ceiling in Birla Temple,
Jaipur
Jaipur shopping was a big experience. It was interesting how the
shopkeepers cunningly convince us to buy from their shops and the way they
advertise their goods… for a moment you think it is too good to be a lie. We
walked through the streets at night in the busy bazaar area , and sometimes we
had to stop for our friends who had trouble with their stomach which is usual
at times during travel. Some of us unfortunately had to spend a good amount of
their time in washrooms alone during the trip… and jokingly some of us say to
them that it was All India Toilet Trip giving special consideration to the
train toilets alone!!
Trains… even after few days coming back from the trip I could
recall the train noises and feel myself as though I am sitting in the train
while I am not…There were coolie waallas who walk to and fro with the container
in their hand for tea,coffee and soup. I never thought train travelling would
be a pleasure and nightmare at the same time. We didn’t have reserved seats at
all when we booked our tickets. That means we had to sweat a lot with our heavy
luggage and worst, two people were allotted per berth, and we were split among
many compartments along with strangers. But
the plus side was that we travelled across rivers and paddy fields and the remote
areas of central India which we could enjoy from the window and had the
pleasure of meeting fellow travellers… who gossiped about anything in their
life right from their daughter’s in-law house problems to their colleagues' heart disease.
View from Golconda Fort to the Hyderabad
city at the backdrop
Going to Ramoji film city was another tick to my bucket list.There
was a replica of Eiffel tower and TajMahal,we strolled along the Japanese
gardens, Mughal palaces,rode through European street sand what more, we were
inside an aeroplane except that it was made of thermocol!! All at the same
place in the same day!!
By the end of my travel I was struck by the stark contrast between
the southern and northern india.The country is vividly rich in culture and
tradition and one cannot help but admit the beauty of the nation.I did have a
big time talking in hindi the whole time. For the entire trip right from the
start I didn’t have any option except to talk in hindi. ‘Bhaisaab… thodakamkaro ..’ turned to be my
favourite line after my shopping experience. I wonder how many shopkeepers and
vendors had a good time laughing about the language that I managed to speak to
them. At times I could see them smile through the curve of their mouth which
means I just have blurted out a big blunder.Still when I sit back and relax in
my room I would drift myself back in to the one and only all India trip we ever
had.
By the niece
