Travel with the taste

When you travel to a new place, how much food adds to your experience?

Are you eating to live OR living to eat?

If you are the latter one then I am sure apart from travelling to a exotic location one of the reasons for deciding the location must be to explore the culture and food of the place.

For me one of the major reason I travel is to experience a culture of the place, and food play a major role in understanding the ethnicity of a city. I never miss to discover the road side stalls and the street carts which might be serving the city's delicacy. Always dining in a fine restaurant might not serve you the best of what the city serves so I always look out for the street food because the best local cuisine comes out from these small street side stalls or even rich authentic cafes. I can even relate to the hill top cafes with rustic interiors serving hot maggie acts like a heaven.

Before I plan to travel to a place I make sure to learn about the famous cuisines the town offers and the best places to have it be as small as a sweet dish to some chaat or a sea food.

And it is interesting how you relate to that particular place with the food or the aroma in it or even the traditional style of preparing it even after the trip ends.

I still remember we were told to stay away and be safe with the food stalls as you don’t want to become sick while you are travelling but I really can't afford to miss out what the place has the best to offer and when it adds to my experience of the place. Street / local food is also good if you are doing the budget travelling because fine dine can even make the hole in your pockets without actually much discovering anything new about the place but these stalls would give the best of taste in the best affordable condition.

Even if you are not planning to connect the food with your travels, it somehow becomes the part of your trip and you end up asking the cab person or the hotel man to tell you what is the most famous cuisine or where you can get the best food?

I still remember the bicycle man serving misti Doi(sweet curd) and Rabdi which was the best thing to calm ourselves from the scorching sun in Shantiniketan. The town makes me remind of Bengali Cuisine. Did I say Bengali Cuisine? Yes because the resort presented authentic & traditional Bengali cuisine even for the vegetarian people like me. We were served with warm and aromatic bhaat(Rice) with Posto Bora in green lotus leaves. Before this I have never loved rice this much and I ate like it was my last meal.

When I travelled to Leh and while all the people were having the hot tea against the chills of Ladakh and Khardungla, and I was shivering and refused to have tea because I don’t really like the smell and flavor of tea and I  never had it since childhood, and then the lady offered me a traditional and their local drink named ' Kahwah' which contains saffron and cinnamon that helps to keep the body warm. And later I was mostly seen sitting by the window and sipping the same. Today even after 2 years of the trip the first thing which comes in mind with Leh is 'Kahwah' and the warmth of chills in it. I have never loved thai food but i remember a cafe in Ladakh serving thai food and their thukpa was a treat to my taste buds.

Credits: Google (Because i didn't have a better picture of it)

While you live away from home for a long time or when you need a vacation from a vacation I am sure you miss 'Ghar ka Khana' (Mommy's Kitchen) more than your bed and bathroom.

My five years of Graduation ended with knowing which part of the city serves what and where can you get the best sandwiches, cold coffee or the chai.

That is the power of food, it helps you connects with the place in the most profound way possible. Imagine a dining with the community or the friends you have and the memories it create. In the similar way it connects a particular place and the memories attached to it.

The world is full of incredible foods tempting to be eaten and they are just a road trip away or even as close as a next street. And even if you're not a foodie - well, you still have to eat, right? So why not eat a little, and make memories with the place.

Even if this concludes me as a big foodie then i don't regret being one.

Happy food travels and do share your travels with the taste ! 

In the search of answers to my Curiosity . . .

Landfill visits in Bhopal

Landfill Pilgrimage by a man from Youth Alliance - Delhi , Chennai, Bangalore and now Mumbai. Each time it happened, it arose the curiosity within me about what it really is or could it impact others so much.

To search for the answers of awakening curiosity I thought of trying myself and go on a similar trip though not being sure if I could really do it or would be able to step into it.

I asked my friend if we could go to landfills Bhopal this Sunday and his obvious response was why we need to go there , upon which I replied to search for same answer.

Google showed me that the landfills in Bhopal has been relocated from Bhanpur to Adampur Chaawani in 2014 and 3 years I thought are enough for relocation as all the newspapers told same. This morning we drove 23 KMS to Adampur Chaawani in search of landfills, asking people about the same but on reaching there we were told it is still at the same location which was 20 KMS in the opposite direction. My friend was irritated but I didn't want to go back reaching so close .

The drive in the opposite direction and we could make out by smell through a distance that we are close to the landfills. The first sight made me think about the place being called as a Landfill or dumpsite as there was no structure for trash to be seen only a vast vacant land with huge heaps of mountains of dump.

I was almost ready to trek those mountains and reach the top, but soon a man came and stopped us and said that we can't go inside without the permission from Nagar Nigam (which was suppose to shut because of Sunday). He didn't even agree for 5 minutes even after requesting for 20 minutes, may be because of the ongoing issues for relocation and he supposedly assumed us as reporters.

After all the pleading attempts in vain I just stood there for next some minutes and observe. I was shocked when the man told that it is more than 20 years old trash and how could the local bodies even think of relocating this to a new place when it is not being looked since 20 years and piles of mountains are being created.

I could only see the plastics all over the vast area and returned with numerous questions and thoughts in mind.

"Can we really do something when our smallest utility to biggest necessity is into that trash?"

'"Are we as a user really responsible for this environment that we have created or as a producer?"

With these questions in my mind i came back. 

In the Search of Abode of Peace

Shantiniketan 'March 2016

This day reminds me of last year when it was same date and my friend's birthday and a trip happened because I hate get togethers for the sake of Birthdays and Anniversary celebrations, not because I don’t like birthdays but these social occasional gatherings are so boring. School was fun because it was a day to escape regular school uniforms and dress in casual ones. Till the time I came in college I preferred escaping from the city and common people around to the place with new people and be myself.

Last year on this day we were in Calcutta and it was my friend's birthday on 6th March and I suggested to take a day off and en-route to Shantiniketan (2 hours journey from Calcutta). We heard it as a place owned by Tagore Family with his homes and Viswa Bharti University.

When asked by our colleagues and friends we were told it demands not more than a half day visit and nothing much is there. But there was something in the name of it that tempted me and so as a part of self research I asked to the ravel friend of mine about the place and she shared the details about the stay in the village and Shanibarer Haat(Market which occurs only on Saturdays and thus the name).

Incidentally birthday was falling on Sunday so we planned for the weekend. It was Saturday early afternoon when out train reached Shantiniketan, hired an auto for Shakuntala Stay in Sonajhuri Village. While Auto ride it seemed like a regular town, we passed through Tagore house, Kopai River and soon reached at our stay.

The place was located in the interiors of the village surrounded by forest. The atmosphere of the surrounding was a energy booster as we were tired due to scorching heat and Journey.

The place offered cultural and natural touch with people singing and dancing. I soon freshened up and my hungry belly couldn't wait. The interiors and aesthetics were enough to give me more tempts. 2 months already in Calcutta and I had never taste the Bengali Cuisine.

Did I say Bengali Cuisine? Yes because the resort presents authentic & traditional Bengali cuisine even for the vegetarian people like me. Soon we were served with warm and aromatic bhaat(Rice) with Posto Bora in green lotus leaves. Before this I have never loved rice this much and I ate like it was my last meal.

After waking from almost an hour sleep due to the heavy lunch, I thought we missed the Shanibarer haat so rushed outside and the whole atmosphere was spellbound. It was spread across a huge area with Baul singers, Dancers and local artisans displaying art and handifcrafts with traditional delicacies like rabdi and chaat. Baul Gaan or baul sangeet is one of the oldest type of songs with rich heritage & culture in its background. I was just lost in the beauty of it, in the music of the bauls, colours of the handicrafts, various dance forms and it seemed like the perfect blend of culture and traditions.

The Bauls were singing till late night and I couldn't really understand the words being in Bengali but the music was so powerful and pleasing. That night we were just strolling around and saw a light from distant. Moving towards the light it just got multiplied, increasing the curiosity we moved closer and we couldn't believe what our eyes saw. There were thousands of Jugnoo(Glow worms) on the ground, it felt like the twinkling sky.

It is not the picture of the same place but feeling was same.

And people said there was nothing in Shantiniketan and it is a half day trip. I couldn't have asked for more from this place but there was another day, excited and curious for the next day I slept.

Next morning started with the walk in the nearby Adivasi gram(village) which was in the interiors of the forest. We passed through the tall rows of trees.

As we were approaching the village we could see the mud huts from distance. Reaching nearer there were narrow muddy lanes, children playing, and women doing the household chores. We were just walking around visited a number of houses of the painters, carpenters and artisans. This village was different from the villages I have visited before because it was pure and untouched unlike the villages which are full of tourists nowadays.

Reaching back to our stay and while conversation with a man who was associated some theater in Mumbai told us about the visit in the same gram and he talked about the beautiful artist house. While he was describing that particular house we thought we have missed the house as it was in the corner in the last lane in the right from where we must have took the left and returned. Wished to visit again but as per the time we had to check out our stay and visit the normal touristy place about which the Wikipedia and other people told about. For next some hours we were walking in the homes of Tagore Family, Viswa Bharti Campus, resting ourselves under the tree due to the scorching sun and had cold rabdi.

I still wanted to go back to the village and see that house. we waited for the sun to rest and went to the village, passing the forest and rows of trees again and walking in search of the last house and finding our way. The lane we missed in the morning, the house which anyone could have guesses that it was artists house seeing the exteriors. Going inside it was beautifully painted with small artistic windows with beautifully placed terracotta utensils. It was worth the second visit.

I was still gathering the thoughts of the past two days as it was the time to leave the place with the wish to visit it every time I get bored of the daily monotonous life and city.

I still remember the feeling of the Baul's music inside and the sights of glow worms to colourful haat. Sonajhuri still offers the lost charm of Shantiniketan with the winding village roads, untouched forests and the Adivasi Gram.

Kuari Pass – 'Jan 2015

One of my college senior cum friend told me that he, with his friends is going to a place for trek. I soon googled about the place and booked the higher trek with Trek The Himalayas(TTH) for a month later i.e.  2nd Jan 2015.

Before this day I had no clue about the snow trekking how it goes, the essentials. I just booked fascinated by the snow. So we were mailed a list of essentials to carry, kind of shoes and clothes which I ignored. With no trekking shoes and body warmers my excitement level was growing high as the day approached near. I packed the daily sweatshirts and my all time favorite converse shoes.

The trek journey was supposed to start from Haridwar and we all were asked to gather in the city and I had a direct train from Bhopal to Haridwar on 1st of Jan so that I could reach on 2nd Jan morning. In north India, train getting late by 10-15 hours or getting delayed is still a normal phenomenon in December-January. The day I had to leave, I checked the train status which was coming from Chennai was not even started and was cancelled. There was no way I could reach the destination the next day.

I talked with the TTH team and requested if they could shift me in next day batch i.e. 3rd-8th Jan, and they agreed and cooperated. In conversation with my other friends I came to know that one of my friend was heading to Roorkee (1 hour away from Haridwar) the same day via Delhi and said I could tag along with him and I did. So this was the same person who has been to Auli and all through the way he was giving me all important and silly advices, about do's and don'ts for the trek.

Day 1 I reached Haridwar on 3rd morning, and with quick introduction we proceeded to Joshimath which was the base for the trek and where we were supposed to stay that day. We drove through curves, mountains and river Ganges and I still remember the shout we all gave with the first glimpse of the snow peaks. With breakfast and lunch in the midway and some conversations, we reached Joshimath by late evening.

We freshened up and it was the time to meet our trek leader. The first thing he said that it doesn't seem that we all met the same day, it seemed like we all know each other for long and with introductions we had our dinner.

We were 23 people, to tell in brief there was a couple from Australia, 2 girls from Holland, a group of cousins from Gujarat, a young couple from Calcutta and the people from Delhi and Mumbai and Nitin, our trek leader. I will introduce some of them as the story will demand.

For the instructions we were told that we can leave our extra stuff and only carry the essentials and also that we won't be bathing for the next 5 days so whoever want to bathe can do that at 5 am the next morning. While everyone was gearing themselves with quechua shoes, trousers and rucksacks I was cool with my converse shoes thinking that people even trek in chappals. Chintan came up saying that he has extra pair of Adidas shoes that he was leaving behind in the guest house and I can take it if fits me and tried with double socks layers. They had fit me so now it was better than before.

Day 2 was a drive for 12 kms to the village Dhak and a 6 km trek to Chitrakantha which passed through dense forests of oak, deodar, and rhododendrons, villages and local life. After 4-5 hours of trek in the scorching sun with ascents and descents we finally reached our camp site for the day. It went easy for the day as there was no snow and we were told the next day the snow would be throughout and we need to be extra careful. After trek, sessions were amazing with lots of food, camp fire till late night and the stories and shayaries from Nitin.

The most difficult thing we realized each day was to sleep during nights inside sleeping bag in the tent because it used to be so freaking cold that no one actually could sleep and so I preferred spending most of the time outside near the camp fire. Me and my tentmate Kirti almost struggled everyday to sleep in those sleeping tents and the chilly nights.

For Day 3 we were told that it would be comparatively difficult, ascent and full snow covered and whosoever won't be able to move forward will need to wait for the group to reach the top and then come back and so if we thought we couldn't do it we could have stayed back at the camp. I was initially horrified and thought with those shoes it would be better if I don’t climb forward. While everyone was getting ready, I was still thinking till the last moment whether should go or not. I asked the guides and the trek leaders. Then Padma (one of our guide) asked me and Amrita to come and at least give a try and he would come back with us if we wouldn't be able to do it. And Inside I was wishing for the same.

Day 3 was a 6 km trek to Tali top, we started with a normal pace after wearing gaiters (snow protection till knees), layered socks with plastic covered and layers of woolens and our packed lunch. There was a trek leader and 2 local guides for our group and each was responsible for 6-7 people, one headed in the front, other in the middle and one at the last matching with the pace of the group. There were different people some of them being the experienced trekkers to others being the first timers.

The guide in the front was accompanied with the Australian couple, Vishal being the experienced trekker and soon joined them, digging the knee level fresh white snow and making ways for us to move. The day was difficult with the chilly breeze flowing and also the head inside. With the most beautiful landscapes, trees covered with snow I was mesmerized and the scenery around us was a source of motivation. There was also a mountain dog which followed us, lead us at times and we named him Jack Daniel (JD).

Whenever I lost it, I used to look around and curiously walked ahead thinking what would be at the top. Slipping quite a while, tired and frozen we reached the top. The Tali top.

The thought that I was not coming initially and then finally on the top lying and playing in the snow and wished to stay there forever. We all had lunch, group pictures and start descent to our camp site. While descending I mostly slide through the snow till the time snow had reached into my shoes and the feet and hands were almost numb.

We reached our campsite which was in and around the snow. Day went well with campfire, drying our shoes and socks around the campfire while few of them end up burning too, hot soup, unplugged music which never felt so beautiful and the full moon rise. Nitin himself said this batch is really lucky as we got to see the full moon rise in the Himalayas as it also was his first time to see the full moon there. We also came across the 2nd Jan batch which comprised of only 4 people and with their strict trek leader, they had to exercise each morning and then I was feeling good that the train got cancelled and I joined this group.

It was Nida's birthday the next day so Nitin and the TTH team prepared the cake in the campsite and we celebrated at midnight. Sleeping with the full moon in the mountains and waking up to the view of snow capped peaks was all one could ask for.

Day 4 was supposed to be the Kuari pass but as per the news and the weather it seemed difficult to reach there so we gave a try thinking we would go as far we could and return back. It was the fresh snow and all the paths made by the previous batches were washed off so we had to dig in deep till knees with each step and make our path. We walked some kms till Khullar and found that weather is getting worse and we should head back.

We headed back towards our camp site and as soon as we reached it started snowing. We experienced out first ever fresh snowfall and we played for hours. Nothing couldn't beat this end to our trek.

This was the last day amidst the snow capped mountains so we were taking as much as possible. Whole night it was snowing and chilly top winds were greeting us. 

Day 5 was the descent trek to the village and a drive to Joshimath and the trek ended. We saw the impact of storms which came last night in the villages and the roofs were shred off. And also the storms were approaching soon down as we were moving back. 

Day 6 was a drive from Joshimath to Haridwar, leaving Nitin behind was so difficult as last 5 days he became the habit for all of us, his camp fire stories and shayaries were deep inside, he was a true mountain man who said a bye saying phir milengey.

And all the flashbacks in the mind, about the people, 2 holland girls who were not able to listen and speak and still expressed so beautifully and their courage travelling to another country carrying a go-pro still remains a motivation.

There were goodbyes the entire day as the people were leaving, I had a train at 11 pm so we were roaming in the streets of Haridwar and all of them accompanied me to the station and there were hugs, tears and smiles and the promises to meet soon and travel together again.

'It had nothing to do with gear or footwear or the backpacking fads or philosophies of any particular era or even with getting from point A to point B. 

It had to do with how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles with no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, snow capped mountains and deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and grasses, sunrises and sunsets, full moon and star gazing. The experience was powerful and fundamental.'

Today after 2 years, after meeting many people and been on numerous group tours I can still say this group was the most beautiful one and we all are still connected. Whenever one visits the town of other, the locals make sure to make a plan. A year later I visited Lonavala and all the Mumbai people came and we trekked together to Ragmachi Fort in which Vishal led us. My motivators for joining in Calcutta were Binod and Amrita as they were already residing there. Nitin is still remembered each day, 2 of our group members were lucky enough to get him as a trek leader later in some other treks and we still cherish the Kuari pass memories, Nitin's stories and plan to meet and travel together one day. Even today if any of us book the trek with TTH we ask them about the trek leader and still wish him to lead us once again.