Ayush and Rajashree were going to attend a wedding of their friend at Jaipur, Deepika and I decided to tag along to have their company through the journey, a road trip I have been looking forward for many months. They came over the weekend for our journey slated for the Monday 8th July.
We left for Jaipur around 6/6:15 am, filled up the tank on the way but couldn’t check the tyre pressure which is a norm I follow for all long drives. In good time we crossed Gurugram and reached Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. It’s a boon for the commuters from Delhi+NCR to Jaipur as the original NH8 (NH148) takes over 6 hours to reach Jaipur due to narrow and heavy vehicular traffic. Around 9 am we stopped for breakfast at a “Rest & Recreation” somewhere after crossing over to Rajasthan between Alwar and Dausa. The food was below average, we had better stuff at another such stopover, which happened to be the next one as we drove towards Dausa. The driving on expressway can become monotonous making the driver drowsy, especially after meals and I started feeling sleepy but managed to stay awake and reached the old highway which is the connector from Dausa to Jaipur. I stopped and asked Ayush to take the wheels. He drove nicely as I slept soundly.
My sis-in-law, Bina Sapra lives in Jaipur and was the reason Deepika & I decided to visit the city. We reached her spacious home around 11 am and was welcomed with tea and sweets. Her husband had stayed back to meet us all. She had made lunch for all of us… Ayush and Rajashree were to join the wedding celebrations of their friend, so they had an early lunch and left for the Mariott hotel with their cousin Rishabh. Deepika and I took it easy and chatted with Bina over a leisurely lunch before leaving for our hotel Hyatt Place, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur, a 5-7 minutes’ drive from their home. Bina had suggested Hotel Lalit but the online reviews of the hotel did not inspire us. Normally, the room sizes in Hyatt are small (Delhi, Hyderabad) but here we got a decent size of room with usual star hotel amenities… made us happy with our choice.
In the evening, after a good nap, fully rejuvenated, Deepika went out with her sister Bina for shopping while I went to meet my friend and school buddy, Colonel Abhijit Das. His home is at a place called Nirman Nagar, Jaipur. In all my previous trips to the city, it had been centered around the older part like Johri Bazar, Bani Park areas. I have never been to this part of the city, so I trusted Google Map to take me to my destination (my friend had sent me his location). It took me about 30-35 minutes in peak evening traffic but I reached. It was exhilarating experience meeting my friend after 44 years… none of us have changed much except putting on a bit of meat and having aged gracefully. He had set up a nice cozy home where he lives with his better half Sapna, a teacher by profession and aged father. His only daughter is married and settled in Luxembourg with her husband. We chatted for over an hour, talking about school days, professional life and the present over a cup of tea and savories.
Deepika called up to inform that a dinner has been planned at the Shikhaar Bagh situated inside the Hotel Narain Niwas. It was a 30 minutes’ drive from Nirman Nagar so I took leave of my friend, Colonel Sahib promising each other to meet again.
While going to Narain Niwas, Google Map suggested an alternate route while showing congestion ahead. I took it and reached the Ajmer Road from where I was to take a right turn but Jaipur Police had put up temporary barriers preventing right turns. I took left and following the map came back to the same spot!!! Luckily, the congestion had cleared by now and I drove on the original route to reach my destination within permissible delayed time. Sandeep & others had ordered soup and nachos as starter. I ordered a sweetcorn chicken soup, the sisters wanted to share a pizza and the husbands decided to share a chilly garlic chicken noodle without egg (Sandeep is allergic to eggs). I found the pizza to be little dry but my soup was edible. Despite clear instruction, the noodles came with egg toppings and was asked to be replaced. The food was average but portions were quite generous.
Following morning, we went to Pushkar to see the famous Brahma Temple next to the Pushkar Lake.
Brahma Temple, Pushkar (also known as Jagatpita Brahma Mandir) is a Hindu temple situated at Pushkar in the Indian state of Rajasthan, close to the sacred Pushkar Lake to which its legend has an indelible link. The temple is one of very few existing temples dedicated to the Hindu creator-god Brahma in India and remains the most prominent among them. The temple structure dates to the 14th century CE, with later partial rebuilding. The temple is made of marble and stone slabs. It has a distinct red pinnacle (shikhara) and a hamsa bird motif. The temple sanctum sanctorum holds the image of four-headed Brahma and his consort Gayatri (goddess of Vedas). The temple is governed by the Sanyasi (ascetic) sect priesthood. On Kartik Poornima, a festival dedicated to Brahma is held when large numbers of pilgrims visit the temple, after bathing in the sacred Pushkar lake.
The temple is said to have been built by the sage Vishwamitra after Brahma’s yagna (ritual). It is also believed that Brahma himself chose the location for his temple. The 8th century Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara renovated this temple, while the current medieval structure dates to Maharaja Jawat Raj of Ratlam, who made additions and repairs, though the original temple design is retained. Pushkar is often described in the scriptures as the only Brahma temple in the world, as a result of the curse of Savitri (Saraswati), and as the “King of the sacred places of the Hindus”. Although the Pushkar temple is no longer the only temple to Brahma, it is still one of very few existing temples dedicated to Brahma in India and is the most prominent among them. The Pushkar Lake and the Brahma temple were identified as one of the 10 most religious sites in the world and one of the five sacred pilgrimage places for Hindus in India.
The temple is open for worship between 6:30 am and 8:30 pm during winter and 6:00 am and 9:00 pm during summer, with an interval in the afternoon between 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm when the temple is closed. Three artis are held in the temple: Sandhya arti in the evening about 40 minutes after sunset, Ratri Shayan arti (night-sleep arti) about 5 hours past sunset and Mangala arti in the morning, about 2 hours before sunrise. The priests at the Brahma temple adhere to a strict pattern of religious practice. House-holders (married men) are not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum to worship the deity; only ascetics (sanyasis) can do this. Hence, all offerings by pilgrims are given, from the outer hall of the temple. The priests of the temple in Pushkar, generally belong to the Parashar gotra (lineage).
Once a year, on Kartik Poornima, the full moon night of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik (October – November), a religious festival is held in Brahma’s honour. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the holy Pushkar Lake adjacent to the temple. Various rites are also held at the temple during the fair. The day also marks the famous Pushkar Camel Fair, held nearby. Special rites are performed on all poornimas (full moon days) and amavasyas (new moon days).
When we reached at the mandir, it was closed for afternoon siesta, so we went see the lake. Bina and Deepika went down to the banks of the lake which was quite dirty but people revered the spot. Before that we needed to use a rest room, so stopped by a restaurant whose signage displayed “AC Restaurant” and we felt that the place would be clean. It was not but usable. We also had to endure the onslaught of the self-styled guides cum priests proclaiming to be brahmins and offered to do puja on our behalf. We firmly shunned them.
While coming back from the lake, I noticed a guy sculpting figurines from black stone… quite modern depiction of the Ganesha and others. We checked the price and he quoted a price that was too high to even consider, so we countered with our offer which he initially rejected but later agreed. I picked up three Ganesha sculptures for Bina, Ayush and ourself.
We had a very peaceful and exclusive darshan of Brahmaji and left for Jaipur stopping once to eat the puri-sabji that Bina had packed for lunch. In Jaipur, we made a stop at MGF Mall where Deepika bought few Jaipuri tops and then at World Trade Park to buy a gift for Rishabh. Unlike Delhi, the malls in Jaipur are much less crowded and Bina confirmed that locals usually don’t visit malls much except to watch a movie or dining. Later, at her home, we had a simple but very tasty dinner, bade our goodbyes and was dropped at our hotel by Rishabh and Bina.
In the morning, we had sumptuous breakfast at the hotel and waited for Rajashree & Ayush to confirm pick-up time. The wedding reception had continued till late night and they went to bed in the wee hours of morning. As confirmed by Ayush, we picked them up from the Mariott around 11:30 am and headed for home, stopping on the highway for Rajashree and Ayush to eat something as they had missed the breakfast at the hotel. We reached home around 7 pm having stopped to buy a sunglass for Rajashree (a Birthday Gift) from a newly discovered shop in DLF Phase-I market (courtesy Sangeeta Basu)… Overall, it was a nice break for all of us from otherwise regimented life.
We are in the middle of the Circa 2024 and it certainly shall be remembered for the extreme weather conditions. In January we saw extended period of cold days (temperatures going below 5 degrees centigrade and now we are experiencing extended heat wave conditions (temperatures hovering around 45 degrees centigrade) since the month of May across northern part of the country. The time was ripe to go away to cooler chimes but most of the popular hill stations were crowded with people from the plains of Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi besides Gujarat and West Bengal. We discussed with our decade long traveling partners and dear friends, the Basus and after much deliberations decided on Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, 485 km from Delhi for a quiet holiday, choosing an appropriate hotel called The Seclude, Palampur starting June 3 to 7, 2024.
DAY ONE
The alarm rang at 4 am but both Deepika and I were already awake. We got ready in 45 minutes flat then brewed our favourite tea’s and while sipping on it, called up to check status of Basu’s, who confirmed they have just started from Gurugram with ETA of 5:15 am. As we loaded our luggage in the Jeep, Santanu & Sangeeta arrived in a Blue Smart. We left at 5:35 am for our first destination Zhil Mil Dhaba at Karnal… google map indicated ETA at 8:32 am.
Once we left Delhi, traffic reduced and I could cruise at a sedate speed of 80-90 kmph, occasionally crossing the 100kmph barrier. The NH 44 is now a smooth driving paradise with elevated sections avoiding the city traffic and we soon reached our first destination – Zhil Mil Dhaba at 8:20 am beating GM by 12 minutes!!
We ordered for a mix of parathas with butter, curd and pickles and followed it up with tea, coffee and Limca as individual choices. The curd was excellent and I regretted not ordering lassi instead of black coffee but on hindsight, it was the correct decision as I had to drive another 300+ km.
The drive on NH44 was smooth and uneventful and we soon reached near about Zirakpur from where Google Map guided us to the left on a State Highway. The road soon became narrow passing through villages which reminded me of my numerous trips to my son’s university beyond Greater Noida zig zagging through the village roads. After about 25-30 km, we reached the national highway avoiding the chaos of construction on the NH44 at Zirakpur. The road NH 205A was through Ropar where we had gone few years ago but so much had changed since that we couldn’t recognise where exactly we had been to… we carried on at a steady speed never going above the speed limit, soon we crossed over to Himachal Pradesh and the road became serpentine climbing at a comfortable inclination. We entered Kainchi Mod Tunnel (1.8 km) which seemed never ending and wondered what would be feeling of driving inside Atal Tunnel (9+ km)!!
We crossed two more tunnels but they were much shorter in length and was soon on a beautiful scenic serpentine road that tempts you to press on the gas paddle but my dear friend Topshe had warned me of the numerous speedcams installed on the stretch and advised to be below 50kmph at all times. We were so engrossed in the scenic beauty and dodging the speedcams (slowing down just in time) that we missed our exit towards Hamirpur and had to endure a detour of 30 km. The road here onwards was through the towns (cities) often getting stuck at traffic jams. We needed a break to freshen up and stopped at resto-bar hoping to get sandwich and coffee. It was more of a bar than restaurant, offering only snacks like peanut masala and pakoras, thankfully they served coffee which I badly needed to stay awake at my siesta time (3-5 pm). This part of HP is mainly valleys so the climbs are never too steep and as the traffic was light, we could cover the distance in quick time. Getting closer to our destination, dark clouds could be seen in the distance over the mountains. The temperature dropped to 30 degrees and I switched off the air-condition and slide down the windows to let fresh air come through. I quietly accelerated realising that if the downpour starts, it will become a difficult drive in this hilly terrain.
We reached Seclude, Palampur, nestled in a quiet village with ample greens all around and the Dhauladhar range seemed to be close enough to touch. They have very aptly named the place. The (assistant) Manager, Mr. Bajinder Singh came out to receive us and took the luggage out of the car. I parked the car at the designated area and stretched my legs before going inside the hotel. There was another family occupying a family room besides us with two kids below the age of 10yrs and I dreaded the cacophony and ruckus they will unleash, but fortunately, they too wanted solitude and shifted to the newer property of Seclude down the road (25 meters) and we had the entire first floor to us. The food (dinner) was average to good but their breakfast was excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed. The rooms were of decent size and clean with breathtaking view of the Dhauladhar range.
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The nicely brewed tea rejuvenated us and we went for walk along the road but had to cut short as it started getting dark and the clouds that have been hovering over the mountains descended to the valley threatening to break into a downpour which they did as soon as we were in the safety of the hotel. We settled down to play cards, needless to say it was the game of TwentyNine. The dinner was served in the room around 9:30 pm after which called it a day, a gruelling day for me having driven almost 500 km, half of which had been through serpentine hilly terrain.
DAY TWO
In the morning, after breakfast, we decided to explore Palampur and hired a cab to avoid the parking hassles and also to give me a break from driving. Our first visit was to Saurabh Van Vihar, a park created in memory of Kargil Martyred Captain Saurabh Kalia…
Saurabh Van Vihar is a very popular tourist place located at Palampur town of District Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, built in memory of Kargil hero, the late Captain Saurabh Kalia. The Vihar is built and managed by the Forest Department of HP. Saurabh Van Vihar is a nature park lying in the lap of snow-clad Dhauladhar Mountains, surrounded by lush green forest. Today, the park serves as the memory of many fearless soldiers, who sacrificed their lives for the security and pride of the country. The park offers many medicinal plants, a long trail of forest, an aquarium, small water body for boating, an open-air amphitheatre as well as a Tiger Hill Bridge besides the snow fed Neugel Khad river flowing through it. A great place for families, children and tourists to hangout and enjoy the natural beauty.
It takes about 2-3 hours to cover the park… we spent about 30 minutes exploring the aquarium, the river front, Kargil Bridge and the boating lake… it was too hot to go for boat ride, although few enthusiastic ones could be seen paddling.
Next, we visited the famous Baijnath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Baijnath Temple is one of the most popular temples in Himachal Pradesh, and here, Lord Shiva is worshipped as the ‘God of Healing’. Baijnath or Vaidyanath is an avatar of the great Lord Shiva, and in this avatar, the great lord rids his devotees of all miseries and pain. As a result, this temple holds ultimate significance to all Lord Shiva devotees and is considered to be extremely sacred.
Baijnath temple was built in 1204 A.D by two native merchants, Ahuka and Manyuka, who were doting devotees of Lord Shiva. Situated at a distance of only 16 kms from Palampur, this time-honoured temple is a place where one can attain sterling peace and untainted tranquillity in the gentle caress of God. It is one of the unique temples in India where both, Lord Shiva and Demon King Ravan are worshipped.
According to the ancient scriptures of Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva established 12 jyotirlingas and one of these 12 jyotirlingas rests inside the famous Baijnath Temple. The ancient but magnificent temple is set in the backdrop of the Dhauladhar Himalayan Range, an ancient rustic temple standing gloriously in front of majestic white mountains! The view of the peaks in the Himalayan Range covered in ghost grey mist as they pierce the sky gives a feeling of both, marvel and satisfaction.
Deepika, Sangeeta and Santanu went inside to pay obedience to Lord Neelkanth aka Baijnath while I got busy in my favourite pastime of observing people besides standing guard to their footwear. They came out quite quickly and we headed for our next destination Bir Biling, a place for paragliding enthusiasts, Santanu & I stepped out to take few snaps. In the hot weather conditions, there were quite a few who were merrily paragliding high up in the sky. It’s a sport for the youngsters definitely. We moved on for Andretta Pottery. Honest confession… the place is unnecessarily hyped up; we did not find anything that can be termed as irresistible or even beautiful… the items on sale were exorbitantly priced as well. One can easily find much attractive pieces in Delhi’s numerous Banjara Shops (on Press Enclave Road, Delhi Haat etc) at much reasonable prices.
Before, the Andretta Pottery hub, we paid a visit to the Sardar Sobha Singh Art Gallery & Museum. Sardar Sobha Singh was born on 29 November 1901 in a Sikh family in Sri Hargobindpur, Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father, Deva Singh, was in the Indian cavalry. Sobha Singh joined British Indian Army as a draughtsman in 1919 and served at Iraq till 1923 when he resigned from the Army and opened his own studio at Amritsar in 1923. He moved to Lahore, Delhi, and Bombay before finally settling down in Andretta in 1947 as he was forced to leave Lahore due to the partition of India. Andretta (near Palampur), was a remote and then little-known hamlet in the Kangra Valley on the foothills of the Himalayas but Sobha Singh brought this tiny village on international art map by his various classic works. Sobha Singh is fondly remembered as Darji and his daughter Bibi Gurcharan Kaur, assisted by her son Dr. Hirday Paul Singh, has converted Andretta into an ever-popular tourist destination not only for art enthusiasts but for all who admire his work. His most famous artworks are that of the Sikh Gurus and other eminent public figure viz. Mahatma Gandhi, Saheed Bhagat Singh, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Prithviraj Kapoor and Amrita Preetam. The art gallery and the museum are very well preserved and provide insight into the lifestyle and work of Sardar Sobha Singh.
After Andretta, we visited Wah Tea Estate which had a eatery as well where we had a leisurely lunch and spent some time in the tea plantation. We also picked up some exotic tea for home. We returned to the hotel and after some relaxation settled down to playing TwentyNine.
It also happened to be the declaration of results for Indian Parliamentary Elections. I am labelled as the most political amongst my friends with right-wing inclination but it was Santanu, Sangeeta and Deepika who were most interested in the results. This time around, the ruling dispensation (last 2 terms) had coined the tagline Ab ki bar 400 par. Any rational person can understand that this slogan was to pep-up the cadre to do well in the absence of any perceptible issue. In the post independent India, no party has ever managed to win 3 consecutive terms except our first PM, Jawahar Lal Nehru but the situation at that time was very different and unique. I knew that the current govt will return to power but with a lower or similar mandate than the previous 2 terms, so I played cool and killed the joys of the others by not reacting to their provocations.
At dinner time, the manager of the resort, Mr. Chain Singh served us a preparation of Himachali Sabji made by his wife. It was very tasty and delectable which we tasted for the first time. We asked him about the ingredients which is locally available only and can’t be replicated at home. He promised to treat us with a special daal-saag of Himachali origin and kept his promise on the last evening. I thought the saag might be palak or spinach but it was some local foliage that’s native to this part of the state.
DAY THREE
Technically, the second day, we decided to visit Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj even though we have warned by multiple sources that it will be mighty crowded. We left for Dharamshala after breakfast and on the way stopped by at the Chamunda Mandir on the Palampur-Dharamshala Road. In the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, around 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Palampur, is the renowned Chamunda Devi Temple which depicts scenes from the Devi Mahamaya, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The goddess’s image is flanked by the images of Hanuman and Bhairava. There’s another temple of Shiva just below it inside a cave. It was relatively uncrowded when we visited and we had a nice, peaceful darshan of the deities.
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As we started for the Dharamshala, the driver announced that there’s a Dalai Lama (Tibetan) temple in the close proximity. Our first reaction was “Oh no, not a temple again”!! But he persuaded us to check it out and frankly, Norbulingka Institute, a centre for Tibetan culture, did not disappoint us rather it is a must visit if you are in the vicinity. Norbulingka Institute is built in traditional Tibetan architectural style and follows a ground plan based on the proportions of the deity of compassion and patron Bodhisattva of Tibet, Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara. Norbulingka is about keeping alive centuries old Tibetan tradition in content, form and process by providing apprenticeship in traditional Tibetan art forms and making Tibetan experience accessible for contemporary lifestyle. The atmosphere of the compound was tranquil and peaceful. The life-like statue of Dalai Lama is fantastic. However, their tac shop was exorbitantly priced, one could get similar items in the shops of McLeod Ganj at the half price. The cafeteria on the premises needs complete overhaul not just the menu but the manpower as well. Once a sizeable number of customers visit, the staff gets overwhelmed and confused, service becomes pathetic.
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We all have seen the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium (highest stadium) on the television screen during the IPL matches, Deepika insisted that we visit the place even though we were not sure if we would be allowed inside the stadium. As it turned out, the HPCA had opened one gate to allow the visitors to take look inside the stadium at a modestly priced ticket of Rs.20/- per person. It is perhaps the most beautiful scenic stadium in the world with the Dhauladhar range of Himalayas at the backdrop. The stadium is small but has so far provided some of the most entertaining cricket matches, both international and IPL.
On our way to McLeod Ganj, we made a brief visit to Naddi which is basically a high viewing point from where one can get a panoramic view of the valley. It took us about 30-40 minutes to reach McLeod Ganj from Dharamshala with the detour of Naddi as the traffic was not too heavy… the driver dropped us the market square. Ten years back when we came to Dharamshala, many a times we had come here to pick-up food and our favourite spot used to be Tibet Kitchen for its authentic oriental cuisine. Without much thought we went in there, the place has been renovated and we got to know that ownership had changed thrice over the ten-year period. The ambience was nice and clean. We ordered very standard Chinese dishes… soups, starters and main course. The soups arrived, Thupka for Santanu, Manchow for Deepika and Talumein for Sangeeta and me. Honestly, we couldn’t make out any difference in the soups, all looked similar and tasted same too, but it was too late to cancel the rest of the orders. The main course was pathetic, the hakka noodle was all gooey, the pork pieces leathery and the chicken was bland; the sauted veggies had magically become very sour (vinegary) Manchurian. We called for the Chef and after much persuasion, a young chap came forward who was definitely not a chef by any measure, at best a helper/ errand boy, he mumbled his apologies but not just our lunch but our appetite was ruined too. We left the restaurant to do shopping; I would have liked to pickup a Tibetan brass statue but Deepika had warned me that there’s no space for such a thing back home. However, I was allowed to buy a Tibetan Tongue Drum, a musical instrument for meditation, while she and Sangeeta bought some stone jewellery for gifting.
It started raining as we came out from the shop and quickly intensified, we called the driver but he informed that there’s a long traffic jam and it may take up to 30 minutes to reach us from the parking area. While waiting for our cab, we had “Softy Icecream”, a must have if you are in any hill station. Forty minutes later, half drenched we got into the cab and headed for Seclude… the rain kept pace with us till Dharamshala but we knew it will soon reach Palampur too, maybe with less intensity.
Back in the hotel, we freshened up to play TwentyNine, the team Santanu-Deepika and Sangeeta-myself were tied to One-All… Santanu started playing aggressively winning every hand that he called. Sangeeta, my partner too showed her prowess and started bidding aggressively, we were chasing them closely, when Santanu played Single Hand to win a set. However, his triumph was short-lived as two games on, I got a handful of Hearts and two high cards of Diamond, prompting me to play and win Single Handedly, equaling the game with a set. We realized it was past 9 pm when we got a call for dinner… we had asked for boiled potato, rice with lots of butter which we converted into a Bong soul food (Ghee-Bhaat, Aloo-Seddo). It was one the most delicious and relishing dinner especially after our horrible lunch experience at McLeod Ganj.
DAY FOUR
The day was earmarked for relaxation, we got up early and went for a stroll through the village road followed by breakfast. Sangeeta suggested that we visit the (upmarket) resort, Storii by ITC Group. She called up to find if they allow walk-in guests at their restaurant which they affirmed and booked us for around 1:30 pm. The Storii by ITC is located off the Palampur-Dharamshala Road and one has to go through the Palampur Cantonment. The well laid and maintained clean road took us to the beautiful property with lush green lawns and large swimming pool, well appointed large rooms with a tariff to match the opulence. New blocks were under construction which they are promoting as time-share units; we were given a brochure of the units on sale which looked nice and attractive but the asking price was too high for us to even contemplate.
I have been off alcohol since the beginning of this year and it has affected our dining… Santanu had to let go of a chilled beer in the absence of a partner and settled for a virgin Mojito, for the main course we decided to go local and ordered two portions of Himachali Dhaam. The Dhaam in Himachal differs from region to region, it is essentially a mid-day meal (lunch) consisting of boiled rice, sweet rice, daal, sabji, roti/puri cooked in Himachali tradition and offers an opportunity to get acquainted with the delectable local taste. Originally, Dhaam used to be only cooked by Botis, a particular caste of Brahmins who are hereditary chefs but nowadays, there’s no such restrictions. Our platter had boiled rice, sweet rice, puri, chhole-aloo, paneer curry/ mutton and daal. The Dhaam feast as it is primarily a vegetarian fare but here at the Storii by ITC, they had made an exception for the non-vegetarians like us with the inclusion of Mutton curry. This was one of the best cuisine we had in Himachal even though we had visited the state numerous times.
After lunch, we relaxed within the resort and even played few rounds of TwentyNine after acquiring a pack of cards from the front desk of the hotel. Thereafter, we indulged in a leisurely coffee with cookies before returning to our hotel.
DAY FIVE
While coming to Palampur from Delhi, it had taken us almost 12 hours, but with moderate traffic. The return journey wouldn’t be like that especially once we are closer to Delhi in the evening… we were bound to encounter heavy traffic and consequent jams. Therefore, we decided to break our journey and stay overnight at Chandigarh (Panchkula/ Mohali/ Jirakpur) and booked two rooms at Bella Vista by ITC Welcom Group.
After our visit to the Storii by ITC, our expectations were high about Bella Vista, however, we were met with complete disappointments. The hotel is old, run down business hotel within the complex of a commercial mall which itself is in bad shape of disrepair and abandonment, probably affected by the Covid lockdown. The only grace was the quality food but marred by below par service… when we reached there in the afternoon, we were parched and hungry, so we ordered for chilled beer and Nachos with salsa to start with followed by tandoori chicken and naan for 3 of us and a veggie roll for Deepika. The beer was served with peanuts and followed with the main course, however, we kept waiting for the Nachos with salsa and eventually cancelled it. We have great regard for the ITC Welcom Group hotels and resorts and felt that this particular unit is probably forgotten and not in the radar of the management.
We had planned to go to Chandigarh in the evening but the unbearably hot weather made us stay back in the air-conditioned cool confines of the hotel room and play TwentyNine till dinner time.
DAY SIX
In the morning, we had a sumptuous buffet breakfast in the hotel and left for Delhi around 9:30 am, initially thinking that we would stop at the famous Puran Singh da Dhaba (Original) at Ambala Cantt and pack our lunch but Google Map took us through a different route altogether bypassing Ambala. We connected to NH44 just after Ambala and stopped only once for a break at the Haveli Resort. We reached the outskirts of Delhi around 12:30 pm and encountered heavy traffic… it took us another 1.5 hours to finally reach home, where Shinjini (daughter of Sangeeta-Santanu) along with Chewbacca the Princess, was waiting to pick-up her (their) parents.
It was not an ideal holiday that we would have preferred, primarily because of the unusual and extended heatwave conditions throughout the northern parts of the country including the hill stations but it had been a thoroughly enjoyable road trip after a long time.
Why am I writing this after almost 6 months… My Son’s Wedding Story?
Well, this was the second biggest event of our life after the birth of our son. And personally, the last before I depart for the Baikunthadham. More importantly, I witnessed the event unfold from the sidelines, most of the times if not at all times. The mother-son duo managed and did all the external interactions and I watched them doing wonderfully well. Why so? Because I was told to keep my thoughts to myself only and not speak out bluntly which I do most of the times. I have always been like that… blunt, rude, truthful and on your face kind of attitude… now it’s too late to change, so keeping my traps shut was the best for all concerned. And I can tell you the story as it happened truthfully adding few of my special masala to spice it up subtly.
THE BEGINNING
Sometime around September 2022, our only child Ayush announced that he’s ready for marriage and introduced us to his would-be life partner Rajashree, a nice, beautiful young girl. Initially she was nervous meeting us (would be mom n dad) for the first time but as the conversation happened, we put her at ease and she opened up with us. We were overjoyed with the prospect of them getting married but as per Indian customs, the parents must meet n greet and agree to the match. So, it was decided to meet Rajashree’s parents at a restaurant in Connaught Place.
We wanted to have an engagement ceremony in end December when Ayush would come for Christmas holidays, but my sister pointed out that it being the Bengali month of “Poush” it is considered an inauspicious month to celebrate any happy occasion. The formal engagement ceremony was pushed to March 2023 while Ayush arranged for a private party for the two of them where he formally proposed to her and she accepted. We got to see the pictures only!!
We arranged for a small gathering at the Panchsheel Club for the engagement ceremony on 4th March ’23, attended mainly by the relatives of both sides and friends of Ayush and Rajashree and few family friends. Before that, Mr. Guha, arranged for a ceremony called Patipatra, it is the first ritual of Bengali Hindu marriage. It is also known as Lagnapatra or Mangalacharan. Patipatra ritual is basically a preliminary discussion in the presence of Purohit Moshai, finalizing the date and venue of the marriage. It is through this ritual that other rituals of marriage begin… In earlier days, the Patipatra also included the “joutuks & pronamis”, the gifts from both sides that would be exchanged. However, ours was simple which mentioned that both parties agree to the alliance and a date/venue to be decided soon.
After discussing with our Purohit (Pandit Ji), and in consultation with Mr. Guha, we finalized November 27th & 28th 2023 for the marriage of Ayush-Rajashree. It is going to be the biggest event of our life so needed prep starting immediately… but before that our home needed a makeover…
THE PREPARATION
We envisaged the whole operation of home renovation to be of 12-14 weeks though the trusted contractor, Mr. Sheetla Prasad assured finishing by 12 weeks. Both were wrong, it took almost 17 weeks to complete and while it was on Deepika & I was confined to one room only for most of the weeks. At the end however, we now have a brand-new home to live and enjoy for a long time to come.
While the home was getting renovated, we did the wedding shopping mostly giveaways ensuring value for money for each item bought. Deepika and I went to Kolkata to do shopping and bought sarees, dhoti-kurta and ritualistic items for the marriage ceremony (see Shopping dot Kolkata at Aranyascope).
Ayush staying in a bachelor pad with two other friends decided to move into a family accommodation after marriage and started looking around for a lease. Most of the organization which went into WFH mode had recalled their employees thus sending the rentals up north. The 2BHK apartments were costlier than his current lease of 3BHK which anyway were skyrocketing. We advised him to look for an apartment to buy instead of rent… the logic being that he would pay the EMI instead of the rent and acquire a property which would appreciate in value over the years. Initially, like all youngsters he was hesitant… “I don’t know if I will be in the country five years down the line, what will I do with the apartment then?” But eventually he agreed and started house hunting with a renewed zeal. He shortlisted couple of places but wanted us to have a look and confirm. Deepika decided to go and take a call and utilized the visit to meet few of her clients in the city. On the second day of her there in Bengaluru, she called me and declared that I was needed there to break the impasse as what she likes, Ayush doesn’t and vice versa. The following evening, I reached Bengaluru and was told that what Deepika likes is little further from Ayush’s office increasing his commute time substantially while the one Ayush was keen is in a unusual surrounding… the property was developed by one of the top notch developer of the city, Brigade Group, it was primarily developed for a hotel chain as “Suites” in the floors 4 to 6 with floor 1 to 3 as co-working space and the ground floor as food court. However, due to Covid pandemic the deal fell through and they were selling the space as individual units. The unit itself was large (1800 sqft) 2.5 BHK, ideal for a couple… but the issue was the surrounding; the location of the property was on a busy main road next to an office building. The security was an issue as well because of the food court and co-working space in the same building. Also, there was no greenery or walking space, it lacked the feeling of living a residential building.
Anyways, I went to check the places with an open mind after fixing appointments with the respective agents. Our first visit was to Whitefield where Deepika liked the apartment. It was gated community and the unit was on the 6th floor, quite airy and lighted consisting of 3 bedrooms and decent sized living cum dining room. We liked it despite the increased commuting time for Ayush as well Rajashree. However, while we were at the other property, the agent called up to inform that the unit has been sold and he can show us some other units in a few days time.
Having rejected the second property, we were back to square one and I was feeling that my visit was a total waste time and money. On Monday evening, Ayush called and said that one of the agents he was interacting will be able to show us an apartment at Shobha Royal Pavilion, Sarjapur Road. It was a delightful news because Shobha Developers are one the top five and reliable builders. Their properties get sold as soon as they announce the project.
The following day we reached the site and met Deepak, the agent who took us inside the complex. The property layout reminded me of our stay in NCC Urban, Hyderabad. Three towers were completed, and two more towers are in the finishing stages for handover. The concerned apartment was on the 18th floor of tower 4 where final finishing touches were underway. The elevators were working, and we went up to the 18th floor… only 4 apartments per floor which was a good sign. We liked the apartment as soon as we entered… some places give you a positive vibe immediately. It was well lighted and airy with space enough for the couple as they start their marital life. Both, Ayush and Rajashree were in their respective offices, but we needed them to see the place and take the call. They agreed to reach within an hour. We told Deepak that we liked the apartment, and he should hold on to it till the kids see it and confirm. Promising to meet us again in one hours time at the site, he went to have his lunch while we had our coffee while waited for the arrival of Ayush and Rajashree.
The abode of Ayush & Rajashree
Ayush and Rajashree both liked the apartment, and the deal was sealed. It was decided that Deepak would speak to the owners Deepali and Amaresh and work out the formalities. The whole process was estimated to be done in 60days, but Madhav had other ideas, it took 4 months to complete the deal in mid-January 2024. However, the owners had given the keys to Ayush on receipt of the initial payment, so he could start the interior decoration while formalities and paperwork was going on. Following evening I came back home but Deepika stayed back to attend to business meetings.
The month of October came and went away along with the festivities of Durga Puja and our annual Laxmi Puja at home. We were in the wedding month before we could realize. Ayush came home 2 days before the Diwali, and we celebrated it in the usual way. However, there was no time for the Diwali card parties…we were bracing for the grand party on 27th and 28th of the month.
A week before the D-day, Sangeeta & Santanu came over to guide and help us pack the Gaye Holuder Tatva. The packing of Gaye Holuder Tatva is quite intricate, imaginative and requires not just creativity but some level of expertise in the concept of packaging. The items are non-standardize both in shape, size and material. Sangeeta having done it for her daughter Shinjini’s wedding knew it at heart. We had bought the trays (specially made for this purpose) and cellophane sheets besides ribbons and assorted items. She and Deepika made the trays while Santanu and I packed them at our best abilities. Some of the items like the Lehenga posed a challenge because not only it was voluminous but quite heavy. Then there were glass and silver items which needed to be firmly placed on the tray before wrapping. It took more than 5 hours to do the packing between 4 of us. We purposely avoided making fancy packages (the usual norm e.g. creating a cone or boat shape using a saree) as these were to be transported twice, once from our home to the hotel and then to Rajashree’s parental home. I had few big cartons in which I placed these trays duly numbered and noted to make a list for the bride’s side to tally. Later, I got to know that even this list is usually made very fancy with poems and drawings describing each item!!! A few perishable items were left to be procured and packed on the day of Gaye Holud. I entrusted the job of procurement and packing to friends staying close to the venue of wedding.
Ayush had a Sherwani with open front stitched at Bengaluru nicely embroidered but extremely ill fitting. We went to Manyavar in Southex hoping to find a tailor to correct it or find something alternate. They said they don’t do alteration for garments made by others; also, their largest size was a bit smaller for Ayush’s physic. However, one of the salesmen provided an address in Lajpat Nagar who do alterations. It was a small shop specializing in wedding attires at a reasonable price. The owner said he can make it better fitting provided there was enough margin (cloth) to play. He promised delivery within 4-5 days. We bought a matching Safa & Stollfrom him and waited for the renewed sherwani.
As promised, we got the sherwani duly altered without any difference to the fittings. We were in a panic mode with only 4 days remaining before the event. Ayush had spent a lot on the sherwani and was not keen to spend more, however, after lot of persuasion agreed to check-out nearby designers who can do it within the short time we had. Designer Vikas Makhija was one from whom he had got a “Modi Jacket” made few months ago which fitted him perfectly. We went to his outlet at Shivalik, Basant Kaur Marg but he did not have anything readily available that fitted Ayush. When we narrated our predicament, he agreed to do it and deliver on Monday evening, the day we were to move to the hotel in the morning. We kept our fingers crossed.
THE EVENTS
My eldest sister and nephew came from Germany on 25th and the wedding celebrations were kicked off on 26th November 2023 with the ceremony called NANDI MUKH, a Bengali ceremony for all happy occasions, this ceremony is performed at the bride and the groom’s home by their respective families, a day before the wedding. The significance of Nandi Mukh is to pay tributes to the deceased ancestors of both sides and seek their blessings. An elaborate pooja is performed under the guidance of a pundit or some elder member of the family. Holy spirits are invoked to shower their blessings on the bride and groom. After the pooja, a fun factor comes into play. A bachelor lunch billed as the last bachelor lunch for the groom and the bride (known as ‘Aaiburobhaat’), is organized where friends and family members make the bride and groom eat to their fullest. A special effort is made to cook several dishes, including their favorite ones. The Nandimukh ceremony can prolong for 5 hours plus but I told the Panditji to make it concise as much as possible and he did his best to complete the rituals within 4 hours. All the ritualistic items like the Kulo, Khuri, Pradeep, gamchha, dhuti, saree etc. were bought from Kolkata except the perishables like fruits, veggies and sweets which I bought locally except banana which my cousin brought from Kolkata, because a whole un-cut bunch (hand) of small bananas known as Yelakki or Elaichi was needed but we don’t get them here in Delhi (one can place an advance order with some vendors in C R Park but no guarantee that it will be delivered as required on time).
We had arranged for lunch for the invitees at the rooftop of our residence (the owner of that space had kindly consented to our request and were away to Mumbai giving us complete freedom to deck-up the place). The caterer was a young chap called Dipakar Acharya (Dipu), with whom I got connected through my dear friend Ashishh. Before confirming I tasted the food at an event in CR Park and liked it. The food spread was completely Bengali cuisine starting with Narkel diye Chholar Dal, Jhurjhure Aloo Bhaja, Beguni, Aloo-Kopir Torkari, Chhanar Dalna, Katla Maachher Kaalia, Chicken Rezala, Gobindobhog Bhaat, Papor Bhaja, Pineapple Chaatni, Mishti Doi and Sandesh. Needless to say, the event went off very well with the guest relishing and enjoying food and the warmth of the late-November Sun.
Later in the evening, on persistent demand of the nieces, a Mehendi team was arranged along with the customary street food that goes with it… Gol-gappa, Bhalla-paapri, Aloo Tikki, Samosa and Dhokla. We did not expect many people to join as it was decided just two days before and invitations had gone late. However, to our surprise, those who had come for the Nandimukh, stayed back and others joined later in the evening. Deepika’s friends, Mala, Sumita, Radhika and Madhavi who had been instrumental in making our wedding a real dashing affair 32.5 years ago, made the evening come alive with their never diminishing energy through singing and dancing. We requested Kartik, hubby of Arushi to arrange for the music appropriate for the occasion and he delivered with high level of professionalism. The music made everyone dance to the tune including yours truly and my octogenarian sister from Germany. The event which was supposed to be for just between 4 to 7 pm went on till about 9pm and we were simply exhausted by then and needed a good nightly sleep to recuperate for the grand events to follow.
Deepika and her friends, instrumental for a happening Mehendi Function
Oh, I forgot to mention that on 25th November evening, Rajashree’s parents and some family members came over to our home to bless Ayush. The ceremony of AASHIRWAAD itself is supposed to be elaborate but in view of the upcoming events, we decided to keep it simple and limited to immediate family members. Aashirwaad, similar to Sagai in North India’s marriages, is a common ceremony observed by the bride’s and groom’s families. It usually takes place much before the wedding. However, Bengalis are flexible in their approach. Keeping the convenience of their guests in mind, they sometimes organise the Aashirwaad just prior to the wedding ceremony. The objective is to ensure that all the elders in the family, and among friends too, bless the couple. With some dhaan (rice grains) and durba (three-pronged grass blade) and sweets, the bride and the groom are blessed. As an expression of blessings, gifts or money are also given. However, unlike the North Indian’ marriages, ring exchange is optional.
The morning of 27th started with a busy note, my cousins (sisters) coming from Kolkata had to be picked up from the T-2 IGIA in the morning. Deepika’s Bhabi and niece were reaching Nizamuddin Railway Station around 7 am… she went with Guddu to pick them up while I picked up my cousin brother from La Paz hotel on the way to the airport. These pickups couldn’t be outsourced like I did for my friend Abhijit Bose coming from Kolkata by Rajdhani who was picked-up by my dear friend Gora. Ayush had instructed his outstation friends & colleagues to avail Ola/ Uber and reach the hotel on their own.
We had lot of stuff to transfer to hotel from home…some very delicate like the Shree which Shinjini aka Jhukku made with help from her granny. It had come out beautiful and everyone who saw, appreciated it immensely. Then there were the ghot and Kulo decked up with items and blessings of the ancestors which needed to be carried as it is and with care. We had two vehicles to ferry the material and humans but that wasn’t enough, so I called my friends Tapas and Robin with their cars. In two trips, most of the stuff were transferred and only the most personal items were held back to be taken personally with us. By the time everything was done, it was well past 3 pm and time to go for the trial of Ayush’s sherwani. The sherwani was ready for fitting and it took less than 15 minutes to assess the points that needed refinement. The delivery was scheduled for 8 pm same evening. We paid up and introduced Guddu who would pick it up and bring to the hotel.
We reached the hotel around 4:15 pm and the extended lunch hour was almost over… we quickly went grab some food at the Kylin Restaurant of the Holiday Inn, Mayur Vihar. Just as I was about to dig into the Chicken Leg piece, my friends Abhijit aka Bhnodor (from Kolkata) and Tapas came and asked, “What purpose do you need the Sandesh, Rosogolla and Mishti Doi?” I told them its for the Tatwa of Gaaye Holud. “Are you certain?” Topshe double checked and when I said, “Yes, affirmative.” He said, “Okay” and they left. I had no idea then, why they asked but later got to know the significance.
I wanted to take rest (nap) for a while before the evening cocktails but don’t know how the time flew and it was time to get ready for the big event. My “dress suits” were there but I couldn’t see my suitcase containing rest of my clothes. I went in a panic mode and asked Guddu, who had gone to pick-up Ayush’s Sherwani to go home and check if I had left it there. A few minutes later, he confirmed it wasn’t at home. I immediately raised an alarm with the hotel staff and they went in a tizzy checking the CCTV cameras but could find nothing amiss. I tried hard recalling the events of the day… how and which boxes/ suitcases went in which vehicle. By this time, the entire hotel staff was looking for my “missing suitcase” by checking with each guest room if they have an alien baggage. In my T-shirt and Jeans, standing in the lobby, I started welcoming the guests and they wondered why the groom’s father is not dressed for the occasion!!! On hindsight, I could have attended the event just like that creating a fashion sense for others to follow!!!
On a desperate note, I called up Robin, my friend, and asked him to check his SUV for the suitcase, after a while he called to say that its not with him. Then I called up Topshe, who was in the midst of getting ready for the cocktails but he ran to his car and confirmed that it was with him and he’s bringing it asap. I called the hotel desk and apologized for the confusion but their demeanor suggested that they are quite accustomed to such misadventures!!!
The cocktail was arranged at the poolside of the hotel which had limited capacity (max 175-180 pax) because of non-availability of the banquette hall therefore with a heavy heart we had to prune our invitations. The party began with a joyous note with singing and dancing on the specially created floor. I must mention that my friend Santanu and his son Shenjit, a very dear friend of Ayush mesmerized the gathering with their soulful singing. Ayush sung a very emotional song for Rajashree and then there were few amateurs who sang at their own tune. I had requested my friend Dr. Pralay Dey to sing a few songs but at the end he did not get an opportunity to showcase his talent. The other highlight was my friend Ashishh getting drunk having experimented with his tipple. Indro, Pralay and I had to support him to the car at 2:00 am and told the driver to deposit him at his home if not on his bed.
I finally went to bed around 2:45 am after getting a bed set up for Ayush who was still out with his friends enjoying the last few hours of bachelorhood, only to wake up around 4:30 am for the Dodhi Mangal, a ritual where the groom and bride fed a mixture of curd, poha, Sandesh and banana before the sunrise on the day of wedding. Usually, that’s all they have till the wedding ceremony is completed. We had carried all the ingredients from home but the carefully packed items were nowhere to be seen. Only the pack of Sandesh and Dahi rested in the refrigerator, I ordered the poha and banana online (Swiggy Instamart) hoping they will deliver at that ungodly hour. To my surprise they not only accepted the order but delivered (at the gate of the hotel) in exactly 8 minutes. While I had gone to collect the order, Deepika called up room service and asked for the same things as well. It doesn’t end here… while Ayush was having the concoction, Deepika’s friend Sumita came to our room with the original pack of the poha and banana which had been in her room all along!!!
Deepika and I woke up around 7:30 am and got ready for the breakfast and prep for the Gaaye Holud (Haldi Ceremony) slated to start around 9:00 am… the venue being the poolside once again. We had engaged a decorator who decked up the place with lots of yellow and white flowers besides other props. The Gaaye Holuder Tatwas were brought and displayed in such a way that all invitees could see them. My friends brought the decked up whole fish (a 5kg Rahu) along with the trays of Sandesh, rosogolla and mishti doi… we thought we did a good job with the gifts, both in numbers as well as with the packaging till we experienced how it is done in the Bong way when the Boubhaat/ Phoolsojja’r Tatwas came to our home 2 days later. Earlier, we had requested Sangeeta Basu to collect water in a ghara (pot) in lieu of Ganga Jal (normally collected after Ganga Nimantran) which is used as a symbolic bathing water for the groom/ bride. There’s a full ritual of Ganga Nimantran and collection of water by 5 married ladies from each side which the bride’s side did but we neither knew the exact ritual nor bothered about it. My parents never indulged in elaborate rituals and wherever permitted made it simplistic in line with modern times, I have gone a step ahead and don’t get into rituals at all though I never oppose if anyone wishes to follow and provide the logistics wholeheartedly.
We had arranged for brunch but almost all the guests had breakfast in the morning, so the brunch became lunch and still many skipped it resulting in not fulfilling the minimum guarantee. The dish Sarso Saag with Makki Roti became an instant hit with the guests from Eastern part of the country, for most it was the first time tasting. Post lunch, the ladies and girls got busy with the team of make-up artists for the evening ahead. Deepika asked me to get the facial done but I refused. I helped Ayush in wearing the pant-dhoti and very finely starched silk kurta with typical Bengali style embroidery, the attire for the Bengali Groom. Deepika dressed in a traditional Bengali red bordered white saree and decked it up in Bong style. I wore the dhoti and kurta which was strikingly similar to Ayush’s. We were all set for the Punjabi style Baraat sans the Ghori (horse) which had been replaced with a vintage Impala car.
Our Panditji, Haru Babu had reached the hotel and had set up the Mandap where the wedding ceremony was to be held; he called me up and urged me to let the Barat get going but before that there’s ritual for the mother where she blesses the son along with other elderly ladies and sends the groom to bring home the bride. Thereafter, the father takes the son to the gate from where the bride’s brother takes him to the Mandapdwar where the mother-in-law along with others welcomes the groom. Our case was a bit different, since Ayush has inherited both cultures, it was decided that the Baraat will assemble at the Gate #2 of the hotel and slowly move to the main gate where the bride’s side will welcome and take over the rituals. The assembly of Baraat was timed at 4:15 pm but was inevitably delayed and after frequent reminders, all gathered at the designated spot around 4:45 pm and we started the yatra with the beats of drums and typical baraat songs.
As it happens in any wedding, the time schedule goes haywire despite best efforts, here too it happened. Firstly, we were late in starting the baraat then there was delay from the bride’s side who did their best to get ready for the occasion given the space constraints vis-a-vi the number of persons. As a result, the ceremony which was to start at 5:00 pm finally began around 6:00 pm. It’s a long ritual, perhaps the longest compared to other cultures…over 2 hours at the least. I also realized that father of the groom has no role to play in this ritual except be around and entertain the guests.
Rajashree’s Kaka (paternal uncle) sat for the ceremony and solemnized the holy matrimony including Sampradan or Kanyadan. Nowadays, there’s a lot of angst for this amongst the GenZ, primarily because the concept has never been explained to them with clarity. Last year my friend Debu’s son got married and the young couple got married under the auspices of Vedic Wedding, a new concept getting popular in the Bengal. What I could understand is that a group of women (priests) chant certain Vedic Mantras and after each verse, it is explained to the couple and the audience, followed by an appropriate Rabindrasangeet. The whole ceremony takes as much time but it avoids all controversies.
One of the most emotional moments in a women’s life and that of her parents is the ritual of Kanyadaan or Sampradaan in a wedding ceremony. But from where does the concept come from and what’s its validity today? While every one of us knows about kanyadaan as we see it every day in Indian shows and movies, the meaning behind it is barely understood through these mediums. Why does it take place, when it was started, the history behind it, and many more questions just come to our mind and is lost with time…
Not only Kanyadaan, but each of the rituals that take place during the wedding ceremony is passed down from many generations before. But if we talk about the Vedas, there’s hardly any evidence to say that Kanyadaan was mentioned there. As per the Vedas, the consent of the bride was primary and the couple entered into the union of marriage as equals. So, from where does the concept of Kanyadaan came? Some Pandits believe the concept came from Manu Smriti texts and comparatively a new ritual. However, more plausible reason could be that in Hindu society, irrespective of the caste, each of us are descendent of a Rishi which forms our Gotra. So, at the time of wedding, the father/ guardian transfers her Gotra to the groom’s. Moreover, during a wedding ceremony, the bride is considered to be a form of the Goddess Laxmi, while the groom is a form of Lord Vishnu. The parents of the bride are initiating the union of two Gods through this ceremony.
Sampradaan, is not only an important ritual based on the texts but also a very emotional moment for the family as they give away their most prized possession. The ‘Sampradaan’ is also said to be the greatest gift of all given by the bride’s father to the groom. The ritual of Sampradaan is also meant to be the consent of the bride’s parents on accepting the groom as their son-in-law and a request the groom to accept their daughter as his wife.
The wedding ceremony concluded with the PHERAS (circling around the fire while Pandit Ji chanted the mantras) and application of SINDUR on the forehead of the bride by the groom. It was past 9:00 pm, the bride, groom, Deepika and I rushed to our rooms to changeover to our party dress. Once again on hindsight, we shouldn’t have bothered because by the time, we came to the banquette hall, a sizeable number of guests had left and few others were bidding their good-byes. Only the close friends and relations stayed back. We had few photo sessions with the newly wedded couple. My friend Rini’s daughter took the stage and sang songs, also encouraged the friends of Ayush-Rajashree to join her the stage for singing and dancing.
A table was set for us to have dinner but I had no appetite left, so just nibbled the food that was served and gave company to my Sambhandi and others from the bride’s side at the table. It was well past midnight, when the last of the guests departed. In Bong custom, the bride and groom spend the rest of the evening in a room called Basorghor, in the company of friends and siblings including cousins playing games, singing, quizzing and chatting, generally getting to know each side of the families. Legend has it that many more alliances are formed there on that evening. However, I believe, Ayush-Rajashree had no such adventures and simply crashed out after spending some time with their friends.
Following morning, most of the guests checked out early morning after breakfast, few left even without to catch their flight/ train. We had a leisurely breakfast and packed up to depart. However, this time I could not summon my trusted friends as one of them had an important meeting in office while the other one was down with migraine. We hired an Uber for the extra luggage, my cousin Apu went with it while Guddu took my sister and nephew, Deepika and I took my Jeep. Meanwhile, Ayush & Rajashree had gone to her home in Noida and came home later in the evening. My brother, lent his brand new XUV700 duly decked up with flowers, driven by Aditya (Chintu) to bring back the young couple home. Rajashree’s brother and cousin (sister) came along too. As per the Bong customs, the bride and groom are not supposed to see each other that evening, so Rajashree’s cousin stayed with her that night while her brother shared the hotel (La Paz) room with Ayush.
When the couple comes home, the mother-in-law welcomes her and she is asked to step on a wide bowl of Milk and Alta (a red liquid) and walk on a white saree with red border laid like carpet. This is followed by the bride boiling milk where the milk is supposed to overflow signifying that she is here with her abundant love for the whole family.
We had lots of food in the fridge which were warmed up for dinner but the kids wanted to pizza which was ordered by Ayush. Post dinner, my nephew went to Sheraton, Saket as he was on WFH mode for next three days, I dropped Ayush, Ritwik and my cousin at La Paz. The following day was another big occasion, The Boubhaat, we intended to keep it a family affair and therefore did not invite any friends. The catering was entrusted to Vidhu & Rajesh, both very accomplished Chefs running their catering business in the name of Cosmo Palette. The venue was our rooftop which got decorated once again for the lunch.
Rajashree’s parents along with relations came and with them came the Phoolsojjar Tatwa comprising of all the gifts she and Ayush got besides for Deepika and yours truly. But the most eyecatching and awe inspiring were trays of Bengali sweets, at least a dozen of them and big ones. Since the Bong sweets have a very short life, we distributed most of it amongst my siblings and neighbours besides all the helps around our home. We still had a lot to consume and the result showed up after a month when I went through full body checkup.
It is needless to say, the lunch was grand, the guests liked the fusion cuisine served by Cosmo Palette consisting of both Bengali and Punjabi dishes accompanied by free flow of beer and other liquids.
Normally, the bride-groom’s bed is decked up with flowers on this day by the sibling, friend and/ or cousins of the bride but in the rush of the day, it was missed out completely and at the end of the day both Ayush and Rajashree simply wanted to sleep on whatever was available. They were completely exhausted, so were we!!!
I should stop now. But then the final chapter of this saga will remain untold…
On 6th December ’23, we organized Satyanarayan Katha at home to culminate the marriage rituals by thanking Lord Vishnu to let the ceremonies go through unencumbered. Thereafter in the evening, Ayush & Rajashree went to her paternal home for Ashtamangala,(another ritual where the couple goes back to bride’s parental home for overnight stay on the 8th day post marriage for certain rituals). Ayush & Rajashree wanted to register their marriage, so Ayush utilised the service of some law firm online and received a confirmation for appointment with the Marriage Registrar, right after the Ashtamangala, On the appointed day we all went to the Registrar’s office at Saket but were late and missed our appointment and had to wait for an hour to meet the Registrar. After scrutinizing the physical documents, he declared that the registry cannot happen as the “Aadhar Documents” submitted were erroneous… the addresses of both Ayush and Rajashree were mixed up. We tried to reason with him that it’s a minor mistake which can easily be rectified later but he was adamant. We were dejected because the kids were going back to their work city, Bengaluru in two days and it would be difficult for them to come back quickly. I decided to reason out with the ADM (Assistant District Magistrate), the immediate boss of the Registrar and sought an appointment. Deepika along with Mr. & Mrs. Guha were outside when she noticed the name of Dr. Ruby Makhija as Chairperson of some committee within MCD. Dr. Ruby happens to be our RWA General Secretary but beyond that an untiring social worker with an amiable nature that has helped her garner a wide support base not only within the colony but across other welfare associations besides the power corridors. She immediately called her up seeking help/ advice. She contacted the District Magistrates office and sought a relief for us. The guy who had refused to entertain us earlier, now under the directive from DM’s office immediately acted on our issue, officially declaring Ayush & Rajashree as married couple. To celebrate the culmination of the yearlong grand event, the two families went to Saket Social to satiate the appetite after a stressful morning.
I know, it is too long and at times probably boring with uninteresting details but readers, as I said in the beginning, this was a very big event in my life and perhaps the last, so I have taken the liberty to speak finally. I have deliberately, left out many titbits to keep it precise hoping to share them under another canopy in the future, if Madhav so desire.
I have been to Lucknow a few times but always on work related and my stay in the city was never more than 24-36 hours, confined to the business discussion and/or market visits for product line. So when my friend and neighbour, Nitika narrated her solo trip to the city, I was charged up for the exploration of the city both historical as well as gastronomical. During our Chitkul trip, I proposed the idea of driving down to Lucknow in February 2024 when the weather is ideal for the driving and exploring the city. A few from the Kinnaur trip viz. Deepika, Amal-da & Mitali dropped out while Manas joined for the “Tour de Awadh”. Adjusting to everyone’s comfort, the trip was planned for 4th to 7th March 2024. We shortlisted 3 hotels – Gomti, Myriad and Portico Sarovar… while the first and third were sold out (on the day we booked) the second one met with all our requirements at a very reasonable price. The next step was to create an itinerary and the responsibility fell on me; it was a tricky job because a lot of things needed to be covered within a space of 2.5 days. Tapas & Pulak were very much for a visit to Ram Lalla Darshan at Ramjanmabhumi Mandir, Ayodhya, 137 km from Lucknow… Gora and I were neutral while Suro & Manu wasn’t sure about it. Anyways, I made the itinerary with options to visit Ayodhya. Gora’s friend Ashish, a resident of Lucknow said we will not be able to cover more than 1/3rd of the Lucknow part of the itinerary and should forget about visiting Ayodhya. We decided to take the final call when the time comes and prepared for the journey… Suro and Manu came over to my place on 3rd evening while Pulak and Gora at Tapas’s.
We targeted to start around 5 am knowing well that it has never happened and won’t happen now as well. We eventually started around 5:40 am from my home in Navjeevan Vihar and joined Tapas and party at the Mahamaya Flyover, Noida. We begun at 6 am to reach Lucknow by 1-1:30 pm with multiple breaks on the way.
The journey on the Noida-Greater Noida stretch was very smooth as the traffic was sparse at that hour and so was on the Yamuna Expressway as well. We stopped at the rest area next to the Mathura Toll Plaza to have tea and stretch our legs. The weather was chilly and the tea warmed us up. There I met with my buddy, Gora was kind enough to click a photo of us together!! Our next stop was near Agra on the roadside because we missed the “rest are” next to the plaza to have our breakfast of Ham-n-Egg Sandwich, Puri-Sabji etc. The weather was chilly and foggy giving the feel of a hill station. We needed some caffein which came in the form of Coca-Cola!!!
Soon, we were on our final leg of the journey on Agra-Lucknow highway (300+ km) with a speed limit of 100kmph but most cars were doing well over 120kmph zooming past us. We decided to play along and pressed on the accelerator to touch 120+… Tapas’s Ecco don’t have the speed warning beep but my Jeep kept beeping as soon as it went beyond 120 kmph, it was irritating but we ignored the noise. The Agra-Lucknow highway is a dream road for long drive and I enjoyed the drive thoroughly. We reached the outskirts of Lucknow around 12:30 pm and the speed reduced below 80kmph thereon. At one point Tapas informed that they are taking a u-turn to take a shorter route to the hotel but my Google Map directed me to go straight for 6 km, I followed the map and reached the hotel at the same time as Tapas at 1:30 pm. We quickly checked-in and after freshening up left for exploring the city with first stop at Idrees Biriyani at Pata Nala, opp. Police Chowki. The famous shop is nothing but a roadside shack doing brisk business selling Mutton Biriyani and Chicken Korma. We had to wait for half hour before the biriyani was served to us. There were no seating arrangements and we managed to grab spaces on a table that was being used for keeping the rice-containers for cooking as well. The biriyani and korma was very ordinary…the flavor that’s the quintessential in a biriyani was missing and the korma was more of oil than the curry. The meat pieces in both items needed more time on the gas stove to cook and tenderize. It was disappointing considering the high expectations.
We had hired an autorickshaw to come here and the driver, Rais agreed to take us to the Bara Imambara/ Bhulbhulaiya, Rumi Darwaza, Clock Tower, Picture Gallery and Chhota Imambara besides Chowk Market for Lucknowi Chikankari and Tundey Kabab at Aminabad and finally drop us at the hotel at night.
The Bara Imambara is a majestic edifice with history dating back few centuries…
Bara Imambara (बड़ा इमामबाड़ा), also known as Asfi Imambara, is a complex built by Asaf-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh, in 1784. The building complex also includes the large Asafi mosque, the Bhulbhulaiya (the labyrinth), and Bowli, a step well with running water. Two imposing gateways lead to the main hall. It is said that there are 1024 ways to reach the terrace, but only two ways to come back, which is through the first gate or the last gate.
Construction of Bara Imambara was started in 1780, a year of devastating famine, and one of Asaf-ud-Daula’s objectives in embarking on this grandiose project was to provide employment for people in the region for almost a decade while the famine lasted. It is said that ordinary people used to work during the day building up the edifice, while noblemen and other elite worked at night to break down anything that was raised that day. It was a project that preceded a Keynesian-like intervention for employment generation. Construction of the Imambara was completed in 1784. The estimated cost of building the Imambara ranges between half a million rupees to a million rupees. Even after completion, the Nawab used to spend between four and five hundred thousand rupees on its decoration annually. (Source: Wikipedia)
Rumi DarwazaGate of Bara ImambaraView of Bara ImambaraHistory of Bara ImambaraOutside Bara Imambara
We started from the main hall learning the history from our guide Kaiser Bhai who was prone to throw a shayari, muhawarba and puzzles to add spice to the narrative. The central hall sans any beams or column to support the roof is for Azadari or mourning for the souls lost in battle of Karbala. It is perhaps one of the biggest halls without any beam support and the wonderous architecture ensures voice of the Imam is heard at the last row of the congregation.
We moved on to see the Baoli, a stepwell that once used to get its fill from the river Gomti and provided potable water to the residents. But now it was completely dry. Opposite the entry point of the Baoli is a chamber where the guards used to be stationed to monitor the visitors through the reflection on the water below, very similar to the modern-day CCTV camera surveillance.
We went to check the most attractive part of the Imambara, the Bhulbhulaiya, the labyrinth constructed above the main hall for protection and balance to the structure. The climb to the base of the Bhulbhulaiya is 44 steps of uneven sizes and I would advise people with cardiac/ pulmonary issues to refrain from visiting it. Also, without a guide I will never venture inside because it is so dark that the maize could play truant with your mind and God forbid if you are lost inside, it will be a nightmare… you could die!! We reached the rooftop from where one could get a 360° of the old city. The guide took our group snap but unfortunately a guy photobombed it from the behind. Next stop was Chhota Imambara via the Rumi Darwaza where we stopped to take customary group photo.
Chota Imambara, also known as Imambara Hussainabad Mubarak is an imposing monument, took 54 years for completion. Built as an imambara or a congregation hall for Shia Muslims, by Muhammad Ali Shah, the Nawab of Awadh in 1838, it was to serve as a mausoleum for himself and his mother, who is buried beside him.
The significance of Panjetan, the holy five, is once again emphasized here with five main doorways. This Imambara consists of two halls and a Shehnasheen (a platform where the Zarih of Imam Husain is kept.) Zarih is the replica of that protective grill or structure which is kept on the grave of Imam Husain at Karbala, Iraq. The large green and white bordered hall of Azakhana is richly decorated with chandeliers and a good number of crystal glass lamp-stands. In fact, it was for this profuse decoration that the Imambara was referred by European visitors and writers as The Palace of Lights. The exterior is very beautifully decorated with Quranic verses in Islamic calligraphy. The Chhota Imambara stands to the west of Bara Imambara and an imposing gateway known as Rumi Darwaza. The building is also known as the Palace of Lights because of its decorations and chandeliers during special festivals, like Muharram. The chandeliers used to decorate the interior of this building were brought from Belgium. Also housed within the building, is the crown of Muhammad Ali Shah and ceremonial tazias. Thousands of labourers worked on the project to gain famine relief.
It has a gilded dome and several turrets and minarets. The tombs of Muhammad Ali Shah and other members of his family are inside the imambara. This includes two replicas of the Taj Mahal, built as the tombs of Muhammad Ali Shah’s daughter and her husband. The walls are decorated with Arabic calligraphy. Water supply for the fountains and the water bodies inside the imambara came directly from the Gomti River. (Wikipedia)
We had to take off our shoes/ socks at the Bara Imambara and had harrowing time walking barefoot on the surface that was uneven, broken, potholed and had an effect of acupuncture on the feet, so I refused to part with my shoes and stayed outside while Suro, Manu and Pulak went inside the imambara. From there we went to the Clock Tower & Picture Gallery. Again, I decided to skip the picture gallery because it involved climbing a staircase of at least 30+ steps. Anyways, Suro & Manu confirmed that we haven’t missed much by staying back.
Next on the agenda was shopping for Lucknowi Chikankari for the ladies back home. SEWA of Lucknow is a women’s cooperative which specialises in chikankari, an unique embroidery that enhances the look n feel of the garment. The price depends on the method (handcrafted or machine made) as well as the quantum of work. The auto driver took us to the SEWA wholesaler where I picked up a Kurti for Deepika while Manu too bought a kurti for his wife and a kurta for himself. While we were buying, others had moved to Muskan Chikan Industries, another shop nearby… we followed them there and ended up buying more, collectively, we bought more than INR 30000 worth of garments, bulk of the purchases made by Pulak and Tapas.
I would have preferred to buy more from SEWA but the attitude of the salesperson was off-putting, kind of arrogant and rude… in contrast, the other shopkeeper was very cooperative in displaying a variety of options and willing give a bulk buying discount.
By this time with much walking, climbing stairs, we were hungry, therefore, by agreement reached the Aminabad market for Tundey Kabab.
Mutton Galauti with Paratha
It took some time for us to find a table for 6 pax but the wait was worthwhile; we ordered Mutton Galauti with Ulte Tawe ka Paratha & Mutton Korma… needless to say all the items were yummiluscious and were devoured in no time, especially after so much walking, climbing and haggling. In the close proximity was Prakash Kulfi, what more one could have asked for to end the day. However, the kulfi-faluda turned out to be very ordinary albeit the portion being large.
Pausing for Photo Prakash KulfiChowk Bazar
We got a shocker when we called our auto driver Rais to pick us up from the chowk… apparently, he had utilised the time to go back to the two shops from where we bought garments to collect his commission (about 10% of the total value) and using that money to sozzled up. He was not in a shape to drive and refused to come. It took us almost 30 minutes to find an alternative e-rikshaw.
Coming back to hotel, Suro, Manu, Topshe and I decided to play TwentyNine, a card game. Tapas said, “I have played it many many years ago during school/ college days, please refresh me”. We explained him the game and we formed teams, Manu-Topshe and Suro-Me. Very soon we realised, Topshe is a seasoned player winning singlehandedly most of the games scoring a positive set. Suro & I laboured to inch closer to their level but still couldn’t achieve a set. The game had to be forced close as the clock tik-toked to 1:30 am… we have another long day of excursion ahead.
DAY TWO
We, collectively failed to get up as per schedule and were the last ones to avail the complimentary(?) breakfast at the hotel. Then we walked (1.2 km) to Sharmaji ki Chai for tea and tried their Bun-Maska-Samosa. Next on our list was The Residency (3+ km)… we hired an e-rikshaw @Rs.10/- per person.
The construction of the Residency was started in the late 1700s by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah, however, it was completed by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. In the initial years, it was just for the delegates of the East India Company. However, as the reign of British East India expanded, the city of Lucknow became their administrative centre, and as an effect of that, the Residency also came under the British commissioner of Awadh. The biggest event that this place has seen, is the first war of Independence in the year 1857. One of the main centres of this entire siege was Lucknow and the main target was The Residency between 1st July 1857 to 17th November 1857. Cannons and bullets destroyed the major part of this place and even today, the traces of that revolt can still be seen at The Residency.
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The Residency is a set of buildings that are enclosed in a large compound of 30+ acres. It includes armoury, quarters, stables, worship places, residential quarters, dispensaries and so on. However, one of the key features of this must-visit place in Lucknow is the Banquet Hall that was also built by the Nawab. The hall boasts the intricate carvings of tall arches along with high ceilings and large hallways. At the back, there is open space which was used as the kitchen in that era. Coming on to the entrance of the Residency, there is a beautiful fountain in the centre that perfectly complements the beauty of the place. Nearby the banquet hall, there is located the house of Dr Frayer that also served as the hideout for the British families during the revolt of 1857. The house has a basement which is said to be used as a hiding place for the children and women. However, during the war, the house was often used as the hospital. Above all that, the main building is the must-see thing at the Residency. It was once the imposing three-storey building that used to have a library, games room and offices. (Source: Internet)
We spent the entire morning exploring the place and wondering what would have happened if the revolutionaries had succeeded!! We picked up some pebbles as memorabilia of the place and proceeded to the tomb of Sadaat Ali.
The tombs of Saadat Ali Khan and Khurshid Zadi are grand in their own right, and visiting them can be a delightful experience. Both these tombs, which are one of the popular tourist attractions in Lucknow, are known for their intricate architecture and the garden surrounding them. Located in close proximity to the Begum Hazrat Mahal Park (built in 1962 to commemorate her contribution to the revolt of 1857), the tomb houses the 5th Nawab of Awadh, Saadat Ali Khan, and his wife, Khurshid Zadi. She was the favourite wife of the Nawab and died during his lifetime. Saadat Ali Khan was the ruler of Awadh from 1794-1814 AD, and many of the heritage buildings dotting the area between Qaisar Bagh and Dilkusha can be credited to him. During this time, the British ruled large parts of Lucknow and were becoming more powerful with each passing day. It is quite easy to overlook this wonderful memorial amidst other heritage buildings in the city like Chota Imambara and Bara Imambara. However, it is only upon visiting the tombs that you find out what you were missing out on.
The tomb of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan and Khurshid Zadi are counted among the best places to visit in Lucknow. Their architecture has a lot to do with that. While its facade is decorated with lime plaster, the walls are built using Lakhuri bricks (red colored burnt clay bricks) while sandstone has been used for the floors. Upon entering the tomb, you come across rectangular verandahs with intricately carved arched doorways. Of these, those on the southern and eastern side contain the graves of the daughters and wives of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan. The floor of the tomb has also been given an elegant look, thanks to the black and white marble tiles laid out in a chess like pattern. Among the other features of the tomb, its hemispherical dome deserves a special mention. It attracts the attention of the onlookers with its symmetrical shape and is topped by an inverted lotus and a finial. In the center of the hall, there is an elegant rectangular design which marks the exact place where the tomb of Nawab Saadat Ali Khan rests. Head towards the basement and you come across three graves, one of the Nawab and the other two of his brothers.
The tomb of Khurshid Zadi is located to the east of the Nawab’s tomb. Although it is a four level structure, the graves of the mother and daughter rest at the lowest level. On the corners of the domes are octagonal shaped chhatris, which embellish its beauty. The tombs, which make for great sightseeing in Lucknow, are surrounded by beautiful gardens and are great for enjoying some moments of peace and solitude. (Source: Internet)
We explored the place from outside and enjoyed the greenery and the soft grass lawns for some time before heading to New Lucknow for Gomti Riverfront Park and Ambedkar Samata Sthal, a huge ornamental park.
Ambedkar Samata Sthal
Gomti Riverfront ParkGomti Riverfront ParkGomti Riverfront ParkGomti Riverfront Park
Out of these two, we decided to visit Gomti Riverfront Park and spend some time soaking in the cool breeze. We stopped briefly at the Ambedkar Park for photo ops and then proceeded to Royal Café, Hazratganj for their famous Basket Chaat. I don’t think any one can finish the full portion of the Basket Chaat which essentially consists of all kinds of savouries viz. aloo tikki, bhalle, paapri, chhole, bhujiya topped with curd and chutnies. We shared 3 plates amongst 6 of us and followed it up with lemon soda to digest. Thereafter, we walked 2.3 km to the hotel to relax a bit. Then in the evening, we went to Mughal’s Dastarkhawan for dinner where we judiciously ordered for Biriyani Rice (without meat pieces), Bhuna Gosht, Shami Kebab and Galauti Kebab. Though the food quality – taste, aroma and quantity was good, the service needs substantial improvements.
Royale Cafe – Basket ChaatMughal Dastarkhawan
Coming back to the hotel, we again played the game of TwentyNine but this time Topshe had lost his beginner’s luck, Suro and I convincingly won the rounds with 2 positive sets.
By this time, we had seen 80% of what we had planned to see in Lucknow, therefore, we decided to visit Ayodhya to Ramjanmabhumi Temple the following day.
DAY THREE
In the morning, Gora informed that he has a very bad stomach infection and shall skip the Ayodhya trip relaxing at the hotel. I told him to take a tablet of Metrgyl 400 and have light breakfast. We were not ready to leave him alone at the hotel and almost decided to abandon the Ayodhya visit. However, after taking the medicine and a light breakfast, Gora felt better and we left for Ayodhya around 10:30 am (2 hours delay from our plan). We were going in one car (Tapas), so I utilised the drive to take a sound nap.
We were told that no vehicles are allowed after a certain point (2 km from the Mandir) and we have to park at the designated parking area then take an e-rikshaw to the vicinity (500 meters) from the Mandir and then walk the rest. Also, warned that the temple being closed between 1 to 2 pm creates mad rush after that and we have to take “pass” for the darshan. Only the “mad rush” part was true; in reality, searching for the parking area, we reached a point from where the mandir was only about 500 meters. The young policeman obliged us by allowing to park on the kerbside and promising to keep an eye on it while we went for the darshan of Shree Ram Lalla.
The “pass for the darshan” was only for the initial days, now, one has to deposit their phones, camera and any other electronic items at designated locker rooms. The parking stricture is for the buses only, private vehicles are allowed inside the city with restrictions on certain roads. Having a Fauji, that too a senior ranker, in the group helps in getting through at tough situations. We had Suro aka Group Captain Suranjan Chowdhury, who impressed the police constable to let us park on the road, then at pickets along the road to the mandir, his rank equivalent to Colonel, allowed us to go through the VVIP paths and finally at the mandir complex we could avoid the maddening crowd and use the VVIP entry allowing us a pleasant darshan of Shree Ram Lalla. The finished part of the temple has the promise of grandeur but it will perhaps take another two years to complete the entire temple complex.
Coming out, we picked up some sweets (to be treated as prashad of Shree Ram Lalla); Suro got hold of free food coupons and went to have it with Gora and Manu while we waited near the locker room watching the activities of Shree Ram’s foot soldiers – monkeys playing.
While in Ayodhya, one must visit the Saryu River and take the boat ride. The river is very clean though not very deep. We took a 30 minutes boat ride which was like an icing on the cake.
View of Shree Ram Mandir from Saryu River Boatride
The return journey to Lucknow was uneventful except that this time I was awake and experienced Topshe’s driving skills… he drives like a possessed man, putting the F1 drivers to shame. We also the Ambedkar Park lighted up in the evening, the newer part of the city can easily compete with any metro cities in terms of infrastructure and beautification.
In the evening, Gora’s friend Ashish had promised to take us to the oldest part of the city for culinary experience, the option suggested by were the original Tundey Kababi and Rahim’s. Since we had already tasted the Tundey Kababs at Aminabad, we decided to try the Nalli Nahari with Kulcha at Rahim’s. He instructed us to reach the Tundey Kababi at Chowk where he will meet us and we will go to Rahim’s.
Rahim’s Nahari Gosht & Kulcha
We loved the Nahari Gosht and the accompanied Kulchas, it was flavourful, not very oily and the mutton pieces were succulent. I shall refrain from talking about the ambience because it was just like a dhaba but the service was quick and efficient, I guess it helps them serve more diners thereby making more money. However, the owners must invest in the infra to make the place appealing to the family clientele.
We walked to the Chowk and discovered vendors selling Malai Makkhan; I instantly recalled Nitika telling me about this prompting me to try it instantly. It was soft creamy very light mildly sweet dish and I liked it. We made an attempt to try the famous Lassi at Shree Lassi but it had closed for the day. Thereafter some of us had the Lucknowi Meetha Paan before bidding farewell to Ashish. He had provided invaluable inputs for our trip.
We again played TwentyNine till 1:00 am and again we beat Topshe-Manu team handsomely.
DAY FOUR
We left for Delhi around 10:45 am after breakfast fueling up the cars and reached Greater Noida around 6:30 pm with multiple breaks on the way, we were not in a hurry to reach home. I dropped Suro and Manas at the Panchsheel Metro Station and reached home at 7:30 pm. My Jeep Compass had given me 14 KMPL which I consider a great mileage for a heavy vehicle like Jeep and that too when I have driven it at 120 to 150 KMPH at few stretches and mostly at 100 KMPH.
WHAT WE MISSED OUT
At the onset we knew that we will not be able to achieve our target as per the itinerary, Ashish had indicated that if we could do 50%, it would be good enough. However, barring the below mentioned ones, we did cover all others and I would like to pat all our backs for a splendid performance.
I have driven to the hills many times at a sedate speed of 30-40 KMPH… but thanks to Topshe, this time it was a maddening 60-80 KMPH drive…. Shimla-Narkanda-Chitkul
One late evening of mid-September, my friend Tapas aka Topshe called up said, “Hi, we are planning to go to Chitkul, will you be interested?” I had absolutely no idea about the geographical location of Chitkul but knowing Topshe since long, I assumed it was somewhere up north in the hills. And I was right on that account. He further informed that Gora, Pulak (aka Pulki) and two more people have already confirmed. I tentatively confirmed but said I will take the final call closer to the departure as there were certain issues needed sorting. I discussed with Deepika and Ayush and both said, “You must go”. Deepika further said, “I will be in Bangalore at that time, so there’s no point for you stay at home and brood like an old man.”
On 27September, Deepika’s Bangalore program had a setback due to a strike called on 29th (on account of Cuveri water dispute), the program got cancelled at the last minute… with Ayush busy in office she wasn’t in a mood to go to Bangalore and cancelled the journey. I asked her to come along with me but she was hesitant… said, “Except Gora, I don’t know the others too well, I won’t fit into the group.”
The group strength had increased with the inclusion of Suranjan aka SuroKhuro who came over to my place in the evening. He too requested Deepika to join us but she was still hesitant. Then I told her, “तुम अकेली घर बैठ के चिंता करोगी, इससे अच्छा साथ चलो… मेरा दारू consumption पर भी नज़र रख पाओगी” I think the last point clinched the deal and she agreed to come along.
DAY ONE
Topshe had created a Whatsapp group wherein he informed all that we must start latest by 5:15 am from respective places. He was driving his 7-seater SUZUKI ECCO while I wanted to test the endurance of my JEEP COMPASS. Meeting point was between Nigambodh and ISBT to take on Pulak in my jeep.
We left around 5:45 am from Navjeevan Vihar and Topshe confirmed they too are on their way. We encountered a traffic jam just after Ashram Chowk till Sarai Kale Khan (ISBT) that too because we ignored Google advise to take an alternate route. Anyways, we still managed to reach the approximate spot and sent our location to Topshe who arrived within 10 minutes. Pulak came in our car and we met the other passengers… Mitali and Amal DuttaGupta. Mitali is the younger sister of my friend Manas… I have last seen her as a kid of may be 10-12 years… I had an instant liking of Amal-da with his soft demeanor and calm temperament. After the pleasantries, we set out for the Zhilmil Dhaba, Karnal.
Topshe had done his homework well and knew all the good food joints on the route. We ordered for Aloo Paratha, Gobi Paratha (for Deepika) and a Egg Paratha to be shared by all… as it turned out, the Aloo-Pyaz and Gobi Paratha were finger lickingly delicious while the egg paratha was below par, my housekeeper makes better anda-paratha. The kadak chai was what we needed after the sumptuous breakfast. From the kiosk outside the dhaba, I picked up bottles of Jeera Goli and Aam Laddu, both being excellent digestive.
Breakfast at Zhilmil Dhaba, KarnalAfter Breakfast photoshoot
Our next stop was a restaurant in Dhalli, just outside Shimla, however, due to traffic congestion near Panchkula, we got delayed which got further aggravated because of an unexpected event for which I am partly to be blamed… the day before the journey, I had topped up the tank and checked tyre pressures but did not check the water level in the radiator… the jeep was serviced only 2 months ago and one expects the oil, water and coolant to be in order. Just before Parwanoo (Timber Trail Resort), the dashboard of the jeep lit up with warning message that the engine has heated up. I immediately stopped and opened the bonnet to cool down the engine. The coolant jar was devoid of any water… slowly I poured water into it… almost 4-4.5 litres… after 20-25 minutes, checked the engine temperature which thankfully had stabilized by then… but we needed the Red Coolant to ensure balance of coolant to water ratio. The Indian Oil petrol pumps had Green Coolant while Bharat Petroleum was selling Blue Coolant and neither of them is compatible with the Red. After almost 50 km we found a auto-parts shop having the Red variety which we bought immediately and poured about 100ml into the jar which indicated it was filled to the ‘max’ capacity.
We had planned to reach the restaurant at Dhalli by 2-2:30 pm for lunch but now with all the unplanned halts, it was out of question… we wouldn’t make it before evening. Topshe was driving ahead of us and he looked for an appropriate place to stop for lunch. I had made some “Chicken Ham n Cheese” sandwich for such an eventuality. We had those along with banana and delicious moist cakes made by Mitali. Thereafter, continued our journey to Narkanda for night halt. Google indicated we should reach our destination by 7:30pm. We were on course till we encountered evening rush in Shimla which slowed down our progress. The road to Narkanda is a mix bag with beautiful stretch of well laid roads and then washed out patches that narrows down to single lane allowing only one vehicle to pass at a time. In the hills, night falls very quickly and soon we were driving in the dark. We reached Narkanda around 8:00 pm. Our night halt at Prem Holiday Home was a Spartan accommodation… it had neither a kitchen nor any kettle in the room for making tea-coffee but was clean with fresh linen. The parking was outside in the lane and it took some maneuvering to park our vehicles in the narrow lane.
After freshening up, Topshe, Gora and I ventured out find an eating joint for dinner and came across Piyush Residency Hotel which was centrally heated and had a bar cum restaurant. We told them that eight of us will come around 9/9:30 for dinner.
Dinner at Piyush Residency, Narkanda, HP
We had our adda in Topshe-Gora room and opened the Paul John bottle that SuroKhuro had brought along and enjoyed the tipple with the namkeens (puffed rice mixture and roasted flat rice mixture) that Mitali had prepared at home… both were very tasty. We got the ingredients and recipe from her but are unlikely to replicate the taste. Meanwhile, Topshe had gone down to the small food stall next door and got us omelets as snacks as well as arranged for hot tea in the morning around 7:00 am.
The food at the Piyush Residency was average but we were hungry so devoured the food in double quick time. The weather was chilly when we came out and we quickly went inside our room. Having travelled all through the day, we were tired, so bade goodnight and retired for the day. The bed was very hard as if made of stone and it took some time to adjust but eventually I slept. Deepika on the contrary had a fitful sleep.
DAY TWO
I woke up at my usual time of 5:00 am but couldn’t even make a cup of tea though I was carrying teabags. Slowly, rest of the gang got up as well to enjoy a cup of sugary tea. We decided to have bread-omelet for breakfast and accordingly informed the lady. Deepika had an hour long coaching session starting 8:00 am. While she was at it and Mitali getting ready, we guys decided to take a walk in the woods. Topshe had brought a drone to do aerial photography but due to poor network it could not be operated… actually it refused lift off!! We went to a clearing which during the winter months gets fully covered with thick layer of snow and is used as a skiing slope for the kids and amateurs. Being in Delhi, I have never seen the sky so blue… here without any pollution, it was true azure and with balls of white cloud it was a surreal. SuroKhuro went up the slope probably to slide down but wisely did not attempt.
We loaded our bags in the car and had a simple breakfast of Bread-Omelet with hot tea and were on our way to our final destination, Chitkul, the last village of India at Indo-Tibetan border. But before that we went to see HATU MATA MANDIR located on top of the hill approx 10000 ft above sea level. The road to the mandir was single file (of cars) and steep climb. I let Topshe go first but not before muttering some expletives and allowed sizeable distance between us… it was time to test the Jeep’s (automatic) ability to climb on loose soil and pebble and negotiate hairpin bends while climbing. Thankfully, it was early morning and no incoming vehicle… still it took us 30-35 minutes to cover the 6 km journey. The Hatu Mata Mandir is a small, open-air temple offering an ornate wood-carved interior & scenic view from an elevated peak. According to local belief, the famous Hatu Mata temple is the temple of Maa Kaali. On the first Sunday of Jyeshtha, groups of people arrive in large numbers to engage in rituals. Hatu Peak is the highest mountain point in the Shimla hills area at a height of 3400 m where the Pandavas reportedly stayed during their one year Agyat Vas (unknown residence), built a temple for goddess Durga, and Bhim made his massive oven for cooking. The temple is decorated with ornamental carvings.
Topshe had been on this route (Delhi-Shimla-Narkanda-Chitkul) thrice earlier and knew the roads well… he also knew that the Narkanda-Chitkul road (highway) is classified as one of the “most dangerous” roads of the world. The road ran alongside the Sutlej River from Luan and continued till Karcham from thereon its tributary Baspa carried on till Chitkul and beyond. The phase-1 wasn’t bad at all, though it was really winding road but mostly going down to the valley of Rampur Bushahr… we stopped at Hotel Atul Residency, Sainj Crossing for a cup of tea with some Pakodas and stretch our legs before the next part of the journey.
The road to Chitkul from here on was not only steep climb but some stretches were in a precarious condition after the massive landslides during the monsoon season. The first congestion we experienced was on Deothi-Mashnoo Road just before Jhakri… the traffic was controlled by the HP Police who allowed one side to pass while holding the other side. What worried me is when I saw the policeman looking up at the hill as if to check if any rock is rolling down!! Even though the road surface was bad, the beauty of the nature more than compensated the discomfort. I could only see what was in the front but my co-passengers fully enjoyed the 360 degree view. We passed through the stretch known as the Gateway to Kinnaur Rock Tunnel where the rocky mountain is carved in such a way that the road has a roof and gives a feeling of passing through a tunnel. The road led us to Nigulsari where the maximum devastation had happened… the road is practically nonexistent in this stretch and again the traffic was being monitored… one side of the traffic opened for an hour and then the other side. While going up we were lucky as our side opened up as we approached it. We were not so lucky while returning and had to wait for close to an hour at this point.
Narkanda-Chitkul Road
We had hoped to reach Chitkul before sundown but with the bad road condition resulting in frequent congestion, it was going to be another hill drive in total darkness. Moreover, after we crossed Nigulsari, Vodafone signals were gone and my Google Map became offline (good thinking on my part to save it as offline) and continued to show the path but could not tell me if there’s congestion ahead. In a way it was good because my focus and concentration on the road became 2x without the distraction of sightseeing. We tanked up at the Army Petrol Pump (the last one on our route) just before Karcham for the climb up to Chitkul. The drive from Karcham to Chitkul was like Dakar Rally… you are driving on a strip of land with a visibility of less than 25 meters (the range of the Jeep headlight in dim position)…and then in that narrow strip of a road you encounter a herd of sheep and lamb, we tried to count but after hundred odd gave up. it must have been in thousands as we were stuck for more than 30 minutes. Gora later said, “After this experience, never had to count the sheep after hitting the bed, but a realistic opportunity all gone in vain”. It was tiring but the thrill of driving on such stretch gave me an adrenalin push and we made it to the summit… Chitkul Bus Stand… behind which was our homestay accommodation. In the hills, people run hotels/guesthouses in the garb of homestay to avoid cumbersome govt formalities in establishing and running such services. The RR Homestay was refreshingly better than the one we stayed at Narkanda, it was a full service accommodation. The only negative of the place is the “approach to the entrance from the main road”… it was nonexistent… we had to go through a makeshift path which was not safe at night. Earlier, when we were negotiating the treacherous Narkanda-Chitkul road, the owner Mr. Negi had called up Topshe to find out our approx ETA and had prepared food accordingly… Egg Curry, Aloo-Gobi Sabji and Dal with hot chapattis. The food preparation was delicious.
We opened the bottle of Paul John and realized the Chakhnas are in Topshe’s car, so he & I went down only to realize that the rear left tyre of his vehicle is flat with a puncture. At that hour with dark surrounding it was not possible to change it and we left it for the morning. We had early dinner and called it a day. The rooms had reinforced wooden walls as well as floor so it was not very cold compared to the outside temperature hovering around 5-6 degrees Celsius. Even though the owner Mr. Negi claimed to have wifi connection (JIO), for some reason wasn’t working and we were technically cut off from the world!!
DAY THREE
We got up early having slept soundly for 7-8 hours and got ready for the day. The hot tea and the biscuits in the cold morning felt delicious. I checked on Topshe about his flat tyre… he tried to change it with spare wheel but his spanner wasn’t working properly… slipping on the nuts… he decided to inflate the tyre and take it down to the next town/ village to find a tyre repair shop. I offered him to take my inflator which was electric but he said that he has one. Unfortunately, he had the manually operated inflator and had to stop every 2 km to inflate the tyre… he had to go down to Sangla (25km) where he found the Puncturewala but then he (and Pulki) utilized their free run and met with his friends which would otherwise have been difficult with all of us together. They came back carrying loads of Kinnaur Apple which he distributed amongst us. Pulki was proudly wearing the Green Kinnaur (Himachal) cap which was presented to him by Topshe’s friend.
While they were away, we went to the river (Baspa) front… actually, SuroKhuro, Mitali and Deepika went down all the way, Amal-da, Gora and I stayed put at the halfway mark realizing that climbing back would be tough for us. While sitting there on the rocks, we saw a large group of Bongs of varied age going to the river front. Gora and Amal-da advised the older lots to stay put there only as it will be difficult for them climb up later. We found out that they are from Kolkata, on a 10 day trip. I couldn’t help comment that wherever I had gone on vacation, I have encountered Bongs from Kolkata and the groups were very vocal!!
After about 30 minutes, we saw our team members returning and looking at their huffing n puffing it was a good call not to go down all the way. We went to the other side where there’s a Tibetan Monastery at a height but halfway through Gora and I decided to go back to the hotel where both us had a nice nap before lunch at the Aakhri Dhaba, as the name suggested it was the last dhaba before the Indo-Tibetan border. The dhaba was run by the maternal uncle of Mr. Negi who also supplied the mutton for our dinner. They had a Thali system comprising of dal, kadhi, sabji and rajma with rice or chapatti. The food was average… rajma being the most tasty followed by dal. While we were having lunch, it started to drizzle which prompted us to rush back to the hotel. Soon the drizzle turned into heavy downpour foiling our sightseeing ventures. We arranged a pack of cards and played the favorite game of Bongs, TwentyNine till Topshe and Pulki came back from their excursion. Topshe called us to come out of the room to witness some amazing views. The mountains at the distance were all covered in snow after the downpour. We haven’t seen any snow covered mountains this close and the scenery was way beyond words. All I can say is that our trip to Chitkul was very successful and the memory shall remain etched forever. Later we drove down to the BSF post at the Indo-Tibetan border (though the actual border is further 40+ km away). On our way back we encountered a herd of cows that refused to budge from the road… it took lots of honking and cajoling before they relented.
The mutton curry prepared by the young chef was delicious and we had our stomach full… thoughtfully he had prepared aloo sabji and dal as well especially for Deepika who was the lone vegetarian in the group of eight. There was nothing more to do as the temperature have plummeted to around 4 degree Celsius, we paid up our dues to Mr. Negi since we planned to leave early in the morning around 6:00 am. He arranged for some aloo paratha for our breakfast as well.
DAY FOUR
We drove down to the Baspa river for up close view… it was flowing with vengeance to meet Sutlej many miles down at the Karcham… after spending around 15 minutes we started our journey towards Shimla. In the daylight we could see the road and the surroundings and could only praise the nature. We also realized how bad the condition of the road was after the monsoon and landslides. Since it was early morning, there was hardly any traffic allowing us to drive at sedate speed of 50-60 kmph at most of the stretches. We made it to the Karcham Dam in 2 hours time while it had taken us more than 3 hours going up. We took a detour from here for two reasons: (1) to pick up Kinnaur apple from where Topshe & Pulki had taken and (2) Topshe wanted me to drive through the road nicknamed “Indian Grand Canyon”… it’s the road going to Rekongpeo from Karcham along the Sutlej river and range of mountains on either side going up straight giving a feeling that one is driving inside a canyon. We stopped at roadside eatery and ordered tea and consumed the aloo paratha that Mr. Negi had given along with the residual cakes of Mitali.
Baspa River up close
We drove for 10-12 km and reached a Y fork and still there was no sign of any apple seller. Topshe suggested we take the left road and go up to Rekongpeo where there are quite a few kiosks selling apple… it was another 15 km uphill drive on winding road and at least 1.5 hour each way. We would have been very late reaching Shimla, so we and turned around. On the way back, at the petrol station, the guy informed that there’s one apple seller a kilometer ahead on the right side of the road… we had missed it while going. Deepika, SuroKhuro and Mitali picked up a box each… SuroKhuro negotiated the price which was less than at what Topshe bought previously… which prompted him buy another box!!
We reached Narkanda around 6:00pm from where SuroKhuro and Mitali picked up 2kg each authentic cow ghee… thereafter we continued on our way to Shimla in total darkness but thankfully, Vodafone network was back on track to show us the congestion(s) ahead… there was no worries about getting lost because it was just one road NH5 which we had to follow. This was a new achievement for me… driving on the hills after dark for the third time in four days and I found it quite comfortable except the times when an idiot would come from the opposite side with blazing headlight in high beam. We reached our hotel, Meridian, Shimla around 8:30 pm. Topshe had chosen this hotel for the sole reason that it offered car parking within the premises otherwise it’s a real headache to find parking space in Shimla… one may have to park few kilometers away from their hotel.
We parked our cars on the surface level and was told to go down the stairs 2 floors below… wondering how suffocating it would be to spend the night in underground rooms… to our surprise, the rooms were quite decent, airy with windows opening from where one could see few floors below there’s habitation and road running. Our designated attendant Mr. Mahender realized that it would be a challenge for us, the senior citizens to climb up for dinner and offered to set up the table at the corridor of the rooms. The hotel deal was AP (American Plan) which includes breakfast and dinner with the room tariff. The food was average but the service was first class.
We retired for the day after an inconclusive discussion on next day’s program… originally it was planned that we would visit the Shimla Kalibari and then start our journey back to Delhi… but then what about a visit to the famous Shimla Mall? Opinions were divided so we decided to sleep over it.
DAY FIVE
Between Deepika and me we were certain that we are not for the mall visit because it would mean spending at least half a day and thereafter reaching Delhi around midnight. Gora also wanted to reach home in good time… SuroKhuro after much thought decided to join us, so after breakfast four of us started our journey back to Delhi while Topshe, Pulki, Mitali and Amal-da decided to extend their stay and enjoy the Shimla completely… Kalibari and Mall.
It was 2nd October (Gandhi Jayanti), most shops were expectedly closed but surprisingly many petrol stations were shut too… my tank was half full which would take to Panchkula/ Zirakpur but I didn’t want take that chance and at the first option topped up the tank. There was a shop of HPMC selling Apple Wine next to the station but on closer look found that to be closed. Somewhere between Dharampur and Parwanoo, we stopped at a place for coffee but ended up having chilled Green Apple non-alcoholic Beer and picked few for the road as well… we also picked up pickle, jam and juice.
We decided to stop at Puran Singh da Dhaba Shop #14 at Ambala Cantt. for lunch… whenever I had travelled on this route, I have tried to stop there for food… it serves one of the best North Indian Cuisine. We reached there around 2:30 pm just in time for lunch and ordered Kaali Dal, Kadhai Paneer and Special Mutton Curry (boneless) with Tandoori Roti. We ended up eating much more than our normal intake. We didn’t realize but it was almost an hour break we had taken, in a way the rest and the food rejuvenated us to drive straight to Delhi.
As we were getting closer to Delhi, traffic increased on the road, it seemed everyone from Delhi had taken a short vacation and now returning home. We crossed into Delhi around 6:30 pm but soon got into a massive traffic jam because of some religious congregation at Khatu Shyam Dham on the outer Delhi road… we lost at least 30-45 minutes. I had planned to drop Gora at Topshe’s home where his Scooter was parked but he insisted to be dropped at the Supreme Court Metro Station. After that our next stop was Haus Khas Metro for SuroKhuro to take Ola/Uber to his home in Dwarka. I told him stay overnight at my home and go in the morning… had he heeded to my call, we would not have had the next harrowing experience…
SuroKhuro couldn’t get a cab so took an autorikshaw from Hauz Khas Metro Station Gate #1. I was in the car ready to roll when Deepika got down to get her purse from the rear seat and checking if her mobile phone is inside it (she has a habit of misplacing her phone and looking for it casually). Once satisfied, she got in the front passenger seat and at that moment 2 bike-borne thieves snatched her purse and sped away in the wrong direction. She started screaming for help… it took me few seconds to realize what has happened but I could do nothing. Unfortunately, there were many autorikshaws standing but all of them were on the other side of the fence unable to block the motorcycle, moreover it being a holiday the road had very scarce traffic which allowed the thieves to zoom away. I dialed the police control room and soon 2 PCR vans along with 2 motorcycle borne policemen came to the spot and registered our complaint. We were advised by SI Doongadarshi to reach Hauz Khas PS under whose jurisdiction the area comes under, to file an FIR.
While we were filing the FIR, the SHO Shiv Darshan came to us and enquired what happened. We explained in as much detail as we could remember but except that the snatcher was wearing white t-shirt/ shirt we did not have the (most important) motorcycle registration number. He asked for Deepika’s mobile number and tried to connect but it rang, nobody answered. We requested him to track the mobile which he promised to do. Meanwhile, I called Ayush and told him about the mishap and asked him to block the credit/ debit cards. The thought of the harrowing time ahead to get her Aadhar, PAN, Voters card besides some other documents that were gone with the purse was too disturbing. As we had gone to remote area, she was carrying over 10K INR in cash which we knew will never be retrieved.
Deepika persistently asked the IO to track her iPhone and we were informed the process would take at least 4-5 hours as first a request will be sent to the Central Cyber Cell of DP which will ask for permission from their ACP who based on the severity of the case may allow or refer it to the DCP who may or may not give the permission. We were lucky, the SHO Shiv Darshan was in Crime Branch before being posted to this PS and he requested his ex-ACP there to put the phone on tracking immediately (Crime Branch has the authority to track any phone at any time). He also kept calling Deepika’s number… initially there was no response but suddenly someone answered and when questioned said he was at the Hauz Khas Metro Station… at the same time his other phone buzzed to inform that the phone has been tracked to Hauz Khas Metro Station within a radius of 100 meters. We immediately rushed to the spot in the police Scorpio but the area was even more deserted than before. We spread out to search the area and called her phone… on my second try Deepika answered the call!!
Apparently two guys on a bike threw the bag on the road and sped away… the young guy (27-28 years old), a pharmacist by profession was on his way home when he witnessed it. He heard the phone ringing and picked it up to answer the call. We thanked him profusely for his good gesture. At the police station, Deepika checked her purse and confirmed that all the cards and other docs are in there but all cash including the coins are gone. She also lost her earpods and headphone besides 2 expensive lipsticks, goggles and 2 silver coins with God/Goddess’s image. We were relieved that she got her phone back as well as the important documents. We did not register the FIR as we felt wisely or unwisely that the culprits even if caught will not get convicted (in this case) as they have not kept anything incriminating with them that can be held as evidence against them. Moreover, we haven’t had a good look at their face to identify them in front of the magistrate/ judge.
We thanked SHO Shiv Darshan for his quick thinking and actions and came back home around 10:30 pm totally exhausted physically as well as mentally. It was a life lesson for us and unforgettable…
In Bengali, there’s a saying, “Uthlo bai to Cuttack jai”(উঠলো বাই তো কটক যাই) which roughly means doing something impulsively.
That’s exactly what happened on 8th July afternoon, Deepika & I were having lunch with Sumita Sangeeta & Santanu at the ANAND NIKETAN CLUB where Sangeeta asked Deepika, “How’s the wedding (Ayush’s) preparation progressing?” That one question and its disjointed answers prompted Sangeeta to suggest that we all go to Kolkata to do the wedding shopping. Santanu immediately booked his and my air tickets under senior citizen (without any discount). And I booked for the other three for 4th August to Kolkata and return on 8th August. Sangeeta suggested we check into her cousin’s vacant apartment in New Town while I took up the task of arranging a suitable vehicle for our commute. I spoke to my dear friend Atish who connected me to Kali-da who runs a cab service. Kali-da promised to send one Innova at the airport for pickup and our commute in the city for the duration of our stay.
Meanwhile, our home was in a mess with renovation and repair work happening since the beginning of April with an interlude of one month (May) when the contractor was away to his village for some marriage function. We thought, the house would be ready before we leave for Kolkata but it was not to be… about 10-15% job remained to be completed which we were assured will be completed in our absence.
DAY ONE
Our flight Vistara UK705 was at 7:40 on 4th August Friday… Vistara advised 3 hours prior check-in expecting weekend rush. Between us, we decided 5:30 am as the meeting time at the airport and accordingly asked Guddu (our driver and man Friday) to take us around 5:00 am. Deepika & I were first to reach and checked-in (for some unknown glitch in the Vistara App, Santanu and I could not generate our boarding pass and had to collect it from the counter). Sumita, coming from the furthest distance (Sohna Road, Gurugram) made a faux-pas by booking the cab for 6:45 am. The call from Deepika urging her leave by 4:45 am made her realize the mistake… she was the last one (of the group) to check-in.
The Vistara aircraft was brand new (Airbus A321Neo) with slanted seating in the Business Class but the Economy Class was the same… minimum leg space. However, this time they made up with decent food parcels. We landed at NSCB Kolkata around 9:35 am and were out by 10:00 am. As promised Kali-da had shared the vehicle number as well as the driver details… in fact the driver, Rajesh Ali called me while we were taxing in Delhi. I called him up and told him where we were and in about 5 minutes he came. We first went to Sangeeta’s Mama’s (maternal uncle) house in Baguihati/ Lake Town to pick up the keys and after tasting the Kolkata Sondesh went to our temporary abode in New Town, close to Salt Lake City to freshen up for the shopping excursion.
Our first stop was Bhojraj situated on Rash Behari Road near the Triangular Park. It’s a small shop but boasts of quality sarees both in terms of material and designs. Deepika picked up one saree having seen more than a dozen. It was the beginning… next stop was right across the street, Aadi Dhakeshwari Bastralaya, very famous shop spread in 3 floors for not just sarees but for Kurta-Dhoti, ladies suits and dress material. Here, Deepika picked up a Banarasi Saree for her Bahu and I picked up a Dhuti for Ayush. I liked a silk Kurta but it was quite expensive, moreover, I don’t wear kurta except on special occasion. Guided by Sangeeta, our next pit stop was Meera Basu Boutique on Dr. Sarat Banerjee Road, Ballygaunge. Meera Basu has the exclusive collection of sarees right from Dhakai, Dhonekhali, Tangail to Baluchari. It was difficult to choose and reject because most of them were hard to find elsewhere…exclusive sarees!! After spending more than 2 hours sifting through the sarees shortlisted, 3 sarees was finalized, one of them for Deepika, anniversary gift, it is a kind of special weave called Shiburi. Meera Basu, as a widow started the saree business to sustain her family and over the years became a legend for quality and designer sarees. She’s no more but her legacy continues…
In between we had Jhal Muri, Kurmur and Phoochka, all extremely popular and quintessential Kolkata Street Food. And these were our lunch on day one!!!
From Ballygaunge, we proceeded to Gariahat… Balaram Saha Handloom Saree Store, Ekdalia, Gariahat. The shop is situated on the first floor above an oriental restaurant. I have been to this shop earlier with my dear friend Atish when he bought a saree for his M-i-L. I must give credit to the Sales Person for his immense patience…in over 2 hours he showed more than 250 sarees in different textures, designs, hues and colours. Deepika and her 2 friends kept selecting-rejecting-selecting…only to shortlist about 6 sarees as semi-final. And then they went back to the ones they had rejected just to see if they had rightly rejected them or not. After much deliberation Deepika picked up 4 sarees from Balaram Saha and was happy with her final selection. Needless to say, the final selection was pushed by yours truly, not just here but at all the shops.
We were feeling hungry and it was time for dinner…the choice was to go to Park Street or China Town. We decided on the latter as I have never been to China Town and wanted to taste the authentic Chinese cuisine. We went Kim Ling as most of the dining apps gave it a very high rating and they were not wrong. We ordered soup both veg and non-veg; mixed meat Hakka noodles, egg fried rice, sautéed Chinese green, prawns chilly garlic and chicken in black pepper sauce… one portion of each and still couldn’t finish them. Santanu and I enjoyed a chilled beer as well.
We reached our home around 10:30 pm and signed off Rajesh Ali requesting him to report around 8:30 am for I wanted to taste the Kochuri-Aloor Dom at Aadi Haridas Modok at Shyam Baajar 5 point (Paanch Mathar Mor).
DAY TWO
In the morning, Santanu, Sumita and I went for the famed Kochuri-Aloor Dom at Aadi Haridas Modok. At INR 30 per plate of 3 Kochuris, it is perhaps the cheapest breakfast one can have in the city. In the early mornings, I am very hungry, so I ended up having 2 plates. We packed 2 portions of Chhanar Chop (Paneer Cutlet) for Deepika & Sangeeta and proceeded to another iconic place called Dwarik’s Grandson, a sweet shop that has been in existence since the time of Shri Ramkrishna Paramhans and Swami Vivekanand. Here, we picked up Misti Doi and 2 portions of Radha Ballavi for Deepika and Sangeeta. We also had Baked Rosogolla which was out of this world, I had it in Delhi at Annapurna as well as Kamala Sweets but they are no match to this one. I knew Deepika would love it so packed couple of pieces for her as well.
Our destination was Rash Behari Avenue or more precisely to Kimbadanti, a shop specializing on Kurta and the only shop I knew where I could find a kurta of Ayush’s size. I must mention here that since we agreed to a Bengali style wedding it is but natural that the groom will be attired in traditional Dhuti-Panjabi (dhoti-kurta) at the wedding ceremony. Therefore, not only for Ayush but for me too, a silk kurta and matching dhoti was picked up. Next we explored a few shop nearby from where D picked up a saree for our housekeeper.
We moved on to Park Street to explore more sarees. Deepika wanted to gift a saree each to Sangeeta & Sumita on the happy occasion of Ayush’s wedding. Sangeeta liked one saree that was way beyond what we had budgeted but we encouraged her to accept it as she liked it dearly. Sumita, on the other hand did not like any of the sarees not just here but at all the previously mentioned shops. She would invariably find some fault with all the sarees even the ones which she found somewhat likeable. While exploring the saree shops, Sumita and Sangeeta found a roadside vendor selling jhal muri, kurmur and couldn’t resist. I resisted because the Aadi Haridas Modok was still heavy on my stomach.
If you are on Park Street, Flurry’s is the natural choice for evening tea and snacks. I opted for Darjeeling Tea with a mutton patty and a cream roll which Deepika shared as well. Deepika and Sumita went on to meet their college friend Radhika with whom Sumita being very close decided to stay overnight. I dropped Santanu and Sangeeta at their maternal uncle’s home at Lake Town. Thereafter I met up with 3 of cousins at two ends of the city, Salt Lake and Kasba.
DAY THREE
It being a Sunday, most markets in Kolkata were observing holiday, so we decided to visit Raichak on the Ganges, approx 60+ kilometers from Kolkata for a day trip. We left around 8:30 am and on the way picked up Sumita from Park Street near Don Bosco school on way to Raichak.
Raichak on Ganges is a collection of hotel, resort, spa and theme based country homes beside the river Ganges, located at Raichak, 50+ km from Kolkata, West Bengal. The properties located in Raichak on Ganges are Ganga Kutir, Anaya, The Ffort Raichak and The Ffort Suites besides many private B-n-B options.
We were going for a day trip hoping to have lunch there and do a bit of sightseeing before returning in the evening. Except for Ffort Raichak managed by Radisson all other properties had restricted admission and did not entertain the walk-in customers. Sangeeta called up the resort and reserved a table for us and also requested if the manager can allow us to visit their other property Ganga Kutir which is situated right on the banks of Ganges with breathtaking views of the river.
Radhika had made breakfast of Aloo Paratha and Egg Sandwich for five of us but the quantity which she had packed was good for cricket team of 11+reserve players!! We devoured most of it as soon as we hit the serpentine 2-lane Diamond Harbour Road to Raichak. I dearly missed my mug of black coffee after the breakfast… had water instead and made myself comfortable on the last row of the Innova to take a nap!!
I woke up as we reached the gate of the Raichak on Ganges. The gate is manned by security personnel who allowed only the guests of the resorts/ B-n-B inside. We told them we are going to Ffort Raichak and they can verify with the manager. The guards simply noted down our vehicle registration and asked us to proceed.
The Ffort, was originally built back in the colonial rule (1783) for keeping a watch over River Hooghly to ward off the pirates. For many years post independence, the fort was left ignored and was in shambles. Later, Radisson group of hotels overtook it and converted it into a hotel. Opened in 1997 in West Bengal, the Ffort Raichak stands amidst 65 acres of landscaped greenery against the backdrop of the Hooghly River. The riverbank has a jetty where you can board a boat to reach the other side, to Haldia. A British commander, General Watson, resided here with his wife Mary and daughter Caroline, and 65 soldiers. The best part of the entire fort experience is the narrow tunnel-like steps which takes you directly to the riverbank.
At the fort, we checked the artifacts of the bygone era that adorned the walls of the reception area and about the brief history of the place. We were directed to the dining hall situated on the first floor of the fort. It was quite large with spaced out seating and had a big terrace from where one can get a glimpse of the fort landscape and the river Hoogly or Ganges. The river was very wide here… one can hardly make out the shoreline on the other side. There was reasonable traffic on the river of small fishing boats and bigger Launches carrying containers for the ships anchored somewhere near the Mohana at the Bay of Bengal.
We did not realize it but the breakfast was quite heavy on our tummies leaving little room for lunch. We shared plates of veggies, chicken and fish with rice and chapattis. The lunch was leisurely spread over 1.5 hours and then another 30 minutes on the terraces to enjoy the breeze and the view. We wanted to take the boat ride but the planned cruise had to be abandoned due to incessant rains and insufficient numbers to fill the large boat. We were not comfortable going on the dinghy fishing boats.
The manager at the fort confirmed that we could visit the Ganga Kutir to view the scenic river up close. The guards at the Ganga Kutir guided us to the public area where we must confine ourselves while enjoying the views and take photographs. Standing at the banks of the river, one could understand why the property Ganga Kutir is so much sought after; not just the views but the sound of the waves were magical especially at night when you are sitting on the decks that almost reaches the water… you might be tempted to sing Rabindrasangeet or Bhatiyali songs!!
We left for Kolkata hoping to be back in the distant future for an overnight stay at Ganga Kutir, Raichak. The Diamond Harbour Road is a 2-lane serpentine road that connects Raichak with Kolkata, no other alternative road available. As luck would have it, a large tree had fallen unable to hold on to the brittle ground anymore and all traffic came to a standstill. It had to be cut into pieces by hand saws which took almost an hour before the traffic moved.
We reached Gariahat Market, being a Sunday, the market looked deserted with most shops closed, we were lucky to find a Dashakarma Bhandar open. A Dashakarma Bhandar is a typical shop that specializes in selling Puja Samagri for Bengali rituals. Before going to Kolkata I had got a list of items made by our panditji but realized it was not needed as the shopkeeper had a printed list of items ready. You just have to tell him the occasion and he will mark it and get them nicely packed for you. We got all the items as per our list completing our target.
On our way home we picked up Mutton Biryani from Arsalan, Park Circus. It is a must have whenever I visit Kolkata. The biryani is non spicy (unlike the Hyderabadi) but full of flavours plus true to Bong tradition, they add a full potato and egg. Moreover, at an extra cost, one can add mutton, potato and eggs as much one likes.
DAY FOUR
We had leftovers of aloo-paratha and egg sandwich which were consumed for breakfast after which we left for Bahu Bazaar (বউ বাজার) for jewelry shopping. Santanu and I dropped the girls at the P C Chandra Jewellers and proceeded to Bentinck Street where many moons ago I had purchased a pair of leather boots from a Chinese shop. To my utter disappointment, all the Chinese shoemakers have vanished from there and non descriptive shops selling useless tidbits have come up…most of them selling stuff that are available in hoards at Sarojini Nagar, Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar markets in Delhi at less than half the price. Walking down the street we came across a KHADIM outlet with signs of 50% Discount across all products. I liked a pair of running shoes but putting them on realized the quality was not up to my liking. A further hundred meters down the road was another Khadim outlet but it was primarily of bags and purses. I picked two leather purses for Deepika and my sister and then returned to the jewelry shop. They had done their shopping so after paying up we came to Esplanade, more particularly to New Market. The original New Market was destroyed in a devastating fire few years ago and a new avatar is in place. It was quite like the Palika Bazaar of Delhi and I didn’t like the feel about it. However, there was one shop I had heard a lot about and wanted to check it out… it happens to be the favourite of Santanu… It is the Nahoum’s Bakery, an old Jewish establishment without any frills. I tried their Chicken patty which was nothing in comparison to the Wenger’s at Connaught Place, New Delhi. Overall, I was quite disappointed especially after hearing so much about it from Santanu and my other Kolkata friends.
Our next stop was another iconic food joint, Badshah, a favourite joint of Sangeeta for its Rolls. We stepped into their family station and ordered for mutton rolls and tea. The Badshah Special Mutton Roll was good but I won’t go back for it. Our next stop was Park Street where Deepika wanted to take a chance at buying a saree for Sumita. But as luck would have it, by the time we reached the Park Hotel it started pouring cats n dogs, the first heavy rains we experienced in 4 days. Next to the Park Hotel is the Bishwa Bangla outlet that showcases the handloom and handicrafts of Bengal. I had seen a small Dokra statue of Durga and family at their online store but it was out-of-stock then, I decided to try my luck. They had a bigger version but the price was too high. I settled for a pack of “first flush Darjeeling Tea” and a bottle of Aam-Kasundi pickle that Deepika loved.
There was no indication of the rains stopping anytime soon, so we went to the Trinca’s (a multi speciality restaurant of the Park Hotel), which is in existence since the Colonial days and a favourite watering hole for the Kolkata elites. It was too early for dinner especially after the Badshah Special Roll… we ordered for beer and mocktails which were served after almost 30 minutes that too after two reminders. Soon, I realized that I can’t eat any more and conveyed to others that I am feeling full and won’t have dinner. Others too expressed similar feelings, so we paid up and left for home. A few kilometers down the road I started feeling very uncomfortable and desperately prayed to reach home at the earliest.
I rushed to clean up my system and realized some or more items did not gel with my body… it was food poisoning. I felt very sick and called it a day. The following morning I got to know three things; (i) Sumita too had become unwell, (ii) Deepika, Sangeeta & Santanu had a feasting dinner from “6 Ballygunge Place” and most importantly (iii) Sangeeta had left her purse at the Trinca’s and needed to go there again to fetch it. I was still a bit under the weather so Santanu and I stayed back.
DAY FIVE
The girl brigade took more than their allotted time to fetch the purse… apparently they first went to Gariahat Market to pick up packing trays for the Gaye Holud Totto and then to Park Street for one last attempt at buying a saree for Sumita before collecting the purse from Trinca’s. We finally met at the MISHTI HUB at the Gate No. 3 Eco Park, New Town. Mishti Hub (মিষ্টি হাব) is an MSME enterprise established by the Government of West Bengal to promote different types of sweets of Indian state of West Bengal. One can have sweets made by renowned manufacturers from different parts of Bengal, in one place, under one roof, its only one of its kind in the state of West Bengal. There are permanent stalls of some of the renowned sweet shops viz. K C Das, Ganguram, Banchharam, Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick et al. I have had the sweets from all of these places. Santanu and I decided on Surjya Kumar Modak which seemed to be a new addition. As per their claim, they are the inventor of the famous Jolbhora Taalshansh Sandesh. We picked up few boxes of mixed sandesh for home as well as gifting. Earlier, we had planned for a typical Bong lunch at a nearby restaurant but realized we were short on time, so settled for Radha Ballavi with Aloor Dom at Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick followed by Kulfi from Gupta Brothers.
Our flight back to Delhi was at 8:30 pm but as we had lots of luggage, we decided to reach early for the check-in and left for the airport around 5 pm. We were collectively 3 kg overweight but the Vistara Counter person allowed the extras when I mentioned that we have been shopping for my son’s wedding. Our assigned gate was at the far end of the terminal, so we decided to find a place to rest nearer to the gate instead of going to the lounge.
While in Kolkata, we got the news that our driver-cum-man-Friday Guddu Kumar had a cardiac arrest and was in the hospital. His services were ruled out, so, I downloaded the Blue Smart cab service app and booked us a cab from IGIA T-3 for our home.
Dr. Pralay Sarkar, IFS, having retired from the Foreign Services, decided to settled down in his home town of Kolkata although his wife Shibani was reluctant having heard of the decadence of the city. Their both children, son Indrajit and daughter Indrani are married and settled in Sydney and Dublin respectively. So far, the family hadn’t had a reunion for over 5 years…the last they all were together was during the wedding of their son in Sydney. Therefore, Pralay was insistent on settling down at their ancestral bunglow in Alipore which is currently under lease to a renowned corporate house. He was currently residing at his Type VII government quarters in Kaka Nagar, New Delhi but will have to vacate in 6 months time, so he sent out a notice to the Corporate House to vacate the bunglow giving them 3 months of notice as per the agreement. After a few to and fro emails, the tenant agreed to vacate the place within 3 months.
A month had passed and using his contacts in Kolkata, Pralay engaged the services of a contractor to do the renovation work immediately upon the vacation of the premises. So far so good but out of the blue, he received a call from a man who identified as Trilok Chand, a city property broker and asked Pralay if he would be interested in outright sell or collaboration for his house in Alipore. Pralay refused upfront telling Trilok Chand that he has decided to relocate to Kolkata and set up his residence at his ancestral home. The broker was insistent and finally hung up asking him to reconsider his decision.
Unknown to Dr. Pralay Sarkar, the bustling city of joy, Kolkata, with its vibrant rich culture and heritage, had a poisonous snake lurking beneath the surface ready to show its fangs. Deep within its alleyways and hidden corners, a silent war was raging between rival factions of the city’s mafia. These criminal organizations had thrived for decades exploiting the city’s underbelly under the patronage of corrupt politicians and police. Trilok Chand was very much part of this commanding his own gang and he has the blessings of the cabinet minister Joydeep Banerjee.
Joydeep Banerjee, a charismatic politician with a seemingly clean image was actually The Don having built an intricate network of connections that extended to the darkest corners of the underworld. He provided protection and immunity to the burgeoning mafia syndicates in return for their loyalty and financial support. It was no wonder that while the common men remain ignorant and slept peacefully, the Don’s empire grew stronger. Years ago, Trilok Chand as a young ambitious gangster had taken refuge under the patronage of Don Joydeep Banerjee who hadn’t then stepped on the political stage. Within a short span of time, Trilok Chand through his cunning and violence expanded his network. He was suspected behind two dozen murders but was never caught thanks to the Don…together they were a formidable pair that controlled the seedy underbelly of Kolkata, where drugs, prostitution and illegal gambling thrived; but their biggest game was grabbing prime properties from the unsuspecting individuals and depending on the size and location refurbish or rebuild and sell at a profit. The police and law enforcement agencies seemed powerless against their growing influence, often turning a blind eye due to political pressure.
Dr. Pralay Sarkar reached Kolkata and took up residence with his cousin at Ballygaunge. He was scheduled to take possession of his ancestral home and reached the spot sharp at 10 am as per appointment. There were few vehicles inside the compound and a gentleman came forward as he alighted from the taxi. The person introduced himself as the legal officer of the firm and were there to handover the keys to Mr. Sarkar after surveying the bunglow. As the reached the steps of the bunglow another person joined them introducing himself as Manoranjan Dasgupta, the contractor recommended by Dr. Pralay’s friend. The three of them surveyed the house and Pralay pointed out the renovation and changes that he wants to be done to Manoranjan who noted down the details and took photographs with his phone. It took almost two hours to complete the survey and the keys were handed over to Pralay and documents signed off.
Manoranjan and Pralay decided to go to Flurry’s for lunch and discuss the project work in details. However, their plan got disrupted when a black Scorpio blocked their car and three muscled guys alighted from it. The shorter of them approached Manoranjan’s car and said, “Namaskar Pralay Babu, I am Trilok Chand… I had called you the other day. Have you decided your price for selling this crap of a house? I am offering you a very good price, we will develop this as a multistoried luxury apartments, you will ofcourse get an apartment plus cash.” Dr. Pralay Sarkar had been a lifelong diplomat, doesn’t lose his cool easily. He stepped out smiling at Trilok and said, “Trilok Chand Ji, the very reason that you called my beautiful ancestral home ‘a crap’, I will never do business with you. Now if you will excuse us and move your truck from my premises… I have other businesses to focus on.” Trilok was livid with anger and said, “You are making a mistake Mr. Sarkar, nobody refuses Trilok Chand’s offer. We will see how you carry on with your plan.”
Once at the restaurant, Manoranjan asked Pralay what deal Trilok had offered him and hearing the details, laughed out saying that he was being duped royally as the price of the Alipore property would be 10-20 times more. Then on a serious note asked Pralay if he has any political clouts in the city or at least has any connect at the higher levels in police force because the Trilok character is shady one and go at any length to disrupt work at the bunglow. Pralay confirmed that he doesn’t know either of the categories of people in the state but has few contacts at the central govt. and would find out through them the right person to approach. Thereafter, they finalized the work schedule; Manoranjan promised to finish the work well before the festival season, so that Pralay can do the grihapravesh in the auspicious days of Navratri and celebrate the Durga Puja at his new home. That very evening, Pralay called his junior, also a close friend in the EAM, Tapas Mukherjee and narrated his encounter with Trilok Chand. Tapas assured him that he will find a solution and revert at the earliest.
Early in the morning, Pralay received the coveted call from Tapas who gave him the contact number and said that he has already spoken to him and the person is waiting for Pralay’s call. He called the number provided by Tapas and a deep voice answered, “DCP Rudro speaking” Pralay told him briefly about his encounter with Trilok and the advice/ caution he got from Manoranjan. They decided to meet later in the day to discuss in details the steps to be taken going forward.
The meeting took place in a non-descript café… Rudro took notes of key points and asked few pertinent questions and assured Pralay that he will set things right. From the café, Rudro went straight to meet the Commissioner and narrated verbatim his discussions with Dr. Pralay Sarkar. At the end he told the Commissioner, “Sir, this is our golden opportunity to finish both the Don and Trilok… with your permission, I can start the internal fued…there may be few bodies floating on the Ganga as a result”. The Commissioner thought for while and with cryptic smile said, “You need to keep 2 people in the loop and you know who they are”!! Rudro knew whom he has to call next so he saluted and left. Time was short and need to act swiftly. His first call was to Satyabrata Mukherjee, the leader of the opposition, a strong proponent for corruption free politics and close to the think tank of the central govt.; then he called up the home minister of the state, Tapas Roy Chowdhury and told him in details the plan to destroy the Don and his puppet Trilok Chand. The home minister TRC was no friend of the Don and wanted him out of his, so he gave his blessings to Rudra.
Rudra started his game plan immediately and through his trusted contacts in the underworld, he released a set of misinformation that soon reached the ears of Trilok Chand. He was livid with anger and somewhat fearful too… he, for some time now had become ambitious and wanted to break the shackle of the Don…aspiring to contest the next election on party ticket. His ambition and thirst for power led him to play a dangerous game of double-crossing the Don. He formed alliances with rival factions of the party alongside the corrupt police and judiciary to entangle the Don into a series of corruption cases leading to his downfall. However, betrayal is a double-edged sword and soon Trilok himself got entangled in a web of deceit and treachery. It was expected because Rudra had revealed the true intent and purpose to the Don through his trusted aides. The Don was not only prepared but ready with counter offensive.
The city’s landscape became a battleground with each faction consolidating their gangs and unleashing terror and violently attacking each other. The media got its juicy headlines and few diligent journalists got into the act finding the depth of the allegations and counter allegations. In the fierce battle of supremacy, both side opted for no-holds bar tactic and in the process innocent bystanders became victim of bloodshed. There were uproars not just in the state assembly but even the parliament was perturbed by the intensity of the violence.
Rudra was playing his game of Devil’s Advocate well by feeding the rival factions with measured misinformation and letting them eliminate each other. The final moment has not yet arrived…
Battered and bruised, Trilok Chand managed to escape the onslaught and went underground determind to exact revenge on the Don, Joydeep Banerjee. He started gathering a new group of loyal followers and plan for counter offensive. The tables were about to turn and the city would witness an unprecedented clash between the mafia and the politician’s henchmen.
But only when Rudra plays his trump card… he arranged for a double barrel raid on the Don Joydeep Banerjee through a series of raid by the IT and ED and ensured that the Don is convinced that it was the handiwork of Trilok Chand, the betrayer. Huge unaccounted cash, jewelry and documents of illegal or benami properties were hauled from both his home and office. On the other side, police raided the dens of the gang leaders and arrested a few and eliminated more. As the tension reached the boiling point, battle lines were drawn… Trilok with his loyal gang members took on the henchmen of the Don in a fierce and relentless battle for control. The city once again became a war zone and the authorities asked the citizen to observe caution and avoid going out at certain time of the day. In this high-stake war game, survival was not guaranteed for anyone involved…
Trilok Chand succumbed to the gun wound on the third day of the battle putting an end to the resistance of the gangs who fearing being eliminated, surrendered to the police.
On the advice of Rudra, IT and ED spokesperson released selected but damaging piece of information regarding the raids conducted at Joydeep Banerjee’s premises. The media, which had long been suppressed by the Don, finally broke its silence, exposing the intricate web of connections between the politicians and the mafia. Media, as the voice of people demanded justice, demanded action from the authorities.
Kolkata, as ever, started healing, the once thriving mafia families were dismantled, their leaders’ dead or arrested… Joydeep Banerjee’s political career came crashing down and his arrest was imminent.
DCP Rudra, finally got his go-ahead to arrest the Don named Joydeep Banerjee but in his book of law elimination is always better than arrest. He purposely leaked the information of Don’s imminent arrest. When the arresting party from Lal Bazaar reached the premises of Joydeep Banerjee, there were a posse of local police personnel. The Inspector came forward and saluted DCP Rudra, “Sir, Joydeep Banerjee has committed suicide early this morning. The guards at the gate heard gunshot and informed us…we found his body in the study which was locked from inside… we had to break in…” Rudra went inside to check on the scene, it was gruesome with his head in tatters and blood spilling all over the carpet. Rudra told the Inspector to send the body for postmortem and called up the Commissioner to inform of the situation. The Commissioner said, “Rudro, you wanted this end, didn’t you?”
All this while, as advised by Rudro, Dr. Pralay Sarkar and Manoranjan Dasgupta had concentrated in transforming the “Sarkar Villa” into a masterpiece where the old Victorian architecture mingles with the modern amenities. It was ready to move in and Sarkar’s decided to move in on the sixth day (Shashti) of Navratri and hold a grand party on the tenth day (Dashami) evening after the immersion of the idol of Goddess Durga. His Son & Daughter along with their family were coming for the great family reunion at their ancestral home. Rudra and Sravani were invited to the party as well…
Note: The above storyline is a work of fiction and created for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to any real life person is purely coincidental.
Just after the Durga Puja, we were having our G2G (short for Get-together) of school buddies. This was a special one for few of our overseas and outstation buddies have graciously joined the Bijoya Sammelani. The Group Captain SC benignly obliged us by arranging the party hall at AFGC, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi. The party scene was typical with groups of 4-5 people gathered in huddle and talking animatedly. The prime topic of discussion was haunted stories and it seemed each one of us have sometime in our life experienced some incidents which defies logic and can’t be defined by intellect. The next thing we know, it was being planned to visit a haunted house or palace and try to figure out the mystery. Indro & I were sitting at a corner enjoying our Single Malts with succulent Chicken Malai Tikkas, hearing the planning we laughed because many such plans had been made in the past which never worked. I told Indro about Bhangarh Fort on Delhi-Jaipur Highway about 4 hours from Delhi. He said, “Let’s two us go there on my way back from Ranchi, I will come a bit early and we can go straight from the airport and you can drop me back at the airport for my flight to Baghdad”. I agreed because I had been planning to visit the place for a long time but wasn’t finding a brave partner to go along.
A bit about the legends of Bhangarh Fort…
The ancient and eerie Bhangarh Fort lies deep within the arid landscape of Rajasthan at distance of 282 km from Delhi. The fort renowned for its paranormal activity and has developed a reputation as the most haunted place in India. The fort’s shadowy walls hold secrets that have terrified generations of people residing outside the fort.
Legend has it that in the 16th century, Raja Bhagwant Das built this fort as a gift for his beloved son, Madho Singh. It stood tall against the backdrop of the rugged Aravalli Range, its imposing presence commanding respect from all who beheld it. But the whispering winds told of a curse, a story of a dark shadow that clung on to every stone, every wall of the fort…
One fateful day, a sorcerer named Singhia entered the fort with evil intentions. He was drawn to a beautiful princess named Ratnavati, whose beauty was said to rival the mythological angel, Urvashi. Singhia was captivated by her elegance and longed to marry her at any cost. However, Ratnavati, spurned all his advances which infuriated the Sorcerer and he resorted to black magic to achieve his wicked desires.
Singhia after carefully observing the movement of Ratnavati, realized that she frequently visited the market place to buy beauty herbs and jewelry. He concocted a plan to ensnare her and accordingly placed a cursed love potion in a cosmetic item meant for the princess. However, an admirer of the princess alerted her about the nefarious scheme of the sorcerer. Fearful of Singhia’s dark intentions, Ratnavati threw the potion onto a nearby boulder unknowingly causing it to transform into a gigantic stone and caused a powerful explosion engulfing the entire area and killing Singhia instantly. In his dying moments, he cursed the fort…declaring that no one would ever find happiness within its walls. The curse took hold, spreading its malevolence throughout the Bhangarh Fort. Locals claimed to hear anguished cries echoing through the corridors and strange lights flickered in the night sky. Those who dared to enter the fort after sunset were never seen again.
Centuries passed, and the fort became a crumbling edifice of its former glory…whispers of the curse spread throughout the region like wildfire deterring anyone from venturing into its forbidden confines. The once thriving marketplace outside the fort turned into a ghost town, haunted by the tales of the princess and sorcerer.
On the appointed day, I picked up Indro from IGIA T-2 around 10 am and had a quick breakfast at the Sagar Ratna situated at World One complex in Aerocity. We proceeded to towards Bhangarh following the Google Map which indicated 4 hours 38 minutes to the destination. We had picked up enough water, beverages, munchies and sandwiches from another shop in the same complex knowing that we won’t find anything on our route. We took the NH8 (Delhi-Jaipur) and decided to turn left at Manoharpur for the NH11 that will take us to our destination.
The drive was smooth despite a bit of congestion at the Rajiv Chowk/Sohna Road because of construction activities. We were soon cruising towards Sahjanpur-Neemrana when we realized that the vehicles ahead of us are slowing down. We came to a halt at a point from where we could see the Neemrana Fort at a distance. We came to know that further, about 2/2.5 km ahead a trailer truck carrying a 40ft container has overturned blocking the entire road towards Jaipur… efforts are on to clear the road at the earliest. We had no choice but to wait as the traffic had built up very quickly all around us. We opened the coke cans and started chitchatting but soon Indro dozed off… he had an early morning flight from Ranchi and was tired from the exhaustion. I concentrated on playing my favourite game of Solitaire on my phone.
Indro & I reached the entrance of the fort around 4:30 pm and saw a group of locals deep in conversation. When we told them about our desire to enter the fort, they, in unison protested saying it is not safe to go in at that time… one of them said there have been strange noises coming out of the fort since last night with weird shape of lights emanating on the night sky. We assured them that we will take a quick look around and come out before the dusk settles in.
Unfazed by the warnings of the villagers, we entered the fort accompanied by intrigue and curiosity and a resolve to capture the paranormal activities in my Canon D60 camera. Inside the fort was unusually dark even when outside the sun shone brightly. A chilling wind swept through the crumbling walls of the fort as we moved forward…we shivered, feeling a heavy weight on our chest…as if unseen eyes watched our every move. I held my camera tightly and Indro was holding a 6-cell Maglight Torch that I had borrowed from our dear friend Ashish, it was heavy and very powerful…also can be used as weapon for self defense, if need arose.
Suddenly, Indro grabbed my arm restraining me and asked, “Did you hear what I heard?” In fact both of us heard a whispering distant voice beckoning us deeper into the labyrinthine corridors. We felt it was impossible to ignore the voice and almost hypnotized we followed the distant ethereal voice… hearts pounding in our chest. The narrow passageway seemed to shift and warp, at times disorienting us as we ventured further into the heart of darkness and the whispering voice. We reached a chamber where a dim light was emanating from the skylight. Indro used his powerful torch to look around the chamber and his torchlight rested upon an ancient mirror with ornate carvings. We looked into the reflective surface and were startled by the apparition of a beautiful woman dressed in royal regalia… Indro whispered in my ears, “Princess Ratnavati”… her eyes were filled with sorrow and longing for love. “Her lips moved a bit and we could her say, “Leave this place immediately before the curse of Singhia consumes you guys”. Her voice had a otherworldly resonance and we were captivated by her beauty.
We could feel the air getting heavy making our breathing labored but we were hesitant to move, then we heard a chilling ungodly laughter in the distant which made the apparition on the mirror dissolve as if some unseen hand wiped the surface. With great effort Indro & I turned our gaze towards the corridor from which we had entered the chamber and rushed towards it, the fort’s malevolent energy grew stronger threatening to ensnare us into its cavity. We started running towards the exit… the fort seemed to come alive, its walls pulsating with menacing energy…the air turned frigid while shadows danced and swirled, whispering secrets of the fort in a language unheard before. Despite our resolve and courage, we were scared and ran for our life and stumbled out of the fort gasping for breath…
The villagers were waiting outside with baited breath and immediately came forward with water and splashed some on our face. We drank the water and looked back at the fort with mixed feelings of relief and sadness. The Bhangarh Fort stands a testament to the enduring power of the supernatural, a place where the veil between the living and the dead is thin; the echoes of a tragic love story continue to resonate through the time.
There was a persistent knock on my window which woke me up… a police officer was saying something, I pulled down my window… “Sir, the traffic jam has been cleared but now you are holding up the traffic”. Indro also stirred up and we looked at the watch, it was 4:30pm, we have been stuck in a traffic jam for over 3 hours and had dozed off in the coolness of the air condition. It was too late for us to go to Bhangarh now as the Google Map showed more than 2 hours to the destination which meant it would be dark when we reach…the authorities have deployed a picket to stop anyone from going inside the fort after 6pm/ darkness. We decided to turn back for Delhi… about a kilometer ahead we found a u-turn for our return journey and a kiosk selling tea and other beverages. We stopped for a cup of tea and took out our sandwiches. While there, I narrated to Indro what I saw apparently in my dream… to which Indro’s jaws dropped and he simply said, “You too saw the same?” He told me his side of the events which matched mine completely. How’s that even possible, I don’t know… we debated if we should tell others and after much deliberations, Indro suggested that we should tell the story through Aranyascope and let the readers reach their own conclusion.
Traversing through the thick traffic on NH8, we reached Delhi around 9:30 pm and went over to Anand Niketan Club for a drink (cheaper than the restaurants/ pubs) and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of food, a vast improvement since my last visit. Later, I dropped Indro at IGIA T-3 around midnight, well in time for his flight to the Middle East.
Kolkata, a crumpling metropolis filled with a mix of ancient heritage buildings and skyscrapers vying to capture the skylines, held within its depths the stories of both dreams fulfilled as well as shattered. It was in this city of contrasts that DCP Rudra, recently relocated to Lalbajar, Kolkata on promotion from Bhubaneshwar, found himself at the centre of an intriguing case.
It all began with the disappearance of renowned business tycoon, Arindam Banerjee. The news sent shockwaves through the city, leaving the public, media and the police force alike scrambling for answers. Arindam Banerjee was a man of immense wealth and power, his influence reaching every corner of the city’s political and business class. It was rumored that he was particularly close to some relative of the Chief Minister and therefore enjoyed immunity from the laws of the land.
Rudra, a seasoned investigator with sharp intuition and analytical bent of mind, was immediately assigned to lead the case. As he delved into Arindam Banerjee’s life, he discovered a web of secrets and hidden agendas…the tycoon had built his empire through questionable means often using political clouts, leaving a trail of disgruntled associates and bitter rivals who would love to see him dead.
Rudra engrossed in thoughts was driven back to his home in Salt Lake City, a sprawling 3000 sqft apartment on the 10th floor of newly constructed building. He had bought the apartment when the construction started 4 years ago purely as an investment and now lived here for past 5 months since being transferred to the city of joy. Sravani opened the door and said, “Look who’s here”. Rudra was pleasantly surprised to see his friend Aniket Mathur, the banker turned author. He was in the city on assignment to do a coffee table book on Kolkata’s changing skyline. He had checked into ITC Sonar and called Sravani who had very vocally insisted that he check-out from there and live with them at their new apartment. It had 4 bedrooms and enough manpower to look after his needs and comfort.
Over dinner, Rudro told them about the new case he has been assigned and informed his intent of visiting Arindam Banerjee’s home in South Kolkata the following morning. Aniket asked if could join him as he had planned to visit that particular house for research for his assignment.
Arindam Banerjee’s mansion was an opulent palace nestled in the heart of South Kolkata. The house oozed luxury right from the electrically operated ornate gate and the lush green lawns that wrapped the main building. However, as you enter the hallway, the tales of treachery and deceit whispered in the air. Rudra met Arindam’s wife Sunanda, a woman whose beauty hid a steely determination. She insisted that Arindam’s disappearance was not a mere vanishing act but a carefully chalked out plan, a sinister design.
Rudra started questioning the household staff to dig out any hint of foul play or clues. It was during his conversation with the butler, Sukhdev that he learnt about the existence of Priya Chauhan, national beauty pageant finalist, also the personal secretary of Banerjee and their clandestine affair. A few days ago Priya had suddenly turned up at the house late evening and Anirban had a heated argument with her in his study after which she was summarily sacked from the job. He could not elaborate as to the conversation which was in (English) language beyond his comprehension.
Rudro’s investigation led him to the humble abode of Priya in the residential block of Kasba. The apartment was ransacked, suggesting that someone or a bunch of people had been searching for something important but it was not clear if they were successful. There was no sign of Priya, either she had fled before the thugs arrived or have been kidnapped by them. The latter possibility became evident when Rudro discovered a stack of confidential files from a hidden compartment of Priya’s wardrobe. The files unveiled a sinister network of corruption and illicit dealings with Banerjee at the centre besides revealing the names of few ministers and officials in the state government. It was very hot property; he needed to see the commissioner urgently.
Mr. Arjun Singh, the commissioner with vast experience at the top level understood the gravity of the information and told Rudro to keep it under the wraps before more evidence is available, especially from the media. Both officers had had forgettable encounters with the media and had developed pathological dislike for them, so the media waiting outside simply got a “No comments” from Rudro as he emerged from the commissioner’s office.
As he was getting into the car, he received an anonymous call asking him to meet the caller at a seedy bar in China Town. He told the driver to take him there but drop him few blocks beyond of the spot. He wanted to check out the place from a distance before approaching.
As he entered the dimly lit bar which was thinly occupied at that hour, a plumpish guy from the corner table rose to wave at him and introduced himself as Ashim Kundu, former employee of Galaxy Enterprises, the flagship venture of Arindam Banerjee. After assurances from Rudro that his identity will remain a secret, Kundu revealed that there exists a powerful organization simply known as “The Syndicate”, a very shadowy group of influential people operating in the city’s underbelly, manipulating events from behind the scenes. The Syndicate was not only involved in betting rackets but every other kind of criminal activity, they are the modern day mafia, fearsome and more powerful than the govt.
Rudro’s pursuit of the truth took him deeper into the city’s criminal underbelly using his trusted informers. He discovered that as Kundu said, The Syndicate had its fingers in every major illegal operation from drug trafficking to money laundering as well as human trafficking. Their influence extended beyond the city limits, reaching into the highest echelons of power. As Rudro connected the dots, he realized that Arindam Banerjee had been involved in a grand scheme to topple The Syndicate, using his own resources to gather evidence against them. But his plan had backfired, may be because of treachery within his own team and he had become the target. Rudro concluded that either Banerjee has been eliminated without trace by The Syndicate or his disappearance is a self induced elaborate ploy to throw The Syndicate off his trail.
Rudro, armed with his newfound knowledge, met the Commissioner once again. Both agreed that they have to move swiftly and decided to form a team of trusted officers to infiltrate The Syndicate to find their secret headquarters and storm the place at an opportune time. The showdown was inevitable… Justice must prevail. It took the officers a week to successfully infiltrate the organization called The Syndicate and they received confirmed information that a large consignment of drugs are due to arrive at the warehouse situated near Madhyamgram which is also the headquarters of The Syndicate. There would be an auction of the drugs on the appointed day and most of the leaders of the gang are expected to be present for the auction.
Rudro, in consultation with the Commissioner, set up a team of Special Forces Commandos to storm the warehouse when it was full house. His instruction was clear, “No Prisoners”, he knew that with the clout that The Syndicate has, arresting the criminals was meaningless, all of them would be out in the society and continue to thrive in their illegal activities.
At around 5:30 pm, at the signal from his point’s man inside the warehouse, Rudro along with Special Forces Commandos stormed the warehouse. It was not clear who fired first but soon the place witnessed fierce gun battle. Rudro’s team was outnumbered by 10:1 but they were more skilled and they systematically eliminated most of the criminals and others laid down their arms and surrendered. The Supreme Leader of The Syndicate, simply known as DC was still missing but information received suggested that he was there within the warehouse. Rudro, gathered a handful of commandos and kept searching for the elusive DC. At last he found him hiding inside a toilet… as Rudro kicked open the door of the toilet, DC fired in the open gap but missed Rudro who had skillfully side stepped immediately after breaking the door. Now, Rudro fired a burst of 3 rounds which instantly killed the infamous DC who was none other than a senior minister of the state government, Durlabh Chatterjee.
The news of DC’s death in police encounter and arrest of the Syndicate members besides the large haul of drugs sent shockwaves through the city, exposing the deep-rooted corruption that had plagued the system. The opposition promptly demanded resignation of the CM and imposition of President’s Rule in the state.
Three days later, once the dust had settled, an informal meeting happened at Rudro’s home, present there were the Commissioner himself with his wife, Sunanda Banerjee, Aniket Mathur and Sravani. After a sumptuous dinner consisting of Biriyani and Korma from the famed Arsalan, Rudro began his monologue…
“Interrogating Subhan Khan, the right hand man of DC revealed that Arindam Banerjee was abducted and killed while he was going to meet a certain govt. official, the body was cremated inside the warehouse which was in derelict condition in an isolated location, and no one noticed the act.
As regards, Priya Chauhan, she was the mole planted by The Syndicate. Three days before his brutal murder, Arindam had found out about her and confronted her… she of course denied it but was sacked from her job. It was Arindam’s goons who went to her apartment to look for the confidential files and ransacked it. However, Priya sensing the onslaught fled in a hurry without the files…she was last seen at the Dubai Airport immigration counter…a look out notice has been issued against her and Dubai police is hunting her down as at this moment.
The Kingpin DC or Durlabh Chatterjee had to die for his death sentence was written at a very high office. Arresting him could have toppled the government and that was not the wish of the high command at the centre as well.”
Sunanda took a deep breath and said, “Rudro da, I would like you to assist me in dismantling the tainted businesses of Arindam in a manner that doesn’t hurt or tarnish the image of the family”.
Rudra sighed and said, “Well, I am not very good at that kind of job but I can definitely recommend someone present in this room who is both qualified and capable to do what you want. May I present Mr. Aniket Mathur, Chartered Accountant, ex-banker with creative bent of mind. I guess the only compensation he would demand is to study the architecture of Banerjee Mansion for his current project”.
Sunanda looked at Aniket expectantly who nodded his head in affirmation and smiled. Sunanda smiled back. Somewhere, someone wrote, “Perhaps it is going to be a new beginning for both”.
Months passed, Rudro’s relentless pursuit brought the end of The Syndicate…the case became a turning point, a symbol of hope that justice could prevail even in the face of overwhelming darkness. As the City of Joy, healed from the wounds of betrayal and treachery, DCP Rudro continued on his mission to cleanse the city of its deep-rooted corruption. The battle was far from over but armed with the truth, he vowed to protect the innocent and eliminate the criminals.
In the quiet town of Lansdowne, nestled deep within the heart of a dense forest, an old mansion stood as a mysterious monument of the past. The mansion, known as Charles Sahib ka Bunglow, had been abandoned for decades, shrouded in dark tales and whispers of its haunting past. Its eerie silhouette cast a long shadow over the pine trees, invoking an unsettling feeling in anyone who dared to glance its way.
On a cold winter’s night, a young couple, Shreya and Mukul, decided to embark on an adventure, fueled by their curiosity and a desire for thrills. They had heard countless legends about Charles Sahib ka Bunglow but dismissed them as mere superstition. Determined to unravel the truth behind the rumors, they gathered their courage and set foot upon the overgrown path that led to the foreboding mansion.
As they approached the front door, creaking and groaning with each step, a sense of foreboding washed over them. The rusty doorknob yielded reluctantly, as if reluctant to grant them entry. The moment the door swung open, a chilling draft of air enveloped them, carrying a whisper that echoed through the empty halls.
Part 2: Whispering Shadows
The interior of Charles Sahib ka Bunglow was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the pale moonlight filtering through the broken windows. Every step Shreya and Mukul took echoed through the vast emptiness, amplifying their apprehension. The oppressive silence seemed to have a life of its own, as if the house itself was holding its breath, waiting to exhale.
As they ventured further, strange phenomena began to unfold. Shadows danced upon the walls, seemingly alive, casting eerie silhouettes that twisted and contorted with each passing moment. Shreya and Mukul exchanged nervous glances, their breath catching in their throats.
In the grand library, the couple stumbled upon a collection of old books, covered in a thick layer of dust. Intrigued, Shreya reached out to touch one, and as her finger brushed against the aged pages, a faint whisper echoed through the room. The words were indistinguishable, but the feeling of melancholy lingered in the air.
Time seemed to warp within the walls of Charles Sahib ka Bunglow. Minutes turned into hours, and hours into an eternity. Shreya and Mukul lost track of their whereabouts as the mansion played tricks on their senses. The rooms shifted and rearranged themselves, leading them in endless circles through corridors that seemed to stretch into infinity.
Part 3: Faces in the Dark
In their desperate attempt to find an exit, Shreya and Mukul stumbled upon a hidden chamber concealed behind a crumbling wall. The air grew heavy with anticipation as they stepped into the secret room, adorned with faded tapestries and cobweb-covered portraits.
As the couple’s eyes fell upon the portraits, they froze in terror. The faces depicted were distorted and twisted, bearing expressions of anguish and despair. The eyes of the paintings seemed to follow them, their gaze penetrating their very souls. A cold shiver ran down their spines as they realized they were not alone.
From the depths of the chamber, whispers grew louder, mingling with guttural moans that sent chills down their spines. Shreya and Mukul could feel a malevolent presence surrounding them, tightening its grip on their fragile sanity.
Part 4: Unraveling the Curse
Driven to madness by the ceaseless torment, Shreya and Mukul clung to each other, their hearts pounding in their chests. They knew they had to uncover the truth behind the curse that bound Charles Sahib ka Bunglow, for their own survival and the sake of those who had met their demise within its walls.
Through relentless research, they discovered that the mansion had once belonged to a wealthy family with a dark secret. The patriarch, Charles Ravenshaw, had dabbled in forbidden arts, seeking immortality. As a consequence of his unholy experiments, the mansion became a gateway to the spirit realm, trapping lost souls within its walls.
Armed with this knowledge, Shreya and Mukul embarked on a perilous journey to break the curse. They gathered talismans and performed rituals, channeling their courage and determination into each action. With each passing trial, the presence of the spirits intensified, manifesting in violent poltergeist activity that threatened to tear them apart.
Part 5: The Final Stand
As the couple reached the climax of their quest, they stood before an ancient artifact—an ornate silver amulet believed to possess the power to sever the ties between the spirit realm and Charles Sahib ka Bunglow. With trembling hands, they recited incantations passed down through generations, their voices blending into a harmonious plea.
The mansion shook violently as the ritual took effect, walls cracking and ceiling fixtures crashing to the ground. The spirits, once trapped in eternal torment, let out piercing wails, their ethereal forms dissipating into the air like smoke. The curse was finally broken, and peace was restored to Charles Sahib ka Bunglow.
Shreya and Mukul stood in the aftermath, their bodies exhausted but hearts filled with relief. The once-ominous mansion now stood as a testament to their bravery, a monument to the triumph of light over darkness.
Epilogue: The Lingering Mystery
Years passed, the legend of Charles Sahib ka Bunglow slowly faded into memory. The town of Lansdowne thrived, and its residents moved on, ignorant of the horrors that once consumed the forsaken mansion.
But whispers carried on the wind, tales of shadowy figures glimpsed in the corners of one’s vision and distant echoes of haunting melodies. Some believed that remnants of the curse still lingered, a reminder of the price paid for tampering with the supernatural.
And so, Charles Sahib ka Bunglow remained, a silent sentinel, keeping its secrets locked within its ancient walls, waiting for the next brave souls to uncover its mysteries and awaken the spirits that lay dormant within.
Aranyascope 