2016
was a very eventful year. Once again I wish to thank all the readers for
continuing to visit my blog and encouraging me to write. It is with utmost
pride I wish to inform all of you that my blog has crossed “1, 00, 000 page views”.
 |
| 2016 Family Get Together |
Travelling
abroad and within India has become a standard feature in our lives. I have
always maintained that traveling is extremely therapeutic and rejuvenating.
There is nothing like a jaunt with family and friends to balance one’s life,
especially today.
In
the months of April and May we visited New Zealand for three weeks. We drove
all over NZ from North to South. The country is blessed with exceptional
natural assets – lakes, forests, mountains, rivers, beaches, volcanoes, coves,
geysers and much more. We were spellbound coming face to face with ‘Maori
Culture’. We were most impressed with the way the environment is respected and
protected.
We
travelled extensively within India. We went to Mumbai and visited Matheran. We
also visited Jaipur and took a trip to Shillong, Kaziranga, Kolkata and the
Sundarbans. A short stay in Coonoor and Nagarhole ended our travel for
2016.
Visit to Truefitt and Hill. My nephew’s
wife Shree, who manages a very successful PR firm in Bangalore, came home to be
part of my birthday celebrations. During the course of the evening she
presented me a gift voucher to visit the newly inaugurated barber shop ‘Truefitt and Hill’ in Indiranagar- the oldest barbershop in the world,
as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records in April 2000. Truefitt was
established in 1805 by William Francis Truefitt. He styled himself as
hairdresser to the British Royal Court and the firm received their first Royal
Warrant from King George III. Their advertisement proudly proclaims that
Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Alfred Hitchcock and Frank
Sinatra were groomed by T and H hopefully they will add Capt Pubs.
I
was truly delighted that I would be groomed in such a famous barber shop. Some
of the guests were upset with Shree for giving me a gift which had no use. They
all screamed at her, “Have you seen his head? One cannot get any balder than
this”. Ignoring all jibes and innuendos, I went ahead and took an appointment
at the hair dressers.
After
a short walk around and explanation of the facilities by the manager, I was handed
over to the head barber who proceeded with the grooming in the ‘Dukes Room’.
 |
| Dukes Room – Royalty |
Starting
with a ‘Royal Shave’ the barber took me through the most delightful grooming
experience of my life. The courtesy and skill exhibited by the London trained
barber was simply outstanding. This was followed by a ‘Royal Haircut’, ‘Royal
Manicure’ and ‘Royal Pedicure’. The package also included a ‘Head Massage’ and
‘Face Massage’. This 150 minute blissful experience is punctuated with many
cups of herbal tea, cookies and pastries. All this comes at a cost. If I were
to visit the outfit again, on my own, the same set of services would cost me
around Rs10, 000. It was a once in a life time experience.
We visited Matheran. Our early October
visit to our daughter’s place in Mumbai coincided with Rita’s birthday. We went
along with the Blahs to Matheran for a short trip. Matheran town by itself was
a huge disappointment, once again reflecting the utter chaos in the local
tourist industry. Bad parking arrangements, disorderly rickshaw pullers and
horse attendants, nonexistent roads, dirt and filth all along the approach to
the cottages portrays a very sad picture of the hill station. The entire
population of Matheran is dependent on the tourist for their livelihood. The
government seems to be blissfully inactive and their involvement appears to be
totally lacking.
The
only saving grace was our hotel a Neemrana property- ‘Verandah in the Forest’. The
Verandah in the Forest is one of the most unique heritage hotels in Matheran.
This resort in Matheran was the second house to be built on the isolated
Western Ghats by Captain Barr in the 19th century. This impressive building has
been converted into a resort whilst maintaining all the essentials of this
old time Indo British architecture. A huge verandah with endless period
furniture welcomes you and gives the visitor a ‘non hotel – hotel’ ambiance as
claimed by the owners. The rooms are huge and cozy, the service is excellent
and the food is delectable. The overall setting reminded me of a very well run
plantation club.
 |
| The Verandah |
 |
| Huge - really big |
 |
| View from the verandah |
 |
| A posh drawing room |
 |
| Cozy couple |
 |
| Birthday girl enjoying dinner with son in law |
The
drawing, dining room and the library takes you back to a different era –
sitting in dinners, opulent china and silver ware, candelabras, coffee in the
library, afternoon tea and so on. ‘Verandah
in the Forest’ is truly a remarkable getaway from the fast paced city life.
 |
| Dinner for the royalty |
Jayanti’s 60th
Birthday. My dearest wife reached the 60 landmark on 17 Oct 2016. The whole
family was excited and made detailed plans to celebrate. Bali and Sri Lanka
were ruled out due to paucity of time and finally we chose ‘Jaipur’ the pink
city to bring in her birthday. Vivek, Shubhra and Samara joined us at the
airport for an early morning flight. We checked into ‘The Marriot, Jaipur’, to be joined by Akhila, Anirban, Ayaan,
Agastya and Aarin.
The
three day celebration started with a delicious lunch at ‘Spice Court’. Marwari Mutton Tikka, Kheema Batti and Lal Mass
stole the show. Going to a restaurant with Anirban and Vivek is a complex
exercise involving assessment of various places, consultation with other
foodies, research on the net etc. Without exception we end up eating gourmet
food and other exotica in the best places in town.
 |
| At Spice Court restaurant |
 |
| All in Jai's honour |
In
the evening we visited ‘Rambhag Palace’
Jaipur. Even a short stay in the hotel is sufficient to absorb the magnificence
of this 181 year old structure. The palace comes alive at night with colorful
and elegant lighting and melodious live music in the background. The overall
ambiance is one of luxury and unadulterated opulence with a touch of royalty.
The hotel staff prepared a lovely birthday cake for Jai.
 |
| Simply captivating |
 |
| A photo op |
 |
| Cake cutting in advance. Twins had retired |
The
grand kids and I spent a lot of time in the pool and indulged in a Jacuzzi and
sauna. Marriot looks after the tourist
very well, the food is good and the staff is polite and helpful. The next
morning we visited the famous ‘Lassiwala’
of Jaipur to quench our thirst. Thereafter we went on a drive around the city
before returning to the hotel for a quiet lunch and some badly needed rest.
The
evening was filled with fun and frolic.
 |
| Joy ride in Jaipur |
 |
| At Lassiwala |
We visited ‘Choki Dhani’ which offers Rajasthani heritage, music, dance and
traditional food under one umbrella. Everybody had something to do in the
village -camel rides, arrow shooting, head massage, tribal dance and many other
such activities kept all of us busy throughout the evening. The package deal
includes a typical Rajasthani meal in an ethnic setting.
 |
| Totally absorbed except one - Aggy |
 |
| A lovely performance |
 |
| Very pleased with each other |
 |
| Waiting for the Rajastani meal |
We
reached the hotel just after the stroke of twelve. We brought in the birthday
by popping a bottle of champagne, hugs from children and grand children and
many good wishes to Jai.
 |
| Masti masters |
 |
| Very apt |
It
was a wonderful holiday with our children, their spouses and all the grand
children. Like Jai said” This was the best holiday I’ve had in a long
time”.
Jaipur
after many years wears a very clean and tidy face. It was a pleasure to drive
around in the city.
 |
| A lovely evening with daughter dear. Narain Nivas Palace Hotel Jaipur |
While
on the subject of Jai’s 60th birthday, the school decided to celebrate her
birthday on our return. I was also invited to the function. Both of us were in
for a pleasant surprise. The school had organized a full-fledged ’Shashtipoorthi’
ceremony. The term Shasti in numerology
denotes sixty (60). In an individual’s life, the completion of sixty years is
referred to as Shastipoorthi. It is regarded as a renewal of marital vows and
marks the transition from the material to the spiritual world. The event is
marked by the celebration of second round of marriage rituals.
 |
| Are you serious |
 |
| Very serious after the second wedding |
 |
| All the witnesses |
Freedom International
School celebrated their Annual Sports Day on 15 Dec 2016 with the theme ‘A Tribute to the Armed Forces’. They
invited Air Vice Marshal Sandeep Singh, Commandant of Aircraft and Systems
Testing Establishment (ASTE)as the chief guest. A few of us veterans also
attended the sports day. All the events were conducted with military precision
and well received by the parents and spectators. There was even a Military
Tattoo and a marching cadence presented by the four Houses at school. A replica
of the Sukhoi aircraft, INS Vikramaditya and Kargil sand models created by the
school staff and the students made for a great photo op after the function.
 |
| Sushama and Jai giving final touches to 'Kargil' sand model |
Wedding in the Hills. Our niece Karin married Gabriel in Coonoor on
the 21 Dec 2016. It was yet another destination wedding. All the close
relatives of the bride and the bridegroom were there along with friends of the bride’s
parents. The bride’s friends joined the merriment in large numbers and so did
the local guests. The three day celebrations included the welcome dinner at
Wellington Lake, the Mehendi ceremony at Dunmore House, the reception at the Wellington
Gymkhana Club, and finally the wedding at the Taj Gateway Hotel. All the events
were organized in different venues which made it extremely interesting.
 |
| Karin and Gabriel all smiles |
 |
| Very proud parents |
 |
| A photo of for brother and sisters |
The
wedding was extremely well organized. The planning and the execution of the
wedding were excellent. Girija and Shankar had planned all the events with
great care and attention to detail. Old friends, good weather and the lovely
ambiance of Coonoor made a positive impact on the wedding.
Karin
and Gabriel looked radiant in their wedding attire, full of smiles and warmth.
We
wish them both a very long and happy married life.
Jai
and I along with our children and four grandchildren stayed in a cottage ‘Shunyata’ located eight kilometers from
Coonoor. The cottage is located at an elevation overlooking a beautiful valley.
The accommodation is very well appointed with three bed rooms and a huge drawing
and dining. Early morning tea in the verandah, trekking in the tea garden and
sighting wild Nilgiri Gaur in the estate were the highlights of our short stay.
The cottage is looked after by a very affable family which is co-located in the
compound. Steaming hot, delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner is prepared by
the family on request. Considering its lovely location and good facilities, the
charges for renting the entire property appeared to be quite reasonable.
 |
| The view speaks for itself |
 |
| Another view of the valley below |
Tryst with Tiger. Daughter and family
and the two of us left for the ‘Wilderness
Resort’, Nagarhole early in the morning on 26 Dec as a part of our annual
wild life trip. Both Akhila and Anirban are passionate wild life buffs. The
resort is located at a distance of 195 Km from Bangalore on Nagarhole Road
adjacent to ‘Veeranahosahalli Village’. After a sumptuous breakfast in ‘Kamat
Upachar’ we reached the resort by lunch time. The condition of road to Hunsur
and beyond has improved a lot, making the drive enjoyable. Including the BF
stop, we clocked around seven hours. The December weather was extremely
pleasant, especially inside the resort. 36 Km further on the same road takes
you to the gates of the ‘Nagarhole Tiger Reserve’. The road passes through Nalkeri
forest.
‘Wilderness
Resort’ is a sprawling resort spread over twenty acres of forested area with
every creature comfort to keep the guests happy and contented. The architecture
finds a delicate balance between nature and functionality. The builders have
ensured all their structures blend extremely well with the natural
surroundings.
As you enter the resort through a specially designed gate, an
enormous foyer welcomes the guests to the reception, sitting and dining area.
The openness of the structure with its high ceiling, immediately unlocks one’s
senses to merge with nature.
There is a very well appointed ‘Activity Room’
with TT, Billiards and many other indoor games.
A small amphitheater is housed near the lobby for screening wildlife
documentaries. It also has a party area with a pit for barbecues and bonfires. To
keep the guest occupied, the resort has a cute swimming pool, a tall
observation post and a rope way to slither across.
 |
| Huge and impressive facade |
 |
| Tall and spacious foyer overlooking the party area, amphitheater and the barbeque pit |
 |
| Well spread out cottages and suites |
 |
| The Tent |
 |
| A typical cottage |
There
are different types of accommodation from, Luxury Tents, Teak View Cottages and
King, Queen and Master Suites. The accommodation is well spread out to enhance
privacy and provide an uncluttered view of the flora and fauna. The rooms are
really huge with spacious verandahs and some of them have a lovely open air
bathing area.
Nagarahole
means, Naga – Snake and Hole – Stream. The forest is situated in two districts
of Mysore and Kodagu in the state of Karnataka. It was originally constituted
into a sanctuary in the year 1955 covering an area of 258 sq. Kms and
subsequently enlarged to include the adjoining areas of Mysore district and now
extends over an area of 643.39 sq. kms which was given the status of a National
Park in 1983.
The morning
safari starts at 5.30 am and the evening one at 3.30 pm lasting a total of two
hours. We did a total of 4 jeep and 1 bus safaris. On the very first day we were
extremely lucky to witness a mock charge by a female elephant and for the very
first time I heard an elephant’s shrill trumpet as she reached out to her herd.
I was really scared to see an agitated elephant so close, in spite of our
driver/guide assurances that it was only a ‘mock’ charge.
Inmates of the forest
 |
| Waiting for the safari |
Every
evening we sat in the verandah and enjoyed the stillness of the forest and the
tranquility that pervades any forest. Apart from going on all the safaris, the
children thoroughly enjoyed being in the open.
We
were extremely fortunate to have Mohammed
Anees, a well-known herpetologist, take us on safaris. Anees is in charge
of ‘Wilderness Resort’ and is passionately involved with wildlife. Being with
Anees added a very special flavor to our stay. He kept us busy with his snake
catching episodes, tiger sightings and other jungle tales. Anees has been
associated with snakes since he was three years old and continues to be a snake
saver. In fact, in the CBSE syllabus,
Class V students study a chapter on Anees called, “The Snake Saver”, introduced
to create awareness about conservation.
 |
| The Legendary Snake Saver |
In
addition to being a snake saver Anees loves to cook. Mutton biriyani, specially
prepared by him was our culinary highlight. The food in the resort is well
prepared and tasty.
After
three eventful days we left Nagarahole and Wilderness Resort completely
satisfied.
Family
gathered around a bonfire waiting for the year to end. We finally bid good bye
to 2016 and ushered in 2017 by lighting a lantern and letting it loose to soar
into the sky and shed light on all.
Cheers
until next time.
Once again Happy New Year to one and all
