Kailasagiri, Vizag

Located on one of the main hills overlooking Vizag is Kailasagiri. From here, one has a panoramic view of natural harbor of Vizag, the sprawling city, and bay. Well maintained with plenty of shade trees, grassy areas, flowers, and well-manicured shrubs, this would be a great spot for picnic. In our short amount of time, we took the rope car down for a pretty (but similar) view, walked around a bit of the area, and admired the 40 meter high white statues of Shiva and Parvathi. I would have liked to walk through the park a bit more but didn’t want to be late back at the vehicle. It turned out that I would have had plenty of time, as the others slowly wandered back over 20 minutes late – grrr.

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Simhachalam Temple, Andhra Pradesh

The next day I took the Vizag Heritage Tour. The first destination was the Simhachalam Temple, located on a picturesque tree-covered hill known as “Lion’s Hill” about 16 km away from the city. This Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Varaha Narasimha, an incarnation of Vishnu. According to several Internet sources, it is the second richest temple (after Tirpati) in India. It is also Andhra Pradesh’s most famous temple and is a common pilgrimage for devotees. The newer entrance tower was painted white and was in a similar style to the gopurams of Tamil Nadu. The real treasure was the ancient temple, constructed some time in the 9^th or 10^th century. The place was abuzz with people, many of whom had just-shaved heads. Women were selling orange petals. In the parking area, one could choose from a plethora of religious trinkets, snacks, and cheap Chinese toys.

After placing my sandals in the holding slot (shoes are prohibited in temples), I walked towards the stone temple. Lion-like figures formed the columns, lined up in a row. The surface of the temple was covered with mythical creatures, men doing heroic deeds, dancing figures, and a central boar-like headed creature named Vamana. The morning sunlight cast itself right on a smooth column containing inscriptions of ancient-looking writing that probably was in Telugu. Next to it, people were giving doing pujas to a bull figure, offering flowers, bananas, incense, and coconut. I would have liked to have stayed to admire the scene and the beautiful exterior of the temple, but the tour guide ushered me through a gate in order to see the interior. There were two lines – one free (which had a long slow-moving line), and the other paid. Different ceremonies were going on inside. I passed by the sacred statue of the main deity covered in sandalwood paste that is revealed in its true form only 12 hours of the year, but didn’t understand its significance. I was also allowed to enter a tiny temple in which a Lingam was placed in the middle and worship underway. I preferred watching briefly through an open door, decorated with hanging garlands of marigolds. Next to that was a large circular open-air thatched structure with a short wall. Inside were several calves, each with a brightly beaded necklace.

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Araku Valley Tour

The bus took us to our first destination, the Tribal Museum. The spiral walkway inside the small museum took us past diorama type displays of life-sized tribal people, tribal tools. jewelry, and musical instruments. The bus then ushered us to a rather disappointing botanical garden with a toy train, and then to a hotel for lunch. After a traditional South Indian meal eaten with our fingers, we went outside and watched a Dhimsa dance performed by one of the 17 indigenous tribes of the region. It was rather challenging photographing the dance, as the women dancers wove in and out, abruptly changed directions, and alternated between full height and nearly crouching. Capturing the faces of the fast-paced tribal women was further complicated by the tourists who joined in the dance.

Moving onward, we stopped at a scenic vista to absorb the view of the valley and then drove past coffee plantations along the steep sides of the road. The yet-unripe coffee was shaded by trees. Was this co-existence needed for the coffee or was it simply a way of maximizing land use with multiple crops? Also present were groves of cashew nut trees. Located about 29 km from the Araku Valley were the Borra Caves. One of the largest and deepest caves in the country (80 m depth), the opening of the cave was impressively wide. A paved path and well-maintained series of steps led visitors through the cave, with its varied sizes of stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by carefully spaced lights. Contrary to most caves I’ve been in, the temperature inside wasn’t noticeably cooler.  With several minutes to spare, I sat on a plastic chair and enjoyed the picturesque valley with its fast-moving stream below.

With the light quickly fading, we boarded the bus once again and headed towards Vizag. Considering the severe turns, narrow road and size of the bus, the driver moved at a rather fast pace through the mountain roads. At around 8pm, we finally were back to Vizag. It had been a long, but enjoyable day.

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Train Ride to the Araku Valley

While it was still dark, I got dressed, took an auto rickshaw, and arrived at the train station with time to spare. At 6am, the train would depart for the Araku Valley, a hill station about 115 km away from Vizag and located close to the border with Orissa. With an elevation of between 600 and 900 meters above sea level, this hill station of the Eastern Ghats lures visitors with its scenic beauty and pleasant climate.

I had been told by others who had taken the trip that the ride to the valley was a treat in itself, and they were right. Through the open windows of the train, one could see the lush landscape of Andhra Pradesh. For the first couple of hours, the terrain was quite flat, dominated by rice paddies, palm trees, and fields of millet. Abruptly, the train began to climb. On one side of the train one could see the tree-covered hills and valley below. The view on the other side was mostly obscured by the stone hill around which the train tracked hugged. We passed through the first of many tunnels somewhere around 46 in all. From another train car we could hear the excited screams of schoolchildren as the length of the tunnel blocked out all light. A few tunnels after, the tour guide in our car turned off the light inside the train car, making everything totally dark. Occasionally a small waterfall cascaded down the rock surface. Once in a while things opened up and one could see the landscape from both sides of the train. Trees of the nearby hills were a dark green, while the distant ones were shrouded in atmospheric haze. Rivers and streams accented the green land. Pockets of terraced plots dotted the hills, eeking out available farming land. Hampered by the bars across the windows, some began standing next to the open train doors, really taking in the scenery. I also did this for a while, admiring the unfettered view. A few times the train stopped at small stations. Women balancing wide squat woven baskets on their heads emerged on the train, selling snacks and fruit. Young men carried their metal pots of coffee and chai, pouring the hot sweet liquid into small plastic cups for customers. 

Between the scenic ride and conversations with the pleasant Indian eye surgeon sitting next to me, the time went by quickly; I could have gone on for a while. Alas, we were at the last station, with the tourism busses waiting for us.

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Diwali Celebration in the Streets of Vizag

Much as in Chennai, the people of Vizag celebrated Diwali with plenty of firecrakers and fireworks. While the lead-up to Diwali included lots of bangs and lights, this night sounded more like a war zone. Looking outside the balcony of my hotel, I could see children in a neighboring house carefully lighting the small clay lamps – a tranquil scene amidst the chaos. Knowing that sleep was impossible, I grabbed my camera and headed outside.

Despite the dim street lights, the street was rather lit up. Firecrackers were lit and set off on the roads and side streets. Fireworks boomed above. Sparklers illuminated the faces of jovial young people. The noise was rather deafening. Even in the night, I drew attention. People eagerly lit one sparkler after another, with others crowding around them to be in the picture. Giggles emerged as I showed them the camera’s LCD. People excitedly encouraged family members inside the house to come out to be in the picture.  Some even invited me for dinner, but I replied that I had already eaten (which was true).  Finally, after midnight things calmed down a bit, enough that I was able to go back to the hotel and use the air conditioner to drown out some of the remaining noise. Looking out the window, I could still see brief bursts of light. Some terracotta lamps still glowed – a peaceful symbol I tried to focus on as I went to bed.

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Train Ride to Vizag

Safely aboard the Howrah Express Mail Train bound northward towards Vizag, I settled into my berth in the 2-tier AC sleeper car. Ah, this was so much better than the non-AC 3-tier traveling that we had done in Rajasthan; no desert sands spewing in, a climate-controlled environment, less people, and even a pillow and bed sheets provided! Checking out the bathrooms, I was pleased to see a fairly clean (by Indian standards) Western toilet with toilet paper – a big step from the scary toilets in the 2^nd-class non-AC trains we previously took! I turned on my iPod, hoping that the music would drown out the cell phone talking by the two men in the upper bunks, one of who switched between two phones.

The train rocked back and forth during the night, crossing the Tamil Nadu border and into Andhra Pradesh. Every once in a while the train would stop, rather briefly in small villages and longer at larger stations. Dawn revealed a serene landscape, the soft glow of the emerging sun behind the fog rolling over the paddy fields. Palm trees silhouetted against the increasingly warm-colored sky. Already in early morning, farmers were out in the fields, with rice being the dominant crop. The train tracks went past thatched huts with cows in the yard and mounded piles of hay in the fields. Men bathed in rivers and pools of water. Women washed clothes by hand in the rivers, laying out the cloth on the nearby fields.

Soon the vendors began walking through the aisles of the moving train, calling out chai, coffee, omelet, and other Indian breakfast items. As the train continued northward, it relieved itself of more passengers, with a few boarding. Finally, around 1pm, we arrived at the railway station of Vizag, otherwise known as Visakhaptnam.

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Looking at the other side of things

I generally perceive the media as being biased and narrow-minded. Nonetheless, I scan the online news. This morning BBC reported about the Karadzic trial but also included a posting about Serbia's mixed feelings about the case. BBC, even during the bombing campaign and sanctions against Serbia was one of the few who actually sought to get input from residents of Belgrade, etc. Journalists who did this found a very different side. I would like to see this continue, as there is more than one side to the story and the public deserves to hear it.

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Chennai Central Train Station

My trip to Andhra Pradesh and Orissa (two Indian states north of Tamil Nadu) began at the train station. This was the first time I had taken a train from Chennai. Not surprisingly, the large station was crowded with people eager to travel on the Diwali holiday. I had been warned about the huge rats, but thankfully I saw none.

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Tunisia's President Re-Elected - Again

The current president of Tunisia has been re-elected for his fifth term. Ben Ali has already served 23 years as President, with normal terms lasting 5 years. With about 84% voter turnout, Ben Ali secured almost 90% of the votes - less than in 2004 when he received 95%, but impressive nonetheless. The African Union representative called the voting fair, but others once again cried foul play.

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That's Some Bunny!

As I said yesterday, one can buy quite an assortment at the Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok. This stall was selling bunnies and related accessories - yup, even cute outfits for the fluffy creatures. With those frilly outfits, I sure hope all these bunnies are girls!

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Chatuchak Weekend Market

If you're into shopping and don't mind looking around for a while, Bangkok's Weekend Market is for you. With over 15,000 stalls on 35 acres, there's something for everyone. Everything from goldfish to silk scarves to Levis jeans can be had here. Located at the end of the Skytrain line, the Weekend market is easy to get to and attracts locals and visitors alike - over 200,000 per day. Thankfully things are basically organized by content item, so you can probably avoid ever having to see the pitiful caged puppies if you're only interested in silk table runners or bronze Buddhas.

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A Monumental King

The monumental image of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej on this Sukhumvit skyscraper attests to his esteemed status. King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the world's longest-serving monarch, having come to the throne in 1946. One of the major faux pas in Thailand is to say or do anything that is disrespectful towards the monarchy. During my brief visit in Bangkok, the front page of the newspapers had daily updates as to what the elderly king's health status was.

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Thai Orchids

One thing that thrives well in Thailand's tropical climate are orchids. A national symbol, orchids of Thailand are exported all over the world. These orchids were photographed at the Jim Thompson House.

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Canal Homes, Bangkok

The canals of Bangkok continue to be a popular means of transport for those who don't want to deal with the congested streets. Houses line the banks of the canals, a testament to the importance of waterways in Bangkok's history. A few homes on stilts still remain, but most homes are rather unremarkable or are in a dilapidated state.

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Jim Thompson House, Bangkok

Tucked away on a quiet, narrow street two blocks from Bangkok's chic Siam Square shopping mall is the Jim Thompson House. A military officer in Bangkok following World War II, the American Jim Thompson fell in love with Bangkok and decided to return and live there permanently.

Jim Thompson, an architect by trade, constructed his house by combining six teak buildings representing the best of Thai architecture. Many of these buildings were over 200 years old at the time and were easily dismantled and moved from places such as the old capital of Ayudhya. Adhering to customs of traditional Thai homes, Thompson had his houses elevated a full story above the ground so as to avoid flooding during the rainy season. Just beyond the thick foliage of the property is the river, still used for efficient transportation. The fired roof tiles also follow the old style. The red paint we see is a preservative typical of old Thai buildings.

Inside, the house is a mixture of traditional and Western styles. A large flat sofa in the living room provides an area for a nap or meeting guests. Statues of Buddha and rare Buddhist  paintings adorn the walls. Chinese commodes cleverly disguised as ceramic frogs and cats sit in the bedrooms. Elevated thresholds prevent babies from crawling out and evil spirits from entering. Jim also added some modern amenities such as a full table with chairs, chandeliers, and toilet.

Jim Thompson moved into his house on a spring day in 1959, the date designated as auspicious by an astrologer he visited. Thompson began amassing a collection of Asian art that began to draw considerable interest, enough so that he opened his house to the public. Donated funds went to Thai charities and projects that aimed to preserve Thailand's rich cultural heritage.

Aside from the homes, art collection and beautiful garden, Jim Thompson is credited with reviving the ancient Thai craft of silk handweaving. Combining his design and textile coloring skills, Thompson directed the creation of high-quality silk products that are still highly revered today.

While on a trip to the highlands of Malaysia in 1967, Thompson mysteriously disappeared without a clue or trace. In 1976 the James H.W. Thompson Foundation was established, continuing the preservation of Thailand's rich artistic and cultural heritage. The Foundation supports research, publications, and seminar projects to further its mission.

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Pastel painting - Young Girl, Jaisalmer

I just completed this pastel painting of a young girl from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan (India). She was part of the Ganguar Festival. See all my India paintings on Flickr.

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Pimp up my Rickshaw

These guys are all set for the Ayudha Puja of local drivers' auto rickshaws. Drivers take their ubiquitous yellow vehicles and get them spotless and transformed into moving decorations, complete with banana stalks, flower garlands, and puja marks made from sandalwood, vermilion, and turmeric paste. This extra TLC treatment is the drivers' way of paying homage to the tool which gives them their livelihood. Have you ever thought of doing this to your car?

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Navatri Kolu - A different store display

The colorful display near the checkout counters at a local grocery store here in Chennai caught my eye. The multi-tiered display is part of the Navatri Kolu festival. In South India (particularly in Tamil Nadu) these displays of dolls are set up in homes (and sometimes businesses), with friends and families invited to stop by and see the creations of the mother and daughter(s). Of course, the sharing of sweets are a part of the visit as well. This display has various gods and goddesses as well as ordinary-looking people. Aesthetically I don't find most Kolu dolls very attractive, but that's the prevailing style.

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Ayudha Puja - the decorations begin

The festival of Ayudha Puja is one of my favorite Indian celebrations. Its name literally means "Worship of Implements." On this day, people pay homage to the tools of their trade. Items such as implements, machines, weapons, books and musical instruments are venerated. 

In preparation for Ayudha Puja, all the tools, machines, vehicles and other devices are cleaned and  then painted or well polished after which they are smeared with tumeric paste, sandalwood paste in special marks/splats, and Kunkum (vermillion). The objects are then decorated with garlands of flowers. One can see these yellow garlands adorning the fronts of vehicles of all sizes, business signs, cement mixers, and fronts of businesses. Banana leaves/stalks, other leaves, and braided palm fronds are also hung or attached. All of this transforms ordinary-looking items to rather whimsical, colorful objects.

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Getting Ready for Ayudha Puja

 The streets of Chennai were lined with more impromptu businesses than usual. People were busy buying and selling items for the Ayudha Puja celebration. Some popular purchase items included banana tree stalks, banana bunches, apples, yellow flower garlands, braided palm fronds, and puffed rice. Large piles of green "pumpkins" were also ready for sale, either plain or with a demon-like face already painted on.

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