December 17, 2015

WOW ! CALL IT GENEROSITY!!

The Hotel Rambutan in Siem Reap is very welcoming to me and my guests. The staff is always available to help. They are friendly and welcoming. The girl Sophany at the reception is very helpful.

We are at Siem Reap and the best way to start the tour is Sunrise at Angkor Wat temple. The sunrise was at 5:15 am. We had leave at 4:30 AM, get our ANGKOR NATIONAL PARK PASS and be at the pond side to see the sunrise.

 So when I spoke to Sophany at the reception for our breakfast, she offered to pack us breakfast at 4 am in the morning.

I was so amazed. Where in the world they offer to prepare your breakfast that early in the morning. Am sure very few. I will surely recommend Rambutan, Siem Reap to every one.

WOOOOOOWWWW!


SHARING IS CARING # 17

Sharing is caring. But sometimes its care for yourself. For example this post I share here is about Orissa. The Land I belong. The region in India where I was born. It feels great that I am from this part of India.

Its history, heritage and grandeur. The below are some facts enlisted by Mr Iswar Ch Mahapatra Jeeta in his Facebook account.


AMAZING FACTS ABOUT ODISHA YOU NEVER KNEW:


• Odisha is very ancient & the oldest rocks (from Mayurbhanj) date back to 3 billion years (Our planet is believed to be 4.5 billion years old)

• Chandragupta Maurya was hesitant for 60 long years to attack Kalinga (old name of Odisha) as the Kalinga army of 60,000 managed to annihilate one lakh enemy soldiers, a quarter of the empire’s army.
• Over 62 distinct tribal groups live in Odisha, each one with its own culture and traditions different from the other
• At Puri Jagannath temple kitchen, 7 pots are kept one on top of another and cooked on firewood. In this process the contents in the top pot get cooked first & then the bottom one.
•Jagannath temple is one among char dham considered in India.
The Jagannath temple kitchen is reputed to be the largest kitchen in the world, with 400 cooks working around 200 hearths to feed over 10,000 people each day.
• The quantity of cooked food inside the Temple remains same for the entire year. But that same quantity of prasadam can feed few thousand people & 20 lakh people, Still it won’t get wasted.
• Odisha became the first state in the country to launch special drives to register migrant labourers working in different states
• Odisha became the first state to enact the Lokayukta Bill law after the central act was passed in Parliament.
• Rasagolla, famous sweet originated in Odisha
• The Chandipur Beach is a hide and seek beach of Odisha that appears and disappears with every high and low tide to approximately 5 kms
• Bhubaneswar, the capital city was the home of over 600 magnificent temples in medieval times. It is called the “temple city” of India. The only city in the world with such highest number of temples inside
• World’s highest electrified track ( at a height of 7.45 metres for running of Double Stack Container (DSC) goods trains ) is situated at Odisha in Jakhapura-Daitari section. Constructed by East Coast Railway of Odisha. Second to this is in China is 6.6 metre and 7.1 metre in USA.
• A 23-feet giant Estuarine crocodile in Odisha has been crowned the world’s largest.
• Largest Brackish Water Lagoon. Chilka lake in Odisha, the largest water body in Asia, has an area of 916 sq km now. It used to be 1, 165 sq km.
• Odisha is popular for having 3 mass nesting beaches of rare Olive Ridley Sea Turtles including world’s largest nesting ground of Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys Olivacea. Largest wetland of Asia (Chilika) now designated as a Ramsar site in Orissa.
• Hirakud Dam, the fourth largest in the world, is situated at Sambalpur Western Odisha.
• Odisha hosts the largest arribada, the turtle nesting ground, in the world.
• Odisha – highest producer of hematite ore. Odisha has 25% of Hematite ore of India.
• World’s largest egg, with approximate dimension of 13 inches and width of 9.5 inches is of the gigantic herbivorous flightless elephant bird (zoologically termed as Aepyornis maximus) that lived last till 1650 AD, is preserved at Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubaneswar.
• The dress designer of Michelle Obama, in their visit to India, was none other than an Odia.
• Konark temple, built in 13th century, has 12 pair of wheels (24 wheels representing 24 hours) which are uniquely designed and has scientific significance. One can calculate the precise time of the day by just looking at the shadow cast by these 8 spokes signifying prahars (3 hour period).
• The Leaning Temple of Huma, situated near Sambalpur in India is the only leaning temple in the world
• Hirakud Dam, the longest earthen dam in the world and the largest artificial lake of Asia is situated at Hirakud near Sambalpur
• The Sambalpuri sari is made from fabric woven on a hand-loom and is one of the most popular throughout India. This became popular when late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi started wearing.
• Wheeler Island, south of Chandipur in Odisha is a place where most of missiles of India are tested such as Akash missile, Agni missile, Prithvi Missile of only some of them.
• India Surf festival, a festival organised by like-minded people who combine surfing, yoga, and nature is observed Ramchandi beach, near Puri in Odisha. It is one of the unique festival observed in India.
• Shanti Stupa at Dhauligiri is a place where the great king, Ashoka laid the foundation when he witnessed the darkest side of Kalinga war after seeing the river Daya turning red due to bloodbath and became the propagator of peace.
• According to mythology, Mahabharata was written by Lord Ganesha in a place called Vedvyas in Rourkela, which is named after Vedavyasa who was dictating to Lord Ganesha.
• Rourkela Steel Plant is the first ever integrated steel plant under public sector which came into existence in 1954 – 55.
• Odisha state museum is one of the world famous museum for having a wide collection of manuscripts of which Abhinava Gita Govinda dates back to 1496 but the text can date back to 2nd century.
• Puri Temple is the only Dhama(pilgrimage) in India where Folk, Shaiva, Sakta, Vaishnaba cult of worship is done.
• DHAMRA is one of the deepest port of India after Gujurat port


December 16, 2015

SHARING IS CARING # 16

This Sharing is caring is about a journey. Journey of love. A bicycle that brings 2 persons together.

A guy from my very own Orissa traveling to Sweden by bi-cycle for the love his life. 
I am very proud and overwhelmed as I share this post from www.indiatimes.com. A story of Satyanarayan Patri.

A  man guy meets a rich girl. They fall in love. Girl goes back to her country. Boy promises to make it big and visit her. Time passes but he struggles to make both ends meet. He decides to fulfill his promise - picks up a cycle and sets on a journey across 8 countries to meet the love of his life!
No, this isn't the story of an upcoming Bollywood movie. Although it pretty much qualifies to be one! This is the story of Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia from India and Charlotte Von Schedvin from Sweden and it has all the elements of a Bollywood blockbuster - emotion, drama and lots of love.
An epic saga of romance, PK proves that when love is determined, it pushes all boundaries.
Born in 1949 into a poor weaver family of Odisha, Dhenkanal who were considered untouchables, PK was a gifted artist. However, the family didn't have enough money to finance his education. He would often find himself at the receiving end of insult due to the dreaded caste system. Later In 1971, he joined College of Art in New Delhi and gained popularity for making portraits.
In 1975, 19-year-old Charlotte Von Sledvin, a student in London, heard about him and traveled all the way to India to get her portrait made. As the stars had conspired, during the course of making the portrait, he was possessed by her beauty and she, with his sheer simplicity. Love had set in.
Charlotte took the Indian name Charulata and they both married following traditional rituals.

When it was time for Charlotte to leave, she asked her husband to come along, however, PK was still a student and wanted to finish his studies. When she offered to send air tickets later, he refused saying he would come to meet her on his own. After she left, the two kept in touch through letters.
PK's love-filled heart had made the promise, but the reality of having no money to fulfill it stared PK in the eyes. But he was not one to give up. He sold all his belongings and bought a second-hand bicycle. Carrying all his paints and brushes along, he did the unthinkable.
He set out on a voyage to the Far West with a hope to reunite with his love. This was back in 1978.
He reached Amritsar from New Delhi before entering Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark. His cycle broke down many times on the way and he even had to go on without food for days. But nothing could break his will.
After 4 months and 3 weeks of back-breaking journey, he finally reached Gothenburg, Sweden.
Those were the days when not many countries required visa for travelling.
Upon reaching, he was questioned by Swedish immigration officers who were amazed to see a man who had come from India riding a bicycle. PK told them the reason behind his visit and produced photographs of his marriage with Charlotte.
Authorities were surprised and did not believe that someone of royal blood from Europe would marry a poor Indian.
The sudden revelation made even PK skeptical whether his lady love would accept him or not.
When Charlotte learned about the man from India who cycled all the way for around 5 months, she drove to Gothenburg and received her husband with unbridled happiness. Her parents accepted Pradyumna as a part of their family by breaking a royal tradition that prohibited non-white people from residing with the nobles.
After 40 years of marriage, Dr PK Mahanandia serves as the Odiya Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden and lives with his wife Charlotte and 2 children in Sweden. His village, that once shunned him as an untouchable, now gives a thundering welcome every time he makes a visit.
Pradyumna is well known in Sweden as an artist and is working as an Adviser, Art and Culture, under the Swedish Government. Swedish Government in honour of their love has made films to document this immortal love of the century. His paintings have been exhibited in major cities of the world and have found places in the prestigious UNICEF greeting cards. On 4 January 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree (Degree of Honoris Causa) from Utkal University of Culture (UUC) in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha state, India. He was also designated as the Oriya Cultural ambassador to Sweden by the Government of Odisha.[5] Renowned Bollywood film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali is planning to make a film on the love story of PK Mahanandia and Charlotte




December 14, 2015

DONT GO CHASING THE WATERFALLS :)

I love to be on the move.
I sleep or not, it does not matter. 
I eat or not, it does not matter. 
I love to travel. 

I was in Calcutta and after two sleepless nights and party with friends, I took a train to Bhubaneswar. At 8 am my friends at Jajpur Town challenged me to get down at the Jajpur road station from where they can pick me to go see one waterfall. I was thrilled and yet very tired. 

So tired that I went to sleep after 5 mins of conversation with my friend. But 20 mins after I had a shock attack that I must go chase this waterfall. 

So I called my friends. Informed them that I will get down at Jajpur Road station at 11 am. We went to see the waterfalls and came back to Bhubaneswar by the evening train. 




December 12, 2015

HAPPY JOURNEY :)

HAPPY JOURNEY, I am off to my favourite city of Calcutta.






SONHAR É GRATIS(To dream is free) # 6

Another sleep and another dream. Another new destination. Its short, pleasant and fruitful.

I was with my family in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It was end of the vacation and we were doing what Indians do at the end of the vacation : Shopping.

Yes, probably Indians shop till they drop and till they spend their last penny. After the whole day of shopping at Central Mall we were heading to the top floor for food. That is when my sister says, I wanted that dress. Bunty, can you please buy for me?

I said why not and then she hands over her debit card to me. I am going to take the escalator is when I dropped it between the steps. Now no one knows where is it. I am going to check each floor and ask people but no luck.

That is when I see the guy from from the foot massage place who works in in front of Mango Lagoon Place at Kao San road, Bangkok. He is the security in charge.

He sends me to a place for lost and found objects and on the way I see his face popping up in all TV screens to inform me that my card has been found. Its the breaking news.

Can it be any better that you loose your card and you are seen in all news channels. Then on my way to lost and found desk, one guy hands over a gift pack with gifts from someone and runs away. I open the gift pack and its very much a Christmas gift but there was no mention of the sender.

Beautiful gifts and thanking the guy in my heart, I woke up with a sweet smile on my face.


December 11, 2015

SHARING IS CARING # 15

PALACES OF INDIA THAT WE CAN LIVE!!

Its almost end of the year 2015 and here I am sharing some nice content. The palaces of India that one can live.

Really its a dream to live in one of the royal Palaces of India. Not only for its grandeur but also for its far fetched price tag for a night.

Still lets read this beautiful content and dream that one day we get to stay in one of these palaces. Who knows! If everything has a price then nothing is impossible in this world.

SourceTriphobo


Are you dreaming of a grand, luxurious vacation in a castle far away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Do you wish to live a few nights as a queen or a king, surrounded by opulence and the splendour of heritage? That doesnt have to be just a dream. With so many palaces in India being converted to heritage hotels, it could totally happen. We give you the most beautiful palace hotels you could stay at:

1. Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan

With its royal history, there are a lot of palaces in Rajasthan and the Lake Palace in Udaipur is perhaps the most beautiful. Situated on the island of Jag Niwas in Lake Pichola and built in the 1700s, speedboats will take you to the vacation that youve been dreaming of! Its one of the most romantic hotels on our list, so heading there with your loved one would be a good idea.

2. Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, Telangana

This gem of architecture was built in the 1890s and was where the wealthy Nizams of Hyderabad resided. It literally translates into Mirror of the Sky. The palace has been built with shades of Italian and Tudor architecture and is a wonderfully classy stay for anyone who needs a grand vacation! 

3. Jehan Numa Palace, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Built in the 19th century in typical colonial style, this is possibly the most comfortable stay if you ever find yourself in Bhopal. Its hospitality is unmatched and the food with both European and Mughal dishes on the menu is absolutely scrumptious. Its the opulent vacation of your dreams!
PC: Sheila Simkin

4. Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, West Bengal

Originally built as the private residence of Colonel Grand in the early 19th century, this hotel is known as the Grand Dame of Kolkata, and for good reason toolook how pretty and luxurious it is! Built in a neo-classical style, this palace is a glimpse into colonial times 

5. Nadesar Palace, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

This palace is a quiet retreat, an oasis in the busy city of Varanasi. It was built in 1799 (its origins are rather mysterious) and is set amongst beautiful gardens, mango orchards and fields of jasmine and marigold. It contains many artefacts and original furniture from the bygone era to give you a true taste of the past.

6. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Considered one of the largest private residences of the world, this palace was built in 1943. Its divided into three functional parts: the owners residencewho belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Jodhpur, a museum on the history of the royal family and the Taj Hotel. The building has a whopping 347 rooms. Its the definition of grandeur!

7. Lalitha Palace, Mysore, Karnataka

Built in 1921 at the orders of the Wodeyars (the royal family of the princely state of Mysore), this palace was made to resemble the St. Pauls Cathedral in London. Its heritage suites still contain many relics from the past including the furniture. Its the perfect venue for one magnificently royal holiday. 
PC: Deepanjan
Pack your bags and get ready for that opulent vacation that youre going to tell stories about for years to come! Because who doesnt like living like a king?

December 8, 2015

SONHAR É GRATIS(To dream is free) # 5

Sonhar E Gratis is a phrase in Portuguese I learnt in Brazil. I was walking in the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil with my friends from Portugal. They came across a lamp post where there was a graffiti saying; Sonhar a Gratis.

So to test my understanding of the language they asked me what is it? I guess they like it that am always making effort to learn the language and surprise them time and again with my skills. I did translate successfully and they were all happy. I am sure that I have already said this story in my blog. But it is sometimes nice to repeat the stories especially when you cherish those memories. 

I always come here and share some of my dreams as I have an ability or some special gift to remember my dreams. That to so much in details. 

One such dream I had last night. I still remember very clearly. I was having dinner with my friend Jorge from Portugal and my friend Andre from Brazil and some acquaintances from England, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the beginning all talks were in english and I was very much part of it. Then very soon everybody started to speak in Dutch. You see everything is possible in dreams as you are a free spirit, multi linguist and global citizen. Also everything without a price tag.

But not so free for me as I was the only non-dutch speaking person. Soon, I was feeling bit out of the place. However there was a guy; tall and curly hair looking almost like my friend Andre at the next table with his mother. He started to make some conversation with me. They were from Spain and the lady has origins from Philippines.  It was nice talking to them and in no time I was in their table and talking to the mother, while the son had vanished somewhere. I did not want to leave the lady alone at the table. However he was not away for long time. As I had to come back to my table and we exchanged our Facebook names. 

Thereafter I see myself in another set. Here I am entering into my hotel with my Jorge and Andre. I spotted again the Philippino - spanish lady talking to the guard at our entrance. It was quite late in the night but still we both ended up talking. My friends went up into our rooms. It started to rain and the lady was worried for her son and she was asking me if I wrote the spelling of his Dutch name correctly. I even vaguely remember she corrected it my chit of Paper. It was something like Depavahn. Suddenly there was a big crowd running around and I realise that in my dream world we actually grow younger from old. It was opposite than what happens in reality.  To my surprise I see Jorge as a child playing around while I am still grown up. But as I have seen the childhood pictures of Jorge, so I can tell the kid was not the way Jorge looked in his childhood. The kid had curly and blonde hair and big blue eyes. I call out for him and he would not respond as he is not happy that I am talking so much to the old lady. 

Next thing I saw flash flood rushing into the city and everyone started to run for their lives. I see the lady limping and lingering to find a safe place. I noticed that one of her leg is made of iron. I see water everywhere and I realised that it would have been better to go to my hotel room at 7th floor. I am imagining the steps up and down in the street. I try to walk in the neck deep water. While I am helping her to reach a safe place, I am also worried about the little Jorge. Then I see the little Jorge swimming to the hotel and when he is climbing the steps he is not little anymore. He was shouting at me to make some courage and swim back to the hotel. In between all this am scared and nervous.
  
I woke up and it was the end of the dream.


                      




December 5, 2015

SUNSET TIME.

How cool is this sunset!!
Just driving by the road, the sun looses itself between the coconut trees.


A SMALL ROAD TRIP :)

If you feel that its not happening. If you think that something is missing.
If you want excitement. If you want to want some. 
Then dont think what day it is. Dont think what time is it. 
As it is the time for a road trip. Take your bike out and follow the road.