Who Let The Dork Out – Sidin Vadukut

The third book in Sidin Vadukut’s hilarious Dork series ‘Who let the dork out?’ does not disappoint. In Robin Einstein Varghese, Sidin has created a parallel to Sue Townsend’s Adrian Mole who is one of the funniest characters I’d ever met in books. So is the full-of-enthu Robin, always out to do good but falling prey to his own enthuness and his slight weaknesses, phobias and fears in his own search for excellence in a highly competitive corporate world. But Einstein conquers in the end and there is much Indiannesss o the way he goes about doing things and certainly a lot of malluness as he brings in his various Malayali exclamations like Daivame or adipoli and stuff. One cannot but shake one's head and smile when one thinks of Einstein.

So Einstein is now in Delhi as interim CEO of Lederman Associates, hoping to be CEO if he performs well. and gets stuck in the Allied Victory Games in New Delhi. Inspired by the Olympic Committee no doubt, Sidin lets Einstein loose in the Ministry for Urban Regeneration and Public Sculpture, and we soon find ourselves meeting Minister Kedarji, his secretary Joyonttoh, Tihar Balakrishnan who sole aim is to get into Tihar jail and others. Meanwhile Einstein is negotiating his way through the corporate jungle against Rahul Gupta who is now a high profile consultant with Braithwaite, his suspicious peers Raghu and Rajeev, his not-too-happy boss John from Tokyo, Joel from UK and not forgetting to mention his close associate and confidante from Andhra, Sugandh who helps him out with all things related to information technology. And then we have Gouri and her uncle Colonel Kalbag who is also not too happy with the Einstein, Jesal, Gouri’s gorgeous cousin, and Anushka Sharma, Shruti Hasan and Raveena Tandon too. (I am really keen to know if that tunnel to Tihar exists and if those parties really go on – could be true for all we know.) But despite all the hurdles Einsten gets a good rapport going with the Prime Minister and gets a mandate for Lederman worth millions of dollars. All's well and that ends well - or so we think until Einstein gets going again.

I liked the idea of taking off on the goings on in Delhi and I am sure most of it is pretty accurate including the Tihar jail business. It's a good way to get it out of the system by laughing about it. I loved the scenes where Einstein gets ecstatic at finding the perfect loo, the part when he vents his frustrations at Gouri's behavior, his interactions with Joyonttoh, the parts where he discovers how the government works (three quotations)etc. Someone should make a movie out of it so we can all laugh a bit more. But one can see that Einstein has now matured a bit and I can see he is now CEO material. For the third time in a row Sidin Vadukut delivers a book that provides many hearty laughs (he is one of the few Indian writers who must come with a warning sign - his books can make you burst out laughing uncontrollably as a Dave Barry, a P.G. Wodehouse would) not to mention such wonderful insights into the Indian mind and how it works. Well done once again Sidin and thank you for adding this much needed humour in our lives.

The Snow Leopard – Peter Matthiessen

Vinod gifted me this wonderful book many moons ago and I have been waiting patiently for the right time to read it. I carried it along with me to Goa last month and started reading it. Within a few moments I knew I was holding something of extraordinary value in my hands as the author effortlessly transported me deep into the Himalayas, into his own personal jouney and that space in the spirituality he experienced through Zen Buddhism and other philosophies in his life.

Peter Mathiessen's book got published in 1978. He probably went on that trek in the early seventies when he was ‘forty five years old’. Described as a naturalist, explorer, novelist and some more, Peter Mathiessen was a man with a heart that was set on adventure and life all through. Being born in 1927, he went to Yale in 1950, to Sorbonne in mid 50s (and edited a magazine there), returned to be a commercial fisherman and was captain of a charter fishing boat. He explored much in his life and has been to several parts of the world - Africa, Alaska, South America - and others that I fail to recollect. But impressive on its own.

‘The Snow Leopard’ is his account of the three months he spent in the Himalayas seeking a sighting of the elusive snow leopard. His friend and biologist George Schaller invites Mathiessen on a trek he is taking to the Crystal Mountain near the Annapurna range of mountains for his research on the bharal or the blue sheep of the Himalayas. GS is trying to figure out of they are sheep or goats. Now he invites Mathiessen with a carrot of a sighting of the snow leopard which is known to inhabit that area. Mathiessein, in turmoil, after having lost his partner D to cancer, decides to go on a rather risky expedition leaving his sons behind in the US. As he enters Tibet through India he speaks of his own jouney through life, of drugs and alcohol,of Hinduism and Buddhism, of flowers and animals, of poverty and wealth, of life and of death. It is fascinating to see his journey through his eyes.

Accompanied by their sherpas and cooks – Jang-bu, Tukten, Phu Dsering, Gyaltsen, Tamang porters and others, the author and GS set off on September 28 towards Dolpo through treacherous routes, narrow mountain ledges, extremely chilly nights spent in little tents, eating basic rations. The route they took goes from Pokhara on the Kali Gandaki towards Kusma, Magyandi road, Dhorpatan, Churen Himal (24000 ft), Tarakot, Jang La, Damashi, Bheri, Rohagaon, Ring-Mo, Phuksundo, Shey and Saldang. They sight the bharal but Mathieessen acquaints us with the abundant flora and fauna that he observes in the Himalayas, his own deepest and innermost feelings, the rigors of the strenuous journey. His relationship with the Sherpa Tutken whom everyone perceives to be a trouble maker and unreliable (but who is a soul brother to Mathiessen), the people they encounter along the way, the pain of separation when their faithful sherpas and cooks part at the end of the journey, the bittersweet end of the journey all add to the experience as we read the book. But does Mathiessen see his snow leopard? Or does he, as he says, not see it because sometimes it is better not to see certain things? You must read it to find it.

The Snow Leopard is a rich, slow read and I took longer than usual because I somehow connected with each word he wrote. One truly admires the sense of adventure of men like GS and Mathiessen who give up the comfort of their homes and push life to its limits, exploring all that it has to offer. And then, me and my lfie seems so small and mediocre in comparison. The risks I have not taken, the hesitancy at taking the first step, at stepping out of line, at walking out into a world that the good lord made for us but which I somehow feel barred from. I have only lived vicariously through the accounts of PM and such and hope that someday they will inpire me to fly a little, to expand my boundaries, to merge into a universe that even I belong. Surely everyone who reads the book feels that same moistness that PM feels when he sees a majestic sight, a vision that draws him into its lap and one can only feel extreme comfort deep within. This again is so unlike many other books and I know it will stay with me for this lifetime.

Visit to Chirala Beach - Sea Breeze Beach Resort

When my friend VJ said he was heading to the beach at Chirala I did a double take. Was that not Bapatla - where the famous Surya Lanka beach was located? No, he said, he had information about an amazing resort on the Chirala beach. Now I had no clue about either beach but Anjali decided it for me by starting to make a list of things to carry including her 'swimsoot'. Shobhs was keen too so there was no turning back. I got the car in order and took off from Hyderabad on the morning of the 11th, for a drive that was to be around 5 hours from the town.

Sea view from the infinity pool

I took the Hyderabad - Vijayawada highway up to Narketpalli which is about 80 kms from Hyderabad. The road is a toll road and in excellent condition. We bypassed Narketpalli and followed the signboards to Nalgonda which was the next town on the list. The state highway was in excellent condition too, though  there are a few ups and downs because it is being widened, and we went past Nalgonda and then Miryalaguda. We passed by Dachepalli and sometime after that started looking for a turn on the state highway to Narasaraopeta. the road narrows a bit but it is still in excellent condition and you hit a prosperous Narasaraopeta and drive through it until you hit Chilakaluripeta across the NH. From Chilakaluripeta you head towards Chirala which is a road that takes you through the towns of Paruchuru, Karamchedu and then we enter Chirala, a famous textile town, weavers and all. (Chirala actually means saree in Telugu). We drove through the town and sought the Ramapuram Beach road which comes after we pass the Baptla-Ongole bypass. A 4 km drive and we hit Sea breeze Resort which is sitting right on the beach with fine white sands.

View of the pool

The first thing that hits you about the resort is that it looks too good to be in a place like Chirala. The reception area to the construction, the signboards to the general activity around it, the proximity to the beach and the lack of other crowded structures around it makes Sea Breeze Beach Resorts pretty inviting.

View of the rooms from the poolside

We checked in and found that the sea facing rooms really open out on to a lovely view of the sea. The beach is not more than a five minute walk from the rooms, there is a lovely swimming pool that straddles the land between the rooms and the sea, a well laid lawn in the open auditorium, a restaurant, a garden cafe and pretty much all that you would like to have in a beach resort.

Play area that leads to the beach

The rooms are clean and well appointed, the furniture is extremely comfortable, the bathrooms are clean and functional and there is hot water running.

Open air auditorium

Pub

The air conditioning works, cable tv works (goes off during power cuts though while all else runs on generator) and there is nothing much to complain. The tea was good, the food was fine. There were swings tied to tall palm trees and the extra length of the swing made it all the more fun.

A private beach all to yourself

But the biggest attraction of Sea Breeze to me is the fantastic private beach it offers you. You can step off the property directly into the soft sands of the Bay of Bengal coast with not a soul around for miles. 

Sea Breeze resorts from the beach

To the left there’s a fishing village but that’s faraway from the privacy of the Sea Breeze beach. 

Fishermen shelter

Fishermen's boats

Shobhs and Anjali walking along the beach

What is truly magical is the bonfire and the table they set up for you on the beach at night if you wish. We skipped the bonfire because it was a bit warm but the dinner under the sky by the sea was magic. On a moonlit night it must be sheer poetry.

Sunrise at Chirala's Ramapuram beach

I chanced to meet the owners, a well-known doctor couple from Chirala, Dr. Manikyam and her husband Dr. Dasarath Ramaiah and asked them how and why they came about starting this property. They told me that after their children grew up (two daughters in the USA, and their son and daughter in law now taking care of the Hospital in Chirala) they had been looking for a beach property to build their guest house. They found this rather large tract of land and then decided to build a resort there beside their lovely guest house. They started the construction in 2008 and got it formally inaugurated in 2010. Their entire focus is on quality (and it shows) and it has all facilities for families and corporates. 
‘We’d rather not encourage walk in couples but have a decent lot of people coming in’ they say. ‘We try to provide the best experience we can. It is safe, secure and we provide good food. We pay our staff higher than the average here.’

Indoor Conference Hall

The power goes off once in a while as it does in all Andhra Pradesh but they have a back up DG set. ‘For corporates,’ said Murli their Manager, ‘we have a conference hall that can accommodate up to 150 persons at one go. We have a small pub constructed beside the auditorium as well. There is Wi Fi connectivity too.’ There are games to play, volleyball, basketball, swimming, movies etc to watch and lots to do on the beach.

Anjali in the pool

Jai and Anjali watching something apprehensively

What else does one do near Chirala I asked? Murli told me that one could go and visit the Kotappa Konda temple at Narasaraopeta, the Hanuman temple at Ponnur, visit the weaver industries in Vetapalem and Jandrapeta (both extremely close) and watch sarees being woven on handloom. Chirala is famous for its sarees, bed sheets and covers as well as the cashew industry. You could pick up cashew and if its summer the town offers some great mangoes and bananas. 
‘They taste a lot different,’ said the doctors.

‘It’s also famous for its plays,’ said Dr. Dasarath Ramaiah. ‘There are folk artistes here who perform the plays of Satya Harischandra, Krishna Rayabaram. They also perform the famous burra kathas as well.’

One could visit the famous Surya Lanka beach at Bapatla which is 18 kms from Sea breeze.

What about local cuisine I asked? ‘Chirala offers some great sea food,’ said Murli. ‘Natu kodi pulusu, fried prawns, gongura mutton curry, chinta chinguru prawns and mutton curry, fried crab, ulava charu are some of the local specialities if you love your sea food and spicy Andhra non-veg dishes.’ They can all be prepared at Sea Breeze if one gives half a day’s notice.

‘We’re planning to expand our facilities,’ said the ever smiling Dr. Manikyam who is always on the property guiding her staff and goading them to perfection. ‘We’re now building 24 more news rooms, adding indoor games like snooker and pool, table tennis, add some more conference rooms. We also have plans to introduce water sports. And certainly there are plans to open up spaces for locals to sell their merchandise here – cashew, sarees, bedsheets, covers and other such local items that one does not need to go into town to buy.’

I wanted to know if they could organise a visit to the weaver colony and Murli was kind enough to arrange that for me. It was wonderful to see the old handlooms working adnd the weavers working hard at it through the afternoon. ‘a dying profession,' said the weavers. ‘Our children have found better paying professions through their education and handloom is dying anyway once power looms have arrived.’ It was an experience to see the care and work that goes into making one saree. 

Sreenu weaving

‘Could take me anything between one day of 12 hours or 3-4 days,’ said Sreenu the first weaver we met. Sudhakar, a more experienced weaver said he does complex jobs only -3-4 days per saree. They get paid according to the job and their expertise of course. For example Sreenu could spend a whole day making a normal saree and would end up making Rs. 400 for it. Sudhakar could make anything up to 3000 or more. The better weavers get better work and more remuneration. They are all paid for in advance by the master weavers who give them the design the material and then the weavers get to work on their looms which are installed in every home in Jandrapeta. 

Old lady helping in the process

Loom

The clackety clak of the loom being worked at rings in your head as you walk by and wonder how much work goes in for so little. But they are happy and I am happy that I  could witness this profession and the concentration and focus the weavers bring to their work. One knot and it could all go for a toss said my guide. It’s well worth a visit to the weavers.

Beach walk

On the last day I spent time finishing reading 'The Snow Leopard' which has been on my hands for a long time but which was a truly enriching and fulfilling read. A walk on the beach in the morning with Anjali and Shobhs set the tone nicely for the day. 

Road to the sea

Then of course the mandatory dip in the pool for Anjali. We left at 10 and took another route back – the one that the resort recommends. This route goes to Chirala-Parachur-Guntur-Vijayawada-Hyderabad. It adds another 80 kms to the journey and though the road from Vijayawada to Hyderabad is in excellent condition it still takes longer and adds a further Rs. 300 cost through road tolls. I think I prefer the Chirala-Chilakaluripeta-Narasaraopeta-Miryalagua-Nalgonda-Narketpalli-Hyderabad route which is about 310 kms or so compared to the 390 kms from the other route.

Old mosque

Old mosque

Another one

As for stay I’d recommend the Sea Breeze Beach Resort unreservedly for anyone looking for a nice, quiet holiday on a great private beach in Andhra Pradesh. The drive would be about 5 hours and some, the view is wonderful, the pool is great, food and service good, rooms and loos clean and comfortable, great beach to walk in solitude for miles. For reservations and further details call Murli at 08594-202011 or 098499 60727 and check out their website www.seabreeze-beachresorts.com.

 

Anjali - First List

Here comes Ms. Organised. Her first list of things to do before we start out for a small road trip tomorrow. I'm pretty impressed.

A better pic later but for now it reads like this - Haircut (mine), packing, jewelry (hers), chapals (chappals), food, swimsoots (you get it), nities (easy again), pajamas, dresses, chabis (this is not so easy), sunscreen and something else. It's stuck on the wall next to the computer so I don't forget!

I wonder what I am up to face in time with such heavy duty organisation taking over my life. Right now, can't complain.

Anjali - Children at Work

Here are Anjali and Mansi at play - or work - difficult to make out which is which. The complete concentration and focus that children bring to something like playing with mud is what I fear I've lost as I grew up.

That involvement is what brings on the smiles. That is what makes work seem like play - or makes play so intense. Thanks girls.
 

Checking out the mud

Off we go

So, what do you think?

That could be a problem...

We'll use these...

Right, let's get down to it then

Hmmm, I'll strain the wet mud this way

Yes, that's the way to go

Oh oh, someone's watching

See....

Booo to you

From both of us here

Story Idea - When The Fake Is Better

Disclaimer: This story idea might be an old one.

Ordinary girl (heroine) is obsessed with a star. She creates a complete world of her own around the star, makes him the king of her dreams. Nice and bubbly stuff initially but it gets to a high personal plane where she cannot do without the virtual him. In fact as she gets on in her life she realises that she can actually use this creation of hers (in her mind) to propel her life forward. In conversations with her virtual star boyfriend, she finds a lot of clarity and new thought. Her life hits a high thanks to the considerate and knowledgeable star she has trapped in her mind. At the pinnacle of her success she actually bumps into the star and they meet. Interval stuff.

She cannot think of a better way for her life to go on now with her star coming alive. But she soon realises that the star behaves in a manner that is distinctly different from what she has trained him to do in her mind. She cannot take these changes in her boyfriend and the constant dilemma he is putting her through. Her work starts getting affected and she starts losing control. Until she realises that it is the real boyfriend who is the villain and the virtual boyfriend who is the hero. Now she has to get rid of the real actor from her life. But he seems obsessed with her.

How does she deal with this problem?