Bags are packed... off I go...

Its time to pack my bags and head off to explore a new destination...
Couldn't have come at a more perfect time, especially considering how hot it is here and the fact that am on a full on nostalgic USA trip mode.. :-) 


Got myself a rucksack, about time I owned one, considering the amount of travel I do and my love for backpacks.. And this is the watch I wear when i travel.. Love it!! 

Headed to a state I haven't been to before
It is raining and cold there...
The scenes and sights around here are known to be breathtaking. 
I might get to ride or drink milk off this animal... [ will be yet another 1st time experience]

So, go on, put on your caps and guess. The first 5 who guess right, will get something from the destination!! :) 

See you all on the other side.... 


Clue- it is popular for its hot water springs...... 

I got Leh'd, the journey begins...

Every year, around June- Sep, there would be messages doing the rounds on the internet, across social media.. it would be like ants whispering to each other. I would read people talking about how they are off to Leh or just got back from Leh or how awesome it was, the various photographs from the locations, the movie 3 idiots and so much more. And every year, religiously I would look at them all, read the various experiences and sigh wondering when and if I would ever get a chance to get Leh'd. 

This year, around June I dont know what got into me, i started digging around to see if there were groups doing Leh trips, around Aug-Sep, somewhere around my bday! And I came upon quite a few of them, wrote to them, got details, tried making sense of the itinerary and finally zeroed in on one that suited my needs- it was a small group, dates were Aug 27 - Sep 4 and it did not cost an arm, leg or a kidney!! 

Who was the winner that got me as a traveller? This company called Justwravel, based in Noida.. They were doing trips to Leh in batches and thus began my mail exchange with a person from the company. I asked non stop nonsense questions to which he patiently answered.. Payments were made, plans were being made [in my head] and well excitement mounted. 

And probably for the 2nd time this year, I told more than just 2 people where I was headed [even though there was the tiny voice in my head screaming at me every time I shared the update with someone... I have a history where plans just fall apart last minute and go kaput]

Meanwhile, a grand uncle along with 2 friends [all of them 65+] and an uncle [late 40s] were off to Leh but they were headed for a serious Trek expedition of about 75kms. They had been training for a while and all that jazz. Now when gramma heard of this she was sure I was going off on something similar and was gonna not come back and was quite paranoid. I had to then show her youtube videos of Leh and the places around that I would be chilling in to calm her down... :-) 

This time, I decided not to go berserk shopping, but instead did the smartest thing I have done ever in life. Borrowed stuff from friends- bag, jacket, wooden thermals and cap. Ta da... And with that I was all set to go off..

Phew!! Am so kicked I made a start on the blog series.. More to come.. stay tuned.. 

Another weekend, another destination

Am loving the new turn of events.. When I was looking forward to welcoming 2015, I knew I was going to travel lot more this year but did not have any real plans in place. And then things fell into place and here I am all set to pack my bags once again.

I am off Thur night/Fri early morning to a destination that is new, and should be back Tue morning sometime! I am quite excited about this trip, and it is once again with a friend who hasn't really done too many trips sans her family. She is nervous/excited and anxious... haha...

Where am I headed to? Well, that is for me to know and for you to guess.. But I promise that the 1st 5 who get it right will get something as a reward once am back... :-))

Clues:
1. it is nearby yet far
2. I do require a visa to explore this town
3. English is not their native language
4. The flight duration is less than 10 hours
5. It is not a cold country [ but I do hope & pray it is pleasant atleast]
6. There are quite a few beaches/water bodies around here.. 

Fire away your guesses..

Adios!!  

Skywatch Friday- Humannya- Blow Hole, Sri lanka

As we were driving along towards Matara, our driver announced there was a Blow Hole nearby and asked if we wanted to visit. Ofcourse we did!! We nodded our heads till it was ready to fall off our shoulders. He then drove into a narrow lane and puled into a parking lot. Now this amazing thing about Sri Lanka is that in most tourist places, the parking lots are manned by locals. There were old women standing around every corner inviting us to park in their spot. Maybe that is how they earned their living.. Here, we pulled into a lot near a small shop of sorts. We paid the parking fee to the lady [about 100LKR] and made our way down the narrow lane around bends and corners. And then came a sudden flight of steps, basically rocks put together to form steps. We climbed up about 20 of these, came to a landing and then up another 40-50 steps. And then when we stopped to check the place out, we caught the beautiful shimmering ocean beneath. 

There is a small center of sorts with pictures and posters describing the Blow hole and different sea animals around the place with seats meant for school kids[ a visitor information place]. This is also were we bought our tickets [500LKR for the 2 of us] and then went on to find the way to the Blow hole. There were a bunch of rock steps leading up into the trees and beyond. I noticed a couple come down from there and wondered how far the spot really was. And then there were few steps down to the ocean, which was just too inviting to resist. 

My friend and the cab driver went ahead and I caught up with them slowly. I dont have a few of heights, but the rounded rocks were a challenge... I finally reached the top and saw nothing but open space. There was the ocean below, and then I noticed a path of sorts had been made by the high ocean waves. There was railing all around and we positioned ourselves right in front, near the guy who worked there. Ajith has been working at the Blow Hole site for 7yrs now and he says he loves it. He is all about "wait 2 mins madam, it will come, so many big ones in morning.. low tide.. one more.. one more..." kinda guy!! We stood there for nearly an hour, watching the little squirts and a few big ones pop through the cliff . It sure was a sight to behold... 

The Kudawella Blow Hole or Humannya is a rare geological formation of nature. Situated at the southern coastal village of Kudawella, it is the only Blow hole in the entire Asian subcontinent and the 2nd largest in the entire world. The Kudawella village name literally translates to "small beach", it took quite a hit in the 2004 Tsunami  and is in near ruins today. 

The blowhole itself is a natural crack in the rocks, and when the wind blows in the right direction the water shoots up the cliff and into the air The water shoots up above the cliffs during the monsoon seasons [Ajith told us it rises over 30-40 meters]. Infact, the place Humannya [Hoo-mannya] derives its name courtesy the  wooshing sound of the water as it comes up the cliffs.  

We got down half way, went over to the Emerald ocean, spending a few minutes standing amidst the rounded rocks, collecting shells and then made our way back to the car. We felt like we had traveled to the moon and back!

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday ... 

Skywatch Friday... Above the Indian Ocean

There we were walking from the airport shuttle all set to hop into the flight and head off to our final destination- Colombo. We were flying in a Bombardier Q400 aircraft- "Spicejet Laung", a flight with a capacity of about 50 passengers. We hopped in via the small staircase and found our seat. The flight took off and before we knew it, we were flying on top of the Indian Ocean. The blue beneath and the white fluffy clouds above was just a sight too good to be true! It was a short one hour flight, and most of the time was over the ocean. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday ... 

Guess the destination

Well, it has been quite a while since I travelled.. And so I have decided to take a short holiday, and this time am travelling with a dear friend.

Where am I headed? Well, that is for me to know and for you to guess.. And if you guess right, a small something awaits you :)

So, leave your guess in the comment and wait for me to update!!

Clues-

There are beaches

There are mountains and Hills

There are elephants and then there are people

There are temples 

There are tea plantations and 

There are interesting dishes... 

Where am I headed to ?

Oh yes, if you are among the few who know where I am headed, shh, stay away and you shall get a small something.. lol..

See you all soon~!!

Skywatch Friday-- Fire in the sky

There I was, sitting in my favorite seat, eyes shining bright and glued to the window.. When we were checking in, my friend wanted an aisle seat, preferably in the 1st few rows, but I wanted a window seat which was available only beyond the 30th row. He gave me a look that said "really?" but I persisted and we finally got our seats done, 34th row. I got my window and he got his aisle..hehe... It was going to be a nice long 2hour 45min flight from Chennai to Delhi. And then we had about half hour in the flight before we resumed our next leg of the journey to Punjab, the land of the Golden temple... 

And the reason I wanted a window seat was just so I could stare out the window at the changing colours of the sky. I have shared few pictures before, but I know I shall never run out of them.. :)

Here are the various hues and the drama that the skies put on for us during our flight... 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

From hell to heaven-- autos in Chennai

I have been using Autos for as long as I can remember. Yes, I know, you probably think am crazy! I also use the bus and local trains to commute within the city. The very 1st time I got into an auto was in 8th standard.

[Image courtesy: Chennai gaga]

It was pouring and school had let out, but there was no familiar car or driver to pick me up. And so, I decided to walk home [I couldn't think of any other option and nearest was grandparents house, about a km or so]. Half way through Taylors road, an auto pulled over and he said he would drop me home. I don't remember having any money on me [I dint get pocket money at all]. He said no worries, took me home and dropped me off. The meter read Rs 3.50 p. I asked him if he could wait so I can go inside get the money, he declined and said he will wait till I get home. To my plight, there was no  one at home. He then offered to drop me off at my parents apartment in Harrington road and again charged me nothing!  

And then there are those who close their eyes and quote an amount with no idea of where I want to go, or how far the destination actually is. These are the guys that piss me off. I haggle and show the finger at times, sometimes the guys just follow me and try to haggle, sometimes they go on and on about the cost, and distance, and how he will not get a return fare and blah blah.. There have been numerous times where I have actually told the guy "Anna, neenga pinnadi ukkarunga, naan otarein [you sit behind, I shall drive], or when the guy ask for the sun and the moon, I tell them Am not looking to buy the auto, just want a ride. 

Off late, I have started using Bus and train wherever possible and it is easy, except when I have a meeting or am headed somewhere new or far. And then there are days when I settle for a call taxi, they are cheaper and I get to ride in style!! :-) 

Few months ago, one day I read about Namma auto on the net and heard from a friend who used them that they were really good. We were in Sterling road and she had to get back home [ near Chrompet]. We decided to try the Namma auto, a lady answered the call, took the booking and the auto arrived within 25-30mins. The lady called multiple times to enquire if the auto arrived and even after it did, she called to make sure my friend was alright. Apparently, she called an hour later to check if my friend had reached her destination and get feedback on the ride.  Friend was impressed and happy that she did not have to haggle or suffer but decided to go back to cabs as the distance was too long to handle an auto ride. Nearly 30-40kms! 

Back to my auto saga, I have had interesting experiences- Once I rode in an auto driven by a guy who is a Kirigami expert, and only one in the country. He shared his entire story which i shared on Facebook and it went viral.. I mean so many people wrote back saying they had contacted him, he was featured in the papers, and recently I met him at an art exhibition.  He now drives auto once in a blue moon only and is busy doing workshops! 

Another time, the driver told me about his parallel life where he wrote fiction pieces in a Tamil weekly magazine. He wrote under a pen name and shared the story of how his wife's death inspired him to start writing.  I have also had auto rides where the guy told me about losing his entire fortune and driven to riding autos.. Another time was an old man who was frail and old, who said his sons had left home, and he had no support and so took to auto driving. 

I have also travelled a bit within the country and used autos elsewhere. Bombay, Pune are towns where the auto guys charge by meter, Bangalore used to be like that but then now they also quote a random price. Jaipur we realised the meter is slowly dying and guys are starting to fleece people. In the 5 days we were there, only one guy had a meter and charged by that. 

Fast forward to last month when news of auto meters was buzzing in the air. There was talk about calibration of meter, rolling out new meters and all this will be in effect shortly. And yesterday, there was a news item in the paper about the Meter coming into action! I like many others was skeptical, wondered if the guys will follow it or put up a fight. 

I left home , hailed an auto and the guy just said "polam" madam. I hopped in and just as I was about to ask about the meter, he turned it on and said "pottacchu madam".. I was impressed! Got off at my destination, paid to nearest round, and he offered change as well. I was still skeptical, but again in the evening when heading out to the meeting, once again had the same experience, he charged by meter. Now I was convinced!! 

One of the autos I travelled in yesterday did not have a meter. The guy did tell me "madam, will note the distance and you pay accordingly". He mentioned that you needed a ownership card to get a new meter and since he dint have one, he had to wait to get a meter. The card can be procured through a broker, but will cost him nearly Rs5000, so he is going to take the direct path and dig deep to find the documents and get the card. The last date for submitting the card was Sep 15th, so he was scared about cops locking his auto away. But hoped he could buy some time to get things sorted out!! 

Once again, I shared the pic of a meter and wrote about it on Facebook and had zillion people commenting, some skeptical and others surprised. Quite a few also shared it on their walls. Goes to show how important the autos are to the city and what a revolution this meter will cause! 

And today morning, once again I had to step out, and hailed a cab and the guy had a meter and turned it on the minute I hopped in. It showed Rs 41.50, I gave a Rs 50 and he gave me Rs 10 change.. While I fumbled for change, he nodded and drove off. 

This was a convo from a friend's facebook wall.. 

Yesterday, I kicked up a conversation with an auto driver who said he had to spend Rs 2100 to get the new meter. Apparently, the Government meter is not available everywhere but there are cops bringing it down on autos without meters, so this guy had spent out of his pocket and installed the meter. He said the only difference between this one and the Govt meter was the later would give a bill print out at the end of the ride. He also shared some interesting insights-

1. The meter will be detrimental to those who dont know where they are headed. Who are clueless and are searching for a place

2. The meter is good because we auto drivers know how much distance we cover for a ride

3. The meter will be painful for passengers who think the destination is close by but is infact further away

4. The meter is going to be painful for passengers because unlike earlier where auto drivers charged a fixed rate, but then with meter you will charged for waiting [even in traffic signals]... 

Today, I came upon a list of helpline numbers, which I have once again shared on my Facebook wall...  

An update:

A company has created an app through which people can figure out the fare between 2 points. It is very useful and as of now available for Android phones only. You can download it from the play store or visit the website chennaiautofare.in

Do share your experiences!! Have you travelled by an auto with meter or did you still come across guys haggling? 

My connection to Madras aka Chennai

Though I was born in this beautiful city called Madras [yes that is what it was called back in the days], I grew up in Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli before coming back to the city. Dad was with a bank and so we moved around a lot. As mentioned I was born here, so the 1st few months were spent here [though all I know are from what people around me have said] and then I was whisked off to Coimbatore. I was the 1st and only granddaughter on both mom and dad's side and so was quite the spoilt child. 

They would come visit us in Coimbatore, or we would go around to Shankagiri or come to Madras. I dont remember much from the early years of my life. What I do remember are the holidays spent in Madras. While we were in madurai, for every school break we would land up in Madras the very next morning. If school shut today, then the evening or night train would see us leave the town and I would return the morning of school reopening. That is how I remember spending most of the school holidays. This continued even after we moved to Tirunelveli. 

These are the most cherished memories, the days that I miss, the days when I fell in love with the city, the days when I first learnt about the city. 

We would land in Madras the morning, my uncle would be waiting for us at the station, the train used to pull into Egmore Station and cars could come right inside the platform. I would be super excited to see him, and once home I was pampered and spoilt till the day we left. I distinctly remember the front room in my grandparents house [which was my room till a few months ago]. There used to be a bed and a TV there [and a few cupboards, but who cares about them]. My uncle who used to frequent Trichy would bring back a few Coke cans [the imported kind] and they were Rs18 [yes I remember this very clearly]. There would be movies, Tv shows all on VCR tapes waiting for me to attack. I grew up watching A-Team and Different Strokes. I have no idea where my uncles chanced upon these shows but I love them to bits for having done what they did. 

Another memory I have of Madras is a not so pleasant one. When my parents moved to Thazhaiyuthu in Tirunelveli, there was time for school and I guess mom was just setting up the house. I was about 5 or 6yrs old. Three months to school I was packed off to Madras to be with my maternal grandparents. I dint enjoy the stay and just wanted to go back to my parents. I guess it was the whole "have you abandoned me" insecurity in a child that had me feeling so. 

Apart from home, I would spend a lot of time at a cousin's place. He was a year younger than me, but technically by relation my uncle [mom's cousin bro]. Mom, Me, Aunt and E would go to the beach, go out for ice cream and wander about during my holiday stay. I have spent quite a few nights at E's place, and those were such amazing days. 

Once when we had gone to the Marina beach, we kids must have been around 6 or 7yrs old, our moms' warned us not to jump in the water as they had not brought change of clothes. But did we care? we jumped right into the ocean and the return journey home was spent wrapped up in some bedsheets that were in the car. Back then, we used to do plenty of dinner picnics on the Marina beach. Cook food at home, pack them up and the entire family would then drive out, spend time in the beach and have dinner under the stars. 

As we grew up E & I have done crazy things quite a few times. Infact our families still tease us for all that we did. Once, we were out with a driver [yes, we have them in our family], and we ended up at this place called Sweet Memories on Mowbray's road. We decided to have pizza, and we had only Rs100. I have no idea how or why, but the bill came up to Rs112. There were no cell phones back then, and so we sent the driver home to bring the balance cash. :-) 

It was my uncle's who introduced me to English music [ABBA, Beatles, AC/DC, Billy joel, and just about everyone else] and who got me into the habit of reading. I did not have any stuffed toys or dolls, I only had books for company and I loved em. During a visit, my uncle from USA had come [i hadnt met him too many times and so he was nearly a stranger] and he took me book shopping and they got me hooked on Enid Blyton and The Mystery of 5 find-outers. 

Another time, we were just returning from Tirupati, and decided to have dinner outside. Snowfield was a favorite with the family. E & I would get an "Inspiration" or "Fascination"- the ice cream that came in tall tumblers filled with ice creams, jelly, nuts and what not. It would take us forever but we would devour the desserts. An uncle used to order ice cream soda- ice cream floating in a glass of Gold Spot or Campa cola. :-) We were not familiar with aerated drinks or junk food then, it would be breakfast lunch and dinner- one of the meals outside, and it was only with family. Unlike today, where family eat-outs are far and few. 

When the day came for us to return to Madurai/Tirunelveli, once again uncle would come to send us off. I remember pressing my face against the train window waving my hands "bye". 

We moved back here for good in 1990, and since then I have learnt so much about this city that everyday it amazes me. There is so much happening- so much to see and do that time is never enough~!! [So much so that I began a series on my blog called Celebrating Chennai.. should resume]

I do love my city

I hate it when people bitch/crib about it 

I will defend it 

I do agree the heat can get to you, but heck look beyond the heat~!! 

Happy birthday Madras [ Yes, I prefer calling you Madras over Chennai]

Serene Sunday... Fluffy clouds

If there is one thing that gets me smiling and happy, it has to be the sight of the white fluffy clouds up in the sky. I can sit and stare at them for hours together. I just stare, no thoughts, nothing in my head. And whenever i am travelling, I am always looking up to see if there are some interesting movements, or formations. I remember how when I was small I used to try to guess the shape, it could be a bear, or a heart, or a man holding a stick and walking along.

These clouds seem to calm me down, helping me deal with whatever it is that bugs me, my mind gets cleared  and worries disappear...  

Here are some skies shot in Chennai and around.. :-) 

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky~ Rabindranath Tagore

I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds.~ Mike Tyson

I know that I shall meet my fate somewhere among the clouds above; those that I fight I do not hate, those that I guard I do not love.~ William Butler Yeats

Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water.~Christopher Morley

Submitting this post for the Serene Sunday theme by Chennai Bloggers Club

Skywatch Friday- Walk amidst the trees

A text from a friend "Girl, we are planning a tree walk on saturday with a few of my friends and our kids, coming? It is from 4-5pm in the Tree park in Kotturpuram" I instantly replied "Yep, will be there"

Armed with a bottle of water, I headed out towards the park, only to find the lot of them already out and about. I spotted them near the water pump, and a small make shift shed of sorts. My friend asked me to pull out the buckets and pot from the shed, while she took charge of pumping water. 

The kids were all between 4-10 and some had a tiny bucket with them, which they insisted on using. It was quite amusing. The park is not huge, but has quite a few trees and young saplings, and a path between for people who like to walk. Amidst these trees, we also spotted an adult male spotted deer that soon disappeared into the wilderness. Wondered where he had wandered in from. 

The adults in the group carried the big buckets, pouring into the smaller ones and guiding the kids towards the plants. It was amusing listening to them advice each other, get playful only to be pulled back by their parent. The best was when my friend's son P wanted to water the wild weeds and I told him they were wild plants that needn't be watered. He turned around and said 'but those plants also need water no, why you saying no put water on it?" I realized explaining this was going to be tricky..

Here we are teaching kids to water and take care of plants, and then we tell them certain plants dont need water.. Quite an awkward situation.. I decided to leave these tricky things to the parents  and distracted him to the spider on the lamp post. Kids being kids, got distracted and all swarmed around trying to catch a glimpse of the spider. One kid announced "let us pour water on the spider and see what happens"... Jeez, what is up with kids of today!!scary... lol... 

As we walked around, there were a few regulars who asked us if we maintain the place, or who takes care of the weeding and so on. Some came from a few kms away to walk, and said the park seemed run down over the past few weeks and wanted us to do something about it .


Sure felt good to have done this activity, and we hope to continue it for as long as possible and rope in more hands.


For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

 About the park- Source: TOI 
The transformation of this area, which was once overrun by tonnes of waste and thick vegetation, was initially carried out in 2008 by the Public Works Department with support from Nizhal, a non-government organisation.Nizhal sourced and planted 240 saplings of over 100 different species of tropical dry evergreen forests/indigenous, naturalized trees/shrubs. Students and volunteers have been helping the greening process by pumping water from the lone hand pump to water the plants and adding manure.

Skywatch Friday... Floating stones and Hanuman in Dhanushkodi

As we drove towards Dhanushkodi beach, our drive suddenly stopped the car and asked if we wanted to see the Floating stones.. Puzzled, i looked at him and asked "what floating stones?"

Instantly he replied "madam, the ones that were used in building the bridge Ramasethu [Adam's bridge] by Rama and the monkeys. There is a Panchamuka Hanuman Temple less than 2 kms from here. I can take you there if you wish".

 

Dint need any more motivation, nodded my head and off we went to the Hanuman temple.  It is a small temple, with the image of Hanuman etched on the wall in red vermillon. The Hanuman has five faces and looks like he is standing leaning on the wall. There were a few pillars and at the base of one i spotted two large stones, on another pillar was the map of how India was back in the days and the path that Rama had taken when building the bridge. 

As you walk around the main sanctum, there is a small pit of sorts filled with water, and covered with mesh. Inside this tank, lo behold, i noticed there were a few floating stones. The priest came around and told me these were among the ones used by Rama when building the bridge and that the stones really did float. " You cant put your finger in and push them down, but they will surface within minutes, go ahead try it" he said. And much to my amazement, that is exactly what happened.

Legend has it that Rama and his army of monkeys decided to build the bridge under the guidance of Hanuman (Monkey-God) and the engineering supervision of Nala. They wrote "Rama" on the stones and used them to build the bridge over the ocean.  Apparently, even today, in Devipatnam, or Navapashanam, also by the sea, there are nine stones visible at low tide. It is believed that they were set up by Sri Rama to represent the nine planets, the Navagrahas.

The priest recommended i visit the two other temples popular around here- Sugreeva Theertham and Lakshmana Theertham...As i walked out of the Hanuman temple, i wondered if all that i had read and heard in Ramayana was real, and maybe there were more such tales hidden within the walls around us. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday - Drama in the sky

Today, as we celebrate Tamil New year's day, and Malayali's celebrate Vishu, Tulu's celebrate Bisu, i remember my friends in Kochi...

About a month ago, one Friday evening I was all set, bags packed and on my way to the airport to zoom off to Kochi for a brief break from my routine. It was nearly dusk, when the clouds, the sun and the sky seemed to be enacting a play, filled with drama and emotions running amock. There was red and grey and just about all other shades you could imagine....

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Gandhi in Chennai

The Marina beach in Chennai is the longest beach in the country, stretching across 14kms... There is a Mahatma Gandhi's statue almost at the center, and it is a beautiful one at that....

 This photo was taken during an early morning [7am] walk along the beach with uncles and cousins.... 

There are so many statues lining the beach, hope to capture them and share them all during the coming month :)

Project 365 Day 9- Stone

A place of worship, a place where i find myself at peace and calm.. Sringeri, one of the 4 Mutts established by Adi Shankara is a place we visit, i visit atleast once a year, while rest of my family does multiple trips...

The Vidyashankar temple is  an architectural marvel.... Viewed from a distance it looks like a attractive chariot. On the walls, there are carved innumerable statues. On the pinnacle of its lofty tower is a grand gold cupola. Inside this temple, 12 sculptured pillars with zodiac signs have been engraved. As the sun move from one zone to another, the sun's rays fall on the respective pillars.  There are steps outside that are narrow and tall, with the outer wall filled with Gods and Goddesses... 

Project 365 Day 7 - Bird brain

We walked along the path towards Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe when we saw these strange birds pecking on footwear... Wonder what they were, thought maybe Turkey, but a passerby mentioned a name in Kannada and walked away... Dint catch the words, just some random gibberish floating in the air... 


Wonder why these birds were focussed on the footwear they had.. Did they think it was food? or where they fighting to kill it?? [assuming it was a large sized hard worm?] :D