DAY 4 (Day 2 of ABC) - Pothana - Tolka - Landruk - Jhinudanada (26/09/2016)

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: -190m

     Today was totally exhausting. I think if we go ahead this way for eight days more there will be nothing of my knees left.
     I woke up today to an absolutely stunning view of Machhapuchre and Annapurna I and II. After a continuous downpour last night, the skies cleared up and we could see the mountains. I went out to take some pictures of the entire range as this was probably a rare shot. Alexi (as we began calling the Chilean after the footballer; that's not his real name) was already out with his camera, excitedly clicking away. He really seemed like a jolly chap.
     We ate a plain breakfast of bread and omelet and a very interesting Tibetan (or Gurung) bread. It was similar to the Ladakhi bread we'd eaten in Leh, except sweeter and deep fried.
     Within twenty minutes our room was transformed rom a spread of mess to five neat bags. We said bye to Deepa (who, by the way, told us she lives in Goa half the year after seeing Mama's Goa River Marathon tee; she told us we're a very unusual family (we get that a lot) before adding "In a good way, of course!") and "See you later!" to Alexi who we were bound to meet on the trail as he too was doing ABC.
     We got our ACAPs approved at the tourist check post office right outside Pothana and resumed our course. For the first half an hour, the terrain was much flatter than yesterday and very pretty. The sun was out, and the golden rays of light only add to the beauty of the mountains. The path, at times, had purple wild flowers hugging it. The path forked off at quite a few places, which needed us to stop for Tirtha to show us the way.
     Soon we reached the top of the hill (or close to the top, at least) and began our descent the other side down the mountain. Now it began to get tricky The downpour of the previous night began to reveal it's effects on the trail.
     Slippery. That one word captures the next two hours. And leeches. We suddenly had to be a lot more careful on the way down. The walking sticks were indispensable. Thank you Mikhail! I would have broken my bum if it weren't for the sticks. To stone steps were really difficult to get a grip on. Each of us slipped at least twice, including Dada! The trees were dripping with water. It was a lot wetter than yesterday. We met Alexi, who caught up with us on the way down. He slipped too, I think. Midway, the trees parted to give us a breathtaking view of Annapurna South. I was stunned by the closeness of the mountain. After about an hour and a half of careful trekking, we came to a motorway and continued on it for about half an hour. We stopped at Tolka for a short break and bought a bottle of water for ₹100. We weren't going to have any cash left by the end of the trek...
   We trekked downhill until we came to a bridge over a small river (I can't tell you how tempted I was to write 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters'). Crossing bridges would become a common occurrence today.
     At 12:30pm, we stopped at Landruk for lunch. It was a relief to put the rucksack down for a bit. I was carrying the heaviest one today. We had to wait about forty minutes for lunch. Apparently they begin to make food only once you've given the order. From scratch. The concept of readymade quickly served food hasn't reached the mountains. Our lunch was very similar to that of yesterdays. Dal Bhat and Veggie Curry, only more expensive. Tirtha told us food would only get more expensive as we trekked on and reached places more remote.
     We began trekking from Landruk at 1:40pm. We could see Jhinudanda, our days destination some three mountains away - a small cluster of blue shed houses sitting peacefully on the mountain slope. After about forty minutes of easy but careful walking we reached Himal Pani. A quick break later, we trekked to New Bridge, when we crossed a long bridge over a gushing river (okay, can I use the phrase 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' here?). The valleys on either sides of the rive were so wonderful - one in the shadows and one draped in sunlight.
     The next part of the trek was so draining. We went up and down and up again. I'm so tired that I want to sleep not. I'll try to recount all I can when I next write.
     Dinner - a Thali of Dal Bhat and Chicken Curry. It felt good to get some meat into my system.

[Edit (09.10.2016): The last part of  the day's account reflects how tired we were. The sheer physical strength demanded of us did sometimes become too much. I shall here attempt to recall some aspects of the trail and Jhinu that I was too tired to that day.
*Before reaching Himal Pani, Dada, Mama, Varun and I had left Tirtha behind. The road forked off and we were a little puzzled. Which turn to take? We used our natural navigation sense and chose the path that made most sense. The path soon rapidly narrowed down until to came to a forceful stream that we seemed to need to cross. Uh oh. It didn't look very easy. After Dada first crossed and showed us where the grip was good, it wasn't so challenging. I did look on anxiously as Mama crossed, though. She has a funny way of placing her feet, almost a though she has no sense of natural balance. (Note: She did improve in the coming days though, just in case she reads this.) Anyways, hail the water proof boots!
*Jhinu was a pretty place. The first lodge Tirtha took us to wasn't great. It was empty. It didn't meet Mama's standards as she came out of the rooms looking pretty grumpy. We asked Tirtha if we could go to another lodge (there were plenty) to which he didn't look too happy (the owners were his acquaintances I believe). We found a nice busy lodge after walking up a few steps, and planted ourselves there for the night. This time our room had no attached  bathroom. It wasn't really a problem. The toilets were clean and the bathrooms were decent enough. We got running warm water, which put us back into a good mood. Warm water on sore muscles is soothing, you know. There was a large Italian group chattering away (Varun insists they were Spanish. Apparently he caught some words. Ha!) and many more small groups of trekkers. It was nice to finally see some activity after the lonely trek. Alexi was in the lodge next to ours. Varun and I spotter him peering into his camera. Our lodge had a nice large square terrace from where we could look into the valley and beyond. It was late evening and no peaks were visible, but looking at the mist stealthily creeping in over a mug of steaming chai was a joy in itself.]

DAY 3 (Day 1 of ABC) - Pokhara - Phedi - Dhampus - Pothana (25/09/2016)

TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 800m

     I woke up today to the sound of cows mooing and birds chirping. The sunlight streaming in through the wide windows prevented me from lazing in bed. I got up and put my glasses on. I could see the towering Macchapuchre (Fish Tail) mountain, it's tip just visible through the clouds. Other mountain ranges decided to show themselves too. We couldn't figure out which ones they were but we did guess they were part of the Annapurna Range.
     We packed out Day Packs in the morning - gloves, hats, woolen caps, goggles, jackets, ponchos etc. all went in. This was what we'd be carrying on an everyday basis on our backs. After a while of figuring out we had and rucksacks in a good shape. Mama's idea's of colour coding each of our bags full of clothes, woolens etc. was life saving. There was no confusion at all in figuring out what was whose! (Not the sense of surprise that Mama cam up with the idea!)
     It's 8:00am now. My desk is at right-angles to the window. As I look out I get a full blown 180 degree view of the mountains. More peaks are appearing, now closer. Some of them are so snowy they almost look like meringues. Two lone birds are circles around each other. Machhapuchre is still visible, looking rugged and formidable. The sky is blue, so clear and beautiful.
     We had a very hearty breakfat of bread, omelet and sautéed potatoes. Dada incessantly kept reminding us of the importance of eating a full meal to provide fuel for the day. After breakfast, we met our porter Tirtha Bhadur Gurung. He seemed like a really sweet chap. smiling and jolly. We decided to start our trek from Phedi and end eight or ten days later at Nayapul, depending on our condition. Tirtha made us fill up the TIMS forms at the hotel and we decided to meet at 9:30am to load the jeep and push off.
     I'm back in the room now, looking out of the window. The Fish Tail is almost completely obscured by the clouds, and they are slowly moving in to hide the snowy meringue ranges too.
     We started for the TIMS office at 9:50am. They were just pulling up they're grills when we arrived. Within ten minutes we got our permits and drove to Tirtha's trekking agency - Eastern Light Trek for some formalities. His boss was very helpful and spoke about the route we could take, the duration of the trek, etc.
     We started for Phedi at around 10:30am. As we drove, I noticed that from being surrounded by hills in the valley, we seemed to be headed straight for them. Phedi cam as a bit of a surprise. The driver suddenly stopped the car near a cluster of two houses and said "here, yes?"

     I expected to start the trek on a much flatter terrain than what met us. On the other side of the road, a winding path of stone steps went right up the mountains. After insisting on taking a beginning picture, then checking that all our bottles are full, we began the Annapurna Base Camp trek. The very first steps gave us a real feel of what this trek was going to be like. The steps winded upwards into the mountain. Thick forest surrounded us, dense deciduous forest. These peculiar looking green insects kept hopping about on the stone steps. For the first few hours I was completely focused on the steps. I was still getting used to climbing in the trekking shoes. Varun and I led the way for most of the time. Well me, more than Varun actually!

     After about forty minutes we came to a landing from where we got a breathtaking view of where we'd come form. We could see the river winding through the valley beside the road we'd driven on. It was quite a relief to take our bags off our backs for a while and sit in the shade. It was past 11:30 now and the sun didn't seem to be in a kind mood today. We met a man from Chile at the landing. He was doing the ABC trek too. Varun promptly asked him if he watched football to which he said "Yes. Like everyone in South America!"

     We continued upwards through a few terraced paddy and millet fields and open skies before getting back to the same trail of stone steps and deciduous forest. After two and a half hours of trekking we came to Dhampus, our lunch destination. We walked for twenty minutes along a motor road until we came to a place where Tirtha said we could eat lunch. I'd gotten a bit annoyed by then. It was late. Why couldn't we stop somewhere closer? There were so many inns along the way. Well, turns out Tirtha knows the owner at the restaurant and gets all his guests there. That's okay, after all everyone needs a living.

     I think it was called Pleasant View Hotel or something of the sort. We were all famished after two and a half hours of steep trekking. Tirtha said this would be a good time to recharge our batteries. Funnily enough it took an hour and fifteen minutes for the fuel to come. The cook took her own sweet time to get the food but the plates of Nepali food looked so good that we quickly forgot our annoyance. In a brass plate and neatly arranged were a bowl of rice, pickle, a potato and fern vegetable and dal served in a brass bowl. It was a delicious meal. I loved the fern veggie which we'd only tried once before in Sikkim. It tasted so fresh - Tirtha told us that the ferns are picked in the wild. When we were done are content with happy stomachs, we got the bill - ₹1600! We were shocked! ₹1600 for a simple meal of Dal Rice, that too on a roadside inn in the middle of the mountains? My god! If it went on like this, we wouldn't have enough cash to sustain us till we got back. Tirtha offered to get us the menu, puzzled by our surprise. These guys had a menu? We said there was no need for that and paid the amount due. We asked Tirtha if from next time we could go to some place cheaper, to which he replied after a couple of seconds in a thoughtful voice "Okay, I try."

     We began walking at 3:40pm once again. It was slowly getting chilly. We could see the clouds moving in, inching closer by the minute. A lot more streams were crossing the stone path now. The stone steps too were becoming more irregular than the Phedi-Dhampus route. We seemed to be getting closer to the wild. As we continued our ascent, we suddenly found ourselves in a beautiful meadow. I thought of the Sound of Music, Julie Andrews singing in the mountains of Austria. She could just as well have been singing in the mountains of Nepal. The meadow had a steep gradient and we walked up to one end from where the trail restarted. At that end of the meadow was a map of the Annapurna Base Camp route which I took a picture off, thinking ir would come in use late on.

     After the meadow which we reached at about 4:20pm, the clouds  started moving in much nearer that before. Soon we were surrounded by thick mist. My glasses began to get foggy. We experienced a different sort of foggy and chilly beauty.

     We reached Pothana quite exhausted after a long days work at around 5:00pm. We met our Chilean friend at the tea house. Dada told him Varun is a great fan of Alexis Sanchez at which the Chilean got really excited.

     We took a room with a double bed, a single bed and an attached bathroom for ₹500. Very reasonable. Chintan said we'd get bed for between ₹150-₹200, so this was cheaper! Probably because the season isn't in full flow as yet. After a quick shower (I was lucky enough to get hot water; poor Varun went first and by the time the hot water started flowing, he was done!) we headed toward the restaurant for a steaming cup of tea and I began documenting the happenings of the day in this journal.

     While I was at it, Tirtha came over to discuss the next few days. We all poured over the ABC map and tried to figure out the best plan of action. I think the Chili man and his porter were doing the same at the next table. A lady named Deepa came over from the next table to listen to our ponderings on the route details. She seemed so interested, and tought we had a wonderful holiday planned as a family.

     We had dinner at 7:00pm - Chicken Momos, Vegetable Curry and Egg Curry. Nothing special really, but cold weather makes you appreciate and food that is warm and filling.

     I think we're short of money from the discussion happening next to me while I'm writing. We didn't expect food to be so expensive. We were charged ₹1600 for a simple lunch today and the prices now are quite exorbitant. Anyways Dada says we'll manage as he brought along 4 hundred dollar bills, and he says it shouldn't be a problem to exchange it for Nepali rupees on the way. Planning ahead pays of, see...

 

DAY 2 - Kathmandu - Pokhara (24/09/2016)

     I woke up at 5:30am and the first thing I did was flex my muscles - still soar. It had to get okay by tomorrow, because if not, I'd be in trouble. After a quick wash up we went upstairs to the fifth floor terrace for breakfast. Omelet, bread & butter and a sweet cup of Cinnamon & Cardamom tea.
    We left for the bus stop at 6:40am, bags packed and all set, and reached by 6:45am. I wish distances were like this in the city. After loading the luggage into the trunk we got in and made ourselves comfortable. It was supposedly a "luxury" bus (Debit Bus, it was called) because it was a toilet at the rear which I was promptly given a seat next to (I think those were the only seats left  by the time we'd booked yesterday). The bus started at 7:00am sharp, very impressive. I suppose it has to cater to the foreigners who believe that punctuality is a virtue! It took us an hour to get our of Kathmandu due to traffic and terrible roads (probably affected by the heavy rains last night too). At one point, I looked out the window and saw a fruit vendor setting up stall for the day. He was plucking the tips off the apples and placing them in a basket beautifully, stacking then in a neat pile. I'm sure if I tried to do that, they'd all come tumbling down.
     As we got onto the narrow highway, I noticed how dusty all the bushed and plans and leaves of the trees were, just off the roadside, sad results of the heavy traffic flow day in and day out - we were only contributing to it. The countryside got cleaner and a lot more beautiful as we got out of Kathmandu. We could see the mist between the mountain ridges from our wide, large windows rising, sometimes obscuring our view. This of course was only in the beginning, early in the morning. After the sun rose the sky became bright and clear and the mist dispersed.
    The journey as such was comfortable and quite uneventful. Mama and Dada shared a Puri Aloo while Varun and I shared a plate of very salty noodles. This was for breakfast. For lunch, we stopped at a roadside inn for a Nepali Thali - A Thakali, it is called - and extremely wholesome meal. Rice with beans, dal, wonderfully fresh stir fried greens (nothing beats greens in the mountains) and a delicious Checken curry. Not to mention the Papad and chutney too. We polished out plates. Just before getting into the bus Varun and I bought a Mocha, a bad idea in hindsight. It was piping hot and filled to the brim, and the journey was bumpy, so the next fifteen minutes were spent in Varun and I trying to keep the Mocha from spilling. After it cooled down a bit though, it was really good!
     The cute little Nepali boy sitting behind us with his mother kept us entertained for quite a while, singing (what I think were) folk songs in a high pitched, baby voice. Whenever the bus stopped he'd bun us and down  the aisle. He gave his mother enough to worry about, I think. The foreigner sitting next to us was quite enchanted by the little boy I think!
     We reached Pokhara at 2:45pm and the driver from the hotel was waiting for us, holding a sign. He took us straight the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) office to get out permits. The office seemed to have only foreigners - trekking is so popular amongst them. We filled up forms giving our Passport details, etc and in fifteen minutes had our ACAP permits in our hands. Very efficient. We counted ourselves as lucky as everyone in Kathmandu had told us that the permit offices would be closed of Saturday. Apparently, Saturday is a holiday in Nepal. Unfortunately we were informed that ACAP wasn't the only permit required - the TIMS permit was needed too.
     We checked in to Hotel Orchid, had a quick bath and set out to the TIMS office. But we can't get lucky twice. The TIMS office was closed so we had to resign ourselves to a late start tomorrow morning.
     Anyways we took the opportunity to explore the town. Pokhara is so pretty. Beautiful cafes line the streets and colourful shops selling colourful goods are abound. As we were walking, I glanced about and saw a towering snowy peak peeping through the clouds. I called everyone and pointed it out excitedly (while also commenting - "See! Chaitanya told me to be observant" - which he really did).
     We stopped at a café for a coffee and warm cinnamon rolls. Varun noticed there were tiny black ants crawling on the rolls. I was a bit irked. When I asked the waiter about it he said, in a very matter of fact way "Of course there are ants, the rolls are made with sugar!" Okay. So maybe ants crawling on rolls are okay here. I ate the rolls and found it just fine - in fact I liked the slightly tough bread. I think the others felt otherwise, but anyways.
     We got into a few shops where I bought a fake North Face full sleeve Dri-fit shirt and we also bought a Dry Pack, a special bag that is totally rain proof and protects delicate objects like cameras from impact. We also saw a shop selling clothes made form hemp (marijuana) and banana leaf. I found that fascinating! Clothes made entirely from plants? Wow! The garments were really beautiful. The only colours available were crème and off white, the natural colour of the cloth, and the rugged appearance of the cloth gave it a very earthy feel. Since we couldn't do unnecessary shopping today, I made a mental note to come back after the trek. The restaurants, cafes and bakeries pave Pokhara the look of a European town that I so loved. The only things were the cobble-stone paths... The restaurants has lovely paper lights, triangular menu boards outside cafes wit the specials written in chalk... Mama and I couldn't help peeping into every second shop and making sure we'd come back there after the trek. I jokingly said 'Let's rush through the trek and get back to Pokhara soon!' to which Mama replied 'Dada'll get mad if he hears that!'
     A lot of the cafes were showing the Leicester vs Manchester United EPL match. We stopped at one called Javista when there was a big screen. Already, a few foreigners were gathered around, intently watching. I was more interested in the food though. We ate some really goof Pork Chili, some lousy Fish 'n' Chips and some decent Vegetable Curry. Disappointingly, not a very satisfying meal, but our stomachs were full.
     As we walked back we picked up some snicker bars for the trek and lost our way hone a little bit. Varun very confidently and stupidly forged ahead until we realized we'd come way too far and missed the left turn we had to take. We found our way back after asking a couple of people. Never follow Varun for directions. He'll take you in circles. The same exact thing happened when he tried to take us to Chinnana's house.
     I'm going to sleep now because I'm exhausted and also partly because my legs need more rest than I do. As I write, Varun is jumping in bed. Arsenal has scored 3 goals against Chelsea within half-time I think...

DAY 1 - Hyderabad - Delhi - Kathmandu (23/09/2016)

     I woke up at 3:00am today, had a quick shower and put my travel clothes on. I put all the needed essentials in my purse, arranged my room a little but so I wouldn't have to come back to a hurricane and after a bit of last minute hustle-bustle we were off. Our cab driver tried to make small talk about the downpour of the previous night but we were all too drowsy to talk, and I think the cabbie got the hint, because he soon fell silent too.
     As we got off the cab and started walking towards the airport, my thighs began to really burn from all the strength training Malik had made us do the day before. I hoped with all my hear that the pain would soon subside. 3000m of elevation gain stood for us to overcome in a few days time!
     At the Hyderabad airport, we ate our breakfast as we had no desire to eat the dry sandwiches provided on the flight (actually the others didn't want to - I quite like the chicken sandwiches!) Anyways we ate some Podi Idli, which wasn't so bad, and Varun ate his customary deep fried Vada (Seriously? At 5:30am?). Anyways I was happy because I got my own cup of Cappuccino!
     The Hyderabad-Delhi transition was smooth, apart from the slight inconvenience of having to personally pick up and transfer our baggage in Delhi from the Domestic to International terminal, of which we learnt of during check-in. I began reading my book in the flight - A Collection of Short Stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I knew he must be a revolutionary writer as Sangeetha had done her PHD thesis on his writings and Dada said that Garcia Marquez is one of the greatest authors he's ever read. From the few lines written about Marquez at the back of the book, the general opinion seemed to be that his writing is rich and powerful. It really is every bit so. From the first few pages onwards his writing begins to create a deep impact. His descriptive writing skill makes it possible to create a stark image in the mind's eye. I only got to read a few pages (I was so drowsy that I fell asleep) so I'll comment more on the book in the coming days as I get to read further.
     At Delhi Airport we collected our baggage and headed to Terminal 3, the International Terminal. It seemed to be just 200m away from the Domestic terminal but the bus driver took us through a windy route and got us there after 20 minutes. The bus ride was very stuffy and rickety. Overcrowded of course, which is the sign of a healthy Indian bus. With all the bags, plus the two heavy cartons that Sarita had asked us to bring to Nepal, we has enough weight to manage between the four of us.
     Terminal 3 is so posh and fancy. So high-end. After immigration we took some time to wander in the airport. With no intention to tour the numerous perfume stores (who goes there, really?) I found myself in the W.H.Smith bookstore with the Kind James Version of the Bible in my hands. Chaitanya spoke very highly of it. As I flipped through the pages I could see why. Every single verse has something so poignant to say.
     Dada didn't allow me buy food from McDonald's (that Fat Chance book he's reading is doing more harm than good, I think) so we settled for Kheema Pav (there better be some meat on the table, we're on holiday!). I seemed to be the only person enjoying it. I guess I really do have an irrational love for anything that has meat in it.
     After the 10:30am lunch (!), I returned to the bookstore, bought this journal that I'm now writing in and we set off.
     Dada had paid ₹300 per ticket extra for the front row seats which actually turned out to be a complete waste of money. The thought we'd get a good view of mountain ranges from this height. Far from it. Apart from the fields we say one lone peak in the horizon and it was so far anyways that without straining our eyes we could have easily mistaken it for a cloud. I did take a few pictures of the clouds from the airplane window because they looked exactly like the clouds Wangdi had taught us to paint. Thick, contoured and fluffy.
     As we landed in Kathmandu, we got a clear picture of the city. It seemed saw sprawling, it almost took up the whole valley and extended onto the slopes of the surrounding hills. Most of the building, small, three-storied structures looked half finished and half painted - quite dull in fact, in the afternoon light.
     Sarita's driver came to pick us up at the airport. After a loud, somewhat confused conversation with the hotel manager for directions, we began driving through the city. It took us about forty minutes to get to the hotel in Thamel, the tourist are of Kathmandu. We drove through lots of traffic and noticed that most of the locals, either walking on the streets or driving motor bikes were wearing face masks for protection from the pollution. The ill-effects of tourism.
     The Kathmandu City Hotel (as it was called) was a little cramped but enough for a nights stay. The manager was very friendly and kind, and always looking to help out.
     Sarita sent someone with ₹80,000 Nepali in exchange for our ₹50,000 Indian. At 5:00pm, now with some usable cash in our hands we set out to get done with some essential shopping. We met Sarita and Mikhail (an Israeli Waldorf teacher who we'd met long ago) in Thamel. Sarita showed us around some good trekking stores to buy our trekking boots, etc. She and Mikhail had to leave soon as they had some other commitments, but not before giving us some good food options in and around Thamel - 'Fire & Ice' for excellent Italian and OR2K FOR Lebanese.
     We bought our gloves and walking sticks first (which Mikhail highly recommended - she said they make a difference of day and night while trekking). We then went to look for trekking shoes for me and Varun. After looking at four and five different stores we finally found ones that fit well and looked decent (with fake North Face logos, if I must add).
     It was already 7:00pm by the time we finished out shopping, and it was pouring in Kathmandu. OR2K was the nearest restaurant, so there we went. I totally loved the ambiance. All the seating for on the ground (and it was a relief to stretch our sore legs).It was lit up with these special glow in the dark lights - long and fluorescent on the ceiling, which gave the place a really fun feel. All the while part on the our clothes were glowing. I could even see glowing the felt particles that my sweater had left behind of my t-shirt! Mama and I were admiring the menu cards - each page seemed to be done up with so much care and attention. Bright and intricate drawings filled every page and the hand written menu was probably more interesting that the stuff actually written (no... that's stretching it!).
     We ate, for starters, Pita bread (sort of like naan) with Hummus, Babaganush (an Aubergine based dip) and Matbusha (a tomato based dip). I found the Hummus a little bit plain but the other two dips were really good. For the main course we had Pad Thai and Pasta (partly because we didn't know what to order at aa Lebanese restaurant). We were all so hungry that we polished off the large plates of carbs. With a content stomach we began to head home.
     Thamel was very busy and crowded, and some high-end parts of it with the fancy restaurants were actually quite pretty. But all in all Kathmandu seemed too busy and dustly for my liking. Anyways, once back at the hotel, we made arrangements for tomorrow's travel to Pokhara and then retired.
     I wonder what the coming days have in store for us.

DEAR LIAR - AN ANALYSIS

On 21st August, Varun and I got the special chance of watching Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah live in their spellbinding performance of Dear Liar, a play that chronicles the relationship of George Bernard Shaw and Stella Patrick Campbell. Below is my review of  the play.

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Lights flashing, one after the other, on different parts of the stage. A chair. A door. Curtains. All visible in flashes, one after the other. Thudding sounds. Doorbells and telephones ringing. And then silence. And complete darkness. A pause… The audience is by now all eyes and ears. And then a sudden spot of light focused on the centre of the stage, and there, standing, hand in hand, the two greats of Indian theatre, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah. The audience erupt in a thunderous applause. They are thrilled with this dramatic entrance. The actors walk together to the front of the stage, all grace and poise, and the night’s show begins.

Ratna Pathak Shah, elegant as always, her every movement from picking up a letter to storming off the stage is in character. She looks and plays every bit the proud and confident English actress, with her head held high, fit to conquer any stage in the world. Stella Patrick Campbell, although long gone, lives once again in Ratna. And then of course, George Bernard Shaw. Nasseruddin Shah, his deep, resonating voice echoing across the hall fills the audience with a warmth they’ve never felt before. His wonderful, wholesome stage presence captivates the audience for two hours. Together, Rathna Pathak and Naseeruddin act out the relationship between Stella Patrick Campbell, an English actress at the pinnacle of her career, and George Bernard Shaw, the great English playwright, fallen prey to Mrs. Patrick Campbell’s mesmerizing charms. The play covers a time span of almost forty years, during which this fascinating relationship blossoms, matures and eventually dies. Naseeruddin Shah brings alive the wit, energy (and stubbornness) of Shaw flawlessly and the audience find themselves hooting with laughter throughout. Ratna portrays Campbell as the strong minded woman she is, struggling to own the London stage in a male-dominated society. (Campbell remarks that both her husbands left her as they couldn’t stand being overshadowed by a woman)

The play follows Campbell and Shaw through highs and lows, joys and heartbreak. The first performance of Pygmalion was all the rage in London. It was the most successful production of the age with accolades showered on Shaw and Campbell, but its success was brought abruptly to an end with the beginning of the First World War. Here, we are witness to Shaw’s bitter indignation at the war, and Campbell’s heartbreaking sorrow at the loss of her son. This is one point in the play that the depth of their relationship is portrayed. Shaw refuses to offer his condolences to Campbell because of his very strong views on the war, and it must be noted that in a society filled the outward politeness, only a mature and meaningful relationship could withstand the ruthlessly harsh remarks of Shaw.

Naseeruddin and Ratna show their experience and skill as actors on stage as they depict the aging of Shaw and Campbell through forty years in two hours. In the beginning they have a spring in their step and confidence in their stride, use every corner of the stage and walk tall, their loud and booming voices filling the auditorium. Campbell, by the end of the play can hardly walk and what was once the melodious voice that thrilled the London theatres is reduced to a thin croak. Shaw, and octogenarian by the end of the play, has become a grumpy old Englishman, although his inert energy is still palpable. The audience truly have lived forty years with these brilliant actors, so convincing was their performance.

At the end of two hours, when it is time to say goodbye, the audience doesn’t want to. They have been witness to the highest form of acting that the Indian stage can boast of, and the opportunity to behold such excellence in this art comes but occasionally. As the actors bow down, the audience gives them one last resonating round of applause and exit the theatre with a content heart and food for thought.

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The story of how I ended up writing the article is quite amusing, actually. At the beginning of the play, the announcer informed us that we had the chance of being featured in The Hindu newspaper (this was after all The Hindu Theatre Fest) if we wrote a review of 50 to 100 words and the review was good enough to make the cut. Instead of '50 to 100 words', I heard 'fifty two hundred words', that is five thousand two hundred words! Imagine that... I thought it quite ridiculous. No one would write such a long essay! Well, turns out I was the ridiculous one. I set to work the next morning, wrote a six hundred word essay (which is above) and sent it to the Hindu by late evening (I'd already crossed the deadline by then, which was 11:00 am that morning). It was AFTER I sent it that I chanced to glance at the Metro Plus (a daily edition of The Hindu) and saw the reviews of the day before yesterday's performance. Needless to day I realized my mistake, and felt like the dumbest ass in the world. I did send a hundred word essay, choosing lines from the six hundred word one, and took the trouble to send it. But of course I'd by now overshot the deadline by a long time and the review didn't get published. 

Lesson learned: LISTEN from next time onward, if you please!

Bellow is the hundred word edited review.

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A THRILLING NIGHT

A chance to witness such excellence in acting comes but occasionally. Stella Patrick Campbell, although long gone, lives once again as Ratna Pathak Shah flawlessly portrays her. Naseeruddin Shah plays the celebrated George Bernard Shaw and his deep, resonating voice echoing across the hall fills the audience with a warmth they’ve never felt before. His wonderful, wholesome stage presence captivates the audience for two hours. The play follows these two souls through forty years, and sees their relationship blossom, mature and eventually die. Through joys and heartbreak, the actors take us on a rollicking ride we will never forget.

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London Diaries

Over the next month or so, I'll try to regularly post writings of our London adventures. I'm working on documenting our trip with the best my memory can do, so hopefully it should be an interesting read!

Pachadis - The Delight of Andhra - Thotakura & Gongura Pachadi Recipes

I find a certain kind of joy by beginning my meal with mixing hot rice, Pachadi and ghee. It's probably the quirks that come with being from Andhra. Pachadis are chutneys, mostly made with vegetables, and almost any kind of vegetable, to come to that. Even vegetable peels... And they are the most delicious sort of chutneys that humankind have come up with till date. An essential ingredient in Pachadi in tamarind. You need the tanginess, folks! What's Andhra food without a bit of spice and sour? 
Thotakura and Gongura are leafy vegetables found in Andhra. I'm not sure if you find them in the north... Thotakura has small, light green leaves which are very supple, and Gongura had broader and thicker leaves. The leaves come in big bunches, but don't be  put off by the size, the whole bunch really comes down to a handful once you fry it. 
*I'm going to give the recipe for Thotakura Pachadi, but the Thotakura leaves can be freely replaced with Gongura.

THOTAKURA PACHADI

Ingredients:

Thotakura Leaves - 1 bunch, or 300g
Tamarind - 1 tsp
Garlic - 4 cloves
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - 2 tsp

For the Flavoured powder:
Urad Dal: 1 tbsp
Chana Dal: 1 tbsp
Dhaniya (Coriander) Seeds: 1 tbsp
Methi Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Jeera (Cumin): 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Red Chili (dried): 4

Method:

1. On medium-low, heat a Kadai (rounded vessel) and add 1 tbsp of oil. Once heated, add the Thotakura leaves, and cook for 15 minuted, or until they cook almost completely. Add salt, give it a stir, and set aside to cool.

2. In another smaller pan, heat the remaining tbsp of oil. Don't let the oil get to hot, other the lentils begin to burn. Add all the second batch of ingredients to the oil, and roast until they just about begin to blacken. Immediately take off the heat. 

3. In the same pan, using the oil that remained after roasting the spices, heat it, and the garlic and tamarind and stir for half a minute. Keep aside to cool.

4. Put all the cooled ingredients into the food processor, and process until you get a smooth paste. You can add some oil at this point. 

That's it! You're done! 

**For the Gongura Pachadi,all you have to do is replace the Thotakura leaves with the Gongura leaves, and reduce the tamarind content to 1/2 a tsp. 

Enjoy :)