What a time it was! Awesome India...our people, our land and our culture. Fantastic
cuisines...
MTR masala dosa to the road side
churmuri and
masala puri, nothing to match its complex concoctions! With almost a months' shopping spree and preparation, we boarded BA flight to Bangalore via
Hethrow, London on the eve of Thanks Giving. A full flight it was. Lots of families with kids going on vacation, so you know what to expect on board...lots of tantrums! We landed safely and on time at
bangalore to be received warmly by our parents and relatives. Our trip
had just began, and the ride to our home gave a good flavor of what Bangalore has become...a dusty, polluted and bustling city with erratic traffic where drivers and
pedestrians have lost what was some time called traffic rules/sense. We decided to
ignore this part of our city for the rest of our trip to avoid all the irritation due to it. At home we were welcomed with a fresh aroma of hot breakfast just waiting for us to pounce upon! We had our heart's fill and spoke of all the current events and family news....it just felt like old times. But the jet lag crept in and sleep was tugging our eyes. Next few days we spent at my home at
Mysore. It just felt so right..my home, my parents, my room..the garden in the front of our home ...each and every detail seemed so pronounced, now that I was
noticinging the smallest of things that I missed for so long. We went around Mysore city which was decorated like a bride for the
Dasara festival, the
Chamundi Hill,
Srirangapatna,
KRS and the temple that was submerged under the water of the
KRS dam that is now relocated on the banks of
cauvery...what a sight it was! All our loved ones got together at my house in Mysore and it was one of the best days of our trip to India. I cannot thank and appreciate them more for coming from such distances just to be there that day....wow that is the greatness of strong relations I guess :) We had a fun time with my cousins' little kid taking the centre stage and keeping us all laughing most of the time with all his cute actions and
babbling:)
Back in Bangalore we spent a day going around places in the out skirts. Visited Shivgange which is a temple situated on the hill top near Tumkur. The treck itself was not tiring but for the notorious monkeys which attacked us and even pulled my hand bag. On the way back we gave a visit to the Siddaganga Mutt to take the blessings of the Swamiji. The rest of our India trip passed pretty quickly in visiting various relatives houses that we had missed out last time and also shopping around. After it was almost time for us to leave, the packing was one the greatest challenges we faced. Trying to fit all that we had shopped was a big deal. Finally after prioritising what goes with us and what stays back, we winded up and were all set to leave. But the sense of leaving brought so much sadness that we wished we had not come as the excitement of coming was much better to bear. Finally with tearful adieu to our parents we left India and back to US right in time to be welcomed by the new year.
