Tatz's Travels Around the World

The day started with an exceptional breakfast buffet with a stunning view and a ‘goodbye uncle and auntie’ from Kaveen who needed to return to Colombo.  After dropping him off at the bus stop, we headed to Polonnaruwa, about an hour’s drive, during which we passed Minneriya, the center of military training camps for Sri Lanka.  I saw artillery, infantry, military police and air force among other divisions -there was even a navy training center in the middle of the island of Sri Lanka!

This little guy was wandering the grounds like me! My goal was to catch his tongue at work which was hard to do since it flicked so fast!

Our exploration of Polonnaruwa started with the royal palace area.  The complex is about 8.6 hectares and contains various buildings associated with royal life and government. The city came into prominence in the 10^th century as the civilization around Anuradhapura declined.  This capital was active from 1055-1236, until divisional and familial fights for power eroded its prominence. After 5 days in Sri Lanka with no tourist shops or vendors, we were inundated at the Royal Palace.  I did buy an adorable elephant while we waited for our tickets at the entrance (amazing, it was carved by his father…this father has a lot of sons because everyone who sold them said the same thing…LOL…however, he is adorable and I bargained well: $4.)

The royal palace of King Parakramabahu was originally 7 stories high and you can see the ruts where timber beams added support for the various floors.  The walls of the top three floors are visible, with the rest having been constructed in wood. Walking around ‘the basement’ I couldn’t help but wonder if these were servant quarters, working rooms or something else.  Surrounding the main palace are the foundational remains of smaller apartments, believed to house clergy, bodyguards, the queens’ officials and servants.

Next, we walked to the Council Chamber of King Parakramabahu, which was probably where formal meetings were held.  It was a stunning and symmetrical building with two grand lions guarding the entrance.

Our next stop, after passing the palace wall, was the royal bath. The pool was built in this location and in a manner that allowed an underground pipe to feed the pool, as well as overflow valves. The water poured into the pool through the mouths of two lions and you can also see three other spouts located around the pool. The center has a lotus rock and there are five seats still somewhat visible.  The stones used at the pool’s bottom are such that the water is always cool.  Again, ancient engineers can be smarter than those today! Next to the pool is a pavilion which was the changing house.

Our next stop was to the Sacred Quadrangle or The Terrace of the Tooth Relic (Daluda-Maluva), a collection of holy buildings on a raised ‘platform’ where the tooth of Buddha was originally housed as well as buildings associated with its worship.

The first building I explored was The Vatadage, or Circular Building.  This is a remarkable architectural monument, a round building enclosing a stupa at its center. It is supposed the wooden roof would have been covered with tiles. The moonstone and two guard stones at the entrance to the building are cited as the best examples of their kinds in Polonnaruwa. We had to remove our shoes and hats to enter this intricately carved building with its four Buddhas.

The Hetadage (Tooth Relic Temple) was next. This building is 120 feet long and 90 feet wide and was built by one king to house the relic. The name given by him could mean either ‘built in 60 days’ or ‘the house of 60 relics’. The beautiful inscription was also added later.

The Atadage is the oldest building in the complex and was built by King Vijayabahu the Great (1055-1110) to house the tooth relic. Adjacent to this building is a stone slab with the instructions for the private guards of the king to protect the tooth at all costs. It is written in Tamil.

The Nissanka Latha Mandapa (Nissanka Flower Scroll Hall) is artistically very interesting. The building has an orb (dagaba shrine) surrounded by sentries, curved sculptures of lotus stalks.  There is an inscribed sentence within the building which implies this hall was used for listening to Buddhist chanting of religious texts.

The Bodhighara once housed and protected the Bodhi tree, I assume a cutting from the original.

Behind one of the buildings, it was fun to find little bits and pieces that are not central to the exhibit yet add so much to the experience. For example, a spout for water and some leftover edging.  Seeing this with no one else around added to the experience.

My favorite spot was The Thuparama (Image House), as the roof is still standing and you entered history.  It helped that is was wonderfully cool inside! The outside walls are nicely carved and inside is an opening where light shines in (it is believed the rays were directed at a gem-embedded Buddha statue. While much has been destroyed between invaders and the elements, it is the only image house on the complex mostly intact (it helped that the roof is made of stone rather than wood). It really makes you wonder how the complex looked centuries ago.

As leaving I explored a fascinating ‘Stone Book’, a 27 foot long and 4.5 foot wide slab that is the biggest inscription found in Sri Lanka. It is known as Gal Potha.  It is beautifully carved and honors King Nissankamalla, describing his life and legacy. It was transported here from Mihinthale…probably by some very strong and tired men!

This tower, the Sathmahal Prasada, is what made we wonder if these buildings were of the same time period as Angkor Wat (they are) and then I read that the architectural features are similar to those found in Cambodia (the guide book says it has a counterpart in northern Thailand). It is 7 stories tall, an imposing structure at the right hand corner as you enter the complex, nicely surrounded by trees.

After visiting this site, we cooled off with some coconut water.  When leaving this area, we drove past what were trading stalls (shops) located outside the official ‘city’ perimeter.

Our next stop was the Pabalu Vehera stupa.  Infront and on the side of the stupa are the remains of two buildings, who look like they act as guards for the main structure. The stupa grounds were calm and peaceful with just one other set of tourists we passed several times today.   Inside the stupa are relics from the king who built it. There were many image houses around the stupa with modern Buddha statues and offerings.  There as one with an ancient statue and as I stood there, I wondered how many thousands of people have come here before me.

It was really fascinating to walk around and spend time at each image house.

As expected, some fascinating elephant motifs on the stupa as well as other interesting carvings and stonework.

There isn’t much written about Pabalu Vehera but I had several special moments here.  Normally, one is supposed to walk clockwise around stupas.  I started walking counterclockwise because I wanted to see what these two families were doing under the tree.  I continued walking around, feeling very heavy – like one does in dreams when you try to walk but don’t move.  I turned around to walk clockwise, and immediately felt normal and light!  The families were there to give offerings AND to clean.  Very special.

Visiting the Gal Vihara (Northern Monastery) was a quick stop.  This structure houses four huge Buddha statues carved directly into the rock wall. There is a seated Buddha (meditative position), Standing Buddha with an elegant fold of the robe, the reclining Buddha (death pose), and a sitting Buddha in the cave which I didn’t enter because the sand was too hot on my feet.  Aside from their sheer size, the lines of the rock were quite colorful and added a great deal to these poses you see so often. Inscribed in the cave are the rules of behavior from the king to the monks who lived here.

I spent the most time at the reclining Buddha, partly because the viewing area sand was in the shade and partly because I was enamored by the coloring of the rock.

Upon walking back to the car, we ordered some orange juice without water and sugar, which surprise the woman, because it was actually a nice glass of grapefruit juice! The natural sugar and vitamin C was much needed after the heat of the sun.

While driving we stopped at the lotus pond where I didn’t get out of the car and Kevin went to take some photos…. but didn’t….nothing special according to him.

Our next stop, however, was very special and by now we were in the air-conditioned car long enough to have energy to explore.  The Thivanka Image House is covered for protection and as a result the carvings around the temple are much more preserved.  They are amazing, intricate and you can see how all the temples probably looked in the past.  You are not allowed to take photos inside, which of course means I snuck a few…I really am incorrigible.  The carved Buddha is nice but not as special as the painted walls – STILL PRESERVED!  The guidebook photo shows some of the details but the colors are not captured.  Natural reds, greens and browns are what I remember.  The frescos tell the story of Buddha’s life.

As we walked up to the structure, we saw the left side of the building which was pretty ornate but you can see where erosion and time have done their thing. However, I was still pretty impressed and enjoyed soaking in the beauty.

This row of figures gave the building a nice balance until I looked closely and saw how unique and expressive each character was! LOVED them all.

So I was impressed with this building and in awe…until I walked around to the right hand side and my mouth literally dropped open and no words came forward. THIS was how every temple and building must have looked…and then some! I couldn’t get enough of the views.

Even the empty back had its charm and left an impression, as one wondered how the elements attacked in different ways on each side over time.

Last, even more impressions and awe as we walked into the building.

The picture on the left is from the guide book which shows the level of intricacy of the paintings while my photo begins to show some of the colors but not as vibrant in their subtlety as they were in real life.

Our next stop was one of those touristy workshops that really aren’t workshops.  I told Asela I wanted to buy a mask for my collection.  While as expected everything was overpriced, the quality was good and I learned a lot so it was worth it.  They showed us the various woods used for all the carvings in Sri Lanka, from ebony to teak to mahogany.  The two interesting woods were Royal Ebony (it has two tones, both brown and black) and Raintree (when you add water to the powder it changes color).  It is actually the root of the Raintree that is used to paint the masks and wood.  The demonstration of how the water changed color was really fascinating.

Lunch was a touristy buffet that served Sri Lankan food, but was incredibly tasty as well.  We had coconut roti, curry noodles, crackers, chicken curry, long bean curry, and fried eggplant  – similar to yesterday only this time using utensils.  It is here I learned that lady fingers in India is Okra!  Dessert was Buffalo curd with honey and other Sri Lankan pastries.  The highlight, Asayla pointing out one of the national animal of Sri Lanka: the Grizziled Giant Squirrel eating Arya melon.

We ended by visiting the museum at the entrance to the historical park where I was also able to photograph the King Sea, the largest tank in the area whose name honors the great king.

The museum was small and interesting, giving some background information to what we saw and some details about the art, economy and social structure of the time period. These are a few displays I enjoyed. The re-creation of the Atadage we saw at the Sacred Quadrangle was where I finally learned where Buddha’s tooth was actually kept! Buddha’s bowl was a relic there as well.  Here I learned that when fully intact, it was lavishly decorated with scrolls and sculptures.  It was erected by the King Vijayabahu I.  I also learned that the tablet with the guard’s instruction also includes the annual rituals connected with the anointment of the eyes on the Buddha image.

On the ride back, Asela’s magical eyes found two elephants eating in the field. We stopped to take photographs and while doing so Kevin noticed there was a monkey about to jump in.  We also stopped to buy Tamarind flower honey (also known as jungle honey) on the side of the road.

Here are some other interesting sights during the ride back.

We did some more shopping and the day ended with a rainstorm so our hopes to swim were dashed.  Instead, we had our palms read (!), ate Chinese food, and went to bed. The music in the bar was played by a man with a traditional Sri Lankan instrument. This music added to the ambience.

Departure Day

Normally, departure day is a sad affair with travelers wistfully looking out the window on the way to airport. But this is Sri Lanka and again she did not disappoint.

The day started with a wonderful breakfast buffet, and thanks to Kevin and his attention to the surroundings, a visit to the hotel’s Rice Paddy museum. I already knew a lot about the harvesting of rice, but it was interesting to see the containers that were used for measuring rice as well as storage.  Most artistic was seeing many examples of the same tool displayed.  The museum was nicely laid out. I had a quick visit and also saw a giant Sri Lankan-inspired chess board. 

And keeping with the museum theme, here are photos of some of the elephant art throughout the hotel.

As we left the hotel and started down the road, cars flashed us.  Normally, this means one of two things in Sri Lanka….cops or elephants up ahead!  Yes, we ran into an elephant walking on the road.  The road signs we have seen around are true.  Watch out for elephants!  What a lovely final gift!

Our fun didn’t end there! Remember when I wrote I bought postcards?  Well, I wanted to mail them, but hotels no longer keep stamps…who sends post cards anymore?!  So, as we were driving, we saw a post office and stopped.  This was a moment, being part of everyday life.  We were patiently waiting in line when the post office manager steps out and speaks to us in English.  We explain what we need, paid the 10 cents for per postcard stamp, took her photo and went back to the car.  As in other places, everyone was so happy to have their photo taken.  I was thrilled to see ‘real’ Sri Lanka and they were thrilled to see an American.  A real win-win!

Notice how all the people in the photos slowly join in on the smile!

During our travels there many beautiful churches, temples, statues and mosques.

While we were driving through one of the many small towns we passed, I saw this structure in the center of an intersection.  I asked Asayla what its purpose was.  He said with a smile, it was a broken clock tower.  I then noticed all towns had an interesting clock tower in the center of its major intersection.  Most were working!

These are some fun and/or interesting photos from our time in Sri Lanka. Most were taken from the car!

On our way to the airport we actually spent about 30 minutes on a highway!

Before I end my blog post with street art (like I always do), I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kevin for the idea to visit Sri Lanka!  Truly an amazing country!

There were many unique bus stops!

The morning started with a final and joyful nature moment: spotting a Sea Eagle and another bird whose name I don’t know (as well as a gecko roommate I discovered during the night!). We checked out of paradise and headed to our third location: Polonnaruwa, the second capital of ancient of Sri Lanka although our hotel was located in Habanara.

We stopped outside of town to visit the WW2 cemetery. It is immaculately maintained and the caretaker knows exactly how many young boys are buried from each country.  He even knew there were two boys who died together and at the same time, so they buried them together.  A moving stop.

While driving we learned the most popular language spoken in Sri Lanka is Sinhalese, then Tamil, and then English. We also drove through Kantale which is famous for buffalo curd, and the road side sellers also had dried fish.

In the 11th century a king built this dam which they released to fill the rice paddy fields.  It is still used today.

This is a good time to talk about all the rice paddies we passed while in Sri Lanka. While driving by these is not new for me, what was a first for me was seeing the fields in various stages of harvesting: from newly planted fields and those ready to be picked, to bare fields just cleared AND families working on their fields. There are two harvesting seasons per year: around November and then approximately 6 months from now. Here are my favorite photos from throughout my time in Sri Lanka.

We arrived in Habarana, a central transit spot for the major locations in Sri Lanka.  As we waited to start our village tour, we saw a rice mill at work. First, they dry the rice in the sun and then they process it.  The machine shakes out the dirt which separates the seed casing.   When done right, the rice comes out white and it was warm to the touch.  You can bring your own rice to be processed or buy someone else’s, which is what Asayla did!

Kevin and I were worried the village tour was going to be kitschy but it turned out to be a wonderful experience.  The village was real, the houses were modern but set in the woods. The oxen-pulled cart ride started the experience (the only questionable part, but still fun).  We passed sugar cane and early mangoes growing in people’s gardens.  I was able to spend some time taking photos of the oxen.

Next up was a catamaran canoe ride, on a stunning and quiet tank.

My camera acted up from the heat again (not as bad as before the new battery but I will still need to get it repaired) so I missed some great wildlife shots: a crocodile, ducks up close, purple heron, pelicans, cormorant, and a few other birds.  I did manage to capture this land monitor lizard who clearly loves being photographed because he didn’t dart away (we was posing before we got on the boat).  Then there was the Snake Neck Bird, water hyacinth, and the stunning lily pads where the water danced on top of them.  We saw the famous Sigiriya rock in the distance.

Oh and of course, the requisite monkeys (Toque macaque):

We also had some touristy fun. The canoe guide made hats from the lily pads (they are impressively cool under the sun…I ended up keeping mine on – Kevin politely declined to look ridiculous, but he had a hat!). He made a necklace with the plant as well, along with showing how you can get the flower to open up whenever you want! Kaveen enjoyed joining in on the rowing (he was spending the day with us) and overall it was a very relaxing and enjoyable ride.

As we rowed to shore, we saw this large group of water plants. During World War II people would hide in these and helicopters would try to land on them thinking it was solid ground!

Our last experience was lunch in a traditional hut.  We cooked a lot of the food ourselves, and I even got to pick the eggplant for our meal.  We were greeted with delicious custard-apple flower tea in a coconut mug.  We learned how to choose the right coconut to drink: you listen to the sound of the water inside to know which one to buy;  you want a rich, thicker sound. Our group consisted of a French mother and daughter, a Portuguese couple (although the man spoke only Afrikaans, so maybe he is South African) and us. 

The meal was DELICIOUS and I am getting a Sri Lankan cookbook when I return to India.  It is so flavorful without burning, the best food I have tasted while traveling by far.  We had: rice, pumpkin curry, white mango curry, cucumber, melon as a semolina type dish, and then the two veggies we cooked (okra and eggplant) as well as dried river fish.  We ate on water lily leaves and used our hands, traditional style.  Dessert was small Sri Lankan bananas and papaya.  The event ended with the hostess showing us the traditional way to separate rice.

Heading back to the boat and in the hut, there were a few more opportunities to take wildlife photos!

After a canoe ride back to the shore, we took a tuk tuk ride back (telling the driver we didn’t want a photo…this was not a unique experience for us!).  Then we headed to Kadulla National Park for the experience of a life time…yet again.  We saw elephants….the majesty of these creatures cannot be adequately described.  Watching them eat with their trunks, and use the foot to hold down the grass for a better pull was amazing.  Seeing a baby elephant cuddle his mama and try to nurse, spectacular.  I saw my first elephant breasts!  In the distance, a large herd of animals eating by the late.  Two young males were ‘fighting’ with their trunks, clearly a foreshadow of what will happen when they grow up.  There was one elephant we saw who looked pregnant. We also saw a long male eating away from the herd.

There was one small family group that was close to the road. The rest were far away. I couldn’t help but think that they have a rotational system of taking turns: one family group is by the road to keep the people happy while the rest of the herd eats in peace and quiet.  I can just hear the leaders say “OK family group A, it’s your turn today’.

Here are my favorite photos of the elephants:

 There were other animals we saw as well: peacock, green bee eater, Painted Stork, possibly a gray heron, and a Serpent eagle. Since we spent most of the time looking at the elephants, the light was getting low.

Hard to believe but everything we saw and did during the day was not the highlight. That was while we were driving to the park’s exit Kevin noticed a lone elephant finishing his bath and walking up to the road and away from us.

We arrived at our last hotel, also amazing.  While not quite the opulence of Uga, the employees here were quite natural and interacted with an honest friendliness.  The highlight was all the elephant themed artwork throughout the hotel. Like a museum.

The fun-est part was meeting an employee.  How did we meet this young man?  Suddenly, a flash of white zips by us, like in a cartoon.  Honestly, he was so fast (walking not running, it is a hotel after all) I wasn’t sure I saw him!  When I asked if it was him at the desk he said yes.  In school he ran the 400m and was usually first! When checking out, the ladies at the registration counter knowingly giggled when I mentioned this to them.

We had a quick drink and dinner and went to bed, ready for our next adventure, our last day of sightseeing

We got up at a decent time and after checking out stopped at the local shrine attached to the lake near our hotel, also enjoying a last look at this ‘tank’. During the ride here, we were honored to learn more about Asela and his family.  His positive attitude and kindness clearly have given him a lot of positive karma.  In general, he was one of the best drivers I have ever had.  We also learned that in Sri Lanka, the youngest son gets the parents’ house and as a result he has helped his older brothers buy their houses. 

We passed a papaya plantation, where Red Ladies are grown-a variety with no seeds.

We arrived at our next hotel, Uga Jungle Beach in Trincomalee, to discover this is heaven on earth.  Probably the most luxurious hotel both Kevin and I have ever stayed at.  The per night rates were surprisingly low ($125) but the food and everything else was listed in US$ and met US standards: $60 for a massage while in other Sri Lankan good hotels they tend to be $10!  For sure I recommend this place but opt for the All-Inclusive package if you can!  We were greeted with a flower petal, encouraged to make a wish and place the petal in the water. Then there was a cool towel and a choice of two local fruit juices: Mango with mint or Tamarind with bee honey.  The first was delicious, the latter interesting.

Kevin and I met up in the bar, tried some local liquor made from coconut (called Old Arrack) then headed out for the Lagoon boat ride.  At this point my camera totally stopped working.  I assumed it was the battery so Asela arranged for his son to buy the correct battery in Colombo and will deliver it tomorrow (this was the only way to get the battery before leaving Sri Lanka!)

You will see I have some decent photos of the lagoon ride between by phone and before the camera became too temperamental;  however, there were some great wildlife photos that could not be taken. The fading light didn’t help.

We started on the lagoon proper and then drove through mangrove inlets.

The ride is usually done in the morning but since we didn’t have time tomorrow, we got an evening ride.  As a result, we were able to see locals checking their fishing nets and birds getting ready for the evening, coming out after a downpour.  We saw the crab catching nets, mangroves galore, and thanks to Kevin’s sharp eyes and persistence (I thought this was a shirt on the tree) an incredible bird. The views of people and their nets were the most interesting views for me, showing real life.

The crab nets turned out to be all these styrofoam squares popping all over the lagoon. Inside the net there is a fish, the crab sits and eats the fish and should the fisherman be lucky, is there eating when the net is collected.

The local boats were a fascinating combination between a kayak, catamaran and canoe!

Even with the low light I was able to get some wonderful shots of the fishermen looking for dinner, as well as the video of how the nets are cast.

Interesting as well is how shallow the lagoon is at parts – we saw a shape in the water, assuming it was some animal but were surprised to see these were men walking across the lagoon!

Here are the wildlife photos I was able to take:

The lagoon was a peaceful place, but the highlight was this sunset, probably the most beautiful one I have ever seen in my life.  It seemed to be symbolic as I was watching this amazing sunset as my adventurous life sets, and while I am enjoying this view beyond belief, I am not as settled in my deepest thoughts.  It is hard to know this travel-filled life will end sooner than later.

No, I did not take photos of the sunset the whole time. It lasted a very long time and was fully enjoyed.

The next part of the tour was a sea food dinner at the guide’s home, well his uncle’s house.  To say the word dinner does not give it justice.  It was a gigantic feast of crabs, whole fish, prawns, cuttlefish – flavored to perfection and complemented by two kinds of rice, cucumbers and papaya for dessert.  Dinner drink was supplied by Zeeshan who had the driver buy us vodka! 

The evening ended with the call to prayer sweetly sung as we returned to our car for the ride back to the hotel.

The next day began with a light breakfast as I was still full from last night’s dinner.  The hostess was shocked at how little we ate, considering the meal is included in the room price but there just wasn’t room!  The juice of the day was called Soursop, a local fruit that tasted a bit like a combination of pineapple and guava.  We ate in the restaurant, that is built around the trees.  This luxury hotel is very ecologically conscious!

Then we were off to Pigeon Island for snorkeling, a 30 minute ride on a flat, tree-lined beach road and quite unique as we were driving and dodging cows, dogs, puppies, peacocks, and even a rooster – because they sure as heck didn’t move for us!

We arrived at Nivali Beach, pristine without a hotel in sight, and as this is off-season, no people!  I was careful when taking photos with my phone, as I didn’t want to leave a phone in the Indian Ocean, like I did in the Pacific when I was on the Galapagos!

Pigeon Island is a national park 2 km from the beach. It was declared a conservation site in 1963 and was only opened for guided tours in 2003. There are 100 types of coral and 178 species of fish around the island.

There are not enough words in the English language to describe how amazing this snorkeling was. First, it is the Indian Ocean so the water is bath-tub warm.  Second we were with a young guide who was so thoughtful at one point he noticed a starfish upside in the water and turned it the right way.  It was good he was with us because without him Kevin and I would have run out of the water when we saw the Portuguese Man o’ War and the 4 sharks (believe they are Black Sharks or White Tipped Reef Sharks) circling us as we were trying to avoid the Man o’ War!  However, he kept us safe and as a result we saw quite a lot of fish. These are the moments I remember:

1. A sea turtle eating, with its beak grasping pieces of coral.  We saw him when we swam back as well, swimming merrily along.
2. The guide tried to get the Puffer Fish to expand in defense, but he swam away.
3. I saw two fish doing a mating dance, swimming around each other in circles. Amazing.
4. There were many schools of Indian Anchovy, but my favorite moment was when they surrounded us. We were the center of their swimming circle.
5. Seeing one of the sharks with a remora (I think) attached to it was special (don’t worry he was far enough away).
6. Seeing an octopus hiding in the rocks.
7. Seeing something bright red hiding in the rocks, never saw it leave the safety of the coral.
8. Holding a sea cucumber (I guess it is OK because the guide gave it to us to touch) along with a stunning, perfect seashell still alive.
9. The beautiful Moorish Idolfish swimming around, brightly visible with their white, black and yellow stripes.
10. When the Portuguese The Man o’ War were far enough away not to worry me, they were quite beautiful to watch, their shape evolving- floating-forming like an amoeba, like a Nebulae cloud in space.
11. I quickly got used to the many little jelly fish whose stings were like little pricks.

We then switched to the other side of the island and while there were no turtles or sharks (!) the coral was much healthier and there were more ‘moments’ to remember:

1. A purple coral garden with leaves that looked like lettuce surrounding a flat disk.
2. Watching the fish eat, hearing that crunching sound is always a snorkeling joy.
3. Coral that closed when the guide touched it with a small twig, and he couldn’t get the stick out the grasp was so strong!
4. A clown fish, Nemo strikes again.
5. And so many other fish I don’t know the names of!

After the swims were finished, Kevin needed to sit in the shade to process all he had just seen.  I took some photos, of course.

Returning to Nivali Beach was as pleasant as expected, with some fun moments while we waited for the driver to arrive: a photo with our snorkeling guide (we took him and he took us!) and cows who decided they needed a walk on the beach.

We returned to the resort and had lunch at the beach restaurant, after which we sat under our umbrellas reading and not really believing we were here.  I saw a fish jumping as it swam, surfacing and leaping three times!  At one point a dog joined us and dug a little space for himself under Kevin’s chair to escape the unrelenting heat. If you look carefully you will see black on the beach. This is not pollution or oil spill remnants. Rather, the black sand is accumulated heavy minerals washed down from the country’s interior. We swam a little and then headed in to cool off and get ready for dinner.

The ‘before dinner’ drinks were delicious, served with peanuts and casava chips.  Dinner was prawns, so fresh and large they tasted like Maine lobster!  It was my turn to pay for dinner and I splurged on a bottle of delicious rose wine that paired with the dinner perfectly.

We slept well!

As Kevin and I were getting ready to leave for 6 nights in Sri Lanka, several governments issued credible warnings for terrorist attacks for Arugambe on the cost.  So, we adjusted our itinerary and as a result probably had a much better experience in Sri Lanka than we originally planned.

Leaving India for Diwali is a fun experience if you are leaving the country, not if you are traveling within!  The domestic lines were very long as travelers made their way home for the holidays (Diwali is like Christmas in the US).  The short international lines check in lines were full of Muslims, Christians, Westerners, and a few agnostic Indians!

For those who have never visited Mumbai, Terminal 2 of the airport is like a museum filled with stunning artwork.  Our gate was in the bowels of the airport, but we were pleasantly surprised to see  this art gallery which I quickly explored before it was time to board.

The short flight to Colombo was over before we knew it (2-3 hours) and we quickly met our driver for the week: Asayla.  Kevin sat silently soaking everything in, while I sat silently soaking everything in through the lens of my camera!  The country is green and clean – EVERYWHERE.  That is what struck us first and this impression stayed throughout the whole week.  This is a young country, only getting true independence in 1971 when the name was changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka (which means the island with everything).

 The main industries in Sri Lanka haven’t changed much over the years: coconut, tea, cinnamon, gemstones, cashews – although now garment factories have been added to the export list.  We drove through coconut groves and stopped to buy freshly roasted cashews on the side of the road.  On the road were hundreds of fruit stalls and I never got tired of seeing bananas for sale on the vines!  We crossed halfway through the island of Sri Lanka and arrived at our first destination: Anuradhapura (the first capital of ancient Sri Lanka).  There are very few major highways in the country so the drive took longer than our plane ride but we were excited and ready for the vacation to start.  After a quick meal in the hotel we went to our rooms to unpack and get ready for the next day’s adventures.

The sacred city of Anuradhapura (the first capital of Sri Lanka) was built around the cutting of the Bodhi tree where Buddha got enlightenment. The city is full of archeological wonders focusing on the Buddhist origins in Sri Lanka, which is the major religion in the country followed by Islam and Christianity.  These sites are only located in the north central plains as the British were unable to get here and destroy the sites.  That said, the archaeological department of Sri Lanka was started in 1934 under British rule.  A real double-edged sword, just like in India.

We met our guide Ashok at the gate to the park, where he gave us a brief background to Buddhism the area.  The son of the king Ashok (who ruled India from 268–232 BCE and was the reason Buddhism prospered in India) is credited with bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka although this isn’t documented.  This country is, however, the longest Buddhist civilization in the world.  I did learn that karma is only created by conscious acts.  So if you by accident kill a mosquito that is not bad karma, if you hurt something on purpose it is – Ashok also aptly described  our lives as us ‘coming with nothing and we leave with nothing, we only take our Karma”. Needless to say, this is a pilgrimage site with few tourists and not one souvenir shop in sight.

The highlight of this area was the original tree where Buddha sat and got enlightenment.  Cuttings of the tree were sent to Buddhist countries around the world in the 300s BC.  If you recall from my blog about Bodh Gaya, the tree was destroyed by Hindu fanatics and a Sri Lankan king sent a cutting from his tree to be replanted in India.  SO, I was looking at the ‘mother’ tree.  It was a real ‘full circle’ moment for me.  To hear about this cutting and to then see it was awe-inspiring.  The fact that it was supported by golden posts highlighted its specialness.

We then went inside the temple connected to the tree:

Here are some moments I experienced while herepereinceome moments:

-there was a group standing and reciting prayers while holding a white string.  I asked about this, and Ashok informed us they will then cut up the string joining them and wrap it around their wrists!  What a communal prayer tradition, it reminded me of how we all eat from the same Chalice in Orthodoxy.

-as I finished taking some photos of the Buddha statue, trying not to interrupt praying, a woman gave me some flower petals which I added to the offering counter, saying a brief prayer of thanksgiving.

– I was very touched by this monk deep in prayer, oblivious to the noise and commotion around him. Deep meditation.

I asked what happened to all the donations given each day (there is A LOT) and was pleased to learn that  food is given to animals, flowers to the earth for decomposing and material gifts to the monks.

Most monks live in the jungle, away from civilization and distraction, but this building is for older and ill monks so they can be near medical care.

Next, we viewed the remains of the Brazen Palace which had 1600 stone columns for its foundation and a copper roof.  Centuries ago the building had 9 stories and while the wood has been burned or destroyed, the columns stand proud.

Yes, here are the requisite monkey photos: Gray Langurs hanging around a banyan tree.  I enjoyed watching two youngsters fighting over food, with one clearly sending the message: this is MINE!

The flower of this tree, a stunning bloom I first saw in China, has the shape of a stupa deep inside.  Its common name is Cannon Ball Flower.

Our next stop was the remains of the Mahaviharaya Alms room, where monks would come to collect donated food and return to their forest abodes to eat.  The largest trough here, which was used for rice, is 45 feet in length and 2 feet deep!  There was a smaller one which was for curry. In its prime, over 2000 monks lived in the area and ate here.

I hope my photos capture the immensity of the trough’s size.

As this is a working Buddhist holy area, every Saturday and Sunday evening, lamps are arranged in various designs and lit.

Next we visited the Ruwanwelisaya, a stupa built around 140 BC. While not the largest stupa in the world (contrary to what the guide said-unless google is wrong!), it has a diameter of 367 feet (112 m) at the base. Though the present height is estimated at 232 feet (71 m), the original height is supposed to have been 400 feet. Surrounding the stupa on the base are 376 elephants, 94 per side (added protection for the stupa). On the top is a large sapphire crystal recently replaced as the first one cracked. The first one is on display in one of the image rooms that surround the stupa. Once a week, the stupa is wrapped in monks’ cloth, which is then cut up for monks to wear. We were unable to see the wrapped stupa but seeing the cloth being collected was wonderful as well as noticing the rolled up cloth in several locations later.

The stupas in the area range in ages, there are even modern ones.  The unpainted below is actually newer (2^nd century AD) than some other stupas in the area. 

All the stupas in Sri Lanka (at least) are solid, built over a relic of Buddha (or in more modern days some other relics) deep in the middle.  This stupa has a bone of Buddha, although which bone is not identified. Placing holy relics inside was intentional by Kings so relics couldn’t be stolen by future by raiders or hunters, etc.  Also of note is that stone tablets were left announcing who built the stupa, when and what is buried inside.  It really helps historians accurately date these locations!  This stupa was unearthed in the 1930s and restoration work was able to be accurate based on information recovered from the stone tablets.  Modern stupas don’t have have any relics of Buddha inside them, but they do have gold and other relics excavated in the area.

We then visited an image room with a modern, reclining Buddha in the dying position (you know by the uneven toes).  This room contains the oldest and first Buddha statues in Sri Lanka, made in the 1^st century AD.  Flanking the reclining Buddha are two Sri Lankan kings from the two main ethnic groups: Sinhalese and the Sri Lankan Tamils.  The Tamil king is on the blue elephant and the Sinhalese on the red (he is the one who united Sri Lanka).  Also found in most Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka are Hindu idols, to protect from destruction from days when Hindus attacked.

Around this stupa are many modern offering tables, while the original one is encased in a fence for protection. 

In one of the little rooms attached to the stupa we saw the rendering of the stupa created for the king’s approval (a practice still done by architects today).  We also saw the original sapphire crystal and realized how huge it is (as tall as me, the photo doesn’t convey that).  It rests on a solid gold pedestal with other precious gems and next to it is a gold meditating Buddha.

Once a year (between April and June) volunteers paint the stupa from the top to the bottom, using bamboo ladders.  This vat is for mixing the white paint with lime and water so the paint will better adhere to the rock.

This is a good time to point out that one must walk barefoot in all these areas, as they are holy.  Not a problem if the ground is ancient, for heat absorbing materials were used.  When replaced by ‘modern’ stones, the ground burns your feet! After tolerating and surviving the fire, red-hot bricks near the beginning of the stupa, we cool our feet in a tiny tray of water and take a shortcut through a wood path, passing by a contemporary alms hall, where monks were listening to prayers while having their lunch.  A magical moment, added to by seeing this young man wrapping the monk’s cloth.

After the grueling visit in the sun, we refreshed with some mini-bananas compliments of Asela and some coconut water.

We then visited a 3rd century BC stupa, the first after Buddhism came to Sri Lanka.  In this stupa the right collarbone of Buddha is encased.  The stone columns around the dome indicate it was covered by a wooden roof at one point.

We actually went around the stupa to see something more interesting, but best was seeing a Malabar Pied Hornbill. Quite an unusual animal. This is where my camera started acting up so I almost didn’t get a photo of it!

Surrounding this stupa was a large ayurvedic medical center, where we saw a medical ‘bowl’ for lying in while being given an essential oil treatment.  The area was quiet and calm, and I wanted to record the echoing song of birds – who stopped the moment I turned on record.  Clearly they have privacy issues.

As we drove to our next stop, we learned that all the lakes we see in Sri Lanka are man-made – dug when gathering soil for the bricks and clay for building, then filled over the centuries with rain water! Also, they are called tanks, not lakes.

Our last stop with Ashok was to a location with fascinating rock formations, including carvings that contain the oldest form of Sanskrit in the area. Originally the kings palace was located here, but when the king converted to Buddhism, he created the caves for monks to live in. There were up to 600 monks living here at one point. Also fascinating were these drip lines, which create a waterfall canopy for people inside. Fun aside: this was one of the locations for the Temple of Doom Indiana Jones movie!  This site has the original steps as well as evidence of where people carved into this giant rock to make a man-made cave.  You can also see there is a lot still to be excavated!

Lunch was at a hotel that caters to westerners and while the meal was not Sri Lankan, the food was excellent and the ambiance perfect.

We arrived at Mihintale, another sacred area within this city. At the entrance are 68 caves where monks used to live.

We started by visiting the Singha Pokuna, where aside from the ancient water spout Asela demonstrated for us, there were monkeys pruning. I loved seeing how the mother was taking care of the child: totally reminded me of a human mother checking her chid’s hair for lice. The adult male looked like he was in a state of bliss. At one point his eyes rolled up in his head!

We started by exploring the perimeter around the base of the mountain.

We opted against a tour guide as we didn’t expect to climb up to the top. but the views enticed and we made it, with me being totally annoyed at the young whippersnappers run past me up the stairs!  During the last 100 steps (Kevin being way ahead of me) other people of my age were encouraging each other on!  We made it to the top with a glorious breeze, peaceful atmosphere, and expansive views.  Totally worth it!  We totally enjoyed walking slowly around and relishing this space.

The first stupa at the top is called Sela Stupa. It was built on the spot where Buddha is said to have meditated on his third visit to Sri Lanka.

This is the view from this area, before we climbed the last 100 steps. We opted against the rock and went the stupa route.

There were two lovely stupas at the top, the first being the Mihindu Stupa.

The temple at the top was dedicated to the reclining, dying Buddha.

While I thought the views were spectacular before I climbed the last 100 steps, up here they were phenomenal!

Added to the atmosphere are two monks on the site who collect donations from locals (who do not have to pay for admission). After receiving a donation, they recite blessings for a good life in a sing-song tone that permeates the atmosphere.

We headed back to the hotel and collapsed, with my fit bit saying only 12,000 steps however, most were stairs!

I just finished hosting my first, and probably last, out of country guest.  My friend Kevin from California (who I have known for way too many years) came for a two week visit.  Over the weekend we did some great tours and during the week while I worked he went to Hampi.  Then for my vacation we both headed to Sri Lanka.  More on that later, but for now I will share about our walking tours of South Mumbai and Malabar Hills.

On his first day in Mumbai we explored two temples near my house and Juhu Beach. 

First was Isckon temple, which is dedicated to Hare Krishna.  Of course, this has a totally different connotation in India than the US.  The temple is quite beautiful and as it was Saturday, many devotees were here to pray to Krishna, the 8^th reincarnation of Vishnu one of the three main gods of Hinduism.  Krishna’s teachings emphasize the importance of devotion, righteousness, and duty.  He is known as the god of love, compassion, and protection. 

Across the street is another famous temple dedicated to Shiva, called the Mukteshwar Temple.  Shiva is one of the three major gods (along with Vishnu and Brahma). Again, many worshipers and beautiful scenes.  A lovely visit.

A kind young man showed me what happens when you pour water into the vessel…it runs down the pipe and empties into the holy bowl. It was interesting to see how long I had to wait for my water to arrive…it takes a calm and slow path.

Attached to this temple is a tower with seven floors a kind man on the street told us about so we were able to take the elevator up and walk down.  Each floor had a set of idols to various gods and goddesses.

The floor dedicated to Ganesh had a variety styles and depictions of this god.

We were lucky to see one family having a service of rememberance on one of the floors.

Upon returning to the ground floor I took a moment to soak in the visit and while doing so notice how devotees walked around the idol three times (clockwise) to center themselves and ring the bell for focus. The Banyon tree, tower and cow were an added bonus.

The Uber drive to the beach also afforded me this photo opportunity as a man was selling flowers in advance of Diwali.

Next was a long walk on Juhu Beach from the location of the temples to the main entrance where I introduced Kevin to the wonderful Mumbai street food. We had my favorite: masala puri.

After our walk, I went with Kevin to the apartment complex’s pool…something I had not yet done in 3 years! So nice to swim and enjoy the warm water. It is always when you have guests visiting that you do something you never did before! Dinner was at my favorite, local Indian restaurant: Pratap the Dhaba.

After staying awake until bedtime thanks to our excursion, Kevin had a good night’s sleep so we headed to South Mumbai to explore. The first part of the day we walked on our own, enjoying Chowpatty Beach, Victoria Station, the Colonial architecture and my favorite – the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum….previously known as the Prince of Wales museum…SO much easier to remember! Of course we had to step into the Taj hotel to witness its splendor. The Gate of India was being renovated so it was hard for Kevin to see it in its full glory but it was still impressive.

A fun moment while walking to the museum was running into Brad (who I work with) and his wife Vicki. I felt like quite the local running into a friend on the street.

This was my third visit to the Museum and like any great museum, I noticed new things and learned more about India and its religions. I also noticed there is an audio guide so that is motivating me to return a fourth time!

This Boar representation of Vishnu is from 900-1000 AD. The details were extraordinary.

As always, I started in the statues of India section, enjoying the stone work. The exhibit focuses on the three ancient religions that started in India: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. All three of these religions are still actively practiced and have many followers. The stonework shows how the religious doctrines and diverse history of India art are represented, with each region having its own style. As I learned before, the museum mentions how Hinduism is more a way of life focused around one supreme power (Nirguna and nirakara) who is formless and is present in all living and non-living things. To help connect to this Supreme Power, divine images and gods were envisaged.

Then there were remnants of the Kahu-Jo-Daro Stupa from the 5th century AD that was destroyed by the British for the bricks to use for building the railroad. In 1909 it started to be excavated by Henry Cousens who placed the finds in this museum. This room also talked about the influence of Buddha’s teachings on architecture, especially with the advent of Stupas. There stone carvings are from various stupas as well as other Buddha statues.

The next room was dedicated to Jainism, a religion I am very curious about.  I learned this religion emerged as a popular faith in the 6^th century BC.  This faith developed from the rejection of sacrificial rituals and a caste system, advocated non-violence, and denied the existence of the creator.  The faith believes in 24 ‘Tirthankara’ who is a savior who has succeeded in overcoming the cycles of birth and re-birth, similar to Buddhism.  The religious teaching have 5 key tenents: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity and non-attachment [thank you to the museum for providing this information]. Karma is a key foundation for Jainism as well and playing Chutes and Ladders (known as Snakes and Ladders) is a way to reinforce the concept of actions and consequences. Pilgrimages are essential to the faithful as well.

Two Assyrian wall panels:

Next was a room called the Ajayab Ghar.  During the Renaissance it became a popular trend to collect and exhibit antiquities and natural history specimens.  In India this was done in museums called Ajayab Ghar, which translates into A Curio House.  There is no order to the exhibits, as they are only meant to marvel at.  To honor this practice, the museum placed a mixed collection of objects from various time periods and locations.

Next I quickly explored the miniature paintings room, noticing the painting called ‘The Carpenter’s Unfaithful Wife’ -look under the bed as he tried to catch her (from the 1500s)!

The next room I lingered in was an exhibit dedicated to Modern Mumbai, which is known as the city of immigrants.  The sculpture of people on a train is by an artist whose work I have seen before and still marvel at.  The museum gave some background to this artist’s work (Valay Shende), saying the  work is a testament to the trials and daily grind of everyday life for the working class. The piece is made from stainless steel discs and is placed in front of the landscape of the city. 

The other piece that moved me was called the Stories of Migration by Rohan Pawar, which focuses on the plight of those affected by the pandemic – resulting is a mass migration, the largest since the Partition in 1947.

A last glance before meeting up with Kevin, was of these stone carvings which were legal documents declaring land grants between the 8th and 13th centuries. The fun bronze statue just caught my eye!

Next was Victoria Station in Mumbai which I was seeing for the first time.  It did not disappoint.  Still a working train station, this was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee (1887).  Although it is now officially called Chhatrapati Chivaji Maharah Terminus, named after a great Marathian warrior king.  I have to say I have never heard it called that….

Parts of the inside were stunning, parts ‘just’ a busy train station.

Lunch was at my favorite fancy restaurant, The Table. I asked for the coldest drink the barsita could come up with to counter the extreme heat. We ordered the burrata to share as an appetizer and my Kashmiri morels with whipped parmesan was exceptional. Yet again, the restaurant did not disappoint.

After being rejuvenated by good food and air conditioning, we headed to Malabar Hills for our Khaki tour called the Banganana Walk.  I had toured some of this area before but still saw new details AND learned more fascinating information about India’s history.

We stood at the head of a lane and learned about how the governor originally lived in the fort area, moved to another area and then here to avoid the pollution from the cotton mills, deeply curtailing the hunting parties that were favored by westerners-he actually moved into one of the hunting lodges and the building remains the governor’s home to this day.  Whenever the past governor traveled, a band would play to alert people, and they would clear the road. 

As we walked toward the center of the tank area, there were many residents getting ready for Diwali: from painting the Diyas (lanterns) to kids playing with firecrackers. This girl is anticipating the burst!

The first temple we stopped at is dedicated to the reincarnation of Shiva. 

You can see in the photos below, that original Hindu ‘angels’ did not have wings.  The wings on this temple are an adapted western concept.  Ajay’s example of a western angel with wings…clearly an Orthodox icon: a great illustration but not western!

As we passed this temple, we walked deeper into the neighborhood – the oldest, continuously inhabited area of Mumbai.

We arrived at the tank and learned these towers are living mausoleums.  Holy men in deep meditation were buried alive, a true honor of the day, and structures were built on top.

In the 1830s this plot housed the crematorium, right on the path devotees would pass, it was a bit unpleasant as you left the ship for your puja. A wealthy man bought land and changed the location of the crematorium.

This tank is named after the holy spring Bangala. The water coming into the tank has a consistent flow, and the valve added by the British is the main reason the water level will or will not rise (not monsoon rains).  To this day there is a man living in hut below whose job it is work the valve when ordered by the municipal government.

It is as holy as the Ganges to drop ashes here.  While the legend says this tank is connected to the Ganges, it actually isn’t.  The north and east banks of the tanks are used for auspicious rituals, while the west and south banks are for death rituals.  The steps were build in the 12^th century to keep the water contained.

These homes were originally low-cost housing for pilgrims, then summer homes for the wealthy.

We walked to the shore for Kevin to learn about the volcanic rock and to get a glimpse of the governor’s home.  This lovely little park was filled with joyful kids watched over by vigilant aunties!  I loved that and the street art of course!

We then entered the zone of temples, with many tiny temples supported by various foundations and representing various deities. There are over 100 of them, some in homes and some standing alone.

First is Rameshwar Temple (1842) dedicated to Shiva, with the slanted bull.

This Gantapti temple was built in 1842, a blend of Maratha and Gujarat styles with a dome on top to protect from invaders.

The Laxmi Narayan Temple was built in the late 19^th century by a merchant in memory of his wife.

Another temple dedicated to Ganesh was built in the late 19h century as well, by Sir Mangaldas Nathubhai, an advocate for girls’ education and widow remarriage in pre-independence India.

Another Shiva temple:

A highlight of the visit was seeing the newly opened Walkeshwar Sri Kashi Math temple.   Originally it housed a spiritual leader who arrived in 1770, coming to meditate and die. The tomb inside is the original from 1775 and when the foundation received permission to rebuild the temple, the caveat was the original structure of this tomb was to be untouched.  The temple is beautiful and the devotees dedicated to service.

After walking through the temple, we saw the daily distribution of food, not because of poverty but because the food is pure and therefore good for your body and soul.

This empty slab, once the foundation of a home, is an example of the inspirations behind starting Khaki tours. This used to be the home of man who created the musical notation system for Indian music.  Before him, musicians were only as good as their teacher.  By creating this system, based on western notation, a student could learn from his guru and then proceed to develop his own style. etc. If people knew their heritage the house would have remained and become a museum.

The last temples we visited were written about in a previous blog, but I will share a few photos, especially of the evening prayer in one temple.

This man has a cozy spot!  He enjoyed having his photo taken and gave some fragrant jasmine!

This temple, built in the late 1800s, is dedicated to the deity Khandoba, whose story evolved to reflect the community. Khandoba originally had two wives, one from a hunter-gatherer family and another from a trading family. Later, other wives were added to his story, including a tailor’s daughter and a gardener’s daughter. His fifth wife was a Muslim woman, which fit naturally, as Muslims were by then an important part of local life, showing the community’s diversity.

Additions to my knowledge of Indian history:

1. The term “trade winds” probably comes from India’s seasonal wind patterns. These winds allowed the Portuguese to sail into India with the Southwest Monsoon from June to September and leave using the Northeast Monsoon from October to December, making trade easier.
2. Mumbai was part of the Gujarat Sultanate from the 1300s. When the Portuguese moved up India’s western coast looking for land, they clashed with the Sultan. To avoid conflict, the Sultan made peace with the Portuguese and gave them some land, as he wanted to focus on fighting the Mughals, who were advancing into North India.
3. The Portuguese controlled 250 km of land along India’s northwestern coast. The islands that made up Bombay were seen as unimportant, so they were given as part of the dowry in the Portuguese king’s sister’s marriage to the English king. The English king was initially thrilled, thinking these islands were located near Brazil.
4. Under British rule there were three governors.  One in Calcutta, another in Madras who was in charge of the south, and the third was in Mumbai and the lands around it.
5. The term “Hinduism” was created by the British. Before that, it was seen more as a way of life than an organized religion. To define it, the British separated out elements of Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, grouping what remained under the broad label of “Hinduism”.
6. One of the most interesting historical insights I discovered is that the British likely implanted the idea that they directly took over from the Mughal Empire. In reality, by the mid-1700s, the Mughals were already a vassal state under the Marathas. The British probably downplayed the Maratha Empire’s power, preferring a story where they defeated the Moghuls which was a foreign empire, which sounded better than admitting they had conquered a local one.

Two very happy but tired tourists:

Last weekend saw my friend Lynn and I take another KHAKI tour (Keeping Heritage Alive and Kicking in India).  This time the tour explored the Bandra neighborhood.

Bandra is known as The Queen of the Suburbs, or neighborhoods, of Mumbai.  The word Bandra comes from the Persian word for port (bandar). Until 1950 it was a separate municipality and as Mumbai grew it was incorporated (engulfed?).  Out of the original 23 islands that comprised Mumbai, Bandra used 8 of them!  Interesting, when the Portuguese arrived, the area was ruled by Sultanates (Shilahara to be exact), not the Mughals as I previously believed.  Their rule had never extended into Mumbai.  I also learned the marriage and dowry which gave Mumbai to the British was part of Portugal’s plan to have Britain as an ally in their war against Spain.  However, Bandra was not part of the dowry, so this was international waters at the time.  Portuguese rule of the area started in 1534 when a pirate from Goa took over the area for Portugal.

We started our walk near the Bandra Fort, currently under renovation (they are making an amphitheater).  The original fort was dismantled when the Marathas invaded the area around 1770.  As an undefended area, Portugal asked the British for help but since both sets of troops were highly outnumbered by the Marathas, the advice was to dismantle the fort and move on.  This was done. Under the Portuguese, the fort area was a stop for ships to get drinking water before setting out to further ports.  This was also how you entered the city of Mumbai.

Inside the fort area is a 300-year-old temple called Kadeshwari Devi Temple.  While we did not go inside, it honors of the goddess who is known as the mother goddesses.  While waiting for the tour to begin, there were many women carrying what I assume were offering for the temple.

At one point, this fort area was the summer home of one of the original members of the Parsi family with the name Gigi (still prominent in the area) who leased the land for 10pounds a year from the British. 

Currently, this area is home to the Taj Lands End Hotel.  Until the Mumbai terrorist attack in the 1980s, there was another hotel here, Sierra Hotel, that was the first five star hotel in the area and a lot of Bollywood stars would stay there in the 1970/ 1980s.  It was therefore one of the targets and the damage it sustained during the attack made it inhabitable and it was taken down.  The hotel had a natural pool created by a natural pond called Soldiers Pond which still exists today.

Over the years there were a lot of ‘I scratch your back you stretch mine’ deals for land and businesses so much of the original beauty and purposes of this area was destroyed.  You can see how the original bandstand and promenade used to look, while today the seaside is jam packed with apartment towers.

The seaside has little charm, but most interesting is that the freshwater spouts used in the past still deliver fresh water and you will find women collecting water or washing clothes in the morning.  The rocks are all volcanic. I enjoyed seeing the tide pools, but that was about it in terms of seaside charm.

Years ago, this area was lined with sanatoriums and stately homes.  The sanatoriums -the wellness centers of their day – were based on religions, and each group housed those recovering from TB and other illnesses that needed the fresh, sea air. 

Slowly these sanatoriums have been exchanged for apartment buildings.  There are a few such homes left, this one belonging to a famous actor who once a week comes out to greet his fans through a wire cage!

Below is a building belonging to a Muslim sect, and when the road was widened, they moved it back stone by stone!  It is run by a trust right now, and there have been many attempts to make is financially viable, like a marriage hall.

Next is a fascinating Ashram started by Fr. Conceicao Rodrigues.  He was a devotee of Fr Agnel, who wanted to modernize Christianity and combine it with all major faiths.  As expected, his ideas were not well received in Goa and he had to leave, settling here.  Fr Agnel’s  relics are resting here and over the years this complex has been an orphanage and a trade school.  Today is has post-graduate schools, training colleges and other educational institutions On the entrance you can see a lot of emblems from various religions.  Inside there is a lot of original architecture so returning on a weekend is now on the ’to do’ list.

We turned onto a street and headed up the hill to the more residential part of Bandra.  We passed this abandoned building which is in some sort of probate as members of the Parsi community decide what to do with it.  Along this building we saw the actor’s entrance where there was a full airport style metal scanner, and the liquor delivery was being examined bottle by bottle.  Paranoia or appropriate fear?  I don’t remember the name of the actor thankfully in case any of his relatives attend my school!

On a more positive note, we passed this building where every room has a view of the sea.  We were asked to guess what it was, and we were all wrong.  It is building dedicated to hospice care, started by an oncologist by the name of Dr Louis Jose.  The care is exceptional, and the funeral is even taken care of by the trust, no matter what religion.  Our guide knew someone who ended their days at Shanti Avedna Sadam and he had only good things to say about it.

Like in the Wadala area, there were military barracks here that have been used well over the years.  Along with the partition refugees, orphaned children from Polish concentrations camps were housed in two buildings and supported by a local wealthy merchant.  The children traveled by truck through Europe, the ‘stans’, and many other countries to arrive at their new home. There is a monument to those who supported this in Poland.

Next, we turned around and I saw stands selling colorful candles, that I erroneously first thought were feathers.  These are candles to light in Mount Mary Catholic Church…leave it to wonderful India to have such colorful candles!    On sale are also devotional wax candles in various shapes which are for everything from a new home to US visas and even divorces!  Since a lot of non-Christians come to pray for something here, you can even buy Hindi garlands.  Most praying is done at the foot of the altar where a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus stands.  The hand was cut off in the 1700s by pirates looking for gold.  Since most people stored their personal valuables in churches back then, this was seen as a good plundering place.  The missing hand is covered by a cloth but the Jesus statue was not taken.

This church, originally a mud hut, was built in the 1700s and has been renovated over the years.  One is not allowed to take photos inside, but I did get one accidental shot while walking up the aisle.  The Bandra fair (also known as the Mount Mary fair) is held here around Annunciation (the birth of Mary).  Yes, this is now added to my ‘to do’ list!

Looking down this hill, where the fair is held, you can see in the far distance a road.  There is a wonderful story about that road.  There was a childless Hindu woman who was urged by her friend to pray to the Mary statue in this church.  Her prayers were answered and when her son was 9 years old (the age when life expectancy increases) she wanted the government to build a road connecting the two islands.  The Brits were not interested, so she had it built.  For perpetuity it cannot have tolls and is still heavily used to this day.  After the road was built, the British became interested in this area for commence now that the area was easy to access.   Of course.

Now we were walking in a tree lined neighborhood with the first Anglican Church in Mumbai (St. Stephen’s) and a mini amphitheater which is a happening place on Sundays.  This curved ‘stage’ can be fully accessed by wheelchairs and has a lovely atmosphere. In general, this part of Mumbai has a more European feel to it, I assume maintaining some elements of colonial rule.

Two homes (known as bungalows) still standing today:

On this street lived (or lives?) a famous director Bimal Roy particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films (the first film to be nominated for an Oscar, I believe it was called Mother India) and housed a major film studio that today is used for exhibitions.  The love story of him and his wife stems from when there was a fire in the studio during filming.  He saved the leading lady whom he later married!  Since most of the roads here are named after saints and Bandra legislators, it says a lot that this road is named after him. A little factoid: centuries ago this area was a coconut grove and a major farming area for the inhabitants of old Mumbai.

As we walked on and as the sun began to set, we passed this stone marker that was discovered underground in 2018 and placed on the pedestal here.  A nice reminder of the history of this area.

Next, we focused on the Christian influences in this area.  The first cooperative society was built here by Cyril Rebello and to this day you can only sell to Christians. There are many roadside crucifixes erected mainly as borders or for prayers, but this one is a plague cross!  I love how there is a Ganesh statue next to a Nativity scene.  One must cover all bases when praying!

Inside huge Mumbai and medium sized Bandra is a tiny village known as Ranwar (which means something akin to ‘settlement at the edge of the forest).  It is a lovely, old Portuguese village that is worth walking around in.  Here lives the East Indian community of Christians.  The name stems from their need to distinguish themselves from Goan and Bangaloroan Christians.  They petitioned to be named this, and the British crown agreed.  The name was chosen because many of them worked for the East India company which had been shut down 15 years prior to them becoming an official community.  My coworker Carol Rebello (no relation to Cyril) is a member of this community and shared some of this valuable information.  Their local masala is stored in beer bottles, made during a festival each year when you can see the spices drying on the streets.  This is why it is called Beer Bottle Masala.  It has 13 ingredients and is ‘a little bit’ spicy, which in my vernacular means very spicy.  You can still buy some of this homemade masala.  Another reason to return!

This is the village square, and the cross was erected in 1866.

There were many tiny alleys and beautiful crucifixes dotted throughout the village.

Our tour ended at Saint Andrew’s Church, the oldest church in Bandra built in 1575.  We entered from the back which is why the ground graves are here.  The church façade is under renovation, and we didn’t have time to go inside.  During this portion of the tour, it was interesting to see information about Christianity shared by someone not of the faith.  The phrases and description were not what I am used to and there were little tidbits not fully informed.  For example, he said that crosses are almost always made of wood and this one was unusual as it was made from stone.

Next, we were meeting my friend and colleague Jonathan for drinks and dinner.  As I was looking through my texts for the name of the bar I tripped and fell right on my camera.  As everyone crowded around me to see if I was OK, my only concern was for my camera which seems to be OK.  A further hilarious moment was when I texted Jonathan if we should take an Uber or auto rickshaw to his location.  His response, ‘you just walked by the bar taking photos!’.  Off we went to this adorable little place where we had a great time with Jonathan and his friends

Seeing all the development in Bandra, much of it not for the better, I better appreciate the work that KHAKI is doing to enlighten locals and tourists (Indian and otherwise) of the power of maintaining some connection to the past.

The street art from our walk.

2024 brought my third experience of the ever popular Ganpati festival in Mumbai.  For those new to my blog, this festival honors Ganesh, the son of Shiva whose head of chopped off by his father in anger quickly to be replaced by an elephant’s head (although there are various legends related to origin of the elephant head). At the start of the festival, idols of Ganesha are placed on raised platforms in homes or in elaborately decorated outdoor tents.  Children are very excited that Uncle/Grandpa Ganesh is coming to visit.  Modaks (sweet dumplings) are a traditional food as it considered to be Ganesha’s favorite food.

This ten-day festival has several days when families choose to immerse their home idol (made from clay or usually papier mâché), done on either on the 3^rd, 5^th, 7^th or final day.

The festival for me started with visiting Lekhika’s house for my annual visit.  A major part of this holiday is hosting or visiting homes to honor Ganesh and eat the traditional foods.  Lekhika’s family hosts people (a non-stop event for them) for the first three days and then they immerse their idol.  As before, I had a most wonderful time chatting with her and her family and playing with her sons. On the way to her house, I saw a large idol – my first such sight in Mumbai.

On the way home from work, we saw a fancy Ganesh temporary temple, honoring sports people (Olympians I believe). It was fun to watch it being constructed and painted over several days. These temporary ‘homes’ pop up all over Mumbai. This was the fanciest one I saw.

This year I returned to South Mumbai to see the large idols be immersed.  When I was there two years ago on the tour, it was dark and I didn’t get a lot of great photos. Unfortunately, no cameras are allowed on the beach due to security reasons, so my friend and I stuck to the street to see the parade.  Of course, my friend and I had a discussion on whether this was a parade or a procession (processions are more associated with religious events). The bottom line is it was a parade for me and a procession for him!

Different this year as well, was taking the train down to South Mumbai, the first time I had to navigate the ticket booth alone.  It was awesome to see how empty the train was since this was off-peak, but once arriving in South Mumbai that luxury was replaced with a mob heading to the beach.  Even while we were sitting and having dinner before heading back, it was a steady stream of people heading to the beach.

The immersion is free, and anyone can do this at Chowpatty Beach.  There is a specific route for the idols to follow and the road is lined with people wishing to see the largest idols Mumbai has to offer.  I learned that these large idols are all from neighborhoods around Mumbai, not businesses like I erroneously believed.  There are some sponsored by organizations, but they would be clearly marked.

While all the idols were beautiful, each in a unique way, by far my favorite was this one. It is clearly made by the residents, not a professional.

Here you can see how the idols are lined up:

When I see how crowded everything was, I am pleased with myself for the photos I got. We had to leave early because my camera started acting up (I believe the heat from the train and walk to the parade).

On the way to the train station, the lights of the nearby hospital were a nice sight.

Then it was time to go home.  This time I saw a more realistic train station scenario, with the mad rush to get on the train first so as to get a seat.

In the auto rickshaw from the train station to my house, I passed many groups dancing and singing, paying their last respects to their Ganesh.  I passed one lone temple, empty of souls and idols, as clearly their Ganesh had been taken away for immersion.

These videos give you a sense of the noise that accompanies this festival.

The next day, everyone at work -students included – were subdued, exhausted from the late night of partying and praying.  These are 10 exhausting yet fun days for Hindus in Mumbai.  Selfishly, I was thrilled as it meant quiet evenings again (for 10 days each night’s sleep was interrupted by fireworks, long drum symphonies and happy revelers.

Next year: Versova Beach near my house.  The school driver showed me his video where I saw many large idols and locals enjoying the views and the festival.  Smaller and more personal than South Mumbai.

Over the past 2 months I have done two Kahki Tours (Keeping Heritage Alive and Kicking in India). This group of volunteers was started by Bharat Gothoskar in 2015 to create awareness about Mumbai’s history and heritage in a fun and interesting manner.  They do typical and atypical tours of Mumbai.

When I signed up for the tour, I thought I would be the only person silly enough to tour during Monsoon season, but I was wrong!  There were 12 of us!

The first tour I took was of a neighborhood called Wadala which tour guide described by saying, “from nothing to nothing”.  As this was his neighborhood, he was curious to research it and as a result he learned that a lot of Indian and Mumbai’s history had connections to this area.

First, I learned this neighborhood started in the 1880s as a desire for sanitary living conditions during a plague.  A lot of wealthy people had estates here.  Estates always had a temple; this one was reconstructed in the 1950s.  I was excited because this is where we came for prayers during my friend’s baby shower!  I was proud of myself for recognizing it.

Next, there are a lot of art deco buildings here, a style popular in Mumbai and was a way for young architects to assert independence from the colonial style after World War II.  

During World War II, India was a major transit point for troops, especially after the Japanese invaded Burma, so the barracks below were built to house the soldiers.  The barracks were used again during the partition to house refugees. In this neighborhood is a school that was originally in Pakistan. During the partition the founder relocated it here and it is still functioning today!

Below is a stylized demarcation between city and landowner’s property since boundary walls were not allowed.

Then we visited a famous temple where the gold statue of Ganesh comes out only during his festival.  There were quite a few Ganesh statues depicting him at various ages and states, although the actual temple is dedicated to Ram. Across the street, in direct alignment, is another temple and unfortunately I don’t remember information about it because it started raining again!

This is where a dormitory stood, a location where many freedom fighters used to congregate.

This custom house was were the salt taxes were collected and fines for smuggled salt were levied. If you recall, people were forbidden to make salt until Ghandi’s protest.

Six months ago, the village of Mahala existed, connected to this Christian Church, but it is disappearing. Progress?

At this point notes became impossible to take between holding the umbrella and the phone! However wet we were, we had a great time!

Mumbai’s Freedom Trail

The next walk, on Independence Day, focused on the freedom movement in Mumbai.  I did learn that out of the 23 islands that constituted Mumbai when under Portuguese control, only 7 were given to Britain as part of the dowry!  I also learned that 60% of Mumbai today is on re-claimed land. In the map below, you can see how many European countries had settlements in India, as they vied for the spice trade. Slowly, Portugual and Britain took major control although other country’s influences remain in certain parts of the country.

The tour started with this view of what used to be a jungle, where the last tiger was sighted in 1822.

Next to the viewpoint is the temple honoring the charitable Seth Goculdas, who believed that the job of the wealthy is to spend on people. Random tidbit: he built the Parle station to transport materials he needed for his house to be built.  He also ensured roads were made to connect the South of Mumbai with this ‘country’ area.

We then walked to the building where the Indian Congress met pre Independence.  In the years up to Independence, there were many small and disconnected rebellion groups and tensions were very high.  The groups were routinely getting squashed and one British gentleman, aware of the pressure valve, had the idea that if Indians had a place to chat about politics the tension and desire for freedom would abate. So this building was built and lawful gatherings were permitted.  BOY did his plan backfire! 

Until 1880s it was the elite who met for planning independence.  In 1907 the Congress split between the moderates and extremists.  It was Gopni, the leader of the moderates, who in 1915 called on Ghandi to return to Indian from South Africa to apply his peaceful principles.  When Gopni died, Gandhi became the face of that group – and the rest of this story is well known!

During the tour there were many stories of horrific executions of freedom fighters, especially gruesome was when two men were tied to the front of a cannon and the weapon fired.

Elphinstone College with its English name was started by Indians for Indians and is the second oldest college in Mumbai.  Originally it was built around a pond.  Why did the water disappear?  Because the British wanted people to pay for the water they drank and to prevent this water from being drunk, it was removed. Today it is a park.

There were many plots and strategies to squash the Indians as well as to trick the British.  The man on left below was a bi-racial gentleman worked for the police and was a master of disguise.  He was sent to infiltrate a wealthy and philanthropic man’s home to see if he was funding the fighters (he was not) but others he investigated were executed.

Yusef Mehalaal couldn’t get a law degree because he participated in the uprising however, he was the one who is credited with coming up with the slogans that rallied the people.   In August of 1942 Britain asked Indians to join in the fighting during WWII.  The Congress said yes, if India was given independence.  When this was denied, the working committee presented the idea of ‘do or die’ to the Congress which became another rallying cry.

In this park, a major speech was to be given by Gandhi and Nehru (I believe).  To prevent the rally the two men were arrested.  It is at this point when the students took up the baton and gave the speeches, saying, ‘we know what he’s going to say!’. The pillar is in honor a woman who held on to the tricolor flag while tear gas was launched.   

When the press gag order was issued, secret radio broadcasts were started.  For protection, the locations constantly changed.  The buildings that were chosen had to have two doors so that when the police came, the activists could escape though the other door.  This building was one such location.

At the time of the Independence movement, there was a parallel movement that worked on social reforms.  There was one female doctor, Dr.  Kashibai Nawrange, who opened her own clinic.  She and Pandita Ramabai did wonderful work for women, especially getting milk to lactating women as well as taking care of abandoned and abused women.  The school for women one of them started still exists.

The man who led the movement before Gandhi and started the Ganpati festival was cremated at Chowpatty beach in the sitting position, which is reserved for Saints. If you don’t remember, the huge outdoor celebration of the Ganesh festival is not historical but started for political reasons.  Indians were not allowed to gather in groups unless it was for religious festivals.  So…he started the outpouring of celebrations for Ganesh, called Ganpati, which is a hallmark of Mumbai to this day.

The tour ended at the house where Ghandi stayed while in Mumbai.  Our tour guide, with a smile, said a lot of money was spent to allow Ghandi to live in poverty.  For example, he insisted on traveling second class, so the sponsors bought all the tickets in the car so that no one would pose a threat to him.  He wanted to live outside the house, so a space was built on the roof for him to live (as opposed to the room I saw when previously visiting the house). 

dahi Handi

Last, but not least, was my first experience with Dahi Handi.  This is a festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna.  However, it is famous for the human towers that try to break the clay pot!  The clay pots are full of milk, curd, butter, fruits and water – often with coins inside as well.  The practice evolved from the legend that though there was an ample supply of milk products, the evil king denied children the protein.  Krishna and his friends would steal the milk products and share them. I was hoping to see Rajat and Swapnil’s teams (they work in my school) but what I learned this year was the teams go all around Mumbai looking for pots to break.  Rajat and Swapnil are on ‘professional’ teams and even won prizes.  Next year, I will hire a car and driver for 2 hours and follow them around!  These are photos they sent to me.

This year, I walked in the neighborhood where I thought this event was taking place and had the BEST time wandering and finding two groups ‘playing’.  The joy is palpable in the photos.

As I drove to the location, I saw teams driving around looking for another pot to break or a competition to win!

After I exited the taxi, there were lots of teams walking as well. As one group passed me on motorbikes, they invited me to join them. I politely declined saying it was too far for me when I really didn’t want to ride on a motorbike! LOL

As with every Indian festival, music was everywhere – live or recorded.

The two teams I saw were not professional but friends and families.  The first one took several tries to break the pot, at which point the person on the top of the pyramid gets fully doused, while kids (and some adults in the spirit of the event) scamper for the coins.  If you notice on the video, the two guys in charge of the pot raise it as soon as she gets close…plus they pour water on the participants from the roof!

The second team was larger, with a young boy at the top.  Before the climb he was happily yelling and cheering.  Right after, he was a bit shaken but with a little prodding started smiling again! A lot of the teams I saw had children wearing helmets, as there can be a lot of injuries during this festival.

Before and after….

I end with some street art I saw while walking and driving around.

Today, our last day in Goa, had so many wonderful moments.

The day started early for our booked heritage walking tour with the company Make It Happen.  I totally recommend them should you ever want a tour in Goa.  Like Khaki tours in Mumbai, their mission is to connect Indians and others to the history and heritage of the area.  We learned many more details about the history of Goa from our guide, Hinaz.

The area was ruled by the Bahamani Muslim kingdom before the Portuguese arrived to build the spice trade, gain power, and spread Catholicism. Initially the Portuguese were willing to work with the kingdom, but were rebuffed, hence the battle for control which Portugal won in 1510.  Historically, Goa has always been a powerful trade center starting at least in the 4^th century when the Bahamani kingdom traded with the Arab world: spices for horses.  Horses were in high demand due to all the turf wars, but did not handle the climate of India well.  Archaeologists have discovered 900 horse stables in Old Goa (reasons to return keep adding up!).  Hinaz had a funny joke about the Portuguese in India, they were very stubborn: the first to arrive and the last to leave’!  Adding to my knowledge of how Goa joined India, I learned Nehru sent troops in 1967 which ‘convinced’ the Portuguese to leave.  Goans did participate in the earlier Independence Movement (but were not able to get Portuguese to leave) and when the Portuguese left, residents were about 60/40 in favor of the move.

With many Portuguese arriving in Goa (by the way, the word Goa means ‘new’ in Portuguese), the problems of Europe became the problems of India with the huge influx of people resulting in overpopulation and all the expected problems, especially the Plague when the population of Old Goa went from 200,000 to 20,000.  The government forced the move to Panjim and while there was resistance at first, the ‘incentives’ (including burning homes) were strong enough to ‘persuade’ everyone.  People had to abandon everything and arrived penniless and without homes, resulting in many residents returning to salvage what they could from burned out homes.

The Mandovi River is called the Great River because so much local industry depends on it (fishing and farming) and the river allows for the critical ecological balance.  Originally Panjim was marshy, and the land was reclaimed and built to resemble Lisbon (that would be the part on the hill where the nobles lived).  On the flats near the river, Carmelite priests leased the land to carpenters, fishermen, etc. but did so in a disorganized manner which is why the old part of town is so haphazard – but a lot more fun to walk through!  The name of Panjim was found on Sanskrit stone belonging to the Kanandum dynasty and means ‘the city that never floods’, hence the name change.  And yes, the city has lots of floods during Monsoon season!

 We met Hinaz at the local post office which shares a zip code with the Indian station in Antarctica (a nod to their homeland by Indian scientists).  The post office is located on Ghandi Road, a road name every city has.   Located in Tobacco Square, where tobacco trading happened, the post office is a now a smoke free zone!

Across the road we looked at the Diaz house, which was originally the coin mint, but now is owned by one of the original families of Panjim.  The original Diaz was a farmer who wanted to be a doctor.  To curry favor with the Portuguese he converted to Catholicism in 1904 and was sent to Lisbon to study medicine.  Upon returning he did a lot to benefit his community, from founding the oldest medical college in Goa to bringing modern medical treatments. His methods and diligence were responsible for getting rid of the Plague in Panjim, the first city in the area to do so.  Almost every decedent since him are doctors who like to marry doctors….as Hinaz told us.

This chapel is dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle, built in 1814.  St. Thomas proselytized in this area around 52 AD and was martyred in another part of India in 72 AD.  He is considered the Patron Saint of India.

We then started learning about the architecture of Panjim.  Why do so in front of a run-down home?  Because many of the lovely homes in Panjim have a ‘do not photograph’ sign.  Why would one do this when living in such a picturesque city?  Because certain tourists have been known to peek into private homes, enter homes to explore, disrupt the peace and quiet, as well as block roads and walkways to take selfies.  Since learning this, I respected the ‘do not photo’ signs.

Slave trade was big in Goa back in the day and the molded roof tiles were shaped on the calves of young male slaves.  Knowing this took away some the charm for me. Since that style of tile broke easily, another style was developed.

A typical home of the wealthy will have large windows and ornate designs and motifs.  Houses with fish and floral motifs mean they once belonged to a very wealthy family.  The rising sun is another popular motif.

Tidbit: Cashews were brought here by Portuguese from Brazil to help with soil erosion!

Grotto altars are very common for worshiping and this tradition started when believers couldn’t go to the crowded church during the plague. The tradition of passersby praying to these altars continues to this day. Even Hinaz, who is Muslim, was told by her mother to pray to St. Anthony of Padua when she lost something, as he is the patron saint of lost items. During the annual festival of St. Anthony, the entire city is closed and the whole community comes together to honor and celebrate. This happens mid-June so off my tour list, but maybe on yours?

Note the sign…this whole area is supposed to be vehicle free, even for residents….being India, you can see how well the rule is adhered to:

Over time, smoking balconies evolved into end-to-end porches with supporting beams.  Many of these homes have courtyards in the center (as the name of our restaurant last night implied). This house, which I photographed the day before, belongs to a prominent family.  One of the ancestors made sure Goans had civil rights during Portuguese rule.  Antonio Xavier Gomes Periera a used pen name when writing and was also devout Ghandhi follower (there is a bust of him in their courtyard).  When Ghandhi was assassinated, there was a distribution of his ashes.  This man fought long and hard to get some ashes (refused since Goa was not a part of India) but he persisted and received them, scattering them on the Mandovi River.  He died in 1957, just short of learning Goa got the independence he fought so valiantly for.

Original homes had windows with shells.  This was used because glass was very expensive and imported. The shells would allow the light to go through and made a beautiful ambience in the room, but also gave you a lot of privacy. It’s not allowed to be used anymore because these particular oysters are endangered species (only found in the Phillippines and India).  The irony is that now glass is so cheap, and the shell is so expensive.

Next up was a visit to the oldest bakery in the area, opened in 1930, where the wood fire oven is still used.  This gem is hidden behind a store but there is a sign directing you, the name being Confeitaria de 31 de Janeiro. We were given 5 traditional Goan sweets to try, all of which were delicious.

Starting at the top going clockwise: 1. Perad (brown colored) is a jelly type treat made from Guava.  It is also known as Guava Cheese and can also be made from jackfruit or mangoes. 2. The black Pinag (which looked least appetizing but was tasty) is  make of  chick peas, cardamom, coconut and palm jaggery that gives it a bit of a molasses taste.  This is traditionally used at weddings. 3. Bolinha is a traditional Goan cookie made from coconut, semolina, eggs and cardamom. 4. Then comes Lynn’s favorite, the local version of a coconut macaroon. 5. Last is Doce de Grao, which is made from coconut and chana dal (split Bengal gram flour, whatever THAT is!), with cardamom and is considered like a fudge.

Roosters are seen all over Panjim and are the national animal of Portugal.  There is a lovely myth associated with them, about a man who was wrongly accused of a crime and the judge, who was in the middle of a meal didn’t want to be bothered and just ordered him to be hung.  The man said, ‘I am as innocent as rooster on your table and as I am hung, this rooster will come to life to prove to all of you that I am innocent’.  Of course, everyone laughing at him, but later during the meal the rooster crowed three times and disappeared.  The judge ran to free the man, and while he had alsready been hung, he was alive due to a poorly tied noose. 

Now we were walking on a quiet, back street called Rua de Natal.  The road, obviously, was inaugurated for Christmas and so every year the families host a big Christmas festival. There are 70 homes on the street, so you have a turn every 70 years. There is a lot of competition to make it an amazing event.

The next part of the tour consisted of two magical moments.  First was visiting the 187-year-old house, still owned by the original family.  It was built in 1837, the first two story house in the area. At the time it had unobstructed views.  There are gun holes for protection and defense – but not on the back wall of the house because it was facing the hill!  This family owned the first pharmacy in Panjim and were politicians.  The house is like a museum, filled with antiques, including furniture from Macau due all the trade.  Since were allowed to take photos I indulged because I want to remember all the stunning items they live with!

The tour focused on the main room and balcony.

Being able to look closely at the shell windows was fascinating, especially as one got a sense of the ambiance the light gave a room, as was learning that the way the kitchen window opens (sliding up) is the original design and never needs repairing!

The family is extremely proud of their house altar.

The host makes his own wine, which we were able to taste. The first, made from Jamul, tasted like a nice port and the second, made from Kokum, had an interesting flavor. I bought one of each and have been slowly enjoying them!

And then… it got even better.  On the balcony we were given some Kokum juice to drink and had a special treat – a mini concert by this friend of the host who sings and plays the guitar (in 9 languages!).  He has performed around the world and recently won a local contest.  It was magical and I took some videos to remember this moment.  I hope the specialness of the performance comes across.

The last part of our tour was visiting a small gallery called Fundacao Oriente, honoring the local artist Antonio Xavier Trindade (1870-1935).  This is reason #6 why I want to return, to spend quality time in this museum (we were way over our allotted tour time).  His most compelling works focused on common people.  The additional bonus was his daughter Angela Trindade’s (1909-1980) work was exhibited here as well, and one could see the evolution of her style which started by mimicking her father’s style and then her style evolved into spectacular pieces that combined cultures (a theme of hers).  For example, using an Indian style on Christian themes and portraits and evolving her style to include Abstract Expressionism.  She was the first woman to be a professional artist in India. Apologies for the poor quality of these photos but we were rushing.

We parted ways with our exceptional guide and headed for a traditional Goan meal. On our way to lunch, luck was on our side.  Up until now all the chapels and churches were closed so we were not able to enter.  At the exact moment we walked by St. Sebastian’s church (probably for the 10^th time) a tour group was going inside…it was opened for them. We immediately went in and enjoyed this lovely chapel.  Earlier in the tour Hinaz taught us this chapel was built in 1849 and was moved to its currently location piece by piece.  It is famous for the Crucifixion statue with Jesus’ eyes open. Very powerful.

On a sadder note, we learned that during the Inquisition (it happened later here) Goans were forcibly converted.  Some practiced their religions secretly but were discovered and killed.  At least 16,000 Goans were murdered this way.  During earlier difficult times many persecuted Jewish families moved to Goa but then all the synagogues were destroyed, none remain.

Viva Pankim is situated in a heritage house and is a family run business. I was hoping for some more crab, but the delivery man was on his way and wouldn’t arrive for 30 minutes.  So I opted for traditional Panjim fish curry (which was delicious and made to my level of spice).

At this point, Lynn and I separated to do the last items on our to-do list.   Mine was to visit the Goan history museum and buy some pottery.

When I arrived at the museum, it was closed for lunch (opening in 10 minutes).  I think the guards felt bad for me and said could start looking around.  I limited myself to the first hall, which was situated next to the entry door.  Once the opening time arrived, I walked up to the desk only to find out entry was free! The only requirement was to sign the register and explain why you are visiting the museum.   While a tiny museum, I feel it did a good job of giving a glimpse into the culture and history of the region.

The first two rooms focused on ancient and pre-Portuguese Goa, with lovely stone and wood carvings.

Sati stones are memorials to the widows of warriors killed in battle who sit on top of their husband’s funeral pyre.  Sad.

The next room focused on glimpsed into Goan culture (pre the Portuguese era).

These wooden pillars are from the 1800s.

I learned the drum I saw at the house is called a Ghumat.

I loved these small statuettes.

The next section of the museum focused on ‘the Portuguese Phase’ with household and life items, as well as relics related to the Church.  I found some of the religious carvings to be stunning, a unique naïve style.  I wonder if it is unique to the area or era?

The last room was dedicated to the Independence Movement and contained some powerful photos.  There was also this cool, old lottery draw ‘machine’.

I relished my walk to the pottery store (located next to the hotel) knowing this was my last glimpse of Panjim. Included in these photos is some fascinating information about the pottery I purchased and that I noticed the store has an old, shell door!

On the way to the airport, we asked the driver to take us around the hillside, where the previous nobles lived.  We saw houses looking over the lower city, the archbishop’s palace, and like I saw in Dharmsala, the houses of high ranking government officials identified.

The ride to the airport hinted at how far we will fly to Mumbai….and a sweet reminder of this lovely place.

The 8^th and 9^th reasons why I want to return to Goa:  Joseph’s Bar, a landmark we passed but should have entered which has a drink called the Rosa.  If you’re a woman you get a rose plus Joseph is an iconic, award-winning bartender.  Plus, there is A LOT more of Goa to see.  We just scratched the surface.

As usual I end with the street art of Panjim and the stunning art in the baggage claim area of the Mumbai airport welcoming me ‘home’.

We woke up early for our booked bird watching tour and lunch at a Spice Plantation.  Unfortunately, we were victim to false advertising and bird watching was really going to the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary sanctuary to see the zoo!  We made the best of it, thanks to a great guide, and off we went on the one-hour ride.

During the drive we learned a little more about the development of Goa.  In the 1970s the area was discovered by American and European hippies who were drawn to the simpler, undeveloped lifestyle complete with beautiful and pristine beaches.  When they left in the 1990s, a resident came up with the idea to turn heritage homes into hotels and started advertising in the UK.  The rest is history, and Indian tourists are plentiful as this is a major ‘go to’ weekend location.

In this area you will find 400-year-old mosques, modern mosques, and equally old and new Hindu temples.

Previously, there was a lot of mining in Goa due to the red soil which indicates the presence of iron.

We arrived at the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary and stopped a few times along the road as we heard bird calls, but the guide was quite honest in saying for the bird watching you need to be at the park much earlier.  Of course, there is a bird sanctuary ISLAND in Goa, which is yet another reason to visit Goa.

First seen, of course, were some monkeys.  The joy with this sighting was seeing a monkey hoarding food in its mouth, a baby grabbing on to his mother, as well as seeing a monkey being groomed.    As I was researching for this blog to see what they were grooming, I learned some fascinating information:

1. Social bonding – Grooming is an important social behavior in primate species that helps strengthen social bonds and relationships within the group. It serves as a way for monkeys to reinforce their connections with one another.

2. Hygiene – Grooming helps remove dirt, debris, and parasites from hard-to-reach areas of the body that the monkey itself cannot easily access. This helps maintain the monkey’s health and hygiene.
3. Conflict resolution – Grooming can be a way for monkeys to reconcile after conflicts or disputes. The physical contact and attention involved in grooming helps reduce tension and reaffirm the monkeys’ social ties.
4. Hierarchical reinforcement – Grooming can be used by higher-ranking monkeys to assert their dominance over lower-ranking individuals in the group. Receiving grooming is seen as a privilege that reinforces the social hierarchy. (source: https://www.quora.com/Why-do-monkeys-in-the-zoo-spend-so-much-time-preening-the-hair-of-other-monkeys)

At one point, the mother felt we were standing too long and protected her child by fully covering her.  Our clue to leave.

The bird songs and nature were very soul-feeding and while we didn’t stay anywhere long, it did help to lessen the sting of no serious bird photography.

There were many butterflies, fluttering around. I was able to catch a few of the active creatures.

Before reaching the zoo we stopped at this dam, created for animals to drink. No big animals spotted, but two dragonflies (one red!) and a zen frog who was clearly meditating. I was worried he was dead but eventually he swam off.

We entered the Bondla Zoo, which isn’t horrible as far as zoos go, but still a zoo.  However, Lynn and I were able to enjoy taking some photos.  The best moment was seeing a peacock open his tail and strut his stuff.

I was lucky enough to catch this peacock catching insects and eating:

The official animal of Goa, The Gaur, caught during feeding time!

A cute Jungle Cat.

This is a turtle, as it is largely aquatic.

This is a tortoise, as it is largely living on land.  I was fascinated to see who deeply they go into the shell for protection.  There were two levels.  First the tortoise was someone in, then when it was even more frightened, it went even more inside the shell.

Another highlight was seeing a wild Giant Indian Squirrel (also known as a Jain Squirrel) up close.  Previously I only saw them from afar and shaded by trees, so I was able to appreciate their coloring..  The guide had never seen one come down from the mountains before, so he was equally excited.

The guide, ever trying to compensate for us missing the bird watching, pointed out birds whenever he saw them.  This time we were able to follow this bird as a flew from tree to tree and I was able to capture one decent photo.

As it is monsoon season, tree mushrooms were growing.  Fascinating how different they looked from different angles.

Then we were off to the Spice Plantation for lunch.  While this is a real plantation of 100 acres, 2 acres are allocated to tours, another 10% is given to the workers to farm as they wish.  The remaining 80% we couldn’t see, which is where these organic spices are grown.  As I had a spice tour before I wasn’t as fascinated as Lynn, but I still learned a lot and enjoyed our visit.

During lunch, the fried fish was delicious and not spicy. I tried Feni for the first time.  As cashews are grown in Goa, this is a hard liquor made from the flower of the cashew.  It is quite strong and when plain, drunk like vodka in shots.

The tour began with an old-fashioned feni distillery.  To create the necessary condensation, you would constantly pour cold water over the hollow branch tube.

This is Beetle Nut and when it is raw is behaves like pot, making the imbiber sleepy.  The nuts are orange when ripe and you peel off the skin.  This is what is used to make pan. The leaves are used to make the biodegradable plates we ate lunch on, as well as the bridge we walked on to get to the plantation.

Turmeric, like ginger and garlic, is a root vegetable. To make the powder you bake the seeds.

Pineapple plants can be male and female, and while there is a difference in the taste, you can tell the different plants but their leaves.   The spiky leaf is from the female pineapple plant.

This is a Cashew tree, and they do not usually grow this large. Raw cashew fruit can be eaten but not the nut, it must be roasted. Feni is made from the fruit

The tour ended with a traditional pour of spring water infused with lavender.

Originally, Old Goa was the capital and as a result many churches and basilicas were built here, with the city being known as the Vatican of the East.  The capital moved to Panjim when the plagues hit (more on that later).  Since north of here was still ruled by the Moghul empire, the Portuguese imported crocodiles to protect the river border, which acted as a moat.  Crocodiles still live in the Panastri River but currently they are mating and laying eggs so are in hiding, thus there was no point in stopping and trying to find an animal living in the wild.  Factoid: The official dialect of Goa is Konkani and because of the Portuguese influence, it is written in both Latin and Hindi-style letters.

Since the guide was trying to make us happy, we stopped in Old Goa on the way back to look at the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

Construction on the basilica started in 1594 and it was consecrated in 1604. It is very European in style, and quite beautiful.  While you can’t take photos in the main sections, here you can see some of the side rooms and entryways, which will give you an idea of the style. What I was not able to photograph were the beautiful wood carvings on the pulpit and around side altars.

The façade has three column styles, takes on Ionic, Doric and Corinthian.  One of the factoids I remember from my Art History 101 class my freshman year in college!

This basilica houses the remains of Saint Francis of Xavier, a major priest involved in missionary work in India and Japan.  Photos were not allowed in the main vestibule, but I snuck one (of course) and took more photos in the rooms where they are allowed. While he died in China, he asked to be buried in India and his remains were brought here.  His body did not decompose (one of the reasons he is a saint) and every 10 years (November-ish 2024 is next!) his body is removed from the crypt and venerated.

This is a life-size statue of Saint Francis of Xavier, he was quite short.

Upon leaving I learned this Acacia tree is 300 years old.  There are now only two of them as the third one recently fell down.

We didn’t have time to visit the other churches across the road.  During our tour on Monday we learned that before the churches were painted white, they were covered with colorful frescoes and restoration work has started to uncover this beauty. A THIRD reason to return to Goa!

The ride back to Panjim allowed us to see these columns welcoming us to the city, painted by (or in the style of) a famous cartoonist who lived in the area, Mario Miranda.

It also allowed me to take another animal photo, this huge fly who was in the car!

After resting for a bit in the hotel, we headed out in search of a typical Goan dinner.  We were sent straight to Antonios, a happening place with great ambiance, but unfortunately only spicy food.

So instead, we headed to the other side of town where Lynn read about a bar called For The Record (a vinyl bar), which was near the restaurant we decided to eat at – Aangan, which had advertisements all over the Latin Quarter and had good ratings.  It was a long but lovely walk, passing some interesting buildings, several temples, including one modern one set in the hillside.  By the time we reached the restaurant ( of course there was a lengthy stop for drinks in the bar) it was dark and the moon was out.

The bar was amazing.  By this time, with all the sitting in the car my frayed tendon was killing me so being in a bar the only course of action was to forgo the diet and drink!  The drinks were very interesting and the ambiance awesome.  Although you could go to the side room and choose what album you want to hear, Louis Armstrong was playing when we arrived and that was perfect.

Lynn’s first drink was a Red Hiding Hood: Feni, lemongrass, pomegranate, and sweet vermouth.  Mine was a Feni Colada: Feni, Hung curd, pineapple, roasted coconut, cashew sponge cake. Lynn’s second drink was the best Old Fashioned she ever had: bourbon, rice washed house bitters, burnt caramel, coriander seeds. For my second drink I wanted a  Silver tip: vodka, pineapple, white tea and smoked lime but there were out of the tea-infused vodka so I ended up with a Hydroball: gin, distilled jasmine/plumeria flowers, lemongrass and Fusion X liqueur.

Dinner did not disappoint.  Housed in a heritage house, the décor was stunning, matching the food and service.  The name of the restaurant is the word for an Indian courtyard in the middle of a house, where a lot of life happens as quoted in the menu, “many daily activities take place in the aangan.  From drying pickles to teaching children, to scribbling the alphabet, to organizing a wedding or a pooja or other cultural events.  The aangan projects the Indian ethos in its totality.” The menu goes on to invite us to enjoy authentic Goan Saraswat cuisine with contemporary Portuguese touch.

The drinks were equally interesting. I had a Sunset Mog: Kaju feni, mango juice, mango pulp, fresh litchi, lemon juice and golden hearts.  Our appetizer was butter chicken lapta kabob (a roulade with authentic makhni sauce).  We both ordered fish.  Dessert was a splurge of Salame de chocolate: chocolate and Marie cookie salami with walnut disc and vanilla bean ice cream along with Caramelized Pain Perdu (French toast): condensed milk French toast in crispy caramel cashew chikki and carmalized condensed milk ice cream and rhubarb confit.

While waiting for the taxi to take us back to the hotel we got a tour of the different rooms and met the owner.  An amazing end to a long but fun day.