Destination Cafes- COFFEE CULTURE THE RISTORANTE LUCKNOW

By Shubhashish Chaudhri

Pic source Zomato

Coffee Culture The Ristorante is a new small cafe-cum-restaurant which has opened up just recently in Lucknow and I should say that it’s a must visit place for all.

It is situated right in the main market of mahanagar. It is on the first floor of a complex which is right in front of my school which is Montfort Inter College(formerly known as MBIC).

It is a pretty nice cafe with a decent ambiance, good food and above all decent cost and even though i am not much of fan of Italian food yet I haven’t come across a place like this for
for Italian food.
A very dear friend of mine loves their pasta and irish a lot and she asked me to try it and once again, not being a fan of irish coffee i had my doubts but trust me not just these two items but everything is worth it.

Their coffees are also of another taste and level and i just love their pizzas,coffees and pastas.

They have got couches and solo chairs. It even has an option for outdoor seating but if you visit this place during noon you might face a little bit sun.

The Service is very prompt and attentive.

It is very economical and trust me they even have combos that suite a group treat.

I suggest you must go to it once when you are in lucknow. “Gaur farmaiyega, lucknow mei honge aap.”

About Shubhashish Chaudhri

An avid food lover, loves reading like anything and a big MOVIE and English tv shows FREAK and going to new places even though i haven’t been to a lot of places but I intend on travelling through the entire country during my life. 

Read More

'Ayodhya' the ancient city from Ramayan

By Shubhashish Chaudhri

AYODHYA- the land of temples and peace
Well being in the final year of college has brought about a lot many changes and various plans have been made but to execute those plans is another thing. A sudden plan made alongwith friends meant that finally i am going to get a chance to go out to places which are there on my so-called BUCKET LIST. On a chilling cold morning of January to get up at 5:30 am in the morning is in itself a big mission impossible but we are all like that only. For classes which happen at 10am we cant get up but just tell us that we are travelling somewhere i will get up in the middle of the night.

How to reach-
Ayodhya is not a very big place so it can be done only within 12 hours max including travelling(and yes i am not lying). You can either go by bus which takes some 2 and half hours. Ayodhya is just a 130 odd kms from lucknow. Oops i forgot this is not just meant for people from lucknow. Anyways since we were some 6 friends we booked a cab and off we went.
Ayodhya is on the right bank of the river Sarayu, 8;km from Faizabad. This town is closely associated with Rama, seventh incarnation of Vishnu. According to the Ramayana, the city is 9,000 years old and was founded by Manu, the first man in the Vedas, and law-giver of the Hindus.
Since it is mainly the place where you have temples(12) in number to be precise, there is only so much that you can do but still. It would be better if you have someone with you who has either been to ayodhya or knows about the place and temples. A guide wont b of much help. We had one such person with us.

Kanak mandir
Kanak Bhawanin Ayodhya is the palace of Sri Sita and Rama. It was a welcome gift to Sita from her mother-in-law Kaikeyi. Kanak Bhawan still exists in Ayodhya.

Hanuman Garhi, a massive four-sided fort with circular bastions at each corner and a temple of Hanuman inside, is the most popular shrine in Ayodhya. Situated in the center of town, it is approachable by a flight of 76 steps. Its legend is that Hanuman lived here in a cave and guarded the Janambhoomi, or Ramkot. The main temple contains the statue of Maa Anjani with Bal Hanuman seated on her lap. The faithful believe wishes are granted with a visit to the shrine

Ram Janmabhoomi (literally, "Rama's birthplace") is the name given to the site that many Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Rama, the 7th avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu.
The Ramayana states that the location of Rama's birthplace is on the banks of the Sarayu river in the city of Ayodhya. A section of Hindus claim that the exact site of Rama's birthplace is where the Babri Masjid once stood in the present-day Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

Janaki Mahal established by Late Sri Mohan Lalji, run by Trust, beautiful Mandir of Janki Mata & Lord Ram. Many social activities, food for poor people, charitable medical facility for poor people managed by Sri Vishwanath Murarka.

Sarayu
Ayodhya, capital of King Rama is mentioned on the banks of Sarayu river. Sarayu river is mentioned in great details in Ramayana. Ayodhya still exists on the banks of river Sarayu in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a tributary of the Ganges which meets two other rivers at the confluence (sangam) in Uttar Pradesh.

All in all, it will still be a nice experience one which everyone should have once in their life and lastly not to forget the place is famous for its besan laddoos and pedas.


About Shubhashish Chaudhri

An avid food lover, loves reading like anything and a big MOVIE and English tv shows FREAK and going to new places even though i haven’t been to a lot of places but I intend on travelling through the entire country during my life. 

Read More

Lucknow's Chowk: Every Non-Vegetarian Food Lover's Wonderland!

By Abhidip Sengupta

I studied in Lucknow and it was the last week of my college life.  We were discussing what we will miss the most after we pass out from law school. People were saying a lot of things - friends, hostel life, parties and what not, but I could only think of that humongous degchi (cooking pot) full of Biriyani you see at Idrish in Chowk and the fragrant hypnotising smoke which comes out from the degchi and mixes with evening fog of Old Lucknow. Indeed heavenly. Indeed that is the thing I definitely miss the most now.

It was almost a weekly affair for us (almost daily during the month of Ramzan) to go to Chowk  - the focus point of old Lucknow traditions - and actively partake in the culinary experiences. Simply put, we used to go to Chowk, very frequently and ate like animals, till we could not walk.

In last five years I went to Chowk many times, probably a lot more than many Lucknowites ever has. And met a lot of people there, made a lot of friends there. So I feel, somewhat I have gained a right to write about my most favourite food destination.

Whenever I took people to Chowk , I followed a distinct plan , a sort of a circuit or a map following it one can obtain the complete culinary experience of Lucknow Chowk , which does not only involve eating.

So here is the step by step plan which I have followed for half a decade:

Tiwari ji’s Bhang Thandai: The journey starts from Kotwali (in Chowk), this is a very busy junction with places of interest all around you. Various famous mithai shops like Shree, (famous for lassi) , Radhey Lal Parampara etc are there, but those places are not essential to the tour which I prefer. Instead I will suggest Tiwari Ji’s Bhang Thandai. You will find it right beside the starting point of ‘phul wali gali’ in Kotwali. Start your tour with a glass of ‘light’ bhang thandai. Yes, ‘light’. Don’t try to be a hero and go for the ‘strong’ glass, if you are not that much of seasoned bhang enthusiast. Trust me , you will want your wits around  when you would have to stop at different places to eat so many lovely things. Drink a light one, get a light buzz. Most importantly it will make you very hungry  and will make you appreciate food like never before. 

Malai Makkhan: By far one of the best desserts I have ever tasted in my life has to be Malai Makkhan . You can get them near the Gol Darwaza at chowk , just beside the bhang thandai shop.  This frothy, fluffy , amazing rather sinful dessert is probably (according to me) Lucknow’s best dessert. You get it only after October and till March. It’s a seasonal dessert, as the name suggests it is made from malai and apparently they need the cold dewy air for the condensation of the malai and they serve it with crushed pistachios and silver leaves (chandi ka warq) , by adding saffron its gets a bit of yellowish tinge. This sweet , beautiful, foamy dessert is so smooth that as soon as you put it inside your mouth it melts and vanishes and only leaves behind a heavenly taste. Hence the name rightly describes ‘Malai Makkhan’. You can get them in some shops , but I think buying it from the vendors or “malai makkhan walas’ near the Gol Darwaza will definitely not disappoint you.  And it will enhance the effect of the bhang thandai in a very positive way. You will become a happy - hungry person roaming around a locality that provides you with mind boggling food.   What else do you want from this unjust world?!

Biriyani at Idrish: Quintessence of the famous Lucknow Biriyani is this place called Idrish. If you are into superficial things like ambience and cleanliness , well you can skip  the place but if you are faithfully in love with Biryani , it is a sacrilege if you don’t go to this place. Mutton Biriyani at Idrish will always be amazing. No doubt about that. It is situated in a place called Patanala at Chowk only.  Nothing can compete with Idrish’s Biriyani on a cold evening in Lucknow. I am pretty sure, you will treat Biriyanis from other places as second class citizens once you taste Idrish. Each and every grain of rice is perfectly cooked ,  meat pieces will not let you complain and the entire place (though a bit untidy) smells like heaven. A must go for Biryani lovers throughout the world.

Now from Patanala, walk till Akbari Gate , it will help you digest a bit, don’t forget you have to complete the circuit and a lot more to eat.  Smoke couple of cigarettes or drink a bottle of Cola if you have to, but make sure you have room in your tummy.

Raheem at Akbari Gate: My favourite place in Lucknow. The first time I tasted their pasanda , I literally cried. I thanked the almighty for providing me with a tongue so that I can taste such a dish. My god!  Pasanda at Raheem is indeed paradise served on a plate. Marinated beef cooked in charcoal smoke. I am literally drooling right now as I type. The perfect balance of spices, the perfect tenderness of the meat, the smoky texture will enthral you. Another must eat. 

They also make the best Nahari , a curry made of slow cooked meat. With Nahari you can eat Kulcha and Sheermal. Sheermal is a saffron flavoured a bit sweet type of flat bread. A very popular meal during the holy month of Ramzan, especially during sehri (the meal before the dawn). They have Biriyani also which is excellent , probably not as good as Idrish’s , but better than 95% of all the Biriyani you may have eaten from all the different places.

Azhar Bhai ka Paan: Right opposite Raheem , you will find a shop which rightly says : ‘Lucknow Ki Shaan, Azhar Bhai Ka Paan’ . You will find all the nazakat (delicacy) , nafasat (sophistication) and tehzeeb (culture) dripping from the paans served by Azhar Bhai. You will find various types of paan there like, pistai paan, badami paan, zafrani paan, saunfiya paan, pethe ka paan, aonle ka paan, begum pasand, wajid ali shah ki shahi gillauri, haazme ka paan, seene me dard ka paan, khattha meetha paan, shahi meetha paan, palang tod paan…YES you read it right.. PALANG TOD PAAN, apparently unleashes the beast within you, never had the guts to try this flavour though.

Buy a paan from there, keep it with you , (trust me you will need it later) don’t eat as soon as you get it, don’t forget that you have to eat more, you don’t want to send wrong signals to your taste buds, as if its over. Because its not.

Tunday Kababi: From Akbari Gate you take phool wali gali and you will reach bang infront of Tunday Kababi. World famous Galawati Kababs with Paratha is beyond comparison. The soft melt- in-mouth kababs with ulte tawe ki parathas are a different league altogether. Apparently minced meat is mixed with papaya , which contains an enzyme called Papain , decomposes the meat and makes it so tender and soft that it melts in your mouth. One of the most famous places in Lucknow, probably the most famous dish in Lucknow, You will be cheating yourself if you don’t go there.

Walk straight on the phool wali gali towards Kotwali by that time you will be extremely full and tremendously happy and somewhat high , because the bhang thandai would have definitely kicked in.

No. Its not over so soon!

Habshi Halwa: Next stop is a mithai shop which is a few steps away from Tunday, on Phool wali gali  towards Gol Darwaza ,on your left side. I don’t know the name of the shop or the shopkeeper , but whenever I meet that guy he gives me the best smile and the best Habshi Halwa.  This sweet is made up with many nutritious ingredients put together such as milk, desi ghee, cashew, nuts, almonds, clove, kewda, wheat flour . Don’t know why its called ‘Habshi Halwa’ . Habshi means African, I think maybe it has so many nutritious ingredients, eating it will make you as strong as a well-built African man. Or I don’t want to sound racist, but maybe because the colour of the mithai is dark brown.

Furqan Bhai’s Itr Shop: I have a friend in Chowk , his name is Furqan bhai, his shop is situated on phool wali gali only. If you walk from Tunday to Gol Darwaza it will be on your right hand side. For us it’s Furqan Bhai’s dukaan and we never bothered to know the name. It is a shop which sells finest itrs (scents) of Lucknow. You can spot the shop , by seeing a lot of hookahs are kept outside it and very polite, young chap who is always smiling , sitting at the counter. After so much of food and walk you would love to sit and smell the varieties of itr, it will instantly make you feel relaxed , the fragrances are so nice it will make you appreciate the finer things in life. And if you love the fragrances you can buy them also. He will put drops of different fragrances on your arm to smell and taste the product while he tells you the different names of the fragrances is a trip on its own. Names like, Gulfam, Noor –e- Ilahi, Shaam-e –Awadh , Madhosh will make you fall in love with them instantly.

I am pretty sure, You will definitely be in a trance by now. Its Natural. Walk straight towards Gol Darwaza and you will reach where you have started from. You can have another round of Bhang Thandai, if you want and you can make it ‘strong’ also. Because you don’t need to worry about a single thing. You will be happy. Satisfied to the core of your heart. Because, they meant it when they said: “Muskuraiye ke aap Lucknow mein hain”

P.S. Don’t forget about the Azhar Bhai’s Paan you bought. Have it then, it will be the perfect time.

About Abhidip:

This ever smiling young lawyer found roaming the corridors of the High Court at Calcutta is a free soul who lives for his love for travelling. And the only thing that is greater than his love for travelling is his passion for food. Besides being an amazing cook, he is like a human food wikipedia! He daydreams of becoming an amazing food critique some day that will require him to travel all over the world. 

Read More

Mind the Frame: A travel narrative on the beautiful mughal architecture of Purana Quila and Agra

Mind the Frame: How I lost it and found a lot more..


By Ankur Animesh Surin

The guards’ repeated attempts at driving the I-give-a-damn-about-rules tourists out of the nooks and crannies of Purana Quila and the light of the fading sun filled me up with a doubt: whether this trip was worth at all. I gave a tug at my camera and hauled it up  to meet my eye; a few random shots and I made a last ditch effort at getting some good pictures. Although, all I could get was my friend sitting tired and dull (and much to my irritation, unwilling to even pretend to strike a pose – a saving grace for my botched up frame) from the seemingly day-long photo shoot. I could tell how he was feeling.   

What am I doing? I am not going to click portraits here all day! I thought, only half an hour into the planned photos-for-facebook-shoot. 

I grew impatient with every snap of the shutter – it reached my ear bearing a distinct violence of the thunk of a butcher’s cleaver meeting the chopping block, after having said a raspy goodbye to the meat. It was clearly my mind playing tricks, for I’d never have used such an analogy. Photography is – I wouldn’t say, like breathing, lest I should be running the risk of lending a ladder to the reader’s expectations of seeing some breathtaking photos (something I am still not capable of achieving) – something that I like very much. 

Yet I felt like shedding the skin of the photographer and take shelter in one of the abandoned corners of the vast quila, admiring the beauty of the architecture (something that I intend to do the next time I visit the Purana Quila, or other sites harbouring the wealth of Indo-Islamic architecture). 

Now when I think of it, I feel certain that it was the heat and the sweat (at least it saves me the embarrassment to admit that my flippant mood was to be blamed)   that made me abhor what I loved, and curse (under my breath, of course) those I loved; it is funny what a single day of summer in Delhi can do to you! 

My deliverance, however, came at the long-cold hands of the various Emperors, craftsmen and architects who gave shape to the Mughal architecture as it stands today. 

I still remember my first trip to Agra where I had fallen head over heels for the beauty of the architecture of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Itimad-ud-Daula. 

I had been so taken with the designs and patterns of the monuments that I spent the entire trip launching relentless onslaughts on the shutter-release button and every single part of the camera involved in the process of image creation; vexing my parents and sister, the tour guide (for not even an Emperor’s Royal elephant could have forced me to move from one place to another without me taking twenty or so photos at every stop, let alone the pleas of the poor fellow) and other tourists; and then going into the overkill mode by editing and reediting the photos until I managed to ruin most of them (the following are few of the survivors)! 

What had struck me most about the architecture, were the magnificently crafted arches, for being a photographer (self-proclaimed) I couldn’t resist the temptation of capturing those potential frames.

Giving a grateful nod to my rescuers (and tracing my steps back from the digression), I decided to incorporate these architectural wonders in (and as) my frames. My friends (Vikas, Satyarthi and Amit) willingly agreed to change the location (perhaps encouraged by my slightly cheerful mood) and posed to their heart’s content. To my surprise, even I began to enjoy the new development and snapped quite a few shots happily. 

Arches along with domes and minarets forms a very important part of Indo-Islamic architecture. 

Yeah, I know another digression, but be patient friends, a little information has never harmed anyone.  

With the main darwaaza (entrance) of apparently every Indo-Islamic monument shaped in the form of pointed arches, it is a feature hard to miss. However, the arch is purely Islamic in origin; it was fused, along with other Islamic architectural elements, with the Indian style of architecture (kiosk, minar) to give the buildings a visual splendour, unmatched in brilliance even today.          

As we relocated ourselves a little closer to the massive red sandstone structures, I couldn’t help admiring the amalgamation of beauty and sensibility that characterised these arches. The geometry of the arches is not just pleasing to the beholder’s eyes, but it also serves a more functional role. The arches (especially pointed arches) cover long spaces between beams and are capable of holding the immense weight of huge domes without the help of columns in between. This granted people greater space for religious and other congregations.

They also worked as gigantic frames for smaller objects (doors and windows, for example), thus giving depth to their forms and adding further grandeur to the buildings.

The very idea motivated me to use these arches as frames and add some depth to the otherwise flat photographs I had taken earlier in the day.

And besides, the frames wouldn’t just lend depth to the frames, but give a distinct character to the photo and thereby, extend it to the people in the photo as well.

Whenever I think of frames, I generally associate sharp-edged geometrical frames with the qualities of seriousness, discipline, strength, asceticism and so on. On the other hand, the notion of sensuality, fun, beauty, love come to my mind when round-edged frames are concerned (perhaps this is because of a certain film I watched (Somers Town) which used architecture to a similar effect); however, due to reasons best known to the unyielding part of my brain, I do not extend this view on photos and photo frames 

I continued clicking photos and my friends kept posing until all of us got tired of it. And then there was the whistle of the guards, the dying sun and the doubt rising like a huge beast from the depths of my subconscious. 

Was this trip worth at all?    

I was sitting, sorting out photos I had clicked in Delhi that were good enough to accompany a write up on my trip to the historical sites in the city when I came across the photos from the ‘botched up’ photo shoot. I scrambled through them at first, then observed it at a more leisurely pace and at last with a dogged interest employed by someone who is hell-bent on discovering something important – the answer to my question.

That was when I came across this: 

An otherwise neglected photo (in the midst of the grand frames who would have given it more than a glance), it slowly crept up from the shadows to take hold of me. 

There isn’t anything great about it. 

Yeah.

And perhaps this lack of greatness or grandeur makes me root for it. The composition is flawed (not that my other frames are flawless), but it is not dull. The photo would have been shallow, even with the depth the arch provided, without the presence of human elements in the frame. 

There is no denying that the arches and the Indo-Islamic architecture on the whole are magnificent, they do not require anything else to complement them. But my photos, being once removed, twice, if Plato is to be taken seriously, need other elements to complement them.

It’s funny it took me two months, a different city and three back-to-back viewings of my photos to brush away my doubt; it’s funny I couldn’t look beyond the frames when I knew what frames did – they accentuate the subject.

So, was the trip worth at all? 

Yes, it was. But the memories and the stories that each passing minute would weave around the events of that day, are worth more than anything else.

   

  

   About the author Ankur Animesh Surin:

 A rolling stone (with jagged edges), stumbling across domains as (essentially similar yet) varied as poetry, prose and photography, out to tell stories in whichever way possible.

Read More

Explore Lucknow 'the city of nawabs'

These few places you shouldn't miss when you are around Lucknow. Take a day off and visit these excellent places.

 Charbagh Railways Station

 It is one of most beautiful Railway stations of the world. The architectural design of building is amazing. This building was built in 1923. The beautiful building is a combination of Mughal and Awadhi architectural style.

 If seen from above the  sky, this building looks  like Chess  Board.

Bara Imambara Complex 

 Bhool Bhulaiya is is the first place to visit.
 Bara Imambara a beautiful splendid building was built by 4th  Nawab of Awadh,  Asaf-Ud-Dowhala.
The remarkable feature of the Imambara is the absence of pillars for support to the 50 ft. high main hall.

 This is Shahi Bavali that is the Royal Well. This amazing structure is on the eastern side of the complex.

  It is on the western side of the Bara Imambara. This is Asafi Masjid  with sculptured domes and minarets,

Residency Complex

 This complex was constructed in 1775, Residence is a place of historical buildings and is one of the major sites of the Revolt of 1857.


Constantia House

The site formerly known as the Constantia House is now housed by the La Martinière College.  The architecture is mixed style that combines various techniques of Italian architecture.



Dr. Ambedkar Park

Pic Source: Saharasamay

This modern architectural monument is dedicated to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Spread across an area of 107 acres of land, the park is located in Gomti Nagar.


Marine Drive Gomti Nagar

Pic Source- lucknowonline.in

Marine Drive in Lucknow is a flamboyant stretch along the Gomti river which will leave you spell bound. This four-faced Buddha statue made of white marble is ornate to the truest sense.



Royal Cafe at Hazratganj

Even if you don't step inside this amazing restaurant, don't forget to try its excellent world popular basket chaats and paani puris.

Sharma Tea Stall at Hazratganj

 

Chai, Bun-Makhan & Samosa are the specialities of the Sharma tea stall, whereas the secret of Makhan is home-made. Don't miss this excellent tea and Bun-Makhan.


Bijli Pasi Qila (Fort) 

Bijli Pasi Qila (Fort) in Aashiana, although very few remains of the fort could be seen. Maharaja Bijli Pasi was  founder of Bijnor a small town near Lucknow. Visit this place early in the morning and take a walk through this beautiful Jungle area you can even spot peacocks.


Tunday Kababi Lucknow

Visit Tunday ke kabab if you wanna eat something really delicious. This famous Tunday kebabs are made out of minced meat which is popular in Lucknow. It is part of Awadhi cuisine.

.......to be continued.

I will come up with more places till then Happy Reading and Keep Traveling :)


Tagged: #lucknow #heritagearch #UttarPradesh #Tunday #Biriyani #TundayKebabs

Read More

A day in Banaras and Sarnath

Ever experienced the feeling of waking up in the morning and finding yourself absolutely incapable of carrying on with your daily life? When you just can’t put one foot before the other without wishing that the world should have ceased to exist yesterday?  On days of a mental breakdown, all you can do is just get away. And if it is the right place, just a day is enough.

Last time we felt like smashing our laptops and hitting someone in the face with its broken remnants, we just boarded an overnight train to Banaras for a saner frame of mind with absolutely no plan. And some day it was!

Our train reached Banaras station an hour before sunrise and having no specific place to go, we decided to go to the Ghats. An auto took us halfway there and then left in the dark, we decided to follow a procession of chanting Sadhus to the ghats. And it set the mood for the entire day. The surreal experience of chants floating around in the darkness guided us to the most popular ghat – the Dasaswamedha Ghat. We sat at the ghat admiring the Ganga in the semi-darkness of the day break until a boat man convinced us that the sunrise from his boat would be the best thing we would experience in Banaras. It was. The solitude, the sound of his oars in the water while we sat watching the rising sun in silence was breathtaking.  On our way back he regaled us with the name, meaning and function of the numerous ghats of Banaras. He left us off near a temple we had to visit according to him and every online guide we found, but we gave the temple a miss witnessing the crowd that was now

jostling at its gate. Instead we chose to roam around the captivating galis of Banaras bursting with life and hiding temples at every turn. By the time we settled down for breakfast at the Lotus Lounge, at the deserted and unknown ghat of Manaswarovar, we had lost count of the number of temples we had paused to admire wide-eyed. We spent more than an hour and a half taking in the panoramic view of the river (and the activities around it) that the place afforded while enjoying an exceptional breakfast.

By this time, the sun was beating down upon us and we decided to head to a less chaotic Sarnath. A 13 Km auto-ride later, we were staring at an 80 ft tall statue of Budhha at the Thai Buddha Vihar. From there we went to the  Mulagandhakuti Vihara temple and paid homage to the Bodhi tree. We then walked a short distance to the Sarnath Archaeological Mueseum and then headed to the Deer Park. This park is where Lord Buddha first delivered his discourse of his Dhamma and the Dhameka Stupa now marks the sacred place. After exploring the different ruins in this park, one of which is the remains of the  Dharmarajika Stupa which once contained the bones of Buddha, we settled down in the shadow of the Dhameka Stupa to take in the blissful surrounding and the peace emanating from the entire place was now permeating through every pore of our body. An hour later we were joined by a monk who settled down at some distance close enough for us to hear him imparting his wisdom to anyone who wished to pay their reverence to him, but far enough for us to choose to ignore it all and just float away.

Another hour later, we walked around the stupa thrice, as per the directions of the monk and pray for the illusive peace of mind and leave, fully rested and rejuvenated. On our way back to Banaras, with plenty of time to kill, we decided to visit the Ramnagar Fort. The vast collection of antiques and weaponry at the Fort amazed us though their deplorable and dilapidated condition due to lack of maintenance was infuriating. We were rewarded for our then anti-establishment thoughts by being chased by a few bats in a dark deserted passageway.

Finally, being back to Banaras we decided to witness the evening arati at the ghats. After the serenity of Sarnath, being in no mood to push through the large crowds that throng the ghats in the evening for the puja, we chose a much less crowded Assi Ghat which seemed very popular amongst the younger travellers. The laid back attitude of this particular ghat was what suited us most - we sat there to witness a lone Brahmin perform the puja in front of a bewitched gathering.

After the puja, we walked around a bit more, until it was too late to do so, headed to the station and waiting for our train to take us back to the real world – which seemed infinitely more bearable after an entire day of spiritually enthralling instances.

Banaras was an incomparable mix of emotions – we found solitude and peace in the most crowded places. We were surprised at the architectural marvels casually tucked away at every corner. There were cows bang in the middle of the narrow galis we had to tip toe around while fearing we might get mauled. There were 6 years olds begging fluently in English, French and Spanish. There were Sadhus posing for the most extraordinary pictures in exchange of money. There were policemen who spent 20 mins helping us look up places on our phones long after we sincerely thanked them for all their help. There were people who so extraordinarily overcharged us that we did not even realise what transpired for hours afterward. There was a Rickshawala so courteous that we felt guilty to quantify his help and service in terms of money.

And then, there is the memory of the Ganga glistening golden in the sunrise. The memory of the silence in the shade of the Stupa with the monk’s soft prayer in the background. The memory of the evening Arati with the tiny specks of flames dancing in the dark. For months afterward, every time I dreaded switching on my laptop, all it took was a deep breath and those images in my head to carry on through tempers and tears.

Read More