Magical Malpe.......

My exams got over on the 6^th of December and this called for some kind of grand celebration. What better way to do it than plan a trip to some exotic locale where you can apparently touch nature and take a good rest in its lap. And I did just the same. A beach trip is the best way to unwind according to me. The waves take away all your sluggishness in one go. And so this time I planned for Udupi, Karnataka. Google search enlightened me with the fact that Malpe beach in Udupi sure was one of the cleanest beaches in India. And the images of the beach and St. Mary’s island that cropped up seemed so fetching and irresistible. I did not take any time to make up my mind. I conveyed my plans to the other members of my travelling group viz., Debanjan, Abhisek and Joga (aka Joydeep) and they agreed immediately. So bus tickets were booked through K.S.R.T.C. website (from Bangalore to Kundapura bus stop, Udupi). There were frequent buses plying from Bangalore to Udupi via Mangalore and it wasn't an upheaval task to book the tickets.

After having dinner at Kempegowda bus stand, Bangalore, from where we were supposed to board the bus, we started our journey on Friday night (07.11.2012) at 9.50 pm. It was a smooth ride all along and we reached our destination the day after at 7 am in the morning. From there we took a bus to Malpe beach which took us about 15 mins to reach our halting-place (fare 7 rupees, distance around 4 km).

The first sight of the beach with its pristine white sand was so fetching that I could not wait soaking myself in its beauty. But then we had to search for a hotel to rest our hung-up heads. And the search wasn’t as easy as we thought. Options were scarce. The Paradise resort facing the beach was a costly option and we were in no mood to spend a bucket full of money. The other options close to the sea were Vindhya lodge and Beach Guest House. They were full. And we almost started planning to put up in the beach itself when we got hold of some villas at low cost (Rs. 1000) a little away from the beach but since it was a mixed group (me being a girl) the owner did not allow us. Hard luck. We took a bus back to Malpe. The first hotel we went to had no rooms available. I really started thinking that Sharukh Khan must be having shooting schedules in Malpe or why else would every hotel be full on the 8^th of December? And finally we got a four-bed room in Rajmahal Lodge at Rs. 600/night. A shower of relief descended on us. After having breakfast and tea in a nearby veg hotel (Shanti Sagar, reasonable rate, good South-Indian food, and Chinese variety isn’t worth trying) we started off for the beach (walkable distance). The beach was waiting intently to welcome us with its white sand and sparking blue water. Almost luring you to sin, literally. A sight so treasurable that you would always keep it afresh in your mind. 

The Gandhi statue at the you can entrance of Malpe beach

When the sea and sky were one

Silhouettes

After Joga and Abhisek had their go at speed boat ride (which they felt wasn’t worth the money (@Rs. 150 per person) and they surely seemed highly dejected about the whole thing) we started on our way to St. Mary’s island on a ferry (again @Rs. 150 per person). We were given an hour time to get around the island and we were warned not to try getting into the water at the back of the island which they said seemed shallower than it really was. The island was as exotic as an island could be… It had monolithic rocks sprouting from nowhere. There were crabs and fishes roaming about and the best part was that you could really see them since the water there was as clear as one could imagine. I completely fell in love with the island. The landscape sure was a photographer’s delight. When our one hour was over I was really gushing for more. 

St. Mary's Island from the ferry

The beginning of the exotica

Debanjan all taken by the place

The sight which can really take away all your blues

Joga in all his might

Monolithic rocks

From the edge

Pristine beauty

All that glitters is not gold... sometimes it is water...

A bed of coral

Bye bye St. Mary's island

We returned to our hotel after having a satisfying non-veg lunch at a beach-side restaurant called Thongsepar (and I really don’t know what that is supposed to mean… What I can possibly tell you is that the price card was quite reasonable and the fish they served was fresh and juicy). 

The white sand of Malpe beach

The sight so treasurable

After a good afternoon nap (we really needed it bad) we were ready to go. We walked all the way to the beach and captured the sunset in its true glory in our minds and in frame too. After the sun was nowhere to be seen in the horizon we jumped into the sea for some fun. After almost a two hour appointment with water, we came to the shore all drenched and heavy with sand. We freshened ourselves in the beach wash room (pretty clean and you need to part off with a meager ten rupees for it), had a sumptuous evening snack (it was almost dinner you could say…. We were really hungry so to say) at the same Thongsepar and walked all the way back to our hotel. We packed our dinner from the same hotel where we had breakfast in the morning and took it to our hotel room. 

Silhouette

The setting sun

After having a nice bath we decided to relax with a southie blockbuster on TV. While we were having dinner Joga spoke to one of his friends Sanjib and fixed a meeting with him in Mangalore. We were all very happy to join him given the travel enthusiasts that we were. A new place always excites us without fail. So the plan was made.

Next morning at 8.30 am we were off to Mangalore. We reached Mangalore by 10.00 am. We reached Sanjib’s place by 11 am. We had breakfast at his place and chit-chatted till lunch was served at around 1 pm. After having lunch we set off to Panambur beach. There we had a nice time in water. After the war with water was over we had some snacks on a beach-side café while watching the sun imparting a reddish glow all over the sky. We were back to Sanjib’s place by 7.30 pm.

Live star fishes at Panambur beach

Me there

The row of boats

Abhisek lost in translation

From left Abhisek, Debanjan, Joga, Sanjib and me in front

We had dinner at a restaurant (Halal Tikka something something it went) which was pretty close to the Mangalore bus stand from where we were supposed to board the bus to Bangalore at 10.30 pm (Yeah the Mangalore plan came up all of a sudden and we had booking from Udupi. So we had to make this hoard of phone calls to ensure that the change had been registered by K.S.R.T.C., but nonetheless the people over phone were helpful and we eventually managed to set things right). After our dinner, we waited at the bus-stop for our respective bus. And we finally bid adieu to Mangalore at 10.45 pm. And ended another treasurable trip.

CHINGRIR MALAIKARI

A Bengali delicacy that no Bengali die without tasting at least once in his entire life time. A name that      conjures up a magic untold, a gleam unexplained and a glee so evident. It sure titillates the taste-buds.

 And I personally feel that this dish should have a very global appeal and is bound to be accepted outside the Bengal borders too because of the ingredients of course. So I go straight to the point.

Ingredients: (It serves four)

• Prawns (4 if it is jumbo-size (with shell)and 8 if it is the white prawn variety that is shown in picture and is easily available)
• Onion (1 medium-sized chopped and another grated)
• Coconut milk (You can either use the ready-made variety and for better taste you can of course go the home-made way)
•  Ginger paste (1 table spoon)
• Garlic paste (1 and half table spoon)
• Green chilly (2 and if you really like it spicy (like I do) add 2 more)
• Red chilly powder
• Turmeric (1 table spoon)
• Salt 
• Sugar
• Dry red chilly (1)
• Bay leaf (1) 

Procedure:

• Marinate the prawns with turmeric and salt and fry them lightly in mustard oil (you may also use the vegetable oil variety but mustard oil adds in that Bengali flavor). Keep them aside.
• In the same tawa add one whole dry red chilly, one bay leaf and saute for some time and then after the chilly turn deep brown add the chopped and the grated onion. Wait till the onion is golden brown and then add ginger and garlic paste.
• After you can see oil separating out add the prawns and stir till the prawns are entirely coated with masala. Then add coconut milk and water to make the gravy.
• Add salt and sugar according to the demand of your taste-buds or your special someone's.
• And believe me it is done.

That is how my chingri malaikari looked. In Bengal it is usually done with shelled prawns but that variety was not available in my neighborhood the day I wanted to make the dish...:(

All in Alibaug....

3rd December, 2011.... I am on my way to discovering the outskirts of Maharashtra with Kulasekaran, the official photographer and dear friend and 'chuddy buddy' Sandeep ..... we start at about 5.30am.... take our first halt at Birla mandir where photography is prohibited..... and drive all the way to ford Zanzeer at murud..... on our way we are forced to stop at the breathtaking view of the fort from the top.... and the mud red mountains surrounding it......

Myself in the car on the way to Zanzeer

The view of the fort from a distance

A different perspective

The hills at the back drop

And after reaching the destination we leave our car behind and set on our way to the Zanzeer fort on a sailing boat powered by wind...... We were accompanied by a bunch of unruly school kids and hell...I felt like the teenage days were back....

While on the shore the camera could not stop clicking

The overview of the fort from the sailing boat

The sail captured up close

A monochrome shot of a sailing boat

On reaching we  get access to the age old history of the Moguls through the entrance of the fort and what awaits us is the 'meetha pani ka talab'..(the lake of sweet water).... We chuck the idea of taking a guide and set off to create our own history....:)

The historic rubble....

The meetha talab

A different perspective

No not love birds but love flowers yeah....

The overlooking hills

Lost in nature

 As we discover the 22 acres spread ford we fall in love with the architecture...... the cannons, the parabola shaped windows, the broad doorways.... each and every  minute details fascinate us...... We get in sync with the archival atmosphere... but completely loathe the weekend crowd......

And Mumbai never fails to cast the Bollywood spell...:)

Parabola window

From our way to Alibaug from Zanzeer fort the 'kalakaar' in Kulasekaran spotted the hoards of birds in the shores which looked like speckles of white dots.....'Akshi' beach was our next halt..... the water was sparkling blue.... and the birds were a starling white...and a brown horse made my day......

 And finally we reach Alibaug..... before hitting the beach we take a full packed Chinese lunch...... and then for proper digestion we do all kinda exercises..:D.... row row row your boat.....

That's Sandeep trying out some thing innovative....

And the jet skiing..... loved it..... thanks to Kulasekaran and Sandeep to pursue me on.... it was an experience altogether....

Kulasekaran in excited state...

And Kulasekaran in ground state.....

And the final destination of the trip.....Kashid beach....the sea here took away the witness of my ups and downs for the past ten years....ven the stigmas of your mind is gone you feel light, u feel free... and so they state it correctly.....the sea takes away but gives away something in return.....the sea here took away the lie I have been believing all these years..... but gave me freedom... gave me the strength to fight away shackled thoughts.... we had great time in the water..... 

And then all drenched we get into our car and start back to IIT... on our way we stop at a road side hotel and have tea.... and by 10.30 pm we are back to our so-called-home... the exotica of 3.12.2011 is over literally but will be afresh in mah mind forever....