Dated: May 7th 2003
Dear Friends,
It feels great to be back in town after a short (but very sweet) vacation from my native town of Mangalore, Karnataka.
It was nearly after a span of 10 years that I could finally set feet again on my native soil. I call this process "Going Back to Nature" !! a process (I suggest) each individual should undergo at least once in a year...........
Let me explain why:
1. The Journey begins......
For those weak in Geography, Mangalore is a small city (approx. 1000kms from Mumbai & 350kms from Panaji, Goa) on the Western Coast of India in the state of Karnataka. My house is situated in a village approx. 35kms from the two main twin cities of Mangalore and Udipi (famous for it's Shri Krishna Temple & the originator of all Udipi Restaurants) !!
The drive from Mumbai to Mangalore leads U thru the picturesque locations of Pune, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur (inside Maharashtra) and Belgaum, Hubli, Dharwad, Honnavar in Karnataka, part of the famous Konkan Railway route.
Specially worth recommending is a drive on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (an Engineering marvel), the new Satara-Kolhapur Expressway (under construction - WIP), the National Highways NH-4 & NH-17 and last but not the least the bridges across the various rivers en-route Bhadrakali, Netravati, Honnavar......... !!
2. The Village Scene
The lifestyle of the people can simply be called AMAZING !! The village is self-sustaining for most of it's basic needs.........
a. Water available in the wells & lakes......all U need is to draw it out of the well (the Old Pulley Trick serves as a great exercise for Ur Biceps & Shoulders - should try it out !! U will never feel the need of going to a Gym again)
b. Food (Rice) and other cereals are grown in the fields
c. Same for the huge variety of Vegetables readily grown in Ur own fields
d. Add on some luxury items like Coconut Plantations, Cashew-nut trees, Jack fruits, Sandal wood trees (a very rare & precious item I saw) ............. the list is simply endless !!
e. Fuel (for cooking) is available from the dry leaves shredded by the trees and the latest innovation is the Solar Cooker and Gobar Gas plants !!
f. U also have domestic pets like watch-Dogs, Cows (for Ur milk supply) and Buffalo's (for Ur work in the fields....ploughing etc)
I actually realized now why the "Coconut trees" were termed as "Kalpavruksh - a tree which gives U Ur desired wish". There is no part of the tree which is not utilized starting from:
(i). the Cocunut water & it's derivative (Tadi): nourishing thirst quenchers
(ii). The Leaves : are used for weaving Mats, making broomsticks and last but not the least as Fuel for the household fire !!
(iii). Cocunut Oil: from dry crushed coconuts is also used
All in all, a self-sustaining Eco-system where anything and everything is re-cycled and re-used. Even Ur garbage (segregated as Dry & Wet) is recycled !! No doubt it's got a very clean environment, a rare feature in Ur Mumbai City Life !!
3. The City
Unlike the village, the City has it's own attractions.........a beautiful clean Beach, great temples to visit (each with their own legends) and the City Bus drivers (Pvt. operators unlike BEST) driving at Break-neck speed between towns.
4. Moral of the Story
I mean we all live hectic lives in this City .......... all the time planning what is to be done tomorrow without actually realizing if we would actually survive to see the Sun the next morning.
Nature in this Mumbai city (and all other cities for instance) has been badly tampered with and the results are obvious.............Extremes of temperatures, Pollution, Uncertainties in the Monsoon, Famines, Diseases, High Stress Levels resulting in Heart Attacks at Low Ages.......... and the falling Health Levels and standards, Low Blood pressure, Diabetes.............. these words are rarely heard in the Villages
We say the standard of living has improved a lot........ but has it really ??!!
Just to conclude, it's been a great experience for me going back to my roots.......... and re-living Life the Old, Clean Style. The lifestyle teaches U to live in close co-ordination with Nature and respect it ............ unlike here when U always try and tamper with it. I am actually contemplating the fact of going back......... could be possible in the next few years..............
High Time to Answer the Call of Nature !!
Looking forward for suggestion and comments from U............
Regards,
Sandeep Narayan
Life is not a "Tempest",
Nor "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream",
It's a "Comedy of Errors",
To Live "As U Like It" !!
Dear Friends,
It feels great to be back in town after a short (but very sweet) vacation from my native town of Mangalore, Karnataka.
It was nearly after a span of 10 years that I could finally set feet again on my native soil. I call this process "Going Back to Nature" !! a process (I suggest) each individual should undergo at least once in a year...........
Let me explain why:
1. The Journey begins......
For those weak in Geography, Mangalore is a small city (approx. 1000kms from Mumbai & 350kms from Panaji, Goa) on the Western Coast of India in the state of Karnataka. My house is situated in a village approx. 35kms from the two main twin cities of Mangalore and Udipi (famous for it's Shri Krishna Temple & the originator of all Udipi Restaurants) !!
The drive from Mumbai to Mangalore leads U thru the picturesque locations of Pune, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur (inside Maharashtra) and Belgaum, Hubli, Dharwad, Honnavar in Karnataka, part of the famous Konkan Railway route.
Specially worth recommending is a drive on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (an Engineering marvel), the new Satara-Kolhapur Expressway (under construction - WIP), the National Highways NH-4 & NH-17 and last but not the least the bridges across the various rivers en-route Bhadrakali, Netravati, Honnavar......... !!
2. The Village Scene
The lifestyle of the people can simply be called AMAZING !! The village is self-sustaining for most of it's basic needs.........
a. Water available in the wells & lakes......all U need is to draw it out of the well (the Old Pulley Trick serves as a great exercise for Ur Biceps & Shoulders - should try it out !! U will never feel the need of going to a Gym again)
b. Food (Rice) and other cereals are grown in the fields
c. Same for the huge variety of Vegetables readily grown in Ur own fields
d. Add on some luxury items like Coconut Plantations, Cashew-nut trees, Jack fruits, Sandal wood trees (a very rare & precious item I saw) ............. the list is simply endless !!
e. Fuel (for cooking) is available from the dry leaves shredded by the trees and the latest innovation is the Solar Cooker and Gobar Gas plants !!
f. U also have domestic pets like watch-Dogs, Cows (for Ur milk supply) and Buffalo's (for Ur work in the fields....ploughing etc)
I actually realized now why the "Coconut trees" were termed as "Kalpavruksh - a tree which gives U Ur desired wish". There is no part of the tree which is not utilized starting from:
(i). the Cocunut water & it's derivative (Tadi): nourishing thirst quenchers
(ii). The Leaves : are used for weaving Mats, making broomsticks and last but not the least as Fuel for the household fire !!
(iii). Cocunut Oil: from dry crushed coconuts is also used
All in all, a self-sustaining Eco-system where anything and everything is re-cycled and re-used. Even Ur garbage (segregated as Dry & Wet) is recycled !! No doubt it's got a very clean environment, a rare feature in Ur Mumbai City Life !!
3. The City
Unlike the village, the City has it's own attractions.........a beautiful clean Beach, great temples to visit (each with their own legends) and the City Bus drivers (Pvt. operators unlike BEST) driving at Break-neck speed between towns.
4. Moral of the Story
I mean we all live hectic lives in this City .......... all the time planning what is to be done tomorrow without actually realizing if we would actually survive to see the Sun the next morning.
Nature in this Mumbai city (and all other cities for instance) has been badly tampered with and the results are obvious.............Extremes of temperatures, Pollution, Uncertainties in the Monsoon, Famines, Diseases, High Stress Levels resulting in Heart Attacks at Low Ages.......... and the falling Health Levels and standards, Low Blood pressure, Diabetes.............. these words are rarely heard in the Villages
We say the standard of living has improved a lot........ but has it really ??!!
Just to conclude, it's been a great experience for me going back to my roots.......... and re-living Life the Old, Clean Style. The lifestyle teaches U to live in close co-ordination with Nature and respect it ............ unlike here when U always try and tamper with it. I am actually contemplating the fact of going back......... could be possible in the next few years..............
High Time to Answer the Call of Nature !!
Looking forward for suggestion and comments from U............
Regards,
Sandeep Narayan
Life is not a "Tempest",
Nor "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream",
It's a "Comedy of Errors",
To Live "As U Like It" !!
No comments:
Post a Comment