Indholdsfortegnelse for August - September 2023 i Outlook Traveller

CARL SAGAN ONCE SAID HUMANS are like butterflies; they flutter for a day and think it's a lifetime. The space-time continuum collapsed in the two days I spent at the Benital AstroCamp—my Miller's planet from "Interstellar"—where my wristwatch and the clock at home no longer synchronised. Time doesn't feel quite the same once you've attended the mourning of a Nebula under the sky, laid prostrate under an ocean of stars in a valley flanked by the Himalayas, contemplating the finitude of our existence. Inclement weather threatened to disrupt expectations from the trip, and yet, through difficulties, I was the man who reached the stars. My trip to Benital in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district was organised by Starscapes Experiences, an astrotourism company founded by amateur astronomers Ramashish Ray and Paul Savio. "Some…

THE LIST → EXPLORE Grass pushes through from cracks in the tarmac, dust and debris accumulated over months gets washed away from sculptures carved by ancient artists many millennia ago, waterfalls turn from tired trickles to tempestuous torrents and the countryside, drab and dreary, turns verdant and vibrant. When the monsoons arrive in this exquisite land called India, the entire country celebrates because the rains bring hope and joy and the promise of bloom and bounty. Then there is that fragrance of wet earth that wafts through the air—the distinct scent of this sublime season complemented by the refreshing taste of hot masala tea and fritters at roadside dhabas. Monsoon road trips stand apart as exciting adventures that enthral drivers and passengers alike with the views coming in through the…

THE LIST → EXPLORE On NH 48, the Bombay-Bengaluru road, about 45 km south of Kolhapur and 10 km past Nipani, there is a right turn towards Amboli via Shippur and Uttur; and this is the road that you should take to Goa during the monsoons. Get to Amboli before 11 am because the place is so popular—thanks to the scenic hill roads with their impromptu waterfalls—that tourists are attracted to this place like bees to honey. The waterfalls and the translucent mist that drifts in and out over the ghats give the whole place an otherworldly feel. Sometimes the clouds are lower than the hills and it seems as if the waterfall is sourced from the heavens above. There is a clutch of dhabas and tea stalls in front…

THE LIST → EXPLORE Imagine a sci-fi movie with a kid whose hormones have gone haywire and have caused him to evolve into a giant. Next, take it for granted that he has access to spraypaint cans of fluorescent green and that he’s gone on a rampage painting everything green. What you get is the verdant Maharashtra countryside during the monsoons. The road from Pune to the Malshej Ghat is an explosion of green in all its hues and shades. Waterfalls are common, clouds make the sky dramatic, and there is a surreal touch to the land that is soothing and beautiful. The monsoons give Maharashtra a stunning makeover. Added to this fantastic package are superb tarmac roads, well-behaved traffic and almost no slow-moving three-wheelers or cattle carts. A hundred…

IN THE “ABODE OF THE CLOUDS,” Meghalaya, the season of sowing and planting is over, and so are the festivals, rituals, songs, and dances associated with this time of the year. The monsoon is here. The rains come to these hills in May. It commences with scattered showers that turn into a downpour without notice in the middle of the day. As it clears, the lingering petrichor fills the air; the trees, all dust-free and sparkling clean, come alive in a vibrant jade. This is when the post-sowing thanksgiving festivals are celebrated—Megong in the Garo Hills, Behdeiñkhlam in the Jaintia Hills, and the Shad Suk Myndiem festival in the Khasi Hills. As the weeks progress into the months of June and July, endless downpours begin. With the change in season,…

SPAIN → LIVING TEIDE LOOKS LIKE MARS BUT SMELLS much better,” says my Spanish friend Rocio as I mention my upcoming trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site, a sprawling national park in Tenerife, Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa. Rocio waits for the confused look to cross my face, then explains with a grin: The atmosphere on Mars contains stinky sulphur. So if humans could breathe on Mars (which we can’t since there is barely any oxygen in the atmosphere), it would reek of rotten eggs or a sewer that’s been backed up for days. The vague olfactory description doesn’t prepare me for the sight that awaits. I’m driven from Tenerife (the most populous of the Canary Islands) to Teide National Park by my local…

READ → LIVING ONCE, DURING A VISIT TO CALCUTTA, I was invited to lunch by a woman whose reputation as a Bengali cook made me accept with delighted anticipation. The meal she served surpassed my expectations. What stood out above all the expensive fish and meat was her mochar ghanto, a fragrant dish consisting of banana blossom, or mocha, combined with tiny cubed potatoes, tinier coconut chips, chickpeas and spices. It’s a classic of Bengali cuisine, which is known for its flavourful yet delicate use of spices and a wide range of ingredients. My fellow guests avidly consumed every item on the table, but I noticed a teenage girl, who screwed up her face with acute dislike when she tasted the banana blossom. After lunch, the girl told me she’d never…

HERE, THERE,NOW & SOON COMPASS THE VJOSA RIVER, WHICH FLOWS from the Greek Pindus mountains via tapering canyons through forests and plains in Albania, has been declared a wild river national park—the first of its kind in Europe. One of the last remaining wild rivers in the region, the national park is thriving with more than 1,000 animal and plant species. From the critically endangered Balkan lynx to the Egyptian vulture and otters, it presents a diverse ecosystem. The wild river’s fragile environment has been under near-constant threat, but now, after a decade-long campaign by environmentalists and NGOs, the river has been awarded the status of a national park. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2019 Instagram post about the river gave the campaign a good boost. Although organisations are still working to safeguard…

KNOWN AS THE FRENCH RIVIERA OF THE EAST, Puducherry is a walkable archive of its past. Once you make your way through the packed main roads, inching closer to the buzzing Promenade and into the French Quarter, a sudden silence takes over. This silence is of a good kind–one that whispers the secrets of a slow life—of days marked by leisurely strolls, mornings welcomed by the perfectly flaky and buttery croissants, evenings ushered in by the waves of the Bay of Bengal, and nights made bright by candle-light dinners in courtyards of centuries-old French villas. Two-hundred years of French colonisation have imbued the once humble fishing town and an erstwhile port town the charm and romance the country has been envied for. And while most part of the union territory…

In a state where the hordes rush to Ooty and Kodaikanal at every opportunity, Yercaud is a hidden hill station and quite unique during the monsoons. It is quiet, peaceful and perfect for nature trails. It also has bison and colourful spiders, the size of quarter plates. Best of all, it is just a 230 km drive from Bengaluru and the last 30 km are twisty hill roads that are resplendent in green during the monsoons. The route goes along NH 44 from Bengaluru to Salem. Then it turns east for about 3 km on SH 188 and then heads north towards Yercaud, 30 km away. SH 188 is single-laned, so the going is slower, especially once you hit the Yercaud hills. David Cockburn was the collector of Salem from…

Meghalaya is often touted as the Scotland of the East and it is probably the rolling green moors bordered by gentle hills outside Cherrapunjee that have earned it this sobriquet. The road from Shillong to Cherrapunjee is SH 5, which is also called the Sohra-Shella road. About 20 km short of Cherrapunjee, there is a right turn onto a country road that is a sort of scenic route to Cherrapunjee. The route is dotted with waterfalls— Mawsawdong, Lyngksiar, Wei Sawdong, Sohpung and Lyngngai, to name a few. You can base yourself in Cherrapunjee for treks around the region. This is also the land of the living root bridges—roots of the ficus elastica—that villagers have trained to grow across streams. Live tree root bridge walking is an activity unique to Meghalaya…

FRAGRANCES HAVE MEMORIES. Every scent you are ever hit with brings to the surface some of the most potent scenes from your life. We associate fragrances with people, places, and even specific objects. And how do we forget the scent of changing seasons? Each season comes with its own scent. In springtime, the blossoms of blooming flowers spread their sweet bouquet. Come summer, the fresh grass and the heated earth give off a heady musk. Petrichor is the quintessential fragrance of the monsoon. When the heat reaches its peak, most of us long for the rain, and the instant hit of wet earth to our noses lets us escape into our happy memories. BOTTLING RAIN When the first drops of rain hit the earth, petrichor rises and brings memories bubbling…

KERALA → EXPLORE THE FLIGHT NOSED INTO A CLOUD, and we rocked with the turbulence outside. A peculiar silence crept among the passengers, most of whom were young Bengali men seeking the green, the myriad hues of green pastures of Kerala where it seems everything was in abundance but a labour force and rain. The plane rocked some more, and somewhere behind me, a child wailed in fright. An elderly couple alongside, who had been chatting incessantly, was finally quiet. I noticed the lady who had been woman-splaining family politics to the man with much authority now held his hand tight. I wondered what the young Bengali men, almost all of them in the uniform of the guest worker (we don't say migrant workers. This is Kerala, please)—jeans, t-shirt, windcheater and…

AS DARK NIMBUS CLOUDS SWIVEL ACROSS the sky, one longs for a monsoon escape to a picturesque locale where raindrops upon fern fronds, and the chorus of cicadas by the waterfalls, are punctuated by a myriad of earthy smells and shocks of greens. Luckily, there are a few charming resorts in India where you can fully enjoy these sensory experiences of the rainy season. From the lake views of Meghalaya to the tea plantations of Coorg, here are some of our recommendations. RI KYNJAI (SERENITY BY THE LAKE), SHILLONG In the Khasi hills, the thatched roofs of the Khasi tribe, shaped like an upturned boat, are known for their ability to withstand the heavy rains of the region. The lead architect for Ri Kynjai, Prabhat Dey Sawyan, drew inspiration from…

HERE, THERE,NOW & SOON EXPLORE MEGH MALHAR IS A HINDUSTANI classical melody created in the 16th century by the legendary musician Tansen. The rousing raga was said to have the power to summon the rains after a dry spell. Whether myth or reality, Megh Malhar is sung even today to celebrate the first rains after summer. According to legend, when Tansen’s melodies resounded through Akbar’s court, he caught the eye of many jealous contenders. On one occasion, they challenged him to perform his famous Deepak Raga, which was said to ignite a fire. To rescue himself from the trap set by the conspirators, Tansen taught his daughter the Megh Malhar that had the power to summon the dark clouds and bring forth torrential rain. So, while he sang the Deepak Raga,…

NH43 is the main highway running all along the route from Raipur to Jagdalpur—a distance of 300 km—and it is an adventurous track passing through forests as well as curving across hills. During the monsoons, the route is almost unbearably verdant. The last 75 km from Kondagoan onwards marks the beginning of the tribal areas. All along your way, you will see plenty of commemorative edifices that the tribal community puts up in memory of those who have passed on and these are quite a work of art. Jagdalpur is the headquarters of the Bastar District and this sparsely populated region is replete with forests and a natural beauty that is unsurpassed. Make Jagdalpur your base for a few days to explore the Bastar district. The highlight of this region…

THE LIST→ EXPLORE In Goa, when it rains, it really pours, and the sea is strictly out of bounds. But if it’s monsoon drives, lush forests and waterfalls that you’re after, then Goa’s certainly your scene. On the drive from Amboli Ghat to Goa, backtrack a bit from Amboli and take Maharashtra SH 180 and 130. This road will take you past many waterfalls as it crosses the Tilari Ghat section and then—just as you cross into Goa—the Chorla Ghat section. This route is 160 km from Amboli Ghat to Panaji. To foray further from Panaji, drive south to Margao on NH 66 and then head southeast to Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary, named after a tributary of the Zuari River, comprises moist-deciduous forests interspersed with semi-evergreen and evergreen forests,…

HERE, THERE,NOW & SOON LIVING IN SOUTHERN ITALY’S SCALEA region, a fleshy yellow pumpkin-like fruit grew in abundance about five decades ago due to the region’s pleasant climate. But the fruit of the citron tree–Liscia Diamante, which translates to “smooth diamond,” dwindled to near extinction over the last 50 years when locals specialised in growing them migrated to other areas. Every family had a citron tree, lending the area its name Riviera dei Cedri. Now, the Lancellotta family is one of the few who grow the fruit with “agrivoltaics,” a method of growing crops beneath solar panels. The Lancellotta family says that the cover provided by the solar panels reduces the citron’s water needs by 70 per cent, protecting the fruit against overexposure to the elements and ensuring better harvests. The…

INGREDIENTS ● 500 grams freshly chopped mocha (banana blossom), cooked and drained ● 60 grams chhola (Bengal gram), soaked overnight ● 170 grams ground coconut ● 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed ● 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds ● 2 bay leaves ● 1 teaspoon each of turmeric and red chilli powder ● 1 teaspoon ground garom mashla (cinnamon, cardamom and clove) ● 3-4 green chillies, slit down the middle ● 4 tablespoons mustard oil ● 1 teaspoon ghee ● Salt and sugar to taste PROCESS Mix the turmeric and chilli powder with the cooked mocha and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the potatoes until light brown and set aside. In the same oil, throw in the bay leaves and cumin seeds, fry for a…

KOLKATA, MONSOON: THE REFLECTED glint of sunlight on a puddle through a bicycle's wheel gives this picture a surreal, otherworldly feel. The flipped image juxtaposes the romance of the rains with the struggle of the working class. Regardless of the season, men and women step out on the dark, rain-sloshed streets, some on their cycles, some on foot. While schoolchildren rejoice with the descent of the first raindrops, their muddy splashes and unfettered laughter merging with the downpour, there are many for whom the season brings hardship and inconvenience. Out on the streets of the City of Joy, you will spot divergent scenes of sincere innocence and withered age through a play of circumstances reflected on the wet earth. In this symphony of rain and humanity, Kolkata's monsoon emerges as…