Hogenakkal Waterfall

The majestic waterfalls on the river Kaveri at Hogenakkal is a must visit place in South India.

The word Hogenakkal means smoking rocks. The word Hogenakkal is formed of two words hoge (smoke)  and kal (rock). When the water falls on the rocks it appears as if smoke is emanating from the top of the rock because of the force of the water, hence Hogenakkal (smoking rocks).

Kaveri descends to plains at Hogenakkal and its water cuts through the rocky terrain creating numerous waterfalls. The best season to visit this place is immediately after monsoons when river is flowing in its full force.

However, the title of this blog is inspired by two more attractions for which Hogenakkal is famous for in addition to the majestic falls.

The waterfalls sooth one’s eyes and ears and then it is time to relax one’s body.

The Masseurs of Hogenakkal

Hogenakkal is famous for its skillful masseurs. They are called malishkarans or mystic masseurs. They are professionals armed with oils, powder and the right knowledge of the 14 massage points in the human body. The massage time is typically half an hour.

The Natural Therapy

Getting full body massage by the masseurs is only the first step towards body relaxation. The next step is enjoying nature’s massage by placing oneself right under one of the waterfalls. And there is no time limit for this natural therapy.

Towards the bliss

How can mind stay far behind in demanding its own share of relaxation once the body gets treated with such pleasures.  It is then natural for one to move upstream, find a smooth rock and blissfully fall asleep under the gentle sun while listening to the sound of flowing water. The only one thing that is capable of bringing one back to this world from that bliss is the roar of one’s empty stomach.

Fried and fresh

Hogenakkal is also famous for its tasty river water fish. The locals at Hogenakkal take care of keeping the hungry stomachs at peace by serving fresh and fried fish caught from the river. These fish are supposedly very tasty. Being a vegetarian myself I cannot personally vouch for this claim though it appears very authentic to the eyes.

For the Veggies - fresh rice, rassam and dosa

The vegetarian stomachs are not so lucky though they also do not go hungry. They get freshly steamed rice and ever-available ‘dosa’ along with ‘rassam’ made with plenty of garlic.

Hogenakkal does offer that ever elusive bliss, albeit only for a few hours, to the tired minds and bodies of us metro dwellers. Experience it yourself once.

Nathmalji ki Haveli, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Nathmalji-ki-Haveli is one of the notable Jaisalmer attractions. It was the residence of Diwan Mohata Nathmal who was the Prime Minister of the place during that period.

I have heard two different stories about Nathmalji ki Haveli.

The first one comes from a TV documentary. It says that two architects approached Nathmalji to allow them to build his haveli (Mansion). There was healthy competition between two of them. To satisfy both of them, Nathmalji allotted construction of left side of his Haveli to one and the right side to the other with the caveat that the entire haveli should have a uniform look as if constructed by a single architect. The architects were so skillful that for a casual observer both the sides look very similar yet they maintained subtle differences between the two sides.

The internet story is somewhat different and goes as follows. Two brothers named Hathi and Lulu were sanctioned with the responsibility of the construction of this magnificent haveli. They started building the haveli simultaneously with each brother concentrating on one side of the haveli. The result of building it simultaneously showed up with different left and right sides when work was completed. However, it didn’t look too obvious and one notices it only when one observes it a bit closely.

Well, see it for yourself. Try to spot the differences!!

Let’s start from the gallery over the main entrance. Observe very closely.

Have you already spotted some differences?

No?

Then here are some clues for you. Lets start with two sides of the main window……

Left side

Right side

Notice the difference in the pattern of grill, the pillars, and the design and shape of the tiny windows.

Now the next clue, subtle differences in design and pattern of smaller windows on the two sides……

Left side window

Right side window

Now the last clue, notice the beam pattern below the gallery on both sides….

Left side

Right side

Now let’s enter the haveli……and no clues here.

Inner court of Nathmalji ki Haveli

Inner court of Nathmalji ki Haveli

Lost?

Then it’s time you visit the haveli and see it for yourself !!

Start planning your trip right away……

Hawa Mahal is right on one of the busiest streets of Jaipur downtown. This road is always crowded with tourists. Hawa Mahal is viewed best from the opposite side of the road.  It was glowing golden in the morning sun. We three, me and my two daughters (who are better photographers than myself), immediately got busy clicking the marvelous structure.  Sound of a snake charmer’s been playing in the background was adding to the joy of our first shooting session of the trip. We felt like we were part of some Nat Geo documentary film. Soon we realized that been music was for the real and not just background score of a documentary film. Two real snake charmers were very close-by playing their been and snakes were dancing to the tune of their been.

It was an excellent scene to be photographed and we rushed towards them. We took our positions and started our shoot. Click, click, and click. After a few clicks one of the snake charmers started giving us a dirty look. Soon the other joined him and they started making gestures towards us. They were asking us to pay them some money. Though paying was not mandatory, they had given a fantastic start to our tour. So my daughters pleaded and we gave  them some money. That would give us some more shots and, at the minimum, they would stop making faces at us. After receiving money they promptly turned their attention towards other folks.

The interesting part came only later. They did not bother us for about 10 minutes after we paid them. But then they turned towards us and gestured us to stop photographing and to go away.  Seems like validity of the fee we paid to them 10 minutes ago had exceeded its time limit!!

All photographers like to capture a spiral staircase when they see one. I am not an exception. I captured this frame in Mehrangad fort of Jodhpur. This staircase takes visitors to various period rooms in the fort that display an amazing splendour of the Rathore rulers of Jodhpur. I found the shape of this staircase very interesting which looks like a big question mark in this photo.

It seems to be posing the question to the visitors, have you seen before a fort which is mighty, magnificent and a work of art like Mehrangad.

We had this royal chance of enjoying a cup of hot tea with ginger, served in a silver kettle with cookies, while we were basking in the sun in the winter cold weather of Rajasthan in the open air cafeteria located next to the lake and Gajner palace. The cost of this royal experience – Rs. 150 (only) per head.

Rajasthan is replete with many palaces and havelis (mansions/fortresses) which are still owned by families of erstwhile rulers, merchants and rich people. The colourful and intricately carved havelis are beautiful architectural marvels and excellent heritage. Of late, many of the haveli owners have converted their properties into five-star hotels and they charge tourists a hefty sum for experiencing the stay in the palace with courteous services of the palace staff. We were enjoying our royal tea in one such property – Gajner Palace near Bikaner.

Since many web-sites describe this as a must visit place, we stopped at it on our way from Bikaner to Jaisalmer. Having been converted into a hotel, we were not sure if we will be allowed an entry just to see the place. Most of the Palace Hotels do not allow such visits. We felt elated when the staff at reception confirmed that entry can be obtained for a ticket. Having paid a maximum of Rs 50/- for an entry ticket so far at any place in Rajasthan, I pulled out Rs.200 notes for entry for four of us. The staff politely informed that the ticket is Rs 150/- per head and total cost would be Rs. 600/-. I must have probably spent same or lesser amount than that to see all the places in Jaipur!

Four of us looked at each other. We were almost ready to walk out without visiting the palace. I was about to keep my money back in my wallet, and the receptionist said, “Sir, the ticket also includes tea/coffee with cookies at our lakeside cafeteria.” The weather was cold and we were in need of tea for quite some time. The idea of drinking warm tea sitting near a palace lake under the bright sun was very tempting.  In that moment of weakness, I decided to bite the bait.

Below are the photos of the palace. Beware, what you can see inside the palace is pretty limited.

Gajner Palace is built on the embankment of a lake in the Thar Desert by Maharaja Ganga Singhji of Bikaner. This Grand Heritage property is spread over 6000 acres.

Gajner Palace was used as a hunting resort by the former Maharajas and visiting British dignitaries during the days of the Raj. The hall above is the place where they used to rest and chat after returning from their hunt.

After showing the hall, we were shown a hotel room and then taken to a temple inside the hotel complex. Our palace tour ended at the temple. We were then escorted to the cafeteria for our tea.

As mentioned at the beginning, we thoroughly enjoyed our royal tea. Was the experience worth the price we paid for the entry ticket? Who knows?  Now that the pleasant memories have become more prominent over the pinch to the pocket, it probably does not matter anymore.

Recently, I had an opportunity to photo shoot a concert. This is one of the many photos I shot during the event.

This photo is an interesting one. I wanted to capture the guitarist playing on the stage, which I thought I did well. However, when I opened this image on my computer screen, I first noticed the shiny electric guitar. Then I noticed the huge electronic musical instruments in the background with shiny metal plates on them. And then the various brand names on the instruments and clothes attracted my attention. And then my eyes wandered to the colorful stage walls in the back. The guitarist was noticed the last.

The soul of this photo, the human being that I was trying to capture, was hidden and almost lost in gigantic creations of human being itself. Just like his Creator, the Creator of this Universe.

O Creator, Where art thou?

Did Chandravarman, the first king of Chandela dynasty and  the creator of the first of Khajuraho temples, visualize his creation something like this? A grand tribute to his celestial father – none other than the moon god himself.

The legend of Khajuraho is based on the account of the medieval court poet, Chandbardai, in the Mahoba-khand of his Prithviraj Raso. It goes like this:

Hemavati was the beautiful daughter of Hemraj, the royal priest of Kashi (Varanasi). Hemavati was, unfortunately, a child widow.

One summer night she was bathing naked in the sparkling waters of Rati-Talab, a lotus-filled pond. The Moon god was so awestruck by her beauty that he descended to earth in human form and ravished her.

The distressed Hemavati threatened to curse the god for ruining her life and reputation. To make amends for his folly, the Moon god promised that she would become the mother of a valiant son. He is believed to have told her, ‘Take him to Khajjurpura. He will be a great king and build numerous temples surrounded by lakes and gardens. He will also perform a yagya (religious ceremony) through which your sin will be washed away.”

Following his instructions, Hemavati left her home to give birth to her son in a tiny village. The child, Chandravarman, was as lustrous as his father, brave and strong. By the time he was 16 years old he could kill tigers or lions with his bare hands. Delighted by his feats, Hemavati invoked the Moon god, who presented their son with a touchstone which could turn iron into gold, and installed him as king at Khajuraho.

Chandravarman achieved a series of brilliant victories and built a mighty fortress at Kalinjar. At his mother’s request he began the building of 85 glorious temples with lakes and gardens at Khajuraho and performed the bhandya-yagya which expunged her of her guilt.

Thus began 200 year long dream-project of Chandela dynasty that resulted in 85 temples, of which only 22 survive now.

It was around 3:30 pm and we were on the roads of Madhya Pradesh for almost 5 hours now. We were desperate for a cup of tea but had not been able to locate any tea stall for almost an hour. We stopped at first place that looked like a roadside tea stall, albeit meant for truckers. Tea was not ready. The preparations began from putting fire to the wood. The tea was not going to be ready for another 15 minutes at least.

The kids of the stall owner were roaming around, and they were perfect for some candid shots. More kids from around started gathering around me as soon as they saw my camera. This chap was herding his cattle at some distance. He came running towards me and said, “uncle…uncle….will you take my photograph?” As soon as I nodded affirmatively, he pulled out a small comb from the back-pocket of his torn half pant, combed his well oiled hair, and posed for this shot looking straight into my lens with a charming smile on his face.

I could see a lot of dreams in his eyes. Can you?

Were they the dreams of owning a bigger herd of cattle? Or, owning a tea stall? Or becoming a film star? Whatever they may be, but surely those dreams were taking away the drudgery of his daily chores and making his life merrier.

Place: Observation point of Kundalika valley, 80 km away from Pune.

Time: 11:30 am.

This is one of the picturesque locations around Pune. A “must visit” place for photographers. 11:30 am was bit late for morning shoot and too early for evening shoot. Yet I was here because it was my first visit. We had been to Tamhini for waterfall shoot. My friends obliged me by taking a detour and driving me to this place on our way back.

The day was sunny. Yet there were good number of white clouds in the blue sky. The valley was lush green after recently concluded rains. Moss had gathered even on the straight rock-faces of the valley. I could hear the sound of white water rapids of Kundalika River from down below the valley. Chirping birds and butterflies were abundant around the observation point. And no  human being other than three of us was there to disturb this divine harmony of the nature.

So we thought! We started silently capturing this divine beauty in our cameras, and the nature’s harmony in our minds. But soon we heard a hoarse male human voice from down below the cliff, puncturing the harmony of nature.  The voice was too loud to be ignored. We moved closer to valley to find whose voice it was and saw this guy standing on the tip of the cliff below, singing loudly a song from Hindi film, “Shining in the setting sun, like a pearl upon the ocean, come on heal me…..Girl heal me…..la la la…ha ha…ho”.

He was standing there facing the valley, hands stretched, both ears plugged by earphones attached to his mobile device in the shirt pocket and…. his eyes were closed.  I am sure, he was day-dreaming himself as the hero of the song, and singing along loudly the song being played on his mobile device. He “thought” he was singing, we thought he was bellowing.

Soon he received a call on his mobile phone. He started talking in same loud voice with caller. “Thank you for calling me. I am sorry I cannot talk business now”. Obviously it was a business call. The call continued, “Your work is important but I cannot take it now sir. …. I am out on vacation for 3-4 days. Last few days were very hectic and I am tired of routine. ….. So I am taking a break sir…… Thank you for understanding sir….. Please call me 4 days later.” The call was over.

Again, he closed his eyes, started playing the digital music on his mobile, singing along loudly with his eyes closed and ears plugged by the earphones, impervious to anything else around.

The gentleman, looking for a break from routine, was not able to break himself free from his digital accompaniments that were keeping him connected to his daily routine! Even the divine beauty around was incapable of separating him from his digital buddies.

Gimme a break, man!

Last weekend was a long weekend. I wanted a break from work and therefore I had booked myself into this hotel far away from home over the long weekend. All the rooms of this hotel were pool facing. Each room had a small sit out overlooking the large swimming pool in the midst of nicely maintained garden. This hotel is particularly well-known for the hospitality of its staff. It was truly world-class. They made every guest feel like he/she belongs to the royalty.

One evening I was enjoying my tea watching the garden and pool from the sit out of  my room. I noticed a fully dressed-up hotel executive strolling around the pool. I thought he must have gone there to fetch something from the garden. But he kept marching around the pool. Then I noticed a lone swimmer inside the pool. And I realized that this executive was providing company to that lone swimmer. Soon the swimmer came out of the pool, covered himself in the towel and rested in the poolside chair with a cigarette for himself. The hotel executive provided company to this guest throughout his stay in and around the pool.

I said to myself  “wow, that’s called the hospitality”.

In the meanwhile my teenager kid, who had quietly entered the sit out and was standing next to me, said “Dad, isn’t this hotel staff funny? Shouldn’t that executive wear ‘Baywatch like’ uniform when at poolside? Isn’t it a torture for the swimmer to chat with a fully dressed-up person at poolside? And isn’t it a bigger torture for the executive to give company to the swimmers while wearing a formal dress?”.

Hmmmm !!!