Walking to the station at a little after 4am wasn't as bad as I thought it’d be. Preparations for Janmashtami were in full swing and various volunteers and enthusiasts were scattered around getting work done. There's a sense of adventure and liberation when one sets out on a journey, and everything, even the most mundane of experiences, transforms into something special.
Rail journeys at odd hours are one such experience. The sight of Bandra station deserved a photograph before I headed to the sole ticket booth open at that hour. The station itself was largely deserted and the overhead lights and the indicators cast an eerie, yet glow all around, while a distant voice announced the imminent arrival of the next train on one of the many platforms. Travelled to Mumbai Central with just a policeman and a few, fat mosquitoes for company. The former was very welcome, the latter, not at all.
At
the station, I stood on the bridge and spotted my train waiting serenely on
platform 5. My eyes became buttons and my excitement levels went up a few
notches higher. The Vande Bharat is a smart, fancy looking train. With clean,
comfortable interiors and great service, it makes for a most enjoyable journey.
No sooner had the journey begun than we were served hot coffe and cookies. A
few moments later came the breakfast - omlette, bread, butter,
yogurt, juice and a choco pie. That done, I spent the rest of the journey
shuttling between reading the newspaper and grabbing a few winks. My first
experience of travelling by the VANDE BHARAT! I must admit, I am very impressed by the look
and the service aboard the train.
I
must admit that we felt quite let down after my visit as it was absolutely not
what I had pictured it to be. There was no Vaishnav
Jan To playing softly over speakers, no clear information and no sense of
history to the ashram. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it seemed like a
soulless, empty shell. Although spotlessly clean, it was crowded, loud and very
chaotic. Even the few employees scattered around seemed disinterested &
disconnected with the place & their purpose. I truly expected more. More
serenity, more history, more soul.
Hiring
Kalu Bhai as our auto-driver & guide, we set out to explore. The Janmashtami celebrations were in full
swing with an air of festivity all around. Krishna Janmashtami in Ahmedabad is
pleasantly subdued, a lovely blend of spirituality and celebration. The
temples, like the Swaminarayan Temple and shrines on street corners, are gaily
decorated with balloons and flowers. At various spots, there are stalls
offering cold water to anyone who needs it. Little, decorated shrines encourage
passers-by to swing the cradle in which is placed an image of the infant Lord
of Gokul. There's also a one-day mela (fair) in which, among other
things, beautiful statues of Lord Krishna are available for purchase.
Driving
through the fair, we headed to the Hutheesing
Jain Temple, a very beautiful example of the old Maru-Gurjara and the new
Haveli style of architecture. Constructed in 1848, this temple is a good place
to visit for anyone who loves beauty.
As
we neared our next destination, the Swaminarayan
Temple, it began to rain chubby, cold raindrops all around. Except for us,
everyone ran towards the nearest available shelter. We, coming from a Mumbai
monsoon, had carried umbrellas. Good for us!
Inaugurated
by Swaminarayan himself in 1822, the Swaminarayan Temple is a place of worship
that exudes a sense of serenity and peace. The main sanctum was adorned with
flowers and lots of balloons wishing Lord Krishna a happy birthday. Devotees of
all ages were seated on the cool floor, silently praying to their God.
By
the time we were done admiring the temple, the rain had lessened in intensity.
Driving back towards Kankariya Lake, we made a brief stop at the Bhadra Kaali
fort & temple. The street market around it was shut on account of the rain
and we noticed that many of the streets were flooded already.
Alighting
at Gate 3 of Kankaria Lake, we
decided to explore the lake front. Absolutely impressed by this lake park.
Entry fee is very nominal, paying which we walked towards what turned out to be
a super evening. There was the beautiful lake, of course, and there are
multiple play areas for kids, a variety of amusement parks, boating, a house of
horrors, fun rides, a toy train and even a zoo. In addition, there’s a 7D
theatre, a carousel, an open air theatre, a kiddie mall and many food zones
offering great eats and ample seating. Best of all, everything is so
clean! We took ourselves on a brief, yet enjoyable pontoon ride and
stopped for some chai & soda, watching the Atal Express go by, its
passengers, mostly families, all excited and having a jolly good time.
Day 2
The
next morning, waking up later than usual, we had our breakfast and began the
long, but pleasant ride towards the state capital, Gandhinagar. We were on our
way to visit the BAPS Akshardham Temple,
a traditionally-styled complex inaugurated in 1992. On reaching our destination
we had to deposit all mobile phones and smart watches at the security counter.
I was quite apprehensive of doing that, but felt a little better when, at the
time of depositing the devices, realised the many security measures in
place. Needless to say, photography is strictly prohibited inside the
temple complex.
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| Image from Google |
Built
entirely of sandstone, the Akshardham Temple is beautiful to look at. The well
laid out pathways, the green lawns and the temple itself are well maintained
and very clean (except for some visitors' young child who was relieving herself
behind the shrubs by the side of the main pathway, a visible fact ignored by
the temple officials passing by.)
After
taking off our shoes, we proceeded to enter the temple, admiring its
architectural beauty and the sense of serenity that was all around. What I
loved most were the many beautiful paintings on display in the upper gallery.
Painted by Vitthal Kamath, these luminous works of art celebrate Bhagwan
Swaminarayan's 49 years on earth.
There
is also a detailed explanation provided about the life and works of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan.
The
lower gallery, the Prasadi Mandapam, houses a huge variety of carefully
preserved articles, sanctified objects and holy relics. Many of these articles,
used to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and handed down from generation to generation,
are treated and displayed with utmost reverence. The Prasadi Mandapam is
divided according to various themes such as the Hall of Garments, the Hall of
Travels and the Hall of Festivals.
Stepping
out of the main temple, we purchased a few articles at the temple’s in-house
store and then took a leisurely walk of the gardens, admiring the lovely
sculptures there. Making our way to the well-planned and clean canteen area, we
ordered ourselves a light, yet nutritious meal of Swaminarayan khichdi and some
lassi. The former was great, the latter should be taken off the shelves.
Back
outside, our phones now in our possession, we made our way across the street
where our auto driver was fast asleep under the shade of a large neem tree. A
food cart near the auto stand was dishing out something that smelled awfully
good. I wasn’t hungry buy my belly does have a way of making more room when
attacked by the aroma of food, especially when travelling. So, I asked the
vendor to serve me just half a plate of whatever it was that he was making. It
was a spicy, steaming hot plate of vegetable pulav. And it was delicious!
Another
long auto ride away, we stopped, next, at the Vintage Car Museum, a privately owned car collection, said to be
one of the largest privately owned collections in the world. The ticket to
click photographs was just as much as the entry ticket, so we decided against
photographs and proceeded to admire the impressive vehicles on display. While I
do not really know much about cars, I did not down the names of a few – there were
many notable brands such as Packard,
Mercedes, Cadillac and Lincoln. There were the Rolls Royce such as the 1936 Phantom, the 1923 Silver Ghost with
its Victoria State Landau body and gas lamps, and the 1937 Phantom III. Then
there were some whose names I’d never heard before, like Lancia Lambda and Lancia Dilambda. Also Maybach, Lagonda, Auburn and Minerva.
Other
cars include the 1926 and 1936 Lagonda,
a 1906 Mors, a 1906 Minerva, some very pretty Bentleys and a couple of Fords. Then there were a couple of Buicks such as the 1931 Buick Tourer and
1935 Buick Eight. There was a Bedford mobile
chest clinic on display, but I first thought it was a camper van.
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| Image from Google |
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| Image from Google |
In
addition to what must be 100 odd cars, there are some horse-drawn carriages and
some vintage motorbikes, as well. And there are plenty of peacocks strutting
around.
Our
next stop, which turned out to be a real treat, was the newly completed Atal Bridge across the Sabarmati River.
A triangular truss bridge, this pedestrian only bridge is a beauty to behold,
shaded as it is by colourful fabrics shaped like kites. There is a ticket to be purchased for a
nominal fee, and we were, at first, quite reluctant to go across as the place
was teeming with local visitors who wanted to spend some time on the Sabarmati
Riverfront and the Flower Park. Luckily for us, it began to rain, and, being
the only people with umbrellas, we made the most of the opportunity. While
other visitors were huddled together at the ticket counter trying to stay dry,
we skipped across the bridge in joyful merriment, enjoying the solitude ant the
lovely views of the river and the city. There are two level walkways at each
end, connecting the upper and lower promenades at the Sabarmati Riverfront.
There is a café at the top of the bridge and many more on the Riverfront,
making this a great place to spend an evening with family and friends.
We
spent the rest of the evening exploring some of the local markets, but the rain
and the narrow streets with huge puddles at every step made the experience a
not-so-very enjoyable one. We purchased a few earrings at the Bhadrakaali Market and then visited the
Law Garden Market, a must-visit for
anyone seeking to buy colourful ghagra-cholis at really affordable prices.
Day 3
Early the next morning, we boarded the train to Surat. The Tejas Express is impressive. Not as snazzy looking as the Vande Bharat, but just as comfortable. They served us a rather packed welcome snack, followed shortly by an equally interesting breakfast. Usually filled with local businessmen, this train is rather loud, with people incessantly discussing trade and business over the phone. Trust me, Indians can be LOUD! I guess many of us believe that our conversations are of utmost interest & importance to everyone within a 50 meter radius and so we’re a loud people with a misplaced idea that being loud in public spaces is our birth right. And if loud conversations weren’t bad enough, there are the many who listen to music or watch videos but are, it appears, unaware of the invention of earphones, ear-pods and headphones. Might be a good idea to carry along some noise cancelling headphones if you wish to enjoy the journey in relative peace.
Booking
ourselves a room at the nearby Hotel Tirupati International, we left our bags
and,instead of opting for shopping in the many markets that Surat is famous
for, we chose to visit the Surat Castle
(Old Fort), on the banks of the River Tapi.
Surat
has been, since medieval times, a bustling port and a city renowned for trade
with the Arabs and the Europeans. The Surat Castle was constructed in 1546 to
defend the city from the frequent attacks it often attracted, like the plunder
of Surat by the Portuguese in 1512, 1530 and again in 1531. The then Sultan,
Sultan Mahmood Shah III, tired of these frequent attacks, entrusted Khudawand
Khan to build this castle.
Sometime
during & after the British occupancy, the castle fell to ruin and was in a
miserable state. The Surat Municipal Council undertook major reconstruction
work and have now revived the castle to its former glory. While there is still
much to be done, what has been achieved is truly commendable. Visitors can see
the SMC’s pride and love for history reflected in the manner in which the restoration
has been done and in the effort taken to share their history with the public.
I
was really impressed with the restoration, the architecture and the
well-curated museum the fort now houses. The experience took me back to the
time I’d visited the Tower of London. I’d say, the Surat Castle is just as
fascinating, if not more.
Whatever
time we had in Surat, we spent exploring the castle. A day well-spent! I highly
recommend a visit to the Surat Caste to anyone who decides to spend some time
in Surat.
That
very evening, after a brief nap, we headed back to the station to board our
train back to Mumbai. This time around, we had booked ourselves tickets aboard
the Anubhuti Class of the MMCT Shatabdi,
said to be furnished with aircraft like amenities & enhanced features. My
friend was most excited to experience this final leg of our journey, especially
since she had read and seen much about this Anubhuti Class advertised on the
official railway site.
Sad
to say, the condition of the other coaches (CC, EC) coach is far better than
that of the Anubhuti coach. Rather disappointing, considering these are the
most expensive tickets on this train. The MMCT Shatabdi, however, could
use a revamp.
The
cleanliness in the coaches and the washrooms have been maintained, but the
seats upholstered in grey, now rather faded & clearly grimy, could do with
a thorough wash judging by the discoloration of the material at the
headrest.
On the upside, the service and meals leave no room for complaint. The lone attendant was doing his very best to provide service with a smile, even, at times, adjusting the meal to suit the passenger. He did have a companion, but that young man was a bumbling mess, leaving our senior attendant to manage the coach on his own. An A+ to him for service and effort!
