My Trip to Alwar

Day 1

We started the journey at 7:00am. Ettan took us to the Airport. Venuchettan joined us. Chechi with Latha & Amma in Latha's car driven by Vishnu(driver).

It was my first flight experience. Sreenu was very excited.Amma could avail the wheelchair facility and we didn't find any difficulty in boarding the flight; rather it was 'cool'.As soon as seated,we had our breakfast,idli, chutney and sambar. Though Latha was sitting at the front with amma,they both came to the back after the first half and we all had snacks together. Sreenu had chicken sandwich and appy fizz drink from the Flight, though he did not enjoy it much.Then he had a short nap on my lap.Chechi was suffering from severe cold...and took rest at the

back seat.

Sreenu was enjoying the window seat while I was  reading Padma Sachdev's poem 'Mother Tongue' from Woven words.

We reached Delhi around 12:30noon. It was really a nice experience which I never thought I could have in this life. Indira Gandhi international airport was a

novel and wonderful experience for both me and my son. After a ½an hour waiting, Oppa and  Chedathiamma joined us.

At about 2:00 we reached 'Kerala House Canteen' and after lunch from there, we went to 'India Gate'.Now I understood what is called India Gate. Amar Jyothy - the tribute to the freedom fighters of our nation.Superb experience! We took photos.Sreenu was very happy. Oppa was very active and took care of each one of us, especially amma. From there, we went to Rashtrapati Bhavan but a very unexpected rain took away all the thrill...it became very cold also.Anoop had joined us at Kerala House. He came from Noida on his bike... I was not feeling happy seeing that….

We started our journey to Alwar then.Oppa hired an Innova car for our 6 day trip.It was comfortable for 8 of us. There was thunder, lightning and it was profusely raining all the evening taking away all the excitement of the trip. But I was feeling a lot nostalgic seeing the roadside sights.Anoop was following us on his bike to Alwar and Oppa was communicating with him over phone very often. At 6:45 we reached a Dhaba 'Vasant Dhaba' where we had our dinner.It was really nice to have hot soup and warm food on such a damp windy cold evening. We all enjoyed the first North Indian food of our trip.

From there it was still a 2 hr.journey to Alwar. Before 10:p m we reached Opppa's house.Till Anoop came home we all were a little tense as it was raining profusely outside. But he came just after 10 - 15 minutes; all drenched.

A nice cozy quarters  Oppa has been enjoying.All good facilities. Chedathiamma gave me slippers to wear inside and a beautiful nice sweater to comfort myself from the cold. We, Amma Latha and I slept in the bedroom downstairs.Chechi & Chettan in the upstairs Guest room, Anoop and Sreenu also slept upstairs in another room,Oppa & Chedathiyamma adjusted down in the living room. A great day in my life.( I am so indebted to Ettan.Love you.)

Day 2.

Got up before 7:00. Though we planned to leave home, after breakfast, at 9:00 for sightseeing in Alwar, we could start only after 10:30 am due to the hustle and bustle of the morning.

Breakfast was rich with idli, sambar, coconut chutney  banana chips, sweetened rice flakes(amma's special) ada dried nuts & fruits etc. Before the departure,we were exploring the courtyard of the house and took some very nice snaps on the Jhula at the front, we four and amma.

The first site we visited was Bala fort: Bala Quila also known as Alwar fort is a fort in Alwar. It is situated on a hill in the Aravalli Range, above the town of Alwar. The fort is 5 kilometres  long and is about 1.5 kilometres wide.

Oppa was telling us all about the fort and the trekking people used to enjoy at this fort. He has been in Alwar for the past 13years.In between, we went home and got fresh to continue sightseeing but as it was already getting late for lunch we went to Burj Haveli hotel which was not far from Opppa's house.It is a 240 years old haveli now converted to a hotel.The lunch was one of the typical Rajasthani style and was delicious.

The next destination was Siliserh lake.

A vast lake, located at a distance of 18 km from Alwar, is yet another must visit places around Alwar. Tucked within the majestic peaks of Aravalli hills, its banks are an ideal place for a picnic and to simply soak in the natural serenity and tranquility afforded by the place.

On one corner of the bank, towering over Siliserh lake, is the Siliserh Lake Palace, now a converted heritage hotel. Boat rides are frequently organized and you can enjoy Siliserh lake's blue expanse paddling through it. Teeming with fishes, you can also indulge in a bit of angling at Siliserh lake, but you will require prior permission from the lake authorities.

 One unfortunate incident happened here; a bee stung on Amma's earlobes at Siliserh Palace hotel.It didn't get worse as Latha could remove the sting so fast and oppa applied some haldi on it (could get from the hotel's kitchen). But the pain and swelling lasted for the next day also.

Our next visit was 'Hope Circus',one of the major attractions of Alwar. People who visit this small enchanting city do make a point and visit this monument. This is a circular shaped monument which has a flight of stairs from all the four sides and on reaching the top of this circular dome shaped monument,(there's a Shiva temple) one gets a splendid view of the entire city. Surrounding the monument was the main market place in Alwar.

We went to the 'Choodi Bazaar'.It was very interesting to move around the colourful streets feeling nostalgic about my Ahmedabad days. Chedathiamma and Chechi bought beautiful bangles for Ammu. I too bought some bangles….just for fun....

On the way home westopped at a Hanuman temple where a Muslim Darga was also built.Whatever happens amongst the humans outside,is not affected the serenity of the temple; all are same and alike before The Almighty! It was a good experience for me to be a part of such a Mangalarathi in a North Indian temple after so many years.

At home, Chedathiamma again was busy preparing dinner. It was a sumptuous one with Sambar, Kalan, Erissery, Idiyan Chakka thoran, papad, achar etc.

We had a very nice time together till 11:00before we retired to bed.

Day 3.

Though we planned to begin our journey by 7:00 in the morning after breakfast, as usual, we could start only an hour late at 8o'clock.

Oppa chose the route to Jaipur via a forest, Siriska forest area. Forests in Rajasthan were not lush or dense(as they are in Kerala) at this time of the year.On the way we saw some peacocks,pigs,a dear and many monkeys.

We reached Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan before noon.We saw many universities, including Amity University (where Anoop graduated Journalism) and many other educational institutions.

First we visited Amber/ Amer fort.

Mughal architecture greatly influenced the architectural style of several buildings of the fort.Constructed of red sandstone and marble, the attractive, opulent palace is laid out on four levels, each with a courtyard. It consists of the Diwan-e-Aam, or "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas, or "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds that blow over a water cascade within the palace. Hence, the Amer Fort is also popularly known as the Amer Palace.The palace was the residence of the Rajput Maharajas and their families. At the entrance to the palace near the fort's Ganesh Gate, there is a temple dedicated to Shila Devi, a goddess of the Chaitanya cult, which was given to Raja Man Singh when he defeated the Raja of Jessore, Bengal in 1604. (Jessore is now in Bangladesh). Raja Man Singh had 12 queens so he made 12 rooms, one for each Queen. Each room had a staircase connected to the King’s room but the Queens were not to go upstairs. Raja Jai Singh had only one queen so he built one room equal to three old queen’s rooms.This palace, along with Jaigarh Fort, is located immediately above on the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) of the same Aravalli range of hills. The palace and Jaigarh Fort are considered one complex, as the two are connected by a subterranean passage. This passage was meant as an escape route in times of war to enable the royal family members and others in the Amer Fort to shift to the more redoubtable Jaigarh Fort.

Our driver took us to the top of the hill, just in front of the fort and amma got a wheelchair facility which made the visit really easy and enjoyable. We had a guide who gave us most of the information given above.We took many photos to cherish those unforgettable memories of our togetherness in such a beautiful place. It took more than 2½hours there.

It was real fun in front of the Jal Mahal. Chechi and Venuchettan fancy dressed as typical Rajasthanis and variety photos were taken.How active and jovial Chettan was all through the trip!! Chechi was also sharing the same spirit though she was suffering from a severe cold.

From there we went for lunch. Laxmi Misthan Bhandar, or LMB as it is popularly known as a landmark modern sweet shop, restaurant and hotel in Johari Bazar, Jaipur, the Pink city, backed by a glorious saga of 290 legendary years of traditional sweets craftsmen. We had a very expensive Rajasthani Royal thali there, a real variety  for our discerning palette.

The next place we visited was the City palace. It was established at the same time as the city of Jaipur, by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved his court to Jaipur from Amber, in 1727.Jaipur is the present-day capital of the state of Rajasthan, and until 1949 the City Palace was the ceremonial and administrative seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur.The Palace was also the location of religious and cultural events, as well as a patron of arts, commerce, and industry. It now houses the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, and continues to be the home of the Jaipur royal family. The royal family of Jaipur is said to be the descendants of Lord Rama. The palace complex has several buildings, various courtyards, galleries, restaurants, and offices of the Museum Trust. The Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust looks after the Museum, and the royal cenotaphs (known as chhatris).

From there we went to the next main tourist attraction in Jaipur, the Hawa Mahal.

Hawa Mahal is a palace in Jaipur, India. Made with the red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, Jaipur, and extends to the Zenana, or women's chambers. The structure was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, who was the founder of Jaipur.

 Then,after visiting Nahargarh Fort which stands on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, overlooking the city of Jaipur  along with Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort,that once formed a strong defense ring for the city,we moved towards the most astonishing surprise of the trip.

It was Chokhi Dhani Resort & Hotel in Jaipur which has proactively carried forward the legacy of serving international and local travellers with the appeasing hospitality and innovative infrastructure. It takes pride in being the great promoter and preserver of traditional heritage hospitality of Rajasthani culture for the generations to come.

It was a wonderful surprise for all of us to be there in such a fantastic tourist resort.We were received in the traditional Rajasthani style. After an hour of rest and getting fresh, we left our rooms to explore the resort out. A typical Rajasthani village with a mela around, with camels, bullocks and an elephant: it was real fun and excitement for all of us. It was becoming late and so we couldn't actually explore all the area there. We thought we would be able to do it the next morning! We had candlelight dinner at the village restaurant there.The village folk song and dance was there in the background everywhere in the resort.

Day 4

Early the next morning, Sreenu went for a swim with Oppa and Chettan. We also got ready and roamed around the resort garden before breakfast.We took some nice snaps there. Breakfast was another great experience for me and Sreenu!! Variety dishes;South /North Indian, Continental all, at a time!! Had tummy full😄.

After breakfast, Oppa told us that our next visit was Taj Mahal at Agra.Though it would take a long journey, I felt it great because it  was really hard for me to believe that I was able to do all these in my life. I never expected such a trip…

After a little more loitering around the beautiful resort garden,before noon we left Chokhi Dhani and went for a little shopping at Jaipur. It was again fun to be there shopping in the bazaar lanes, bargaining, seeking this and that.Sreenu bought a brass water pump at ₹150/-We all bought  Rajasthani Kurti as we were not prepared for one more day's stay during the trip.

After that fun, we started our journey to Agra.

On the way we had a late lunch and reached Agra late in the evening.While the journey by car Chettan led the discussion on Amma's birthday Celebration and Sreeramalayam issue and other matters. Chettan sang devotional songs at the dusk. It was an anokhi experience to be together for such a long time, for us; amma and all her children.

We stayed at Radisson hotel at Agra. It was again another one of the luxury hotels in the country. Thank you Oppa for giving us such experiences which were so new and exciting for me and Sreenu. We had a variety dinner there at 10:00 at night.

Day 5

Early morning the next day also Sreenu went for Swimming with Oppa.After the sumptuous breakfast there, we left for The Taj Mahal visit. Amma and we three daughters were wearing the newly bought Rajasthani Kurti, all somewhat alike. It was fun to see each other like that.Just like me, Latha was also for the first time to be there.We took photos in front of the Taj Mahal, the wonderful monument of love. It was cloudy when we reached there and after some time it started drizzling and  so we decided to move faster towards the Agra Fort.

I loved the visit to Agra fort the most in our trip lest the incident of Sreenu's backpack. We got a very nice tourist guide there at Agra fort,a very important historical monument in the history of Mughal Era.

 We started our return trip to Alwar in the afternoon.

On the way we purchased the famous Agra sweet 'petha'.Chettan bought 10 kg. Petha from the original  Petha shop, the 'Panchhi Petha Store',Agra.

We reached Deeg palace or Jal Mahal at Bharatpur District of Rajasthan by evening.It was a worth watching historical monument at 2 hours journey from Agra.It was almost dusk when we reached there and we enjoyed a nice evening walk. A really beautiful calm evening it was!

The rest of the journey to Alwar was really unforgettable. We all sang together traditional devotional songs we used to sing in our childhood days. The 4 hour long journey was not so boring or tiresome.On the way home we saw Opppa's office and Eicher motors Factory. We reached home by 8 o'clock. We had a delicious supper and nice chat together. All went to bed after a session of packing.

Day 6. Returning….

How fast the 6th day has come.By God's grace none of us had any health problems during the trip other than Chechi's cold. Though I was under treatment for Asthematic Bronchitis for a month since February, I didn't have much problems these days.

It was cool and windy in most of the places,at times it was drizzling also. The country was at the threat of Covid 19, it was the beginning of March 2020.Our return trip on March 5th Thursday. All these days

Chedathiamma had been so hospitable to us that we were so comfortable and enjoying each moment. She was very jovial and caring each and every need of each one of us. Anoop's company though it lasted only for a day was also very nice. We had really a good time with him and talked to him about his decision on his marriage and all. Though it was a little irritating for him, I was a little bit enjoying such talks; whatever it is,he's our kid,no?

It was just like a dream for us that we all together stayed there in Opppa's house! I was just missing Achan there, he might have been feeling proud and enjoying every bit of it from his heavenly abode! Really an unforgettable and a very rare happy time in my life! Whom shall I thank for it? Ettan?(he allowed me!) Amma?(without her wish,how could I!)  Oppa and Chedathiamma?(all their pan, love and kindness!) Chechi and Chettan? (They took the initiative!)Latha? (Her decision paved my plan!)All!

A great thank you!

After breakfast ('puttu kadala' dosa burfi nuts fruits etc…)at around 10:30 we started our journey to Indira Gandhi international airport at New Delhi.

On the way we stopped for shopping at Vishal Mega Mart at Bhiwadi, Haryana. We had our lunch at one of the famous dhabas, 'Mannath' on the highway to Delhi. It was the last food time in the trip and cannot go unmentioned as it was very tasty. We reached the airport at around 4:00pm. Our flight was at 5:25. It was via Bangalore where we had to change the airplane.

We reached Cochin International airport at 10:30, Ettan was waiting there and we reached home before 11:30.