Bunraku

In Japan, another traditional performing art Bunraku is delightful too. It’s a refined form of puppet theatre which involves music played on ‘shamisen’ (a three-stringed instrument… which I tried to play once).In Bunraku the story is narrated through singing. It has been popular and widely acclaimed since 16^th C.

                                                        Monsoon Trip

                                   Darling Darjeeling...         

 In August 2011, I went on a Monsoon trip as I call it. I visited Darjeeling, Gangtok and Kalimpong with my parents. While this may not have been an ideal time to visit the East because of monsoons, we enjoyed ourselves even in the rain. I have a lot to say about these places but I would like to begin with Darjeeling (West Bengal, India) .

We travelled via Mirik where we stopped for a revitalizing hot cup of Darjeeling tea and delicious pakoras. I loved this picturesque route . It was such a pleasure to finally see the lush green tea gardens and I thoroughly enjoyed the drive on the winding roads in such pleasant weather. Mist was gradually descending on us in patches on our drive and that added to the mood and delighted us.   

When we first arrived in Darjeeling, fog greeted us and yet in patches of visibility we could catch a quick glimpse of the mountains, impressive architecture of one of the schools and illuminated lamps along the pavement which left a lasting impression on our minds. Darjeeling was enveloped in thick mist that night on our arrival but the energy and positive aura of the place reached me even though the place was hidden from the eye.

My trip to the zoo and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute the next day in Darjeeling was interesting. Reading about the magnificent mountaineering stories at the museum in HMI inspired me to reach new heights in life. That afternoon I went shopping in the busy streets and visited some nice cafes like Glenary Cafe as well. We made a quick trip to Keventers restaurant and the famous Das Studio too which brought back fond memories for my father. I wanted to visit the famous club too but unfortunately I couldn’t because of the constraints of time. My parents had a lot to tell me about all these places as they’d visited Darjeeling in their youth. It was a trip down memory lane for them.

On my second and last day there we went up to Tiger Hill early in the morning to experience the beautiful view of the Kanchanjunga mountains (the third highest peak in the world) but the weather conditions prevented us from witnessing the sunrise in those mountains. On our way back, we stopped at the small Ghum Station of the Darjeeling Himalayan  Railway to take photographs of the Toy train.It is the highest railway station in India.  I could not visit the Gompa nearby but took a wonderful snap of the Gompa from a distance. That picture will inspire me to visit it someday.

I could not leave Darjeeling without buying Darjeeling tea. I bought tea at Golden Point where they were kind enough to make us taste samples of various teas before buying. Walking along the “chaurastha” (chowrasta)was fun. We visited some of the gift shops there and I liked that the shop owners did not coerce us into buying things but instead told us the history of the place and offered to guide us to make our trip more interesting. 

   

The generosity of  the people of Darjeeling touched me and the imposing British architecture of some schools impressed me a lot. Everything there left a lasting impression on my travel memories. Everyone there offered me knowledge and served affection with flowing generosity. I felt a part of them.

The permanent mist in Darjeeling at the time actually refreshed my senses and calmed my tired city mind. The rain washed streets cleared my mind and opened my heart to new possibilities. Rightly Darjeeling mesmerized and charmed me completely. Two days was too short a visit and I’m thirsty for more experiences that Darjeeling invites me to.

The atmosphere there relaxes your mind and lures you to dream. The students walking on the road encourage you to pursue paths of knowledge again. There is something about the atmosphere there that makes you a poet. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder but give it a chance and Darjeeling will embrace you with all it’s beauty, energy and warmth. It will transport you to a serene world of peace and caring.

I fell in love with Darjeeling right away- The misty weather, the people and streets bustling with energy and positivity, the streets lined with benches, the roads alive with students, toy train, cafés beckoning you to piping hot cup of tea and mouth-watering delicious confectionary can never be forgotten.The romance with darling Darjeeling has just begun and it will reach greater heights in times 2 come as and when I visit it time and again. I fondly refer to Darjeeling as “Darling Darjeeling” as this place in just two days made me fall for it easily and took a place in my heart immediately.