Driving Through The Sea Link!

The countless stainless steel cantilever wires greet you as you enter the Sea Link.The wind is tremendous and hear it's buzz as you drive by.The Initial Five days were a pain as the Sea Link was open to all.So all you co

uld do was drive at 10-15 kmph and admire the Mega Structure!Nevertheless,the view from the bridge of the Mumbai Skyline with the dark clouds hanging about is an experience in itself.

And in the night,it's a amalgamation of lights...bright,faint,sudden sparkles...all happening with the sound of the fierce wind buzzing and the roar of the angry sea below.

The Holy Shrine,An Emperor's Passion & The Highway!

I am sure there would be hundred's and thousand's of articles on the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri. After all they are World Heritage sites and part of the existing wonders of the world.Well Readers,what I believe I do well as a travel blogger is to tell people the best ways and means to enjoy/seep the place.This blogpost will be such an effort.

The best time to start for a Fatehpur Sikri/Taj Mahal visit is before sunrise.There are two reasons for it.One reason is that you avoid the crowded road from Delhi to Faridabad(Which can be a nightmare after 9 AM).The second one is that post Faridabad,this highway is a real treat for the eyes especially during early mornings and during low traffic.It's less wider than the Delhi-Jaipur highway,but far more greener.

I had the good luck of the rain god's being benevolent,due to which the drive became twice more enjoyable.It's a great feeling when the rain furiously hits the windscreen,while you are driving at 80 Kph and you see the wet road pass by - just like the moments of your life gone by.

Fatehpur Sikri at 7 Am in the morning :

The rain has passed,and the clear sky greets you as you enter awestruck this great Mughal creation.Fatehpur Sikri,a city and Municipal board created by Akbar(The greatest Mughal emperor) served as the empires capital from 1571 to 1585.

Akbar had inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and grandfather Babar. During the 1560s he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. With his Hindu wife Mariam-uz-Zamani he had a son and then twins, but the twins died. After this heartbreak,they consulted the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti who lived as a recluse in the small town Sikri near Agra. Salim predicted that Akbar would have another son, and indeed one was born in 1569 in Sikri. He was named Salim to honor the saint.Salim would later rule the empire as Emperor Jahangir. The following year, Akbar, then 28 years old, determined to build a palace and royal city in Sikri, to honor his pir Salim Chishti. The tomb of Salim Chishti, "Salim Chisti Ka Mazar" was built there within the grounds of the Jama mosque.

P.S :One thing that I really want to point out through my blogging is the pathetic money making that goes on in these holy and pristine monuments.There are touts roaming all round,always trying to pull that fast one on you.If you lay 100 bucks(2$) on the Chisti shrine,they say the almighty would be angry.Please!if any senior Bearuacrat ever reads this...do something about it.BAN these friggin touts.They give our country a bad name and spoil the fun of seeing something truly historic.

The Taj in all it's glory:

There's an interesting analogy that I want to give here.We Indian's are so close to one of the eight wonders,that we feel that it's just another monument.Ask any Indian - so,you've seen the Taj mahal??? and he will say -"Of Course,yeah!".You wont hear about the mind boggling calligraphy or the artistic carvings.It's once you land up at the Taj Mahal and see the hordes and hordes and hordes of foreigners queing up to buy a ticket...then you realize...man,I am visiting a marvel.Think about guys-The Taj is a national Heritage,let's give it more respect.I plead all my readers to write about the Taj mahal,or talk about it.Every year 200,000 foreign tourist visit the Taj Mahal.If we all try hard enough,then we can increase the inflow.

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles.In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.

Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj Mahal in these very words :

Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.

A view of the Taj from the Banks of the Yamuna(Made famous now by Danny Boyle of Slumdog Millionaire Fame) is a Mental Orgasm in itself.Also if you are there when the sun sets down on the Yamuna waters,it will linger in your mind forever.

Accomodation near these famous monuments :

Unless and until you have got deep pockets(150$ - 200 $ per night),it's better that you come back after seeing these two moments.The reason is very simple.Agra and Sikri as a place are quite crowded and it makes no sense to shell up big bucks unless and until you can see the Taj from your hotel window.There is one hotel that gives that privilege though - The Taj View Hotel.For more information please visit : http://www.tajhotels.com/.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it:-).Come hell or high water - will keep writing.So keep reading this space!

Data Source and Photos : from Wikipedia

Good Morning Mumbai!

It's been 4 months in Mumbai now.It's tough...this city...the rains...the local trains...the jams...the crunched timeline's.But one thing that Mumbai really offers for early risers is the "Great mornings".I work in an Advertising Agency at VT,and for me every morning is a treat while going to office.

7 A.M : I start for Malad station and get up on the train coming from Borivali to Churchgate,It's unbelievable to see the crowd at even 7 A.M - as if mumbai never sleeps.

8 A.M : Reach Churchgate station,and start a 1 km walk through Khao Galli towards VT.I prefer the walk as it's a nice exercise.Khao Galli is an absolute treat,with its Juice/Shake stalls,Bhel Puri Wala's and the Puri Bhaji points.Nevertheless,if you are in Mumbai,you better make your daily bread the "one and only - Vada Pao".

Vada Pao is best had piping hot.The whole taste though lies in the chutnies used.The Red dry "Garlic Chilly Powder" and the "Coriander Chutney" are added in between the Pao to amplify the gastronomic effect.

0845 A.M : After reaching VT near Sterling Cinema,my office is a stone's throw.But wait,there's
still time.I mean,there's still time to have the "Keema Pao" at Cafe Excelsior.

Cafe Excelsior is the place to be in case you want "Parsi Non Veg Food" . I am listing below some of the Parsi Specialities :

Keema Pao : Finely grated Mutton with green chillies galore and two Pao(bread) to accompany along with it.

Salli Boti : Mutton Pieces put into a spicy gravy and "Grated Egg yolk and cheese" put on top.

Chicken Farcha : A tender chicken leg piece with a full coating of egg all over it.

I always used to think that "Mughlai Food" rocks.But after having Parsi Food,I have second thoughts.Would implore my readers who are Non Veg lovers to think about it too!

There's more to the mornings.Read On!

I have been working in Advertising for the last six years.In all my past assignments,the one thing I yearned for was a good office location.First in Delhi...it was the crowded Nehru Place,then came the cacophonious ITO .Wait!Nehru Place and ITO were "Foriegn Locales" when you compare the office location of my last company - HAROLA VILLAGE in Noida...yes guys...Harola.The name only sounds so shady!Anyways now that I am in Mumbai I look back at the 2 years that I spent at Harola Village - Noida and shiver at the thought of the Heat,the dust,the lack of greenery.

Guess one of the best things about my mumbai life is my workplace.With a view of Sterling Cinema and its latest movie poster and the lush green surroundings,I get an extra urge to rock my clients with some good work.

Also with the rain gods blessing Mumbai and the boon supposed to continue for next 3 months,the dark clouds in the horizon add to the overall effect.

Eat to Live or Live to Eat?

This photo was taken at My Malad Home kitchen slab.In the picture,there are Small Prawns(frozen),minced Mutton,Swiss Sausages and Two Eggs and a freshly washed/clean chicken breasts!Yummmm!!!

Hmmm...Live to Eat...I Guess:-)