Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
MURUD STILL IN MY MIND
Can't just get Murud-Janjira out of our minds. The memories are still so lime fresh.
Monday, January 16, 2006
“Yuhi Chala Chal”
Rajesh’s sister Amruta joined us to our
journey to the fort of Murud-Janjira.
These photos were clicked a little while we were
about to board a special boat which took us to the fort.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
BREATHLESS
“Last Woo-man Sitting”
The only human being to make it to the top at the first place. Sybil proved that excessive smiling can take you places. She wronged the proverb ‘Slow and Steady wins the race’. Right from the beginning, she was fast, leaving us behind and geared up to strike a pose. She knew no one could ever make it to that place without her kind of pace.
“Take A Break”
“Take A Break”
We were desperate to take a break. While this photo was being shot, Kirti’s hubby dear Rajesh chose to pose in a different way. Seen here are Harshada, Trupti, Bindu, Baiju and Kirti. But, try to concentrate and you will spot Sybil. Just concentrate and you will realise, she exists in that small rounded portion.
BE COOL STAY COOL
“Kya Kool Hoon Mai” Says Purnesh – The Shooter. Don’t go by the shooters looks. This might be the only moment, he is posing without his Nikon coolpix pouch around his neck. He is smiling but, every team member knows the way he was running out of breath. He just poses to be cool, but no, he is not. He was thirsty and his super cool attitude was nowhere to be seen. The bubble had to burst!
“Hum Saath Saath Hain”
We set out as a team and continued as a team. Climbing the staircase was like hiking to the peak of Mount Everest and screaming at the edge of our voice, “Yes! We have unfurled our flag of success.” But no, still there was much to be covered. The higher altitude was draining out the oxygen from our lungs. Still, we tried to abstain ourselves from consuming excessive water. We were not at all running short of water. Rajesh surprised us by saying that the people dwelling at this place carry gallons of water on their heads during moments of extreme water shortage, without any break. And there we were in extreme need of an oxygen cylinder. Thankfully no one fainted or lost their balance.
“Din bhar ki tandurusti, ye hai YEN team ka vaada”
DO RAHI
“Kuch kadam tum chalo, kuch kadam hum chale”, Bindu seems to be saying to Baiju on the staircase leading to Datta Mandir, our first destination of the escapade situated on hilltop. There are in all 325 stairs leading to the temple. Enough to leave you tired and thirsty. But, when you set out as a team, nothing worries us. Right!
GLIMPSES
THE STAR CAST
Photo No 1: Bindu & Baiju, The Smile Boosters
Photo No 2: Trupti, Harshada, Kirti 3’s Company
Photo No 3: Kirti & Rajesh, The Creators of Murud-Janjira Escapade
Photo No 4: Purnesh, The Shooter
Photo No 5: Sybil & Kirti’s Mom, Miss Smiley and her Humsafar
PRELUDE TO OUR ESCAPE TO MURUD-JANJIRA
On December 7, 2005 we sent out a bright mailer to our clients declaring very ruthlessly about how, we had laid out the plan to escape to MURUD-JANJIRA. The entire credit goes to Kirti and her husband Rajesh, who came up with the idea to visit their hometown. The mailer ignited the excitement within us. Within seconds, we banged our heads on the dining table of our office. Thanks to our bosses Lata and Sunil for being considerate towards our weird behaviour. We discussed everything right from what to carry, do's and don’ts. Being avid lovers of junk food, we couldn’t abstain ourselves from overloading our bags with the same. There were biscuits and farsan and what not. But, hot idlis prepared by Bindu stole the show. This doesn’t mean there was nothing else to eat up to. But, yes the idlis set our tongues rolling. We deliberately tried to ignore consumption of heavy stuff because travelling by a ST Bus is no less than a scene straight out of Sholay wherein Basanti is chased by Gabbar’s loyalists. We mean that. Our picnic was typically organised to have fun, not just fun but loads of fun. There was no place was seriousness or being left aloof. We boarded the Murud bound bus from Thane Depot at around 7.20 am. Surprisingly we were all on time. The females deserve an award for the same. Don’t be surprised! All are aware that females need to put on heaps of makeup on their faces to put an impression on the weaker sex (read, male). Makeup was not at all evident and everyone looked fresh. Drowsiness lay behind and we all set our feet on the bus. The seats were reserved so we did not have to worry about first trying to push our bags into the bus before settling which is a regular scene normally at all the ST Bus Depot’s all over Maharashtra and probably all over India. At 7.30 am, the driver pulled the first gear and the bus drove out of the depot. There was no filthy smell. Externally the bus looked as dirty as a half bathed lunatic but, internally it was well dressed like a groom leaving the home to marry his sweetheart. It took us five hours to reach Murud. But, not for a single minute the journey seemed to be tiresome. How can it be tiresome? We were a complete platoon of ten. Instead of gun, we were loaded with smiles and one of the soldiers carried a digital camera (Nikon coolpix 4600) round his neck. This was not his, he himself had borrowed it from his friend by assuring him sleepless days and nights. It was a brand new palm sized camera completely unused and about to lose innocence. This guy just exploited the camera in capturing the scenic beauty of Murud-Janjira. Going back to the journey, it was super pleasant with short stops at Panvel, Alibaug and an unknown village. On our way, we came face to face with Ispat plants. Now don’t ask us which Ispat belonged to whom. Some argued one of them belonged to the Mittal group while some agreed to have known that the Birla’s owned them. Forgive us, if we are politically incorrect. Schoolchildren, college goers, fisher women, tribal women, almost everyone was a part of our journey. Remember Bombay to Goa, well we created our own script with Thane to Murud (fun intended). At 12.30 pm, the driver put his foot on the breaks to bring the bus to stand still. The conductor announced, “Chala Chala Murud wale utrun ghya” (“Murud bound please alight”). After alighting from the bus, we reached our host Kirti’s home. A hearty lunch comprising Pav-Bhaji and Methi Theplas were served hot. After gulping the same, we retired for a short Afternoon nap. There was no electricity but who cares about it now-a-days, when the whole of Maharashtra stays unaffected. Post, napping session, we set out to explore Murud. Beautiful bungalows and aesthetic courtyards of coconut and beetle nut palms arrested our minds. It would be unfair not to mention about the fresh coconuts downloaded from the coconut palms and the consumption of unlimited sweet coconut waters. Not just this much, there is much more to be said about Murud-Janjira. We want you to travel with us, while you browse through the pages of this album or say a coffee table presentation. Before you go ahead an introduction of the voyagers is a must. The next slide, would bring you face to face with the entire cast of the escapade. Enjoy….! And Enjoy and Enjoy…!
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
ESCAPADE MAILER
We just escaped this way.......!
We simply wanted to add the fun of escaping somewhere out of our city limits. I don't think so, there would had been a better mailer than this one. I just designed it in straight 30 minutes. The mailer was sent to all our clients and friends, to make them understand, what does a 'Break' mean...! The mailer was a refreshingly welcomed by every recipient and our official mailbox bulged with accolades for the same.
I mean it.
COMING SUPER SOON
AN ESCAPADE THAT LEFT US SPEECHLESS
IT WAS SHEER FUN.............!
SOON, VERY SOON THE GLIMPSES WOULD
MAKE THEIR DEBUT ON THIS SITE, KEEP BROWSING....!
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
ANOTHER PICNIC
Yes! on Friday, we are sailing off to Murud-Janjira for a three day rejuvenating phase of bliss. Will be back with the snaps....Just can't resist the excitement.....
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
P I C N I C
picnic pik’ nik, n orig. a fashionable social entertainment,
towards which each person contributed a share of the food:
an open-air repast of a number of persons on a country
excursion: an undertaking that is mere child’s play, often
ironically .-adj. of or for a picnic: picknicking-v.i. to have
a picnic
The description above is a direct rip off of the text available to explain the term ‘Picnic’ in Chambers 20th Century Dictionary edited by E. M. Kirkpatrick in the 1983 edition, still trying to survive in our office in a battered condition.
Durshet Dhamaal
Picnic, the term itself is ecstatic.
I don’t owe an apology to any near and dear one for having reported this beautiful experience after such a long time. I have very recently realised the power of a blog site and enjoying every moment of posting. And anyhow the absence of a digital camera had made things a little abrupt. Now every thing is fine. A camcorder has also found its way into my life.
February 5, 2005 was indeed a very special day for all of us in our office. Loads of planning went into vain previously but we were all very desperate to freeze February 5. Our office being located at Thane, we were looking ahead for a destination, which would be quite close, and not taxing to our modest pockets. After much browsing and surfing on net and travel guides, we squared upon Durshet Forest Lodge.
“A river flows by, a variety of birds sing and colourful
butterflies flit around the picturesque site of Durshet.”
The above quote of appreciation that appeared in a holiday destinations supplementary in the daily tabloid Mid Day was enough to reaffirm our faith in our choice. Durshet Forest Lodge is located on the Khopoli-Pali road in Raigad district. Amidst rambling hillocks overlooking the Sahyadris with the river Amba running adjacent, Durshet is a heart stealer. It is an excellent place to relax for a couple of days. The lodge also has a 35-acre natural forest suitable for treks and bird watching.
Our journey in a Tata Sumo was a colourful one. The travel schedule included usual rounds of tireless Antakshari. Being a first timer to this place, we lost our way thus causing a 45min delay in reaching the destination. As we parked our vehicle and entered into the organiser’s office at the lodge, we were pleased to see our names spelt correctly on a white board.
After having shunned the dust accumulated on our bodies due to extensive travelling, we walked into a special dining space created for visitors. A healthy breakfast of steamed idlis, buttered bread slices and medu wada followed with hot cup of tea and coffee escalated our spirits to enjoy the day ahead. But a heavy dose of breakfast muted our wavelength with each other. Our entire team sat unmoved like sacks of wet sand. The organiser very smilingly walked towards us and informed us that a well-built shanty was kept aside for us to freak out. We simply could not abstain ourselves from the joy of being so close to nature. The shanty was surrounded with rare varieties of flowers and plants. A few kilometres from our shanty was located a dormitory owned by the lodge. Non-stop English music was being played there. The presence of some beautiful looking catholic females turned out to be a gazers delight.
After having settled at the shanty, turn-by-turn we displayed our talents. We went a step ahead in emulating the behavioural patterns of our superiors. Hats off to them for having allowed us to do so. We all had fun as a team. No one was superior or no one was a subordinate. We were all united with the colours of a sociable picnic affair. After downing some soft drinks our throats, we proceeded towards the clubhouse. Table tennis and carom were the only indoor activities we could lay our hands on.
Tired and down, we threw ourselves in the hammocks and wanted to escape into an entirely different world. Quite impulsively we took the decision to take a walk down the cottages and have a look at the river Amba that had dried and seemed to anticipate a hefty monsoon. After having photographed ourselves in all the possible best poses, we rushed for yet another round of mouth exercise to consume the afternoon lunch. Food was well served with the entire menu being vegetarian. Hardcore carnivorous picnickers still looked out for options. Lunch was terrific especially the Bhendi Masala. We fell asleep at an adjacent open space only to be awakened by our superiors. They wanted us to revive. A series of management games were played. But, a prolonged cricket session kept all of us on our toes.
Exhausted, down with dust and having lost the opportunity to drown in a knee-deep swimming pool, we headed back towards our home. It was real fun to shoot nature through our bosses third eye, a Nikon you see. Flowers, fun and frolic marked our picnic with remarkable memories, which we still cherish.
The objective of writing this piece at this moment has a hidden purpose attached to it. 48 hours from now, we will be escaping to Murud-Janjira. Luckily we don’t have to arrange for an accommodation, as the destination happens to be one of our colleague’s native.
I will be back with the images and possibly a beautiful written piece on the same. This time, I will be hiring my friend Prashant’s recently purchased Nikon 4600 to capture the moments of pleasure.
Meanwhile, do make it a point to visit this place once.
The address:
DURSHET FOREST LODGE
KHOPOLI-PALI ROAD
TAL. KOLHAPUR
DIST: RAIGADH
Best Season: July to February
Places of Interest:
Hot water springs of Uddhar (27 kms)
Old Pali Fort (20 kms)
Pali Ganapati (20 kms): Part of Ashtavinayak Circuit
Mahad Ganapati: Part of Ashtavinayak Circuit
Lonavala and Khandala (20 kms)
Amba River
For further details you can log onto: www.naturetrailsindia.com
We could not visit the above places due to time constraint.
Take my word for it, best place to visit with your family for a quick weekend or with someone special to enjoy complete privacy.
Have fun…..
Will come back soon…with some more moments of pleasure…!
towards which each person contributed a share of the food:
an open-air repast of a number of persons on a country
excursion: an undertaking that is mere child’s play, often
ironically .-adj. of or for a picnic: picknicking-v.i. to have
a picnic
The description above is a direct rip off of the text available to explain the term ‘Picnic’ in Chambers 20th Century Dictionary edited by E. M. Kirkpatrick in the 1983 edition, still trying to survive in our office in a battered condition.
Durshet Dhamaal
Picnic, the term itself is ecstatic.
I don’t owe an apology to any near and dear one for having reported this beautiful experience after such a long time. I have very recently realised the power of a blog site and enjoying every moment of posting. And anyhow the absence of a digital camera had made things a little abrupt. Now every thing is fine. A camcorder has also found its way into my life.
February 5, 2005 was indeed a very special day for all of us in our office. Loads of planning went into vain previously but we were all very desperate to freeze February 5. Our office being located at Thane, we were looking ahead for a destination, which would be quite close, and not taxing to our modest pockets. After much browsing and surfing on net and travel guides, we squared upon Durshet Forest Lodge.
“A river flows by, a variety of birds sing and colourful
butterflies flit around the picturesque site of Durshet.”
The above quote of appreciation that appeared in a holiday destinations supplementary in the daily tabloid Mid Day was enough to reaffirm our faith in our choice. Durshet Forest Lodge is located on the Khopoli-Pali road in Raigad district. Amidst rambling hillocks overlooking the Sahyadris with the river Amba running adjacent, Durshet is a heart stealer. It is an excellent place to relax for a couple of days. The lodge also has a 35-acre natural forest suitable for treks and bird watching.
Our journey in a Tata Sumo was a colourful one. The travel schedule included usual rounds of tireless Antakshari. Being a first timer to this place, we lost our way thus causing a 45min delay in reaching the destination. As we parked our vehicle and entered into the organiser’s office at the lodge, we were pleased to see our names spelt correctly on a white board.
After having shunned the dust accumulated on our bodies due to extensive travelling, we walked into a special dining space created for visitors. A healthy breakfast of steamed idlis, buttered bread slices and medu wada followed with hot cup of tea and coffee escalated our spirits to enjoy the day ahead. But a heavy dose of breakfast muted our wavelength with each other. Our entire team sat unmoved like sacks of wet sand. The organiser very smilingly walked towards us and informed us that a well-built shanty was kept aside for us to freak out. We simply could not abstain ourselves from the joy of being so close to nature. The shanty was surrounded with rare varieties of flowers and plants. A few kilometres from our shanty was located a dormitory owned by the lodge. Non-stop English music was being played there. The presence of some beautiful looking catholic females turned out to be a gazers delight.
After having settled at the shanty, turn-by-turn we displayed our talents. We went a step ahead in emulating the behavioural patterns of our superiors. Hats off to them for having allowed us to do so. We all had fun as a team. No one was superior or no one was a subordinate. We were all united with the colours of a sociable picnic affair. After downing some soft drinks our throats, we proceeded towards the clubhouse. Table tennis and carom were the only indoor activities we could lay our hands on.
Tired and down, we threw ourselves in the hammocks and wanted to escape into an entirely different world. Quite impulsively we took the decision to take a walk down the cottages and have a look at the river Amba that had dried and seemed to anticipate a hefty monsoon. After having photographed ourselves in all the possible best poses, we rushed for yet another round of mouth exercise to consume the afternoon lunch. Food was well served with the entire menu being vegetarian. Hardcore carnivorous picnickers still looked out for options. Lunch was terrific especially the Bhendi Masala. We fell asleep at an adjacent open space only to be awakened by our superiors. They wanted us to revive. A series of management games were played. But, a prolonged cricket session kept all of us on our toes.
Exhausted, down with dust and having lost the opportunity to drown in a knee-deep swimming pool, we headed back towards our home. It was real fun to shoot nature through our bosses third eye, a Nikon you see. Flowers, fun and frolic marked our picnic with remarkable memories, which we still cherish.
The objective of writing this piece at this moment has a hidden purpose attached to it. 48 hours from now, we will be escaping to Murud-Janjira. Luckily we don’t have to arrange for an accommodation, as the destination happens to be one of our colleague’s native.
I will be back with the images and possibly a beautiful written piece on the same. This time, I will be hiring my friend Prashant’s recently purchased Nikon 4600 to capture the moments of pleasure.
Meanwhile, do make it a point to visit this place once.
The address:
DURSHET FOREST LODGE
KHOPOLI-PALI ROAD
TAL. KOLHAPUR
DIST: RAIGADH
Best Season: July to February
Places of Interest:
Hot water springs of Uddhar (27 kms)
Old Pali Fort (20 kms)
Pali Ganapati (20 kms): Part of Ashtavinayak Circuit
Mahad Ganapati: Part of Ashtavinayak Circuit
Lonavala and Khandala (20 kms)
Amba River
For further details you can log onto: www.naturetrailsindia.com
We could not visit the above places due to time constraint.
Take my word for it, best place to visit with your family for a quick weekend or with someone special to enjoy complete privacy.
Have fun…..
Will come back soon…with some more moments of pleasure…!
Monday, December 05, 2005
That's Me
Hi!I am Purnesh.
I am very happy to be on my own blog site.
I speak my mind out here.
Ooh La la......!
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