The Fourth Seat

I have not been a regular on the Fourth Seat. Not on the blog but on the actual seat. I have been taking the bus routinely since a few days. Bus Journeys are so much more different. Instead of bustling stations, you stop by every once in a while at a bus stop and at every traffic signal and every time some dude decides to create a jam, for fun. So it's not a smooth ride but in the end it gets you to places that the train can never manage to. Due to the general pace of the bus, the sights around keep changing slowly. It gives me enough time to read every signboard and hoardings - both legal and illegal. Legal selling soap, illegal one wishing a very happy birthday to the 'yuva' shakhapramukh, gatneta or the likes. And then there are the passengers. So much more different than their counterparts on the local. We'll talk about them some other time though. For now, here's what happened on the bus. Route no 203 heading to Juhu Beach. Crowded it was. I had a seat thoug...

The eleven-ten BO slow pulled into Platform No. 1 of the Kandivali Station by 2315. Not bad, I thought to myself while I made my way to the northernmost exit. Rolling down my sleeves, a feeble attempt to keep me warm, I climbed down the uneven stairs as I passed the blacked out stores which lined this exit on both sides. Some sold pirated computer games while others sold Chinese bhel and garrish red manchurian balls, which off late have become such a rage on the streets. And of course there's Sugarcane Juice, even Nira in plastic sachets and Bhajiyas all equipped for the thirsty and hunrgy. And there are two temples too. But all the shops were shut. The exit wore a lonely, deserted look. Autorickshaws stood in a long line, awaiting passengers in the cold evening. The ones towards the front, turned you down upfront. Since I stay only 1.4km(wonders of the e-meter) away from the station, I am not the best bakra for them. So I moved a little ahead and asked a fellow clad in full ...

The school building rose high amongst the smaller buildings in its vicinity. Enclosed in the security akin to a prison, it sometimes belied the atmosphere of a place where children gathered to play, make mischief and well, study. The bell rang and the kids reacted with joy, just like Pavlov’s Dogs they were conditioned to expect freedom which was as good as food, after a dreary day at school. Hordes of children began to stream out of all the gates of the building. There is something electric during these few minutes. Pent up energy is being released onto the hapless looking peons and guards. Children bounding with enthusiasm rush to the gate, in spite of their heavy bags, they make a dash. The innocence of childhood is magical, when information hasn’t been overloaded in our minds and every little thing matters. The dash more often ends in the arms of a parent, beaming with pride and relieved to see their child in onepiece as they say. And then after the last child has left, everythi...

Virupapur Gaddi welcomes you Experience has taught me that early mornings are the best time to arrive into a new place. It was nice to witness the bustle at dawn near Virupaksha temple, which has been standing somberly near Hampi Bazaar since the 15th century. Devotees took a bath by the river before entering the temple for Darshan, but what was I doing by the river side early morning? Well, I was waiting for the boat. For, I had decided to stay on ‘the other side’ - Virupapur Gaddi(VG) popularly known as Hampi Island. Separated from Hampi Bazaar and the main temple complexes only by the Tungabhadra, it is one of the best places to base yourself during your stay here. Connected to the Bazaar only by a boat service(20 with luggage, 15 otherwise), there are several reasons why VG scores over pretty much everything else around but I chose it primarily for a distinct traveller vibe that is felt quite prominently on this side. Life here seems laidback and chilled out. It is just ...

Kishkindha Vijayanagara   Hampi The mention of Hampi is enough to evoke many images at once. Students of history would recall the great Vijayanagara empire, the illustrious King Krishnadevraya and South India’s answer to Birbal - the wise Tenali Rama. Fans and believers of the great Indian epic Ramayana will recount the Vanara Kingdom of Kishkindha where, Hanuman met Lord Rama and Lakshmana for the first time, where the great battle between the two Vanara kings Sugreeva and Bali was fought and several such stories that abound in this region. Hampi for me was a combination of the two versions. Having grown up on a healthy dose of Amar Chitra Katha, stories from the Ramayana continue to fascinate me even though I might not be a staunch believer. The medieval period in the history of India holds mixed emotions for me. The continuous invasions, the Hindu-Muslim rivalry and the bloody wars fought between several local and foreign rulers and the eventual end of this pe...

It was a windy morning and the sun light felt good after a cool night. After polishing off a heavy and a rather European breakfast of muesli with fruits, curd and honey I was ready to trek to the other three beaches with a friend. A water bottle, a cap and a small backpack was all I had with me. The route to Om Beach is straight forward from Kudle. You climb up the southern incline and arrive at a plateau which stretches out for about a kilometer or so. It leads to a concrete road, from here the sea is visible. Just walk down the slope, past the toll booth and take the first left that leads to the steps of Om Beach. The steps make it easier to visit this beach and hence a lot many tourists visit. However, a decent number of cafes and guesthouses make it possible to stay on the beach too. The sun was beating down now so we decided to continue our trail. A small sign leads you onto the trail to Half Moon beach.  There are many trails that seem like the route but what we s...

To get to Gokarna, one has to reach Ankola where local buses run every half an hour to Gokarna bus stand. The first bus from Karwar to Ankola leaves at around 530 and almost all buses towards the south pass through Ankola. I boarded the first bus and reached Ankola within forty five minutes. The first bus to Gokarna leaves at 7am. I waited patiently and soon enough a rickety bus arrived. The ride to Gokarna is quite pleasant. Passing through the countryside, the quaint NH17 is always full of sights and surprises. I saw Drongos flitting past, there were numerous Kingfishers and Bulbuls sang as we passed a mighty river. We then turned right, off the highway and the final stretch to the holy town of Gokarna had begun. The many faces of Gokarna is what makes this quite coastal town so interesting. It is home to Sanskrit schools and to beach shacks, it is where lies the Atma Lingam - Shiva's most potent weapon and a beach shaped like Om. On one side you have saffron clad ...