Pashatuks and friends- Saturday jaunt through Paharganj,Delhi

Pashatuks is friends with anyone who loves to experience different flavours of life at the drop of a hat. Anyone who can say "what the heck, its only one life,lets get out and experience one more experience" and set forth to conquer new horizons.

Financial year end, huge pay cuts by the taxmen,end of the month syndrome never stops our friends from stepping forth to yet another experience. 

Paharganj, the backpackers paradise in Delhi, the melting culture and cuisine pot, where everything is affordable and authentic. Just the place for a few hours of losing ourselves into a world unfamiliar.

Taking cars to the area can be a nightmare and Pashatuks and friends decided to do the metro ride to the nearest available metro station(RK Ashram).

We decide to meet up at a common Metro station and the first batch of people trickle in. The enthusiasm levels are high and mood infections and we turn many heads of other travellers with our incessant chatter. Soon the others join us and we board the train that pulled in - all 14 of us. For a lot of us, a Metro ride is an experience.

The regular users of this mode of conveyance were hugely entertained by the groups antics.

Undeterred we got off at RK Ashram metro stop and boarded the E rikkas or Tuktuks, the battery operated vehicles which charge INR 10 to transport a passenger from one place to another.

Winding through the gulleys of Paharganj, one cannot be be awed at the vibrancy of the place. In a city that normally shuts down after 9pm, this place feels that the evening has just begun around 9:30 pm as we wind our way through the brightly lit buildings on both sides affording cheap accommodation(as low as INR 250 per night), chairs laid out on the roads, serving as instant cafes and delectable aromas wafting every step that we move forward.

Fruit sellers who speak English(thanks to the back packing community who find this a haven in Delhi), a free wheeling acceptance of everything,( we were even applauded for "singing we shall overcome" in the middle of the road), it wasn't difficult to figure out why the moral brigade avoided this place like the plague.

We were told that the most Indian sounding names sound the most authentic European and Israeli cuisine.

Backpackers from all over the world make this place their home, not just for days but months at a stretch.One finds plenty of foreign currency exchangers dotted all across the place. No one gives us a second glance as we boisterously bumble through our roads merrily on our TukTuks. They are too used to people like us.

We stop at the innocuous sounding name Hotel Vivek, where  we have been told that the best steak in town is served(only the menu says its Stick, not steak). 

All of us stomp up to their eatery cum bar called SAMS bar.

 

Sams Bar serves alcohol only on the 1st floor. They have a beautiful rooftop restaurant, replete with plants and what have you. The reason Pashatuks decided against the rooftop was that no alcohol is served at the rooftop.

There is no such thing as Dry Days in Paharganj- we discovered  much to our delight as we ordered pitchers of chilled draught Beer, which is available in 3 sizes- 1 ltr, 2 ltrs and 3 ltrs (size matters after all), with finger chips and papads(watch out if you cant handle spice- the papads are  spice bombs)

Seasoned travellers that we all are we decided against going for heavy snacks as we intended to do justice to the meal upcoming.

English Retro music belted out was a very welcome change from the standard bollywood Punjabi music that one gets at almost all fine dine Delhi eateries and the beer binging with like minded individuals began in dead earnest.

Topics changing from the origins of Woodstock to the closer at 

home Politics reigned supreme, as Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and that generation of music makers drowned our senses in their inimitable style.

The happiness quotient increased as the beer went into the bellies and food ordered was random from the Austrian Schnitzel made to perfection fused with Pita bread and humus, to Lasagne to Lafa(the Israeli wrap) to the common Chinese Noodles and chilly chicken.

Ordering the final food menu was a time consuming affair as we were spoilt for choice, but once done, we are back to doing what we excel at- enjoying life.
We were in perfect harmony with the backpackers from all over the world.

 All too soon dinner was over and it was time for payment of bill. The reasonable amount of the bill made us promise to come back here whenever we needed to let off some steam without digging deep into our wallets.

We paid the bills and decided to walk back to the metro station braving a religious procession and singing songs at the top of our voices. 

There was not a soul who was unsatisfied this evening and Pashatuks welcomes more like minded people for such experiences in the days to come.

The metro ride back was fun as most of us got seating and we were tucked into our beds by midnight. Before the coach turned into a pumpkin.

 

Pashatuks stumbles upon -Shree Krishna Prem Mandir, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh

Coming back from Mathura to Delhi and trying to get onto the Yamuna Expressway, Pashatuks stumbled upon this magnificent work of  modern architecture called Shree Krishna Prem Mandir.
Sceptical at the name, but awed with the work, Pashatuks scepticism turned to admiration when we realised that this temple actually is Indias first light effects temple where there is a colour change every 10 minutes.
Wikipedia says:
The foundation stone of Prem Mandir was laid on January 2001 and the inauguration ceremony took place from 15 February to 17 February 2012. The temple was opened to public on 17 February. The cost was 150 crore rupees ($23 million). The presiding deities are Shri Radha Govind (Radha Krishn) and Shri Sita Ram. A 73,000 square feet, pillar-less, dome shaped satsang hall is being constructed next to Prem Mandir, which will accommodate 25,000 people at a time. Check out the photograph provided by our friend Madhumita Chatterjee who lives in Richmond Virginia, USA

The House

We know not who this house belonged to or who it even belongs to now. But standing forlorn and  derelict at the crossing, right opposite the upcoming boutique Bunkirs at Hindustan Park off Gariahat, Pashatuks found themselves strangely attracted and graviating towards this building, imagination afire of grandeur of the house that it once must have been.
The yellowish green( or it is greenish yellow) window shutters, which once must have been olive green could tell many a tale that could keep the most unromantic glued to the spot. Tales of glory, grandeur, heartbreaks, pathos,royal quirks etc. If only they could speak.
The burgeoning banyan growing proud through the walls of this building speaks of  the neglect that is so typical of an emerging class of bengalis who are left with fancy royal titles, a rich heritage to boast of yet no money to maintain or uphold the past.

Travel Essentials- Cosmetics

Men are from Mars while women from Venus. The adage holds true in all aspects of life, specially where the external appearances are concerned.

On a trip, one would find men just packing in a shaving kit, which more often than not is left unused. 

Whereas women are vain about their external appearances and how their images would be projected in pictures clicked at various destinations. Every lady would like to have the picture postcard quality in their own travel pictures.

Pashatuks consulted Mahua Dutta Gupta an authority of make up trained under a very famed Bollywood make up artist,Cory Walia and presents to you what she feels are the very essentials of cosmetics for travel.

The skin goes through a lot of wear and tear during any travel specially in mountains (where the UV radiation injures the skin) and sea sides(the saline water and direct sun rays lead to major sunburns).

A conscious traveller  prepares well before the actual travel by having a full body massage,pedicure, manicure and a long lasting facial at the salon.

A Spa therapy and a Moroccan bath scrub is recommended as a pre travel essential. Aloe vera is the much in demand ingredient for any skin and hair treatment.

Once out on the travel, our make up expert recommends sunscreen with the correct SPF(ideally higher the SPF the better it is- 30 plus is the best option) blended in well with the base make up. There are many brands in the market which sell their products over the counter. Modicare,Lotus,Jovees,Maxfactor etc. are a few recommended names.

Please note Pashatuks does not promote any brand and user discretion is advised.

A good face-wash is another must have in the make-up kit.

Blending in the foundation to the skin tone and texture is the dexterity of the traveller.

It is important to remember that in the mountains the skin tends to dehydrate due to low water intake and dry weather. Hence the usage of vaseline and moisturisers are recommended to keep the skin supple and hydrated. Most people concentrate only on the  face and neck. The whole body needs to be taken care of- even the unexposed parts.

Lippers form a protective layer for the lips- however for a fashion conscious person it is important to blend in with the environment. In the mountains dark hues go well, whereas in the seasides, the lighter hues make sense and in forests the earth colours work better.
Deodorants and perfumes are a must- nothing can be a vacation spoiler than an unwashed smell of a fellow traveller. Remember to splash generously on all pulsepoints, behind ears and for the more discerning- the cleavage. 

Eye shades or glares are a must for any travel and this item is not gender specific. Make sure that the sunshades are chosen wisely for they are used for a better part of the day. Avoid using the cheap roadside stuff as they are not UV ray protected and sometimes are not zero power.It is equally important to note that at the end of a long day of travel and exploration, all make up applied during the day is washed off before retiring with a good deep cleanser and astringent and loads of night cream applied, specially under the eyes.

So pack up your makeup essentials and bon voyage...

And do remember to repeat the salon treatment after the vacation.

P.S- if all the suggestions given above read like a foreign language- Pashatuks recommends the simple solution of loads of sunscreen and a generous splashing of a strong deodorant after a good bath and you are as good as new.

Travel Essentials- Medicines

With the upcoming vacations most of you are gearing for the vacations. Vacations are not just about putting in some clothes in a rucksack and stepping forth to conquer the world.
Die hard wanderers like Pashatuks have learnt the hard way that there are certain essentials that have to be carried no matter how unplanned the adventure might be.
Destinations can be categorised in 5 categories- Mountains,Seasides,Forests,Deserts and Cities.
Health is of paramount importance once one is out of the home zone and it is not expected that one would have perfect health throughout.
Carrying a set of ones regular drugs- specially for travellers with chronic ailments like ashthma, diabetes, blood pressure, cardiac issues, is always a wise idea, specially if one is wandering in the out-backs.
Apart from these, Pashatuks suggests carrying of anti diarrhoea medicines, paracetamol, antihistamines,insect repellents,chlorine tablets for instant sanitisation in absence of potable water. Sticking plaster,cotton and antiseptic lotions form the final kit
Pashatuks makes it a point to carry common salt and sugar, which act as an excellent antidote for dehydration and leech attacks.
Lemon rind chewing prevents feeling of nausea in high altitudes.
A torchlight, pocketknife,lighter or matchbox,  a sports whistle and a stretch of boyscout rope are must haves in the rucksack.
For the more adventurous - a compass to guide(make sure you know how to use it, because the GPS doesnt work in remote areas). Gone are the days when one looked at the polestar as a travel guide.
Coming up next in this series- The Cosmetic Essentials for the woman traveller.