Mandvi trip...a new window to Kutch

It was past midnight. Feet clothed, bags packed and excitement at its pinnacle, we headed for Kutch. Obviously, call of the belly and not the general honey mooners’…ready for a break. It was known, things were piling up in the north western part of the country. Thus the unplanned trip: Last trip, it was Bhuj and the adjacent villages in their raw best. This year the ships would be available to the lenses. A wide port, fisher folks, remains of fort strewn here &there. This time I would return home carrying a different Kutch. This time I also knew it would call for rating the Mandvi beach, every visitor spoke highly of. As my other half was busy collecting info. My Lenses were occupied hunting pictures which were testimonials for the place.

Nevertheless, feet propelled. 44 degree could be fought. Or probably, seven years camping made us camels, skirting away roads for ourselves& getting decolored...wonder, how people can become chain tea sippers in this part of the land!

During the daytime, meeting up people, getting down to the rural lots kept us knocking about. In the evening, it was beach-time. And yes, we still had couple of meetings lined up in the late evening, this one was a stolen bit!

MANDVI BEACH, KUTCH

Enter Mandvi beach. Windmill, camel ride, horse ride, shitty(-of camels& horses) beach welcomed us. Caving in through the sands as we got closer to the sea, we were left with dismay. The sea was her roarous self, obese as I may call her, almost attacking. And thus we were left just comparing. Porbandar, Dwarka, Somnath shores had pleasant appearances: left us pacified. As my other half managed taking a horse ride while I caught up with few regulars. It wasn’t too long as we headed back for our hotel. There never held an inclination to walk past and luxuriate in a silent walk across the shore.

2/10 the beach scored, that too propped up for the windmills.

THE ROUGH SEA

As we were entering our room someone informed us about the Vijay Vilaas Palace. Now, would I not nag? Well, the next morn, we were prepared to gallop our ways. The natives said this was the set for couple of bollywood movies, famous being the Bhansali’s 'Hum dil de chuke sanam'…

THE DEEP SHRUBBY FOREST @VVP

An hour drive from the lodging area, after a diverted route taken, we knew we were in for complaisant views. Darting our ways we just reached an unscrupulous gate and were about to enquire when two Nilgais greeted us. Not just that one of them followed me! It left us all astounded for its human-friendly move. We were directed to head towards the northern passage and so we did. Round and round and merry go round, kutcha road led us not to the palace but to a place which had a private beach. Rs.100, just to enter the beach. And the tents! Voila!-a jolly good escapade: far from the madding crowd. But we had to race through our day.

THE TENTS

Now the real hunt for the palace began. Desert jungles though short seemed pretty scary, as in every lane there were three more directions. Guess what- we had finally gotten lost. Not a single living soul to lead us. Our driver had smiles. Having fought for time not seen, we somehow managed to reach the same gate. Half a day lost in hide and seek. It was only then when somewhere from the dark shrubs a pastoral lad made public appearance that got us racing towards the grand den. And then…

It was worth fighting our way in.

VIJAY VILAAS PALACE

THE DOME FACING THE SEA

He stood majestic holding the honour, the pride welcoming

the puny mortals us. The sprawling structure left us in awe. Silent. Contemplating. Appreciating…

The walls, the Bengal domes, the ventilators, the wide garden…never felt the need of technology! Cool air greeted the admirants. A palace with visitors few, deserves immemorial admiration. Well maintained, well placed, shrewd shrubby forests, labyrinthical tracks, one hell of an experience to reach.

On our way back, again few interesting sights kept us alert. It was the midnight scene and the highways buzzing with activity. A Ship has just docked with a consignment of woods. Huge trucks loaded with gigantic trunks of trees. Shipped into the Indian port, it was an interesting sight for sure. 102 trucks carried these trunks which made us contemplate perhaps an entire forest was uprooted to serve our desires. Human needs grow: greed grows exponentially. There was couple of other trucks which had used clothes to meet the demand of “phorein kapda” in this ever expanding dumping yard of the first world countries. The poor still die in need and just handful of NGO’s fight tough. Rest: make mullah. Period.

It was post dawn now. Unlike in the east, the sun rises late here. With the sounds of the busy shore waving, sleep blanketed us in no time.


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