ತಿಂಡಿಯ ತಯಾರಿ

ಅತೀ ಸಾಧಾರಣವಾದ ಹಾಗೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ಗೌಣವಾಗಿ ಪರಿಗಣಿಸಲ್ಪಡುವ ವಿಷಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕಾಣುವುದು ಮತ್ತು ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನು ಉತ್ಕಟವಾಗಿ ಆನಂದಿಸುವ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸ ಫೋಟೋಗ್ರಫಿ ಹುಚ್ಚಿನ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಲಾಭ. ಈ ವರ್ಷದ ಆಸ್ಕರ್ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಸಮಾರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ವಿದೇಶಿ ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರವಾಗಿ ಆಯ್ಕೆಯಾದ "ದಿ ಗ್ರೇಟ್ ಬ್ಯೂಟಿ" ಚಿತ್ರದ ಮೊದಲ ದೃಶ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಜಪಾನಿನ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕನೊಬ್ಬನು ರೋಮಿನ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯವನ್ನು ನೋಡುತ್ತಾ ಇರುವಂತೆಯೇ ಕುಸಿದು ಬಿದ್ದು ಸಾವನ್ನಪ್ಪುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಥವಾ ಕಲೆಯನ್ನು ನೋಡುತ್ತಾ ಅಪರಿಮಿತವಾದ ಭಾವಪರವಶತೆ ಉಂಟಾಗಿ, ಹೃದಯದ ಬಡಿತ ಏರಿ ಸಾವು ಸಂಭವಿಸುವುದನ್ನು ತೋರಿಸುವುದು ಆ ದೃಶ್ಯದ ಉದ್ದೇಶವಾಗಿತ್ತು ಎನ್ನುವುದು ನನಗೆ ಆ ಚಿತ್ರದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಓದಿದಾಗ ತಿಳಿದ ವಿಷಯ. ಇಂತಹ  ಅನಾರೋಗ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ಟೆನ್ದ್ಹಾಲ್ ಸಿಂಡ್ರೋಮ್ ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರು. ಇದರ ಪರಿಣಾಮದ ಗಂಭೀರತೆಯನ್ನು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಪಕ್ಕಕ್ಕಿಟ್ಟು ನೋಡಿದರೆ ಕಲೆಯನ್ನು ಆಸ್ವಾದಿಸುವ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಇದು ಒಂದು ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಫೋಟೋಗ್ರಾಫರ್ಸ್ ಗಳಿಗಂತೂ ಇದು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಇರಬೇಕೆಂಬುದು ನನ್ನ ನಂಬಿಕೆ.

ಕೆಲ ದಿವಸಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ನಾನು ಶಿರಸಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ನನ್ನ ಮಾವನ ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದಾಗ ಬೆಕ್ಕು ಬಾವಿಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದಿರುವ ಹಿನ್ನಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗೌಜಿ ಗದ್ದಲಗಳ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಬೆಳಕಾಯಿತು. ಬೆಕ್ಕನ್ನು ಹಾಗೋ  ಹೀಗೋ ಎತ್ತಿ ರಕ್ಷಿಸಿದ ಬಳಿಕ ಅಡುಗೆ ಮನೆ ಬಳಿ ಸುಳಿದಾದುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ಅಲ್ಲಿಯ ಬೆಳಕು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಬಹಳವಾಗಿ ಆಕರ್ಷಿಸಿತು. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ರೂಪುಗೊಂಡಿದ್ದ ನೆರಳು ಬೆಳಕು ಪ್ರಖರ ಕಾಂಟ್ರಾಸ್ಟ್ ಮೂಡಿಸಿ ಸರ್ವೇ ಸಾಧಾರಣವಾದ ದಿನವನ್ನು ಸುಂದರವನ್ನಗಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಸೂರ್ಯನ ಕಿರಣಗಳು ಮೈ ಮೇಲೆ ಬರೀ ಔಟ್ ಲೈನ್ ಹಾಕಿರುವ ರೀತಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿರುವುದನ್ನು ನೋಡುವುದೇ ಒಂದು ಮಜ. ಹಳ್ಳಿ ಮನೆಗಳಲ್ಲಷ್ಟೇ ನಾನು ಇಂತಹ ಚಂದವನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದ್ದು . ಕಪ್ಪು ನೆಲವೂ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳ ಅಂದವನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಬಹಳ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಕ್ಯಾಮೆರ ಎತ್ತಿ ಕೂತವನಿಗೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ತಿಂಡಿಯ ತಯಾರಿ ಕಂಡಿದ್ದು ಹೀಗೆ -
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     ಮಾವಿನ ಹಣ್ಣಿನ ಸೀಸನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ದಿನದ ಆರಂಭ ಮಾವಿನ ಹಣ್ಣಿನಿಂದಾಗದೆ ಬೇರೆ ಯಾವುದರಿಂದಾಗಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯ?

    ಒಲೆಗೆ ಬೆಂಕಿ ಬಿದ್ದೇ ಬಿಡ್ತು!

    "ಬಟಾಟೆ ಸಿಪ್ಪೆ ಸುಲಿದಷ್ಟು ಸುಲಭ" ಅಂತ ಹೇಳಬಹುದಾ ಹೇಗೆ?

          ಕರ್ಣಕಠೋರ ಮಿಕ್ಸಿ!

 

 

ಚಪಾತಿ, ಬಾಜಿ ಸವಿಯಲು ಸಿದ್ಧ.

Road Trip to Chikkamagaluru-Agumbe-Shringeri : A Photo Blog Part II

(Click here to read Part I)

After peaking the highest point in Karnataka, it was time to refuel our car and our bodies. We went back to Chikkamagaluru, finished lunch and stepped on accelerator to rush towards Agumbe's famous sunset point. We reached there just 5 minutes ahead of sunset. For the kind of expectation we had, what we got to see was rather disappointing. Within a minute clouds swooped in to cover any of the orange shades that were visible. May be it was just out luck, but we couldn't sing Aagumbeya prema sanjeya mareyalaare naanu endigoo..

We spent some time in the lake nearby and started towards Agumbe town trying to find a place to hit the sack. We were told that Dodda Mane will be the best choice. It is a unique homestay where you will be treated as a part of the family and they don't demand any particular amount when you are leaving. You can pay as much as you want and there will be no question asked. Their hospitality and delicious dinner is a wonderful experience. It is a traditional big old Malenadu style home which city dwellers will find unique. Our plan was to catch sunrise in Kundadri hills next morning. We were thoroughly amused when the route was shown to us with the help of i-pad! It had the pictures of the place where we had to take turns. Without the help of those photos showing landmarks precisely, it might have gotten difficult to reach the place as you will not find a soul to ask the route in early morning in that route.

Kundadri was absolutely magical for me. But for my friends who just had witnessed sunrise in  Kodachadri few weeks back, this was not up to the same level of excitement.

 

 Once up on the hill, Mangata is something we boys can't avoid!

Sirimane Falls was our next destination. It was a scenic stretch.

There is entry fee for Sirimane Falls but as soon as you enter, first thing that will come to your notice is strong stench of excreta. Some of us didn't feel inspired to get in the water. This falls doesn't have anything distinctive about it. It was heavily crowded though.

First photo above is clicked by Rajeev Komar.

Our next stop was Shringeri. On the way we tried a coffee shop which was inside an estate but the coffee there was not as satisfying as filter coffee of darshini's of bangalore!

May be it is because of "Mangalore tiles", the road leading to the temple had this old world charm to it which I found beautiful.

At the entrance of Shringeri temple you will find a big hoarding with a photo of Bharathi Teertha swamiji with a welcome. But with a considerably big space allocation for Indian oil, it seems more like an advertisement hoarding! It felt very out of place to me.

Last time I was here, Sai Prakash's Navashakti Vaibhava was getting shot here. A scene with Ram Kumar and Sudha Rani was getting canned. I waited for that movie but for long long time I didn't see it being released. And when it did, it didn't last long in theaters.

It was afternoon time. So, we caught up with free lunch served in the temple. It is fantastic how they operate the serving of the meals for so many devotees everyday.

My displeasure against boring smoke filled skies of Bangalore manifolds whenever I am travelling on the roads of Hasana/Chikkamagaluru. They always provide enough fodder for my sky fetish

Now that rainy season is here again, hoping for many more wonderful unplanned road trips like this one!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Baaginakatta. A remote village in Uttara Kannada. It is about 20KM from Yellapura town. From medical treatment to any major commercial transactions, one has to travel to Yellapura. KSRTC bus plights twice a day. Once in the morning and then in the evening. There are only 20 families living in 5KM radius. 90% of them are Havyaka Brahmins. It is believed that their ancestors settled there after fleeing from North India during the attack from Ghajini Mohammad. Interestingly, people who live there say that a lot has improved in a last few years as they have got electricity, phone line and tar road now.

First thing that strikes you as you near this village is its natural beauty. It is surrounded by thick forest. Fresh air and abundant clean water enough for any city dweller to feel each cell of the body coming alive.There are water falls, no network for mobile phones. A very secluded place but without any naxalite issues.

I went there with my parents to visit my missus' grandmother's house. Her uncle Shivarama (Shivanna as he is fondly called) is a teacher in the primary school there. We went to meet him at the school as we were in a hurry to go back. The school is situated in the midst of arecanut plantation. But only when I reached the school to visit him, I realized that it is a single teacher school!

This school has always had a single teacher. There were total of nine students. All were sitting in the same class but they belonged to different classes. From 1st standard to 5th standard. As soon as I entered the classroom, they stood up and greeted us with " Hiriyarige Namaskaragalu" (Greetings to the elders). It brought back the memories of my childhood where standing up and greeting whenever an elder person enters a class was fun. More so, when someone enters the room in the middle of an ongoing class.

I did my primary schooling in Madakatte primary school. A village situated 35KM from Mangalore town. It had six teachers for seven classes. Over the years, the number of students have reduced considerably resulting in the decrease of number of teachers. According to the govt rules, there should be one teacher for every 30 pupils. There are only three permanent teachers left now for 77 students.

Nobody is ready to send their children to Kannada medium govt schools. Only very poor people who can't afford an English medium school send their children to these schools. In spite of management bringing in honarary teachers to add computer classes and English classes, there has been no increase in the number of students. I certainly won't blame the parents for sending their children to English medium private schools as long as they instill sense of pride towards Kannada. In a few years, my school may have to be shut down. It may remain only as a memory. That thought somehow makes me feel queasy. But 'change is permanent'!

Lets come back to Uttara Kannada from Dakshina Kannada. I instantly liked the classroom. It was decorated with paintings made by students, simple paper cuttings, charts etc. The classroom was newly built with the help of donations from the people of the village. Brightly lit classroom and happy faces of the children were delight to watch. Shivanna was beaming when he said that his students are excellent in extra curricular activities. The sense of pride was apparent when he gleefully told us that they had won several prizes in taluk level competitions.

These students may eventually go to cities to continue their education and settle somewhere far from their native. One day after many years if they see this post and the casual photoshoot they were part of, tugs their heartstrings in any way,  I will be the happiest person.

PS: The title for the post was suggested by my close friend Rajeev Komar who studied in this school till 4th standard. He now works at Broadcom.

Road Trip to Chikkamagaluru-Agumbe-Shringeri : A Photo Blog Part I

The idea was to visit Kuduremukha, Hanumangundi and Shringeri on the long weekend resulted because of Karnataka Rajyotsava falling on a Friday. Four of us friends decided to hit the road and it didn't matter where we are going. Because of that, we ended up enjoying the trip highly in spite of landing up in places we never intended to.

We were supposed to start by 4.30AM from Bangalore got together at 6.30AM, maintaining the Indian Standard Time. Our friend Arjun generously gave us his Fiat Palio (which he rarely took out) even though he was not going to join us. It is a ten year old second hand car whose tire got burst in the previous trip. It was sitting at his office parking lot from 3 months till we asked for it. As the trip was decided impromptu, nobody was able to check its condition properly.  It's silencer had some problem and it was making the sound of cars some punksters ride near college gates. Right when we were stuck in Goragunte Paalya traffic, the car decided to give haath. It wouldn't switch on, no matter what. Where would one find a mechanic so early in the morning?! We managed to get the engine running by giving it jerk. I had a bad feeling about continuing, but others wanted to put up with it in any case. We went straight to Hasana from there without killing the engine again, in empty stomach. There, the mechanic found out that it was some electrical locha and it would take more than a day to fix it . So instead, he gave a temporary solution to turn on the car by rubbing two electrical wires just like they do it on movies while stealing the car!

We had our breakfast at one of our gang member Aalok's house (who had gone on a bike ride to Talakaveri. Read about his scary ordeal here). His father Prashanth Bhat who is a tourist place aficionado (along with being a painter, photographer, Principal of college etc etc)  gave us alternate ideas about which places we can cover.  We headed towards Chikkamagaluru to see Mullayyanagiri from there. Witnessed a crazy accident aversion by Verna car driver followed by a chase to get the Swift driver who could have caused the accident. It was straight out of movies. After all this hungama, reached Chikkamagaluru, had lunch and drove to Mullayyanagiri. Sun was setting gradually by the time we reached there.

Even though one can drive directly to the top of the hill, we decided to park the car on top and come down so that we can trek.

Bettada Melondu maneya maadi..

At one point we got stuck and felt that we will end up in Bababudan giri. It was getting dark and we had option of climbing down or to continue to get stuck somewhere!  To our surprise, my brother Sujith got 3G signal there. When we looked up the Google maps, the trekking path was marked  along with its name as Sarpadaari. We got back to the right path and continued our journey towards the peak.

We finished at top after 2 hours and 50 minutes of trek. Like all the hill tops, this one too has a temple. The only means of getting the food there is from the house of the priest. After requesting him to arrange the food for us, we got down to set up the tent.  With some of the equipment missing, chief engineer Rajeev got into fixing things up.

And finally the tents were up..

It was a first time experience for me to sleep inside a tent. I did feel little claustrophobic. Woke up in the morning to see thick fog outside. After much wait, fog started clearing up and covering the beauty of nature beneath as if someone is switching on and off a button continuously. People were accumulating on the top quite early from the morning itself. There were few vendors with their rickshaws selling rice bhath's and chilli bajji's. After savoring them with tea, we started strolling around. Some had got Karnataka flag and when the fog was cleared for a moment, I got to click this..

Once the fog was cleared, the view ahead of us pure beauty.

Greek god poses..

We started towards Chikkamagaluru after some time, without deciding on our next destination yet...

     Last two images clicked by Rajeev Komar.                                                                                                                                  
(Click here to read the Part II)