India we saw

The first intended stop

Traveling to Araku from Bangalore via Vizag.

We asked Google Maps to take us to Vijaywada first which is around 670 kms from Bangalore. Unsure if we will be able to reach there in a single day, we head out. The route planned was via Chittor (on the Bangalore-Chennai Expressway NH75), Tirupati, Ongole (to connect to NH16 Chennai-Kolkata highway) and then Vijaywada.

Murugan Idli in Kolar was our first stop. I remembered the taste of the original Murugan Idli store from a trip to Madurai 10 years ago and wanted to experience it again. The supple idlis did not disappoint, and I will be happy to visit again just for the curry leaf podi idli.

I had also setup the air mattress on the rear seat of the car. That was the first and last time we used it. Kids were happier without all through and never asked for it. Throughout the entire journey of 7700 kms, if at all the kids wanted to sleep (rather we knew when they would have slept) one of us would be beyond and they would just doze off without their heads on our lap or shoulder.

We stopped for lunch at a forgetable place on the highway. Food was not great; nobody enjoyed it and on highways in India it is hard to convey what non spicy food requirement really is. This was again one of the firsts which we decided against mostly later and usually not stopping on the highways for food.

At Vijaywada we stopped at the Lemon Tree Premiere Hotel with a MAP plan. After roughly a 11-hour drive, kids and I went for a swim first under the moonlight which also happened to be a blood moon (2nd Apil) and I got to explain about lunar eclipse to Dhimahi and Devasya. They cared more about the spectacle of it than Rayleigh scattering of light. Full after a buffet dinner we slept soundly post a tiring day. Next morning we checked out and though about visiting the famous Kanak Durga temple and the view the barrage over the mightly River Krishna.

This was just the second day, but we were about to learn about us and India. Kanak Durga temple is situated on top of a hill, and we were asked to climb up in the April heat of Vijaywada where we were sweating like pigs not being used to such high temperatures. Sure, the devotees were climbing up but there was a route where certain cars were being permitted to drive up the hill. None of us being strongly religious did not want to climb up and I asked the police man and woman manning that cross to permit us up, but I learnt the word Protocol darshan - which will carry through across India.

Protocol Darshan

At most busy temples in India these are the ways to reach the shrine -

  1. Get in the free serpentine queue and only the god knows when will you get to see them.

  2. Some temples have an official paid or sometimes called a VIP darshan ticket which will be a much shorter queue at a very affordable price for a middle-class person. These are mostly online tickets and sometimes can be bought at counter too. We used these at Omkareshwar Jyotirling.

  3. Many temples have touts and agents who will bribe their way through and take you along. We used this mechanism at Jagannath Dham in Puri.

  4. Protocol Darshan where you have to arrange for a special VIP ticket or direct access bypassing all queues through an influential arrangement via phone calls. It is still available at a cost (and not free) just that it is not common known or accessible through publicly available means. It is an official arrangement just not for everyone. We availed this at Mahakaleshwar Jyotriling through my brothers contact who is a regular there and has protocol access.

  5. I'm guessing there is higher darshan available which is available to celebrities and politicians and senior government staff. I've seen this but I have no access to it.

God is not accessible to everyone in India with the same ease. I am not too religious and without an option 2, 3 or 4 I tend to skip temples if it is too crowded. We did not visit the Kanak Durga temple for the same reason.

Of course, God has made it painless for the influential, political class and senior government employees to get blessings. When a common man sees this preferential treatment no wonder, they are in awe of the people on whom God showers its blessings so easily. While I also benefit from such arrangements occasionally as highlighted, I hope God decides to be more equitable soon.

Journey continues

Unable to get easy access to Kanak Durga we continued on the journey to Vishakhapatnam (AKA Vizag) after looking at the magnificent view of the River Krishna and the barrage. In monsoons, with a lot of water it must be an even more humbling to look at.

We halted enroute to refresh ourselves with some ice cream and were treated to wandering geese and guinea fowl that kids were excited to see.

I booked the WelcomHotel Devee Grand Bay at Vizag via the HDFC concierge for a same day booking to redeem the reward points. I continued to use the HDFC concierge many places until in the middle of our trip they changed the policy and did not permit same day hotel bookings anymore.

We went straight to see the defence museum cluster in Vizag on the beach road and was pleasently surprised with lively vibe which reminded of the Marine Drive in Mumbai.

Tired after 2 days of driving we retired for the night without knowing what to do the next day.

Day 3

I decided to not continue to Araku the same day so as to not tire the children further. We decided to stay in Vizag and enjoy the local touristy spots.

Our first stop was Kailasagiri which had a cable car going up. Dhimahi was afraid and resisting to go up in the closed gondola. She is usually excited about amusement park rides so I was a bit surprised. She did not disappoint and was very happy once she was in it. It is also learning opportunity