about
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Its not just the end of another year, for me its the coming to close of three decades of living on this fragile, ever-changing, dynamo of a planet! The big 30 as they say, when you finally run out of excuses and have to well, grow up! With a good quarter left before the turn of events. I find this a rather good time to lament and wrap up the lists of the decade. The shoulds, the coulds and the woulds as I would call them! Here are my learning’s from my humble existence on the planet, after all we are nothing but space dust! =)
The Shoulds
- Laugh. No not just smile, but at the cost of appearing like a lunatic, laugh.
- Be carefree. We aren’t matter, we’re energy, a bunch of waves.
- Sing. Even if you flatter yourself croaking like a frog.
- Dance. Yes in the living room, in the bathroom(if you slip, fall, get-up, repeat), on the dance floor, in Zumba class.
- Move. 10000 steps a day I am told, the more the merrier.
- Let go. Of clutter, of memories, of obsessing over the future.
- Draw. However much, whatever it is, line drawings, pencil sketches, ink or watercolor.
- Pump the adrenaline. Take that risk, jump off a building, a plane.
- Work. Do your part in contributing to the world through food, clothes or shelter.
- Have a goal. Steer the mast of your boat, catch the wind in your hair and sails.
The Coulds
- Eat cake for breakfast. Provided you ran 10 km before that and ate salad for dinner.
- Travel the world. Provided you finished the US first and plan the rest of the world later.
- Read a book a week. It could be a booklet too, just teleport into another world.
- Engage a partner-in-crime. You could not climb the Mount Everest alone. Period.
- Dress to impress. It could get you in the papers or simply noticed for what you said.
- Practice coloring. Becoming smarter could be a worthy life-skill.
- Follow your dreams. It could get you killed but heck you’d die anyway.
- Forgive. Yourself. It could lighten your load.
- Don’t get mad. You could get even though.
- Write your horoscopes. It could get you to finally believe in miracles.
The Woulds
- Where there is a will, there is a way. Where there is a would, there is a would-be.
- Every action has an unequal and disproportionate reaction. All the coulds are followed by the woulds.
- In the house-court. All that you said would be used against you at the most inconvenient time.
- Fire, like gossip, spreads. By lighting yourself up you would be lighting up the world.
- Its all personal. Everything. There is no would be.
- Hear the tone. Would you please do would mean just do.
- Know when to shut up. You would save yourself a great deal of heartbreak.
- Live for once. And then once would be more than enough.
- Be a rockstar. You would be living your dream.
- Be a sportstar. Then you would be living the planetary predictions.
Most importantly, ah be fun and funny, delirious and high on life. Here’s a toast to the living. Merry everything and Happy always, like they say! Happy 2017 peeps.
On a serious note. Here’s wisdom from Tolkien. Who’s books are on the reading list in the upcoming year. LOTR!
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king!
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With charming walls telling even more endearing stories the near-perfect illustrations of the Smoke House Deli food chain, with all its i’s dotted and t’s crossed does more than dish out glorious food. The place is enlivening, amusing and entertaining all at once. All walls with hand-drawn illustrations, each distinct and each beautiful in pen and ink remind one of the preppy childhood days of endless wonder. Tweaked to fit the local bill, the cozy restaurants in Bangalore, Delhi or Mumbai, offer delightful backdrops for easy conversations, happy tummies and satiated minds. First in Delhi, then in Mumbai and now in Bangalore I was enthralled by the finesse in design and the blissful vibes the Deli offers all at once. Its one of those well-made happy places, and food may well have a greater contribution to the atmosphere than we could imagine. In Delhi the Crepe was lovely, in Mumbai the risotto was winning while in Bangalore the Gnocchi was enchanting. Good design inspires, and in beautiful spaces there is joy forever. With a pleasing design the place is intelligence personified. The designers at BUSRIDE (whose principal designer doubles as the head peon) first ideated the décor concept while the Turmeric Design Studio has just done the Haus Khas deli in Delhi. A must-have experience for them design junkies!
p.s The flourless chocolate cake may well be to die for.
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When Kipling crafted the affable character of Mowgli, he modeled the locale of the Jungle Book on the pretty Kanha National park in the heart of India. The state of Madhya Pradesh is home to the Kanha National Park or the Kanha Tiger Reserve that is roughly over 520 sq kilometers in core zone area with an additional 1000 sq km as buffer zone to the core area. The reserve is home to roughly 110 tigers and besides offers a gorgeous setting for other lesser pursued flora and fauna. The reserve is mostly made of salwood trees growing long and lean with broad leaves, my favorite Labernum, the vine(y) Banyans, from which Mowgli swings and other local specie. The beautiful forest that once inspired Rudyard Kipling to concoct the Jungle Book is still as glorious as ever, well maintained by the Park officials over time. Apart from the man-cub Mowgli, the Jungle Book introduces us to varied other characters with their own eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, each as different as can be from the other. Together they form a microcosm of the world as it is and highlights a plot where like in every story the good wins over the evil. On a mission to relive the childhood Jungle Book days, ones where we religiously tuned into the government run Doordarshan channel and watched Mowgli, Bagheera, Akira, Ka and the unforgettable Balu fight the evil Sher Khan. The only difference being, we literally pursued, hoping to get a glimpse of a Sher Khan or the Indian national animal the Tiger!
Venturing into the forest in the early morning hours with a group of wildlife enthusiasts means that we were kept abreast wholly about the inner workings of the forest. From firelines to the names of trees and birds sighted the government induced guide and our fellow naturalists brought to the front wonderful nature knowledge to our notice. The Park is divided into zones accessible from different gates. The Kanha Gate is the most popular while the Mukki Gate is the least. But once in the park there is no knowing of which route the Tiger decides to grace. No more tracked down by Mahouts, the sighting of Tigers has gotten unpredictable at it’s best. Besides tigers are rather solitary creatures and like cats, they simply cannot be coaxed into doing something they would rather not. That said, after almost two hours of our scheduled 5 hour safari time we were elated to spot a lessor known tiger, approximated by it’s build to be roughly 5 years old. And unlike Sher khan this creature with a shiny coat looked as magnificent as ever. Quite a bit of the show-off the tiger sat amidst the jeep tracks checking us out, just as we clicked away incessantly. As I marveled at the orange and brown stripes, unique to each tiger, the guide watched carefully, instructing less movement and low decibel volume continuously, lest we be attacked. But looking into the vastly contended eyes of Mr T, I was pretty sure he had his fill for the week!
Excited and pleased to have survived the safari and spotting a tiger, we set out again to appreciate the salwoods, the very many birds and other fauna, mainly the Barasingha deer that is only found in Kanha. With thriving deer population, the tigers at Kanha do have plenty to eat apart from the gorgeous surroundings they enjoy. Switching off the mobile phones in mandatory in Kanha as the radiation caused the death of many a bird-specie. The feathery creatures are supposedly not immune to the radiation and I sure wish we fare better off! Sleeping owls, foxes, kingfishers, tailor birds, mynas, and a whole lot of other ornithographer delights later one drives out of Kanha very refreshed and delighted. When the great architect Frank Llyod Wright said, “I do believe in God, I only call it nature”, he did know a thing or two about God. Kanha hosts a great many number of resorts and lodges, staying in a tent, wearing the safari hat with binoculars in tow, ala Shikari Shambu may be a great idea!
p.s as a lover of fiction, visiting places that inspire timeless classics is a wonder in itself, sometimes the imagination wins but mostly the reality is truly inspiring. (ala Bath for Pride and Prejudice, Atlanta for Gone with the Wind, Baker Street for Sherlock Holmes!)
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We shape our buildings which thereafter shape us, said Churchill. Its a statement that’s truer than ever. The architecture of the Rishi Valley school just does that. Built amidst picturesque hills near Madenapalli in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, the school housing 360 students and a third of support staff sparsely populates its 300 acres land size nurturing and shaping nature-loving individuals since its inception in 1928. Deeply ingrained with the philosophy of J. Krishnamurthy the teachers leave no stone unturned in providing world-class education to the students.
In their tryst to promote the influence of natural surrounds, the urban world is kept away. Internet connections, digital cameras are limited while the education promotes syncing with the solar system instead. Ashtachal or the evening quiet reflective time from 6.15 to 6.35, around sunset, dressing in Indian clothes, focusing on creative pursuits rather than competitive sport, smaller classes and living in close proximity to nature are hugely propagated. The campus in exposed brick and quaint spaces is probably the most beautiful part of the school that is largely comprised of trees. The disconnect from the world on a daily basis probably instills a spiritual prowess that prevents one from carrying the world on their shoulders! Living in such close proximity to nature does also bring about a sense of calm. The most beautiful thing about the Rishi Valley School, maybe even surpassing the philosophy of it’s founder J. Krishnamurthi, is the deep-rooted connection it provides to the nature.
A lesson or two that every school must take including the proximity to nature is the class on gratitude. As a lesson for life, Gratitude must be the attitude, for if the only prayer you ever said was, “Thank You”, its more than enough am told. Easy smiles and breezy vibes engulf the students of the Rishi Valley school who quite as easily settle into quick contentment. While the lack of ambition and a lack of competitive spirit may be unsettling for one from a convent school, or rather from the mainstream world, it does embody the words of the Gita, that instructs to carry on without having an end in mind, to live for the moment in quiet contentment. As Chesterton declared, “One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak!” The location of the Rishi Valley school, figuratively and metaphorically embarks on getting their protege to see great things in life. When questioned on how debilitating such a disconnect from the urban world could be in terms of success, the reflective Director of the school smilingly observes the relative and elusive perception of success.
However unconvinced by his reply, I could not agree more on the joy brought by natural surrounds. Not only bringing joy to the weary, it makes one smarter, stronger and more spiritual. Starting with the education system, the green layer is a precept in all our living spaces that is indispensable. Its a note in point where the alternate needs to be made mainstream.
And to further elucidate my case in point, here is a lil more reading on the subject..https://michaelhyatt.com/nature-going-outdoors.html
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Sketching the National Gallery of modern art on the World Architecture Day!
As we ponder on how build a better world the first question we need to consider is whether we need to build at all! Green over matter!
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The Arthur Ashe stadium is home to the biggest tennis tournament held every year in the United States. The US Open Final is a sight to witness, one with a full-flag salute, fighter-jet salute, a goose-bump inducing musical number, the joy of a full stadium, quirky fun people, classy tennis dressing, cheers and grunts and finally players putting up the best show in the game. The stadium for one is beautifully crafted holding a capacity of over 23,000 people. On a hot muggy day, a lot of us gathered to watch Angelique Kerber play Karolina Pliskova in a nail-biting neck to neck game spanning over a grueling 2 hours. As the ball-pickers run to the players with towels after every rally we could have done with a few towels ourselves!! The stadium supremely well-designed allows for perfect viewing from every angle. And watching a game in the stadium has a charm like no other. It does help when the players themselves are spectacular too!
In Flushing Meadows, the stadium is in close proximity with the Mets stadium in New York State and it could spell chaos when base-ball and tennis games are held simultaneously. Crowd-control may then well be the most important aspect. But during this year’s US Open, the tough weather was probably the only thing to worry about. The mechanically controlled roof could be opened up or closed to suit the weather conditions, but welcoming the last of the summer days, the players and the audience basked as well as baked in the sunshine. Finals are treated with great respect at the US Open, after all, all the players who have reached the final have won more or less 90% of the games and in that themselves deserve an ovation. The men’s doubles, highly one-sided were taken away by Murray and Soares early on in the day and the stage was set for the women’s singles later in the afternoon. A tidy food court and lots of day cafes keep the spectators fueled for the rest of the day. As Kerber and Pliskova battled leading every point to a deuce and then advantage, Kerber especially prancing around the court taking shots jumping at times or squatting other times, we spectators witnessed new faces in tennis making their mark that very day.
Always a classy game, the US Open just like Wimbledon marks just another milestone as a Grand-slam in the careers of the sports-persons. A huge fan of Federer, Sharapova and now Kerber, the game she played and the consistency she displayed was inspiring. Losing on the same court last year, she upped her winning streak with a Grand slam title, World no 1, she lifted the trophy with grace. Dressed to win in a cheery pink and a colorful streaked skirt, she said ‘staying in the moment’ helped her win this time round. Possibly what every sportsman vouches for on the field and what every successful person knows is the mantra or the magic hack for life – staying in the moment! With a childhood dream checked off and an audience spellbound, Kerber gave a good game to the tall Pliskova who just defeated Serena Williams to enter the final. An experience like no other watching the US Open is truly memorable, I can only then fathom how amazing it would feel to be on the court playing.
Places may make people, stadia make sports-stars and sports makes us happy!
Live happy music at the US Open.
And some awareness too!
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Atlanta was where the very dear beverage of Coca-Cola was first concocted by the pharmacist John Pemberton. He made a thick deep brown syrupy version of the drink which he mixed with soda to sell a highly refreshing drink in May of 1886. Today, the drink has made its way all across the globe and is greatly loved by everyone looking for a refreshment and some who even claim it’s useful application as a toilet cleaner!! My childhood pediatrician for one recommended half a bottle of coke for the brother and me to treat stomach upsets! Coke did work as a wonderful medicine for all those troubles! But with a greater taste for mango drinks, (read slice and maaza) and haters of fizz, we never did take to coke but for its medicinal values. Even today, as we indulge in spicy, oily Chinese food, we do love the taste of the American drink on the side. Whether in floats, or neat, Coke was my proverbial arm-candy in all college frat-parties or distinguished office meetings over the years. While I’ve since switched to more a respectful sweet lime soda for arm-candy, though still not a fan of carbonated or sparkling water, I could not resist visiting the Coca-Cola world in downtown Atlanta. After all what is the story behind Pemberton’s invention and a company with an annual revenue of over 45 Billion dollars!
Jacobs pharmacy was first where the drink was served as a fountain soda, instantly becoming popular in the summer of ’86. The museum documents the journey of the cola from it’s invention by Pemberton, the sale of it’s recipe to the Candler, further it’s distribution to various countries across the globe, documenting the adverts the company brought out over time, the very many different marketing gimmicks it works on, it hosts the safe that carries the secret formula, happily displays scamsters over the years who claimed to know better and finally even encloses a drink hall gleefully giving away coke along with other competitive drinks from other markets. Their confidence on the superiority of coca-cola over the others is quite palpable! Rigged or not, it tends to be the preference of most people. Apart from it’s extensive market presence and its immense popularity, I am a huge patron of most of their advertisements, and after visiting the museum, their artwork for sure! The polar bear, a mascot for the beverage, has had the company scramble to support the cause of saving polar bears. With their budgets and a nobility in intention, they have made more than a brief impact on the cause. The endearing bear did make for a wonderful photo-opportunity! It did look a wee bit emancipated if anything!!
Though coca-cola is widely criticized for being a cause of obesity apart from a wide range of health issues, one cannot dismiss its virtue as a refreshment! The team’s marketing prowess also functioning as great contributing factor. While am a great patron of junk food, coke and like included, I did wonder if Coca-cola that once began with an intent to boost energy and aid digestion went massively wrong along the years. Portion-control may well be a factor, a little of the pharmaceutical concoction every once in a while would surely not hurt, but in great quantities is definitely a major trouble brewer. Our thoughts play a much greater role in defining the nutrition garnered rather than the scientific quality of food we consume. In the Coca-cola world one cant help but marvel at the great journey of the humble beverage and we absolutely cannot overlook it’s presence in our lives! Binding people, quenching thirst, sometimes purer than water, it is one of those man-made inventions that has reinvented itself over the decades! On other fronts the company definitely deserves commendation for innovating interesting and ingenious ways to stay trendy. The bottle for instance is a product of a design brief that had asked to envisage a bottle that is easy to hold, and easily distinguishable even if broken!
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Rubbing off a little of the Goan culture is a must for one in a lifetime. Inducing type-B personality in even the most ambitious figure the tiny Indian state inspires the slow life like no other. Originally a Portuguese colony, the Konkan coastal state never willingly wanted to be a part of India. Happily Portuguese, they reveled in the European way of living, holding Portuguese passports for more than a decade before being forcibly added to the Indian Union post a military invasion!
Even today the state flaunts its erstwhile glorious err chilled out past wearing its “susegad” mantle with great ease. Susegad is the term in Portuguese meaning to convey the carefree, laid back, contended and relaxed attitude seen, felt and heard in Goa! Translating to Aaram se, take it easy, relax or chill out, its one word that describes what the great art of idleness is all about. But idleness in Goa is not all about swatting flies, who by the way in great numbers are quite a past-time. Getting absorbed in the lush greenery, the blue sea, the even bluer skies, slowing down, breathing and well frolicking about water is all included. While I’d been contemplating about the genius of a relaxed attitude, the clime of the India’s seventh smallest state admeasuring roughly 3700 sq km sealed the deal on the benefits of being relaxed. At a time when unwinding doesn’t come easy, the fresh clean air, the balmy temperatures, the brilliant coastline, and the south-west monsoons bring out the most cheery smiles and relaxing every muscle, ligament or tendon there is!
While happiness makes for good luck almost always, a relaxed sensibility makes a great company for life. Traditional Goan architecture reflects the relaxed world view with sprawling bungalows offset by large verandahs, sloping tiled roofs and courtyard spaces set in lush green surrounds. Colored in bright hues mostly royal blues and cheery yellows, sometimes jarring purples, elegant peaches or soothing mint, they are all completed with white trimmings. Retrofitting traditional Goan villas into more modern ones, with added amenities and luxury defines Isprava’s properties in the idyllic state. Villa Verde is one such luxury villa capturing the essence of Goa with added luxuries of the day. Incorporating Portuguese and Mediterranean elements, the villa is filled with antiquities sourced from old palaces and mansions. It has a regal aura coupled with an easy breezy effect in all. The colors are charming and calming both in equal measure. Whilst the monsoons raise the sea levels, the Chapora fort offers the best views of the most cool, happy-go-lucky and easy-breezy state!
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Crossing the bicentenary mark, publishing 200 posts calls for a celebration! And to add cheer to this milestone this post features a jet-setting, smart-working, truly cerebral and quaintly Indian travelista! Mahi Payardha our guest on this occasion has clocked half a decade in Germany, Malaysia and Sweden, sometimes working and mostly having a ball! A proud IITian, graduating from India’s premier engineering institute, she currently tinkers technology at Ericsson. Just out of a long vacation bouncing around Europe with family, we pop her a few questions while she pops the champagne!
1. A building that has influenced your life, which, when, where, how and why?
Dresden Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). This magnificent domed Baroque church was destroyed during second world war and several other such buildings, which make the Dresden skyline on the bank of river Elbe.
This entire stretch of the old town was completely rebuilt with all the details intact. I was amazed at how much can be brought back after being completely destroyed and how no matter how we try it will just not be the same it was when it was originally built. There will always be the taint or left overs of the new artist. This was quiet a learning for me. It has changed me as a person. To know that change and healing is possible. Even rebuilding is possible but there will always be a tiny bit that will remain but as a beautiful scar.2. Your most treasured life lesson in a line, one line.
There are so many. Cannot choose one. Have two
i. Anything that can be solved with money and time, is not a problem.
ii. No matter, where we come from, which language we speak, how much money we have, what colour our skin is and how we dress and eat, at the end there are only two kinds of people in the world. Men and women3. The bestest country ever, that you have been to and why?
a. Germany. They have so much history, so many stories, guilt, structure, craziness, rain, snow, sun, sadness, confusion, rules, mountains, plains, rivers, sea, castles, forests, friends and leaders.4. What makes you feel beautiful?
Laughing or smiling and the cold breeze on my face when the sun is shining.5. Place, clothes, profession. Which of these maketh a person?
None of these or all of these, not just a single one of these.6. Describe a real place that relaxes you, makes you happy and contended?
An island next to my house. Sitting on a blanket in the sun, with some snacks and a drink and watching the water hit the tiny beach in a rhythm. This relaxes me, makes me happy and contented.7. Your most endearing travel story, in preci, specifically 110 words?
I was travelling to a small town in Finland called Turku also called åbo in Swedish, for work. Very few Finnish speak English and it turned out to be a lonely and boring trip. The next day at work started off good but then I got really sick. So sick that I could not work any longer and decided to fly back to Stockholm that very evening. I was so distraught that I wasted the company money for nothing, irritated and home sick. On the way to the airport in the taxi, I suddenly burst out laughing and the poor Finnish driver not knowing what got into me asked something and I just said “Tikka Masala”. He tried to communicate more but couldn’t get through to me. What had happened was that I saw on the directions board, that there is a city called “Masala” in Finland.Everything suddenly felt so comfortable cause I realized that even if am far far away from home in the middle of nowhere I would for sure find a part of me, my home and my identity all over the world.
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Maybe, said Putin when asked whether Russia would go to war against the United States, to Charlie Rose on the prime time show of 60 minutes. Marked by unabashed confidence and an unflinching nerve he may well be an embodiment of the steely resolve of his fatherland. Lugging a treasure-trove of history and an even more remarkable collection of geography the country is an enigma unfolding every step of the way. Once ruled by Czars, or Tsars as some may like, the world’s biggest country also has one of the sparsest population densities, a statistic that doesn’t apply to its capital Moscow. From wealthy autocratic Czars to people-minded Communists and now well-intended democracy inspired Putinism Russia has seen it all. While the breadth of the country has been home to literary geniuses like Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Pushkin, not to forget my personal favorite, Anton Chekhov; the Kremlin has played host to several eccentric figures, be it the Tsars Ivan, the Terrible, Peter, the Great, the communists who led the Russian Revolution Lenin, Stalin, the Soviet leader Gorbachev or even the ex-KGB spy and the second and fourth President Vladimir Putin. When the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic collapsed in the early 90s the iron-clad Kremlin lowered the sickle and hammer as Gorbachev made way to the more dynamic Yeltin. And testimony to their times the architecture and urbanscapes seen in Russia are as scintillating as the history that was once played out in them. The extravagant palaces, the onion-domed and brilliantly gilded cathedrals, the huge public squares, the changing face of the Kremlin are all remnants of the past that also showcase a culture that is both vast and deep. Playing host to the dire aspects of life even today the Moscow trundles on towards dynamic action and reaction to the world at large. Though an active member of the United Nations, Russia has always maintained its own unique stance on world affairs hardly ever influenced by bigger bullies in the world market, a trait inherited from the past!
Landing in Moscow, Indians may well be introduced to the workings of the spy-country! But do not take the treatment to heart as Russians in general love Indians and are more than ready to help out at every instance or greet the average looking Indian on the street with disarming smiles and warm welcomes! Succulently testing even a well-seasoned traveler’s patience a two-hour wait at immigration leaves one sufficiently embarrassed and travel-worn with suspense on imminent deportment. After thorough police verification of the passports and several hours added to the already long journey, Moscow all with it’s Stalin’s seven sisters and Lenin’s grand squares lends a warm welcome to the weary traveler. The ride from the Sheremetyevo International airport to the effervescent Arbat Street covers quite a distance and passes by the popular Moscow Zoo. Though hostels and star hotels are the most popular locations for the stay in Moscow, the city also does offer a range of boutique hotels, mostly the 17th century apartment or residential buildings converted to quaint properties hosting tourists with the essential heating and cooling(oh yes!) devices in place.
Architecture is but the mark of a civilization, the setting against which life happens and a testimony to the times, it makes for the best study of history, human behavior, besides shaping our own lives. The rather grim and eventful past of the Moscow and in effect Russia is exhibited through the stone, concrete, brick and steel structures that stand across the city in indication to its times. Stalin’s skyscrapers for one, stand out defining the skyline quite distinctively. Announced in 1948, and popularly called the seven sisters, the seven skyscrapers placed around Moscow are imposing and important buildings today housing the Moscow State University in Sparrow Hills, the Ukraine Hotel, now a Radisson hotel, the Ministry of foreign affairs, the Hilton Leningradskaya and other administrative building. Stalin commissioned architects to build towering skyscrapers on the likes of the New York giants, mainly inspired by the glorious Empire State building in NYC. The seven sisters therefore bear a massive imprint in terms of massing from the Empire State. On the outside of the walls of Kremlin the brutalism in architecture is exacerbated in not just the buildings but also the urban-scape of the city. Wide avenues marked by high modeled stone structures are crowned up intimidating sidewalks. The Soviet regime in all its Communist glory ensures to dictate even through it’s architecture on how the state is bigger than the individual, on all counts.
On the insides, these buildings are gilded with golden frames, Russian art, warm carpets and cheery wall-papers. Grand stairways or hallways with dog-legged staircases lead one onto the upper levels of the magnificent buildings. A Stalin building that is now the Four Seasons, closer to the Kremlin, bears an elevation with distinctly different sides on the same façade. Legend holds that the architect drew up two different styles on the same façade to understand from his client Stalin, which one he like better, Stalin on his part signed in the middle, afraid to ask him which did he like the construction team built both on either side. It is therefore strange to note the irony of fear in the limits of communism. What is the point of communism that instills fear in people? What is the point of anything that instills fear in people! Apparently the Russians saw that too, and hence embraced a democracy, even if a tad hesitantly as the State Duma is continued to be dominated by the United Russia party, the stronghold of the current President and Russia’s frontman Vladimir Putin. For he is one who cannot be missed in the extents of the country, even souvenirs hold his presence with smart sunglasses, on mugs, badges, fridge-magnets and scarves. He may well be Russia’s most popular export today! Once queuing up for even a loaf of bread or rations from the state, Russia has come a long way with people engaging in dacha as they lovingly call organic farming on country estates in the weekend, buying Starbucks, right around every corner, or grabbing the quintessential American food, the burgers, fries and steaks off Burger Kings, Shake Shacks and cheery Mac Donalds. When the first Mac Donald opened in Russia the queues lasted remarkably long.
Despite the immense globalization in Russia since the 1990s, no one can discredit the comfort of MacDonalds across the world, the at-home feel it gives the world, the most endearing part of Moscow is its old architecture, its quirky locals, the well-laid out infrastructure, its fallen rouble, but ofcourse and the radial city planning that emerges from the Kremlin quarters. Kremlin is often called the Eighth wonder of the world and quite rightly so. The crucible of Moscow, the Kremlin is where Moscow had its initial beginnings, the walls of the Kremlin now symbolic is red were not always red in color, they were initially and until recently white, the Red Square bears the name not for it’s color, not even as tribute to the blood of the people but instead it is called so because red means beautiful in Russian and indeed it is beautiful. White stone readily available around Moscow caused all the buildings to have white facades and hence Moscow is even addressed to as the White City. The walls of the Kremlin have only recently been painted red. As for the Red Square, the large public plaza sets a frontage for an entry into the Kremlin, is home to the oddly-beautiful St Basil’s cathedral and is flanked by the vintage GUM shopping mall. The immaculately maintained Kremlin is lined by the tombs of Lenin and the unknown soldier while its walls are where several communist leaders were once buried in patronage! The Kremlin in Moscow is the most popular of all the kremlins, a term used to describe the Russian citadels, once fortified the residence of the Tsars, the royal Bayors, once included five Royal palaces, four cathedrals and the towers of the Kremlin. Today the complex is home to the armory, the State offices, the cathedrals and draws in major tourists visiting the country. The Russian guards watch over intently as tourists are restricted to only a few zones inside and are quick enough to detect even the slightest movement into the restricted areas. The four cathedrals are crowned by the famous Onion domes, glistening in gold and capped by crosses. Russian orthodoxy is the major religion followed in Russia and the Byzantine interiors are modeled on their counterparts in erstwhile Constantinople. As Islam gained popularity in Constantinople and the religious atmospheres were undergoing a major overhaul in Istanbul, many Byzantine Christian leaders fled towards Moscow. It is however interesting to note that the Imperial family in Russia never did patronize any religion, calling avid followers fools. (!)
As a radial city, all roads lead either to the Kremlin or around the Kremlin, the citadel being the major centre-point. A tour of the inner complex of cathedrals and the Armory museum provide a significant insight into the making of Russia, its glorious past and its autocratic Tsars. Contrary to the proverb history does not repeat itself. It hardly ever does. The richness of the past, the jeweled and furred crowns, the steely arms, silk-gowns, golden table-ware, sapphires and rubies set in gold tell a wonderful story of the different times and the visual encyclopedia demonstrates how a civilization evolves sometimes never to look back. The memorabilia however are spell-binding much the same. A glimpse into the world of the Tsars, Peters, Ivan, Catherine, Anna and all the many dukes and duchesses is one large spectacle. Their times and lives were mostly inspired by the French, the German, the Scandinavians and all the others in the region in the past. Many duchesses took to the nunneries turning to religion and God more often than not. The Novodevichy convent patronized by the imperial family holds fort beautiful premises by the lake and the best in terms of the Byzantine domes, gilded and decorated with a great deal of detailing. The Church of our savior Christ across the Kremlin is one more of the many orthodox churches in Moscow.
Set within these extremities of religion, art and literature blossomed in Russia, the rigors and capacity of the Russians to wield the human will to unbelievable limits blossomed the average French ballet into the finest of them all, the Russian Ballet. A show at the highly acclaimed and well-designed Bolshoi theatre is a treat to the senses. As the ballerina weightlessly struts around the stage flying like a butterfly albeit without wings, the orchestra plays the tune to administer a huge dose of culture. The lives of the performers are governed by the thrill of performance, the high of creativity and also once offered an opportunity to get out of the country to mostly greener pastures, considering the difficulty in staging an exit. Performers however were allowed to travel to learn and showcase their skills in dance and music. In the same locales the literature of Tolstoy, Pushkin, Chekov exhibit the layers and complexities of human nature thrived. War and Peace by Tolstoy is considered the best book to ever read and figures in the list of the major rankings. It mirrors the complex world we live in today with depth and alacrity like few other pieces of fiction. In any civilization, culture, art and literature were patronized by the rich, sometimes the church or mostly the royalty. Art works at the various museums of art in Russia are dotted by figures and paintings of baby Jesus in the arms of the Virgin Mary crowned and clothed in beaten and embellished gold with the faces painted in clarity. In modern times most Russian jewelry is inspired by nature and architecture is modeled on sustaining the earth by consuming lesser energy.
When backed by a multitude of history and a glorious past, modern new-age Russians are anything but grim, hardly mysterious and completely high-spirited. In Arbat street, a safe distance from the Kremlin, the quirks of the city are out in full display. A topsy-turvy house, crazy glass and mirror mazes, street artists enliven the atmosphere of the city, while restaurants serve up cuisine from across the world and one can relish a Soviet-style ice-cream, basically an ice-cream in a flat cone. The Louis Vuittons and Manolo Blahniks have easily made their way into the main street as the tall Russian women strut around flicking the goldilocks more than once. The Moscow metro stations much like their counterpart in St Petersburg are decorated in great luxury, mostly a visual treat. They were redesigned to boost the morale of the urban populace who had enough of being treated poorly and in an economy that did not supply them with even the most basic necessities. Today’s Russia wears its past quite proudly and bravely looking out to a new horizon with great zest and mostly a greater sense of humor. When the wives of the officers saved the GUM shopping mall opposite the Kremlin, not allowing their only place of leisure from turning into the department of Heavy Industries little did they know of the favor they were doing to their country. Even the Red Square once the address to public prosecutions or public outcries now is venue for various Rock concerts and musical shows. The festivities run far close to the Kremlin, setting a stark contrast to the dapper guards keeping a strong vigil over time. Though the various streets, maps are not mentioned in the global language of English, it helps that Cyrillic, the script of the Russian, resembles most of the English alphabets, causing one to play match-the-following to get the bearings right! Helpful faces come forward ever so often volunteering information mostly displacing the prejudice. The love for India is also clearly visible apartment from the fact that them Russians are now heartily laughing. Just as she finished her tour with us, our guide peppered her stories with genial jokes on the Russians, the Soviets and even the current affairs in the country, stating that’s something she wouldn’t be caught dead sharing at the red square a couple of decades ago!
The St Basil’s cathedral is mostly the mouth-piece for Russia today, a visual metonym, almost a mascot for the country. The colorful turrets and buffoonish structure cannot help but make the happy-go-lucky ones laugh and the serious wince in delight. The friendly vibe coupled with the need to lift the iron veil has had a lot of the citizens bounce out, opening up to visitors, letting go of the need for the infamous mystery and secrecy. A walk on Traversky could have been anywhere in Europe, munching Spanish Churros or buying a LongChamp from Paris. As the world is increasingly made flat Moscow is breaking bad and more often than not moving with the times. They even have curated a love-lock brick all equipped with flower arches and lock trees! While exhibitions in parks have budding artists use cheery oranges and bright pinks adding cheer to the atmosphere and good-natured Russians getting in a huddle while hopping and singing along just as actively. With the world becoming flat come other environmental disasters like inconsistent temperatures, precipitation and global warming, well in case of Russia, global cooling!
Vedasri Siddamsetty 