Vacation in Puri

It has been a long time since I have written and, to some extent, the demand of my coursework is to blame :). I won’t complain because this term has been quite interesting from the practical perspective and I always found myself immersed in some course text rather than penning down my thoughts. But my account of the winter break has long been pending and I would want to put in words what’s left in my memory.

During the winter break of Dec 2011 – Jan 2012 I took a month long trip back home and I must say that it has been the most engaging and diverse vacations I’ve had. I obviously stayed in Delhi and then had some fun in Bangalore after which I went with my family to Bhubaneshwar, Orissa and then to Puri, a beach in Orissa. Puri is quite a popular religious destination that hosts the yearly padh yatra, a ritual in which priests travel a long stretch of road bare foot with lord’d idols to seek divine blessings. But apart

from being one of the four most sacred pilgrimage sites in India it is very strategically located so that both the sunrise and the sunset are visible from the beach – and was that amazing! Puri is a small city and as you travel along the beach the swarm of people, with all of them engaged in their own activities would instantly overwhelm you. In the clamorous hustle and bustle you’d find young children trying to sell you everything from t-shirts, shorts, sea shell accessories to road-side food which, for sea food lovers, is hard to look away from.

As we went further the density of the crowd diminished and so did the shops that sold such merchandise. Now we could only see small shacks along the beach selling God idols and others providing fried shrimps, fish, crabs, etc. with which passerbys gorged themselves during their evening walks. Our first reaction of living in a guest house amidst such noise quickly dispelled as we entered an area where all we could here was the sound of the waves lashing against the shore. As we arrived in our guest house, we were simply stunned by its interior design and here is when a picture is worth a 1000 words.

The location, the ambience, the weather, the stay arrangements and the mindset – all the attributes that can make or break a vacation were perfectly aligned. The personal touch of the staff was unmatched and it really felt like being at home, imagine when home is as grandiose. The structure was designed with an open heart. It had glass doors and huge windows that opened out to a big and well maintained lawn which further overlooked the beach. Sitting right outside on the couch in the morning, sipping an amazing ginger masala tea, staring at the infinite horizon with cool breeze striking the face and some nice songs playing in the background – nothing can take away the stress better. It was the start of a perfect leisure vacation. The rooms also contained the same style with wooden floors and off white walls and again with large glass doors and windows with an attached balcony that opened out to the sea. The tranquility of the nights was further enhanced in such a setting. After a sumptuously prepared meal spanning daal, rice, aloo gobi and an amazing masala prawns and fish curry, we used to sit outside and chat over tea. It was an extremely relaxing environment and unarguably the best way to take a moment away from the fast paced lives that we all live and blend with the breeze that took all thoughts away.

I could go on about the calmness of those moments and it was ironic how it was right in front of the fiery of the sea, which is also something we enjoyed immensely. Puri is known for its beaches, especially the beach art where hand craftsmen gather from the surrounding places and model the sand into different 3D structures. We were fortunate to be in Puri at a time when the festival was going on and we could get a glimpse of some pretty skilled art work. At the beach the waves were not too quiet and were rough enough to have a wild time. It was the first time that I went into the waters as much as I did, way ahead of the point where the waves start breaking. At this depth it felt like being in an infinite wave pool, only much stronger. There were two ways in which we could play with the waves – either jump with them or stay rigid and face their full force. Both had their own kind of fun but what I particularly liked about smashing a wave was it created sort of a halo if you stood with your back towards a strong one. Another “game” was to jump and let the wave strike your legs. The sheer force would topple you and it would be a challenge to stand back before another one arrives.

It may sound routine and just like another day on a beach but I would say that I have been to many beaches but Puri was a complete package. I would certainly recommend this place to anyone looking for some time to relax but do look for a place away from the cacophony of the central part.