I seriously fail to understand the reasoning behind remaking a classic. They should leave them alone. Let them be!

So, here’s what’s happening to Don.

And I’m already a little afraid for Umrao Jaan and Sholay.

A road trip to Chikmagalur on the Diwali weekend. October 21-23.

A journey through Karnataka’s beautiful countryside and a couple of days in the peace and quiet of a coffee plantation is all I needed to relax and rejuvenate. While I love the festival of lights, the noise makes me crazy. I must have been a dog in my earlier birth, I think!

Another road trip we decided would be perfect way to spend the weekend. We packed our equipment and luggage (I threatened everyone to carry just one piece, since my Zen can only accommodate that much) and we set off on Saturday morning.
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Wishing everyone a very happy Diwali!

I hope that your life is lighted up, the way you light up mine!

Those of you who have stumbled upon this page by chance, those who visit this page once in a while, those of you who have been silent readers of my blog for a while and those of you who always come and leave me a nice and encouraging word! I’d like to thank each one of you.

I thought I’d especially acknowledge the silent types who just check my page and go away! I recently received a mail from a blog reader who said he has been reading for the last one year, but never commented. But he did finally mail me after a year, and it really good to read his nice long mail - in fact it made my day!

And I realised I complete 5 years of blogging this month! I began way back in October of 2001. Strangely, like many other who started around the same time, I haven’t felt like quitting yet. Blog burnout is common but somehow it’s evaded me. I’m not quite sure how or why this has happened but I still feel as enthusiastic and excited about it. Of course, I can’t post that often because of time commitments and the fact that I also maintain around 3 other blogs.

But I think what I’ve got back from blogging is definitely worth all the time I’ve spent on it over the years. I’ve met some wonderful, amazing and fascinating people through this and my other blogs and it’s been one hell of a great journey! Many of these bloggers and blog readers, I’ve got an opportunity to meet in person and many I hope to meet in the future. What can I say? Here’s to five more years at least! :)

I had a most lovely day today (it was a holiday and it sure felt like it!). The roads were relatively peaceful, with many folks obviously leaving town, since it’s a long weekend. Had a long lazy lunch at the Belgian Café where it felt almost sinful to be enjoying waffles on a Friday afternoon! That extended to almost 5 pm, topped off with coffee at Barista. And then went and had a yummy dinner at Shiok to end the day.

This morning at 5 am I leave on a 3 day road trip to the beautiful hills of Chikmaglur. Meanwhile, do have yourself a great Diwali. I don’t like the noise and the crackers so it will be nice to get away. But I do love the beautil lights… Have a great one!

Somewhere in the bowels of Fraser Town is a non-descript place called Pottery Town. It’s not really a town, just a street that houses about 30 potter families. And have been for quite some time now. Apparently, Pottery Town was born when the Government gave 60 potters a designated area on a 30-year lease. Over the years, the potter’s days of glory has declined and many of the new generation don’t want to take it up.

Getting ready for the festival of lights

This is what I found from a website: “Almost 150 years ago, potters hailing from Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu migrated to Bangalore to explore new markets. In 1928, the British resettled them in the present Pottery Town near Frazer Town in the Cantonment area. Since then, this colony has been the single largest producer of pots in the City. With the decline in the use of pots for utilitarian purposes, pottery has been reduced to a decorative symbol.”

The mud also comes from very far away areas like Kanakapura, Gubbi, Hoskote, etc, so the folks need to pay quite a hefty sum for it. Another problem is the lack of space. Everything from mixing the clay and making the products to baking and drying them in their tiny little work sheds. And they also need to use the same for displaying their wares.

A potter @ work making diyas

So how long the traditional pottery industry will survive is anyone’s guess.

Meanwhile, a few of us gathered there on Saturday morning and roamed around the area taking in the sights and sounds. It was rather interesting as it’s a very small place but we soon discovered multiple things happen in that limited area – starting from pots and items being painted, shaped, cleaned, dried and sold!

Different clay items perched on the wall

I was tempted to buy a large beautiful multiple diya for Diwali but since we’d parked very far away, I had to resist the temptation. I would however like to go back there and buy a few things. If you’re looking for lamps for the season, this is a good place to head and to buy in bulk.

Blog reader and now blogger Divs writes, “Where are more pics, Anita?” So here’s especially for him a travel diary and more pics from my recent trip! And thanks Divs for the pics and your homestay details (check end of post on where to stay). It might be useful for those of you planning trips to Coorg.

A journey through scenic Coorg

Day 1: Sept 30

On the Road

After attempts to start bright and early at 5 am in the morning, we finally left the city around 6 am. Chandra’s Tata Safari was the vehicle for the trip and there were six of us packed in – Chandra, Deepsan, Silvester, Rajiv, Venkatesh and me.

After 2 hours on the road, the hunger pangs began to set in and we sighted a likely breakfast place around 8.30 am where we packed in a fulfilling south Indian breakfast of idlis & dosas.

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Just returned from a nice three day trip to Coorg via Nagarhole and Kabini. So another one day break in the middle of the week has added to the holiday spirit.

The Karnataka bandh, called by Kannada activists, has been called unnecessary by the CM himself. The whole exercise of shifting the Karnataka legislature session to Belgaum was enough to send out a message to Maharashtra, he says. Hmm… not sure about all the border politics going on between the two states, but while they fight it out, the one day at home has been quite a welcome break.

The cat takes a break. It’s a bandh, you see!

The cat is happy. I’m finally spending a whole day with her :)

After awaking at noon, I’ve been eating chips and apples and drinking lychee juice through the day. And listening to Worldspace. Have piled up a few DVDs for the evening. Had plans to clean the house, but I think it will survive another week without my interference :)

They should have bandhs more often, I say. Bad for productivity but great for rest and relaxation!