Kikar - A hidden paradise

The Kikar Lodge.

Till the time I neared the place, I was under the impression that Kikar is the name of the place. I was sadly mistaken. The place gets its name from the tree "KIKAR". Kikar is a thorny small tree which grows to a height of 7 meters (Botanical Name: Acacia nilotica). The lodge (a quite modest way of calling it) is situated in a valley full of Kikar Trees. Once known as the Singh Farms, the expansive estate of 1800 Acres is actually a private jungle. The well maintained lawns, comfortable plush cottages, friendly staff all defy the thought that you are right there, in the middle of a jungle. As I would have liked it, there ws no television and in the age of cut-throat connectivity battles, the mobile signals were sporadic.

Two large swimming pools had us parents shout at the kids to get out of them, lest they came under the weather. The snooker table and Table Tennis room added to the charm. The Kairali franchise of Spa helped one relax. The night trip in an open Gypsy with searchlights took you into the jungle for a Safari-esque experience.

One got up in the morning to see a pair of peacocks sitting luxuriously at the front door. From the cottages, one could see a Deer or two pacing off.

All in all, a place worth a visit.

Its a 320 Kilometers drive from Delhi. Catch the Chandigarh Highway, then onto Ropar/Roopnagar, which is around 45 Kilometers from Chandigarh. From the Ropar Barrage, turn right towards Nurpur Bedi, around 30 Kilometers further down. Once your reach Nurpur Bedi, you take a left turn onto a small road leading to the Kangar Village. Then, through the dirt roads of Kangar Village you climb a bit, say 10 minutes to reach the Kikar Lodge.

Let me add. The website of the place i.e., http://www.thekikarlodge.com does not do proper justice to the place. One has to be told about the fun of travelling from Nurpur Bedi to the lodge to really appreciate the journey.

From there, we visited the Nangal Barrage, Bhakra Dam (You must see it to believe in vision), Naina Devi Temple and Anandpur Sahib, all in a single drive.

Here are some pictures of the Lodge and nearabouts.

My land, my virtue - IV

My land, my virtue - III

May land, my virtue - II

My land, my virtue

Keralam

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[Poem] Desires

Whirlwinds, storms and tremors
that you unleashed, succeeded.
I succumbed to your might.

Still, my heart craves

to be blessed with relentless downpour
for I want you to soak me to my core,
for I want my insatiate vapors to subside.

Once, at least once
I wish to look into your eyes fearlessly,
unmindful of your blinding aura.

and then,

casually holding hands,
without getting immersed in you,
to flow by your side, forever.


Vijay © 16th June, 2007

An untitled transcreation

This should not offend you, but

Our love,
that we had silently buried
before it could be a boy or a girl,
beside the markings
next to the lifeline on your left palm,
yesterday night, I kissed it
without letting you know

It asked me:
Why?
Is this the love
you had forgotten to part in my last birth
or is it in repentance for a future
where you will abandon me on the street?

I said: Neither.
On a rain drenched evening in this birth
just before the dusk could hang
the roadside banyans upside down,
a Lambretta scooter passed by
and in its irritant sound
torn into two
I and she,
the one who couldn’t mother you,
ran into two separate houses
to keep our selves dry
You are the chastisement
that we were handed over

It smiled and got up
Holding my kiss in its delicate palms
it followed my footsteps to my house

You might rue this loss,
but feel free to settle scores tonight
without letting me know


“Vizhuppu” A poem in Malayalam by Anwar Ali
Transcreation by Vijay © 13th June, 2007