Mahi River Viewpoint, Kanoda: Dolce Far Niente

Mahi River Viewpoint, Kanoda: Dolce Far Niente

Hello all,

          I read this phrase years ago: Dolce Far Niente. It's an Italian phrase that means "Sweetness of doing nothing." I was so impressed that I even hand embroidered it on my saree. 

         As I write this, I remember our time in Dayara Bugyal. After we finished our trek for the day, on all five days, we used to sit at the campsite and just relax. I have never felt that much peace in my entire life, and I have never felt more connected with nature. Why? Because we were doing nothing in particular. Now, as we are back in our quotidian life, I feel as if those mountains, that clear blue sky, and those lush green grasslands are whispering in my ears: Dolce Far Niente. 

                      

        It does not mean we should be lazy and idle by doing nothing. It means that when we are on vacation, we take time to relax; similarly, we should imbibe that leisure time in our routine. We should keep that 'do nothing time' on our to-do list. 

                       

                       

            We had our Niente day yesterday, at Mahi river bank. The water was as clear as crystal, and we could literally count pebbles. Fluffy grey clouds and green mounds reflecting in the water, impending rain, and the sweet smell of mother earth - these were our companions. We five just sat there...doing nothing. Kids were making zen towers and skipping pebbles on the water surface. Sheel was reading a book. I was watching calm water, and papa was enjoying his favorite music. We laughed, had tea, talked about nothing and everything...Is it Niente? I don't know. But I can say for sure that I remember those snowy mountains while I was there. I felt at peace. It was sweet doing nothing. 

                        

                       

                       

         So just stop for a minute while reading this blog. Just think about your routine. What does it include? Running after kids, chasing your dream, thinking about the dinner menu, counting success steps in your career, or developing start-ups. Scrolling through Instagram or Facebook pages or binge-watching on Netflix. Just have a look. Drop your to-do list. Drink coffee or tea and enjoy it, not while reading a newspaper or looking at your mobile screen. Listen to your favorite music. Have a lazy walk with the kids in the evening. Feel the cool breeze on your face or, even better, splash in the puddles this monsoon with kids, make paper boats, or dance in the rain merrily in a way that Shahrukh-Madhuri or Amir-Kareena can't compete. Laundry can wait, and dirty dishes can wait. Kids' homework can wait. And so do reports/data/balance sheets. 

                                        

               You will be more productive when you include these little non-productive sweet cheat moments in your 'routine.' Lastly, don't ever feel guilty about it. Instead, take pride. It doesn't mean you are not doing hard work or without motivation or ambition. It just means that you are giving importance to the important.  

                          

           Life is better when we believe in what we do, and we do what we believe. 

       That's it from our side. Sorry for the late Monday post, but as you see, I was busy doing nothing...

Location of the Beach:https://goo.gl/maps/wTGv89j69WVgmxuG9

P.S: While going, you have to take a slight right turn from the main road, and there will be bumpy off-road, and then you will be at the river bank. In the initial stretch, the river is covered with algae, but keep going off-road, and then after a bit, you will get crystal clear water. The water seemed shallow at the bank, but beyond that, it looked pretty deep. Though people were swimming in the river, take kids at your risk to swim. 

Nature education Park : Shout out to all parents...a must visit place with kids...

Nature education Park: Shoutout to all parents...A must-visit place with kids...

                       

Hello all...

     ‘Wilderness touches the heart, mind, and soul of each individual in a way that only known to himself’ - Michael Frome 

                                       

                                

                   I feel this truth every time we go to the jungle or to the mountains...They make sure we reconnect with ourselves. And when you need a break from life’s roller-coaster ride, you have to go to such places. It’s not possible for everyone... and it’s not possible every time.. . But this place is a solution if you want to get an experience of jungle trekking... it is our happy place. It is so near to our city and yet so far...because in your mind it will take you to the places miles and miles ahead. 

                                

                           

      Nature education park, on the way to Sindhrot, provides a wonderful short jungle trekking experience. They also provide night stay in tents, though due to COVID it is not available at present. They have three trails and all three are super fun. 

                       

                                 

      The trails are properly marked. But at places due to rain, the signboards are damaged. But you can take a snap of the map and take out your compass..it is more thrilling that way. And the main highway of Sindhrot is there all along to guide you.

                                

                        

        We had spotted nilgai and a few deer first time. But after that, we were not able to spot any animal. But don’t worry the mesmerizing tall trees and lush green plantations all around you and the captivating smell of these vegetations mixed with the smell of Mother Earth will encase you in a cocoon that you won’t want to break. This feeling is enchanting. Though we have done a few safaris, this is thrilling for kids as they can be in charge here. we are not worried about and wid animals (yes we have to be careful with snakes and monkeys)

                               

          Our kids love this park. There is a small play zone just before that trail. If we are confused about how to spend our Sunday, this is the option we all prefer. 

                               

       So that’s it from our side. Go and explore. 

Location : https://goo.gl/maps/BDzmxkd84BryQe6B9

Just 30 min drive from Vadodara 

Love,

SaSha    

Kadana dam : We love sunsets....

Kadana dam : We love sunsets...

Hello, 

        So this was the second place on the day of Holi. We went to Kadana Dam. We wanted to explore Ghodiyar village and Nadinath hills more but we didn't want to miss sunset also..

                      

                   

                            

            We sat at the river bank for some time... just sat silently, watched birds, threw pebbles in the river, and enjoyed the silence with ourselves. The calm water of the river was calming our minds and our souls. Just a little ahead of us a small boy came there with his goats, talking with them, letting them drink water from the river, and enjoying his work peacefully...

                      

                     

                We went to Kadana Dam viewpoint after that. There are two sites. One in dam per se and one is Dam viewpoint. You have to take the right turn from the Shri Hari restaurant and go uphill.  From this viewpoint, you can see the most mesmerizing sunset... there is another Shivaji temple at the top of the hill. usually, people go up there but we didn't go to the top point but just before that we found one amazing spot with just four of us...

                          

                It was like just four of us, glistening water of Mahi, a lonely boat far ahead just looking like a tiny dot, the vastness of the sky, the beautiful colors of the sunset, and the shining supermoon rising slowly just behind us...few moments in your life you will never forget and these moments are just like those for us...

                      

     

                           

                            

                 So that was a perfect Sunday for us... from a morning trip to Bakor to an evening trip to Kadana...

                  To conclude, our soul was feeling the same just like the quote of my favorite author..."For every time I see the sky I am aware of belonging to the universe rather than to just one corner of the earth."- Ruskin Bond. And this is what I wrote after this amazing sunset and moonrise...    

Circle 

Circle

Round 

Wheel

Dot

Bindu...

Whatever you say

Whatever you see

It makes things complete 

It makes life complete     

First thing that 

Comes to my mind

The sun

Shining brightly and eternally 

Without fail...

He doesn’t wait for anybody 

He comes and he goes 

Just like our circle...

Still, we find time

To see those dreamy events 

Because those moments are 

The momentum of this circle 

We all admire the crescent moon

Gibbous moon steals our heart

But 

When do you feel contempt

Like there is no other way around

The full moon

The moon spreading its light

So calmly into us

Seeking in our body and 

Enlightening our every cell 

Giving us the energy to fight for 

Another month 

Fight of survival 

Circle of mother’s bindi 

On the mirrors 

Of bathroom and dressing

Clean mirrors without them

Can show a nice and good image 

But what is nice and good 

Without heartwarming emotion in them? 

They make the mirror complete 

They join us with her smile

With her memories...

A first circle drawn by my kids

I didn’t know you were supposed to draw

From left to right 

Or the right to left 

School taught them that 

But with me

It was just balls and bindis 

And poori and luchis 

Maa said every girl should 

Learn to make Roti  

That is round

I thought why?

Why is that so? 

Now I understand 

It’s not roti  that should be round

It’s her nature...

To keep balance...

To keep motion...

No Matter what happens

To her family 

To herself

She should always come around

Just like this roti

It was her way of telling me

You can do anything 

You will do any impossible thing

Just keep going

Just like a circle...

So you see 

We love  all circles 

Be it roti or poori

Mother’s dreamy bindi

The sun and the moon

Circle of Raza’s paintings 

To circle of 

Captain America’s shield 

Because all circles 

Are you and me

Bindu. Dot. Spot

It doesn’t start 

It doesn’t end

It’s eternal 

Just like us...

It’s our consciousness 

It’s our conscience 

It is our energy

Because of it, there is harmony 

Let’s celebrate the circle 

Big like sun 

Or small like dot 

Because it is endless...

                                       - Kajal 

Love 

SaSha

Kaash

Location:  

Kadana dam viewpoint - https://goo.gl/maps/RyQuPWPRHiizoKuVA - we sat here 

Kadana nadinath lord shiva temple - https://goo.gl/maps/7FWoM8Nbjs5aPg9q9

Kotna beach- amazing beach so near to your home in Vadodara

 Hi...

            Want some quiet time. But don’t want to go far. 

            Want some solemn yet not complete isolation.

           We will take you to the right place. Just outside our Vadodara, near Sindhrot yet far from its hustle-bustle, we have a wonderful river bank - Kotna. 

                                   

           It is actually an excavation site. So there will be people there, always. Just workers with their JCB and dump truck coming at regular intervals, shattering our peace like a glass..making us feel that we are in the city in fact. So near yet so far...   

          When Sheel found it, I was totally surprised to see such an amazing place in such a vicinity. We parked our car quite far and walked to the beach. But the car can go all the way up to the beach. And from there we can go to the middle of the river. Kids got mad with all the pebbles they could play with... who need gems and diamonds when we found some some amazing collection of our pebbles there.. heart-shaped and star-shaped... 

             The soft glow of the morning Sun was creating tiny little sparkles like diamonds all over and the water so still that we can see our reflection!!! Isn’t the same happens with our emotions also... when we are still, we are calm, our natural radiance ooze positivity to all around us...

                                      

        We went there again, in the evening and oh my!!!! The beauty of this river never ceases to amaze us... gentle ripples of water, inclement sky, serene atmosphere with the smell of impending rain, setting sun creating beautiful rangoli, chirping birds with wonderful melodies, the soothing wind tickling our face, clouds with silver linings, and finally few drops of rain... if was the perfect evening...

                                              

        We were lost in those moments... there were few people around us but we were in our own little world in this mystical weather... 

       As we always say, the river is there to calm us and at the same time to energize us...this weekly dose of wilderness capsule is doing wonders to our family in this difficult time. What about you? don’t wait... either go in the morning or in the evening.... u will be pleased like anything...

Location:   https://goo.gl/maps/uoxDvLwKrPGP6LKf8

Distance from Vadodara - 17 km. 30-35 minutes drive. 

Be safe

Lots of love

Kaash...

SaSha...

A morning at Sindhrot check dam

 Hello!!!!

        We love our rivers...I have a fascination with rivers. My parent's house is at the river bank. I can sit there indefinitely and just look at the serenity of the Tapi river. She is so calm and blissful. 

      All of our rivers are like that. The positivity we get from the river is immense. Kiddos also loved Tapi. But during our trip to Dooars, which requires another few posts, we were amazed to see their love for rivers. I grinned from ear to ear the way they dive in the Jaldhaka and Murti rivers and cherished the view of the Teesta river.

      So we started planning our excursions more along the river banks. And when you are staying in Vadodara, which is better than our dearest Mahi...

        Up till now, we have seen the Mahi river from ten different places. She is never the same, just like us. After feeling her tranquility, we were different persons every time after our visits. She gives us the motivation to be like her, tranquil yet agile. I can feel why we have a temple at every river bank. We Indians are spiritual. It is in our blood. So these temples at river banks or at mountain peaks are the reason to take us to visit serene places from our mundane worlds. 

                                   

        Our younger one has the desire to see and feel the beauty of river Mahi from all the possible places, in all three states and after hearing this we were doing a happy dance...

       Here I am sharing our picnic at Sindhrot check Dam. Instead of going to the bridge, we need to take a turn at Sindhrot village where there is Mahisagar Mata temple. It is crowded, as people and kids from the nearby village go there for swimming regularly and it has religious purpose also. But we can’t complain about the crowd in our country. We are part of it. We are equally responsible for this crowd. 

                             

       But still thanks to Shaurya, we were able to find one secluded small mound and that was enough for us. We just sat there enjoying the calmness of the river just before she hopped over the dam merrily.  

                                                                                                                                                          

           So, go and check it out...SINDHROT CHECK DAM

        You might find peace of mind...You might find the purpose of life...and if nothing else u will always get some quiet time...

          

Location:  https://goo.gl/maps/m9VmeEDAjiUUHttv6

            Thank you. See you next week...