Kuchesar Mud Fort – A Picnic

Malvi

It was a day when we re-lived our childhood days of going on a picnic with outdoor games, food, a long drive and happy banter with friend and family. With an outdoor excursion in mind I searched the net for a place at driving distance from Delhi for  same day return. I came across this quaint Mud Fort in Bulandshahar, UP around 80-90 kms from Delhi, which had been converted into a resort with facilities available for a stay as well as a day tour. We decided to drive there on a Saturday with friends and family.

One has to pre-book even for a day tour online and an advance can be paid through credit card to book your visit. It took us around two hours to reach the fort even though we started a bit late from the time we had decided. The fort is tucked away from the highway with a narrow approach road which opens up into a broad road lined by sugarcane fields. The Fort is seven km off highway NH 24 between Hapur and Garhmukteshwar, 

Kuchesar Mud Fort

At the entry the booking details have to be confirmed and then you can go inside the gates into the sweeping driveway where there is adequate parking facility. The Gardens in front of the main entry of the fort are well kempt and also have a small swimming pool in tow. All needs for recreation have been looked into with a badminton court, Table tennis room, caroom and other board games are available.

For people wanting to stay there for a day or two there are well refurbished rooms with historic names with the walls showcasing the history of the Fort. The main entry after the welcome desk opens into a courtyard with the Dining hall at one end the rooms on two floors at the other.

As we had started early, we first thronged the Dining Hall and had some breakfast then embarked on our exploration of the fort.

A short tour of the place brings you a vivid picture of the history of the Fort which was brought into the Ajit Singh family’s possession in the eighteenth century when the Mughal king Najib-ud-Daula bestowed the Jat family with the title of Rao Bhahadur and the Jagir of Kuchesar comprised 365 villages. The Fort was however, lost in 1760s but was recaptured by the Jat rulers in 1780s and remained in the family since then and was granted lease by the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam in 1790 and then by the British in 1807. This fort was built with seven turrets as an anti cannon attack from Britishers. Thereafter, structures were added to the fort which reveals different architectural influences built in different phases.

My mom, my friends Sunandita & Hamari and I had few interesting games of carom and also played TT a bit. With the weather turning into a pleasant one we thought some outdoor games would be good so we played football (which we had brought along with us) and also cricket which my hubby enjoyed a lot and relived his childhood street cricket days. Even my mum was game and played cricket n football with us in the well kept front gardens of the Fort.

It was a fun day which all of us enjoyed and it immensely reduced our job stress as well. The games provided us a good workout after which we relaxed and cooled our feet in the swimming pool.

However, the service and food preparation are a bit slow and you should be prepared to wait a while if you are hungry. After a hearty lunch we relaxed under a large banyan tree which also had a rope swing. 

As a bout of laziness hit us, Sunandita suggested we play ‘Atlas’ -it is an ‘antakshri’ of country names. An amusing group game which also gave are brains a little exercise. We all were reluctant to get up from our cane chairs and leave the fort at the end of the day but as a long drive was ahead us, we decided to call it a day and settled our bills. 

As we drove off saying goodbye to the Fort, I remembered an old song….’mein Zindagi ka Saath  Nibhata Chala gaya, Har fikre ko Dhuai mein Udata chala gaya’ !!

Goa diaries: three girls on a quest for adventure sports

Starting with a reunion of sorts, our Goa trip was as refreshing as a dip in the cool Arabian Sea on a windy day. After suffering three months of bitter cold in Delhi, Sunandita and I were relieved to feel the balmy air of the sea on our pale faces, which hit us as soon as we got out of the plane at Goa's Dabolim Airport.

Sukanya joined us from Mumbai on the airport.We three friends rejoiced with loud banter, hugging and giggling as we were together after almost an year. A pre-paid taxi from the airport whisked us away towards are vacation sanctuary, provided to us by Mr and Mrs Mayenkar at their home-cum-guest house.

We reached well after the sunset, Mrs. Mayenkar came with a torch to light our way and to take us from the main road to her home surrounded by green coastal trees, which was without any streetlights.

Once into the home we were shown our small apartment complete with a kitchen, a sitting area with a TV and bedroom -- our abode for the week long holiday.

Excited to hit the beach, we freshened up hurriedly and went walking from our apartment towards the sea side. Once we reached Calangute beach (closest to our guest house) the smooth balmy air cooled us down as we sat down in cane chairs facing the sea with only candles encased in glass jars lighting the darkened shore.

Catching up on each others' lives in the past year and reminisced our years together while working for a news agency in Delhi, which included some really exciting trips.

That night, although we had a sumptuous meal of fresh pomfret, fried rice and fish curry with breezers of different flavors, it burned a hole in our pockets as the pomfret alone cost us Rs 600.

We pulled up our socks and resolved to be careful in order to avoid any problems regarding finances. To keep it simple we decided to create pool fund assigning Sunandita as the official accountant for the trip.

We talked well into the night, including our agenda for next the day. The agenda was the water sports, which all tourists enjoy on their trip to Goa.So the next morning, we hit the beach after breakfast and found a relatively secluded patch on the beach to have some fun in the sea. We were suddenly invaded by host of hawkers selling fresh pineapple slices, ice creams etc.

After our bath we decided to rest on the sun beds with umbrellas laid out by the numerous shacks lining the beach side. One of the shack boy (wearing a cowboy hat) arranged a round of water sports for us.

First was the plastic banana raft ride which is pulled by a motor boat. Looking easy, 

we three decided to try it out. In a banana ride, the riders have to climb the highly unstable giant plastic banana bobbing up and down with the waves and then maintain are balances as the motor boat pulls the banana at a speed which sends the banana flying over the waves (and don't ask where the riders would be flying by then).

We clambered on the banana with a great effort and help from the boys managing the sport, but as soon as the motor boat started we three were clutching on the handles with all our might though it was not enough to keep the banana from bending sideways and dunking the three of us into the sea.

With my short height I was the worst sufferer and drank a barrel of yucky salty water. I was yanked up from the water with one of the boys pulling my lifejacket, while Sunandita and Sukanya suffered a similar fate.

We once again climbed the banana with the crew promising us that this time we won't topple, but yet again I was sent flying into the water as huge waves rocked our dear banana.

I was so irritated with my horrific ride and I wondered who likes such kinda sports???

In my anger which arose within me due to the dunking which my ego got, I cut my ride short and came to the beach, while Sukanya and Sunandita went for another try, this one was successful and they managed to go way ahead into the sea sitting on the huge plastic banana. Thinking about it now, it really was a funny experience!!!

Then we went for para-sailing for which we were taken to a boat deep in the sea, where we went up into the air by a parachute and after a stipulated time are rolled back into the boat. It is an amazing experience of hanging in the air above the vast sea –it made me feel like I was flying above the sea like a wide winged bird.

Para-sailing

You can take a dip in the sea, when the chute is rolled back into the boat, but at an extra cost of course. We decided against it as getting dunked again did not appeal.

We came back hungry and dying of thirst as it was nearly late afternoon. After a much needed sea-food lunch and refreshing drinks we were too tired to move from our sun beds.  The sea and balmy air made us all drowsy and stress-relieved us all.

As we already had paid the money in advance, so we went for the scooter ride. It was a refreshing ride with the water sprays and the thrilling experience of riding over water.

We stayed on the beach till the sunset which was amazing with the sky turning pink in colour. Weary and bone tired  from all the walking, bathing and water sports we decided to head back for a cool shower at our guest house  and return to the beach for candle-lit dinner in one of the shacks that offered varieties of Continental, Chinese and Goan cuisine with light music.

-  Malvi