Indonesia Travelogue – Part V

My dear Mimi & Jhum,

Sudipto brought Mimi’s mail in the evening on Monday I am very sorry indeed to learn that Mrs. Debroy is no more. May her soul rest in peace!

From Jogjakarta air port we drove about 50 miles directly to Barobudur the largest Buddhist Stupa any where in the world There are around 150 (very steep) steps up split between a few floors where Buddha’s life and attainment of nirvana are engraved on the outer wall of three/four floors. Beyond that level there is one huge Stupa. Stairs have not been built for going on to that. ‘Those attaining nirvana’ it is said are expected to go over there. There are 72 smaller stupas of same design around the lower levels with statues of Buddha inside each. It is believed that you may touch the Lord’s feet inside and pray; one wish only will be fulfilled. Don’t ask for more. This place was excavated, from under volcanic ash from nearby live volcano, Merapi, by the Dutch (?) some time back Last year there had been a minor eruption here and a lot of people came to see that; but Barabudur got totally covered by a major eruption in 1066 AD.

In the afternoon we went to a Hindu temple complex’ called, Prambanan. Here you come across three main temples one each for Bramha, Vishnu, and Maheshwara; and some more for their vahanas, E.g., Nandi, and some others. The steps here also are steep, and there are four deities in each main temple (e.g. Durga, Ganesh and Kartik, besides Shiva.) facing north, south, east, and west; and to see them one has to climb up separate set of stairs from the ground. Around these temples Entire Ramayana and Mahabharata have been engraved. Entry tax to these two shrines for foreigners is @ $10. It may not be prohibitive for Europeans, who vastly out number the locals among visitors.

In another section of this temple complex in an open theatre we have seen Ramayana Ballet. It is an impressive two-hour programme, starting with Sita’s (called Sinta here) Sayamvhar and endind with Sita’s agni-pariksha. Dances resemble partly Manipuri and partly Katha Kali. The large gallery was filled by Europeans except for about 20% with men like us and locals, because tickets are expensive- we bought @ INR 500/- tickets which was not the costliest.

We rode a ‘bechak (cycle riksha), in which driver’s seat is in the rear.

Thus far today.

BABA

Indonesia Travelogue – Part IV

My dear Mimi & Jhum,

In the absence of any return mail so far, on the basis of tele-talks yesterday, I hope every thing is fine with all of you over there. Tomorrow I am accompanying Moni only to Jogjakarta, which one can reach in one hour &ten minutes from here by air, 7/8 hrs by train. We will visit two old temples:-a) Barobuder- Buddhist one and b) Prammanan- Hindu one for Brmha, Vishnu and Maheswar, all three together, about which I may be able to tell you after the visit. While in Jogjakarta Moni will take to a renowned local ballet on Ramayana in the evening.

We will be returning the next day, and on Friday go out for four days, to Lombok another big island near Bali and equally attractive via Suraviya. From there we will go before daybreak to see sunrise near a live volcano called Bromo at a higher altitude; I may be able to tell in greater details about these places after return only. Today is Singapore’s Independence Day. Both for India & Indonesia the same will be celebrated next week on 15th & 17th respectively. There is a difference though; while their national flag is hoisted by one & all over here, reportedly without exception, many in our country do not.

This place is cleaner than our cities. I have not come across any stray dog or crow or other scavenger animal/bird on the streets, which could be because many of our people throw garbage etc. outside. Wherever I have gone I have found clean toilets & people use those paying due charges ungrudgingly. Flora and fauna are mostly common with our sub-continent, yet there are quite a few Trees/plants/fruits I have not seen earlier. Among fruits their are-snake fruit, dragon fruit, durian (comparable with jack fruit) etc., plants, and trees I can’t name.

That will be the end of my site-seeing here; because Sudipto will go outstation on return from Lombok, and at the next week end, i.e., 21st instant I shall be returning by Singapore Airline Flt. No.SQ416 landing in Kolkata at approx. 21 hrs. Let Pranab attend.

Wish you all the very best.

BABA

Indonesia Travelogue – Part III

My dear Mimi & Jhum,

On last Saturday also we had an outing a bigger one this time. We had been first to a botanical garden named Cibodas close to Panchak about 100 kms away, at an altitude of approximately 1,400 meters. The roads are good enough for fast driving; in fact, you will feel that the car is not moving fast enough even when it is driven at 100/120 km/hour and that is normal even within Jakarta). The picturesque landscape, a few (air terjum) water falls, a variety of trees and plants obtained also from many other countries and well-planned layout etc. all has made the place a remarkable tourist attraction & picnic spot.

There from we went to a well-staffed open zoological garden-called Taman Safari at the foothills. While being driven through, various herbivorous animals came and almost knocked at the closed car window for carrot etc. people usually throw to them notwithstanding official advice to the contrary. There are a wide variety of animal form Africa including Hypo & Rhino, Ostrich, Zebra, Giraffe, Lion, etc., Red Panda, Lama, Tapir, Wallaby & Kangaroo, polar Bear, Anon (local goat) & Ibex, Panther & Leopard, Tigers (both yellow and white variety) from Sumatra (not from our country), etc. to name some. And there are plenty in number of most types.


Alongside the open zoo there is a baby zoo with a variety of birds and many animal. They have also kept on flimsy leash-white tiger, Leopard, and orangutan for visitors to get photographed with should they so desire. Other attractions, e.g., giant wheel, swimming pool, etc. also have been provided so that children as also their parents could spent hours and even week-ends over there. On our way back we had late lunch at a small simple wayside restaurant where we got clean and wholesome food. From the same place Moni bought groundnut cookies quite similar to ‘chikies’ of Lonavla.

This much for today, lest you loose interest. I am sure you all are o.k.

We are fine. Please give my regards and love and affection to all as due.

Yours etc.

BABA

Indonesia Travelogue – Part II

News waves from Jakarta

My dear Mimi & Jhum,

In my earlier mail, I should also have mentioned that the weather here is very good despite hardly any rain so far. Maximum temperature has remained below 35. Sudipto has almost a namesake as driver-Suripto; and their cook is called yati (not ‘yeti’), a sober and very well behaved middle-aged woman; they and three others are very good. Moni has picked up local language very well. The local language is written only in the roman script, but no other language is understood by most of the people.

Yesterday we had been to another tourist attraction called-‘Gelanggang Samudra Jaya Ancol’. Obviously this big complex is at the seaside-and the seaside is well laid out and well maintained, very neat and clean compared to any such area around Mumbai or Chennai or any other place in our country. I could not find out meaning of the remainder of the name.

So let me tell you that in this place there are four separate enclosures one each for variety animal show, birds and orangutan show, sea lion show and dolphin show. Children will enjoy such circus more; but I also enjoyed despite language barrier because they are well managed. Moreover for the first time I have seen sea lion and dolphin shows. There is also a fairly large aquarium with a variety of mostly sea fishes; and there is also a tunnel here to go through with large shirks/sting rays etc over and around you as I saw at ‘San Tosa Singapore.

We are fine; I hope all’s well at your end. Please give my respect and love and affection to all as due.

Yours,

BABA

Indonesia Travelogue – Part I

My dear Mimi,

Received your mail. Convey my congratulations to Mummum. It has not been possible to mail from computer at home; so have asked Sudipto to send it from his office.

Sudipto’s house is beautiful, better than the one they last lived in Delhi; locality is as neat and clean as in some western countries I have seen; I am having no work except eating innovative food, taking walk as and when I wish, swimming at International Sports & Cultural Association as and when possible, a better maintained place than any such in Kolkata, and sight seeing of course I had been to a shopping plaza which sell any thing & every thing-several times bigger than our new City Center and more advanced in their operation.

I was taken to ‘Taman Mini Indonesia’-a well designed center to showcase the country as a whole with separate enclosures for reptiles, birds-called taman burung, inland fishes, insects, butterflies, dwelling houses of various tribes, palaces etc. There are Komodo dragon, majestic cobras, pythons etc in reptile house; beautiful local birds, fishes, insects, beetles, butterflies etc. all of which is difficult to describe.

We had been to Ban dung a place that came to lime light for ‘Non aligned Conference’ in Nehru’s time. But we have seen only a volcanic range nearby called Tankopan Paralu, ewa Domas etc, which last erupted in 1969. We walked down 1200 meters or so to reach center of the crater and sat by a boiling geyser/crater. Climbing down was so difficult that I wont venture it again.


In Bandung we have attended an orchestra of local instruments mainly angklung made of bamboo; we like most of the audience, were induced to participate playing the angklung. It was god fun and an unique experience. I shall write to all of you later again.



I am ok, so are all over here. Hope you all are keeping well. Please give my regards and affection to all as due.

Affectionately yours,

Baba