My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
Roaming around as we did, under the merciless glare of the summer sun, the only relief was in the form of these fruits which were available at every street corner. They quenched our thirst and filled our stomachs, and we needed little else to keep us going..... Here they are....
The fruits of the palm tree.. which we call 'Nungu' in Tamil. The fruit is sweet and juicy...
Interestingly, the palm shoot is cut and the juice is traditionally collected in a hanging earthen pot. Collected before noon, this juice is called Neera (Padaneer in Tamil), and is one refreshing drink. The same juice, in its fermented form is the infamous 'Toddy' or 'Tadi' - a raw alcoholic beverage much in demand among the villagers!
This one needs no introduction.... the coconut is a fruit which can be eaten anywhere, anytime, and its water is much better and tastier than any bottled water!
and finally, last but not the least - the fruit of the season.... the mango! Trees covered by the luscious fruit were a common sight all through our trip.....
In fact, Samhith and his aunt even climbed one of these....
and came back with their own loot of raw mangoes.. Yum! a taste not easily forgotten!
They really make travelling in that terrible heat worthwhile!
The fruits of the palm tree.. which we call 'Nungu' in Tamil. The fruit is sweet and juicy...
Interestingly, the palm shoot is cut and the juice is traditionally collected in a hanging earthen pot. Collected before noon, this juice is called Neera (Padaneer in Tamil), and is one refreshing drink. The same juice, in its fermented form is the infamous 'Toddy' or 'Tadi' - a raw alcoholic beverage much in demand among the villagers!
This one needs no introduction.... the coconut is a fruit which can be eaten anywhere, anytime, and its water is much better and tastier than any bottled water!
and finally, last but not the least - the fruit of the season.... the mango! Trees covered by the luscious fruit were a common sight all through our trip.....
In fact, Samhith and his aunt even climbed one of these....
and came back with their own loot of raw mangoes.. Yum! a taste not easily forgotten!
They really make travelling in that terrible heat worthwhile!
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