Pasaulio krastas / Where sun meets moon...not!

Kanyakumari - miestelis Tamil Nadu provincijoje - pieciausias salies taskas, kur susilieja Indijos vandenynas, Arabu jura bei Bengalo ilankos vandenys. Tai sventa vieta hindu, atvaziuojanciu aplankyti sventyklas, issimaudyti pakranteje.

Del geografines padeties, ypac balandzio menesi, galima pamatyti besileidziancia saule ir patekanti menuli vienu metu. Ta vakara menulis pamirso prisukti zadintuva ir pasirode tik po saulelydzio. Daugybe menuliu atgal zmones tikejo, kad Kanyakumari pasaulio krastas, man tai buvo simboliskas keliones Indijoje uzbaigimas.

I found the place where sun meets moon! Kanyakumari - small town in Tamil Nadu state is the 'Land's End' of the Indian subcontinent, where The Bay of Bengal meets the Indian ocean and Arabian sea.

Sometimes you can watch simultaneous sunset and sunrise over the ocean but that evening lazy pancake didn't show up and sun went to sleep without seeing moon.

Keisciausia Keraloje - ant kiekvieno kampo ispiesti, ispausti, ant raudonu veliavu plevesuojantys kujas ir pjautuvas. 1957 metais Kerala pirmoji pasaulyje demokratiniuose rinkimuose valdzia suteike komunistams. Kazkokiu budu tai atnese naudos provincijai, labiausiai socialiai issivysciusiai salyje, auksciausio rastingumo bei vidutinio amziaus lygio.

Deja, gamybos bei investiciju trukumas suteike savo - auksciausias savizudybiu skaicius, gatvese nemazai latru, laukianciu snapso eilese prie nuosaliu baru. Daznai pamatysi Lenino, Markso ar net kraugerio stalino portretus, bet Keralos komunistai paziuromis ir veiksmais artimesni socialdemokratams (Brazausko portretu nepastebejau).

In 1957 Kerala was first in the world to freely elect a communist government. You can find hammer and sickle on every corner as Lenin', Marx' or even that piece of shit stalin' portraits but communists here are more social democrats. Somehow it worked - Kerala is most socially advanced state in India with highest literacy rate and life expectancy. On the other hand a lack of any industrial development and foreign investments produced highest suicide rate and liquor consumption statistics in the country.

Galiu uzpusti antra zvakute ant keliones torto. Jau rytoj Tailandas, nors dar tiksliai nezinau kada (skrydzio laikas pakeistas du kartus) ir kur (reikia surasti geriausia sala). Dabar sedziu Trivandrume, Keralos sostineje, t.y. vaikstau:), veliau eisiu i kina, nes neimanoma atvaziavus i Indija neaplankyti kino teatro. Indija uzbure vaizdais, garsais, kvapais, spalvomis ir as tiksliai zinau, kad cia grisiu..

Next on a menu is Thailand. I know that one day I'll be back to India. Thank you come again:)

God's own country

Press play. The play button is covered in cheese. The tune would sound so cheesy anywhere else but Kerala.


Kerala isvagota simtais kanalu, kuriais pries isklojant kelius valtimis, laivais, kanojomis gabentos prekes, plukdomi keleiviai. O ir dabar gyvenimas verdas, dali kaimu galima pasiekti tik vandeniu.

Viename is ju ir apsistojau dienai. Sumokejes 'net' 7 rupijas su buriu indu per valanda nulingavom iki Chennamkray. Nakvojau pas vietine seima didziuliame name, ne sezono metu buvau vienintelis lankytojas.

Kaimuke nera keliu, transporto priemone - dviratis.

Takelis, vinguriuojantis salia kanalo, nedideli tiltai per kertancius mazesnius kanalus, pavesi garantuojancios kokosu palmes, buriai vistu su mazais pypliais.

Namai surikiuoti salia vandens, kiekvienas su individualiais mini laipteliais pakranteje, vaikai, zvejojantys saviveiklinemis meskeremis (pagalys ir valas su kabliuku, jokiu prabangiu spiningu ar blizganciu blizgiu:).

Nerealiai draugiski zmones, limonadas uz kapeikas kioskuose, jokiu didesniu parduotuviu ar restoranu. Dieviskai grazu, .... (isirasykit budvardi megstamiausia patys).

Thomas, namo seimininkas, vakarienes metu pasakojo apie Chennamkray. Cia 50/50 hindu ir kataliku, visi sugyvena taikiai. Bet tokioje vietoje ir nesinoretu kariauti ar mustis. Geriau gerti arbata pakrantej, kol saule skesta zuvu tarsomame vandens pavirsiuje. Fuu kaip as cia saldziai, bet ironija ir sarkazma trumpam palikau kitam krante.

The backwaters - 900 km network of waterways have been used to carry goods and people long before the roads were built. Still some villages can be reached only by boat.

Chennamkray is that kind of village. Spent a day there staying i villagers' home. Bicycle is the one and only mean of transportation.

The narrow path leads through the village, on one side the water and the houses and gardens on the other one. No shops or restaurants around, people are very friendly and laid back.

Thomas, the owner of the house, really intelligent guy (he even knew where Lithuania is:) during the dinner told many things bout village life and Kerala. In Chennmakray is 50/50 christian and hindu.

No fighting whatsoever, everybody lives in peace and harmony. I guess it's quite difficult to force yourself to fight when it's sooo beautiful around. I'm sure even baby Jesus would love it:)

16 aukstu pagrindinis 'bendrabutis', milziniska atvira sale, kurioje karaliauja varnos bei kartais pasirodantys juros ereliai, parduotuves, dar keletas daugiaauksciu. As ashrama isivaizdavau kitaip. Po ramaus kaimuko pagrindiniu kanalu pasiekiau vienos is nedaugelio moteru guru Indijoje Matha Amrithanandamayi (Amma) misija. Devyniasdesimtuju pradzioje i kaima, kur gime Amma pradejo plusti zmones, isgirde apie guru, palaipsniui ashramas isaugo i didiziuli monstra.

Dabar cia nuolatos gyvena keli tukstanciai zmoniu - indu studentai, vakarieciai plus tokie kaip as, apsilankantys dienai ar siek tiek ilgiau. Cia dirba net ir vakarietiska kavine, valdoma vokieciu raganu (del 'mandagumo' klientams).
Amma, vadinama 'The Hugging Mother', apkabino daugiau kaip 20 milijonu zmoniu, taip dalindama darshan (palaiminima). Deja, tuo metu jos ashrame jos nebuvo ir manes, deja, neapkabino echh.

Jau antra diena sedziu Varkaloje, grizau i papludimi kuriam laikui. Reikia siek tiek pasiruosti Tailandui, nes net nezinau kur tiksliai vaziuoju. Pakeliui i ashrama sutikau lenku pora, gyvenancia Londone, o dabar kelioms savaitems besitasantys pietu Indijoje. Geri zmones, daug keliave, prisijunge ir Varkaloj, sunkiai cia vienas pakeliausi:)

Om shanti shanti... People in white were chanting in huge hall occupied by crows and occasionally sea eagles. After stay in village I took a ferry to one of the very few female gurus in India Matha Amrithanandamayi (Amma) mission. On the way to ashram I met a nice polish couple traveling round Kerala, who went to different, small ashram in Tamil Nadu. Here the place was massive with tall buildings to accommodate people all over the world who are staying for long or just a day or few like me.

In early 90-ties people hearing about Amma started coming to her village. Ashram has grown enormously in last few years, there is even western cafe inside and different shops. I think everything changes and if the spirit is still there doesn't matter how tall the building is. Wasn't sure bout it but on my way out in elevator I met a older guy who said 'this is a God place' and I believed him.

Now few days in Varkala, back to the beach. The polish guys I met are here as well so sharing travel stories and I'm getting lots of advises bout Australia and that's the best way to plan the trip. Need to get ready for Thailand, have no clue where I'm going. Anyways still I need to find a place where sun meets moon before I go.

Grybas ant sniego/ On a road again

Grybai pasirodo rudeni, sniegas ziema. Kaip sureaguotum pamates baravyka, isdygusi ant sniego? Va taip Keralos gyventojai sutiko ir mane. Kazkokiu budu sugebejau, pakeisdamas 9 autobusus (kad pamatyti daugiau aplinkos), per dvi paras nukakti i Sultanbatheri siaureje ir is jo Allepey, miesta Keralos vidury, nesutikdamas pakeliui nei vieno turisto.

Sultanbatheris, nedidukas miestelis, prie pat vieno is nacionaliniu parku. Atkakes vakare po ilgos, bet pakankamai lengvos keliones (cia autobusuose sedima tvarkingai, jei nera vietos stovima, o ne po desimt ant vienos sedynes kaip Indijos siaureje) niekaip neradau pigesnio viesbucio. Teko apsistoti prabangiai, normaliame ir Europos standartais kambaryje netgi su televizoriumi!

Praejau miesteliu garbes rata, kad visi pamatytu ir pasisveikintu:) Pasirodo turistai ten balandzio menesi nelabai pasirodo.
Anksti ryte i nacionalini parka aplankyti laukiniu drambliu, o jie gyvuliai zmoniu neprisileidzia, siaip ne taip gidas surado ir parode pora bureliu.

Nuotraukoje naminis dramblys, atleides raumeni, prie ivaziavimo vartu. Misku lakste saikos elniu ir stirnu, greit skuodzianciu i tankumyna vos privaziavus.

48 hours and 9 different local buses took me to Sultanbatheri in Kerala's north and after to Allepey in the middle of the state.

Strange thing was I didn't meet any other tourist on the way so I got a bit of attention. Sultanbatheri - small town close to one of the Kerala's wildlife sanctuaries. Couldn't find a cheap place to stay, had to pay for a poshy hotel room with tv.

Wildlife sanctuary is famous for its wild elephants. Manage to see couple of them, they are wild ones and not too happy if you get close. In a picture is a tamed one chilling near the gates to sanctuary.

Indians call Kerala God's own country. The place is full of palms and greenery. I'll take a boat to one of the villages in Kerala's backwaters.

Kerala indai vadina Dievu krastu, visur daugybe palmiu ir zalumos, pakelese patruliuoja gaujos bezdzioniu. Plauksiu i nedideli kaimuka prie vienos is daugybes upiu Keraloje.

DuKartDu/Leaving Goa

Velyku proga suvalgiau pusryciams du virtus kiausinius ir atsokinejau du tusus. Svarbiausia gyvenime - balansas:)

Siaip 'darbo' dienomis judu ramiu ritmu - kova su bangomis Arabu juroj, pasivaiksciojimas pakrante, perbrendant dvi upes, i Aramboli, skanaus maisto dorojimas, restorano 'turtingos' bibliotekos vartymas. Rytoj isvaziuoju i Kerala intensyviam turistiniam zygiui (uzsisedejau Goa ilgiau nei planavau). Atgal i autobusus, traukinius, nauja viesbuti kas antra diena; su nauja energija ir smelio pilna kuprine. Bonifacijaus atostogos uzsidaro po savaites - dalis gyventoju keliasi i Tailanda ar Indijos siaure, kazkas nenoredamas atgal i Europa, darbuotojai grizta namo i Nepala ar Rajastana, sunu gauja atgal i kaima, toliau nuo juros.

Sunkiai sekasi rasyti. Nesu Dostojevskis, kuriam 'uzteko' penkiu puslapiu apibudinti lapo kritima, dar pakrantes vejas tarsi ispute visas mintis. Restorano sefas sako: 'your head is relaxed':) Mano procesorius performatuotas teigiamom emocijom, sypsenomis ir saule, pasiruoses priimti nauja informacija.

So I didn't make it to church on Sunday but had few traditional boiled eggs for breakfast and went partying. Tomorrow I'm leaving, back to normal - crowded train and buses with backpack full of sand and new energy. Sun, positive emotions and smiles cleared my head.

In a week the place is closing, travellers leaving to Thailand or northern India, infortunate ones back to Europe, the guys working here back to Nepal or Rajastan, the bunch of dogs back home to village away from the sea.

Heading to sout of India, somebody told me you can visit a place where sun meets moon. Somebody was drunk and stoned but I better check it..
Dvi savaites klausau downtempo, lounge plus coffee table funk, kartais barmenas parenka kokius myznius kaip 'coldplay'. Jei galeciau linguociau galva tokiu ritmu:
ryte

diena

Jurassic 5 - what's golden
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sutemus

Namaste Senhor

Portugalai is Goa kudasiu isnese tik 1961 metais, spaudziami Indijos kariuomenes. Kelis simtus metu trukes valdymas paliko gilu pedsaka - daugybe ivairaus dydzio baznyciu, katalikiskos mokyklos, vilos skambiais portugaliskais pavadinimais.

70-taisiais Goa atrado hipiai, gera zinia apie nuogas maudynes, pririjus lsd, nepaliestus betono gniauztu papludimius, visiska laisve buti savimi pasklido greitai. Dabar papludimiai 'papuosti' simtais statiniu, senieji hipiai nudriskusius skarmalus persiuvo i solidzius kostiumus, karolius ir juosteles ant rieso pakeite prabangus laikrodziai.

Turejau siokiu tokiu abejoniu pries atvaziuodamas - milijonai turistu, parduotuviu konvejeris, ispustos kainos. Tuo labiau , kad Asvemas vienas is brangiausiu papludimiu pakranteje.

Sezono pabaiga atnesa daug geru dalyku - beveik dvigubai nukritusias kainas, maziau zmoniu, o ir karstis kaulu tikrai nelauzo. Visada zavejo vietos, kuriose susiplake kulturos, religijos, skirtingi paprociai.

Palmiu seselyje baltuojanti koplycia, siek tiek toliau palmes 'saugo' hindu sventove, karts nuo karto pasitaikanti mecete. Vakarais restorane Goa senbuviai su nostalgija pasakoja istorijas apie praejusius laikus, taciau kasmet grizta ten pat.

Portugese left Goa only in 1961. You can still feel their long presence in here - many catholic churches and schools, villas with portugese names.

In 70ties hippies came to untouched paradise and now the seaside is full of hotels, huts and restaurants.

I was little bit afraid of touristy Goa but the season end brings only good things - prices are down, less people, lots of longtimers and the heat is allright. I love the mix of different cultures and religions, it always brings something different you can't find anywhere else.

Happy Easter! I don't think I will follow any lithunian traditons or go to church (even there are few hundreds all over Goa). Big party for two days is taking part very close to our place and that't where am heading to:)

Su Velykomis! Salia musu indai rengia dvieju dienu trukmes vakareli, ten as ir atsvesiu isklimnga svente:)