A Prequel Of Experience

By Amisha Bhoir

A trip to reminiscize , whenever a revisit to a landscape creates a nostalgia of it.

The journey by road from Mumbai to Konkan was lethargic which engulfed Ghats in midway but the local food’s flavors cured my nausea. The change of flavors of the food was quite adaptable for me as to this day I adore their local food. The culture of Konkan was reflected according to the context they lived in, like the landmass and the vegetation shaped their habitat. The transition was visible as we travelled from lush green forests of Dapoli to the hills by the seashore at Harihareshwar.

This place had a variance in the topography which created a different emotion at every place. These emotions were very well reflected by the locals living there. The context if each place I visited was not dominant over the existing scapes but the adaptation added up to the scenic view of the place. The forests at Dapoli had a play of landmasses which created an ambience which was worth experiencing. There was a certain visual connectivity with these scapes which created every single frame of view. Though my adaptability to certain climate conditions is less, the extreme suited me well. The journey by the roads following the tourist circuit portrayed diverse facades of the local architecture.

Every house seemed to be merged with the landscape and the use of materials was seen according to the local conditions. These houses were cooperated with the local stone as their building material but every house was different in their accommodation and planning with respect to the existing scapes. The aerial views while travelling by the roads were more enticing than the facades. At every level there seemed a play of land and these settlements. The roads connecting to the places like one from Dapoli to Harihareshwar unveiled a change in lingual, cultural, food pattern which led me to understand their individuality among one district.

My stay at velneshwar beach side was a never felt experience, the ambience created by those waves gushing alon the seashore with the chilly breeze was appeasing. This experience has inculcated my adoration for the beaches .Travelling by the roads along the hills by the sea was far more than a journey, it kept me in the present while rejoicing the scenic view. The infrastructure of the roadways engulfing these hills and the seashores by the side was captivating.

My stay at each place had a scene to look upon, the contrasting landscapes, peculiar architecture bounded to the contextual pattern, the overall ambience which made me realize of an individuality of a place irrespective of the macro outlook.

Some trips are for experiencing while some are for retaining the experience in every other similar place one visits.

The temple architecture reflected the use of local materials and its vernacularity. The planning of these temples was similar to the local houses which induced warmth of a house. A temple at Dapoli was on a cliff surrounded by deciduous trees and a trail of unperennial waterfall flowing down the cliff. This temple was built of stone and wood with a porch capturing a view from the cliff. The temple at Ganpatipule seemed to be balanced with the seashore. The mandapa of the temple was filled with the rumbling sea waves and the breeze. Silence was approached even in those sounds which was serene.

The local food infused with coconut was tantalizing

, though it was different from regular flavors but the taste endured me to taste the food to this day.

By Amisha Bhoir