MY AVERAGE LIFE AS A MANCHUNIAN

Most of the time when I ping my friends over Social Media sites, the first question they ask is how am I spending my days in Manchester. So I thought let me describe my normal days, in this post. Here, I would mention that I have classes only two days a week and the rest of the five days are usually spent at home when I am not going out to explore the place with friends.

SUNRISE OVER BEETHAM TOWER

 My mornings begin the last, that is after my father has gone out for work and after my mother finishes her breakfast and starts chatting with some of her friends back in India. I happen to open my eyes at such a time. Of course I have never seen the colourful hues of sunrise here except for once but I could not capture it though my lens (maybe it would be my next New Year’s Resolution). The first thing I do is check my phone and later proceed to have my breakfast after a quick wash.

DOGGIE

 While I eat breakfast, I get to see my neighbour taking their bull dog for a walk. The dog seemed cute until I managed to make him angry by switching on my camera flash right at him. Since, then he has mood swings when he sees me. Some days I am non-existent and other days I am fortunate enough to evoke a little wag from him. But it is for sure that this dog will not shake paws with me EVER!

THE NEXT DOOR CAT

 My other neighbour, who I have no clue about, owns a cat. After a lot of research I have managed to figure out that it is a British Semi-Longhaired black cat. This cat does nothing but sit at the window staring at something. It is only when it rains that I do not get to see him.

After breakfast comes my daily routine of going to the garbage dump at the basement and to the letter box.

WATCHING TV

 Thereafter, I sit on the couch with my laptop and watch the television and improvise on my blogs when I am not writing my assignments. This takes most of my time and I head for lunch. After lunch it is T.V time again.

The evenings are mostly kept for household shopping for which I go to the Manchester ARNDALE. After shopping I usually make a stop at the Hasty Tasty Pizza which stocks some of the best takeaway pizzas I have ever tasted.

With the rain clouds hovering above our heads most evenings see a shower here. After shopping we are mostly stuck in rain and have to brave the heavy rain and wind to come back to our apartment again.

Subsequently, it is laptop time where I sit with my laptop, watch CID or listen to songs till dinner is announced.

After dinner, I go to sleep.

Most of my days are spent like this. When I wake up here, it is already afternoon for my friends back home and by the time I am free in the evening, it is midnight for them. I can’t remember how many days has it been since I last heard their voice. It is mostly email and Facebook or Whatsapp chats nowadays where we reply as and when we are free. But behind the veil of glamour and beauty of this place, there is a night of darkness and loneliness that this place possesses. It is not that I am having a bad time here, I love this place and my friends here, but I also long to be in touch with my friends back home; to know where they are now, what they do, to meet those who I have not met for years, to take part in festivals. Durga Puja and Diwali just went by, but the noise and the lights never reached me except for in the colourful photo messages sent by my friends.

So, for all the people back home who think I have become a Bileti person, you guys probably have a life that I envy a lot. Life is not as full of glamour as it seems to be. It is, in fact, really difficult and sometimes tests your patience and limits to endure against the weather, the place, the dark gloomy nights and your inner demons. To end this post, I’d rather quote Iris Murdoch “We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality.”

THE ARTISTIC HUES OF SALFORD

SALFORD MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

Salford Museum and Art Gallery was on my list for a very long time. Situated right beside one of the College campuses, it should have been the first place that I ever visited. But it was not so. I have seen that what is closer to us is probably the last place to be visited. Though this was not the last place to be visited per say, it was however after scheduling and rescheduling this visit for over two months that I finally got a chance to see it. Being an Art Gallery one must keep in mind that photography is restricted. Even though here, museums and galleries do not impose strict restrictions on taking photographs, my principles forbade me to take photographs inside the gallery. I have however attached photographs from the museum.

The museum is a beautifully conceptualised piece of art in itself. It is a street complete with lampposts, birds, shops and houses. The museum depicts an evening scene of a street in an era gone by. At the door everyone is welcomed with clothes of the bygone era which they can put on and click photographs of themselves. On entering the street you would be welcomed by a shoe makers shop on your left and a candy shop on your right. Going further in, the street houses a blacksmith shop, a bakery, some antiquely designed drawing rooms of the elite and middle class households, a jewllery shop, a print machine, a toy shop and carriages. This entire part has no restrictions on photography and I have managed to get quite a few captures from this area.

CANDY SHOP

TOY SHOP

AN INTERIOR OF A HOUSE

A BAKERY-ISH DECOR

A DINING ROOM

A SHOE-SHOP

Next is the Victorian Gallery which houses some beautiful oil paintings from the Victorian era. In fact, one particular painting caught my attention. It was of Peel Park just beside my University Campus. The painting was from a time when only the park existed and there was no sign of any houses nearby. The painting depicted the visit of the Queen and the Prince to Peel Park. The Victorian Gallery also housed many sculptures.

The North Gallery on the other hand had an exhibition going on.

To commemorate the centenary of the Great War, there was also an exhibition about the War. The life and times of people on the warfront and in households, hospitals etc. The postcards and messages the soldiers sent back home were also displayed. The places they lived in, the food they ate – all have vivid mentions in the exhibition. Lastly, there was a Wall of Remembrance where people wrote little messages in memory of their near and dear ones who served in the War.

The Salford Museum and Art Gallery also hosts a gift shop and a café in the ground floor where you can sit over a cup of coffee and admire the interiors, think about purchasing some art souvenirs or postcards, or simply have a conversation about art with like minded people.

This Museum and Art Gallery was indeed very beautiful. In fact they have started a project of digitising over 8000 photographs from yesteryears. These memories would have been lost if they were only in print; thus, the need to digitally document and restore them wherever necessary in order to remember the rich heritage and culture of the place was necessary. I was truly impressed by the Gallery on the whole but specially by the Museum. Maybe someday I would go back again and try to take some more photographs of the museum!

Signing off until next time !

A DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM

CITY COUNCIL COMES ALIVE WITH THE LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS

7^th November 2015 saw a gathering of  thousands of people around Albert Square in the Manchester City Council to welcome the Season of Christmas by sharing the fun of lighting the Santa, followed by an amazing display of fireworks. My friends and I went there too and it was an experience worth remembering. I decided to walk up to the city council as it is not far from my apartment. Moreover I could peacefully take some snaps on the way (which I did).

LIGHTING UP THE STREETS

A DISPLAY ON THE STREETS

 When I reached the venue, Albert Square in the City Council there was a huge crowd (I had no idea that in some time the crowd would multiply even more). Everybody waited patiently in the queue to be let in. There was a stage built up where music was being played. The enter premise was being managed by professional event managers. After some time it started raining and quite heavily! While I waited for my friends I saw many umbrellas being blown away in the windy ambience. But the rain did not dampen the spirits of the people.

SANTA WAITING TO BE LIT UP

LIGHTS 

PEOPLE ENJOYING THEMSELVES

On the arrival of my friends, we realised we had almost two hours to kill before the lights were lit so we decided to take a little detour to grab a quick bite. When we arrived after our quick bite the crowd had multiplied to almost thousands of people. Everyone waited patiently for the lights. Children came with their parents and after waiting for a long time climbed onto the backs of their fathers. Friends were waiting for members of their gang to join them. But such was the crowd that they had to lift up umbrellas and glowing sparklers to indicate where they were in that multitude. Interestingly enough, there were many lights up at the same time and some poor fellows travelled from one indicator to the other in order to reunite with their friends.

KIDS CLIMBING ON THEIR PARENTS BACK

Exactly at 7:59:50 by the City Council Clock the countdown began 10….9…..5…..4….3…2….1 and the big Santa was lit up to all its glory. The fireworks which started then lasted for a good ten minutes. All around me cameras and mobile phones were recording the elegant display of fireworks.

LIGHTING UP THE BIG SANTA

FIREWORKS

FIREWORKS

LIGHTING UP THE SKY

 After the fireworks, the crowd started thinning out. But the festive season is far from over. This was the start of a month and a half long preparation for Christmas. The pubs had to work harder to serve many of those who came to witness the spectacular visual display and decided to stay back and have dinner. Christmas markets are being prepared which would open from the 14^th of November. These Christmas markets are world famous and I would definitely visit them and let you know how they are in the days to come.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN THE MAKING

VENUE AFTER THE LIGHTS WERE LIT 

MY TREK TO RAJMACHI :THE STORY OF SELF -INTROSPECTION

Mountains have never appealed to me. I was more of a beach person. What is there in a mountain anyway, I asked those who would choose the hills in a mandatory 'hills-or-sea' rapid fire question -too big and monotonous. Also, given the fact that I am a total control freak, I felt somewhat intimidated by those huge chunks of rocks that rose above the ground, untamed, as if to pierce through the sky above.

And when we were told that we were being taken for a one day trek to Rajmachi, a village in the Sahyadris or the Western Ghats of India, I was almost sure I would not go. But you know how friends are, they just would not leave me until I said Yes.

VIEW FROM RAJMACHI FORT

So there I was, packing my bag and setting out for Rajmachi from Lonavla, with a trek of 15 kms ahead of us. It was the month of July and the South- West monsoon winds had just started to push the moisture laden clouds towards the Western Ghats. Rainfall was expected, yet we did our best to not let it dampen our spirits and began walking towards the Rajmachi Fort which awaited us at the top of the mountains.

The first few kilometers were easy, winding through foothill villages and thin forest patches. It was only after the first one or two hours that I realized where I was and what I was doing. I looked around and I was awestruck. We were at a height of about 1500 feet. The fact that there was no sign of civilization was strangely fascinating. A variety of evergreen trees, ranging from teaks to balsams donned the mountain slopes, as if someone had carefully placed a green blanket all over it. The extensive meadows on top of the mountains rolled smoothly, forming structural benches, also known as mountain terraces. Everything was green. But this green was different- clear and untouched; young and living, rich and pure. I had never seen such a shade of green. It attracted me. I was drawn towards it, to touch the leaves and the grass and everything that surrounded me. It was ethereal. I had never been more alive than I was then. And it was a new feeling. The mountains which I had disliked all this while for being so tall and formidable were making me so happy today.

RAJMACHI

The rains came and went, it did not bother us. The veil of clouds covered the mountain tops and then floated away the very next moment, telling us that nothing is permanent, not even sadness. 

We walked up further, and crossed a few rills, flowing swiftly down the basalt of the Western Ghats, from larger streams of seasonal origin. The lotic water was as clear as crystal. All of us filled it in within our palms and gulped down the sweet water. I now knew why they said water from the streams on mountains taste the best!

At one point of time, I began to walk a little ahead of the group. It began to rain, but instead of opening my umbrella, I looked up and let the rain soak me. It was as if the rain fell on me to cleanse me and make me pure like the surroundings. The curving roads, filled with pebbles, did not seem difficult now. I treaded on, taking in the breathtakingly beautiful sights all around me, which I had no idea about until that day.  

So, far away from the city, amidst nature, my life found a new meaning. I understood that not everything needs to be in my control, not everything that looks difficult, is truly difficult. One must rise beyond one's apprehension and embrace life. We are here only for a short while; why not make it worth our while?

SAYANTI SENGUPTA

Author Bio: This post has been written by Sayanti Sengupta. She is a Geography Hons. graduate from Loreto College, Kolkata and is currently pursuing Masters in Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai. Apart from her passion for travel, she is also an amazing dancer and has many awards and credits to her recognition.

TRAFFORD CENTRE: A SHOPPER’S PARADISE AND A CULINARY ROLLERCOASTER

Sundays are city exploring days for me. So, every Sunday (mostly every Sunday) I go out with my best friend (Canon 1100D) and try to explore a new corner of the city. One such adventure led me to the Trafford Centre, one of the famous shopping arenas of this city. Trafford Centre is well connected via bus to all parts of the city and most places have direct buses plying to this beautiful shopping arena.

ON MY WAY TO TRAFFORD CENTRE

VIEW OF THE CAR PARK FROM THE BALCONY

 Once you enter the Trafford centre, if you do not have a map to navigate your whereabouts, you would surely get lost. With most of the big brands having a shop there, you are bound to find ‘River Island’, ‘Debenhams’ , ‘Primark’ , ‘Calvin Klein’, ‘Fraser Hart’,’ Hotel chocolat.’ and many more,  all under one roof.  Children can have some fun in the opportunities available in LegoLand and SeaLand.

But the main attraction is the food court. The concept of constructing such a beautiful food court is very different from what I have ever seen in my life before. Though there are many places where Street food, Indian food, Italian food American food, Chinese and Thai specialities are found in the same place, it is indeed unique that the Trafford Centre food court has gone a step further and even managed to create an ambience which transports you right back to the type of food you are eating. Dragons and warrior men greet you on the way to the mini China Town and Thai food corner. American street food is mostly lined with rows of pub like buildings with the New Orleans Jazz band greeting you at the entrance. Apart from the food here, people are attracted to the ambience of the place and leave no opportunities to be clicked in their favourite ambience. The New Orleans Jazz band particularly attracts a lot of audience who prefer clicking selfies or groupfies with them.

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND

ENTRANCE TO THE FOOD COURT 

CHINATOWN

 If you happen to look for low budget eateries like Subway, McDonalds and KFC do not be disheartened. Amidst this wide array of sophisticated restaurants and bars, our very own favourite food hubs are also present and guess where – on a ship. With so many different and unique options to choose from, your taste buds are bound to enjoy this culinary experience.

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE FOOD COURT

 If you are looking for some exciting ice-creams, snacks, juices or simply a cup of coffee to help yourselves to, then ‘360 Champagne and cocktails’, ‘Ambar’ ,’Boost Juice Bars’ , ‘Barburrito’, ‘Bradwell Ice Cream Carts’  and ‘Costa Coffee’ are ideal for you.

It would definitely take you a lot of time to see the Trafford Centre. Thus it is better to keep one entire day free to roam around the arena and indulge into the secret wishes of the shopaholic within you; and of course it would be a sin to not eat in the food courts here.

Signing off with some sights of Trafford Centre. . . . . 

 GATEWAY TO THE STAIRS

 STATUES 

FOUNTAINS

EGYPTIAN DECOR

HALLOWEEN @ WARWICK CASTLE

Halloween could never have been better for me, than celebrating it in one of the oldest castles of the UK. My celebrations took me on an unforgettable journey to the Warwick Castle. The Castle is situated at a distance of around 2.5 hours by road from Manchester. All throughout the early morning journey to the Castle I saw people around me take a nice nap as sleep was compromised on as they had to wake -up early in order to reach the pick-up point. Let me very honest, I too occasionally drifted off to sleep when I was not trying to get some good photographs evading the high reflection from the bus windows or when I was not listening to music and chatting with a friend from home.

 We reached Warwick after crossing Stratford, Keele and Birmingham at about 10:45 in the morning. With the cold wind brushing against our bodies, the moment we got out of the bus, all acts of sleepiness left us in an instant. We proceeded to get the tickets. The ticket counter is situated in a beautiful arena hosting a restaurant/café with indoor /outdoor seating and a gift shop in the same complex.

The Castle grounds are vastly spread and had various different activities taking place in it. The Hollow Haunted was a very interesting concept of walking though a trail with props and people dressed up as fairy-tale characters. While the Wolf of the Little Red Riding Hood seemed a bit too scary, the evil Step-Mother of Snow White obliged in being a part of the photographs people wanted with her. Going through the trail would once again transport you back to your childhood where you listened to fairy tales which are lost today in your busy world of academics and work.

Up next was a beautiful rose garden with seating arrangements. This place had nothing much to see except the myriad hues in the form of full bloomed roses.

Going further you would see archery and fencing grounds where mostly children come to play and learn the tactics of a medieval knight or an archer. These are paid trainings and one would have to pay a small amount (usually between £3 -£5) which is not included in the ticket.

 Moving forward from the fighting arena is when you actually enter the fortress. There is a beautiful light and sound display of the culture, occupation, military, art and craft of the medieval age which sheds light on the life and times of people who had resided in the grounds years ago.

Next is the Time Tower for which one has to climb some steep steps to enter a room which takes around 15 to 25 people at a time for a 15 minutes movie. This video makes you relive the castle grounds in its glorious days.

Right after the Time Tower, you can climb steeper steps and alleyways to reach the peak of the castle from where you get a bird’s eye- view of the entire castle grounds and off course of the Warwick County itself. The tower of the county church clearly stands out amidst rows of houses.

 Further in the lawn there were many different attractions like the bird show where a 4kg eagle named Archie was performing with his trainer. At some distance were the Halloween attractions, complete with a cauldron, a graveyard, a spell- maker, and some freaky friends. There was also a story –telling corner for the children.

People here came from all over the country to celebrate Halloween. They were dressed up as witches, wizards, banshees with all sorts of costumes and hair and face make-up. In fact, there were specialised make- up artists who were painting faces for a minimum fee.

The ghoulish music which played all over the fort through speakers could be heard right till the parking lot gate where a man holding a lantern was accompanied by a headless chap on a horse.

 The atmosphere created by the Warwick Castle clearly complemented the purpose of doing so. The people were warm and friendly and even when they were dressed up as Halloween spookers they never forgot to smile during each of the photographs taken with them.

Warwick Castle is a must visit for those who are planning a holiday in the UK or are planning a weekend trip while residing here. It is bound to mesmerize you. And yes, do not forget to pick up a souvenir for yourself!