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!

HERITAGE AND LANDMARKS OF MANCHESTER

On one windy afternoon a group of around twenty five students from my University set out on a tour of some of the legendary places of this city. This post, in short describes some of the must see destinations of Manchester but every destination would be individually highlighted in later posts.

CHAPEL STREET 

Chapel Street is famous for being the first street in the city where street lights were switched on. Chapel Street today hosts the Peel Park Campus of the University of Salford.

PEEL PARK 

Some distance down from the Chapel Street is Peel Park. This park is a very pretty place to lose yourself amidst natures beauty. The colours of autumn, in full bloom, can be best experienced in the silent surroundings of this park. In fact one of the campuses of the University of Salford has been named after Peel Park.

THE CRESCENT

 Right opposite to Peel Park is The Crescent which has always been a great hangout place for the youth. Moreover, the Crescent gives special discounts to the University students.

THE BLACK HORSE HOTEL

 The Black Horse Hotel is another beautiful building standing almost entirely on its own. When I first saw the inn I was very impressed by it. In fact I had even made up my mind to go there one day and check it out; but very recently I found out that the hotel itself has closed down. Now only the building stands as a remembrance of what used to exist days ago.

ST. PHILIPS CHURCH

 Manchester is filled with churches and cathedrals. Every neighbourhood has one church of its own. This is St. Philips Church beside Peel Park. This church displays Greco-Roman architecture.

SALFORD CATHEDRAL

Two steps from the St Philips Church is the Salford Cathedral which has the aura of a mighty gothic- looking structure standing erect and high claiming its authority over the place.

CHURCH OF SACRED TRINITY

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL

Moving further on you would find the Church of the Sacred Trinity and if you walk straight ahead you get to the Manchester Cathedral. This cathedral is said to be the Centre of the city as it is from here that the City Centre and one of the biggest shopping malls Manchester Arndale starts which later on merges with Market Street which is one of the high points of the city.

CHEETHAM LIBRARY

For those who have the slightest connection with Karl Marx, the Cheetham library would be an ideal place to visit. Not only because the membership is free but also because it was the very place where years ago Marx met his fellow companions and propagated his ideas.

CHEETHAM SCHOOL OF MUSIC

 Western music is always described by bands like Beatles, Eagles, pink Floyd, and more recently by Jackson, Madonna and the rest. But Cheetham School of Music has been imparting music to children and youth for years alike making it one of the most famous destinations of music.

VICTORIA STATION

Opposite to The Cheetham School of music is the Victoria Station Railway which connects the city to places like London, Leeds, Newcastle, York and Scotland.

SINCLAIRS PUB

 The Manchester City Council can be reached via a shortcut through the Sinclairs pub. It is said that when the city centre was being built, the Sinclairs pub was relocated to a new place brick by brick.

BEETHAM TOWER 

 A little further away from the City Council one comes to the Beetham Tower the tallest skyscraper of the city. With 47 floors tall, this building houses a hotel and is a primary landmark for those (like me) who frequently get lost in the city. The Museum of Science and Industry is built very near to this hotel.

CANAL SYSTEM

Right opposite the Museum is the Canal System of River Irwell. In fact I was told that many students take this unique arrangement as part of their studies and research work.

THE WORLD BEYOND HORIZONS

With the canal being our last point of visit, our tour came to an end. But as they say “the road goes on and on”, my journey is far from over and I would definitely try to visit all these places again and know more about their history and legends. 

McCluskiegunj- A Settlement Lost Under The Sands Of Time

That which flourished years ago is on a verge of disappearing from the hearts of men and that which flourishes now would soon overshadow the remnants of a glorious past.  This post refers to a very special place which is hardly remembered by many but was a flourishing Anglo-Indian hub years ago – McCluskiegunj. This settlement lies 40 miles northwest of the capital of Jharkhand. This settlement was founded and established by the Colonization Society of 1933- especially by Earnest Timothy McCluskie. It was home to more than 400 Anglo-Indian families, though now only a handful remain in this settlement.

 

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What is unique about this place is that no matter what happens in the world, McCluskiegunj has never succumbed to its modernity. Even though it is less inhabited now, it still remains full of greenery and one breathes fresh air on entering this place. For many, it goes unnoticed but a handful of them still continue to make it their favorite weekend getaway . 

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There are hardly any modern hotels in the area. Thus tourists mostly spend their time in lodges and guest houses run by the families living here. As the buildings used for accommodation facilities are old and antique, one could feel being transported back to the heydays of McCluskiegunj.

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One very peculiar feature of this area is the projection of its secular culture with the presence of a Mosque and a Temple in the same complex. The chance to experiment two different religions within the boundary of a single complex often becomes a reason to draw tourists from all over the world. However, one should note that Churches are also present in this settlement. The St. Johns church is very famous in these parts and often sees the descendants of the old families coming in for a mass or a prayer. The presence of so many different religious structures makes us wonder sometimes about the people who originally resided here. Were there more communities other than the dominant Anglo-Indian Community? Were the Mosque and the Temple  built before the Anglo-Indians came and settled here? The origins of these structures are still being traced though no particular date has been zeroed on till date.

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The plaque and the fountain head which are now being protected and preserved in memory of the commemoration of this place in 1934 by Earnest Timothy McCluskie is a sight which one should not miss in these parts. Another interesting feature of the area is that the nearby forests used to act as hunting grounds long ago. Thus, hutments which are now nearly in shackles can still be seen.

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It is interesting to note that the Don Bosco  Academy opened a residential school in McCluskiegunj. This has given employment to the few Anglo-Indian families that are left in these parts. Moreover the old bungalows and houses which were deserted are being used as hostels and residential campuses for the students, teachers and staff of this school. This has boosted economy and employment opportunities in these parts after a long time.

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However, not all bungalows are being used for either guest houses or school purposes. Many lie still in brambles and shackles with stories of their own to tell. Many are just properties in which foreigners and other Nationals have invested but are never used for staying purposes. Few had been captured by the Adivasis and when the descendants of the original owners came to claim it, they were driven out from the land. Some more have stories of apparitions and ghosts being attached to them due to an infamous suicide or a murder. But alas, one would never really come to know about all these stories as they have been lost in the sands of time or buried under the walls of the deserted bungalows. Many other stories must have just come to an end with the death of their owners.But the fact that this long gone community is trying its best to be recognized and draw in more people just to let them know about its presence is commendable in itself.

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With this I hope I have been able to provide you with some of the reasons why this place is a must visit and tops my personal list of places to see before I die.

Asansol -E-Hoi-Choi Part 2

The day two of my Asansol trip was filled with greater adventure than the previous day.  The day started very normally with all of us getting into the car and asking the driver to take us to Panchet. No sooner did the car start that the tyre was left punctured and we were to wait till the car was fixed. While the boys of our group huddled near the car with my father explaining the problem and the steps required to fix it; the girls found a quieter place to sit in and talk with the local shopkeeper. Soon, the shopkeeper turned himself into a guide for us and gave us tips as to which places we should visit and how to reach them. While talking to him, we found out about the ruins of an old fort –Gaurponchokot. In fact we did plan to visit the place as well after laying our eyes on Panchet. However, ultimately the plan was cancelled. It took about an hour of waiting (for others) and jumping about impatiently (for me) before the car was repaired and we finally resumed our journey.

Panchet was a well thirty-forty kilometres from our hotel and it took us about an hour to reach the place crossing through farmlands, small villages and barren lands. Panchet is a dam and has been maintained very well.  In fact the view itself is amazing. On one side there are steps to go down and enjoy the beautiful landscape gardens and on the other side one can view the clear blue waters flowing under the bridge to the other side. It is essential that the pictures do the talking here instead of me. As this was a short trip, my narration ends here itself .But there are lots of other exciting trips that I have been a part of after Panchet and I cannot wait to share those stories  as well.

VIEW OF THE LANDSCAPED GARDENS FROM THE STAIRS DESCENDING FROM THE DAM GATES

VIEW FROM THE GARDENS TO THE DAM GATES 

LITTLE BUDDY I FOUND HIDING IN THE BUSHES 

VIEW OF THE RIVER FROM THE GARDENS

VIEW OF THE WATER BANKS 

CLOSE-UP OF THE WATERFALL

DAM GATES 

BOATING

BIDDING ADIEU