[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

after posting the exact number of parts named ''valve'', will you recommend my name for Nobel prize for extraordinary work in the field of automobile?

Hmm... I am ready to recommend, but who will second it? MX6, Ampere can you do the honours?

But, I can probably request Piaggio (why?) to start an automobile research institute at Baramati and name it after you, so that the generations to follow will always remember the extraordinary work and research!!!!

Originally Posted by MX6

guess if anything happens to my valves, I will go to maruti sai service a.s.s

Don't get fooled by JDPower survey's - FIAT ad claims their service is the 'best in the segment', going by their latest ad series. You are one of the best in the segment here - so, you may be better off with TATA-FIAT A.S.S.!!


These pictures are for praful - his beloved NH17!

Can you believe that a road can be like this within a short stretch of few kms?







If you look at the shoulders of the road, you can clearly see how it was laid, then re-laid, and re-re-laid!

[vrprabhu]

However, some things remain the same -

The school where my wife studied - just as it was 30 years ago!


The green paddy fields -




If you see carefully, you'll spot the river flowing behind the coconut groves to meet the sea.


Our relative's house in Kasargod (whom we visited on the way). See the tulsi kyara, the semi-circular well.. just as they were when I last them 20 years ago!




See the water in the well? If it had rained any more, the water would have flown out of the well! As it is, it was just below ground level.

[ampere]

VRP looks like you have one hell of a social life!
Within a few KMs you end up at some place ( or someone's place?) or the other!

[MX6]

kerala is one big village from kasaragod to trivandrum. so by the rule of neighbours, everyone knows every one else. if at all two malayalees who don't know each other meet up, they no longer ask naattil evideya? they ask gelfil evideya!
keralites that way are well connected. what say vrp?

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Within a few KMs you end up at some place ( or someone's place?) or the other!

To be frank, right from Calicut upto Honnavar, there is some relative or the other in each of the towns enroute! If I were to spend a day or two in each of the houses, think I can go on for atleast 3 months!!

But, your post also made me ponder this - when I was younger (till my teens), we knew every family in the street, some in the adjacent streets and most of the cousins / nephews - wherever they were.

Today, I hardly know a couple of families in the society I live(120+ flats). Zilch about the people in other societies. And, hardly a few cousins / nephews are kept in touch with.

In fact, my parents can still remember all the members of the extended family - and my daughter, almost none

Originally Posted by MX6

two malayalees who don't know each other meet up, they no longer ask naattil evideya? they ask gelfil evideya!
keralites that way are well connected. what say vrp?

Perfect! But, I have to admit, malayalees bond very well wherever they are and sometimes wonder why everybody can't be like them!



To continue with the trip, since we turned into Kasargod, I had no trouble finding the correct route to Bekal.... which turned into a nice, quiet and winding drive.

We hit the beach first, and could take my car pretty close to the water. However, the sea was raging and it was raining pretty hard.

So while wife sat in the car, I ventured out - and the amount of debris thrown back by the sea (it seem to say, 'keep all this with yourself, don't dirty me!!') marred an otherwise enjoyable spot...

[Abhay]

Great shots of the raging sea. I am always awed by the power of the sea/waves which just makes you feel how trivial everything else really is.

and yes I do love the NH-17 too, bad patches and all - hopefully next time I drive down south, I will venture past Udupi!

[vrprabhu]

Thanks, Abhay! Next time, take me along - so that I make sure you don't miss anything . I agree, the sea is really something powerful - 'spirit of the seven seas' as aptly said.

The choppy sea and strong winds indicated further spells of heavy rain. I could convince my wife that we would be able to sit it out - and after the rain stops, we can have a look at the fort. But I was proved wrong.

A bit of an history of Bekal Fort -

Kerala State has its share of forts, especially near Kasargod - which is the border for Karnataka & Kerala.

The well known ones are Bekal, Chandragiri, Hosdurg, Kumbala, Thangaserry, Kannur etc.

And, unlike those in Maharashtra, there is no climbing involved at the Forts - they are easily accessible and have motorable roads.

Some of them were meant for fortification against enemies and some were meant for administration - as the legend goes..

Bekal Fort is the largest and well preserved - and, as expected, some commercialisation. It is believed to be between 350 to 500 years old!!

The fort occupies a huge area - reported to be as much as 40 acres!

In the middle of the fort is the observation tower approached - which can be accessed by a broad walkway.

The structure - which has a huge circumference at its base - is quite tall (30 to 40 feet, I guess), and affords a magnificent view of the sea and the lush green landscape that surround it.

Unfortunately, the height and location proved to be our nemisis - strong winds and heavy rain made it practically impossible for us to climb up!

And within a couple of minutes we were drenched completely - the umbrellas were actually a impediment! Because, the strong wind was threatening to pull it away from our hands and we had to struggle to save them!!

So, on my third visit to this area, I finally enter the fort. Now to see, how many more visits are required to fully explore it!

This was all the pictures I could manage - didn't want to expose the camera to the pouring rain...

Sitting in the car, at the entrance, waiting for the rain to cease -


The outerwall - and the board signifying that the fort is now under the control of ASI


The observation tower -

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

T
In the middle of the fort is the observation tower approached - which can be accessed by a broad walkway.
The observation tower -
Attachment 416557

I am doubtful if that tower was used for observation only.

If it was used for observation only, then there was no need of constructing that huge ramp.
Small staircase should be enough.

[MX6]

You are absolutely right AP.
Ramp clearly shows that they've hauled Cannons and cannonballs up there to fire at any kind of invasion from the sea.

[ampere]

It cannot be an OBS tower. Has to be for offense / cannon etc. Hence it would have been made more leaner as well.

Looks like it was pouring hard.

[vrprabhu]

I forgot to mention this earlier - thanks for all those viewed this thread. It has crossed the 10,000 view mark! I feel like Allan Border now....

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

If it was used for observation only, then there was no need of constructing that huge ramp.

Originally Posted by MX6

Ramp clearly shows that they've hauled Cannons and cannonballs up there to fire at any kind of invasion from the sea.

AP, that was a good 'observation'.....

May be "observation tower" is a modern day misnomer. Bekal Fort was one of those recorded in history for 'fortification' - i.e. to withstand the assault of alien forces.

BTW, what happened to the cannons, then? It is also supposed to have an 'ammunition store' inside the fort, but visitors are not allowed nowadays, I am told.

Originally Posted by ampere

Looks like it was pouring hard.

I have had my share of rain. But this one was a deluge that day - reminded me of the deluge that hit Mumbai couple of years ago....

So much so, we didn't even get out of the car after Bekal till we reached Calicut - the roads between Kannur and Thalasserry were in poor shape and the rains only forced us to keep going instead of stopping....

this is what the Govt is trying to do spruce up Bekal beach to entice tourists...






There was an entry fee - which we didn't feel like paying - to visit the beach in the rain!!

[f1fan]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Anyway, enroute we stop for breakfast, and have this -
Attachment 414202

Don't remember which was this place - Nileshwar or nearby, I think. But the accompaniment was a bit of let down - the 'kadala curry' was made with 'white (kabuli) channa' and not the regular brown one :-( - which is why you don't see it in the picture.

Ummm... Shevai.
BTW what is this called in other languages? Never knew that this was available in restaurants.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by f1fan

Ummm... Shevai.
BTW what is this called in other languages?

''Indian Noodle!!!!''

@vrp,
those forts in south don't look rigid like forts in Maharashtra.

[MX6]

Actually AP, we have very less forts in South. Our kings were busy building bigger temples. We had the wars fought strictly on designated areas. No one attacked the cities, which required fortifications.
Our kings had a sense of honour and justice in War. Only when the barbarians from outside started attacking, they started looting and destroying. Which required the north to start building huge fortifications.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MX6

Actually AP, we have very less forts in South. Our kings were busy building bigger temples. We had the wars fought strictly on designated areas. No one attacked the cities, which required fortifications.
Our kings had a sense of honour and justice in War. Only when the barbarians from outside started attacking, they started looting and destroying. Which required the north to start building huge fortifications.

That is very correct.In fact this philosophy is very well illustrated right through the Southern peninsula.