*The Inner Child at Daman.
June 2009 It was timefor us friends to take a break from the routine. So said my grown up children. The youngsters were taking a weekend break away from the hectic life of Mumbai to the beaches of Daman along with other family friends.
Sleepy Shobha, the sleepy child within me said - let them do what they want. I picked up the phone and spoke to another parent, discussing about how the youngsters work hard and enjoy harder. Sunny Shobha, the inner child within me was aroused. Hey I too want a break from the fast paced office routine of Mumbai. I too want to discover a new weekend getawaway from Mumbai.
Sunny Shobha declared suddenly that even the parents need a break. So along with another couple we decided to also go to the old Portuguese colony of Daman. We had a smooth drive over good roads and as we entered Daman, the first thing that caught my attention were the innumerable hoardings that were advertising for liquor products. It then struck me that Daman attracts a lot of tourists from the neighbouring State where alcohol consumption is prohibited. This seemed to be the perfect chill out zone for those who wanted to enjoy the high spirit of life!
nd why not? There were many resorts along the long stretch of the Devka beach. We spoke to our youngsters on the mobile phones pretending we were still in Mumbai to understand their exact location.
At theJazira resort, Sunny Shobha hid behind the bushes waiting to surprise one of them as she walked towards the washroom. We thoughts that the youngsters would never guess that their parents were here and wanted to give them a surprise. Guess what? Sunny Shobha got a bigger surprise. They knew we we're coming, they welcomed us at the resort with a big fat lunch bill! One of the siblings left behind in Mumbai had blurted out the secret of our surprise visit to Daman. Yes, our entry to Daman was worth the laugh to Sunny Shobha. We had found just the perfect place to have a lazy lunch with friends and family, with the breeze on our face and the sound of the waves.
We then decided to explore the quaint city which is divided into two parts by the Daman Ganga river called the Moti Daman (with the big Fort) and the Nani Daman (with the small fort). Daman is also called the city of Twin Forts.
We were staying in the downtown area which had all the trappings of a modern city. Yet as soon as we entered the gates of the Nani Daman Fort, I felt that I was a part of another era. The entrance gates had a huge statue of St. Jerome and two giant human figures on either sides. We walked into the open bastions and looked at the only church inside, called the church of the Lady of the sea. We then climbed up the steps of the fort for a sweeping view of the area. We even peered from above into an old cemetery. Then we had an amazing evening walk on top of the fort walls, going all around the fort and watching the boats that were ferrying the people on both sides of the river.
It was so easy to relax at this place, where time seemed to just stand still. There was an air of a laid back attitude to life which we could sense when we went to the Jampore beach at night. And with no visible restrictions on closing timings, this was the first time in my life when at the stroke of midnight My sunny Shobha actually ventured into the waters to feel the waves beneath my feet.
And then the sleepy Shobha wanted to talk nonsense just before we retired into bed. I had just realized that I had lost one antique silver pendant. And Sleepy Shobha used a silly excuse to have a silly verbal argument with my husband. After indulging my Sunny Shobha inner child within me with such beautiful sight seeing during the day, I wonder why my sleepy Shobha inner child just had to throw unnecessary tantrums in the night? There must be something about darkness that makes my sleepy Shobha act funny within the private walls of our hotel room.
After my morning prayers, my Sunny Shobha was up again. My very understanding dear husband choses to remember only the positive energy of Sunny Shobha. We left early in the morning to drive across the new bridge and reach the Moti Daman Fort. We entered the gates and saw what seemed to be the ruins of an ancient monastery. We first drove around and saw the many impressive old official buildings like the Collectors office, the Government house and the Municipal council which were also used by the earlier Portuguese rulers. The Secretariat and the Paryatan Bhavan are the modern official buildings.
But what really left my Sunny Shobha spell bound was our visit to the ancient Portuguese churches of Daman. Our first visit was to the Bom Jesus church. With it's ornate and intricate decorations around the six idols at the alter, I sat in silence to soak in the spiritual power of the place. We next went to the chapel of the Lady of Remedios and admired the beautifully carved figures on it's walls.
Sunny Shobha just had to climb up the open flight of steps to go up to the terrace adjoining the fortification walls. We had a superb view from this height. We saw the moat surrounding the walls. We could even see where the river joined to the sea. We walked across and actually touched the walls of the majestic lighthouse that we had earlier seen from afar. Even after India got her independence in 1947 the Portugal officials had ruled from this Fort unto 1961 when Daman finally became a part of the Indian Republic as a union territory.
On the top of the fort were two children happily playing with each other. As Sunny Shobha bid goodbye to them and to Daman, I realized how I loved the simplicity of this place.With a little more attention to promoting tourism, it could match up with my similar sight seeing experience of churches or beaches in Europe. Sunny Shobha was amazed at how diverse India really is! Wow- India!
*(There is an inner child within all of us. One that we were born as - warm and happy, optimistic, capable of serving and loving others, believing in the possibility of extra-ordinary achievements, filled with a kind of inner light and positive energy, taking initiative and action...I will call that your Sunny inner child.
And then we are exposed to circumstances and experiences. Depending on the way we react to our situations, a new inner child emerges. One that we create - cold and sad, pessimistic, capable of being indifferent or hating others, believing oneself to be trapped within ordinary limits, filled with a kind of inner darkness and negative energy, lazily whining, not taking action, I will call that your Sleepy inner child.
You have a choice on which inner child you want to encourage in your life - your Sunny inner child or your inner Sleepy child?)
I will call my inner child as Sunny Shobha and Sleepy Shobha. Together we will travel around the world).
June 2009 It was timefor us friends to take a break from the routine. So said my grown up children. The youngsters were taking a weekend break away from the hectic life of Mumbai to the beaches of Daman along with other family friends.
Sleepy Shobha, the sleepy child within me said - let them do what they want. I picked up the phone and spoke to another parent, discussing about how the youngsters work hard and enjoy harder. Sunny Shobha, the inner child within me was aroused. Hey I too want a break from the fast paced office routine of Mumbai. I too want to discover a new weekend getawaway from Mumbai.
Sunny Shobha declared suddenly that even the parents need a break. So along with another couple we decided to also go to the old Portuguese colony of Daman. We had a smooth drive over good roads and as we entered Daman, the first thing that caught my attention were the innumerable hoardings that were advertising for liquor products. It then struck me that Daman attracts a lot of tourists from the neighbouring State where alcohol consumption is prohibited. This seemed to be the perfect chill out zone for those who wanted to enjoy the high spirit of life!At theJazira resort, Sunny Shobha hid behind the bushes waiting to surprise one of them as she walked towards the washroom. We thoughts that the youngsters would never guess that their parents were here and wanted to give them a surprise. Guess what? Sunny Shobha got a bigger surprise. They knew we we're coming, they welcomed us at the resort with a big fat lunch bill! One of the siblings left behind in Mumbai had blurted out the secret of our surprise visit to Daman. Yes, our entry to Daman was worth the laugh to Sunny Shobha. We had found just the perfect place to have a lazy lunch with friends and family, with the breeze on our face and the sound of the waves.We then decided to explore the quaint city which is divided into two parts by the Daman Ganga river called the Moti Daman (with the big Fort) and the Nani Daman (with the small fort). Daman is also called the city of Twin Forts.
And then the sleepy Shobha wanted to talk nonsense just before we retired into bed. I had just realized that I had lost one antique silver pendant. And Sleepy Shobha used a silly excuse to have a silly verbal argument with my husband. After indulging my Sunny Shobha inner child within me with such beautiful sight seeing during the day, I wonder why my sleepy Shobha inner child just had to throw unnecessary tantrums in the night? There must be something about darkness that makes my sleepy Shobha act funny within the private walls of our hotel room.
After my morning prayers, my Sunny Shobha was up again. My very understanding dear husband choses to remember only the positive energy of Sunny Shobha. We left early in the morning to drive across the new bridge and reach the Moti Daman Fort. We entered the gates and saw what seemed to be the ruins of an ancient monastery. We first drove around and saw the many impressive old official buildings like the Collectors office, the Government house and the Municipal council which were also used by the earlier Portuguese rulers. The Secretariat and the Paryatan Bhavan are the modern official buildings.But what really left my Sunny Shobha spell bound was our visit to the ancient Portuguese churches of Daman. Our first visit was to the Bom Jesus church. With it's ornate and intricate decorations around the six idols at the alter, I sat in silence to soak in the spiritual power of the place. We next went to the chapel of the Lady of Remedios and admired the beautifully carved figures on it's walls.
Sunny Shobha just had to climb up the open flight of steps to go up to the terrace adjoining the fortification walls. We had a superb view from this height. We saw the moat surrounding the walls. We could even see where the river joined to the sea. We walked across and actually touched the walls of the majestic lighthouse that we had earlier seen from afar. Even after India got her independence in 1947 the Portugal officials had ruled from this Fort unto 1961 when Daman finally became a part of the Indian Republic as a union territory.On the top of the fort were two children happily playing with each other. As Sunny Shobha bid goodbye to them and to Daman, I realized how I loved the simplicity of this place.With a little more attention to promoting tourism, it could match up with my similar sight seeing experience of churches or beaches in Europe. Sunny Shobha was amazed at how diverse India really is! Wow- India!
*(There is an inner child within all of us. One that we were born as - warm and happy, optimistic, capable of serving and loving others, believing in the possibility of extra-ordinary achievements, filled with a kind of inner light and positive energy, taking initiative and action...I will call that your Sunny inner child.
And then we are exposed to circumstances and experiences. Depending on the way we react to our situations, a new inner child emerges. One that we create - cold and sad, pessimistic, capable of being indifferent or hating others, believing oneself to be trapped within ordinary limits, filled with a kind of inner darkness and negative energy, lazily whining, not taking action, I will call that your Sleepy inner child.
You have a choice on which inner child you want to encourage in your life - your Sunny inner child or your inner Sleepy child?)
I will call my inner child as Sunny Shobha and Sleepy Shobha. Together we will travel around the world).
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