Natrani

It was for the first time that I was visiting Natrani, Darpana Academy of Performing Arts. Was visiting the place to see the photo exhibition "PEACE" held by Nazariya. It was a good experience being there, seeing the exhibition and feeling the place located on the banks of Sabarmati. The calmness and the cold breeze of the winters made it more perfect. As PEACE was the theme, a group of students from Australia were performing a mime on Garba dance which is seen during the festival of Navratri in Gujarat. It was good to see the Australians performing here in India and the best part was the audience applauding them through out their performance by clapping and hooting and whistling. It was a good initiative to bridge the gap in this cross culture tradition.I wish the same, Indian students get to feel in Australia. Below is the small video of the performance:

A documentary movie "SHED NO MORE BLOOD" was followed by the mime act, which is based on the various uncertainty that the people of Nagaland have seen. After watching the movie one would certainly feel how safe and sound we're in Gujarat, whereas our brothers in the North-East are the victims of some factional groups. The case does not rest only with the Naga tribes, the same goes with the people of Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Orissa and other states were Naxalism is helping to disrupt the communal harmony and the LTTE in the South. Are we becoming the victims of being the biggest democracy in the world?

The next performance was again a mime performed by a group of students from St. Xaviers college and was directed by Gaurang Raval. The act was beautifully presented on the current scenario of the traffic hindrances, cell phone obsession while riding/driving and other typical things that you get to witness while you hit the road. It was quite a good example depicted in the form of "અધીર અમદાવાદી" (Impatient Amdavadi)

P.S. Video's have been converted from HD to low-res.

Visit to Champaner - A World Heritage Site

Children's Day could not have been better than spending a quality time with couple of friends away from the city at Champaner, a World Heritage Site located some 50kms away from Baroda. All of us were happy and to have spent a sumptuous Sunday, roaming around like a child from one place to another completely carefree.
The journey to Champaner began from Baroda on Sunday morning at 6 a.m. Me and Aekam on Yamaha Fazer and Ninad and Ronak on Bajaj Pulsar.
We were wandering to catch the early morning sunrise on Baroda-Halol highway and hit the road for about 20-25 kms to have a picturesque landscape and ended up our bikes in a village called Kotambi on the Baroda-Halol highway. I was bit disappointed as the sun had already started to rise and we're still searching a picture perfect place. From the information given by the local guy we ended up our biking adventure to the so called river of the village, which was actually a water stream. But that was satisfactory as we managed to get some good shots of the morning mist and the sunrise along with the villagers doing their house hold chores by the water stream.

Sun Rise @ Kotambi Village

Women performing household chore @ Kotambi Village

After a bit of satisfaction we started moving towards Champaner and saw some beautiful places on the way and capturing few of 'em. We reached Champaner and visited few World Heritage Sites which includes, Shaher ni Masjid, Jama Masjid, Kamani Masjid and Saat Kaman (7 Bows.)
Shaher ni Masjid is a beautiful location in the heart of the village with some nicely carved stones. So is Jama Masjid, but a bigger place in area having different entries to the place, an octagonal tank for the abulations, and beautifully hand carved stones and pillars with a Picturesque Pavagarh landscape in it's backdrop.
Out of all these the best place to be was at Saat Kaman which is located near Manchi in the ghats of Pavagarh while en-route. We went there after having our lunch at Hansraj Hotel near to the ST Bus Depot. You just don't feel getting back from there. The view of the whole Champaner and it's surrounding is just more than mesmerizing from around 2000 feet or so (just an approximation.)

Saat Kaman (7 Arches)

Panaromic View of Champaner from Saat Kaman

Kalpvriskha Carvings @ Jami Masjid

Foothills of Pavagarh

 







Thanks to Aekam, Ninad, Ronak, Aviral, Rushabh, Ashish, Ruchee and Vaibhavi who joined along made it a memorable trip.
P.S. Others had joined us lately at Champaner.