Airport by the River

There are many airports in different parts of the world. Some of them are very busy and congested. Some of them are very busy but always give a feeling of calm efficiency to the traveler. Some airports are like gardens and some others are modren structures with all engineering marvels. Airports are a means to land in a place and move forward to other destinations for sightseeing or work or business. In any airport, the travellers are eager to come out of the aircraft after landing, collect their baggage and get out of the airport in a car or a cab as fast as possible. This is the normal experience of any seasoned traveler.

Is there any airport which by itself can be a destination for sightseeing? Is there an airport that holds back the visitor for sometime after landing and make him forget the baggage and other issues? Is there an airport where the arriving passengers start clicking photos once they come out of the aircraft? Yes, Paro International Airport in Bhutan is one such airport which is worth visiting just for the thrill of landing and taking off from there. Of course, there are other attractions as well in this place and surrounding areas. The river Paro Cho flowing by the side of the airport is itself a beautiful sight. The picture given above shows the river flowing adjacent to the airport terminal. Visitors usually spend a full week in the surrounding areas before coming back to this airport and taking off to their destinations. There is always a demand from the passengers on the cabin crew for a window seat when the aircraft takes off!

Paro airport is the only international airport in the Kingdom of Bhutan. There are other three airports in the country for meeting domestic needs. The airport is at a short distance (6 Kms) from the town of Paro in a deep valley and on the banks of the river Paro Cho. Paro airport is surrounded by many peaks with some of them as high as 18,000 feet. Airport is itself at a height of 7400 feet above sea level. Landing of aircraft is indeed a challenge to the pilots as the aircraft has to descend into the valley in a set route and land at an angle instead of a straight line as happens in most of the airports.

Landing at Paro is very difficult for three reasons; the high mountain peaks around the runway, many buildings and houses on the flight path and the angular landing requirement. The airport was fully commissioned in 2011 and there were many structures and buildings around by that time. As the aircraft enters the valley, the pilots have to navigate it between the beautiful peaks, manage the landing at an angle amidst the buildings and that too in the short runway. The airport has the distinction of having a runway shorter than its altitude. In view of these challenges, only a select number of specially trained pilots are allowed to land and take off from this airport. Operations are permitted only on visual meteorological conditions.

Our aircraft from Kolkata, an Airbus A-319, took off last fortnight as scheduled and the limited travellers on board due to lean season month provided window seats to all on board. The sight on the flight path was indeed breathtaking and delightful. The skilled pilots navigated the aircraft between the mountain peaks. The clear sky, green forests below and the occasional clouds gave the proper setting. Despite the difficulties in navigation, the landing was very smooth. The terminal building resembles a typical Bhutanese structure and looks like a museum. Immigration officials are friendly and the entire experience at the airport is very rewarding.

Travellers from south India generally take the flights to Paro from Kolkata. These flights are usually timed at around 9 AM. One has to reach Kolkata on the previous night to catch these flights on the next morning. There is a facility of Resting Rooms (not Rest Rooms) in the Kolkata Airport which are as good as in any four star hotel. The rooms are to be arranged from the duty airport manager, before coming out of the arrival exit. Charges are reasonable and a planned visit is comfortable with this arrangement.

Indian citizen can visit Bhutan even without a passport. A Voter identification card (EPIC) is enough for visit as a tourist. Visa is provided on arrival at the airport. There was no visa for us and an authorisation was given by stamping arrival in the passport. Arranged tours are popular. Indian Rupee is widely accepted and has the same value as the local currency as the Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN) is linked to the rupee. However, 500 and 2000 rupee notes are not widely accepted. Notes of Rupees 100 and 50 denominations are widely accepted. It is advisable to carry 100 rupee notes. Payment can be made by debit and credit cards in some hotels. Most of the temples and museums do not accept card payments. In our experience entry charges in museums and temples is usually 300 rupees per person. 

If one desires to visit Bhutan for a vacation, Paro is the airport to land and take off from. One can also hope to see a landing at the airport by chance, while visiting a temple or a museum at an elevated place high above the runway. We were indeed lucky and could see three such landings and takeoffs during our three days stay in Paro. The "Airport by the River" is a thrill by itself!

The Man and The River

Emperor Yudhishtira came out of his room ready for the day's official work. As he came out of the main door of his private palace, he saw a line of priests standing with "prasad" and ready to greet him with the usual Vedic chants befitting his status. Such arrangement was common on some important days like his birthday or anniversary day of ascending the throne. There was no such occasion today and yet the priests had assembled in full numbers. He was perplexed and looked at Bheemasena, his younger brother who now also held the post of his senior most minister. Bheemasena just smiled and signaled to the priests to start their chants and offer prasad to the emperor. The emperor received all the prasad with reverence. Once all the priests had left the hall, he asked Bheemasena as to what was the reason of this special arrangement.

"I had ordered special pooja and offerings to all the deities in the capital today. The priests had come with the prasad after such special pooja in their respective places", replied Bheemasena.

"What was the reason for such special celebrations?" asked Yudhishtira.

"I was happy that you had conquered Death for one day" said Bheemasena.

"I do not understand what you are indicating" said the emperor.

"Yesterday an old man came to you asking for some gold coins for managing some function in his house. It appears you told him to come tomorrow and he will be given the same", said Bheemasena.

"What is special about it? It was late when the man came to me. Hence I told him to come tomorrow", said Yudhishtira.

"That is why I was happy and arranged the celebrations. One never knows whether he will be alive on the next day. But you were confident that you would be alive to meet the old man's request. Does it not mean that you had conquered death for one day?", asked smiling Bheemasena.

Yudhishtira understood the lesson his brother was indicating. He nodded and said, "Yes. I knew that nothing is certain in this world., but had forgotten for a moment yesterday. Thank you for reminding this eternal truth. Change is the only certainty in life. But Life itself is uncertain".

*****   

Similar references can also be seen in philosophies of other parts of the world. "No man ever steps into a river twice" is a famous saying in Greek Philosophy. Why is it so? Can a person step into the river, come out and after sometime step into the same river? No, it is not possible. Because he is not the same man now. Nor the river is the same. The person is now older than what he was when he stepped into the river last time! Similarly, the river is also not the same. The water flowing at this moment is different from the water that was flowing in the river when he stepped into it last time. Therefore, No man ever steps into the same river twice. When he steps in for the second time, he has changed as also the river. This appears strange; nevertheless it is true!

Heraclitus (535 BC - 475 BC) was a Greek philosopher who lived before Aristotle, Plato and Socrates. He lived in Ephesus, then a part of the Persian empire and present day Efes of Turkey. He was known as the "Weeping Philosopher" and is credited with many wonderful expressions that try to explain the "Laws of the Universe". Heraclitus was the earliest known philosopher of the west who identified that Change is the essence of life. He believed in the Theory of unity of opposites and stated that "No entity ever occupies a single state at a single time". He believed that Fire was the basic element from which all other elements took shape. 

Some of the other sayings of Heraclitus are equally interesting:

1. Men who wish to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details.
2. If you do not expect the unexpected then you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.
3. It is hard to contend against one's heart's desire; for whatever it wishes to have it buys at the cost of soul.
4. God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, surfeit and hunger.
5. Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those who we envy.
6. Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.
7. Much learning does not teach understanding.
8. Big results require big ambitions.
9. Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.
10. To God everything is beautiful and just; humans however think that some things are unjust and others are just.

and many more......

*****

Many management experts conduct workshops on "Change Management". It is better for them to remember Heraclitus. And his saying: "Nothing endures but Change".

Vrushabhavati was a RIVER then

I had made a reference to Vrushabhavati river in a blog in September titled "Gangecha Yamunechaiva...".   That reference was to the present day Vrushabhavati, or more to what we have made her today.   But it was not always so.  She was actually a river once, a river which provided lifeline to many villages on its path.   A river which was providing drinking water (!) and source of irrigation to many agricultural fields on its banks.   A river in which children played while women folk washed their utensils and clothes.   I have seen the river as a young boy, by which time it had ceased to be a source of drinking water, but still used for washing utensils and clothes.

Fifty years ago, Kengeri was a small village situate ten miles outside Bangalore (distances were actually measured from the Kalasipalyam Bus Stand in those days), on the Bangalore-Mysore highway on the banks of the river Vrushabhavati. The present satellite town had not even been thought of and there were agricultural fields between Bangalore and Kengeri.  Bangalore University offices functioned from the red buildings near Mysore Bank circle, inside Central College premises.  "Jnana Bharati" was not in existence and that area was like a semi forest.  Trains running between Bangalore and Mysore and BTS (Bangalore Transport Service) buses were the means of travel between Bangalore and Kengeri.   It is said that the name Kengeri has come from the two Kannada words "Tengu" and "Keri" meaning "Coconut" and "street" respectively and Tengeri has changed to Kengeri over the years.  The village was surrounded by a number of coconut trees, especially along the banks of the river, and some of them have still survived the onslaught of the civilisation.   It was also known for Sericulture and Mulberry gardens lined the river banks.   My father used to write to his uncle in Kengeri on Post Cards and give them to me fill the address part on them as a learning exercise.  Sometimes the letters were on "Reply Post Cards", two post cards attached to each other.  One card carried the outward message and the attached blank card with sender's address duly filed in was to be used for the reply.  This ensured prompt reply as there was no need to go to Post Office for buying a post card and thereby obviating delay. The Postal address used to be Kengeri, Bangalore South Taluk, unlike the PIN Code 560060 now. 

Kengeri Railway Station was half a mile away from the village and there was a Railway gate between the village and the station, unlike the huge flyovers of today.  There was a well in an agriculture land opposite to the Railway Station.  Its water was sweet and good for drinking unlike other wells in the village which mostly had salty water.  My father used to tell me that the water from that well had medicinal properties as well.  The Railway line from Kengeri to Bangalore City station was on a steep gradient and the steam engines in use did not have the capacity to pull up trains to the City station.  An additional engine was being stationed in Kengeri Railway Station and attached to "Chamundi Express", which was a popular train between Bangalore and Mysore, on the journey from Kengeri to Bangalore City.  On the reverse direction, the additional engine would be detached at Kengeri and wait for the next train coming from Mysore!.  Villagers from the nearby huts used to collect the excess hot water discharged from this engine in their pots and buckets for their use.

Vrushabhavati river, a tributary of Arkavathy was still considered a river and used for washing clothes and utensils.  Malleswaram extension in Bangalore was always a popular and prestigious area to live in Bangalore, like Basavanagudi in the south.  Malleswaram derives its name from the famous "Kaadu Malleswara Temple", as the temple was in the middle of a Kaadu or forest.  The temple is still available for devotees, but there is a concrete forest around it now.  Vrushabhavati is believed to have originated in a pond near this temple, in the then forest.  We lived in a village on the banks of the river Arkavathy and Vrushabhavati was close to our heart.  My grandmother came from Kengeri and hence my father's childhood days were spent on the banks of Vrushabhavati.   His mother's younger sister (Chikkamma) and two younger brothers (maternal uncles) lived there and my father used to make regular trips to visit them.  He had lost his mother at an early age and he used to tell me that the affection showered on him by these three in his childhood as well as in later years was invaluable to him.  He would often take me with him to visit them.  His uncles were of his age group only and the younger one was born in the same year as my father.    One incident he told me that happened nearly eighty years ago summarise the lively existence of Vrushabhavati river.

It was in August-September of 1928.  My father had gone with his mother to Kengeri for Gowri-Ganesha festivals.  He and his younger uncle were both nine year old kids.   Festival was celebrated with all enthusiasm in the morning and there was a sumptuous lunch with Hoolige and Kadabu, special dishes for these festivals.  After the first batch of lunch was served, arrangements were being made for the second batch.  My father and his uncle had their lunch in the first batch and immediately proceeded to their headquarters - the big banyan tree on the banks of the Vrushabhavati; the point at which the river turned at right angles near the village.   There was only knee deep water in the river and the two got into it for their usual play.  There used to be flash floods in the river whenever it rained heavily in the upper parts of Bangalore.   Suddenly someone working in the nearby fields shouted that there was a heavy flow of water in the river and to be careful.  My father was near the bank and ran towards the tree.   His uncle was in the middle of the river and before he could make his mind as to which bank he should go, the flash flood swept him away.  Sensing that the boy was in trouble two villagers working in the nearby fields jumped in the river to rescue him.   Taken aback by the sudden development and overcome by fear my father hid behind the tree.

My grandmother and great grandmother had just sat for their lunch when someone informed that there was a flash flood in the river and one of the boys of their family was washed away in the river.  My grandmother ran in one breath to the river without knowing whether her brother or son was in trouble.  Closely followed by great grandmother wondering whether it was her son or grandson who was washed away.  They were both joined by other womenfolk, trying to console them.  Within a few minutes there was a big crowd near the river bank.  One Ibrahim sab, an expert swimmer of the village, appeared on the opposite bank and shouted that the boy caught in the middle of the river has been rescued by him and is safely lying on the other bank.  Having heard this my father mustered courage to come out from the shelter of the tree and join his mother and grandmother.  After a few hours the floods subsided and Ibrahim brought the uncle safely to the other bank.  There were the usual admonitions and firm warnings and life went on as usual thereafter.

We have flash floods even now in the Vrishabhavati valley during the rainy season.  There are news items that somebody fell in the storm water drain and was washed away.  But Vrushabhavati is no longer the river it was.   Heavy rain in Bangalore is a welcome relief as it cleans the main sewer system and students in R V College of Engineering can breathe easy for a few days.