Word of the Day - Apricity which means the warmth of the winter sun. I stumbled upon it recently on Twitter and I think that it has such a magical ring to it. The word has a Latin connect which literally refers to basking in the warmth of the winter sun. I know everyone enjoys the mist and snow in winter but I am a sunshine person and for me, the winter sun brings me unlimited hope. There is a joy in feeling the warmth caressing your body and radiating through your mind. I am extremely grateful to the rays of the sun stroking me now as I write this newsletter to you.
Hello and Welcome to the new issue of Journeys and Jottings. Hope this new year has been kind to you and you have been kinder to youself. I have been appreciating the slow pace of life and been trying to be mindful of every moment and focussing more on my pets and plants, learning music , cooking and reading books. I am currently reading Wabi Sabi by Beth Kempton and I felt that this excerpt spoke to me.
And in this issue, we will talk about another fascinating concept that has been resonating with me - Synchronicity. 100 Stories of India takes us to Yercaud. In People Make Places, we meet Bhawna Rao and her partner Shweta Gupta, who have discovered that life can be a picnic even amidst a pandemic with The Picnic Company.
What is Synchronicity ?
Sometimes if you look closely or pay attention to little details, you might see the same repeated numbers, colors, words, or images flashing in front of you. You might be at the right place at the right time. You might have a sense of deja vu when you visit a place and then realize that you have seen it in your dreams. You may dream about an animal and then see it on your walk the very next day.
When I look at my phone, I see numbers like 11:11 or 3:33 or 16:16 or 20:20, sometimes on the laptop. Even now as I write this piece, my clock says, 12:12 . I have also been tweeting these as well and many have asked me if there is a rationale behind them. I believe that the universe is sending me signs and patterns through numbers.
A few weeks ago, I was reading this article on Synchronicity and it made sense. When I interviewed Sonali and her husband, Himanshu in the 20th issue of this newsletter , they told me that it was the concept of Synchronicity that made them choose the name - 23:23 Designs. And that is when I realized that there must be a connection somewhere and its not sheer coincidence.
Carl Jung said , “ Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for those who have eyes to see.” How do you manifest and interpret these geometric patterns and signs ? I have believed that it’s a “wink” or a “nod” from the universe or from a spirit guide or a guardian angel. It’s also believed that it could be a path or a purpose that is opening up or perhaps just a confirmation that you are on the right path. So the next time, open your mind, be a little more trusting and mindful of life around you.
Do you believe in synchronocity ? Have you had similar experiences ?
100 Stories of India - The story of Yercaud
Imagine that you stumble upon a dense forest, filled with streams, surrounded by misty mountains and you suddenly become nostalgic as it reminds you of a home, far away. You immediately end up owning the place and settling down here. The story of Yercaud is no different. Discovered by David Cockburn, the Scottish Governor of Salem and Sir Thomas Munroe, the then Governor of Madras Presidency, Yercaud is a blend of two Tamil words – Yeri, meaning lake or stream, and Kaadu meaning forest but there are more places to see in Yercaud than just lakes and forests.
David Cockburn, often referred to as the Father of Yercaud, introduced coffee plantations to the Shevaroy Hills here. It is believed that these men who stumbled upon the land decided to convert it into a summer retreat. The story goes that there were no roads then and the British women and children were sometimes carried in “sedan chairs” by the Indian porters while the men trotted on horses. They eventually built roads, constructed bungalows, set up convents and churches and grew coffee and spice plantations and fruit orchards and Yercaud became a colonial town.
There are cave temples, guardian shrines in forests, and old pagodas which make for fascinating places to see in Yercaud. I drive through dense forests with waterfalls and streams and stop at some scenic viewpoints where I hear interesting legends. The journey, they say, is the destination and it starts by navigating the 20 hairpin bends across the mountains as I drive from Salem to Yercaud.
People Make Places
Who doesnt love a good picnic ? And in these uncertain times, where the pandemic is thwarting all your travel plans, all you need is a picnic basket, a lovely location and some family time. And that is exactly what The Picnic Company arranges for you. Started by Bhawna Rao and Shweta Gupta , they choose the venue and organise your picnic , be it a family get together, a birthday party, a pet picnic or just some romantic fun.
There are multiple packages, starting with a DIY Picnic Basket or The Bespoke Picnic. And all picnics come with a five course meal, including mocktails, platters and desserts. They also have picnic hampers in case people dont want elaborate set ups. As Bhawna says , “ A picnic is so exciting, but packing and unpacking can take away the fun . So we decided that we will focus on the creature comforts and make it an indulgent outdoor experience. “
Bhawna , who shares a birthday with me is always bubbling with lovely ideas and has been in the travel industry for over 14 years and runs Encompass Experiences which focusses on experiential holidays both in India and abroad.
Her partner and friend Shweta Gupta is a restauranteur and co-owns BLR Brewing Company and their Chief Happiness Officer is Scooby , their pet who inspires them to do pet themed picnics as well.
Bhawna and I got together over a glass of wine and started talking about how life can still be a picnic even in these tough times. Over to her now..
The Story behind The Picnic Company
The Picnic Company was born during the pandemic when travel had come to a standstill. But I still wanted to explore the creative side of me and see how we can do experiential activies despite COVID. So one morning, I just woke up and came up with this idea of organising picnics and called up a friend of mine and asked her if she would like to join me. We started scouting for locations in our own backyards and farms and homes and that’s how it all began,
Childhood memories
It took me back to my childhood, where as an army kid, we grew up in the outdoors and it was all about biking, hiking with friends . We would go for lots of picnics and it was always an integral part of my childhood. We would just leave the house and go on a drive or start climbing mountains. It was a typical Enid Blyton kind of story.
Beautiful backyards of Bangalore
We have met so many fascinating people, visited some lush farms and picturesque places right in our own backyards. It has been so amazing driving around, outside Bangalore and finding these places . Its been an interesting journey
Stories and specials
We have done over 120 picnics so far and we have had so many interesting stories. We have had people requesting us to do picnics for their elderly parents or aunts and uncles as no one had stepped out for a long time. We have done teen birthdays, wedding proposals. It has been a very emotional journey with so much of laughter and tears.
We have done themes for Valentine’s Day, a special for pet and pet parents. We have got great feedback on the set up and how they love the place and picnics. Personally for us, its been overwhelming to be part of so many life journeys - birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, proposals - its really been special .
The Picnic Basket
We have an extensive five course menu - from Oriental, Indian, Continental, Meditarranean and pretty much cater to every cuisine including vegan. We have a fascinating Nostalgia Box, which is essentially fun with board games and other small outdoor games which we normally associate picnics with . Most of the picnickers go for treks around the farms and one of them even has a lake and you can go on a coracle ride. Some of these have to be booked in advance.
So who wants to go on a picnic ?
The Picnic Company is on Instagram and you can mail them at contact@thepicnicompany.com
Feedback Please
I do hope that you enjoyed reading this issue. Looking forward to your feedback as always. We are going to keep the flow of conversations going and I would really appreciate it if you will share my newsletter with your friends and family.
See you soon! You can also read my travel stories on my blog and follow me on my social media.
Blog - www.lakshmisharath.com
Twitter - www.twitter.com/lakshmisharath
Facebook - www.facebook.com/travelwithlakshmi
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The Picnic Company-what an interesting concept. From our balconies to our backyards, terraces to the outdoors, a picnic anywhere is definitely a stress buster and a necessity in a Covid world. Thank you for sharing this is yet another mood elevating issue