Day 202 of Indian places giving you smiles – the happy go lucky ambience of Diu
After driving through miles and miles of what seemed like arid lands of the state of Gujarat, we saw a change of scenery as soon as we drove inside the Union Territory of Diu. And there was an unmistakable light hearted feel about the place…it felt as if we were in Goa! This may be true because both the places Goa and Diu were for many years under the rule of the Portuguese.
There was definitely more greenery and even the condition of the roads seemed to have become much better. The trees looked like palm but seemed different as if it was divided in between. I was later told that these were the Hoka trees that cannot be found at any other place in India as the Portuguese had brought them from Africa. The Hokka fruit is supposed to have medicinal properties but we did not like its taste at all!
We were in for a much deserved family together bonding time. Our beach resort room, overlooking the sands and sea was the perfect setting for it. Inside our room we could even hear the soothing sound of the waves, continuously in the background.
We were all set for a long walk on the Sugati beach to see the setting sun. And before that I just had to try out the para sailing experience. At one minute I was all strapped up and running on the beach and at the next minute I was just sitting up in the air under a huge parachute like balloon and gliding with the strong winds! The aerial view of the Diu beachfront against the backdrop of the setting sun is a memory that I would not forget for the rest of my life!
We then just had to have a dip in the serene waters of the beach. Surprisingly the ocean waters seemed quite calm here even though there were the waves hitting at the shore. And the best part was that there were not many people here, most of them being decent looking guests from the nearby luxury hotels.
This impression of tourists completely changed once we visited the Diu market place around 7.30 p.m. There were plenty of bars here which allowed tourists to have a drink, but with difficulty we finally found the one and only authorized liquor shop. And there were hordes of people around that place, most of them who had come from the neighbouring state where the consumption of liquor is prohibited by law! In fact my daughter refused to step out of the car as we both became conscious of the many unwanted stares that we got from the crowds. We actually wanted to run away from the market place and get back to the safety and comfort of our hotel rooms!
Sitting in the balcony with the sea almost next to us, was the ideal setting for one of the best family bonding conversations that we ever had together. I recommend that every family take out at least one weekend to bond in this place that has a charm of its own!
The next morning was time for another walk on the beach to catch the magic of the rising sun. We had so much more of sightseeing to do in this place, so we had to check out as fast as we could. I played on the swing with a smile on my face and later I left the resort with memories of such a wonderful time in this hotel.
Our first stop was at the sprawling and majestic looking Diu Fort which was under the colonial rule of the Portuguese for a record number of 424 years. As we walked on the bridge across the moat, I noticed how secure this fort must have been to resist the many wars and takeover bids upto 1961, when Diu was finally merged with the Republic of India as a union territory.
We walked through the majestic gates and across the protective moat and enjoyed the view of the sea on the three sides. We climbed up to many vantage positions of height and were impressed by the many cannons that were strategically placed along the ramparts of the fort. The lighthouse still stands as a mute witness to the different events over hundreds of years. We were accompanied by an extremely witty yet knowledgeable guide as he recreated the lives of the people who lived in those times…their food storage places, their bungalows, their places of worship, their secret tunnels, their jails, etc.
We came out of the fort and visited some of the old churches which have now become a museum or hospital. There is also a cave temple directly facing the sea. The five Shivalingas here are said to have been installed by the Pandava brothers themselves and I got goosebumps just soaking in at the spiritual power of the place.
My uncle had served with the Indian navy during the 1972 war with Pakistan. As a child I remember listening with fear as he spoke about the only Indian ship that was shot down by the enemies- the I N S Kukri, just off the coast of Diu. He was also supposed to be on that ship; instead many of his friends met a watery grave. We got to see a memorial to that sad incident in honor of the many Indians who gave their lives for our country. A miniature version of I N S Kukri gave me an idea of the kind of lives these war heroes must have led on that ill-fated ship!
We drove through another gate that took us to a part of Diu that has still retained its old world charm with the narrow roads, open square and quaint old fashioned houses. Our guide animatedly spoke about one of the richest local men of the community, and we saw his colorful bungalow which is said to have 26 rooms. We drove past some recently made artificial waterfalls, I was more interested in the old structures around Diu.
Our next stop was at the Naida underground caves that were built many years ago by the Parsis. The lands from above looks just like a natural forest area, but as we walked down the almost hidden steps I was amazed at the number of caves that were present one after another. Our guide made it a point to tell us about the many film shootings that took place around Diu and also the damage that was done during the massive earthquake which had taken place some uears ago. .
We then went to another famous beach of Diu at Nagoa, but I found it too commercialized and crowded. We preferred to have a sample of Portuguese styled continental food at a small yet quaint place called Hokas.
Yes there definitely is a light hearted Goan kind of feel about Diu. Casual, free as if there is not a care about the world! The feel good ambience about Diu made it one of our most memorable holidays that we had as a family and hopefully you will also fall in love with that place!
So, which Indian place made you smile today?
Please share your own experience of visiting Indian places.
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