read sample - Lonely Planet India Shop

FROM THE PUBLISHER
Travel with the Movies
Sheema Mookherjee
October 2013
This is a first-time book for India! How often we
must’ve wanted to travel to every place we’ve seen in
the movies. The Ladakh of Aamir and Kareena in
3 Idiots, the Kasauli of Hrithik in Krrish, the Kutch of
Salman and Aishwarya in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam…
Indian film-makers have revelled in bringing beautiful
locations to their viewers through the lens – from India’s
magnificent mountains to lovely lakes, beaches, waterfalls, and
historic forts, palaces and temples. Movies have familiarised us
with our own country, often inspiring us to travel to locations
where they’ve been shot.
Filmi Escapes – Travel with the Movies combines the
fascinating worlds of travel and cinema – making both the
fantasies come true. So pick up this guide and re-live every
cinematic moment that makes travel destinations special. Use
the specialist information provided by the world’s leading
travel expert on hotels, transport, food and sightseeing, and
enjoy the filmi moments intertwined with each place. Follow
the recommendations by big names of cinema, such as Karan
Johar, Mahesh Bhatt and Muzaffar Ali, and feel as carefree as
the stars as you explore these gorgeous destinations.
The book is crammed with photographs and travel tips, as well
as stunning shots from films and amusing anecdotes about
the actors who have made these places come alive. Enjoy your
‘safar’ filmi style!
Sample chapter
Contents
Preface............................... 4
Delhi.................................... 6
Agra.................................. 40
Lucknow........................... 54
Varanasi............................ 64
Shimla............................... 80
Kasauli.............................. 92
Nainital............................102
Amritsar.......................... 110
Kashmir...........................122
Ladakh.............................136
Udaipur............................146
Jaisalmer.........................162
Mumbai............................ 176
Western Ghats............... 208
Goa.................................. 228
Gujarat............................ 248
Kolkata............................272
Darjeeling....................... 292
Ooty................................ 302
Kerala...............................314
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher.
3
Ind i a on the S ilver Screen
PREFACE
India on the Silver Screen
Dibakar Banerjee
October 2013
The summer of 1977. I was about eight years old, a
curious, playful boy in a West Delhi colony. That’s
the time Kanu and Timsi walked into my life,
transporting me to the cool climes of Kashmir.
Newlyweds, the duo escaped to snow-draped landscapes to
mark the beginning of the new chapter in their lives. And
they sure knew how to have fun in the snow, singing and
dancing away against a backdrop of white peaks, pine trees
and log huts.
To this day, I cherish that ‘trip’ to Kashmir. I owe it to the man
who introduced millions of Indians to their own country: Yash
Chopra. Kanu and Timsi are characters from his film, Doosra
Aadmi, played by real-life couple Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh.
Doosra Aadmi showed me how cinema, especially Bollywood,
treats ‘location’ as a character in its stories. And, somewhere, it
gave birth to the traveller in me. I imagined myself in the same
locale, running around trees and hurling snowballs.
Doosra Aadmi showed me how cinema, especially
‘Bollywood,
treats ‘location’ as a character in its stories.
And, somewhere, it gave birth to the traveller in me. I
imagined myself in the same locale, running around trees
and hurling snowballs.
̓
In the same year I watched Amar Akbar Anthony – a true-toformula Hindi popcorn film. Among the many hit songs it gave
us, my favourite is ‘Humko tumse ho gaya hain pyar kya kare’.
I could visualise myself in a buggy with the lovely Parveen
Babi, racing down a secluded Mumbai (then Bombay) beach.
When I arrived in Mumbai in 1991, as a trainee, I remember
looking for a buggy on the beach.
Sample chapter
Exploring a destination on screen is as old as Indian cinema.
Thanks to song sequences, directors have travelled to all
corners of the country. In some cases, the climax of a film is set
against a backdrop far removed from where the story pans out.
Tourist guides in many destinations use filmi
‘anecdotes
to make their narratives more interesting.
They will tell you how many cameras were used, how
many dancers there were, from which direction the
heroine ran into the frame, how the hero jumped into
the scene to take the villain by surprise and so on...
A milestone in Indian cinema's love affair with locations
is Sholay; the blockbuster was shot almost entirely at
Ramanagaram (near Bangalore), a place no one had even
heard of until the film came along.
̓
I've heard that tourist guides in many such destinations use
filmi anecdotes to make their narratives more interesting.
They will tell you how many cameras were used, how many
dancers there were, from which direction the heroine ran into
the frame, how the hero jumped into the scene to take the
villain by surprise and so on.
One of my favourite film-makers is Satyajit Ray, a man whose
passion for detailing and travel came across beautifully in his
films. One of the most commendable portrayals of Varanasi
in Indian cinema is Ray’s Aparajito. The serpentine alleys,
the crowded ghats, the crumbling mansions, the temples, the
slow, uneventful life of the Bengali diaspora... every scene in
Aparajito is like a page in a guide to Varanasi.
India is truly blessed when it comes to locations. In two of
my films, I have used Delhi, my hometown. If I make another
Delhi film, I’d like to use the Metro Railway and show how it
has changed lives in the capital. Fort Kochi is where I would
love to film a murder mystery. If I do end up making the film,
you will discover yet another gem of a destination through the
eyes of a movie camera.
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher.
4
5
Gujarat
Gujarat
6
LAGAAN
MIRCH
MASALA
GURU
MANTHAN
Above L–R:
The Mirch
Masala
women;
Aamir Khan
plays an
oppressed
farmer in
Lagaan
Nothing like a flat, bare, brown expanse to set
off glittering surfaces and colours made of fire
and earth. ‘Aag hawa paani ko milaya, to phir ye
tasveer bani’ (a portrait made of fire, wind, and
water), goes a song in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
(1999). While it seeks to describe heroine Aishwarya Rai,
playing the ebullient Nandini, it is also a brilliant description
of Kutch — the elemental desert terrain of Gujarat that is so
attractive to film-makers. This Sanjay Leela Bhansali film is
remembered for several reasons: the birth of Ajay Devgn
as a romantic hero; Ismail Darbari’s haunting melodies
including KK’s ‘Tadap tadap ke iss dil se…’; Neeta Lulla’s
arresting costumes, and the much talked about Salman Khan–
Aishwarya affair.
a boy who guides illegal border crossing groups to Pakistan
through the salty marshes of the Rann of Kutch. The full moon
on salt flats creates magic on the screen.
Kutch was also India’s face at the Oscars. Aamir Khan’s period
drama Lagaan (2001), entirely shot in Kutch, is still the only
Indian film to be nominated for the best non-English language
category. ‘With love, care and concern for the people of Kutch,'
goes the dedication in Lagaan. The narrative of the film, in
Amitabh Bachchan’s voice, announces that the
Aishwarya
as a
Gujarati
belle in
Guru
Beauty in barrenness is something that Kutch, the white
salt desert sprawled out on India’s border with Pakistan, has
given the world to think about. And that includes the world
of Indian cinema. The white desert is a rare sight, and it is
exploited well by JP Dutta in Refugee (2000), the debut film for
both Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor. Abhishek plays
Sample chapter
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher.
7
Gujarat
Why go
AHMEDABAD
While the capital city Ahmedabad retains some charm amid
its chaos, the countryside holds most of this state’s treasures.
Traditional artisans in Kutch's tribal villages weave,
embroider, dye and print some of India’s finest textiles. And
colourful festivals burst with a cornucopia of culture across
the state. Gujarat also claims a special relationship to the life
and work of Mahatma Gandhi.
1 Sabarmati Ashram Quick Facts
GETTING THERE
GETTING around
Air: Ahmedabad’s busy airport has
direct flights to all major Indian cities.
And from here, you can also take trains
or flights to Bhuj, the headquarters of
the Kutch district, and to Rajkot. Both
Bhuj and Rajkot are also connected by
air to Mumbai.
Autorickshaws are aplenty in Gujarat
and mostly run by meter.
Rail: There are several trains
connecting Ahmedabad to Mumbai
and Delhi. There are daily trains from
Ahmedabad to both Bhuj and Rajkot.
J FMAMJJASO N D
GREAT FOR
BEST TIME TO VISIT
About 5km north of the centre, in peaceful, shady grounds on
the Sabarmati River’s west bank, this ashram was Gandhi’s
headquarters from 1917 to 1930 during the long struggle for
Indian independence. It’s said Gandhi chose this site because
it lay between a jail and a cemetery, and any satyagrahi was
bound to end up in one or the other. From here, on 12 March
1930, Gandhi and 78 companions set out on the Salt March
to Dandi on the Gulf of Cambay in a symbolic protest, with
Gandhi vowing not to return to the ashram until India had
gained independence. The ashram was disbanded in 1933,
later becoming a centre for Dalit welfare activities and cottage
industries. Gandhi’s poignant, spartan living quarters are
preserved, and there’s a museum that presents an informative
record of his life and teachings. After Gandhi’s death some of
his ashes were immersed in the river in front of the ashram.
www.sabarmati.org; Ashram Rd; 8.30am–6.30pm
2 Calico Museum of Textiles
This museum contains one of the world’s finest collections of
antique and modern Indian textiles, all handmade and up to
500 years old. There are some astoundingly beautiful pieces,
Calico
Museum
showcases
the history
of Indian
textiles
Highlights
• Ahmedabad: Tackle a thali, explore the
old-city mosques, and pay homage to
Mahatma Gandhi.
• Villages of Kutch: Admire and acquire
some of India’s best textiles.
• Little Rann: Go looking for wild asses
on the flat salt plains.
Beautiful mirrorwork from Kutch
Sample chapter
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher.
8
9
Gujarat
4 Accommodation
chandeliers, but the rooms are
Navrangpura; s/d from `3125/3750
ambience. It’s an icon of the upper
tasteful, spacious and clean. Deluxe
(incl breakfast) This is a calm, well-run
classes, and hugely popular. Service
Ahmedabad
rooms feature zebra-print furnishings
hotel on a quiet street close to the
is first-rate, and the indoor swimming
Royal Orchid Central Hotel ```
and sparkling bathrooms with big,
Chimanlal Girdharilal (CG) Road shops
pool and gym are divine. If you know
%079-30912345; www.
glassed-in showers. There is a 24-hour
in middle-class Navrangpura. Rooms
your dates, book in advance online to
royalorchidhotels.com; Ellis Bridge;
restaurant, free airport shuttle service,
aren’t huge but are solidly comfortable
receive a discount of up to 30%.
s `7000–8000, d `8000–9000,
and helpful staff, all in a great location.
and well equipped, and there’s an
in-house wine shop as well as a multi-
Hotel Volga Hotel `
Opposite Gujarat College, this luxury
Hotel Ambassador Hotel ``
cuisine restaurant. Good discounts
%079-25509497; www.hotelvolga.
hotel has a waterfall in the lobby and
%079-25502490; www.
are often available; airport transfers
in; off Relief Rd, Hanuman Lane, Lal
aromatheraphy in the air. Rooms
ambassadorahmedabad.com;
are free.
Darwaja; s/d `750/850, s with AC
ste `12,000 (all incl breakfast)
are tasteful and comfortable, with
Khanpur Rd; s/d from `2100/2500
state-of-the-art gadgets, including
With a bright white exterior and
House of MG Heritage ``
This surprisingly good option tucked
`950–1200, d with AC `1150–1400
universal electrical sockets and iPod
modern decor inside, the Ambassador
%079-25506946; www.houseofmg.
down a narrow street behind the
docks. There’s an excellent 24-hour
greets you with a chilled lobby and
com; Lal Darwaja; s/d from
House of MG is worth searching out.
restaurant and coffee shop. Free
friendly desk. It follows up with rooms
`4990/6490, ste from `9990/11,900
Rooms are smart and respectably
airport transfers too.
that are quite stylish in browns and
(all incl breakfast) This 1920s building
clean, with a hint of 1970s design in
creams. With discounts often available,
(with two excellent restaurants)
the curved beige walls – some are
Le Meridien Ahmedabad Hotel ``
it’s good value; ask to have breakfast
opposite Siddi Sayid’s Mosque was
more dashingly decorated. The front
%079-25505505; http://lemeridien.
included and it will be.
once the home of textile magnate
desk is friendly and efficient, checkout
Sheth Mangaldas Girdhardas; it was
is 24 hours, and you can order decent
com/ahmedabad; Khanpur Rd; s/d
from `6500/7500, ste `20,000 (all
Ritz Inn Hotel ``
converted into a beautiful heritage
multi-cuisine food (mains `95 to `175)
incl breakfast) This luxurious option
%079-22123842; www.hotelritzinn.
hotel in the 1990s by his great-
to your room.
towers over the Sabarmati River’s east
com; Station Rd; s `2700­–2900,
grandson. All the rooms are vast,
bank. All rooms are super comfortable
d `3300–4800 Near the railway
verandah-edged and masterfully
– making cheaper rooms the best deal
station, this smart hotel has unusual
decorated, with a homey yet luxurious
– and the suites are palatial. Breakfast
class and is excellent value for money.
is excellent and as huge as you like,
The art-deco lobby, comfortable
and there is a neat indoor swimming
rooms with superb beds, and
pool, spa and sauna. Ask for the best
unusually slick and amiable service
available rate, which can be about half
make it an outstanding option. There’s
the rack rate.
a good veg restaurant, checkout is a
Hotel Ambassador offers stylish rooms
at reasonable rates
civilised 24 hours, discounts are often
Hotel Royal Highness Hotel ``
available and it offers free airport and
%079-25507450; www.
station transfers.
hotelroyalhighness.com; Lal
Darwaja; s/d from `2750/3300
Comfort Inn President Hotel ``
(incl breakfast) The lobby is a bit
%079-26467575; www.
tacky, with wood panelling and glass
comfortinnpresident.com; off CG Rd,
Sample chapter
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher.
10