The little one turns 1 tomorrow, on the 30th. But given that we would all be travelling back to our respective places tomorrow, we had planned to celebrate her birthday today, as a way of ushering it in.
So early in the morning, she got dressed in her traditional silk skirt and blouse from Kerala, complete with bangles, bindi and hairband, all courtesy of my parents. After sufficient fussing over her new makeover and going overboard with the phototaking, we treated ourselves to the lavish breakfast at Taj Vivanta. They had everything from North Indian to South Indian to Continental Cuisine and we stuffed ourselves silly.
Then we set off to explore Srinagar, our first stop being the Sri Shankaracharya temple situated on top of a hill. The car dropped us at the parking lot at the top but then it required climbing another 275 steps or so to reach the shrine on top. That wasn't easy at all but well worth the trouble! The temple was quaint and peaceful and offered majestic views all around. It was breathtaking and I felt an overhwelming sense of satisfaction being there. I felt like it was the perfect start to my little one's brand new year on planet earth!
After our prayers and the taxing climb back down, we were off to our next stop, the Mughal Gardens or Shalimar Bhagh. Spread across a huge area, the garden was a visual pleasure. I loved looking at all the flowers and trees, of various colours, shapes, sizes, and also the different architectural structures they had along the way. The only downside was that all the fountains were under maintenance and hence not functioning. That was a real pity because I think they would have given the place a whole different charm.
Soon we found ourselves shopping away in the market right outside the garden. I must add here that our luggage overflowed by the time we were on our way back to Singapore - the shopping was simply irresistible! They had such gorgeous stuff - be it clothes or accessories or handicrafts - and that too at such unbelievably cheap prices that it was hard to control ourselves.
After the morning's outing, we felt a desire to have typical Kashmiri lunch and we went in search of a restaurant called Mughal Durbar, which was recommended for its authentic Kashmiri cuisine. There all we did was ask to be served "something Kashmiri" and they suggested to try the Wazwan - the Kashmiri version of a "thaali" or a spread of different dishes served with rice. The Wazwan came with a special type of rice and several, and I mean SEVERAL, types of mutton and chicken. And all of them were so awesome! I don't think I have consumed so much meat in one go ever before, it was insane!
The Wazwan made us all heavy and sleepy, so we decided that we will spend the rest of the day back in the hotel. After all, the hotel itself offered quite a bit to explore and look at. Back in the hotel, I attempted a bit of packing in preparation for tomorrow and then all of us spent the entire evening walking around its grounds, taking pictures and enjoying a cup of masala chai each, as we watched the sun go down beyond the Dal lake and the mountains.
The lake looked absolutely still with not a ripple disturbing its serenity, the mountains were covered in a veil of mist, and the sun's rays changed the landscape from yellow to deep orange to crimson hues, as it went down the horizon. The beauty was surreal. The peace felt within was unforgettable. I am in love with this place.
Then the official 1st birthday celebrations began. First we had cocktails in the bar at the hotel. Rather, the rest of them had cocktails in the bar while I watched over the little one who readily fell asleep in the room before we could step out. Once she was up after her nap, we too joined the rest of them at the bar. And by "joining them", I mean that I ran with the little one, all bundled up in layers and layers, through the dark and in the super cold, through the gardens of the hotel, up until the bar. That itself was an amazing experience. She and I both enjoyed it thoroughly!
Once I had my share of the cocktail party, we proceeded to the Chinese restaurant at the hotel, for the rest of the celebrations. I had ordered a cake for the little one and once that came by, all of us sung her her "Happy Birthday" song, much to her amusement, and then the hubby and I blew the candles on her behalf and let her eat some cake, much to her delight! Then the grandparents gave her cake and my mom-in-law made her wear a tiny little gold ring. Apparently she herself had worn that ring when she was this young... how cute! Then she and my dad-in-law recited a poem each that they wrote for the little one, which she, like a good girl, listened to intently. Overall, it was a small, beautiful ceremony, just the way I had wanted it to be!
After the lovely celebration and a good Indian Chinese dinner, we got back to our rooms and found a nice surprise awaiting the little one - a room full of balloons, courtesy the Taj Vivanta! It was wonderful!
Thus my little one turned a little less little, amidst a lot of love from her beautiful family, in one of the most beautiful places on the planet! It was perfect!
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