The International Villa, The HK Cottage House, Masinagudi

This was about the best thing that had ever happened to me in my whole life. I could hardly believe I was in India, Sunarbans, right by the Ganges river, where there a mangroves a-plenty, a large, gorgeous body of water, where the people live in smartly thatched huts and fish for a living.

I was staying in a guesthouse with Inderjit and Ravi, together with their children Jara and Shiv. They were smiling and cheary from the very first moment my mother and I stepped in, and after a while, we began to forget that we were not at home. The food was exotic - rice, mango and papaya puddings and cakes for breakfast. The bedrooms were covered with rugs and had mosquito nets by the window and the beds were soft as soft could be!

Each morning I would join the children on their trips all over the mangrove in dinghies. Sometimes, we would sail far over the Ganges River. Once, a crocodile slid quietly under us, and then with a mighty sweep of its tail,nearly turned the entire boat over! But Jara and Shiv were good sailors, and they saved us from become the crocodile's feast.

We also came across dolphins that clicked and waved their dorsal fins. Friendly, bottle-nosed and Irrawadies that could lead boats home and out of danger. There were other close calls too. Once, we were sitting under a mangrove tree when a boar charged out from the dense undergrowth, tearing a path for himself among the grass with its sharp tusks. We had quite a fright and were nearly charged over. At the same time, my mother had an encounter with a tiger at the window of the guesthouse.

The fishermen would also tell of mystical stories of the sea. Once, we sailed to a market in Mongla and mother bought a whole branch of papayas and a sari that was almost ripped by a monkey that leapt onto her shoulder. How she shrieked! When we got back to the house, Inderjit showed her how to put the sari on.

We were trapped in the house for a few days because of the monsoon rain that howled and lashed against the quivering hut. The roof sprung a leak, but it was quickly patched. But everyone was ever so bored then. In India, the exciting things were all outdoors.

When the rain stopped, the sun rose in such a splendor. Mother tried to capture it on film and it came out lovely. When it was time for us to go, everyone was nearly in tears. The family we had been staying with felt like family already, and so did the wildlife by the Ganges.

The toen of Masinagudi which is located a few miles down the Nilgiris (Western Ghats) Ranges in South India is simply a splendid Atmosphere to spend a Holiday. Once you enter Masinagudi, you will never make up your mind to leave the place not only because of its location but also because of the Culture and Tradition of the people who will welcome you with a Big Heart!! The cozy atmosphere and the Chill Backdrop with the essence of hills and the fragrant lillies bloomed all over the mountain, the mist-covered mountains are simply fantastic. Other Local Attractions are the Waterfalls at a place 10 miles away from Masinagudi called "MAYAR". The Singara Power project of the BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electronics Limited) has a very remarkable spot. It has a cable car which is exclusively for workers, but if you are really interested in going for it, you can do so. It will ascend the hill at 90 raw vertical degrees and you really must take care then... Or you must be an Adventure Crazy!!! It is an unforgettable experience! You would also love the scenic tea estates all the way up the hill. The fresh moist air is so pleasant... You could also visit a Wildlife Sanctuary called "Mudhumalai" which is a couple of miles away from the town of Masinagudi. There are many a animals in there. To point out a few, there are many asian elephants, tuskers, deers, Peacocks, Panthers, Lions and Tigers... The one horned Rhinos are also seen at times. Well, you could also opt for the Midnight Safari down the forest but, it is really scary and if you are really lukcy, you might be meeting some of the animals. Chimps are found in plenty of numbers. There is also a temople in Mudumalai in which a special prayer is performed every evening at 4 PM. The speciality is that there is no human there to perform the prayer but the prayers are performed by Elephants themselves!!! It is a marvellous experience. You can also drop down to Ooty which is a famous tourist spot and is located a few miles up the hill from Masinagudi. The trip is affordable and short. Nearest Domestic Airport is in Coimbatore. You could come to Chennai International Airport and go to Coimbatore from Chennai. Or, you could also go by train from Chennai to Coimbatore and you can take a taxi or bus which would reach Masinagudi in 4 or 5 hours. You could also go to Mysore which is 3 hours from Bangalore and from Mysore, you can take the road to Masinagudi which will take 6 or 7 hours. And most of all, Never miss the Lemon Tea in Masinagudi... Hmmm!!! My mouth is watery now!! You definitely must visit Masinagudi atleast once!! You`ll Love it!!