Manipal, a Place Where I Belong!

After stepping out of the airport into the streets of Mangalore, I immediately fell in love with the place.  Our taxi driver greeted us in my family’s native language, Konkani, which is rarely encountered and not well known amongst newer generation Indians.  Mangalore is a part of the Konkan Coast, home of the Konkani people (like yours truly!).  Only ~4 million people speak our language worldwide, so it feels amazing to be staying in a place where we are a majority for once.  Meeting another Konkani in the states is so rare--  Walking amongst a bunch of Konkanis in an everyday setting is out of this world!

A house near the airport in Mangalore

Landing in Mangalore was a blast.  Looking out the plane window, all you could see was a jungle of massive coconut trees and a tangle of rivers.   Driving away from the airport, the beautiful sites continued.  Small ponds full of water lilies lined the highways.  The sky here is actually blue, unlike the hazy brownish white of New Delhi.  A multitude of tropical trees line the streets and engulf the houses.  Vines of wildflowers climb across the plethora of foliage, dotting the masses of green with pinks, purples and yellows.  Blue-green rivers wind through the jungle, shimmering against the vivid red soil.   The scenery was so unique and beautiful,  it captivated me for the entire drive from Mangalore to Manipal.

A coconut tree as seen from my great aunt and uncle's terrace

A view of the river we saw while driving to Manipal from the airport

Unlike in Delhi, women freely walk the streets while smiling in this southern region! And surprisingly, infrastructure in this part of more rural India is far better than that of the urban cities we visited in the North.  Buildings are colorful, painted nicely, large, spaced out and pleasant to look at.  The average home in the Mangalore area appears better maintained than houses in what our tour guide called the “posh” regions of New Delhi. 

Another set of homes on the way to Manipal

Distribution of wealth is also much more equal here.  Although there is a large difference in salary between educated and less educated people, everyone here seems to have a home!  And there is almost no trace of poverty that I’ve noticed.  I haven’t seen a single person begging for money or living in makeshift housing.  Every home here seems well kept, although the size varies quite a bit.  In case you read "My Breaking Point," you'll understand why I'm thankful that even the lower middle class can live comfortably here.

An artistic shot of my cousin with the homes and buildings of Manipal in the background

Exploring Manipal and bonding with family was the highlight of my trip so far.  My favorite adventure was boating on the Swarna river with my cousin, uncle, great uncle, parents and brother.  I can’t even describe how beautiful or tranquil it was with words, so the pictures will have to do.  Watching the sun set as our boat drifted through the Swarna was incredible, and there were some wonderful birds and wild dogs along the shores which were fun to observe!  

Francis and his boat.  He took us around the river!

Sunset from the boat

I tend to fall in love with rural tropical areas like Honduras and now Manipal.  My new theory is that either in one of my past lives I lived in such a place, or my ancestral ties are calling me home!  I feel so connected to a place so different from where I was raised.  Manipal feels like a home away from home.

Stay tuned for my next post about the culture and family bonding in Manipal!  Thanks for reading :)

A sneak peak of part of our family at Malpe beach!