Vizag Swag

Note: This is a compilation of short pieces that we wrote regarding our recent weekend trip to Visakhapatnam (Vizag).

Original Works of Art – Sunhay You

Presumably the making of a fishing boat

Watching craftsmen work each plank of wood into the form of a boat is only a piece of the memory I associate with this photograph. Along with the sweltering heat and the sound of hammers hitting nails into place is a quite vivid image of a quarrel between a passerby and an ice cream vendor. As I turned around from the boat to find shade, I saw the passerby lying on the pavement and the vendor mumbling phrases as he pushes his ice cream cart away. Apparently the vendor had shoved the passerby and the passerby, with a dramatic air, fell to the ground and was playing dead.

Who would’ve thought that we would witness a thespian in action out by the sea, considering that there was a short-film festival going on back in Hyderabad?

Old Justina Had a Farm – Justina Wong
ee-i-ee-i-o

Confession time. So I’ve always had this weird, unrealized fantasy of being a farmer…

There’s something so charming about living a self-sustainable, Walden-esque life that is so intertwined with and dependent on nature. There’s something so beautiful about living a life that is not rushing along in the speed and chaos of a postmodern world. There’s something so alluring about living a life which finds satisfaction and happiness in the simple things. I have to admit, when I saw those rice patties, farms, and huts on the train ride to Vizag, I felt a sad little twinge of jealousy in my heart and my soul longed to fly out of the train and join the people living in that gorgeous landscape.

Vizag: Counting Crows, not Seagulls – Courtney Montgomery

I love the sea: the call of seagulls, the smell of fish, the lapping of water against the sides of boats. When visiting Vizag, a city by the sea, I was so excited to be near water again. It took me a while, though, to realize that a key part of my association with the ocean and harbors was missing. There were no seagulls swarming the docks, attempting to steal the fish laid out to dry on the pavement, calling to one another with their sharp, high-pitched squawks. Instead, black crows had taken their place, quietly stalking for food. I actually missed those seagulls, and the beaches and docks felt lonely without them. Since that first day in Vizag, I’ve been obsessed with trying to figure out why crows have replaced the gulls. Is it the temperature? The type of fish in the ocean? A specific predator? I have yet to find the answer, but even so, Vizag is that much more unique in my eyes because of this phenomenon.

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A Pleasant Awakening – Hannah Honey

“Coffee Coffee Chai Chai!”  It was five thirty in the morning when the deep voice of the chai guy woke me up after the long night sleep on the shaky train. I crawled out of my top bunk to say good morning to the group and catch my first glimpse of the incredible Indian coastal mountains.  The beautiful rolling mountains glistening in the morning sun took my breath away.  We’ve being living in Hyderabad for five weeks now, constantly surrounded by the rustle and bustle of city life; I didn’t realize how much I missed being surrounded by mountains until that very moment.  Courtney and I spent the last hour of the train ride silently admiring the beauty of the landscape outside our cabin window, excited for the weekend’s many adventures.

An Incident – Manoj Maddali

We were presented with the opportunity to visit a Dutch settlement during our trip to Visakhapatnam. After a 40 minute trip from our hotel, we stopped at a cemetery on the beachfront. Dutch architecture was evident, with numerous pyramidal structures projecting from within the cemetery. Unfortunately for us, the gate was locked and the manager had left the place, so we were unable to go inside. Meanwhile, an ice-cream vendor who was pushing his cart on the street in front of the cemetery was harassed by a weathered-looking man. The ice-cream vendor lightly pushed the offender on the shoulder, and the man – acting or otherwise – proceeded to dramatically fall to the ground. Perhaps he was physically weak or had hit his head on the sidewalk, but he lay on the ground for a good ten minutes. People formed around him but the situation diffused as he got up and dusted himself off, only to walk away from a jeering crowd. Regardless of if he was truly hurt or if he was putting on a show for foreigners, it was an interesting incident.

Monkey See, Monkey Do – Kaya Massey

The United States is commonly described as a “melting pot” of different ethnicities, and I’ve heard Canada likened to a racially-segregated TV dinner. Following that gastronomical logic, India could be nothing other than some sort of cake or pastry: every race, religion, and socioeconomic status is inextricably combined. Just like you can’t separate milk and sugar once they’ve spent half an hour in the oven, you can’t look at the sweeping mansions of Jubilee Hills without noticing the makeshift tents of the slums next door.
One of the most striking aspects of this country is the way everything is so naturally integrated. Just two hours away from the urban port city of Vizag (population: roughly one million), we were lost in a world before time began. Jackfruit (one of our most searched-for items in the city) grew freely on trees; monkeys we’d strained to see at the zoo were scampering mere feet from the pathways. Homeless people asleep on sidewalks and porches, slums in the shadows of high-tech malls, wild monkeys nursing their children mere feet from a popular tourist attraction: India makes itself, every part of itself, impossible to ignore.

An Early Andhra Morning – John Lakso

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I can never sleep on trains, and the journey to Visakhapatnam was no exception. After only 3 hours of sleep, I suddenly awoke at around 5, and of course, I was wide awake. In my frustration, I decided to open my curtains and see what was outside. I was amazed. The little rice paddies were starting to gleam with the rays of the morning sun, and the fog just covered the impressive mountains afar. For the next hour or so, I just sat there, gazing at this beautiful, and ever-changing site. Thinking of the diversity of Indian geography, from the Thar desert in Rajasthan to these densely covered mountains in Andhra Pradesh. Although it was not very profound, looking out at that early morning was one memory that I will carry with me for many years. I never thought I would say this, but I am so happy that I woke up too early. And anyway, who needs a good night’s rest when cheap and delicious Chai can be found everywhere?

Some Things Don’t Change – Avi Ettyreddy

This weekend was an interesting opportunity for our entire group to get away and experience a city that in many ways differs greatly from the bustling city of Hyderabad. Despite being a heavily industrialized area, Vizag lacked the severe traffic and looming buildings that characterize Hyderabad. Much of the activity that did take place seemed to be restricted to port areas, where fishermen could be seen drying their fish on the side of the road. Despite these glaring differences, this trip showed me that beneath these superficial discrepancies there are in fact key similarities. As we pulled away from the port to go on our boat tour, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the streets of Hyderabad as I noticed the junk rising to the surface of the water. The indifference that I noticed towards this issue in Hyderabad was all too familiar among the fishermen in the distant port city of Vizag. When looking back at this trip, I have come to realize that certain issues are not restricted to the borders of cities. Seeing the pollution that characterizes these two cities, I believe that significant progress can only be made after addressing these underlying universal issues.

Journey To Vizag – Anamika Goyal

As we stood near the open train door between our compartment and the next one, a few hours into our thirteen hour train ride from Hyderabad to Vizag, I realized something – I really enjoy going places. Even as a kid, I loved the long car rides from New Jersey to Florida that my family used to make once or twice a year, and actually enjoy our car rides to and from school every day. For me, the journey is a vital part of each experience.

Shortly after dinner, a few of us decided to take a walk up and down a few cars of the train. Each compartment was filled with the chatter of people from all walks of life, coming from and going to different places. Talking to some of them, even briefly, was an excellent way to learn about India and feel a connection with this country. Being on this train, listening to the rhythm of the tracks, and feeling the wind, rain, and rumbling certainly awakened a spirit of adventure and travelling for me.

Screaming and Ecstasy – Soren Peterson

The train ride through the mountains was truly one I will never forget- the breathtaking views of sun-touched peaks and deep green valleys; the stark difference between countryside and city; the laid back and trusting nature of the small towns we passed. Something else, though, from our journey stuck out in my mind- the yelling and screaming that came with each tunnel that we passed through and the look of pure ecstasy in the eyes of everyone on the train as we came upon waterfall after waterfall. For three short hours the adults around me acted like children without a care in the world. Just as they were happy not thinking about their jobs or duties, I was too. This journey reminded me of the importance of taking time to relish the joys of life that surround us and that everyone- young or old, poor or wealthy- can all enjoy these natural pleasures together.

To Sit or Not To Sit – Sneha Jain

45 rupees. That was the cost of one seat on the Kottavalasa Kirandul Express. Oddly enough, I realized that the best seat have on this train journey was to have no seat at all. Standing in the main doorway for 2.5 hours, sandwiched in-between nine strangers on one side and the breathtaking Ananthagiri Hills on the other, I felt no desire to return to my much sought after bench. Trains, like planes are a fascinating cross-section of lives which in other circumstances are unlikely to overlap. In that doorway I found myself conversing with people from all walks of life; from local college students on a weekend vacation to experienced laborers, hopping aboard the moving locomotive effortlessly (and for gratis!) on their way to work. While our communication was limited (once again blame the language barrier) it was certainly meaningful on both ends, and I cannot imagine traveling through the picturesque flora of the Araku Valley in any other way.

California Dreamin’ – Kamerria Listenbee

It’s crazy how something can look so familiar, yet be almost completely different. On our cable car ride up to the top of a scenic hill in Vizag, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Sunny Southern California – my hometown. I was fixated on one particular oceanic view in Malibu. Maybe it was a case of homesickness, but regardless of the reason, I couldn’t get that image out of my mind. It was uncanny. One could imagine that cultural differences make the beach scene in Vizag vary from that in Southern California – swimwear, entertainment, etc. From a distance, however, those differences seemed to disappear. Maybe it is best to get up close and personal to see things as they truly are.