Day 3:
It was comparatively a more relaxed day as we did not have a big list of things to visit. We were to travel to Surat, However, visits to the Datt Madir & samadhi of Tembe Swami was probably suggested by the ladies in the last minute, Shri Madhukar strongly recommended the Nilkanthdham Swami Narayan Temple at Poicha on the way to Surat.
We, Ganus & Joglekars, had been to the Datt Mandir at Garudeshwar during our Narmada Parikrama. This time around Garudeshwar looked cleaner and better and so was the surrounding near the temple. Construction activities of the Ghat were in progress during our earlier visit, now it all was done, It too was neat and clean. we were pleasantly surprised to see the changes for good. A soothing sight, I must say.
We had a good darshan in the temple and the ghat. We boarded our bus and headed for the S o U. we first visited the Arogya Van. This van has ayurvedic medicinal plants based on each limb of the body. It is a must see location in the S o U complex, in my opinion. We then visited the Miyawaki forest in the same complex. This garden is developed on the lines of unique plantation technique propagated by Miyawaki of Japan. This forest too is an added attraction in the complex.
We then headed for Surat. We took a lunch break at Rajpipla and began our journey to Surat. We reached Poicha to the Swaminarayan temple. The temple complex is quite huge and the temple appeared marvelous, but unfortunately it was closed and was to open at about 3 pm, Since it was quite warm, we all decided to skip the waiting game. Shri Madhukar brought tasty kulfi which helped us cool inside.
We started our onward journey and reached Surat at about 8.30 PM. We decided to have our dinner immediately after checking in the Rajhans Belliza Homestay apartments. The homestay apartments are good facility. We had booked two apartments. Kotwals and Ganus were accommodated on the ground floor and Gundis, Deshmukhs and Neela tai were accommodate up. Both the apartments were identical but Neela tai had to come and join us downstairs. God knows what the issue was. but finally everything was settled for good. Three ladies decided to sleep in one room and Shri Madhukar & I got in another room.
We had dinner in the restaurant of the homestay. We had a small walk round the homestay and returned to our respective rooms. Soon we all were fast asleep.
Day 4:
I had a good morning walk and came for tea in our room. We took tea and little snacks from our kitty and proceeded for Jwari Ponk ( Hurda in Marathi ) center, accompanied by a staff member of L & T. The center has many vendors doing the same business, We first saw the automated system of Ponk making and then came to the restaurant, owned by the same person who took us around his manufacturing unit. The ladies got indulged in tasting variety of shevs and bought few of them each, by the time the freshly made hot Ponk Wada were served. We had one more different dish. The L & T person had organized tea / coffee too. We had a sumptuous breakfast and were ready for the next part on our agenda.
Shri Madhukar had earlier asked us about our interests in visiting the L & T Factory at Hajira. Satish & I agreed immediately. He had made arrangements for our visit well in advance. So three of us headed for the factory visit and the ladies with Madhav decided to accompany the ladies for a visit of Shri Parshwanath Temple and the Surat Fort.
What can I say about our visit? It was as memorable one as was our visit to the S o U. Shri Madhukar is a big name there, a founder member of LT factory there. The MAN behind the project. I felt myself lucky to have known him personally through our better halves. Otherwise, how on earth could Satish & I would have got a chance to visit one the largest Infrastructure Company in the country.
A brief introduction of sorts was done in the conference room, followed by a brief presentation video about the Hajira project. Snacks and tea / coffee was served. Then Satish & I were taken around the factory while Madhukar ji went for his work .
The set up left me spellbound and overawed. I have refrained from writing in details. We assembled in their conference hall after the factory visit. Again there was brief introduction followed by lunch. What was striking was the fact that most of the staff there had worked under Shri Madhukar and grew up the ladder under his leadership. Normally I have observed that once a person leaves the organization or is retired, he / she is hardly remembered. But here is shri Madhukar who is respected even now and held in very high esteem. He certainly must have been a people's man. His persona and brilliance was amply seen on the faces of people in the conference room, without he beating about his own drums. That to my mind is a remarkable quality.
Lines of song from the film Jewel Thief sums up Shri Madhukar very aptly " Asman ke Niche, Hum Aaj Apne Piche Pyaar Ka Jahaan Basaate Chale, Kadam Ke Nishan Banaate Chale."
Thankyou Shri Madhukar, from bottom of my heart. You made our day memorable once again.
Satish & I left after the lunch and had a plate of famous Umbadiyu on the way back. We all met and went for dinner with one of Shri Madhukar's colleague and his wife at Hotel Zero. We had a sumptuous dinner there.
" Start from Zero " is mentioned on the sign board outside the hotel. Sadly we ended our trip there and did not start from there.
Day 5:
We began our return journey and stopped at Navsari for our breakfast. We had Khaman, Shuddh Ghee Jilebi purchased from Tasty Khaman, Navsari. We gents then went to a big shop named Hungdana nearby, famous for Singdana, Chana etc. did our shopping and stopped for tea / coffee at a thela there. Satish ordered Fafda in a shop near the tea thela. Fafada was packed. We returned to our bus. Ladies protested when they came to know that we had tea / coffee too. I told them all that a tea stoppage is planned on the highway where adequately hygienic toilet / washroom facility would be available. That excuse worked as the ladies did not grumble later. We really stopped at a restaurant on the highway with washroom facility.
We stopped at Assal Gajali Manor for our lunch. There some of us had non veg and others had veg lunch. That was our last stoppage.
Countdown had begun. we dropped Deshmukhs first near the Ghodbundar road corner. then we dropped Neela Tai at Thane. Remaining of us stopped on the express highway near the toll plaza. We had snacks and tea / coffee and started the last leg of our journey. One by one our bus got emptied and finally Gundis got dropped at their residence.
Our trip which was planned in a shortest of time, well planned by Shri Madhukar & Madhurata Tai and executed well finally ended on a sad note ( so short a trip ) but with lot of happy memories, which will be engraved in our minds for a long long time.
I feel we should have more of such trips in future too, decided without much planning.
Our journey began again.
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