Desk To Wheels

Who doesn't like to enjoy a peaceful day on a beach? Some beer, some seafood, the sea and the perfect company! Yes that's how we spent our last weekend and it was exactly what we needed after months of hectic work schedule.  Mandarmani is a small village in the outskirts of kolkata and also, is the nearest beach for the city dwellers.  We left early morning around 7 a.m to start the 190km drive.  Petrol? ✅ Tyres? ✅ Car documents? ✅ Journey snacks? ✅✅✅ It was my first time driving that long distance all by myself so I was extra careful with everything. After a 5 hour drive ( yes! I am a slow driver), crossing through some bad traffic and the last 5km stretch of rocky roads, we finally reached our resort.  Llyods Beach Resort is a beach front hotel where you actually have to drive on the beach to reach. It's a newly constructed property (barely 30 days old) overlooking the mighty Bay of Bengal.  We ordered some delicious chilli crab...

  An hour drive from the hustle bustle of the Kolkata city, is the BAPS Shri Swami Narayan temple in JOKA. The entire framework of the temple is spread out across a huge area with lawns and gardens with various structures and sculptures. The property got ample parking space with parking of Rs 20 for two wheelers and Rs.40 for 4 wheelers. At the entrance of the main building is a water kund on either side of the passage which houses several tiny gazebo-like structures. The intricate work on every pillars and domes of the temple is an absolute marvel.  The interiors of the temple give you a royal experience with well-lit halls, grand ceilings. The temple houses several deities. There’s a nice cafeteria and a gift shop for souvenirs. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. The temple timings are usually  7:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM .