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Kingdom of Dreams

Presently enjoying the much needed hiatus from work, the past 2 weeks have been nothing short of awesome. And adding to that I finally am staying at home, for more than just a vacation, after a good long 5 years. Feels surreal, and reminds me of the good ol' days when things like What is on TV tonight? or What is there for dinner? were my biggest worries. Its almost like I, myself am living in a Kingdom of Dreams (KOD). 

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So what actually is KOD. As their very own marketing campaign says, "It is Dilli Haat on steroids". Aptly put. Its a modern cultural hub. A blend of India's art, culture, heritage, craft, cuisine et. al, with all the technological wizardry of today. And if I daresay, it does give a feel of an elaborate film studio set, after all it is designed by one. Also, as a matter of fact, construction cost is estimated at a whopping Rs. 200 crores, and it feels like it. It has 3 main divisions as of now: 

  1. Culture Gully: an elaborate culture, arts, crafts and food boulevard. 
  2. Nautanki Mahal: showcasing an extravagant cinematic and theatrical musical. 
  3. Showshaa Theatre: a fabulous, colourful drama marquee spotlighting Indian mythology productions, a mock wedding show and the great Indian talent circus. 
The latter two will be opening soon. 
With Nautanki Mahal being India's first platform for live entertainment musical theatre, amongst other things, we very well now have our very own Broadway/Opera House/Moulin Rouge, and from what I gathered from the news, the production of the first Bollywood Musical is already on its way for the same.  Above all, India finally has a sky-like (Venetian-like) ceiling indoors. And it is Magnificent, to say the least, aesthetically pleasant and southing to soul (I still wonder though, what took them so long, when even Qatar has got it). 

The tickets though are priced at the higher end, 750 bucks. Out of 50 is refundable and 600 you can (and must spend) inside. I think its simply brilliant. You just can't have the place over-crowded, for it to be enjoyable. It also ensures you just aren't there for window shopping. And that 750 does help the managers in maintenance of this place, which would definitely be higher than normal - Strategy Epitome. Besides, to tell you the truth, food alone will have all the cash drained out of your smartcards, and you'd end up spending more, as I did. Some really cool arts and crafts that you find in remote corners of India, you could find here. And if you still have doubts in your mind as to whether it is worth, it definitely is. You might not want to flock the place regularly, but occasionally. It definitely helps you take the edge off of stuff and helps you get lost in your dreams. 

My trip was mostly about indulging in foods from across India, marveling at the beautiful sights and checking out various cultural dances. Also, there was one magical show, which was quite decent. Oh, and 70 kms of driving after a good long year :D And it involved some voracious clicking, albeit from my cell. Check out few that I have uploaded here.

Until next time then...
Harry.

Posted via email from Strange Ramblings !!

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