Travel + Leisure

TRAVEL + LEISURE / MARCH 2016

trophies, silver howdahs and sambar heads on
walls. The highlight is the Mardani Khel in the
courtyard of the Old Palace. This is a martial arts
form indigenous to this region where players
use sticks, swords, coconuts, and limes. Women,
men, and children demonstrate diff erent ways
of wielding a sword or bamboo stick, or break
coconuts with their heads.

DAY 6: The train chugs through emerald fi elds,
mangroves, and coconut groves to Goa. Our fi rst
stop is Panjim where our guide Jonas takes us
through Fontainhas, the old Latin Quarter. Here,
narrow streets are lined with old Portuguese style
homes, jutting balconies, intricate grills, and red
tiled roofs. We walk past small family altars and
windows made of translucent oyster shells, and
make stops on the way to taste local sweets such
as Bibinca at tiny bakeries. Very special is the visit
to Palacio Do Deao, in Quepem, a former palace of

the Portuguese nobleman and Dean of the church,

now restored to its past splendour by couple

Celia and Ruben Vasco da Gama. Here at its leafy

verandah, we are welcomed for high tea; wafer

thin chutney sandwiches, Goan pancakes called

alle belle, and stories of this labour of love. Antique

furniture, memorabilia and old maps on the walls

add to the ambiance.

DAY 7: Ratnagiri on the Konkan Coast, a small

fi shing village, is our last stop. This is home

to the prized Alphonso mangoes and cashew

nut processing factories. We drive to a mango

farm owned by Amar Desai, a third generation

farmer, whose grandfather was known to take

crates of mangoes to sell in Karachi. Today he

and his brothers own more than 200 acres and

above 6,000 trees. The deserted Ratnagiri Beach

overlooking the fort and lighthouse make for a

tranquil walk.

On the last night, the Gatewa y Bar morphs into

a disco, the theme is ‘Indian night’, and we dance

to popular Bollywood tracks. As the train pulls into

Mumbai on the last day, the staff lines up on the

platform to bid goodbye, I feel blessed to have seen

a snapshot of this state in the most pampered way.

The Deccan Odyssey has served Maharashtra in

bite-sized portions wrapped up like a precious gift

and provided the ideal sanctuary for inspiration.

As for me, the journey was every bit as enjoyable

as the destination.

THRILLS ON WHEELS

The Dining Car
Plates edged with
gold on crisp linen in
the two restaurants,
Waawar and Utsav
that serve Indian,
Continental, and
Chinese cuisine.
Executive Chef
Simarlal Singh and
his team of 15 make
sure you are plied
with delicacies. The
set menus vary with
the region that the
train travels through:
in Ratnagiri, there is
Maharashtrian food
with kokum coolers,
in Kolhapur are tangy
curries. Dinners are an

elaborate affair with

soups like dal shorbas

or Lobster Bisque

besides vegetarian and

non-vegetarian thalis,

Pan seared polenta

steak or duck breast.

For lunch, expect

watermelon and feta

salad, kathi rolls,

burgers, and pizzas.

They make expeditions

to local markets to

pick up ingredients

and fresh vegetables

from registered

suppliers. “Sometimes

guests bring us some

ingredients from local

markets like lotus

stems, and ask us to

cook it,” Simar says

with a smile.

Shopping

There’s a small shop

in the entertainment

room of the train;

cushion covers with

the Deccan Odyssey

logo; jewellery—

necklaces, bangles,

earrings, shawls, and

stoles. During daytime

excursions, pick up

jaggery, saz jewellery,

and chappals from

Kolhapur, mango pickles

from Ratnagiri, raisins

and wine from Nasik,

and sweets like bebinca

and biscuits from Goa.

CLOCKWISE: A

ceremonial

welcome at

Aurangabad

station; Palacio Do

Deao in sunny

yellow, in Quepem,

Goa; An intricately

carved frieze at

the Kailasanatha

Temple in Ellora.