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Few sights cast a magical spell as a setting sun viewed from a boat
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For nerves numb with the humdrum of daily life on land, a trip on a boat could really be the magic potion to snap the senses back into action.
THERE IS something magical about the colour orange. Especially when it dons a piercing glow, encircling the sun. And when the two coalesce as a final feat to pack up for the day, the view from aboard a cruise boat bang in the middle of the sea is sure to throw you off-guard, possibly right into the Arabian Sea!
Welcome aboard the Devbagh Queen, a sumptuous craft that has dropped anchor in Mangalore all the way from the Jungle Lodges and Resorts in Karwar, offering two hours of pleasure trip to anybody who coughs up Rs. 250 per head. "Is it worth it?" you may wonder. Well, as someone who did get to go on the debut cruise aboard the Devbagh Queen, I vouch for it.
For nerves numb with the humdrum of daily life on land, a trip on cruise boat could really be the magic potion to snap the senses back into action. Anticipation builds up the moment I board the craft at the Old Port at Bunder and make myself comfortable in the neat interiors.
I'm surprised to see two young smiling faces dressed in formals, students of Srinivas College of Hotel Management, playing the host and the hostess for the evening. The live band, headed by Muralidhar Kamath of Raag Dwani Orchestra from Kadri, is great company for those who enjoy light music. In between the music and the view, Dinky caterers nourish our hungry stomachs with light refreshments.
The Devbagh Queen sets off, and I eventually leave squawking birds and the silhouette of Mangalore city trailing far behind. I am curious to know more about the mechanics of a boat and who better to ask than the amicable captain, Kishore N. Harikantra. He lets me accompany him on to the top of the boat, the captain's seat, where a tiny cubicle houses the helm, the compass, and the rest of the manoeuvring gear. The cubicle has a thatched roof with bamboo slats on all sides to keep you from keeling off overboard. Must say that after dusk, the lit bulbs along the roof make the boat quite a beauty.
The view from Captain Kishore's seat is breathtaking. He manoeuvres the boat effortlessly though the turf is new to him. Until a few years ago, he was a regular fisherman. His years in the sea have made him an expert in not just handling the boat, but also a keen interpreter of the sea's myriad moods.
He's new to this job, and is quite thrilled about it. "Earlier my livelihood depended on the day's catch, but now I am at least assured of a regular income." And he loves the attention his job brings. "When I used to go fishing in my boat, it was just a livelihood. With this job, excited passengers like you make me feel like I am doing something fun," he laughs. Now who wouldn't want to hear a captain's tales from the sea, I respond. More laughter from his side.
The Devbagh Queen goes five km into the sea. Bengre Island and the Panambur beach are two spots we pass by. All the while, there is excited chatter, laughter and music inside the boat. A sudden quiet comes over only when the boat takes a slow u-turn and catches a perfect view of the setting sun. The moment is mystical. Everyone is suddenly quiet. The spell is broken when a little voice pipes up: "It looks like an orange ball is taking a slow dive into the sea!" It's a little girl jealously guarding her precious seat near the window.
The return trip is suffused with a newfound camaraderie amongst the passengers. As the Devbagh Queen docks in at the Old Port, enthusiastic children tumble out, asking each other: "That was fun, no?" You bet.
ANJU NARAYANAN
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
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Mangalore
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
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Visakhapatnam
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