LEISURE

50 ARMENIA, AN UNKNOWN ENTITY

Armenia is a Christian country where the people are Orthodox driven, but happy go lucky. They love Hindi music, favourite being Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachan and Mithun Chakraborthy.

Sarosh P Abraham

Mohan Varghese, a retired Chief Engineer is passionate about travelling. We share a childlike excitement whenever a new destination is found, where few have trodden. Even a new breath off fresh air or pristine waters in an alien land pours so much of unimaginable bewilderment to all the senses. One day we got talking and Armenia came up. Never heard much about it since childhood, except once when someone wrote somewhere could be a historian, that Jesus was Armenian. The fact of the matter was also that it was one of the first countries which embraced X’anity outside its birth place. I was very curious to look into the first structure of X’anity and how it evolved there. This country was devastated by the Romans, Arabs and

THE BIGGEST THRILL WE HAD WHEN WE LANDED AT YEREVAN, CAPITAL OF ARMENIA WAS THAT THE ARMENIAN DRAM = 0.15 INR.

later the Ottoman Empire. There are many other attractions there. So we both took off for a six day sojourn in July, to look at few.

The biggest thrill we had when we landed at Yerevan, capital of Armenia was that the Armenian Dram = 0.15 INR. It was cheaper than going to Sri Lanka. This place as you know is only technically in Asia but almost Europe with all its lifestyle (part of former USSR).

This is a fully Christian country where the people are Orthodox driven, but happy go lucky. They love Hindi music, favourite being Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachan and Mithun Chakraborthy. The weather in July was pleasant 23oC during day time and chilly 19 oC at night, in July. Yeravan was not actually a bustling Metropolitan City, but lay back and leisurely. The Republica Hotel, a 4-star facility was more than welcoming, warm as we arrived.

The wine breweries there were so popular that for promo the hotel gave free wine all night on every Fridays. The housekeeping and breakfast (Complimentary of course!) was truly

world class menu changed every day! When your INR 1500 = 10,000 AD, for once you tend to enjoy more freedom seldom experienced in other western countries.

In spite of the cost factor I began to wonder why this is not a popular destination for globetrotting Indians. The answer being

1. Promotion of limited proportions is happening about Armenia.

2. There are no direct flights to that country from any of our Indian Airports which would be around 3.5 hrs of flying time from Bombay to Yerevan direct. Today we have to travel to Dubai, wait there for the next flight to Yerevan for almost 5 hrs and Dubai to Yerevan takes 2.15 hrs.

Temple of Garni Even before Christianity came into Armenia, the population was Nature worshippers. King Trdat I built a huge temple to pray and to present offerings to their deity. The temple of Garni is such a huge structure built alongside the palace ruins of Queen Katranide in the 7th Century. The temple is a grand structure alongside two huge canyons. Palace and monastery ruins are visible all around. The scenic beauty is really breathtaking as you feel a huge civilization lived amidst that teeming wilderness. Alongside the temple road, local woman folk sold some homemade fruit brewed alcohol be it wild berries, peach, apricot, plume and what not.

Lake Sevan This is one of the largest fresh water lakes in the former Soviet Union. Since ages population before and now are closely dependent on this water source where fishing and agriculture are the main source of income. This slowly develops into a major tourist attraction. The salmon from the lake is a great food for thought. This lake is kilometers and kilometers long and wide, but I found

INFO

ARMENIA Armenia is a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located in Western Asia on the Armenian Highlands, it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. The Republic of Armenia has a territorial area of 29,743 square kilometres (11,484 sq mi). The terrain is mostly mountainous, with fast flowing rivers, and few forests. The land rises to 4,090 metres (13,419 feet) above sea level at Mount Aragats, and no point is below 390 metres (1,280 ft) above sea level. Average elevation of the country area is 10th highest in the world.

it to be a very peaceful and quiet water body.

Geghard Monastry This is perhaps one of the most ancient locations where Christianity began in the outside world. Most of the churches are rock carved inside mountain sides. This is where the Christian monks practiced their religion. The first Catholic’s St. Gregory started this monastery in 4th century AD. This is the place where the spear that pierced Jesus on the cross was kept. Many caves constitute residential mansions for the monks, along the river Azat. Though safe in the hills it was invaded and plundered by the Arabs in the medieval times.

There are many more unique historical sites in this friendly peace loving country where I feel police has nothing much

RARELY COULD I FIND HOSTILITY OR CYNICISM ON THE STREETS OF YEREVAN. FOR THE YOUNG THE NIGHT LIFE IS BUSTLING WITH CLUB AND CASINOS.

to do. The people look after their own business and welcome visitors with open arms. Rarely could I find hostility or cynicism on the streets of Yerevan. For the young the night life is bustling with club and casinos. Shopping is cheap and affordable. Generally it could be a breath taking tour without punching a hole in your pocket.

Thanks to Mohan Varghese the destination seeker, I would love to fly their again.

The writer is CEO, St Mary’s group of Institutions.