Kilt and Pipe Band! My
early images of Scotland and Scots were their traditional dress called “Kilt”
and the Pipe Band. The images were strongly woven into history and tales of
their chivalry, sacrifice, loyalty, love for fun and music. Having witnessed
many parades with the pipe band in toe, I was thrilled at the prospect of
visiting Scotland to have a glimpse of the Highland Piper. The thrill was also
at the prospect of experiencing the rich cultural, literary and military
lineage through what I will see, listen, observe and interact.
Kings Cross to Edinburgh! 18 Oct 2014; comfortably seated in a
train, I was rearing to have a glimpse of the countryside known for its
undulated green meadows, grazing sheep, ever changing climate, and terraced
houses.
Keeping my camera handy, my mind
was reminiscing those earlier occasions when I was lucky to travel through the
country side, a bounty of nature; stoic, strong and people of good nature, rare
and pure air, treks through beaten and self made tracks, a cup of hot tea at a
wayside tea shop; glimpse of the mountain peaks and valleys from a view point,
low hanging clouds, howling winds and winding roads.
Keenness within brightens the
countenance! I did not know that a big smile was beginning to brighten
my face until I was asked for the reason by my dear wife. “It does happen when one is totally immersed. It is like the exterior of a mighty river.
The richness of the soil underneath, its depth, undercurrents and the myriad
lives that prosper inside manifest themselves as a surface full of smooth flow,
song and dance” I say.
“Various moods we experience and express are a direct indication of
what we are within and how we connect it with the exterior” I summed up.
Keep me alive my memories!
As the train chugged towards Edinburgh, we passed through York, Darlington, New
Castle and few names struck a chord within me. Was the name “New York” taken
from York when people from one part of the world migrated to another? Though I had not visited New York, images of
migration through mighty Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, touching new shores and
naming those places with some they are already familiar with, came rushing in
front of my eyes. Could it be true? May or may not be.
Edinburgh, the UNESCO World
Heritage Site!
A magnificent skyline filled with
old monuments and a Castle greeted us the moment we came out of Edinburgh
Waverly railway station. I was to learn later that their exterior was not
allowed to be modified, remained in the same shape as they were built and is named
“UNESCO World Heritage Site”.
Going through the capital city of
Scotland in a hop in – hop out bus was a real treat to the eyes. The St Andrew Square
was milling around with tourists ever eager to get more out of this beautiful
city. The traffic except at the railway station was relaxed and we went around
the city accompanied by exceptional audio commentary.
Numerous battles for supremacy of
Scotland right from Romans to Scots shaped it into an architectural, cultural
and intellectual hub. A chord of familiarity was struck when the guide took
names of Sir Walter Scott, William Wallace, Robert the Bruce King of Scots, Sean
Connery, Andy Murray, Tony Blair, Arthur Conan Doyle, John Napier and many others
who belong to its rich lineage. It was interesting to know that J.K. Rowling wrote
her first Harry Potter novel while in Edinburgh.
It was icing on the cake when on
my return to London I watched “Ivanhoe” a
movie based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott.
The bus took us through St Andrew
Square, Princes Street, Bank Street, Hollyrood Palace, New Parliament Building,
Cow Market, Edinburgh Castle and so on. The guide’s narration of tales of
valor, crime and intrigue enhanced our experience of seeing the places.
If watching the movie “Ivanhoe” was icing on the cake,
visiting Napier University, where our
elder son had pursued his Masters Degree was like a child trying to open the
birthday presents even before saying thank you to the presenter. It took us
down the memory lane by more than a decade.
Edinburgh stood the test of time in preserving its core while donning a
new cloak to effortlessly flow in to the new.
Early morning of 19 Oct 2014
saw us standing at the Hub in front of the Edinburgh Castle to board a bus on a
trip to the Highlands. It was very cold with strong winds and except for
tourists like us there was no one on the streets. Our guide in a Kilt, the traditional dress of
the Highlanders appeared to be perfectly dressed for the occasion.
The guide, a good humored and
informed narrator went about his job in a great way in telling us that as in any other hilly
region, the people of highlands took pride in their own style of living,
culture and language. They spoke Scottish Gaelic, traces of which are still
present.
As the guide’s rich voice
recounted its rich history through middle ages to the modern period aligning it
continuously with the landscape full of Glens, Ness, villages, forts and sign
boards in Scottish Gaelic the tour was transformed in to an audio visual
documentary.
What does it mean to be Highlanders?
“It means to closely embrace
their traditions, fun loving when playing the pipe, courageous while yielding
broadswords and battle axes, hardworking on the agricultural lands, close knit
on the battle field and at home, poets of bards and singers of folklore”
Narration of the life of
Clansmen, Napoleonic wars, Jacobite Rising, Industrial Revolution, Chain
Migration to greener pastures, Change in life style from Highlands to Lowlands,
Sparse Population was as if there existed a common thread in the history of the
people from hills all across the world. “It could be true even in the case of
people from Lowlands” I thought.
“Does Old gives way to the New”?
“Not exactly; Old remains intact inspiring the younger generation to
reach greater heights than their ancestors; it does not matter whether one
lives in Highland or Lowland as long as the spirits are high. As high as the
land where their ancestors lived”
As if our Guide sensed my
thoughts, he brought a legend amongst us; “Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots”. “Is there anyone who did not hear about
the story of Robert Bruce and the Spider? He is the one who succeeded in enhancing the glory and kingdom of the Scots”
“Oh! What a pleasure to meet you
Sir” I said aloud.
By now we were high in to the
Highlands and after recounting the valour of William Wallace and other legends,
the guide halted the bus and announced “Those adventurous souls among you may
step down for a taste of the Highland weather”.
I stepped down and was in for a
real treat. In lashing rain, fierce wind and biting cold I had to summon all my
strength to be able to stand on my feet but the effort was worth the while. A
beautiful panorama of green mountain tops clad in clouds, sloping fields, a
gurgling stream as fast as the rapids, far and dispersed country houses which
resembled precious stones dropped from the heavens greeted us. I happily
clicked few photos and was about to board the bus when I saw two young men get
down from their car, gather a raft each, get in to the stream and speed away in
their rafts.
The history of Ben Nevis,
Glencoe, and Loch Ness was explained so well that it will remain fresh in mind
forever.
Nessie,The Loch Ness Monster!
It was past mid noon when we reached
Loch Ness and were made fully aware of the experiences, stories and myth
related to the Loch Ness Monster “Nessie” which was told to have been spotted
in the lake.
Our bus halted alongside a hotel
opposite the lake and those interested
were asked to go down to the harbor for a boat ride on the lake. We thought
otherwise and started exploring the gift shop in the premises of the hotel.
What we found there substantiated all the stories, legends and folklore
narrated to us by our guide. Placed in the shop were artifacts of Robert Bruce,
William Wallace, Nessie and Scots in their traditional Kilt and we went back in
to the history once again.
Inverness, on our return! The day was perfect, journey memorable,
history revisited; clouds of the evening returning home after a day’s work,
gentle drizzle capping our appetite for more; time to return and what could be
more pleasing than a route through Inverness”
One more experience tucked tightly in my pockets we headed back to
Edinburgh.
“Old and new; as hand-in-glove, memorized and kept in focus as the back
of one’s hand, always eager to reveal, accept with a large heart, arms spanning
as broad as the shoulders they come from, ready to welcome, share and learn”.
A well earned Learning!
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