HELEN KELLER SAYS...

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

VII | November 12th, 2020

THE EDITOR'S NOTE

Greetings, fellow sojourners!
A rather festive seventh edition is here for you!

The Indian festival of lights is upon us, and we thought this would be a good opportunity to showcase
some beautiful festivals from other countries. Our feature story is about Mexico's Day Of The Dead, and we also talk about how 2020 has missed out on Halloween, along with a short history lesson about it. 
We talk about climbing the world's highest battleground in India and showcase the kind of technical prowess (and human ingenuity) that goes into people's meals in Antarctica. 
Our Travel Record this month features music from foreign artists, and the Reel is back with
some art inspiration for you.  
We hope you enjoy this edition of Portmanteau. And we always welcome stories or thoughts from you, our patron. And we wish you a happy festival season! 

Sharing the mutual love for travel!
Ashish

01 Stories That Matter

A deep dive into a story that's arcane, thoughtful, and sometimes humorous!

Dia De Los Muertos

Mexico's most popular festival

While most people around the world celebrate the joy of life, for generations, Mexico has been celebrating those that have left us. Read more about the Day Of The Dead.  



If you’ve seen the Disney-feature Coco, you might have an idea of what Dia De Los Muertos is: A two-day festival wherein the dead are celebrated. These festivities in the real world are definitely tempting enough for any spirits of the dead to come over and reunite with their loved ones. And the story behind the Day Of The Dead is a fascinating one too.

While some people immediately associate Dia De Los Muertos with Halloween, the two couldn’t be further apart. Mexicans do not particularly go trick-or-treating during the day of the dead; the festival is a more poignant reminder to cherish their loved ones on this day and give them a tribute in whatever way possible. The highlight during this time is a rustic altar that pops up in every single family’s home. Known as an ofrenda, it usually contains many elaborate decorations and pictures of the deceased along with water and food for the spirit to quench its thirst after a long journey from the afterlife to the real world.

Visits to home are not all that takes place. Families also visit the grave of the deceased and clean everything up around the graves, placing fresh decorations. The marigold is an essential component here; known as flor de Muertos, these marigolds are what attract the souls to the world of the living. For some people, the entire affair turns into a family outing, with people even picnicking in the cemetery. Death is not a sombre affair here, but rather a celebration of the cycle of life and the afterlife.
Dia De Los Muertos is speculated to have been around for a long time: Since the days of the Aztec civilisation. But there are arguments against this slice of history as well. Some Mexican historians think that the tradition can actually be traced back to medieval Europe and parts of Latin America. There are further rumours that the festival was the result of a nationalist movement in the early 20th century as a followup to the powerful Mexican revolution.

But whatever the origins, Dia De Los Muertos today is very much a Mexican festival that belongs to the people and is here to stay.

02 What You Missed When Grounded

 The world’s spookiest festival was a bit of a non-event in 2020.  

Halloween hath come and gone


The year has gone by far more quickly than we fathomed, hasn’t it? Another tradition that seemingly went by unnoticed this year was Halloween, the one day where it was okay to have sugar highs and walk around accepting candy from strangers. 




But how many of us know the real intentions behind this festival? And why do people dress up like the devil everywhere?  

Contrary to popular belief, Halloween was never about devil worship or rituals. The original festivities were to mark the beginning of Allhallowtide, a month in the Christian calendar to remember those that have passed away. The roots of Allhallowtide are Gaelic and Celtic in nature and eventually spread across Europe. An ancient tradition is Allhallowtide; it dates back to nearly the 6th century. Martyrs were specifically mourned when Halloween started, as were saints (hallows). This time was also believed to be the time where the veil between this world and the realm of the dead was the thinnest, allowing spirits to return to the land. 

It was around this time that Allhallowtide, now Halloween by the 16th century, started becoming associated with ghosts and other spooky elements of our world. It also helped that traditionally, fruits and sweet dishes were consumed because those that observed Allhallowtide did not eat meat on that day, and thus candy became a popular item of exchange during Halloween. 
So what about the origins of the famous trick-or-treating? It too is actually an ancient practice that evolved from a term known as mumming, a play where there are winners and losers (much like trick-or-treating where you either dole out candy or become prey to a prank). 

This year, Halloween was a shadow of its former glory. Thanks to social distancing rules and general public fear, little ones couldn’t go out as much as they would have, and the candy boxes were not emptied for many people. But maybe in 2021, people would still be wearing funny costumes and going around houses with a candy bowl in hand. 


03 Let's Get Comical

Getting into the Halloween mood a bit strong. 

04 The Reel

Some movies about art to inspire you to pick up the paintbrush. Or pen. Or anything that moves you! 


Loving Vincent is undoubtedly one of the greatest works of cinema in terms of effort put in. The entire film is oil painted - every single scene - and animated, a process that took 8 years to complete. And it was a worthy effort, for such an iconic artist deserves a story told in a magical fashion.

This is a story told through the eyes of a postman’s son, Armand. Armand has been instructed by his father to deliver the last letter of Vincent Van Gogh to his brother, Theo. The letter comes just weeks after Vincent shot himself, and succumbed to the fateful bullet. Throughout his journey, the nonchalant, skeptical Armand discovers more than the stories about Vincent’s death. He also discovers Vincent’s life.

Loving Vincent is a painfully beautiful tale of a man who never was understood during his time.


Midnight In Paris: A story that’s parts comedic and whimsical along with some romantic introspection. Midnight in Paris is a Woody Allen feature film with Owen Wilson playing a nostalgia-driven screenwriter with writer’s block. Gil (Owen) goes on a trip to Paris, his favorite city in the world, with his fiancée Inez.

The disillusioned writer wanders around the city at midnight, drunk, when he suddenly chances upon a group of people that were..different. From a different time. Suddenly, he’s face to face with Hemingway and Salvador Dali. And he has no idea how! It certainly wasn't a dream either, as he goes back in time on multiple occasions now. 


Midnight in Paris is a charming tale of a writer trying to come to terms with the past in the present


Modigliani is the story of Amedeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso. Their rivalry to be precise. The film talks about their constant rivalry amidst a changing landscape in Paris. Tensions are always rife and Modigliani has his own problems. More importantly, his journey of trying to become better than Pablo bought out some of the best works from both of them.

The tale progresses into darker realms with both artists entering a renowned competition with a huge sum of money for a prize. Which artist will win? Who has the most to lose in this battle?  And what of Modigliani's personal life? 


A heavy film but one that shows the psyche of artists blinded by both their passion and the need to become the greatest.

05 Improbable Places

One of the world’s highest battlegrounds in a land of pristine snow.
 

Siachen
A Battleground In The Mountains



Every year, a special contingent of people traverse steep inclines and narrow cragged paths along a certain point marked as NJ9842. It may seem like a regular trek the first time you hear it, but this trek is anything but. This is a trek to Siachen, one of India’s most significant places of interest both historically, strategically and economically.




Siachen was and remains a point of interest to India and Pakistan. There were occasional skirmishes in the 20th century where India finally established control over the region. Siachen is also an essential water source; the glacier provides water to what is considered the largest irrigation system in the world via the Indus River in Pakistan.
A landscape where oxygen saturation is a mere 10% of what you normally breathe does not sound like the ideal vacation destination, which is probably one reason Siachen does not strike the radar of most adventurers. The Indian Army itself traditionally restricted treks to the glacier completely, only opening up the route to civilians in 2007. In 2019, the Indian government took this a step further and decided to open up the entire region to tourism.

The path is most definitely a treacherous one. You start your trek in Leh and ascend more than 10,000 ft your first few days, slowly making your way to the Siachen Base Camp. Once you’ve arrived and have been acclimatised enough to the lack of oxygen, it’s another staggering 16,000 ft to Kumar Camp, the highest attainable point on the entire trek. Together, you walk, climb and crawl through 60km of some of the toughest terrain on the planet. The spirit of OP Baba, a soldier who is said to guide fellow armed brothers, watches over as you ascend step by step through the crevices and the canyons.

It’s no surprise then that you require fitness levels that some might consider superhuman. You’ll need to submit an application form to the Indian Army along with an indemnity form and a medical certificate. And only after multiple fitness checks are you eligible to pick up your rucksack and head to the world’s highest battleground.

06 The Thinking Owl

Jokes about bones can be humerus sometimes. 

07 Food for Thought

How do you get food in a place where nothing grows? 

What Do People Eat In Antarctica?

Feeding 900 people at one of Antarctica's stations is a task.  

In a previous edition of Portmanteau, we showcased how travelling in style to Antarctica is a distinct but real possibility. That got some of you thinking: How do you get access to food in a place where nothing grows?

PBS Nova has the answer for you. The channel filmed a month-long expedition in the Antarctic with hosts Caitlin Saks and Arlo Pérez living as researchers do, including dining in the galley of the McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica. The food choices are limited even after advance planning (which is done one year in advance!). Watch this short film that gives great insights into what goes into creating food for 900 people in the land where nothing grows.

08 The Travel Record

Music from across the world. Hit tracks from foreign artists in non-English languages. 

09 Puzzled?

Puzzles to get your neurons firing.
Email us a screenshot when done!

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