I wanted my birthday to be very special this year and by that I mean to have ‘me time’ and I did that exactly.

I booked Belgadia Palace in Mayurbhanj District of Odisha state (www.thebelgadiapalace.com) state after having read about it in a magazine named ‘Kolkata On Wheels’. Booked a suite in July and was all set.

Boarded the train Falaknuma Express on 26th October and was at Balasore station on time at 10:35am. Had made arrangements for a hired car and travelled to Belgadia Palace, distance of 70 kms in 1 hr 10 mins with mix of good and bad roads. Scenic beauty was quite good as lot of forest areas were noticed by me.

A warm welcome at the Palace by the Manager Mr.Rout with a welcome drink, I was shown to my room which was quite impressive indeed. A suite of Rs.8500/- plus 28% GST per day. Settled into the room and what mostly impressed me that there was no TV thankfully. Lunch followed which was fried fish, fish in mustard paste with curry leaves, fried fritters, salad, basmati rice smeared with ghee or unadulterated butter, veggies and lentils and sumptuous lunch ended with desserts of Malpua.

After lunch met the present Maharani and had a brief introduction amongst us. Strolled around the palace with Mr. Rout and was very impressed with each room that we toured around. Lot of history from many centuries ago and lot of photographs of many animals hunted earlier when hunting was allowed. After a brief tour settled with evening tea and some more fritters with spinach. Enjoyed Dinner which was very Odisha style of mutton, lentils, rice, salad, veggies and desert of Rosogolla.

At stroke of midnight I lit a candle on a cake and sang my Birthday song ushering in my birthday and live videoed. Hundreds of messages poured in and phone calls for most part of the night.

On Sunday, 27th October after a sumptuous brekky of puri and dubki aloo sabji just went back to my room to enjoy my ‘me time’ of listening to my fav music and reading ‘The Last Nizam’. What a thrilling way of spending my birthday. Messages and phone calls poured in all day and my in between breaks were coffee, lunch of Nepali style with chicken and veggies, lentils, rice and salad. Evening was pakodas and tea and dinner was Rajasthani style. Meals were 1800/- per day and evening snacks were 300/- per day. In the website the meal rates were mentioned but not the snacks rates. Settled my bills and wrote my feedback.

I couldn’t have asked for a better way of celebrating my birthday. Loved to the core

On Monday, 28th October, set for Balasore station on a hired car. Falaknuma Express was delayed by two hours but that’s so normal in India and with heavy traffic in Howrah station on my way home, reached pretty late exhausted

In conclusion the best birthday I’ve had in a long time now and the bonding with me was utmost necessary.