Lake Balaton in Hungary is Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake |
Balaton is Central Europe’s largest freshwater lake, the sheer vastness giving it the fitting sobriquet of ‘Hungarian Sea’. By this lakeside stands Balatonfured, a charming all-season town and weekend destination. A host of adventure activities, including yachting and ice skating add to its popularity quotient. It’s here that Tagore arrived in October 1926, not as a tourist but a patient.
He had been invited to Budapest for a poetry-reading convention and its gruelling schedule is said to have taken a toll on his health. Doctor advice brought him to Balatonfured’s State Heart Hospital, where he spent a few weeks on his way to recovery.
On a pleasant evening I arrive in the town. It’s tranquil, pretty, and has that comforting coastal air. A string of lakeside shops are selling Hungarian souvenirs, and they prefer the local currency forint over the euro. Someone’s trying his hand at the accordion. A trio of elders and children are enjoying feeding ducks. A young man is being taught the art of angling. Don Williams’ ‘It’s gotta be magic’ is playing in the background and the endearing bass-baritone truly adds magic to the town’s merry mood.
An etching of Tagore's verse and its Hungarian translation |
The sun’s dipped and as I move towards the lake’s pier — its entry guarded by two striking sculptures of the Fisherman and the Ferryman — all I can see is the vastness of blissful blue. The water and sky blur to create a harmonious, painterly dome. I stand mesmerised. I realise I’ve experienced my Tagore moment!
Over 800 years old, Balatonfured shows influences of Roman and Ottoman conquests, and walking through town acquaints me with architectural gems. One of these is the Kerektemplom or Round Church, from the middle of the 19th century, in neo-classical style. As I wander I come across another dedication to India. As chance would have it, Hungarian-Indian painter Amrita Sher-Gil’s retrospective is on view at Vaszary Kavezo, an elegant villa from the Reform Era that’s now an arts centre. It’s for the first time I’m viewing original works and memorabilia associated with the painter. I learn she lived a vivacious life. A quote by her — an extract from a letter to her friend — stays with me: “I can only paint in India. Europe belongs to Picasso, Matisse, Braque… India belongs only to me.”
A retrospective of Hungarian-Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil at the Vaszary Kavezo art centre |
What makes Balatonfured further unique is its micro-climate. Known as the Land of Triple Sunshine, it’s believed the warmth emanates from the sun, the sunlight reflected by the water and the core of the earth. This favourable temperature has made it Hungary’s top wine-producing region and fetched it the title of International Town of Grapes and Wine in 1987.
Hilltop restaurants of wineries serve local specialities and offer unrivalled views of the shimmering lake beyond the verdant vineyards. The Szent Donat cellar-restaurant at Csopak village is one of the best in business and this is where I spent a lovely evening, attending a wine-tasting session, relishing a fare of goat cheese salad, pasta, and a typical Hungarian dessert of sweet quark cheese dumpling. I’m not a wine person and the quenchers that get my vote were the outstanding lavender and elderberry cordials. The subtlety of flavours was excellent and a perfect wrap to an enriching day spent by the shores of the Balaton.
1 comment:
Tagore and Hungary, that's a revelation. Interesting! Seeing you write after a long gap :)
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