The Lansdowne Bar

Over the long years and in the remaining company of solitude, I have understood life through work during the days and whisky plus cigarettes during the nights. 

I was then introduced to The Peaky Blinders show through Netflix. What ‘The Garrison’ was to Thomas Shelby, perhaps The Lansdowne Bar ‘TLB’ became to me. 

Lansdowne is a quaint little town with colonial architecture built by the British. As it is governed by cantonment laws, it is very clean and peaceful with no nightlife. However, the suburbs of Deriyakhal, Jehrikhal and Palkot developed as hot spots of comfortable accommodation options for tourists.

Amidst this construction of hotels, we at Samskara & Samsara were busy planting trees, which today provide fruits, rudrakshas, bamboos and accommodation for various species of birds and insects. And here in this forest, we built (or at least tried to), the only bar in town!

The bar had opened for 6 months in 2021 and given my absence it was converted to a beer and wine-only bar in 2022. However, come April 2023, it shall serve the finest selection of all types of liquor. 

I still remember the smell of cow dung stuck to my shoes while I walked in the very same cowshed that is now the bar. This transformation however came too soon, for I wanted to be the one to pour you a drink, make you some classic cocktails, light your cigarettes or cigars, play music to soothe your mood and just listen to your stories till I was legally bound to lock the bar (11 pm weekdays, midnight weekends). I had even almost applied to the European Bartender School.
 

However, it seems that early retirement comes to those whose karmas are neutralised. For now, I must continue to work on Samskara & Samsara’s road ahead and until then, I might share a drink with you as a guest myself!