Muttrah Sea Road tell tales as old as time

Miles of astounding stretch of Muttrah Sea Road opens up the gate to Oman’s must-visits. What remarkably attracts attention other than the symmetry of the boardwalk glossy tiles is the introduction to the country’s abundance in form of pictures displaying ancient monuments, most notable landscape attractions, local culture, tradition and concurrently exhibiting places of interest and wildlife, all vividly embossed with architectural finesse over the glossy marble tiles on the walls running parallel to the walkway. Worth an attention, the pictures on the tiles tell the tale of Oman’s riches and bounty, putting the focus on the nation’s pride and ethos. The Omani architectural marvel reflects here at every step. Starting from the fish roundabout till Kalbooh, the mosaic path made up of glossy marbles and granites, conserves the traditional ancient architecture of the country but with a humble tone. These pictures stand a silent archetype, gracefully juxtaposed against a busy line of visitors and the turquoise blue waters. The pictures demonstrating the beauty of desert landscapes, lost cities; green wadis like Wadi Bani Khalid, Wadi Bani Habib; the very first mosque in Oman –Mazin Bin Ghadoobah mosque; Salalah; the practice of traditional sports; customary accessory like khanjar, do definitely require a thorough attention to understand what the Sultanate have treasured since ancient times and are honed to present perfection. Strolling down the lustrous path, a tourist as she introduced herself, was busy admiring one such picture illustrating Khasab Fort, did rightly marked her words stating, “My travel agent advised Muttrah as a must-visit in my list. He added that visiting Muttrah means having the essence of Oman, all at one go.” Her saying goes beyond doubt! Trusting the words and the itinerary guidelines, the pictures on the wall along the Sea Road, do surely provide a vivid idea of the country itself. What displayed in the pictures on the marbles provide a wide understanding of the different parts of the country and uniqueness of each places. The picture depicting the dhow and the stretch of the coastline, sketches the importance of Sur city since historic times, along with the mention of Qalhat and Baleed – the ancient civilizations. The one of an Omani lady in her traditional wear complimenting her “batoola” (Omani burqa) weaving her creation, projects the people of Oman and their tradition. Even sports have been dramatically portrayed through horse and camel racing. The element of large variety of wildlife and natural wonders comes up live through these. Each tile evens out a unique story to tell about Oman. A flawless fusion of culture, history, architecture and nature, Muttrah is everything the country showcases. The Sea Road towpath witnesses a thousand footsteps each day, some gearing onto regular fitness regime, some spending leisure moments, few on shopping spree, others comforting themselves to fresh sea breeze and some to capture the finesse of art as it merges with nature. It is not to be missed. On a visit to Muttrah, do have a closer look of Oman uncut through the sketched itinerary inscribed on the Sea Road wall.   Swati Basu Das axisswati@gmail.com