The quintessential natural beauty,that is our own UK
The name Uttarakhand sounds good for this Travelogue as we spent a total of 7 days in the cool Hill State visiting many interesting locations,enjoying the scenic as well as the natural beauty that it had to offer.
Uttarakhand is a small State,but it is the Abode of Gods.Char dhams are here, Haridwar is here,the Ganga is here and so are many small hill stations and of course the Corbett National Park.
It is another matter that the ruling Congress Govt.was pulled down and President's rule was imposed during the course of our stay.This did not deter our travel at all.
Here we go then....post our flight into Delhi
21/3.Old Delhi Rly station is in total shambles.It is a disgrace for the Capital to present a Rly Station such as this which runs major routes to the tourist destinations North of Delhi.We managed to find our berths and before long we were sleeping...
22/3. At Kathgodam Station at 5AM,that cool morning,we had arrived in the Kumaon region,as opposed to the Gharwal region
It is very early to check-in at our Hotel,10 Kms away,so we decide to explore and go and see one of the many lakes that abound the Nainital district
 |
Bhim Tal
We were referred to one of the local Inns as a pit stop at this location which was just what the Doctor ordered.
This picturesque lake view is from our room window...the lake glimmering in the early morning Sun.Surrounded by lush green mountains and dotted with Inns and Hotels.
After a refreshing shower we walked up to the ancient Shiva temple placed some 500 meters from our Inn.It was more for the walk along the bank of the lake which at this time of the morning was calm without boaters and cars honks.There is also an aquarium for the tourists which we avoided.
Hungry as we were after the frugal dinner of the previous day and the salubrious climate, we gorged on a mix of Parathas,feasting our eyes on the lake.Soon we checked out of the Inn and proceeded to Navkuchia Tal, lake of nine corners less than 10Kms away..
A short walk around the perimeter followed,admiring the lake,its setting within the hills and the many colorful boats parked there screaming for tourists.The tourist season wasn't in any swing yet.Good for us but not so for the boat-men. A vendor there was of the view that my wife would look beautiful in the local Kumaoni costume.Yes,I believe him and here she is,sporting as ever,wearing that costume and posing
We passed a Hanuman temple and stopped to look at the
52 feet high statue. Beautiful scenery of high mountains and valley added glory to the holy figure.We didn't explore the artificial cave at the foot of Hanumanji,designed,I believe along the lines of the famous Vaishno Devi shrine
Next on our coverage of lakes was Sat Tal a cluster of mysteriously interconnected seven freshwater lakes situated 20 Kms away from Naukuchia. Sat Tal is set at an altitude of 1370 mts above sea level. This group of lakes is amidst dense forests of oak and pine and invites plenty of migratory birds.Good for birders who can camp her with a pair of high powered Binoculars.Ultra high 400/500mm telephoto lenses and oodles of patience. In the pic above you can notice more activity here.
There was a flock of Geese and their babies foraging for crumbs which was a pretty sight
What attracted us was the vendor selling Lemon juice.Each Lemon was the size of a cricket,tennis ball or more.
Uttarakhand lemons do not have the Tang of a lemon juice of the "plain" variety... but the drink was good to slake our thirst.Pic on the left doesn't do justice to the lemons we saw.
Hunger pangs hit us again and we sat down at one of the Restaurants lining the lake front and partook in a lunch of Kadi chawal,considered a specialty,the other being Rajma chawal.With veg pickle and Papad it was worth the experience in spite of the disturbance caused by a few monkeys,not in the their best behavior nearby.
It was time to check-in at our Sterling Resort as it was getting on to 3 PM and we had a drive of 20 Kms in front of us which would translate to 45 min on the hills.So we went looking at hills and valleys and whatever new we came across and reached our Hotel comfortably.
After some rest and Coffee we drove to Nainital
Now I am going to bore you to death..So hang on to the picture and admire it.
Now I am going to bore you to death..So hang on to the picture and admire it.
During the British Raj, Nainital was a hill station,a getaway for people broiling on the plains in Delhi.They say it was founded by the homesick Brits reminded of the Cumbrian lake district But it’s much older than that, of course,and has ancient mythological connotations,for the word “nain” refers to the left eye of Shakti.When Lord Shiva was carrying the corpse of Shakti,it is said that her left eye fell here, and to this day there is a Naini Devi Temple at one end of the lake.
It was 6:30 ish in the evening and the moon rise over the adjoining hill across the lake made a pretty picture.
There is a short cut from the temple precinct to the Mall Road which we utilised to get across to the bazaar.Being a Good Friday long weekend plus Holi there were plenty of tourists to contend with..but,but there wasn't this holy mess of pedestrians,read shoppers if you wish, having to contend with honking cars,huge SUV's and buses which is a familiar sight on our roads...because the peds could walk as they pleased until 8PM on Mall road which is barred for vehicles till then.
We had a good walk too entering some shops here and there and finally settling down at a Restaurant for Chole Bhature. We wanted to try some Kumaoni food for which the answer was in the negative."So sorry... there are no takers among the general run of tourists for such food.You may find some places at the back of the Main Bazar... yonder".Perhaps we were not very adventurous Foodies and so settled for the available Fare.Here again the vegetable Aachar they served was awesome and combined well.
___________________________________________________
23/3
We let Nainital be.. not wanting to do the usual "point"coverage.Instead we decided to take a drive to Ranikhet a small town 50 Kms to the north at an elevation of 1900 meters
It was a very pleasant drive on a good state H'way dotted with Pine,Deodhar and Rhododendron all glistening in the morning Sun.The air was crisp and scented.
Steve Jobs,when he had lost his way early in life,joined his college friend and traveled to India in 1974 to seek solace from Maharishis and Swamis,as had so many others.Jobs had visited Kainchi Dam Ashram of one Neem Baba who was considered an incarnation of Hanumanji.But the Baba had already passed away in 1973.Somebody at the Asram /Temple told us that perhaps he was inspired by the Apple that was handed over to him as prasad which led to the founding of Apple computers blah..blah,,blah.Julia Roberts of Eat,Love,Pray fame also visited here.Mark Zuckerberg of something called Facebook is also planning a visit soon...you get the point don't you.
Soon we had the most beautiful views of the Western peaks of Himalayas.It was cloudless and bright enough to catch the glory of the peaks which were about 50 Kms away as the crow flies,Nanda Devi,Trishul,Shivling and others were pointed out by our driver and that's when we decided that we should invest in a good set of Binoculars for future use.
Oh! the sight was as grand as the sight of Kanchenjunga that we viewed from Sikkim some years ago
Bal Mithai and Singori
Let's leave Nature aside for a minute and concentrate on food...Sweets specifically.
The driver stopped by a road side shop and recommended that we try the Kumaoni specialty. Who are we to disagree.
Bal Mithai is a brown chocolate-like fudge,made with roasted khoya, coated with white sugar balls.It is available with or without the topping of sugar balls and so we picked some of each.It was fresh and delicious.
Singori is also made with Khoya, grated coconut, and cane sugar, and served wrapped like a cone in a Molu leaf.Tastes somewhat like Kalakhand and has a short shelf life.
It looks like a cross between a north Indian Paan and a south Indian Beeda with coconut shaving on top.unfortunately there is no clove,unlike our Paans,to heighten the effect
Lunch was late and simple; Tawa ki Roti and sabzi in a reasonably clean restaurant in Ranikhet before we set out
A fruit garden run by the Govt.fruit research centre comprising of an Apple orchard,fruit farm and a botanical garden.We had a Km long trek enjoying the walk through the orchard.We passed through stepped farms used for growing fruits.
At the end of our walk we entered the small restaurant where we enjoyed a glass of fruit drink
I have always wondered...Why did we build so many many temples and forgot all about Sauchalayas. Now we are waking up? Are We? Only time will tell
_______________________________________
24/3. Bura Na Mano.Holi Hai.
Morning Scene from our room at Sterling Resort
Holi is a BIG affair in north India and so everything stops other than the revelry.
Holi is a BIG affair in north India and so everything stops other than the revelry.
However,all was not lost as a decent show was put up by Sterling and we took part in the festivities.
Colours of various Hues were arranged on a long platform along with buckets of coloured water. Pichkaris were provided and slowly a number of inmates along with their children trouped out to have fun. We were among the first to join the ruckus and accepted the Gulal on our faces,Tilak on our forehead and said Happy Holi repeatedly
A gang of revelers outside the compound were singing and dancing with Dolaks in their hands.Their spirit was wonderful to behold.They came around to the gates of our Hotel and saying "Holi Hai,bura na mano" applied Tilak and coloured our face.
Later,goodies like Gujia ( sweet dumpling made with Maida flour and stuffed with khoya). and Thandai were served .
Great Camaraderie and lots of "Happy Holis" rented the Air as we enjoyed the occasion.
We rested a lot after lunch and had a good stroll outside the property in the evening and the Sun set over the Hills.
________________________________________
25/3
We had a new driver,very talkative,but well mannered. Sanjay is a budding lyricist and has written a song for an under production movie of Bollywood.Sadly,the movie's production is in doldrums and he hasn't heard a good word in a while.He is thinking of engaging a singer and releasing te song privately
We had a new driver,very talkative,but well mannered. Sanjay is a budding lyricist and has written a song for an under production movie of Bollywood.Sadly,the movie's production is in doldrums and he hasn't heard a good word in a while.He is thinking of engaging a singer and releasing te song privately
He drove us towards Mukteshwar, 50Kms north,2300 meters altitude,and the winding roads as we climbed were more picturesque with Pine, Rhododendron,just blossoming apple trees, and a tree with reddish brown leaves.
 |
| Pine |
 |
| ????? |
 |
| Pine Cone |
 |
| Flowering Apple tree |
I remembered Wodehouse's famous lines "The Sun was shining,the sky was blue,the birds were singing and the flowers in full bloom'' as we meandered through the hills and Lo and Behold we were looking at the Himalayan range again! just before Ramgarh a smallish town on our way
Look at that view .....magnificent isn't it.We were blessed.At Ramgarh again we stopped at a vantage point,a Restaurant actually,to feast our eyes on the Himalayan range.
Here we met an ex-merchant Navy guy who had driven down from Delhi (~6 Hrs) with his wife and friends.He owns a BnB cottage here and is also into locating land and building cottages,runs a trekking club and convinced us that we should experience the delight of a "light" trek in the upper regions of H.After a refreshing cuppa we bid goodbye to these folks
Saw these locals on the road carrying their voluminous burden.Looked good for a picture
Next was the Shiva temple at Mukteshwar. Per legend the Pandavas went to this temple for attaining Mukti before ascending to Kailash. Hence the name.This temple and its environs is visited by devout Hindus during Shiv Ratri etc and is quite a hit during the season
There is this Chauli Ki Jali which is a favourite among child-less women,as it promises them with a flourishing family.Wonder how? By squeezing through the barely 2.5' x 2.5' opening which is perilously close to the overhanging rock formation behind the temple complex.As they say "No Risk,No Gain".Considering the gains over the millennium,there must have been a veritable rush with cries of "me first,me first".Many have now realised that "enough is enough" and thereby we did not see the adventurous spirit unfold before our eyes
 .The ladies would have had a good view of the valley below which was indeed worth the effort.They would have also seen the Himalayan range yonder |
We trekked through the cool copse of Oak trees which we were repeatedly told are very important to maintain the eco-system of the hills.Oak trees have the ability to collect water
"Don't cut my oak trees, they give me water". "We get cool air from them, we get cool water". "Don't cut my oak trees, they give me water". So goes the plaintive song of the film on afforestation
Local self-help groups are engaged in a big way to push afforestation and are planting plenty of Oak trees in this region.
We smelt the aroma of food at the bottom of the temple and helped ourselves to hot masala maggi and soon are on our way.
We were returning,but took a different route though,the road winding through woods and then farms full of potatoes and vegetables,then again Rhododendrons,Apple trees,Pines and Deodhars until we reached Bhim Tal. What a sight!!
We smelt the aroma of food at the bottom of the temple and helped ourselves to hot masala maggi and soon are on our way.
We were returning,but took a different route though,the road winding through woods and then farms full of potatoes and vegetables,then again Rhododendrons,Apple trees,Pines and Deodhars until we reached Bhim Tal. What a sight!!
 |
| Rhododendron tree in full bloom
Faith
|
People in India have adopted various methods to express their faith.
Some body takes to prayers and others to fasting, somebody offers Gold,some make Vadaimalais(garlands out of Medhuvada).Among Buddhists small flags are tied in a row and in different colors with hymns written on it.
Some body takes to prayers and others to fasting, somebody offers Gold,some make Vadaimalais(garlands out of Medhuvada).Among Buddhists small flags are tied in a row and in different colors with hymns written on it.
In Uttarakhand we found yet another interesting faith system; thousands of bell hung in the air and the faith is the wish is fulfilled when the vibrations are carried in air.There were also temples which had hand written letters to God placed along the Bells, requesting the almighty to fulfill the wish. You can also find stamp paper of Indian revenue hung on the bells pledging the same for a wish.This what faith is.
The popularity of a temple can be realized by number of bells hanging over the temple walls. The temple priests have to shift the old bells to a different place to make room for the new bells that are tied everyday.
_______________________________________
26/3
Corbett Tiger reserve..Hidden Tiger Crouching Tourist
 |
| Jim Corbett |
After breakfast we left Sterling and departed Nainital,while it was still in slumber,to our Hotel at Ramnagar, 65 kms on the Delhi road and gateway to the Jim Corbett tiger reserve.
Weather got progressively warmer as we went down,leaving the hills behind and reached our destination in time for lunch and our afternoon Safari.
We rode the Safari Jeep with a guide to boot,for about 3 Hrs in search of the elusive striped Cat but to no avail.We were in the Bijrani zone of the Reserve where the probability of Tiger sighting is very high and Yet....
But we saw this wonderful sight.Behold...
This huge Tusker just stood there for a few minutes,seeing our Jeep, assessing the situation
and having decided that we mean well,came up and left us staring after it.
Apart from the Elephant we saw plenty of spotted Deers,sambars,Monkeys,Langurs and Macaques a variety of birds,fowls and peacocks.But no Tigers
The conversation back at the Hotel went something like this ...
"Did you see a Tiger?"
“Nah.”
“Oh dear,what a waste". "I believe there was a sighting day before yesterday"
“But, we saw a huge Tusker, plenty of deer,monkeys,blah blah blah
"All the way for some Deers!"
"The ride was good.Nature at its best"
“But,No,Tigers eh?"
“Oh dear,what a waste". "I believe there was a sighting day before yesterday"
“But, we saw a huge Tusker, plenty of deer,monkeys,blah blah blah
"All the way for some Deers!"
"The ride was good.Nature at its best"
“But,No,Tigers eh?"
_________________________________________
27/3
We are heading to Dhikala forest zone within the park today. Dhikala is one of the most sought after Zones in Corbett Tiger Reserve.From the main Gate we drove on for an hour or more to reach this Zone.
There are a total of six forest reserve guest house complexes on the way to Dhikala.
We stopped in between to admire the views by the river side .This is the Ramganga river
We roamed the Dhikala zone with its vast grass lands just like the Savannas in Africa.The setting here is.... a large deciduous forest fronted by the Savanna.A baby elephant escorted by its mother were on their way from the forest to the grass lands
One after the other many of the Herd crossed in front of us to go over to graze in the vast Grass lands
A Panaromic view of the Ramganga reservoir where Crocodiles bask at the banks.
Elephants in the wild have this habit of covering their backs with dust and dirt to keep away insects bothering them and also to act as a Sun block. Later in the afternoon Safari this became clear to us.
Here he is approaching the water body.He is dry and clean
Now, standing over a pool of dirty water and throwing water upon its back.This went on for 10 minutes.
After the elephant spectacle our driver gave his everything to sight a Tiger but to no avail.They were not interested in meeting us and give us their autograph
The day ended and we registered at the forest rest house for our dinner and rest
Our Forest Rest house for the night with Solar panels to provide enough power for the kitchen to provide food and to light a LED lamp in the room
______________________________________
28/3
We were up at around 5 listening to the early morning call of the birds and animals,had a cup of tea and checked out.We were told that the chance of sighting the Big Fella is more in the early morning hours
The jeep slid to a halt, our driver leaned over the side and pointed to some markings on the ground now smudged by our tire tracks.
As the sun climbed, the jeep trundled onward into the forest. Shards of sunlight broke through the leafy canopy, which occasionally echoed with birdsong and the rumblings of my empty stomach.As usual we saw monkeys and deer. I felt a pang of guilt for being disappointed; that they looked remarkably at ease. Deer startle easy, but these ones were happily hopping about and nibbling in the undergrowth.Their tails weren’t standing upright, their companions weren’t barking warnings. That meant no tiger nearby.
We criss-crossed other jeeps, packed with chubby,friendly tourists all bidding each other good luck in their quest for a tiger sighting. The futility of it all became clear.
So, after 2 days and four long safaris we could not spot a Tiger,even a lame one at that.
Remember the conversation we had with somebody on the first evening?
We stopped in between to admire the views by the river side .This is the Ramganga river
We roamed the Dhikala zone with its vast grass lands just like the Savannas in Africa.The setting here is.... a large deciduous forest fronted by the Savanna.A baby elephant escorted by its mother were on their way from the forest to the grass lands 
One after the other many of the Herd crossed in front of us to go over to graze in the vast Grass lands
A Panaromic view of the Ramganga reservoir where Crocodiles bask at the banks.
Elephants in the wild have this habit of covering their backs with dust and dirt to keep away insects bothering them and also to act as a Sun block. Later in the afternoon Safari this became clear to us.
Now, standing over a pool of dirty water and throwing water upon its back.This went on for 10 minutes.
After the elephant spectacle our driver gave his everything to sight a Tiger but to no avail.They were not interested in meeting us and give us their autograph
Our Forest Rest house for the night with Solar panels to provide enough power for the kitchen to provide food and to light a LED lamp in the room
28/3
We were up at around 5 listening to the early morning call of the birds and animals,had a cup of tea and checked out.We were told that the chance of sighting the Big Fella is more in the early morning hours
The jeep slid to a halt, our driver leaned over the side and pointed to some markings on the ground now smudged by our tire tracks.
“See, tigers were here last night,” he said. We could see large pug marks,in the white sand.He drove slowly,stopping every now and then to listen to "Calls".But no Tiger was sighted.
As the sun climbed, the jeep trundled onward into the forest. Shards of sunlight broke through the leafy canopy, which occasionally echoed with birdsong and the rumblings of my empty stomach.As usual we saw monkeys and deer. I felt a pang of guilt for being disappointed; that they looked remarkably at ease. Deer startle easy, but these ones were happily hopping about and nibbling in the undergrowth.Their tails weren’t standing upright, their companions weren’t barking warnings. That meant no tiger nearby.
Remember the conversation we had with somebody on the first evening?
Conversations such as this must be commonplace over breakfast in the many hotels and guesthouses that ring the edge of this National Park.
Jim Corbett, India’s oldest national park, is known as one of the world’s top destinations for spotting tigers in the wild. Yet only the most fortunate visitors end their trips with a sighting, and the rare souvenir of a tiger’s image frozen in time on their camera
This is hardly surprising. Corbett is a huge park covering more than a thousand square kilometers, much of which is thick deciduous forest. It’s so large that its landscapes and characteristics vary from one side to another, from sandy river beds, to grasslands and marshes, to hillsides covered in lush foliage.
The tiger, a master of stealth, wouldn’t be too hard pushed to hide away from the prying eyes of humans.
The tiger, a master of stealth, wouldn’t be too hard pushed to hide away from the prying eyes of humans.
Yes we didn't see a tiger,but we really didn't care...we had enjoyed our outing among Nature for two days, taking pleasure in whatever we could see and experience.
Most of all,our Hotel for guiding us through the booking process,Guide and Driver who conducted the tour well.
A pat on the back to the forest reserve authorities too!
_________________________________________
Most of all,our Hotel for guiding us through the booking process,Guide and Driver who conducted the tour well.
A pat on the back to the forest reserve authorities too!
_________________________________________
29/3
The day was long,very long as we departed Ramnagar,took the train to Delhi,rode the Metro to the Airport, flew into Mumbai and reached home safely.
The day was long,very long as we departed Ramnagar,took the train to Delhi,rode the Metro to the Airport, flew into Mumbai and reached home safely.
Au Revoir
..
