Our World: As We See It

2011-08-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

Part IV:Manali and Snow
28th April:We were so tired by the time we reached Manali on 27th night that the most welcome sight was the hotel room(not a very great one)and the comfortable bed.And it was chilly.We found Dharamshala hot,Triund sweaty but Manali was cooler than both.A good nights sleep was all we craved.
The next morning was refreshing and cool.We had decided to make this a rest day and just be lazy.As I said earlier Hotel Kunzum of HPTDC was not a great value for money.We paid Rs 2000 a night for a super delux room but it was just a small room.But it more than made up for the view from the open area restaurant in front,you can sit there all day and just enjoy the market.This is exactly what Santosh did:

And the view helped:

We wanted to touch and feel snow.Unfortunately Rohtang was closed so the next on list was snow point.
29th of April:We met snow.The snow point in Manali shifts according to season,our concierge told us if we would have come 1st week february,snow was in front of our hotel.This is April so we had to go to Gulaba Camp.Climbing steadily up from Manali,the road winds up to Palchan.Turn right and you go to Solan Nallah.But we turned left.Just before the hair pin bends start is a cluster of huts renting out shoes,jackets and ski-poles and gloves.Believe me when I say they are tourist traps.Not only they rent clothes,they also provide guide-cum cameraman,whether you need it or not.More on that later.
For now we rented clothes and took a guide-cameraman and started the climb up.We left the car after about 2 kms and started the climb up on foot.Again a gradual climb of around 1-2 kms and we reached snow point.
And WOW!!

Meet Johnny and Rocky:snow climbers,thinkers and a couple of serious chaps

Santosh`s skiing efforts:

Needless to say Santosh became a pro;I on the other hand chose to stand by

In a pensive mood:

Them tooooo

After playing about for an hour, we went to Solang Valley.Sandwiched in between Beas Kund and Solang Village,it is a beautiful spot.Solang is completley equipped for adrenaline seekers with paragliding,skiing,quad bike rides as well as simple cable car for people not so adventure-friendly,like us:)
But the view was simply awesome.

Way to Rohtang, our guide pointed it out on the way back:

That night after we came back our guide cum photographer came to the hotel.Instead of five photographs which we had reluctantly ordered he got us fifteen and charged a 1000 bucks.We actually told him to get lost.He started tearing up the photos in front of us.After a big row he was made to leave,the front desk guy in the hotel is completely useless,he did exactly nothing.Guess a part of that 1000 rupees would have been his.Before leaving he did threaten us that he will come back with more people.
30th April:Our last day in Manali.We had planned the day for local sightseeing. So first stop Vashisht ashram.A small village situated on the left bank of river Beas.Pyrimadal type stone temple is dedicated to Muni Vashisht with hot springs nearby.The water smells strongly of sulphur.

The beautiful Ram temple in the complex:

Tibetan monastery was the next stop.Though not as brilliant or significant as the one in Dharamshala,it was still as calm and peaceful.It has a good collection of Tibetan paintings.

And the prayer wheels.

The beautiful wall paintings.
Manali`s best attraction is the Hadimba Temple.Hadimba Temple or the Dhungiri temple in Manali is located in the middle of a forest called the Dhungiri Van Vihar.The four storey high wooden temple was erected in 1553 dedicated to the Goddess Hadimba.
Now all of us know who Hadimba is,second Pandav Bhima`s first wife.They had a son calld Ghatotkach,but hardly anybody knows how Hadimba became a goddess.After Bhima left her,Hadimba and her minor son stayed in Dhungri and administered the kingdom.After her son`s death,Hadimba immersed herself in meditation and gained powers.A temple was raised where her house was and she became the patron-deity of the Raja of kullu.There is no deity inside just a stone with a footprint.
But the surrounding forest and the peace and calm surrounding the place is the thing to enjoy.

2011-06-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Part III: Road to Manali-

27th April:Manali is the next destination for us.We decided to indulge ourselves a bit and hired a taxi paying Rs 7000 to cover Manikaran,Palampur tea estates,Chamunda Devi and Baijinath Temple.We plan to sleep in Manali.
Chamunda Devi is about 15 kms from Dharamshala.One of the major pilgrim point in Kangra, the temple is said to be 700 years old.The Durga shakti form is the idol here,the legends tell the famous fight of devi Chandika with the demons Chanda and Munda.We were not allowed to take photographs inside the temple,so I got a few from outside. The temple complex outside is very beautiful.

The best is the image of Devi Chamunda.Carved in red stone,it inspires awe and my hands clasped on their own.Wish I had a photograph of the beautiful idol.
Next Stop Palampur or the tea estates of Palampur.The small town came into significance when tea was introduced in Palampur from Almora.'Kangra Tea' with its centre at Palampur sells worldwide under names like Darbari,Bageshwari,Bahar and Malhar.
The vast expanse of tea gardens is as refreshing as a cup of tea.Once glance is enough to cheer any tired soul and the majestic Dhauladhars keeping watch creates a sheer magnificence of white and green.Cannot describe any more just check the photos.

Leaving Palamapur, our next stop was Baijnath temple.On the way:

The importance of Baijnath is huge.Around 16 kms from Palampur, in the middle of the beautiful Beas valley,Baijnath is dedicated to Shiva.According to legend two merchants laid the foundation of the temple in the 9th century.However local legend say Ravan prayed to Shiva in the main temple.He offered his head ten times at a place marked out in the temple.And because of this people here do not celebrate Dusshera.They believe celebrating Dussehra can anger the deity inside as it marks the death of His greatest disciple,Ravan.

The surprise is the architectural style,its Oriya in look placed in the wrong state.The main Shikhar rises straight up and unlike the low roofed plain styling of these parts,it is carved with figuerines.

It is beautiful.The back garden of the temple with river flowing by is a place of quiet contemplation.

Manikaran is the last place to visit before reaching Manali.Famous for hot springs,a gurudwara,a temple and a mosque,all lying in close proximity,Manikaran is a pilgrim point.Also called Parvati valley, Manikaran is associated with the legend of Shiva and Parvati.They loved the place so much it is said they lived here for a thousand years.One day Parvati lost one of he gems in her earring.Shiva searched and searched for it but could not find the gem,the angry god opened HIS third eye.Fearing for everybody,Shesh Nag started searching for the lost jewellery.The snake hissed and hissed creating hot air and the water started boiling throwing up many stones including the one which Parvati lost.
Since then the water is boiling here at Manikaran.The water is used by people of all faith and cook rice,dal or chana as prasad.The original Ram temple is closed for renovation.Another bright polished wood temple has been made but to be honest it does not have the charm of the old pale gray stone temple.So here is Manikaran in pictures:

We crossed into Kullu town after Manikaran and proceeded to Manali.It took a solid 4hrs from from Manikaran to Manali,I happily slept off and by the time I awoke,we had reached Manali.We had our bookings in HPTDC hotel Kunzum,not a very great value for money,the only advantage it is near the bus-stop.
Early morning view from Manali:

2011-06-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

Part II-Triund Trek

26th April: Holidaying in Dharamshala-Mcleodganj and not visiting Triund is like skipping the icing on the cake.Not an apt simile.
The promise of awesome views of the Dhauladhars and a long nurtured desire to do a trek once again after a long time had me digging into guide books and websites for Triund.It is a one-day trek on the sheperd route of Chamba and Kangra.The snowline is within touching distance from Triund and you used to see a lot of wildlife here previously. The more adventourous walk up to Lahesh Cave,another 6 kms from Triund and then onwards to Indrahar Pass.
We had planned to do it as a day trip,infact we opted to come down the same way and not stay overnight.
So here I am getting ready with waterbottles:

Triund the trek for us started at 6.30 in the morning.We have been advised to leave early and since not planning to stay back,to reach Dharamkot as soon as possible.As we were staying in lower Dharamshala,exiting the hotel we went to the taxi for a drive up to Dharamkot.Some start their trek from Mcleodganj walking up to Dharamkot at 2100 metres through a panorama of small and big houses,meditation centres or a simple bed and breakfast for backpackers.But again,we did not know how we would hold out for the trek.Santosh said,'if we find ourselves unable to go all the way,we will go till where we can and walk back'.OK
At Dharamkot,the same taxi driver offered us to drive up till Galu Devi.Seriously? we can? Yes.for 500 Rs he will.Great,lets do that then.
But believe me when I say it is better to walk.It was the most bone jarring ride I had ever taken.I missed the view,I missed the forest and I missed to take any photograph.I was busy holding on.
Advantage: 7.30 am we were standing on the steps on the Galu devi temple.

This is at 2130 metres;beside the temple there is a small refreshemnt shop named 'Rest a while'.It was closed and there was just one guy sitting near apool of water.After paying the taxi driver we asked the guy,"Bhaiya,triund ka rasta?'He pointed.We saw a winding path going in gently into the surrounding woods.This is easy.Started walking.Now this is how it looked like when we started:

Soon afterwards after walking for about 30 mins it became like this

I later read somewhere there are 22 tough turns in Triund and 1 steep climb near the top.To be honest i did not count,just took the turns and went on climbing up.This is Santosh at a water break.

It was rocks,rocks and more rocks all the way.And we did not meet a soul.The calf muscles on my legs started protesting and my lungs did not like working overtime.So can I make it? I took a stop after an hour to pant my energy back and to take a few photographs.Dharamshala looked simply delicious.

And this after another hour:

Now this is a lesson in human resilience.I am amazed at what the human species can achieve.Take rain,sun,hail,moon,in short all nature of difficulties we take on.For what? Sometimes glory,but most for love.Just to write our names in those annals of love,where legends are made.Somebody did the same in Triund too,one rock hanging around 6 feet from ground,rocky terrain,very little steady foothold:-no matter.Please if anybody knew this modern Romeo in Triund,do write to me.

How we destroy nature.
We met two guys coming down.Are we anywhere near? Oh yes another 4 kms should do the trick.Turn the bend and you can see the ridge to climb to Triund top. We turned and there it is, the ridge as informed.Oh God, we almost made it.

We had crossed 'Magic View',however 'Snowline View' we were not able to ignore.We had to take a break and have that chai.It is such a relief to rest my poor legs for a while.We had not met anybody till then, but now we started meeting people.There was this Israeli guy who had just finished his military duty,taken some time off and now travlling.We met this couple, the husband had sprained his ankle so he is climbing on a horse,his wife struggling to walk up at least 2 kms behind him.And this is me again getting ready for the last assault.

And the last chai shop before the final climb

Now almost 3 hrs into the climb, the last 1km seemed the most difficult.The jerk on the leg seemed more painful than the last.Then we met our first icefall.

And we reached Triund top.It is a picnic like atmosphere with tents,people and the view of the mountain.

Dharamshala way below us:

We did not have much time for photographs on Triund Top.We reached and clouds started rolling in,just got a glimpse of the four peaks of Mun,Slab,Rifle Horn and Arthur`s Seat before clouds covered most of it.

Coming down became a whole new story;for some reason I am very good in climbing up rocks but ask me to get down I have to hold a lot of things.I shake,my legs shake and I normally step on each and every loose rock left on the way in such a way that my ankles get scared of twisting.I will check nervously where my next foot is where am I supposed to get down then after much thought I will tentatively put a foot forward.
So basically I had to hold on to Santosh the whole time I was coming down.
But did we enjoy it? Oh yes, want to try it again? definitely.While coming down clouds lifted for a second and I got this:

About Triund:
It is a comparatively easy trek to do,for beginners like us a bit of huffing and puffing will be there.But the exhilarating feeling of reaching the top is the same as climbing any other mountain.
There is no permanent residence in Triund,except a Forest Rest House on a ridge that provides bedding,or else carry your own tent as most of the backpackers do and a dhaba can provide with basic food with exorbitant prices.for eg. for you a plate of dal rice can cost Rs 100,for a foreigner the same jumps to at least Rs 130.
Tomorrow we leave for Manali doing some sightseeing on the way.

Dharamshala-Mcleodganj,Triund and Manali

2011-05-06T02:02:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the Himlayas with a passion.And every oppurtunity available I have tried to plan a holiday in the Himalayas. This time we actually planned for a trip to the jungles of Dooars in the beginning.But with impending elections in West Bengal,we had to change our plans.Then I read a quote:Trekking the mighty Himalayas is a journey of life;we seek a peak,a waterfall,a snowy valley or a plateau.However the journey itself is the desire,the destination an excuse to arrive,we have to descend again to go on with our lives.
So I decided Himalayas it is.We are going to travel to Dharamshala first,roam around Mcleodganj,trek to Triund and move to Manali to do the usual touristy things.

Part I: Dharamshala-Mcleodganj
23rd April: Started from Kolkata in Rajdhani for New Delhi,all excited and grumbling for the heat as well. But again the lovely mountains awaiting us.
24th April: Reached Delhi at around 9am,took a pre-booked cab to a relative`s place and slept off. Caught the Jammu Mail from Old Delhi Station to Pathankot at 8pm.Another dubious jewel in the vast sea of offerings provided by Indian Railways,one look at the food we decided to go hungry for the night.Alarms were set to wake us early,as both of us are nightbirds unable to open our eyes long after the sun is high.However we successfully woke up by 6 am, and arrived in Pathankot at 7.30am.
25th April:Reaching Pathankot the next mode of transportation needed to be decided.Shall we take a bus to Dharamshala costing around Rs 100 approx per head or just hire a taxi which will cost around Rs 1800.Unable to decide we were just walking towards the exit when forceful voices from behind made me turn around.We met Dorji and Marlyn,both of them long time residents of the region and shuttle between UK and India every couple of months.Like lucky stars, they smiled and offered to share a taxi. So it worked out Rs 450 per head and a lovely entertaining 3 hrs to Dharamshala.Dorji is an ordained Buddhist and has a wide range of opinions on all subjects.She said she even knew the hotel that we were staying in and will drop us right to its doorstep.Conversation,chai and a flat puncture later we reached Dharamshala.Here are the two lovely ladies and me.

Hotel Dhauladhar is supposed to be one of the best in Dharamshal.There is a 12 o`clock check in check out policy.As we reached around 10.30ish, we had to wait in the restaurant.And the views bowled us over.

And this is only a sample from the terrace.
Next on agenda Mcleodganj. We are here only for two nights so wanted to make the most of the time.Local jeeps run from lower Dharamshala every half-hour,cost Rs 10 per seat.People capacity-14 heads in a jeep.
I have heard a lot about Mcleodganj or little Tibet. With China being relentless in the persuasion of destruction of independent Tibet as an entity,little Lhasa grew in Mcleodganj.Because of Dalai Lama`s presence and fame,this small town grew from a one-road village to a cosmolitan centre of Tibetan culture where scholars are rubbing shoulders now with backpackers in search of New Age fun.
But we wanted to check the place out.Options:book a taxi for Rs 500 for sightseeing,or book an auto for Rs 350 again a sightseeing package or leg it.Hmmmm,tough decision.The auto won.With a lot of noise and very dangerous driving near the precipice we are off.First stop Dal lake.
I have a habit of reading about a place before going there.So this is what I read:This is the poor man`s Manimahesh,the Indian army was trying to widen the lake which turned it into a pond.However it still has blue-green water teeming with goldfish and an awesome view of Deodars on the opposite bank.About 2 kms from the main city, we drove beside the lake.Uh what lake??Where is the water?? The trees are there all right,but what happened?Our cool auto driver explained,cleaning is going on.So shouldnt that have been told to us before?? Silence is golden.

Santosh searching for water.

Next is View point.Full of doubts after the Lake experience we were dropped beside a winding walkway going by the mountainside.We never enjoyed anything more.Just check the photos:

Through a telescope we saw the mountain view and Triund.

This is Triund,our destination tomorrow.
After spending almost an hour at the view point,its time to go to the next destination St-John`s-Church at Wilderness.The British made this church in 1852.The lovely mosaics and the stained glass windows with pictures of St John is a throw back to that era.The cemetery has many long lost graves small and large,prominent being the marble memoriam of Lord Elgin erected by his widow on the spot where he was buried.

Now BhagsuNag.The Bhagsunag shrine is a temple. Locals claim it is 10,000 years old and legends are also told about the demon king Bhagsu,who in his search for water for his people fought with the Nag(serpent)king.What is interesting though is the the short trip to the Bhagsu river and waterfall,a steep upward climb starting just behind the temple.

The last and the most important the Dalai Lama Temple.Located at the very heart of the town, the temple blends almost unobtrusively into the background of the whole town.We were informed as per Dalai Lama`s principles it was built without chopping down a single tree.I must admit this. I normally have little respect and time for any kind of spiritual gurus,most of them being the frauds they are.But I am a huge admirer of Dalai Lama and feel he is one spiritual leader who actually makes sense.His philosophies are simple, his views true and his ideology perfect.I wish I was able to meet him.But I had to be happy with the temple. The entrance is dominated by the Namgyaima Stupa,a tribute to all those Tibetans who died in their struggle for freedom.And what a struggle it is.I really wish our country would be an active supporter in the cause, a cause worth fighting for.

The temple is said to be the exact replica of the original Tsuglakhang in Tibet lovingly carved by exiled Tibetans. I appreciate their efforts.I love the way these resilient people have kept their individuality alive,being pursued by one of the worst autocracies in the world in the form of a republic,Republic of China.Security for Dalai Lama has been increased almost two-fold in the recent years due to China inspiring spies to murder him,sad to say many of them Tibetans.
The principal image is that of Buddha rising 9 feet from a lotus seat.

To its right,facing Tibet are 12 feet gilded images of Padmasambhave and Avalokiteswara.

For a religious traveller, the temple is the first and the last place to visit in the day.For the non-religious and the curious,it is amazing, the butter lamps,the prayer wheels, the view from the terrace of the surrounding breathtaking mountains--it all culminates is a single word, amazing.

OK here are some Quick Facts:
Mcloedganj is quite accessible by road,rail and air. Nearest airport Kangra Airport,Gaggal.
By road NH1 to Ambala,NH2 to Zirakpur,NH21 to Kiratpur via Chandigarh and then State roads via Amb,Kangra.HPTDC runs state buses and luxury coaches to Dharamshala-Mcleodganj.
By rail,there are two trains I can find,Jammu Mail starting from Old Delhi Station at 21.45 reaching Pathankot at 7.30 in the morning is the most convenient.
There are a lot of staying options in Dharamshala and Mcleodganj.Food is multi-cultural with Tibetan eateries and punjabi dhabas ruling the place.Shopping is interesting with a wide range of Tibetan products,however the shopkeepers are most interested in the backpackers than they are in serving you in Mcleodganj.We found lower Dharamshala more agreeable for shopping for us poor Indians and enjoyed the experience.
In short,Dharamshala or the Pilgrim`s Rest lives up to its name welcoming tired travellers in search of bliss,religious or non.

A Very Short Trip:Vizag,Araku Valley

2011-01-05T10:37:00.000-08:00

'I am bored,I am bored,I am bored'- I bored Santosh to his very core with these three words from October onwards.So he got fed up and decided on a small trip to Vizag on the Christmas holidays.Five precious days,out of which one and a half will be spent on travelling to and one and a half days to come back.Settling down I started dreaming of sun,sand and a harbor with ships.I had heard a lot about Vizag-Its a compact city,beautiful in winter but humid hot in summer.
Next on agenda was tickets.We tried flights,we tried trains and ended up unsuccessful.'But we have to go'-that was me in my pouty best.We got bus tickets.Private to go by and Andhra Pradesh State transport to come back.One piece of advise(I know I know its too early to start giving advices,I mean I have just covered only a few lines in this entry,but i have to):do carry earmuffs.If you had the private bus service like we did,an assault of Chiranjeevi movies will be the fare of the day;that too at its loudest.Now I have nothing against Chiranjeevi or his movies,I do have a problem the volume at which it was played. We boarded the bus at around 9 pm and from 9-12 the assault on human hearing capability was full on.I ended up having a royal headache.Slept off as soon as Chiranjeevi finished his antics.
I woke up once very early in the morning.The sun was not up,the whole countryside flying by was bathed in that glorious light which means morning coming.I remembered why I loved road trips,for this one glorious moment when everybody is sleeping and I wake up. Went back to sleep immediately afterwards.We were supposed to reach Vizag by 8am,we reached by 10 just when Chiranjeevi was reaching another of his crescendos. Santosh`s eldest brother lives in Vizag so we had a home to get to.And what a home it is,just on top of a hill overlooking the golden sands and the sea.But that comes later.
Now we are riding through the city,and believe me Vizag is a compact city.Once a inconsequential fishing village, Vizag soon became a bustling harbor city after being colonised by the Dutch and later by the British. The whole place is tucked like a bowl between the sea and the Eastern Ghats.The effect shows:

Vizag has become known for its industrial units and now for the simply amamzing number of beaches.The most popular is the Ramkrishna Beach,which gets its name from the Ramkrishna Ashram nearby.And we didnot go there.
Bhaiyya took us to a secluded beach,outside the city limits.I dont want to mention the name or the directions to go there.I want to be a secret keeper for this one.I am jealous of others going there you see, but here are the feasts for the eyes.

That is all of us and Bhaiyya`s friends having fun.So as can be guessed,Day 1 in Vizag was beach day.Some more of that:

That is Santosh and his brother Sachin having more fun,in fact Bhaiyya having the most fun as he was in the water for quite some time.Santosh,Bhabhi and me believe in knee lenght depths.So here we are:

That is Ruchali bhabi in red and me in blue.
And this is my favourite as the sun was setting.

Now did I mention that to go into the actual beach we have to climb over a huge sand dune,almost 7 feet high with steep slopes and I bravely helped everbody up then encouraged people down as they were scared stiff??Nah,in fact we did have to climb over a pile of sand I with my eyes closed and screaming,holding on to Santosh for dear life.You see I hate anything on which I have to climb which is not steady.I came down the same way.
Beaches in Vizag: As mentioned earlier beaches abound in Vizag.The most popular is the Ramakrishna Beach,with its aquarium,the Vishakha museum,India`s first submarine museum and the adjacent Kali temple it is a complete family area.But this is non swimming beach.Another famous beach is the Rishikonda beach.This is around 8 kms from the main city and good for swimmers,surfers as well as simple lazers. The beach we went to is called Kalinga. The only landmark I remember passing was the Thotlakonda site,so I guess it was quite off the city limits. Another long distance beach is the Bheemunipatnam or Bhimli.Around 30 kms from Vizag,the drive itself is exhilarating.The beach is calm.There is a Dutch cemetery and why its worth a see is because not only it reminds us of the colonial past but also gives the reason engraved on the stone why the person died.
Day 2 in Vizag was the most interesting.Now Sachin bhaiyya works for the Indian Navy in a very high post, he actually arranged for us to go onboard a EKM class submarine of the Indian navy and an operational Corvette class ship.We roamed all over both the ships,visitng each and every part of it.Unfortunately i cannot detail anything,except these:

This was inside the submarine.

We forgot to take any other photographs even where it was allowed.It was awesome.
After lunch the next in agenda was Thotlakonda.After Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,Andhra Pradesh is the next place which has the most number of Buddhist monuments.One of its endearing mark is Thotlakonda,a hill-top site 15 km from Vishakapatnam.It is from this point that Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka and other parts of South-East Asia.The advantage of being a port.Now this is mostly a monastry complex with several rock-troughs.The buddhists call it Syenagiri or the Eagle Hill.You can simply drive up or take the cable car for the ride up and see the reason why.The whole city was visible from up where we were.

This is the main stupa.

This was the residential sector.

Our view from above.

A perfect sunset to end the lovely day.
There was still one more spot to go to end the day,and that is Kailashgiri.
This is the most popular tourist spot in Vizag,and it is evident from the crowd always present there. What`s so special about Kailashgiri?First is the view which means the whole city and Bay of Bengal lies illuminated and open to the eyes from Kailashgiri. As evident from the name it is a hill,so to climb this hill you can drive up,take the ropeway or leg it if you are feeling adventourous.There is a train ride of around 30-45 minutes wwhich shows the hilltops,the sea, the whole city of vizag in all its splendour.And finally the chief attraction of Kailashgiri,the huge statue of Shiv and Parvati.Its is made of white marble stone and they stand on a stone platform and from the feet of Kailash flows a stream.

Day 3: We did a day trip to Araku Valley today.Now Araku is the most famous hill-station in AP and is the most popular still way ahead of the fast catching Horseley Hills from tourism point of view.Around 136 km from Vizag, Araku has waterfalls,streams and a nice view.Araku is accessible by road and by train. Now I had heard that the journey to Araku goes through tunnels,hill sides and streams and that is the best way to go there.Trains run everyday from Vizag to Araku.It is also well connected by road from Vizag and AP tourism runs excursion trips. Or you can also book a car like we did. It took us Rs 2000,a nice 3 hrs ride and a hot coffee to arrive in Araku.Now there are so many things to do and see in Araku that a day trip actually cannot cover all.But with time constraints we had to miss a few.
We saw the Tribal Museum First.I have to mention I never saw such a ill-maintained museum ever.The exhibits have no protection,people are simply picking up the displays and putting them back again.We paid 20 rupees perhead to go in. I rather liked the displays.There was hardly any display board giving an idea what each display is about,but it was pretty interesting.

A Trip Down Memory Lane:Nagarjuna Sagar 2005

2010-10-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

Remembering this trip the only emotions I feel is happiness,nostalgia and a sense of missing those friends of mine who were on that trip.This trip was a celebration of finishing training after we all joined our present organisation,way back in 2005.Most of us has gone our separate ways as is the norm,however,I am hoping for some memories to be back with this blog.
As I said,this happened way back in 2005.We were Training Batch no7 or TB7,so this is TB7`s day out.How did we decide on the place? Becoz of the rains.That year it rained a lot in Andhra Pradesh & it came in the papers that all the gates in the dam has been opened.There were 11 of us,and we decided to make it a day trip.All the logistics were arranged days in advance, we will go by bus roam around,and start back by 5pm so that we can reach Hyderabad by 9pm.So we meet at 4am in the morning.YAWNNNN!!!See how most of the girls have the privilege of sitting down?:)
And the wait started,where is the bus?By the time the bus arrived it was 15 minutes past 5. The bright soul who has booked the bus has asked it to come at 5.So the effect of waiting so long showed:
But how can we sleep when a party was planned? So we all woke each other up:
It takes around 3-3.5 hrs to reach Nagarjunasagar from Hyderabad and we promised to ourselves to enjoy every bit of it.We sang,We danced on the bus(much to the tension of the driver),we made the bus stop at every possible dhaba on the way just to take pictures and ahem,attend to things,you know.
and then one more:
Finally we reached Nagarjunasagar.A very decent photograph follows:

Travel Trivia:This dam is the larges masonry dam in the world.It has 9 gates for irrigation,11 for energy/power and the rest 26 for reservoir.(I read it up)
Now the time we reached,the Krishna river was full and all the gates of the dam was open.The best part,that time people were allowed to go up on the dam and walk about. That`s exactly what we did,in the burning sun.But look at the view:this is the reservoir side where Krishna flows.

Now on top of the dam:

There is nothing much else to see in this place.We decided to skip the boat ride to the Nagarjunkonda museum as it takes good part of an hour to go in boat,stay around an hour on the island and again come back.So almost three hours in all.Then we discovered our small adventure,the Ethipotala waterfalls.

A local villager informed us that we can actually go down to the waterfalls and have a bath at its very bottom.Now who can stop and think after that.We were shown some stairs by which the way goes down and the small trek starts.

Once the stairs are over there is no path,just rocks and more rocks.There were small streams running in between the rocks and once you climb the rocks you can fall into the stream.That`s what happened to these three:

Luckily none lost their shoes.There was more mishaps to follow like some more falls down on the stream,a handbag floating off, a scamper after the handbag;then the rain started.We had planned to get wet at the waterfall but by the time we reached the waterfall we had lost the desire being thoroughly wet.But the view more than made up for it:

It took us another hour to rest and then start our climb up.Again the rains came to drench us to the core.We did not mind,happy but tired all of us were hankering for food.The best place that came recommended for food was APTDC`s Vijay Vihar.The food was just tolerable,a typical South Indian fare and set up in buffet plates.But once a plate finishes it takes a long time to get replaced.While we were eating we were invited by a guide to visit the crocodile breeding centre.NO thank you seemed to have little effect so we decided to escape by going into the washrooms,obviously ladies and gents separate.By the time the all the ladies were out as expected the so called guide has vanished.See guys, there are some advantages as well with us taking our time,what say??
We went for a last look at the dam in the setting sun and some more photographs:

Tired but happy the way things went we all boarded the bus for the return journey.
Nothing extraordinary happened on the way back except we again stopped for innumerable times for chai,snacks and stories.

I am ashamed to say i do not remember the names of all my batch mates from that time,if any of you read this pls update the names.The ones I remember are Aarti Kapadia,Honey B,Rani,Nishita Pokala and of course me.The guys were Amir Qureshi,MR Kartik,Allwyn from Goa(sorry forgotten the last name),a second Kartik and Ram.That`s about it.Sorry again for the guys and girls whose name i have forgotten.

2009-12-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

Part IV:Shillong and Cherrapunji
23rd of November: Yesterday we had another confrontation with driver Narayan who had demanded Rs 3000 for the whole Guwahati city tour,saying he was never informed that we would roam around Guwahati.So what else were we supposed to do? He was grumbling all the while saying he is spending money to stay, to eat, to roam around and he is not supposed to. A couple of phone calls solved the issue.So with a bitter night, we started for Shillong,determined to enjoy inspite of everything.
Shillong is a pleasant 3-hr ride from Guwahati and the best way to go is by driving.Nature puts on its best faces in the journey and the increase in altitude means a pleasant drop in temparature.Non-partisan nature must have extended such a welcome even to Britishers who wandered this far.
'One such early visitor wrote to the Governor-General in Calcutta that he found the climate here “for six months of the year to resemble that of the west of England, and during the other six, to be superior to it”. And David Scott, Assam’s Commissioner who laid the foundations of British rule in North-East India, had already built a small cottage at Nongkhlaw, near Shillong, as early as 1829 to “eat the Europe air”, as he told his friends. After Nongkhlaw was overwhelmed in the resistance movement led by the Khasi national hero U Tirot Singh, the British moved their district headquarters to Cherrapunjee in 1835. Only three decades later, in 1864, would Shillong finally become the hub of British rule in these parts.'(quoted from Outlook Traveller)
We started early in the morning from Guwahati by 6.30am and reached Shillong by 9.00 am.Next in agenda: Go Out.Highlights of Shillong are Shillong Peak which offers a bird's eye view of the city,one can see Gorichen,highest peak in Arunachal Pradesh on a very clear day;the State Museum, not particulary exciting, displaying the cultures of the seven states of North-East India;the houses, a delectable mix of English homes and Indian manors;lakes and waterfalls.
In fact, the first lake we crossed before entering Shillong is Umiam Lake or locally called Barapani.Umiam in Khasi means ‘water of the eyes’. The lake is the source of the Umiam River, which has been transformed into a reservoir to produce electricity. The Orchid Lake Resort offers a pleasant stay near the lake, boasting water sports facilities such as speed boating, water-skiing and rowing.Sorry no pictures,could not stop for any.Bird's eye view from Shillong Peak

Our first point of sight seeing started with Shillong Peak.It was cold and I really huddled down in my jacket.Apart from the awesome view of the city, we dressed up in local Khasi dresses and had loads of fun. Santosh was looking extremely well,infact he looked so much like a localite, some tourists actually took pictures of him.This is Santosh looking local:
My friend Sonia:
Next we went to Elephant Falls.It was just after the monsoon so the waterfall was full to capacity.Surrounded by flowers this is a good spot for a picnic. Me and Sonia: best of friends:
The other spots which we skipped, becoz stupidly we decided to do the Museum, are the Sweet falls near Happy Valley, Spread Eagle Falls near Polo Ground,Beadon and Bishop falls near Bara Bazaar.
The Museum is boring,full of life-sized dolls in various traditional dresses.A guide will come to take you through and the only thing she says:"Here we are in the gallery full of north-east culture" and leaves you to guess the rest.Six floors of this boredom later you reach a media room where they actually kill you with a 45-min long documentary about North-East.So do skip the Museum.
By this time pangs of hunger had started to do their own rounds and we went back to the Bazaar area to a nice place called Broadway.I loved the Chinese food.Shillong has a number of places where they serve Chinese,Indian,local Khasi, and continental food.It is a foodie paradise.Hunger satisfied, we concentrated on sight seeing again.
So onward to the Golf Club.We saw a beautiful church on the way,wish could have gone in but the doors were already closed for the day.And we were to go the Cherrapunji the next day. so,had to finish this early.
The Golf Club has been around since 1924, and it is beautiful 18-hole course lined with pine,fir and rhododendrons.Although, we reached near evening the beauty of the place is far beyond compare.Unfortunately, becoz of the fading light my camera did not do justice to the place.

On to Cherrapunji now.
24th of November we drove to Cherra, 51 kms from Shillong.Known since schooldays as the place of highest rainfall,Cherra is suffering from a water crisis.Even its glory as the highest rainfall has been taken over by nearby Mawsinram.It is now a small hamlet of several villages and a town square.But lovely oranges are still available, so indulge yourselves.
The drive itself is very picturesque,and we stopped for chai and a break with Nature on the way. The home of the Khasi clan,Cherra has waterfalls, nature walks and the caves.The Mawsami caves are a dream for amateur explorers like us.These caves are a series of underground passages and tunnels, well lighted up but still crawling through the rocks and passageways are quite awesome.Some Pictures:

We also looked at Bangladesh border from a distance:

The plouged fields across the hills are in Bangladesh:

The highlight of the trip was the Nohkalikai waterfalls.This beautiful waterfall has a tragic story attached to it of lost love and end of life. As per our guide, a Khasi lady committed suicide here as the love of her life had abandoned her. The free-flowing water and the tear drop shaped pool at the bottom of the waterfall looks tragically beautiful.
The best part of the Cherrapunji trip came last. A wide smile greeted us and rosy cheeks crackled in mirth.This is definitely a photo I treasure.

Its now time to go home.We left Shillong next day and drove back to Guwahati.Back on the Cockroach Express to come home to Kolkata.Satisfied yet longing for more.Now waiting for the next time we get leaves,we have money and we can plan and go.

2009-12-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

Part III: Guwahati
The Eastern City of Lights or Pragyajyotishpur- that is how Guwahati was known some time back. By that, I mean quite a long time back say around a 100 years back.But my light in the city was my friend Sonia with whom we had planned to stay the next three nights before leaving for Shillong.
20th of November, we started early from Jorhat to cover the distance.We had to go through Kaziranga and follow the same route back as we had followed while coming to Jorhat.Now, did I mention previously that our driver Narayan was gradually becoming the least favourite person on the trip? He proved it again.Just after we crossed Kaziranga,Narayan started showing his extensive driving skills again, by driving at a speed of 140 km/ph on the Highway.A farmer was crossing the road with his cow and small calf.Seeing the speeding car the guy stopped with the cow, the poor calf ran out in front of our car.Narayan did not bother to slow down or change direction or do anything at all. He hit the poor animal at full speed and drove on.We all shouted at him and the only response:"Not my fault,he came in the middle".He drove on nonchalantly for the next 2 hrs with us sitting silently and then stopped.He went to the front of the car and expressed sorrow,"my bumper is gone,the stupid thing has broken it." We reached Guwahati in silence at around 2.00pm.
21st of November Today's plan was visiting the Madan Kamdev Temple.We left at around 11.00am to visit the 'Khajuraho of the East'.Mystery surrounds the 10th century ruins of Madan Kamdev,looks beautiful but no history as to its origins.40 kms north of Guwahati on NH52,drive through Baihata-Chariali drive straight up the hill to reach the complex and then climb another 1 kms of steep hill to reach the main temple.
The earthquake of 1980 has destroyed quite a few portions of the temple, but the remaining part of it is hauntingly beautiful.Scattered all around the Dewangiri hillock are griffins,nymphs,dancing fairies,god and goddesses,walls pillars intels.It has a Kalpa-vriksh(tree of fulfilment)six headed Bhairava, Ganesh temple,Shiva temple,Madan and Rati temple and men, women and animals in every concievable erotic postures--this is Madan Kamdev.
Inside the temple complex
Bhairav
Madan and Rati temple

22nd of NovemberToday was the Temple Day,or that's how the day went.Guwahati has quite a number of temples and is a pilgrimmage centre.So that's what we did.The major temples to see are Kamakhya Temple, Bhubaneshwari Temple, Umananda Temple, Nabagraha Temple, Aswaklanta Temple, Ugratara Temple, Basisthashram.We chose to visit Kamakhya,skip Bhubaneswari,Umananda and Bashishathashram along with Sukreshawar,which is a Jyotirlinga.
Stories surround the mystic of Kamakhya temple.Some claim it was an ancient Khasi sacrificial site,king Nara Narayan of Coochbehar rebuilt it as a goddess temple.Another story says the bricks used in the temple were baked in ghee,funds for which were given by Shukladev and Malladev,two devotees.Sacrifices were common in the temple,we saw goats and pigeons donated for sacrifice.
Now the most common story:
According to another legend, Narakasura, who is mentioned in the Mahabharata, ruled his kingdom from Pragjyotishpura, as Guwahati was then known. He wanted to marry Kamakhya, who set him an impossible task as a condition so that he may fail in his resolve. Narakasura had to build a temple for her within one night and why, he almost succeeded. Worried, Kamakhya sent a cock to crow early, even before it was dawn. Kamakhya did not marry Narakasura but the temple he built still stands testimony to his unrequited love.The Kalika Purana describes Kamakhya as Shiva’s young bride, the one who fulfills all wishes, the giver of salvation.

The drive up the hill to Kamakhya is just awesome offering a panoramic view of the city.The Kamakhya Temple is located on the Neelachal Hill 8 km west of Guwahati. I did see state transport buses, taxis and small cars plying on the road.Once we reached the temple, the magic trick happened.
There was a huge line of devotees waiting to go in and we were wondering what to do.A pujari in red appeared and a Rs500/ opened the back door of the temple for us, gave us a close view of the idol as well as special puja.So here's how it works:Special entry tickets for Devi Darshan cost Rs 100 for the shorter queue and Rs 500 for direct darshan,otherwise you can stand in queue whole day and get a glimpse of the goddess through closed doors.Only Hindus are allowed entry into the temple.Religion is good business,what say?
A goat is sacrificed by the temple authorities every day. Devotees offer goats, pigeons and buffaloes. However, the practice is declining and most pilgrims prefer to make a symbolic offering and then set the animals free. We did see this.
Next on to Sukreshwar Temple.The stark contrast with Kamakhya was apparent the moment we entered.It was peaceful and quiet with no crowds or pujari to bother you.We went in did our puja and left.
Umananda Temple is a lovely spot.It is an island in the middle of the Brahmaputra river and you do have to catch a ferry to reach the temple.
Umananda Temple

See how wide the river is

It takes only 15-20 minutes to reach the temple. On the way we saw Urvashi, legend says she was trying to break Shiva's meditation and the poor girl was turned into stone at shiva's wrath.
Again there was hardly any crowd and only a small queue to the sanctum.Sonia told me the name Umananda came from the love Shiva and Parvati shared on this island after Shiva broke his meditation.Bashishthashram was our next stop.On Sadhyachal Hill, 16 km south of the Kamakhya Temple, the perennial confluence of the Sandhya, Lalita and Kanta streams whispers by Basisthashram, a quiet retreat with small temples and a pretty waterfall, believed to be the site of the ancient ashram of the legendary Rishi Basistha.Very peaceful and idyllic, this spot is worth a visit and spending at least a couple of hours.

The temple itself is neat and clean and again without panda or pujari to bother anyone.Photography is not allowed inside the temple complex,however we did take this picture from near the waterfall.

Glancing at Guwahati:
I liked the city with its picturesque location and its still developing metropolis attitude.We did not spend much in Guwahati, apart from the ferry prices which comes to around Rs 20/-per head and the normal shopping that we did.However,I did hear that hotels are expensive in Guwahati and needs to be booked well in advance.I hated the traffic in the city and there seemed to be no traffic signal anywhere.We did find one however:

Travelling is very easy with autos,state transport buses and hired taxis available easily.We did have one bomb blast on the 22nd of November,however Guwahati is not dangerous contrary to what some believe.We also tasted authentic Assamese food and I loved it.Santosh however found it a little bland.This is what we had:
Started with Rice,which is called a Joha rice;dalfry(added to the menu by Santosh);Khar,made of papaya;PatotdiyaMacch(or leaf steamed bhetki fish);O tenga,a light dish of dried fish;pork with bamboo shoots;and curd. We did conclude the meal with Tamol.
Distances from other cities:428 km NW of Imphal, 371 km NW of Kohima, 77 km N of Shillong, 8 km NW of Dispur.Guwahati is easily accesible by train,Kamrup Express and Kanchenjunga Express is most popular, or Saraighat Express.Or simply fly in.
Best Season to go : Nov-April,May and June is hot and July,August,September,October too rainy to enjoy at will.

2009-11-29T22:38:00.000-08:00

Part II Jorhat-Majuli
18th of November: cntd: After a morning safari, we said goodbye to the lovely rhinos and started for Jorhat.The whole point of going to Jorhat was to visit Majuli.This is the world's largest riverine island, lying in Brahmaputra river about an hour from Jorhat by ferry.An island, Majuli means 'a place situated in the middle of water'.The name justifies itself.After the floods of the 1690 and 1691 Brahmaputra changed its course to create this island of surpassing beauty.Subsequent floods shaped and squeezed the landmass into the 'water kingdom'of today. Every year floods submerge parts of the island totally forcing people to live on boats.The water eats away more villages and homes every year, however its indigenous residents,the Mishing tribals,retain their way of life.

We drove for about an hour and a half and reached Jorhat.This is just a small sleepy town of medium proportions.All the hotels are located near the railway station and the best option is Hotel Paradise.I need to make an observation here,I may be wrong but had the distinct feeling that this place does not like visitors.The staff was a tad bit unfriendly, and service was slow.But I wanted to see Majuli.So next morning we planned to wake up early and go catch a ferry.The best part of the room was a TV that gave us ample oppurtunity to rest.
19th of November: We had planned to get up by 6.00am so that we can be at the ferry ghat by 7 am. The day before we had let our driver-cum-guide know of our plans.His comments"what will you do so early at the ferry ghat?"This guy will eventually become the least favourite person we met on the trip.He had tried to cheat us at Kaziranga also by first saying there were only one safari booked, whereas we had asked and paid for three.Then he had said"what will you do seeing the same boring jungle thrice?"Anyway had that sorted out.So I came on a little strong and said he needs to report at 6.00 am,that's it.
What we were conveniently not informed was that we can actually do our bookings for the ferry from Jorhat itself, we can also take our car in the boat to roam in Majuli,otherwise pay Rs 700-800 per head to the 8 seaters that run on the island itself.So,very naively, we thought we can go book tickets on the ferry and come back by 3.00 pm.Got up at 5.45am and came down by 6.30am.The hotel refused us morning tea saying kitchen does not open before 8 am.But we were still an excited bunch.The ferry ghat was couple of kilometers from the hotel and rather enjoyed the morning drive, the air was cool,crisp and fresh. The smell of the river was again invigorating.Narayan,that's our driver,started moaning from the very beginning as road conditions to the ferry ghat was bumpy.Ignored him for the time being.This is what met our eyes when we reached at 7.30am.
The green barge and a small boat tethered side by side.Our so called expert Narayan got proactive and got down from the car to arrange the small ferry for us.Came back and said all arranged.By that time we had come to know that we can take the car across.So we said"Ok, so you are coming with the car, right?"He baulked;but that's going to cost extra,car moves too much in the boat, no way he is going to come and all that.Santosh's people skill and negotiation skill worked overtime and he agreed to come to Majuli, show us the island and take us around if we pay for petrol.He went off and came back with the good news that the small one will leave around 9.30 am. 2 hrs to kill.We did,roamed here and there,tried to wake up a sleeping puppy who didnt even bother. The sun was rising high in the sky, we were hungry and after some time sleepy.People came,took boats,ferrys and left.The only high point of our long wait was that small blue boat.Soon after,three cars stopped and out came a group of foreign nationals.The people all around got more hyper,busier and all were ooh so busy to look after royalty.And then the loading started.All the three cars were loaded on to our blue boat and then all the foreigners also got on.And Left.
WHAT!HOW!WHERE!can we at least go on the boat without our car and start for Majuli. No Way!!!These people have booked the entire boat from Jorhat itself and it seems we, the lesser mortals,cannot even travel on the same boat as them.Talk about being treated as second-class citizens in our own country.
Disgusted we rounded up Narayan,his explanation:-they had booked the entire thing from Jorhat.OK,so we could have done the same from Jorhat??He became proactive and got seats for in the barge,which was to leave at 10.30am and come back by 3.30pm.We had to digest Majuli in 1 hr.It takes an hour and a half to travel to and fro.Our ride smelled of diesel,felt like a bus and took an hour to load everything-- people,mobikes,cars,cycles and a truck.The load
Our Ride from Inside.
After a very slow ride,we reached Majuli at 12noon.
Things to see:We found the island very rural,not a fully developed tourist spot,but unusual.Anybody visiting Majuli should base himself at Kamlabari town,and roam around at the satras. Satras are Vaishanav monastries.They predate the birth of Majuli,and are seats of culture.The great Assamese Vaishnavite reformer and saint Srimanta Shankaradev established the first satra at Belguri, and soon 68 satras developed in Majuli.At the moment, erosion by the river and floods has taken its toll and only 32 remain in the island itself.The best are Dakhinapat,known for its Ras Leela dances;Auniati,which is the largest having 400 devotees and practising complete celibacy,and also known for its annual Pal Naam where prayers are offerd 4-5 days continously;Garhmur Satra,best known for its museum and the huge Garuda idol;Kamlabari Satra,best known for its dance recitals;Bengenaati Satra,has a unique collection of umbrellas made entirely of gold;Shamaguri Satra for its masks and masked dances.
We went to Auniati.Named after the shape of the betel leaf or paan leaf, this satra is the biggest with the highest no of followers.They follow the strict doctrines of Udaseen Pratha of Madhabdev, which has strict rules of living.celibacy and religious performances.We spoke to a member of the satra, and also saw the museum.It’s been alleged that they discriminate against women and people of lower castes in assigning roles in the hierarchy and allowing entry into the sanctum sanctorum.
The Entrance:

Inside the Museum
Perfect carved wooden Krishna Idol

Handpainted Dance Scene:Inside the Satra

Too soon it was time to go.As soon as we came out of the Satra, Narayan informed us we had missed the big barge and can only take a small boat from another point on the island,we had to drive 27 kms at a speed not over 20kmph.Tension was high,we did not want to get stuck in Majuli for the night.However,did manage to get the boat loaded ourselves, the car and reached our hotel at 5.00pm

At a glance:
This is how much we spent for the two days-
Hotel Room: Rs 1320/ for two nights per person, food extra,Rs 800/was the total bill
Ferry ride:Rs 12/per head on the barge,Rs 430/for car
Return Trip:Rs 14/per head on the boat,Rs 420/for car.
Rs 500/for petrol to roam around, although we only roamed not even half a day,driver utilised the rest.Ferry service leaves from Nimati Ghat every morning starting from 8.00am.
Next Guwahati, we had planned to visit the Madan Kamdev Temple and all the rest to follow the day after.

Assam Trip: Kaziranga,Majuli,Guwahati, Shillong:A Mixed Bag of Experiences

2009-11-28T00:43:00.000-08:00

This trip of Assam and Shillong is really a mixed bag of experiences,some bad, some good, some brilliant and some made us feel WHY? Why did we plan for this trip?Santosh has his own version of the trip which he will include in between my gushings of how wonderful this place is or how pathetic this thing looks.But,again, all experiences are for learning more and more. So here goes- diary of the trip:

15th of November,we boarded the Saraighat Express.We had booked our tickets in the lone 2nd class AC coach the train has and got two side seats.Deposited our luggage, sat down and then I jumped up.The seat, the bunk was infested with small roaches. Brown in color, small in size they nevertheless jump all over you, your luggage,your food- you can imagine the rest.I am very very allergic to these favourite bugs so I literally spent the night standing up.Santosh snored off. Cant wait to get off the train.
16th of November, mercifully the Cockroach Express was only half an hour late.We had reached Guwahati.First impressions:it is trying to be big and growing.The river Brahmaputra flows through the middle of the city & most of the places of interest lie on the south bank.The city has nice clean roads,but open drainage system,nice markets.That is me. Santosh says:I love the place,there are liquor stores around every block and nice looking girls all around.Do we have to go to Kaziranga now?? Me:Oh Yes, our hired car is waiting and we have to go to Kaziranga.
So began the long drive to Kaziranga, a total of around 260 kms from Guwahati via NH37 through Dispur,Nagaon,Jakhalabanda and Hathikhuli.The drive goes through villages,small towns and beautiful scenery, my photos did not do justice to it.
On the way to Kaziranga
I love long drives
Our packaged lunch,a good no. of coconuts really filled us. We reached Kaziranga late in the evening at about 5 pm, checked in Dhansiri Resorts and relaxed.

Part I: Kaziranga The land of Blue Mist and Rhinos

17th of November:The early morning wake up call came too early, at 4 am. First in our agenda was the elephant safari.The first thing that hit us was the cold.Packed in our woollies, we drove through the misty roads towards the Kohora gate for the elephant safari.All I remember of the drive was the mist swirling in the treetops,the dew shining on the tea leaves of the Hathikhuli tea estate. Day break was a transition from grey to golden and then we reached the gates of the Park.While waiting for the elephants to come and pick us up, we both had a rejuvenating cup of assam chai.The taste and smell of that early morning tea is beyond compare.
Elephants came to pick us up for the early morning safari.Our elephant was a 40yr old matre named Malati.Ambling in silence in the morning fresheness, we entered Kaziranga.

"Can we see rhinos?" was the most common question fielded at the mahout.There was no response.Actually not required, there it was standing right in the middle of the road the famous Indian one-horned rhinoceres.
Majestic,isnt it?
We watched in silence and after some time it moved off.Our ride walked on behaving as if she on a breakfast buffet,reaching out far & wide with her trunk for a chunk of delicate morsel.The grass around us gets taller,this is the famous 'elephant grass', one can see why. If not for the people sitting on elephants around we wouldnt have seen the elephants at all.I was urged to resist myself of touching the long grass blades, I had heard they cut into your fingers.

And we almost hit it. There was a rhino hiding in the grass and our elephant almost,poor thing,busy in her breakfast,almost stepped on its leathered back.The rhino got up,gave our elephant the fright of her life,immediately stepped back, looked intently at us for some time and then left the place.Our hearts almost stopped.
"I am watching you"
Life became sedate after that.We squelched through marshy patches of land, tipping dangeroulsy as our elephant climbed one bank after another.Santosh got quite a few lashes from the elephant's tail, however still he managed to do some awesome photpgraphy.

"Look humans!!"
We came back from the ride satisfied, lingered near the watch tower for some time and went back to the resort.After a hearty lunch with Santosh's favourite paneer butter masala, we came back to the park.We are heading for the Baghori circuit which is at the western end of the park.This evening ride was mostly reserved for birds, shrikes, florican, woodpeckers,pied hornbills, owls-the evening was all for our feathered friends with a few additional rhinos thrown in.Let the pictures do the talking:
Birds on treetops
Our guide said this is a hornbill
Owl,check out the eyes.
A black-necked heron
Woodpecker on the road, late bird also catches worms.
Trivia
[The World Heritage List includes 812 properties worldwide which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value. Of these 26 have been identified in India of which five – Kaziranga, Keoladeo, Manas, Nanda Devi and Sunderbans – are natural reserves]
18th of November: The next morning was also reserved for a jeep ride. We bumped our way inside the Park,with expectations but still satisfied to saunter along.Santosh asked his favourite question"Can we see a tiger?" Very difficult and rare to see a tiger in Kaziranga,however we did check out some footprints or rather paw prints.First to greet us was a wild boar:- And a rhino:
Santosh actually went down to the river bank to take this photograph:

We did bump along for some time, looking at swamp deers, hog deers, more birds, more rhinos, and then it happened. Two wild elephants gently walking along the forest road.Our 4*4 along a few others started following them.One of the elephants gave us a low warning.Of course, who listens? We still followed,both of them turned to disappear in the grassland.But before that I guess they decided to teach us a lesson.So one of them turned trying to look mean and chargy.My opinion: it looked very very cute.
It started making some agitating noises which did make us stop in our tracks.One brave soul, our guide jumped down with a gun which looks more like a stick than an usable gun.He started holloring at the top of his voice and fired a shot.That confused the animal.I think,now solely my thinking, its heart was not really in charging.I mean if I am in his shoes or rather feet, this is how i would feel:here I am just enjoying the fresh jungle air,walking along with my friend after probably a good hearty meal in the swamplands(umm the grass was extra tasty this morning,all becoz of the dew), all of a sudden there comes 3-4 of those weird looking small animals in their even crazy looking vehicles following me.How would I feel?
"Get lost you pests"
My complete sympathy goes out for the elephant.Except for the few seconds when my heart went thump thump.So the duo disappeared in the grass,and we continued.Saw a herd of bisons:
Nothing special after that.But we did enjoy the drive and ample oppurtunity of taking photographs.

Some Fast Facts:Kaziranga is Assam's premier wildlife habitat and stretches east to west along the south bank of Brahmaputra.The Karbi Anglong Hills marks its southern boundary.Best season to go: November-late March,Early April.Every monsoon the park gets flooded by the waters of the Brahmaputra.Staying in Kaziranga is not a problem,but advance booking is required.Assam Tourism Development Corporation runs the Aranya Tourist Lodge,Bonani Lodge and Bonoshree Lodge.However the best is the Wild Grass Resort(check their website for rates and bookings:http://www.nivalink.com/wildgrass/index.html). Apart from these there are innumerable private run resorts and lodges suiting all kinds of budget.
All hotels and resorts have their own restaurants so food is not a problem.Traditional Assamese thali jostle for space with Indian,Chinese and Continental fares.
This is how much we spent in Kaziranga:
total of Rs 5500/- food Rs 1090/(did I hear we ate a lot?)
jeep safaris(we took an evening and a morning safari)Rs650 per person
room rent:Rs 750/ per night
elephant safari:Rs 700/ per person(we did one safari)
camera fee:Rs 50/ for still camers,Rs 200/ for video camera
quoted from the Outlook traveller:
The Kaziranga National Park is much more than just a wildlife destination, it is a piece of history. This UNESCO World Heritage Site turned 100 in 2005. Flanked all along by tea estates, with NH31 running along its southern boundary with a huge refinery at one end, Kaziranga is a fragile island of wilderness dangerously hemmed in by increasing human development. But thanks to the stringent check kept by authorities, the guards on the ground as well as the support of local people, Kaziranga is a safe home for animals.
Some of my favourite pictures:
Catching fish
In memoriam
Hog Deer
Mom and baby

This is how I will remember Kaziranga,green,wild and beautiful
Next Jorhat and Majuli.

Santosh`s Hyderabad

2009-09-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

I cannot describe Hyderabad any other way,Santosh is in love with Hyderabad, he loves the dark pubs where software professionals sit sipping beer after a hard day`s work, he loves the huge malls and the flyovers, he dotes over biriyani (as per him, the best in India.)For me, I share a love-hate relationship with the city.I love the ancient quaintness,the malls,the theatres; I hate the city for its burning summer, the power cuts whenever it rains a drop and many other things i will list as I go along. OK I will list the things I love too.

Hyderabadi`s are fiercely proud of their city.They are proud of their colorful stories of the Nizams with their many wives and eccentricities, they are proud of their palaces and their irani chais. They love their Tollywood and its heroes who step out of their palatial mansions in Banjara Hills or Jubilee Hills to "work for the people", even if it means adding further histrionics to the already messed up political scene.
Searching through the net for information on Hyderabad,I found a whole lot of information,in fact, too much to put in a simple blog.Hyderabad`s Nizams are known more for their idiosyncracies than their valor. The last Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan was the richest man in the world.When the British left India, he was reluctant to join the Indian Union and the Indian Army had to use force.
Another famous legend is the love story of Muhammed Quli, the 16th century Qutb Shahi Monarch.Legend has it that he fell in love with a Hindu dancer, Bhagmati and eventually married her. He named the city Bhagnagar and after she converted to Islam to become Hyder Mahal, it became Hyderabad.And here comes a list of my favourite places
So enter Golconda Fort, one of my favourite places in Hyderabad.
This awesome fort is some 11 kms from the city, you can even hire one of the autorickshaw guys to take you there.Be sure to negotiate first. Originally built of mud, the whole structure was later reinforced by brick and mortar by the Qutb Shahi emperors. As you enter the fort area, the huge fortified gates greet you.There were eight gates,I am not sure how many are there now, the entrance to the fort is tucked away in a corner,to make it safe from elephant attacks.Back to History lesson.Do forgive the lessons as I cannot help them.The fort was a stronghold of the Qutb Shahi Emperors,and in 1657 Aurangzeb attacked the fort in a bid to control the region.Legend has it that enemies of the emperor betrayed him and opened the gates of the impregnable fort which Aurangzeb was unable to conquer for 7 days.Aurangzeb not only conquered it but burned it to ground too. As we enter the fort, there is an acoustic dome in the main gate that carries the sound to the highest point, 1 km up. Climb up the broad stairs of the "Public Way" and see the office rooms, the queen`s quarters, the intricate waterways laid for sewage and drinking water supplies to the fort.The white mosque at the top and the durga mandir co-exist together, the mandir older than the fort itself.The highest point of the fort is a wide open terrace from where the whole city is a bird`s eye view.The stone fountain in the middle of the courtyard is a nugget of history preserved. Hyderabad city from the top of the hill.Come down from the tower by the "King`s Way", these are steep stairs to climb down and the king never walked down, he used the palanquin.We come back down to the courtyard for the light and sound show.In the same compund,there is the hall for ceremonial bath for dead bodies before they are buried.About 2 kms from Golconda is the famous arched pavilion where the famous courtesan Taramati held her dance recital. She was the mistress of the last Shahi emperor,Abdul Hasan Tana Shah who used to sit on the terrace to watch his mistress dance in the evenings at the pavilion.At the foot of the Golconda Fort lies the Qutb Shahi tombs, 12 onion domed tombs of the Qutb Shahi emperors, the last one incomplete as Aurangzeb took him prisoner to kill him in Delhi.
My not so favourite areas: Mecca Masjid,Charminar and Salarjung Museum.
To be honest, I did not find the Masjid so impressive,I have seen better, nor is the Museum that great. Its only claim to fame is the entire collection is collected by a single individual Salar Jung III. The collection is haphazard and erratic. It has a mixture of paintings, furniture miniatures and sculptures acquired by him throughout Far East, West Asia, India,Africa and Europe.The only things I liked are the copy of the famed veiled Rebecca Statue, the cuckoo clock and the carving of Mephistopheles and Margaretta chiselled in a block of sycamore wood. Rest is expensive junk.
Charminar is another story.Unlike the famous brand of cigarettes, this structure is imposing.Four tapering minarets joined by four arches is now surrounded on all sides by rows and rows of shops selling Hyderabadi pearls.The purpose of the building is not clear, some say it was built as a token to thanks to God and again some say it was built to symbolise the Emperor`s prayer towards Mecca. The spiral staircase climb up the minarets is discouraged as it is bang in the middle of a busy market and thorougfare now. But people love to be adventourous.I was not, I simply drove around it"> The whole structure stands as a testament to the stuco architectural design of the Qutb Shahi empire. The shops selling pearls, gems bangles and a variety of other items is now the highlight of the area.Down the road comes my another of my favourites, the Palaces. First the Chowmohalla Palace, built in 1750 by Salabat Jung. Said to be influenced by a palace in Tehran, this was the one used to receive the British viceroy.Unfortunately, this palace is now closed for the public. Further down is the Falaknuma(star of heaven)Palace, by far the grandest of all Hyderabad's palaces.The pictures says it all:
This marvel was built not by an emperor but by a Paigah nobleman,(paigah's were the most respected noblemen often related to the emperor by marriage)Nawab Viqar-ul-Umarer.Designed by an Italian architect this palace was a resting place for the Nizam and his wives.The interiors are simply mindblowing, the main hall the armory and the palace grounds are truly romantic.Paying an entry of Rs10,one can gain access into the palace grounds.There are plans to convert this into an heritage hotel.Some more pictures:
I loved the Rani Mahal, the structure is a quiet little building right by the lake, after the armory. Here are some more pictures:

Buddha in a Lake
Highlight of Hyderabad is the Buddha in a Lake. Hyderabad's equivalent to Mumbai's Marine Drive is Hussain Sagar,the man made lake was once used to supply water all over the city. Now, the water is green and smelly with rot and was at one time a favourite suicide point for the depressed.People still flock here every evening and the whole atmosphere is like a fair ground. A garden surrounds the whole lake area where you can sit and enoy the evening breeze with the mandatory ice-cream.Now, the statue itself is 17.5 meters tall, making is one of the largest monolithic structures in India, infact in the world. It sank in the lake in 1990,and lay on the bed of the lake for two years till it was erected on a plinth by a Japanese company, I have forgotten the name. Boat rides out to the statue island, motorised as well as launches . One can also indulge in water sports like parasailing or simply cruise around,there are two cruisers which ply on the lake waters Bhageerathi cruise ride and Bhagmati twin deck cruiser both costing Rs 50-60 per adult.

Birla Mandir
Another of my favourite spots in Hyderabad. This Huge temple complex is built atop a hill from where the whole city of Hyderabad is visible.Wake up early in the morning and ask the autoguy to drop you near the temple complex, then you need to climb the hill to reach the temple.Like a typical South Indian temple, the whole area is clean white and peaceful.

My other Favourite Spots in the city:
The zoo with its in-house safaris, the autoguys who generally speak very nicely but are major rip-offers and the traffic which follow absolutely no rules.There are also the major shopping malls that have come up throughout the city, however if you want to shop tradition Old City is the place for you. Around the city, Andhra Tourism is developing some pretty interesting spots to promote tourism. My all time favourite is Nagarjunsagar, Ramoji Film city, then Suryalanka Beach and Srisailam. Andhra's lone hill station Horsely Hills is also worth a look.If there is any spots I missed I will go on updating. As for Santosh, Hyderabad is the best and the most progressive. Anybody care to debate the point with him?
My brother tells me that Hyderabad is incomplete without its food,"list the local cusine available".OK Brother, here goes: Biriyani is synonymous with Hyderabad but its subtelties go beyond as it imbibes Mughali preparation with zesty sauces and spices of the South.Biriyani is available in every restaurant and street corner shops.Accompanying the lip smacking plate are an assortment of kebabs, the specialists are Paradise in Secunderabad, it is always packed.I dont want to list the shops and places where what is available, let that be a discovery in itself.The hot and spicy Andhra food is also available, a deligthfully low costing meal of fulfulling proportions.Try Southern Spice in Banjara Hills, Road no2.
At a Glance::(copied from Outlook Traveller)
Name: Named after Hyder Mahal, wife of monarch Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, founder of Hyderabad
Age :The twin cities of Hyderabad-Secunderabad are dotted with Iron Age megalithic burials dating to first millennium BC. The Qutub Shahis made it their capital in 1591
State :Andhra Pradesh
Location: On the banks of the Musi, in the heart of the Deccan Plateau, at a height of 1,776 ft above sea level. Hussain Sagar lake separates the twin cities
Distances: 574 km N of Bangalore; 750 km SE of Mumbai; 700 km NW of Chennai
Route from Mumbai NH4 to Pune via Lonavla; NH9 to Hyderabad via Sholapur From Bangalore NH7 via Anantapur and Kurnool From Chennai NH5 to Vijayawada via Nellore and Guntur; NH9 to Hyderabad via Suryapet

Getting There (copied from Outlook Traveller)
Air: Shamshabad Airport is outside the city. All domestic airlines fly to Hyderabad. Flights from Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Dubai and Muscat also land here
Rail: The railway station at Secunderabad, Hyderabad’s twin city, is more centrally located than the one at Hyderabad. Both are well connected with superfast and express trains to all major cities
Road: Connected by NH7 with Bangalore, and by NH9 with Pune and Mumbai. APSRTC buses also regularly ply from other parts of the state and country, such as Mumbai, to the city
Getting Around:
Autoricksaws are the easiest way to get around,however negotiations need to be made before hiring one, most of the autos have digital meters now however some of them may be rigged.Min rate for Auto: Rs 12, add Rs 4 per additional km. Dial-a-cab services are also available,like City Cab,Hertz rent-a-car service and can be hired from the airport,hotels as well as locally.
When to Go:
Hyderabad is scorchingly hot starting April to July, monsoon arrives first or second week of June. However the bestseason to go is from October to February, winters are mild at its best, maybe a light woolen early in the morning can control the chills.Do enjoy the coffee with the mirchi bhajjis.

My Wishlist Treks

2009-07-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

I have always loved mountains, specially Himalayas. That clean, crisp air,the white beautiful mountain tops have always lured me. When I first started reading about blogs my first instinct was to search and find blogs about treks. I really live through them, starting from Day 1 of the treks through to the Last day.
After reading through a lot I have come up with a wishlist of the treks I would like to go to:
1> Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib.
This Awesome splendor of nature is like Eden on Earth. I have seen loads of pictures and read a lot about the trek.The Valley is calld the Nandan Kanan in local language but is more famous now as the Valley of Flowers.Frank S Smythe found the place and he recorded almost 262 species of flowers,some 30 were added later.Hemkund Sahib or the Lake of Snow, is another marvel. Originally named after Lakshman, also calld Lokpal, this became a major Sikh pilgrimmage site after 1974.

2> Adi Kailash
Kailash is so integrated in our Hindu mythology that a journey to Kailash is symbolic of a journey of a lifetime. In fact what I do realize after reading a lot of trekking blogs, most of the modern adventure treks are old pilgrim routes. Now it is said there are 8 Kailash mountains in the Himalayas. Adi Kailash lost its fame to Kailash Mansarovar , however not the splendor.On the way is the Om Parvat where a natural Om is formed by snowfall.

3>Panch Kedar
Legend,myths and stories surround this five abode of Shiva-Kedarnath, Madhyamaheswar,Tungnath, Rudranath and Kalpeswar.Supposed to be one of the most difficult treks as well as a pilgrimmage only a few undertake.After travelling to Kedarnath in 2008 I have really developed a taste for all of His Abodes. If He does not mind my saying it, Shiv has really chosen the most beautiful places on earth to reside.

4>Milam Glacier
This completely for the beauty of the place. Again pictures has been my source but they are all incredible (even the most grainy ones :)). This is also supposed to be the most easiest of the all treks apart from the Pindari and Kafni Glacier treks and also the most comfortable.

5>Roopkund All for the mystery of this place, I simply want to go for the lake, the journey, the weird nature of the remains by the lake and everything.So it comes as a combined package with beauty adventure nature all combined in one.

These are to start with, I will go on adding to the list.

2009-05-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

Part III: Pachmarhi (April 22nd –April 24th)
Our next stop Pachmarhi. Apparently it was the English who discovered Pachmarhi: Captain James Forsyth was sent to explore the area in 1862 and he came upon the Pachmarhi plateau describing it as “more than that of a fine English park than any scene I have come across” (Priyadarshini or Forsyth Point, marks his place of discovery).
Fortunately, this is not the easiest spot to reach, believe me when I say the road condition is very bad. We drove and drove and drove and then drove some more to reach Pachmarhi. A total of some 300 kms from Kanha in all.Now this is Madhya Pradesh’s lone hill station with a population of around 10-15 thousand people whom they are aiming to keep like that. Pachmarhi is surrounded by low hills, rugged canyons and the beautiful forests of the Satpura range. I missed most of them on the journey; I slept through the drive. We reached Pachmarhi late at night and checked in at the Rock-End Manor. Then slept some more.
Waking up early in the morning before any one else, I ventured out. What was the most beautiful sight?? The low lying peaks of Satpura range surrounding the city, the gardens all around the terrace of the Manor, the low ceiling, the old fireplace in the dining hall, the colonial style balcony—I cannot decide. So I took a picture of everything.
After a typical English breakfast, our guide came to us with the itinerary of the day. Madanji, what are we going to cover today?
Today will be Pandav caves, Gupt Mahadev Mandir, Mahadev Mandir, Forsyth Point, Handi Koh and the market.” Wow, what about the waterfalls? “We will cover all the waterfalls tomorrow as there is quite a bit of trekking involved.” This is getting better and better. I did look down to my watermelon foot for a second then thought does not matter. Let me do this I can always go home and rest up my foot. “So on to the first one, Pandav Caves. When did the Pandav Brothers stay here? Madanji, with a smile, replied,” Never, no relation to them at all.” Interested silence greeted him. So here`s what happened. Ancient Indian map identifies this region as Khandavban so when the five caves were discovered automatically it was thought to be Pandav caves. Now in local language caves are called Marhi, since they are five they became Panch Marhi so the name Pachmarhi. The caves are Buddhist caves, none of the paintings survive now. One of them is the meditation hall with a surround sound effect; the other is a dedication to the Buddhist god of wealth that we identify as Kuber in Hindu Mythology. Climbing at the top of the hillock we came to site of the Buddhist monastery or stupa site. The statue of Buddha that has been recovered here has been kept in Bhopal museum. Madanji pointed out the highest peak of Satpura range, the Chauragarh Mandir and the stunning greenery that surrounds the sculpted city. Next stop Gupt Mahadev Mandir, here we walked down the hillside for around 100 kms and came to stop beside a cave. The mandir is inside the cave, there is a huge Hanuman idol watching the doorway. The cave is a cave, dark and stony, the best part you cannot walk straight, you have to walk sideways in placing your hands on the rock wall in front of you and feeling along with your feet for ground which sometimes disappears giving you the feeling of stepping in air. Inside is the Shiv idol with a priest doing puja. Absolutely delicious.
{ There is a presence that reigns stronger in Pachmarhi than that of the erstwhile English or the imperious Indian Army: the mighty Shiva. Over centuries, the region’s topography of ravines, cliffs and deep caves have become the location of 14 Shaivite shrines. Pachmarhi is renowned for its annual Shivaratri Mela in February/ March when thousands of devotees throng the Mahadeo Temple, 10 km south of Pachmarhi, carrying symbolic tridents to plant on the sacred summit of the nearby Chauragarh Hill.}
Stepping out in the sun, there was a welcome glass of Nimbu paani waiting to quench our thirst. Then we walked towards the Mahadev Mandir. This was easy, just climbing the steps up to the temple a cool cave awaits you. Madanji started with another story. It seems there was an asur who had prayed to Shiv for a boon. When Shiv appeared he asked for the bangle on Shiv`s wrist which has the power to turn anybody into ashes. Shiv granted him his boon and gave him the bangle. The guy became all powerful and wanted to marry Parvati, Shiv`s consort. He started chasing after Shiv to kill him and to escape him Shiv hid in 14 different caves which has become the sights of temples now. Ultimately in the Mahadev Temple the poor thing was killed by stealth by Vishnu to whom Shiv appealed to save him.
The Mahadev temple is a natural cave with a rock pool inside. Devotees wash themselves in the pool and go forward for puja. A thin line of water wash Shiv`s lingam all throughout the year. There are numerous pools hidden in the cave to wash your hands and feet. After the hot sun, it was a welcome relief.
After driving some 10 kms from there we reached our next stop, the Forsyth Point from where James Forsyth had ‘discovered’ Pachmarhi. The surrounding green is just awesome, I can imagine the feeling the Captain had coming from the dusty plains of Nagpur or Bhopal. Very near to this is the Suicide Point, though why anyone would want to commit suicide from this place of green magic I really do not understand.
[At a Glance
State Madhya Pradesh
Location In Madhya Pradesh’s verdant Satpura Range at 3,550 ft
Distance 198 km SE of Bhopal
Route from Bhopal NH12 to Obaidullaganj; NH69 to Hoshangabad; SH to Matkuli via Babai, Sohagpur and Pipariya; district road to Pachmarhi via Pagara ]
Handi Koh. This was our next point of attraction. I did not look through the telescope at the chauragarh mandir; instead I looked down into the heart of the ravine. That is what Handi Koh is, a deep gorge of around 350 mts deep where it is said a fierce demon snake was killed by Shiv. The divine battle has dried up the lake at the bottom and created the gorge in the shape of a handi or kettle. Madanji told us that during the revolt of 1857, Tantia Tope was fleeing from the British going through these mountains and he dropped all his treasures into the gorge. The local adivasis later retrieved the treasure and shifted it elsewhere.
By this time the sun was on the downward trend and we headed towards the market. The town of Pachmarhi is made up of a small bazaar, an army station and a civil area which has retained a taste of the old colonial flavor. But modern India is catching up, we stopped for some juice at the bazaar and, surprise, saw a discotheque in the first floor of a nearby restaurant. We returned happy and tired, Madanji promised more excitement tomorrow and wished us well.
The next day: = Today is the day of waterfalls, Duchess Falls, Silver Falls, Bee Falls and Fairy Pool or Apsara Vihar. And today is also the day of treks (oh my poor ankle). First stop Reechgad. This is like an underground auditorium with small interconnected caves. The climb down is tough, the caves are small and you have to bend your body to the ground to go through some of them. Not one of my favourite spots I must say, though I did enjoy the trek through the forest and the slopes through which I slid down. We walk forward to see the most rewarding rock of the entire one that holds a priceless rock painting.
Then Silver Falls or Rajat Prapat. This looks perfect, just like those calendar photos of waterfalls that we used to treasure. Shining and shimmering like silver thread the waterfall jumps down to a green pool 350 foot down and then cascades down five feet more to form the Panchali Kund. The five flows of water form the Apsara Vihar. Legend has it that when Forsyth came to this spot he saw a beautiful adivasi girl taking a bath and thought she was a fairy. Thus the name Fairy Pool.
We decided to scrap Duchess Falls from the itinerary and headed towards the more commercialized Bee Falls. Lot of people here is heading down towards the Fall for a spot of bathing. Climbing down the stairs is still a bother and some places it is quite steep. But the waterfall is refreshing and a good place to have fun, wish I could have jumped in too.
The last but not the least is Dhupgarh. The highlight of Dhupgarh is the sunset. All eyes gaze up, the sun is a distinct red ball up in the sky. Look to the right and you can see the worn sandstone peak left behind by some long forgotten waterfall. But the magic starts after the sun drops behind the craggy hills. Magical Dhupgarh is Pachmarhi`s highest peak. The last longing rays starts lighting up each and every peak and bathes the place in a glow of light. Then as if somebody has thrown a switch, the light goes off leaving you feeling gasping at the beauty of it and wanting more. But the magic has come to an end and it is time to go home.
When to go Through the year, though mid-April to June are best avoided (we did go mid-April luckily it was bearable)
Getting There
Air Nearest airport: Bhopal (198 km/ 5 hrs) is connected by regular flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Indore. Taxis can charge Rs 2,500 to Pachmarhi
Rail Nearest railhead: Pipariya (48 km/ 1.30 hrs) but Bhopal has better train connections and infrastructure. Taxis charge Rs 600 from Pipariya to Pachmarhi
Road Regular bus (ordinary) and taxi services are available from Bhopal, Hoshangabad, Nagpur, Pipariya and Chhindwara

2009-04-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

Part II: Kanha (April 19th –April 21st)

Starting from Pench after the morning safari, our driver promised to reach Kanha by 5.00pm. We are slated to have 2 morning safari and one evening safari there, this evening will be for rest. My foot needed it. It is looking like a small swelled watermelon now.

The drive was hot, small red dust swirls rising from the road like so many mini-tornadoes, and AC in the car stopped us from melting but there should have been a small sign saying do not touch the glass. All of us went into a kind of stupor because of the heat, for the 200 km drive there was almost pin drop silence in the vehicle.

{It’s believed that the name Kanha came from the texture of the soil found in the area. The soil is sandy in Banjar Valley in Kanha, Kisli and Mukki ranges. In the lower pockets, the soil is finely textured and tends to be somewhat clayey. It is locally called kanhar, and this apparently gave the park its name}

We are going to check in Baghira log Huts inside the Kisli range. I was there in Kanha for a short trip last year January, and stayed there. I will definitely recommend the place to each and everybody, if not for anything but for the ambience. It is right in the middle of the forest and the best part, you can spot wildlife right in front of your room, Do not go out late at night.:)

{There are two main entry points into Kanha — Kisli and Mukki, both on the western side of the park. If you enter through the Kisli Gate from Khatia (15 mins), you will find the most amount of biodiversity. Most park safaris start from Kisli and the majority of the camps are also located at Khatia. The distance between the two entrances is about 35 km. The Banjar River runs through the south-west part of the park.}

Kanha has a huge range of fauna, I am proud to say we saw most of them, including some rare birds.

On with the story now. After checking in, we hit on the brilliant idea of going for a walk. Asked at the hotel, can we go for a walk? “Oh yes, you can. Just make sure to keep on the dirt road and do not venture into the meadows, we had heard leopards calling only two nights ago” Stunned silence met with this declaration. But we are brave souls. So we started, the guy at the reception said, “and also beware of the bisons, they sometimes tend to come near you.”
We walked following the dirt road, and started enjoying it. By the time we came back we had fallen in love with Kanha.

But it was not as deep as yet. That happened the next morning. Along came our safari Gypsy, and with it came Saleembhai, our very own naturalist. I can tell one thing about Saleembhai, he is a treasure. He knows everything there is to know about Kanha, its inhabitants and he will make you love the place the way it should be loved…… deeply. Our safari was more like a lesson in wildlife than safari.

We saw sambars.” Do you know, we call the sambars budhu janwar (stupid animal),” Saleembhai started,” they are the tiger’s easiest prey. Very indecisive animal, when tiger comes he will show them his face and roar, the sambar will run for a short while, stop and then come back to find out if the tiger has gone or not. And they die.”
We saw birds. Saleembhai can tell the name of the bird looking at the way the fly. So flying was crested serpent eagle, kite, and a vulture. We saw spotted dove, drongo, kingfisher, bee-eaters, some more whose names I do not remember now. We saw jungle fowl and a weird looking bird which actually took us around 20 mins to find in spite of its sitting just 3 feet away from us. I have a got a picture of the bird, if you can spot it at one go hats off.

We went to Shravan Tal, where Shravan got killed; we went to Kanha meadow to see the barasingha, Saleembhai, where’s the tiger?? Patience is virtue, Saleembhai smirked.

{Kanha is the only place in the world now where you can see barasingha. This is a real success story. Just over three decades ago, the barasingha population in the park had gone down considerably and the species was close to extinction. Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers have now risen.}

Time for some breakfast. Kanha has a watering hole for humans built bang in the middle of the forest. It not only works as a breakfast point but also as an information centre if any of the cars has spotted a tiger or a leopard, if there is going to be a tiger show.

Surprise, nobody has seen tiger that day. No tiger show either. All right no problem, let us start again. Saleembhai took us to a different route. First came the jackal. It was following something so we also started following, after sometime Saleembhai said,” Look!” At what? “This is very rare sighting, you are very lucky”. So we looked. The jackal was following a group of wild dogs or dhole on their way to the watering hole. Hearing the gypsy, they started sitting down one by one, completely camouflaged. I had to zoom the camera to a max to identify one. Awesome. Saleembhai started his lesson” Very powerful animals. When they are in a group even a tiger is scared to go near them. When they hunt, they hunt in a pack of 10-12.” We watched till the time they disappeared.

After turning the next bend, Saleembhai got excited again.” Look a barking deer.” Again very rare, they only bark if they see a carnivore. Immediately a deer started calling. My goodness a tiger?? Saleembhai made the gypsy run as fast as possible. The deer was calling at regular intervals and he was very happy, he has shown us the treasures of Kanha now a tiger will be the icing on the top. We rushed and we drove like mad, so did all the other vehicles. Nearing the meadow we can see the deer that was calling facing north. All the cars stopped, everybody stood up tense and started looking. The grass was nodding gently in the breeze, soon now soon. The grass parted and out came----- a herd of female doe,

Saleembhai started guffawing,” Deer bewakuf bana raha hai. Sabko mamu bana raha hai.” The poor thing wanted to mate but it seems all the females were ignoring him. So he called to scare them and make them come to him. Some people laughed some wanted to go and twist his ears soundly for making a fool of us. But we did leave a happy antler behind.

Kanha has a nice museum located in the park. It holds great treasures of natural history , and gives a perspective of its topography wildlife and history

(the jackal waiting for the dogs)

(dhole)

(barking deer)

So the safari continued, and ended. Time to go back for lunch. “Don’t worry, we will try again in the evening,” Saleembhai assured us.

The evening safari was again a bore; I actually put my shades on and snored off. My friends tell me they spotted an owlet and a stork.

The next morning safari we had a new driver named Suraj,He was wearing a blaring red jumper paired with a white scarf and a brilliant smile. Along with him came Rajender, our guide for the day. “Did you see a tiger yesterday?” no, we had a sad face :( “Ok we will try to-day”. And we started the day, following the twists and turns of

the jungle lane. We saw some more deer, sambar, and peacock peahens till breakfast time. Then some breakthrough, it seems there is a tiger show going on. So do we again go for a tiger show?

Rajender said “do not. Why do want to waste money trying to see a tiger that is hiding in the bushes?” Then what shall we do? “We will go a little late after the sun is up and the tiger starts moving. “ All right, excitement mounting we waited. Around 9.30 am he came to take us to the spot. The elephant riders were chasing the tiger and it burst out of the tall grass in all its glory. The gait was unhurried the style majestic, it calmly crossed the gully in front of the jeep and headed straight.

We were rooted to the spot, all of us standing to greet the king. The cat was marking its territory and moving slowly and deliberately through completely ignoring the presence of all the cars standing by.
Watch the video.

Our Kanha Trip was a success. We came back satisfied, awed and still wondering, did we actually see what we saw? On to Pachmarhi now.

The earliest known portrayal of the Royal Bengal Tiger in India comes to us from the Indus Valley Civilisation where a 2,500 BC seal featuring a tiger was found. The lithe cat has also been depicted in the 3,000 BC rock paintings of the Warli tribe in the state of Maharashtra

(sambar male)

(sambar female, they were bang on the road. our gypsy came towards them and they ran off, again to come back on the road to look at us.)

(these are migratory birds, as per our guide they came from Russia)

(barasingha, this is a success story we should be proud of )

this one was a lone peacock, a few minutes back it was dancing for the deer.

sher khan

this is a five year old male tiger.

he was waiting for the cars to go out of his way .

please spot the bird, this is a nocturnal bird and it seems they can sit still like this for 3 weeks straight, its right there in front .

mud turtle

this was bang outside our room. i counted 25 honeycombs.

tiger video

My Appointment with Sher Khan, Pench Kanha Pachmarhi

2009-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

Part I: Pench (18th April-19th April)

It was the heat that hit us first. The open Gypsy did not make things any easier, every bone rattled away happily along with the bumps and the humps that the road has. But, then again, this is the jungle. So no complaints.

It is a few minutes past 3 pm when we started for our first safari in Pench. From Kipling’s Court to the entry of the national park took us about 15 minutes of ride, all those minutes were spent asking about tigers. Ramji, our driver, was a patient guy answering all questions. Can we see tigers here? Yes madam. When can we see them? Early evening or early morning, sir. Do tigers come near our hotel? (With a smile) almost never, sir. Oh my god!! Is that one there? No, madam that is a rock. Are those wild buffaloes? No sir, those belong to the local adivasis nearby. Oooooo, monkeys, how sweet. And we reached the entry gate of the park.

Getting there:

For me, the journey to Pench was a bit taxing. I started from Kolkata by air on the 17th and reached Hyderabad on the same day. Santosh was waiting to pick me up from the airport and then we met up with our friends. 10.00 pm the bus to Nagpur started. I don’t know about the others but I cannot sleep in a bus, however comfortable it is I need to stretch my legs properly. Dozing in a kind of semi-sleepy state, we reached Nagpur.

MP tourism had arranged for a pickup for us there, so an AC qualis was waiting to pick us up. Onwards we drove for 100 km and reached Pench.

(Fast facts--- Pench National Park or the Indira Priyadarshini Pench Tiger Reserve is located on the southern boundary of Madhya Pradesh (MP) and is contiguous with Maharashtra’s Pench National Park. There’s, however, no access to the park from Maharashtra. In MP, the park is situated in the Seoni District and is named after the Pench River, which flows north to south through the park.)

Soon after checking in and after a full lunch, Ramji came for the safari. It was brown, brown and more browns inside the park. We were on the lookout for anything moving on four legs, of course back to the sun, and soon enough the first of the deers made its entry. The total area is around 758 sq km, of which we are allowed to roam around 460 sq km. It has a large deer population, almost 22000. So we did see quite a few.

First were the spotted deer, then sambar and then some more monkeys and then the Indian Gaur. We saw a huge herd of gaurs grazing around. A look at their tapered horns is enough to discourage any petting ideas. Ramji kept up a constant commentary of the park details and stopped the four-wheels at exactly the correct moment. However the evening safari was a tad bit less exciting. With promises of a better safari in the morning, we finished the day off with bottles of Limca.

Cute cubs, but no pictures:

I love morning safaris, but only the fact that you have to get up at a really ungodly hour bothers me. I hardly closed my eyes when there was a wake up call for the safari. Ramji was waiting looking fresh as a daisy, we the city lumps all yawning and falling asleep on our feet.
But after an hour, we did wake up. The jungle was beautiful. It was still brown, but beautiful.

(some facts again: Pench forms part of a 2,500 sq km area called the Satpura-Maikal landscape, which includes Melghat, Pachmarhi, Kanha, Chhatisgarh and Bandhavgarh. There are three gates to the park: the Turia Gate (which you will use) and the Karmajhuri Gate and Jamtara Gate (which you won’t because they are inconveniently located away from the hotels))

We started park rounds again, Ramji informed that we are going to try and spot a leopard. These are naturally shy animals and very difficult to spot. We saw loads of deers, sambars, some more gaurs, and then a lone jackal. It was probably out for its morning walk; we followed it for some distance and then let it go. Hmmmmmmmm, but where is the tiger?? Definitely a no-show.

Time for some breakfast, to be honest we were a bit disappointed. We had only two safaris in Pench and then we move to Kanha. After breakfast, we started again. Ramji took us to the watch tower, the view more than made up for the tigers we missed.

(some of the herds we saw , the lone bison was part of a bigger herd which was busy feeding)

We drove through leopard territory, however as mentioned earlier these are very shy animals, and we could not see even the flick of a tail.

{about Pench:The first Inspector General of Forest(India), Dr Dietrich Brandis toured the area in 1863, and laid down policies to govern the area. However, hunting permits were available till as late as 1970-71. according to records, in 1949-50 , 49 tigers were shot dead here.

In 1977, Pench was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary and was given the status of a National Park in 1983. It became a Tiger Reserve, part of Project Tiger in 1992}

(the bisons actually put their weight on a rock at the base of the tree to eat the leaves)

(road through the forest, from the watch tower)

Then he asked: “ aap log tiger show dekhenge?”(Will you see the tiger show?) It seems the elephants have spotted four cubs having their breakfast, and have cornered them for a show to the visitors. This is a regular practice in all the national parks today. The elephants riders go out early in the morning, find the tigers, corner them and with an extra handout take you for the show.

(this one was dancing a few minutes back)

To be honest, I personally do not like it. Simply because of the fact it looks more commercialized and stage managed. But again, as my friends argued, riding an elephant to see a tiger has its own thrills. So we said yes, we will. Onwards we moved. Ramji took us to a small clearing where the elephants were assembled. We chose our elephant and went to see the tigers. Four cubs were hiding in thick bush, they had killed a sambar, and we can see the half-eaten carcass but the bush was so thick it was really difficult to see the tigers.

Nevertheless, we were elated. Ok, we saw tigers, we enjoyed the jungle. Coming back, we enjoyed an excellent spread provided by MP tourism and started for Kanha.
But that is another story.

Some orientation facts:
This is the place where Rudyard Kipling based his Jungle Book; however Kanha has gained more prominence than Pench. Plenty of hotels to stay, depending on budget. Contact MPTDC for booking.
The drivers and guides are knowledgeable and trained and can answer almost all your questions, do not be afraid to sound stupid, you are not expected to know.
Morning safari timings: Nov 1-Feb 15 and May 1-Jun 30: 6-11 am; Feb 16-Apr 30: 6 am-11.30 amEvening safari timings: Nov 1-Feb 15: 2.30-5.30 pm, May 1-Jun 30: 3.30-6.30 pm, Feb 16-Apr 30: 3-6 pm

we saw this wild boar on the way to the tiger show.

and the jackal too, out for his morning walk.

this peacock was keeping vigil at the place where the elephants has gathered.

serpent eagle

could not take any pictures of the tiger cubs, but we did see four of them. The bush where they were hiding was thick and camouflaged the animals so well. Only after the elephant riders threw a stick at the bush did we see four streaks of ornage rushing away.

can you spot anything here??

come to dance with mowgli, that`s what it says here.

Other attractions in Pench(unfortunately we didnot have time for all these)

Evening walk at the Kohka lake, hotels can arrange for this.

Visit to the Gond Village, it is just on your doorstep and dont forget to buy the earthen cups, when you pour chai in it , it gives off the wet earth smell.

There is a massause(not sure of spelling) in the village, I sprained my ankle very badly first day of the trip and this guy can work wonders it seems. Though did not try him out. :)

Mandarmoni-Weekend Away

2009-02-15T20:30:00.000-08:00

February 13th -15th

The place was selected at random, the occasion was Valentine’s Day and both of us wanted a bit of peace and quiet. Talking on the phone, we decided lets go to Mandarmoni (rather I decidedJ).This quaint little fishing village is becoming news for its two major attractions------ long wide beach and less population to bother you on it. However, it is fast developing and sadly, people are discovering it.

Some Fast Facts: Mandarmoni is a seaside resort in East Midnapore district of West Bengal. The specialty of the beach is it is wide and has relatively low waves than nearer tourist beach of Digha. The route goes thru esplanade (63km)-kolaghat-(3km) mecheda-(80km) contai-(12.3km) chaulkhola-(4km) kalindi-(4km) dadanpatra bar-(6km) mandarmoni.There are nice places to stay in Mandarmoni, Our choice was the Sana Beach Resort. Budget is very important as most of the places do charge a little exorbitant rate.

Santosh flew in from Hyderabad on 13th February, reached Kolkata at around 12 noon. And we started. The car journey was long and dusty and even a nice lunch at Sher-e Punjab could not make up for the irritation I was feeling becoz of the hours I have to be on my venerable backside.

That part along with the others came into serious considerations when after Chaulkhola the road turned red made of dust and bumps. The lunch disappeared in seconds and we bumped and danced on through the village road towards dadanpatra bar.

The pain was forgotten the moment we hit the beach. It looked something out of a calendar picture.Miles and miles of empty space and sand, you can hear the sea, but cannot see it. Then squint at the distance where the horizon changes color and realize ok, I am looking at the sea.

We loved it.

We checked into the Sana Resort and after checking everything is in working order thought will go out to enjoy the beach and the sand. But nature had different plans, so one of us switched the TV on and the other went to check the softness of the bed. It checked out absolutely fine so we tried sitting on it, hmmmmmmmmmm not bad at all. Let us put the AC on and test the warmth of the blanket & oh yes, it very warm. Not bad at all. Both of us like the facilities. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Santosh did wake up just in time for dinner, it seems I mumbled something sleepily and slept on.
One thing I did do was to set the alarm on my phone, for 5.00am.

The next morning was dark and sun was yet to come out when we came out of the gates and SURPRISE!!!! Where’s the sea??

Oh it is there, around 5kms back, so we start walking. A small dog comes running behind us, probably surprised to see only two humans on the wide, wide space that day. We walked and walked and walked, then walked some more. Words cannot describe it, it has to be seen and felt. We were walking on the sea bed, on star fishes, on shells, millions of them; I saw some sea anemones also.

The sun was not up, we didn’t mind, just speechless. Can this be really possible? We turned to look back, are we the only ones existing in this planet? No, there are two more specs on the horizon walking on the far end, then again three more specs on the other side. We stood on the water and tried counting the number of shells on the beach, gave up after some thousand.
And then the sun rises, it is simply magnificent, it brings out the best in you and it also brings out, hooray a chai-walla. So the next agenda of the day became having a cup of warm tea, sitting lazily on the chairs provided by the nearest shanty. That’s exactly what we did.

Lazy, Lazy moments curl by. The sea started coming near us after some time. The water is rising at a slow pace; the waves are coming nearer covering up the stretches of the sand we had walked on, taking the shells and the jelly fishes back to the sea. The chai-walla is really doing tremendous business as people started appearing. Its time for breakfast.

We actually did not venture out again before 12 noon, spending the whole time in the garden of the resort. For lunch we decided to check out the local flavors, however it seems that to have lunch in any of the shanties you have to let them know at least 2 hrs in advance. On to Rose Valley. I really digged in the prawns, Santosh, being a vegetarian at home, and a chicken eater outside can only look on in surprise at a true blue Bengali in action with prawns. Nobody other than a Bangali can really appreciate a chingri macher malai curry, what say??

After lunch it is time for some sight seeing. The only attraction in Mandarmoni is the mohana, or the confluence of the sea and the river. But you can also see thousands and thousands of red crabs crawling around all the time there. If and only if you are very lucky might see a turtle as well. So onwards we drove for another 2 kms to reach the confluence site.

It is as it claimed. Thousands and thousands of red crabs dotting the sandy beach. They dive into the hole as soon as you start stepping towards them, but step back a little bit and they appear again. I saw some local children digging them out as well. I have forgotten the name of the river that meets the sea at the confluence point, but the view is serene and quiet. We drove back to spend yet another lazy hour just doing nothing. The resort had arranged for a bonfire night, so soon after dark the fire started. We sat half dozing in the reclining chairs enjoying the warmth of the fire, listening to the sea rising and the waves lulling us to sleep.
The next morning is the time to return home, to the drudgery of work and regular life. Santosh had a flight to catch. So again we bumped and danced for 8 kms had a light brunch at Sher-e –Punjab (this time I did do justice to the tandoorJ), drove to Kolkata. Sad that this weekend only lasted for a weekend, but rejuvenated with memories of space and sand and sea.

I have done the pictures in random, there is no order to them.But most can be identified as to what they are.