Gangotri

Early morning we set out on our journey to Gangotri. After reaching there we went for a holy dip in the holy river Ganga which is known as Bhagirathi at its origin. Gangotri is a revered Hindu pilgrimage which is also a source of sacred river Ganga. According to the legend king Bhagirathi spent several years in penance of Goddess Ganga to land on the earth. Hence the origin of river Ganga is called Bhagirathi.

We were completely mesmerized by the pristine beauty of Gangotri. Its beautiful and peaceful aura captured our hearts. Our guide told us that this destination is at an altitude of 3140 m above sea level. After Gangotri darsham we came back to Uttarkashi.

The next morning we drove to Rudraprayag and on the way we stopped at Tehri Dam where we enjoyed for some time. Rudraprayag is around 175 km from Uttarkashi. Rudraprayag is the confluence of river Mandakani and Alaknanda. We also visited the Chamunda Devi temple and Koteshwr temple which are 3 km from Rudraprayag. In the evening we checked in the hotel for a night stay.

The next morning we headed towards Kedarnath which is 75 km from Rudraprayag. We reached Gaurikund and from here one can either go on foot or by pony/Doli to Kadarnath. We opted to go by pony and the ride was enjoyable. At Gaurikund we took bath in the hot water pond and visited the Gauri temple. Gaurikund is the place where Goddess Parvati meditated to attain Lord Shiva.

Kedarnath Yatra

Kedarnath Shrine is one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. It offers breathtaking views of the majestic Kedarnath range. Kedarnath town is staggeringly beautiful place flanked by snow-capped mountains. In the early morning we visited the Kedarnath shrine and then trekked down to Gaurikund. Then we drove to Rudraprayag via Guptkashi and stayed in a hotel at Rudraprayag.

The next morning we drove to Badrinath via Joshimath. It took us around 9 hours to reach Badrinath. At one point of time Badrinath was dotted with wild berries. Thus it got the name Badri Van meaning forest of berries. The next morning after taking a bath in the Taptkund at Badrinath we went for darshan of Lord Badrinarayan at Badrinath temple. It is a mesmerizing pilgrimage center located at an average elevation of 3,415 m. After attending the puja we took a stroll around the temple and photographed the blissful surroundings. The other nearby attractions (within the range of 3 km) here are Mana, Vyas Gufa, Maatamoorti, Charanpaduka, Bhimkund and the ‘Mukh’ of the Saraswati River.

After covering the Char Dhams we returned to Delhi with golden memories in our heart and peace in our mind. We were completely mesmerized by the celestial beauty of these four destinations. They are beautiful beyond words.

Badrinath

This time I and my friends were thinking of planning a tour which could be different from the rest of the tours which we had already taken. I mean we were looking for a destination which can offer natural beauty, adventure, pleasure, peace, knowledge and much more-all rolled into one. I was sharing this with my mom and she suggested the Char Dham Tour. Not taking her suggestion seriously I smilingly said ‘we are too young to go for a tirth yatra’. But then later when I saw the destinations of Char Dham Yatra on internet I was speechless. They are extremely beautiful promising much more than what we wanted. I immediately shared this idea with my friends and finally finalized this tour.

According to Hindu mythologies it is believed that Char Dham Yatra is a journey to moksha. Char Dham consists of four wonderful pilgrimage sites namely Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. It is one of the most holy tours of the Hindus. These four destinations are located in the staggeringly beautiful Himalayas. We booked the Char Dham tour with great excitement.

Starting from Delhi we reached Haridwar in the afternoon. After refreshing ourselves we visited the Mansa Devi temple and participated in the evening aarti at Har ki Pauri. Haridwar is another famous pilgrimage site of India. Its evening aarti was very uplifting. There we had an overnight stay at Hotel Haveli Hari Ganga. This place is a doorway to the Char Dham Yatra.

The next day in the morning we drove to Barkot via Mussoorie. We halted for some time in Mussoorie to see the wonderful Kempty Fall. We continued our drive to Barkot and reached there in the evening and spent the night in a hotel. Barkot is 215 kms from Haridwar.

In the morning we left from Barkot for Janki Chatti via Hanuman Chatti and Fool Chatti. Hanuman Chatti is the confluence of Hanuman Ganga and Yamuna River. After reaching Janki Chatti we started the trek of 6 km for Yamunotri, one of the Char Dhams. Yamnotri is located at an elevation of 3,235 m above sea level. The views of the surroundings were mesmerizing. After reaching Yamunotri we took a holi dip in Garam kund and then headed towards the shrine of Goddess Yamnotri. After darshan and Pooja we trekked back to Janki Chatti and drove back to Barkot.

Our Guide Shankar told us that Yamunotri is the the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna. Yamunotri Temple was built in the 19^th century by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur.

We saw several thermal springs flowing into the pools near the temple. The guide told us that among all Surya Kund is the most famous. We also worshipped at Divya Shila, a rock pillar which is worshipped before entering the Yamunotri Temple.

From Barkot we left for Uttarkashi in the morning. It is 82 km from Barkot. En route we visited Prakateshwar Cave. The journey from Barkot to Uttarkashi was very pleasurable as the road was flanked by pine trees and the path was very picturesque. It is a natural cave found around 10 years back. There are limestone formations inside the cave which resemble Shiv Linga because of which it holds religious importance. Cold water flows inside the cave making their way into a small pool. The water here is considered sacred.

We reached Uttarkashi in the afternoon and after refreshing ourselves we visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Later in the evening we participated in the aarti of Goddess Ganga at the Ganga river ghat. Uttarkashi is a gateway to Gangotri. Uttarkashi is located on the bank of river Bhagirathi. There are several temples located here. We also strolled through the town of Uttarkashi and retired to the beds late. The next day we had to drive to Gangotri. Till now our journey had been great, very beautiful, very uplifting.

Tiger

Brushing aside our dismay, we went on the evening safari in the Corbett National Park with a hope to sight a tiger this time. While on our way to the Park I was wondering about the woeful plight of tigers in India. The tiger population in India is moving towards extinction faster than we can imagine. Soon sighting a tiger in the jungle and even in zoo will be a thing of the past. It is very sad to know that now only 1411 tigers are left in India.

The kids continuously kept asking about our chances of sighting a tiger this time. I tried to make them understand that we should have a keen eye for other wildlife species also. It’s fun to watch them too. So let’s not be obsessed with tiger and have love for the other species too.

As we were moving towards Dhikala we sighted a lot of wild elephants and monkeys. The kids loved the experience and my 4 year old niece asked me, “how come these monkeys are so fit? Do they exercise daily? I also want to become like them”. Hearing her sweet wish we all burst out laughing. In the next one hour we saw some beautiful birds namely darter, long-tailed broadbill, crested serpent eagle, red jungle fowl, common peafowl and booted hawk eagle.

Dhikala is one of the best places in Corbett National Park where the chances of sighting a tiger and other wildlife species are bright. This region also provides accommodation facilities. Its picturesque surroundings and ambiance will surely leave you overwhelmed. A lot of elephants can be seen here. This region is not accessible during monsoon.

Our next sight was truly breathtaking. Our guide spotted something with his eagle eyes behind the bushes. We stopped our jeep and with pin-drop silence waited to see the creature. It moved and we could catch a glimpse of it. It was a tiger. In no time it moved into the dense forest. Well sighting the tiger was no less than a miracle for us. With limitless joy in our heart we continued our safari and sighted some deer, barking deer, chital, spotted deer and some more birds.

Ghariyal

“Running, running incessantly at a fast pace as if a participant of a rat race. We are absorbed in the thoughts of worldly pursuits and hardly listen to what our heart says. We think that heart can wait, as of now only worldly pursuits is the bait. What about the dreams of the heart? Brush them aside, again they can wait, seems it is their fate. Stop for a second, think, of what use would be the treasure of this world if it makes us eternally numb to the matters of the heart?”

As usual I sat down to write a poem but to my surprise I ended up writing the above piece. I had nothing of this sort going on in my mind but may be there was something my heart wanted to convey. I am not a ‘worldly pursuits’ offender but I am more soft on the heart than on the mind. So after writing the above piece unintentionally, I realized that my heart desired something and I absolutely knew what it was- a break from the drudgery of daily life, a tour to a relaxing place.

Wildlife parks as a holiday destination have always been too high on my list. I decided to go to the Corbett National Park and fortunately my sister and her lovely kids joined me. We drove to the Park and were booked at the Wood Castle Resort which has been my favorite for years. Sprawling in acres of land, this resort is located on the banks of an ever flowing river. Amidst gorgeous greenery and peaceful environment we were enjoying life and nature.

Early morning we embarked on the jungle safari on the jeep. As we ventured into the forests I was overwhelmed with the colors and a distinct aroma of the park. I simply loved it as it was soothing to the senses. Corbett National Park is one of the most famous wildlife destinations of India. Covering an area of 520 sq km, the Park is located in the majestic Himalayan foothills in Uttaranchal. Established in the year 1936, the Park came under Project Tiger Scheme in 1973. The Park is famous for tigers, crocodiles and leopards. A variety of other wildlife including the bird species are also found here. The Park got its name from the renowned author and wildlife conservationist Jim Corbett who played an important role in establishing this park.

The first attraction of the Park we saw was a large herd of Spotted Deer. Among the herd we spotted a small baby deer. It looked very sweet and I was amazed at its activeness. It was jumping around playing and eating, unaware of our presence. As we moved further we were greeted with the sight of Himalayan Black bear, sambar and some peacocks. We even got a chance to see the peacock dancing. It was a sight to behold.

Majority of the vegetation of the Park consists of tall Sal trees peppered by many streams. Every now and then we could sight some or the other animal, especially the herbivores. But the kids were eagerly waiting for tiger. Our guide was scanning the surroundings with his eagle eyes and suddenly pointed towards a beautiful bird called green bee eater. It is a beautiful bird with bright green color. We also saw blossom headed parakeet, dragonflies and red jungle fowl.

As we drove deeper into the forest, trees gave way to the grassland. There we saw a herd of elephants and the star attraction of that herd was a small baby elephant. Kids were too excited to see the elephants. Then we stopped at Dhikala to gorge on some food as we had started early from the resort without breakfast. Dhikala is the best region of the park where the chances of sighting tigers and other animals are bright.

Then we continued our wildlife journey and saw wild boar, jungle cat and some more birds. Next we stopped at high banks to catch the sight of gharials lazing in the sun. We captured them in our camera. As we neared the end of our journey the kids asked me about the tiger. I smilingly said we had a bad luck on the tiger front but we must feel good that we had the opportunity to see so many different wildlife species. They smiled and said “ok, better luck next time”. This was the end of our morning safari. We left for the resort with a hope to sight a tiger in the evening safari.

Dharamshala

On Saturday morning we a group of seven friends from Delhi boarded a bus

for Dharamshala. In the afternoon the bus stopped at a dhaba where we had rajma, rice, butter naan and salad. It was really tasty. After lunch we slept for some time and woke up to the views of lush green landscape. We reached Dharamshala after an arduous road journey of around 13 hours. But the moment we stepped into this beautiful land all our tiredness vanished like a dream.

Dharamshala is an enchanting tourist destination of North India located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is famous for its sheer natural beauty. It boasts of mesmerizing streams, rivers, majestic mountains, ancient temples, beautiful monasteries and waterfall. We were really excited to explore all these attractions. This destination is also a home to the well known Buddhist priest Dalai Lama. Buddhism is a major religion followed here.

As we set out on our journey we were greeted with overwhelming views of the snow-capped mountains and hills dotted with pine trees. With such an incredible natural beauty, no wonder Dharamshal has been bestowed with the title of ‘Scotland of India’. It is a wonderful town with the backdrop of Dhauladhar Mountains. This town is divided into two regions: Upper Dharamshala (popularly known as McLeod Ganj) and Lower Dharamshala.

We visited the Kangra Art Museum to see the unique arts and crafts of this region. The museum houses beautiful handicrafts such as pots, paintings, sculptures which date back to the 5th century. Then we moved on to the War Memorial which was built in honor of the soldiers of Himachal Pradesh who gave their life for their nation. After praying for them we headed towards the Dal Lake which is one of the famous spots of this region. After covering a distance of 11 km from the town we reached the Dal Lake. At this picturesque lake we sat for some time to get soaked in the natural beauty. Some of the local people had come here for picnic. We interacted with them and found them really friendly.

We also visited Kunal Pathri which is famous for its rock temple dedicated to the local Goddess Kapaleshwari. It is a beautiful temple.

Post lunch, we set out on a trekking tour to Triund which is an amazing place located around 20 km from McLeod Ganj. While trekking to this place we saw some beautiful birds, goats and pigs. Our guide told us that black bear and leopard are also found here. It is the best place for enjoying trekking in Dharamshala. After reaching Triund we treated our senses to breathtaking views, gorgeous greenery and salubrious climate. It was such an overwhelming experience.

Darjeeling Toy Train

It is the happiest moment for anyone’s life when one gets a chance to refurbish one’s childhood memories. No wonder childhood days occupy a prized place in our lives and when we go down the memory lane our hearts get rejuvenated. Same thing happened with me when I boarded Darjeeling Himalayan Railway alias ‘Toy Train’ in Siliguri after completing my official work. During my childhood days I would always get fascinated by slow puffing of steam locomotives and its sound chuk-chuk still remains close to my heart. During those days any passing by steam train attracted me and I would rush to my balcony to see it. I used to stand in my balcony even after train moved away from my sight, lost in its left behind smoke trail.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway alias Toy Train is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow-gauge railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling in West Bengal which is managed by the Indian Railways. It is among the most enjoyable of India’s toy trains which connects Jalpaiguri in the plains to the lovely hill station of Darjeeling. This toy train was constructed between 1879 and 1881 by Gillander Arbuthnot & Co. in order to accomplish the vision of Franklin Prestage, an agent of Eastern Bengal Railway Company. Due to its historical, cultural and economical importance this train was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
The train has only 2 coaches, First Class coach with capacity of 12-17 passengers and the second class coach with capacity of 30 seats. I purchased the ticket of first class and boarded the train to begin the journey of 86 kilometers. The train begins from an elevation of 100 m from Siliguri and reaches up to an altitude of 2,200 m in Darjeeling. Throughout the journey I was mesmerized by the ambiances of passing by destinations.

Through the wide glass window of the toy train one can see the majestic beauty of the Himalayas with its snow covered peaks glistering in the sun rays. During its journey train passes through Mahanandi valley, tea garden landscapes, monasteries and forests of pine and oak trees which are enough to stimulate your soul. I was completely engrossed in the natural panorama and it incited several thoughts inside me regarding the mystic nature. The journey was no less than a motion picture epitomizing natural beauty. Sometimes the natural scenic beauty was interrupted by the smiling people and running children when the train passed through some town or market.
The most interesting part of this joy ride was when train passed through the Batasia Loop. This is an interesting track-loop between Ghoom and Darjeeling where train corkscrews through a tunnel. During its turn I was enthralled by the spectacular view of Darjeeling town with the Kanchenjunga and other snowy mountains in the backdrop.

After 8 hours ride I finally reached Darjeeling at 4:30 pm. Though I was alone but I never felt it because my heart and soul were wallowing in joy as the train journey was offering breathtaking views of the fascinating places.
I took this ride to redecorate my childhood memories but this romantic journey added new section to my cherished memories.

Of all my school memories, what I miss most? My answer to this, without any second thought, would be ‘Summer Vacations’. Being a wanderer and an explorer, I often feel like a caged creature after joining the corporate world. But I am really grateful to my brother who planned a relaxing

Kerala Houseboat Tour

trip to Kerala. I applied for leave in my office and contacted a reputed Indian travel agent. While going through the Kerala travel guide, we decided to opt for a Kerala houseboat tour.

We arrived at the Cochin Airport and booked in a nearby hotel. Post lunch, a travel assistant escorted us to the Cochin Harbour. We hired a houseboat (traditional Kettuvallom) there at economical rates. The houseboat, consisting a bedroom, living area, deck and kitchen, was no less than a luxurious room in a star-rated hotel. Our first halt was Fort Cochin, a renowned ancient structure. We also paid short visits to the Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church and Chinese Fishing nets the same day. The evening was spent at leisure, and we enjoyed awesome sea-food in dinner on our boat.

Next morning, we headed for Munnar – the famous place for Cardamom hills & green tea plantations. That entire day was devoted for trekking, so we enjoyed the best of nature walks amidst aromatic plantations there. For night stay, we were booked in an economical hotel. Next morning, we started our exploration with Eravikulam National Park. While roaming in the dense greens I clicked a few mountain goats (locally called the Nilgiri Tahr), and visited the Mattupetty Dam & Dairy Farm, Old Munnar Town, and the town market also.

Day four was completely dedicated to Alleppey – the Venice of the East! While cruising across the serene backwaters there, I had a closer look to the local villagers and their lifestyle. What I enjoyed most was the sunset. Similarly, our next destination, Kovalam was also spell-binding. The Ayurvedic resorts dotting the coastline in Kovalam add to the beauty of the place.

Lastly we preceded for Thiruvanthapuram, where we covered the Museum complex, Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Science & Technology museum, Veli tourist village, Aakulam boat club and Shangmugham Beach. So, this week-long trip in Kerala was actually a remarkable experience. I was amazed that spending days on waters could be such a unique and unforgettable experience.

Gulmarg Tour

I had never thought that my adventure fever would take me to a journey where I could enjoy beauty as well as thrill at highest. The best part was when I saw the Indo-Pak border with naked eyes, and I had goose-bumps. Friends, it was Gulmarg – the meadow of flowers – the gem of Jammu & Kashmir. While going through the Gulmarg tourism guide, I came to know that the place was discovered by the British in 1927 as a superb hill resort. Moreover, it served as a favourite place of Emperor Jehangir who collected 21 different varieties of wild flowers from here. And it was real!!

Anyways, I was lying amidst magical meadows, snow capped mountains, and picturesque alpines that have altogether provided wonderful background for several Bollywood ventures. Although it was a one-day trip, I decided to keep my luggage in a hotel before leaving for some exciting adventure sports. On my way, I also paid a short visit to the shrine of Baba Reshi, a Muslim mystic saint.

My adventure journey in this region of Baramulla district of J&K started from Khilanmarg, where I enjoyed the best skiing of my lifetime. I hired the skis and sticks, snow boots, woollen socks, mufflers, windproof jackets, goggles, and caps. I was accompanied by a ski instructor who taught me the proper way to perform skiing. That short class offered by him was quite helpful in blind slopes.

After skiing for around a couple of hours, I searched for a restaurant where I enjoyed awesome Rogan Josh, a traditional non-vegetarian dish. Next I headed for the Alpather Lake, a picturesque alpine lake that remains frozen until late June. As an adventure seeker, I wished to take the one-day & 13 km trekking route from Gulmarg to the Alpather Lake, but later I dropped the idea and decided to go for a nature walk amidst the pine forests.

I also paid a visit to the gorgeous green golf course in Gulmarg, which boast of being the highest golf course in the world. This way, it was an ideal trip that offered me beauty as well as thrill. The place was mesmerizing. After all, it was a heavenly trip to a heaven!

Nainital Lake

Traveling is the most beautiful and rejuvenating activity for me in this world. Nothing compares the pleasure of exploring new destinations. The spark of traveling in my heart never fades away and this time it took me to Nainital. Again I was ready to learn and grow, to stretch my limits and appreciate overwhelming nature fashioned by the almighty. Some of my friends came along as their world also orbits around traveling.

In the early hours of the morning when I stepped out of my hotel room, I was elated to see the calm and beautiful Naini lake. As I walked towards the lake my eyes caught sight of the rising sun whose orange rays cloaked the hill tops, making them look like a heap of gold. Enjoying the boat ride on the lake I saw a White-throated Kingfisher perched on a boat feasting on a fish. It was a sight to behold.

The lake is the most attractive feature of Nainital. It is a fresh water natural lake, which is highly picturesque. Here one can enjoy boating in three different types of boats- yacht, rowing boats and paddle boats. The road running parallel to the lake is called Mall road, which is dotted with wonderful trees, hotels and shops.

Next we went to the Naina Devi temple located on the northern shore of the lake. It is a famous temple dedicated to Maa Naina Devi ( an incarnation of goddess Parvati). The pujari of the temple told us an interesting legend associated with the temple and the lake.

Our next halt was the enchanting Naini Peak, also known as the China peak. We reached there on ponies, enjoying the journey to the hilt. The romantic, peaceful and blissful aura of the peak captured my heart and I tried my best to capture such a pristine beauty in my camera. The peak offers breathtaking views of Nainital. From there we headed towards the city for lunch. We dined at one of the restaurants named Khana Khazana and the food it served was really tasty. As we moved out of the restaurant after having a hearty lunch it started to rain.

My friend Monika commented, “it is also a part of the adventure”. We immediately bought umbrellas from the small shops lining the road, and when I saw Tahir’s umbrella I burst out laughing. He had bought a huge ‘family-size’ multi-colored umbrella. Anyway it was sheer fun to stroll through the mall road in rain with the funny umbrellas.

At an unearthly hour my phone rang. I reluctantly dragged myself

Shimla City

out of the deep dreamless slumber to receive the call. It was Monika, a friend of mine who I affectionately call ‘my travel comrade’. She is one person in my entire social network who inhabits my world ( a world overflowing with the passion of traveling). Before I could even finish saying ‘what happened, everything alright’ she interrupted in between and said “I and some of my friends are going to Shimla next week. I am sure you are coming”. Her ‘am sure’ clearly reflects how well she knows me. Of course, my answer was ‘yes’.

The next thought that crossed my mind was ‘what about the boss’? Well here I am not talking about taking my boss along (the only thing I like about him is  the presence of his absence). The question was how to ask for 5 days leave. Anyway I was sure I will somehow manage to open up my boss’s Buddhahood, as these five days were the steps for me to Nirvana. For me traveling is tantamount to Nirvana.

After a not-so-bad journey by car, we a group of 7 people ( Monika, Tahir, Shakeel, Sanjog, Abhishek, Deepika and me) reached Shimla, the Queen of Hill Stations at around 8:30 pm. We were booked in the Clark’s hotel, which is one of the finest hotels in Shimla.

Post breakfast, we set out walking towards mall road and enjoyed the healthy and soothing environment of Shimla to the hilt. How much we crave for such a pollution free environment in Delhi. It is a perfect place to unwind.

Our first halt was Mall Road, the main shopping street of Shimla.

Shimla Night Life

The interesting thing about it is that no vehicles are allowed on this road, which allows tourists and locals to move about easily and freely. It was constructed during the British rule. It is lined with many showrooms, departmental stores, restaurants, stalls and emporiums. This is the best place to shop for the colorful handicrafts of Himachal Pradesh. From beautiful shawls to pottery items, all are available here.

Post lunch we headed for our next destination, the Ridge Road, which runs east to west alongside the Mall Road. On its east side it leads to Lakkar Bazaar, a wooden craft market. The Ridge Road offers mesmerizing views of the majestic mountains. Other attractions here are the neo-Gothic structure of Church dating back to 1844 and a tudorbethan styled library built in 1910.

In case you wish to get photographed in a typical Himachali dress, colorful traditional dresses are available here on rent. After a lot of struggle to choose the best one for myself, I found an attractive fiery red dress. Deepika chose maroon. The experience was overwhelming.