Travel | Nikhil Shantala

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Lone Male Traveller

Posted: January 3, 2012 by Nikhil Shevade in Travel
Tags: Areca nut, backpacking, coastal, drive, home stay, horanadu, hornadu, ikkeri, Jog Falls, Konkan, lonely traveller, Shringeri, Tunga River

You might say “What’s the fun in that? With no friends, family and relatives just wandering alone like a ghost?” Well I enjoyed every bit of it to be a Lone Male traveller and savoured the adulation and respect I received from people whom I met during this travel who came to know I was travelling alone, except in Goa where I was mistook as only a driver or they thought that I had lost my marbles (sheepish grin). I planned in such a way so as to try not to cover the beaten up touristy places along the way and also planned to use my trusty companion, my car to take me there. After much debate with myself, I finally settled down with driving down to some pilgrimage places like Shringeri and Hornadu in Chickmagalur district, Karnataka and return journey through the most spectacular coastal roads in the world, the Konkan coast – a total of 1500 kms from Kolhapur to Kolhapur.

So off I was from Kolhapur to Belgaum, my beloved hometown and then to Haliyal (my wife’s hometown), from Megadeth blasting on my stereo and Dave Mustaine shining his ‘black tooth grin’ to Miles Davis soothing my nerves after the much sought for onslaught, music for all moods.

Day 1: Dandeli

Though not on my itinerary, I visited Dandeli (25 kms from Haliyal) to perform a recce (no, I am not David Headley) for a near future tentative trip to this place for my office. I visited Bison Resort, Hornbill Resort, Supa Dam, Kali Adventure Camp, Kulgi Nature Camp. It was December and the dense forest aptly reflected the holiday mood of the people desperate to get bookings in this calm and refreshing jungle and December being the best time to visit this place.

Day 2: Hulgol Home Stay

The next day, I started off on the real journey from Haliyal to Sirsi. I like the backpacking style of travel (characterised by low budget, independent travel) where the plan is there is no plan. The drive was characterised by a well laid road, the way it flowed and of course the view through the windscreen. I had read about Hulgol and its village charm that I knew instantly I wanted to stay here. But Hulgol is not well mapped and you have to keep your eyes peeled for milestones as there is only one marked for the place. Initially intending to do a lame stay in some lodge in Sirsi, when I came across Hulgol village, about 14 kms before Sirsi, the areca trees and lush green surroundings coerced me to search for some place here to halt for the night. And what luck I was in for!! Sure enough I saw this board pointing to “Areca Valley Home Stay” and immediately I swerved (gently) my vehicle towards that direction. After a km in the dense areca plantation, I saw this beautiful old styled house welcoming me. This Home stay is maintained by Hegade Family who own acres of plantation and farm fields. I met up with the owner and they were happy to let me a room for the night. The room was clean as a whistle. I was introduced to the other family members of the house. It was 8 pm and after some rest, I was taken to the Areca nut peeling activity into the dense dark path through the village. It was a beautiful clear star and moon lit night and after some time we reached the place where the peeling was going on. About 20 odd women were expertly peeling away the supari nuts. As told to me by Mr. Hegade, the nuts are tender after peeling and then they are dried in the sun to mature the nuts suitable for consumption. Then we returned home to be treated with delicious traditional vegetarian Havyak dinner that Mrs. Hegade had prepared for us. I absolutely loved the jaggery desserts and the simple but delicious delights on the table. This was a welcome change from what I knew about the overdose of seafood that will be happening once I touch the coastal line. I was told that all the ingredients are the freshest from the home garden and prepared in pure ghee. After the satisfying dinner, I took this opportunity to interact with the family members and learning their way of life.

Day 3: Sagar and Jog Falls

Early morning was greeted by the sunrise filtering through the chlorophyll of the green leaves of the surrounding plantation. I was in awe of this beauty. After morning tea, I was welcomed for breakfast of typical delicious dosas and chutney and to top it all with jaggery desserts. I was taken on a round of the plantation after which it was time for me to leave. I said to myself this is a perfect start to the whole experience and was fortunate to spot this home stay. Then I visited Sahasralinga which is half a kilometre from the home stay. It is in the river Shalmala and is famous for being the location where around a thousand lingas are carved on the rocks in the river bank. Then off I was to Ikkeri near Sagar where the majestic Hoysala – Kadamba style Aghoreshwar temple is situated. There are intricate carvings on the stone walls of the temple. Then I moved on to Jog Falls to witness the world famous Jog waterfalls created by the Sharavati River, which is one of the highest waterfalls in the world. There was hardly any water than the previous time I had visited this falls. On my way back to Sagar, I stumbled across another home stay called Matthuga and checked in. I was given a beautiful cottage surrounded by plantation and maintained by the keepers of the stay. Though not as homely as in my previous experience, but I was offered traditional dinner and early morning breakfast. I mingled with the other family occupants. At night, I was greeted by 3 giant “tarantula” like spiders in my cottage and small toads in the bathroom which were shooed away by the keeper at my request . I have developed a new phobia after seeing these giant creepy crawlers called “Arachnaphobia”!!

Day 4: Shringeri

After breakfast, I started out for Shringeri Devasthan, about 170 kms from Sagar via Tirthhalli, known for its mutt (temple) established by Adi Shankaracharya and is a famous pilgrimage center for Hindus. I reached there late in the evening as I was travelling at a slow pace enjoying the surrounding beauty. I checked in the rooms of the Devsthan. These rooms are extremely basic and cheap but well maintained. Then I set out for the Devsthan. The temple was flocked by devotees. There was orderliness in the temple as opposed to the chaos we find in the temples up North. Behind the temple is the Tunga River where fish feeding is the major attraction and a bridge across the river to villages. There is the Sharadamba Temple and Vidyashankara Temple. After witnessing the sunset on the river banks, I wandered in the town. I observed two elderly couple almost bursting to tears on reaching Sringeri to pay homage to the Deity. Such was the devotion on display. It was now time for me to taste the food of the temple. I immediately got a seat on reaching the dining hall with empty plates in place. After a line was full, the express serving began with Payasam to start with, then came rice, vegetables and sambar and rassam. The food was extremely basic but truly delicious. I had never eaten so fast before and my dinner was over within 5 minutes. After we got up, the used plates were immediately picked up by volunteers and floors were cleaned up within under 3 minutes and new plates placed for other devotees desperately waiting in queue. When I came out of the dinner hall, there was Mahapooja underway. After the pooja, I returned to my room and retired for the day.

Day 5: Hornadu

After morning breakfast of idlis and vadas, I set off to another temple town called Hornadu via Jayapura. The entire way was in dense thick forest. Horanadu lies amidst beautiful Malnad region, near another temple town called Kalasa and the Annapurneshwari Temple is situated here. Horanadu is like a hill station with beautiful landscapes and farm fields. Every visitor to the Annapoorna temple at Horanadu, irrespective of their religion, language, caste, or creed, is provided with a three-course vegetarian meal similar to that in Sringeri. I had no plans to stay in Hornadu but to move on to Udupi for stay, but looking at its surrounding beauty decided to stay here for one night at another valley stay that I stumbled upon about 1.5 kms from the temple. The cottage, sans spider, given to me was situated amidst scenic paddy fields and high rise mountains. I took some rest and then started off for the temple. The main deity of the goddess was put in place by Adi Shankaracharya; the new deity of goddess Annapurneshwari was consecrated in the temple in 1973. Here I also had Prasadam for dinner.

Day 6: Kudremukh – Udupi – Kundapur

The next morning, I started my journey to Kundapur via Kudremukh and Udupi. Kudremukh is a mountain range noted for its scenic beauty. Owing to the dense forests, sighting wildlife can be challenging, though the area is rich in wildlife. The drive through the National Park was enchanting and exhilarating with forest, mountains and the azure blue sky coupled with surprisingly excellent road. The Tunga and Bhadra rivers are said to originate here and flow freely through the parklands. The area is also primarily known for KIOCL mining which operated till few years back. The area is also known for skirmishes between the Naxalites and the police. You have to take a free entry pass before entering the National Park. Kudremukh (means ‘Horse face’ in Kannada ) peak is situated in this park but is not visible from the road and involves some trekking to do to reach the peak. I was moving very slowly, stopping at vantage points to capture the scenic views, tea plantations, newly built bridges, when a police constable hitched a ride up to Kudremukh town. He acted as my guide and I surprisingly did well to converse with him in Kannada. I had not realised my Kannada speaking prowess till then, thanks to it being a subject in my school. He told me various interesting things about the place including the fact that the Naxalites were troubling the police even now, which I had thought had died down after the recent encounter of their leader by the police. All the time he was in my car, I had my heart in my mouth, fearing that the Naxals will pop out of the wilderness seeing the policeman, with a gun in his hand, shooting even me thinking that I am his accomplice. But the constable assured me that the Naxals don’t hurt tourists. He got off near his station and thanked me for the ride and now I could breathe a sigh of relief. On the way, I came across a waterfalls called “Hanuman Gundi” which is about more than a 100 feet high. It was easy way down the stairs but exhausting way up but was worth visiting. I was famished by the time I reached my car and wanted to reach Udupi for lunch asap. After another 10 kms, I exited the Park which in my opinion, is the most scenic forest cover I have ever seen. When I approached Karkala, I could feel the humidity in the air and the areca trees and dense forest were replaced by the familiar Konkan Coastal landscape. I passed the famous Manipal University campus and had my lunch of Neer Dosa and Idli Vada in Udupi at the famous Hotel Karavali. I skipped the temples of Udupi due to paucity of time and continued my journey to Kundapura for night halt. On the way, I dropped by to visit the Malpe Beach near Udupi. I had dinner at the Shetty Lunch Home in Kundapura famous for its Kane fish Masala and Chicken Ghee Roast and checked in a hotel and retired for the day.

Day 7: Kundapura – Murudeshwar-Karwar-Goa

I started my journey to Murudeshwar for visit to the famous temple located on the sea side. On the way, I stopped at the beautiful scenic Maravanthe beach, 15 kms north of Kundapura where the national highway NH-17 passes close to this beach (around 100 metres from the shore) and a stretch of a kilometre of this highway is flanked by the seashore of Arabian sea on one side and the Hills forming a backdrop to the river on the other. Then I arrived at Murdeshwar. It houses the world’s second tallest statue of Lord Shiva. The temple and the town was bustling with activity of tourists and pilgrims. I had a helping of my favourite fish curry and rice at Honnavar and continued my journey to Karwar, giving Gokarna (another important pilgrim place) a skip, with the idea of halting in some South Goa Beach. I arrived at Canacona, South Goa and started searching for a lodge near Pallolem Beach. But as it was December season, the hotel rates had skyrocketed and I was not willing to shell out that much. So after a long search, I finally found a small resort which suited my budget.

Day 8: Fort Terekhol (Tiracol)

I have visited Goa and its beaches many times over and did not want to revisit them again. You can have a look at my other blog post on Goa here. The next morning, I went to the Pallolem Beach which is a typical Goan beach filled with tourists and then resumed my journey, destination Fort Terekhol Heritage Hotel via Margaon, Panjim, where I had made arrangements for a day’s stay. The road all along upto Fort Tiracol is good, interesting and picturesque. The drive is through many Goan villages, along the beaches of Morjim, Ashvem and Arambol to reach the jetty at Kerim beach. A ferry takes you and the car across the river. Then it’s less than a five minute drive up a hill to an abode of peace and quiet, great view of the Arabian sea and the Querim beach, good food and good sleep. The fort was originally built by Maharaja Khem Sawant Bhonsle, the Raja of Sawantwadi, in the 17th century and later was surrendered to the Portuguese which in turn was forcibly annexed to India after independence. The Terekhol fort has been converted into a hotel, the Terekhol Fort Heritage. There is a church in the fort courtyard which is not open to the general public except on certain occasions such as the annual feast that is usually held in May. The rooms are named by the days of the week. The scenery from my balcony of the Arabian Sea was awesome and I witnessed the sunset from my balcony marking the end of my awe-inspiring journey. I had the Chef’s special Goan feast of Prawns curry and Red snapper and mussels masala fry with pancakes as dessert.

Day 9: Home

The next morning, after breakfast, I checked out and started my Home bound journey to Kolhapur. On the way, I stopped at Reddy Ganesh Temple which was under renovation. I had my lunch of the ubiquitous sol kadi, fish fry, fish curry and prawns fry at the famous and bustling Shree Mahalaxmi, Sawantwadi. I passed the famous Amboli Hill Station and onto Nipani to take NH 4 to Kolhapur.

For snapshots of this tour, click here.

Himachal and Spiti

Posted: August 2, 2011 by Shantala Shevade in Travel
Tags: buddhist, glacier, Himachal Pradesh, kaza, Manali Himachal Pradesh, monastery, Shimla, Spiti Valley, tabo

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June is the monsoon season all over the south and Nikhil was searching for a destination which will give a break from hectic work schedule and the rains. So he came up with the idea of visiting Spiti Valley. When I heard the name I was excited as finally I will be using my passport for its actual purpose of travel and not as an identity proof. And as this will be our first foreign tour!!! So I asked Nikhil which country is it in?? I can still remember the look on Nikhil’s face!! He just told me to Google it and left for office.

When I searched the name in the internet I found this place in my very own country. Though disappointed by missing a foreign tour, I went through the pictures and write ups on this place in Himachal and instantly fell in love with it. And so off we were on our adventure. Our tour follows:

Shimla is 7 to 8 hours journey from New Delhi and we took a Volvo bus run by Himachal Tourism from Delhi. Though we were little hesitant about this bus journey we found it comfortable and were ready to enjoy Shimla the next morning.

Day One – Shimla:

Shimla the Capital of Himachal Pradesh is often termed as “Queen of Hills.” It is located in North West Himalayas at an altitude of about 2200 meters. The weather here was a mixture of sunshine and clouds. We started our day with the visit to Christ Church which was very near to the hotel we stayed. This is said to be the second oldest Church in Northern India. We spent some time looking at the Majestic architecture and left for our next place of the day called Naldehra Golf course. Naldehra is about 22 kms from Shimla city. Here before we could know what is happening we were made to sit on the Horse back to have a look at the Golf course. It was the first ever time I ever rode on a horse back. Initially it felt little scary but, soon we felt like Maharaja and Maharani on the horses. It was an hour and a half ride through the lush green golf course. We stopped at a Nag Mandir built in the greenery. On our way we enjoyed the view of Pine trees and valleys and a far off view of river Sutlej.

After spending quiet a lot of time on horse back we were hungry and had a nice food at a road side hotel and started for our next stop at Kufri.

Kufri is situated 16 kms from Shimla city. Being located at the highest point it receives the first snow fall of Shimla District. There is a Fun park situated here and we came to know that the only way we can reach there is by Horse riding. So again we were on horseback on our way to The Fun Park, The so called road which leads to the park is completely covered with mud and stones. We came to know that about 1100 horses work here operated by Himachal Tourism. These are trained horses and were taking us through the serpentine roads facing deep fall at one side following their counterparts without disturbing the line. After an hour of ride we finally reached our destination. The Fun parks houses a small garden, a skiing zone (for winters) and few valley view points. At the time we reached there it started to drizzle and everything around was covered by fog. So we could not see much there. There were many Yaks, the King of snow here. Though these are used only for photo purpose, the animal looked very interesting and friendly too. I too jumped on one to have my photo. After spending some time around in Kufri, we decided to go back. Again on horseback. Finally after about 45 minutes we were back to our car and headed to the place called Lalit Cafe where the Shimla Agreement was discussed between Indira Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto. It houses a Cafe and a garden. By this time the sky was completely covered by clouds and we decided to leave for Shimla.

On our way back we stopped to see the Green valley of Shimla. Our guide said that the valley is spread almost 25 kms and full of Pine trees. The valley was covered by fog and only we could see is the white foggy valley in place of Green!!

At the time we entered Shimla it was evening and it had started to rain and we decided to retire for the day.

Day Two – Manali:

The second day of our tour was to go to Manali. Manali is 360 kms from Shimla another beautiful Hill station. It was a day long journey so we packed as early as possible and left for our next destination.

Enroute Manali: The weather was perfect with no signs of rains though sometimes it was cloudy enough to hide the mountains from our view. The first stop was at Sundar Lake. A beautiful lake just outside the beautiful town Sundarnagar near Mandi. Lake is surrounded by huge mountains and a good place to stop on the long journey.

The next stop was Pandoh Hydel project on river Beas. We could hear the roaring of the river from a distance where the dam is constructed. We stopped here for some time to see the water flowing in its full force on the other side of the dam. For Manali, we have to cross the bridge built over the dam. Fully surrounded by mountains with huge trees, this place is a must stop.

The next stop was at Kullu where we did river rafting in the River Beas. It was a first time experience for both of us. Little nervous we climbed the boat in the jackets provided by the organiser. Initially it felt little scary as both of us are non swimmers but, it was safe and we enjoyed every bit of 7 km long rafting in the ice cold waters of Beas.

After visiting the famous shawl factory of Kullu (Caveat Emptor – Don’t fall for the Chingu scheme), we finally reached our hotel at Manali in late evening.

Day Three – Manali:

Vashishta Temple: Our first stop in Manali was the Vashistha Temple in village Vashishta situated 3 kms from Manali. The temple is believed to be 4,000-year-old temple dedicated to sage Vashisht.
The temple is also famous for its hot sulphur springs. According to legend, Lakshmana who visited this ashram of Vashisht found that his guru had to go far off for his bath. He shot an arrow at this place and hot water sprang out. Shower-fitted Turkish style bathrooms have made the spring a popular spot used mostly by locals and was dirty.
Inside the temple there is a black stone image of the Rishi, clad in dhoti. On the left side of the spring, there is a Rama temple in which the idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana have been installed.

Hadimba/ Hidimba Devi Temple: After spending some time at the Vashishta temple and savouring the beauty of the surrounding mountains and valleys, we left for Hadimba Temple. This temple is located in middle of the forest Dhungiri Van Vihar amidst the huge Deodhar Trees. The temple was built in 1553 and dedicated to Hadimba Rakshashi of Mahabharat as she ruled these mountains. The temple is four storeyed and has a Pagoda styled architecture. Spending sometime amidst the huge Deodhars, our next stop was The Clubhouse.

Club House: As far as I am concerned it is just a modern tourist attraction and nothing else. It had some water sports like river crossing, a boating and few game centres. We had a quick look around and left for the Tibetian Monastery.

Tibetan Monastery: We visited the Tibetan Monastery near Tibetan Market. A beautiful statue of Bhagvan Buddha in the centre is truly divine. The calm and quiet surroundings of the monastery were a welcome change amidst the crowded areas we went earlier.

We just strolled down the Tibetian market and Mall Road of Manali for some time and retired for the day as, the next morning we had to leave for our Main attraction of this tour, Spiti Valley.

Spiti Valley – The Hidden Paradise

As per our drivers request, we decided to leave hotel as early as 3 am the next day to reach Kaza by 3 pm. The hurdle for the trip was Rohtang Pass as the day before, there was a Landslide and the traffic was still to be cleared. We reached Rohtang pass at about 5 am and before we could reach, we saw the long line of vehicles. So here we were about 7 kms from main Zero Point of Rohtang Pass stuck in a Traffic Jam!! The morning was a real beauty, Green valleys, huge mountains, snow capped peaks, rivers and the sun playing hide and seek with the clouds. The nature was at its Best here. At this point we were really happy being stuck in a traffic jam as otherwise we could not have enjoyed this beauty!!

3 hours went on and there was no sign of our Sumo moving an inch. We were at a single point all three hours and slowly the cars started moving. Oh, that’s great we will reach Kaza in time!! But, what happened next was unbelievable. The traffic was so slow due to a major landslide that it took us full 8 hours to Pass The Great Rohtang Pass!! Crossing the Landslide zone was a nightmare. The road was muddy and our driver had to struggle controlling the vehicle. The police were allowing one vehicle at a time to cross the particular landslide zone. And above all rain had started and curtailing our speed too. Muddy slippery road with steep valley on one side and huge mountain wall on the other. It was most scary road I have ever travelled which made me remember all 3 crore Gods!! Due to snow fall in winters Rohtang is closed for 6 months in a year. And to clear the snow the big bulldozers are used because of which roads are always in bad condition. Even huge military vehicles have to cross this very road to transport ration and ammunition to the base in Ladakh.

Finally we reached Gramphu village at around 2.30 and stopped for lunch. From this village the road splits to Spiti to the east and Leh in the west. The view though fully covered with clouds was awesome!! After having a quick meal of Hot Maggie Noodles, we turned right to our destination Spiti Valley.

Spiti valley too don’t have proper tar roads but, after travelling the roads of Rohtang we found this uneven road as Express Highway!! No traffic and No rains too !! The mountains were so huge with bushes and many water falls falling from the top and deep valley where the River Chandra was flowing in full force. Suddenly the view changed as if by waving a magic wand, enter the most desolate place. No traffic, no human beings at all in sight. A view of harsh beauty of Mother Nature. Slowly as we proceeded into the valley I thought we were in completely alien land. We were crossing nalas (water fall from glaciers) the road was both sides covered with huge rocks, small bushes of colourfull flowers and River Chandra down below. Soon cold wind started blowing and we wore our jackets.

We were enjoying the land so much that we did not even realise that we are at Baatal which is a base camp for the Chandrataal trekking. Though our first stay was supposed to be at Kaza (which is the headquarters of Spiti),we had to stay at Baatal due to traffic at Rohtang. And what a place it was. Amidst the great Himalayas, small Dhaba called Chandra Dhaba run by a Buddhist couple was a great choice of stay we ever did. We rented a tent from the couple who were very friendly and caring. After having a hot mint tea and some chit chat with them, we decided to take rest. The cold wind had started to blow, we really needed to cover ourselves for the night. As the night began, the wind took its toll on us. It was almost 1 degree or low at that time. We had a dinner of the most delicious Roti and daal and retired for the day. We both had severe headache due to altitude and as this was known to us, we had purchased “Diamox” tablet at Manali which proved to be a lifesaver.

Day One in Spiti:

We woke up to the bright sunshine falling through the small window of our tent and we just peeked out of the window. Alas, the scene outside was breath-taking. We literally ran out of the tent to see the Great Himalaya which was hidden behind thick clouds the earlier day. The sky was clean blue the wind had stopped and the morning was really pleasant. We just sat in the dhabha with our hot mint tea and savoured the beauty of the place. The view is still crystal clear in front of my eyes even today!!

After finishing our breakfast of Hot Parathas, we moved towards our next destination Kaza. En route Kaza we crossed the highest place of Spiti and one of the main passes of India called Kunzum La. There is Kunzum La Devi temple here. Every vehicle passing through Kunzumla stops here to take darshan of Kunzumla Devi and take her blessings. We too stopped here for a while. Surrounded by snow pack mountains and small flowery bushes, this place is amazingly beautiful.

After Kunzum La, the next brief stop was Lohsar where there is a check post to enter the Spiti valley. Lohsar houses few guest houses for tourists. A beautiful town set up amidst the greenery of the green peas farms which is the main commercial crop of this valley also.

Every turn in Spiti has a different view to showcase. We were simply crossing huge mountains with rocks of different colours and textures. Each one has its own unique feature and grandeur. At around 2 o’clock in the afternoon we reached the main and biggest city of the Spiti valley Kaza which is a beautiful town situated in a valley surrounded by monstrous mountains. We checked into our hotel Snow Lion, which is one of the famous hotels of Kaza. After having lunch and taking some rest we decided to visit the First Monastery of our itinerary, The Kee Monastery.

Kee monastery or Gompa as it is called in local Spitian language is situated around 10 kms from Kaza and is on top of a hill. Like bells in Hindu temples, the monastery has prayer bells too, which rings when rotated clock wise. The serene and calm environment of the gompa was a welcome after a long drive from Baatal. A monk or Lama escorted us through the monastery and explained us about the monastery. This monastery is visited by Dalai Lama. There are ancient Buddhist scriptures preserved here. After sipping the aromatic tea offered by the monks and spending some time around the gompa, we left for the next stop Kibber village.

Kibber is situated about 4,500 meters above sea level and said to be the highest electrified and motorable village in the world. The view from the village and of the village was just outstanding. A small village with similar looking houses also has a couple of guest houses for tourists visiting here. We took an evening stroll on the roads of the highest village amongst the kids playing on the roads before leaving to Kaza.

Kaza houses all the government departments for the Lahaul and Spiti district, It has a hospital, school, market place, ATM and the only Petrol Pump in the district. The population must be around 600.

Day Two in Spiti:

After having breakfast we left for Langza and Komic villages. This village is situated at the base of huge mountains and amidst greenery of the fields. There are two villages Upper Langza and Lower langza. Langza has an Huge statue of Bhagwan Buddha. The place is very picturesque. It was the most bluest Azure sky ever seen in my life with different shades of blue. All around you are the mountains some green, some rugged hiding behind them are the snow capped mountains. It was windy and cold in the mid-morning too. After spending some time in the serene environment, we left for Komic.

We decided to take a small trek / walk from Langza to Komic with our guide Tashi escorting us through the mountains. Though the trek was of only around 2 kms it took us almost 2 hours to reach. The weather was a mixture of bright sunshine accompanied with cold wind. Though I am not fond of trekking I enjoyed it and actually it was not that tough too except few steep descends and ascends. On our way we came across the village Hikkam. Every village in Spiti is set up in a lovely background and this was not an exception. As we went up the hill we noticed a square built with stones and flag on it and our guide told us that it is called La which marks the boundary of villages i. e. beginning of one village and the end of another. So different isn’t it? Finally we reached the road which leads to Komic Monastery. We were out of breath with no energy to walk a step further, and literally sitting on the side of the road to get ourselves to normal. Looking at our tired smiles towards them, the monks walking there took pity on us and offered us lunch at their place.

The food was simple but, delicious consisting of Daal, chawal, sabzi and pickle and a speciality food of Spiti called Timuk made with Atta or wheat flour. This was accompanied with the Namkeen chay (Buttered Tea) another speciality found in Spiti. We were overwhelmed by the hospitality of the lama called Nyima who served us this mouth-watering lunch at his humble abode in the monastery.

After getting the much needed energy we went to see the Gompa. This too is a very old monastery and was peaceful for the mind. Spending some time in the prayer hall we decided to move back to Kaza.

In the evening we visited the Kaza monastery. This monastery was built in the year 2009 and inaugurated by Dalai Lama. Being new the architecture is so beautiful with vibrant colours painted in and out of the place, not leaving even the ceilings. The huge prayer hall was decorated with Prayer flags consisting of Blue, Yellow, White, Red and Green colours each colour having its own importance and meaning.

In every monastery we can see the Prayer flags, Thankas – the paintings on clothes,of Buddha, seating for Lamas at the time of prayers, oil lamps, offerings to the God by devotees, the Buddhist scriptures amongst the many, apart from the Huge statues of Bhagwan Buddha,

We spent some time here and decided to retire for the day.

Day Three in Spiti:

Our itinerary for today was Dhangkar Monastery and Tabo. We checked out of the hotel as our next stay was in Tabo another main city of Lahaul and Spiti District. So we were on our way to Dhangkar which houses an Old and a new monastery. In entire Spiti, vehicles here cannot speed more than 10 to 15 km per hour due to the uphills and dirt roads and the U pin curves. But, this does not make the journey boring at all. Every next turn here has something new to offer. The river Spiti silently accompanies all through the journey in the deep valley below and the mountains make you feel so small in front Mother Nature.

It took us about 2 hours to reach Dhangkar (about 30 kms). First we visited the old monastery which is said to be a thousand year old and certified as heritage building by UNESCO. Built with mud and stones, inside of the Gompa is serene and calm. There is a cave inside the monastery where monks used to sit for meditation for days together. We could see the beautiful village Dhangkar from atop the Gompa. We paid homage to Lord Buddha and meditated in the peace. After the meditation, we were refreshed. From atop the Monastery, one can see the beautiful confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers.

We next went to see the New Dhangkar gompa. This too like Kaza is painted with vibrant colours and paintings. The monks here too offered us hot tea and biscuits in the lavish sitting room of the New Gompa. After capturing the surrounding views we decided to leave for our next stay Tabo.

Dhangkar has a Lake situated in the other side of the mountains, which we needed to climb ourselves. Looking at the climb we decided unanimously to skip the lake for this tour and visit it in our next. Yes, we are going to Spiti again as it is a place we fell in Love with.

Passing through many small villages some having a population of 10 to 15 we reached Tabo, where we had a Home Stay. Home stay is actually living in the house of locals and sharing the home made food and getting to know the local culture from close quarters. And every town in Spiti offers home stays.

The home we stayed was though has the local touch was newly built and modern. The host gave us a warm welcome. We decided to take rest for some time before going for Dinner.

Dinner was a local delight called Thentuk. Pieces of wheat boiled in vegetable curry. This is a staple food of the locals. The meal was sumptuous and we met a couple from Austria and got a chance to have some talk with them before retiring for the day. The Austrian couple had been to Spiti for doing research on the fossils found in Spiti. Millions of years ago, there was a huge ocean before the Himalayas were born. When the Indian mainland separated from Africa and collided into Asia, the sea disappeared and the Himalayas were born. Due to this, the sea dried up and the sea animals were fossilised. When you go to Spiti, ask anyone to show you “Spitian Shells” and you will be shown these fossils as there are millions of them, which are older than the Himalayas themselves!!! We saw an interesting specimen of such fossil preserved by Sonam, the home stay owner. Amazing!!

Day Four in Spiti:

We started our day with a visit to the Tabo Monastery which is exactly 1014 years old. Yes, completed its 1000 years in the year 1996. Said to be built by Angels in one night (“Aliens” as Nikhil says) this is a very big and well maintained place looking at its age. Every prayer hall has old paintings and statues. Many Stupas made of Mud are around the Gompa in its premises. This has many small prayer halls to see each decorated with age old paintings. It took more than an hour to see all the small prayer halls here.

Then we proceeded to see the New Tabo monastery which is built recently. The Stupa outside the monastery was one of the most beautiful stupas ever seen. Very beautifully painted with nice bright colours which attract one instantly amidst the landscape, mindblowing!!!

The next place today was Mudh in Pin Valley the greenest place of Spiti and gets highest snow fall during winters. On our way we visited Kungri Monastery where we witnessed the Pooja performed by Lamas. It was an out of the world experience. The chanting of mantras or Buddist scriptures and sound of the bells, the smell of the incense sticks, the diyas everything was so divine. We sat through the prayer and felt connected to The Almighty in such an amazing place.

The surrounding of the Kungri monastry too was exceptionally beautiful.

Next we proceeded towards Mudh. Passing many small, beautifully set up villages we reached Mudh. Today our stay was at a Guest house. The room was nice, clean and decent with a common Bathroom.

The evening view of the mountains was awesome. The sun was shining over the peeks of snow-capped mountains, there was greenery everywhere. We took a walk through the village up to a glacier nearby. The glaciers melt and feed the rivers. Though from far, the glacier look small they are humongous.

After spending time there, we decided to come back to the guest house and retire for the day.

Day Five in Spiti:

The view in front of us was mesmerising. The colours of nature were shining in the sunshine, the blue sky, the Snow Mountains, the glaciers, the greenery and the sun. What else one would want? True, that you need not to be a good photographer if you come here. Every shot you take here is picture perfect. We had our morning tea and breakfast watching this spectacular view. We witnessed the all famous Bara Shigri Glacier which is the largest glacier in the district. This being our last day of tour both of us were not ready to leave early. But, we had to as we were to reach Kaza after visiting last monastery in our itinerary called Lallung.

Spending as much time possible and taking in all the pureness of nature within, we left for Lallung. It was a perfect day. Throughout we could see the crystal clear sky in the background of The Great Himalayas. There may not be a single spot where we didn’t stop our vehicle to savour the beauty. We stopped at the fields, river bridges, villages everywhere to feel the nature.

Finally we reached Lalung Monastery. We left the green mountains slowly as we neared Lalung. Here the landscape is again different with rugged, sandy, snow-capped mountains.

Local legends say that Lalung was built by Angels in one night. The Angels left suddenly as an old local lady saw them working in the dawn. Otherwise this monastery would have been the largest one. Entirely built by mud this houses the oldest paintings and sculptures painted with Gold. There are no lights allowed inside the gompa as bright lights can damage the colours of the art here.

On our way we saw a village called Demul situated between two giant mountains. What a place it was!! We came back to Kaza our next stay to witness the Birth Day celebrations of Dalai Lama on 6^th of July. Our guide Tashi and driver Angdui told us that there are going to be many cultural programmes where monks from all the monasteries perform. We decided to stay and watch the program as this will be an icing on the cake!!

Day Six in Spiti:

Next day morning we could see the festive environment in the Kaza Gompa from our hotel balcony. We hurriedly got ready so that we can catch a good seat to sit and watch the programmes. But, the procession of the monastery started at around 10 with the Photo of the Dalai Lama kept in a Doli like thing carried by four people with the various musical instruments playing in front of the procession and chanting of Buddhist mantras started. The procession entered the market of Kaza town and we too like true Buddhist followers followed the procession. It was altogether a different experience and we came to see the entire Kaza town while moving with the procession. After the procession, an hour and a half programme initiated with the prayer of Gurus from all the monasteries and welcome speech and then the welcome song in the Kaza Monastery. After few other entertainment programmes from school children finally the main attraction of the day started with the monks from Tabo monastery performing a traditional dance. Wow, The monks were wearing extravagant vibrant dresses with hats and sword in hand. The dance moves were so peculiar and elegant. It was a feast for eyes. We enjoyed it to the fullest. The music, the dress, the steps and the way they performed mesmerised everyone for about 15 -20 minutes. It was disappointing for us that only one team of monks performed that day due to some reason.

Lunch was served to everyone present on the occasion (free of course). For the first time in our stay, we saw so many Spitians at a time, adorned in their best dresses. It was festival for all of them. We got an opportunity (Special Honour) to have the delicious meal with the Lamas at their dining place. Great experience!!

We had an out of the world experience in Spiti. The people are peace loving and very friendly. Far away from commercial tourism, this place was a great pleasure to be in. The culture, the language, food everything here has its unique feel. Even strangers greet you saying Jule (Hello in Spiti) with a friendly smile.

We dearly miss visiting the Chandertaal Lake, the most beautiful lake in the world. The road to the lake was still not cleared up and involved a 14 km hectic trek for which we didn’t have time.
If you really want to take a holiday, come to Spiti, because there is no mobile coverage except BSNL and hence no calls at all.

Hidden behind the layers of Himalayas, Spiti is Truly a Hidden Paradise and we surely are hungry for more!!!!

For more photos we took, click here (highly recommended!!!).

P.S.: Our guide and driver told us that ISRO scientists including Dr. Anil Kulkarni had come to study the retreating glaciers of the Himalayas and they had spotted a UFO at Samudra Tapur near Chandrataal lake. Nikhil jumped on hearing this and after some research on the internet, he corroborated this information. Now he wants to search for ETs at Chandrataal region (Samudra Tapu) himself too . So right now, I am sure that we are visiting Chandrataal in near future. For more info on this, click here and here and also our blog post on such topics here and here.

Paradise that is Goa

Posted: March 6, 2011 by Shantala Shevade in Travel
Tags: Baga, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Calangute, Francis Xavier, Goa, Mandovi River, Panaji, Panjim, Se Cathedral, Sea Food, Vagator

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As we were planning for a short and sweet holiday, the obvious choice for both of us was Ever green holiday destination Goa. So unanimously (which happens very rarely!!!) we headed out for Goa in our Car. Panjim is about 225 kms from Kolhapur. It was a good time to test our GPS by MapMyIndia Navigator . We booked our hotel at Candolim from where almost all North Goa beaches are nearby. On our first day we decided to visit Old Goa which is outside Panjim and about 25 kms from Candolim. Our tour itinerarywas:

Day 1:

Basilica of BOM Jesus: This Basilica is famous throughout the Roman Catholic world. It contains the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier who, in 1541, was given the task of spreading Christianity among the subjects of the Portuguese colonies in the East. There is a modern art gallery attached to the Basilica which is a collection of photographs and sculptures. Though we are not art lovers we took a quick look at it and found it worth visiting!! The next stop was just across the street another famous church Se Cathedral.
SE Cathedral: This church is one of the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa and is one of the largest churches in Asia. It houses a famous bell, often called The Golden Bell because of its rich sound. After spending some time in the peaceful surroundings of the Church, we left for Panjim, the Capital of Goa.

Panjim /Panaji City: Panjim is a very beautiful city located at the banks of River Mandovi. We had a lot of time to spend till the sunset so we decided to see the city by walk. Walking on the footpaths of Panajim is a pleasure. We discovered the following walk trip in the beautiful city of Panjim. Check it out.

“Start to Finish: Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Distance: 6 kms

From the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception walk east up the hill along Emidio Gracia Rd (Corte de Oiterio). At the four-way junction, where you’ll see fruit-seller barrows, turn right into 31st January Rd. Continue down to the heritage hotel Panjim Inn. Take the right fork of the road and continue south past the small fountain (not working) from which Fontainhas gets its name. Keep walking in the same direction until you see the steps off to the right leading uphill to the ornate, salmon-pink Maruti Temple, dedicated to the God Hanuman. The temple’s veranda provides fine views towards the Mandovi River. Nip behind the temple and follow the road up into the Altinho district. When you reach a junction with a red ‘stop and proceed’ sign, turn right and continue around to the Bishop’s Palace, residence of the Archbishop of Goa. This grand white mansion, with a silver painted Jesus statue outside, lords it over the much-humbler Chief Minister’s Residence across the road. After gazing through the fence of these two buildings retrace your steps back past the Maruti Temple and back towards the fountain. Turn left at the cross- roads just before this and head towards the steps, just before these turn right and head up hill past lots of big old houses. After around 300m you’ll see a set of steps on your right descending downhill and marked by a crucifix. Heading down these you’ll pass by many colourful houses until you reach the Chapel of St Sebastian. Built in the 1880s, its most striking feature is a crucifix that originally stood in the Palace of the Inquisition in Old Goa. Walk back to 31st January Rd and return to where the road meets up with the fruit stalls. Then, at the junction with Emido Garcia Rd, continue straight over and into the brightly painted streets of Sao Tomé, pausing for a drink at the Hotel Venite. Afterwards continue on to the river, turn left and walk down to the Secretariat Building, left again at Jose Falcao Rd and, keeping an eye peeled for the strange flower- and star-coated crucifix built into a wall on the right, back to where you started at Church Sq.”

Secretariat Building: Considered to be one of the Goa’s oldest buildings, the Secretariat houses Goa’s state legislative assembly. Originally, a palace of the Muslim ruler Adil Shah of Bijapur the monument was converted into viceroy’s official residence in 1759 by the Portuguese. Numerous attempts at renovation and repair have slowly converted an overtly Islamic structure into a giant colonial building, which boasts of a sloping tiled roofs and iron pillars. Being a high profile building, heavy security cordon is guarding the building everyday. However, visitors are permitted to enter and check out the exquisite carvings and a strange amalgamation of cultural architectures. Amazing!!
Miramar Beach: Miramar beach in Panaji is the prime hangout place of local and Indian tourists. After our walking spree in the city we decided to go to the beach for sunset. Sunset here is a feast to the eyes. We took a stroll along the long beach, from here we can see the Light house situated at Fort Aguada.
River Mandovi and Cruise: We were back to Panjim for river cruise. The cruises were decorated with lighting. We can see the whole of Panjim skyline from aboard the cruise covered with celebratory lights. Mandovi is the main river of Goa along with River Zuari. We opted to go on a cruise on Mandovi river which took us on a ride till the river joins the sea. On board here are live musical bands and groups which perform folk songs and dances of Goa. We enjoyed the life and art of Goa on an a hour long cruise. There is also a Floating Casino for those who want to try their luck.

After a very busy day, we were famished. There are many great hotels in Panjim which serve traditional Goan food consisting mainly of variety of sea food. We had our dinner at one of the hotels where we could taste the traditional goan cuisine. Sea food here was the best!! We crunched crabs and crustaceans, devoured squid-o-rings, Bombay Duck (Fish), Mussels, King Fish and Xacuti. Visit Viva Panjim which offers cheap tasty Goan and Portuguese staples and the ambience that of a small town in Portugal. Other notable eat outs in Panjim are Hotel Ritz, Pergola, George and Casa Moderna.

That was the end of our first tiring day in Goa and we decided to reitre for the day.

Day 2

Arambol Beach, Kerim Beach and Fort Tricol/Terekhol: First we visited Arambol Beach. It is quiet and peaceful and less crowded. We had a nice stroll along the beach under the warm sun. From here we headed to Fort Tricol. A trip to the fort makes a good outing on a motorcycle, but we preferred our own vehicle. The winding 11.5 km road from Arambol passes through villages and rice paddies and rises up to provide good views over the countryside and Terekhol River. We stopped at Querim beach to find it deserted with very less visitors. We took a Ferry/Barge to cross the Terekhol River to Fort Tricol. One can take their motorcycle or car on the Barge / Ferry (The barge ride is free both ways) to the other side but, we preferred a walk of about 2 kms from the barge to the Fort, which was, though little tiring in the noon, was refreshing.

Terekhol Fort is situated on the northern bank of the Terekhol river and in Maharashtra State bordering Goa. It was built by the Raja of Sawantwadi but, it was captured by the Portuguese. The cChurch and the Fort were rebuilt then. Terekhol Fort was a key Portuguese fort for the defence of Goa, situated on the north side of the estuary of the Terekhol river, the northern most boundary of Goa. Customarily marked by turrets and surrounded by a ditch it overlooks the panoptic ocean. How many times in your life have you woken up in a fairy-tale castle overlooking the Arabian Sea? Well at Terekhol, the northernmost outpost of Goa, you finally have that chance!! In the middle of the Fort is the church with a Goan façade. The view from the top of the fort was just breath-taking. One can spend a whole day in the calm and quiet atmosphere of the castle with the great sounds of Arabian sea touching the shores. The tranquility of the place is accentuated by the confluence of the serene sea and the river. The fort presently houses a Tourist Heritage Hotel. We decided to have our evening tea and snacks here on the top of the castle enjoying the serene view of the sea with the hill background. We ordered Pancakes and Chilled Tomato Gazpacho Soup to end with Iced Tea.

We decided to end the day with this visit and retired for the day.

Day 3:

Calangute Beach: Our first stop for the day was Calangute which is the largest beach in north Goa, visited by thousands of domestic and international tourists alike. We had a great walk along the long beach side. There are various water sports like parasailing, paragliding, boats and water bikes available for the ones who are interested. We preferred to rest ourselves in one of the Beach shacks for a while. Then, we had our lunch at renowned beach side Hotel Souza Lobo where we enjoyed the tradional sea food dishes which were delightful.
Baga Beach: Baga beach is smaller compared to other beach but certainly one of the most scenic and picturesque. Being less crowed than other beach helps even more who love to spend time calmly. The backdrop of hill and smooth brown sands made the beach instantly likeable.
Anjuna Beach: Anjuna is a quiet beach with calm waters of Arabian sea lapping softly to the Indian shore. Unlike Calangute it is less crowded and we could feel the silence. We took a short stroll to the beach and lazed out on the white sands for a while before going to Vagator.
Mandrem: Then we headed to the next beach south of Anjuna, Mandrem, which is one huge palm backed ribbon of clean and uncluttered sand; it’s one of Goa’s undiscovered gems. It’s good for midrange travellers looking to kick back and do absolutely nothing.
Vagator: Vagator beach offered us a stretch of soft white sands, coconut palms, and a scenic view of the Arabian Sea. We enjoyed our sun set at Vagator. On our way back we had a nice quick munch of Tacos and Tortillas at a Mexican Restaurant on Vagator.
Night life: Night life in Goa is equally vibrant as the beaches. One can have a range of Goan, Continental, Thai, Chinese and many more Indo Asian food joints. We visited Hotel Jambalaya frequented mostly by foreigners near our resort in Candolim where the live band of local boys was belting out numbers by GnR, Dire Straits and the like with a few Konkani and Hindi songs amidst travellers enjoying cocktails. It was a rocking night!!! Another hot spot is Tito’s which is a famous discotheque in Goa.

Day 4:

Candolim Beach : The next day we decided to see Candolim beach which was just few minutes’ walk from our resort. This beach offered us the quiet atmosphere and scenic background. It was a full moon day and there was high tide. We enjoyed all the morning in the warm waters of the sea amongst high rising waves. An amazing experience one should not miss!! Candolim is an adjacent beach of Calangute but, is less crowded than Calangute. One can have a long walk or sunbathe at the beds provided by the shacks. After spending almost half a day here we decided to leave for Fort Aguada another tourist attraction of Goa.
Fort Aguada: On the way to Aguada, we stopped for lunch. This old Portuguese fort stands on the beach south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi river. Constructed by Portugese in the year 1612 to guard against Dutches and Marathas. A freshwater spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that used to stop by. This is how the Fort got its name. Aguada means Water. After spending some time in the fort we went to see the 4-storey Portuguese lighthouse, erected in 1864 and the oldest of its kind in Asia. If you reach before 5.30 pm you can climb the top of the light house by paying a small amount of ‘entry fee’. We were lucky enough to reach there just before closing time and on time for the sun set in the Great Arabian Sea. The view from the top is breath-taking. At one side we can see the great river Mandovi, the other side we can see the vast Arabian sea and the beach of Candolim.

North Goa was explored by us. The next day we returned back to Kolhapur hoping to return back to Goa and hungry for more and to explore South Goa.

P.S.: All thanks to our MapMyIndia GPS Navigator for making our Goa holiday a smooth sailing by 99% efficiently navigating us through the intricate roadlines in Goa.

Amboli

Posted: July 19, 2010 by Shantala Shevade in Travel
Tags: Amboli, belgaum, Hiranyakeshi, india, Kolhapur, Monsoon, MTDC, rain, rains, rainy season, Sindhudurg, Western Ghats

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Last weekend when Nikhil told me about a two day trip to Amboli I was really excited, as the monsoons had started all over and Amboli is THE best place to visit during monsoon. So we booked our room at MTDC Green Valley over the internet. There are other hotels in Amboli but this hotel is very well maintained. You too can book your rooms by clicking here.

Amboli is a small hill station about 100 kms from Kolhapur and about 60 kms from Belgaum. We left on a cloudy morning from Kolhapur; the nature on our way was beautiful with greenery everywhere. On reaching Amboli we first checked in our Hotel. It is a nice hotel, well maintained and with reasonable room rent and spacious rooms. We freshened ourselves and were ready to enjoy the rains at Amboli. The best place to visit Amboli is the rainy season, especially the latter part of the rainy season around July end and August when the falls are teeming to the brim. There could be drought just 100 kms away, but it never fails to rain here. The main attraction for tourists is the incredibly high rainfall (7 meters average per year!) and the numerous waterfalls and mist during the monsoons. There aren’t too many places to see or things to do but it’s quiet, unpolluted and the local residents are good natured and helpful.

Amboli lies in the Sahyadri hills of Western Ghats and is at an altitude of about 700 meters. There are numerous small water falls throughout the Ghat section (High Roads) of Amboli. We first visited the tourist attraction called Amboli Waterfall. The surrounding nature captured our imagination with its green cover, dense mist and rains. This waterfall is the main tourist attraction of Amboli and we could see the huge number of tourists thronging to this place to enjoy nature at its very best during rains.

The rains had just stopped but dense fog had engulfed Amboli. There are proper steps which lead us to the falls where one can forget all their worries in the rain water fall. Water was surging down the steps as well. It was a thrilling climb up those steps. We stopped at a distance from the fall to enjoy the beauty and its grandeur. The climate in Amboli changes so fast that it started to drizzle and turned into heavy rains in an instant. We could feel the warmth of rain water under the falls though we had no intention of getting wet under the falls; the rains had completely drenched us!! The water fall was beautiful and it was coming down with all its might. People were enjoying bathing under the falls and others were enjoying getting wet in the mist of the falls and the rains.

After spending some time at the falls, we took shelter in a road side shop which was selling hot roasted sweet corn (Buttha). Best time to enjoy it! An experience one should have by coming here. The rains had stopped once again and we decided to take a walk along the curvy roads of Amboli.

The road was fully covered with fog and visibility was very low and it was as if you are walking in the clouds. There were many small falls emerging from the hills throughout the roads from in between the greens on the mountainous ghats. This sight was breath-taking. The clouds sometimes broke open to let in some sunlight. The green was reflecting the sunlight which energized our spirits and reminded us that the forest cover, which is fast depleting even in Amboli due to emergence of resorts and tourists, is more than gold. We stopped at a few other small waterfalls on the way.

After the long walk, we were completely drenched and came back to Amboli town. It was lunch time and how could we miss the Fish and chicken prepared in Malvani style. The food was sumptuous and just right and you couldn’t ask for better in this pristine climate.

After lunch we visited some other points in Amboli which include Mahadevgadh point from where we can have a panoramic view of the valley. We visited the Hiranyakeshi Temple from where the river Hiranyakeshi emerges from a cave. It was evening by now and we decided to retire for the day.

The next morning welcomed us with heavy rains. It was raining cats and dogs. We decided to explore the places around Amboli. We had a long drive where we could see small villages and farms. The Mother Nature was at her best with greenery everywhere. We then saw a board directing towards Shirgaokar Point and went searching for that place. The way was flat and full of green. We travelled about 6 kms into the forest. Flora and fauna not earlier seen could be seen here. I envied the local people for living in such surrounding. We felt reluctant to drive back home but couldn’t help as Nikhil had to go to Jaipur that night. Tch…Tch…

The Amboli weekend was very refreshing. Even folks who don’t like rains will certainly enjoy it here, like Nikhil did. Just a word of advice, DON’T POLLUTE, DON’T USE PLASTIC, MAINTAIN THE DECORUM OF THE PLACE!!

Uttarakhand Trip

Posted: June 13, 2010 by Nikhil Shevade in Travel
Tags: anasakti ashram, corbett, dehradun, har ki pauri, haridwar, hill station, himalaya, Hrishikesh, Hrushikesh, kausani, mussoorie, nainital, ranikhet, rishikesh, uttarakhand

We had been planning to visit Uttarakhand (formerly known as Uttaranchal and previously part of Uttar Pradesh State) for a long time now. We had earlier visited Nainital about 2 years back and were eager to explore the sublime state of Uttarakhand, known for its natural beauty. We were going to Delhi and Rudrapur (which is a district place in Uttarakhand State) for official work. After completing our work in Delhi, we had 4 days at our disposal before heading to Rudrapur for work, and we decided to make the most of it. This whole trip was unplanned but fortunately we got all the things right, right from hotel, taxi and railways booking. Not considering last minute changes (which included visiting Dalhousie, Kulu, Manali etc.), during free time after completing our Delhi work, we planned to visit Mussoorie, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun, being nearer to Delhi. Further, after Rudrapur work, as our return trip to Kolhapur was not yet booked, we planned to visit nearby places like Corbett Park, Kausani and Ranikhet.

Mussoorie:
- Day 1: This was our first trip after Kerala. Now to the North. We left Delhi in the afternoon by Taxi (Toyota Innova). Mussoorie is about 300 kms from Delhi and takes about 6-8 hours depending on traffic. It is a hill station situated in the foothills of the Himalayan ranges, is also known as the Queen of the Hills and at an average altitude of 6,500 ft (2,000 metres). It was peak season and all the hotels were booked, but our Delhi client was generous to book a hotel for us. We reached late night at 1:00 am and checked in. When we woke up the next day, the beautiful valley view from our hotel room greeted us. After having our breakfast, we visited Kempty falls located 15 kms from Mussoorie, which is one of the most popular attraction of the region. The weather was slightly warm, better than the blistering climate back in Delhi. Surrounded by high mountain ranges and located at a high altitude of 4500 feet, the falls offer a breath-taking view as the water falling down from a high altitude of 40 feet splits further into five more streams. Tourists were enjoying ‘swimming’ in the cold water in the scorching temperature beneath the Falls. Perhaps, we thought, the best time to visit is the off season. We had a ropeway ride down to the Falls. We had the ubiquitous Maggi noodles near the Falls and off we went back to Mussoorie town to visit the famous Mall Road in the evening. Mall Road is lined up by shops on one side and the Doon valley on the other. It has eateries like Café Coffee Day, Bistro and hotels serving Tibetan, Chinese and Thai dishes. Many shops sell woollen clothes, home made chocolates, fruits, handicrafts, antiquities etc. On the other side, is a beautiful view of the Doon valley and the city of Dehradun. We took an evening stroll along the street watching the tourists taking pictures, shopping, enjoying cycle rickshaw ride. We reached Gunhill point which is another tourist destination in Mussoorie. We then visited the famous Cambridge Book Shop, known to be frequented by the famous writer Ruskin Bond. It was Saturday, when he normally visits, but we missed him. We bought a collection of Ruskin Bond short stories. Then we did some shopping. It was dinner time and we were famished and heard that that the Mall Road houses great Tibetan food. We went to a Hotel called “Rice Bowl” run by a Tibetan family and ordered ‘Thukpa’ which is a staple noodle soup of Tibet. We hired a cycle rickshaw back to our Hotel and retired for the day.
- Day 2: The next day, we went to Dhanoulti, situated 28 kms from Mussoorie on a high rise mountain, which is an Eco Park with protected patch of small forest and is known for its quiet environs amidst the alpine forests of Deodar, Rhododendron and Oak. The road to Dhanoulti was on high rise mountains called Ghats. We were listening to Garhwali folk songs along the way and that set the mood for exploring Uttarakhand. Dhanoulti is a very beautiful place surrounded by Pine, Fir, Spruce, Deodhar Trees and huge mountains. From here, we can have a beautiful view of the Himalayas, if weather permits, which it did not in our case. It was crowded by Tourists and there was no peace, at least at the entrance of the park. There were eateries, children park at the entrance. But we trudged along the walk way of the Park, to move away from the crowd and sooner we were alone in the calm of the trees. The wind suddenly picked up and the cold started building up. This is what we expected of Mussoorie and the Himalayas. We felt rejuvenated as we trekked along the walk way through the Eco Forest. We could hear the birds chirping, the wind gushing. I immediately felt like becoming a poet and composing a poem at that very moment. Further on, we reached a valley where we sat down and enjoy the view of the mountains. We then continued walking to the end of the Eco Park, which ended in an open space on the mountain. This gave us a good vantage point of the surrounding hills called the Shivalik Mountain Range and it was a great feeling. There was no crowd at all. We did not feel like leaving this place. But it was after noon, and lunch beckoned. We came out of the Park and devoured like crazy after having a long walk in the Park. We spent the entire day in Dhanoulti.

Our suggestion for those travelling to Mussoorie, avoid during peak season, look beyond Mall Road, Gun Hill and the Kempty Falls, as Mussoorie has great walks and it is a “Walkers Paradise”. Other good walks to visit are Camel’s Back Road, Lal Tibba.

Haridwar and Rishikesh:
- Day 3: It was pilgrimage time for us. We first visited Rishikesh, holy city for Hindus and a famous centre of pilgrimage. It is also known as the gateway to the Himalayas and is located around 25 kilometres away from another holy city, Haridwar, which was our next destination. Rishikesh is the starting point for traveling to the sites that form the Char Dham pilgrimage — Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The sacred river Ganga flows through Rishikesh. In fact, it is here that the river leaves the Siwalik mountains in the Himalayas and flows out into the plains of northern India. It is also becoming a popular spot for white water rafting enthusiasts, both from India and abroad, as it offers medium to rough rapids in the course of river Ganges. The Beatles stayed in an ashram in Rishikesh and even recorded a few songs here. The Ram Jhula (suspension bridge) connects the town with the temple over the Ganga. Also there is another similar bridge a few kilometres away called Lakshman Jhula. It was believed that Lord Rama’s brother, Lakshman crossed the river on this very place using Jute rope. There are many ashrams here in Rishikesh where one can contemplate and meditate. Many devotees visit Rishikesh to pay respects to Lord Shiva and attain moksha by taking a dip in the holy river Ganga. We had lunch in a hotel called “Flavours”, which we read is ‘Recommended by Lonely Planet”, which was my favourite show on Discovery Channel. Then we crossed Ram Jhula and visited the adjoining temple and paid our respects. We then descended into the Ganga. It was 45 C and hot, but the Ganga was stone cold.

We then proceeded to Haridwar to be just in time for “Har-ki-pauri” – Ganga Aarti. There was a huge crowd compared to Rishikesh. The Mega Maha Kumbh Mela had just concluded about a month back. People were taking a holy dip in the Ganga. The river torrents were rougher. Each evening at sunset priests perform Ganga Aarti here at sunset, when lights are set on the water to drift downstream. A large number of people gather on both the banks of river Ganges to sing its praises. The priest hold large fire bowls in their hands, the gongs in the temples at the Ghat start ringing and the chants flowing out of lips fill the air. People float earthen Diya, with burning flickers and flowers in them as a symbol of hope and wishes .The golden hues of floral diyas reflected in the river Ganga present the most enchanting sight. It was a lifetime experience to see such a Mega Aarti. The Aarti touched our souls and it was the most amazing experience. After the Aarti, we proceeded to Dehradun for night’s stay.

Dehradun:
- Day 4: Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Doon valley surrounded by the Himalayas in the north, Sivalik Hills in the south, the river Ganga in the east, and the river Yamuna in the west. The water divide of Ganga and Yamuna passes through the city. It is also famous for its schools and you can see school children going to school in their uniforms. Our first stop here was a place called Sahasradhara – The greenery and the foam of waterfalls make it a best picnic spot. It is believed that Dronacharya performed penance in the caves here. There is a ropeway to the mountain, where there is a well maintained Sai Mandir, children’s park, restaurant and nice view of the surrounding green mountains. The next stop was Robbers Cave, known for the stream of water that disappears and flows underground through a cave. It again reappears as a stream of water after some distance. Then we visited Forest Research Institute which is said to be built in 1906 and is a premier institution in the field of forestry research in India. The beautiful FRI building has colonial style of architecture. Its museums, in addition to being a source of scientific information, are an attraction for tourists.

We then checked out our hotel and boarded the Kathgodam Express to Rudrapur.

Corbett Park:
- Day 5: From Rudrapur (not considering our working days), we went to Jim Corbett Park, about 90 kms from Rudrapur. The park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park. Situated in Nainital district of Uttarakhand, the park acts as a protected area for the critically endangered Bengal tiger of India, the secure survival of which is the main objective of Project Tiger, an Indian wildlife protection initiative. We hired a Gypsy vehicle and went inside the forest. This forest houses varied wildlife, flora and fauna. We were feeling like adventurers atop the Gypsy. We had no hope of sighting a tiger, as it is a rarity. We started around 2 pm and our ride ended at 7 pm. We spotted deers, sambar, jungle fowl among other wild animals. The deciduous forest mainly consists of sal, haldu, pipal, rohini and mango trees, and these trees cover almost 73 per cent of the park. The 10 per cent of the area consists of grasslands. The experience was great and we had a good time. We then returned back to Rudrapur.
Kausani:
- Day 6: We hired a taxi from Rudrapur to Kausani, a picturesque hill station. Many people don’t know about this place. Another hill station near Rudrapur is, of course, Nainital which we skipped, as we had earlier visited. During our last visit to Nainital, we were told by many people to visit Kausani, which stuck in our minds and at last we decided to visit Kausani, this time around. Kausani is a destination for Himalayan tourists. It is located 53 km North of Almora. The altitude of this place is about 1890 mts. En route Kausani, we passed through Almora, another hill town and a district place. The town roads of Almora were dangerous, as a slight mishap will end up in the deep valley below. Our driver told us that tapes and CD players are not allowed in the vehicles and if found, the cops will fine upto Rs. 5,000. The entire town of Almora can be seen from far away as it is wholly situated on hill top. When we were nearing Kausani (often misspelt / mis-pronounced as Kasauni), it started raining heavily. We reached our hotel and retired for the day.
- Day 7: It was 6 a.m. in the morning and we felt as if it was 10 a.m. I casually looked out of the window of our room, and lo and behold!, the Great Himalayas lay right before our eyes. The Range was so close as if we can touch it. The sight was spectacular. There are very few places in the Himalayas which can compare with the beauty of Kausani famous for its scenic splendor and its spectacular 300 km-wide panoramic view of the Himalayas. Our Hotel Manager said we were very lucky cause it had rained heavily the past night. The previous guests were very unlucky on that one though. He told us that the best time to visit Kausani is October to January, when it is cold, but it is cloudless and blue offering a beautiful view of Himalayas in its entire glory. I couldn’t take off my eyes of the beautiful peaks. There were clouds but not enough to cover the spectacle. We ordered lemon tea and sat in the balcony viewing the splendour and sipping away our tea. After breakfast, we went to Anasakti Mahatma Gandhi Ashram, which was just 50 meters away from our Hotel. Mahatma Gandhi had come to Kausani for 2 days, but he stayed back for 15 days, marvelled by its beauty. He coined Kausani as “Switzerland of India”, due to similarily in landscape. Tourists can also stay at the Ashram. It has a prayer hall which contains pictures of Gandhi and historic moments. The view point from the Ashram is also breathtaking. We spent the whole day in walks and watching the splendour that is Himalayas. In the evening we went to a nearby Shiva temple from where we could see the sun set over the Himalayas and the changing color of the mountains. Enchanting!
- Day 8: We woke up at 5 a.m. to see the sun rise. We could see the whole Himalayan range (300 kms) as a silhouette in the sky as the Sun was rising from behind the Great Ranges. B-e-a-utiful! We thought it will be a clearer day than yesterday. But, in a while, the Himalayas were covered by thick clouds. We were fortunate enough the previous day. Phew!! Without the Himalayan view in Kausani, it is just another ordinary day in a hill station. This day, we decided to visit a few places around Kausani. We went to Baijnath temple, 19 kms from Kausani, amidst the mountain ranges with the splendid sceneries around. The 12^th century temple complex exhibits the amazing Katyuri architecture of the age. Then we visited a Tea Factory and had some different flavoured tea. Then we retired for the day. We drove past the Kumaoni villages surrounded by the mountains and the Himalayan view. The lifestyle of the villages were typical of Pahari people. The main occupation was to grow paddy, rice and fruits. The hills have been carved into steps using stones for agriculture purposes. It was marriage season and many decorated cars could be seen throughout the day carrying the bride and the groom. On the way back, we visited a Shawl Factory, which produces hand woven, Kumaoni pattern shawls, scarves.
Ranikhet:
- Day 9: The next day, we left to Ranikhet, a hill station and a cantonment town in Almora district. Ranikhet is at an altitude of 1869 metres above sea level and within sight of the western peaks of the Himalayas. Ranikhet Uttaranchal offers an excellent view of the great Himalayan peak of Nanda Devi (7816 m), but weather did not permit. We took a walk around the town and its sylvan surroundings. We then visited The Jhula Devi temple (known for its thousands of bells tied around the temple) and the Chaubatia orchards where apples are grown. Upat Kalika, 4 km from Ranikhet, offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges, if you are lucky and has a nine-hole golf course. We then visited Mankameshwar Temple. We then checked in our hotel and retired for the day.

Then we were back to Delhi and then to Kolhapur. The whole trip above was unplanned but never felt like it. We dropped our second visit to Nainital and visited Ranikhet instead. We could book our hotels, trains and flights at our convenience through Internet. In Kausani, we booked our return train ticket from Lal Kuan to Delhi through my Nokia E63 mobile (using ngPay) as there was no internet access. It was very convenient.

We have now visited almost all places in Uttarakhand, except of course the Char Dham (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri) and Pithoragarh (also called as the Doosra Kashmir). Watch out for this space on these remaining places. Coming Soon!

Beware of Fuel Adulteration!!

Posted: February 1, 2010 by Nikhil Shevade in Travel
Tags: adulteration, fuel, petrol

Fuel Adulteration – Caveat Emptor!!

I recently purchased a new car Maruti Ritz. The driving comfort was great. However, 10 days back, I was travelling to Sangli and found that the car was running out of gas. So, I stopped in a nearby gas station somewhere on the road to refuel. Now, I deeply regret it!! My car was sounding like I was driving an old Premier Padmini! I showed it to an authorised Maruti service center and they found traces and smell of naphtha and kerosene in the fuel. We completely emptied the fuel tank and refueled with good petrol. Now I am happy that my car has regained its earlier comfort. It made a huge noticeable difference. It was what they say in Marathi “अक्कल खाते जमा”!

All over the country, there are increasing cases of solvents, naptha and kerosene used to adulterate petrol. I came across a news report that the Sangli police have so far arrested nine people, besides booking three others from different locations, for their suspected role in the illegal supply of naphtha for petrol adulteration. Many people who buy motor spirit never know that they may be buying a product which is adulterated. Many of them are least bothered about it because their vehicles continue to run. That the contamination in petrol and diesel can corrode the engine of their automobile or that the exhaust fumes can be a cause for deadly diseases like cancer do not concern them.

I recommend people to be careful and take following steps as far as possible:

Check that the petrol pump has displayed the density of petrol and the address of the Divisional Manager or Safety Officer.
Unadulterated petrol when dropped on an ordinary blotting / filter paper would evaporate within a minute or two. If it is adulterated, it would take more time for evaporation and leave a stain on the paper. Petrol bunks are duty-bound to provide filter paper to the suspecting customers or conduct the density test if they ask for it. But no customer exercises his right in this regard.
You can lodge complaints online on http://retailcms.hpcl.co.in for HPCL products among various other sites. I have lodged a complaint today. Reply awaited. There are also consumer complaint forums like http://www.consumer-voice.org and http://www.consumercomplaints.in/.

Come on, this is your hard earned money you have invested on your vehicle and you would not like it to go phut prematurely, would you?!

Buyer Beware – Caveat Emptor and exercise your rights!!!

Fort Panhala

Posted: February 1, 2010 by Shantala Shevade in Travel
Tags: fort, Kolhapur, Panhala

Andhaar Bawada

When my husband Nikhil told me that, we are going to Panhala for the weekend, I was happy, but, when I heard that we are going on a two wheeler, I was a little disappointed. Why you need to strain yourself on a bike, when you can go enjoying music in an Air conditioned Car? After a short argument, I agreed ( as if I had a choice!) and started to pack for destination Panhala.

We left home next day in the morning with our backpacks on. Panhala is about 20 kms from Kolhapur, and about 3,000 Feet above sea level, a mountainous road. The beauty of the road is that it is surrounded by huge trees and farm fields on both the sides.

Within half an hour we were riding uphill the Fort city and we could feel the chill in the air. The city welcomed us with the statues of two brave soldiers of Shivaji Era.

First Gate of Teen Darwaza

We had breakfast at a small hotel, and headed towards the places to see. Our first stop was Andhaar Bawada (Well). Localites said that it is so called because one cannot recognise the well from outside the Fort as it is hidden under a two storied building. From the building we can see the greenery. Soldiers and local people at that time used the water for drinking. What a way to trick your enemy!!

Just near the Andhaar Bawda, there is another place called Teen Darwaza. Though the Panhala Fort has been built in between 12^th and 13^th centuries by Raja Bhoj II, it gained its name and fame when the first ever crowned Maratha King Chatrapati Shivaji conquered it in 16^th century. Teen Darwaza was the main and only entrance inside the Fort at that time. The three gates are one within the other so from outside, one can see only the first gate. The fort is built in stone by using the mixture of jaggery, lime and mud in the absence of concrete (what durability as the Fort withstood many invasions thereafter and is still standing!!). As we were inside the Fort, we entered from the Third main Gate. There we can see the carvings of Lions and elephants on the Huge Entrance. Once we are out to the First Gate we can really see the beauty of the architecture on one side and mother nature on the other.

Third Gate of Teen Darwaza

The weather was perfect with sunshine and cold air, hence, we decided to see the next place by walk. Our next stop was the Watch Tower. May be this is the highest point of the city as the view from here is awesome. We could see the valleys spread with greenery and the hills stretched a long way. We took our time there sitting on the age old stone benches and savoured the nature.

It was lunch time and we went to a hotel near the Panhala Bus Stand where we had a Kolhapuri mutton meal with the ubiquitous Pandhra and Tambda rassa. The food was mouth-watering and had a typical Gavaran touch to it!

After having the delicious food, we went to see a place called Ambarkhana i.e. Godown. Built by Raja Bhoj II, Ambarkhana includes three buildings named Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati. Ganga being a huge building where foodgrains were stored in those days. History tells that at the time of Siddhi Johar’s attack, it enabled Shivaji to sustain a 5 months siege.

It was time for us to see the Tabak Udyan. We guess it is an old garden but, well maintained by local authorities. We had a stroll in the garden. We then did some trekking in the adjoining mountain, although I am reluctant as far as trekking is concerned. We were tired after the trekking. Then we decided to check in to our hotel and retired for the day.

Beautiful Valley View

The hotel we stayed has almost all its rooms facing the valleys. The view from the room was beautiful. When we woke up next morning, we were greeted by the beautiful valley. We had our tea and breakfast in the garden restaurant of the hotel, facing the valleys.

Masai Pathar in the evening

We went to see Sajja Koti or Sardar-e-Mahal, a two storied building surrounded by green. It is said to be the pleasure pavillion of the Kings which provided a panaromic view of the valleys. Now, on its roof, you can see the surrounding views of Panhala through a telescope (paid, of course). We could see The Jyotiba Temple, Masai Pathar, and even vacation homes of Bollywood Filmmakers like V.Shantaram and singers like Lata Mangeshkar. We then went to Masai Pathar, which is a table mountain (no, not the one in Capetown). The hill top is flat and is a good place to enjoy with our family and play games and hang out.

That was the end of our adventure journey to Fort Panhala. Despite my initial disappoint of travelling on a two wheeler I enjoyed the weekend to the fullest and felt it refreshing. And I will try to listen to my hubby as he comes out with some wild ideas, which just seem to work (pun intended).

Mahalaxmi -Goddess of Prosperity

Posted: January 30, 2010 by Shantala Shevade in Travel
Tags: Kolhapur, Mahalakshmi, Mahalaxmi, Temple

One of the main tourist attraction and pilgrim place of Kolhapur is Mahalaxmi Temple.

Puranas say that Mahalaxmi got angered by the action of Lord Vishnu apologising to a sage who kicked The Lord on His chest, where Mahalaxmi resided. Out of anguish She decided to reside in Kolhapur, then called Karveer. Kolhapur then was ruled by a demon called Kolashur. Mahalaxmi destroyed the demon and as a last wish of the demon named the city as Kolhapur. History states the the temple inherits its architecture from Chalukyas in the 7^th century CE. The temple is built in black stone with carvings on each and every pillar. It is said that the pilgrim to Tirupati Balaji is not complete unless one visits Mahalaxmi. It is one of the Six Shakti Peethas of India and it has been told that one can get their wishes fulfilled just by visiting the place. There are many small temples of gods in and around the main temple which are Navagraha, Vitthal Rukmini, Ganesh, Kartikeya to name a few.

The number of devotees to the temple is ascending year after year. People come from all over the country to see the grandure of 3 feet tall statue of the Goddess which is decorated with jewels and flowers. Kolhapurians are lucky that they are constantly living under the blessings of Goddess Mahalaxmi.

Kerala – God’s Own Country

Posted: January 25, 2010 by Nikhil Shevade in Travel
Tags: Kerala, Temple

Kerala – God’s Own Country

One of our “Top things to do before we die” item – touring Kerala – God’s Own Country. We thought, now is the time to start fulfilling our “Bucket List” one by one. We arranged our itinerary. We surfed the Net to find out how we should go about it and finally came up with some good ideas. Our object was to tour all the good places in Kerala, taste its unique cuisine, mingle with local people and experience Kerala in its glory.We booked our train from Ratnagiri (Netravati Express) up to Trichur. We arranged a taxi from Trichur for the entire trip. We suggest that you do the same, instead of going on group tour (nothing against travel companies). Tailor made independant tours will give you a different experience.

Guruvayoor: Our train reached Trichur at 12:30 pm on 12th December 2009. Our taxi was waiting for us. Immediately, we went to Guruvayoor which is about 40 kms from Trichur. We checked in the hotel at Guruvayoor, freshened ourselves up and went off to Elephant Sanctuary and Training Center. There are, as told to us, about 85 elephants in the Center. We toured around the center. Nothing to worry, the elephants are all tied up. But be aware, don’t wander off close to the elephants, else they get agitated easily. Take close up snaps with elephants only in the presence of mahouts.
At the Elephant Sanctuary

It was 5:30 pm and the Center closes. Then we proceeded to Mamiyoor Shree Mahadev Temple (not the Guruvayoor Temple). It was a beautiful temple. All the temples in the South are well kept. They are clean, disciplined and unique compared to temples in the rest of the country. You find a kind of peace of mind when you enter the temples. Remember to bring your dhoti / lungi before coming to Kerala. Ladies should preferably bring saree. Salwar kameez, chudidars may not be allowed in some temples. You will not be allowed in any temples here wearing denims, shirt, pants. Then around 8 p.m., we went to Guruvayoor temple. Dressed in the above described attire, we marched like devotees from our hotel through the bus stand, local market surrounded by people wearing black attire (Shabarimal / AyyappaSwamy devotees). It felt kinda awkward, but slowly we got used to it. I was having trouble wearing the dhoti (fear that it might reveal), so I took help of our neighbouring room occupants and they were very kind to help me out. Alas, when we reached the temple, there was a long queue, which we thought might take us at least 3 hours to take darshan. Hence, unfortunately we dropped the idea. Twas already dinner time. We had heard of the great food (prasadam) being served at the temple. But as it was Ekadashi, there was no prasadam. Bad luck, there too. So, we turned back to return to our hotel. We saw an elephant procession on the way. The procession was full of color, glory and pomp. We had typical Keralian food of rice, sambar, rassam with side dish in one of the hotels and then retired for the day.
Enroute Cochin: Next day morning, we started towards Cochin. On the way, we visited Adirampally and Wazhachal falls. Adirampally falls is called the Niagara falls of India. Its natural beauty will mesmerize you. You can also get to the bottom of the falls, though tiring, is exhilarating and worth it. Then we moved on to Wazhachal falls which is more like a step falls. We then visited Adishankaracharya Birth place in Kaladi and then Adishankaracharya Math. These places are holy places. Stories and pictorial presentation of Adishankaracharya’s life can be seen here. I remember, seeing a movie on His life, long time back on Doordarshan, so could quickly recall some events. On the way to Cochin, we also saw the newly built, beautiful Cochin International airport, designed on the lines of the Guruvayoor temple, about 30 kms outside Cochin. We reached Cochin and checked in the hotel and retired for the day.
Adirampally Falls
Cochin and en-route Munnar: Our hotel was on the MG Road of Kochi / Cochin / Ernakulam. As told to me, the sea port is called Cochin and Ernakulam is the name of the city. However, they are both used interchangeably. We had breakfast of Appams and Idiyappams in a hotel called “Ceylon Bake House” on MG Road.
Idiyappam With Veg Stew

Appam with Egg Roast

Appam is bowl-shaped thin pancakes made from fermented rice flour. They are white, soft, fluffy and served with side dishes like egg roast, veg stew or any combination of non-veg / veg curries. Appams are my fave dish so far. The hotel we had it in, was famous for appams and idiyappams.

Idiyappam is made of rice flour, salt and water. It is generally served as the main course at breakfast or dinner together with a curry (potato, egg, fish or meat curry) and coconut chutney. It is not usually served at lunch.

Then we moved on to see Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church. These places give an idea about the colonial past of Cochin. The architecture, design of the buildings in these areas have a Dutch, French and British feel to it. There are many Kashmiri shops of antiques in these areas. But beware to purchase only from authentic shops or else you will be duped. On the way we saw the Cochin Sea Port from an adjacent river bridge.

: Chinese Fishing Nets

The next stop was Chinese fishing nets. They are shore operated lift nets and the catch is sold to passersby. We had some photo op with the fishermen. We also got a chance to operate the nets.

We then proceeded to Munnar hillstation. On the way, we stopped by to see the rubber plantations and how rubber is formed. There are many small waterfalls on the way to Munnar. The road was winding and soon we could start feeling the cold chill in the climate, away from the humid climate of earlier places. It was refreshing. The landscape was turning into beautiful valleys and high range points and even more greenery. Our resort in Munnar was about 25 kms outside Munnar. It was a good place to be in, as it was situated on a hilltop. We had dinner in the resort and retired for the day.

Munnar: When we woke up in the morning, we were greeted by the beautiful valley landscape. We had a nice big cozy room with balcony facing the valley. We could see a distant lake shining and reflecting the morning sun light. We had tea on the balcony and savoured the experience. We had breakfast in the resort and off we were for Munnar sight seeing. We drove past the tea plantations. There were tea plantations as far as the eye can see. Munnar is situated in the south Western Ghats, upto 8500 ft above sea level. It was about 5 ° C. It is a sleepy plantation town. As told to us, the growth of resorts and plantations is having a detrimental effect on the flora and fauna of the place. However, the beauty of the landscape cannot be described, and one can only imagine how Munnar would have looked before it was declared as a tourist spot. We took some snaps alongside the tea gardens, waterfalls. We remember stopping the taxi and taking snaps whenever we found a photogenic scape and there were lots of them. We visited Mattupetty Dam and Echo Point. It was foggy and hence we could not see the nature in it entire glory and splendour. We visited a floral exhibition which housed rare species of flowers and plants.
Our Resort in Munnar

We then visited Eravikulam / Rajamalai National Park. We have to board a bus which takes us to the Park in the mountains. The enroute views were breathtaking. It drizzled and then there was sunshine. We basked in the sunshine looking out in the valley where a rainbow had formed. The sunlight reflected over the trees and water bodies which had a magical effect on our soul. We climbed the mountain road. The

Park houses a rare species of Mountain Goat. It dwells in the natural habitat eating mountain grass. We could only see a silhouette of the endangered goat due to fog and it was very far away. After the Park visit, we had an opportunity to experience Kerala’s famous ayurvedic massage. We went to a renowned doctor in Munnar who has been practicing massage therapy for more than 25 years. The massage consisted of full body massage with different ayurvedic oils and steam bath ending with a hot water bath. After the massage, which lasted about 2 hours, we were given herbal tea. We felt lighter and in a trance after the experience. We strongly recommend this massage therapy at reputed doctors only. We returned to our hotel in the evening and retired for the day. Due to the massage, we got a good night’s sleep.

Munnar Tea Plantation
Thekkady: We started our journey to Thekkady – the spice town. Enroute, we had a half an hour Elephant ride near Thekkady. Then we went to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary which is Tiger Reserve. There is an artificial lake. However, we were disappointed to know that the boat ride, which is the main attraction in the Sanctuary, was suspended due to a recent well known lethal mishap. We loitered around the Park. The Sanctuary is known to house tigers, elephants, deer, sambar which can be seen on the boat ride, though tigers are difficult to spot. We were told that the boating will resume in a month. We then checked in our hotel to get ready to visit Kalari Center to witness another highlight of Kerala, viz: Kalaripayattu and Kathakali. We had booked the tickets in advance just to make sure we get the seats.

: With the Kalaripayattu Team

Kalaripayattu is probably the oldest martial arts in existence and is believed to be the roots of karate and kung fu in the Oriental. The skills displayed by the performers left everyone with gaped mouth. There were kicks, flexible body movements, fire display, weaponry, high fliers and much more. After the display, we got a chance to take snaps with the performers who were very friendly and offered us weapons and taught us stances of Kalari and even posed for photographs. Then we were off to see Kathakali in an adjacent building.

: With the Kathakali performers

Kathakali, a form of dance drama is noted for attractive make up of characters, detailed hand and eye gestures narrating a drama through gestures called Mudras presented in tune to playback music and percussion. The make up itself takes many hours and is very cumbersome. The attention to detail is commendable. After the stunning performance, we got photo op with the characters who were too willing to do so. And why not? They were beautiful!!

Then we retired for the day after having dinner.

Enroute Alleppey: After breakfast, we left for Spice village in Thekkady. The trip through the spice village was a good experience. The place was filled with spice aroma. We saw spice plantations of all kinds of spices. We purchased a few spices as well. Then we were off to Alleppey. On reaching Alleppey, we visited the Alleppey beach. It was sunset time and we waited eagerly for the same. The sun set was beautiful. The sky had turned orange in colour and we watched the sun set till its last tip. We had coffee and then checked in our hotel in Alleppey.
Alleppey: Is better known as “The Venice of the East”. Also called as Allapuzha (remember the pronunciation of “zha” is not the same. You will find many place’s names ending with “zha”. It is “la” as in “Tamil”. The intricacies of Dravidian language cannot be expressed in English). It is a town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons. Kerala backwaters is a network of natural canals stretching to about 900 kms of waterways. There is also a National Waterway in Kerala from Kollam to Kottapuram covering more than 200 kms! We had booked a “Shikara” to take us from Alleppey to Kollam (about 65 kms or 7 hours), from where our driver picks us up and then to Trivandrum. We sat in the boat which silently waded through the waters, leading us through picturesque paddy fields, coconut trees and back waters. It was an experience of a life time! We saw houseboats on the way. There were towns bustling with activity near the canals like school children going to school, ladies washing clothes and people going on with their daily life. We stopped at a place near the canal where we had a bite to eat like banana cooked in wheat flour, chips and coconut milk. We stopped for lunch in adjacent resort where we had backwater food like lobster, fish curry (Meen Curry), fish fry (Karimeen Porichathu) and Steamed Fish (Meen Pollichathu). The food was sumptuous. Then we continued on till we reached Kollam where our driver was waiting for us. The driver then took me to a place where we had Toddy, which is a mild alcoholic beverage made from the sap of coconut or palms trees. It has a strong coconut milk taste but really good. We moved on to Kovalam, a bustling and scenic beach 15 kms from Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala. We had dinner in a beach hotel. The beach reminded me of Goan beaches as there were more foreign tourists than Indians there. We checked in a hotel and retired for the day.
Kovalam and Trivandrum: In the morning, we had a typical breakfast of “Puttu” with egg roast and idli and dosa, in a tiny roadside hotel in Kovalam.

: Puttu with Egg Roast

Puttu is made by steaming moistened rice powder. It is another culinary speciality of Kerala. Amazing stuff!!

Then, we visited Kovalam beach and other beaches. Then we were off to Padmanabha Swami Temple in Trivandrum. It is a Vishnu temple where the deity is in form of eternal sleep posture. There was heavy rush but there was no chaos inside the temple mainly due to the orderly conduct of the pilgrims. We think that other temples especially non-South temples should learn from temples in the South.

Due to the 7 hour long backwater ride in Alleppey in the previous day, which was unplanned, we hadn’t enough time to cover Trivandrum sightseeing, though we were told that we didn’t miss anything. Hence we proceeded to Kanyakumari. On the way to Kanyakumari, we visited our Driver’s house near the Tamilnadu – Kerala border for lunch. We were offered typical Kerala style lunch consisting of Baked Tapioca(root vegetable similar to potato) dish, karimeen curry, mackerel fry, beans sabji, brinjal sambar with boiled rice. Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Matthews!!

We then visited Asia’s highest water canal (allegedly, i guess). The view from the top was breathtaking with palm trees, coconut, rubber and banana plantations as far as we can see with small streamlets here and there.

We arrived in Kanyakumari and checked in a seaside hotel. We bought some tapioca chips and banana chips to take home. We had dinner and retired.

Kanyakumari: We woke to witness sunrise from our room’s balcony. It was hazy over the sea and could not witness the same. We could see the Vivekanand Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue from our room. We got ready and after breakfast, we went to the southern most tip of Mainland India called “Triveni Sangam” where the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea meet. Compared to our Kerala trip, we found that Kanyakumari was a dirty place with filth strewn all around, mainly due to tourism, i guess, but topped by incompetence of local municipal authorities. There is also the Kanya Kumari temple.
Southernmost Tip of Mainland India

We then took the jetty ride to Vivekanand Rock Memorial. There is a Dhyan mandir for meditation and a beautiful view of the “Sangam”, and picturesque landscape of the town surrounded by mountains and the sea. Far off, we could see thousands of windmillss (near Nagercoil, i guess). It is said that Swami Vivekanand undertook rigorous meditation on these rocks and attained enlightenment. Then we went to see Thiruvalluvar statue and back to mainland. I had earlier visited Kanyakumari when it was under construction. We felt that the Rock Memorial would have been better off left alone as its has been spoilt due to (in)decision of Tamilnadu government of constructing the statue of the Tamil poet (our personal opinion). Then we went to see wax museum and Vivekanandpuram where literature of Swami Vivekanand’s thoughts and stories are kept.
Vivekanand Rock Memorial

Sunset at Kanyakumari

That was it. We returned to Trivandrum by train to board a flight to Mumbai and then back to Kolhapur. We had an enthralling joyride of Kerala and its beautiful people. The people are very well mannered and helpful compared to people we meet in the North.

We had an exhilarating experience of Kerala and Kanyakumari! Truly said that Kerala is God’s Own Country with all natural treasures embedded like Mountains, Backwaters, Sea, Rivers, Greenery, hot and cold climate, wild animals, deep forests, you name it, Kerala says We have it!!

Nikhil Shantala

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