Travel india

Jodhpur & Jaisalmer - A short trip

2011-05-22T09:35:00.032+05:30

Day Zero 03rd Nov’10

It was around 1600hrs in the afternoon when my wife calls up in the office informing me to make all arrangements for a trip to Jaisalmer starting tomorrow. I was a bit shocked as It was only during the lunch time we had decided not to go anywhere during the coming four days break on the occasion of Diwali. Anyways I quickly searched for phone numbers of some hotels, did route survey, finished pending job at office and rushed back home for some packing. The idea was to leave in the morning with a break at Mt Abu and the proceed for Jaisalmer the next day. After we had finished the packing and went out for some last minute shopping, I inform my wife about the route we were about to take and the night stopover.

Wifey: “Where does Jodhpur fits in it”.

Me: “ Jodhpur wont fit in the route from Surat to Jaisalmer”.

Wifey: “ But I want to do some shopping in Jodhpur and I don’t know anything, we have to go there also”.

Now all plans again go haywire. I did some quick calculation for distance and decided to leave a bit early so as to reach Jodhpur by evening. Finally after doing some shopping, filling up the tank, reached home and checked out some hotels for Jodhpur as well. We had decided to leave at 4 AM in the morning and accordingly I had put my alarm for 3 AM.
Day 1 04th Nov’10
Surat- Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Sirohi Rd. –Pali-Jodhpur

I was up by 3AM, got ready, made some tea and snacks and then around 3:30 asked my better half to get up. As usual it took sometime for her to leave the bed and it ensured that we will not be able to leave at the desired time. I kept the luggage in the car, made the back seat a make shift bed for my 3 yd old son and we finally left home at 0450 hrs, 50 minutes late than planned.We were out of the city by 0522 hrs and were cruising on the highway only to get stuck in a jam out side Ankleshwar – bharuch Narmada bridge at 0557 hrs. They had closed one side of the bridge and so all traffic was flowing from just one side. It took us one hour to move 6 kms and we reached Bharuch Baroda toll gate at 0647 hrs. From there it took 73 minutes to cover 73 kms and we reached Baroda at 0800hrs. Baroda Ahmedabad expressway was a breeze as usual and we were in Ahmedabad by 0910 hrs. Took a break for breakfast at 1000hrs and from there on it was again a long ride till Udaipur. The roads were pretty smooth and straight till Gujarat border and from there on, it was more of curvy but smooth all the way. We reached Udaipur at 1300 hrs, filled up fuel at Udaipur and then left for Jodhpur via Sirohi & Pali. I didn’t know if there was a bypass for the Udiapur city and ended up wasting an hour to get out of Udiapur city at 1400 hrs. Udiapur Sirohi route is an empty 4 lane highway with lots of curves and the route is marked through out with “rocks may fall “ signboard. This route is the NH-76 till sirohi, NH-14 till Pali and thereafter NH-65 till Jodhpur. We took a lunch break at Sirohi diversion from 15-1530 hrs and proceeded further to reach Sirohi at 1545 hrs. In between called up different hotels to check out the availability of rooms at Jodhpur. I had in mind Hotel Ratan Vilas, a heritage family owned property, Hotel Maple Abhay, a business hotel and if nothing else then Taj Hari Mahal. Luckily rooms were available in Ratan Vials and we thought of checking out this one first. Further the rods till Jodhpur, though two lane, were excellent and you can maintain a constant speed of around 100+ kmph. We reached Pali at 1715hrs and Jodhpur at 1800 hrs. After asking for directions we reached Ratan Vilas at around 1815 hours. Had a look at rooms and finally settled for a spacious superior room. It was available at a tariff of Rs 2900 inclusive of taxes and breakfast.After getting fresh we decided to have dinner at Taj Harimahal and the food didn’t disappoint us. The buffet menu had a number of dishes including, rajasthani, Indian, continental and Chinese. Food was delicious and service impeccable. Cost of buffet was Rs 900 per person plus taxes. Finally after a sumptuous dinner we called it a day at 2200hrs.

Surat ODO: 30203 kmsJodhpur ODO: 31041 kms

Distance Travelled: 838 kms

Time taken: 13 hrs 25 min

Time for breaks: 60 min

Time adjusted for breaks: 12 hrs 25 min

Avg. speed : 67.5 kms/hr

Hotel Ratan Vilas Phone No: 0291-2614418,2613011

Phone No. of some other hotels in JodhpurRanbanka :0291-2512800-03, 2517088, 09351157071Shree Ram International: 0291-2671100Karni Bhawan: 0291-2512101-02, 094141262000Gateway Hotel: 0291-2263430 (outside city limit)Taj Harimahal :0291-2439700

Day 2: 5th November’10Jodhpur – Pokharan- Jaisalmer

Got up early at 0600 hrs and planned to photograph Mehrangarh Fort at sunrise. But as soon as I was about to leave my son got up and he too wanted to go and then wifey also wanted to visit and so dropped the plan of sunrise and settled for leaving at 0800hrs after breakfast.After an English breakfast at the hotel we reached the fort at 0840 hrs. The gates were due to open at 0900 hrs. Mehrangarh Fort stands a hundred feet in splendour on a perpendicular cliff, four hundred feet above the sky line of Jodhpur. Burnished red sand stone, imposing, invincible and yet with a strange haunting beauty that beckons. Much has been written about the Citadel of the Sun, for truly, it is one of the most impressive in all Rajasthan.

Entry to the fort is gained though a series of seven gates. The most famous of the gates are: - Jai Pol ("Gate of Victory"), built by Maharaja Man Singh in 1806 to celebrate his victory in a war with Jaipur and Bikaner; Fateh Pol, built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to celebrate a victory over the Mughals in 1707; - Dedh Kamgra Pol, which still bears the scars of bombardment by cannonballs; - Loha Pol, which is the final gate into the main part of the fort complex. Immediately to the left are the handprints (sati marks) of the ranis who in 1843 immolated themselves on the funeral pyre of their husband, Maharaja Man Singh

Some pictures of the fort

The imprints of cannonball hits by attacking armies of Jaipur can still be seen on the second gate. To the left of the fort is the chhatri of Kirat Singh Soda, a soldier who fell on the spot defending the Mehrangarh fort.

After the fort we decided to check out Jaswant Thada. Though it was an impressive monument we only visited it from outside as it was similar to other Rajputs cenotaph and also we were running short on time as my wife wanted to do some shopping. I dropped my wife outside a national emporium and went to check out for the road to Umaid Bhawan Palace. After shopping to her hearts content (though her version will differ) we came back to our hotel to check out at 12 noon. After checking out of Ratan Vilas we went to see Umaid Bhawan only to be very disappointed as there is hardly anything to see. I was aware that most of the palace is now converted to hotel and so off bounds but they don’t even allow to take pictures from outside. The only picture of front part, which I could manage, was from outside the main entrance gates.

Public is allowed only in the museum which hardly contains anything apart from pictures as I suppose most of the things would have gone in the hotel itself. So in my opinion if one has to visit Umaid Bhawan, then either shell out money to stay there or have a meal there to visit the erstwhile palace.

After this we went for our lunch and left for Jaisalmer at 1409 hrs following the NH114 till Pokharan and then NH-15 till Jaisalmer. It was a 287 Kms ride and we completed it in 3 hours, reaching Jaisalmer at 1710 hours. We had no bookings but through numerous telephone calls knew that rooms were available in Hotel Jaisalgarh, Royale Jaisalmer, Fort Rajwada, RangMahal. We checked out Hotel Jaisalgarh first as it was just outside the city entrance. Room was okie but after staying in Ratan Vilas we thought of having a look at other hotels too. We were looking for Royale Jaisalmer when I saw someone following our car on a motorbike. He was a tout selling out his travel agency. Since we were not able to locate the hotel I asked him for directions. He tooks us first to the hotel which we were searching ,however looking at the locality we decided not to stay in Royale Jaisalmer. Further I asked him to take us to Rang Mahal and Godhbunder Palace. Rangmahal, Godhbunder Palace and a hotel heritage inn are side by side on road to SAM sand dunes. He advised us to have a look at heritage inn first as he had connections in this hotel and would give us 30% discount. Further also told us to bargain over and above 30% and you’ll get the room around 40-50% discount. I was slightly amazed that during this peak time a hotel could be available at 50% discount. However after looking at the rooms I could know why. The rooms were smelling as if closed for a long time and there was hardly any occupancy in the hotel though hotel was offering around 40% discount on printed rates of Rs 6000. Next checked out Hotel Godhbunder Palace. Hotel was execellent but no rooms were available. I was getting tired and thought if Rang Mahal also disappointed us I will go to Fort Rajwada and shell out Rs 20K for 2 nights. Rang Mahal had only suite was available for Rs 10K per night but was offering at Rs 7500 inclusive of breakfast and taxes. Though on the higher side I decided to accept as we were tired of searching for hotels.Our tout cum guide was still there and asked us if we would like to have dinner outside and also for some camel safari tomorrow in the dunes. I asked him to come at around 1930 hrs and take us to some good restaurants in the city for authentic Rajasthani cuisine. He took us to two restaurants but both of them were closed for puja as it was diwali day and after visiting his travel agency we came back at our hotel for dinner. Meanwhile at his travel agency he offered for camel safari to SAM dunes. I told him I want to visit dunes free of tourist. His brother who runs the agency said it was not possible during this time as there was lot of rush. I said then I am not taking your agency and walked out. This guy again followed us and said Sir, I ‘ll take you personally to dunes other than Sam and you’ll not find a single tourist there. And you can pay me what ever you like after you are satisfied with the visit. For payment to camel walllahs you can pay them directly. With this agreement I called off the day, having dinner at our hotel which was full of foreigners from various group tours.

Jodhpur ODO: 31107 kms (City driving 66 kms)

Jaisalmer ODO: 31394 kms

Distance Travelled: 287 kms

Time taken: 3 hours

Breaks: None

Avg. speed : 95.66 kms/hr

Hotel Phone Nos:
Rang Mahal:
Fort Rajwada: 02992-255433, 254608, 254609
Gorbandh Palace: 02992-253801-10
Hotel Pleasant Haveli” 02992-253253, 09414206030
Narayan Niwas: 02992-251901-906
Hotel Moonlight: 02992-250267,254359
Royale Jaisalmer: 09001870870, 09252808707, 09252870870
Jaisalgarh: 0124-4055552, 2354546
Guide Name: Sameer Phone no : 09680496061

Some photographs of our hotel

Day 3 – Jaisalmer

6th November’10

We woke up to a bright sunny November morning at Hotel Rang Mahal, Jaisalmer. Programme for the day was to visit Fort & gadisar lake in the morning along with some shopping. Then some after lunch siesta and camel safari in the evening. We went to see the fort around 9AM and it was not quite as impressive as Mehrangarh mainly coz of people living inside and all the different kinds of shops. Also the cleanliness is not at all maintained and this is true for Jaisalmer city as a whole.

Some shops along the fort wall

Not finding the fort as impressive we moved to Gadisar lake, sat there for a while, clicked some pictures and called up my guide for doing some shopping. He arrived within minutes and took us for some Jaisalmer stonework shopping followed by leather stuff. Most of the leather shops were closed and it left my wife a little disappointed

Next stop was Patwon ki Haveli and it was a marvelous piece of art.

Patwon ki haveli is one of the most elaborate and fascinating mansions in Jaisalmer that entices you with its hypnotic charm. Located on a narrow lane in the main Jaisalmer city, Patwon ki haveli was constructed by Guman Chand Patwa and his five sons. he entire haveli is and interesting grid of pillared halls, large corridors, lavishly chiseled ceilings and ostentatiously decorated walls.

There was some beautiful craft work inside the haveli premises

Finally it was time to leave the haveli

It was getting hot as the day progressed and we retired back to our hotel at around 1245hrs. The guide would be coming around 1520 hours to take us for a camel safari in the dunes. We were fresh after some sleep and were ready for the sfari by 1500hrs. Guide was there at the appointed time and we took the road to SAM. A km or so before SAM he saw some camel wallahs and negotiated for a ride to the dunes of “Gadvi No teelo”. It was diagonally opposite SAM dunes and the rout was from the side of Thar resort.

Location of dunes on google sat view

It was a long ride to the dunes and we were enjoying every bit of it.

We enjoyed the ride to the dunes especially my son aryaman had a ball. He thoroughly enjoyed the ride to the dunes as well as playing with sand on the dunes.

We had ample time on the dunes before sunset and I went around clicking these pictures.

Meanwhile some local musicians came around to play where my wife and son were sitting. It was kind of royal feeling as there was no one on the dunes and the musician was playing just for us.

(the above three pictures have been clicked by my wifey and has been taken with due permission)

Soon it was time for some final sunset pictures

After satisfying to our hearts content, taking enough pictures we started our ride back to the base camp where we had parked our car. It took us around 30min or so to reach the place. He guide kept his promise to take us to the virgin sand dunes with not a tourist in sight specially on a day when Jaisalmer was filled up with tourists. We paid Rs 1000 for 2 camels (500 each) we took, plus a Rs 100 tip for the camelwallah and paid Rs 1000 for the services of the guide for 2 days. Finally came back to our hotel at around 7:30, had dinner, saw live musicians playing at the hotel grounds, and called it a day with sweet memories to take back home the next morning.

Day 4: 7th November’10

We left Jaisalmer at 0620 hrs and followed NH-15 to Barmer (158 kms, 0754 hrs) till Sanchor (298 kms, 0936 hrs). It was a butter smooth road devoid of any traffic and we covered 300kms in 3hrs 10 min with a break of 15 mins in between. Further took the statehighway from sanchor to deesa (372kms) through dhanera and reached Deesa at 1050 hrs covering 74 kms in 74 minutes. From Deesa it was Nh-14 to Palanpur ( 402 kms, 1110 hrs, diesel break for 10 mins) where we took the state highway for Mehsana and reached Mehasana (467 kms) at 1215 hrs. Took a lunch break at Sankalp South Indian joint and left Mehsana at 1315 hrs to reach Ahmedabad (528 kms) at 1400hrs , Baroda ( 651 kms) at 1526 hrs. This time to avoid jam at Ankleshwar narmada bridge I took the golden gate from bharuch (735 kms, 1621 hrs) and joined NH-08 back after Ankleshwar bridge (751 kms , 1645 hrs). Finally entered Surat city (793 kms) at 1715 hours covering the Surat Jaisalmer distance of 793 kms in almost 11 hours with a break of 1 hour 30 min in between.

Certainly the roads of Gujrat and Rajasthan rock….

Uttarakhand- Heavenly Abode

2009-04-07T09:38:00.031+05:30

As I sit down and close my eyes the panoramic view of Himalayas with the daunting peaks of trishul, nanda devi, and Panchchuli comes flashing and up close as if i could stretch my hand and touch them. Driving through the sinuous mountain roads, pine & deodar forests and the Himalayas in the background, our Himalayan odyssey of seven nights and eight days in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand has been etched in our minds forever, only to be relived in dreams.

It could have been just another day in the office had Rakesh and I over a cup of tea discussed of taking a break away from the monotonous daily routine. We discussed overnight with our families and next morning the idea born last evening took shape of a tentative itinerary for Kumaon. We also involved another colleague of ours Hashmi who was sitting some 2000 kms away from us in Jorhat to join us for the trip. After consensus on dates, a final plan was chalked out and 6 adults & 2 children aged 5 and 11 months each were ready for a trip to the hills from 7th to 15th February 2009.
The plan was to visit Binsar, Chaukori, Munsiyari and Nainiatal. A couple of days before the trip all arrangements of tickets, bookings at KMVN Binsar and Chaukori were made and shopping for some stuff required during travelling with two kids was done. We all were excited for an adventurous holiday in the hills. As it happens with every group tour , Hashmi had to back out at the 11th hour due to his wife’s illness, not to dampen our spirits of an adventurous holiday ahead.
All packed we arrived at Surat Railway station on Friday 6th Feb’09 to board our train for New Delhi at 1930hrs and found it to be running on time. It was Aryaman’s ( my 11 month child) first train journey and he was all excited to see something different from what he used to see every day. We had our dinner before train reached Baroda, met Rakesh’ in laws at the baroda railway station and retired for the night. Suddenly we heard sounds of Aryaman crying, standing by the berth side ( don’t know how he managed to step down from the berth) at around 11 in the night and it took me almost an hour to make him sleep again. This was the first time in our trip we wondered if we had made the right decision to travel with an eleven month child.
Day 1, 7th February 2009
Nevertheless we moved on and reached New Delhi at 0900hrs on 7th February and Rakesh’s relative had already arranged for a guest house with a chauffeured car for us for our stay in Delhi. Aryaman was most happy amongst us to reach the guest house as he got lots of space to crawl around. We got fresh, had breakfast and then we realised that we had left one milk bottle of Aryaman in the train. It was our first casualty.
We did some last minute shopping in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar market, moved on Connaught Place, had some delicious chat and also went to Humayun’s Tomb.

near Nizamuddin.

The second Mughal Emperor Humayun died just a year after he regained Delhi. His Persian wife, Hamida Begum, supervised the construction of his tomb from 1562-1572. It was designed by the Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath. Situated on the bank of River Yamuna and adjoining the shrine of the famous Sufi saint Nizam al-Din Auliya, this tomb is said to have been a precedent of later Mughal mausoleums in India. The geometrically arranged gardens intersected with numerous water channels present a paradise setting. The tomb took eight years to build and had a Char Bagh Garden style in its design, the first of its kind in the region. These were later introduced in the Red Fort of Delhi and at the Taj Mahal of Agra. Persian architectural traits are also evident in the building and its main chamber is said to be inspired from the tomb of the Persian Mongol ruler, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya. The tomb of Timur (Tamerlane) in Samarkand is also said to be the source of inspiration for the Mughal architecture in India. We returned at around seven in the evening and after having a quick dinner, packed our stuff and left for Old Delhi railway station for our onward train to Kathgodam- gateway to Kumaon. We reached the chaotic Old Delhi railway station at around 2130hrs only to find no coolies around for our luggage. It took quite an effort to put our luggage in the train and we finally left for Kathgodam at 2240hrs in Ranikhet Express. Aryaman was tired after a hectic day and slept peacefully to wake up in the morning at 7. Train was running a little late and arrived at Kathgodam at 8 in the morning. Our driver Anil was there at the station to receive us and after getting fresh, giving Aryaman his breakfast in the waiting room we left for Binsar in our hired Innova.

Day 2, 8th February 2009
Kathgodam-Bhowali-Almora-Binsar
Distance: 128 kms
Some 10 kms after Kathgodam we had our breakfast and already ladies were showing signs of mountain sickness. The sinuous roads and hair pin bends were starting to take it effect on them. First to go was Rakhi ( Rakesh’ wife), then Aryaman and finally Ria ( Rakesh daughter). Somewhere near Almora we took some medicine for mountain sickness and only then thing came under control. Just as we were reaching Almora we had our first view of Himalayas, and what a sight it was.
picture
We reached Binsar Check post at around 1330 hrs and after registering and paying the entry fees we haeded for Tourist Rest House of KMVN, a few kms further ahead and an old colonial style bungalow with its rustic charm and no electricity. You only get electricity from 7pm to 9pm through sloar power. Rooms are all wood panelled and offer good views. The terrace of TRH,Binsar offers spectacular view of Hmalyas.

We had our lunch and while Aryaman and Nitya dozed off for an afternoon siesta, Rakesh and i decided to explore Binsar Sanctuary. Silence is an aspect one is bound to notice about Binsar. Quiteness and stillness can be found in lots of places, specially in mountains, but there is something different about the quiteness of Binsar. Specially, on the 2 Km walk to Zero-Point. It's the highest point of Binsar Hill and offers the best views of the ranges. From rest-house, we take the unpaved, gradually ascending road. There is dense forest all around, and not a single sound is to be heard. Not even a bird chirp. And with the stories of leopards and bears regularly traversing this area at back of one's mind, one is tempted a lot to turn back. Even with couple of people along with you, it's an eerie experience. The silence, stillness and beauty around me was of the kind that can only be experienced and is impossible to capture in words.
We came back just in time for the sunset and though it was quite hazy and peaks were not clearly visible it was still quite an experience from the terrace of our rest house to witness the faaling ray of sun on the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas. On a clear day one can see many peaks from Binsar namely Nanda Ghunti, Trishul, Mrighthuni, Mailkoti, Nanda Devi, Nanda Devi east Nandkot and some other which i don’t remember.
As electricity supply is only available between 7 to 9 , we had our early dinner and within the cosiness of quits, with candle light to offer some warmth we dozed off quietly into the night.
Day 3, 9th February’09
Binsar-Paleo Bend-Sheraghat-Ganai-Berinag-Chaukori
I woke up around 0600 hrs to a cloudy morning at Binsar. The horizon was orange red painted by the rays of morning sun. Most of the peaks were covered with clouds yet the overall experience had an element of peace and tranquillity. Aryaman and Nitya too joined me on the terrace and we had some family photos along with tea at the terrace of KMVN. After having bath with the rationed hot water supplied by KMVN ( only 1 bucket per adult), we had our breakfast and left at 0940 hrs for Chaukori stopping enroute for pictures of beautiful Binsar valley filled with Rhodendrons.
Stopping enroute frequently as is the case when you travel with a small child, we reached Chaukori at 1400hrs and the location of KMVN cottages was once again excellent providing clear views of Panchchuli peaks.
Chaukori is a somnolent, peaceful hamlet, surrounded by the towering Himalayan peaks and dense forests. To the north is Tibet and to the south is Terai. The Mahakali River, running along its eastern boundary, forms the Indo-Nepal international border. At a height of 2,010 m, above the sea level Chaukori is not just another hill station, but it's for the very few, who want to be there, in the majestic proximity of the Himalayas for an unbound view of the Panchchuli peaks.
As the name suggests, it's like a bowl, cupped within the Himalayan heartland. It is an idyllic holiday resort amidst unspoilt nature, a land bestowed with natural abundance, fruit orchards, and the jungles of Pines, Oaks and Rhododendrons.
One of the most magnificent aspects of holidaying in Chaukori is the fabulous sunrise and sunset that you are treated to. The night sky is studded with a million stars that simply take your breath away.
Though the weather was cloudy, the overall landscape was glowing in the afternoon light of winter sun.

We had lunch of Alu Parathas as that was the only thing available at that time. An intresting thing about we found out was that only vegetables available at most places were just potatoes or gobis as the supply used to come once a week only. Nitya and Aryaman went to sleep after lunch and i decided to walk around the place to have a look at the beautiful landscape of Chaukori.
I went for a walk behind KMVN and the vistas didn’t disappoint me. It was a good and refreshing walk and i was just in time when my little one woke up fresh and happy.
We had tea in the evening and asked the caretaker to bring some wood for a bornfire. Played some games around the bornfire, had sumptuous dinner and retired for the night.
Day 4, 10th February’09
Chaukori – Thal - Chaukori
The morning was very cloudy and the peaks were not visible but sunrise was spectacular with its varied hues of red and orange. The valley looked in peace with itself from the watch tower of KMVN, Chaukori.
Aryaman woke up all charged up and excited for a new day ahead. We had leisurely breakfast and then went on to explore nearby places.

We went some kms ahead of Thal and before Nachain. River Ramganga was flowing sinuously making its way through the mountains.

We sat for a while alongside the river, took some photographs and came back hoping for a clear view of peaks at sunset.

But again peaks were all covered with clouds and there were some dark clouds on the horizon. Signs were ominous for a stormy night ahead.
We had our dinner of delicious Rajma-Chawal and no sooner had we finished our dinner it started raining heavily. Raindrops on the tin roof of the cottage was making different noises making it perfect setting for a Ramsay brother movie. Suddenly there was a tap on the door. I opened it to find our caretaker standing there with candles in his hand. He said “ Sahib Yeh candles rakh lain, hum generator off karne wale hain”. Thankfully Aryaman was sleeping peacefully. The sound of raindrops and ferocious wind reminded me of the night in the tent at Tso-Moriri, Ladakh.
Day -5 Chaukori - Kausani

The weather was cloudy in the morning but the news was that it was raining all over Kumaon and we decided to skip Munsiyari and head towards Kausani. We were afraid that we might get stuck up in Munsiyari and with Aryaman with us we didn’t wanted to take a chance. We left Chaukori at 1000 hrs and by that time it had started raining. Stopping frequently we reached Baijnath temple some 15 kms before Kausani at 1400 hrs and started our climb uphill for Kausani. The rain gave way to hail storm and as we reached closer to our destination it had started snowing. And Kausani greeted us with our first snowfall of our life. In no time Kausani was covered under a blanket of ice. We later found out that it was the first snowfall of the season.
It was starting to get very cold and there was no power in the region. We were staying at Krishna Mount View and with the generator supplying power the voltage wasn’t enough for room heater to work properly. The lunch was delicious and since we were the only guest in the hotel we got full attention of the hotel staff.
We slept early and when we got up in the morning next day the sky was clear and the view from our room was just breath taking. There was clear view of Himalyan ranges and a layer of cloud had settled below the mountains making Kausani look like floating on clouds. As the first rays of the sun touched the Trishul, I clicked the shutter to my heart’s content.
There are no contradictions in nature, last night it was looking as if there is no tomorrow and the next morning it was so calm and peaceful as if nothing happened.

Day 6, 11th February’09
Kausani – Gwaldam – Kausani
Kausani (1890 m) is a celebrated spot for its scenic beauty enroute to Baijnath and Bageshwar. Nature has bestowed its beauty to make it a spot par-excellence. The close and captivating view which Kausani offers of the silvery majesty of the great Himalayas kindles hope even in the greatest pessimist and enlivens the worst of the depressed feelings.
Leisurely enjoying the pleasant morning sunshine resulted in delayed schedule and we had our breakfast/ brunch at 1200 noon and by the time we left for Gwaldam after visiting tea gardens and shawl factory it was almost 1430hrs. Negotiating snow on the roads from the previous day snowfall, we reached Gwaldam. After some picture session we left Gwaldam as i had to watch the sunset on the Himalyan Ranges from Kausani. We reached just in time at 1750 hrs when Sun had already set but the reflections on the peaks was lending it a crimson red glow. I ran to my room to quickly get my telephoto lens to have an up-close view of Trishul. My lens didn’t disappoint me and just as i finished clicking the play of light was over. I was just in time....
We took some tea and snacks and walked around the hotel. The sky was filled with stars as if a painter has spread stardust on his canvas. It was almost 2030 hrs, we had dinner back at the hotel which was once again delicious and the service was also perfect.
After a wonderful sunrise and sunset we called it a day with delicious hot gulabjamuns to carry the sweetness of Kausani with us forever in our hearts.

Day 7, 12th February’09
Kausani – Almora - Nainital
We were on the last leg of our journey travelling from Kausani to Nainital through Almora. Weather was absolutely fine and there was bright sunshine in Kausani. We left the hotel at 1000 hrs after having a sumptuous breakfast of chhole bhature and paneer parathas. Just before we could say goodbye to Kausani, Nitya ( my wife) wanted to do some last minute shopping again at the shawl factory and so we stopped there for sometime. The caretaker there was more than happy to showus around and even let Nitya try her hand at weaving.
We finally left Kausani at 1100hrs and stopped at Almora for tasting the local delicacy ‘Bal Mithai’ which for our tast buds was a little too sweet. We moved on without further interruptions and reached Nainital around 1500 hrs. Looked around the Mall Road for some accommodation and finally settled in “Classic-The Mall”. The offseason effect could clearly be seen as we got a suite for Rs 2500 originally quoted by the manager as Rs 8000. Room was very nice n cosy and we had a clear view of Naini lake from the balcony of our room.

Aryaman too found lots of space to crawl around and he was just more than happy. We took some rest and then in the evening took a stroll on the mall road. We visited the tiny bylanes around the mall road, had some snacks, visited some shops and came back around 2100hrs tired and exhausted.

Day 8, Nainital- Saat Tal – Nakuchiataal- Kathgodam
So it was our final day in Uttarakhand and our holiday was about to come to an end. It was another sunny morning and we were all out from our hotel by 1000hrs, did some boating in the Naini Lake, then took the cable car up to have a birds eye view of the city of Nainital. After spending sometime at the top where kids did some horseriding, we returned back around 1400 hrs and left for Saat Taal.

Saat-taal can bed described as the synonym of scenery, sunshine, serenity and solitude. Of the seven lakes at Saat-taal, Hanuman-taal, Bhiyun-taal and Sukha-taal are seasonal, filling up when the monsoon is at its peak. Most of the lakes in Saat-taal are named after the characters from the Ramayana. The names of the lakes here are Ram, Sita and Laxman etc. Interestingly these lakes are interconnected. Garud-taal is another interesting place. This is a place filled with myths and legends. These myths and legends gives place a mystical aura.
We then proceeded to visit Nakuchaitaal – Lake with nine corners, though we didn’t count them. Naukuchiatal or ‘lake of nine corners’ is known for its tranquillity and for the orchards and dense jungles that surround it. The lake is fed by an underground perennial spring and has a good walking track alongside. As Aryaman was sleeping Rakesh and myself went for a long walk alongside the lake and took some pictures. There is good lakeside resort “ Lake View Resort” for staying overnight, away from the hustle bustle of Nainital.

After spending sometime at Nainital it was time to say good bye to Kumaon and we proceeded for Kthgodam for our train to Delhi. Enroute our driver Anil took us to a South Indian Udipi restaurant to satisfy our cravings for authentic south Indian food. After some delicious Idilis & Uthapas, we finally reached Kathgodam station at 1900hrs. We bid Goodbye to Anil after paying Anil his dues and some generous gift for an excellent service rendered to us through out our trip. Since there was still some time we kept our luggage in waiting room which was surprisingly clean and waited for our train to arrive. Our train arrived on the platform at 2015 hrs and as soon as we loaded our luggage in our compartment we started to feel hungry again. A quick run at the platform yielded nothing but the phone number of the same Udipi restaurant. It was only 15 minutes for departure but we thought of trying our luck. To our surprise the restaurant took our order and delivered just in time before the departure of the train. We once again devoured on the delicious Uthappa’s and retired for the night, taking with us the memories of a wonderful 8 day trip to the hills of Kumaon.
Kumaon hills have a timeless beauty and an eloquent grandeur.

Travelling in the Kumaon region was an extraordinary experience. Its breathtaking beauty makes a frame of a paradise on earth at each and every turn leaving the heart and the soul craving for more of all things pristine. Ranging from star-studded lakes by the night that look stunningly emerald in the daytime, the lush green step-farms on the hills, the glorious pine trees, the rich vegetation, spectacular sunsets, magnificent fruit orchards, boating, golfing, adventure sports, long walks, treks, the friendly-contended people – the experience of exploring in the Kumaon region gives the notion of timelessness, of no beginnings and no ends. It inspires creativity of the highest order, poetry and freedom – it draws one to go back there again and again and to return each time with a bundle of positive energies. No wonder then, that at times it is even known as the Switzerland of India!

Fact Sheet
Accommodation
Binsar : Tourist Rest House, KMVN
Phone No: 05962-210176
Tariff : Rs 1500 for Super Deluxe Room (MAP)
Chaukori : Tourist Rest House, KMVN
Phone No: 05962-210176
Tariff : Rs 900 for Cottage (EP)
Kausani : Krishna Mount View
Phone No: 05962 258008, 258022, 258168
Tariff: Rs 1200 (EP)
Nainital: Classic- The Mall
Phone No: 05942- 237704
Tariff: Rs 2500
Travel
Innova- Ex Kathgodam – Rs 1900 per day all inclusive.
Driver: Mr Anil Mobile: 09719276904

Surreal Spiti

2008-01-27T18:41:00.000+05:30

Four adults, one scorpio and a 8 day , 1400km trip into the unkonwn may not be a everyone’s idea of a good time, but our trip to Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti in Himchal was one of our best holidays.

It was a trip which was decided in a spur of the moment. We had earlier planned for a LEH 2006 trip but couldn’t materialize it. September 2007 was also passing by and we had to decide fast about our trip. Suddenly I decided for a trip to Spiti. Discussed with some of my friends and the plan was through. Four of us were on for a trip to Spiti without our families from 14th -23rd September 2007.

We had little time for planning and other stuff but somehow with division of labour we managed to get some of the bookings and also hired a taxi ex Chandigarh.
So after taking leave from our offices we met on 14th September 2007 at 2000hrs for our journey to Spiti.

Map of Kinnaur & Spiti Region

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: New Delhi – Chandigarh- Shimla-Fagu ( 340 kms)

We reached New Delhi the other day at 0900 hrs and straight away headed for ISBT for a bus to Chandigarh. Luckily we got Himachal Tourism Volvo for Shimla and we left New Delhi at 0930hrs.
We reached Chandigarh around 1530 hrs in between stopping for lunch and our driver Gurdeep was there to receive us. Without wasting anytime we left Chandigarh in our Scorpio for Shimla. Initially we had decided to have a night halt at Shimla but after reaching Shimla at around 2000hrs found it to be too crowded a place and went further ahead towards Fagu some 25 kms ahead of Shimla. We reached Fagu at around 2040hrs and checked in Himachal Tourism Peach Blossom hotel.
Fagu is a small little place and this hotel is the only good accommodation and perfect for a night halt.
Sunrise was spectacular and we had a beautiful view of the valley from our hotel.

Sunrise over Fagu

Day 2: 16th September 2007 Fagu-Sarahan-Sangla-Chitkul ( 298 kms)

Distance Chart
From To Kms
Shimla Fagu 20
Fagu Narkanda 42
Narkanda Rampur 109
Rampur Jeori 23
Jeori Sangla 78
Sangla Chitkul 26

We left fagu at 0740hrs enroute stopping for breakfast. We had planned to reach Sangla by evening. At jeori we took a diversion for visiting Bhimkali temple from NH22 for Sarahan which is 17 kms from Jeori. All along the route we could see the mega hydro power projects coming up noticeable among them of the JayPee group.
This is one of those long driving holidays high up in the great himalays where the drive is a constant, breathtaking scenic treat.
We reached bhimkali temple around 1315hrs.

Bhimkali Temple

The Bhimkali temple is the most majestic of the few early timber temples left in the Sutlej Valley. The Sutlej valley is renowned for it's unusual tradition of housing holy shrines on raised wooden platforms. The Bhimkali Temple has two multi-tiered sanctuary towers. elegantly sloping slate-tiled roofs and gleaming golden spires. It is the last temple in the valley to be served by Brahmin priests. This original shrine of the Goddess, possesses the finest pair of silver doors in all Himachal, consisting of panels of mythological subjects in the repossess technique, made at the order of Raja Shamsher Singh in the mid-nineteenth century. A fantastic collection of Hindu as well as Buddhist bronzes are also housed in the sanctum.

We left Sarahan at 1345 and 10kms ahead of Jeori had our lunch of rajma roti and rice at a small dhaba. Left for Sangla at 1500hrs and it was still around 70kms away..

We again left NH22 some 20 kms after Wangtu and took right turn for Sangla and Chitkul. We reached Sangla at 1830hrs but decided to move on to Chitkul 26kms ahead for night halt.

You keep seeing all along with tall Chinar, Pine and Chilgoza trees. There was an absolute riot of colors till your vision reaches the horizon.
We first came across Raksham , which allows the slightly tame Baspa River to play along its borders. The town has a collection of few houses that are built from wood, stone and dried grass.
A few kms after sangla and before karcham a mountain stream was flowing in full swing after recent landslides and the bridge had been washed away. Our driver was reluctant to cross and only after watching state transport bus cross it ,did he crossed the stream.

At karchham , we leave the highway and take the road that climbs steeply above the Baspa, one of the most beautiful mountain rivers. Crystal clear blue green waters gushing over graggy rocks. Then suddenly, without any warning, from precipitous ascents we were into the wide and open Sangla valley, and it was like stumbling into the heart of swiss country side.

Sangla Valley

Our driver was a little upset and tired after a hard days driving and it took some time convincing him that road further ahead is okie and there is a guest house in chitkul to stay.
We reached chitkul around 2000hrs and after having a plain dinner retired for the night at thakur guest house.

For a stressed out city slicker, this place is the perfect antidote. The Conifer trees here effortlessly blend with the snow from the peaks all within walk able distance of your hotel. A good pair of lungs and legs could take you to your own custom made corner of bliss.. The pastel pink of the freshly flowering Chilgoza pine, the azure blue sky dotted with the occasional wisp of white cloud.
In Raksham and Chitkul most local activities revolve around wood. Collecting, cutting, storing and building with wood. Houses function as places to dwell as well as godowns for dry wood and grass.

Apple Orchards

Day 3: 17 September 2007 Chitkul-Kalpa (73kms)

We got up early at 0500hrs to explore chitkul. and walked alongside the Baspa river for quitesome time. Chitkul gives you a feeling of having travelled to the very end of civilization. Beyond chitkul lies the vast expanse of inhospitable mountain terrain and beyond that the forbidden tracts of Tibet.There was a manmade wooden plank to cross the river and went to the other side to a nearby mountain stream joining the baspa.

Wooden Bridge over Baspa

By the time we reached the stream we were tired and thirsty. The cold and sweet water of the stream quenched our thirst down to our soul. Landscape in and around chitkul is just mesemerizing. Lush green valley full of colors, apple orchards and mountain streams joining baspa reminds you of a swiss countryside setting.

Chitkul is the last village the visitors are allowed to go. A few kms ahead is the ITBP check post and around 80kms from chitkul lies the forbidden land of Tibet.

Swiss Countryside setting at Chitkul

We left chitkul at around 1000hrs for Kalpla. It was an eventful drive back from chitkul to sangla and then to kalpa. We were close to nature in its pristine form. The river Baspa was cutting through the moutians to join Sutlej and eventually into the Arabaian Sea.
Autumn was slowly setting in and there was riopt of colors in the colorful Sangla and Chitkul valley.

After carefully negotiating the hairpin bends we reached Kalpa at 1300hrs and were mesemerized by the majestic view of Kinner Kailash peaks.

Majestic Kinner Kailash Peaks covered by Clouds

Beyond Recong Peo, around 14 km from Powari is the former district headquarter of Kinnaur, Kalpa. Kalpa is located at an altitude of 2759 m and also offers some fantastic early morning views of the Kinner Kailash. According to legends, Kalpa is the winter abode of Shiva and all the god of Kinnaur assemble before him during this time for an annual conference. And when the supreme god himself seems to be so impressed by the beauty of Kalpa, how can human beings be far behind? So Kalpa has also managed to enchant many its human visitors. Lord Dalhousie, for one was extremely fond of the outstanding views offered by Kalpa and took frequent ride to the region.

The HPTDC hotel “Kinner Kailash” ( 018786 226159 Room rates from Rs 900-3000) is perfectly located to have the best views of Kinner Kailash. The rooms are cosy and staff is helpful. A perfect holiday destination to unwind and forget about the routine chores of office life.

Day 4: 18th September 2007 Kalpa-Tabo-Kaza (208 kms)

Distance Chart
From To Kms
Kalpa Khab 86
Khab Tabo 75
Tabo Kaza 47

After relaxing around in Kalpa the other day we left for our onward journey to Kaza at 0800hrs. Stopped for breakfast at Spello (2340 mts) 53 kms from Kalpa at 0940 hrs. Had a breakfast of delicious Alu Parathas and left at 1000hrs.

After Spello the landscape changes dramatically and it starts to become more and more arid. 35 kms after Spello comes Khab (2500mts).

Here the Spiti loses its identity and merges into Sutlej coming from Tibet.

Left: Confluence of Spiti & Sutlej

We now start to follow Spiti for our onward journey to Kaza. Spiti would be our constant companion now till it passes on the batten to River Chnadra at Batal.

Around 22 kms after Khab we reached the diversion for Nako Lake at around 1300hrs. From 2340 mts at Spello ,we climbed to 2500 mts at Khab and then steep ahead to 3565mts for - a small emerald color lake called Nako.

After spending about 30 mins at nako lake we moved ahead on the Nh22 towards Sumdo, a military camp and gateway to Spiti valley. From Sumdo, NH22 leads one to Kaurik, the last point in Indian territory. But for visiting Kaurik a permit is required. We left NH22 and proceeded on the state highway to Malling nallah (land slide area) after crossing two loops of Yangthang village.. Landslides are common occurrences here due to water coming out of the recesses in the adjoining mountain.

Nako Lake

Landscape changes forms & colors dramatically at regular intervals. The years of constant eorision by wind, snow and sun has taken its toll on the mountains and has given it unique shapes.

Sinuous Spiti (above)

Play of light and Shadow (below)

Enroute stopping for pictures we reached Tabo at 1430hrs. Tabo is a small town on the banks of river spiti. The town surrounds a Buddhist monastery which a,ccording to legend, is said to be over 1000 years old.

Tabo Monastery

We had our lunch at a tibetean hotel where menu had mostly Chinese dishes. We settled for chowmen and noodles. After visitng monastery we left for kaza, though initially we had decided to stay at Tabo for night.

Since there was light we decided to move on to Kaza. We left for kaza 47 kms ahead at 1600hrs. Landscape was just mesemerizing from Tabo to Kza and the evening play of light and shadow was making it surreal.

Tabo to Kaza

Around 23 kms ahead lies the diversion for Dhankar monastery. The evening light was falling on to Dhankar monastery and the sight was just too incaptivating. I asked my driver to take the diversion eve3n though it meant we might have to drive in the dark to reach spiti but Dhankar was looking stunning in the falling evening light.

Dhankar

Monastery

After clicking to my hearts content we left for Kaza. We reached Kaza by 1830 and it was almost dark. We reached HPTDC hotel “Spiti” only to find that there is no water and the caretaker wasn’t sure when the pipeline would be repaired. Nowonder all the rooms of this beautiful hotel were vacant.
After searching we found Hotel Sakya but rooms available only for one night. Anyways we were too tired to search any further and after having dinner called it a day.

Spiti-The Hidden Valley

Spiti - ‘a world within a world' as described by Rudyard Kipling (of ‘Kim' fame) - is a relatively unknown world, tucked away in the Trans-Himalayan belt of Himachal Pradesh. Reaching for the skies at average (valley floor) altitudes of 3600 mts, this peculiar geo-climatic cold desert region borders Tibet in the east and Ladakh in the north. Spanning an area of approximately 8000 sq km Spiti is home to a purely homogenous Buddhist Society of just over 10,000, who bear stark cultural similarities with their neighbours in Tibet & Ladakh

Spiti River making its way

Mountain peaks towering at 6,000 metres, 2,500 metres deep gorges that seem to touch the core of the earth, rocks and boulders eroded by torrential rivers and high speed winds that blow across the land.. an inhospitable land that is a desert... an old desert. A land on which winter descends with fury, making temperatures dip to bone chilling figures below zero which turn gushing streams and rivers into solid masses of ice. Connected to Lahaul by the 4,590 m high Kunzam Pass and to Kinnaur by a 117 km long road that touches Sumdo in Spiti and Poari in Kinnaur, Spiti is sparsely populated. Villages are few and far between but in them live simple god-fearing, fun-loving people.

Day5 : 19th September 2007 Kaza

Got up to a bright sunny morning in Kaza and soon found out that we had to search for another place to stay. Finished our breakfast by 0800hrs and went in search for a hotel in the otwn. And to our luck we found a better one named Mandala Guest house, a newly constructed guesthouse very close to Kaza bus stand.

After dropping our luggage we moved for visitng Ki Monastery.
Overlooking Kaza from a height of about 13,500 ft, the Kye monastery is the largest in the valley and holds a powerful sway over the most populous part of the valley around Kaza. The gompa is an irregular heap of low rooms and narrow corridors on a monolithic conical hill.

Key Monastery

From a distance is resembles the Thiksey monastery near Leh in Ladakh. The irregular prayer chambers are interconnected by dark passages, tortuous staircases and small doors.Hundreds of lamas receive their religious training in the monastery.

After visitng Ki we moved further ahead to Kibber. Kibber is located at a height of about 14,200 ft in a narrow valley on the summit of a limestone rock. It is only 16 kms from Kaza and a bus service plies between these two places in summer. Kibber is a rather pleasant village with plenty of cultivation. The moment you get down, you are greeted by lush green fields which look strikingly refreshing against the arid backdrop of lofty hills.

Kibber Village

Myself at Kibber

There are only 80 houses in the village. The remarkable feature about the architecture is the use of stone instead of mud or adobe brick used extensively in the valley.

Kibber Village

We moved further ahead of kibber to a village called Gette. Gette is a small village with a cluster of houses so small that we almost ignored it and moved further ahead to Tashigang. Only when we asked some local nomads who were searching for their runwaya horsewe came to know that we had left gette behind and the place we are standing is Tashigang.
The road to gette and tashigang falls under “PradhanMantri Grammen Sadak Yojna” and is under construction. So all you get is a dirt track suitable only for SUV’s. it was almost time for lunch when we arrived back to Kaza.

After a sumptuous lunch and an hour of nap we started for Langtza.

Langtza consists of two villages ,Langtza-I & Langtza-II with around 35 families in both villages. It’s a picturesque village surrounded by hills on all sides.

Langtza-I Village

People were stocking food and fodder for coming winter months.we walked around the hills and in the villages to get an insight of their lifestyle. Life is very tough in these places. We came back in the evening and watched the falling rays of setting sun on the Key monastry from the other side of river spiti.

After having a delicious dinner cooked by the owner herself we retired for the nigh. The hospitality we received in spiti was unmatched and perhaps the best through out our whole trip. Langtza-II Village

Day6: 20th September 2007 Kaza-Chandratal-Manali

Distance:
Kaza-Batal-88kms
Batal-Chandratal-13kms
Batal-Manali 129kms

It was time to say goodbye to Spiti. A journey which started with a small idea of traveling to

remote places was finally reaching its culmination. We have traveled on Hindustan Tibet road, witnessed the lifestyle of the people of kinnaur and then Spiti and now we would be going back to Manali crossing two passes in between.

Rangrik Village

After Kaza we climbed to Rangrik a small village situated at an height of 3590mts, hul (3900mts) , Hanse to reach lossar (4085mts)

Lossar is the first inhabited village on the Spiti side if you advance to the valley from Manali over Kunzom pass. Situated at a height of 4,085 m., the village is singularly secluded. Sight of Lossar to a trekker coming down from Kunzom brings instant relief. The neatly white-washed mud houses with red bands look extremely picturesque. The contrast is rendered all the more appealing by verdant fields and willow plantations around the village. According to Gerard, "Lofty as the level of Lossar is, there is little in the landscape to betray its position when viewed in summer, embosomed in flourishing crops and herds of Pashmina wool goats. Yaks and horses meet the eye upon the high activities of the mountains, and an ardent sunshine keeps the air looming from the effect of mirage The flat roofed houses are topped by white flagpole which the superstitious believe saves them from evil spirits and brings prosperity.

Lohsar Village

After Lossar we climbed to cros Kunzum pass at 4500mts
This pass is situated at 60 kms from Gamphu on the Gramphu-Kaza- Sumdo road. It provides chief access to the Spiti-valley from Lahaul which is separated from the Spiti valley by the great Kunzom range, and from where the Spiti, pronounced Piti, the chief river of the area takes its source. Though higher than the Rohtang Pass, Kunzom is safer and provides easier ascent and descent.. The panorama as viewed from the top is breathtaking. The lofty Shigri Parbat can be seen right in front in all its grandeur. The crest of the pass has been marked by a chhorten of stones erected ages ago.

Kaza to Kunzum Road

Some 10kms after crossing Kunzum La we took the diversion for Chandratal Lake. It was 13km uphill climb and cars with good ground clearance can do the route. After an arduous journey we reached chandratal at 1315hrs and the sight was mesemerizing.

Road to Chandratal

The tiredness of an arduous journey was all forgotten by just one look at the lake.There was a tamil film shoot going on at the shores of the lake.we walked around the boundaries of the lake and enjoyed the calmness surrounding the lake.

Chandratal lake

Images of Chandratal lake

At around 3 pm we left chandratal ,mesemerized with its beauty. The roads never improved and it weas a combination of mud,gravel and boulders. Till gramphoo ,where there is a diversion for leh roads are in a pathetic condition and get slightly improved after that.
As soon as we reached Rohtang fog engulfed the whole surroundings. We stopped for a while at Marhi to have tea and snacks and by the time we left at 1910hrs it was dark. No sooner we had moved a few kms the visibility dropped to a mere 3-5mts. We were not able to see anything and it was only the experience & skill of our driver who managed to negotiaite the curves with aplomb. He was a veteran of these roads and practically knew every twist and turn.
Finally we reached manali at 2030hrs. It was long journey but we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Day 7: 20th September 2007 Manali

It was a rest day in Manali. We did some local sightseeing and some shopping and finally left for Chandigarh on 22nd September 2007.

Details About Spiti

History
Spiti, originally pronounced 'Piti' (the middle land), was historically part of Western Tibet (Nariss Korssum). In the 11th century AD Nimagon, the king of Nariss Korssum divided his kingdom amongst his 3 sons of which Spiti and Zanskar together formed a separate kingdom. Later, Ladakh took over the suzerainty of Spiti and Zanskar, and the area was governed by the Nono (younger brother of the King of Ladakh).

It was only after the invasion of Ladakh by Zorawar Singh that Spiti became part of Kullu. It remained an independent principality for many years, under the judicial and administrative rule of the Nonos (adopted as the title for the king of Spiti) during the British Raj .

Religion & Culture

Spiti is home to a purely homogenous Buddhist society belonging to the Mahayana (Vajrayana) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. In 11th century AD, Rinchen Tsangpo was born in the Purang area of Tibet and he became a pioneer in establishing the foundations for the Buddhist religion in Western Tibet. He is credited with the establishment of various monasteries in Spiti (Tabo, Kye, and Sarkhang), Ladakh, Gogay, Purang, Tholing, etc.
There are 5 main Monasteries in Spiti (Tabo, Dhankhar, Kungri, Tangyut, and Kye) and some unique Buddhist temples. The spiritual aspiration of the local community often leads the way to a monastic life, which is represented through these ancient monasteries dating back to over a 1000 years.
Chortens & mane walls are present everywhere and the enchanting intonations of 'Om Mane Padme Hum' resonate throughout the Spiti valley

Geography and Geology

Spiti, surrounded by high mountains on all sides, is located on the leeward side of the Trans-Himalayas. Its immediate neighbors are Ladakh, Tibet, Kinnaur & Kullu. The Himalayas are the youngest mountain range on the planet and have a fascinating geological past dating back millions of years. The Spitian Himalayas afford a fascinating insight into the geological past of the Himalayas.

The Spiti river, originating from the foot of a glacial peak marked K-III on old maps, flows approximately160km in a south-easterly direction up to its confluence with the Pare Chu at Sumdo (district border between Spiti and Kinnaur). It goes on to merge into the Satluj at Khab further downstream.

The river has carved out a unique storehouse of Shale. Rock faces in the area are veritable storehouses of the geological history of the Himalayas, dating back to 500 million years. The Spiti valley has an amazing proliferation of Precambrian/Cambrian era fossils. The valleys of the Lingti and the Pin rivers have long been frequented by fossil research scientists. A recent study by the Geological Society of America shows that Spiti houses various unique and rare fossils of marine life (Trilobites, of the Paleozoic Era are some of the earliest legged creatures, relatives of crabs, centipedes and spiders). River Spiti

Climate
Lying in the rain shadow of the mighty Himalayas, Spiti receives scanty rainfall. A cold desert at an average altitude of 4000mts, the valley experiences extremes of climate and temperature variations ranging from -25 degree to +30 degrees centigrade. For more than 4 months of the year the Spiti valley remains obscured by harsh winters.

General Information
Ideal time to visit The months from May to October are the ideal time to visit Spiti.

Some More Images

People of Spiti

Trip to Bandhavgarh

2007-04-16T18:15:00.000+05:30

Leaves don’t rustle, water doesn’t trickle and even the wind pauses to hold its breath and watch the drama unfold. Then all of a sudden everything springs to life…langurs groan, and swing on their branches, sambhars and deers give out the alarm call…
Let it be known- The king is here. The lesser creatures flee and king sweeps a gaze over his territory… Utter silence…….
This is Bandhavgarh National park- one of the remaining heavens for the Royal Bengal Tiger.

In continuation to our wildlife trips to national parks around India, we decided to visit bandhavgarh in April. This was our second trip this season ,the first being the Ranthambore national park in November’06. We reached Jabalpur on 31st March’07 and left for Bandhavgarh at 0640hrs on 1st April’07 by road. The road to bandhavgrah goes through Katni , umaria to tala. Jabalpur to Katni is around 90Kms and the road-NH07 is surprisingly very smooth. Coming from Gujarat I never expected these roads in MP to be that good quality but it was a smooth tarmac. From Katni we took the road to Umaria and it was also in a very good shape barring the last 10kms in the village tala. We reached Bandhavgarh at 1040hrs and headed for our resort, the MP tourisms- White tiger forest resort.
The resort is nicely maintained and has all the facilities with a modest tariff. After having lunch and a little rest we went for our first safari into the park with our driver for the next two days, Narendra Patel alias ‘Dhoni’.

The Bandhavgarh National Park is located within the district of Sahdol in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

A chain of smaller hills, 32 in all, surrounds this hill, forming a number of valleys and spurs interspersed with low lying areas, such as Chakradhara, Rajbahera, Sehra-Dadra, Bhitri bah, Kolua bah etc. Since the main formation is of sandstone, water percolates through it forming a number of perennial streams and springs. The hills are mainly flat topped. The meadows in certain areas are marshy.

The Sal & bamboo covers plain tract and degenerates in growth and quality as it ascends the hill slopes, further giving place to mixed forest on upper slopes.
It was a hot afternoon inside the park with temperature soaring to around 40Deg C. After making the necessary formalities at the gate we moved inside the park hoping for an early encounter with the ‘His majesty’. We moved on stopping here and there for some wildlife sightings and in the process saw this peacock near Gopalpura Lake dancing in its full glory trying to impress the female near by.

We moved further ahead and our guide pointed to a fish scaled owl resting on a branch far up moving its throat in a typical fashion to keep himself cool in the hot summer day.

Our safari was almost coming to a close and we haven’t had a glimpse of the big cat. I thought perhaps the claim that you see a tiger in your very first safari in bandhavgarh is a bit exaggerated. But then at a turn we saw many gypsies parked and binoculars all trained to find something in the bushes. Perhaps we might just be lucky. After waiting for some 20 minutes there was some movement in the bushes and very soon we saw black stripes on a buterrly gold surface emerging from the dense bushes.Though the sight was not very clear as there were many other gypsies parked around us yet we saw our very first tigress in our very first safari in Badhavgarh.-The claim was perhaps justified.

02.04.07 F/N
Imagine yourself in an open gypsy slowly and silently cruising along the dense forest trail , listening to the alarm call of deers or sambhar, listening to the sweet chirpings of birds. You move on as the early rays of sun make anarray of magical shapes through tress across the forest floor and your lungs revel in the fresh morning air.
Such is the experience of Bandhavgrah national park ,one of the few remaining heavens of our national pride-Royal bengal tiger.

We were the second jeep to enter the forest on the morning of 02nd April’07. Dhoni our jeep driver straight away moved the jeep towards chakradhara meadows. We had just got adjusted to the surroundings when our guide said ‘Sir’ there’s a tiger cub on the road. As soon as I trained my lens to focus on him, some other jeep drivers also came rushing in scaring the tiger cub and he moved into the meadows. I took a couple of pictures of this young male cub of the Chakradhara tigress before he moved on into the dense forest inside. If those eager gypsy drives wouldn’t have scared the young cub perhaps we all could have had a better look at the cub or who knows even the tigress might be around. We moved on ahead ,searched some other areas where there was some possibility of tiger sighting but there was none to be seen. As required by the forest officials we went to register ourselves at centre point and also registered for the tiger show on elephant back.
The mahouts on their elephant track the tiger in the morning and then as the sun goes up and it gets hot, the tiger settles down. Then mahout ferries the visitors to a close distance which is not disturbing to the animal to have a look at the big cat. I was eager to take some good pictures and thought tiger show might just give me that chance. We went on our gajraj to have a look at the Gopalpura tigress who was sitting in the dense forest inside. After 10minutes of negotiating the thick bushes, gajraj (elephant) finally brought us to the point where she was resting in the shade. This was a very close encounter but because of the dense bamboo bushes I was not able to get a clear shot of the tigress. Nevertheless it was my second sighting of the day and third overall. Bandhavgarh was keeping up to its name of ‘The Land of Tigers’.

We finished our elephant safari at 0850hrs and since the sun was at its full I thought perhaps there wont be any other sighting for the day. We were ambling around the jungle routes when Dhoni brought us to a place called Sidhi baba temple. There were quite a few gypsies lined up as a tigress (Sidhi baba tigress) and her two cubs (1 male/1female) were nearby in the bushes. We were at the end of the line and everyone ahead of us was standing on their jeeps to have a glimpse of the family. Their patience was rewarded as in about 10mintues the mother crossed the road. Since everyone in front of us were standing once again I couldn’t get a clear shot of the tigress but managed just this shot.
We waited for the cubs to cross the road but they didn’t. We positioned our jeep right near to the bushes where they were supposedly hiding as there was some activity in those bushes. The cub moved from the bushes and I thought this time I would get a shot but he soon settled down in the other bushes around. We waited for almost an hour and soon it was time to leave the forest and let the family of these big cats have some rest.
Tiger sighting- 05 ( 3 tigress, 2 cubs of around 10-12 months)

02.04.07 A/N
After having rest in the comfortable resort of MP tourist we started for our afternoon safari with our driver Dhoni. The sun was at its full but could not deter the tourist for their chance of seeing the big cat as there were enough gypsies at the gate of the park. We were moving ahead into the dusty lanes of the park when I saw this Indian roller sitting on one of the branches. After having some snaps of this beautiful bird we moved ahead into Charkradhara meadows hoping for some good shot of ‘The His Majesty’. We saw an elephant deep into the meadows indicating that there was the big cat relaxing in the tall wild marshy grass. We waited patiently having parked our gypsy onto one side thinking of a close encounter. Our wait was not rewarded for almost an hour and as we were about to loose hope of seeing the big cat Dhoni got a call from his other driver friends of some tiger movement in the sidhi baba area. He drove like Michael Schumacher and had we, not clutched tightly the handle we would have literally flown off the jeep. We reached the spot in a flash and there were enough gypsies already waiting. There were those two cubs of the sidhi baba tigress (1male/1female) in the bushes. Dhoni maneuvered the vehicle deftly and parked at an strategic location so as to have a good view as soon as the cub came out of the wild grass. Our wait was well rewarded this time as the male cub came out and sat down near the tree. We had a good look at this male of about 12-14 months or so. Though the view and angle was not so good for the photograph the sighting was very much clear. After sometime the other female cub joined the male and both moved to the other area. They were in a playful mood and both moved and sat down inside the tall wild grass of the park.

All I could now see were their faces as their body was well camouflaged with the wild grass. It was almost 1800hrs and it was time for us to leave the park. Reluctantly we had to leave the two beautiful cubs in their habitat and to return to our habitat for the moment- White tiger forest resort.
Tiger sighting -06 ( 3 tigress, 3 cubs)

03.04.07 F/N
This was going to be our last safari for this season at Bandhavgarh as we were leaving at 1000hrs. In anticipation of some good photographic moments with the big cat I got up at 0500hrs and got ready for the final safari. I had to drag my wife out as she was too tired but reluctantly joined me. By the time we left for safari we were quite late and almost the last gypsy to enter the park. We moved along with the other gypsies and went on the sidhi baba route only to find lot of gypsies stuck up in the midway with rocks on one side and jungle stream on the other. They had spotted the male cub of sidhi baba tigress sitting very close on the rock on the left. We could not see anything as we were behind all of them. As if the cub was in the mood to satisfy everyone he moved from his position and came close to where we were in our gypsy. He was sitting very close to us on the rock and after a while my wife was almost scared as to whether he might not jump on to us. This was the Kodak moment I was waiting for in the whole trip and I clicked to my hearts content. He was not just ready to leave us and go into the dense forest inside as if he was more curious to have a look at all of us rather than vice versa. This was the first time we had to leave a tiger sighting so that we could move ahead and see something more.

After registering for tiger show at centre point we moved for the place where tiger was tracked by mahouts for the tiger show. In between we saw this long beaked vulture, a rare sight to see so many of these together.
When we reached the tiger show spot we were very excited to hear that today B-2 , the big male of Bandhavgarh, cub of Mohini the tigress from the second litter of the legendary Sita & Charger had been sighted. It was like a rare moment to see B-2 whom before we had seen so many times on Television at National Geographic wildlife shows.

The mahout slowly took us inside the jungle where what we saw just simple couldn’t be put into words. There was the full current family of B-2, the tiger, tigress and their two cubs. B-2 was having whatever was left of the kill made last night. Tigress and two cubs were not far around. Mahout took us close to B-2 who had seen these things for long and was just unmoved. We were the guests in his territory and he was the king. We also went close to the tigress and the two cubs who dare not come close to the B-2.

It was a very satisfying elephant safari and I should thank my wife for this who encouraged us for this safari coz we all were satisfied with the earlier sighting of the morning.

After the safari I had packed my camera and lens thinking that perhaps we had seen it all and there cant be more sightings today. But this is jungle and there are no rules here. We were coming back the same route we went back and suddenly we stopped in our tracks. There were some gypsies at the same spot where we sighted sidhi baba male cub on the rock. Though this time, he was sitting on the other side in the jungle stream. I immediately put o my camera and changed the lens and started shooting some more pictures. Soon he was joined by his sister. And what a sight it was to see these two playing. It was a scene from a NatGeo show. When I started to click I found out that my CF card was full and before I could remove and put on a new one I lost some very rare playful moments of brother sister duo. Nevertheless the male/ female duo then crossed the stream onto the road and again went on to climb the rock to sit at their favorite place where I saw the male cub this morning. I clicked on some more pictures though the female tigress was perhaps in too much of a playful mood as she did a mock charge to a gypsy who dared to cross the road. We got a little scared but remained unmoved.

After some satisfying moments looking at these beautiful young tiger/tigress we thought to call it a day for our Bandhavgarh experience. We left them in their habitat and with some very rare, fond and precious memories, started our journey back from the Land of tigers, hoping to return back too see them fully grownup tiger/tigress.

WEATHER
Bandhavgarh experiences climatic conditions that vary to opposite extremes. In winters, the bitter cold forces the visitors to put on multiple layers as protection against the biting cold. Early morning rides can be in temperature that dips below zero, once you take the wind chill factor into consideration. In the summers, it changes drastically to the opposite.
In the summers, the temperatures move to the other extreme and can go up to 46 degrees centigrade. Towards late summer, it is also advisable to carry some protection, for yourself and for your cameras, from rain. Bandhavgarh has an average annual rainfall of 1200mm. The rains here give very little prior warning and it is preferable to be prepared for your own protection, as well as for your equipment. These rains, however, bring good respite from the blistering heat.

GEOGRAPHICAL DETAILS:
Area 1161 sq kms
Core 624 sq kms
Buffer 537 sq kms
Altitude 440 to 810 mts above sea level
Temperature: 2-44Deg C

Park is open from 1st October to 30th June.

DISTANCES: Jabalpur to Bandhavgrah- 195kms

Resort: MP tourism White Tiger Forest resort.
Tariff: INR 3500/- for A/C Double- AP basis
Safari charges: One round- INR 700
Full day ( 2 rounds) INR 1300
Park charges: Vehicle charges INR 125
Guide charges INR 105
Entry fees INR 25 per person

Trip to Ranthambore

2007-03-03T14:26:00.000+05:30

On a lazy Thursday afternoon I was sitting at my office desk when I came to know that my boss would be out of station on the weekends. I said to myself that this is my chance to go on a long pending trip to Ranthambore national park. Thanks to Indian railways, it didn’t took much time for me to check out the train reservations and after a couple of phone calls to my friends I had booked tickets to Ranthambore.

I finished my office work at around 1830hrs and went home to find that everything was packed and we were all set to leave for ranthambore. Hashmi, one of my friend who was in Vyara that day reached Surat in the nick of the time to do the packing and in the commotion that followed forgot to keep some warm clothes.

We reached the station well in time for the train picking up Sumesh, Sonal & their cute daughter Kuku on the way. We left Surat at 2100hrs, on 17.11.06 had our packed dinner in the train, discussed about the days work and the excitement and anticipation of tiger sighting in the coming weekend.

We reached Sawai Madhopur our destination for ranthamore at 0830hrs on 18.11.06 and headed straight away for our resort, the Hammir Wildlife Resort which was approximately 5kms from there.

Ranthambore National Park is in Sawai Madhopur District of Rajasthan state.Located at the junction of the Aravalli and Vindhya hill range, this is one of the finest places to view animals, especially as they are used to being stared at here.The park covers an area of approximately 300 sq Km.

Ranthambore national park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1957 and in 1974 it gained the protection of "Project Tiger". It got it's status of a National Park in 1981.
Ranthambore National Park is dotted with structures that remind you of bygone eras.There are many water bodies located all over the park, which provide perfect relief during the extremely hot summer months for the forest inhabitants.

A huge fort, after which the park is named, towers over the park atop a hill.

There are many ruins of bygone eras scattered all over the jungle, which give it a unique, wonderful and mixed flavour of nature, history and wildlife. These tigers are famous for being seen in the daytime, due to their lack of fear of human presence in vehicles. This lack of fear of humans is excellent for tourists, as they get to see the tigers often.

After having lunch we went for our first safari with our jeep driver Shakeel who entertained us through out the safari with his tales of the big cat sightings. We came across deers, wild boars, sambhars but the big cat eluded us. We were in the park till sunset waiting, hoping for some call, some movement sign indicating the presence of the tiger. But there was none. Nevertheless the feeling of being in the jungle, sharing the territory with the big cat was great.

Two safaris had gone and we hadn’t seen the majestic tiger of Ranthambore. Spirits were high as we embarked for our third safari on Sunday afternoon anticipating our encounter with the big cat. After a short drive on route no 1 something caught the attention of our guide in the bushes far off. Sitting majestically on a rock covered wild yellow grass was the big bat of Ranthambore- a tigress.

Though it was not in the photographic range still I was excited to see the tiger in the wild. We stayed there for 5 minutes waiting for the tigress to make a move and come out in the open. The sambhar nearby on seeing the tigress started giving the unmistakable call alerting others of the presence of tigress.

After a while the tigress started walking down the hill and came too close to our canter. Even the noisy tourist in the canter didn’t disturbed the big cat and she started walking the cat walk in front of our canter along the dirt road as if reminding us of who’s the boss here in the jungle.

She walked along that path for almost a km marking her territory along the way and we followed every step of her. After walking for a while she left the main track , our driver as if knowing where she would head for parked the vehicle in front of the small pond. And after five minutes or so she appeared there to quench her thirst. We were all excited to see her so close to us.

After quenching her thirst ,satisfying the tourist with her presence the tigress left the track and went behind the hill form where she came from in the morning.
All satisfied we followed our way back to our resort feeling elated on our first tigeress sighting