New Delhi, Haridwar and the Himalayas…

This May, I had been on a pilgrimage across North/West India along with family and relatives. A visit to the temple town of Badrinath (Garhwal Himalayas) nestled at 3155 mtrs above sea level was the highlight of the trip and more because of the presence of ice capped mountains at the time of our visit (this being my first sights of ice and ice capped Himalayas). The holy temple of Badrinath is the most revered of the four dhams and is often referred as Bhuvaikunta (heaven on earth)!

New Delhi was burning hot (being May, it was expected) and we did some shopping at the Sarojini nagar market and visited the India Gate and enjoyed a ride in the Delhi Metro. Appreciate the taxi service (especially if hired from a known contact, our taxi men were always on time and never demanded extra fare).

The gateway to any of the 4 dhams (Chardham viz Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath) are the twin towns of Haridwar and Rishikesh situated on the banks of Ganga / Alakananda in the Uttarakhand. ‘Ganga Aarti’ is a main attraction at Haridwar and so does the shopping around the area. Also went on the ropeway to the Chandi devi temple and the views from the ropeway of the town was good to say the least. After a day’s rest here, we hired a tempo traveler for our group to visit Badrinath and back and the journey was no less exciting.

Another well written post by Arti of MYD on the Ganga Aarti - here - http://myyatradiary.com/2011/10/my-tryst-with-evening-ganga-arti-at-har.html

(Ganga Aarti as seen from the ropeway to Chandi devi temple)

Another notable feature is if you happen to be a 'river rafting' freak, then Rishikesh is the place to be. In Rishikesh and further, all along the river bed, you get to see lots of tents pitched up for the rafting purpose.

Seven years ago, when we had done the same trip, the roads from Haridwar onwards were narrow and a lot more riskier to drive and landslides were very common at every other nook and corner of the Himalayan Ghats. River Alakananda was a symbol of force, rage and rush all along the way and a small mistake and you would be between in a situation like “between the devil and the deep sea”; such was the risk of traveling earlier on this terrain and the risk was double during rains as that led to steady occurrences of landslides all along.

 (I could see a whole lot of bird life here, but sadly Ganges is now in a bad shape!)

But now things have changed and the single lane roads are now doubled and the travel time is considerably reduced and the risk factor too except for the last stretch between Joshimath and Badrinath. If you drive safe, it should be a problem anywhere in between. Another thing that saddened me entirely was the vanishing Ganga / Alakananda. All along the path, the intensity of river has reduced drastically and almost dry in some places thanks to many hydel projects along the way. (If I remember seeing the documentary correct on CNBC, the Ganges would diminish by 75% in few years time as it would be diverted for multiple hydel projects). The fragile eco-system of the Ghats is in for serious trouble. Back to the journey, the widening of roads, cutting of the mountains has had its impact in the sheer increase in number of landslides especially during rains :(

The drive through the Ghats is picturesque (except for the diminishing river Ganges/Alakananda) and those with motion sickness are to suffer for sure as it’s a travel with lot of curves and zig zags and hairpin bends. The mountain ranges are your constant companion interspersed with tiny villages now and then and the various ‘Prayags’ that you pass through on the way to Badrinath namely Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandprayag and Vishnuprayag (I would like to cite this post form Arti’s MYD that has more information about the Prayags in detail - here - http://myyatradiary.com/2011/09/panch-prayags-in-garhwal-himalayas-of.html).

As we near Chamoli and Joshimath, the terrain gets trickier and the area is prone to more landslides. One should commend BRO (Border Roads Organization) for their tireless job in ensuring the roads are cleared within minutes of a landslide happening so that there is no hamper to the traffic flow. At many places, while the clearing is going on, vehicles are allowed one at a time from either direction; these people risk their lives day in and out serving a lot for us. Hats off BRO!

As you cross Chamoli and near Joshimath (the entry gate to Badrinath), there is a gate system in place and Joshimath is also the the winter place of worship of lord Badri Vishal; the Himalayan peaks covered in ice are visible - a real treat to the sore eyes (ice caps would be only till end May and later it would be all brown/green mountains till the winter sets in again).

Joshimath is an important place acting as a base for the final journey towards Badrinath, a place at the lower altitudes, a place that can be visited throughout the year, the place when the lord Badrinath is brought down and worshipped during the winter when the temple town of Badrinath is inaccessible. A gate system is deployed here to regulate the flow of traffic between Joshimath and Badrinath.

 (the winter home of lord Badrinath... @ Joshimath)

In simple terms Gate system means the route becomes one way, i.e., if vehicles are allowed from Joshimath, vehicles from Badrinath are stopped and vice versa. It’s good as the route is quite tricky and treacherous and prone to terrific landslides. There is the lord Narasimha temple at Joshimath where lord Badrinath is brought down and worshipped during the winter months (Badrinath is inaccessible literally for 6 months in a year as its covered completely with ice during that period)!

The gates were closed at Joshimath when we reached and had to wait for an hour or so for them to allow the vehicles from here. The ice capped mountains were looking gorgeous and a human being looks so miniscule compared to them, all our feeling of greatness and invincibility is quashed within seconds in front of the mighty Himalayas. Finally, we reached the temple town by dusk and were welcomed by light drizzles and cold weather.

Next post – Badrinath and around…

The Stopover – Initial Review of a Photo Fiction book

Note: This is only my initial views on the sample pages I got of the book 'The Stopover - a Photo Fiction Book' authored by Ram Prakash and Deepa Pinto.

My first impression of the excerpts from the book that I read: Captivating!

I got to read sample pages from one of the stories from the book – ‘The Tibetan Wheel of Wisdom’

I liked the intensity of the stories woven, the effortless shift between Varun's personal life to the charming Ladakh valley to their lifestyle and to the life and story of Tenzin's family and his grandfather from Tibet! The narration is spot on and the ease with which the story shifts from one to another is very laudable indeed. It simply captivates you and you are transferred to that era.

I could not stop reading and the pictures in between relate to the story and makes complete sense. (I just thought you could have used bigger photos everywhere and probably a couple of the Tibetan settlement and Tenzin's home as such. The photos from the fair are small and feel like cut off in between). Still the photos narrate a story by themselves and are intriguing enough to make the reader stop and take notice.

I didn't like the small cover photo (page 1 in pdf) and the enlarged one in page 2 (looks asymmetrical and unnatural). I wish I could have got the entire book to read and post the complete review.

All in all a brilliant effort!

A must read for the travelers, photographers and fiction writers alike. An varied collection of intriguing, captivating and mesmerizing tales from Tibet to Channapatna to Ooty to Kolathur.

See the videos here for a sneak preview-

Trailer1

Trailer2

Trailer3

Visit the website for more stuff on this -> Website

and their Facebook page at Stopover Book

Melbourne wishes!

Hold on! Let me clarify!

I have never been to Melbourne, for that matter to any place outside of India. This post is part of a contest entry on Indiblogger sponsored by Tourism Victoria (www.visitmelbourne.com/in)



Topic: Tell us what experiences you would love to bring back from Melbourne and you could win an all–expenses paid vacation to see them come to life.

Here it goes…
Melbourne is the capital city in the state of Victoria and the second most populous city in Australia. It’s often referred as the cultural capital of Australia. It is the second city to be named a UNESCO city of Literature. It has the largest tram network in the world. Cricket and Football are the reigning sports here.

i) Walking is a good way to explore a new place and I would love to go on the Melbourne Lanes and Arcades walking tours-
Highlights: Discover the secrets and hidden treasures of Melbourne’s lanes and arcades on this small-group walking tour. Immerse yourself in the heritage and culture of this cosmopolitan city, visit local artisans and up and coming fashion designers. The tour will highlight the best that Melbourne has to offer, showcasing local designers whilst acquainting you with the arcades and lanes.

ii) The Balloon flight is an must do activity when in Melbourne and I would be no exception. Melbourne Balloon Flight at Sunrise-
Highlights: One of the few cities in the world that you can soar above in a hot air balloon! In the early morning light your balloon will drift over Melbourne's parks, gardens and the Yarra River as the city comes to life. As your balloon floats above Melbourne you'll look down on some of the city's iconic venues including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Park and Albert Park racetrack.

iii) Trams are an integral part of the transport network of Melbourne and the Yarra river is a major river in the region, how about a Melbourne city tour aboard the Tramcar restaurant? Best of Melbourne City Tour with Colonial Tramcar Restaurant-
Highlights: A scenic cruise on the Yarra River, a comprehensive look at Melbourne's highlights, a visit to the beautiful Blue Dandenongs National Park including a boxed picnic lunch and fine cuisine aboard the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant as you tour the streets of Melbourne.

iv)Being an adventure freak, how can I miss the Eco Adventure Tour & the Echidna Walkabout-
Highlights: Offers fascinating guided night walks in the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges. Echidna Walkabout runs nature ecotrips featuring bushwalking and koala spotting.

v)Road trips are always exciting for me and this should just suit me, Great Ocean Road Day Trip Adventure-

Highlights: Experience one of the world's great coastal drives. There'll be plenty of photo opportunities along the way on the tour. You'll snap wild coastal scenery and pristine beaches bordering the winding Great Ocean Road, peaceful beach townships, majestic rainforest and the rugged Shipwreck Coast.

vi) How about a haunted experience, another adventure, The Haunted Melbourne Tour-
Highlights: One of the most offbeat attractions or activities to do in Melbourne as it challenges the spooky steak in you. You can come face to face with the haunted spooky past of Melbourne. The tour is very informative and fun filled as the entire tour is guided by the famous Australia TV presenter, Drew Sinton.

vii) How can I miss out on a visit to the Melbourne cricket ground and the Albert park race circuit?

All that I need is a dose of excitement, adventure that would leave me gasping and wanting more!

I hope all of you wish me “It’s your time to visit Melbourne now” :) 

Note: All images copyright to the respective authors, sourced from net.

Jalamangala (Narayanagiri hill)

(the first view... the spot on the top is the temple and the tree)

 

Mid hot April and myself and guru decided to go on a short hike to Jalamangala, near the town of Ramanagara close to Bengaluru. I got pointers to this location from Aravind’s blog post on the same (http://aravindgj.blogspot.in/2011/04/jalamangala.html). I presume this is also known as the Narayanagiri hill.

Directions: At the Ramanagara town signal take the right turn, a little ahead take the left at the Y junction. 20kms from here and you will reach Jalamangala village.

As you near the village, take the broad road toward the left and proceed for a km or so and park your vehicle at the base of the big tamarind tree. A clear trail leads you all the way to the top as we realized later. This is the easiest and best way to reach the top.

Else, at the fork, turn right and reach the village. You can park at any of the houses here and ask for directions to the cliff. This path is tricky and you may have to find out ways yourself and it takes a longer time too.

I and guru rode on my bullet first to Ramanagara to have a peek at the vultures. After some scouting, finally we saw a lone individual at a far distance away, noticeable was the absence of any activity on the cliff. Boards indicating ‘Vulture Sanctuary’ have been put up near the tar road (Latest update: the area is declared as a protected area for conservation of the very few Long billed Vultures left). After a good one hour we moved towards Jalamangala. As I had read, it hardly takes less than an hour for the ascent, so we took it easy and moved without any hurry.

As we approached the village, we could see the cliff far away and made the mistake of going to the village instead of taking a left turn to the base. The villagers suggested I leave the bike near their house (it would be safe from mischief makers) and walk from behind the village to ascend the cliff. I nodded as I thought it to be a good idea and there would be no worry about my bike but we realized the hard part very soon. The villager guided us saying – “As you traverse behind the village, you see a lake and a small temple, take the path next to it and keep climbing to reach the top”. All seemed well till we reached the lake and took the path next to it going upwards. We soon reached a hill top only to realize there was a bigger one to our right with dense growth in between. We somehow made our way to the top of that hillock to find nothing there and we could see another bigger hillock now behind us and with not suitable path direction seen. The sun was now all bright and fury and was pretty harsh and we had exhausted our water supply too. It was becoming increasingly difficult and the hear getting unbearable. After pondering what to do and resting for some time, we finally made up our minds to figure out the way to the top however long it may take!

Taking a narrow path and crawling amidst the dense growth we joined a fairly used track going uphill only to realize that was the actual well marked path to the top from the other side of the hill closer to the main road (as I have indicated above). Relieved, we started climbing again now following the arrow marks (thanks to the person who has taken the effort to paint the arrow marks everywhere) leading to the top, Traversing to the top on the fairly notified path in pretty much easy and you get to pass through the edge of the cliff at one point (lucking iron rails are there for support) and steps carved out in the rocks. Finally we reached the top to see the similar sight of a temple and a tree that was the lone identifier of this place I had seen about. There were a few people inside the temple complex drunk and playing cards, in all probability they had camped overnight, prepared a non veg meal, drunk and were gambling. Felt very bad seeing the sight but a lone Egyptian Vulture soaring nearby lifted my spirits as we sat and rested for some time. The sun was right on top now and we had run out of water and were feeling the heat now. We could see lot of small dry ponds around and remains of fort walls (not sure though). The tree on the top was excellent providing good shade to relax under. The view from the top was good and you could see as far as you want being a sunny dry day.

We then descended following the marked route and traced back the route to the village. Back there, I literally gulped some 4-5 bowls of water but still was feeling very thirsty and hot. Hot weather, hungry stomachs and tired bodies are not a good combination on any day J We asked a villager about the activities on top of the hill and he replied – “Yes, they do go as it’s a cool place, its quite common”. I felt like bulldozing him right there but kept quite not to create a ruckus there. The journey back home was uneventful and was a good ride on the bullet.

Tips: Carry food and water, do not litter the place.

Use your instincts if you can’t find the way, simple rule being you need to climb and so figure out how!

Ride safe! Be safe!

A Spooked tale... SoakNoMore

SoakNoMore

The day I got an email stating registrations are open for the SoakNoMore Surf Excel Matic Indimeet in Bengaluru. I was waiting for this for long and without a second thought I registered myself to attend the event. I was skeptical about attending but nevertheless didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be part of such a huge gathering.

Excitement was the order of the day and nightfall arrived rapidly as if saying ‘enough of your excitement, let’s end the day’! My mind was still occupied with the thoughts of SoakNoMore Indimeet. I was amazed to see so many people with me seated in a corner trying to hide from the MC and the camera flash lights… the person seated in front of me turned around and I could see a monstrous hideous face staring at me! Shivering, I forced myself away to see a green, creepy, slimy thing making its way towards me from the side. The shivering increased and now sweating profusely, I stood up and waved to the MC, all that I could see was a bug like thing with long antennae and spiny skin coming towards me! All that I could hear were them yelling “SkNmr” at me…! I shrieked at the top of my voice and woke up alarmed with a noise! Panting heavily, I was relieved when I realized it was a dream… a scary one!

Next night, the same events recurred and the monstrous, hideous things coming towards me yelling “SkNmr”, “SkNmr” and I capsized in the place where I was seated. I shouted at the top of my voice till a hand fell on my shoulder – I turned around gripping in fear only to realize it was my mom inquiring about me. Pretending a bad dream, I went back to sleep.

Days were moving faster and the nightmares were recurring more often and I could see all sorts of creatures yelling at me and I was losing sleep everyday. I still remember that afternoon at office, after a heavy lunch and with ‘want-of-sleep’ eyes, I just dozed off while sitting in my workplace.

I sensed some movement through the corner of my eyes; I turned slowly in that direction to see a slimy, horrific creature peeping out from my back! As our eyes met, “SkNmr”, “SkNmr” was the only thing it yelled at me as if in protest. I gave it a whack to dislodge it from my shoulder and send it hurtling far away. Relieved just for a second, I saw another one peeping from my trouser pocket and yelling “SkNmr”, “SkNmr” at me! I punched it hard till if fell of my trousers and squashed it under my boots. With a tired evil grin, I looked around in disgust to see a huge, filthy, spiky creature on the collar of my colleague seated beside me yelling “SkNmr”, “SkNmr” at me! Feeling dizzy, I woke up and with a loud shriek gave a hard slap with my book on to his neck. Taken aback by violent shaking, I opened my eyes to see quizzical faces around me asking ‘What was the reason for that hard slap’! Somehow, I survived that day!

The d-day arrived; I finally took part in the SoakNoMore Surf Excel Matic Indimeet in Bengaluru. Had a good time interacting with lot of bloggers, playing games and talking about our writing! I saw lot of large posters of the SoakNoMore and the new product on it. The representative from Surf spoke in length about the new product of Surf Excel Matic where in you need not soak the clothes prior to washing with the use of the new detergent powder. I rode back home satisfied and happy to have been part of the meet with my gift hamper.

A slight movement on my arms woke me and I just spanked on it thinking to be a mosquito. Continuous movements kept me disturbed and finally made me open my sore, sleepy eyes. With my eyeballs popping out in horror, the creature was crawling up on me. I looked in disgust to see multiples of them on my legs, knees, bed, my jacket hung on the door, the dump of clothes kept aside for washing, my bag on the table, on the window and door curtains, literally everywhere in the room! I could hear all of them mumbling “SkNmr”, “SkNmr” and advancing menacingly towards me. Holding my head, I was about to yell at the top of my voice but I sensed a pat on my back. Surprised, I turned to find the MC telling me “SoakNoMore – no more soaking before washing”. It stuck me that all these days what I was hearing to was the same – “SkNmr – SoakNoMore”. I turned around to find no creepies or crawlies around and everything looked normal as always. Then, I realized what were those creatures trying to tell me all these days from the time I registered for the event – “No more soaking”. I laughed hysterically as my eyes fell on the new box of SurfExcel Matic with Vibarting Molecules sitting in the corner. Murmuring SoakNoMore, I went to sleep – a happy and relieved man!

This article has been written for the contest 'Soak No More' on IndiBlogger.