Garhwal was, is, will remain beautiful!

A travel to Garhwal awakens the purity in you…

Dense green pine forests, blue cloud-patchy  sky, cool breeze, all add to the beauty of  Garhwal!   

Terrace farming in #Bungdhar, a village on the way 

to  #Bhagwati Taliya 

Note these: Dancing trees, fresh breeze, green stepped paddy fields, unsullied  water flowing through round and oval stones in the rivers, white temples crowned with red flags and their respective boundaries adorned with chimes & bells, snow covered Himalayan range, blue sky at times coupled with gossamer clouds and the beautiful people of #Garhwal!

The Chhoti #Deeba temple, built in 1650

Yes.. all these elements are more than enough to inject energy-by-nature into ones’ veins. Visiting #Garhwal for me is getting rid of the urban hustle- bustle, and what best could be the time than a long official holiday. This time, it was the Holi weekend.

A walk through #Deeba hills! 

On March 23, 2016, we left from our home in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad at 5 pm in our car and reached Ramnagar at 10 pm. The idea was to stay overnight and relax our muscles; also, as we had two kids and senior citizens (my parents) travelling with us. We re-started the journey towards our native place (#Bhararidhar, a village in Pauri Garhwal) at 4:30 am. 

My roots, my beautiful village #Bhararidhar!

We crossed #Corbett National Park, Mohan and Marchula, and moved up the hills touching places like Jadaukhand, Dhumakot, Deebakhaal, Deeba Dand, Baijro, Kanera, Chaukhal and finally, reached Bhagwati Taliya at 10:00 am to put the final breaks to the car and pull up the hand breaks.

The full-moon night made our travel all the more special, bright, cheerful and well-guarded. 

There were two best experiences, which not everyone is lucky always to encounter, while driving up the hills.

Moon is setting. It’s 5:30am

 How Moon goes to sleep and Sun wakes up?: The serpentine road travel offered us a chance to see the unfathomably hiding moon in the west and the eloquently rising sun in the east. This occurred between 6 am and 6:30 am.

Sunrise: frame-it moment! It’s 6:15am

It was an experience to comprehend; how darkness ultimately translates into brightness, how untainted breeze brushes through your soul and mind, to bless you with clarity & wisdom and resonate a human, a #Buddha, in us. The entire family was out of the car to capture the beauty and inhale the purity. Sumptuous indeed, it was!... to see how moon hid in the sky and sun rose far off behind from the mountains.

Wild goats grazing the green patches: The white and black wild mountain goats, numbering up to 150 plus, manned by just two, grazing amidst the pine jungle, was a sight seen once only, in a lifetime! Though, my husband was blessed enough to see it the second time. “Last time, about six months ago, these goats had blocked my road for almost 10-15 minutes”, he said.

A herder tending mountain goats counting more than 150. I loved the sight!

Ashok and I, holding a kid! 

First it showed restiveness, 

but later  it felt comfortable;

 it understood the warmth 

that we tried to extend.

But I bet, the exquisiteness of the latest display by the goats was unparalleled! And, the drive through the jungle with sun sprinkling its lustrous rays through dense sky rocketing pine trees, quenched our thirst for the nature!

Naisha clings to her Nanu to reach out

 to a bell in premises of 

The chhoti #Deeba Temple;

 the echo of the bells was soul-soothing

 ……We drove further.... for 3.5 more hours from #Deeba Temple to #Baijro, then #Chaukhal  and eventually reached #Bhagwati Taliya, a central place that serves about 25 villages around it, with shops for grocery and other necessary items, a higher secondary school, government hospital and beautiful ‘Maa Bhagwati’ temple. To reach my paternal village #Bhararidhar, we had to climb up small hills and pass through terrace fields, which demands 20 min to 30 min exercise on foot.

#Bhagwati Taliya, which hosts to a small market, a school, 

medical facilities and labour hub

I can’t express enough my contentment the moment I put my feet on the pious land. I hand reached my destination. How I wish I were to spend my rest of life here only…. I would have felt accomplished! It feels heavenly getting back to your roots. Everyone looks equal, though still living a pastoral style of life. Yes, people get up as soon as the first ray of sun touches them; they are done with their breakfast by 7:30 am; and could be seen on fields around 8 am. Besides, cattle rearing and livestock management go hand in hand.

Mom and I relishing the beautiful moments!

I loved being pampered by all my near and dear ones in my village. What I all did was- Eat, sleep and enjoy the beauty with long walks climbing up and racing down the hills, while capturing everything… every mood and sight I could. 

Kids playing #holi! Hrishit, Naisha and my cousin Pappu (right)

My kids were all by their own, I didn’t even have to worry about them as they were in their secured native premises. Even the sight of snakes didn’t dampen their spirits. Yes, they collectively saw a cobra of 3.5 feet and then a very small one of about half a foot.

Nothing feels scary..... as the Gods and Goddesses of this holy land are meant to protect every one, visiting and residing here.

What I didn’t like? Not as many people are living in Garhwal as once used to be. Reason? People have migrated to cities for better livelihood.  And, without people, villages give a sad look.

Parched Terrace fields

Besides, I hated looking at various parched and barren fields; they give an awfully gloomy look. Schemes like #MGNREGA have caused more damage than benefiting the villagers. Roads are being built across villages for better connectivity but the quality is not at all satisfactory. People leave their fields to find employment at the road construction sites. Resultantly, neither the fields are flourishing, nor can the newly built road infrastructure boast of durability. …And gullible villagers are becoming more gullible in the process as they feel rewarded earning nuts while laying roads.

Also, I didn’t like the modified flat roofed cemented houses that most of the villagers have built now, losing on the aesthetics of traditional #slate roof structures.

A plain area - the first #helipad of Garhwal;

 the place is called #Dhumakot;

 the area behind encloses

 the Intermediate College 

List of Must Experience Places/Sights – On way to Bhagwati Taliya from #Corbett National Park- (Bhagwati Taliya is 145 kmts from Ramnagar)

Temples- Badi Deeba (Deeba Khaal/ahead of Dhumakot), Shivalaya and Maa Bhagwati Mandir (The latter two temples are near Bhagwati Taliya)

River- Any small tributary can give you the feel of a pristine river harbouring ice-aged water

#Sunrise and #Sunset Points- The best scenic point could be seen in Kaful Gair village and Jogi Mani Village

Snow covered Himayalan range- The sight looks best from the Jogi Mani Village

Visit to a villager’s Kutcha house – Any; check with your hotel person if he could help

Cowshed- Any

Helipad- Dhumakot, is the place that marks the first helipad of Garhwal

Sumptuous chole; we savoured them at a

 roadside stall in Jadaukhand village

What is must to eat/drink?

• Butter Milk laced with garlic and green chilly salt – Try anywhere
• Eat Black Bread (Kode ki roti) soaked in Ghee with green chutney – Try at a villager’s home, if possible
• Chullha cooked daal and rice  - Try at a villager’s home, if possible
• Cholle, topped up with chopped onion, are a must try – A small shop, on the road, in Jadaukhand village (On way to #Baijro from #Ramnagar) is famous for the cholle
• Egg Samosas- They are a speciality of a shop in Dhumakot market, forgot the name (Sorry)
• Tea- It tastes god at any roadside stall/shop.  

Accomodation

There are only a few small hotels/resorts on the #Marchula road, but that’s quite ahead of our final destination #Bhagwati Taliya. If one plans to stay at Marchula, then one won’t be able to explore the beauty of main Garhwal and understand people & their culture as Bhagwati taliya is about five hours journey   from  Marchula.

If you aren’t a native of the place then you need to be sweet-smart enough to find an unadvertised lodge/small room for your stay ..... on the way (passing through villages like Bironkhal, Dhumakot, Baijro, Syunsi, Chaukhal, Bhagwati Taliya etc).

Caution: If you aren’t a nature lover or a bag packer, please go somewhere else! For this part of the world, you need to believe in yourself/your God, be a risk taker and a charmer to charm a villager/shopkeeper who could organise your food and stay. This needs to be arranged during the day light; the moment it is dark, the villagers are enclosed within the four walls of their homes.

Route

Ghaziabad (NH24)-Moradabad-Kashipur (NH121)-Ramnagar-Corbett National Park- Garjiya- Mohan- Marchula-Salt Mahadev-Jadaukhand-Dhumakot-Bironkhal-Deebhakhal-Syusi-Kanera-Baijro-Chaukhal-Bhagwati Taliya

Time taken (Ghaziabad to Bhagwati Taliya)

8-10 hours by car; 12-14 hrs by bus

For any further info

Write to palash.india@gmail.com

Want to broaden your horizon? A visit to Bodhgaya, Rajgir and Nalanda can help you do that...

Entrance- #Mahabodhi Temple, #Bodhgaya

Sunbathing on a secluded sandy beach while sipping a Blue Lagoon can only fulfil one’s materialistic desires but not the holistic ones. If your “Rendezvous with life’s reality” is still unmet, then a travel to #Gaya, known to be one the major tourist attractions of #Bihar, could help you realise that. This blog may read like a dry piece to most of you. But at some point in life, I am sure the blog piece, will be remembered.

The #Mahabodhi Temple- inside view

#Mahabodhi Tree

I always wanted to travel to Gaya, to visit #Bodhgaya and the temples & monasteries in the vicinity. #Gaya is located 100 kmts to the South of Patna and known to be the second largest city of Bihar. The place, situated on the banks of the Phalgu River, will appeal to all those who value peace, harmony and people.  

I visited #Bodhgaya with my mother and kids, in January 2016 (January 9-11). It was a different feeling altogether... as if we were destined to visit this World #Heritage Site. Situated in Gaya District in Bihar, Bodhgaya is the same place where #Gautam #Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under the #Mahabodhi Tree (It’s Peepal Tree). It’s called to be the most important of the four main pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being – Kushinagar, Lumbini and Sarnath.

The vibrant #Mahabodhi Temple, in #Bodhgaya

We visited #Mahabodhi temple twice, on January 9 and 11. Truly, it’s an abode for people seeking peace, wisdom and clarity.... an encounter with one’s real self! Sitting in the shade of the #Mahabodhi Tree, at the backside of the #Mahabodhi Temple, was my dream, which I could accomplish. I also chanted “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” sitting at a corner, inside the temple and also outside, under the tree! To chant #Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is bringing forth the absolute fundamental energy of life while honoring the dignity and gravity of our ordinary lives.

We had reached Gaya from Delhi via Sealdah Rajdhani, before 5:00 am on January 9 and travelled to Gaya the same day. We headed to #Rajgir and #Nalanda University at 9:00 am on January 10, booking a taxi for whole day. It was a three-hour journey by road. Rajgir resonated history with ruins of #Bimbisara’s Jail, #Swarna Bhandra, #Maniar Math and #Ajatshatru’s Fort. Rajgir was the capital of the Magadh when Patliputra was not formed. The place cosies up with Buddhism as well as Jainism. Besides being a famous pilgrimage for #Buddhists, Rajgir also has some very beautiful Hindu and Jain temples. We loved the harmonious monasteries built by the Japanese Devotees in Rajgir.

#Maniar Math in the back drop

Another attraction of Rajgir, which I had heard about, was the ‘ropeway’, which takes one uphill to the #Shanti Stupa. We could not experience the same as small kids were not allowed on the trolley cars and also, the ropeway appeared very shaky and unsafe. Besides, other deterrents included the long queue to access the ropeway and single traveler ride at a time. 

We reached Old #Nalanda University, around 3:00 pm, which is known to be one of the earliest Universities in the world founded in the fifth century. The remnants of the splendid university still resonate the history with 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers in the premises, once upon a time. The entire University campus was said to be spread over 15,000,000 square meters of land, however, only 10% of it has been excavated so far, and the rest of the ruins are yet to be unearthed. Also, it’s said that it was blessed by the presence of the Buddha too; in fact one of the major subjects taught at this international residential university was Buddhism.

We walking through the sprawling old #Nalanda University! 

Ahhhh!.... a walk in the ruins of the university, took us to an era that saw India imparting knowledge to the world - the era when India was a coveted place for studies. The University is said to have flourished during the 5th and 12th century. 

I bet, anyone can fall in love with the sprawling campus that showcases conscientiously maintained ruins with beautiful lawns. In fact, this was the only area, during my visit to in Bihar, which spoke of mesmeric greenery and blue sky adorned with gossamer clouds.

Beautiful moments – My mom, son and daughter seemed to be on cloud nine!

Kids appeared on cloud nine! Left no chance to leave a single monastery for posing, jumping around and capturing all the captivating ruins in their cameras. 

A group of #Buddhist monks – Chanting!  ... while sitting in the middle of the  sprawling  #Nalanda University

The moment the sun started setting, the ambience looked all the more beautiful in this centre of #Buddhism. I saw a few Buddhist groups who looked as if waited only for the dawn..... to chant vigorously. The echo of the chants was as soothing as resounding bells of a temple ... as calming as the singing birds...!   Well, I also didn’t lose on the chance... sat on square shaped platform- built of red bricks, possibly a remnant of a dormitory.... and started chanting #NamMyohoRengeKyo!

Can’t express how deeply satiated I felt! Truly, the twilight that evening was majestic! None of us wanted to leave.. how we wish we were there for ever,.... far away from the insanely busy cosmopolitan life! We moved around 5:30 pm after requesting a gentleman for clicking a final group picture of ‘we four’, in the ruins of the #Nalanda University.

Our final pic in the ruins of #Nalanda University!

On our way back, we had delightful dinner in the food court of the only mall in #Gaya, called as #APR City Mall. The next evening we had to catch our train but before boarding it, I desired to revisit the #Mahabodhi temple. 

And, we spent our entire afternoon in the premises, on January 11. Good that we went there as we were meant to witness the World Peace Prayer 2016 happening in the premises of the temple. The temple looked superb with the floral decor and people (monks) robed in saffron colour. Small kids in monastic robes looked edibly gorgeous.

Our last-day in the temple went awesomely well. My mother was busy looking after kids; kids were busy playing around the wish pole with their temporary monk friends; and I was busy rejuvenating myself sitting under the #Mahabodhi tree, yet again!   

Kind of a wish pole... kids kept themselves busy throwing coins over the pole... And celebrated with incessant claps when a coin could make its way up to the top and rested there.

Last but not the least, we loved the people of Bihar, their innocence, their helping nature! ..,and, of course, the appetizing and delectable food of the city. I liked the small budget hotel where we stayed @ INR 1300 per day plus food charges – Hotel Durbar International, near Gaya Railway Station. The food, though simple, speaks love as well as quality, in this hotel.  People who want to go to on a day-trip to Rajgir and Nalanda from Gaya, must hire a taxi. It comes at a cost of INR 1800-2000 for the entire day, and the driver knows what/where his visitor wants to visit.