The Lake District/Nainital

Nainital, better known as the lake district of Uttarakhand, has changed a lot. In my recent (May, 2008) visit to the place I experienced slight discomfort. It also happens to be the visitor’s season so I was not quite amazed at the massive rush that both Mall road, and I witnessed, where tourist were busy purchasing souvenir like candles and articles made of painted pine woods.It was around 8 in night when we reached the place, dead tired. The reason being we three had planned for Bhimtal first which we reached around 9 in the morning. We visited some uncle of a friend along who took us to show a piece of land which I was suppose to see for myself. But my mind was more occupied with the beauty of things. The vast water of the lake shining in the sun and mild wind blowing through – I knew I was there and so was the feeling that had always loved the observations from my eyes.

Bhimtal

Quickly we sipped up the tea served by the old man and then he took us to the field to show the area around. My mind was still by the lake imagining the sun and laziness that I was fighting with which usually one feels when the sun warms the cold bones making you sleepy. I suddenly remember one of my trips last year December to Narkanda, where I lay myself down along the roadside in the Jungle on way to the Hatu temple in the warm bright sun. Somebody said, should be go now? And, I nodded. We were starving after a night long journey and need to fill-up. Its almost 11 and we trio had toasts with piping hot tea but I didn’t liked it. I still had the taste of the tea old man served. Next we were supposed to see two young men who had another piece of land to show me. We were three and they were two on their bikes – and we adjusted and left. We went through rough road straight up on the middle of the hill which was the near to Sattal. Already a colonizer were building up the residential property there and that had made me upset. The elder guy off the two, seeing me down, remarked, the developer was interested in this piece of land but the man who owns it wants to give it to anyone but not to the developer. He further went on, “developer ke anne se yeh area chamak raha hai, zammen yahan milti hi kahan hai”!

I disqualified both – the guys’ notion and the land - on the premise that the place was locked in the valley, offers no view and too down with no road connectivity. Soon after we left for Naukuchiyatal - the lake with nine corners.

Naukuchiyatal

Naukuchiyatal, I have been here before in last August when it was pleasant but now it was unusually warm. We took a walk around after we got down from jeep that carried us from Bhimtal to the place. It is some 10 kms. After sometimes we entered into a small restaurant for lunch. The time about 2:30 p.m. We didn’t stroll much and at 3 started for Nainital. After sometimes a half wrecked bus came and we got into it for reaching Bhowali. This is the place from where Nainital is just 10 kms. 3:40 we got down at Bhowali and started arguing – the other two against me. Ok, the reason – I was insisting upon visiting Ghorakhal famous for Golu Temple, which happens to be some 3 kms from the place we were standing at with our bag-packs, quite tired. Its hard to walk without sleeping a day before but I had the sense of delightment being one with the nature. So the delightment won and I managed to make them walk another 3 km of the day, but actually 6 which was counting another 3km for coming back.

Ghorakhal (Seen here is Bhimtal from Ghorakhal)

Golu’s temple was the delight of the day. I was the first time visitor. The serenity of bells and purity of incense sticks made up for our lethargy. We spent some 1 hour at the temple – all lost in ourselves and charged with positiveness of faith and spirituality. And Ashish yelled, lets start now or we will be late. I nodded again. Sanjeev, who was the first timer on hills, was more than happy to see the places we went but then was tired with the walking. But soon he understood that walking is quite regular on hills.

Golu Devta temple at Ghorakhal (the deity is known for his jugdement and will power and is said to be the incarnation of Shiva)

We were back to Bhowali now but enroute we had tea and biscuits quickly. Then again we had quick sip of tea and alloo ki launje – a sweetmeat made of smashed potatoes, famous in the region. It was almost dark at 6:30 when the local bus written Nainital on the windscreen passed across us. Ashish was first among the rush who got into the bus and reserved a bench for us. We reached Nainital at 7:45 p.m or so.

Returned Back to Bhowali (and to Nainital)

The first chill of air struck me at once and I breathed hard to fill the air into my lungs. Nainital was completely dipped into the flashing neon lights of hotels, and shops along the lake’s shore. We started walking towards the ‘all lit up’ Mall road amidst the motley crowd. Soon after Ashish interrupted us and said it seemed very crowded today lets take the other route. We both looked at him and nodded in the agreement. There we were all three of us walking again parallel to the Mall road separated by the lake and all along it shore. It was better walking down in the cool evening lights not much lit though. We passed one temple first and then the famous Naina Devi temple and offered our apology for not getting inside since we were dead tired and more than sleepy. I wonder if I should ask these guys to sit somewhere to the lake’s shore for a while and then resume but I could not dare so. Sanjeev was the most tired in us and reason seemed so obvious.

Enroute China/Naini Peak, Nainital

We located a restaurant nearby after a 2 km long walks, pointed by Sanjeev, and were served quite fine too. Paid the bill and we begin for Ashish’s place – our home for the night. It was little up than 9:30 and we were longing for bed. Ashish made us walk uphill some 1 km after the dinner which we covered dramatically. Finally we were at his place. His house was built of logs from inside which looked like Britisher’s type with high ceiling and well ventilated and we retired to bed after a brief talk.
Next morning I woke up early like I do on most trips. I took a long hot water bath. Sanjeev preferred handwash and Ashish took a very short one. I guess water shortage was the reason. And we left the place after tea and biscuits. I wonder with almost 7 lakes in and around Nainital – water crisis still prevails. I had no answers but perhaps overflowing population and colonizers were the substance behind. We started to walk upwards towards the Snowview, the place from where Himalayan peaks would be visible through naked eye, and which was some 1.5 kms more. Before reaching up the top Sanjeev ate maggi and I took tea. Ashish was away to make a call which took his almost 20 minutes. We resumed again and in another half an hour we were there. The place was crowded and I saw lots of kids around. They came through ropeway from down right upto the place.
Sanjeev cried foul! But our purpose was not the ropeway ride but to walk and enjoy the nature.

Nainital from China/Naini Peak (the weather was started to get dark and rainy)

Disappointed from the place, I suggested them to go to Naina peak (or China peak, which perhaps is the highest of the all the peaks) and after a brief protest from the other two I again proved my iron. So we marched straight towards the destination. All along the jungle trek of some 4 kms, these two guys were busy chatting up on several matters. Sanjeev was the one big chatterbox but made us both interested in his talks. Sometimes he would talk philosophically and other times sheer crap. I reacted normal and laughed away on their discussions about their love and life and occupied myself with the camera. Ashish and Sanjeev have by large got themselves gel well. We reached the peak at 11 and took a water bottle that costs Rs. 20 (priced Rs. 12) from the only canteen which was small and lousy. The place was really the heaven but I was disappointed with Chips packets spread here and there, and asked myself – hills are supposed to be polybags free so why these stuffs too cannot be banned. We finally were at the place from where the complete Nainital panorama could be seen. We ate buns and butter there sitting for more than some 45 minutes, clicked pics and visualized our point of view.
While returning back, it started raining. I was one behind walking slowly wondering about the water crisis of the lake district and those water harvesting projects that government claimed to have started. It was more unpleasant the feeling than to see the Nainital getting overcrowded.

© himanshu
For more pics visit
www.flickr.com/myth_drinker

Pincode 263138/Postcard from Mukteshwar

If you have ever been to Mukteshwar, a small hill town nestled in Kumaon hills some 50 km from Bhowali, you would actually understand how silence can scream. It is not the first time I have been to hills and experienced quietness. But here the silence was piercing down the ears with hardly people seen around or shops open or the women working on their grasslands. Unlike regular hill stations receiving heavy tourist flocks who love to shop around the mall roads, visiting tiffin-top and posing for snaps every 500 meters, I find this place absolutely abnormal.

But then I am abnormal too.

BHOWALI
Note: Mukteshwar is some 50kms from Nainital (via Bhowali) and some 350 kms from Delhi. It sits an altitude of 2286 mtrs and is quite a peaceful hill station. It has an open valley view to both its sides and snow clad Himalayan peaks can be seen all over.

I visited Mukteshwar on local villager’s suggestion that I met in a local bus while returning back from Nainital after a night’s stay at a friend’s place. It was 2:30 around in noon and I was waiting for the bus for Ranikhet at Bhowali, completely lost in thoughts about the Naini peak that I trekked early this morning. The small bus written Mukteshwar painted in dark red words in Hindi suddenly crossed before me and I returned back to my sense. I remember the words of an elderly local villager whom I had chatted with about Mukteshwar. But my plan was to visit Ranikhet with a friend insisting upon the same. The bus conductor shouted and the word Mukteshwar again hit me hard. I was thinking hard now which way while sipping upon my tea and ‘aaloo ki lauje’ – a sweetmeat made of potatoes, famous in the area. The bus blew the final horn and next moment I find myself approaching the bus. Inside bus, it was almost half filled. And we boarded after a brief protest by this friend along.

Seen here is the road that goes up to Mukteshwar Dham (temple of Shiva), Edward Hostel, KMVN, PWD House, and IVRI employee some places to visit.

The bus started off. I took the front seat facing the driver. The driver was an old fellow, looked in mid fifties and wearing sweater handmade. He was not much interacting. His eyes glued to the windscreen as he strained to see through the glass amidst the downpour. He showed no emotions, just driving. Within 10 minutes we were out of city and the pines and deodar plantations stretched all over could be seen all along the way. After driving up for some one hour and half the way, the bus stopped at Malla Ramgarh – another tourist spot with few shops around the roadside. We started off in next 15 minutes again and reached Khabrar where some colonizers are developing residential property for sale. After another 30 minutes we reached Kasialekh a village with both side mountain view. From here one road leads to left that connects to Mukteshwar.

Mukteshwar is the land’s end with so called resorts and bare minimum facilities on a slope uphill. The accommodation is costly all around wherever we checked. PWD guest house requires booking from district magistrate’s office in Nainital. Then we arrived at the IVRI PG hostel named as Edward Hostel. I was told about this by the caretaker Jagat Singh, of PWD guesthouse. At the hostel, Bhatt, the care taker, made us write the application for accommodation and then asked us to get it signed by the warden who lived just across down the hostel. We waited for this Bengali warden to come outside his residence but the wife said he is out and would be coming after half an hour. We were tired and not sure whether we would get the accommodation in hostel.

PG Hostel/Edward Hostel, IVRI

I again approached Bhattji. He offered his help and politely gave us the room that costs Rs. 60 and dinner at 9, for another Rs. 60 for two.
The next day I got up early and started surveying the place. Mukteshwar was the place I was longing for. As I took the stroll, I again met Jagat Singh. We shared tea while he described the scenery around about the Himalayas citing name of the peaks visible to naked eye. We had a long discussion from political state of affairs to social developments in the region of Kumaon hills. He is the man of knowledge though the evening when I met him, he was drunk and smelling of alcohol. He asked for apology for not giving us the place to stay for the last night and gave the reason that some High court magistrate was scheduled to come over who never came anyway.

PWD Rest House

His wife and son also did talked about land prices in Mukteshwar and the real estate developers and dealers mad about purchasing land and turning them to resorts. Our Delhi tops the list ofcourse. There concern were same as the concerns of another one crore population living in thousands of villages over the hills.
After a discussion I returned back to hostel, we took parantha with aloo ki sabzi and chai and left with our bags. Chauli ki Jali is the place where we sat for quite some time observing perfect peace and wondering what if all that becomes true about what all Jagat Singh and family talked about on land purchases, builders and so called resorts in the area.

Chauli Ki Jaali, Mukteshwar

As we prepared to come back to catch up the bus at 12 in noon from Mukteshwar, I purchased envelop from post office to write to myself and see when it reaches me. It was childish but something which I planned and very keen upon doing from a long time. The postmaster gave 2 envelopes costing a rupee. I was left with another one thinking how to use.

But I had nothing to write.

I remember on my return I wrote the very same postcard to Jagat Singh expressing my gratitude while I thanked in my mind, the unknown villager that I met in the bus for recommending me peace beyond peace. And, now, I await my postcard that I wrote from Mukteshwar to myself to arrive.

It says, May peace be bestowed upon hills!


© himanshu

For more pics visit

www.flickr.com/myth_drinker