In My Hometown / Deeba, the deity of Garhwal

Rejoicing the peaceful walk of Maanila Devi; me and Arun maintained the pace of walking. It was quite a morning, fresh and misty, with mild wind blowing through the pines and enough for my senses to demand more. Arun suggested that we should go to Sarainkhet, while I had Deeba temple in the mind. And in my mind I started to fight this feeling - how do we cover both? Extending leave for an extra day might upset the boss.

Shot in Jayaraj (after Kanpathia)

And I prepared myself mentally to take this challenge. If required, I'll not hesistate to resign - I said to myself in feeble voice but with stone over heart.

We reached Dotiyal - the place we started our journey from. Biting over the Samosa and piping hot tea in my hand, the pace of struggle ended, with decision - to do both - come whatever may come. We packed a full bread and 4 Samosa to start out journey. I was quite much in mood to walk. Arun knew the place well. He has been here before, thrice.

We started to walk towards Kanpathia, a place that offers spectacular views of Himalayan ranges, mostly chatting up and listening to the songs stored on Arun's mobile, the next 5 kms. The pleasure was worth upsetting boss or losing the job even. And the weird smile appeared on my face. Kanpathia is another place after Ukhimath, where I would love to settle down for rest of my life.

A bend enroute Kanpathiya

It has Himalayan face, wide open valley, very few people visible and a mobile tower too. All that I want. We sipped our second tea here, Arun chatting up with locales and me looking around, thinking, clicking, wondering...

We resumed walking. Next destination is Jayaraj some 2 kms from Kanpathia.

The Old man who discussed Politics & Concerns

Here a known of Arun is building a resort - for don't know what! The sun was up and full by this time. I saw villagers drying the fresh pale-yellow chillies over their rooftops... a sight spicy enough to be clicked by the camera. Another cup of tea and critical reviews about Uttarakhand goverment started to come out. I presume it was due to my image that resembled a news correspondent with my camera hanging from my neck right over my chest.

Towards Sarainkhet

The questions from two elders mostly circled around the damage in the region due to cloudbursts and the record-breaking rains that the State had received this monsoon. Giant cracks on the roads, massive land-slides and century old houses that turned to dust - their watching the rains wash away - almost everything. Sentiments sometimes turn voilent and one of the old men started to put blame on us for not reporting it to news channels, or atleast not reporting about everything that has happened in the region.

Oldman working (Sarainkhet)

I could not clarify about who we are and what we were not. We paid for our tea and marched ahead. After walking some 2 more kilometers, we were not sure what else to talk about - natural calamities and the damage it did. All I knew that Centre has accepted to give Rs. 500 Cr. relief package to Pokhriyal-led government.

Sarainkhet

Horn blew - and a voice came from behind, and we boarded the bus to Sarinkhet which is some 18-20 kms. The path was beautiful, it moved on a snail trail through the forest road. Later the valley widened and colourful cholai fields were in the sight. I smelled the air deep and said atlast Sarainkhet. We didn't spend much time in Sarainkhet. It is the last village of Almora's Salt district in Kumaon region - a small place with 3-side closed view.

Uffrainkahl (kashmiri uncle in the pic)

And we decided to move on to next destination of the bus called Uffrainkhal. Uffrainkhal is the place from where Garhwal starts after Sarainkhet - the Kumaon border. It is even smaller than Sarainkhet with handful of houses and a temple. The bus will stop here for the day. It is around 4 p.m and before sun sets we planned to do our survey of the place. We walked from here towards the road that leads to Baijro, which is some 30 kms from Uffarainkahl.

But the bus service has been stopped due to badly worn out roads. And suddenly appeared the sad face of the old man we met in Jayaraj earlier. I said to myself - How much right he was? and regretted for not understanding his sentiments well. And Arun started to play songs on his mobile again. Pointing towards a rock on our left, he said lets climb it and see the next side of it. He is right. There was a road too on the other side that goes to a place called Binsar Mahadev - an ancient Shiva temple, famous all over Garhwal.

Valley View from Uffrainkhal (road goes to Binsar)

And we started to take stroll on the road chatting up, listening to the songs, looking at the sun going down slowly and breathing the mellow breeze filled with fragrance of pines, deodar and silver birch mixed with cool mist through our lungs. It is cold here, I said to Arun, pulling up the zip of my jacket upto my neck. Walking after some 6-7kms, we decided to return back but only after a round of tea. By 7 p.m we are back to the place where we started from. Kashmiri Uncle gave us shelter and the fresh cooked food for the night.

For the first time I was amazed to find a pumpkin so tasty that I ate the platefull of it plain rice, appraising it again and again. And Arun said, "We should have brought Old Monk quarter with us to make it enjoyable". And bus driver, conductor, Kashmiri uncle - they all laughed. By now the dog's barking stopped as if giving us this hint to stop gossiping and sleep. And I came out of the Kashimiri uncle's shed to look at the stars - there were so many - and I smiled in my mind.

How happy I was? Next morning, we stated early and begin to walk along the road. We knew that the bus will come after sometime. It was colder but walking made it pleasurable. In between we took short-cuts, and in no time we have covered some 5-6 kms. And then came the bus. We got down at Dotiyal. I wanted to walk down from Kanpathiya to Dotiyal road. Walking somehow kept me going and enjoying clearing my head.

Uffrainkhal (early morning)

Another round of tea at Dotiyal and we boarded the bus to Marchula. The plan is to visit Diva temple, in Divakhal. And we both decided to take bath in the cold water of Ramganga under the bright noon sun. The white water flowing looked like cystal pieces on the blue waves of sea. It can not be explained.

Marchula

Wiping my body I asked Arun, when do we reach Dhumakot?

He said, we must hurry up to catch the 2 p.m bus and then we reach there by 6 p.m.

Dhumakot is completely a estranged place or it seemed to me. It is getting dark by now but Arun had known the place quite well. We got the small dingy room for 200 bucks. We ate and retired to sleep early after a biref walk just to survey the place a bit. Next day early morning, at 5:30 we boarded our bus to reach Divakhal. We reached there in no time, just 15kms from Dhumakot, the place is - love at first sight - for me.

Jadaukhand

By 6 A.M we started walking towards the temple. Though I was fearing that we should let the sun come out first to make it safe for duo. I have heard from my dad many times that the jungle area is Bear-infested. The old lady, from the priest's family on the road-head confirmed the same when she said "Don't go now, let the sun be out and have some others to come with you to the temple, it's unsafe due to the high possibility of the bears in the jungle".

Dhumakot

Arun rejected the voice of the old lady and said "we are going to the temple, and our faith will protect us, so have no fear and come along". And I was wondering whom should I believe. So we started to walk. Not even a single ray is out and we two in this jungle, is it safe? I asked Arun. He took out mobile out of his pocket and started to play songs, and said now no animal will come near to us. I again wondered - to compliement him or to lable his as sheer stupid.

I said nothing, just maintained the pace alongwith him.

Divakhal

The sun soon started to appear. And I was relaxed. The path lead us through the dense forest, a small trail with wild grass and rough hard stones over it. Infact the whole region was such - full of wilderness. I was happy to be there - a silence I never observed before, a deserted place that was far away from the maddening crowd and, a life i have never lived before - pure spiritual bliss just like a sage in my soul.

We reached Diva temple around 8:30 A.M after walking some 3.5-4kms though slowly but nevertheless with any stop. My amusement doubled as soon as we reach the temple. It was magnificient. It offered 360 degree view, with Himalaya facing North or the face of temple. Spectacular views, grand highlands and majestic Himalaya in the sight - it is like best of both worlds. I thanked God, and offered our homage to the deity - Diva, by lighting the incense stick and through praying.

Diva temple

Today, my wish to be here is fulfilled, I said to myself. This is something which I have wanted to for a long time. We sat there at the temple for sometime without uttering any word, and it is there suddenly i memorised the song by Narendra Negi that has lines... Diva jani j0t, Diva jasi jot. The reference was in different context but something worth remembering and something that reminds you that your culture existed long before you came into this world.

With tear in my eyes, I felt like being one with The Supreme - though not a new feeling but not the same too - and I relalised how much I have missed my hometown, all these years.

Itinerary:

Delhi-Ramnagar-Dhumakot Distance: (320 km approx; 9 hrs in Roadways Bus; fare Rs. 180 till Ramnagar; Rs. 65 to Dhumakot)

Dhumakot-Divakhal: 15 kms

Divakhal / Deebakhal to Diva temple: 5kms on foot trek; return same way to Delhi or go some place ahead. © Himanshu Dutt, 2010.

Thank You Silence/ Maanila Devi, Almora, Kumaon

These days – I wish they could just pass away fast. I could not finish my thesis, or concentrate well on my office work. And, I was feeling ugly and waste. I would rather think than talk, looking at various permutations and combinations to find out time to finish the pending tasks. In this ordeal, I would mostly blame ‘the time’ for being responsible for my such state. Time – where to dig it from. But the real problem was not the time but being lazy. And I deemed it as “probably the mind needs rest” just like the locomotive engine when exhausted; and started to plan a brief and quiet trip, just alone.

Maanila Sunrise

Not much time have passed since Rupin Pass trek which I did with handful of friends some 3 months back. However I still can not say if I enjoyed it or not. Probably it had no feeling – only hard feelings like a stone – which could be one reason I never attempted to write Rupin’s account and just uploaded few pics at my flickr account.

But today, I must leave if I have to encash upon two consecutive holidays lined up as part of closing ceremony of 19th Common Wealth Games in Delhi.

With my backpack, I reached office, amidst the grazing eyes of office staff nibbling at me weirdly and commenting at my back. But isn’t that the same I think about them and pity – for they never know the real life; being so lost in this prison system. And my wait started for clock to hit 6 pm though I have been busy throughout the day to prepare and release an ad for the day after.

Marchula - Near Ramnagar

Sachin Tiwari – a fellow colleague in our marketing group proposed to drop me at Anand Vihar. An offer too tempting to resist. Going with him will save me time, and will be really easy and fun. Thanks to him, I reached on time at the bus terminus. If he wouldn’t have dropped me, I would have missed my bus to Ramnagar. He has been a driving force behind writing this trip’s account too, asking me...pushing me to write. Though it’s hard to say – if he loves to read my blog or is it his wife who likes to read things about hills as he quoted some times.

Between Dotiyal to Maanila Devi

Well whatever – this blog is for both of them – the hilli-billies.

Ramagar at 4 am was unusually cold or was it the journey discomfort that sucked all my energy. What a crowded bus it was! Travelled 250 kms sitting on the tool-box just next to the bus door. The conductor Sharma Ji – as Sardar Ji, the driver, quoted his name often times did not even gave me the ticket leaving me to wonder – who has been lucky really? – Me or him.

Me, because I got the bus otherwise my linking bus from Ramnagar to Maanila would have left. Him, because he had an extra income of Rs. 180 multiplied by 2 i.e. me and a kid who was traveling alone, and was made to share single seat with Shrama Ji.

Silver or Sand – Sharma made his silver quite well and for me it’s the sand.

Arun Bhadola, in Joyful Mood

I missed the first bus due to the bully crowd that possessed the bus to Naagchula-khal from everywhere.

I jumped into another bus – another KMOU (Kumoan Motor Operators & Users) – private bus affiliated to state transport authority. Small bus with unclean windows, dim lights, unorganized seating arrangement, with people glued to their seats especially the women while their men did the shopping like fruits, sweetmeats etc on their home-coming.

I was seated at the end of the bus and adjacent to the last bench of the bus that had young women seating in row chatting-up, crazy. Thick smoke came from the front – old men puffing bidis – a normal sight for anyone who frequently travels to hilly regions. So this finding was no amusement I decided to step down. Till this time nobody knew when the bus will take-off. 6:30 a.m came the voice just when I was negotiating the price of apples with the Muslim oldman vendor who had no time to look at me.

Rath Khal

I looked at my watch – 5:00 a.m – still one and half hour to go. I do not know when sleep overpowered me after we crossed Garjia temple barrack. I had choley-chai (snacks) at Marchula some 40kms from Ramnagar at 8:30 around, where the bus stopped. I murmured - not as good as they used be. 9:30 a.m and we are to reach Molley-khal that was another 18-20 kms and then another 12 kms to reach Dotiyal, the place where I have to get down.

Road, Rath-Khal Afterwards

I reached Dotiyal at 10:20 a.m. and instantly recognized Arun Bhadola – a known from our village area. The tall, young man in his early 30s, wearing half sweater waved at me, smiling, as if he has found some treasure inside a coal-mine. I was glad he kept his promise to be with me for this trip. And we two had chai-samosa, typically kumaouni style, topped with raita (curd) and chutney. Delicious, I said while Arun nodded in yes. We started walking towards Maanila Devi temple some 8 km neat stretch from Dotiyal with pine trees both sides.

Maanila Devi Temple (Talla)

We reached Rath-Khal after some 4 km of walk towards the Maanila Devi temple. Another stop and another round of tea and snacks. The air was invigorating, and refreshing with smell of pine. I stretched my lungs to fill the fragrance inside. I have always loved it. We continued to march further on the road with Himalayan view on our left but mostly hidden behind large tree trunks of pines and the silver-birches. It looked like a perfect country side – a nice road, no bus but sometimes few jeeps would pass us and no one’s walking along. Only the loud sound of Garhwali songs playing on the Max mobile handset of Arun in the bright afternoon sun shining high over our heads. A perfect sight, a sheer pleasure and no mental effort.

The Idol of Maanila Devi

We reached the temple at 2:30 pm walking at dead slow pace photographing, chatting and enjoying ourselves thoroughly. We paid our homage to the deity, sat inside the temple for few minutes and planned our comeback. Arun suggested taking jeep to Malla-Maanila – another Maanila Devi temple.

The cab was full and we decided to get down at Rath-Khal. We walked to the market down the road. Luckily the guy agreed to made us Chowmein that tasted really very salty and raw but we tucked it all in. Arun then purchased a quarter of Rum from here citing tiredness as reason. We started to walk towards again on the same road to pay our homage to Malla Maanila. The temple is situated on the ridge and the place was colder than I thought looking at the October sky.

While walking towards the temple, Arun narrated the story behind. Maanila, the Goddess, is the deity of the Salt region in district Almora of Kumaon, Uttarakhand from a long time.

Temple Premise of Talla Maanila

It is believed that Goddess used to talk to the priest of the temple. Then one day, the king of Garhwal, ordered his men to bring the deity to his court from where it is placed in Talla Manilla.

It is said that when King’s men came to take the Goddess; the Goddess raised an alarm to wake up the priest but priest and his family continued to sleep. The Goddess then played a trick with King’s men who came to fetch the idol that night. The weight of the idol of the Goddess became too heavy and King’s men could take the idol only till Malla Maanila.

Malla Maanila

By this time, the morning has broken and fearing that they will be caught; King’s men left the idol there and ran away. Since then the Goddess never spoke to the priest again despite retaining her original place. Another version of the story is extended. While King’s men had put the heavy idol of Maanila down to rest for a while at Malla Maanila, they could not lift it back despite doing their best efforts. Fearing that they would get caught as the sun begins to rise; they tried to cut the finger to take it with them as a proof to king of their loyalty. They did it with great difficulty but by that time they saw the priest and the villagers chasing them, so they ran away with the finger of the Goddess.

Maanilla Devi, the deity, got upset with the people of the region for not protecting her and never again she spoke to the priest or anybody.

Idol of the Goddess at Malla Maanila

Well that was the story, and whatever was the story; leave that to history books or to the talking heads. Just go and visit the place to experience a change. The perfect tranquility and bliss, and don’t forget to thank the silence!

Itinerary (by Roadways Bus): Friday Night: Delhi–Ramnagar (250 kms. approx 6-7 hours). Road is really poor between Kashipur and Ramnagar.

Saturday: Reach Doti-yal (80 kms approx 3:30-4 hrs.) by 10 a.m. Stay at Forest Rest House or book KMVN in advance. The KMVN caretaker was missing throughout the day when we went. According to sources he has tie-up with this private hotel manager who belongs to a localite of the area and helps push the tourists to this private hotel to earn his commissions.

KMVN, locked and uncared

Private hotel option is just one option available who normally charges Rs. 400-500 per night. The hotel offers Himalayan view though rooms are dingy and very basic. We got the room for Rs. 300 on negotiations but then they charged extra 100 bucks on meals. Forest Rest House is perfect option in terms of cost (Rs. 100 a room for night) and location (at the hill-top on a ridge).

Forest Rest House

Sunday: Back to Delhi or further ahead some place with me.
© Himanshu