Vidakoti,a Place Stuck in Time

 

After a long time, I set out with my mother, accompanying her to her worksites in the Himalayas. One such place,we went to was vidakoti, Vidakoti was a historic pittstop on the old Chardham yatra trek,17^th to 20 th centuries,when people trekked by foot, and the rich went by palanquins, Until motor cars came and better faster roads.

It’s the place believed in Ramayana,where Sita was sent in exile to Sage Valmiki’s Ashram,and where she raised Rama’s two sons Luv and Kush.

 

Vidakoti,has a historic old temple, constructed and envisioned by Vidyadhar Dobhal in 1706 ,the Treasurer, of King Fateh Shah of garhwal.

It was also one of the five main pit stops for travellers and pilgrims on historic old chardham trail.

This was also an water spring,due to which vidakoti was an important pit stop for pilgrims on the old trail.

 

Vidakoti is so close yet so far from fast moving reality, as if stuck in time. On the way on a narrow bumpy road, it feels as if stuck in time, no traffic chaos, just silence and peace. Yet you can see the main highway buzzing with traffic on the other side of the alaknanda.

A Quiet trips to the hils

 Koti Banal, the village in the hills .these are beautiful houses which is earthquake resistant,which have lasted over a hundred years . They are made of wood I have come many times since I was a child. My mother used to come here for her work, but I came too along with here as a small kid.  

 

 Can you  recognise me

 

Me in front of an old house 

 

So I came here to visit my old place, since I was in doon during college vacations. 

 

 

The panoramic view of the mountains

The moutains

 

In front of Juddo Dam 

 

We stopped by. 

See the height and  size of the waterfall

 

 

And also in the village there is a powerful deity. If you pray to him and truly want something like mental and spiritual well being he will help you immensely .I took his blessings to go and be succesful in life

 

 Inside an old house.

The stairs and old wood of the houses still intriguing. It surprises me  how they survive though being centuries old.

 

Having chai at an elder's house

Finally I bade, a nice goodbye for this beautiful village

 Koti Banal 

 

 

 

A quiet and salubrious trip to Nandi hills

Whosh how time passes by in college. After nearly spending an year in Vadodara, I got an internship in Bangalore. Then I got the chance to meet Mitul mamu and his family .

I was quite surprised when I came to visit mitul mamu at his home. His house was so large that I was left wondering.I also was greeted my sweet aunt Chumki masi and my cousin brother orko.

So one saturday we went to visit Nandi hills fort near Bangalore.We were also greeted by a couple of monkeys.

Monkeys waiting to greet us

Monkeys here are famous for their snatching tendencies.

Nandi hills was ruled by various dynasties like the cholas, the vijaynagara empire.It was also known as the summer retreat of tipu sultan, during his reign

Me ,mitul mamu and Chumki masi also enjoyed walking and taking pictures inside the fort

 

 A view point

 

A solo shot

We also visited the nehru lodge(where Pandit Nehru stayed here for a couple of days)

Beside Nehru’s statue with Chumki masi

 

Last but not the least we spent a good time at tipu’s cliff, it had a great and majestic view of towns below.

 

A bird’s eye view from nandi hills

A group photo(me mitul mamu and chumki masi)