A hurricane trip to Sursingdhar

Snow peaks on the way to Sursingdhar. Can u spot me? 

On 24th of November, just three days before we were supposed to leave for Japan, five of us ( we three and my grandparents from Kolkata) went on a hurricane trip to Sursingdhar to Nalin uncles's resort. My mother is the architect of the project and she had some urgent work at the site which had to be done. She also wanted to show something to my grandfather who is a civil engineer.

So Off we went. From Dehradun, Sursingdhar is just three hours into the hills. The weather was very clear and we got to see the snow capped Himalayas all along the way and my grandmother was extremely thrilled. The peaks stretched out for miles and miles all along the right side of the road and my grandmother just kept watching them.

Reaching Bhaiti how to take photos of snow peaks with her new phablet

 At Sursingdhar we were given two very good rooms in the first floor of a beautiful bungalow. The rooms were very good and the view from the rooms too very fabulous. We were really in the lap of the mountains.

Morning tea with snow peaks for company 

 Next morning we woke up at sunrise and had a clear view of the snow peaks like Chaukhamba ( my father's favorite) and the others. After some time we could also see the Tehri Dam, a big spread of blue in the middle of green mountains.

My mother had already gone to the site after an early breakfast. Later in the morning, we ( myself, my father and grandfather) went to the site. My grandfather did a good survey of site, going up and down the contours, while my father continuously talked on his phone as I wandered about.

Later that day, after lunch we returned to Dehradun. It was a short but  sweet trip.

With Dadai at Maa's site

At 

Riding the Kalka- Shimla- Kalka Toy Train-A Ride to remember

At Kalka Train yard

 I love train journeys. I have traveled in plain-trains many times, but not once have I traveled in hill- trains. That is why the Shimla toy train has been an experience I have been eagerly awaiting to experience for many years. I have always imagined how nice it would be to rush in and out of tunnels, cruise though the green forests and sail past beautiful waterfalls on the way.


Inside MY train FINALLY

 Our train was scheduled to leave Kalka station at 5.30 am. We woke up before dawn and it was still dark when we trooped into Kalka station and hurried into our waiting train with only five minutes left for its departure. But alas, just as we were expecting the train to begin its journey, we heard an announcement saying that our train would be departing two hours later as its link train ( Howrah Kalka Mail) was running late. What a disappointment.
In the spare time that we had, I visited the train yard and was thrilled to see so may toy trains. At another corner of the station in the broad gauge section, I came across a funny sight - a reluctant goat was being dragged into a passenger train by its master. The animal was braying in full blast. Hearing it, a dog too got curious and tried getting into the train but was shooed away by the people. I am sure  the goat will have been entertained all the train passengers with its braying all through the journey.

Barog station, in front of Barog tunnel - in blue

Finally the train started and within fifteen minutes we were in the heart of the hills. We crossed forests, beautiful sceneries as I had imagined. There were 103 tunnels with Barog tunnel ( see above) which is the longest tunnel in this section even having a resident ghost in it. The story goes like this- Mr. Barog was an engineer deputed by the British to build the railway. However, he passed away during the construction of the tunnel and his ghost is still believed to live in this tunnel. People have seen and even talked with him. How interesting !

Crosing a viaduct

The train also passed over a number of viaducts which is nothing but a series of arch bridges- one above the other. We finally reached Shimla at 2 pm. We were staying in the retiring room and is was really fun to stay amidst the hiss, roar and whine of the engines.

Shimla Mall

Afternoon we went to the Mall in Shimla, which has a number of beautiful British Era buildings. Here you are seeing me stand in front of the Christ Church ( extreme right). I had wanted to see this building ever since I saw "3 Idiots." Rancho too had been here and I was happy to follow his footsteps.

Train yard, Shimla

Next morning it is was time for the return journey. I wandered about a bit in the train yard in Shimla. Then I bid good bye to the hill station and boarded my train for the return journey.

A Fun-filled family Trek to Deoriatal, Tunganath ad Chandrashila

 

A few days ago, my cousins from Calcutta along with their parents came to Dehradun. My mother, who works in the Himalayas as an architect had planned a family trek to Deoriatal, Tunganath and Chandrashila for all of us.

On 16th October we set out for Sari village from where we would  trek to Deoriatal. The route crossed the Tehri dam and ran like a snake through the mountains. I had traveled on this route earlier in April this year when I had accompanied my mother to Guptkashi so I knew that we would come across broken roads, wiped out villages, broken bridges- remains of the Kedarnath disaster. But the others had not travelled on this route after the disaster and were horrified on seeing all that.

 We reached Sari quite late in the evening. Next morning as we set out for the trek before dawn,. It was really thrilling to walk in the dark with a guide leading the way in torchlight . I imagined the wild animals through whose home we were walking.

 

We reached Deorital a little before sunrise. The sight of the Himalayan peaks reflected in the clear waters of the lake was so beautiful that it we could not stop admiring it.

We spent quite a lot of time there, having picnic breakfast on the banks of the lake, climbing a watchtower , running about on the rolling meadows.

 Tungnath has the highest Shiva temple in the world. The 4 km trek to this mountain top starts from Chopta and passes through oak forests, green meadows. In the last stretch the tree line just vanishes and it is just rock, rock and bare rock all around.

Tungnath is very high and very cold. We stayed at a guesthouse next to the temple. The moment I stepped out of the room, the famous Himalayan cold pounced on me like a hungry tiger. I hurriedly stepped back and retreated to the warmth of the blankets, refusing to come out again.

But next dawn again we, three reluctant kids were again woken by our parents and we trekked to Chandrashila to watch the sunrise. It was very cold up there, but the sight just before and after the sunrise was such an inspiring sight that I forgot all the discomfort. Here I was at the top of the world, clouds below me and I was looking straight into the face of the majestic Chaukhamba peak.

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It was a wonderful feeling which I have carried back with me to Dehradun.

Landour is languorous and lovely

 After my exams got over we went to  Landour , a small place near  Mussorie, on a one day trip.

Landour is higher in altitude than to Mussorie. The road to that place is steep, but it is tree-lined in some stretches that makes it enjoyable . At a roadside plaque I read that “If Mussorie is the queen of the hills so Landour must be the fairer Princess” I totally agree with the statement.

We had booked at ITM Guest House in Landour which is situated near “Landour Language School.”a  famous British era building. The other landmark is CharDukan   means four shops. Earlier there were four shops, but at the moment I counted that there are five shops. I think we should now call the place Pancch Dukan

In front of Landour Language School

 At Devdar Woods Hotel, in front of the 150 year old deodar tree

Outside the ITM Office there was an unused fighter plane, kept as a model. I possessed for photographs in front of it. This property belongs to the army.

That night, we went to Deodar Woods, which is an old British era structure now converted in a hotel. This place with a high ceiling, sloping roof and fireplace has an interesting ambience. In front, is an 150 year old deodar tree from   where the hotel derives it‘s name.

The hotel is famous for its pizzas and we had them to our hearts content . While we were in the middle of our dinner suddenly it began to rain. We waited for a while for the rain to stop but when it didn’t we set for our guest house with umbrellas. It was an gripping journey- a pitch dark rainy night and three of us moving through the wooded road holding our heart in our hands. I was waiting for a leopard to come out of the jungle and say "Hello" to us, but nothing of that happened. 

Next morning, we went to Sister’s Bazar- the smallest bazaar I have ever seen. There are lesser number of shops that the number of fingers on my hand. We met the owner of the only provision store- Anil Uncle. He is also owner of Devdar Woods hotel and he invited us to his house for tea and told us a lot of stories. 

Now it was time to return home. After a yummy and wonderful lunch at Kalsang Restaurant at Mussorie, we drove back and was soon home.

How I wish I have a holiday like this every weekend.

Banshil - A day with deodars

Another trip to another beautiful Himalayan village- Banshil, located among deodar trees. I will not tell you where for I want to keep the location of the place a secret- it is so beautiful and unspoiled.

The meadows were rolling green and bordered by forests full of deodar trees and birds and butterflies. I saw a common peacock butterfly and heard many birds.
We stayed at a new hut on the edge of the meadows. To get to the place you have to trek about 2km from where the road ends.
The village to which this meadows and forests belong has beautiful Jaunpuri homes. There is small gurgling stream beside the place.
Though the road to the place was bad ( hope it stays that way, so that people do not come and crowd the place), it is just too good- rolling meadows, deep forests, mountain stream, birds, butterflies, morning treks in the jungles, what more can anyone want on a holiday?

 Playing cricket in the evening 

 Pounding grain the natural way 

 Beautiful Jaunpuri Home 

Common Peacock Butterfly 

Bisoi - B stands for Beautiful

 This summer we headed to a  completely unknown place in the Himalayas. It is called Biosi and is famous for the magnificent Mahazu Devtaa temple .

Though the place is only 70 kms from Dehradun, but it is a completely different world. Very cute colorful houses standing tall against the green mountains, the life there is very different from the life in the city. Even the houses were so different . We stayed in one such house. It was beautiful wooden carvings and in the evening we watched a beautiful local dance- Pandav dance.
The food our hosts cooked for us was simple buy yummy- much better than you find in restaurants .
Afternoon I played with the local boys and as night fell, the sky was bright with stars.

 Playing with Bisoi boys 

 House where we stayed 

 Pandav dance 

Trip to Guptkashi near Kedarnath

 At Devprayag

 Crossing Kaliganga at Kalimath  

 Sitting in the fields , reading reading my favorite story book

 At lord Shiva temple Kalimath

 On the banks of Kaliganga

Standing in front of Aryan's helicopter

On the way to Guptkashi

On Saturday morning at   6 a.m.  I and my mother set of  to Guptkashi with Alok uncle. It took about 6-7 hours to reach Guptkashi. On the way we stopped at somewhere Rishikesh for breakfast. We had Alo -Paratha and Dahi. When we went on proceeding   on the road, we saw the destruction made by the 2013 disaster and also saw many bridges broken .We saw the that river, which is coming from Kedarnath had stretched  the valley between the mountains. We had been to Kedarnath in the October 2012 so I could see the difference the disaster had made in the landscape and of course in the lives of the people.

 We reached Guptkashi at 4 p.m. First we ate our lunch at a restaurant in the bazaar of Guptkashi and then we went off to LAL'S Resort where we met M.R FANCIES. When we arrived at the hotel, my mother did some discussion with other uncles whose house had been destroyed in 2013 and was going to be rebuilt.. I had also brought my favorite storybook THE FAMOUS FIVE and wrote one page of some essay competition .After writing I took a nap and woke up at 7p.m. My mother woke me up for supper in the evening and was raining heavily, so we took an umbrella.  A chef served us all the food on a table. They also told us that there was a helipad for going to Kedarnath and also some four pilots living in the hotel for two months continuously. They served us some Fried Rice, Manchurian and some other vegetables. That night, I read THE FAMOUS FIVE for half- an hour. My mother told me about all those people whose houses are going to be rebuilt - she told me there are children who had not gone to school for more than a year for the simple reaosn that their school has been washed away. Hearing this I was sad and stunned. Here I was so unhappy about having to go to school everyday and here these children are  unhappy about not being able to go to school. What contrast. 

The next day after breakfast, I , my mother , MR FANCIES , Alok uncle and two other uncles went to Kalimath. The road was very narrow and badly broken in places. We also saw that a stadium in the valley belonging to the government which had also been destroyed by the disaster.

I was sad on seeing so much of destruction. Can't it had been avoided? Perhaps it could have been, if people had been more thoughtful and careful. But people have become so greedy, they want concrete structures to come up everywhere without caring for the environment.

With a heavy heart, I came back to Dehradun.