Day-1:-
30 Aug 2018. After a fruitful working day at Delhi, left at 4pm towards Haldwani.
The Green Mamba (Duster) purred with excitement as finally it was climbing
hills. The drive out of Delhi was good as the new Meerut Highway led us
towards new KMP Highway and we bypassed bad traffic of Ghaziabad. The ongoing
flyover constructions slowed us down till Pilakhuwa where we crawled and lost
40 minutes. A pit stop at Bikanerwala on Hapur -Moradabad Highway for an
early dinner (Uttapam) and I throttled the 4x4 on the dark Highway (which had
lamps but no current).
A Uttarakhand
Roadways Bus travelling towards Haldwani guided me and put us on a track right
through deep forest route. It was an occasional vehicle on road and I
maintained a steady 80 KMPH to avoid any disturbance to the flora and fauna.
A wild elephant turned
his (or her) back towards us as the Duster emerged silently out of a bend with
all its lights lighting up the jungle.We checked into Haldwani at 11pm and
snuggled into a nice room at Hotel Devashish as the town slept quietly.The car
performed well and the Honeywell Car Purifier worked silently to keep us
absolutely fresh.Looking forward to the climb today as rains pour down.
Day 2-
31 Aug 2018. The stay at Hotel Devashish, Haldwani rejuvenated us and after the
breakfast We were all set to brace the rains which were lashing Haldwani. The
Green Mamba (Renault Duster) had been itching to burn up the diesel in its
1461cc engine. The trick of the mountain driving lies in a careful driver and a
fit car. We fueled up the diesel at Haldwani and I pressed the gas to meet our
first destination Bhimtal.
The nature's fury had
brought down a large tree at a busy Haldwani Junction. The smiling policemen
were busy clearing the traffic and helped us to the Bhimtal axis. The 4x4
sprang to life as the Green Mamba could sense the fun on pot holed roads. The
gas pedal merits careful handling as all 4 wheels rip through the pot holed and
keep the 4x4 vehicles scale dirt with ease. The Haryana Registration helps the
cause as the hill drivers feel that the driver is a novice! Speed is a
thrilling bet and the Green Mamba had its share of fun as it set a scorching
pace through the hill bends with all its lights blazing. Soft rock songs filled
the cabin with delight and we crossed a filled up Bhimtal Lake. A large group
of ducks was wading through its waters as rains lashed around. It was a great
sight and we paced towards Almora.
The roads are good
and a few pot holed patches but who cares as the radials tackled them with
ease. The bumps in the cabin can hardly be felt and I tried the ABS of the
Green Mamba to my utter joy. It performed smoothly.
Crossing Almora, we
cut across roads leading towards Ranikhet, Binsar and zoomed towards Jageshwar
Dham. A river flowed alongside and its flow through its rocky surface boosted
the spirits of the drive. A patch of racing with an Innova Crysta whose driver
was not willing to let us pass ahead created some good fun moments. Eventually,
we cut him across after a bend and Green Mamba blinked its parking lights
signalling its better grip on the road.
Leaving the main road
behind at a junction we turned towards Artola and Suakhan to reach our stop at
*Chalnichinna*. It is at this place that our stay in *Itmenaan Estate* was
planned.
Leaving Green Mamba
parked in the village market,we made our way 670 meters down the hill through a
stone track. This track tests the mettle of pollution impacted metro city
lungs. The calf muscles felt the load and became live again. The stomach
churned the last morsel into energy and also dug deep into fats layered here
and there.
The stop at our
breathtaking cottage made the down climb a great cheer. The whiff in the air
opened up the lungs and blood stream felt a new vigor. The Welcome Drink was
made of a local fruit and purged the system walls of clogs and dirt. The home
cooked lunch had a brilliant taste and as if to welcome us- the rains did not
lash us. The terrace farmed hills, villages spread across hills and
intermittent clouds coming down as if to check the new habitants made our
day.
Itmenaan Estate has
stoned rooms,wooden floors and comfortable beds. The Staff is amazing and makes
this a perfect stay where one can get merged with the Beauty of the
surroundings. No wonder, it is a hit with foreign visitors who come here to
merge with the nature and enjoy week full of village life experience.
The silent night
there out some wonderful stars and inspite of light clouds the patch of stars
opened up at our azimuth. The neck craned up and the mesmerizing spell kept us
awake. The stillness,the calmness and the nature's fragrance are our partners
for this stay. Cheers.
Day 3
& 4- 01- 02 Sep 2018. The stillness,the calmness and the nature's fragrance were our
partners for this stay. If today, these places are so enchanting, then what
bliss they would have been for the likes of Jim Corbett and to the
saints/poets/writers who lived in these serene mountains! Life would have been
so very different for these folks- we can only wonder and remain in their awe.
The climb from our
Deodhar Cottage to the road head amounted to 27 Floors (or downhill!) of 670
meters. This challenge removed the need for any TMT and proved that the body
was still performing at 1763 Meters above the sea level. The pounding heart
heated up the blood vessels as we did this route 4 times in 02 nights stay. The
view en-route is simply- breathtaking.
When we finally
climbed for our departure towards Bhimtal, the whistling winds from the tall
trees ran a melodious music for us. The clouds rose through the valley and hit
the cheeks to leave a cool effect. The village market Folks gave a passing
glance as if to tell the traveler that you can stay longer! Wish we could and
with a vow to return, I powered up the Duster.
We crossed a bend and
saw the signboard *Jageshwar Dham* - 3 km. We put the Duster on the track and
came to an ancient heritage site with a temple complex. This complex has small
and big temples in a single complex sitting next to a rivulet. The nip in the
air cannot be missed here. Going around the temples, we saw newly weds going
through prayers with their families. It is here that we met an astrologer who
was candid with his calculations and the discussion was amazing. We left
Jageshwar happy and contended- our lives have so much.
We scaled Bhimtal and
after a rejuvenating Masala Tea at a NGO Tea Stall checked into *Freddy's
Bungalow* at Bhimtal. This Bungalow is also a part of *Itmenaan Estate*. The
wonderful part of this Bungalow perched up high on a hill top is its amazing
collection of well preserved Butterflies and Insects found in these hills.
Amazing and worth a watch. The courteous staff looked after is well and we
stayed the night in a well maintained attic room.
Jim
Corbett has always been an intriguing figure for me. This time, we
decided to stop at The Corbett
Museum located in Kaladhungi.
His house wherein he lived with his spinster sister Maggi is a treat to visit.
We had crossed this place so many times during our travels to Corbett Park but
never stopped. Jim's adventures and his books have some of the most captivating
accounts of Man Vs Wild.
If Jim had technology at his disposal, Bear Gryllsmay
not have been in business. Jim Corbett traversed through a large tract of Kumaon and Garhwal Hills. Many would
be amazed to know that he was born in India from his parents respective second
marriages, worked for Railways, fought with Kumaoni troops in the First World
War (was a Colonel) and went on to do successful businesses. He was a true
colonizer and each visit to Corbett leaves us mesmerized as we discuss how he
would have lived in those days! Amazing lives and Jim deserved the best from
India.
The pit stop at
Corbett Museum rejuvenated us as we read the letters which he wrote and how
well he understood India. The Museum Shop has a handsome offer of great stuff.
We picked up spices, tea, pickles and a Compass to keep us focused on the
North.
The return leg to
Delhi has its choke points at Pilakhua (Hapur) as the bridge construction leads
to jams. Well, a price has to be paid for infrastructure development and we
paid 45 minutes for the cause.
We entered Delhi
amidst news of water logging due to heavy rains and checked into the home at
9pm.
The 04 days amounted
to 840 kms, a study of Kumaon hills above Almora and the next travel to Berinag and Munsiyari beckons ahead.
It is always a pleasure to see the snow clad mountains and the chill in the
atmosphere.
Travel you must and
discover the hidden India. Itmenaan
Estates gave us an amazing perspective as it is a
challenge to reach its boundaries. Once these boundaries are scaled, you will
be awestruck with the power of Mother Nature running its magic all over. The
cool breeze whistling through pines, the gushing water in a hidden waterfall,
the Milky Way lighting up the night, the clouds going up and down- what more
one needs to charge the heart, mind and soul. (Travel Photos- https://photos.app.goo.gl/m3FNMV57Tk6JB5Hc9)
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