Simply .... India!

I wish for you to immerse yourself in the happy vibe of Pushkar,

The silver trinkets and shiny jackets,

Sun kissed camels and joyful people.

I wish you get lost in the city Of Ajmer and find yourself in a dargah,

Soaking every bit of the peace and calm amidst the rush, 

Sipping some tea after a long walk through the city,

It's been a long day. 

I wish you find some solace in the by lanes of Jaipur, 

Its sights and its colours,

It's history and its fervour. 

How I wish you explore some of me and my country,

Two parts magnifique and one part aroma, 

Live again,

In quite Simply, India!

Pushkar

Jaipur

A shimmery view of Ajmer 

Johri Bazaar, Jaipur

(Photos taken via iPhone)

Lessons from Ladakh

I had pictured myself in Ladakh multiple number of times before I actually visited the place. Scenes of me hauling the raft towards the Zanskar as my friends gear up to face the new foundland with scenes of me readying to trek up across a snow clad landscape - I was the heroine of my story, fit and raring to go! Only in reality, the scene was quite different than the myriad thoughts the over fertile mind had strewn together. I was struggling to decide on between the ten day visit to Ladakh via Kargil whether I should really continue the journey, would I be able to have fun while nursing an injured leg and whether I was imagining the symptoms of AMS (acute mountain sickness) owing to the extensive research on the single most topic I had read about, before the trip actually commenced. I am glad I stayed! If not the best, the journey across Srinagar-Kargil-Ladakh-Lahaul-Delhi with the motley bunch of 4 has been one of the most fulfilling ones in my life.

Having visited Spiti earlier, the landscape of Ladakh did disappoint some of us a bit, however the varied experiences we had right from getting stuck in a landslide while passing Zoji La , to the special bond that is now made with our driver/guide/now friend Lopzang Tsering, to plucking the most delicious apricots from trees at Alchi , to the wildlife that we chanced upon - made everything worth the while. Be it sighting two wolves near the Pangong Tso, or tailing the Himalayan Red Fox across Chang La or chancing upon a land full of marmots, we got really lucky!Getting stuck at Keylong, Lahaul, while on the way back to Manali because of a rather different reason also needs a special mention here.

The ever helpful nature of the Ladakhi locals has had a lasting impression on all those who visited the mighty places with us. It has also reaffirmed my belief that people from the hills are much more in sync with nature as compared to us people from plains.

Time and again, traveling has made me realize, see my place as a mortal human in a more natural order. It is much more grand and functional than I could ever imagine. Stand in front of the daunting mountain, lie down facing the enormous sky, see the never ending ocean  -  it's the most humbling experience ever. 

These words by Wendell Berry have never made more sense to me than today - "Always in big woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is the ancient fear of the unknown, and it is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. You are undertaking the first experience of our essential loneliness, for nobody can discover the world for anybody else. It is only after we have discovered it for ourselves that it becomes a common ground and a common bond, and we cease to be alone." 

You can view some videos of the different landscapes we came across the sojourn here - a collection of vine videos that i attempted. A ten day trip to Ladakh certainly doesn't do justice, neither to the place, nor to you. I plan to go back sometime, next year with more fitness packed and more time to explore the mountains, I hear the Zanskar calling me already.

Until next time - Julley :-)

Wolf and Himalayan Red Fox - Picture Copyright - Shardul Bist

Himalayan Marmot - Picture Copyright - Shardul Bist

Lopzang Tsering (right) - Picture Copyright - Kulshreshtha Gaurav

Lopzang clearing the rocks at Zoji La - Picture Copyright - Shardul Bist

Locals at Kargil

Crescent - as seen from Drass War Memorial on the occassion of Eid (also seen in the pic - Tiger Hill - the last peak from right)

Can't miss out the pic with dogs - Picture Copyright - Kulshreshtha Gaurav

Escape Routes

Vast green expanse, neat jogging track, amphitheatre and frequent peacock calls! Who knew Gurgaon could house a piece of peace! Finally found a place here which I could relate to - The Aravali Biodiversity Park. It's a part of the majestic Delhi ridge which houses a variety of birds and butterfly species.

Visit this place either early mornings or evenings and let it simply grow on you. 

P.S: Your four legged furry companions are also allowed. You are welcome.

Girls Trip gone wild ....

It had all the ingredients of an adventurous trip. One Car, four girls (Komal, Medha, Niyati & I), all by themselves, doing the Chandigarh-Dharamshala-McLeodganj-Chamba-Dalhousie - Chandigarh route.

View from Dalhousie (Photo Credit: Komal L.)

We had a very able driver in Medha. She was from the hills, she knew her way around, had driven extensively in the hilly terrain, nothing could go wrong.

All was well till Chamba. It was a fantastic journey. Our first halt was at Dharamshala - Quaint, quiet and cold. It was late Jan, spring was around. Girls were ecstatic. We were putting up at a rather well looked after location. Four to six guards and two cooks were manning the place. The Bombay girls (Komal & I) discovered a weird looking device known as 'heater'. The whole night was spent marveling at technology.

We spent more time shopping on the streets of McLeodganj, evenings were spent at the bustling Irish Cafe. It was almost utopia there. Quiet, serene, great weather, Buddhist sites, cute dogs and tibetan market! :P  But we had less time on our hand. Having spent one night there, we moved up to Chamba.

The city girls would've sworn they had never seen a river earlier. Ravi River was almost magical.

Our day was spent appreciating the beauty of Ravi and indulging in a rather heavy Madra. Kidney beans made with curd and some generous portions of ghee along with rice - don't miss this Kangra delicacy, the next time you are there. We were too full to drive further hence we took a driver on board.

Having spent a full day in Chamba we started for Dalhousie. It was already dark. There was fresh snowfall. We were driving downhill into a black forest and it didn't seem to end. The shadows of the big Pine trees on the pavement had spooked me. I was the first one to stop talking amongst the four of us. In the next five minutes one by one we were all soaked into the environment. Silence.

Terrified. All of us. Something was really wrong, but we couldn't single it out. We were about to take a sharp turn on the valley, when suddenly, Komal asked the driver to stop the car and take a u-turn back into the main city. We trusted her instincts. There was no room for debate. Medha got out to guide our driver for the turn. She stepped out of the car for a second and shut the door asap. "Let's just drive back, i'm sure he doesn't need my help," she said.

We drove back in pin drop silence and discovered -  Peace Channels Resorts, our night halt. I hit the bed as soon as I saw it, while the rest of them continued to finish college assignments due for the next day. I woke up with a strange dream of a big black bear pounding on our door and a big black cat tip toeing on the resort stairs. Apparently as it turned out, it wasn't a dream. The bear was indeed there and so was the cat. Our room was heated and the only one with lights turned on. The animals were looking for warmth or saw a good meal in us. We were only thankful of the glass door being strong enough to take the pounding.

The next day whizzed by and we started for Chandigarh. I was just glad to be out of Dalhousie and that godforsaken road. While a trip is planned to explore what we could've encountered that night at the turn, I definitely don't want to go there, ever!

How safe are our animals in National Parks? India edition

 

We had a great time at Ranthambore National Park. We were immersed in the yellow and green expanse of the wilderness.We were also lucky to sight the tiger in our second safari. And it was not a regular sighting. We were tailing her for five minutes. From the second she was in the bushes to the minute she paraded on the main jungle pathway. We were ecstatic. We had been to two national parks for tiger spotting – Corbett & Bandhavgarh, but nothing was close to what we were about to witness. 

There were three gypsy’s including ours and one canter. Each was trying to get a better view. There were hushed whispers of T-39 also known as Mala walking in the bushes. Our driver said she would eventually walk on the main path where gypsy’s drove, so we rushed a few steps ahead of other vehicles. As expected she came on the very path and strolled ahead of us, unperturbed by our presence. She kept walking for a minute and suddenly she stopped, turned to take a look at us and walked away in the woods.(The video can be found here)

 

It was a successful journey and I am glad it happened, but it also brought into light how vulnerable these animals are. Many overzealous drivers are known to take the jeeps/canters excessively close to the tigers, enraging them. A quick search on Youtube and one would see agitated tigers chasing the vehicles eventually leading them out of their territory. It can be traumatizing for not just the animal but also for those sitting in the vehicles. 

Another incident at Gir, Gujrat, in the summer of 2009 is testimony to the horrors of allowing visitors in wildlife sanctuaries. This sanctuary is known to be the sole home of the Asiatic lion. It was probably May and the jungle was facing one of its most harsh months. We had two guides with us. On reaching the heart of the jungle they stopped our jeep and stepped outside with two thick bamboo poles. They went inside the jungle beating the poles to the ground and within a few minutes we saw them behind two lionesses – driving them near our jeep. We don’t know how they did it. They apparently did so to make a quick buck.  

We were told it is not allowed to step out of the vehicle, but apparently everything is possible in Indian national parks/sanctuaries. I know of friends who have taken many a night safaris in sanctuaries equipped with booze. We were offered deer and monkey meat during our Bandhavgarh sojourn multiple times. (Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh is supposed to have the highest density of Bengal tigers in India.)

If you have money or access to certain privileges you can get away with anything. Hunting is not unheard of either; the black buck shooting case is testimony to this fact.  What is the solution? Do we stop visitors in sanctuaries/national parks, considering the dangerous animal our own species is turning out to be? 

T-39/Mala at Ranthambore

 

Lionesses seen at Gir

Adventures are waiting to happen - Get Out There!

Our Corbett trip in Feb, a few years ago, was rather uneventful. 3 safaris and just a glimpse of the Tiger miles away from us, it was a total disappointment.

Entertainment and surprise awaited, thanks to this auto rickshaw ride which was supposed to be inside the periphery of the national park. We asked him to take us around the place for lesser known spots. Kailash, the rickshaw driver, was beaming, he had just seen two naive youngsters and he was to guide their travel crusade for the rest of the evening, and perhaps even the night. "Nainital is forty five minutes away, you must've heard about it," he said in a very matter-of-fact manner.

We were ecstatic! Nainital! That too 45 mins away? Seemed way too good a proposition. Didn't bat an eyelid to blurt out. "YES!!"

Indeed, adventures happens by surprise.  With our cell phones drained out, we had no way to check where we were headed. But, how harmless could a 45 minute ride be? Anyway, we were gung-ho for Nainital. Half an hour into the ride, it was hard not to notice the drop in temperature. Dressed in light, cotton summer wear, me, the Mumbaikar was certainly having a tough time containing herself.

After what seemed like an eternity we reached Nainital. The temperature was around 10 degrees. In the last two and a half hours, we were two teeth chattering, clueless tourists, heading to the nearest store to pile on couple of layers of clothes.

We took in the sights and sounds of the place for the next forty five minutes, as the sun was setting. Time was less and who knew another two and a half hour had to be spent in the Rickshaw with forests and valley in the periphery. We hurried back, and about 10 kms away  from the national park, my heart skipped a beat. We finally had our date with the bold yellow beast. What a frightful sight, s/he was a few metres away, crossing the road and Kailash beamed, "You are lucky. It was surely chasing some animal, else we would have been dead meat."

I think we paid him extra that night.

Come to think of it, who could have imagined, a rickshaw ride from Corbett to Nainital, three safaris, one tiger sighting and one helluva escape! Phew!