Part II - Travelogues from my trip to the North

Day 4 (contd...): After being completely bowled over by the splendor of Golden Temple, it was amidst thick fog that we slowly and cautiously drove out of Amritsar. But the fog did claim its share of casualties that morning. In less than a couple of hours, we witnessed 3 accidents - one involved a car barely 50feet from ours. Not the perfect beginning to our journey to Dev Bhoomi!

Still trying to forget the blood-stained bodies of the accident victims, we made a quick stop at Punjab-Himachal border for some snacks - a stop that later proved quite upsetting for Nitesh...lol.

Thanks to the the thick fog initially and then to the curvaceous ghaats and Nitesh's disturbed system later, it was already noon when we reached the Chintapurni Devi a.k.a. Chinnamastika Devi Temple. The temple is located in the Shivalik mountain range, and amasses huge crowds during the Navratri festival. You take a flight of marble stairs to get to the temple, where the Devi is present in the form of a pindi. The staircase is flanked on both sides with shops, where you can buy prasad [and only then they let you keep your shoes in their shop, as there is no arrangement at the temple], and souvenirs. However, like most other temples, your barely get to see the Holy Pindi, before you are pushed out of the temple, either by the huge crowds behind you or by the pandits and the security personnel around.


We initially had plans to visit all the 4 Devi's [Chintapurni, Jwala, Kangra & Naina Devi], Himachal is so famous for; but now doing so, would have disturbed our plans for McLeodganj and Vaishno Devi. So skipping the visit to the other 3 temples, we headed straight to McLeodganj via Kangra & Dharamshala - a scenic & picturesque drive through the Shivalik range. All through the drive one thought kept coming back to my mind over and over again - If Himachal didn't have the temples & tourist spots it presently has, what would have been a revenue earner for the locals otherwise!

It was about 5 in the evening when we finally reached 'Little Lhasa'. Yes! the town of McLeodganj is also known by this name as everything here is Tibetan - the people, the houses, the temples, the food, the clothes, the art. And why not, after all McLeodganj is now home to His Holiness the Dalai Lama [who was in McLeodganj that day]. We quickly checked-in to a hotel, which to my surprise offered us rooms at almost 80% discounted rates [thanks to the off season]. Soon we were on the streets of McLeodganj appreciating the beauty of the city and its citizens ;o)

The first thing we did was to treat ourselves with some Tibetan delicacies - Soup & Thukpa [flat noodles with vegetables & mild spices]. But this was not before we came across a World Peace march which is organized every year in McLeodganj. People from all age groups take part in the march, which this year certainly was a silent protest against the Chinese atrocities in Lhasa.

After the sumptuous snack we set out on foot for the Tsuglagkhang Temple, which is the main Buddhist temple in McLeodganj. Two things stand out about this place - one, that unlike any other temple in India, you can carry a [video] camera even inside the sanctum sanctorum; and two, even amidst the huge tourist rush, the Buddhist monks perform their services with the same composure & calm, as if they were the only ones there. The open terraces, the Stupas, the prayer wheels, the idols of Guru Padmasambhava & Avalokiteśvara; they all give the temple a mystical appeal & the candle list porches only added to the awe.


The temple houses the entire collection of the Sanskrit & English versions of Lord Buddha's preaching, and ancient Tibetan texts. I was always very curious to know why Buddhists rotate these 'cylinders'; and this curiosity was finally brought to rest by a monk on the temple premises who told us that, on these prayer wheels are inscribed hundreds of shloks & hyms, and rotating each wheel is equivalent to reciting all that is incribed on it. Sure is something of the lazy bones [no offences meant]!!


It was getting late, and crowds from the streets were soon vanishing - not that everyone was retiring in their hotel room; the place has some great eating [and obviously drinking] joints, right from Italian, to Tibetan to Chinese to Punjabi - everything can be found here. We decided to quench our thirst before we were to call it a [loooooong] day, and the pub Xcite was just the place to be! Kingfisher for me, and Smirnoff for Nitesh, some [pea]nuts to crack, and meat to bite - some ending for Day 4!!

Day 5: I never had seen a more beautiful morning than what I stood witness to that day from my hotel room. On one side was the sun rising behind the snow capped mountains, and on the other was the valley, which glowed in the morning sun. A picture perfect setting for a cuppa, and we didn't miss on that!!


Rushing through the morning chores and getting over with our driver's khit-pit we reached the base of the Bhagsu Nag Waterfall trek. It is about a kilometer trek through the ups-n-downs and twist-n-turns of the graphite mountains. Probably not the best time to visit the waterfall as it was merely a narrow stream of water running down the slope that time. But we thoroughly enjoyed the trek, the valley and the omelette we had. Oh yea...not to forget the photo shoot on the stones!!


On our way back, we visited the Bhagsu Nag Temple - dedicated to the snake God & Lord Shiva. Our last stop in McLeodganj was the Dal [read dull] Lake. The water was muddy, and the paddle boats were all wrecked. However, the oaks & pines that surround the lake, puts it on every tourists must-visit list.


We left Dal lake around noon, and were now speeding through the ghaats in rush to reach Patni Top before the night falls. The road we took was through Punjab and I really couldn't, understand why we had to go thru Punjab to reach J&K when we already were in Himachal :(. But since we were on a Fixed Bid project and not T&M [lol...tough to restrain the software engineer], we really didn't bother much about the route our driver chose. [tubelights....fixed bid = we were to pay the driver on per day basis; T&M = time & material = need to pay per kilometer]. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as on this trip itself, we got to see another border [after Wagha border]; this time Punjab - J&K border. We made a stop at Madhopur, a border village, where we savored Punjab's famous daal makhni & chana masala yet again.

After a routine RTO check on the border, we.....we......we......
Oops....I don't remember what happened after the check post. My next memory is of being terribly shaken by Nitesh asking me to get up and get out of the taxi as we had reached PatniTop and need to inquire about the hotels. Hmmmm ... I think I slept after that heavy lunch-cum-evening snack! Even though he had already asked about the tariff at the only hotel in the vicinity, he still dragged me out to have a look around. And damn was it cold that night!! The chilliest night of our tour so far. Without wasting another minute we checked-in to the hotel and while he still could brave the cold and have dinner, it was already Good Night for me!

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My two cents for travelers visiting McLeodganj & 4 Devi

1. Plan the journey such that you can visit all the 4 Devi's in this region. I have been told the treck to Naina Devi is beautiful.
2. Avoid parathas at road-side restaurants. Ask Nitesh why?
3. Those visiting Dharamshala, should surely visit McLeodganj. Commercialization is yet to spoil this place.
   
4. The Tsuglagkhang Temple is opened till only 8pm, so keep track of time when visiting McLeodganj.
5. 8kms ahead of Dal Lake is Naddi - a scenic tourist spot. One must visit this place if time permits.
6. For those who love to trek and are excited about snow, Dharamkot is the place to be. Several treks are organized to & from Daramkot, which is a village on the outskirts of McLeodganj.
7. Avail the best hotel deals in off seasons. Bargain as much as you can [applies when out for shopping too]
8. Try hot-beer [beer with honey and herbs] at the local pubs. It gives a better kick than the routine one ;)
   

Part I - Travelogues of my trip to the North

Two Travelers - Three States - Five Cities - Seven Days - Ten Destinations!! Not the mathemagic any travel guide would suggest. But who can stop the determined. Leaving boredom and frustration behind, we [I & my buddy Nitesh] set out on an action packed journey to the Northern states of Punjab, Himachal and J&K. Why action packed? B'coz the action started well before we reached our first pit-stop: Amritsar.

The Journey to Amritsar
Day 1: Sharing high fives and broad smiles, we boarded the train to Delhi on a hot sweaty afternoon; and true to my history of traveling in trains, even this time I had a dull all-male co-passenger compartment. Nothing interesting here....

Day 2: Numerous trains ferry passengers between Delhi & Amritsar - at least this is what I thought when I planned the trip, and took the chance of not making the reservation for this route. How wrong was I proved when we finally had to board the General compartment of the train; only to find ourselves seated on the edge of a wooden plank already being shared by 6 other passengers [though I certainly did not mind the presence of the one sitting right next to me - a chic chick - another causality of over-confidence]. However, all good things come to an end, and to our dismay, our only hope of somehow bearing the general compartment got off at the very next station. Our patience didn't last too long, and we too got off after a tiring couple of hours.

Taking our chances we moved to the Sleeper coach, completely unaware of what awaited us in there - a drunk surd, who beat the s**t out of us when the spirits got the better of him. I get goosebumps when I think of that empty coach with a bunch of surds, one of them completely sozzled, going crazy, asking us to get off and travel Punjab with him; if not, at least spend a night at his place and then continue the journey. Damn him and his motives!!

The Land of Warriors - Amritsar, Punjab
Day 3: After having spent a good couple of hours hotel-cum-food hunting at night, we were in no mood to get out of the bed early; and the chilly winds outside gave us another reason for not doing so. But the very thought of the places we had to visit and the time we had, got us out on road - this time taxi-hunting. But this hunt didn't last long, and soon we were off to Jaliawala Bagh; but not before we had a sumptuous lunch at Bharanwan da Dhaba.

What happened on April 13, 1919 at Jaliawala Bagh is ingrained in every Indian's mind. The moment you step inside the memorial, the massacre suddenly comes alive in your head; the moment you see the bullet marks on the walls, all your history lessons flash in front of your eyes. You can't help but feel for those trapped inside on that fateful day. It's a feeling so heavy, you want to move out ASAP.









But only a minutes walk from the memorial is Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as The Golden Temple - place where the eternal guru of Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is present. People from all walks of life and religion are welcomes at this holy place, and the four entrances to the temple [in all four direction] signify the same. But what strikes you the most about any Gurudwara across the world is the seva which the Sikhs perform there. People would swipe the floor, take care of others' shoes, serve food at langars, wash utensils and perform every task that one would want to have a servant for - a gesture missing at most other religious places.

Being 26th Jan, a national holiday in India, the temple was flooded with devotees from far and wide. The ceremony at Wagah Border was something we did not want to miss; so we planned to return to Golden Temple early next day [an advice I will always be thankful for to our driver]. The drive to Wagah Border is about 40 mins from the city, and for the first time we came across the lush green fields Punjab is so famous for.

But as soon as you reach the border, you suddenly feel an overwhelming surge of patriotism and sense of belonging to the nation. People here gathered from all over the country to see the 'Lowering of the Flags' parade, and Republic Day celebrations only added to the fervor. Amidst loud slogans of Hindustan Zindabaad, Bharat Mata ki Jai & Vande Maatram, students from Khalsa college performed Giddha [folk dance of Punjab which females perform] and Bhangra [folk dance of Punjab which males perform]. The enthusiasm reached its peak when the spiffy B.S.F and Pakistan Rangers' soldiers started an aggressive & thrilling march towards the gate at the border. The ceremony culminates after the national flags are lowered and finally removed from the flag-posts. However, the enthusiasm of the crowds and feeling of patriotism doesn't end there - you take them back as souvenirs from the border, often called the Berlin Wall of Asia.












There is one more thing very famous about Amritsar - The Non-Veg, and being a hardcore non veggie, I just could not miss out on this one. The dinner had to be 100% non-veg, and I made sure so it was. Roasted Chicken, Amritsari Fish and Bacardi - quite a dinner I would say!!

Day 4: As they say, 'Leave the Best for the Last', we did just that by revisiting the Golden Temple at 4:30am, and what we saw was simply MAJESTIC. The temple glowed in middle of the Amrit Sarovar, as if a burning wick in a lamp. You reach the main temple following the Parikrama in a clockwise direction. While we were standing along side other solemn devotees, waiting to get inside the Darbar Sahib, I just could not take my eyes off the skilled craftsmanship & the intricate designs on the gold plated facade of the temple. Inside the temple, there is a continuous recitation of scriptures from the holy book. As we came out of the main shrine, we were amazed to see the temple disappear in thick fog. It was like, the building was there 5 minutes before, and gone now. Magical!!












Completely awed by the beauty and serenity of the Golden Temple, we left the temple complex and headed straight to our next pit-stop: Chintpoorni Devi & McLeodganj in Himachal.

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My two cents for travelers visiting Amritsar:

1. Lot of cheap hotels [Rs 300-700] are available near the railway station with decent lodging facilities. However, bargaining might not work at these places.
2. Hire a taxi [Rs 700-800] or an Auto-Rickshaw [Rs 400-500] for local sight-seeing. Jaliawal Bagh, Golden Temple & Wagah Border are must-visit locations. Durgiana Temple, Company Bagh, Town Hall, and Taran Taran are few other places you can visit if you have enough time.
   
3. Visit Golden Temple twice - once during the day time, and once at night [must visit]. If possible, plan to visit the temple when the Holy Book is carried to the Akaal Takhth from the Darbar Sahib - a procession that takes place late in the evening [check at the temple for the exact time as it depends on the lunar calendar].
4. Travel light to Wagah Border, and try to reach early [around 3:30pm] as the parade starts sharp at 5:00pm and the crowds can get really big on special occasions. Try to get a seat in the area next to the Welcome Gate, as the view is best from there.
5. Do sample non-veg in Amritsar, as the tastes different [for the better] that the non-veg you might have eaten anywhere else .
6. Do sample desi gud ki sharab - more of a delicacy; your taxi driver can certainly help you out in getting the right mix.
   
7. Lastly, do not get into a brawl with the local police [as I have been told, Punjab Police is the toughest to handle, and doesn't bother about your sources in the system]

Ready, Steady & Here I Goooo!!!!

Ever since company_6's amazing Lonavala-Matheran trip, we all were raring to plan something very similar once again. The Republic Day long weekend seemed like an apt time to do so; but getting all 6 [read 8 - as two of us have tied the knot] people at one place, on one date, is fast becoming more of a dream. Why? Because, one is in the US, one has just come back from the US & is already planning to go again, one doesn't have enough leave balance [ya a baggage that always comes with high paying jobs], couple # 1 is to celebrate their 1st marriage anniversary this weekend [congratulations in advance guys], and couple # 2 is already holidaying in Malaysia....woooof, we certainly are a bunch!!

But the only one who is 'stuck' in Indore is I, and is more restless than anyone else for an outing. So putting off the company_6 outing for some other 'suitable' date, I decided to challenge the mountains on my own, and carved out a serene trip to Northern India - to the lands of Warriors, to the Dev Bhoomi, to the City of Temples and to the Capital City. Yea, yea some of you got it right - Punjab, Himachal, Jammu & Delhi are on my list. It's going to be a week long trip commencing Jan 24, and I will be traveling to Amritsar in Punjab, Dharamshala, McLeaodganj & Kangra in Himachal, Patnitop & VaishnoDevi in Jammu and then a day long city tour of Delhi, before coming back to Indore on Feb 1. But why these places?

• When I was planning the trip to North, I couldn't leave Amritsar out [even though it is a detour for the rest of the locations] for the very history of this place - no Indian can forget Dyer's massacre at Jaliawallah Bagh. Golden Temple & 'Lowering of the Flags' ceremony at Wagah Border got Amritsar on the itinerary on its own.
  
• The tough part was selecting places to visit in Himachal, as this could well be one of the most beautiful regions of India. Hill Stations galore in this part of the country and it had to be something more than a mere hill station to be on the itinerary. Dharamshala, McLeoganj & Kangra just had that bit extra to their credit - Headquaters of Dalai Lama & Tibetan Monuments.
  
• You can't visit North in winters and not hope to see fresh snow; that is why PatniTop, which is 'loaded' with snow these days [yippee am already excited about snow'wo'man], appears on my list.
  
• With 25 years of committing sins, I think I needed to visit the holy abode of Maata VaishnoDevi to absolve all my wrong doings.
• Given that Delhi is my second home, I can kick my butt for not visiting places like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple and the likes, in all the numerous visits I have had to Delhi over the years. So it's a natural fallout of all the beating my butt took, that Delhi appears on my ToGo list.
  

Over the past one week I have spoken to a whole lot of taxi operators, travel operators and people who have been to these places before; I visited numerous forums and travel websites; dug deep into the rail, road, political & physical maps of Northern India; and burnt midnight oil trying to gather as much information as possible about these places. And with the preparations in full swing [got a backpack, a bigger memory stick for my digicam, loads of winter wear, tickets for the round trip etc.] the excitement is reaching its peak. I just can't wait for the day to pass, and board the north bound train tomorrow.

Oh! ya and my companions on the trip....a backpack and my school buddy Nitesh!!

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COMING SOON: Travelogues of my trip to the North!