Shirdi

I am not particularly religious but spiritual on a certain level. Shirdi has been one religious shrine that has been on top of my list for always. I had heard all these magical stories of Sai Baba coming to help his followers and things happening that had no explanation and all this made me very curious. I first visited Shirdi when I had given my 10th board exams. I had to visit and offer my prayers for better results, in my case to pass with little more marks than the passing average. I went with my aunt’s and I do not remember what special occasion it was because the temple was fairly less crowded.

We had reached early morning and checked into a shady room, well shady is an understatement though, but that was the only option then. Today you get some fantastic accommodation in Shirdi since the trust has gone into better managed hands. All of us freshened up and I was anticipating a long unwinding que but I was pleasantly surprised. We took our offerings and stood in the waiting area.

After about 10 mins of waiting I was straight in the shrine area. I was thrilled and for the first time in my life I experienced this overwhelming feeling and I had tears in my eyes as I stood in front of the shrine. I felt embarrassed about it tried to hold them back but it was too overwhelming to be held back. I sat there for a good 15 mins without any distraction and was awestruck by the aura and energy that shrine exuded. We went ahead to this other shrine in the temple complex called “Dwarkira Mai” where Sai Baba was supposed to have lived. There is an eternal flame which was lit when Sai Baba took Samadhi. There is also a neem or eucalyptus tree in the premises and the strangest part is the leaves are sweet, or rather not bitter. Very strange and you gotta taste it to believe it.

The premise then was totally different from what it is today. I could actually manage to get Darshan a second time when my aunt lost a one of her slipper from the pair (it actually happened, although doesn’t happen anymore) we went back to search for it. That’s when I managed to sneak in and nobody stopped me. It can’t be possible now since the entire management has changed and the place has become better managed and slightly commercial. Now you should consider yourself lucky if you can manage even one time decent darshan.

The second time I went was a disaster trip. I can’t complain but that can’t turn the fact around. Some gunk threw my shoes out of the bus and I went looking for it at 6 am and I had to walk bare feet till the hotel room. Some other personal problems happened and I did not know what to do. My aunt said I should not think about it and I did not. Went to the temple complex and had quick darshan but since had an evening bus to catch we sat in the premises all day. It was a very different feeling to be sitting in a temple all day, very calming.

My third trip was with friends. We all drove from Mumbai to Shirdi and like most religious trips have to begin on a wrong note coz God wants to check your endurance and faith, ours was twisted too. our driver was awesomely slow... we had a flat Tyre in the middle of no where and then we took 9 hours for a 5-6 hour journey! But all said and done... it was awesome. We reached at 11, had our first glimpse of Dwarka mai and returned to our rooms. Got p early in the morning to catch the Kaakad aarti at 4am and we did. The experience was so overwhelming. The constant echo of 'mandir ki ghanti' the chants and the calm of the place brought tears to my eyes. The effect is so calming that your mind doesnt know how to react. But then as soon as the aarti got over we had to leave and return to the madness of the city.

I want to go back but haven’t been able to somehow. But surely I will make it soon!

Aurangabad - Daultabad

I confess today I had completely not known and had underestimated the beauty and charm of this city. Aurangabad is the original home of King Aurangzeb. A city that has history in the air it breathes is also host to UNESCO’s one of world heritage sites ‘Ajanta-Ellora caves’. Has some 6 in and out flights connected to Delhi and Mumbai and is also a popular tourist destination. The Japanese have funded Aurangabad to build its airport so that tourists from Japan can connect with Aurangabad.

I had spent time working mostly here and hardly got time to explore Ajanta Ellora but one thing I did here was visit the fantastic Daultabad fort. Now this was and is the only fort which was never won in a battle due to its engineering genius. It still stands undefeated and when you see it you’d know why. Now there are several levels of security around the fort. Let me unveil them one by one.
• The entrance to the main fort is guarded by tall 10-15 ft tall thick walls that run around the fort. This is a long and winding wall which has window like openings for weapons to be placed in.
• If you manage to escape the illusive walls the premise around the Palace was surrounded by barracks that had infantry deployed for any emergency. Elephants and Horses were a part of it
• If you manage to escape that the whole fort is surrounded by a 10ft wide and several feet deep water canyon. I believe it homed alligators and crocodiles that could never let you alive. To get to the door or the fort one had to cross this canal which was a task
• If you managed to still enter the fort was still on top of a hill so one had to climb all the way up with their army which means waste of time and energy. The stairs were deliberately made so huge that it would enervate any hulk out.
• Now if that wasn’t enough the highlight of the fort is the Bhool-Bhulaiyya or a maze that was designed to disorient the enemy and lead him right out of the fort again. The entrances of the fort are so narrow that you would have to enter head first which meant your entire body is helpless and your head would be chopped off from the soldier on the other side.
• The maze is dark with not the tiniest particle of light. The defending soldiers sat inside small openings in the roofs and as soon as the enemy entered the narrow path they would jump from the top or throw fireballs in the dark. The roads were so illusive that if you take on wrong turn you would either fall into the canal outside toppling over a 200ft long tunnel or you’d be killed somewhere.
It is impossible to make it through the maze alone without the help of a guide. Although all the fatal exits are now closed for safety reasons, its best to hire a guide to see the fort. Daultabad is truly an engineering wonder for the time it was built.

Mysore Palace/ Summer Palace

Still staying in Bangalore this place called the Mysore Palace is a dream to see. A portion of it is still lived in by its original heirs and all of whom are adopted sons of the Wadiar hierarchy since he never had a son of his own.

I am not a palace person and I have faint memories of Mysore Palace but the one very important thing is a lift/elevator from very very old days that is still operational. The palace is atleast 5 stories high and perhaps the only one I saw where there was a lift inside the Palace! Very tech friendly kings! Then there were beautiful carvings all over the palace walls, ceilings and furniture that took my breath away. Supreme luxury, extremely big rooms and they had an art gallery of the sculptures and paintings gifted to the king is a must watch!


Summer Palace
By my memory and understanding the summer palace is not very far form Bangalore and hosted mighty Tipu Sultan during summers where he rested with his family. There isn’t much left in this Palace to see but a museum of the Palaces heir’s classics and the most important Tipu Sultans armor and weapons and his Famous Sword!
When you look at the sheer size of the sword its hard to believe a man 5 ft tall which was supposedly how tall Tipu was could have even held this in hand forget about fighting with it! Must pay a visit to check that sword out!

Talkadu

From the north to the south, a little ahead of Bangalore en-route to Mysore is a place most likely to be missed by many and not featured anywhere. We discovered this gem when our driver told us about it and all of us curious cats jumped on to the adventure ride instantly. A place sure to shock you and make you think if such things actually existed ever in history.

Talkadu is off the main road a few kms inside and very hard to locate then without someone who knew where it was. It was an archeological excavation site then and work was still in progress so it wasn’t open to tourists. But who can stop snooping noses like us who are suckers for adventure. The land was rocky and as we walked suddenly there was sand under our feet from nowhere. The guide told us the legend behind Talkadu. The story says that Raja Wadiar was a lazy and indulgent king. He had very little interest in ruling and had given his empire to his wife to handle and before dying asked her to never give it up to the British. Now while the British came to attack, the queen ran with as much as she could gather and cursed the kingdom would turn into sand and the British would never be able to rule it. The legend also says that since Raja Wadiar never had a heir of his own there are said o be hidden treasures around Talkadu if someone finds will be given the Wadiar kingdom.

It is hard to believe the legend but one is forced to after you see the amount of fine beach sand in the middle of nowhere. Only a few temples and courts were exacavated by then and I was completely thrilled about this trip into history. I was actually walking over the entire kingdom that was some 15 ft under sand waiting to be excavated and tell its story. The temples were carved in stone like most other old time monuments but the one interesting piece was the four corners of a temple that had rings dangling that were carved out of one single stone. The strangest is the two rings had no joints and were one single moving piece of stone. One dangled from the corner and the other intertwined in the one stationary ring. There was pottery from that time and the astonishing part was it was painted from both sides! Inside and outside!!! Now every class had different kind of paintings so one could differentiate between the pottery and utensils. The pots were regular mud brown from outside and had blue and ceramic paints inside apparently helped keep water cool for long.

I managed to steal a few invaluable pieces of that pottery which had I retained would have cost millions! But since they were jinxed I had to throw them away as I returned home. We were also actually standing on top of a mint where coins were made and I saw one that was still stuck in the mud that had some Greek face and had something engraved in a language that hailed from the era unknown to me! I loved it and had mentally been teleported to a time zone where I was experiencing how the life must have been then. Talkadu a must see on my list! It will not cost much since there is nothing to consume a day so you are free to carry on with your trip to Mysore.

Fatehpur-Seekhri

After being hypnotized by the Taj Mahal we moved ahead to Fatehpur Sikhri another mesmerizing piece of architecture. As you approach the Buland Darwaza welcomes you like a 60Ft bouncer. The inside was calm and peaceful and some maulvi’s were singing some qalam. Pigeons had made it their home and their flight and fluttering seemed to be dancing to the tunes of the qalam. There is a dargah right in the middle of the courtyard and it belongs to Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. People tie threads around the Dargah hoping their prayers will be answered and promise to return to untie it when their prayers are fulfilled.

The calmness and serenity around here is very very spiritual. It takes you on a different level all together. I remembered scenes from the movie Pardes which was shot here and felt happy about seeing a place that Shahrukh Khan had shot in. There was something very seductive about Fathepur that haunts me even today after so many years. Agra & Fathepur Sikhri top my list of History lessons into India.

The Taj Mahal

Whatever has been written about this monument is all trash! The monument is actually beggaring description. Nothing in the world can even come close to describing its beauty and magnificence. The Taj Mahal deserves every bit of fame that it has as one of the 7 wonders of the world.

I had seen the Taj Mahal after my board exams. After the stress I underwent for 3 months for the exams I wanted a break so we all drove down to Agra to see the Taj and Fatehpur Sikhri. It was slightly chilly and the drive from Delhi down was pleasant. My first of the Taj sent chills down my spine because of its sheer splendor and we came closer I couldn’t wait to capture it in my eyes. The way to the Taj doesn’t really seem like its leading to a monument of that grandeur but all said and done who pays attention to it! All eyes are set on the colossal entrance of the monument from where you start experiencing Taj. The doorway is massive and leads into a beautiful badi or garden. The centre of the garden is full of fountains and exotic plants around it. In all that beauty all on can see it the pristine white monument in the background that zooms into your face as you walk closer towards it. All I remember is the awesome architecture and outstanding work on the walls of the monument that left me speechless. I kept looking at the walls spellbound and the surroundings faded out of my mind gradually. All I could hear was sufi music from the history that my mind was hallucinating about. Platonic love all around is all that you can sense in this monument. We took off our shoes before entering the monument and I could feel the cold marble under my feet that kind of calmed my nerves as I walked towards the main part of the Taj Mahal which is the maqbara. Both emperor Shahjahan and Mumtaz are supposedly buried there. As I stood against the maqbara I felt immense love infused in me. A feeling that I still don’t know how to describe or explain. All I felt was peace and solitude and the few moments seemed like eternity. I wish I was in love then to have shared the overwhelming experience with my beloved. Just above the maqbara is the infamous tiny whole on the top that trickles water on the hypothetical Shiv-ling underneath. I could not see it though but yes there was a grill between the maqbara from where you could see something under it.

I roamed the corridors and the premises lost in trance and feeling how it must have been to be in so much love to have built this beautiful piece of architecture. As people took pictures of the Taj in various funny poses I looked in amazement thinking pictures can not even half express how beautiful this monument is? I sat down to fill it in my eyes and take it back as a personal picture which only I can recapture when I want. The Taj is truly a symbol of love and something that will stand as the symbol of India forever.

Ganpatipule

An extremely well kept secret of Ratnagiri, Ganpatipule boasts of the coasts most dangerous beaches. The water here is turbulent and the tides erratic. But for people like me who live little on the edge such beaches are paradises.

Luckily for us we did not get accommodation in the hotel so we had to live in a tent which was even more exciting. The tents were located at a juncture where the river met the sea. Two different streams of water mixed so effortlessly I was particularly amazed at this sight. I had never seen the river attenuate itself in the sea.

We had reached Ganpatipule sometime in the afternoon and the whole beach was isolated. It’s a rare sight for a beach not a single human! We were 2 families, my uncle’s and us and we share 2 tents. I cannot resist water so I duped the bags and hit the beach straight knowing the fact that I cannot swim and the beaches were dangerous. Seeing me everybody jumped into the water and we played and soiled ourselves for 5 hours in the salty water. My cousins and I made sand castles at the shore that the sea kept sweeping away and the ladies strolled along the beach while the men showed off their heroic swimming skills. Water tires you out and after 5 hours of ducking in the water we were starving. At that time there was only one shack on the beach that served food. We ate our guts out and then slept like babies till late night. When we came back to the beach for dinner and drinks the sea had become monstrous. The tides were high and had come till the foot of the shack which was on top of a small hill. It hit the rock so hard that droplets would smudge our faces. The winds gushed through the shack whistling and romancing the sea. It was a beautiful night. We were too tired to do anything else for the night so we retired in our tents.

Next morning again I wanted to be a mermaid but we had to visit this famous Ganpatipule temple host to one of the ‘asthavinayak ganpati’s’ in Maharashtra. The Idol is completely natural which means the stone took the shape of Lord Ganesha which is called the ‘swayambhoo’. People walk up bare feet when their wishes are fulfilled. Some go around the temple 108 times at the foothill. We did none of it and did 3 rounds of the temple only and offered our prayers. When we walked back I being the Aquarian had to jump back into the water and that’s exactly what I did. But last nights high tide had not receded yet so water was tumultuous. I was a little scared and I took to the shore where I happily gathered shells. Just then a high tide with tremendous pressure came and swept off sand under my feet and pulled me into the water. I was dragged in the opposite direction as everyone and I freaked out! My uncle came running and pulled me out to the shore. Everybody laughed at me while I removed sand from my ears and coughed out salt water. Lunch was calling and we decided to climb upto this nearby resort which had a proper restaurant. Good simple sea food and we were set to sleep again! Evening we had to push off and al we did for 2 days was fighting the waves! A fantastic weekend getaway if you want to do basically nothing and chill on a hammock sipping your drinks away and reading a book at the beach or just soak up the sun.

Alibaug

I have been to fewer beaches in India so uninhabited being so close to a Metro city. Barely an hour away by boat from Mumbai, Alibaug is not only scenic but extremely placid. Every beach is like hand painted art, the water so friendly and playful. We landed in a hotel that blew a dent in our pockets and it was too late till we realized there are cheaper options. Beyond this my experience at Alibaug was fabulous.

Kihim beach, the main Alibaug beach, Ashta beach are beautiful! The auto guys charge a bomb so haggling is a must. There isn’t much we could explore about Alibaug over a weekend but food is something I cannot miss. The freshest fish and some really awesome fish fry at Kihim beach made my stay worth it.

DELHI!!!

Shifting from Maharashtra to plains in the North is Delhi, the capital of India. The sheer size and vibrancy of this city can intimidate you. Delhi they say is “dilwalon ki” meaning people with big hearts and it lives upto the name given. The moment you set foot in Delhi you instantly feel the warmth and forthcoming people. The city is full of life and color. Being the capital of India it boasts of everything you can imagine. It still retains its old charm when there was British raaj or the Akbar era.

Since the city is so vast I will only go by my list of MUST SEE’s and the topper here will be undoubtedly Red Fort. The place of tremendous pride for every Indian since it hosts the I-day Parade and the Indian tricolor was first hoisted here on 15^th August 1947. Beyond that its marvelous Mughal architecture will make you revel about the grandeur of that era. It once used to be blooming but sadly now since its open to all kinds of public is seriously damaged. The little shops around are filled with trinkets and wonderful souvenirs to take home.

Bang opposite Red fort is my personal favorite of all times – Chandni Chowk. When I first saw this place I couldn’t believe how so many people lived cramped in such tiny places and did not have to peep into each others houses. The kothi’s are so close to each other that one house’s window invariably opens in the other house. If house no 56 calls out a name somebody from house no 62 will answer. I felt like the entire world’s population lived in Chandni Chowk. I had gone to purchase books for my exams and when I entered the book market I saw what you call a JAM! It was that in all literal senses when every vehicle was standing bumper to bumper. I was in cylce rickshaw and a man on this side of the road had to cross the street he actually climbed on my rickshaw crept into the adjacent autorickshaw jumped over the bike’s rear seat like Jackie Chan and crossed the street.

Well you cannot miss out on the PARANTHE WALI GALI. This lane is so narrow that two people can barely walk without knocking each other down but the fame is much widespread. You name it and you get the parantha of a kind here. Its paradise for me and more foodies like me. I gorged on Matar parantha, the much traditional aloo parantha, gobhi and the lip smacking Keema Parantha and I died after that! I had eaten so much I could barely budge! And then my Dad insisted we have the famous Lassi with an inch of cream on it… the rest was told to me at my funeral. My fat content went up by zillions that day and I had a tough time digesting it.

My next favorite is the drive to Tughlakabad and the fort area. Its surprisingly peaceful, atleast it was then! Now it may be chaotic than before. The green and tranquility takes you to someplace else for some time in the Delhi chaos which is blissful. Delhi Haat is a Mela of all states from around the country. Vibrant as soon as you enter the gates, every state will pull you towards itself. They display the best of their artifacts, their handicrafts and food ofcourse. The place lights up with various cultural dramas in the evenings.

I cannot go away from Delhi without The India Gate. The monument that stands tall to talk of the sad struggle India went through for its freedom, the monument has names inscribed of soldiers who died for the country. It also has the famous AMAR JAWAN JYOTI a flame that is perennial lit up in honor of the martyrs.

A shoppers dream, Delhi has plenty of options for the rich and poor. To begin with Janpath is an evergreen street where you’d find the best bargains for export rejects. Palika bazaar for electronics at throw away prices and brands of all makes pirated. All of Canaught Place is host to big brands from all over the world. Then is my favorite GK’s M block market which blows my mind and pocket away every time I shop here. It has Esprit, Benettons and all the likes of the world here.

Delhi is the city where I spent most of my growing up years so I am deeply attached to this place. Every spot I have been to has been embossed in my memory be it Pragati Maidan which hosts the huge Trade Fair every year, my college, the local flee markets to the posh swanky bungalows, I love this city.

Nagpur

The first thing you notice about this widespread city is the HUGE roads and green belts. The city is beautiful if that’s the correct word to describe it. It is so peaceful, so less cluttered, so orderly that it is impossible to believe that a city like this exists today. Nagpur is the geographical center of India. All the metros are equidistance from Nagpur and thus the city hosts what is called “the Zero Mile’ which marks the center of the country. Nagpur is rather low profile for the kind of achievements it has. Over 300 international flights fly over the city’s skyline therefore a new international will enable a stop over for a huge number of flights in the near future. The city is full of two wheelers and sells perhaps the highest number of scooty’s in the country. But what attracts anybody is the stature of the roads so neat and clean and so well maintained.

Nagpur is perhaps the only city in Maharashtra where the communication language is Hindi. The entire state speaks Marathi, but here even native maharashtrians speak hindi. The highest selling daily is also hindi.

The weather is torrid in Nagpur. Summers can raise temperatures to a killing 50 degrees Celsius and winters and not very long lasting either. Nagpur is also called the Orange city for it’s oranges that are mostly exported. Locals can make anything edible out of oranges! But the most famous food from Nagpur is undoubtedly SAOJI. It’s primarily a non-vegetarian dish made of mutton or chicken and the curry is so hot that you’d smoke fire in seconds of eating it. The name of the dish comes from the community that makes it. There isn’t much of specialty food from Nagpur but it is home to the countries biggest sweet makers Haldirams.

Tapri culture is very strong in Nagpur. People flock these small tin shacks for their daily dose of tea and chaat and chat up for hours around. Everybody has one tapri that they associate themselves with. The most popular ones are Bajaj Nagar, Shankar Nagar, Telankhedi. Oh yeah! Telankhedi is a lake and mind it; every youngster in Nagpur has to hang out there. Sadly there is not much to do in the city so youngsters drive around on their two wheelers and hang around at Futala/Telankhedi. There are infact very few places inside Nagpur to see but there is a lot around the city. My favorite would be Pench Tiger reserve. The city is surrounded by quite a few forests and wildlife habitats. Pench is approximately 90-100 kms from the city and is a fantastic tiger reserve. It was recently rated as India’s best for tiger citing. It boasts of a population of around 33 tigers and some 22 thousand Deers of various species along with wild boards etc. They have two safari’s one in the morning at 6am to 11 am and the next round begins at 2pm. The best time to spot tigers is around winters when they come out in open to soak up the sun. Summers may not be a good time to spot tigers. For an open jeep safari it may cost you around Rs.800 rest depending on your haggling skills and the entry fees would be an extra Rs 100 guide charges included, although driving your own vehicle inside the premises is allowed but hiring the Jeep is recommended. There are ample of accommodation choice here but living in a tent is super adventure.

Ramtek would fall in the way to Pench. It’s roughly 60kms away from Nagpur and is said to have been the place where Lord Ram stopped over on his way to Lanka hence the name ‘Ramtek’. It’s a temple complex and is a visual delight with hills around and a lake just behind.

There is Waaki where there is dense forest and apparently inhibited by tribes so not very safe to go alone. There is Chikaldhara, Tadoba which is again a hugely popular tiger reserve, Nagzira just ahead of Pench near MP border and more such places. All in all, a city which is made to live a peaceful life.

Pune

The land of the Peshwa’s, Pune is the new is the new hang out of the pseudo rich in Mumbai. Pune is the core of Maharashtrian Brahmins. The city has a culture of its own, a language of its own and looks quite autonomous and all this is called PUNERI. The people take immense pride in being called puneri. I lived there for 5 years in my pre-teens and honestly the city I saw then to the city it is now is completely different. I happily say today that I am part of the change that changed Pune forever.

Pune is visibly divided into 2 halves - The ultra modern and the Puneri’s. The ultra modern are either people the one’s that lived abroad for a few years and have come back to home grounds or rich guys who have now moved to Pune either from Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluroo. The have swanky apartments, swanky four wheels and suave kids who splurge and are the source of money for most of the designer shops in Pune. This specie is found living in Aundh, Erandwane, University area, Kondhwa, Kothrud, Chittaranjan Park, Salisburry Park etc most of which are newly developed areas. On the other hand, the Puneri is rather conservative who works in a bank 9-5, cannot spell designer label names, lives in ancestral houses called Waade, mostly have joint families, for them outing is going to a hotel and eating out with family, shopping means Tulsi bagh and Laxmi Road and these species are found living in all the ‘Peths’ in Pune. No offenses meant here!

Pune use to be a very quiet until all the glamour hit it. Glamour came from BPO’s and the influx of students from other states. The culture changed and what you see today is very cosmo as compared to the real Pune. Initially termed as the city for Retired people it was actually so, because life had its own pace. The Peshwa’s reign over Pune is obvious by its architecture. Shaniwar Waada is the most famous landmark in Pune. It’s the Peshwa’s palace and is also a popular tourist destination today. There is a lot in terms of heritage and architecture to see in Pune like the old vaada’s and palaces. The ever popular hang out as a child I remember was Saras baug. It’s the hugest garden I had seen so I was always excited to visit Saras Baug. Plus the food joints around the garden once were the most happening thing in Pune. Just besides Saras baug was a huge ground that hosted thousands of circuses. I remember having seen Shah Rukh Khan in one of the circuses for the serial he was shooting.

The largely popular Sinhagarh fort has been favorite school picnic point. The fort is situated on top of a mountain has long history attached to it. Small little surprises everywhere the best thing about Sinhagrh is the Matka Dahi and fresh Chicken that they make up there. The best thing about the chicken, you get to choose your own live chicken! There are rooms to stay on the fort and I would strongly recommend you to spend one night to feel the eeriness and calmness on the fort. This fort was used to send signals to adjoining Raigarh and other forts. Parvati is a temple on top of a hill. It means a climb up of over 150 stairs. Yes! I have counted them all there are about 181 stairs to be precise. But the view is great.

Food in Pune is very simple since Maharashtrian food ain’t very fancy. I suggest anybody who has never had marathi food to try out a marathi thali anywhere in a small local restaurant or atleast Thalipeeth, Sabudana vada, Vange chi bhaaji, Puran poli, kothimbeer vadi independently anywhere. One cannot leave Pune without trying the famous Mastani.

The new Pune may now be called as an ode development. The crowd makes it alive and buzzing and the culture has changed 360 degrees. Pune was once the city for retired people and is exactly the opposite today.

Mumbai

If you’re in Maharashtra you cannot possibly miss this city. A lot has been said and written about this city, a lot has been filmed and shown on TV but nothing can ever capture the true effervescence of this city MUMBAI! Named after Goddess ‘Mumbra Devi’ Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra. I was born here so I am specially attached to this city in some way. Life is on a treadmill that doesn’t seem to stop here. There are more people in Mumbai than there are stars in the sky! Yes that’s what’s I have realized in the years gone by visiting it. And zillions come to Mumbai everyday to fulfill their dreams, be it bollywood or merely earning a little more money! Mumbai has something to offer to everyone.

I really do not have much to say about this magnificent city but “Mumbai is yours once you own it’. People of every walk of life live under one sky here eat almost the same kind of food and lead almost the same life. The first thing I love about Mumbai, formerly Bombay is the life in the city. Its buzzing day in and day out, nothing is lazy and that peps you up to something everyday. No chance of taking a lethargic break even for a moment. It’s amazing how and why people do not get tired here.

The second most amazing thing is the sea. It is priceless! Mumbai especially in the monsoons may be a nuisance to a lot of people but for me its heaven on earth. A city so dispassionate about anything suddenly exudes romance in the monsoon when the sea waves are as high as jack’s beanstalk and hit the facade at Marine drive as if wanting to break free and sweep everybody away with the tremendous heart that it has. The sea anywhere in Mumbai is just amazing. There a actually very few beaches that are secluded and all that there may be are situated in Alibaug, Mumbai’s weekend getaway. The super popular Juhu Beach has innumerable people every evening. It’s a glee to watch people at Juhu beach in the evenings because you get to see such a collage of faces and people at one place. You will often see a standard set of people who comes straight from work to either relax or catch up with some private moments with their beloved whom they haven’t seen for weeks. There is again a set pf people who are always jogging on the beach with their Ipods stuffed into their ears. Then there are the love birds occupying every nook and corner on the beach cuddling up looking at the sun set into the sea. There will be cranky family with cranky kids running around the stretch. And there will be fools like me who come to see them all!

The third enchanting thing would be FOOD! You can fill your bellies within absolutely any amount of money. The poor man’s burger the VADA PAV is the staple diet of most on the streets and contrary would those countless fancy restaurants, cafés and hotels serving food well above a thousand grand per person as well. The sea food at Mahesh lunch home is out of this world. It began as a very conservative hotel where food was served to middle class as lunch! The very famous Jai Hind hotel is known for its good vegetarian delights. The one recommendation would be Ice –cream at Bachelor’s opposite Chowpaty. The man makes ice creams in flavors unheard of. The shop was started by his grandfather and named so because then he was a bachelor and the name stuck on. But it’s weird to think of chilly flavored ice cream. His highest seller undoubtedly has to be Strawberry and cream, litchi ice cream, the evergreen mango and coconut. The sheer variety of food at Juhu Beach can stun you. Galore of fast food stalls and all the hawkers shouting and selling their store to you all at once can leave you perplexed where to eat, unless you can detect great food by smell. A must eat at Juhu Beach is Pav bhaji, Bhelpuri and the other chaat cousins, Gola and the famous Chana Jor Garam. The whole city smells of sea and fish so there is no escaping for vegetarians, unless you decide to ignore it. The fish as fresh as it can get so even home cooked sea food is fantastic.

Mumbai, anything written for this city is less and feeble to describe the charisma of the city. It hosts the magical world of cinema. It is home to all the movie stars and a zillion dreams. Mumbai has ‘mum’ in the name and absolutely makes it mother of all big cities in the world.

Indore

I will naturally take time on this city and understandably so since its where I live now. Honestly when I first landed in Indore from Delhi I wasn’t impressed at all. This looked like a small, inactive non-metro town with fashion which was 100 years behind the normal world. I was very upset with my family for having moved to Indore after living in big cities all my life. I remembered Indore as the city with the worst public transport and roads that never existed. And now to be living there was a nightmare.

It took me a while to sink into the fact. Our first trip from Indore was to Ujjain to the Mahankaleshwar Temple. Like every temple town Ujjain too was filled with spiritual energy where my restless mind found its peace. We then drove to several small picnic spots around Indore to get acquainted with the city. Choral is a dam and forms a small water body that attracts a lot of local tourists over weekends. There is Patalpani which is a deep gorge and has a waterfall that drops down from great heights. This place is said to be dangerous due to its deep ravine where lot of people in the past have lost lives. Ralamandal is a hill which has nothing over it but is an enclosed area with a lot of wild life inside which can be barely seen. We have only read stories in newspapers about Leopard attacks in the area but never saw any. Anyway I had never opened myself to the tranquility of this city therefore I could never be enthralled by its charm. I started working in Indore with an advertising agency. The people seemed surreal since Delhi is so flashy that you had to notice people there. But here was a completely different picture. Simplicity and normalcy was the way everybody lived. I couldn’t identify myself with anybody there. I seemed and so I was the odd one out in a team of 40 people. I got another opening in 6months and I left the agency.

This was a radio station and I assumed since it was a big media house I expected people to be LIKE ME which again did not happen. I was adjusting to this different planet called INDORE. It had different culture, different language, different mindsets and different humans! Honestly this is one city which when you ignore all the minuses is the funniest place on earth. It captivates you slowly grows on you and holds you tight like a bear would hug you close. The food is supreme here. On weekends you’d find the entire city bustling near food joints of all shapes sizes and cuisines. It’s not funny how much this city loves food. Indore is famous for its Daal-Bafley, Chaat and Namkeen.

Sarafa is the first name that comes to my mind when I refer to Indore. It’s a strange place that doesn’t exist in the morning till 7pm in the evening. When the clock strikes 7, this bullion market transforms into an endless lane of culinary delight. The most famous being Garadu, Bhutte ka Kees, Malpuye, Gulab Jamun, Joshi ke dahi bhalle and the suicidal Shikanji.

Indore has the famous Sheeshmahal which is a glass palace structure with stained glass all over. Its beautiful with green, blue, red and orange colors shining bright in your face with your reflection all over on the roof.

The biggest landmark is the Rajwada palace. This is where the princely souls of Indore lived. It’s the largest gate structure in all of Asia with 7 storied main entrance of which 4 floors were burnt in the ’81 riots. The whole palace is 4 storied and is an open place for tourists and keen onlookers. The maintenance is low around the area and very little attention paid to this marvel which is perhaps the pictorial definition of Indore. This area hosts the famous Indori breakfast POHA-JALEBI and a poha corner here is open all night and always crowded. The pan is equally famous and another 24 hour joint is the panwalah here at Rajwada who has his own dot com.

Indore is filled with small little places to eat and they are countless in numbers in the city. One more famous LANE dedicated to FOOD is 56 dukaan. Now the story is that the government had allotted some 56 shops in that area for commercial purpose but when they opened they were all food joints! Voila!!! So what you get at the end of it is variety of food and only food!

This city is culturally very active. Indore has given to the Indian film industry so many geniuses that it should be called the second Bollywood. Lata Mangeshkar to ring a bell is the biggest name produced by Indore. Rahul Dravid is an Indore product so is Salman Khan. And hang on… MF Hussain too was born in Indore to name a few.

The language is the funniest here and of all the places I have been to, Indore is one where you’d find sense of humour in everything and everybody. The peculiarity of the people and the pace of this city really weave its magic on you that stay with you after you’re gone. Although the roads are pathetic but the city transport system was rated one of the best in the world, infact ranked number two which is superb achievement for a city that dint have anything in the name of public transport just 5 years ago. I am very proud to be living in Indore and today I feel I belong to Indore. This city will always hold a special place in my life.

Gwalior

This is my ancestral city. Gwalior! Although there is nothing like royalty left in this city and this was the last time I ever visited this city, I really hope it gives me a chance to come back again. Gwalior is reminiscent of royalty and every piece of architecture speaks it loud. The railway station is awesome but beware of everything that may hit you after that! The city is chaotic, filthy, clumsy, crowded, and backward and genuinely my heart goes out to everybody who manages to live there.

Gwalior happened when we were driving from Delhi to Indore. We stayed in Gwalior for a day till we proceeded with our journey. I was at old family friends’ house which was no less than a mini palace. Our house was sold ages ago so we had no other place to live in. While some typically royal Madhya Pradeshi were being cooked back home we went around the city to check out my dad’s famous boarding school atop a hill ‘The Scindia School’. My dad was nostalgic about his school trip after over 25 years and it was worth a visit for us as well. The drive up was interesting because you are actually cut from the chaos of the city as you go up. There is a large Buddha sculpture carved on a stone. I don’t remember the history exactly but it surely had some significance. Water seeps through the rocks and builds up a little drama for what comes next, nothing! You reach the top where deafening wind blows through your hair and the view is superb! It must have been an experience of a lifetime to have studied there am sure when life was better. There is a point on the hill from where Rani Laxmibai had jumped off with her son while she was fighting the British. It did not seem interesting to us when we read it all in text books but it was stunning to see the height from which she must have jumped in real time.

We then visited the Summer Palace. It was reminiscent of the royal Scindia lifestyle. It is partially converted to a museum with some artifacts and old time commodities. And surprisingly it also hosts the ‘doli’ that was gifted to my grand mother on her wedding by the Scindia’s. It was studded and wrapped in gold and now adorns the gallery of this timeless architecture.

Birla temple is a landmark that every local would suggest you see. Its built by the big business family of Birla’s and is entirely made of marble. It’s jeweled with beautiful carvings of Lord Krishna and depicts parts of his life. The temple is surrounded with a green patch and low pipe music across the premises echoes in your ears feels like trance. It wasn’t populated by tourists then, but now it attracts quite a few eyeballs.

Gwalior is not exactly what I’d call as a tourists delight yet it holds some charm that can only be felt.

Jaipur

I simply love this city. I felt privileged to have lived in the city for a year almost. Everyday was an experience for me. I was elated when I was transferred to Jaipur and the first thing I noticed about Jaipur was the city’s fascination with the color PINK. History says that this pink was given by Maharaja Sawai Jaisingh when he had British visitors and he had to repaint the whole city, he couldn’t find white color and got buckets of pink. This pink has now become the trademark of the city.

The Delhi – Jaipur expressway is talk of the nation. I have not seen better roads than that in my life in India. I wonder why that can’t be replicated in the city. But anyway, when you enter Jaipur via the Delhi route you will first see the beautiful Aravali ranges. Amidst that are the famous Nahargarh, Jaigarh and Amer forts. Jaigarh fort has the world’s heaviest cannon and is a marvel to see. Amer fort is so beautifully located that you’d end up transporting yourself to the era when people actually inhabited it. Water body on the front and a garden that welcomes you to the fort, a tiring climb above and a fascinating temple of Goddess Amer isn’t all what people go to see. Wait till sundown to experience the real magic when the lights go up and Amer shines like a constellation in the sky. The drive down towards the city isn’t any less exciting. When you drive further down to the city you come across Jal Mahal. A palace situated right in the middle of a lake. Some amazing five star heritage properties along the way can take you breath away. Then you reach the heart of the city – Hawa Mahal! The biggest landmark of Jaipur or may be the monument that signifies Jaipur. It is very had to trace and can easily pass by as any other gate way since it is so densely populated by the market around it. But one cannot escape the magnificence of the design. It has around 900 windows on the gate. These windows served a dual purpose in old days when women in the house were not allowed to make public appearances; they would peep out of these windows to see any parade that would take place. At other times these windows would catch any breeze and filter and air cool it in hot summers.

When you look around you will be shell shocked by the amount of color that is in the city. Vibrant reds, greens, yellows and purples create a canvas so splendid you feel the city has been painted by God himself. The city is full of life and energy all over. The people are so effervescent that they exude life in every gesture of theirs. I don’t want to sound like I am exaggerating when I say that everything in Jaipur is heritage. Be it the royal Rambagh palace or the secretariat building or the roads or even old houses. They all seem to tell a story. I have nothing in particular to recommend because honestly when you are in Jaipur there are so many small little things to see that even 365 days of the year will fall short to explore it completely. But to name a few must see places would be ofcourse the forts, Rambagh Palace, Moti dungri, the legendary Johri Bazar, Secretariat only to see how the locals enjoy it, the Royal Albert Hall which has now been converted into a museum etc.

200 kms from Jaipur is Ajmer which is just 2 hours away by the express highway is home to the most coveted Dargah Ajmer Sheraif. Thousands of people visit this dargah every day to offer their prayers and tie a thread of faith and hope. Amidst the entire hustle bustle and every living thing on the narrow street there is this strange calmness that one feels as you near the Dargah. When you look around you see hundreds of faces in search of something that they come looking for here. The place is mesmerizing.

A little ahead of Jaipur is Alwar. Falls on the way to Delhi, anything to describe the serenity of this small town is less. Although I did not get a chance to see much of this small town but the memories will stay forever. I was at my friend’s place and we reached late in the night. Had no clue the sun will rise next day to unveil the marvelous Aravali ranges just behind her bungalow. The view was outstanding. It was a superb windy smoky winter morning and her mom prepared piping hot tea for us. She has a huge female English mastiff that had just given birth to blue eyed pups and I was playing with them on her terrace sipping tea and absorbing the surroundings. The town is unlike anything I have seen. No structure taller than 3 stories high, no building that blocks the majestic Aravali view, no traffic, and no noise - pure trance! We went to this place called Siliseth where I was enchanted by colossal rock formations that couldn’t be adjusted in my view at once. My spine ached trying to focus on the peak of one of it and I felt so tiny at the foot of it. We went deeper into the formation to discover a beautiful waterfall. The entire valley was echoing the fall of water that fell from about 5o mtrs high. The sound of water is meditating to me. The weather was rather romantic that day so we just drove around the town discovering small lanes, the warm forthcoming people and beautiful countryside that I hadn’t seen in ages.

Udaipur

This is our second trip as part of our New Year celebrations every year. Udaipur happened when I really desperately wanted a different holiday. Udaipur befitted perfectly for a laid back, royal and majestic holiday. I love traveling in the winter’s as it is evident by now and this was perhaps the best winter trip off mountains for a change.

We first went to Shiplgram. This is a small artificial village created on top of a hill basically to host exhibitions and mela’s. We were in time to make it to the last day of Shilpgram. The best part about this state is the color. You can find almost every vibrant color that is there in a palette in this one state, and Shilpgram had it all. There were outstanding handicrafts from every corner of the state and typically Rajasthani puppets and music everywhere. At one corner there was a group of performers from different states who were rehearsing for a dance & music performance scheduled for later that night. We did not intend to stay till then so we sat down to see the practice session. There was a group of 20 performers who were playing drums, dhol, flute and a lot of other instruments and the synchronization were mesmerizing.

Next stop was Saheliyon ki Baadi. Nothing fancy, but an escape where the queens supposedly came to spend time with friends. There a few carved fountains in the place all different from each other. Saheliyon ki Baadi has seen quite a few movie songs being shot here. There are fountains carved in the shape of an elephant, a tiger, a fish, a peacock and the color schemes are fascinating. We ended our first day with a visit to the Maharana Pratap Monument. That is the place where he is said to have fought a battle or something. But the view of the lake outside is what you should really go here for. Fathe Sagar looks beautiful really from above there.

This is one trip which was totally unplanned. We decided every morning where we’d land today. That day we began our day with a visit to Monsoon palace. This aptly was a Monsoon getaway for the royalty. This Palace is on a hill top and overlooks the city. It must be really quixotic from here in the rains. From the monsoon palace our next halt had to be the City Palace. Honestly I wasn’t prepared for what going to come. From the outside City palace looks ordinary when the main gate opens n front of a highly crowded market. When we entered it was hard to believe the grandeur our eyes were seeing. Part of the Palace has been converted into a museum; part of it into an infinite star Hotel and parts of it is given to the Taj group of Hotels and wait!!!! Part of it is still occupied by the original heirs. It is an endless property flooded with tourists. City Palace trip begins with a peep into the lives of the royalty. The gorgeous colorful stained glass really set the mood inside and filters light as it comes through. The rooms are tinted sky blue, rich red and plush green. Even as you walk through you can sense how people must have lived in here. The rooms are magnanimous and no less than a maze. And believe you me, I have seen a lot of palaces and forts but I have often wondered how they never thought of making a lavatory in there. But this one discovery stunned me. City Palace actually had a washroom! That too cushioned and carpeted.

After you walk out of City Palace there is the other astounding part which is the lake side of the palace. To see this portion you need to pay a nominal (pun intended) fee of Rs 600/- but we decided to empty our pockets since we’d not get a chance again and it was worth every penny spent. As we were walking around everything grew bigger and better. There were attendants dressed in uniforms and vintage cars around. The cutest thing I saw was golf carts that carried tourists from the terrace café upto the residential part of the hotel. We booked ourselves on the next ferry ride to Jug Mandir. We had a waiting of 30mins so we passed time on the EXPENSIVE terrace café had sandwiches and sipping coffee with tourists. And then the ferry took us around the awesome Lake Palace Hotel managed by Taj. I was really jealous of people who were actually living there. Our ferry passed by and I looked at the lucky few and we stopped finally at Jug Mandir. The guide kept saying ‘this is the place where actor Ravina Tondon got married’ but Jug Mandir am sure has a history of its own. It beautifully carved everywhere you see. There are huge elephant statuettes carved on stone to welcome you and fountains and stained glass inside. A huge verandah or open air space must have been made for public addressing by the ruler then. When the sun set on the beautiful lake, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the place. It spelt royalty and majesty in every inch of the premises. Awesome! Is all what I have to say about City Palace.

Udaipur is the city of lakes. Everywhere you go you will find a lake somewhere. We went to the biggest lake Fateh Sagar Jheel in the evening. It’s huge and has an island in the middle of it. this piece of land has been transformed in a garden and hosts restaurants and snack bars. The only way you can reach here is by a boat that has fixed timings. So be informed about the last boat to leave the island if you do not want to be left alone! Udaipur is mesmerizing and worth a visit for sure. The charm of the city is intriguing and grows gradually on you. For food freaks I have lots to recommend. Try the typically Rajasthani Dal Baati Choorma at Santosh’s, it’s to die for. I would definitely recommend you eat anything that suits your budget at The City Palace Hotel near the lake. It might burn a hole in your pockets but it’s worth it.

Vaishno Devi

This is one experience which is difficult to put into words. It’s a shrine that millions visit every year and they say ‘you visit this shrine only when your time comes and the goddess wants you to see her’. It is actually true. I have seen so many people, including myself, who planned Vaishno Devi trips a zillion times and something or the other happened so plans got cancelled. And when my cal had come I was totally not expecting it. It was the last day of my internal exams and my aunt asked me if I’d be able to join them and I jumped out of joy and said yes. Least did I expect what was going to come along. We took Pooja express from Delhi. Then we had to board a bus to Katra which is the base of Vaishno Devi. It’s not surprising to see thousands of people around here. Everybody chanting ‘Jai Mata Dii’ and the energy of the place is infectious. The moment you start climbing you feel this sudden rush of blood, excitement and when everybody who passes by chants ‘Jai Mata Dii’ it becomes all the more worthwhile to exude that energy. We started climbing in the evening and reached the top around midnight. Although there are enough stoppages and places to eat on the way, you don’t feel hungry. But once you reach the top the scene is reversed. We were hungry, tired and sleepy. It was September and retreating monsoon made the weather chilly. It also rained for a while during the climb so it was a bit cold in the night. We had to wake up really early if we had to be the early birds in the line. So we got up at 4am and had a hot water bath. We headed straight to the shrine and even at 5am we weren’t even close to the shrine. I consider myself very lucky because exactly from where we were standing the line was broken into two and we began the other line which meant I get to go in sooner. Finally I reached the cave and eventually the shrine. I was in there for almost 5 mins and considering the amount of time other people get to spend there and the way they are shooed away from there I was really blessed to have had all that time without any interference. The shrine is basically three stones inside which means three different faces of the goddess. I was trhilled to have spent so much time. When we walked out is when I actually looked around the valley. It was beautiful and I could see tiny houses with colored roofs all over. It was drizzling and that added to the romance of the valley. Shades of green and brown had people wearing different colored raincoats was breath taking. When one goes to Vaishno Devi I believe there is nothing that your mind sees before you visit and nothing that your minds wants to see after you’ve visited the shrine. It’s overwhelming, the whole climb, the walk down and the way back.

Dehradoon/Mussoorie

Am in love with mountains and is proved by how much I have traveled in the snowy valleys. But that’s beyond the point. Mussoorie was our New Year destination. Few friends got together and decided every new year’ eve we shall all go out to some place and celebrate. That way we get to cut down our traveling costs and also meet up regularly. Dehradoon/Mussoorie was our first destination and reason being my friend has a house there, hotel cost eliminated! His aunt would cook for us, food cost down and he had a vehicle so commuting cost down!

We were supposed to board a fast train from Delhi but missed by a minute so we took a cab from Delhi to Dehradoon which took us around Rs. 1200. The drive was comfortable. We left Delhi around 12 in the noon and reached Dehradoon at midnight. It took us long because we stopped by at almost every eatery. My friend had reached before us and had prepared super hot food us and we had dinner and slept. Next morning was a pleasant surprise. The town was exactly like they show in the movies, like a hill station should be! Their house had a huge lawn n the front and mist had settled down on the grass. It was a lazy morning as obviously it was winter. We could sense the lousiness in the air to get rid of it we walked around the town to get a hang of it. We relaxed totally for a day in Dehradoon and saw nothing!

Next day we left for Mussoorie by local state transport bus. It was the ride of my life more thrilling than a roller coaster. We were unfortunately on the last seat of the bus and we jumped sky high everytime the bus hit a bump on the road. Everything we ate that morning was getting mixed in our stomach and boy what a ride it was. We had changed 5 seats automatically and when the bus stopped for a loo break we were all piled on top of each other. The valley is very-very steep and roads were curvy enough to put any curvious thing to shame. We were all relieved when the bus finally reached Mussoorie. It looks like it’s based on the tip of a hill because everything outside of it is Hills and when you look down you can see Dehradoon. It had also snowed a bit in here and we could see scanty snow dumps here and there. Was a lot to excite my friend who saw snow for the first time and I could remember how foolish I must have looked in Manali. We took up room in a hotel for Rs. 1200 and four of us shared the room. There are plenty of cheaper options but its better to spend a bit more and live comfortably. All we did for 2 days was roam around the Mall road, observe people, shop eat and drink. The second day we went to this peak in a cable car which is approximately 7000 ft above sea level and it wasn’t amusing because you could naturally see all of the valley. But then Mussoorie was definitely more scenic than I thought and much more romantic than Nainital. Mussoorie would surely rate 4 out of 5 on my list.

Nainital

Placid, serene and really really lazy. That’s how I can describe Nainital. I was told it is the honeymooner’s paradise and when I landed I understood why. There is absolutely no urgency in the town and people walk around, sit and chat and do nothing for hours. I had gone on my school trip to Nainital with around 60-70 odd students from my school. Our journey from Delhi to Nainital is roughly around 12-14 hours. We left Delhi at 9pm and reached Nainital early in the morning. The drive up in a bus can be scary and nauseating for people who have altitude sickness so do not forget to carry medication.

We were singing and dancing all throughout and hardly had time to look out of the window. But very late in the night when the drives asked us to calm down and stay put in our seats is when I looked out to see we were passing through the dense Jim Corbett National park. Our Hotel was not the greatest and we did not care either. We went to Naini Jheel after freshening up. Nainital is full of beautiful lakes. The town was named after Goddess Naini and the biggest lake was also named after her, hence the names Nainitaal & Naini Jheel respectively. The lake did not have much activity then. There was boating only and we all chose our boats and decided to do what most honeymooners’ do, that is romance with nature! Our rower was an amazing singer and the value of the boat ride went up many times just because he was singing songs for us. We all felt like we were in Venice riding a Gondola and the rower singing romantic songs for us. The town is full of British architecture and the old houses are a reminiscence of the long gone era. Nainital was a summer escapade for the British evidently.

Our next stop was the ever green mall road. No prizes for guessing it was a stretch of road where you buy loads and loads of local art and merchandise to take back home. Nainital has some beautiful shops for Candles and wooden artifacts I would strongly recommend these. The Naina Peak also known as the China peak is roughly 8500 ft above sea level and is the highest point in Nainital. It’s a popular tourist point as you can see the China border from there and also see a fantastic view of the Himalayas. Its best to have a guide around here or else you will keep looking everywhere to see the China border and will return home looking at a cloud line and assuming it was the Border. For the ones who want to have a bird’s eye view of Nainital can also visit Tiffin Top which is oddly 2000 ft above sea level. Nothing too great about this place but just a quiet place to spend time alone.

Bhimtal is huge. It’s named after the epic character Bhim from Mahabharata, and I don’t know why. There are boating options everywhere in Nainital and Bhimtal is no different. There are plenty of farmhouses and resorts here.

Nainital was actually filled with lot of ‘just married’ couples who had come for a peaceful honeymoon secluded from the noise of big town. Owing to its proximity to Delhi, lot of newly weds from Delhi are a regular here. I don’t have any particularly amazing memory to take back from Nainital apart from all the fun we had together. Had it not been for those classmates, I would have been utterly bored here. But yes I would still rate 3 stars to this tranquil hill station for a cheap getaway.

Manali

Well somebody has rightly said, ‘the journey is always better than the destination’ and holds somewhat true for this drive to Manali. High raising mountains on one side and the loud noise of river Beas gushing on the other, the scenes get imprinted on your mind forever. Again we reached really early in the morning and roads then weren’t really meant to travel in a public transport and we shook each and every bone on our back.

Next morning around 7am when I looked outside the huge French windows of our hotel I was seeing heaven literally. Snow caped mountains and endless pine and eucalyptus trees everywhere is just unbelievable at once. Had never seen snow before this and for me that first sight of snow is immaculately engraved on my mind. Unlike Shimla, Manali had a lot of life since it had snowed and that drew flocks towards the hills. Our first foot out was the mall road. Most of the hill stations have this mall road which is the hub of the city. So we strolled along the street to acclimatize and feed our faces we again had giant sized paranthas. They are all over it seems.

Manali by the night is even more mystic and romantic. I have always been drawn to mountains and my love for them was apparent because I was the only one going bonkers over it. It was biting cold and I was roaming around soaking up the misty moonlight and seeing flakes of snow sparkle under the moon. Next day we left for the Hadimba Devi Temple. This temple is situated on a top of a hill and the walk up is amidst pine trees winding around the hill. The shrine is surrounded by tall trees all around and just outside the temple are small shops selling stuff required for the temple. It’s a tranquil surrounding and totally cuts you off from the world. The silence can be felt in your brain where you can actually hear the sounds of wind blowing through the bunch of hustling leaves, of migratory birds and the silent smile of those gigantic mountains sitting and watching you fall in love.

We then left to see an apple orchid, again a first time for me. This was a private orchid and my uncle knew this family who took us around their plantations along river Beas. I could hear the water rushing from a distance and the sight of rich red apples against plush green leaves. After a walk into the orchids I was drawn to the river like a magnet. Had been hearing those sounds ever since I came to Manali, but hadn’t seen it yet. So when I first saw the heavy flow of Beas that carried chunks of snow that fell from the mountains it felt like a dream. The sun was setting down and I lay quietly on the grass simply sinking into the sounds of water. The sounds that I heard could easily make you slip into trance and were any day better than the sweetest lullaby. Just then my trance was broken by some cracker sounds. It was Diwali that night and the whole town had come out on that one narrow Mall road and was bursting crackers to celebrate Diwali. It was delightful to see how festivities had brought the entire town together and celebrations were in full swing. At that moment there was demarcation of caste, creed, race, and color or socio economic class for that matter. I could see everybody wishing everybody on the streets and even foreign tourists had joined in the celebrations.

Next morning when the celebrations died down, we left early for there was more snow to be seen infact to be touched this time. Rohtang Pass was our next and last stop. We drove up in a cab from Manali to Rohtang Pass, which is the 2nd highest point in the Himalayas. I perhaps do not need to mention how cold it would be up there some 10,000 ft above sea level. The drive was picture perfect. I particularly remember this one spot where there was a huge mountain up ahead and a deep gorge where the river flowed from under a heavy iron bridge. This bridge connected two plains, the one that we came from to the one that would go ahead to mix into the mountains caped with snow all over. As we neared Rohtang I could feel blood rushing to my head not only because I was terribly excited but also because it was getting really cold up there. We had to buy fur coats and gum boots to protect our lives but that was of little help. Like I said I had never seen snow before in my life and I was going to die of excitement very soon. We reached Rohtang and even before the jeep could stop I opened the door and ran out into the mountains. Kilos, heaps, piles, tones and all that of snow. Sadly I was only wearing on coat with just one layer of thermal wear with ordinary shoes and I did not realize it was cold because I was excited. We played in that snow which was then 10 days old, for hours. From noon to sun down we made snow men, snow castles and everything that could possibly be done on snow. There were hundreds of people like us who were ice skating and having a blast. The valley was awesomely beautiful. From the top we could see the Himalayan range and the sun going down on us. As it went down it spread a golden hue in the sky and the canvas lit with colors that nature had painted glowed the valley. Colors of blue, brown, yellow, white and green merged to create an unbelievable site in the sky.

Then suddenly I realize my feet were swollen due to extreme cold I had to move out of snow. There were shacks a few meters away where a lady was making piping hot tea and some grub. We had enough to warm us from inside to get on with the backward journey. Our car wouldn’t start because the diesel had gone cold. Worse was another bus full of college girls got jammed and the diesel had frozen in the tank. The foolish driver had burnt pieces of log under the fuel tank to melt the frozen diesel and we were all having a good laugh watching all the fun. But my uncle wanted to play angel and went to help them. We waited for 2.5 hours until the bus finally struck ignition. By then my feet had frozen to double the size both vertically and horizontally. I had to dip my feet into warm water to bring them to normal. I loved every bit of it. We were all so tired that I could hear every bone in the body crackling and every human snoring in the room. When we got up it was time for us to leave. Ofcourse I dint want to leave so early and just to say bye-bye I decided to walk down Mall road again to fill my senses with the freshness of that docile town. When I was traveling back to Delhi I was seeing all the pictures of Manali and was stunned at this amazing creation of God. Just wished it stays away from commercialization forever to remain as virgin as it was when god must have made it first.