Lansdowne Uttrakhand

I’m always hesitant in suggesting Lansdown to people for vacations. I want to keep it the way I remember it from my childhood days- discreet and peaceful. I don’t like even the idea of Lansdowne being crowded, selfish me!It is a small cantonment town in the Garhwal region of Uttrakhand and is well connected by road. Nearest railway station is Kotdwara (around 40ish km). Drive from Kotdwara to Lansdowne is exiting and enjoyable with some steep turns.

Do not expect fancy restaurants, lavish pubs or exotic shops - Lansdowne is solely for nature lovers. There is hardly anything else to do except admire nature and relax. It provides the rarest of all things a nature lover (like me) could ask for these days- Solitude! Lansdowne has a rustic charm to it- time seems to move slower here and that is the beauty of this place. My favorite thing here is to trek to the nearby villages and simply explore. The people are very simple, friendly and welcoming.

There is not much to do in Lansdowne itself, the so called tourist attractions like tip-and-top point, bhulla taal , Bheem pakoda etc within Lansdowne do not appease me. But there are some great places around Lansdowne/ Kotdwar that should not be missed:

1.       Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple:  My favorite picnic spot ever. I have enjoyed numerous family picnics here since childhood and I am definitely partial to this place. It’s nostalgic and so much fun each time I visit. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is amidst spectacular landscape. Tall and strong Deodar trees seem to be guarding the serenity of this place, protecting it from the chaos of the outside world. The aura is truly mesmerizing.

2.       Durga Devi Temple: It is always refreshing to stop by at this temple just on the outskirts of Kotdwara. The temple is situated by the Khoh river. A quick trek down to the river to crawl inside the small cave is a lot of fun. If the river is not too fierce, it is great to just sit on the rocks with legs dangling in water. Elephants are in abundance here, it is not a good idea to draw their attention as it their terrain. From personal experience- if you are at the river and spot an elephant here, climb up to the road as fast as you can and leave. Well, that’s pretty much to it.

3.       Kanvashram: This place is like a rare hidden gem just a few km from Kotdwara. Kanvashram is an ancient place that holds historical and archaeological significance. It is believed that this ashram was rishi Kanva’s home who used to run a gurukul here. The ashram surrounded by beautiful forests has a tranquilizing aura. For the adventurous souls, there are some trekking options. Interestingly there is still a gurukul here that we can visit. I would recommend stopping at this place on your way to Kotdwara/Lansdowne and appreciate this place of antiquity.

4.       Siddhabali Temple: This is an ancient Hanuman temple situated by the Khoh river. I don’t really know how old the temple is but even the most aged people say that it has always been there. Numerous stairs lead up to the temple but the effort is worth every calorie. The temple premise is very clean and well maintained. Cool breeze, lush green hills and the lovely Khoh river slithering below- The view is hypnotizing.  It is very common to spot elephants drinking water at the river. My fondest memories from childhood include having a carefree time at the Sidhbali Bridge in the evenings and laughing at silly things with my cousins. How time flies!

 My 2 Cents:

1.       Lansdowne comes to a standstill at sunset. Do NOT visit if you tend to get bored after sometime looking at the mountains or you do not enjoy solitude because that’s the best (and only) thing this place offers.

2.       A comfortable pair of walking shoes is a must for all hill stations.

3.       It could be a tough terrain to drive for people who are not used to driving in the hills. Take it easy and do not overtake.

4.       If possible leave early for Tarkeshwar to get maximum time to enjoy there. Try chai and fan from the stall outside.

5.       Climbing up the Sidhbali temple stairs could be a tough task for elderly people.

6.   Do not forget to try the famous 'Chocolate mithai' at Kotdwar.

7. Respect Mother Nature. Do not litter. This is more of a request. 

Bharatpur, Rajasthan

I planned a trip to Bharatpur to visit the famous Keoladeo National park but found that there is a lot more to it. Bharatpur is a conveniently located city in the colorful state of Rajasthan and offers a variety of places to visit.

Placed I visited:

Keolado Ghana National Park: I had wanted to visit this world heritage site since a long time and I am so glad I finally made it. Spread over an area of 29 km, this beautiful bird sanctuary is considered to be a paradise for bird watchers and has a rich flora and fauna. I visited this place in December when hundreds of birds had flown here from all over the world. It was indeed a cherished experience to see so many rare birds at one place. There are many options to traverse through the park. We can hire a bicycle and ride ourselves or take the cycle rickshaws or simply walk around. The cycle rickshaw bird safari in this park remains one my most unique travel experiences. The guides are very knowledgeable and highly recommended. I wish I had more time to explore this park again on foot, but could spare just one visit.

Deeg Palace: Deeg is around 30ish km from the main Bharatpur city. The architecture is nice but to me this palace was all about fountains. The palace could be well named as the fountain palace of India as it has around 200 fountains. It was very interesting to understand the complex mechanism behind the functioning of these fountains. I was told that all these function properly and during Holi colors are added to the water so that the fountains sprinkle colored water. For over curious souls, I would recommend to read about the fountain works before visiting this temple. To be able to relate to that unique information itself would solve the (sole) purpose of your visit to this palace, like it did mine. Everything else in this palace (a so called garden and a small museum and shabby surroundings) was just OK for me. It lacked maintenance and washroom was pathetic.

Lohagarh Fort: This fort is a living fort and it must have been a beauty in its era but currently it is in a great need of maintenance. The moat that surrounds the fort is filthy and serves as a garbage dumping place. Strangely, I did not see a single signage. There is a palace, a museum, a place of worship, some houses etc. within the fort. The old buildings are really in bad shape. Overall, I would have been happy to miss it.

Keoladeo Temple: The Keolado National Park is named after this temple. The temple is situated inside the park and is dedicated to lord Shiva.

Laxman Temple:  This is a rare temple dedicated to Laxman. It is right in the middle of the market where I indulged in some local food.

My 2 Cents:

1.     Do opt for a guide at the park. They are very knowledgeable and would arrange for binoculars. I could not ride a bicycle or walk around due to time constraint. If you have time, try to do all these things. I am sure each experience would be unique.

2.     (Only during winters) Even if you’re not really into bird watching, do visit the park. The park would serve as a nice picnic spot (especially if you’re with kids). Arrange for mats , take your food along and just laze around in nature’s lap. I am sure it would be special. There is something for everyone in this park.

3.     Empty your bladder before visiting the Deeg Palace if possible. The washroom facility is horrible.

4.     Do indulge in street food. We had some yummy samosas from a shop nearby Laxman temple. Imartis looked tempting, was too full to try.

5.     A trip to Agra is pretty much doable in one day from Bharatpur. I visited Taj Mahal on New Year’s day and it is around 2 hour drive from Bharatpur.

Jodhpur

Jodhpur is one of the cities that pepped me up. Most of the city is colored blue and the bird's-eye view of the city is breathtaking. It is rightly called 'The Blue City' of India. It is a good place to buy Rajasthani handicrafts and a paradise for people with a sweet tooth. 

Places I visited:

Mehrangarh Fort:  Built at an elevated level from the city, the zigzag road to this fort is enjoyable. Mehrangarh fort is one of the finest forts in India and has something in store for everyone. Thick rugged walls surround the fort, guarding it from the outside world. There are many gates to the fort and the some of them proudly wear the marks of the various battles fought in the past. The fort is very clean and well managed. Our guide for the fort tour was a smart chap and did his job very well.There are several beautiful and amazingly decorated palaces in the fort with huge courtyards. The museum is definitely the best fort museum I’ve been to. It is stocked with the finest artifacts of the bygone era. The palanquins, armory, paintings etc. – everything is stunning. The souvenir shop offers a lot of variety to buy at an OK price. There is vintage car collection of the royal family. I did not try the zipline adventure activity at the fort but I’ve heard it is a lot of fun.

Mandore: It is an ancient town with several monuments of historic importance. My favorite of these were the ruins of Mandore Fort. Surprisingly, not many people visit these ruins. I did not enjoy other places much. Mandore gardens seem to be a favorite among the tourists .I noticed many people came here to feed the monkeys. There is a Ravana temple, a government museum, a temple of 33 crore Gods and a huge rock with carvings in the honor of the famous people.

Jaswant Thada: I am glad I visited this on my way back from Mehrangarh fort.

Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph located very near to Mehrangarh fort and it serves as a burial ground for the Marwar rulers. The architecture of this mausoleum is amazing. It was very inspirational to just sit there in peace and tranquility and feel the aura.

Umaid Bhawan Museum: A small part of the Umaid Bhawan Palace is converted to a small museum and is mainly dedicated to the history of the royal family of Jodhpur. Some vintage cars are displayed at the front of the museum. The hall displays some nice murals, paintings and armory.

My Two cents:

1.     Buy a souvenir from the Mehrangarh fort shop. They have a lot of variety, quality is good and prices are at par with the city shops. No need for bargaining is the biggest plus point.

2.     A guide or an audio guide is a must. There is always an interesting story associated with almost everything. Guides would spice up this experience as they narrate these stories with utmost excitement.

3.     Visit Jaswant Thada on your way back from Mehrangarh Fort. After a tiring visit to the fort, it’d be a refreshing experience.

4.     Like all major cities of Rajasthan, Jodhpur too has a decent transport system. If you’re on a budget trip like me, make use of the public transport.