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A VISIT TO DEVABHOOMI - UTTARANCHAL

We had been wanting to take a vacation during the Puja holidays it is the best season to see most places in the north we were told but things were not decided until just three days before the holidays began and things went fast: we decided to go to Uttaranchal, did all the bookings, packed and started off. It was three of us my husband, my elder son and I as we decided to leave the younger one with grandparents. It was a good decision, we realized, for both him and for us as some of the activities would have been too taxing for him and, therefore, for us too.

My husbands travelling which is not such a welcome activity normally came in handy as he had accumulated points for us to fly to Delhi and back.

THE TRIP

Day 1 :

We arrived in Delhi in the evening where the car was waiting for us. We drove to Corbett National Park: the first wildlife sanctuary in India and Asia we are told. En-route we dined my first experience at a genuine highway Dhaba and I loved both the food and the price and reached Corbett after midnight. Checked into the room and slept.

Day 2 :

Woke a little late, breakfasted and left to see the place.

Girija Mata Temple . Picturesquely set on an island hill in the river Hosi with wonderful view from the top.

Corbett National Park Museum is a small but wonderful collection of stuffed animals (real ones) and educative in general about the Park and ecology. Inexpensive (though not visited by many) and highly valuable.

That evening we waded through the shallow rivers pebbled bed.

And sat watching the stream through the twilight

Day3:

Woke early for the safari. Got there in time to get the pass (limited numbers are issued each day and many went disappointed).

View from a watch tower

An observation test for you:

See carefully (we were taught this in the Corbett Museum and we put the teaching to good measure). Are you able to spot the two yellow-green eyes in the jungle below?

No? See again!Closelytrying moving your eyes along the width of the picture (we were in the jeep and that is what we did).

Dont find them?

Dont worry, youre not aloneeven we did notdespite the teaching mentioned above!!!

The park is spread over 1250 sq km and there are an estimated (mere) 140-150 tigers and the sighting probability on the Safari track is lower than 10% we were told at the beginning. So, that was it: we were in the over 90% majority.

But we saw many other interesting things like these

Deer in the park

A tree full of weaver-bird nests

We also saw peacock, jungle fowl, wild boar, jackal, many different colourful birds and a variety of trees and plants. I recommend viewing them in 3D and that too right at Corbett National Park.

After breakfast left for Hardwar.

What a Divine welcome!

This statue is fairly new but magnificent. This is on Har ki Pauri the gateway of Har where the Ganga enters the plains from the hills. Here Puja is done for Goddess Ganga in the evening and flower baskets with lighted lamps are let afloat on the river. It is a sweet beautiful sight indeed!

Day 4:

Drove to Rishikesh the abode of saints. The Ganga is icy cold even at midday.

View of Ganga from The Divine Life Society

Ram Jhoola (suspension bridge)

Rishikesh is no place to simply visit. One ought to stay there for at least a few days to gain any benefit (which was not possible for us with limited time and the kid during this trip).

Returned to Hardwar. In the evening we went to Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi temples atop two hills on either side of the Ganga. During Navaratri the throng was heavy but we managed a decent visit. There are efficiently operated cable cars at both places.

Hardwar city seen across the riverfrom Chandi Devi

Day 5:

Left for Mussoorie. What a wonderful drive it was! I am in love with this wonderful state that is right in the Himalayan ranges and, with hundreds of rivers and streams criss-crossing through its length and breadth, aptly called Devabhoomi or the abode of the gods .

Did walking and more walking and some more walking. In the evening we saw Dehradun valley that was shimmering like a precious jewel placed within a bowl of hillsmere hours are not sufficient to take in the exhilarating beauty.

Day 6:

Visited Kempty Fall. Bad commercial encroachment is eating up the view and the beauty of the place. As for the fall itself, what fault could one possibly find with the power of water displayed with such grace?