A Treacherous Night At 13K Feet

The top of Rohtang pass is situated at an altitude of 13050 Feet above the mean sea level

For a biker, biking all the way to Ladakh is akin to visiting Mecca. An earlier wish to go around the world on a bicycle been nipped in the bud; dream to go biking to Ladakh was well nurtured. In my better-half Bhasha, I had an able partner to support and sustain my adventurous escapades. Months were spent in meticulous planning and preparations. Bikers on that way normally prefer a heavy-duty motorbike like Bullet, but I had a three-year old light bike in Hero Honda Ambition. But then I had numerous examples of lighter bikes and even scooters going through the treacherous mountain route quite successfully.

I got my Ambition refurbished enough to withstand the hardship; accumulated all the accessories, including a double sided luggage carrier- of a kind usually used on a Bullet, but I got it designed for my bike- and an on-road repair kit. Special care was taken as Bhasha was to ride pillion all the way along and back, since all my earlier attempts to give her some biking lessons had fallen flat. Besides, neither we had any dry run nor I had rode so long (or for that matter even half of it) ever before. But I was more than assured of my homework and some thorough feedback from one of my friends Gagan Sethi who, though younger than me, is a veteran of that particular route.

Pandoh Dam on the way. The dam is built over river Beas and presents a very scenic view

But then it was later to have a face-off with the fact that Google based homework doesn’t always work that well. Well, the flag-off was uneventful, so was the ride till Chandigarh, where we had a lunch stopover. Our first day target was to reach Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh. But it was quite late when we reached there. I had my first experience of riding in the hills and that too in the dark. It was first day of my unique riding expedition. We had covered more than 300 kilometers that day, another first for me. Besides some anxious moments on turns while negotiating with glaring headlights of trucks, we reached Bilaspur safely. But then, riding in the dark was something that we were not prepared well for, something I missed in my homework.

Kullu is famous for processions of gods, which is witnessed by a large number of people

Anyways, Bilaspur was our home for the night. We planned to travel lesser on our second day so as to keep ourselves fitter for ascend to the Lahaul valley. It was a bright morning when we left for Manali situated at a distance of just over 180 kilometres from Bilaspur. It was a beautiful route along the river Beas, covering Mandi, Sundernagar and Pandoh. We had started enjoying the ride by then. We had planned our stay at Youth Hostel at Khakhnal village, just nine kilometers before Manali on the opposite side of the river. Though, now YHAI has given its hostel franchisee to a hotel in Prini village. It was a nice and peaceful place surrounded by apple orchards overlooking the river. We had covered the first leg of our journey. Real ride was to start after this.

This is how the mountains looked from Manali before the weather suddenly turned bad

Once in Manali, weather suddenly started to take a bad turn. Although it is normal to have heavy monsoon rains in that part of India during first week of July, but  the fact that Lahaul valley was a cold desert and after crossing over the Rohtang Pass into Lahaul there would be hardly any rains had kept us encouraged and going. And also, Rohtang was just about fifty kilometers from Manali! But, rain didn’t wait till next day. The moment we were back in the hostel after dinner at a nearby restaurant, it started raining. 

Thunder showers were relentless and seemingly bent upon breaking silence of the valley, and it kept us worried. The morning was no different. With no visible signs of the rain-gods letting up, we decided to push till Rohtang hoping things would be in control after that. Having a specially-designed rain-gears with us, we aimed to reach Khoksar, less than 25 kilometres downhill from Rohtang to be safe and on the track. But oh, we were in for a huge shock! We had barely crossed Manali and started to ascend when realization dawned upon us. Our rough n’ tough raingears were not able to cope with unleashing downpour. We were already wet inside and cold wind was sending chills down the spine. These conditions forced us to purchase a couple of raincoats, and over-clothed we moved ahead. 

The rains had become quite heavier by then and I was finding it tough to ride. My hands were freezing because of ice-cold water seeping inside my gloves; and roads had become slippery. All our clothes and luggage were already wet, and it was a terrible start to a long journey. Having left with no choice, we kept moving and somehow reached Marhi passing through Kothi and Gulaba. Mercifully, the rain had relented a bit by that time. We were wet and hungry and desperately in need of some rest. At a roadside restaurant, we ordered some aloo-paranthas, and while pouncing upon them, we tried to dry ourselves from the heat of tandoor. The warmth we got from within and outside relieved our body and spirit a bit. 

Just below the top of Rohtang Pass, this little shop was our shelter for almost a full day

The ride from Marhi to Rohtang Jot is a tricky one, with many glaciers on the way. It was an hour past noon by the time we reached near Rohtang top. There were still a few small patches of snow remaining in this time of the year, and we could see many tourists having fun there. As we looked out for a food shop with some space to park my bike, we noticed Lucky Fast Food. Oh, thank you, God!! The sky still overcast, a plateful of hot noodles and tea were like a new lease of life. But as if it was not enough for us, it started raining again. It was about 3 in the afternoon, and Khoksar- the Gateway to Lahaul Valley -was another 25 kilometres from there. Though reaching Keylong would have been better, I was ready to settle for Khoksar as we were already too late for Keylong. As per my calculations, it should not have taken more than 45 minutes to reach there from Rohtang Jot. There, we could find a place to stay, and this option seemed better than returning to Manali. We just had to wait for the rains to stop.

One of the three vendors at Lucky Fast Food, who was like a God-sent saviour for us

But, as the destiny would have conspired, rains were unrelenting; rather they went on becoming heavier. Sensing the weather, tourists and vendors started rushing back to Manali, and we were perhaps the only bikers left out there on the top. As we sheepishly waited for that elusive 45-minute window, the Rohtang top quickly became a deserted place. Two hours passed in no time. By 5 pm, we were really very worried. No way could we have ridden in such a heavy downpour. Soon, raindrops turned into hails. It was getting freezing cold, and I could sense where I had put us into. The heavy clouds had eaten away all the daylight. My immediate worry was what happens if our vendor also decides to pack up. It had been our shelter since noon. We talked to the hotel guys, they were three of them; and to our big relief they were staying there for the night.

Rohtang Jot was abuzz with activity. Tourists were having fun in the small patches of snow

Although spending night on the top of Rohtang pass was still the last thought on our mind, yet the reality was looming large on us. Besides five of us, there was practically no other soul on the top, or at least I couldn’t trace anybody else. Seeing the last traces of daylight fading away, we resigned ourselves to fact that we would have to spend the night in the company of three totally strangers, amidst heavy snowfall in a shelter of which we were not sure if it would survive nature’s fury that night.

Despite very little space available in the shop, the vendors allowed us to stay there overnight. For the next twelve hours, we were their guests. First few hours were spent in talking and knowing more about them and their families. They all were from Mandi town of Himachal. This shop was their summer vocation and in winters they used to move back to their hometown. Unlike other vendors, they used to stay at Rohtang for almost the whole summer, barring occasional trips down to Manali to get goods or in case of an emergency. They all seemed very gentle to us- the guys one would rarely find in our ‘cultured’ metros. 

Noodles were again our choice for the dinner. Once it was over, nothing else was left to be done except to slip into the warmth of a blanket. The shop had a partition. The main portion had the kitchen and shop, and in the inner portion there was a makeshift sleeping place. Since, we were not carrying any bedrolls with us, the vendors were generous enough to not only give us their blankets and mattresses, but also arrange for us to sleep in the inner drier and warmer portion. No words can probably justify our gratitude for them. Even after so many years today, the thought that what would have happened had they were not there makes me shiver. 

It snowed the whole night, and it being a high altitude pass, wind was sharp and chilling. It was actually frightening at times. Vendors must have been accustomed to it, but for us it was indeed a bone-chilling experience. The noise of wind against the plastic sheet being used as roof was terrible. Every now and then we had an unnerving feeling as if the wind would blow away the shed. As expected, we couldn’t sleep the whole night, though terrible headache, high altitude dizziness, cold, fatigue and fears of unknown kept us pinned to our beds. It was a very long night.
 

These are the pictures of next morning. The road to Leh was covered with waist-deep snow

The next morning was bright, but it was all white around us. Thick carpet of fresh snow was all over. Still, the nightmarish twelve hours having failed to dampen our spirits, we decided to move ahead. After some hot tea and breakfast, we were back on our two wheels. Only then we realized that riding a bike in fresh snow was tougher than expected. We somehow managed to reach at the top, which was another kilometer and half from the shop we had stayed in. Peril started once we crossed the top on our way to jigs below. The usually beautiful curvaceous road with many hairpin bends was gone. Not many vehicles had passed since night, so there were no tyre-marks to follow. Bike was skidding every now and then and one of the slips was very severe. There was no choice but to put an end to this insanity. We finally decided to turn back. The skids were so scary that Bhasha decided to walk back instead of riding pillion so that I could handle bike more comfortably. Still we both kept slipping. Once, Bhasha even went waist-deep into snow. We somehow managed to reach back to the Lucky Fast Food and had a breath of relief along with our tea.

We had to come back to Lucky Fast Food as the road to Leh had been blocked with snow

With heavy hearts, we rode back to Manali. As destiny would have written this, just before the bridge on river Beas to cross into Manali town our bike slipped again. Luckily we escaped any major casualty. Nine kilometers away, our Youth Hostel at Khakhnal still had room for us. It was only when we reached to the confines of our room and exposed ourselves to talks around us we came to know that the rainfall last night had been one of heaviest and the most unusual for the region. We were wise to have turned back from Rohtang as there was not just a heavy snowfall on all the major passes till Leh, but also the Pagal nallah just across Khoksar was heavily overflowing. Army had stopped all movements on Manali-Leh highway owing to this weather. It meant, even if we could have managed to reach Khoksar, there would have been no way ahead. 

The temple of Ved Vyas, who wrote epic Mahabharta, is one of many attractions near Manali

Later, we came to know that owing to overflowing Pagal nallah the vehicular movement on the highway had been blocked for almost a week. Even Mandi-Manali highway was breached at many places by the suddenly swollen Beas River and roads back to Delhi were also closed, though weather had improved a lot. We waited for two days in Manali; went to places around; and even had another trip to Rohtang- this time sans any luggage- and met our samaritans at Lucky Fast Food. As soon as the roads back to Delhi were opened, we were off. Our journalism jobs couldn’t afford the luxury of waiting endlessly for Pagal nallah to relent. The dream of riding on bike to Leh still lives with us.

To see the video related to this incident, go to  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P5Gp1pwY3A

  
Text and Photos by Upendra Swami

of The Vagabond

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Some Breathtaking Visuals of Shimla

Once the summer capital of British India, Shimla- formerly known as Simla- has always been a star attraction for tourists from India and abroad alike. The city and its surrounding areas have amply been gifted with breathtaking views by nature and are draped in forests of pine, rhododendron and oak. Many parts of the city still retain the old colonial charm through the buildings styled in neo-Gothic architecture.

Shimla is situated at an altitude of 2205 metres and boasts of a very pleasant weather in summer when most of the north India reels under scorching heat. It were its awe-inspiring views and refreshing climate, that the British coined the term 'Queen of the Hills' for this place. And this term still holds good long after it came into existence.

Here are some shots of this beautiful place at different times of the day... All the photos are by Naveen Choudhary

A cloud spreads over the city... The whole setting looks refreshed after recent showers

A thick fog at night makes the famous church at the Ridge look even more beautiful

The famous Gaiety Theatre stands out illuminated  while engulfed in thick blanket of fog

One of the 106 railway tunnels on the way from Kalka to Shimla on a narrow-gauge line

A shot of the city taken from atop a neighbouring hill. The sun is playing hide and seek.

The rain shelter at the Ridge. The Ridge is the centre point for all activities in Shimla.

A distant shot of city at night time. The church at the Ridge serves as an identity of the city

The Centre for Advanced Studies is housed in a building that reminds us of colonial era

Road to Jakhu Temple that is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. It is situated on a higher altitude

The famous Jakhu Temple, where Lord Hanuman is believed to have set his foot once

 

A scene of the Ridge in bright sunlight. But the sky hints that it is going to rain soon

The building of medical college situated in Sanjauli area. It is called the Snowden

Shimla has many temples, and some of them are more revered ones like this one is

Shimla has expanded significantly in past some decades. A view of a new residential area

Shimla is well connected with road and rail with rest of the India. There are regular air-conditioned and normal bus service from New Delhi, Chandigarh and many other prominent cities and state capitals. It takes around 4 hours to reach Shimla from Chandigarh by road. A narrow gauge railway line connects Shimla with Kalka, and Kalka is connected to Delhi by a broad gauge line and regular train service. There is also an airport at Jubbbalhatti near Shimla, which is connected with Delhi via regular services.

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The Summer House of Kollam

It was late afternoon when we reached Summer House. But the whole setting refreshed us

How about staying at a place where only a two-foot high wall and a short length of stone platform separate you from the sea and salty droplets wet your face every half-minute or so? Sounds exciting, no? Well that was at Kollam where I had a cottage on the sea-shore for two days.

In fact, Kollam is a place that offers one of the best backwater experiences in Kerala. The backwaters of Kerala indeed have a charm of their own. The narrow water-lanes meandering through villages; ethnic household situated on their banks; and finally those lanes emptying themselves into salty lakes! It is surely a not-to-be-missed experience to witness the rural life of Kerala flourishing along these water-lanes while sitting in a long narrow boat. But, what I didn’t know was that my stay at Kollam was also going to be an equally memorable experience.

The sun was vibrant and furious but the cool misty breeze was quite relaxing and refreshing

After spending two blissful days in the beautiful beach-town of Varkala, me along with my parents headed towards Kollam situated at a distance of 24 kms from Varkala. We had booked a room at one of the three Summer Houses in Kollam. All the three holiday homes are private properties having a total of nine bedrooms, though are duly recognized by District Tourism Promotion Council. Kollam has three beaches namely- the main beach called Mahatma Gandhi Beach, Tangasseri Beach and Thirumullawaram Beach. All three summers are situated on Tangasseri and Thirumullawaram. We had booked at House no. 3, which was on sea shore at Tangasseri.

The house is surrounded by coconut trees. The verandah is large enough to have long strolls

The magic of Varkala had not completely left our mind when charm of the summer house captivated us. The moment we stepped into this lovely holiday home situated at one corner of the city, we felt refreshed. All the stress seemed to vanish away in thin air. Suddenly, we were far away from the din and bustle of city life, and before us was the sprawling Arabian Sea hitting against the outer wall of the house. And we had reached an almost perfect place to watch sun immersing itself in the sea waves in the evening.

The place is surrounded by coconut trees all around. The courtyard is spacious to relax in the evening. While I was making the reservation, I was apprehensive how we would do without an air-conditioner in warm month of March. Kerala becomes quite warm by the start of March. But, believe me it was so breezy at the summer house that we had to switch off the fan even during the day time. The sound waves were noisy during the day, but they seemed to be chanting in a rhythm during night.

The  bedrooms with private ensuite are basic in design but quite comfortable to stay

The summer house was being attended by a caretaker named Ram, who was always there to fulfill every need of ours with a smile never leaving his face. There was warm water in the private ensuite, tea and coffee making facilities in the kitchen, and a refrigerator stuffed with beer and packaged water. Ram made tea for us whenever we asked for it. The best part was the food, especially the seafood. They didn’t prepare the food there, but it came from a restaurant being run by the owner of the summer house. The food was fresh and yummy. While we paid for the lunch and the dinner, the afternoon tea and the breakfast were included in the room rent.

There is an area in the sea that is marked safe for bathing. Currents are non-existent there

So serene was the atmosphere that my parents couldn't stop themselves from meditating

Spending two days in the wooden cottage house was nothing short of being in paradise. There is cordoned off area in the sea that is safe for having bath. The house also provides fishing rods to keep you engaged. And above all, it was an awesome idea to sip ice-cold beer while sitting in the verandah in the dim lights of evening and gradually slipping into darkness of night, with water drops flying in intermittently to wet you all this time. And what’s more, we had the entire place almost to ourselves, as a Tsunami warning had resulted in a few cancellations.

How to Reach Kollam

Kollam is a district headquarters and is very well connected through rail and road. It is situated on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake and is approximately 71 kilometres from the state capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. The nearest railway station is Kollam itself that is connected through broad-gauge railroad to almost every nook and corner of the country, and the nearest airport is at Thiruvananthapuram.

Whom to Contact for Reservation

The soft-spoken Mr. N. Sasi is the owner of all the three summer houses. For reservations and inquiries, he can be reached through e-mail at contactsummerhouse@hotmail.com or at +91-9895662839 or +91-474-2794518 on phone. For more information, one can visit the website of Summer House.

Text and Photos by Ajay Garg

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The Unforgettable Varkala

View of the beach from the cliff; and view of the cliff from the beach at Varkala

It had been not very long since I had read Ken Follett’s novel ‘Eye of the Needle’ that I happened to visit the sleepy town of Varkala in Kerala. The story of this novel revolves around the activities of a Nazi spy during World War II, involved in espionage within Britain. A major part of the story happens on a rocky island near Scottish shore. Imagine a huge mass of rock standing vigilant in vast expanse of sea; and saline waves roaring against its bottom! This image had been imprinted somewhere deep in my mind by the time I finished reading the novel. And I had no idea that the image was about to be realized soon at Varkala.

Varkala- a tiny town at the southern end of Kerala! At first glance, it appears to be a sleepy hamlet in one remote corner of a vast country, and moving with a speed of its own. A quiet railway station with almost non-existent hustle & bustle and surrounded by lush green trees; a good number of taxis and auto rickshaws outside the station to take you to the beach; no bus stand, and people boarding a bus from the road itself; and ordinary eating outlets along the road, many of those running in kiosks.

The beach shimmers in golden glow at dusk. It is an inviting view nonetheless

There are many souvenir shops lining the road on hilltop where they sell local stuff

This image of Varkala does not change much as you go down the winding road towards the beach. The road runs for almost five kms. till it hits the cliff. And the moment you fill your eyes with the scene below you from the top of the hill, you see a different world altogether. That scene is still unforgettable to me. By the time I reached there, the Sun had started its final descent in the Occident, and the white sandy beach below me was shining in the evening light. The whole setting of the rocky island and the sea in Ken Follett’s novel was suddenly alive before me. The only difference was, whereas there was only one house on that island and it had only a couple of souls living there, here, in Varkala, were many resorts, restaurants and souvenir shops lining the single road on the hilltop and there was a huge crowd enjoying on the beach below.

A better and cheaper option

Varkala is far better option as compared to Goa and Mumbai. It is cheaper too

If you have had enough of the dirty and littered beaches of popular Indian tourist destinations like Goa, Mumbai or Chennai, then welcome to Varkala! The sand here is almost white in colour and shore edge is velvety. And as the sunrays deflected by the clean glassy beach soothe your retina, it feels like a paradise glowing in the golden light. Varkala beach is a strong contender to beaches of Phuket and Penang in beauty. That is why perhaps, you will find so many foreign tourists here- much more than what you will expect at more popular beach of Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram situated only 50 kilometers away.

The seaside resort town of Varkala is settled on a hillock. This hillock is part of a low mountain range called Western Ghats that runs along the western sea coast of India. As compared to other places, these Ghats almost kiss the seashore in Varkala. The hillock in Varkala has two cliffs namely the North Cliff and the South Cliff. And at the bottom of these sharply sloped cliffs lies the gleaming sandy beach.

One feels at home

There are flea markets too in the small alleys that run off the main road on the cliff

If it is mentally refreshing to spend some time on the beach and get into a playful mood in the Arabian Sea, it is equally relaxing to have an overnight stay in one of the numerous home-stays there. Though there are many five-star resort hotels in Varkala, one can easily find budget accommodation, thus making it an ideal destination for backpackers too. Although, the actual identity of Varkala lies in its home-stays, which offer true backpacking experience. The most of foreign tourists prefer to get mixed up in the local life rather than locking themselves up in a hotel room. Living like a guest with local families, knowing about the culture of Kerala, and savouring pure and delicious home-made local food… home-stay experience is really different and enriching.

My destination too was one of those home-stays. After being tired from travelling almost for the whole day, I stepped into the courtyard surrounded by coconut trees… and what! All my tiredness vanished then and there into thin air. On one side a swing; and on the other some young guests sitting on a mat and laughing heartily! A well for fetching drinking water from; and a candle light dinner with Keralite dishes while sitting on a cot! It felt as if all the guests staying there were known to each other since long and a part of an extended family.

Taste and Health come together here

Many small restaurants are there on the cliff. Though there are bigger ones too

Having local food at a home-stay has a charm of its own, though one has an option of having meal at one of the restaurants on the cliff. If one is in town, then there also are numerous food outlets serving all kind of food. The restaurants at the cliff can offer you mesmerizing ambience- music playing amidst dim lights, a roaring sea just beneath you, and fresh seafood... What else one wants! Bet it, you won’t forget this dinner. And if you wish, you can buy raw seafood here and get it cooked to your own taste and choice. Varkala is indeed a paradise for food lovers. Health conscious people also have something to rejoice in Varkala. They can have Ayurvedic massage and spa at very reasonable rates and there are several such centers where you can say goodbye to your physical and mental fatigue.

Janardhana Temple and Sivagiri Monastery

The Janardhana Temple is 2000 years yold and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu

If Varkala is one of the best destinations for those who love comfort and sophistication at an affordable price, it is no less important from religious point of view. Here you can visit Janardhana Temple that is 2000 years old. It is not very far from Papanasham beach which literally means ‘destroyer of all sins’. This place is religiously so important for local people that they call it ‘Kashi of the South’. In addition, Sivagiri Math in Varkala is also a centre of religious activities. This was founded by great saint and philanthropist Narayana Guru. A festival is celebrated at Sivagiri from December 30th to January 1st every year.

Some tips before you go there

• Situated about 50 kms from Thiruvananthapuram and 25 kms from Kollam, Varkala is easily approachable by bus and train. Train travel is far more convenient. The name of the railway station is Varkala Sivagiri.
• Not every train originating or passing through Kollam or Thiruvananthapuram stops at Varkala Sivagiri station. Check out before you board a train.
• Varkala beach and the cliff above have many eating and drinking outlets where one can have a memorable dinner while enjoying cool and misty sea breeze.
• I had booked my home-stay on internet and it was a bit costly as compared to others. But there are many home-stays to choose from and not each of them is offered on internet. One can get a cheaper option even after getting to Varkala.
• Before you choose a home-stay, do inquire about the facilities they provide there. Don’t forget to ask whether breakfast is included in your room tariff or not. Sometimes it is there but they will offer it only if you ask about it.
• If you intend to spend much time in Varkala, rooms are available on rental basis.

Text and Photos by Ajay Garg

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Postcards from Bewitching Gulmarg

Gulmarg is a hill station and a popular skiing destination in Kashmir region of India. The name literally means 'Meadow of Flowers'. It was once described by CNN as 'the Heartland of Winter Sports in India', and was a candidate as venue for Commonwealth Winter Games in 2010.

Here, the beauty of Gulmarg is depicted through pictures. These pictures are of two seasons. Savour the snow-clad mountains in winter and pleasant warmth and serenity of nature in late summers. It is just 52 kms from Srinagar and is situated at an average elevation of 2690 metres. The approach time from Srinagar by car or taxi is two hours.

All these pictures are by Ambreen Zaidi

Mesmerizing Winters

A plain mass of land flanked by mountains makes Gulmarg ideal for winter sports

Tourists from all over the world choose Gulmarg as one of their destinations

Even in winters, one can see patches of land here and there peeping through snow

Terrace farming is abundant in Kashmir. The area is known for saffron cultivation 

All set on the start line... Surely, some spectacular skiing is on the cards 

Enchanting Summers

View from top of the surrounding mountains can be stunning and breathtaking

Gulmarg has some beautiful landscapes and mountains in and around

The best way to savour the beauty of Gulmarg area is a rope way trip

Get as close to nature as you can, and take non-erasable imprints home

A mix of nature and machine... it is variety of scenes that attracts in Gulmarg

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