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The Mysterious Singalila National Park by Asis Mukherjee

“No autumn breeze,
No falling leaves,
Not even time for birds to
Fly to southern skies…..”

In fact it’s just like another ordinary day of autumn when those lines of the song of Stevie Wonder haunted me time and again. I knew the reason behind it as well as the answer also. I would have to breathe in the lap of the Himalaya for a couple of days. So I made up my mind to set out for the hills and before booking a ticket I just knocked on my senior colleague cum friend Sunil Sen and he also stood up immediately on one toe at my proposal. So we two set out one day evening after office hours heading for Sikkim, my favourite destination for a week. October already brought the fragrance of “Durga Puja” in the air. But before that, we started with a tight itinerary so that we could come back home before the festival. The reason for choosing our destination to Sikkim was not only because of our short schedule but also every time I had the scope of exploring new destinations in this small state as well. This time I also had a plan to explore the forest namely “The Rhododendron Sanctuary” in Sikkim and “The Singalila National Park“ in West Bengal. Both the forests are inseparable part of the Singalila range. Sunil didn’t visit Sikkim earlier though he trekked for a long time. So on the train I briefed him on my idea in a nutshell.

Must Read: Top 20 National Parks in India That You Need to Visit!

Next morning our train reached New Jalpaiguri Station in time. We came out and took a rickshaw to the SNTC bus stand at Siliguri. We came to the bus stand and booked two tickets for Jorethang, a small town at the confluence of the Rammam and Rangeet rivers, in the South Sikkim District. After having tea and snacks we took our seats. The bus started at eight in the morning and normally it took three hours and a half though the distance was around ninety kilometres only. So we expected to reach our destination around twelve by the latest. Sunil asked me what’s next. I told him, “Let’s see after reaching the destination.” Though I told him my plan, yet he got confused at every turn of the journey. He was perhaps not accustomed to the flexibility of my schedule of journey. In fact I myself was not sure whether we would get any transportation from Jorethang to Ribdi, immediately after reaching there. I had a plan that if we didn’t get any transportation today itself we would stay there and next morning we should proceed further. In fact I used to keep at least one reserve day in my journey schedule for uncertainty. Our bus dropped us off at the bus stand at around twelve and after descending from the bus we looked for the bus for Ribdi. Luckily we found the only bus bound for Ribdi was waiting there. We bought two tickets for ourselves and went to a restaurant on the opposite side of the bus stand for our lunch. The bus started at 1.30 p.m. for Ribdi. The distance was around forty five kilometres. But due to the condition of the road it would take around two hours. The bus took us via Sombaria and Daramdin to Ribdi. Ribdi (8000 feet) is a picturesque remote village in the southwest Sikkim perched on the slope of a hill. We came out from the bus and brought down our rucksacks from the rooftop. I began to march along the foot track down the slope followed by Sunil. I entered a house. I knew the owner beforehand. Previous year I came here with an eye to going to Versey along with my two senior friends. Then we put up here. Though Versey has nowadays become popular among tourists and trekkers, by that time there was no hotel or lodging here. I had to manage to stay at the home of a local man for one night before we started for Versey the next morning. Sunil might have been a bit astonished. But when I introduced him to the owner of the house he felt comfortable. We were given a room where we put our rucksacks. I asked my host to give us a cup of tea and also requested him to arrange a guide who could lead us through the dense forest of the Singalila National Park and the Rhododendron Sanctuary. After having our tea we all three set out for a troll with an eye to getting a reliable guide. Our host assured me that he would come back soon with a man and introduce me to him. So I felt relaxed and told Sunil not to be worried. From here one could see the trail of Ramnam on the opposite bank of the Ramman river. We could listen to the gurgling sound of the Rammam river, coming from the gorge but we couldn’t see its flow. After a short stroll we returned to our nest and found our host had already brought a young man who would accompany us on the next few days’ trek. We talked to him and told him that he would not only guide us to reach Phalut crossing the great Singalila Ridge but also carry a light load of our tent and packed food for us for a couple of days. He gladly accepted our proposal and after having tea he assured to turn up next morning and he left. After his leaving we rearranged our rucksacks. Our host called us for dinner and we finished it at around 7.30 p.m. As usual we went to bed early.

Must Read: A Rainy Day Out by Asis Mukherjee

Early in the morning we woke up at the call of our host with a steaming cup of tea. We finished our tea and got ready. Meanwhile our guide also turned up. We paid some money to our host and bid goodbye on our way to Varsey(10,100 feet). This is a motorable road under construction upto Hilley. So we walked very comfortably. The forest rest house at Hilley provided us with tea and a splendid view of Mount Kanchendzonga. After a brief pause we started our journey again. From here Versey is only around five kilometres. The trail passed through the dense forest of Silver Fir,Hemlock, Magnolia and different varieties of Rhododendron. But this is not the season of bloom. In April and May the Rhododendron creates a riot of colours in the forest. In another two hours of enjoyable walking we reached Versey. There’s a beautiful lodge aptly named “The Rhododendron Resort” or “Gurascunj” , the Nepalese term of Rhododendron. We checked into the rest house and asked the caretaker to prepare lunch for all of us. In the month of April and May Versey fills your heart with the beauty of varieties of flowers along with the vast view of the “Sleeping Buddha” or Mount Kanchendzonga. But now though it’s not the time to bloom, we were blessed with the view of a great range of the Himalaya from the east of Bhutan to the far west of Nepal covering a wide panoramic view of Kanchendzonga to Mount Everest. Sunil got awe struck in the vastness of nature. We soon came to reality at the call of the caretaker to have our lunch. After lunch we retired to our bed to rest for a couple of hours. Sunil perhaps didn’t enjoy such a comfortable trek earlier. So he appreciated my selection of the trip. After a couple of hours rest, we came out and sat in the courtyard of the forest rest house to behold the sunset. Indeed it’s so beautiful that I couldn’t express my feelings in words. Only the beholder can preserve his feelings in the niche of his heart. After the sunset when all the birds went to their nest, we also came to our room and asked the caretaker to prepare tea. With a steaming cup of tea we had another round of discussion with our guide. He suggested that next morning we would set out for “Thulo Dhap” , a good location for camping amidst this “Rhododendron Sanctuary” and the day after tomorrow we would proceed to cross the Singalila Ridge. After a while the caretaker called us for dinner. We finished our dinner and went to bed.

We woke up at the call of our guide. We told him to call us before dawn so that we could see the sunrise from Versey. Different places of the Himalaya always give you a different experience of watching the sunrise. As if the same sun brings different colours of dawn. Each experience is invaluable. We came outside. Everywhere a calmness prevailed. Gentle wind was blowing from the north. Birds were yet to come out of their nests. The entire valley was still under the curtain of a black sheet. Gradually the first sunbeam touched the head of the “Sleeping Budha” and one after another the peaks of the Himalaya smiled in delight. The black curtain gradually drifted and the entire surroundings woke up to the songs of the birds of different varieties. We came back with soothing tranquillity to our room to pack our rucksacks. The caretaker served the first round of tea. We were getting ready for our journey to the unknown. After having our breakfast and another round of tea we packed our rucksacks and took a packed lunch on the way. We paid the caretaker and came out of the resthouse. We began to follow our guide along the foot track and entered into the forest of the “Rhododendron Sanctuary”. Today again we had to descend from 10,100 feet to 8,000 feet to reach “Thulo Dhap”. It’s a meadow amidst the jungle. There are so many small meadows like this in this area. Local people used to bring their cattles and sheeps there for grazing. As we proceeded through the forest it became more and more dense. But we both were just following our guide who was leading ahead. Both of us couldn’t understand how he was on the right track. However we had to depend on him. After descending a few kilometres abruptly we came to an open field. Our guide told me this was “Thulo Dhap”. But so far we walked for two hours and a half. I told him ” we should have our lunch here and after taking some rest we should proceed further. Because we have to ascend again from here more than 11,000 feet if we have to cross the Singalila Ridge. So if we can proceed further it will be easier to cover the rest of the trek next day”. Sunil also supported my proposal. So we sat there and had our lunch. After some time we again resumed our trek. Our guide was very good. He suggested that after a few kilometres ahead in the core area of “Singalila National Park” there was another shepherd’s hut which he knew beforehand. So we could spend the night over there. It’s a very good suggestion. We walked and walked ceaselessly. Before evening set in, we came to that location. A small thatched log house stood alone amidst the jungle with a small open field in front of it. Indeed it’s a very good camping ground with the facility of water from a fountain nearby. When we reached there no shepherd was seen around. We decided to pitch our tent on one side of the ground. Our guide lit up a fire to prepare tea. I helped Sunil to pitch our tent and arrange our belongings inside the tent. Meanwhile two shepherds came down from uphill with a herd of cattle and sheeps and joined us. We also offered them tea. Now it’s the right time to enjoy the tea and snacks. Darkness engulfed the entire jungle and the sound of different varieties of insects became louder while the songs of the birds faded out. We all were sitting at one corner of the room where our guide lit a fire. The cattles and sheeps were moving around in the adjacent field. I watched the time on my wrist watch. It’s 7 p.m. I asked Sunil whether he was ready for dinner. Sunil nodded affirmatively but he seemed to be watching carefully two cows in the field. They were pushing each other. I called our guide and handed over our non veg canned food which we brought from Kolkata. Within one hour we finished our dinner and after one more round of black coffee took shelter in our tent. After a little while our guide brought a surprise for us. He and one of the shepherds brought some roasted leg pieces of frog which they might have collected from the forest for their supper. I cordially refused it. Our guide would also spend the night with them in the loghouse. So I wished him good night and slipped into my sleeping bag. As soon as I put out my torch we were lost in the darkness of the jungle.

Must Read: Beyond The Singalila Ridge by Asis Mukherjee

Morning broke at the call of our guide. He was told to prepare tea for all of us. We got up and took our cups. It was unthinkable in that situation, as if we were lodged in a star hotel in the city. However we had to come out from the comfort of our sleeping bags. We could listen to the chirping of birds. Though sunlight couldn’t penetrate through the leafy canopy, there was enough light outside of the tent. We began to pack up our sleeping bags,rucksacks and the tent. Meanwhile our guide prepared some hot noodles for us. We ate that and we got ready to start. Our guide assured us that if we could proceed like yesterday we could easily cross the Singalila Ridge and reach Phalut today itself. But we were not confident enough because of the dense forest where no foot track was available. However we were marching at our level best. Sometimes I tried to see the sky, raising my head but only the branches of the tall trees blocked the sight. Here we couldn’t even find any space to take a rest . We were closely embraced by the trees. Moss, ferns and creepers entangled our every step. We walked and walked relentlessly. At length I suddenly caught the sight of the sky above and I exclaimed in joy. Sunil was behind me. He also got surprised and asked me,”What happened?” I just showed him the sky and told ,”We have almost come beyond the tree line.” He looked at the sky and smiled. The sight of the sky added fuel to our energy and we tried to push up vigorously. In no time we came to the top of the ridge. It’s almost barren. We unleashed our rucksacks and laid flat on the ground. After recovery from fatigue we came back to reality and got awestruck at the beauty of the surroundings. Waves of ridges spread to the horizon where stood the mighty Kanchendzonga spreading from east to the west with so many sparkling peaks. Down the slope laid the evergreen dense forests of the “Singalila National Park ” and the “Rhododendron Sanctuary” and the opposite side of the ridge was barren stretched up to Phalut. Our guide opened the flask and I brought out biscuits from my rucksack. We comfortably enjoyed our cups of tea. After a while we resumed our trek for Phalut. We gradually descended from the top of the ridge and arrived at Toriphule. We again paused for a while began to walk along the almost flat trail leading to Phalut. Within a couple of hours we reached Phalut trekkers’ hut and I asked the caretaker for lunch for the three of us. He told us that he could serve us only noodles and eggs. It’s all right after a long march. We really deserved it. We had our lunch and retired to our bed. By late afternoon trekkers from Sandakphu were coming in groups. We went outside in the courtyard to watch the sunset. The mountain and valley were looking very calm and quiet. The sun went away spreading a dark curtain on the mountain and valley. Cold winds drove us inside the trekkers’ hut. It’s now alive in the presence of a number of trekkers. We asked our guide to arrange tea for us. Shortly we composed ourselves in our bed with a hot cup of tea. Around eight in the evening we had our dinner and went to bed. We woke up the next morning and came out with a cup of tea to enjoy the sunrise. After a while we entered the kitchen and told the caretaker to prepare our breakfast. We came into the room and began to pack up our rucksacks. We already decided to follow the trail to Gorkey. Within an hour we got ready. We paid our bill to the caretaker and came out on track along with our guide. It’s an easy down hill march. We comfortably enjoyed the walk. After crossing a few turns the valley of Gorkey became visible from the slope of the hill. It looked like a picture postcard. We gradually came down and reached our destination. We had already decided to break our journey here though we walked only for two hours and a half. We also decided that we would follow the trail to Ribdi instead of the common trail leading to Rammam and Srikhola, the common route of Sandakphu and Phalut. We checked in and got a very nice room on the first floor of the trekkers’ hut. We came out and here we got a cup of coffee and sat on a rock in the courtyard. On the left side of the trekkers’ hut a beautiful fountain was cascading down to pour its water into the “Gorkey Khola” a beautiful rivulet which was running down to embrace the Rangeet river near Jorethang. We watched as the trekkers coming down from Phalut were following the trail to Rammam instead of coming down to Gorkey. They must have some urgent work or commitment. I couldn’t understand why these fellows were coming in the lap of mother nature. I also had a very tight schedule. But I kept one day reserved and that I must enjoy. We were strolling around here and there. The village was spreading on either side of the “Gorkey Khola ”. Mild sunshine on my shoulder reminded me of the famous country song of John Denver, “country roads take me home….”, which I murmured while walking. Sunil, who was walking beside me and was attentively listening to me, appreciated it with a smile. We were perhaps lost in the lap of mother nature but came back abruptly to reality at the call of our guide. He came out in search of us and called us for lunch.

Must Read: 49 Places To Visit In Sikkim Best from Travellers of India

We came back to the trekkers’ hut and sat in the lobby for our lunch. Rice, dal and one mixed veg curry were served after a long time. We really enjoyed our lunch like that of our home. After lunch we packed up and paid the caretaker his dues and came out on the trail leading to Ribdi. We crossed the rivulet “Gorkey Khola” and entered into the forest. Gradually it became dense as we left behind the village. We all marched together. The trail was comparatively better than our experience of the last two days. Our guide told us that it might take three hours to reach Ribdi. We were at the last leg of our adventure. A slight pain was pinching me at the corner of my heart for leaving this place. We didn’t know when we could come again in this solitude amidst the virgin forest and among the simple innocent people of the hill. There was no scope to rest for a while. We walked on and on until the forest became thinner. Gradually the small cottages and houses became visible through the leafy branches of the trees. We came up on the village road and paused for a while and looked around. Gradually we appeared at the house of our familiar host. Our guide yelled his name and he peeped from the window and came out to welcome us. We entered the room and kept our rucksacks at one corner. Our host brought tea for us and he informed us that he would prepare rice and eggs for us. We all sat together with tea and biscuits in the courtyard of the house. We paid our guide and told him to have lunch with us. Tomorrow we shall leave this place. A feeling of detachment from this place pains my heart as if I’m leaving my very own place. On the other hand a dream of coming back again in the lap of mother nature soothes my wounds and consoles my heart.

My Dear Munnar by Jayesh Boorle

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What makes you happy?
When was the last time you felt you exist ?
well after a very long time i felt my existence, and i want to share some of my memories to you.
Because ENGINEERING did not make me happy, I started a part-time YouTube channel in the hopes of having a second career option. I took engineering in 2020 and lost 18 months of engineering online, which made me happy -, and when we returned to campus for the first time after finishing our three semesters online, it felt strange. Despite the fact that it was a regular day in engineering, we all had bounced back and were very busy with pending labs after studying one semester offline which felt like more than 18 months online…and after a heavy offline semester, we decided to go on our first engineering trip!!

Life…many say we need to do that or this , but for what ? social recognition or for others..try to start living for yourself without causing pain to others…With Tank full of disel, over loaded anxiety and excitement we started our trip. Things were fine we rented a car at night and started from coimbatore and reached pollachi.

Had our dinner and it was around 10pm and We were on our way to our final destination of the day, Udumalaipettai, where we parked near the town’s main bus stop and decided to sleep in the car itself. That was our first mistake on this trip; I couldn’t sleep in the car, so do half of us , were roaming on the empty wet roads.

When your willpower and efforts are honest, even Mother Nature will stop bothering you…the moment we started in Coimbatore it began to rain (7:00pm), at one point we were unable to see the road and considered giving up, but we chose to stick to the plan, we drove very steadily, and it was raining continuously throughout our journey until 11:30pm.

Mother Nature spared us from the continuous rain at 12:30am, so we started our day 1 trip to Munnar at 1:30am. We entered at the Ghat section by 3:00am and entered the tiger reserve, but there was a herd of elephants obstructing our way, so we waited for 30 minutes before reaching the first hair pin bend. The tragedy in our classic voyage has showed up.

Must Read: What Does Trekking In The Club Mahindra Munnar Resort Look Like?

We are a group of 8 individuals who studied together for 18 months online and 6 months offline and we don’t know how we trusted each other for the self-driving trip in the the middle of the night in a dense forest route, perhaps this is called the bond between engineering friends, they say smoking makes them feel light, I never smoked in my life but I found that travelling makes me feel light.

After crossing the elephants we reached our first hair pin bend , it was around 4am and it was pitch dark,As we approached our first hairpin turn, our vehicle came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the bend; we all exited the car, and our pal tried to ignite it, but it did not, so we pushed the car to some extent, and our kick start attempt was successful.

Within 200m, we encountered our second hairpin bend, but this time, as expected, the car came to an abrupt end, and the curvature of the bend was so sharp that we couldn’t push the vehicle any further, and the road was extremely slippery over there, so we slowly reversed our vehicle and placed it aside, and it was pin pin pin drop silent with the weirdest sounds of wild animals and the darkest surroundings I have ever been in. We never imagined our first engineering trip to become such a disaster.

There were very few vehicles passing through our route and many tried to help us, but the car was always silent, it was a dead network zone, we couldn’t dial the emergency contacts, we were roughly 20km away from the forest check post and thought we could split and half of us would go to the check post, but a truck driver insisted we not do such things, since an accident occurred two days before on these roads where a biker was hit by wild animals and killed on the road

We were struck for more than 2 hours in pitch dark Tiger reserve roads…the only thing I waited for during the time of vehicle breakdown was sunrise, at 6:30am we stopped a vehicle which was exactly our model of car, by a miracle our vehicle ignition was on again and we are literally done with vehicle at this moment.

Must Read: Ultimate Travel Destination to Visit in India Before You Are 30

We didn’t give up despite many obstacles on this trip, so we given up our vehicle at Udumalaipettai and took a bus to Munnar. We were astonished to witness the sudden dense fog and cold temperature in mid-afternoon when our bus began to reach the hills of tea plantation, and the temperature had dipped to 16 degrees and the visibility was less than 30 metres.

And we were all delighted that we didn’t give up on ourselves and thus lost out on witnessing God’s Own Country’s green blissIt was one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever traveled on; the fresh tea plantation, the aroma of tea in the breeze, it was like green heaven on the hill.

After arriving in Munnar, we proceeded immediately to Kolukkumalai, where we booked our camping, which was at 5400ft, and we were thrilled. The next day, we returned to our campus, passing via Munnar and a number of waterfalls and lovely tea plantations.

I would conclude that I felt my existence when exploring new destinations and decided to explore as many as possible in order to make life-long memories.

Thank you, Munnar, for the memories you gave me; they will stay with me until the end.

Have you ever attempted to experience your own existence? You should be able to answer youself!.

Must Read: Our First Team Trip to Ooty, a Mesmerising Experience by Vijay Durai

A Rainy Day Out by Asis Mukherjee

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It’s monsoon in the Bengal and the sky was usually overcast with quick cloud. A general
weather forecast was there of rain. But you can not forecast when and where and how long it
will be raining. And if you remain confined to your room during those months together you will
certainly get bored and can not enjoy the rainy season and can not sing or listen to either a
Tagore’s song on rain or a Phill Collins’ famous “I wish it would rain down on me ….” Because it
automatically oozes out from your heart when you are totally filled with joy.

Must Read: Beyond The Singalila Ridge by Asis Mukherjee

So one dull monsoon morning we set forth for a day out. We are four consisting of myself, my
wife, my son and his wife. My son Abir was on the steering. We planned to visit the house of
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the stalwart writer of Bengali literature at Deulty village in our
Howrah district about sixty kilometers away. We drove through the drizzle and gradually
proceeded through traffic jam until we crossed the toll tax gate. After a few kilometers we got rid
of the traffic jam and Abir began to drive smoothly along the national highway leading to
Chennai and Mumbai. Despite the drizzle, as the wippers cleaned the windscreen, our minds
were also brightened in the spirit of joy drive. We reached Deulty around 1 p.m. We parked our
car and entered into the compound of the house. Though other days it’s closed by twelve, but
due to our good luck it was kept open for some VIP visitors. Anyway we found the enclosed
garden and the two storied house was well maintained and very impressive at the first sight. We
also stepped up the verandah and moved from one room to another. From the balcony of the
first floor we got a nice glimpse of the river Rupnarayan.

Must Read: Lonely Planet Travelogue by Asis Mukherjee

A young boy, named Tubai, the son of the caretaker, was there who was narrating us like a professional guide the stories of the great
man, where he used to sit and write or meet the revolutionaries who fought for our indipendance
and used to come here by that time. We took rest there for a while and then started for
Kolaghat. On our way we had already seen the Damodar river and now we would see the
Rupnarayan river. Within half an hour we reached Kolaghat just crossing the bridge over the
river Rupnarayan. But due to continuous rain we could not stop to watch the surroundings of the
Rupnarayan. We went straight to the market place in search of a good restaurant. There were
many, but all were overcrowded. We could not imagine that in such bad weather so many
people had come for outing. Abir contacted one of his friends and took the return lane. Within a
few yards we parked our car in the parking lot and entered into a nice hotel cum restaurant. We
preferred to sit in the covered garden. Indeed the place was a worth selection and whatever
dishes we ordered were equally good. It’s 2 p.m. at the clock now and the right time for lunch.
After having our lunch we set out on the road again bound for home. The rain had been
subsided now. No hurry scurry! We drove comfortably. We paused for a while at the site of
Rupnarayan and Damodar. We started again while John Denver was singing in the back ground
“Country Roads Take Me Home….” Indeed we all want to go home, so a non stop drive of two
hours brought us home before dusk. A day out in the rain thus remained for ever vibrant in the
books and volumes of our memory.

Must Read: Straight From the Heart by Asis Mukherjee

An Idyllic Day in the Hidden Paradise –Unexplored Poor Man’s Ooty! by Navya M.S

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I must admit that this trip to so called Poor man’s Ooty was Just unplanned. It was during my Vacation when I was super bored and wanted to rejuvenate from the hectic schedule. In this utter Confusion of where to visit, As always Google suggested me about Poor man’s Ooty. well, you must wondering where is poor man’s Ooty. It is Yelagiri a quick gate way for tourist from their busy schedules. Yelagiri is 158 kilometers / 3 hr drive from Bangalore.

We decided to set out on a sultry morning. The journey turned out to be quiet adventures missing route’s, well, google maps are not always the right option when we have people around us. Before the cloud could catch rain we reached our destination.

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As we reached after the 14 hairpin bends while riding up with every hairpin bend the view from the top of cliff was more spectacular, it turned to be more intense. the bluish sky with green paint all over the view .once we reached the hill I was lost in the marveling view of the hill words may not suffice to Express the beauty of serenity. The trip provides breathtaking views, serene winds, lush green landscapes, and wonderful trekking terrains. Yelagiri is the most Instagram-worthy spots you will see. The most beautiful words, effective poems, pictures cant do justice while describing the beauty of nature. It’s all lies in once’s experiences.

At first we started our visit with the blessing of lord shiva a temple on the hill top offers panoramic view Swamimalai hills, it is also a trekkers spot.

After the long Journey my grumbling tummy gratefully accepted the invitation of lunch, With the tummy full heavy meal we then reached Yelagiri Lake. my favorite raw mango was awaiting my way, it was lip smacking .walking along the shore of the lake dwelled in the scenic beauty of lake However, others wished for a boat ride & soon got the tickets. enjoying a boat ride in a scenic lake that stands surrounded by groves of Eucalyptus trees. Masked by greenery on all sides the blue lake seems like a painting on an empty canvas. This is not a scene described out of movie. Rather, it’s a glimpse that awaits you at Yelagiri. This exotic destination is a perfect spot for adventure seekers, nature lovers, & weekend tourists, those are in need to invigorate from the daily regimen.

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Yelagiri lake presents a magnificent sight to behold & treasure forever. Soon after boating. There were lot of fun activities around the lake like miniature Columbus, gaint wheel etc, which reminisced me of my childhood took me down the lane.

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We set off witnessing the spectacular sunset….by the end of the trip I was quiet depressed to leave the rich nature, With bundle of joy, happiness, witnessing poor man’s Ooty we reached the hustle bustle city with added memories, hand made chocolate’s & some great spices with the beautiful experience this place has offered. Reviving, surviving , thriving all this ever cherished memory during the horrifying isolation in pandemic was the only way of exploring this short travel.

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Step By Step Towards The Hill by Asis Mukherjee

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When autumn breeze starts blowing and the sky turns azure and clouds like combed cotton sway, I can hear the call of the Himalaya to my inner ear every year. It almost bends me to pack up and set out for the hill responding it’s becon. That year also I set out for a sojourn to Sikkim, our neighbouring state abundant with lustrous beauty of nature, accompanied by my colleague turned friend P. K. Deb. The North Bengal bound train brought us to New Jalpaiguri Station in a sunny morning and we headed for “SNT” bus stand at Siliguri. After a brief pause for tea and snacks, we set out for Rabongla, a small but calm and clean town in the South Sikkim District.

Our bus took around four hours to reach Rabongla via Jorethung and Namchi. We alighted from the bus and checked in a nearby hotel. Rabongla is a small town very clean and quiet opposite to the towering Maenam hill. Occupying our room in the hotel and having our lunch we two set out for a stroll around the town and then we came across another group of four mountain lovers from Konnagar and Uttarpara who came and put up in the same hotel an hour before we reached. They also came with an eye to exploring the Maenam hill and surroundings. So we easily tied up with friendship and marching together revised our plan for the next day. After a brief stroll around we came back to our hotel and all sat down in the lounge with coffee. We checked our ration for the next day and after distribution packed it. After that we spent a nice evening in gossiping and exchanging our experiences until dinner. We went to our rooms after dinner at about nine p.m.

Next day morning we woke up early as usual and packed up our rucksacks and assembled at the lounge of the hotel. While having our breakfast we ordered packed lunch for us. We set out around nine in the morning and soon we took a zigzag foot track leading towards Meanam hill. It’s a reserved forest around thirty seven square kilometers and the height of the hill is twelve thous itand five hundred feet above sea level. As we gained altitude the forest became dense. Varieties of trees and hurbs are in abundant for nature lovers and botanists. After a couple of hours trek we saw a watch tower amidst the jungle. We paused for a while for rest. We climbed the tower and watched around. Someone of us proposed to spend the night over there. But we so far crossed only half of the way so the proposal was immidiately turned down and we resumed our march. We already gathered information that there’s a little monestery at the top of the hill. After four hours and a half we covered a distance of twelve kilometers and reached the top of the hill where we discovered a disolate monestery amidst the dense forest. The surrounding was clear and two rooms of the monestery was shut but not locked. So we easily occupied the front room and rearranged our belongings and came outside with our packed lunch to devour it and rejuvenate our fatigued body. Afterwards so long the daylight prevailed we explored the surrounding and all of a sudden we discovered the “Bhaledunga”, the famous cliff where from the “Tista” river could be seen flowing far below the gorge. The height of the cliff from the river bed was around five thousand feet and the view was breathtaking. Before dark we returned our temporary nest. As evening fell the entire jungle sank into deep darkness of the night. Only the canopy of the starry sky was visible. We lit a small fire fortea and warmth also. Encircling the ‘bon fire’ with steaming tea mug in hand we absorbed in chatting and singing. Beyond our vibrant presence amidst the dense forest there was no sign of life. We were trying our best to break the silence and darkness around us but in vain. So after two rounds of tea perpetually, we set to prepare noodles for our dinner. We finished our dinner and slipped into sleeping bags at around seven thirty in the evening which seemed to early in our usual city life. But due to tiredness we soon lost in to sleep. Next morning we woke up too early and instead of morning tea or breakfast we packed up hastily and began to discend at rapid pace. We rushed back to our hotel at Rabongla in less than two hours. We ordered for tea and breakfast and refreshed ourselves.

After a brief pause we took the service jeep bound for Namchi. At Damthang we alighted from the jeep and the jeep took a turn and disappeared. Damthang is a small village at the foot of Tandong hill. Before starting for our new destination, we assembled before a multipurpose shop and ordered for tea. Meanwhile were trying to gather some information of the Tandong forest and the Gompha. An old man sitting in front of was also watching us and he suggested to wrap our feet with tobacco leaves to get rid of leaches in the forest. We were, indeed, not prepared for this. We expressed our thanks and bought some tobacco leaves from the nearby shop and wrapped it on our foot. We bought some rice and packets of biscuits and sugar for our tea and lunch. It’s one hour and a half trek through the reserve forest of Tandong to reach the top of the hill. So we finished our tea and started for our new destination leasurely. As we entered into the forest varieties of trees and bushes engulfed us. The trunks and branches of the trees were heavily festooned with clinging beard like moss. Yarning for sunlight vines clambered up the tree trunks. Gigantic ferns took the shape of garden umbrellas. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy of trees created patterns of shades in the jungle. Insects trilled and rasped, leaves whispered, little creatures walked the underbush leaving ripples of rustling and birds whistled their territorial claims. We paused for a while to check our feet and found leaches trying to grasp our feet through the holes of the lace of the shoes. Some of my friends got panic stricken but we were well guarded by the bandage off the tobacco leaves. We were forced to speed up to get rid of this insects. Shortly we reached the top of the Tandong hill at an altitude of eight thousand five hundred feet above sea level.

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Amidst the dense forest on the plateau there stood a three storied high observation tower and two small monasteries an old one and the other under construction. A young lama welcomed us. Initially we thought to spend the night at the veranda of the watch tower. But later we changed our minds to honour the request of the lama and occupied the newly constructed monastery. The lama a very hospitable man offered us tea. Tandong has a unique location. Though it’s only eight thousand five hundred feet high but it offers a spectacular view of the surroundings. Perhaps no other place in Sikkim offers a better panoramic view of the mountain ranges in the State than Tandong. It’s like sitting in centre of a huge amphitheatre. On the east one can see the full Chola Range, on the west the Singalila Range and the towering Kanchendzonga. In the north east can be seen the Paunhri peak with surrounding mountains. Darjeeling, Gyalshing, Nathula, a part of Gangtok and the rolling plains of Siliguri can be visible from here. Both sunrise and sunset are simply breathtaking. From other parts of Sikkim Tandong looks like a volcano and legend has it that it was once an active volcano which is now dormant. Besides all these there is another legend of the Lepcha tribe that saved itself on its summit during the great deluge that once inundated the world. The story has a resemblance with that of Noah and his Ark and Mount Arrarat which Tandong is said to be. Tandong is also worshipped by the Lepchas in a festival called “Tandong Lho Rum Faat” which literally means “Worship of Tandong”.

We heard all these stories of Tandong from the Lama while we were preparing our lunch. We prepared rice. We brought tinned fish curry with us. So we had a very homely lunch after quite few days. The veranda of the Tower where we settled initially was specious enough for us. Amidst the jungle surrounded by mountain we had our lunch which we would never forget. After lunch laid down on our mattress and relaxed ay enjoyed our temporary kingdom until sunset. It was a memorable moments we could treasure in our books and volume of our memory for ever. We were mesmerized by nature. We could see the sun woke up in Bhutan and crossing over the Kanchendzonga went to Nepal for rest leaving behind several colours bands of colours. As sun set we rearranged our belongings and took shelter in the newly constructed monastery. We lit two candles inside and outside in the courtyard lit a fire for tea. With the sunset the entire jungle slipped into silence. The cacophony of birds and insects sank into silence. Besides all these there is another legend of the Lepcha tribe that saved itself on its summit during the great deluge that once inundated the world. The story has a resemblance to that of Noah and his Ark and Mount Arrarat which Tandong is said to be. Tandong is also worshipped by the Lepchas in a festival called “Tandong Lho Rum Faat” which means “Worship of Tandong”.

We heard all these stories of Tandong hill from our the Lama while preparing our lunch. We prepay rice and we brought tinned fish curry with us. So we had a very homely lunch after quite a few days. The veranda of the Tower where we settled initially was specious enough for us. Amidst the forest surrounded by mountains we had our lunch that we could never forget. After lunch we laid down on our mattress and relaxed and enjoyed our temporary kingdom until sunset. It was a memorable moment that we could treasure in our books and volumes of memory for ever. We were mesmerized by nature. We could see the sun woke up at Bhutan and crossing over the Kanchendzonga went to Nepal for rest leaving behind several bands of colours. As sun set we rearranged our belongings and took shelter in a newly constructed room of the Gompha. We lit a candle inside the room and outside in the courtyard lit a small fire for preparation of tea. With the sunset entire jungle slipped into silence. The cacophony of birds and insects also sank into silence.

Sitting indoor with tea we absorbed in chatting. Time moved on leaden feet. Darkness engulfed the entire area of the courtyard and the jungle. After a while one of friends went outside and called us. Someone asked “what’s up?” He didn’t reply but pointed at the sky. We looked up and saw a starry canopy above us and the milkyway spread from East to West. On the earth a heavy curtain of darkness wrapped us with everything around. Sometimes the calls of different creatures we’re breaking the sound silence. Altogether it’s an uncanny ambience around us. All of a sudden one of us spotted the bright beam of light of his four cell tourch aiming to a sound coming from a nearby tree and drew our attention to a Himalayan flying squirrel. We all stood perplexed watching the small creature stuck to the branch of a tree. Suddenly it took a flight stretching its wings glided a few yards and vanished into the darkness. It was a unique experience to all of us. After a while we came inside the room. We had our dinner early as usual and kept all our dishes and utensils outside in the courtyard for washing next morning. We closed the door and laid down on our mattress. Night was still young and we were gossiping. Suddenly a tapping sound on the rock outside drew our attention. We became cautious and stopped talking. Yes, it’s there. Outside in the courtyard a marching sound of hoofs on the rocky floor was very distinct now. What could it be? We left our bed very cautiously and leaning against the window peeped outside. To our utter surprise we discovered a herd of seven or eight spotted deer we’re moving around in the courtyard. They turned up here for rice gruel and rice which we left while preparing our lunch. We didn’t disturb them and quietly shut the window and came back to our bed. But two consecutive thrilling experiences kept us excited for a long time before sleep.

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Next day morning we woke up early to witness the sunrise from the watch tower.
Many of us have the experience to watch sunrise from the Tiger Hill in Darjeeling. In that case we have to move from Darjeeling by taxi or jeep during the dead hours of the day for Tiger Hill. But here we were at the top of your Hill. We all slowly moved through the veil of mist towards the watch tower. Darkness gradually faded out and then sky was brightening before the sun appeared on the eastern horizon of the mountain range of Bhutan. The vastness of the snow peaks before us spreading from eats to west was beyond expression. We all stood motionless as the first ray of the sun touched Mount Kanchendzonga and with its first touch it turned pink. One after another peak enlightened with the touch of sunshine and began to change colour from pink to golden and at last bright silver. We were watching the magic of nature as if we were hypnotized for the time being. When the entire range of the mountain became dazling in bright sunshine and the jungle around us woke up we came back to reality. We discended gradually from the tower and in the courtyard another surprise was waiting for us. A group of yellow beak “Chough” and “Blue Magpie” thronged around the courtyard. They were also drawn here because of rice left last night along with our utensils and plates in the courtyard. At the sound of our arrival they disappeared in the forest in a twinkle of an eye. But before they disappeared they quenched our thirst for nature. We came back to our nest and tried to prepare morning tea. After all these mesmerizing trances we had to come to our usual routine of life. Because we would leave this place now. We would go down to the world of our everyday life alienated from the soothing touch of mother nature.

Must Read: Panwali Kanta The Pilgrim’s Progress – By Asis Mukherjee

Panwali Kanta The Pilgrim’s Progress – By Asis Mukherjee

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“PANWALI KANTHA” — Sometimes it’s the name that draws our first attention without any reason. So when I got acquainted with the place in an article, the appeal was irresistible to me to visit it ,which is situated on the old pilgrimage route in the Central Garwal. Shortly we two, myself and Pradeep Biswas, set out for Tehri via Haridwar. Tehri was the ancient capital of Garhwal on the bank of Bhagirathi, but now it has lost his glamour and importance.

We left it behind and took the road to Ghuttu along the upstream of Bhilangana, a tributary of Bhagirathi. By late afternoon our only bus stopped at the road- ahead of the village Ghuttu which spread on the either side of the beautiful little river Bhilangana. It was a quiet hamlet in the lap of the Himalaya on the bank of a rivulet which was cascading down with the crystal blue water from khatling glacier and ghusing down to pour its water into the Bhagirathi.

We checked in the forest-rest-house. Putting our belongings in the room we set out again for a stroll around the village with an eye to searching two porters for our next few days trek. We walked down to the riverbed and sitting on a flat stoneslab unleashed ourselves into the tranquility of the place against the setting sun. The rivulet flowed us to the past when the pilgrims and saints used to travel and halt on their pilgrimage along this route from Bhagirathi Valley to Mandakini Valley. Presently this roadhead village Ghuttu offers a number of treks including Shahasratal, Khatling Glacier and Kedarnath via masartal etc. You can get your provisions and porters and guides for your requirement here.

We engaged two local men as our porters and when we came to know from them that approaching for Khatling Glacier wouldn’t be judicious in this early summer on account of heavy accumulation of snow in the uphill ahead, we changed our mind instantly for ‘Panwali Kanta’ which was our primary objective. So we told them likewise and returned our nest. In the early morning the two porters peeped in and awakened us with two glasses of tea. I counted it as an indication of their sincerity which proved very helpful later. We got up and prepared as they were busy on repacking their loads. We left our Nightshelter at about 6.30 in the morning and crossing the Bhilgana on foot bridge came on the left bank and immediately began to climb throuh the zigzag village foot-track. The village, the river, the foot-track to Gangi all remained picturesquely in shilhoutte as sunshine was yet to appear in the valley below crossing the high ridge of the mountain. As we gained altitude we were getting warmer under the morning sunlight, though cool bridge often soothed us as frequently as we paused for a breath. Kanta is the colloquial term of a ridge. But Panwali Kanta is not only a ridge. it is a watershed between the two valleys of the Bhagirathi and the Mandakini rivers as well as it is also lucrative to the local ‘gurjars’ or the shepherds for its vast pasture of grassland around. During summer they used to settle here with their heards and continue to stay until winter falls. The Height is about 12000 feet above sea level and this place naturally offers a magnificent view of the peaks of the central Himalaya of the Gangotri region.

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After a continuous march of three hours and half on the bare slope of the mountain, Tirpan Singh, the guidde-cum-porter of our team declared a tea break. This was well deserving. He lit a small fire and prepared the liquor within a few minutes. It rejuvenated our energy and we resumed our journey. Tirpan proposed me to reach Panwali the same day which meant
to cover up a distance of two days march. It is about 16 kilometres and the gain of altitude is 6000 feet.

Nevertheless it’s labourious but the track was well defined and good. We now noticed big trees in abundance and we halted in the shed for our lunch as the sun crossed the midday.
In the afternoon we found a thached shop in the middle of the forest to my utter surprise and entered for a cup of tea. Tirpan informed me that a local villager ran this seasonal multipurpose shop for those Gurjars of the up hill pasturage. Here we came across a Bengali sadhu to whom we offered a cup of tea. We came to know that his partner left him behind and he decided to spend the night here. We hurriedly finished our cups and rushed for the last leg of our’s days March. While going through the forest Tirpan showed us some hideouts which the local poachers used to kill ‘bharals’ and deers by shotgun.

During late afternoon we came above the tree-line and soon we crossed the final ridge where from we caught the glimpse of the Majestic Himalayan range in the horizon and in front of us laid out a vast grasay pasture — that’s ‘Panwali Kanta’ , our destination. We unleashed our rucksack from our back and laid down flat on the carpet of the nature utterly fatigued. When, after – ‘a-while, we could manage to drag us into the two storied mudhouse of the Panwali dharamshala we were greeted by Tirpan with mug full of steaming tea and plate full of snacks. He took our rucksacks in the upper room while we sat at the doorstep with our tea. When the goal was achieved, only tranquility prevailed, which we could feel all around. As the sun set, the peaks of Gangotri region in front visible from this part including Rudragayara and Khatling which I could recognise, began to change its colour to bid adieu to the setting sun. The vastness of the land, where we stood upon, the greatness of the mountain encircled us and the calmness of the surroundings entered into our soul awakening a reverential feeling in the mind. We stood perplexed till darkness engulfed the surrounding and star studded canopy was hovered in the sky. A piercing cold wind drove us back to our nest.

We came across, to my utter dismay, the counterpart of that Bengali Sadhu who was left behind enroute. I didn’t like to interact with him but Pradip collected a lot of information about them. As he told me, both of them fled from their home in the mofussil of Bengal in want and were roaming about in disguise of saints from the Gangasagar. What disgusted me most was their deceitful appearance by dint of which they lived a better life than what they did before. Moreover they didn’t think for their families and children whom they left behind selfishly.

Morning wore a bright Sunny face and as we came out our hearts filled with ecstasy. The weather was pleasant and the sign of life of a few Gurjar families around there and their herds awakened in the prevailing tranquility. There was no hurry-skurry. Life here rolls on along with the sun. After a light breakfast we picked up our rucksacks and bade goodbye to those local people who gave us shelter yesternight and stepped out on the track that led to ‘Triyuginarayan’ via ‘Khunta Khal’ the local name of a moderate pass lying a few kilometres ahead.

But soon we came to a halt as we found our porters were waiting there for us. Everything around was shining but the face of Tirpan Singh, our guide, whose wrinkled forehead bore some serious indication. “What happened?” when asked, he simply showed me the foot track in front which had been buried under the deep snow and it’s next to impossible to locate it and follow the same. The only alternative, as he suggested, if we wanted to proceed further, was to climb the cliff and to walk along its razor’s edge untill ‘Khunta Khal’ appeared on our way. Obviously his suggestion put our courage and conviction to an acid-test, because it would be a risky attempt to trek on the sharp edge of a ridge without any support of ‘lifeline’, the rope, which could resist any unwanted fall or acccident. Nevertheless, we decided to proceed.

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So we left the usual track and began to scale the slope of the ridge using all of our four limbs. Tirpan was leading followed by myself and next to me Pradeep and after him the porter all with their own load. As I came upon the top of the ridge, I paused for a while, feeling the intensity of the wind and noticed the sharp fall of about one thousand feet on the other side where no snow could even accumulate. I poised my balance and concentration, then followed the foot steps left behind by Tirpan who already crossed the riskprone zone and waited for my arrival. I traversed the razor’s edge safely and anchored beside him. Now only I could get time to look behind and anxiously noticed that my both behinders tried to cross that formidable ridge but they sank down on their knees. I immediately sent Tirpan, who was also watching them and finally he managed to fetch them safe one by one with great craftsmanship and courage.

The Ridge became flattened and we felt comfortable and safe and resumed our walk ahead in a row as usual through kneedeep snow. But ‘Khunta Khal’ or the pass was still a long-way. While plodding through the soft snow I hoped that after crossing the pass this hazardous journey might come to an end. Tirpan brought to our notice the pagmark of a Himalayan Bear on the soft snow which thrilled all of us. We paused en-route to “Khunta Khal” where Tirpan showed us the remains of a group of poor pilgrims who were burried under and an avalanche last year. But all these could not stir our mind to a great extent because we were too embarrassed with the condition of the snow which now and then reached our west level.

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Ultimately we came upon the pass and with utter dismay noticed the terrible condition of the age-old foot track completely burried under snow and beyond negotiable condition.

So as Tirpan begin to descend the slope through the thick bush and hedge leaving the foot-track aside, we came to his heel with leaden feet.He already noticed a shaphered’s hut at the bottom of the slope amidst a small green pasture of land and selected it as our night’s shelter and when we all reached there he broke off the dayIn no time we rearranged the lonely hut and composed ourselves with our mattrasses and sleeping bags laid out while the porters brought a huge log and lit a fire. With steaming mugs of tea and snacks we soon recovered our energy which was drained out to the buttom in last eight hours of prolonged march through soft snow at about twelve thousand feet above sea level. There was no human being in the vicinity though ‘Mogguchatti‘ was only a few kilometres further. The starry night-sky was visible through the perforated thatched roof of the hut and we rolled down in the womb of our sleeping bags after early dinner.

The following morning, as we left for ‘Soneprayag‘, the road head on the Kedarnath route, a heavy downpour accompanied us till Triyuginarayan where we halted for a while. Though drenched to the buttom we visited the temple where the holy marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati took place under the priesthood of Lord Vishnu according to mythology. Once important pilgrimage has now lost its importance to the modern travellers of Kedarnath who normally have very little time in their tight-scheduled package-tour to visit this beautiful place and the temple. It seemed to me that the temple along with a few habitats around remained in the hoary past with the ever-burning holy-fire as an evidence of the great marriage. We also added some wood to the fire and prayed to the holy couple and headed for a hotel in the usual life of din and bustle of our world.

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Landour: Distant From the Crowd, Into the Silence – Radhika Pansare

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This year, I organized an impromptu vacation to Uttarakhand, and Landour, Mussoorie was one of the places where I left a piece of my heart. Landour is a stunning off-the-beaten-path hill station in Mussoorie. Landour, a British Indian cantonment town, was named after the settlement of Llanddowror in south-west Wales. The tranquility and serenity of the surroundings guarantee to captivate you. I could go on and on how lovely and quote this place is. Do I discuss the locals, the dogs, the roads, or the restaurants? Everything about this site is amazing and makes you feel like you’re in a fairytale. Meandering roads, fresh mountain air, and magnificent views of nature make hiking in the Alps a truly thrilling experience.

The road in Landour is shaped like the number ‘8’, with all the activities to do and places to visit dispersed along the sides of the route. This is known as the ‘Upper Chakkar’ or ‘Gol Chakkar.’ If you want to experience the actual heart of Landour, it is advisable to walk rather than drive. The road is very well constructed, and the surroundings are densely forested with huge lush Deodar trees.

Discovering the Town’s Gems

#1) Lal Tibba View Point

As its name suggests, Lal Tibba refers to the reddish-brown soil on the hill where it is located (Lal = Red and Tibba = Hill in Hindi). It is Landour’s highest point, from which you can see numerous prominent Himalayan peaks. There are two restaurants in Lal Tibba that have binoculars on their terrace for viewing the Himalayas and distant villages, and they charge INR 50 each. The view from Lal Tibba is spectacular, and from here, one can adore all of the Char Dhams. Lal Tibba is best seen at sunrise or sunset.

#2) Char Dukaan

Char Dukaan is a row of four stores in Landour. The Char Dukaan takes care of the domestic requirements of international students at Landour Language School. All of the stores sell cuisine as well as hill-friendly snacks and drinks such as a hot cup of tea/coffee, Maggi, pakoras, parathas, noodles, pancake and waffles.

#3) Landour Language School

The Kellogg’s Memorial Church is directly behind Landour Language School. When the British governed India, they sent their children to this school to study Hindi. Dr. Samuel Kellogg created a book on Hindi Grammar in English to help British people grasp the language. The Landour Language School is still in operation and presently teaches Hindi.

#4) Kellogg’s Memorial Church

When you get at the crossroads of Gol Chakkar, you will notice Kellogg Memorial Church, the largest church established in 1903 by an American missionary. The chapel was founded in 1903 as a Presbyterian church and is called after Rev. Dr. Samuel H. Kellogg, an American Presbyterian missionary who worked in Landour. We couldn’t get inside the church since it doesn’t allow tourists due to Covid-19.

#5) St. Paul’s Church

The church was constructed in 1839 and dedicated on May 1, 1840, by Bishop Daniel Wilson of Calcutta. This is the first chapel where troops were permitted to bring their guns inside to avoid theft. During church, the benches have notched seats to place the gun on. The church is surrounded by large pine/deodar trees and looks stunning. The yellow-painted church stands out against the blue sky and deodar trees in the background.

#6) Landour Bakehouse

Landour Bakehouse provides bakeries, sweets, croissants, scones, buns, cookies, crepes, and puddings made from tried-and-true Landour recipes. The recipes in this section have been adapted to local requirements and put in a book called Landour Cookbook. The menu of Landour Bakehouse highlights these foods. The bakery/café has an ancient appeal with its wooden design, earthy environment, and kitchen construction in the manner of the nineteenth century. ‘We don’t have wifi; pretend it’s the 1980s and chat to each other,’ said a black chalkboard at Landour Bakehouse, which made us laugh. Another amusing remark is scrawled on an abandoned van immediately outside Landour Bakehouse: ‘We’ll start deliveries as soon as our vehicle is fixed.’

Related Article – Top 15 Famous Food of Uttarakhand | Travellers of India

#7) Anil Prakash store

‘Prakash & Co – Since 1928’ is the name of a business as well as a company that offers the famous Landour jams, preserves (10 types prepared the American manner), and English-style Cheddar. Christian missionaries arrived in the 1830s, and Landour quickly became one of India’s first commercial peanut butter producers. Anil Prakash’s family ended up in possession of their peanut butter and food-processing machinery this way.

#8) Doma’s Inn

The ancient cottage has been transformed into a multi-colored sunny vision with Tibetan elements. Its wood-paneled rooms are deliciously comfy, with the biggest even having a sit-out porch. The elaborately hand painted walls and ceilings are a sight to behold. When you walk into the dining room, you’ll notice that it’s covered in mishmash of old Hollywood and Bollywood movie posters. Another unique feature of this location is that it shares a wall with “The Ivy Cottage,” the home of renowned author Ruskin Bond. Let us not forget to mention the cuisine. All of the Tibetan cuisine is exquisite.

Travel Story – Living out of a Suitcase with Santosh & Aanchal Iyer

#9) Emily’s by Rokeby Manor
Rokeby, built in 1840 by Captain GN Cauthy, is a Landour landmark. Its name is derived from Sir Walter Scott’s writings, which chronicle heroic battles at Rokeby Castle in England in a book-length poem. The home has been owned by a variety of people, including a British soldier, Rev. Woodside, one of the founders of Woodstock School, and the Methodist Episcopal Church. It has also used as a boarding house for missionary women learning Urdu and Hindi. It was in Rokeby’s DNA to be managed as a hotel, with a restaurant named after Emily Eden and carefully rebuilt rooms with stone walls and hardwood flooring! It’s the most exclusive stay in Landour, along with Rokeby Residences, a cluster of colonial villas nearby.

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Living out of a Suitcase with Santosh & Aanchal Iyer

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A nomadic Couple talks about sustainability, their travels and how they’re shaping their children into independent decision-makers in an exclusive chat on Bakstage

Would you be able to fit all of your belongings into four suitcases? If you’re anything like the typical Indian hoarder, chances are that you answered no. Meet Santosh and Aanchal Iyer and their kids, a family of four that moves around every 2-3 months, lives out of just four suitcases and defies the conformed ideas of stability and education with their travels.

This family of four used to live fairly regular lives before they jumped into a hyper-sustainable lifestyle — Santosh had a 9-5 job, Aanchal worked as a marketing freelancer and their children attended school. The one-size-fits-all education system began to frustrate Aanchal who felt that, “Everything that I’m doing with my life right now is barely connected to what I’d studied in school or what had been taught. We’ve been conditioned to believe that education happens only through books, or one only learns if they’re studying for 8-10 hours a day. We’ve lowered the bar of intelligence so much, for our own kids”.

As a result of this, they decided to home-school both their children and take the responsibility of their education into their own hands. Spending time with the kids round the clock resulted in the parents becoming increasingly conscious of the questions the kids had (about the world, different people, existence etc.), planting the idea of travelling. “The desire to take our kids out of the rat race led us to the idea of travelling because according to us, it felt like the only thing that could give our kids the opportunity to explore new cultures and people and walks of life and also learn about themselves.” Once they had started toying with the idea of travelling, they came across the question, “What’s holding us back?” Aanchal explained that they gave themselves three days of deliberation and a year to experiment and experience the highs and lows of a nomadic lifestyle while talking to Vartika Chaturvedi, the host of Unravel Travel on Bakstage.

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Once they had started toying with the idea of travelling, they came across the question “What’s holding us back?”. Aanchal explained that they gave themselves three days of deliberation and a year to experiment and experience the highs and lows of a nomadic lifestyle.

Their parents resisted the idea at first, primarily because they were worried about the kids’ future. However, after much convincing, they were on-board and now, after three years of having lived this life, they love how their grandchildren have turned out and credit their personal growth to their distinctive way of life.

Before embracing a nomadic existence, the couple sold their home and all of their belongings as they didn’t want anything holding them back. The idea of having only four suitcases’ worth of possessions allowed them to pursue their idea without a safety net, a prospect with an element of novelty that only heightened their excitement.

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Along with their minimalist way-of-life, they also practice sustainable living. “We make sure to always walk as much as we can. Our minimum walking distance is 7km until we can take a cab. In one of our previous trips, we had learned how to make manure from waste so now the kids have been making sure to segregate our garbage, to keep the food waste for composting, etc.”. Their son is the flagbearer of sustainability and ensures that they minimise waste and utilise products that don’t pollute the environment. Moreover, everyone does work around the house and gender is of no consequence when doing one’s chores.

While every parent wants their child to become an independent decision-maker, barely any give their children the opportunity to make decisions at a young age. To further cultivate important life skills, the children are responsible for deciding the family’s potential next destination. They present information about two places in the same state and after considering finances, network and other variables, the parents decide between the two destinations. If the place turns out to be enjoyable, the kids are able to rejoice in the idea that their proposition was a successful one and if the place turns out to be disappointing, the experience becomes a learning opportunity.

While their life yields several benefits, it comes with its own set of impediments such as convincing landlords to rent out homes for short-periods, managing home-schooling while earning money to sustain themselves, and dealing with close-minded people.

However, COVID-19 did not present any major challenges to their lifestyle. When the lockdown started, they were in a village called Ketty. There were only 200 houses in the village, so no lockdown was required and life in the first four months went on as usual. The roads and the surrounding areas were completely deserted so they would play badminton and football barefoot on the roads. Around the peak of COVID cases in July, they went to their in-law’s place in Bangalore and paused their travels until November.

“After we started travelling, we realised that the life we were living before was truly lifeless.” is how Anchal summed up her feelings

The regular middle-class family turned serial nomads recommend travelers to pack minimally, take frequent breaks from social media and walk as much as possible in order to stay fit, reduce pollution, and interact with the local people, an opportunity that you would miss out on if you drove.

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