Rejuvenating Soul Trip To Heartland Of Kumaon: Kolkata - Munsiyari - Corbett

[dip0780]

Introduction:

Traveling helps a person to get relaxed from the boredom of life, transforms, rejuvenates the mind, and simultaneously encourages the person to become a storyteller. I completely believe that a relaxed mind helps to achieve any task more competently. There is a common myth that when one journey ends it kick starts the next journey. The same thing happened to me also, on our last trip to Darjeeling and North Bengal. The day we were returning back we were thinking that in the next holiday we will surely head back again to the new destination and this time we promised that the journey will be a long drive crossing multiple states.

On this note, we were discussing the different options among ourselves. Then the second wave of the dreaded COVID-19 started again. Seeing the outcomes of the second wave we put a halt on our plans. Slowly things started to become normal during the month of October and again in my mind traveling bugs started to bother me around. In the meantime, without telling another part of the story this travelogue will be incomplete. In the month of August, one of my school friends invited me to one travel meeting at Azad hind Dhaba. He is my childhood classmate and, in that meeting, we were chitchatting different options and suddenly both of us told at the same time let’s do a road trip. This spark was enough to start the travel bug once again. After a lot of discussions, we pinned down that Christmas break was the common time when both of our families can travel together.

We decided that we will travel to Kumaon and end this trip with a jungle and holy place. In that way, we will have a good flavor of the different ethnicity of the places and no one will be bored with one attire of places. Now getting the booking of hotels during this peak holiday season is another challenge. But luckily by God’s grace, we were able to book at least the best hotels in the places we pinned down.

The itinerary which we followed during this trip is given below for your reference. We travelled across 4 states and covered roughly 3600 Kms.

Day 1: 24th Dec Friday: Kolkata – Prayagraj

Day 2: 25th Dec Saturday: Prayagraj- Bhimtal

Day 3: 26th Dec Sunday: Bhimtal- Nainital- Bhimtal

Day 4: 27th Dec Monday: Bhimtal- Almora-Bageshwar-Chaukori

Day 5: 28th Dec Tuesday: Chaukori-Munsyari-Chaukori

Day 6: 29th Dec Wednesday: Chaukori-Ranikhet-Ramnagar

Day 7: 30th Dec Thursday: Corbett Safari

Day 8: 31st Dec Friday: Ramnagar-Varanasi

Day 9: 1st Jan Saturday: Varanasi Sightseeing

Day 10: 2nd Jan Sunday: Varanasi-Kolkata

Let us now embark on the journey to Munsyari, Corbett…………………………….

 

[dip0780]

Before we embark on our trip let me introduce the team members.

Let us now go clockwise from the top left-hand corner, My better half (Sohini), Two Musketeers (Myself & Debjit), Debjit's better half (Pratima), Our Kids (Chiku [Elder Daughter of Debjit], Ruhaan[Elder son of mine], Rinki[Younger Daughter of Debjit], & Rishaan [My younger son], Our vehicle to roam in Varanasi, & last but not the least the 2 horses that took us to this trip.

All the good memories of the trip should become an integral part of our memory. Without giving those pictures it will look like an empty basket. So let us start with the teaser pictures…..

Let us now embark on the journey to Munsyari, Corbett.

DAY 1: 24th Dec 2021:

Kolkata-Asansol-Topchani-Barhi-Sherghati-Aurangabad-Dehri-on-Sone-Sasaram-Mohansarai-Prayagraj:

Total=794km

Have you ever faced a situation ….stack of work keeps piling up on the last day before your vacation starts! For me, the same thing happened on 23rd Dec. As it is a year-end everyone suddenly woke up and thought we need to finish this all the pending work. I also started to address their needs and what happened is that I completed all the work by 2 am at the night. I was thinking is there any point in going to bed as our scheduled starting time was 4 am. The excitement was slowly engulfing my mind, on one side brain was telling let’s go to sleep and my mind was continuously opposing this motion. In between this when I went to sleep I could not remember. When I woke up it was 5 am in the morning, the first glory of the sun has lighted our vehicle which was packed up to the brim previous day. Quickly took a shower to refresh myself and we were ready by 5.45 am. After all the rituals we started our journey at 6 am.

We were following google diligently and while we were close to 2nd Hooghly bridge the entire stretch starting from Kona Expressway till Dankuni Toll Gate was deep red. In the meantime, I called up my friend Debjit who started from his home around the same time. On inquiry, I found that he was just 100 meters ahead of my car. But we were not clear what is causing this whole dreaded jam until when we were crossing the actual point we found out that their collision is the cause of the jam. This jam took 1.5 hrs from our planned time and now we were thinking that in order to cross 800km in a day will be challenging. We crossed the Dankuni toll plaza at around 7.30 am. Well, maybe by this time you have guessed the companion of this trip. It is 2 Duster 4wd, both having the same color and one is 2 yrs older than me. We had a short hi hello and moved forward. Initially, our plan was to stop for the breakfast but this loss in time forced us to accelerate the pedal much faster. Soon we crossed the Mython Dam and entered Jharkhand around 10 am where we took our first break in one of the petrol pumps out of the numerous breaks we have taken on this trip.

One thing I must admit is that currently, the road is truly amazing. Seeing 4-lane good tarmac is a joy for the eyes. Slowly our Duster was showing its class and soon it was cruising beyond 100 km/hr. It was a challenge for me to keep Duster quiet in these conditions. It was almost 5hrs we have left home and we did not have any tea. I quickly connected with Debjit who was a little ahead of us and asked whether he will take a tea break. He told us he is moving ahead and we can take a short tea break. Suddenly we found this big tree beside the highway and thought of taking a short tea break.

After 15 mins of tea break, we moved ahead. Sometimes, elderly people used to tell us that morning shows the day. Our morning showed us that you carry the jam today along with you. You will say why I am complaining about it, it is a part and parcel of a road trip. The story that unfolds next relates to the same word ‘JAM’. We have just travelled 390 km from home and were nearing Barhi when we witnessed the second big road JAM. Debjit was ahead of me, and he immediately guided us to take the unusual way of driving taking the wrong lane. We drove around 2 km and finally stopped at one of the petrol pumps for lunch. To be very honest all the kids were very eager to meet each other and the moment they came out of their individual cars all started to have a round of hugs and intro started. Lunch was prepared by our better half and everyone enjoyed the sumptuous home food. We took 30 mins to finish our lunch and by 2 pm again we started for our destination i.e. Prayagraj which is still 400 km. The kids as usual exchanged their cars and we accelerated towards our destination.

We faced our third jam of the day before the Varanasi toll and that took nearly 30 mins to get cleared. We finally reached our destination ie Prayagraj after travelling 794 km. Before I put a curtain on day 1 I to need mention that the food at Prayagraj hotel actually helped us to have a good sleep.

 

[dip0780]

DAY 2: 25th Dec 2021:

Prayagraj-Raebareli-Lucknow-Sitapur-Shahjahanpur-Bareilly-Haldwani-Kathgodam-Ranibagh-Bhimtal:

Total = 587 km

The chilled winter breeze greeted our morning in Prayagraj. We woke up early in the morning so that we could make ourselves ready as soon as possible. Today we have to cover a substantial distance which includes the hill drive. By 7 am we were all ready and to my utter surprise I found that all the kids are super active and ready before we could get over the sleep mania. The scenic beauty of the typical UP villages greeted us along the roads. The sugarcane-filled fields greeted us along the roads and the views were breathtaking. The only significant incident of the day was that I was prosecuted by the Lucknow police for the tinted glass in my windows. After a lot of persuasions, we could settle the matter at 1500/- but received one warning that while returning we should avoid the Lucknow city. Today we decided that we will skip lunch and finish all the stock foods.

The customary group photo before leaving Prayagraj.

The first sun rays of the morning, basking in glory on our Duster.

We reached Bareilly around 5.30 pm refuelled our duster tanks before we finally headed towards the hills. Here the most significant point that I want to mention is that even at the end of December we have switched on the AC of our Car for the entire day’s journey. It really sends an alert that the climate has changed a lot. One feeling I missed on this day is that when we travel from the land we want to feel the first chilled breeze as we enter the hills. As it was already cold and we reached Bhimtal quite late hence we missed that feeling. But nevertheless, the overall journey of the day was smooth except that we encountered the third long jam of our trip as we were entering the hills. We reached our hotel around 9.30 pm and headed straight towards that cozy bed.

That ends our day 2 journey ....we are now in the hills ...next 4 days we will be in the lap of nature enjoying the mesmerizing natural beauty....Good night and see you tomorrow.

 

[dip0780]

DAY 3: 26th Dec 2021:

Bhimtal-Nainital-Bhimtal:

Total= 40 km

I am visiting the mountains when I was 10 yrs old. My first visit to the mountain was way back in 1992 when we visited the holy shrine of Kedarnath and Badrinath. The mountains during that period were more rugged and there was a more serene natural beauty. The growth of the human habitat has gradually taken a toll on the mountains. My uncle actually inculcated one habit from that point itself. Whenever I used to travel he used to buy me books about the history of the place where we are traveling. During that visit, he bought me 2 books one on trekking of Garhwal and another was a book on Jim Corbet national park. From that time onwards, I thought that I will be visiting this side of the Garhwal but it never happened though in these 30yrs I have visited several times to Garhwal region.

Visiting the Nainital Lake which is the destination for today is having a lot of childhood memories. Let me take you to the era when we did not have any phones neither the internet nor such an abundance of pictures. Imagination power helped us to travel to these places and craft a picture of the same in our minds. So the moment we land in these places we used to compare the picture in our mind and the actual picture seen through our eyes. In some cases, we were disappointed and in some cases it was overwhelming. But these feelings truly don’t happen now as all are available with one click of the button. I really miss those days when traveling was really a fun enjoyment. Nevertheless, we can’t always complain as we need to move ahead and should not look backward.
I know that in today’s era information is always available at the tip of Google (Thanks to the Internet & Android phones) but I feel that before embarking on any journey little bit of history will at least take us back to our old days.

History Of Nainital:

Nainital is referred to in the ‘Manas Khand’ of the ‘Skanda Purana’ as the Tri-Rishi-Sarovar, the lake of the three sages, Atri, Pulastya, and Pulaha who were reputed to have arrived here on a penitential pilgrimage, and, finding no water to quench their thirst dug a hole and siphoned water into it from Mansarovar the sacred lake in Tibet.\
The Second important mythological reference to Nainital is as one of 64 ‘Shakti Peeths’. These centers were created wherever parts of the charred body of Sati fell when Lord Shiva was carrying around her corpse in grief. It is said that the left eye (Nain) of Sati fell here and this gave rise to the patron deity of the town Nainital. It is said that the lake is formed in an emerald eye shape. Naina Devi temple is located at the northern end of the lake. Thus the name Nainital is derived from Naina and the Tal (Lake).

Then came the famous British Colonial history which is attached to every hill city in India.

The British occupied Kumaon & Garhwal in 1815. After the British Occupation, E. Gardiner was appointed as the commissioner of the Kumaon Division on May’8th 1815. In 1817 the second commissioner of Kumaon Mr. G.W. Traill has conducted the second revenue settlement of Kumaon , Mr. Traill was the first European to visit Nainital but he did not popularize his visit in respect for the religious sanctity of the place.

In the year 1839 an English businessman from Rosa , Mr. P. Barron a sugar trader, and his friend an avid hunter strayed into the hills while hunting they got lost and while finding their way back chanced on the wondrous spot. So enamored was Barron with the vision of the placid lake that he left the sugar business and build a European Colony on the shores of the lake. In 1841, Nainital appeared in the issue of the ‘Englishman Calcutta’ announcing the discovery of a lake in the vicinity of Almora. According to the earliest data available on tourists in Nainital by 1847, it had become a popular hill resort. On 3rd October 1850, the Nainital Municipal Board was formally constituted. It was the second Municipal Board of North-Western Provinces. To catalyze the formation of a town the administration transferred land to the wealthy Sah community of Almora, on the condition that they build houses on the land. In 1862, Nainital became the summer seat of the North-Western Provinces. After it was made the summer Capital, a remarkable expansion of the town occurred with the growth of magnificent bungalows all around and the construction of facilities such as marketing areas, rest houses, recreation centers, clubs, etc together with the secretariat and other administrative units. It also became an important center of education for the British who wanted to educate their children in the better air and away from the discomforts of the plains.

Note: Courtesy: District Nainital, Government of Uttarakhand | The Lake District of Uttarakhand | India

We came yesterday night late in the evening. Hence we could not get a glimpse of the lake. The morning sunrays enthralled our views of the lake from the balcony of our hotel. A cup of tea on the balcony enjoying the views of the lake was a must activity. So all four of us took a cup and enjoyed the view of the lake.

View of the Bhimtal Lake from our Hotel Balcony.

Sipping tea with Bhimtal in the backdrop.

To be contd.......

 

[dip0780]

Today we have decided that it will be a relaxed day for all of us. Hence we started the day lazily and headed towards Nanital lake tour. On the way to Nainital, we found a good restaurant to have our breakfast. The best part of the restaurant was that it was on the rooftop having a 360-degree view of the Bhimtal valley.

In a relaxed mood infront of Bhimtal.

We took the breakfast break at Midnight Hotel on way towards Nanital.

View of the Bhimtal Valley from the rooftop restaurant

I need to confess here that when I first entered the restaurant I was a little skeptical about the food and the ambiance. Also, we were worried about how the kids will be reacting, whether they will be enjoying or not! I think the below snaps will prove us wrong.
Kids enjoying the carrom board basking in the morning sun rays.

The food served was too good and the service was really excellent.....

Post enjoying the sumptuous breakfast we headed towards our destination of the day ie Nainital. While we were chitchatting with the restaurant owner we got the information that Nainital is bustling with people. So we thought that let us take more photo breaks so that at least the crowd will be a little thinner towards the afternoon. En route, we took our first photo break at one of the many viewpoints of Nainital.

The scenic beauty from the view point

At this point everyone posed for the photograph

The two childhood mischievous musketeers posing for a photograph.

After spending 40 mins at this viewpoint we headed towards the Nainital lake. Parking your vehicle in Nainital was a big headache and that too if your vehicle is from the other state then it is another big problem. We circled around the parking area for 3 rounds before we persuaded the police check post to allow us in the parking lot. We parked our vehicle and decided on the entire plan for the day as we know that once we take out of our vehicles it will be difficult for us to again find the parking space. On that day all our assumptions were proven wrong. We found more people joining the party in the evening. To be very honest I have never seen such a hustling and bustling hill town before.
The main attraction of visiting Nainital is roaming around the Nainital lake. So we immediately booked 2 boats to enjoy the boating on the lake. I should confess that the vista and surroundings are really mesmerizing from the lake. Let the pictures tell all the story...........

As we were roaming around the market area we smelled the different flavors of the Kababs and Tandoors. The kids were also very hungry and we entered one of the kabab shops and tasted the lip-smacking platters of the different kababs and tandoori. How can we leave Nainital without shopping? The shops were luring us to pinch a hole in our pocket and we readily accepted that and returned a full bag of woolen garments. In this regard, I would also like to mention that since we were heading toward places in the next few days which are really cold we thought let's invest in some jackets at least for the kids. Thus we wrapped up the day with good sweet memories of the hill town of Nainital and returned back to hotel at around 9 PM.
Good Night and we will see you tomorrow for the big journey towards Chaukori,

 

[Chandranath]

Waiting for the further story

 

[dip0780]

DAY 4: 27th Dec 2021:

Bhimtal-Nainital- Almora- Binsar- Chaukori

Total= 204 km

Today's drive will be a long drive covering 150+ km. Hence we decided to start early in the morning. Now everyone will question why again Nainital when we have spent the entire day just on the previous day. The untold story of yesterday unfolds now. When we left our home we promised the kids that the main attraction of the trip is that we will see snow. Yesterday while we were returning back there was a piece of small news that spread like honey bees. There is snowfall in the Naina peak above the Nainital Lake. On hearing the news the kids were stubborn that they will visit the Naina peak. Hence we took a detour went to Naina peak and then headed towards our destination -Chaukori.

The 2 harmonical beasts posing for photographs near the Naina Peak

The snowcapped mountain view from the Naina peak point in Nainital. Yes, the reports were correct that there was snowfall yesterday night but that did not quench the thirst for playing with snow.

Sipping hot tea on the way towards Almora. Waiting for my friend to catch up ......

Friends arrived on time and posed with our beloved beast.

The widening work of the roads was in full force when we were heading towards Almora. In one way it is a boon for the people on the hill but on the other way, it is causing a huge environmental disorder. It was quite evident as we have to switch on the ac in our car as it was too hot and mind it we were at the end of December.

Me posing at the Almora viewpoint.

As we have started late from Nainital, we decided that we will skip lunch and head straight towards Binsar wildlife sanctuary. When we reached Almora it was almost 2 pm and still, we were 100 km from Chaukori. We opted for this route to explore the beauty of the sanctuary. We parked our vehicle at Pantaloons in Almora and had a few boiled corn plates to fill our stomachs.

Posing in front of the Frozen hot outlet.

Inside the Binsar Wildlife sanctuary. We entered the sanctuary just in time. One thing I should mention here is that the scenic beauty is awesome. Initially, I had a plan of staying in the Binsar KMVN. When I reached there I seriously regretted why I have dropped the plan. The serene quietness and the sound of the chirping birds felt like heaven. I switched off the engine and sat on the ground for a few minutes to enjoy the moment.

Leaving the Binsar Wilde life sanctuary and entering the road towards Bageshwar.

After this point, we were still 60 km away from the Chaukhori. Now I realized that the lights are fading very fast and we need to buck up and make up for the lost time. I pressed the peddle a little harder and soon we reached Bageshwar around 6 pm. My friend was already waiting for me and soon after having a cup of tea, we headed towards KMVN Chaukhori. Driving in the hills after sunset is actually not recommended but this time I wanted to feel the darkness of the area and it was a good experience for all of us. The kids enjoyed the travel a lot. My little kid was always expecting some animal and whenever he was seeing any movement he was curious about what was that animal. I heard a lot of stories of the sighting leopard on the Bageshwar- Munsiyari road but luck was not in our favor and we could only see some monkeys jumping in between the trees.

We reached the KMVN guest house around 8 pm and the moment we stepped out of our car we felt the cold wave sweeping our bodies. Immediately the kids went inside the car and started shouting "Baba ki thanda, berobo na" ( Father it is tremendous cold we will not come out). The day ended on a sweet note with a lot of experience and we went to bed with the expectation that we will see the snow tomorrow.

Good night and see you tomorrow with the story of the playing with snow.

 

[dip0780]

DAY 5: 28th Dec 2021:

Chaukori-Birthi Falls-Thamri Kund hike trail point-Chaukori

Total= 172 km

Good morning everyone. I hope you're all enjoying the travel...Today we are at KMVN Chaukori and the cold is bone-chilling. Last night's temperature dropped to zero, when we woke up we found patches of snow on the lawn of KMVN. We stayed at the deluxe cottages and the basking glory of the panchachuili mountain views greeted us from our bedroom. I woke up early morning and knocked on Debjit's room to enquire whether we can go for a walk. He promptly agreed and we landed up in one open place from where the 360-degree views of the mountains are visible. So let us now enjoy the mountain view....and the next set of stories will unfold later.
The views of the Panchachuli Mountains from the KMVN Chaukori.

The Nanda devi peak from the chaukori...

The Panchaculi peaks...........

The morning rays on the Nanda Devi peak

We returned to our hotel and found that the kids are enjoying the snow on the lawns. Sometimes you come to a place with a plan but based on the current condition you do a radical change of the entire planning and end up with a completely different plan. The same thing happened to us. While I and Debjit were doing initial planning we decided that as it will be too cold in Munsyari we will stay and relax at Chaukori. As I mentioned earlier kids are stubborn that they need snow to play. Seeing the snow in their own courtyard they are now continuously nagging us to take us to a place where there is more snow. We also enquired in KMVN and some local drivers who confirmed that we will get snow some 10 km before reaching Munsyari. Hence we decided that let's go and explore. Yes though it was a hectic drive still we felt that it was worth visiting the place. As this was unplanned we took time to make ourselves ready. By 11 am we started the journey and we knew it was too late but by god's grace everything went very safely and we enjoyed the lot. Let the pictures tell the story.

 

[dip0780]

We were meandering through the pine forest....The scenic beauty was mesmerizing..
.

Lady posing with her own possession......

At this place kids were enjoying the lot......

The next picture was a little surprising for all of us. Usually, we used to see these fall color pictures in Europe where it is seen in abundance. We were heading towards Thal and suddenly seeing this tree we stopped. It was a treat to watch this scene.....

The ladies posing for the calendar profile......

Around 2 o clock, we reached Birthi waterfalls...it was a treat to watch the falls.....

We enquired the locals here and they confirmed that at Thamri hike trail we will get lots of snow. On hearing this kids were super excited. We were still 22 km away and the light was fading very quickly. We finally reached the view point and seeing the snow kids were very pleased and excited. They immediately plunged into the snow and enjoyed the vista. It was truly a breathtaking view.

We left Thamri viewpoint around 4 pm and reached our hotel at 8 pm in the evening. It was an enjoyable day for all of and ultimately the kids enjoyed it a lot. They were very happy and after a long tiring day, they immediately hit the bed..Good night and we will see you soon for our next day's journey to Corbet National Park..........

 

[dip0780]

DAY 6: 29th Dec 2021

Chaukori-Bageshwar-Someshwar-Ranikhet-Ramnagar

Total= 214 km

Good morning everyone....We woke up early in the morning to see the final glimpse of the Panchachuli peaks. The weather was against us and it was drizzling continuously. Mountains eluded us and we could only feel the clouds. We had our breakfast early and started our journey to the most exited destination Corbet National park. It will be a long drive of 200 +km but the kids were very excited. Every time my little son was chanting only one name elephant. He is fond of elephants and wants a ride every time he sees them. Let the pictures narrate a drive as much as possible.

Searching for heaven.....

Mystery in mystic beauty.....

Terrace farming between Bageshwar to Someshwar.

Cloud was following us all the time.

Meandering through the village roads en route to Someshwar.

The lovely terrace farming.......

Fun time for kids - smallest rock climbing

Hide and seek in Gandhi Ashram at Kausani

We got separated in two routes: one was through Kausani, the other through Ranikhet. My elder son was with Debjit"s kids in his car.

We three were engulfed with the surrounding beauty while approaching Ranikhet.

We are fond of sweets and by the time we reached Ranikhet we were super hungry. While we were passing by we saw lots of sweet shops. We promptly decided that todays lunch will be sweets. I went in search of the famous sweets of Ranikhet and bought lots of them. Those sweets are mouth licking and it actually filled our tummy up to the brim.

At 8.30 pm we finally hit the roads towards Corbet National Park and reached our Hotel at 9 pm. That ends the travel of the hills and journey through the forest begins.

Good night and see you tomorrow in the Morning safari........

 

[dip0780]

DAY 7: 30th Dec 2021
Enjoying Corbett
Total= 0 km
Good morning everyone...My wife, Elder Son and Younger Son all were eagerly waiting for this day......From childhood days my wife has completed the Jim Corbett Omnibus almost 100 times. Each winding road and the activities of the Jim Corbett are engraved in her head. Hence expectation is a lot. The Jim Corbett National Park is situated in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand and is the oldest national park in India which got established in 1936 by the name of Hailey National park. Corbett National Park acts as a protected area for the critically endangered Bengal Tiger. The park has 4 gates through which you can enter the Sanctuary. Amdanda Gate, Dhangarhi Gate, Khara Gate & Durga Devi Gate. There are different safari zones in Corbett National Park.
1. Dikhla Zone: This is the largest zone and is mostly visited for better sighting and is in high demand throughout the year.
2. Bijrani Zone: These forests range from those of pure Sal on the upper reaches. It sustains a variety of herbivores and due to huge grassland and winding roads tiger sighting is prevalent here.
3. Jhirna Zone: A densely wooded and grassland habitat, it makes for excellent bird watching.
4. Durga Devi: This zone is famous for bird watching and fishing "Mahasheer'.
5. Sonnandi: A central range of the Corbett National Park famous for wildlife beauty and amazing flora and fauna.
We did not got the ticket for the Dikhala zone and hence decided to have the morning safari in the Bijrani Zone and the evening safari at the Jhirna Zone. The temperature was low and truly bone-chilling. I thought that there will not be that much cold inside the park but to my utter surprise, it was bone-chilling. The wind was piercing through our skin like a cutting knife. We entered the Bijrani zone sharp at 6 am. We were lucky that we could only hear the tiger call but the king of Corbett did elude us every time. It also not expected that on our first visit you will see him. But we were able to view the other animals of forest. Let the picture tell you rest of the story.

Our first sighting of the day spotted deer.

The lonely tree guiding us to the right track inside the jungle.

The Barking Deer...........

The sambhar deer who was giving the Tiger call.....

I do not know the name of the bird ...It was a beautiful bird and I took the photo ......

Entering the deep jungle zone in Bijrani..........

We actually disturbed this sambhar while she was eating .......

The first morning rays on the woods of Corbett national park....

These roads remind us how Jim Corbett used to roam around the park searching for the man-eating leopard in those days when it was not at all a National Park....

While we were returning Tiger just showed us that he is there around us so be careful.....

Thus with a mixed experience, we ended our Morning Safari with the hope to see him in the evening...............
To be contd.......

 

[dip0780]

Contd......
The morning safari ended in a good note and we hoped that the evening will be more fruitful. With this hope, we started our evening safari at the Jhinra Zone. From our hotel to the Jhirna Gate it is 3 km. On the way our guide showed us the fruit and the flower seed from which 'Sindur' is actually manufactured(Organic) and not the commercial one. This fruit named Rohini is one of the favorite food for the elephant. There are an abundance of this fruit while we were entering the Jhirna gate.
Rohini Fruit

Let the picture narrate the story of the Jhirna episode.......
Here also we spotted the Deer......

The Cuckoo Nest........

We entered deep jungle to see the serenity of the jungle and in the evening it looks even better than the dawn....As we were crossing the deep jungle we suddenly heard the Tiger Call but the big cat still eluded us. We waited for 30 mins frantically hoping to see the big cat but maybe this time we have to get satisfied with the other animals only....
The vast grassland.....

As the sun was setting in the Corbett our journey to these beautiful serene landscapes was nearing an end. We put the curtain down on our travel by saying Good Bye to the jungle and hoped that we will come back again .....

Good Bye See you in Varanasi...City of Ghats.......

 

[Chandranath]

This is a good read.

 

[dip0780]

DAY 8: 31st Dec 2021
Corbet-Varanasi- (Purvanchal Expressway)
Total KM: 722
Good morning everyone ...today we are leaving India's most treasured forest land and heading towards another historic city Varanasi. One thing I felt while waking up in the morning is the bone-chilling cold wave of northern India. On top of the cold wave, there was a complete cover of fog and the visibility was completely zero. Initially, we thought of starting a little bit late but later we decided that let's move ahead as much as possible in the fog. There were no such significant incidents that happened on this day except that I took the newly constructed Purvanchal Expressway and Debjit took the traditional Raebareli route. We reached our hotel at 9 PM and after having a sumptuous dinner we headed straight to bed.
DAY 9: 1st Jan 2022
Day Tour of Varanasi:
Varanasi lying in the south of Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the river Ganges is the oldest living city in the world. This city is believed to be the incarnation of gods in different forms. People believe breathing his last in this city gives them moksha. The beauty of this city is that in one place there are the dwelling of ancient domes, muths, ashrams, priests, narrow lanes with shops filled with Benaresi sarees, and in another place the intimate rituals of life and death being parallelly performed on the Ghats. Walk through the busy alleyways where different culture meets and watching the sunrise from a boat is an unforgettable experience. On one hand, you experience the enthralling beauty of the ghats and on the other hand, the ethnicity and the rich cultural heritage mesmerize every human being.
Initially, we thought we will be first performing the rituals at Viswanath temple and then will explore the different places of this old city. But in the morning we came to know that there were around 4lakh people queued up in the temple as today is the first day of the year. So we decided that we will give the puja the next day and then will start the return journey. While we were having these conversations with the hotel manager we meet a guy whose name was Nasim (Ph nos: 8052806705). We made a deal with him to show us all the important destinations within Varanasi.
Let the picture reveals the entire day's travel......
Our companion Nasim bhai's Auto...

The first destination of the day was the Durga mandir where we were not allowed to take any pictures. Next, we went to the Ramnagar fort.

The view of the Ram Nagar Fort from the Ganga Bridge.....

The view is on the opposite side of the Ram Nagar Fort.

The inside view of the fort. The current generation of family members of the Prince of fort resides in the below rooms.

It is my observation after visiting many forts of the Hindu dynasty, there will be one thing in common. In each of the forts, there is one Shiva temple and in this fort also there is no such exception.

To be contd.......

 

[dip0780]

After leaving the fort we had Malai lassi from the famous lassi shop outside the fort. We then tried to go to Sachi stupa but unfortunately due to the heavy traffic, we could not enter the road heading towards stupa. Also evening was fast approaching and we will not miss the Ganga Aarti. Exploring the ghats is also one of our priorities. Hence we first headed towards the Banaras Pan shop. While staying in Benaras we will not have pan is not at all acceptable. First we have a good feel of the sweets of Benaras and then feel of the Benarasi pan. By the way, all these were done by the courtesy of Nasim. He took us to the famous shops and tasted the original foods of Benaras.

The Benaras Pan Shop.....

The pans are getting prepared...

The picture getting captured....

After having all the sweets and the pan we headed towards the Ghat for the boat ride to view the famous Ghats of Benaras and the Ganga Aarti...