Before I start my first Ghumakkar post I must Thank all the previous post editors specially Sahil Sethi and VinayMusafir..There posts are worth reading and extremely helpful..
- Time: Nov’2012 weekend before Diwali
- Mode : Hyundai i10 1.2
- No. of Travellers : 2
- Mood : Just wanted to get out of hustle bustle of Delhi and Relax in peaceful environment on the banks of river Ganga
- Places Covered: Mata Chandi Devi Temple, Har Ki Pauri, Ram Jhula, Choti wala restaurants, CCD, Peaceful ghat at Rishikesh.
So the journey Begins..We started at 3:30 PM from Delhi and followed the traditional route covering a distance of around 210 kms in around 4.5 hours
DELHI>Ghaziabad>ModiNagar>Meerut>Khatauli>Muzaffarnagar>Roorkee>Haridwar>Rishikesh
We found a 24 hours open drive thru Mcdonalds on the way at Khatauli..so we thought of having some breakfast there however, there service was quite poor..the drive thru windows were closed so we went inside.. No one taking your orders and they were still busy doing something..
The drive was smooth on NH58..road condition were quite good..However I must say the Single lane highway from Muzaffarnagar to Haridwar is a pain..with heavy trucks obstructing your way, you have to look in the other lane if someone is coming from other direction and based on your speed and skill you have to overtake the trucks before vehicle from opposite side crosses..Your eyes will pain a lot with those high beam flashlights :|
At Around 7:30 Pm We got the first glimpse of Haridwar..
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| A View of Haridwar from Mata Chandi Devi Temple |
A fresh Good Morning started with the fresh cool breezes..I stopped the car at one of the Ganga Bridges and took the first snaps of the trip.
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| Me & My i10 |
It was around 8’o clock in the morning, we parked our car at chandi devi temple parking (for Rs 30), we clicked some more snaps there and bought the tickets for ropeway..officially ropeway service starts from 9 am but they started a bit early..Since it was Pre Diwali weekend so there was not much rush. I must say the staff at the ropeway services was very welcoming and when I requested them for a separate “Udan Khatola” they gave us udan khatola for two only..I appreciate that..
Undoubtedly, the experience and view from ropeway in morning was awesome..
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| A View from Udan Khatola |
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| Another View from Udan Khatola |
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| Mata Chandi Devi Temple view from Udan Khatola |
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| The red One :) |
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| View of Mountain from the ropeway |
After the fantastic start of the morning we proceeded towards “Har ki Pauri“. There was lot of parking space especially for Har ki Pauri and I loved that thing. I believe it costs around 10 Rs /hour. The last time I visited Haridwar was in my childhood memories. This time I was all at my own..“Bade hone ka faayda apni marzi se ghoomo firo, no boundations :)”
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| Pilgrims taking bath at Har ki Pauri |
The water level in Haridwar was very low and the ghats were in bad conditions. I heard that the cleaning process of ghats was going on..I did not liked the ghats as they were dirty so I dropped the idea of taking bath there just washed my hands and face.
Pilgrims taking bath at Har ki Pauri
It was around 12’o clock in the afternoon we felt tired after a long drive and checked-in at Hari Heritage hotel on the Haridwar Rishikesh Highway. we left for Rishikesh in few hours and stayed in the hotel overnight. After disappointment at Har ki Pauri , Rishikesh was a real delight. Clean and chilled Ganga water flowing in from huge mountains to the plains..We parked out car in parking and had lunch at the famous choti wala restaurant where a Choti wala guy is at the entrance welcoming you. It took around half an hour to reach Rishikesh from Haridwar.
Though the restaurant is quite famous but the food quality is not satisfactory. Bas Naam Naam se hi restaurant chala rahe hai..
We next proceeded to Parmarth Ashram and grabbed some pics
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| Lord Shiva Staue near Parmarth Ashram Rishikesh |
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| World Peace is what all we need |
We spent our peaceful time at the banks of river ganga till sunset
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| Sunset from Ram Jhula |
We came back to hotel in the evening and had dinner in Hotel. It took around an hour to come back due to heavy jams. Though a little expensive the food was awesome and the ambience was excellent. Next Morning we had breakfast and left for Delhi..Here comes the twist and adventure..
HARIDWAR>ROORKEE>SAHARANPUR>MUZAFFARNAGAR>SHAMLI>PANIPAT>SONIPAT>DELHI
After a smooth drive till Roorkee we got huge traffic jams and cops diverted the traffic to other directions..the jams were due to Diwali shopping markets ..so we were diverted from NH58 and took some wrong turns..result was we found ourself at Saharanpur..All the places mentioned in above route were having there diwali markets on the main roads causing traffic jams..I knew there was a route to delhi from saharanpur to panipat by which I can enter Delhi bypass via NH1..used the google maps n reached Muzaffarnagar, followed the maps for a state highway connecting to Shamli with a distance of 58 Kms..This was a challanging drive and I would never ever recommend anyone the state highway 82 ..the road condition for around 50 kms is shown in the below pics..
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| State Highway 82 |
It was like hell on earth and the distance of 4 hours incresed to 7 hours as we reached DELHI in the evening. Though the highway was in extremely bad condition but the fields around were very refreshing..People would not like such roads but we enjoyed the journey as an adventure..n challenge..The achievement of reaching delhi was happiness worth a million dollar.
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| State Highway 82 |
This was a memorable experience for me and I will cherish the moments for a long long time. Hope you liked my first post..feel free to provide your valuable feedback..I feel happy to share my experience with you and I wish it will help you to plan your trips just like other ghumakkar posts helped me..
very nice post jayant…
as this was your first trip to haridwar after childhood…u enjoy a lot despite facing a lot of jams.really
highway condition is pathetic from mujaffarnagar to haridwar as far as traffic is concerned.
even traffic condition is horrible in evening when u enter in modinagar,muradnagar route(NH 58) .it takes more then 2 hours to reach delhi from modinagar if u r coming between 5 pm to 10 pm in evening hours.i often visit haridwar mostly alone .around 20th nov i went to chopta,deoriatal by my bike.in returning i faced a lot of jams in modinagar in evening.so always try to leave early morning.
Thank you Rakesh for providing the very first feedback..it really encourages..God Bless us from the traffic jams like this..Next time I will leave early from there :) and will cover to Dehradun and Mussorie as well.
Very nice post and good photos. Driving behind a Truck normally cracked windshield. Truck’s tires throw pebbles and dust from ground. Driving really a challenge on bad roads. Thanks for share journey
You are absolutely right..The trucks tyres throw a lot of pebbles and dust..one has to clean the windshield with wipers..I ensured full water level for wipers and kept extra water incase required..Thanks for your feedback
Hi Jayant Bhai, first of all a warm welcome into the ghumakkar family & congratulations on your first post! It was good to know that your post & your travels were inpsired by fellow ghumakkars, this is what ghumakkar is all about, helping each other! Your post truely conveys what you experienced & is very informative. Photos too are pretty good, especially the Chotiwalas one at the shop & the other at Parmarth Niketan ghat…:)…this reminded me of my recent wandering to garhwal where we had spent an entire night on the ghat of Parmarth Niketan just enjoying the views of majestically flowing Ganga & of course Chotiwala (Lord Shiva)…we rode on the same road last year during monsoons on bikes & it was quite an adventure riding on such roads after sitting on pillion for around 1000 kms on that entire journey…:)…
Keep wondering & keep sharing…
Thanks Vipin Bhai for the wonderful feedback..After reading posts on Ghumakkar I really feel that there is so much to do with your time, Money & Car..and North India has so much to be explored..You spent entire night on the ghat..I am sure it wud have been a WoW experience and probably better than meditation :) ..
dear jayant
between dashara to diwli , you will not get water in har ki podi. in this period , they clean har ki podi area therefore avoid to go hardwar between this period for holy dip in ganga.
Hi Rastogi..yeah my friends did told me the same thing once I came back :)
will keep in mind for next visit..
Welcome to Ghumakkar Jayant. Very nice post and beautiful pics. Keep writing.
Driving in heavy traffic is always a bad experience.
Thanks Pradeep ..I am enjoying Ghumakkar a lot..Thanks to authors like you :)
Good Job brother, keep exporing
Thanks Bro..kabhi trip plan karte hai kahin aur
Welcome to ghumakkar, Jayant.
You have written your first post very well and have shown a lot of potential. Your pictures look good too. More information like hotel tariffs will be useful for your readers.
You have said regarding the Chotiwala Restaurant that “Bas Naam Naam se hi restaurant chala rahe hai..”. If they continue in this manner, they will become badnaam aur ek din dukaan ko band karna padegaa. Khana swadisht na ho, to kaun wahan khane jayenge? Chotiwale ko dekhne keliye?
Wish you plenty of ghumakkari and hope that you will share your adventures with us here.
Hi Narayan, Thank you so much for your feedback and wishes….you are right I missed adding the hotel tariff..I directly called the Hotel Hari Heritage and got a deal of Rs. 2800 (room including breakfast). The same was available for Rs.3200 on makemytrip..Choti wala needs lot of improvement :) ..I will share more adventures here
Great post Jayant! Sunset pix is really superb! I have been to Haridwar & Rishikesh earlier, but never by road. Your post inspired me to plan for a trip, and am looking ahead for sometime off from routine office stuff :D
Hi Naina..Thanks a tonne for your feedback..I feel encouraged to hear that my post become inspiration to others..Wish you a Nice Trip and Journey :)
Hi Jayant,
Welcome at Ghumakkar. After a lot of encouragement from fellow ghumakkars, I am also a permanent fan of this blog-site.
Saharanpur has become an island – no thanks to self-serving politicians like Mayawati. Whenever she used to visit Saharanpur, she came via helicopter and avoided using roads as far as possible. She used to consider herself no less than a queen (some inferiority complex since childhood converted into superiority complex, perhaps). The local administration used to make even those roads again which were already in splendid condition and all speed breakers used to be removed for one day of her visit and were re-built next day. ???? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ? ????! ??? ??? ? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ? ?????? !” This seemed totally vulgar in view of the fact that those roads which she was not likely to use were totally ignored. During her tenure, while she became a billionaire, the U.P. state became a laughing stock for others. People curse her with each breath even though she has been thrown out of power almost 7 months earlier.
Interestingly, my last post also was about my trip to Hardwar (Chandi devi temple) and Dehradun. There used to be a Choti Wala hotel in Rishikesh some decades before but with a view to exploit its popularity, there are scores of Chotiwala hotels in Rishikesh and Hardwar. In a tourist centre like Hardwar or Rishikesh, thousands and thousands of people visit everyday who are total strangers in the city. It hardly matters if they don’t like the quality of food there. New tourists coming to them keep them in business !!!
Sushant Singhal
Hi Sushant, Mayawati has done lot of blunder and I feel afraid of driving through UP roads..They are quite risky as well with so much car jacking incidents on NH24 ….Thank God they separated beautiful places to a different state Uttarakhand :) . “???? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ? ????! ??? ??? ? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ? ?????? ! Oh man I cant stop laughing..I perfectly agree with your view points..I also really hate her and politicians like her..
Yes, There are so many choti walas there..and tourists should look for better food quality than these fake choti walas..Next time I will do the same..
Thank you so much for sharing your views..I think that replying to comments is even more enjoyable than writing the post
Welcome aboard Jayant.
You start with a breezy ride (except the drive part I guess) to Haridwar, Rishikesh. I am sure that your future stories would have more detail. The photos are looking very good.
Regarding the road, I would have driven umpteen times on this road in last 15 years and trust me, the situation has become better. Meerut-Muzaffarnagar is now a swanky ride. Muzzaffarnagar-Chapar would get good (it was the best track for many many years though). Post GZB, the Raj Nagar connection is a savior. I know with all this, the place is still miles behind what we see in other parts of India, including Uttrakhand but guess all is not lost as yet.
Look fwd to more stories from you. Please sign up for a profile pic by registering your email id at gravatar.com
good luck
Hi Nandan..After reading your posts on Ghuamakkar I can say its an honor to receive the feedback from you :)..our stories form the skeleton for ghumakkar..Thanks for your comments..
Cool…i didnt know ggumkkr side of urs dear….u hardly joined us in our ARM trips..nyc post..keep sharing
Great post, Jayant. I am doing Gurgaon – Rishikesh tomorrow morning. And will take note of everything you (and other commenters) have written. Great job – keep it coming!
@ Deepak – Thanks Deepak..Program banao I am ready for next trip
Hi Rajiv….Hope you had a happy and wonderful journey….Thanks for your comments
The DELHI-Modinagar-Meerut bypass- partapur-Khatauli-Muzaffarnagar-Roorkee stretch is now better due to Toll patches at approx. 170 kms. Can do in 3 1/2 4 hours..
Delhi-Modinagar 45 kms. Takes about an hour .. Dabur-Mohan Nagar-Ghaziabad-Murad Nagar-Modinagar strech is all crowded at most times of the day though there is a bypass after Mohan Nagar now after hindon bridge via Raj Nagar Extension Housing project which saves you atleast 20 mins.
Modinagar Modipuram Toll Gate 25 kms is a good strech with flyovers on the partapur bypass meerut and you can do 80-90 kmph here.
Modipuram Muzaffarnagar 50 kms strech is the Best !! Once you pay the Toll you can cruise at 100+ kmph and pass the sakauti Tanda Rail overbridge and stop at Khatauli bye-pass @ Cheetal Grand.. This is Must Stop.. Excellent food and ambience/service. Muzaffarnagar bye-pass is also good.
Muzaffar Nagar Roorkee 50 kms is a single road with oncoming traffic and just 2 lanes as soon as you exit MZN bye-pass.. 4 laning is in process in patches and will take another 2 years !!! Road is bad in patches and to add to it is the Trucks line for Uttrakhand Border tax. Easily 01 hour until you reach Roorkee.
Overall 4 hours for 170 kms with a stop.. Safe strech though avoid Night driving and Kanwariya season in July..
Return Roorkee Delhi Trip .. 170 kms .. 4 hours
Roorkee Muzaffar nagar bye-pass 50 kms . Road is not too good which is bad in patches. Being 2 lane and loads of traffic saharanpur/haridwar/Rishikesh/Dehradun/Mussorie it can be quite bad.
Be careful of speedbreakers at Gurkul Narsan and Barla which have no markings and appear out of nowhere.
Muzaffarnagar Meerut : 75 kms is an excellent stretch and can be done in an 0100 0115 hours. Once you start off from the MZN by-pass via khatauli bye-pass, Toll plaza at Mawana crossing, Modipuram, partapur meerut bye-pass its a great hassle free stretch with speed upto 100 kmph.
Lots of food stops on this stretch starting with Cafe Midway/Mc Donalds/Haldirams/Bikano before Katauli and Cheetal Grand once you pass Khatauli.
Meerut Delhi: 50 kms.. 0115 0200 hours . This is the worst strecth with you slowing down from the word go as soon as you exit from the Partapur byepass. Modinagar stretch for sure takes 30 mins minimum sue to bazaars esp. after 4 pm until 10 pm. If its the sugarcane / marriage season then Lord may help you !!! Then you have until Murad nagar canal of clear but packed traffic before you hit the Ghaziabad stretch to crawl again.. Take a right at the Hapur Mod tri-junction red Signal. This will take you via Raj Nagar extention housing societies.. and again take a right at the signal tri-junction after the traffic Triangle.. This is a pontoon makeshift bridge for LMV/2 wheelers and takes you straight to Mohan Nagar After this is smooth though packed traffic of Autos, tempos, buses, trcuks until you reach Delhi Border.
Minimum 4 hours for this trip !!!!
NO CNG on this route, though plenty of petrol pumps and Dhabas
Cheers !!
Some years back we were driving back from Hrdwar to Delhi via Roodki.
There was a Drive in Restaurant with good vegetable garden and a multicusine restaurant.I forget the name=’……GOLD’
Could you please give the name?
This is for a group of friends who are scheduled to drive from Delhi to Hardwar shortly.
Thanks
Very good description given by Jayant. I am also planning to go to Rishikesh with my family, but I would like to leave Delhi around 7.00 in the morning, so as to reach there by lunch time. I intend to take tea/coffee and biscuits before leaving Delhi, but on the way I would like to have breakfast and where washroom facilities are there. I am told by someone that there are good restaurants, like McDowel, Haldiram, etc. in between Meerut Khatauli Muzaffar Nagar. I shall be obliged if anyone could kindly post the exact location of these restaurants. Thanks. Chandan
Dear Chandan – They are right on the road so you wont miss them.
If I may suggest, please try to leave Delhi early (say by 5.00 AM). That way you can avoid the traffic of GZB, Meerut etc. All the best.
Thanks Nandan.
going to rishikesh via haridwar by car tonite. i beleive i should reach early in morning at haridwar. r there any restaurants which open early morning enroute to haridwar as i travelling with family
I am planing a trip to haridwar this weekend with my college. we will leave from Delhi at around 3:00pm by bikes. pls suggest me the best route and the best places to visit there :)
Hi Jayant – We are from South Africa and will be travelling to India in March 2016. One of our trips is a drive from Delhi to Rishikesh in a Tempo Traveller (we will fly back to Delhi).
I know you posted this a while back, but in spite of the jams, are the roads safe? From the photos I saw, it looks very long and winding and quite scary. Is Rishikesh worth the trip?
Thank you,
Hi Gina – If you can start early from Delhi then you would be able to avoid jams. In terms of tar quality, some sections are now high-speed toll roads (Meerut – Muzzaffarnagar) so that helps. Till Haridwar it is all plains. After Haridwar, hills begin but its not too winding or scary :-). Haridwar-Rishikesh would take you under 1 hour. Rishikesh is a fab destination so hopefully you would have a good time. March would be a great weather to be there. Wishes.