Traveling is good
Deeg is a small town as close as 30 km from Bharatpur however, with good connectivity with Delhi & Agra. Its pre-historic presence is inscribed in the Skanda Purana as Dirghapura. Also important because of it lies within the range of 32 km Parikrama path starting from Goverdhan in Mathura.
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While planning for the route, we had no idea about the Saharanpur road conditions and more worse was leaving the highway for a while, anyway, next 40 kms or so were on kind of worse unending roads. You can imagine the roads with the fact that I was not driving straight literally even for a second and there was no road at all but just potholes filled with mud and water. We all were literally praying that when this road would come to an end cursing the local SP MLA.
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Eklingji Temple: After visiting the Srinathji Temple, last on the bus itinerary schedule was Eklingji Temple (Lord Shiva). The Eklingji temple is situated on the way to Udaipur from Nathdwara and just 20 km away from Udaipur. Temple is surrounded by high walls. At the entrance of the main temple there is a beautifully sculpted huge Nandi. The temple complex has 108 temples built with sandstone and marble.
Inside the main temple bhajans were sung by devotees. It makes the devotional environment. The temple is well maintained and very few tourists are there. The main thing about this temple is the absence of priests. Devotees have to perform Puja themselves and offer flowers to Eklingji (beautiful lotus and rose flowers available at the entrance gate). Many guards are standing in the temple complex. They are appointed by the temple management to protect the idols and guide the visitors. Not all the temples are opened for visitors. (Photography inside the temple is strictly prohibited by Temple Management). Please check the images on Google.
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Incidentally it is owned by Mithun Chakravarthy. After freshening up we went for a little sightseeing. There are usual points like any other hill station. First one was Doddabetta peak which is highest point of Ooty. One can see far and wide from this point but only if the sky is clear which sadly was not the case for us.
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Abu Road to Chottorgarh is 260 km on excellent tar and may take almost 4 to 5 hours in no haste & less traffic. At or around 12 noon we entered the town by rolling further 2-3 km on a link road connecting the city with the bye-pass. We decided to take a guide so that we may not waste time in road enquiries and also venture the fort area with ease. Soon we found one reasonably at Rs. 250/- and entered the Fort through one of the seven legendary POL (gates) Each gate has a distinct name and relevance, just to quote the names without digging into history, they are the Padan Pol, Bhairon Pol, Hanuman Pol, Jorla Pol, Ganesh Pol, Laxman Pol and Ram Pol. If I remember, we entered through the Ganesh Pol as there was an Idol of Ganesha at the entry.
Soon after, we discovered that the fort is much larger and magnificent than it actually appears from distant. Situated at a high hillock fortifying the entire hill with high solid rock boundary, it is spread covering close to 3 km2. The Fort was constructed by the Mauryans in the 7th century AD however, mythological beliefs claim, it was constructed by Bhima of Mahabharata. The fort boasts to be the palatial abode of many famous warriors such as Gora, Badal, Rana Kumbha, Maharana Pratap, Jaimal, Patta, etc. for many years before it was captured by the Mughals.
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City Palace has several gates (in local language known as “Pols”). The entry to the Palace is from the Hati Pol (Elephant gate). The Bari Pol brings you to the Tripolia gate. Main ticket office is near to it. You can also hire a guide or take the audio tour for getting familiar with the events and historic happenings of this beautiful monument.
The main part of the City Palace is now preserved as a museum displaying a large and diverse array of artifacts. After entering the Pol the armory museum is situated there, exhibits a huge collection of old war weapons. The rooms and the halls of the palace are decorated with mirrors, tiles and paintings. The Palace has large collection of royal paintings, jewelry, crockery, photographs and beautiful silver “Shadi ka Mandap” covered with glass wall. The palace has an old history which has many kings and rulers and there details, photographs and belongings can be seen in the different areas and rooms of the palace. The new small museums of silver, sculptures and music instrument were great.
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On 29-Jun 2014 morning, we took the bus at 6:30 am from Ramnagar bus stand and reached Nainital at 9:00 am. There were some taxiwalas standing for sightseeing packages but we denied them and thought to roam around on our own. So we walked on our foot till Tallital bus stand and hired a bike on rent for Rs. 1000 and Security Rs.2000. Then we have gone for boating in Mallital and Tallital Lake for Rs. 210. We have done our breakfast and shopping on Mall Road itself which is near to Tallital bus stand.
Then we moved ahead on bike for RajBhawan(Governor’s House). Wow it is a very beautiful place and the gardens, the sightseeing near it is really awesome. The guide there guided us and told us about the history of this place. Then we headed towards Himalayan view point, Lover’s point and Suicide point. Awesome the weather, the scenery, the clouds coming over the hills, just WOW:) And then monsoon 1st rainfall started :D so we moved back to Mall road for some shopping near Tallital bus stand. We returned our bike at 6:00 pm and got our Security money Rs. 2000 back. There were tourists and tourists only all around on the Mall road. No vehicles are allowed between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm. The traffic management is very good. At 7:00 pm, we booked 2 seats in a Volvo bus. There were agents sitting in some shops on Mall road.
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Evening is extremely lively in Mt. Abu, unlike other hills, the Mall road here remains crowded till late in the evening, say upto 10 – 11 pm at least. One of the safest hill station, less colder due to lower altitude and superb law and order, I was always pleased to see the care free atmosphere there. Diwali being just passed, the decorative lightings of the shops and hotels were still shimmering, adding extra charm to the already charming place. The vibrant stalls, mostly laden with Gujrati & Rajasthani stuffs are bound to lure your better half. Rows of ice-cream shops, pastries, cookies and crushed ice-balls (Golas) in different flavor are the trade mark of Mt. Abu.
Activities around Nakki Lake are however, stalled at 8 pm for security reasons. The surrounding is expanding with growing popularity and increasing inflow since I have last visited the place in 1998 and again in 2008.
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Our most awaited destination was Naliya, where we filled the tank and a routine air check, after almost 600 km. With lifted confidence, we roared on the four lane upto Kothara from where a single road on the right leads towards the less visited but very natural and unexploited Pingleshwar. Passing by a few villages on a narrow bumpy road for 15-20 km, we reached at the dead end. Rows of giant wind mills were standing erect with the large blades performing in tune of the wind. An ancient temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva is situated here. The shrine is brightly colorful and very well maintained but I understand very few tourists other than locals visit the temple often.
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Kausani: The absence of crowds was a welcome change in this place as well. No mall road to boast about but the available accommodation was good enough. The ‘wow’ factor is the spectacular view of the mighty Himalayas – 300 kilometers of unhindered and unmatched majestic view. Peaks Nandadevi, Nandaghunti, Trishul etc. glistening in the morning sunshine, gives lovely viewing pleasure. On a clear morning as you open your bedside window, the sight of these snow-capped mountains which sometimes seem to be bending towards you, simply take your breath away.
Gandhiji spent a few days here in the Anashakti ashram – which is right in the middle of the town and displays some photographs from his life – and called this place ‘the Switzerland of India’. Hindi poet Sumitra Nandan Pant was born in this place.
Baijnath, 19 km downhill from Kausani, boasts of a 1000 year old temple complex situated on the banks of river Gomti. Children enjoyed feeding the fish here.
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उम्मीद है इस श्रंखला की पिछली पोस्ट आप की उम्मीदों पर खरी उतरी होगी. चलिये अब आगे बढते हैं……. जब हम लोग इस टूर…
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Siliguri to Pelling in West Sikkim is 131 kms and takes approximately 3 hours for straight drive. Needless to mention that the drive is subjected to imponderables like traffic snarl, road repairs and broadening work, tea and meal breaks. As such it is safe to plan approx 4 hours for the drive. Pelling to Khecheopalri is 32 kms and takes about an hour‘s drive along a graveled road. As usual the condition of road from Siliguri to the lake can best be described as “the good, the bad and the ugly”. Last year at a chance meeting a MLA from Jorthang told me that this West Sikkim road is being turned into a four lane highway, insallah.
Road from Siliguri to Sevoke is a smooth broad 2 lane highway (NH 31) that knifes through the neat sevoke Military Cantonment and Sevoke Forest. From Sevoke Bazaar to Coronation Bridge (3 kms) is another smooth, well carpeted road snaking along he mountain curves runing almost parallel to Teesta River. This road is adorned with good highway signs; however, unfortunately this stretch is marred by delays due to railway gate blockage and heavy traffic from/to North East, Dooars, Sikkim and Kalimpong. From Coronation Bridge to Teesta Bridge near Teesta bazar (37km) NH 31is forever in the making and subject to traffic jams & delays caused by repairs and expansion; as such, it can be dusty and slushy depending on the season.
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