Vipin joined Ghumakkar in Januray 2012 with his story on “Deoria Tal“. Very nicely told, with no exaggeration or un-necessary build-up. I tremendously enjoyed the easy trek and later, I could see this pattern in his comments and other logs. I knew that he has been traveling for a long time and is on the road most of the time but I also knew that not too far back, he met with a severe accident which has made him spent a lot of time at home, grounded. While I was making mental notes of how he would have handled this, I also prepared some questions. Mostly I do not plan a lot of questions and the conversation usually develops, organically. This was all the pre-work I did. When I finally could speak to Vipin, after I missed calling him at the scheduled time the previous night, it seemed to me as if we have been speaking for a while already. Our conversation was as fluid and easy as naukuchiatal lake, where I was when I called him. I knew that lakes fascinate Vipin and may be it was a destined coincidence. Over next 30 minutes, we talked about his travels to various places, the funny incidents which happen all the time, about his accident and the re-hab. I could almost see the glitter in his eyes when he spoke about his ‘Spiti by Pedal-Bike’ plan. We talked about his meeting with a lot of Ghumakkars over last few months and how being positive and encouraging is key to our collective success. More and many more with a live and free flowing conversation with Vipin Gaur, ‘Ghumakkar Featured Author for May 2013‘.
Ghum: Congratulations Vipin.
Vipin: Thank you Nandan Bhai. I am very happy for this. Please extend my wishes to other Editors.
Ghum: Sure Vipin. I hope through this interview, we get to know more about you. You would have already guessed that all of our community members are eagerly waiting for it.
Vipin: Yes, I know. hehe. I have been sharing few details about myself through my logs and I would be more than happy to answer any questions.
Ghum: Thanks. Let me begin with a different question this time. Usually I ask that how did they reach Ghumakkar. Lets park that question for a while. How old are you? and where are your roots?. If at all, there are any roots for a traveler like you. hehe
Vipin: I am 28 years old. I am the eldest brother in my family. I have two siblings, my sister and my brother and we are a small family. My mother is an all-rounder she works in MTNL and also works at home taking care of all our needs.
My new found love and my travel buddy…
Prashar Lake, Mandi
At my village (me on the last row in green with my mother)
Ghum: Tell us more about your Mom ?
Vipin: Actually, life has been a seesaw ride with many ups and downs. After my father succumbed to his injuries at an early age in a dramatic accident when I was around 9 years old, my mother shouldered the responsibility of running the family. Since my sister was too little and there was nobody to take care of her, she was sent to my mausi’s place and she spent early part of her childhood at my mausi’s place. Interestingly though she has been living with us since many years now, but she still calls my mother as mausi as my mausi’s kids would call my mother. My mother somehow fought with the dire circumstances and brought us up as good as she could.
My Village
My small family
Happy to get my Mr. India goggle
Ghum: Being the eldest of the three siblings, did this mean a lot of hardship during the growing-up days ? And how that time changed you as a person, if at all ?
Vipin: We were pretty average with studies, sometimes failed too, but somehow somebody somewhere was helping us fight through this difficult time. Since my mother was a working woman, childhood was pretty spoilt and rebellion sort of an incident, wandering aimlessly with local gully friends or doing mischievous things at times was all part of spending times into those narrow, dark lanes. With the time and these childhood impressions, I became quieter and a kind of shyness prevailed and a part of it still remains. It still takes me time to befriend someone, it rather depends more on other fellow to understand me and make friends with me and few do it very well, I am bad at it though.
Ghum: Salute to your Mom. Tomorrow is ‘Mother’s Day’. Please wish her well. You come from hills ? right ?
Vipin: I come from a small village (Dankot) in garhwal which is nearly 80 km from Kedarnath between Rudraprayag and Gaurikund. Though I was born in village, but I was not lucky enough to spend my childhood among these fascinating mountains. Even before I came to my senses, my father got a job in a post office in Delhi and we shifted here. Even though my physical body shifted here, but my heart and my soul still lies there in the mountains and I have got to go to meet my soul there quite often to survive on this earth. As my profile says I love jungles, I feel home when I am in the woods. Interestingly my name literally means a jungle, so my wi-fi connects better when I am into the woods.
Ghum: Hehe. Yes, these days one need to remain connected. I could not speak to you yesterday and today I had to run out of Delhi for some work. I am glad that my phone works pretty well and we could speak.
Narmada in its full flow at Dhuandhar Falls
Dodital, a mesmerizing lake
Golden Temple
Kalasar, a heavenly lake near Rewalsar, Mandi
At Kedarnath
Ghum: How did you find Ghumakkar ? And what kept you along?
Vipin: Like most of the ghumakkars, internet used to be (and still is) one of the most loyal friend for me when it comes to searching about any particular destination and planning trips. I came across ghumakkar.com quite a number of time while browsing through web, but it was through the motivation of Sandeep (Jatdevta) bhai that I started writing on ghumakkar.com. I faintly remembers that I came searching here for Sri Khand Mahadev yatra that I undertook with Sandeep bhai later in 2011.
Ghum: Great. Sandip has been kind enough to spread the word to quite a few travellers. He is not active these days here. I would remind him to read this interview though. What next ?
Vipin: After motivation from Sandeep bhai for sharing travel experiences, I started jotting down my faint memories and those unforgettable moments spent in the lap of mother nature. The response here was pretty encouraging from the very first post that was about a walk from Deoria Taal to Chandrashila. It was the love and affection of the fellow ghumakkars that kept me going, though I write very little but coming to ghumakkar.com became a sort of daily routine like doing any other daily chores to check out these inspiring tales.
Into the Valley of Flowers
Ghum: Right. And not only stories, even comments.
Vipin: Yes, absolutely. Not only the stories, but at times the comments from the readers are so interesting and full of information that I would come here to read comments only after having read the story. And then, there are some regular readers and commentators like Tridev Ji, Ashok Ji and Sandip (Stone) Ji, whose presence make ghumakkar special and they keep motivating us through their valuable comments.
Ghum: What was your first travel, outside the ones which we do with parents/relatives. Sort of debut one.
Vipin: It is a very interesting story. I attribute my first, kind of outside the family, was to ‘Vaishno Devi’. This was in 2002, so almost more than 10 years back. In the afternoon I met a friend, more of a neighbourhood guy, and he offered me this trip. I came to know that one of their folks is not joining them so they are looking for 1 person. Train tickets and other logistics are all taken care. Interestingly, I got a affirmative nod from my family and I was on the trip. It was truly a case of , ‘Mata Calling you’. Thats what people say. I clearly remember that it was on 31st night we did the trek to the temple.
Ghum: Interesting. I had a similar experience in 1998-1999 time. One of the office colleagues was going and he offered and I joined . Is your family also a pack of Ghumakkars ?
Vipin: They like travelling, but not as much as I do. I have done a couple of family trips (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Tungnath, Shirdi etc), but that does not give you much freedom in terms of experimentation with what pleases you. With family, you have a lot of restrictions or limitations, I remember I was very much annoyed when we went to Tungnath a couple of years back and my mother did not let me go upto Chandrashila which was pretty near.
Ghum: Yes, I guess mothers would always worry about our safety. But now you are going anywhere and everywhere. Not too long back, you did ‘Mani Mahesh’ visit.
Vipin: Yes and God willing, I am planning to do ‘Kinner Kailash’ during this summers.
Ghum: Insha Allah. Amen. You have been on Ghumakkar since much recently. How has the journey been so far?
Vipin: Journey with ghumakkar has been tremendous. It has been very encouraging and a great learning experience too. I have known and made friends with some true wanderers and may be many more to come as we progress.
Ghum: Yes, and I guess you have travelled with a lot of Ghumakkars. Some of them, we know. Tell us more about it ?
Vipin: Not with many, but yes I am lucky that way to have travelled with some amazing fellow ghumakkars like Sandeep (Jatdevta) bhai, Manu (Prakash Tyagi) bhai, Neeraj (Jaat) bhai, Harish (Bhatt) bhai, Inam bhai, Nirdesh bhai, Giriraj (Shekhawat) bhai etc. Each one of them has not only a flair for fabulous writing in their own way, but they do have their unique styles of ghumakkari as well and I personally enjoyed wandering with all of them. Each trip that I did with these ghumakkars is an experience that can never be forgotten and was full of adventure.
Ghum: Whoo. That is a long list. I think Mukesh and Vishal (both of them have met quite a few Ghumakkars) are taking note of this. Tell us about your trip with all the diverse group of Ghumakkars.
Vipin: I think a lot has already been shared but I would mention a few. I think exploring two Kailash peaks (Srikhand Kailash – https://www.ghumakkar.com/2012/03/19/srikhand-mahadev-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%EF%BF%BD/) and Mani Mahesh Kailash) with Sandeep bhai and other fellow ghumakkars was once in a life time experience where we explored some amazing lakes, some beautiful trails and cherished some beautiful memories in our hearts.
Ghum: Yes, and it was a long trip. We did read about it in the past and all regular Ghumakkar probably are aware. I was not aware about others.
Vipin: Yes you are right. And thanks to Ghumakkar for introducing me to so many travellers with whom I have met, connected and spent quality time.
A participation in Annual Animal Census at Ranthambore national park is surely an event to give you goose bumps and it’s full of excitement and this is what I felt while reading through Harish bhai’s story and then Inam bhai’s subsequent story on the same program…do check them out for an heart throbbing and adventurous experience. The day Harish bhai’s story was published, I was so thrilled that I left a comment on the log and was pleasantly surprised to see an email from Harish bhai informing me that he managed to get me on the census that was scheduled just the next month. I had never thought that just leaving a comment will fulfill my dream of being in the middle of a jungle on a machan witnessing the full moon all alone enjoying screams of the wild creatures in utter fear and excitement, formidable experience that was for sure.
Madan Mahal, Jabalpur
Enjoying in Toy Train between between Shimla-Kalka
On the way to Sri Hemkund Sahib
On the way to Mani Mahesh Kailash
Exploring Meherangarh Fort
Ghum: Oh and for some reason, I thought that ‘Animal Census’ an annual process.
Vipin: Even I never expected myself to be there. It was an out of the world experience.
Ghum: So you guys were on a Machan all night, how it is like ?
Vipin: Well the Machan is not really a Machan. It is like balancing the household wooden ladder on two branches and then using ropes n all, make a contraption which can stay intact for a night. It is indeed a very special setup. One can see a lot of professional photographers with all the expensive equipment waiting for that masterpiece shot.
On the way to Dodital
Orchha Palace
Norbulingka, Dharamshala
Junglee in Jungle on the way to Prashar Lake
Flowers at a garden in Pushkar
Ghum: Any funny memories ?
Vipin: Many. hehe. There was a gentleman who was talk of the town. It seems that a Tigress landed at the base of the tree where he was stationed. In his excitement to get the best shot, the guy fell over along with his lenses. Tigress was taken aback more and moved away quickly. Hehe. So yes, it is indeed a big adventure.
Ghum: Wow. That sounds scary. Who else have you spent time, traveling along ?
Vipin: Same way, we all have been enjoying Nirdesh bhai’s wonderful t-logs exhibiting his amazing talent of introducing us with some beautiful monuments that are around us, but we miss to amaze at their beauty. Through his skillful writing and amazing captures, Nirdesh bhai re-ingnited the spirit of exploring these invaluable treasures from the past. It was pretty rewarding exploring the treasure trove Mehrauli Archeological Park with him on a Sunday morning few days back. Though his love for historical monuments is crystal clear in his posts, but it spills all around while conversing with him and when he is at work. He should definitely have been a historian as he wishes to be in his profile. He not only enjoys being around the monuments, but he also cares for them too much. He really belongs to these places.
Then comes Giriraj bhai, I was smitten by his scholarly and informative writing style that conveys his knowledge about the places that he explores. Recently after a chit-chat, I got an opportunity to wander with this amazing wanderer through some lesser known treasures of Aravalis. He is a fountainhead of knowledge when it comes to lesser known places in Rajasthan especially the less explored architectural marvels, his fondness to these structures is just wow!…He is a gem of a wanderer be it any sort of condition…one of his featured story on Kota gorge (https://www.ghumakkar.com/2012/03/04/chambal-ki-ghati-kota-gorge-through-the-hadoti-belt/) conveys his prowess…I have some other trips scheduled with Giri bhai in near future.
Ghum: It is such a warm thing, just to listen to. I guess it must be a very special feeling.
Vipin: It is so encouraging to see that ghumakkars are meeting and travelling together. A very recent example of this is Sushant Ji’s trip to Indore and meeting with Bhalse family, similarly the well documented meeting of 2 famous ghumakkar families Rathore’s and Bhalse’s, then Panwar’s (Sandeep bhai & family), Gupta’s (Ritesh bhai & family) and Bhalse’s (Mukesh bhai & family) and many more like wise. All praise and thanks to ghumakkar for giving us this platform to share our tales and views and to make such wonderful travel companions and friends.
And there are many more with whom we have not travelled yet, but the plans are on…like Vishal bhai, Amitava da etc. I think if not on long trips, at least the ghumakkars in the same city can frequently meet and explore together like I have plans with Professor Nirdesh who changes the way you perceive a particular monument, he just makes the structures alive through his skillful writing. We have an in-house historian in our family and we don’t make use of it…haha…
Cruising over Brahmputra
During sunrise at Chandrashila Peak
Chand Baori, Abhaneri, one of the most impressive stepwells I have seen so far
Ghum: InshaAllah. I am out of resources to plan one but If someone can plan a small meet, I can help with sending invites, making connections, sharing the event details in our monthly digest, even calling them.
Vipin: That would be real nice.
Ghum: So what’s on your list now? The places you wish to cover in the next one year?
Vipin: Wandering for me is like an addiction. The thoughts of travelling always keep floating in my mind and whenever I feel the itch and find a little gap I just set out without much preparation. I usually don’t plan much, it just happens, sometimes with friends and sometimes solo. I have an ambitious trip this June or maybe early July that is a cycling expedition in Spiti Valley, this might be a solo expedition if I don’t find a travel companion, let’s see. Then we have plans of visiting third Kailash this year with Sandeep bhai and that is Kinnar Kailash. Later this month, I am again participating in Animal Census at Ranthambore courtesy Harish bhai followed by an exploration of less explored tribal Jhalawar with Giri bhai. Apart from this some sudden Himalayan wanderings or a trip to Madhya Pradesh this monsoon or may be Gujarat or maybe Rajasthan may make their way depending on mood and time. But most of the time, if anybody comes with a travel plan, I am always ready unless there is any particular unavoidable reason.
From this year onward, some of my wanderings will also be about cycling trips, I have already completed a solo one to Sultanpur National Park, thanks to Amitava da for his guidance. These trips will be on the lines of RRG’s Motorcycle Diaries, though not on that level as there is no comparison between a Motorbike and a Pedalbike, but somewhat like that.
Ghum: Insha Allah. I wish each of your trip become a reality. A very common questions all us Ghumakkars come across – Where do you work and how do you manage to travel so much along with the regular course of earning a living?
Vipin: I work with a US based travel organization which caters to travel arrangements for north Americans across the globe. For some, this might sound and seem a very good profession as far as travelling is concerned. Some would think that it’s because of my job that I get to wander so much. I had the same impression before jumping into this profession. But trust me It’s like grass is always greener on the other side of the fence…Yes, some people do get to travel being a part of the industry and I did too, but it is very limited. Our programs in India run to destinations like Agra, Jaipur, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Ranthamore, Kota, Udaipur, Mumbai, Goa and that’s it. You would not like to visit these destinations again and again unless you are in love with these places for any particular reason.
Ghum: But, I guess you do go to places where there may not be an overlap between your work’s needs and your personal preferences.
Vipin: Yes, exactly. My wanderings have nothing to do with my job, primarily the kind of places that I wander around are rarely explored by foreigners, or at least not by guests who travel with our organization. Working in Inbound (foreigners traveling to India) travel industry gives you enough time to fulfill your travel itch as this is mainly a seasonal business which operates in winters (September to April or mid May). After May, the heat in the northern and southern tourist areas (except hills) is almost unbearable for foreigners, so the tourist flow is very less. Since I love hills, it is also the best time to explore hills. During the season (September till April), most of my travel plans are carried out on hectic weekends (Friday night till Monday morning) or sometimes occasional Friday or Monday leaves which are easy to get as we are only 2 people in office and manage it some way or the other.
Ghum: Vipin, I would take a micro mini break and want to talk about some of your recent experiences. I heard that you had a severe accident. If you would want to share some bit of it.
Vipin: Yeah, sure. So I was in Pushkar and decided to head towards Kota. You are familiar with the road since I read that you went to Bundi. So I was on the same road. And I was sitting along with a co-passenger in the driver’s cabin. Three of us going on and looking at vast expanses of Rajasthan. At Devli, which is before Bundi, my co-passenger left (call it destiny) and we moved ahead. After that, there was some head-on thud and I have no memories beyond that.
Ghum: When was it ?
Vipin: September 2012. When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital. There were multiple fractures and I am thankful to God that I survived. It was a very bad accident.
Ghum: Wishes. And I believe the rehab was long and arduous.
Vipin: Hehe. Yes, very much. I was ground for about 6 months. I was on bed for 2 months, could hardly move. It was quite a tough thing. Then gradually I started with short exercises and then I started to move and very recently, I was able to pedal to Sultanpur.
Ghum: And I wish that I see your pics on Ghumakkar, biking all through Spiti. hehe.
Vipin: Yes, I need all the wishes. Thank you Nandan.
Ghum: If you were to recommend one journey to someone who had time for one week for travel, and no other constraints – what would it be?
Vipin: Since I am in complete love with mountains and hilly lakes, I would certainly recommend a trip to the majestic mountains looking at the kind of heat we are facing in the cities. If one is a bit adventurous and likes hiking, I would surely recommend Dodital Lake (or upto Darwa Pass) which is known to be the birthplace of Lord Ganesha. This area is a paradise for bird and nature lovers. I could saw so many varieties of birds here that one generally would not even get to see in a bird sanctuary as well. It was here that I first saw the state bird (Monal) of Uttaranchal (sorry, but it feels a bit painful to call it Uttrakhand) and many other amazing birds with very contrast colours. This is easily accessible from Uttarkashi, a major town in Garhwal and home to NIM (Nehru Institute of Mountaineering). One can club a visit to Dodital and Uttarkashi for a week. Then one can also explore some beautiful lakes near Mandi like Rewalsar, Kalasar, Kuntbhyog, Kamrunag and Prashar. I have written a story about Rewalsar (Kalasar and Kuntbhyog are near Rewalsar) and Kamrunag and my next story here will be about Prashar Lake.
Palash ladden tress in Neelkanth Village, Alwar
Ram Kund in Neelkanth Village, Alwar
Nearing Srikhand Kailash
Sultanpur National Park
Ghum: What is your ideal holiday? And who are your constant/ideal travel buddies?
Vipin: My inclination most of the time is to explore lesser known destinations away from crowd, be it in hills or somewhere else, but preferably with a pinch of adventure, serendipity and near to nature. These trips are generally very low budgeted as we prefer to use local transport (whichever available) and basic accommodation (especially temples, dharamshalas, dormitory etc).
Ghum: Any recent ones like above ?
Vipin: Recently wandering with Giri bhai, we used many local modes of transports (like local buses, Jeeps, Truck, bike etc) and spent overnight in a temple premises under open sky, a 2 day trip to Aravalis costed Giri bhai less than 500 rupees from Jaipur and for me it was somewhere around 800 rupees from Delhi. My ideal holiday will of course be somewhere in the mountains with lakes and plenty of flaura and fauna around.
Ghum: If not mountains then what ?
Vipin: Apart from mountains, I also like architecturally built temples, museums, forts & palaces etc. I have a couple of friends who share the same views about mother nature and like exploring places with me, but they are very few. As while I am in mountains, I like to make long walks and sometime people think it’s crazy especially when you have other ways of transport available with you, but walking has it’s own flavor and I believe that now most of the ghumakkars will be realizing it through Praveen (Wadhva) Ji’s wonderful t-logs covering long walks.
Ghum: But then walking may not be everyone’s cup of tea ? What about co-travellers ?
Vipin: Yes, that is right. Actually one more habit that makes some co-travellers annoyed is that when I am at a place or walking through I crazily take pictures and spend proper time patiently until I get satisfied, even sometimes I forget that someone else too is travelling with me.
Ghum: So, walking, taking pics, what else ?
Vipin: And I always follow a magical mantra during my wanderings and that is getting up early in the morning and using your time to the fullest. The early morning time is surely the best time to enjoy mother nature in pristine tranquility with a lot of birdlife around especially in the hills. You do make the best use of your time by rising early, this too sounds a bit annoying to some co-travelers who do not want to compromise with their sleep. But then when I rise early, I go to bed early to take rest and get refreshed for the coming day. And I am grateful to ghumakkar that this plateform has introduced me to some wonderful travel buddies with whom I get along well while travelling and they honour and support your likings and dislikings and I do it the same way.
Ghum: Thank you Vipin. The platform is just a means, the real juice is in the traveling experiences we all build together.
Vipin: And I thing that can be best cherished if we support, encourage each other. Nandan Bhai, I read so many forums and trust me that at Ghumakkar, the level of encouragement, support and love people get, it is not at all common. I think when someone writes a story, we must encourage him and if we have any feedback, we should give it in a positive way.
And we would wind up this great, engaging, rich and valuable conversation on this note. Very well said and what a Joy, talking and conversing with you. I wish that you cycle all over Himalayas and may you travel together with 100 more Ghumakkars. Insha Allah, take care and shabba chair.
It was a real joy reading about Vipin. He is one of my favorite writers and some of his fotos are masterpieces. I wish him good luck in his future travels
congrats vipin again… and thanks to Nandan for this magnificent interview.
Thank you so very much SS Ji, ghumakkars like you have always been a source of inspiration…
Nice Interview.
Thank you Surinder Ji…
Wow! This was well deserved interview.
Tough life has carved a gentleman in you.
Great interview and thanks Nandan also.
I wish you visit ten thousand more places.
Thank you for your wishes Praveen Ji, your tales are always so fascinating and inspiring…sorry was a bit tied up with work, so missed out on some…will check them out sometime soon…
Congratulations Bhai.
It’s really wonderful to know about your childhood, your passion for traveling (solo, as well as with fellow Ghumakkars).
It is also good to note that you have made so many friends here and started exploring together. You have already seen places where most of us just wish to go. As I told you before I would have loved to be in your shoes and found some similarities between us.
Pedaling to Sipti – sounds great – How I wish to be with you in this trip – however, any such trip next year, do let me know in advance – we are about to leave for home on Friday. However, a short trip together is due, I guess.
Explore the universe to the fullest, make friends and share with us…have a wonderful time and enjoy your day. Take care
___
…finally, it was my turn to be completely relaxed this morning while reading this interview, my friend…nice to bring out the best of Vipin through this eagerly waiting interview. Hats-off to your interviewing skill once again
Thank you for your kind words dada, it’s really been an experience meeting and travelling with fellow ghumakkars and i wish the list goes on…just by reading the stories, you make a sort of bonding with the fellows and it gets stronger when you do ghumakkari together…will definitely let you know if i plan something of this sort next year and hope you will do the same…yes, we will do a short trip together soon…fingers crossed…:)
Congratulations Vipin. A much deserved recognition. You are absolutely my kind of ghumakkar. Inam Bhai and I enjoyed your company in Ranthambore as much as you did. No doubt that it is a jaw dropping experience every time. Each moment spent on the so called machan is terrifyingly, differently adventures and is unforgettable. I eagerly wait for the event throughout the year. I am thankful to ghumakkar, because of it I have a calm composed and like-minded friend like you.
We meet again on 25th even if the tickets for our return to Delhi are not confirmed. BUT I have decided that this time I am not getting down from the machan and come out of the jungle until the Tiger finally decides to show himself . If not then I guess the forest officials will have to tranquilize me to bring me out ;-)
Congratulations once again
Haha…i intend to do the same thing provided the jungle authorities let us…:)
Thank you so very much Harish bhai, for giving me this golden opportunity of being a part of such an event and being a wonderful travel buddy, i too was waiting eagerly for the same from last one year…hopefully many more to come…:)
Oh Sorry… I forgot to thank Nandan Ji for such a fantastic interview. Thank you, very much indeed Nandan Ji for introducing Vipin to all ghumakkars in such a wonderful write-up.
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Thanks Vipin & thanks Nandan for sharing such an informative and intersting interview.
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Hi Nandan,
A great interview once again of an irrepressible Ghummakar Vipin.
Vipin seems to have been everywhere. But the Animal Census in Ranthambore takes the cake. How do I sign up for that!?
Vipin has unbounded energy and as a native of Garhwal saw him climb the rocks effortlessly behind the Azim Khan Tomb in Mehrauli. This despite the terrible accident he met with. I could not believe that in a city like Delhi he prefers to use his pedal bike. I have heard people doing this in Netherlands but in Delhi! He seems to go on and on like the Energizer bunny when the summer Delhi heat has sapped your energy. At least somebody is concerned about his carbon footprint.
Hope to go on more Sunday trips with you Vipin. Keep Pedalling!
Nirdesh bhai, it is always a pleasure to do treasure hunting with you…i am grateful to you that you showed me 2 hidden treasures last week which people would generally miss otherwise, even if they are very near to it…hope to explore such gems together soon…loving it to the fullest…Thank you so much for your words and for being a wonderful travel buddy…
Congratulation Vipin. Its really nice to know about you and your passion.
I just love the pictures in the interview.Amazing pics and I am sure the places must be more wonderful than pics.
Keep travelling.
Thanks NJ for nice interview.
Thank you Abhee Ji, yes the places are much more beautiful than the pictures and pictures serve their purpose when they inspire somebody to travel…May you get to see such beautiful places in plenty!
VIPIN JI, Namaskar.
Came to know well through this write-p ans quite agree with Praveen Ji that tough life makes a gentleman what he is. And villagers especially from mountains have a heart of gold due to rigors of life. I think that rigors of city life are man made as materialistic way of life has covered up the inner soul.
Nandan Bhai, Namaskar and hats off to u Captain Saahib .
Thank you very much Professor Saheb, i always wished that i would have spent my life in the villages, i still ask my mother to go back and settle in there…but seems tough, we city confined souls cannot afford to be away from cities due to various reasons…
Thank you very much Nandan bhai for considering me for this honour and presenting it so beautifully, your pen does spell a magic…:)…it was nice talking to you too…it feels great to be a part of ghumakkar family…
Hearty Congratulations to you Vipin!
Your passion for traveling and great interest in writing has fetched you this title, and you truly deserve it!
I loved the photos in this interview and loved to see your family picture! Being the eldest and being this good surely sets an example for your siblings!!
Keep up the good work :)
Cheers!
Thank you, Archana for your kind words!
I was eagerly waiting for this interview.
I always knew that you’re one of the nicest person here, and all comments above me confirmed the same thing again and again.
Your humbleness is really heart touching, you always used ‘bhai’ and ‘ji’ for each of us, that really shows your upbringing and values. Hats off to you and to your parents.
And one last thing, you forgot our promise, we too are supposed to go for trip together :-)
Take care.
@Nandan – Thank you sir, you really how to open-up a person and extract best from them.
Arrre Sandip bhai, how can I forget you?…in fact, I will feel privileged if I get to wander in the company of a true wanderer like you…you can drop me a mail on vipingaur.2008@gmail whenever there is any such opportunity…:)
Thank you so much for your generous words and motivating us throughout…hope to travel with you sometime soon!
Congratulation VIPIN BHAI. Nice to know more about this great interview…. Keep writing… Thanks
Thank you very much Ritesh bhai…
Nandan ji…
Thank you very much for tell more about vipin ji through this interview with interesting conversation….
Thanks
where my congratulation message to Vipin Ji gone ??
Thank you Naresh Ji for your invisible, but hearty wishes…:)
Thanks Nandanji/Vipinji for such a wonderful interview which ignited my passion for wander the hills once more. I am a vivid traveler acroff globe but have always been fascinated by hills and lakes of Northern India. I recently joined Ghumakkar club when I stumbled upon a post on Nainital by Arpit. Same feelings i have for Naini!
Just give me an assurance, is it safe for woman to wander alone in thosehills though i am 48 and consider myself to be brave enough? Or you can introduce me to some women ghumakkars.
Ushi
Thank you Ushi Ji for your kind words, hope to read some of your tales on ghumakkar soon!
My experience in the northern hills so far has been pretty amazing where people are always ready to help you, frequented trails (with proper planning) are always safe because of the regular movement of the people…but on the lesser frequented trails, the major danger is of getting lost, otherwise people are very friendly and welcoming…so it’s better to go along with a travel buddy…:)…
You can can check out authors list for women ghumakkars…or Nandan can help you out further in this with some links…love to hear from you more on ghumakkar!
Sorry for the typo read as ‘across globe’
Congrats Vipin Ji…………… It’s really nice to read about you. … what a stamina you have bro….
All the photographs are beautiful and u r really lucky, in this age you have traveled a lot. Great.
I also want to go for Ranthambore census 2013 but in this month it’s not possible. Hope you & harish ji will help me for the procedure.
All the Best……
Thank you Saurabh Ji, i have only travelled an iota of this huge universe…may the wandering never stop! Your love for wildlife is amazing, hope you get to be a part of this census soon! I will convey your message to Harish bhai and God willing you will be with us on the machan next year!
Hi Vipin…..
Congratulations for being the featured author on ghumakkar…. Vipin, it was indeed great fun wandering with you sharing similar ideas and interests.
I would like to share with the members of this forum something that helped me know Vipin better
Vipin has an excellent calm and great seriousness about life and things connected thereto … I was amazed to see his deep love for mother nature and the eyes with which he sees all its constituents…whether big or small… He is a true “NATURE LOVER” with an immaculate sense of photographic skills.
Vipin i fondly remember the day we spent in Neelkanth Village over the mountain top in Alwar district …and that was a conscious decision taken by you …which is undoubtedly one of my best experiences in Rajasthan….
i am still left with a smile remembering that NREGA employee in the village and the rajasthani tau …do u remember him ???? ha ha ha ha
Thank you for crediting me with such pleasant words…but i consider myself a learner and a novice ….there are so many things that i need to learn which can only be substantiated with the help of a ghumaakar and friends like u and everyone else who share such similar vibes…
I wish you luck for your future wanderings … ,of which some are slated with me …he he he he…..
Stay healthy and remain the same way you are ….because we love you this way . I am looking forward to read a lot from you in the near future.
May God bless you
Bye and have Fun
Hi Giri bhai…good to hear from you here at ghumakkar…the other day when I was speaking with Nandan bhai, he mentioned that you are missing from here since a long time, so ghumakkars are eagerly waiting for your content rich tales…
Also thank you so much for your kind words, we all are learner and keep learning at every step in life…learning and sharing, this is what we are doing here at ghumakkar….yes, i do remember the NREGA employee and his funny, but serious speech…though as per villagers, he was mad…but he was seeming to be quite knowledgeable…:)…I will wait the day when you buy some land here as discussed with a villager and i will come and visit you quite often to visit this mesmerizing & unknown land…hahaha…it would be great if you do a comeback on ghumakkar with a story about this place…i am sure fellow ghumakkars will just love it as usual…
Am eagerly looking forward to meeting you later this month and explore some little known gems from Jhalawar…Keep in touch and be well!
Vipin Bhai ….
I really like the lines of a song which was featured in the movie “Border” — “ki mein wapas aaunga… fir apne gaon mein”…. Ghumakkar mera gaon hai … aur gaon mein sabki roots judi hoti hai .. aur roots ko koi bhi nahi chod sakta …. Thanks Vipin …aur haan— be prepared to witness the antiquity of the erstwhile Jhala Kingdom Jhalarpatan … It will be fun because it will be with you …
@Nandan Ji – I am sorry for being away from the ghumakkar family for such a long time. You are doing a great job ..
Hi Vipin,
I am ardent believer in the dictum, “Better Late than Never”. Till such time a new Featured author takes birth for and in the next month, I wouldn’t treat my tweet as obsolete!
Watching you grow (through your post, of course) from a little boy on the shoulder of your mom to a full blown ghumakkar was indeed a great experience. I join Nandan in paying my respects to your mom who played double role of mother and father for the trio.
I have always enjoyed your posts esp. because even without travelling much myself, I enjoy wandering with all of you ghumakkars. I felt rather jealous to know that you have met and travelled with several ghumakkar authors of this site. Living in Delhi, so it seems, has its own benefits.
The interview has come out really well, Nandan. Thank you for introducing Vipin to all of us through your mighty pen… (ok, okay, keyboard) !
Thank you for your kind words, Sushant Ji…Saharanpur is not too far too…let us know whenever you plan to visit Delhi, we will have Nirdesh bhai (& other fellows) with us and then will peel the layers together…we will be doing a lot more of such walks together (a lot remains to be explored), so if anybody is interested, they can get in touch & join the exploration…will be fun for sure…
Wow! The mere idea of meeting, interacting and ghumakkaring with fellow authors titillates me! Leaving for Indirapuram Ghaziabad tomorrow to attend a marriage. Tomorrow (24th May) evening and 25th morning / day / evening / night can be used for the purpose of meeting and even ghumakkaring. Just let me know where to reach !!!! :) Zoo? Purana Qila ? Humayun Tomb? CP ? Someone’s home / office?
Where ? where? where?
My phone / email would be accessible. 9837014781.
Thank you Sushant ji for your prompt reply, it shows how eager you are to meet & do ghumakkari with fellow ghumakkars…we are really sorry to say but Nirdesh bhai is off to Gujarat and am also leaving tomorrow for Ranthambore & Jhalawar…but keep us posted through email (vipingaur.2008@gmail.com) whenever you are in Delhi next time…will be great to meet you…
Congrates Vipin, for being the featured author of the month. !!!!!
Thank you Mahesh bhai!
I only came across this interview as Vipin had directed me to other articles on the site. Great interview which I hope will inspire all travelers of the future. What a very special and humble guy you are Vipin, your urge to travel and explore and describe India is the stuff of great adventurers.Not only that but you inspire and encourage others to explore this beautiful country. Now I understand how you came to be on the Ranthambore census and how it is that you managed to play this wonderful privilege forward for me this year. So very blessed to have you as a friend.
Thank you for your effusive praise Diana, great to see you here…:)…am sure you will enjoy travel tales on ghumakkar…& hope that you share your wandering tales here for the folks to relish…you are truly an inspiring soul…catch you soon!
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Thanks Nandan for detailed insights of the compulsive traveller, Vipin. Looking forward to the bike trip to Spiti.
Thank you Venkatt Ji for your kind & encouraging words…Insha-allah…will come back successfully from Spiti trip!
Sorry folks for the super delayed response. Was away and on road, most of the last 4 weeks.
@ SS – Thank you SS. It is all because of Vipin.
@ Praveen – Yes, very well deserved. Thank you.
@ Amitava – Thank you. You are always very generous in your appreciation. Thanks again.
@ Bhatt Jee – And Ghumakkar is hopefully more calm and composed because of folks like you.
@ Tridev Sir – Haha. Take care ka take chair ho gaya. Mainey bhi abhi dekha. :-)
@ Vipin – I am just a medium, if at all. The magic is all yours. hehe. Hope to meet face to face soon.
@ Stone – Thank you. We could not meet, hopefully next time I am better prepared and we would have coffee together. :-)
@ Ritesh – Thank you Ritesh.
@ Naresh – If you are not logged in then there is a captcha, where it ask a simple arithmatic question. Hope you noticed it. I do not see anything in spam so not sure. In any case, your wishes are all with us. Thank you.
@ Ushi – I guess Vipin has answered it. In general, it is safe as long as you are informed of local settings. I can help you plan a trip or answer any questions. We would love to read your travel experiences. Wishes.
@ Giriraj – No sorry, just be around as your time permits :-)
@ Sushant – Pen and keyboard both. :-) Thank you.
@ Venkat – Thank you Venkat. Hope you are colouring the world even more. :-)
i love travelling whenever i gt time i travel to places …. but most of the time i travel alone i love if i get someone traveller who is passionate like me … if someone going to any trip dnt forget to invite me … my mail id is inder_6467@yahoo.co.in …..