Mussoorie- Random Memoirs

22nd November, 2007
Passage to Mussoorie : Memoirs

In a little bit foggy morning of November I started my Journey towards one of the major pilgrimages of India – Haridwar (Door of Krishna). Legend has it that anyone who takes a plunge into the sacred water of Holy River Ganges at Haridwar can easily get rid of his sinuous deeds/sins. But is it my aim to visit Haridwar ? May be, may be not. May be I want to see mountains, or I badly needed a break.

I reached ISBT at Kashmere Gate (Old Delhi) at about 8.15 am, bought 4 batteries and got a seat in the Delux Bus of Uttarakhand State Transport Corporation which was going to depart for Rishikesh in 15 minutes. I have a little discussion with Pavan (my companion on this trip) about tourist destinations of India and about our expected visit to PITHAURAGARH in December. Being tired (they have attended a marriage last night and retired to bed late) his younger brother has already been fell asleep. Pavan is also appearing sleepy. Founding myself in such a situation I have the ample opportunity to see the outer world through the window of this last seat of a Deluxe Coach. Seats are comfortable and bus is also not fully loaded and these two factors are very much conducive to a comfortable journey.

Hitherto I have not come across any kind of fields except concrete Jungle. Now on my left side I am taking some glimpses of some type of cultivation.

10.45 am

Now fields start appearing and seen more frequently, having cabbage, sugarcane, mustard cultivation, occasionally interrupted by farmers’ dwellings. Teak trees/plants are omnipresent. Some grass type plants are indicating towards wheat crops. Now I am seeing a sugarcane field. My left side area is more cultivated then the area of my right side. The soil colour is little bit yellowish.

11.00 am

Now teak plants disappear. Soil colour remains the same. This place is called Meerut Cantt., Kanker Khera. I have seen some village women with their daughters doing cultivation related works. Now I am seeing fields surrounded by Shops, Property dealers, Service Stations, Building Material Suppliers etc. Eucalyptuses are planted by the road side. Roorkee Road, Modipuram (11.10 am). I have just seen a Petrol Pump owned by Reliance.

1.25 pm

After halting for half an hour at Midway Hotel, Mansoorpur, we restarted our journey towards Haridwar. Gradually wind starts growing colder which might be the indication that we are now heading towards the North. Haridwar is still 75 km away. This place is called G.T. Road, Chhapar. Though this was the highway, it was comparatively narrow and uneven too. The population of teak and eucalyptus is higher than any other tree seen. Again on the both side of road, fields start appearing. From road to the horizon wherever the sight goes, the vision is densely cultivated with sugarcane and eucalyptus, occasionally intruded by little huts (temporary shelters made of bamboo) probably built for being used to keep surveillance over stray cattle and crops thieves.

1.45 pm Purkaji Muzzaffar Nagar

Fields vanished and replaced by a city road having shops and houses on both sides. I have seen some military establishments on the left side of road and a hoarding indicating that IIT, Roorkee is 1.3 km away from here and Haridwar is still 32 km away.

Dehradun Road, Roorkee

Most of the students of Degree College are using Bicycle irrespective of their sexes. A shallow and dry river with a major bridge is seen surface of which is being used for cultivation.

At Haridwar
After making enquiry from two or three local shopkeepers we succeed in finding ‘Kurmanchaliye Purohit.’ But it was still puzzling us whether we found the right person or place. Any way we found shelter to pass one night at Haridwar. In the evening of 22nd November, 2007 at about 3.45 pm when we took a right turn from the main Haridwar road, as told to us by the native persons, suddenly we were exposed to a panoramic view which was totally unexpected. ‘Unexpected’ not in a way, as we were already know about our destination- i.e. Har Ki Pauri- I have seen it several times on television or in pictures. It was unexpected because we were in a densely populated city road of Haridwar and in a sudden we found ourselves surrounded by major natural entities- river and mountains/ranges.

Adding to the panorama the presence of devotees, temples and scenic view, more effectively the atmosphere created by the combination of all these, are simply worth seeing. Surprisingly there was no coldness, even in the breeze and the climate was also comparatively warm. Keeping these facts in mind with a brave heart like a hero I dared to check the coldness of water descended a few steps of the famous ‘Har ki Pauri, in a friction of second without any warning River Ganges snatched me into her lapse like a mother and I found myself slipped into a knee high water and it was a motherly snatch, I escaped from sustaining any injury. After taking the ‘Holy Bath’/Sacred Plunge we return to our base point, put off our shoes and on bare feet return to ‘Har Ki Pauri’ to witness the Evening Prayer (Aarati) to be performed at the Ghat.

In the way to our base point we also visited “Mansa Devi Temple” and tasted the exertion of heights for the first time in this tour. After filling our empty stomach with Aaloo Tikki, Gol Gappe and after that dinner thali and cold drink, we let our exhausted bodies surrendered to the dreamy world. Both of my companions snored the whole night and thus kept me awaken. Next day on 23.11.2007 I awoke or more precisely start my daily routine early in the morning at 4.30 am.

Towards Dehradun
Next morning as we didn’t find any bus to Mussoorie we left the Haridwar and started our journey to the Doon Valley. In less than 15 minutes we were on the the other side of river Ganges besides the idol of God Shiva, a statue about 20 to 30 feet high. During our journey from Haridwar to Dehradun, most of the way is covered by or through Rajaji National Park. One more thing which drew my attention was totally dry rivers having only white pebbles; I named them ‘The Rivers of Stones’. Dehradun is situated in a valley or more precisely in the foothills of Shivalik Ranges. From the Rajaji National Parks I have taken the glimpses of ranges on which our destination is situated- Mussoorie- Paharon Ki Rani. On reaching the Dehradun ISBT we were informed by the locals that any kind of vehicles/conveyances to Mussoorie would be available from Mussoorie Stand at Dehradun Railway Station.

We fetch a Three Wheeler/Vikram @ 5/- per person from there to Mussoorie Stand and on reaching there it appears that a Bus is waiting for us and we immediately got our seats. Mussoorie is situated at an altitude of 2005 meters from the sea level. Its situation and altitude at which it is located is important and worth seeing. Rope Hills, Kempty Falls etc. are some sight seeing places. Walk at Mall Road in the evening is also a remembering moment. At the hour of Sunset and before the night fully dethroned the twilight ‘Doon Valley’ looked like the dying embers. As I was not used to the heights, altitudes, even of 2005 meters looked to me more than that. People/ Shopkeepers at Mussoorie are not as clever as any one can expect from the people of a place like Mussoorie. Distant snow clad glittering peaks of Himalayas augment my curiosity.

On our way back to Dehradun we hired a taxi for Rs.250/- (In fact Rs.50/- per head/5 person in a taxi). From Dehradun to Delhi the route was different. I have seen several bony carcasses of the rivers and fells through out our way in Rajaji National Park waiting to be got alive once again during rainy season. I also feel that the Indian Forests as depicted by Western Channels are merely a little vague indication of this green beauty which scattered every where. It was more enchanting than what has been described as “Maple White Land” in the ‘Lost World’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and had he been in the Forest Clad Ranges of Shivalik Hills, the Lost world certainly be more mysterious and illustrious.