Reply:
Hi Vineet and Tushar,
It is always a pleasure to know one has accessed the reader for
whom one's own experiences seem meaningful. I have been wracking
my brain trying to figure what trek I can suggest to you A
constraint of three days! Almost impossible.
You can take the overnight train to Kathgodam -it's one of the
cleaner, more orderly trains I have travelled in. This is the
wrong time of year for treks, because you can only access the
lower regions of the Himalayas, and basically hike around.
The closest places from Kathgodam is Bhimtal, from where you
can walk to Naukuchia Tal and Sat Tal and maybe visit Mukhteshwar
by bus, also. I honestly don't think you can do much more than
that in three days. In fact, I would suggest you get off at
Haldwani station, from where buses are easily available. There is
a Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Rest House at Bhimtal, and you should
be able to get accommodation there, at relatively reasonable
rates. Bhimtal has very little to offer, but has a lake, and is
quite picturesque and less touristy than Nainital. It is hardly an
hour and a half's drive by bus. You might be able to book
accommodation from UP Tourism at Lucknow.
Alternatively, you can take a bus to Mukhteshwar, probably
about four hours distance from Haldwani. It has fabulous views of
the Himalayas. There is a PWD guest house with a couple of rooms
there, but unless it has developed greatly since I visited it,
there is very little other accommodation, so that might be a
little dicey. It will be very cold there now, but you should get
clear skies and great views.
You can, if you are very hardy, hike to Almora from Mukhteshwar
- it is a long hard day of hiking down dale and uphill to Almora,
and if you start before dawn it will already be dark when you
reach Almora, and it is guaranteed that you will be dog-tired at
the end of it. I have not done that walk, but I believe it's a
tough day's walk, according to the locals. Almora has nothing
whatsoever to offer the visitor, but if you take a bus to Binsar,
about 40 kms away (2 hours at least) that's a great forest worth
visiting. KMVN has a place to stay, but relatively steeply priced,
compared to most KMVN places. There is a fabulous forest rest
house, absolutely basic, and far removed from everything, at the
edge of the forest, if the chowkidar can be persuaded to open it
for you. You better take sleeping bags and adequate warm gear.
After dark, there won't be any buses going there. So
alternatively, you can take the bus to Almora from Haldwani -
about five hours (100 kms) and you would probably have to change
for a bus to Binsar from there.
You can spend the night at Binsar, and take a bus to Bhowali
from Almora, change there for Mukhteshwar, and spend a night
there. If you insist you want to travel around. And instead of
planning a trek, generally hike around. Personally, I would
suggest you stay put either in Binsar or Mukhteshwar and just
chill.
Well, that's the best I can think of for Kumaon in 3 days.
However, May-June and Sept-Oct is the time for real treks in the
Himalayas. Have a great time and take care,
Romola Butalia.
Wouldn't Ashish Kaul do better by saying that all these beautiful
places are in India instead of battling between which is better -
Kashmir or Himachal? Can one really find the difference? What parameters
would one use to define the greater beauty between Kashmiri hills and
lakes against the ones in Himachal?
We Indians are always dividing our country state-wise, be it travel
documents or politics. And we keep shouting at the top of our voice for
the unity and integrity of the country. Are these not contradictory
attitudes!!
Why don't we ever learn!!! I cant think of two Frenchmen trying to
prove whether the Alps in the Haute Savoie Region is better than the
Pyrennes in Southern France!!!
Saikat Bhattacharya
Impressions: Introducing
Himachal by Ashish Kaul
Editor's reply:
This piece, as I see it was a light-hearted bantering rather
than a battle, and I don't think the author, Ashish Kaul had any
intention of partitioning India in a divisive fashion!
Having travelled extensively in the Himalayas myself, I would
agree that the Himalayas are beyond the divisions of states.
However, I must add, that I see a great deal of cultural diversity
in different regions, and I for one, celebrate that difference. In
Uttar Pradesh, I see Kumaon as quite distinct from Garhwal, as
anyone familiar with the region would vouch for. Similarly, I
would not club Ladakh within Kashmir when talking about the
region, because it would be to deny Ladakh it's own grand cultural
identity. And yes, Himachal is again quite distinct. I would go so
far as to say that within Himachal, Sangla, Kinaur and
Lahaul-Spiti, yet untouched by the tentacles of modern
civilisation, are vastly different from Kullu, Manali or Chamba.
In celebrating these differences I don't think we create barriers,
but in fact we allow space for that which is unique and distinct,
within the conglomerate.
While I appreciate the need for a unified India, I think India
is unified because it has been tolerant enough to celebrate
differences, without the need to repress individuality. And the
gentle ribbing of different states is the healthy interaction
within a family that is not afraid of breaking apart.
But thanks indeed for your welcome feedback. As an interactive
site, we value the comments of our readers.
Romola Butalia.
Saikat wrote back:
Dear Editor,
Thank you for your response.
I do appreciate and agree with you that in all our diversities we are
united as one India wherever we may be living, presently.
You are indeed lucky to have seen so much of the Himalayas. I have
been only visiting Kashmir (at least once every month!) and hope I may
see all those beautiful places you mentioned in the email. In'sh'allah
one day.
I love reading the articles in India Travelog. Keep up the good work.
Saikat
Dear Romola,
I surfed through the travel section of travelogue extensively over
the week end and now I realize there are so many more places that I want
to see. But of all the places my first love undisputably remains the
majestic Himalayas - I just can't get enough of them.
One disturbing thing that I have noticed is that every time I go to
them there is an increasing amount of garbage being thrown about. It is
so painful that when your eyes sweep towards the skies and you see white
and pure snow clad peaks you move your eyes down and see old tins of
baked beans, guthka packets and ketchup bottles. Whenever I go for a
trek I insist that we carry a plastic bag into which we dump all non
biodegradable rubbish. The worst kind of rubbish that people leave
behind is plastic, and so often you see it flying about.
Regards
Rishad Saam Mehta
Hi there,
Let me introduce myself as Sanjay, working in the United
States Of America.
I happened to read the article by
Mr.Asish Kaul. I do appreciate his effort to let people like me be aware
of places in Himachal Pradesh. For people like me who visit India once a
year, Travelogue is one source of keeping in touch with the vast natural
beauty of our country.
Thank You,
Sanjay Logabiraman
Impressions: Introducing
Himachal by Ashish Kaul
Factfile: Himachal
Pradesh
Thanks to www.indiatravelogue.com for putting up that fascinating
commentary on Sikkim by Sanjoy Sengupta. His article made me realise how
precious is our natural wealth amidst reckless pollution and general
disregard for protecting the environment. Those far reaching hills and
mountain ranges are now probably the only untouched and pristine natural
wealth we have in India. I hope our Government wakes up and makes an
effort in protecting our natural resources and also tries to inculcate
in people a respect for this God given wealth.
Thanks to India Travelogue for putting this up and to Mr. Sengupta for his
love of nature and sharing it.
Amit Roy
Boston, USA
A lovely site!!!
It is really giving very good info. This will
enable me to actually visit the Himalayas.. instead of just seeing
beautiful pics and just dreaming about it..
thanks a lot
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Piyush Saxena
Oman