Chalkewadi and Ajinkyatara - Our Adventure to Satara - Part 3

Previous - Thoseghar Waterfalls

With lasting impression of Thosegarh in our minds, we started towards Chalkewadi Windmills Farm, which is around 10 Kms ahead of Thosegarh. The rain did not leave us and it was pouring non-stop. The roads became even steeper while going towards Chalkewadi. Even the visibility became close to zero.


At one particular point we could see the cluster of windmills, but due to poor visibility it was difficult to take photographs. Our driver advised us that the car could not go beyond a certain point because of the poor visibility and beyond that point there is no road and it would be really difficult for an Indica. 


So, I requested him to stop the car while I got down. It was too windy to stand still, I felt like getting dragged away from the car. And the rain! - incessant and relentless. The water was too cold that it felt like getting hit by sharp needles at ferocious velocity. I quickly clicked perhaps 3-4 snaps and jumped into the car literally.

We headed towards the Satara town invigorated by the scenic beauty and drenched by the rain. At around 5.30 pm we entered the Satara town. 


It was my idea to have a quick look on the Ajinkyatara Fort. So we drove towards the same through a narrow winding road. At one point it was impossible to have two cars side by side so we all were praying that there mustn't be any car coming from the opposite direction. Fortunately it didn't happen. We reached the main entrance of Ajinkyatara.

The entire Satara town looked like a toy gallery from the top. Since it was becoming dark fast, we proceeded towards the entrance. To add to our surprises, there was nothing beyond the entrance apart from some houses - newly contructed, only a flat green terrain which had little to attract the tourist. People were cursing me because of choosing to visit it.

Anyway, we had to satisfy ourselves with some clicks of the massive door and some wild flowers after which we started towards our hotel.

We reached our hotel exhausted, not by the journey but the rain, which was still pouring like anything. So after taking a prolonged hot water shower, we felt our energies restored for the next day.

Next - Kaas Plateau

Day 10 - Himachals in Winter - The Return from the Heaven

Previous Day 9 - Manali to Pinjore

Well, there is nothing much to write about on the last day. We had almost the half day in hand since our flight was around 3.30 pm from Chandigarh Airport. So we indulged ourselves in roaming around the Pinjore Gardens and explore it in day time. The Garden was used by the Moghul Emperors as a leisurely place to spend the evenings in summer. The garden was beautifully decorated with loads and loads of flower beds.  The place was covered by the fortified walls – Moghul style – just like a fort. The area of the garden was really enormous. The roads were beautifully shaded by the Palm trees and were places to sit beside the roads, under the cool shadow of the trees.

We checked out by 12.30, had our lunch and arranged for a cab through the hotel reception. The cab came on time and we were on our way to the Airport by 1 Pm.

We reached Delhi from where we caught a connecting flight to Kolkata, where we landed at around 8 pm.

We reached our home but left our heart at the beautiful hills, besides the shores of Beas and the abode of the Hadimba deity. Passing by the concrete jungles and electric-lit roads and houses, it seemed that once being in dreamland, it is difficult to get out of the trance. We promised ourselves that we would come back to the heaven again, as long as there is a breath left in us. Home is where the heart is.

Dreams come true to those who dream.

Pictures -

Day 9 - Himachals in Winter - "Farewell Angelina/The sky is folding/I'll see you in a while"

Previous - Day 8 - Manali Sightseeing

I start this post with this famous song of Bob Dylan as I feel this could be appropriate for Day 9. Obviously, Manali was the Angelina in our case, and it was a farewell day for us, unfortunately.

Leaving Manali is always difficult, since it embraces you with its outstretched arms, no matter where you come from, with so much warmth that it is damn difficult to turn your back on her. It certainly offered a special memory in our hearts. So when we hit the road to leave this beautiful hill-town after a quick breakfast at around 7 am, we were obviously feeling sad and a bit low as our adventure was coming to an end.

The road was a smooth drive. The dawn was just breaking, we left the snow-capped peaks glowing as gold behind. The ever-beautiful Beas joined as a faithful companion along the way. Whenever we looked back we could see the hills under both light and shadow, which gave the surroundings a magical effect.

Manali gradually became invisible and we were on those hills through which we came. We passed by Kullu, we passed by Bhuntar Airport, we passed by the cute villages. Through the hills and through the planes, we drove on. Beas never left us.

The sun felt scorcher by every minute since we were descending. At around 1 pm, we dropped by a small place – excuse my poor memory as once again I could not recall the name – and stuffed ourselves with a non-veg thali. Now the real bad roads started since we took a shortcut. And our most trusted fellow traveler – the Beas – headed to some other direction. We missed her really! It was just like parting away from one of the closest and trusted friends!

The road became narrower, dustier and rougher as we moved on. The cliffs came closer to the car. It was a real scary road. And as if that was not enough, there came a couple of trucks from the opposite sides and the road was totally blocked for everyone. Our car had to move backwards. That ran a chill through our spines. But anyway, we somehow managed and overcame all the obstacles.

We were on our way after some time to Chandigarh. This was the same road which went from Shimla but we have bypassed Shimla using that short-cut route.

We drove on through the traffics, noises, people and the pollutions, it felt like we were experiencing something new and things and we didn’t belong there – I guess this happens to everyone while returning from the hill-havens – we belonged to that pretty hill town.

We reached Pinjor Gardens – where we planned to stay at the Haryana Tourism’s resort inside the garden – around 5.30 pm. After that tedious journey we were desperately in need of a shower. We were allocated to ‘Sheesh Mahal’. It was like a place which was used by the Moghul Emperors to enjoy the beauty of the garden. The rooms were really spacious and cosy for 2 persons.

We had the full morning on the next day to explore the surroundings hence we concentrated most on the basic elemental needs of the modern mankind – a roof, a bed, a shower and food. The first 3 were already satisfied so we started our hunt for food. There was a restaurant in the premises by HRTC which can delight you with their delicacies. We two devoured a meal for 3 perhaps. And we started roaming around a bit. In the inside the complex were lit up by colored lightings which was really good for photography. But no tripod and no dSLR meant I had to be satisfied with my PAS (Point and Shoot, a rather known name really). The outside was made like an amusement park – toy trains, karting, food stall etc etc.

We did not really have much energy left so we thought to call it a night by 9 and after we retired to bed, we both perhaps dreamt of the snow-covered mountain peaks, of the tallest of trees, of the snowfall and of course, of our friend Beas.

Next - Day 10 - The Come Back

Pictures -

This is what we left behind

...and this as well

A bridge near Kullu

We crossed the bridge..

The green Beas

The friend whom we had to leave

Somewhere on the way

The Sheesh Mahal of Pinjore Garden

Day 8 – Himachals in Winter - Speechless Once Again by the Ever-magical Manali

Previous - Day 7 Manali - the Snowfall

The next day was sunnier and clearer than ever perhaps and there was not the tiniest chance of snowfall, so our hotel manager informed us. The next day again, the cottage –made breakfast of toasts, hot tea and boiled eggs satiated our hunger.  We left our cottage at around 10 am.

The sunny day was a quite a refreshing welcome compared to the previous day, though the day wasn’t warm by any means.  There was a sober wind on top of the cold day, which perhaps brought the temperature down even more. Everywhere the patches, lumps and heaps of snow were to be seen, as a reminiscence of the previous day. The people who were arriving today, didn’t know what they missed perhaps.

We went to the Manali Club House first. The club house itself had now been converted to an amusement park which we didn’t find that much interesting. There were a cluster of small shops selling local gift items, specifically attracting the tourist of the ‘fairer sex’. So we were also no exception. After indunging ourselves into some non-serious shopping – I consider the seriousness of the shopping through how much many is wasted (read ‘spent’) – we went towards the backyard of the clubhouse. There we found what we were looking for, an unhindered glimpse of Manali.

A scene from the backyard, Manali Club House

The Beas river was zigzagging through the rocks covered with snow and snowy at the farthest corner were glittering under the sun rays. Nothing apart from the  birds chirping, and the gentle sound of the stream were to be heard. The ambience was so calm that we sat there for an hour.

Another scene, horizontal view



The peaks


The next destination was the famous Hadimba Temple – many films were shot at this location, including Roja. The entrance of the gate were jam packed by the touts and hawkers offering to sell from toothpic to carpets. Yak ride, horse rides were the other attractions. The place, after entering the gate and a short walk of 5 mins through the tall trees and stone-curved path, became much serene. The trees were so tall that it seemed they areached reached the sky and blocked the view of sun.

Around Hadimba Temple Premises

People were offering Pujas to the Hadimba deity, my wife joined the queue and since I was admirer of the nature more than the temple itself, engaged my self into clicking some shots of everything. Once the rituals were over, my wife wanted to have snap wearing the local Himachali dress, and if you would like to be great husband, you must not say ‘No’ many times to the wives, and especially if its your honeymoon , there was no way. So after getting wrapped under the local attires, we posed at least for 20 mins in front of the camera. The snaps were to be delivered to our cottages.

Hadimba Temple

The next destination was a buddhist monastery, the name of which is beyond my memory now. But it was right at the heart of Manali. The sun was now playing hide and seek to us and so were the snow-capped peaks. At one moment the views were pleasing the eyes of the mortals, but the very next moment, it disappeared behind the clouds.

Gompa - the monastery

After the gompa visit, it was the time for lunch. We started a search for a Bengali restaurant, just being nostalgic. There were many bengali eateries to be found, but none of them were open. The owenrs and the workers, they felt even more nostalgic than us and went to spend a vacation with their near and dear ones, since it was an off-season. So again, the ‘Sher E Punjab’ saved our hungry souls, and stomachs too.

Just like an oil-painting

Now it was the time for some serious shoppings, since it was our last full day in Manali, everything had to be purchased today for the relatives and many whom I even didn’t know, I dared not to ask any questions.

The sky was covered under cloud

Once the shopping was over, we kept the bags in the car and roamed around the mall till the afternoon and enjoyed the beauty of Manali. We even managed to take some occassional shots of the gorgeous peaks when they were peeping through the clouds.

And the sky was cleared again

and that's how we managed this shot..

By the nightfall, we were in our cottages, today we didnot have any plan to cook so we ordered some food from the canteen itself to devour. The photographer from the temple came and handed over the envelope containing the snaps inside. I had to admit that they came out nicer than expected. We started packing things with a sad mind as we were to prepare for another long journey next day.

Next - Day 9 - Manali to Pinjore

Day 7 - Himachals in Winter - Manali - Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snowww..

Previous - Day 6 - Shimla to Manali

As the name of this post suggests, this was the day of snowfall. Since when we woke up around 6.30 am we could see the snow flakes coming down from the sky and covering the ambience with a white carpet. We went outside the cottage and saw that the lawn, the trees and the cottage itself was being snowed under. That was an amazing feeling. My wife saw her first live snowfall so undoubtedly she felt like a childlike exuberance and excitement.

We had a plan to visit the Solang Valley and a couple of other places also at our leisurely place. Now we were thinking if we could make it to the Solang Valley. By 9.30 in the morning it was still snowing and we could not decide what to do. Finally we decided to go out, giving a damn to the weather anyway.

We changed quickly and went outside. The lawn already went into a thick layer of snow and so were the roads and the backyard. It was just like watching a Hollywood movie and we felt like we were in a place which must be out of this world.

We had Puri-Bhaji as breakfast from the HPTDC canteen and called for our car. The car arrived within 30 mins and we started our adventure towards Solang Valley at around 11 am.

The road towards Solang was a pretty challenging climb for the Indica, and since both of sides were blocked with heaps of snow, the road became very slippery. Everywhere we looked, it was white. The sky was cloudy so the ice could not melt and it was receiving inches of snowfall by every passing minute.

The trees were without leaves, but their branches looked like some slim and tall men standing with outstretched arms, not to mention, under a thick white shirt. The Beas was running besides the road throughout with its narrow force, the rocky surfaces of rivulet covered their baldness under the snow. We saw a group of tourists didn’t bother to travel as far as Solang Valley and already got down and were throwing snow to each other.

We halted at a place where we had to hire special snowproof attires, looking at them it felt like we were Eskimos. The snowfall became heavier than earlier and it became really challenging to drive on. We came to very small village after which the local villagers informed us that the car could not go beyond this point. So we parked our car and got down.

The place was like a hairpin bend where some shops were put up by the local villagers. There was a small signboard which pointed out towards a direction – which you need reach after crossing a wooden bridge – where there is a Border Roads Organization checkpost. The Beas River flowed below the wooden bridge providing a heavenly view of the atmosphere.

We crossed the wooden bridge and traversed through the white narrow paths and came across a road which was forked like a Y. Local villagers were providing service for the enthusiastic skiers. Everywhere where we looked around, it was totally under the white blanket. The snowfall was so heavy that it was blurring the vision of everyone of us including the camera. I was busy anyway shooting the videos. We could see places like where the snow was around waist deep, knee-deep snow was so common like a ray of sunlight in summer. We did the right thing to wear those clothes, other the clothes could have got wet and wearing clothes soaked in water in that cold was really not a great idea.

We played with the snow to satisfy ourselves to the fullest of our quench. When we left the place it was already 2.30 pm and there was no interruption in snowfall yet. While coming back we went to ‘Vashishth Temple’ where there was a natural hot water spring. Bu sincerely speaking nothing could be compared with the scenery we beheld.

We were hungry like anything so coming towards the Mall – where it was not snowing, rather it was raining as the snowfakes melted before reaching the earth and converted themselves into tiny water droplets – and found the ‘Sher-E-Punjab’ restaurant. We almost sprang on the food when they were served in front of us.
The rest of day we spent in shopping. So you can wisely guess how it went for me. But anyway, my wife planned to reward me by cooking at the cottage in the night. So we bought some rations from a nearby grocery and came back when it started to become dark at around 5 pm.

The HPTDC Log huts provide all cooking equipments including utensils, stoves and gas cylinders. We had some Tea in the canteen and then came back to our cottage. It was almost 5.45 pm and the light already started to fade away.

We spent the rest of the evening watching television and cooking egg noodles which turned out to be amazing (hope my wife reads it).

Our stomachs were pretty full by 10 and enough to experience some sweet dreams.

Next - Day 8 Around Manali
Pictures

Trees getting covered in snow

Is this the same place where we came?

The cute little village where we had to stop

The bridge

I love this one

Towards eternity

See what the word 'Snow white' means?

Thank you Manali for providing such an experience

Incredible!!

Beas streaming through all obstacles

Picturesque

Vashishth Temple

Somwhere in a Park besides the Mall

A rare glipmse of the Peaks