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Beating the lockdown blues – a visit to my village Badankhet
(A Photo blog)
As my daughter is
to appear in the Board examination this year, there were no big plans for the
year 2020 as such, regarding our summer vacations or winter vacations. But still everyone looks forward for a short
trips, as a break from the mundane and in order to replenish our souls and
body. I had last visited my home in
Badankhet in Ranikhet Tehsil in October, 2019 for undertaking cleaning and
maintenance works. Thereafter, although
we had made a very brief winter trip, but had gone to our home only for a day
in December, 2019. In the year 2020
also, we had planned to take a few days break in summers of 2020 at our home in
Badankhet village. But the COVID-19
Pandemic that resulted in total lockdown in the country being imposed from 24th
March, 2020 onwards, resulted in all the plans for the year going haywire. Everyone was struck in their homes, with
children having online classes and tuitions, ladies busy in collecting
essentials through online portals and as the offices and businesses had started
opening up gradually by June, but inter-state movement remained barred.
A male Khaleej pheasant in Badankhet village
A female Khaleej pheasant in Badankhet village
A close up of the Moon against an azure blue sky and pine tree top in foreground
Close-up of the perennial mountain spring in village Badankhet
In order to
maintain my blog, I had stitched together a few blogs using my old journeys,
albeit being presented in a different manner.
It was only in November, 2020 that we finally decided to take a break
and head for our home in Badankhet village for a week. Accordingly, after procuring the mandatory
e-pass from the Uttarakhand Government portal, we commenced with our journey
from Delhi in the first week of November, 2020.
The journey was a lot different this year, as it was sans any stoppage
at any restaurant or eatery, which was one of the favorite parts of our usual
journeys. The road was almost free with
very few vehicles, due to the lockdown and we went past the first bottle neck
i.e. Gaziabad in a jiffy, as during this period of almost a year, a bye-pass
over the entire crowded stretch had been constructed, which resulted in a
smooth and hassle free ride. Having
covered a sizeable distance because of the good road conditions coupled with
scant vehicles, after turning towards Moradabad for onwards journey to
Ramnagar, we had our first stop at around 10.00 A.M for Breakfast. Wife had prepared stuffed sandwiches and hot
piping coffee in thermo-flasks, we had our belly full and thereafter we headed
towards Ramnagar. After having crossed
Ramnagar, Corbett and Mohan region, we took a short break and as some stuffed
parathas had been prepared for partaking in lunch and I had also purchased a
Butane stove and cans for heating up the food, just before start of the
journey, but everyone declined to skip lunch as we were still full. We had some chips and biscuits only during
this short stop over. The journey
upwards on towards the hills gradually begins after Mohan and finally the steep
gradient begins from Kumheria onwards. I
and the driver took another break only for tea en-route and did not even stop
at Bhatraujkhan for purchase of groceries etc., as my wife had carried
everything from Delhi. Thus, we reached
Badankhet in record time and were home by 3.15 P.M.
Wild Himalayan Pear tree flowers in Badankhet village (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrus_pashia )
A rose flower - early morning shot - in village Badankhet
A bouquet of Chrysanthemums in my garden in village Badankhet
Close up of Gazania flower growing in my garden in village Badankhet
Some acorns growing on an Oak tree in village Badankhet
As my caretaker had
got the verandah and garage cleaned up, we just opened up the flat and within a
few minutes had got the rooms swept, as there is hardly any dust etc. and
quickly settled in. We had the parathas
heated and served with piping hot tea and thus, had a late lunch cum tea. It was quite cold as the evening started
setting in, so as already instructed, the caretaker had arranged for some fire wood
to light up a fire and accordingly, he lit up two wood stoves and after the
smoke stopped emanating, the wood coal alongwith the stove was moved inside and
this heated up the rooms and it became quite comfortable inside the flat. We had an early dinner that day, as the
driver also was tired, having driven more than 350 Kms., almost at a stretch
and we all retired for the night. We
woke up late the next morning, all refreshed and rejuvenated, away from the
hustle & bustle of city life and its pollution, but had a vacation that was
coupled with chirping birds, fresh air and refreshing view of the Himalyan
peaks, although this year they were not as clearly visible due to dust, since
there had been no rains for past quite some times.
The famous north Indian festival celebrated by the ladies i.e. Karva Chauth was also scheduled during this break taken by us and the fiery reddish moon rise on that day was a sight to behold, I have attempted to capture the essence, but the camera does not do the justice, as against what the eyes perceive and see. The usual birds and flora was all around including some flowers blooming in my plot and I have incorporated the photographs to introduce the readers to the vivid scenes and scenery that defines my village home in Badankhet, Gram Panchayat Timila in Tarikhet Block in Ranikhet Tehsil and I leave you with visuals of the lifeline of the village i.e. the perennial mountain spring and the flora and fauna around. I had kept this blog pending, so that I could start with my first blog in January, 2021 and hope to continue blogging thereafter, as time & happenings around take place. Wish you all a fruitful and refreshing year ahead.
Here is the link to videos of the journey and my village
mountain spring –
Video of short drive through Corbett forest
©
S Roy Biswas
