Uttarakhand Garhwal – destinations from Haridwar side
Har ki pairi in Haridwar
This is the end of the year and due
to bed ridden conditions of my mother, I am not able to move around as freely,
as I used to in the past.So while
browsing through the my old blogs and videos, it suddenly struck my mind to
generate a video of the destinations visited by me in Uttarakhand, which I have
adopted as my second home that is to be my final resting place post
retirement.As one is aware that Uttarakhand
is divided linguistically in two distinct divisions i.e. Garhwal &
Kumaon.Accordingly, I crafted a video
of the destinations accessible in Garhwal and the first amongst them is the
video depicting places that one can visit from Garhwal side –
The video has been crafted
especially to encourage tourism in the region and is a small effort from my
side.Since all these destinations have
been personally visited by me and detailed blogs have been published by me, I
am just providing the links in this medley to assist the visitors to chalk out
their own programs.
Haridwar –
Also known as the gateway to the Land of Gods, the holy Ganga River hits the plains of India for the first time at this destination and flows upto the Bay of Bengal. Reverend by the Hindus from all over India & the world, this place holds a special place in every Hindu's life and his beliefs. I have visited the destination many times and detailed description is in the blogs below -
Also known as the Yoga capital of the world, this tranquil little destination is about 25 odd kilometers from Haridwar and also the starting point for the famed Chardham destinations of Garhwal. Resplendent with many small & big ashrams strewn across the holy Ganga River, it is also reverend by the Hindus from all walks of life. I have visited this destination many times and it is summed up in m blog as follows -
The Chardham visit in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand comprises of four major shrines and pilgrims make pilgrimage in a clock wise fashion. Accordingly, the first destination visited is Yamunotri, which is a temple situated at the origin of River Yamuna. One can read the details of the visit to the destination in the following blogs -
The second destination in the famed Chardham Yatra is held by the temple town of Gangotri that houses a temple dedicated to holy River Ganga and the famed Gomukh or Cow's mouth where from the holy River Ganga is said to emanate and this place is at a distance of 18 kilometers from Gangotri. It is one of the most reverend destinations for Hindus and here is the link to my blogs about this destination (first part deals with the journey to the destination and second part about the destination itself) -
Now this destination has found more fame than ever because of the efforts of Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Sh. Narendra Bhai Modi ji, it was devastated by an unprecedented climate related accident in the year 2013, this destination is also one of the famed Jyotirlinga's. The blog of mine was crafted way back in 2007 and hence contains photographs of destinations long lost to the above mentioned devastation -
One of the most reverend destination for Hindu's and one of the four Dhams recognized for Hindu pilgrimage, the others being Puri in Odissa, Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu and Dwarka in Gujrat. This one of the first destinations to be visited by the author and that too in 2001 and hence the photographs (as above), where in the inner temple can be seen is not visible at present because of the outside facade and this had been damaged due to avalanche that had hit the temple during the same year's winters. So some old pictures can be accessed alongwith details of the visit in the two series of blogs whose link has been provided for information -
Water sports being undertaken at Calangute beach in North Goa
The
last day of our trip in Goa was dedicated to visiting the destinations situated
in North Goa, where we had been putting up in the Trivago associate serviced
apartments.As the tour had been chalked
out by me independently and we were not required to follow the schedule of any
tour operator, we started our day in a leisurely fashion by getting up a bit
late and had B’fast at around 9.30 A.M instead of rushing through it like other
days.We started the day with the tour
of the famed Fort Auguda and by the time we reached there, the sun was already
up and spitting fire.
Fort Aguada, Goa
View of lighthouse at Fort Aguda
Fort
Aguada is a perfect example of the Portuguese architecture that was built in
the 17th century. It was actually a lighthouse and fort thrown
in one, perched atop a hillock on the Sinquerim Beach, about 18 km from Panjim.
Built in 1612 as a form of protection
from the Dutch and Marathas, it was the most prized and crucial fort for
the Portuguese and covers the entire peninsula at the southwestern tip of
Bardez. The view from the fort is breath
taking as it overlooks the confluence of Mandovi River and the Arabian
Sea. The fort is so named after
the Portuguese Word for water i.e. 'Agua' and used to be a replenishing source
of fresh water for sailors.
The Fort Aguada has also been used as Aguada jail, which is now closed
for Public viewing. Now a days the Fort is
seen bursting with tourist activities and happy chatter & patter of people
moving around. The Aguada Fort also has a
splendid four-storeyed light house. Built
in 1864 it is the oldest lighthouse of Asia. A bell inside the lighthouse later became a
part of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church in Panaji.
A short video of Fort Auguda
Having
visited the Fort and laundered around it for some time, we then headed back to
visit the famed beaches of North Goa and the details are as follows as per the
chronological order of our visit –
Candolim
Beach
The Candolim beach
Candolim Beach is one of most
frequented and popular beaches of North Goa. Because of its proximity to the
famed Calangute beach, it too attracts tourists, but is comparatively less crowded.The beach starts almost at the
footsteps of the Fort Aguada, built by the Portuguese in 1612.Comparing to its surrounding beaches,
Candolim is comparatively quite, this is due to the fact that there are no
resorts built in and around the beach. For the moment the village remains
little more than a ribbon of development of few small hotels and cafes only.
A short view of Candolim beach
Calangute
Beach
Water sports at Calangute beach
As most of distances of Beaches are
available from the capital Panjim, I am also furnishing the information
accordingly.Situated 15 km from the
Panjim, Calangute Beach is the longest beach in North Goa, stretching from
Candolim to Baga, a huge seven kilometres sweep of sand. Due to its sheer size
and popularity, it is a hub for tourists and backpackers from all over the
world and is also is called the ‘Queen of Beaches’. As the sea waves mingle with sands of the beach,
the Calangute Beach comes alive in all its beauty. You can also sample the
sumptuous culinary fare here at Souza Lobo's, Oriental, Electric Cats or the
Tibetan kitchen, all of which can offer a unique taste palette. Embark on a
number of water sports at the beach or walk into a cafe and read, there is no
shortage of options when it comes to Calangute Beach.The Calangute Beach is also known for its
water sports activities like parasailing, water surfing, banana ride and
jet-skiing.
A short video of Calangute beach
Anjuna Beach, Goa
A view of the famed Anjuna beach
The Anjuna Beach is located at a distance of 21 km from
Panjim, it is among the most popular beaches in North Goa. A hippie paradise of
sorts it is characterized by its rocky outcrops. A small makeshift shopping
complex has come up in its vicinity and one can also sample some delicious
culinary goodness at Burger Factory, Baba Au Rhums, or Basilico. Known as the jewel of Ozran, it quickly became
a favorite haunt for the hippies in the swinging 60s and still retains the some
old days’ vibe to this present day. However,
one should be extremely careful during swimming here as the beach is mostly
filled with rocky shores.
A short video of Anjuna beach
Vagator Beach, Goa
A view of the Vagator beach
Rocky cliffs at Vagator beach
The Vagator beach is 21 kilometres from Panaji and is characterized by a combination of its soft white sands and imposing but
beautiful rocky cliffs. The beach is divided into two major parts, namely
Little Vagator, also known as Ozran Beach, and the Big Vagator. While the
sweeping view of the sea from the Vagator cliff is said to be stunning, but tourists
also flock to Vagator for its myriad dining options and an overall upbeat vibe
at the beach shacks.One of the most
famous places to be was, of course, Thalassa - a quaint and artistic Greek
themed beach restaurant with beach seating and stunning gourmet adventures,
which has now shifted a bit away from the beach but still retains its sea side
experience. Moreover, there are various other gourmet places serving up some
quality local and international food such as Villa Blanche Bistro, Antares
Beach Restaurant, and Fusion Restaurant.
A short video of Vagator beach
Enjoying lunch at the 'Thalassa' restaurant
Having
visited these four destinations, it was almost lunchtime and as per my Son’s
desire, we decided to visit the famed Greek restaurant being run in the region
called the ‘Thalassa’, provided we got a place to sit, since we did not have a
reservation.However, being a working day
and off-season and almost past lunch hour, we could get a reservation for four
and enjoyed some hearty Greek cuisine.We had also released the driver to have his lunch and after about an
hour or so we resumed our journey further to visit the remaining beaches of
North Goa.
Morjim Beach, Goa
View of Morjim beach
"Home of the Olive Ridley
Turtles", the Morjim Beach is undoubtedly one of
the most tranquil beaches of North Goa and is located around 12 km away from
Morjim through the Duler-Marna-Siolim Road. Located a little south of
Aswem beach, it serves as a nesting habitat for Olive Ridley Turtles. This
earns Morjim Beach another moniker, namely Turtle Beach. The nesting season for
the Olive Ridley Turtles usually begins in September, although sometimes it can
be as late as January, and lasts until March.Thus, during this particular time of the year, Morjim is a very popular
amongst the tourists visiting Goa, who wish to see the nesting site of the
famed turtles.This protected nature of
Morjim Beach is one of primary factors responsible for its untouched beauty.
Vast vistas of sand stretch endlessly and the whole beachfront is pristine
and beautiful. One can easily go for a
quick dip in the sea, experience a day by the beach sipping chilled beer, and
even indulge in some shopping on the beach street. Owing to the shallow depth,
kite surfing makes for an exciting activity at the Morjim Beach.
A short video of Morjim beach
Ashwem Beach, Goa Overview
A view of the Ashwem beach
Located north of the famous Morjim beach after the Chapoa
River, the lovely Ashwem beach still retains the original charm of Goa. It is the most distant beach from Panjim and
is situated at a distance of more than 30 kilometres from Panjim. A hidden gem
with one of the most stunning sceneries, Ashwem beach differs from the other
beaches of North Goa because of its remote location. Being less crowded from
the other beaches of North Goa, the long sandy shores of the Ashwem beach
starts from the bank of the Chapora River to the south stretches all the way to
Ashwem that forms the northern tip. It's
long shoreline and calm waves attract tourists from all over the country.The beach offers a perfect mix of scenic
beauty and a fantabulous location to stay, dine and party. The long stretch is
lined by beautiful palm and coconut trees that leave you awestruck.It is also home now to many of the western
back packers and tourists alike, as it is not bombarded by regular
visitors.As we too had made it a point
to visit the destination, despite having to pay a higher hiring charges, just
to visit this destination.
A short video of Ashwem beach
As it
was the last destination to be visited by us for the day, we leisured around
the beach side in the shacks for some time and savoured some cold drinks and as
we had to leave Goa the next day, we headed back to our apartment as the sun
was about to set and thus, concluded our Goa visit.
Note –
I
have not included the description of Baga beach, which too in located in North
Goa, as I have already covered in the first blog of the present series.
The Coco Beach - where from the Grande Island trip commences
A video the start of the journey for Grand Island trip
After having enjoyed the trip to Dudhsagar falls, we were back to our
service apartment known as Treebo Zeebo in Arpora by late evening.Being dead tired from the trek and the ride, as
described in my earlier blog, we decided to have dinner at the complex
itself.Although the apartment has a tie
up with some local restaurant, who provides for food on order, we decided to
try the local in house cook known as Anna.We decided the dinner menu based on local Goanese cuisine and the cook
went to the market to personally purchase the ingredients required.My Son who does not partake either fish or
Sea food decided to try out the chicken preparation from the small road side
eatery run by a lady just across the road.To say the least, we were all just swept of our feet’s, by the sheer
taste and freshness of the food served and decided to have dinner at the
complex itself for the remaining days of our stay.After enjoying the hearty dinner, we had a
great night’s sleep, as the Grande Island trip was scheduled for the next day, was
to commence at late morning hours.The
next day, after having had the complimentary B’fast that was included in our
package at the apartment complex, we started for the Grande Island trip at
around 9.00 A.M, by the Tempo traveller that picked us up as the first guests
and later on the others and took us to the jetty at Coco Beach, wherefrom all
the boats ferrying passengers for Grande Island tour set sail.
The small shack just across the apartment in Arpora run by local lady
A plethora of birds near Coco beach
The inlet from Sea that leads to Coco Beach
A Lesser fish Eagle at Coco Beach
A copy of the pamphlet showing various trips organized in Goa
Copy of hind side of the Pamphlet depicting
Grande popularly known as the Grande Island or Bat Island is one of the
most sought after tour destination in Goa that has been especially designed
keeping in view the likes and dislikes of the younger generation. The only way
to reach Ilha Grande is by traversing the Sea on a sailing boat. The package
tour to the Island usually includes activities like snorkelling, scuba diving,
fishing and a scrumptious lunch at the Monkey Beach, where the aroma of the
barbeque fish is mouth-watering.After
the meal, one can also enjoy swimming in the sea.However, the tour no longer ferries
passengers to the Grande Island or Ilha Grande, as the same has been taken over
by the Indian Navy, which has a base there, but a few nautical miles away from
it.There are a plethora of tour
operators offering this package and the cost varies based on the facilities
being offered by the tour operators and I am enclosing one of the pamphlets
that are circulated to visitors.
The lighthouse atop Fort Auguda as seen from boat
The merchant's villa as seen from the boat
The panoramic view of Fort Auguda with the jail as seen from the boat
Another group of tourists on a trip
A Sea Gull in flight
The mechanized boat leaves a trail in the sea water
After a long wait at the Coco Beach, the boat ride commenced at around
11.00 A.M and after about 15 minutes of ride, the crew served some patties, but
as we had already had our B’fast in Hotel itself, we did not partake the
same.Thereafter, cold drinks were
served and also beer to all desirous of having the same, actually the number of
persons having beer outnumbered the cold drink fellas by one is to ten ratio.We spotted many of Sea Gulls following the
boat and we quickly found that they were in look out for some quick snacks and
the boatmen were throwing the patty pieces, which these birds were eagerly
snatching either in air or from the Sea.The other interesting part about this trip is that one gets a different
perspective all together of various landmarks of Goa, from the Sea i.e. Aguada
fort, merchant’s bungalow, central jail and a few beaches and big ships
stationed or moving in the mid sea.
A large Ocean liner docked
View of Monkey Beach from the boat
Just engrossed in the boat ride
Snorkeling in the sea
Other tour groups enjoying the activities
A fast Navy boat traverses across the Grande Island periphery
Video of snorkeling during the trip - shot by Mr.Deepak (tour operator)
Video of Scuba diving shot by professional divers during the trip
Having travelled for a good hour or so in the Sea, we first reached the
Monkey Island, where a few of the crew members de-boarded alongwith the tents
and cooking utensils etc. to arrange for the lunch.Also there being a small toilet complex, the
passengers were also allowed to disembark and use the utilities.After a break of about 15 minutes, we again
boarded the boat and headed towards the Bat Island, where the other activities
like swimming in the Arabian Sea, fishing, Snorkelling, scuba diving etc. takes
place and there were many boats anchored around and tourists therein too were
enjoying the activities.As the
unfettered supply of Beer had started taking its toll on many of the youngsters
and we had a verbal spat with a group of Engineering students who had come in
from Vellore Institute of Technology. This spat occurred, as the camera and
other equipment that were kept on the boat got drenched in sea water, as these
boys started jumping into the Sea from the roof of the boat and the splashed
Sea water, which almost drenched our equipment.As we were more on reserved side viz a viz a Tamilian family that was
enjoying the birthday of one of their family members and guzzling beer in
barrels and also other alcoholic hard drinks, were not within their selves but
at a boisterous high, we were quietly branded by them as the Angry Bird
family.After about two hours fun and
frolic, wherein I too got the Scuba diving and Snorkelling videos shot by the
crew members, we headed back to the Monkey Island.By the time we reached Monkey Island, the
tide had started surging and the crew was finding it difficult to put the
anchor and finally after much effort they could do it and then we had to wade
through waist high water to the island for having lunch.The lunch definitely was scrumptious with
non-vegetarian Goanese cuisine being the main course.Having had lunch and others enjoying a few
more rounds of beer alongwith with hard alcoholic drinks, especially the family
described hereinabove, the return journey commenced and my description of these
persons can be gauged from the video enclosed.
As the tide had begun rising - the crew found it difficult to anchor the boat at Monkey beach
Having lunch at the Monkey beach
The Grande Island trip is designed basically for the youngsters or
persons with happy go lucky attitude, but it is worth every penny spent and the
pictorial depiction and videos would do more justice to the description of the
trip viz a viz the written description of the same.However, the only downside of the trip is
that they offer Dolphin viewing, but that rarely happens, as it only by chance
that Dolphins can be spotted and not always.
Video of the return journey - check out details as indicated in the blog
Having enjoyed
the river cruise the previous evening, we had planned to visit the famed
Dudhsagar falls the next day.We had
booked a package for visiting Dudhsagar falls alongwith spice garden visit as
an add on and the tour operator had charged us @ Rs.1800/- per person inclusive
of all charges, except for breakfast/cold drinks/water and camera charges etc.
payable at the National Park entry.The
Tempo Traveler arrived right at 6.30 A.M in the morning and we were the first
passengers to board.However, a small
fiasco occurred before we could board, as according to the rules of the service
apartment, the gates were to be opened for entry at 7.00 A.M and the Gurkha
guard stationed at the gate refused to even let us out and we had to call the
Manager to sort out the issue, that delayed our departure by a good 10 odd
minutes.Since we were staying in North
Goa and in Arpora locality, the total distance till Dudhsagar falls was about
81 Kms., as it is about 65 Kms. from Panjim.The journey was smooth and uneventful, as the air conditioner was
working well in the early morning hours, we did not feel the stinginess in the
air because of the high humidity, till we got down at Kulem to start the jeep
ride inside the Mollem National Park.A
small eating joint turned out to be one of the many such options available at
Kullem to have B’fast and to use the loo.We had some idlis (steam baked rice pudding), as it seemed to be the
safest bet in the circumstances and some cold drinks to drown the same.Thereafter, we were segregated in batches to
eight persons and allocated jeeps by the tour manager and thus, started our
journey towards Dudhsagar falls through the National Park.
The journey inside Mollem National park area begins
Entry gate of Mollem National Park
The trek inside the Mollem National Park
After a
kilometre and a half of well metalled road, the road deteriorated into a dirt
track and sitting on the back side of the Jeep was an experience in itself, as
it stretched all my muscles in my body, in order maintain my equilibrium in the
Jeep.The distance from Kulem to
Dudhsagar is about 11 Kms., of which the Jeep ride comprises of about 9 Kms.
and trek of about 2 Kms. to reach the base of the Dudhsagar falls.The 9 Kms. Jeep ride takes a good 45 minutes
to an hour and is one hell of an experience, especially if you are seated in
the boot of the Jeep.Yet I was so much
engrossed in my intent to visit this famed destination that this horrendous
jeep ride could not deter my determination a wee bit.I was fascinated by the various photographs
of this famed water fall available in the internet and despite the fact that I
was not visiting it during monsoons, yet I was yearning to see it with my own
eyes, the splendour of this famed waterfall.
A short video of ride inside the Mollem National Park
The famed Dudhsagar waterfalls, is amongst the 100 highest
waterfalls in the world. The waterfall has a height of about 310 metres and an
average width of about 30 metres during monsoons. The falls assume spectacular
proportions during the said rainy season, when it is fed abundantly by the clouds
and the water cascades down in a silver avalanche, from the Mondovi River basin
and is a awe inspiring beauty of the Western Ghats.This cascade of water is at a junction close
to Goa-Karnataka border and visitors can access the falls from both side.However, one is not allowed to visit the base
of the falls, where we were headed for, during the monsoon season due to the
reason that there is flooding in the region and the dirt road inside the
National Park also becomes inaccessible.
Close up of the top portion of the Dudhsagar falls
A close up shot of the middle part of the Dudhsagar falls
A close up shot of the base of the Dudhsagar falls
Like all naturally beautiful destinations in India, there are some
legends or the other fascinating folklores associated with such
destinations.Likewise the famed
Dudhsagar falls is also associated with a folklore that goes as that there
lived a princess on the edge of the woods whose beauty was famed far and
wide. It is said that she was so
beautiful that even the birds sang her praise and the sun blushed and hid
behind the clouds on her approach. The Princess followed a daily morning ritual
of taking a bath in a serene and lovely pool in the woods, and after her bath,
she would partake a jug full of sweetened milk from a golden jug. One day, it so transpired that she spotted a
handsome prince watching her from behind some trees. Embarrassed at the
invasion of her privacy and feeling vulnerable in her nudity, the Princess
immediately flung the milk from the golden jug, in front of her, creating a
sheet of flowing milk that acted as a curtain, protecting her from the gaze of
the Prince. Legend has it that the sheet of milk, which cascades down the
slopes of the mountain to this day in the form of the gushing, milk like waters
of the Dudhsagar falls. Dudhsagar in Hindi literally means “Ocean of milk”.
A short video of the Dudhsagar falls
After the torturous 50 minutes of Jeep ride inside the Mollem
National Park, as the road meandered through the forest and across steams
overflowing across the roads, we finally reached the point from where the trek
to the famed waterfall commences.By
this time it was about 10.00 A.M in the morning, but the humidity and heat was
exhausting, so we commenced on our journey with water bottles, cameras and the
life jacket towed onto us, as the last article is not of choice but compulsion
to carry as per the rules of visit to the falls.At this start point there is a viewing
gallery infested with monkeys and provides for a glimpse of the waterfalls, for
those who cannot trudge the 2 Kms. trek.The journey was through jungle and hence it was a bit more pleasant, as
direct sunlight was not making its full impact on the forest floor.There were rivulets flowing by, with small
wooden and metal bridges strewn across them for east passage, birds were
chirping high up on the canopy and overall it was experiencing nature first hand.We trudged for a good thirty odd minutes,
stopping here for a gulp of water or there on a rock to catch our breath and
suddenly the top of the waterfall became visible.This vision suddenly rejuvenated our flagging
spirits and the sprint was back in our legs.There were quite a few monkeys around on the trek route and so were of
same kind from our species as well, who despite instructions, were feeding them
and thus, creating a nuisance for other visitors.Even some foreigners, who are otherwise more appropriate
in their approach, were indulging in the same act.However, these little distractions were too
trivial to take away the pleasure of imbuing the immensity and grandeur of the
waterfall.
A photo of the famed Dudhsagar falls during monsoons - added from the internet
A bird inside the Mollem National Park
A train passing by high above on the bridge was an added spectacle
for us and for a few seconds I went into a trance and visualized the view of
the waterfall during rainy season when the waterfalls in cascades as the train
passes by, albeit in reality it was a small trickle now. I have culled an image of the fall from the
internet as it appears during monsoons for benefit of my viewers to appreciate
its immense beauty. However, during
monsoons no one is allowed to approach this base region due to heavy inflow of
water and the other spectacle during these lean months is the water reservoir
that forms at its base, where the tourists frolic during this period. Having, spent a good hour or so at the base
of the waterfalls, we retraced our steps back to the Jeep and fortunately being
first to reach this time around, occupied the front seat and thus, was saved
the torturous ride during the return journey.
A panoramic view of the Spice Garden
Close up of plant that provides Vanilla essence
Close up shot of Cashew fruit and flowers
A Nutmeg tree in the Spite garden
A Cardamom plant in the Spice Garden
Having returned back Kulem, we again gulped in some packed fruit
juice, cold drinks etc. to replenish our depleted energies and water intake to
offset the loss due to heavy sweating.Thereafter, we boarded the Tempo traveller again and headed back towards
Panjim.On the return leg of the
journey, near the Ponda Township we headed to a Spice Garden (name I do not
recollect or do not want to mention as I am not inclined to provide any
recommendations etc.).The trip to the
spice garden was also a soothing experience, after traditional welcome, we were
offered ginger lemon laced green tea, which was quite refreshing and for the kids
there was a separate paid counter for purchasing cold drinks etc.After a brief introduction thereafter, all
guests were taken around the spice garden on a guided tour and this was
followed by lunch that comprised of typical Goanese cuisine and we enjoyed
every bit of it.Thus, concluded our
journey for the day and we headed back to your apartment in Arpora.
