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As a part of the Great Himalayan Drive, I reached Banbassa on the Nepal border – my first international crossing by car. So what if it’s Nepal – Indians never regard Nepal as a ‘foreign’ country. Anyway, this is how I went over the line (Note: These rules are applicable only for Indian Nationals driving cars registered in India): [continue reading…]
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Have you fancied driving across to Nepal in your own car? It is not a big deal at all as I discovered when I undertook the Great Himalayan Drive recently. You can actually start very early, cross the border around noon, and be out for a jungle safari in the Shuklaphanta National Park in the afternoon. Or leave comfortably, cross the border when the gates open in the evening and have dinner in Mahendranagar (this is the border town in Nepal and adjoins the national park). Here is the distance / time chart I logged: [continue reading…]
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The early morning vegetable market on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir, India
Aaarrrrrghh! Its 4:30 am and the alarm is not giving up. If only I had not booked a Shikara for 5:00 am! But get up I had to – after all I am a travel writer out to cover the daily vegetable market in the Dal Lake. But once in the boat, was I glad for it. [continue reading…]
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The Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Kashmir
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Want to see tulips? Here are two possible options:
1. Keukenhof Flower Gardens near Amsterdam in Holland: Over 7 million bulbs planted, best viewed for two spring months starting end-May.
2. Tulip Garden in Srinagar: Smaller by comparison, best viewed for 2 weeks starting end-March. With a breathtaking view of Himalayan peaks around and the Dal Lake below. Surrounded by gardens developed by the Mughal emperors many centuries ago. [continue reading…]
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The ancient temples at Kiramchi near Udhampur in the state of Jammu and Kashmir
If I ‘discovered’ the ancient temples at Kiramchi, it was only because I was told they exist. Not that anyone – including the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) – knows much about these. For anyone with even a passing interest in ancient structures, this site is a must-see. They are a work of art. And hats off to ASI for maintaining the surrounding gardens so well. [continue reading…]
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A sign on the Jammu - Srinagar highway in Kashmir
“If there is a heaven on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here,” uttered Mughal Emperor Jahangir when he first set his eyes upon Kashmir in the 17th century A.D. There have been no dearth of expressions to describe the most prolific of all Himalayan regions since then. The state’s highways abound with signs reading Kashmir is the ‘Fruit Bowl of the Country,’ ‘A Flower Bed’ and ‘The Crown of India.’ Pity some vested interests have made this crown one of ‘bloody thorns’ – but that is another matter altogether. [continue reading…]
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The Tashichho Dzong (monastery) in Thimphu in Bhutan
I left Kaziranga National Park for Bhutan, expecting to reach its border town of Phuentsholing after a night halt somewhere on the way. Wonder of wonders, I reached by evening itself after a 10 hour drive. Amazing what good roads can do.
I spent a night in a comfortable hotel there, and had to spend half a day getting permits for myself and my car. Left for capital Thimphu a little after noon and reached in the evening. [continue reading…]
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The Hoolock Gibbon (Lesser Ape) found in the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary near Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India
I woke all excited at 5:00 am to head out to the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary near Kaziranga National Park and Jorhat in Assam. The day started with a small blip: my guide was missing. I had to go to his house and wake him up – it turned out he had slept late after a night of theatre and drinking with friends. Apparently with the tip I had given him the previous evening.
But the guide was good. He had made advance arrangements with another guide to spot the Gibbons and wait for us there. When I saw the family, I was a little disappointment: I was imagining they would look like those Great African Apes you see in National Geographic. I was even visualising sitting with them for photos – and feeding them bananas I specially carried. [continue reading…]
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A Great Indian Hornbill at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India
After the turmoil of Arunachal’s mountains, it was back to the wilds – this time at the Kaziranga National Park, one of the best wildlife reserves in the country.
The experience at Kaziranga turned out to be great for two reasons: I stayed at Wild Grass Lodge – why can’t all properties in national parks be like these? (Will post a review of this later). I also managed to secure the services of their best guide, Budheswar Konwar, to take me around. [continue reading…]
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The beautiful landscapes on the road to Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh
Feeling like I had conquered the North Pole, I thanked the Army officers for their hospitality at Kibithu (the eastern most motorable settlement in India) and started back in the rain. And then the troubles started.
Rocks of all sizes were having a free run, plonking themselves at alarming regularity on the highway. One big fellow stopped me in my tracks at Walong one hour later, forcing me to spend the night in an Inspection Bungalow (I was lucky to have got one, and the rooms were very comfortable). But it was a cold, long night – and it seemed even more so with the uncertainties of what lay ahead. [continue reading…]
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On India's eastern most road in Arunachal Pradesh, headed to Kibithu on the Chinese border
I set out on a rainy morning for Kibithu – the eastern most settlement in India that can be accessed by road.
It was a picturesque drive on a well maintained road, valleys on one side and lush green mountain faces on the other. Bamboo houses and rivers completed the postcard settings. A sign post near Kibithu announced I was on the eastern most road of India. It was with a sense of achievement that I drove into Kibithu – only to be told there were no guest houses there. The benevolence of the Army ensured me a room and hot meals in the Mess. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to venture out and to try and sight some Chinese villages across the border – the weather had made any hiking dangerous. It was time to sit back and enjoy a break after a month of heightened physical activity
This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.
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Crossing a stream on a shaky bamboo bridge on the way from Pasighat to Hayuliang in Arunachal Pradesh
Day 32 of the Great Himalayan Drive marked what would be many days of adventurous, and sometimes dangerous driving, into the lesser known after I left Pasighat.
After an hour of driving, I came across a broken bridge with little choice but to drive over a dry river bed. It took another hour to negotiate a rock strewn path, going over a shaky bamboo bridge over a stream and then losing my way before a boy out hunting guided me back to the highway. Incidentally, there are ‘Hunting not allowed’ signs all over but that does not deter locals from using slingshots and air guns to bring home dinner. [continue reading…]
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The suspension bridge at Pangin near Aalo (Along) on the way to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. Check out the state of its floor. Click on the image for a larger view.
How do you cross a suspension bridge? Just walk across it, right? In theory, yes. In practice, a very different proposition – at least in the case of the one at Pangin, 29 kms from Aalo (formerly Along) on the way to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.
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Built for locals to cross over the fast flowing river Siang, just the sheer drop from the bridge to the river below can give one the creeps. When crossing it, the persistent wind drafts cause that pendulum swinging movement – something you feel only when you are actually on the bridge. What certainly doesn’t help matters is the state it is in: ground below (if you can call it that) is made of bamboo and some planks. All somehow put together but shaky in many parts. Non-existent in some. And looking like all coming apart. You don’t watch you footing and the leg could go through. No, it is unlikely you will take a plunge to the rapids below – the mesh holding it up looked sturdy – but a twisted ankle or a broken leg could well ruin your trip. [continue reading…]
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A bird's eye view of Daporijo in Arunachal Pradesh from a hill before the town
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I reached Daporijo from Ziro on day 30 of the Great Himalayan Drive – the experience in this town was a mixed one. Here go some of the impressions: [continue reading…]
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A member of the Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh dressed for their annual 'Nyokum Yullo' festival in Boasimla village
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Along with the Hill Miris and Apatanis, the Nyishis are one of the main tribes of the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. And like others, they too have their annual festivals. The main one is ‘Nyokum Yullo’ which I was lucky to witness in Boasimla, a village on the way from Ziro to Daporijo.
The event was held in what looked like a village playground cum stadium. Apparently the complete populations of Boasimla and neighbouring villages had turned up to join in the festivities, most of them dressed in their traditional best. Hundreds – from children to youth and some older too – had been got together to perform their dances for the audience and the chief guests who included the local legislator. Some of these dances go by the names of ‘Rikham Pada,’ ‘Buya’ and ‘Ropi.’ [continue reading…]
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The Shivalinga at Kardo Village near Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh believed to be the biggest in the world at 25 feet height.
A tree cutter Prem Subba was working in a forest around the Kardo village (on a hill by the same name), about 4 kms from Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh a few years ago. Unfortunately for him, the tree fell the wrong way. When he went down the slope to retrieve it, he noticed a pointed rock sticking out from a mass of mud and shrubs. Upon clearing it, he chanced upon what looked like a Shivalinga, the symbol of Hindu God Shiva.
Not quite sure what to make of it, he brought back the local Hindu priest who confirmed it to be a Shivalinga, made by nature. And thus a holy spot was established. With locals believing it to be the largest Shivalinga in the world with a height of 25 feet and circumference of 22 feet. The site is referred to as Sidheshwarnath Temple. [continue reading…]
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Two members of the Apatani tribe in Hong Village of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh heading out for work in the morning
Change is all around us. And it is permeating even the remote and lesser developed regions of the world. If you are going to Arunachal Pradesh and expecting its ethnic population to be walking the streets in their traditional tribal dresses and accessories, be prepared to be disappointed.
Most of them are dressed in casual clothes, functional and comfortable. While you may expect to see more of traditional dressing in the interiors (poorly connected by roads), or at their festivals, the village of Hong in Ziro Valley still has some ‘sights’ to offer. It is home to the Apatani tribe. Many of the older women still wear nose plugs and men tie their hair in a knot. Many have tattoos on their faces. [View more images on Facebook even if you are not a member] [continue reading…]
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Elephants playing with one another at the Manas National Park in Assam, India
This will go down as probably the best moment of all my travels. Setting out early to spot wildlife and birds at the Manas National Park in Assam, I came across a herd of elephants on a dirt track about 50 metres away from me. Initially they seemed just like a couple till I realized they were a full herd – and hidden in the trees and foliage around the track. And what do I see?
They kept coming in and out of the greenery, from babies to giant male members. And all seemed in a jovial mood. They were playing together, pushing each other into the bushes, climbing on top of the other and engaging in friendly duels. I could have watched them for hours – you rarely see such sights. Don’t miss out on their expressions – some are actually laughing.
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This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.
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Image of an elephant bathing at the Manas National Park in Assam in India
One of the best moments of The Great Himalayan Drive happened at Manas National Park in Assam for me: the sight of elephants bathing in the Manas river with the setting sun in the background. The setting and the moments were surreal – I could have spent hours watching the scene. But the sun has to set and elephants have other things to do. Enjoy the images on Facebook even if you are not a member.
This trip was sponsored by TripAdvisor.in and Yatra.com.
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I finally crossed back into India after three weeks in Nepal as a part of the Great Himalayan Drive; I had entered the country on its western border and came out from the west into India’s North-East. The plan was to keep driving till the Himalayan roads ended in Arunachal Pradesh – a long journey requiring multiple night halts. The first of these happened at the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.
I never knew of this forest’s existence until I started asking around for a place to spend the night. Seems like it is quite a popular destination especially amongst Bengali travellers – the two Government run lodges were both full up. But I was lucky to get a room in the Hollong Lodge, located deep inside the forest – the management usually keep a room free should a last-minute VIP land up. My luck no one ‘important’ was passing that day. It turned out to be a gem of a property – will write about it later for sure. [continue reading…]
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