If the idea of a surprise visitor in the form of a giant spider under the quilt covers does not bother you, plan a trip to Abbott Mount and stay in Abbott Mount cottage. It is nearly as perfect a get-away as you can imagine, and your experience of staying in this cottage will only leave you desiring for more (not spiders!!) when it is time to head back.

About the spider first: If you go visiting little-touched territory, surrounded by forests and peaks, it can only be a sanctuary for all forms of flora and fauna. Beautiful flowers, exotic birds and spiders are all included in these. I found this creature in my bed when I went to the room at night, but it was easy to put away. Watch your step, and you will do fine.

Click here to see more images of the cottage on Flickr. Images of Abbott Mount in general can also be viewed here.

About the cottage: It looks from the time of the earlier twentieth century when John Abbott ‘discovered’ this place, subsequently named Abbott Mount (sorry, can’t help writing so many Abbotts – but don’t let that confuse you), and got on with the business of making cottages here. The Abbot Mount Cottage (this is what the accommodation is called) is located on the site of one of John’s cottages, but it was actually rebuilt in 1959-60 by an Army Colonel who bought this for his personal use. It was subsequently sold to a Jaipur based jeweler in 1967 who needed this environment for his asthma and arthritis. The family still owns it, but they converted this into an accommodation for travellers a few years back by entering into a management partnership with Asian Adventures.

Here’s a review based on my stay in the last week of May 2008:

• The Location: Located 23 km from Champawat when heading to Pithoragarh in the Champawat district in the eastern part of the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal) in India. Off the main highway, the cottage is set amongst rich forests and other vegetation, with valleys all around and an undisturbed view of the peaks in front.
• The Accommodation: Four guest rooms, of which all are en-suite except one which has its private bath but located in the corridor a few steps away. A common living room and dining area with comfortable sofas to lounge and books to read allow you to sit around with tea and chat amongst yourselves and with other guests.
• The Rooms: It was refreshing to enter a relatively spacious room smelling fresh, with bright clean bed linen, clean towels and a homely feel. On one corner is a wood/coal fired heater with an exhaust leading out for the fumes to be used during the very cold months.
• The Baths: Ample room to move around, with uninterrupted running cold water. Hot water is delivered on request in buckets in the morning hours which is heated in a wood fired cylindrical heater called a hamam. Clean towels are provided. But water is an issue in this area, and it could become a ghost town if supply stops. Residents have come up with innovative means to collect water, including building tanks for storing rainwater. A local politician has bought a property here recently, and residents are hopeful this may lead to water pipes being laid in this area to please the legislator.
• Food: A kitchen with flexible hours, and they can customize the menu to suit guests. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian selection are available. The cooks are competent, put together a tasty fare and understand instructions (like making an omelette with less oil).
• Electricity: Did not face any problems. The management has sensibly installed inverters to keep the lights on at any given time, which is essentially all that you need power for here. No fans or air-conditioners are needed here.
• Lawns: The cottage has very well maintained lawns to sit around in on a sunny day and for children to play. You will find a variety of flowers and fruit trees, including apricots, apples, saunf (a digestive Indians have after meals), rhododendrons, sunflowers, roses and more. You can also sit in the verandah with its old fashioned lounging chairs and read a book.
• Housekeeping: The place is kept very clean, giving one a sense of comfort. It is not easy maintaining a place in the mountains, with damp, cold climatic conditions. Full marks here.
• Connectivity with the world: Mobile towers, sure to turn John Abbot in his grave, have come up at Abbot Mount ensuring all networks work here, and not just the state owned BSNL. You can connect to the net if your phone is GPRS enabled. There is a television set but only broadcasts the state run Doordarshan channels.
• Tariff: Rs. 2,200 for a single and Rs. 3,000 for a double with all meals and unlimited tea and coffee.

The final word? Visit Abbott Mount for its virgin beauty and silence, and stay at this location to feel good too. And remember, don’t go if you are going to be in a rush. This is a place where woodpeckers do not like to be disturbed, and the kitchen does not work at the speed of Mcdonalds. But then again, why would you go to Abbot Mount if you were a regular tourist.

Contact Information
Asian Adventures
B-9, Sector-27, Noida 201301. India.
Phone: (+91 120) 2551963, 2524878, 2524874
Fax: (+91 11) 9394878.
E-fax (USA): (305) 574 6230
E-mail: wildindiatours@vsnl.com
Web: www.abbottmountcottage.com

Note: Information given here is correct at the time of posting, and may change over time.

As far as first impressions go, the Wayfarer Resort in Munsiyari in the Himalayan state of Uttrakhand (Uttranchal) flatters – but it does end up deceiving you a bit on the service front. What works for it is its setting: its perfect. The view of the Panchachuli peaks and surrounding mountain ranges leaves you with no option but to keep looking at them for hours on end as long as the cloud cover allows you to.

If you are willing to take a bit of the rough and inconvenient in your stride, this is the where you should stay when in Munsiyari, a place to mark as priority in your future planned itineraries. (Actually the next best option may not even be an option if you want at least a certain degree of comfort)

Here’s a review from my stay at Wayfarer in early June 2008:

[To see more images of the resort, click here. To see images of Munsiyari in general, click here.]

• The Location: Like I said – tough to match. On elevated ground (about 90 hillside steps up, great for losing weight if you do these a few times a day) one kilometer from the town square on the Madkot Road, the mountains rise behind it while it faces the Panchachuli and other mountain peaks – it is one of the closest and clearest views you will get of these ranges. The only audible decibels here of birds and other jungle insects, the occasional blare of a horn from the sparse traffic road below, a rare election campaigner blasting out promises from a megaphone or of fellow guests.
• The Accommodation: Seven eco-friendly huts and three tents, all with attached bath.
• The Rooms: The huts have thatched roofs, clay plastered walls, cement floor and adequate lighting with CFL bulbs. Beds are the folding types with comfortable mattresses to keep your back straight after a day of hiking or driving around. A covered patio in the front allow you sit, chat, have tea and enjoy the view of the mountains. The tented accommodation has similar amenities. A wood or coal fired heater, with an exhaust leading out, has been provided for the extremely cold nights.
• The Baths: Very basic, with a WC, a small wash basin and bathing area. You get running cold water, but hot water (heated in wood fired heaters) is delivered on request in the morning hours in buckets. No showers here, only taps. Built as an extension of the rooms using tin sheets for walls and ceiling. The metal door can make a racket if not closed gently.
• Food: A kitchen with flexible hours: works only when there are guests, from early morning to late evening. The cook can put together dishes on demand, especially when there are fewer guests. Quality and taste can be inconsistent, but mostly below par although some fellow guests disagreed with me; call it good if you compare to options in these parts. Advance notice is suggested, as ingredients need to be arranged from the market most of the times; you may not always get your selection either as the markets around may not have everything you want unlike big city ones. For those on a meal plan, it is disappointing to see only limited dishes being offered which seem a bit of a let-down for the price charged (see point on pricing below).
• Electricity: Not very regular. And generators are put on only in the evening hours, and perform erratically when all rooms are full; higher capacity generators are required here. It can get quite dark and gloomy in the huts even during the day; you need to balance a torchlight as you find your way around the bathroom in the dark. If you need to charge your laptop, mobile or camera batteries, do so whenever you get power. You would not want to miss out on taking those snaps.
• Water: Did a disappearing act a couple of times, but was fixed within minutes. They have adequate storage, but we all need to go easy on use of water for environmental reasons especially in such locations where it is not easy arranging for water.
• Housekeeping: Sheets and towels are washed, but do not give a very comfortable and clean feel. An investment in a high capacity washer and dryer would be more reassuring for guests. And no one comes to you asking if you would like the rooms cleaned in the day; you have to specifically tell them to.
• Tariff: Rs. 850 for tents, Rs. 1200 for huts. Add Rs. 850 to include breakfast and dinner, and another Rs. 250 for lunch too – all for a couple, taxes included. There is an ala-carte menu too; it may make more sense to take a room-only rate as ala-carte prices work out lower for the same selection they provide on a meal plan. And you have the option to not eat if you don’t like the food.

The final word? Back of the envelope calculations suggest Wayfarer does not generate enough revenues from this property to manage it well; they would do well to raise the prices a bit and put it back in the running of the place. It is a fantastic property – a little extra effort would be a delight for travellers. But don’t let this discourage you: go to Munsiyari, and stay at Wayfarer. The trip is worth it.

Contact Information
Wayfarer Tours & Travels (P) Ltd.
9/477, R.K.Puram
New Delhi – 110022. India
Attn: Mr. Subroto Roy

Tel: +91.11.26107715, +91.9810261791 (Mobile)
Email: wayfarerindia@yahoo.co.in, wayfarerindia@hotmail.com
Web: http://wayfareradventures.com

These two towns are located in the north Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, and are popular for being home to the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan Government in exile.

This video will take you through some of the images of the place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ZAnNo18xE

A Baoli was an open tank where drinking water was stored, and was also a place where people congregated to socialise in earlier times. The Agrasen ki Baoli is located off the Hailey Road in Connaught Place in the centre of New Delhi, and is virtually unknown to even the locals.

It was apparently built by Maharaja Agrasen.

And it is home to Bats. What is even lesser known is that it is home to thousands of bats, who live in its cool, dark well area.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIbm0xMrV_4

This is a video of images taken at Chandni Chowk, the oldest market in Delhi, and created by the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan who also built the Taj Mahal. I would have liked to add more text to it but shall do so in another version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yARnEUiDk0c

The following is a kind of a log when you trek to Triund. This the experience of someone like me, who drives all over for his travel writings but rarely treks, so the more seasoned trekkers may keep some smart remarks to themselves:

Some related posts before you continue:

• Triund: Beyond the seventh heaven

Going Up

Mcleodganj to Galu Devi Temple: Took a taxi for Rs. 250 ($ 6) from Mcleodganj Galu Devi Temple just ahead of Dharamkot, reducing the total trek from 9 km to 7 km, reducing estimated time from 9 to 7 hours
11:20 am: Started trek
12:15 pm: Break at a shack claiming to be the oldest one on this route, operating since 1984. Owned by Joginder Singh, who said the house behind the shack is 100 years old and built by his grandfather. Ordered soft drinks and tea with some snacks.
12:35 pm: Started again
1:15 pm: Took a break at another shack owned by Dilawar for some more juice and munchies.
1:35 pm: Started again
2:10 pm: Reached Triund

Going Down

11:55 am: Started
12:20 pm: Crossed Dilawar’s shack but did not stop. Just waved to him.
12:50 pm: Stopped at a shack next to Joginder’s. Ordered soft drinks but these turned out to be beyond expiry date. Moved to Joginder’s shack instead.
1:10 pm: Started again
2:00 pm: Reached Galu Devi Temple and took a break at the shack there.
2:20 pm: Started walk to Dharamkot, reached in 20 minutes. Took a 3-wheeled auto rickshaw and reached Mcleodganj by 3:00 pm

Triund happens suddenly. One moment you are puffing up a steep, rocky path with only a mountain wall to your left and a forested valley to the right to be seen. And then, with one last step where the path takes a sharp turn, you are upon a green meadow at 2842.26 metres (9326 ft) above sea level, surrounded by snow capped peaks of the Dhauladhar range, all seemingly an arm’s length away.

And when you step into Triund, there is no option but to pause. Partly to catch your breath, and mostly to absorb what is clearly a breathtaking sight. If there is a seventh heaven, you can be sure you have left even that behind. The feeling is one of being on top of the world, surrounded by a ranges even higher than where you stand.

Some related posts before you continue:

• Trek from Mcleodganj to Triund: A Log

The only way to reach Triund is after a 9-kilometer, 4-hour trek from Mcleodganj (home to the Dalai Lama, situated in the north Indian Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh) or a 7-km one from Galu Devi Temple in Dharamkot (which you can reach by road and save yourself an hour of trekking). There is an option of going on horseback, but I did not see anyone exercising this option while I was there. A plan to connect Triund by cable car was launched with the usual political fanfare a few years ago, but that was the last one heard of it. Locals are only too glad for it; you would not want to go to Triund for reasons mentioned here once the picknickers take over.

What do you once you are in Triund? Some, like an American woman named Megan I met, come up to Triund, have a chai, and head back. Most stay over for at least one or more nights. The more hardy venture beyond, weather and snow levels permitting. Triund is a gateway to a much longer trek beyond the Indrahar pass on the Dhauladhar range.

This is an ideal place to be with nature, to come closer to yourself and to seek Shanti like a girl from Switzerland I got to talk to, discovered. Those who come to these parts of the world to be high on charas seem to be getting a different kind of a pleasure too. If you are one of those who can live without a shower for a long time, this is the where you can plan to lose yourself at. The only reminder of the world left below are some branded foods and supplies being sold at the three shacks set up by enterprising locals, and the music and advertisments playing on the Radio Mirchi FM channel humming constantly from a radio set in the biggest of the shacks owned by Sunil Kumar. Apparently, these are the only signals to reach here; mobiles don’t work.

No need for an agenda here. Enjoy the warm sun in the day, and sit around a bonfire in the evening. Read a book, or write one – it is an ideal setting too feel inspired. There are enough fellow travellers from all over the world – US, Argentina, Israel, Bulgaria and Italy to name just some I met people from – to make friends with, share stories and having low decibel fun. Meditate, do yoga, practice your music – Triund is the place where man and nature can form a bond often not possible in most parts of the world.

Some tips when at Triund

* Accommodation: There are four rooms in a bricks and mortar forest rest house, as well as some in a private guest house. Very basic, with unclean bedding (what do they wash it with?) and no running water. The forest rest house needs to be booked at Mcleodganj itself, and may or may not be available to non government employees. If no one checks in till evening, the caretaker can give you the room for Rs. 80. ($ 2) Lighting is through a CFL bulb powered by a solar panel. Alternately, you can huddle up in one of the shacks (Sunil Kumar’s assistant says they charge Rs. 100 per person), or caves naturally created in the surrounding mountains. (No, you will not be intruding into any house of the three bears, so you can feel safe. This is the testimony of many who go for this temporary housing.) You can pitch a tent too or just put on the layers and sleep in the open in your sleeping bag.
* Clothing: I went late April 2008, and there was no need for any warm clothing during the day. But a hat can help for protection against the sun. But the moment the sun goes down, it is a different proposition altogether. Depending on your constitution, you will need some serious woolens.
* Food and Beverages: Before reaching Mcleodganj, we were made to believe there would be no food and water at Triund. It was suggested we carry ample volumes of mineral water, as well as raw food which the forest guest house caretaker could cook. But no need. The three shacks will sell you hot food on order, biscuits, chocolates, packaged snacks, water, aerated drinks and even beer. But these come at a premium of 50-100 percent on the marked price. Why? Supplies come up on horseback, who take Rs. 300-350 ($7-9) for each trip up and cannot carry too much anyway. But it still does not work out very expensive, with a healthy portion of rice costing about Rs. 40 and chai Rs. 15, as some examples.
* Water: Drink mineral water, or go down to a spring (an hour going and coming back) to get some clean water. The forest rest house caretaker provided us with a jug of water for washing up, but that is just about all the water you can get in Triund.
* Washrooms: When nature calls, no keys to a washroom will be sent. You know what this means.
* Supplies: Get your soaps, toilet rolls, cigarettes and even books from the shacks. Carry your own dope though if you need the high.

If you are looking to stay in a warm, friendly family run place, the Kunga Guest House located in the Himalayan town of Mcleodganj (where the Dalai Lama runs the Tibetan Government in exile) may be tough to beat. Especially after Hollywood stars too have endorsed it.

It is owned by the head of security to the Dalai Lama, and run by his son Nick Tenzing (ably supported by his wife) – all Tibetans. The guest house is unpretentious, very clean and fresh, suprisingly very modestly priced and makes you feel wanted with genuinely warm smiles all around. And it has hosted the likes of Richard Gere and Pierce Brosnan in the past.

I stayed here during a trip to this town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, would recommend this to anyone who is happy is settings other than plush hotels. Here’s a review:

* Tariffs: Start smiling. These range from Rs. 175 – 600 ($ 4.50 – 15) per night for a double room. The variation is based on room location, amenities and on whether the bath is shared or en-suite.
* The Rooms: The air feels fresh, it looks well scrubbed and the sheets and quilts look very clean and inviting. If you think these should sound as standard features, check out typical hotels in the mountains that tend to be musty due to the climate and rarely give a clean feeling – and they charge 2-5 times of what Kunga does. Some rooms have fans, some don’t. Ditto for television sets. My Rs. 600 room had the former, as well as storage cupboards, sofas, table and a double bed. Nick claims every room is scrubbed clean and sheets changed after every guest leaves – even if stayed just a few hours.
* The Bath: Very basic, but functional and hygienic with a hot water geyser. You are not provided with towels, toilet rolls and soaps though. But you can buy some supplies from the reception, or shops around the guest house.
* Number of rooms: 9 in the main building, 6 in an annexe below the restaurant terrace on the ground level (buildings in the mountains tend to have a few floors above and below the ground level) and a few extra rooms in nearby buildings.
* Meals: They run an excellent vegetarian restaurant within the premises named Nick’s Italian Kitchen (that serves Chinese dishes too without classifying them as so, to be politically correct I guess) open from around 7:00 am – 9:00 pm. The food is tasty, fresh, wholesome and nothing seems to be over Rs. 90 ($ 2.25). A rich American breakfast of a big plate of hash browns, two eggs, two toast, butter, jam and a tea or coffee costs just Rs. 75. Beat that. They also make an excellent banana cake (I did not try other flavours but they looked as good) and freshly brewed coffee.
* Who runs it: Nick’s extended family including a few cousins and nephews. They all stay in this building only. It was set up around 1995. And they are all hands on: Nick’s wife was seen tying mops, his cousins would be cleaning rooms and Nick himself claims to get his hands dirty when need be.
* Connectivity: No telephones or internet; but in Mcleodganj you are never more than a few metres away from a high speed internet café or a public telephone call booth.
* Reservations: They don’t take advance reservations, as they do not believe in asking guests to vacate a room (if they decide to extend their trip). In fact, they didn’t even ask me how many days I wanted the room for: I can check out any day before noon. And then the room is made available to walk-ins. Nick says it is also tough to keep track as people make reservations and then don’t turn up. They believe in keeping business simple. They are also selective about giving out rooms; when I was checking in, a travel agent was told they were full up but we got the rooms. The owners do not seem to be the snooty type; they probably seem to prefer the quiet sort of guests.
* Contact: Kunga Guest House, Bhagsunag Road, Mcleodganj, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India. Tel: +91.1892.221180 / 221569, +91.98160 21180, Email: tenzin_dhonyo@yahoo.co.in.

The Easter weekend (March 21-24) of 2008 saw me staying at a small family owned property in Dehradun, the capital of the Himalayan state of Uttrakhand. The city itself located in a valley, it turned out to be an ideal getaway for a spring weekend at what turned out to be an good choice of accommodation.

To view images of the Birdhouse on Flickr, click here. This will also enable you to better visualize what is given below:

Here is a review of the Birdhouse. Like every review, there can never be a consensus amongst all those in a position to do so. Here is my take:

Overall Kunzum Rating: **** (out of a max 5 stars)

Location: Located about 200 metres off the Dehradun – Mussoorie highway, just after the 23rd milestone. Very quiet, with a clear view of the mountains and even the lights of the hill town of Mussoorie at night. It is about 8 km from the centre of town if you want to go shopping, eating etc. and there seemed to be no public transport that you could just hop on to. A private or rented car can be most convenient. Once can easily make day trips to hill towns of Mussoorie and Dhanaulti, or visit the famous Kempti Waterfalls.

Property Specifications: A bungalow converted into a tourist accommodation, it has four bedrooms in all. Can sleep two in each, with extra beds possible. You can lounge in the living room and verandah, and watch TV too. Very pleasing to look at – sends out very positive vibes. Overall the property is built on a plot about a quarter of an acre.

Rooms:

• Standard Room: A wrought iron double bed with chairs. There is a private bath, but access it from just outside the room.
• Executive Room: Slightly bigger, with wooden beds and a cupboard too. The bath access is also from the outside, but is a private one.
• Room without a bath: A room with twin beds, this has no private bath. It has doors that open into both the standard and the executive room. This room is usually given alongwith one of the other two to those seeking accommodation for more than two.
• The Suite: Located on the ground floor, while all others are on the first. Very spacious, has an attached bath and a private covered verandah to lounge in. It has glass walls on two sides to open into and give a very good view of the greenery on the side of the house.

All rooms are very spacious, clean, bright and cheerful with lots of windows; the best part are the surroundings and no point having these if guest cannot look out. The bathrooms are quite well sized too – would put a hotel room in Amsterdam or Paris to shame. No fancy fittings here though – simple ones just like one would expect at home.

Lawns: The best part of the BirdHouse. Both front and back lawns are very well maintained, with so many varieties of flowers, plants and trees that one cannot note all of these down. It is a delight being in such green surroundings, doing away with the need to even step out. The birds are all there, chirping away especially in the mornings and evenings. But they do a good job of camouflaging themselves in the trees.

Food: There is a menu for all day finger snacks and light meals, or one can order a buffet meal. But don’t expect everything to be available at a short notice – this is not a hotel with a running kitchen but one where they usually have to arrange for what one wants except beverages and some snacks. One can tell the cook what they would like for a meal and it is usually prepared. The presentation and service is great, although it can be a bit slow. But you do not go to the Birdhouse to be in a rush. The cooked items, to be honest, were not as yummy as at some other family run places in the country. There is definite scope for improvement here. Could also be priced about 20-30 percent lower. Outside food is allowed but there is a charge of Rs. 100 per portion – did not seem fair.

Interiors: Simple but aesthetically pleasing with decorations, furniture, furnishings, paintings and pictures all tastefully chosen. Gives a very warm and homely feel. Full marks here.

Housekeeping: Gives a very clean and hygienic feeling, very important when travelling. The bed linen and towels could have been a little newer and spotless though even though they seemed to have been laundered well. And my one personal grouse: give covers on quilts that are changed with every guest. The practice of putting a sheet under the quilt can be quite a pain as the two go their own in the middle of the night leaving one exposed to quilts used by others too without a clean sheet in between.

Recreation: A TV in the living room with major channels received through a dish. A selection of bestsellers and magazines to read, and some board games. One can venture out and walk five minutes up to the deer park (it was closed when we went; it opens 8 am – 7 pm) or can go on a day hike or walk (although one would have to drive or walk on the highway with all its traffic for a kilometer or two to go off road). Or just sit in the lawns or verandah, and enjoy the weather with a cup of coffee and a book.

Staff: Very friendly, receptive and attentive. Full marks. They could have been a little better informed though about tourist spots – wish they had told us there is no water in the river we went to see nearby. But one can overlook these things; the housekeeper and cook can’t be a concierge too.

Power and Water: No problems faced.

Internet: WiFi available at Rs. 400 for 24 hours. But would you really want to check your mails here?

Tariffs: Rs. 8,800 for an executive room for two for three nights including breakfast, tea / coffee and taxes. Standard room is Rs. 7,400 for a similar package. Rates available for other combinations too. Overall, tariffs seem fair.

Link: http://takethisweekendoff.com or mail to: birdhouse@takethisweekendoff.com

Getting there: Dehradun is 260 km from Delhi. You can drive down (about 6-7 hours) or take the fast Shatabdi trains. Leaves Delhi 0655 / 1525, reaches 1240 / 2110. Return leaves 1700 / 0510 , reaches 2245 / 1115 respectively.

If you are up even before dawn in Delhi, you may want to go for a run along the city’s many green belts. Or you could pay a visit to India’s biggest wholesale flower market in Connaught Place, the main commercial and shopping district in the centre of the capital of the country.

First question: Why early morning? Because it is a temporary market that comes alive at 4 am and disappears by 9 am. Traders display their offerings during this time when retailers and decorators, and some customers who want flowers for their personal use, come to stock up for their own customers. Hundreds of traders set up shop every day of the year, all temporary, to do an annual business over $100 million (unofficial estimates). A permanent market to the east of Delhi is currently being planned. But the market may remain primarily a morning one as trade customers need to attend to their respective businesses during the day.

To view the pictures on Flickr, click here.

Focusing on the flowers themselves, the range is as impressive as the source itself. Flowers come here from all over India – and it is a big country – as well as from distant countries like Thailand, China and Holland amongst others. And these include roses, orchids, zebras, lilies, iris, marigolds, anthuriums, and even artificial ones. In all shades of reds, oranges, yellows, blues, whites to highlight just a few.

This is the market where you pick up bargains. For example, a high quality rose one would but for Rs. 15 ($ 0.4) in a retail shop can be purchased for Rs. 4 only. Or a zebra going for Rs. 100 for 10 can be had for a tenth of the price. But this was today – March 26, 2008 – when I was there. It is off-season, and bargains are there for the taking. During peak season, usually lasting September – February, and in short bursts at other times, prices can be higher with sellers less willing to discount their products.

Being less busy also meant the traders had time to talk in a friendly manner; when business is good, be prepared to be snubbed if you are not a serious buyer. But all kinds of interesting people come to this market. A lady – with family name Rathore – is the third generation of her family in this business inheriting it from her father and grandfather. A rare social phenomena even now in India when the baton passes on to the daughter, her two sons are also involved in this work. Besides the wholesale stall where they sell dahlias and marigolds, they also have a shop in the old Delhi area of Chandni Chowk. She was offering a bunch of 10 dahlias for Rs. 20 when they could go for thrice as much when demand is better.

But she could not stop complaining about days like today are ones when they may not even earn enough to pay for transport to and from the market. But to her credit, she admitted the nature of this business is such where you earn for six months in a year, and live off it for the remaining six.

Another lady from West Bengal, selling artificial flowers, was excited to get her photos taken; she readily started posing when she extracted a promise from me to send her a print. Upon asking, she said her name is Gandhan, but added everyone knows her as the phoolwali aunty (the aunt who sells flowers). Around for eight years, her whole family is engaged in making these flowers and also participating in Government sponsored events around the country. She even fished out a visiting card for me with her business listed as ‘Radha Krishnan Handicrafts,’ manufacturers of all of kinds of dry flowers, dry baskets, pot pourri and cane baskets. They also do wedding decorations.

As you walk around, it is easy to chat up with very interesting people. Or you can just sit around and overhear conversations, calls to customers and other things sellers and buyers do. One trader, selling carnations, jokingly asked me not to take pictures because business is not good. Another, Ashok Kumar, could not help boasting of his own farms in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh where they grew lilies which were the best going around because they ensured the bulbs are imported from Holland. They also grew carnations, again the best as they changed the stems every 5-6 months. Kishen Haldar, selling tea from a portable contraption, seemed to be only one doing brisk business along with a few others like him; apparently an idle trader seeks solace from a cup of tea or coffee on a cool March morning. Ajay Barua, who I was told is the Vice President of the market’s association, even had the time to get his ears cleaned by a professional cleaner. Pointing out to the market, he highlighted the fact that most people present were the traders themselves.

Manoj Bhagra, who seemed to be in the quality end of the business, was whom I chatted longest with. Sharing the unofficial figures of the turnover of the market, he explained a lot about the dynamics of what I was seeing around me. India did have its own growth of orchids from down south, but growers of these exotic flowers went out of business when their production and transportation cost became higher than of the ones imported from Thailand; interestingly, as Bhagra pointed out, the imported orchids are the rejects of Thailand but do well here. Talk about globalization and competitive advantage of nations.

He also spoke of how the cut flowers business, growing at 20 percent annually, can do much better when people start buying to decorate their own homes and not just for gifting and decorations. He also expressed disappointment at the way we all treat flowers; as an example, if we just remove the wrappings, cut the flowers and put them in clean water in a vase, they would stay fresh for 4-7 days and not just 1-2. Bhagra is a founding member of the market in 1995. He added he does not know what he is doing in the market or why he is here, but he just enjoys the business to stick around.

There is a lot more one can talk about, but go and discover it for yourself.

A final take on the market: get up early one of these days, and make a trip to the market. Look at the flowers, absorb their beauty and take some home. It may just be the best good morning you may wished yourself in a long long time.

Quick Facts: The market is located across the road from the ancient Hanuman Temple on Baba Kharak Singh Road, Connaught Place in the central business and shopping district of New Delhi, India. Timings are 4-9 am daily. Anyone who has lived in Delhi can tell you where this place is, even if they do not know of the existence of this market.