I have driven to the hills many times at a sedate speed of 30-40 KMPH… but thanks to Topshe, this time it was a maddening 60-80 KMPH drive…. Shimla-Narkanda-Chitkul

One late evening of mid-September, my friend Tapas aka Topshe called up said, “Hi, we are planning to go to Chitkul, will you be interested?” I had absolutely no idea about the geographical location of Chitkul but knowing Topshe since long, I assumed it was somewhere up north in the hills. And I was right on that account. He further informed that Gora, Pulak (aka Pulki) and two more people have already confirmed. I tentatively confirmed but said I will take the final call closer to the departure as there were certain issues needed sorting. I discussed with Deepika and Ayush and both said, “You must go”. Deepika further said, “I will be in Bangalore at that time, so there’s no point for you stay at home and brood like an old man.”

On 27September, Deepika’s Bangalore program had a setback due to a strike called on 29^th  (on account of Cuveri water dispute), the program got cancelled at the last minute… with Ayush busy in office she wasn’t in a mood to go to Bangalore and cancelled the journey. I asked her to come along with me but she was hesitant… said, “Except Gora, I don’t know the others too well, I won’t fit into the group.”

The group strength had increased with the inclusion of Suranjan aka SuroKhuro who came over to my place in the evening. He too requested Deepika to join us but she was still hesitant. Then I told her, “तुम अकेली घर बैठ के चिंता करोगी, इससे अच्छा साथ चलो… मेरा दारू consumption पर भी नज़र रख पाओगी” I think the last point clinched the deal and she agreed to come along.  

DAY ONE

Topshe had created a Whatsapp group wherein he informed all that we must start latest by 5:15 am from respective places. He was driving his 7-seater SUZUKI ECCO while I wanted to test the endurance of my JEEP COMPASS.  Meeting point was between Nigambodh and ISBT to take on Pulak in my jeep.

We left around 5:45 am from Navjeevan Vihar and Topshe confirmed they too are on their way. We encountered a traffic jam just after Ashram Chowk till Sarai Kale Khan (ISBT) that too because we ignored Google advise to take an alternate route. Anyways, we still managed to reach the approximate spot and sent our location to Topshe who arrived within 10 minutes. Pulak came in our car and we met the other passengers… Mitali and Amal DuttaGupta. Mitali is the younger sister of my friend Manas… I have last seen her as a kid of may be 10-12 years… I had an instant liking of Amal-da with his soft demeanor and calm temperament. After the pleasantries, we set out for the Zhilmil Dhaba, Karnal.

Topshe had done his homework well and knew all the good food joints on the route. We ordered for Aloo Paratha, Gobi Paratha (for Deepika) and a Egg Paratha to be shared by all… as it turned out, the Aloo-Pyaz and Gobi Paratha were finger lickingly delicious while the egg paratha was below par, my housekeeper makes better anda-paratha. The kadak chai was what we needed after the sumptuous breakfast. From the kiosk outside the dhaba, I picked up bottles of Jeera Goli and Aam Laddu, both being excellent digestive.

Our next stop was a restaurant in Dhalli, just outside Shimla, however, due to traffic congestion near Panchkula, we got delayed which got further aggravated because of an unexpected event for which I am partly to be blamed… the day before the journey, I had topped up the tank and checked tyre pressures but did not check the water level in the radiator… the jeep was serviced only 2 months ago and one expects the oil, water and coolant to be in order. Just before Parwanoo (Timber Trail Resort), the dashboard of the jeep lit up with warning message that the engine has heated up. I immediately stopped and opened the bonnet to cool down the engine. The coolant jar was devoid of any water… slowly I poured water into it… almost 4-4.5 litres… after 20-25 minutes, checked the engine temperature which thankfully had stabilized by then… but we needed the Red Coolant to ensure balance of coolant to water ratio. The Indian Oil petrol pumps had Green Coolant while Bharat Petroleum was selling Blue Coolant and neither of them is compatible with the Red. After almost 50 km we found a auto-parts shop having the Red variety which we bought immediately and poured about 100ml into the jar which indicated it was filled to the ‘max’ capacity.

We had planned to reach the restaurant at Dhalli by 2-2:30 pm for lunch but now with all the unplanned halts, it was out of question… we wouldn’t make it before evening. Topshe was driving ahead of us and he looked for an appropriate place to stop for lunch. I had made some “Chicken Ham n Cheese” sandwich for such an eventuality. We had those along with banana and delicious moist cakes made by Mitali. Thereafter, continued our journey to Narkanda for night halt. Google indicated we should reach our destination by 7:30pm. We were on course till we encountered evening rush in Shimla which slowed down our progress. The road to Narkanda is a mix bag with beautiful stretch of well laid roads and then washed out patches that narrows down to single lane allowing only one vehicle to pass at a time. In the hills, night falls very quickly and soon we were driving in the dark. We reached Narkanda around 8:00 pm. Our night halt at Prem Holiday Home was a Spartan accommodation… it had neither a kitchen nor any kettle in the room for making tea-coffee but was clean with fresh linen. The parking was outside in the lane and it took some maneuvering to park our vehicles in the narrow lane.

After freshening up, Topshe, Gora and I ventured out find an eating joint for dinner and came across Piyush Residency Hotel which was centrally heated and had a bar cum restaurant. We told them that eight of us will come around 9/9:30 for dinner.

We had our adda in Topshe-Gora room and opened the Paul John bottle that SuroKhuro had brought along and enjoyed the tipple with the namkeens (puffed rice mixture and roasted flat rice mixture) that Mitali had prepared at home… both were very tasty. We got the ingredients and recipe from her but are unlikely to replicate the taste. Meanwhile, Topshe had gone down to the small food stall next door and got us omelets as snacks as well as arranged for hot tea in the morning around 7:00 am. 

The food at the Piyush Residency was average but we were hungry so devoured the food in double quick time. The weather was chilly when we came out and we quickly went inside our room. Having travelled all through the day, we were tired, so bade goodnight and retired for the day. The bed was very hard as if made of stone and it took some time to adjust but eventually I slept. Deepika on the contrary had a fitful sleep.

DAY TWO  

I woke up at my usual time of 5:00 am but couldn’t even make a cup of tea though I was carrying teabags. Slowly, rest of the gang got up as well to enjoy a cup of sugary tea. We decided to have bread-omelet for breakfast and accordingly informed the lady. Deepika had an hour long coaching session starting 8:00 am. While she was at it and Mitali getting ready, we guys decided to take a walk in the woods. Topshe had brought a drone to do aerial photography but due to poor network it could not be operated… actually it refused lift off!! We went to a clearing which during the winter months gets fully covered with thick layer of snow and is used as a skiing slope for the kids and amateurs. Being in Delhi, I have never seen the sky so blue… here without any pollution, it was true azure and with balls of white cloud it was a surreal. SuroKhuro went up the slope probably to slide down but wisely did not attempt.  

We loaded our bags in the car and had a simple breakfast of Bread-Omelet with hot tea and were on our way to our final destination, Chitkul, the last village of India at Indo-Tibetan border. But before that we went to see HATU MATA MANDIR located on top of the hill approx 10000 ft above sea level. The road to the mandir was single file (of cars) and steep climb. I let Topshe go first but not before muttering some expletives and allowed sizeable distance between us… it was time to test the Jeep’s (automatic) ability to climb on loose soil and pebble and negotiate hairpin bends while climbing. Thankfully, it was early morning and no incoming vehicle… still it took us 30-35 minutes to cover the 6 km journey. The Hatu Mata Mandir is a small, open-air temple offering an ornate wood-carved interior & scenic view from an elevated peak. According to local belief, the famous Hatu Mata temple is the temple of Maa Kaali. On the first Sunday of Jyeshtha, groups of people arrive in large numbers to engage in rituals. Hatu Peak is the highest mountain point in the Shimla hills area at a height of 3400 m where the Pandavas reportedly stayed during their one year Agyat Vas (unknown residence), built a temple for goddess Durga, and Bhim made his massive oven for cooking. The temple is decorated with ornamental carvings.

Topshe had been on this route (Delhi-Shimla-Narkanda-Chitkul) thrice earlier and knew the roads well… he also knew that the Narkanda-Chitkul road (highway) is classified as one of the “most dangerous” roads of the world. The road ran alongside the Sutlej River from Luan and continued till Karcham from thereon its tributary Baspa carried on till Chitkul and beyond. The phase-1 wasn’t bad at all, though it was really winding road but mostly going down to the valley of Rampur Bushahr… we stopped at Hotel Atul Residency, Sainj Crossing for a cup of tea with some Pakodas and stretch our legs before the next part of the journey.

The road to Chitkul from here on was not only steep climb but some stretches were in a precarious condition after the massive landslides during the monsoon season. The first congestion we experienced was on Deothi-Mashnoo Road just before Jhakri… the traffic was controlled by the HP Police who allowed one side to pass while holding the other side. What worried me is when I saw the policeman looking up at the hill as if to check if any rock is rolling down!! Even though the road surface was bad, the beauty of the nature more than compensated the discomfort. I could only see what was in the front but my co-passengers fully enjoyed the 360 degree view. We passed through the stretch known as the Gateway to Kinnaur Rock Tunnel where the rocky mountain is carved in such a way that the road has a roof and gives a feeling of passing through a tunnel. The road led us to Nigulsari where the maximum devastation had happened… the road is practically nonexistent in this stretch and again the traffic was being monitored… one side of the traffic opened for an hour and then the other side. While going up we were lucky as our side opened up as we approached it. We were not so lucky while returning and had to wait for close to an hour at this point.

We had hoped to reach Chitkul before sundown but with the bad road condition resulting in frequent congestion, it was going to be another hill drive in total darkness. Moreover, after we crossed Nigulsari, Vodafone signals were gone and my Google Map became offline (good thinking on my part to save it as offline) and continued to show the path but could not tell me if there’s congestion ahead. In a way it was good because my focus and concentration on the road became 2x without the distraction of sightseeing. We tanked up at the Army Petrol Pump (the last one on our route) just before Karcham for the climb up to Chitkul. The drive from Karcham to Chitkul was like Dakar Rally… you are driving on a strip of land with a visibility of less than 25 meters (the range of the Jeep headlight in dim position)…and then in that narrow strip of a road you encounter a herd of sheep and lamb, we tried to count but after hundred odd gave up. it must have been in thousands as we were stuck for more than 30 minutes. Gora later said, “After this experience, never had to count the sheep after hitting the bed, but a realistic opportunity all gone in vain”. It was tiring but the thrill of driving on such stretch gave me an adrenalin push and we made it to the summit… Chitkul Bus Stand… behind which was our homestay accommodation. In the hills, people run hotels/guesthouses in the garb of homestay to avoid cumbersome govt formalities in establishing and running such services. The RR Homestay was refreshingly better than the one we stayed at Narkanda, it was a full service accommodation. The only negative of the place is the “approach to the entrance from the main road”… it was nonexistent… we had to go through a makeshift path which was not safe at night. Earlier, when we were negotiating the treacherous Narkanda-Chitkul road, the owner Mr. Negi had called up Topshe to find out our approx ETA and had prepared food accordingly… Egg Curry, Aloo-Gobi Sabji and Dal with hot chapattis. The food preparation was delicious.

We opened the bottle of Paul John and realized the Chakhnas are in Topshe’s car, so he & I went down only to realize that the rear left tyre of his vehicle is flat with a puncture. At that hour with dark surrounding it was not possible to change it and we left it for the morning. We had early dinner and called it a day. The rooms had reinforced wooden walls as well as floor so it was not very cold compared to the outside temperature hovering around 5-6 degrees Celsius. Even though the owner Mr. Negi claimed to have wifi connection (JIO), for some reason wasn’t working and we were technically cut off from the world!!

DAY THREE

We got up early having slept soundly for 7-8 hours and got ready for the day. The hot tea and the biscuits in the cold morning felt delicious. I checked on Topshe about his flat tyre… he tried to change it with spare wheel but his spanner wasn’t working properly… slipping on the nuts… he decided to inflate the tyre and take it down to the next town/ village to find a tyre repair shop. I offered him to take my inflator which was electric but he said that he has one. Unfortunately, he had the manually operated inflator and had to stop every 2 km to inflate the tyre… he had to go down to Sangla (25km) where he found the Puncturewala but then he (and Pulki) utilized their free run and met with his friends which would otherwise have been difficult with all of us together. They came back carrying loads of Kinnaur Apple which he distributed amongst us. Pulki was proudly wearing the Green Kinnaur (Himachal) cap which was presented to him by Topshe’s friend.

While they were away, we went to the river (Baspa) front… actually, SuroKhuro, Mitali and Deepika went down all the way, Amal-da, Gora and I stayed put at the halfway mark realizing that climbing back would be tough for us. While sitting there on the rocks, we saw a large group of Bongs of varied age going to the river front. Gora and Amal-da advised the older lots to stay put there only as it will be difficult for them climb up later. We found out that they are from Kolkata, on a 10 day trip. I couldn’t help comment that wherever I had gone on vacation, I have encountered Bongs from Kolkata and the groups were very vocal!!

After about 30 minutes, we saw our team members returning and looking at their huffing n puffing it was a good call not to go down all the way. We went to the other side where there’s a Tibetan Monastery at a height but halfway through Gora and I decided to go back to the hotel where both us had a nice nap before lunch at the Aakhri Dhaba, as the name suggested it was the last dhaba before the Indo-Tibetan border. The dhaba was run by the maternal uncle of Mr. Negi who also supplied the mutton for our dinner. They had a Thali system comprising of dal, kadhi, sabji and rajma with rice or chapatti. The food was average… rajma being the most tasty followed by dal. While we were having lunch, it started to drizzle which prompted us to rush back to the hotel. Soon the drizzle turned into heavy downpour foiling our sightseeing ventures. We arranged a pack of cards and played the favorite game of Bongs, TwentyNine till Topshe and Pulki came back from their excursion. Topshe called us to come out of the room to witness some amazing views. The mountains at the distance were all covered in snow after the downpour. We haven’t seen any snow covered mountains this close and the scenery was way beyond words. All I can say is that our trip to Chitkul was very successful and the memory shall remain etched forever. Later we drove down to the BSF post at the Indo-Tibetan border (though the actual border is further 40+ km away). On our way back we encountered a herd of cows that refused to budge from the road… it took lots of honking and cajoling before they relented.

The mutton curry prepared by the young chef was delicious and we had our stomach full… thoughtfully he had prepared aloo sabji and dal as well especially for Deepika who was the lone vegetarian in the group of eight. There was nothing more to do as the temperature have plummeted to around 4 degree Celsius, we paid up our dues to Mr. Negi since we planned to leave early in the morning around 6:00 am. He arranged for some aloo paratha for our breakfast as well.

DAY FOUR

We drove down to the Baspa river for up close view… it was flowing with vengeance to meet Sutlej many miles down at the Karcham… after spending around 15 minutes we started our journey towards Shimla. In the daylight we could see the road and the surroundings and could only praise the nature. We also realized how bad the condition of the road was after the monsoon and landslides. Since it was early morning, there was hardly any traffic allowing us to drive at sedate speed of 50-60 kmph at most of the stretches. We made it to the Karcham Dam in 2 hours time while it had taken us more than 3 hours going up. We took a detour from here for two reasons: (1) to pick up Kinnaur apple from where Topshe & Pulki had taken and (2) Topshe wanted me to drive through the road nicknamed “Indian Grand Canyon”… it’s the road going to Rekongpeo from Karcham along the Sutlej river and range of mountains on either side going up straight giving a feeling that one is driving inside a canyon. We stopped at roadside eatery and ordered tea and consumed the aloo paratha that Mr. Negi had given along with the residual cakes of Mitali.

We drove for 10-12 km and reached a Y fork and still there was no sign of any apple seller. Topshe suggested we take the left road and go up to Rekongpeo where there are quite a few kiosks selling apple… it was another 15 km uphill drive on winding road and at least 1.5 hour each way. We would have been very late reaching Shimla, so we and turned around. On the way back, at the petrol station, the guy informed that there’s one apple seller a kilometer ahead on the right side of the road… we had missed it while going. Deepika, SuroKhuro and Mitali picked up a box each… SuroKhuro negotiated the price which was less than at what Topshe bought previously… which prompted him buy another box!!

We reached Narkanda around 6:00pm from where SuroKhuro and Mitali picked up 2kg each authentic cow ghee… thereafter we continued on our way to Shimla in total darkness but thankfully, Vodafone network was back on track to show us the congestion(s) ahead… there was no worries about getting lost because it was just one road NH5 which we had to follow. This was a new achievement for me… driving on the hills after dark for the third time in four days and I found it quite comfortable except the times when an idiot would come from the opposite side with blazing headlight in high beam. We reached our hotel, Meridian, Shimla around 8:30 pm. Topshe had chosen this hotel for the sole reason that it offered car parking within the premises otherwise it’s a real headache to find parking space in Shimla… one may have to park few kilometers away from their hotel.

We parked our cars on the surface level and was told to go down the stairs 2 floors below… wondering how suffocating it would be to spend the night in underground rooms… to our surprise, the rooms were quite decent, airy with windows opening from where one could see few floors below there’s habitation and road running. Our designated attendant Mr. Mahender realized that it would be a challenge for us, the senior citizens to climb up for dinner and offered to set up the table at the corridor of the rooms. The hotel deal was AP (American Plan) which includes breakfast and dinner with the room tariff. The food was average but the service was first class.

We retired for the day after an inconclusive discussion on next day’s program… originally it was planned that we would visit the Shimla Kalibari and then start our journey back to Delhi… but then what about a visit to the famous Shimla Mall? Opinions were divided so we decided to sleep over it.

DAY FIVE

Between Deepika and me we were certain that we are not for the mall visit because it would mean spending at least half a day and thereafter reaching Delhi around midnight. Gora also wanted to reach home in good time… SuroKhuro after much thought decided to join us, so after breakfast four of us started our journey back to Delhi while Topshe, Pulki, Mitali and Amal-da decided to extend their stay and enjoy the Shimla completely… Kalibari and Mall.

It was 2^nd October (Gandhi Jayanti), most shops were expectedly closed but surprisingly many petrol stations were shut too… my tank was half full which would take to Panchkula/ Zirakpur but I didn’t want take that chance and at the first option topped up the tank. There was a shop of HPMC selling Apple Wine next to the station but on closer look found that to be closed. Somewhere between Dharampur and Parwanoo, we stopped at a place for coffee but ended up having chilled Green Apple non-alcoholic Beer and picked few for the road as well… we also picked up pickle, jam and juice.

We decided to stop at Puran Singh da Dhaba Shop #14 at Ambala Cantt. for lunch… whenever I had travelled on this route, I have tried to stop there for food… it serves one of the best North Indian Cuisine. We reached there around 2:30 pm just in time for lunch and ordered Kaali Dal, Kadhai Paneer and Special Mutton Curry (boneless) with Tandoori Roti. We ended up eating much more than our normal intake. We didn’t realize but it was almost an hour break we had taken, in a way the rest and the food rejuvenated us to drive straight to Delhi.

As we were getting closer to Delhi, traffic increased on the road, it seemed everyone from Delhi had taken a short vacation and now returning home. We crossed into Delhi around 6:30 pm but soon got into a massive traffic jam because of some religious congregation at Khatu Shyam Dham on the outer Delhi road… we lost at least 30-45 minutes. I had planned to drop Gora at Topshe’s home where his Scooter was parked but he insisted to be dropped at the Supreme Court Metro Station. After that our next stop was Haus Khas Metro for SuroKhuro to take Ola/Uber to his home in Dwarka. I told him stay overnight at my home and go in the morning… had he heeded to my call, we would not have had the next harrowing experience…

SuroKhuro couldn’t get a cab so took an autorikshaw from Hauz Khas Metro Station Gate #1. I was in the car ready to roll when Deepika got down to get her purse from the rear seat and checking if her mobile phone is inside it (she has a habit of misplacing her phone and looking for it casually). Once satisfied, she got in the front passenger seat and at that moment 2 bike-borne thieves snatched her purse and sped away in the wrong direction. She started screaming for help… it took me few seconds to realize what has happened but I could do nothing. Unfortunately, there were many autorikshaws standing but all of them were on the other side of the fence unable to block the motorcycle, moreover it being a holiday the road had very scarce traffic which allowed the thieves to zoom away. I dialed the police control room and soon 2 PCR vans along with 2 motorcycle borne policemen came to the spot and registered our complaint. We were advised by SI Doongadarshi to reach Hauz Khas PS under whose jurisdiction the area comes under, to file an FIR.

While we were filing the FIR, the SHO Shiv Darshan came to us and enquired what happened. We explained in as much detail as we could remember but except that the snatcher was wearing white t-shirt/ shirt we did not have the (most important) motorcycle registration number. He asked for Deepika’s mobile number and tried to connect but it rang, nobody answered. We requested him to track the mobile which he promised to do. Meanwhile, I called Ayush and told him about the mishap and asked him to block the credit/ debit cards. The thought of the harrowing time ahead to get her Aadhar, PAN, Voters card besides some other documents that were gone with the purse was too disturbing. As we had gone to remote area, she was carrying over 10K INR in cash which we knew will never be retrieved.

Deepika persistently asked the IO to track her iPhone and we were informed the process would take at least 4-5 hours as first a request will be sent to the Central Cyber Cell of DP which will ask for permission from their ACP who based on the severity of the case may allow or refer it to the DCP who may or may not give the permission. We were lucky, the SHO Shiv Darshan was in Crime Branch before being posted to this PS and he requested his ex-ACP there to put the phone on tracking immediately (Crime Branch has the authority to track any phone at any time). He also kept calling Deepika’s number… initially there was no response but suddenly someone answered and when questioned said he was at the Hauz Khas Metro Station… at the same time his other phone buzzed to inform that the phone has been tracked to Hauz Khas Metro Station within a radius of 100 meters. We immediately rushed to the spot in the police Scorpio but the area was even more deserted than before. We spread out to search the area and called her phone… on my second try Deepika answered the call!!

Apparently two guys on a bike threw the bag on the road and sped away… the young guy (27-28 years old), a pharmacist by profession was on his way home when he witnessed it. He heard the phone ringing and picked it up to answer the call. We thanked him profusely for his good gesture. At the police station, Deepika checked her purse and confirmed that all the cards and other docs are in there but all cash including the coins are gone. She also lost her earpods and headphone besides 2 expensive lipsticks, goggles and 2 silver coins with God/Goddess’s image. We were relieved that she got her phone back as well as the important documents. We did not register the FIR as we felt wisely or unwisely that the culprits even if caught will not get convicted (in this case) as they have not kept anything incriminating with them that can be held as evidence against them. Moreover, we haven’t had a good look at their face to identify them in front of the magistrate/ judge.

We thanked SHO Shiv Darshan for his quick thinking and actions and came back home around 10:30 pm totally exhausted physically as well as mentally. It was a life lesson for us and unforgettable…  

In Bengali, there’s a saying, “Uthlo bai to Cuttack jai” (উঠলো বাই তো কটক যাই) which roughly means doing something impulsively.

That’s exactly what happened on 8^th July afternoon, Deepika & I were having lunch with Sumita Sangeeta & Santanu at the ANAND NIKETAN CLUB where Sangeeta asked Deepika, “How’s the wedding (Ayush’s) preparation progressing?” That one question and its disjointed answers prompted Sangeeta to suggest that we all go to Kolkata to do the wedding shopping. Santanu immediately booked his and my air tickets under senior citizen (without any discount). And I booked for the other three for 4^th August to Kolkata and return on 8^th August. Sangeeta suggested we check into her cousin’s vacant apartment in New Town while I took up the task of arranging a suitable vehicle for our commute. I spoke to my dear friend Atish who connected me to Kali-da who runs a cab service. Kali-da promised to send one Innova at the airport for pickup and our commute in the city for the duration of our stay.

Meanwhile, our home was in a mess with renovation and repair work happening since the beginning of April with an interlude of one month (May) when the contractor was away to his village for some marriage function. We thought, the house would be ready before we leave for Kolkata but it was not to be… about 10-15% job remained to be completed which we were assured will be completed in our absence.

DAY ONE

Our flight Vistara UK705 was at 7:40 on 4^th August Friday… Vistara advised 3 hours prior check-in expecting weekend rush. Between us, we decided 5:30 am as the meeting time at the airport and accordingly asked Guddu (our driver and man Friday) to take us around 5:00 am. Deepika & I were first to reach and checked-in (for some unknown glitch in the Vistara App, Santanu and I could not generate our boarding pass and had to collect it from the counter). Sumita, coming from the furthest distance (Sohna Road, Gurugram) made a faux-pas by booking the cab for 6:45 am. The call from Deepika urging her leave by 4:45 am made her realize the mistake… she was the last one (of the group) to check-in.

The Vistara aircraft was brand new (Airbus A321Neo) with slanted seating in the Business Class but the Economy Class was the same… minimum leg space. However, this time they made up with decent food parcels. We landed at NSCB Kolkata around 9:35 am and were out by 10:00 am. As promised Kali-da had shared the vehicle number as well as the driver details… in fact the driver, Rajesh Ali called me while we were taxing in Delhi. I called him up and told him where we were and in about 5 minutes he came. We first went to Sangeeta’s Mama’s (maternal uncle) house in Baguihati/ Lake Town to pick up the keys and after tasting the Kolkata Sondesh went to our temporary abode in New Town, close to Salt Lake City to freshen up for the shopping excursion.

Our first stop was Bhojraj situated on Rash Behari Road near the Triangular Park. It’s a small shop but boasts of quality sarees both in terms of material and designs. Deepika picked up one saree having seen more than a dozen. It was the beginning… next stop was right across the street, Aadi Dhakeshwari Bastralaya, very famous shop spread in 3 floors for not just sarees but for Kurta-Dhoti, ladies suits and dress material. Here, Deepika picked up a Banarasi Saree for her Bahu and I picked up a Dhuti for Ayush. I liked a silk Kurta but it was quite expensive, moreover, I don’t wear kurta except on special occasion. Guided by Sangeeta, our next pit stop was Meera Basu Boutique on Dr. Sarat Banerjee Road, Ballygaunge. Meera Basu has the exclusive collection of sarees right from Dhakai, Dhonekhali, Tangail to Baluchari. It was difficult to choose and reject because most of them were hard to find elsewhere…exclusive sarees!! After spending more than 2 hours sifting through the sarees shortlisted, 3 sarees was finalized, one of them for Deepika, anniversary gift, it is a kind of special weave called Shiburi. Meera Basu, as a widow started the saree business to sustain her family and over the years became a legend for quality and designer sarees. She’s no more but her legacy continues…

In between we had Jhal Muri, Kurmur and Phoochka, all extremely popular and quintessential Kolkata Street Food. And these were our lunch on day one!!!

From Ballygaunge, we proceeded to Gariahat… Balaram Saha Handloom Saree Store, Ekdalia, Gariahat. The shop is situated on the first floor above an oriental restaurant. I have been to this shop earlier with my dear friend Atish when he bought a saree for his M-i-L. I must give credit to the Sales Person for his immense patience…in over 2 hours he showed more than 250 sarees in different textures, designs, hues and colours. Deepika and her 2 friends kept selecting-rejecting-selecting…only to shortlist about 6 sarees as semi-final. And then they went back to the ones they had rejected just to see if they had rightly rejected them or not. After much deliberation Deepika picked up 4 sarees from Balaram Saha and was happy with her final selection. Needless to say, the final selection was pushed by yours truly, not just here but at all the shops.

We were feeling hungry and it was time for dinner…the choice was to go to Park Street or China Town. We decided on the latter as I have never been to China Town and wanted to taste the authentic Chinese cuisine. We went Kim Ling as most of the dining apps gave it a very high rating and they were not wrong. We ordered soup both veg and non-veg; mixed meat Hakka noodles, egg fried rice, sautéed Chinese green, prawns chilly garlic and chicken in black pepper sauce… one portion of each and still couldn’t finish them. Santanu and I enjoyed a chilled beer as well.

We reached our home around 10:30 pm and signed off Rajesh Ali requesting him to report around 8:30 am for I wanted to taste the Kochuri-Aloor Dom at Aadi Haridas Modok at Shyam Baajar 5 point (Paanch Mathar Mor).

DAY TWO

In the morning, Santanu, Sumita and I went for the famed Kochuri-Aloor Dom at Aadi Haridas Modok. At INR 30 per plate of 3 Kochuris, it is perhaps the cheapest breakfast one can have in the city. In the early mornings, I am very hungry, so I ended up having 2 plates. We packed 2 portions of Chhanar Chop (Paneer Cutlet) for Deepika & Sangeeta and proceeded to another iconic place called Dwarik’s Grandson, a sweet shop that has been in existence since the time of Shri Ramkrishna Paramhans and Swami Vivekanand. Here, we picked up Misti Doi and 2 portions of Radha Ballavi for Deepika and Sangeeta. We also had Baked Rosogolla which was out of this world, I had it in Delhi at Annapurna as well as Kamala Sweets but they are no match to this one. I knew Deepika would love it so packed couple of pieces for her as well.

Our destination was Rash Behari Avenue or more precisely to Kimbadanti, a shop specializing on Kurta and the only shop I knew where I could find a kurta of Ayush’s size. I must mention here that since we agreed to a Bengali style wedding it is but natural that the groom will be attired in traditional Dhuti-Panjabi (dhoti-kurta) at the wedding ceremony. Therefore, not only for Ayush but for me too, a silk kurta and matching dhoti was picked up. Next we explored a few shop nearby from where D picked up a saree for our housekeeper.

We moved on to Park Street to explore more sarees. Deepika wanted to gift a saree each to Sangeeta & Sumita on the happy occasion of Ayush’s wedding. Sangeeta liked one saree that was way beyond what we had budgeted but we encouraged her to accept it as she liked it dearly. Sumita, on the other hand did not like any of the sarees not just here but at all the previously mentioned shops. She would invariably find some fault with all the sarees even the ones which she found somewhat likeable. While exploring the saree shops, Sumita and Sangeeta found a roadside vendor selling jhal muri, kurmur and couldn’t resist. I resisted because the Aadi Haridas Modok was still heavy on my stomach.

If you are on Park Street, Flurry’s is the natural choice for evening tea and snacks. I opted for Darjeeling Tea with a mutton patty and a cream roll which Deepika shared as well. Deepika and Sumita went on to meet their college friend Radhika with whom Sumita being very close decided to stay overnight. I dropped Santanu and Sangeeta at their maternal uncle’s home at Lake Town. Thereafter I met up with 3 of cousins at two ends of the city, Salt Lake and Kasba.

DAY THREE

It being a Sunday, most markets in Kolkata were observing holiday, so we decided to visit Raichak on the Ganges, approx 60+ kilometers from Kolkata for a day trip. We left around 8:30 am and on the way picked up Sumita from Park Street near Don Bosco school on way to Raichak.

Raichak on Ganges is a collection of hotel, resort, spa and theme based country homes beside the river Ganges, located at Raichak, 50+ km from Kolkata, West Bengal. The properties located in Raichak on Ganges are Ganga Kutir, Anaya, The Ffort Raichak and The Ffort Suites besides many private B-n-B options.

We were going for a day trip hoping to have lunch there and do a bit of sightseeing before returning in the evening. Except for Ffort Raichak managed by Radisson all other properties had restricted admission and did not entertain the walk-in customers. Sangeeta called up the resort and reserved a table for us and also requested if the manager can allow us to visit their other property Ganga Kutir which is situated right on the banks of Ganges with breathtaking views of the river.

Radhika had made breakfast of Aloo Paratha and Egg Sandwich for five of us but the quantity which she had packed was good for cricket team of 11+reserve players!! We devoured most of it as soon as we hit the serpentine 2-lane Diamond Harbour Road to Raichak. I dearly missed my mug of black coffee after the breakfast… had water instead and made myself comfortable on the last row of the Innova to take a nap!!

I woke up as we reached the gate of the Raichak on Ganges. The gate is manned by security personnel who allowed only the guests of the resorts/ B-n-B inside. We told them we are going to Ffort Raichak and they can verify with the manager. The guards simply noted down our vehicle registration and asked us to proceed.

The Ffort, was originally built back in the colonial rule (1783) for keeping a watch over River Hooghly to ward off the pirates. For many years post independence, the fort was left ignored and was in shambles. Later, Radisson group of hotels overtook it and converted it into a hotel. Opened in 1997 in West Bengal, the Ffort Raichak stands amidst 65 acres of landscaped greenery against the backdrop of the Hooghly River. The riverbank has a jetty where you can board a boat to reach the other side, to Haldia. A British commander, General Watson, resided here with his wife Mary and daughter Caroline, and 65 soldiers. The best part of the entire fort experience is the narrow tunnel-like steps which takes you directly to the riverbank.

At the fort, we checked the artifacts of the bygone era that adorned the walls of the reception area and about the brief history of the place. We were directed to the dining hall situated on the first floor of the fort. It was quite large with spaced out seating and had a big terrace from where one can get a glimpse of the fort landscape and the river Hoogly or Ganges. The river was very wide here… one can hardly make out the shoreline on the other side. There was reasonable traffic on the river of small fishing boats and bigger Launches carrying containers for the ships anchored somewhere near the Mohana at the Bay of Bengal.

We did not realize it but the breakfast was quite heavy on our tummies leaving little room for lunch. We shared plates of veggies, chicken and fish with rice and chapattis. The lunch was leisurely spread over 1.5 hours and then another 30 minutes on the terraces to enjoy the breeze and the view. We wanted to take the boat ride but the planned cruise had to be abandoned due to incessant rains and insufficient numbers to fill the large boat. We were not comfortable going on the dinghy fishing boats.

The manager at the fort confirmed that we could visit the Ganga Kutir to view the scenic river up close. The guards at the Ganga Kutir guided us to the public area where we must confine ourselves while enjoying the views and take photographs. Standing at the banks of the river, one could understand why the property Ganga Kutir is so much sought after; not just the views but the sound of the waves were magical especially at night when you are sitting on the decks that almost reaches the water… you might be tempted to sing Rabindrasangeet or Bhatiyali songs!!

We left for Kolkata hoping to be back in the distant future for an overnight stay at Ganga Kutir, Raichak. The Diamond Harbour Road is a 2-lane serpentine road that connects Raichak with Kolkata, no other alternative road available. As luck would have it, a large tree had fallen unable to hold on to the brittle ground anymore and all traffic came to a standstill. It had to be cut into pieces by hand saws which took almost an hour before the traffic moved.

We reached Gariahat Market, being a Sunday, the market looked deserted with most shops closed, we were lucky to find a Dashakarma Bhandar open. A Dashakarma Bhandar is a typical shop that specializes in selling Puja Samagri for Bengali rituals. Before going to Kolkata I had got a list of items made by our panditji but realized it was not needed as the shopkeeper had a printed list of items ready. You just have to tell him the occasion and he will mark it and get them nicely packed for you. We got all the items as per our list completing our target.

On our way home we picked up Mutton Biryani from Arsalan, Park Circus. It is a must have whenever I visit Kolkata. The biryani is non spicy (unlike the Hyderabadi) but full of flavours plus true to Bong tradition, they add a full potato and egg. Moreover, at an extra cost, one can add mutton, potato and eggs as much one likes.

DAY FOUR

We had leftovers of aloo-paratha and egg sandwich which were consumed for breakfast after which we left for Bahu Bazaar (বউ বাজার) for jewelry shopping. Santanu and I dropped the girls at the P C Chandra Jewellers and proceeded to Bentinck Street where many moons ago I had purchased a pair of leather boots from a Chinese shop. To my utter disappointment, all the Chinese shoemakers have vanished from there and non descriptive shops selling useless tidbits have come up…most of them selling stuff that are available in hoards at Sarojini Nagar, Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar markets in Delhi at less than half the price. Walking down the street we came across a KHADIM outlet with signs of 50% Discount across all products. I liked a pair of running shoes but putting them on realized the quality was not up to my liking. A further hundred meters down the road was another Khadim outlet but it was primarily of bags and purses. I picked two leather purses for Deepika and my sister and then returned to the jewelry shop. They had done their shopping so after paying up we came to Esplanade, more particularly to New Market. The original New Market was destroyed in a devastating fire few years ago and a new avatar is in place. It was quite like the Palika Bazaar of Delhi and I didn’t like the feel about it. However, there was one shop I had heard a lot about and wanted to check it out… it happens to be the favourite of Santanu… It is the Nahoum’s Bakery, an old Jewish establishment without any frills. I tried their Chicken patty which was nothing in comparison to the Wenger’s at Connaught Place, New Delhi. Overall, I was quite disappointed especially after hearing so much about it from Santanu and my other Kolkata friends.

Our next stop was another iconic food joint, Badshah, a favourite joint of Sangeeta for its Rolls. We stepped into their family station and ordered for mutton rolls and tea. The Badshah Special Mutton Roll was good but I won’t go back for it. Our next stop was Park Street where Deepika wanted to take a chance at buying a saree for Sumita. But as luck would have it, by the time we reached the Park Hotel it started pouring cats n dogs, the first heavy rains we experienced in 4 days. Next to the Park Hotel is the Bishwa Bangla outlet that showcases the handloom and handicrafts of Bengal. I had seen a small Dokra statue of Durga and family at their online store but it was out-of-stock then, I decided to try my luck. They had a bigger version but the price was too high. I settled for a pack of “first flush Darjeeling Tea” and a bottle of Aam-Kasundi pickle that Deepika loved.

There was no indication of the rains stopping anytime soon, so we went to the Trinca’s (a multi speciality restaurant of the Park Hotel), which is in existence since the Colonial days and a favourite watering hole for the Kolkata elites. It was too early for dinner especially after the Badshah Special Roll… we ordered for beer and mocktails which were served after almost 30 minutes that too after two reminders. Soon, I realized that I can’t eat any more and conveyed to others that I am feeling full and won’t have dinner. Others too expressed similar feelings, so we paid up and left for home. A few kilometers down the road I started feeling very uncomfortable and desperately prayed to reach home at the earliest.

I rushed to clean up my system and realized some or more items did not gel with my body… it was food poisoning. I felt very sick and called it a day. The following morning I got to know three things; (i) Sumita too had become unwell, (ii) Deepika, Sangeeta & Santanu had a feasting dinner from “6 Ballygunge Place” and most importantly (iii) Sangeeta had left her purse at the Trinca’s and needed to go there again to fetch it. I was still a bit under the weather so Santanu and I stayed back.

DAY FIVE

The girl brigade took more than their allotted time to fetch the purse… apparently they first went to Gariahat Market to pick up packing trays for the Gaye Holud Totto and then to Park Street for one last attempt at buying a saree for Sumita before collecting the purse from Trinca’s. We finally met at the MISHTI HUB at the Gate No. 3 Eco Park, New Town. Mishti Hub (মিষ্টি হাব) is an MSME enterprise established by the Government of West Bengal to promote different types of sweets of Indian state of West Bengal. One can have sweets made by renowned manufacturers from different parts of Bengal, in one place, under one roof, its only one of its kind in the state of West Bengal.  There are permanent stalls of some of the renowned sweet shops viz. K C Das, Ganguram, Banchharam, Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick et al. I have had the sweets from all of these places. Santanu and I decided on Surjya Kumar Modak which seemed to be a new addition. As per their claim, they are the inventor of the famous Jolbhora Taalshansh Sandesh. We picked up few boxes of mixed sandesh for home as well as gifting. Earlier, we had planned for a typical Bong lunch at a nearby restaurant but realized we were short on time, so settled for Radha Ballavi with Aloor Dom at Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick followed by Kulfi from Gupta Brothers.

Our flight back to Delhi was at 8:30 pm but as we had lots of luggage, we decided to reach early for the check-in and left for the airport around 5 pm. We were collectively 3 kg overweight but the Vistara Counter person allowed the extras when I mentioned that we have been shopping for my son’s wedding. Our assigned gate was at the far end of the terminal, so we decided to find a place to rest nearer to the gate instead of going to the lounge.

While in Kolkata, we got the news that our driver-cum-man-Friday Guddu Kumar had a cardiac arrest and was in the hospital. His services were ruled out, so, I downloaded the Blue Smart cab service app and booked us a cab from IGIA T-3 for our home.       

While chatting with Hans on WhatsApp, we shortlisted 3 places for a gate-away from Delhi…Varanasi, Amritsar and Agra, all being drivable from Delhi, the first one was a bit far taking almost 10 hours followed by 8 hours and 3 hours respectively. However, because of Didi’s reservations about sitting through such long hours, we decided on the Agra-Fatehpur Sikri circuit and accordingly bought the tickets to the Tajmahal and Fatehpur Sikri from the online portal.   

We have taken a conscious decision of not leaving Rolf alone overnight because of his advanced age and resultant rheumatism and other age related issues, he needs care that the housekeeper or Guddu can’t provide. So, one of us is always with/around him, therefore for the Agra trip it was decided that Deepika will stay back while Didi, Hans, Ayush & I will drive down for the 1.5 day trip. 

AGRA-FATEHPUR SIKRI

We had planned to start around 5:30 AM but managed to leave home 20 minutes late. We decided to go to Fatehpur Sikri first and Google Map suggested we take the NH-19 via Faridabad, Vrindavan, Mathura and take the Agra bypass to reach our destination… 206 km in approx. 4 hours.

NH-19 has been completely revamped and now offers a smooth ride which became apparent as Didi commented that she can’t recognize the route that she had taken to go to Mathura. Even Hans was pleasantly surprised not just of the road but seamless crossing of the Toll Plaza courtesy the FasTag.

We stopped for breakfast at newly opened restaurant near Mathura (Akbarpur) called NH-19 Dhaba and had tasty n filling stuffed parantha and masala tea without milk & sugar. Nice clean place with courteous staff. We were the first customers of the day so were given special attention.

Till now, I was driving but post breakfast Ayush decided to drive. His confidence level has gone up tremendously having driven through NH-44 only a few months ago. I was glad because, I needed to take a power nap to add up to my 4 hours only REM sleep. Ayush drove very smoothly allowing me to doze off most of the distance. He woke me up as we were approaching Dholpur and Google Map was suggesting multiple alternate routes from thereon. I told him to keep to the original route as that seemed less complicated using the Agra-Jaipur highway.

As we entered the road towards Fatehpur Sikri, 2 guys on a motorcycle approached us with offer to get our vehicle parked free of cost and take us to the shrine on a local registered car (no other vehicles are allowed to the complex) and also provide guided tour at a nominal charge of INR 700 only. We agreed and they guided us to a hotel where we parked our jeep. We walked about 100 meters and got into a Bolero which took us the gate of the Fatehpur Sikri Complex.

We were asked to deposit our shoes and provided with a pair of cotton shoes @10 INR per pair. The Guide Shoaib Ali narrated the history in a mix of English-Hindi-Urdu which Ayush and I could understand but had to translate for Hans in English and Bengali for Didi. This was the mosque, Jama Masjid, used by Akbar for praying and the Buland Darwaza is supposed to be the tallest gate as per the guide. I have no reason to argue with him so accepted it on face value. The place like most other has become too commercialized, we were told that if we visit the shrine of Salim Chisti, we need to offer a “Chadar” on the grave and took us to a place where a dozen such sellers had displayed their chadars. These were quite steeply priced starting at INR 2100 onwards going upto INR 7500. The guide very skillfully took Ayush & Hans to a different guy while Didi & I were stationed with another. The con became clear when the seller said we have to buy chadars individually i.e. one chadar per person. Understandably, Didi wanted to offer a chadar, so I bought one for her and politely refused to buy for myself saying that for me the god in whatever name you call, resides within me and I don’t have to do any ritual. The seller and the guide, both were disappointed for loss of revenue. But they managed to con Ayush and Hans by selling them a higher priced chadar each.

I followed them to the shrine but kept my distance from the theatrics and refused to put money on the chadar. There was no way to confirm their claim that the chadars are used to make wedding dresses for young girls of poor family and the money goes to some orphanage. I would rather give the money to charitable organization that has proven records for doing good work for the underprivileged.

We finished the tour in about 1.5 hours and headed for Agra; decided to check-in at the hotel Double Tree by Hilton… rest a while and proceed to Taj Mahal around 4-ish so that we could capture the sunset at the background.

Double Tree by Hilton is a 5 star hotel very close (1.2 km) to the Taj Mahal… having very courteous staff. The rooms are quite spacious (unlike the Hyatt) and we settled into our rooms within 20 minutes of reporting to the front desk. While checking in, we were told that there will be a buffet dinner at the coffee shop priced at INR 1500 but if we book before 6:30 pm, it will be INR 1000 plus taxes… we booked for 4 persons. We were all feeling hungry so ordered sandwiches through room service hoping that will be served fastest. We were quite disappointed both on account service which took close to 45 minutes as well as the food quality… especially the non-veg Club Sandwich… the bread wasn’t fresh and there was hardly any meat in it… just a paste of chicken and a thin fried egg with lots of veggies.

We had booked a cab and guide service from the hotel travel desk for 4 pm. The guide introduced himself and we set forth for the Taj Mahal. We purposely decided to skip other monuments of Agra to concentrate on Taj Mahal, a place where we have been many times but knew very little about which the guide narrated. The crowd management has improved in leaps and bound…last time in 2011 when we visited, we could not enter the monument because of unprecedented unruly rush. Now, one has to buy tickets online clearly indicating their nationality. There are only 2 gates to enter – East and West… completely barricaded allowing only pedestrian traffic on tiled road followed by security check with body scanner… only medicine and water bottle is allowed inside.

The hotel Toyota Innova dropped us at the parking area from where we got into a golf-cart that took us close to the monument (within 1.5 km) from where we had to walk. A few guys with wheelchairs approached us looking at Didi’s age but she’s made of different mettle and decided to walk the distance… later we realized that the wheelchair thing is a sham as it goes only up to the main gate and not till the actual monument.  Hans with the help of the guide had roped in a photographer to take pictures of us as we moved and provide both soft and hard copies (selected images) when we come out at a negotiated fee of INR 5600. Before I could intervene, the deal was struck, a foreigner was conned a second time on the same day.

The photographer took his job very seriously and started taking pictures immediately right from the entrance gate while the Guide narrated the story of Taj Mahal, most of which we already knew. The popular story that makes round that the all the workers, architects and others involved in the construction of the monument were maimed or killed by Shahjahan is nothing but myth. The guide told us that they were all made to sign an oath that they will not replicate the monument anywhere else and offered alternate occupation. Many of the descendents of such workers are still living in and around Agra and making decorative art pieces of marble including miniature replicas of Taj Mahal.

The Emperor Consort Mumtaz Mahal was initially buried at Burhanpur where she died and was exhumed and brought to Agra for burial at her final resting place at Taj Mahal. The tomb is exactly at the centre of the monument which is quite astonishing as in the absence of modern instruments how they figured out the exact centre point!! When Shahjahan died, he was buried next to her. The British looted all the jewels that adorned the monument but the beauty still persists. The guide told us that the Britishers actually wanted to take the entire Taj Mahal to their native land not because they were enamored by its beauty but to use the marbles for their homes… only the logistics prevented such criminal act.

The on-line ticketing has the advantage of limiting the number of persons that can enter the monument. It ensured that at any point of the day, only a limited manageable crowd is present inside the compound. Further on, there is an extra payment for those who desired to visit the main structure of the monument which effectively reduced the crowd influx that used to be the bane earlier.

Meanwhile, Hans had been busy getting himself framed in Bollywood style… as he said earlier to me that he wanted collect as many memories as he can… and what better than to get the best moments captured in photographs. Halfway to the mausoleum, the guide said the professional photographers are not allowed beyond that point… another first and for better…also the fact that photography is not permitted as soon as you enter the mausoleum. Using a powerful torch, the guide showed us how the Taj Mahal looks under the full moon. The real stones, rubies and emeralds shine in the moonlight giving a surreal effect to the monument.  Incidentally, the visitors are allowed in batches of 50 pax per half hour inside the complex near the main gate till about midnight but are prohibited to venture into the lawns or any further than the porch of the main gate. Another thing that we never realized in our previous visits is the fact that the corner pillars of the hexagonal points are flat if you touch and feel but viewed from a distance of six feet gives a visual effect of curved surface… amazing architecture.

When we came out of the mausoleum, the sun was setting and provided some awesome images. Collectively we, including Didi in her iPhone, took over fifty pictures till the daylight started fading completely. We walked back to the point where the golf-carts were waiting for passengers heading to the parking. The photographer came with an album as well as images in a memory stick which he transferred to Hans’s phone. He also gave a 8”x10” print of Hans with his mother which I am sure will be nicely framed and adorn the walls of their home in Russelsheim, Germany.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at leather store from where Ayush picked up a nice leather laptop bag at 1/3 the price of regular retail shops and Hans picked up a pair of dress shoes at a reasonable price. On hindsight, we should have picked up the leather suitcase which was on offer at a very reasonable price… it could be a reason to visit again in the near future!!

Ayush & I went to the market across the hotel and picked up a bottle of Dewar’s 12 years along with some soft drinks and soda water besides some chakhna. He had a call with his counterparts in USA till 10 PM, so we told Didi and Hans to go ahead for the dinner if they feel hungry and we will join them momentarily.

We should have booked the dinner after having the room service order… the buffet service was subpar considering the hotel is a 5 star property. Didi & Hans had finished their dinner when we reached the restaurant and waiting for us. As we approached them, she got up excitedly and introduced me and Ayush to the occupants of the table just behind ours… they were the same people whom she and Hans had met the Safdarjung Tomb and at the Isha Foundation at their invitation. It was a sheer coincidence that they not just had come to Agra too but staying in the same hotel as well.

The following morning after breakfast which happened to be the best meal we had in the hotel, left for Delhi aiming to reach by 12:30-1:00 pm as Ayush had to log-in by 1:30 PM for his meetings. The return journey was very smooth with one toilet stopover at the Toll Plaza of Mathura Exit. Good thing that both Taj Expressway(Agra Ring Road) as well as Yamuna Expressway have installed FasTag so one doesn’t have to dig into the purse for cash at the Toll Plazas. The change of driver happened at the Jewar Toll Plaza because Ayush was averse to driving on empty stretch of the road as that would make him sleepy… I did not tell him that with how much will power I had stayed awake while driving on the near empty roads… Anyways, we reached home well before the targeted time to allow Ayush to log-in for his meetings.

DIWALI & BHAIDUJ

Diwali is not complete without a visit to the Blind School Diwali Mela especially because their candles are far superior to the ones that are available in the market and burns for the whole night. The other attractions being the handicrafts and paintings by the differently abled students, Hans picked up few of them. On our way back we decided to stop at an Italian Restaurant called EVO, very close to our home but unfortunately that evening they had waiting period of more than an hour, so we came home and ordered PIZZA from another restaurant . We went to Evo on another day with prior reservations and thoroughly enjoyed the Pepperoni Pizza which turned out be juicy and flavorful compared to the other joint.

The following Sunday, we went out for lunch at a CP restaurant and then first to famous Hanuman Mandir where Didi used frequent when living in Delhi and desired to visit the place along with Hans. We then went Central Cottage Industries Emporium on Janpath. Many years ago, before marriage, she used to work there and in her previous visits made it a point to visit to meet up with friends. Now, almost all her friends have retired and moved to other parts of the country, some had taken abode with Madhav. The place has changed significantly, the main attractions are on the ground floor having brass, papier-mâché and ceramic art pieces besides giftables. We noticed some nice furniture as well and made a mental note to visit again when we plan to change ours. Hans picked up few brass figurines of which the Saraswati was quite attractive. I added one more Ganesha to my collection. When I reached the cash counter, I found my childhood friend Alok aka Gutloo with his wife Arpita paying for his purchases. Arpita has an enviable collection of Ganesha(s) which she had proudly displayed in a glass showcase.  

In an around Diwali, playing Teen Patti (3 card flash) had become a ritual but for last 4 years or so, it had taken a back seat due to pandemic related restrictions. Then the passing away of the biggest organizer my Chhordi (sister) due to covid related complication in early 2021 has been a big dampener to the spirits of Diwali. This year we did not organize any card party nor were invited to any such party. On the Diwali evening, after the usual puja, Deepika, Ayush, Hans and I sat down to play the Flash but without involving money. We first had to explain Hans the rules of the game, he being a quick learner, picked up the nuances of the game and soon was on winning way.

My insisting and persuading Didi and Hans to visit us during the time of festivities had an ulterior motive as well… there was some kind of undercurrent in the relations between my elder siblings due to variety of reasons and misunderstandings. No amount of counseling from my end had had any positive effect as being the youngest (but wisest), I could not influence them. So, I thought, Didi being the eldest, almost a mother figure, can perhaps put some sense in warring individuals.

It took some cajoling, admonishing and pushing by her but at the end, I am very happy to say that all the misunderstandings were set aside and we had an enjoyable sibling’s get-together on Bhaiduj. And needless to say, my culinary skills won the day with Hing Diye Aloor Dom and Kosha Maangsho. Deepika completed the menu with her famous Punjabi Chhole and Tomato Paneer. And of course there were an array of sweets for dessert.

Bhaiduj happens on the second day after Diwali but this year because of the Solar Eclipse, Bhaiduj (officially) happened on the third day after Diwali. However, we are in the age of convenience, so Deepika’s brothers came over on the second day to celebrate as both had preoccupation the following day. In a way, it was better; they got full attention as was my siblings the following day.

All times, good or bad, comes to an end… Didi & Hans flew back to Germany on 1 November early morning and Ayush to Bengaluru the following evening… Deepika & I are back to daily grinding… hoping for an eventful, happy beginning to the New Year about a month ahead from now…

On that fateful rain soaked evening of April, Ayush was totally frustrated… he has been trying book a cab to go home for over 30 minutes… 4 cabs cancelled the booking at the last minute… finally he got a cab after harrowing 45+ minutes. Then and there, he decided to buy his own car at the first opportunity.

After a thorough research in terms of safety issues and performance, he shortlisted 3 cars – VW Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and MG Astor which were all within his budget. He checked out the respective dealers in Bengaluru and booked his test drive for the following weekend. Astor was not available for test driving at that point of time. After testing both Taigun and Kushaq, he favoured the latter but the Skoda dealership wasn’t very enthusiastic about delivery confirmation. VW dealer on the other hand was quite optimistic of immediate delivery. Next, the issue was about registration… he was averse to getting the car registered in Bengaluru not knowing how long he will be stationed there, on the other hand, he can’t keep driving a non-Karnataka registered car for long without getting harassed by the cops.

The solution was to get the newly launched BH registration… the GoI had recently started a new registration BH series which is valid pan India. This has been done for the people with transferable jobs in govt and private sector with offices in multiple cities (minimum 4 locations in 4 states). However, barring Delhi, none of the other states are issuing this BH series to non-govt employees. So, Ayush came down to Delhi in mid-May to book and buy the car.

We visited both Skoda and VW dealerships in Safdarjung Enclave and did a test drive of both cars. There was not much difference between Kushaq and Taigun but I liked the looks of Taigun better… also it was costing less with all the discounts thrown in by the VW dealer. Ayush preferred the Yellow color but was told that there is long waiting for that particular color. He was offered a choice of White, Silver, Dark Grey and Cherry Red which were more likely to be available within a month’s time. Ayush booked the car and was assured delivery latest by June end. He flew back to Bengaluru at the end of May as his office was opening up again on 1^st June.

As the days went by, we got a bit itchy because the dealer was not confirming the delivery schedule and Ayush had to book his flight tickets only on confirmation from them. So, on the third weekend of June, Deepika and I went to the dealership to find out the status. I lost my cool when the GM of the dealership kept saying he can’t confirm as the number & color of the vehicles being allocated by the company is not consistent with the bookings. I threatened them to cancel the booking if they can’t deliver by the month end. Although knew there’s not much options available as practically all vehicles have a minimum 4-6 weeks waiting with few of them as long as 1 year+.

We saw one Yellow Taigun that had come for some repair (dent) and realized the color is very different from the print and video representation. It had a greenish tint that made it look dull and dirty. I told Ayush to reconsider his options and go for Red or Dark Grey.

Probably, my threatening helped as within two days, the dealer confirmed that Yellow is not going to be available any time soon but we can have our second option of Cherry Red by month end. Ayush reached Delhi on 25^th June morning on a month long WFH arrangement. The dealer asked us to visit them on Monday or Tuesday to do the paperwork formalities as they were all occupied with launch of VW Virtus during the weekend.

On Tuesday we went to the dealership and completed the formalities and also checked out the car allotted to him. We were promised delivery latest by Friday evening and it was delivered as said. Ayush drove the car to Durgabari Kali Mandir for puja of the car as wished by his mother. Incidentally, his maternal uncle also took delivery of same model car in dark grey that very day.

We decided to get the first servicing of the car at 1000km mark done here in Delhi before embarking our journey to Bengaluru (2300km approx.). In the intervening period, the car was driven as much as possible to reach near about 1000km mark. We had decided to start our journey on 29^th July to reach Bengaluru on 31^st July.

I told Ayush to tank up the car a day before our journey but forgot to mention that he should get the tyre pressures checked as well. It was a big lapse on my part and we had to pay for it…

THE JOURNEY: FLYING WITH THE TAIGUN

We had planned to start early around 5 am on Friday 29^th July but poor Ayush, in the excitement of the adventure he forgot to put wake-up alarm and got up only at 4:45 am. We started at 5:55 am from Delhi with a almost clear sky. Google suggested we take the DND followed by Agra Expressway but I decided to take the NH19 (Faridabad-Mathura-Agra) and take the Agra Bypass to Dholpur and beyond.

As soon as we hit the highways of Faridabad, rain started and continued for about 10km… with some part of the road submerged… it was the precursor to what was in store ahead. I drove sedately never going above 100 but keeping it above 70kmph till we cross the populated areas. We were not in a hurry and decided to be safer than being faster. We reached Chambal around 10:15 am decided to stop at the newly opened restaurant called CHAMBAL SPICE for breakfast. We were the only customers at that time but their service is admirable, we were served with hot Aloo-Paratha with Curd and Pickle. It started raining again as we devoured the tasty non-spicy parathas and hot Masala Chai.

I asked Ayush to take the wheels when we started again after half hour break. Initially, I was guiding him but soon realized he is driving almost like a pro… and this was his first time driving on the highways. If you are a driver yourself but seating on the passenger seat, it becomes monotonous and boring, you feel sleepy. That’s exactly what happened to me, I fell asleep right after crossing Gwalior and only woke up after we had crossed Jhansi. It was over 100 km stretch that Ayush drove on his own without any assistance including maneuvering through the Jhansi Bypass which is a bit tricky and the roads are not very friendly. I felt proud of him. He insisted on carrying on till evening…

During my previous trips to & fro Delhi-Hyderabad, I used to fill-up the gas when meter indicated 25% remaining, we applied the same strategy and when the last 2 bars remained we searched for a gas station near Sagar (MP). It was 5:15pm and changeover time… I didn’t want him to drive as the lights started fading, on a stretch that has a sizeable bovine population scattered on the road. The situation was further aggravated with innumerable potholes throughout the route. Some were sporadically filled up making them speed bumps. Till there was daylight one could see the potholes and maneuver around it but as the lights faded and with the downpour, it was impossible to see the potholes or the improvised speed bumps… in quick succession we hit two very bad (deep) potholes but Taigun remained stable and we continued on our journey. As we neared Deori, it started drizzling which soon became downpour and continued till about Narsinghpur. Thankfully, it was dry as we approached Seoni where our destination Pench Jungle Camp was situated.

We were originally booked at Rukhad Jungle Camp on the NH44 itself but the persistent heavy downpour in the region had made the resort inoperable. Therefore, we were advised to reach PJC a further 30 km down the highway followed by 10 km through the jungle roads. Google estimated our arrival at the destination at 11 pm but we beat the estimate by 40 minutes and reached PJC at 10:20 pm.

We have stayed at Pench Jungle Camp on another occasion along with our friends, the Basu’s. It is a decent place but doesn’t warrant a second visit. In the name of being eco-friendly, the place has become very Spartan with minimum luxuries that one expects in a Resort accommodation. Anyways, we were there just for the night stay so it did not mattered much. Since, we were not sure about our ETA, had informed the resort to keep our food cooked and ready, hot or cold, were acceptable to us. Surprisingly, the food was still hot which we enjoyed with the Elixir of Life that I carried with me.

In the morning, we were ready to go around 7:30 am and went to look for the restaurant for breakfast. The place was getting cleaned when we reached and was told the breakfast would be ready in about 15-20 minutes. After some time we were served with a bowl of fruits consisting of Watermelon & Papaya along with a small glass of watermelon juice. This was followed by hot idlis with sambar (Deepika makes much better sambar) and coconut chutney, also Poha with green chutney. The food was good but not exceptional. The steward came to check if we needed anything more… I asked for a masala omlette while Ayush settled for a pancake which turned out to be “set dosa”!!

We put our overnight bags in the car and I went to the reception to settle our account. There was nobody at the counter… the guard came and called up someone who asked him to guide me to some inner office. I had paid an advance of INR 1800 and the final settlement came to INR 2461.40… I was carrying cash knowing well the poor network connections inside the jungle area making card/ UPI payment difficult. I offered 5 currency notes of 500 denominations… the person asked for change… I could find 450 in currency notes but he insisted on the balance as well… the coin section of my purse provided 2 five rupees coin which he accepted reluctantly and returned one of the 500 notes. I thought from my experience, in the northern part of the country, the hotel would have given a 100 note letting go of the change part in such a scenario.

When I reached, the parking lot, I saw Ayush standing by the car and looking intently at the front right tyre. My heart sank thinking we have a flat tyre which would mean driving slowly on the smaller spare tyre and getting in Nagpur City to get the puncture repaired. Ayush said, “Dad, look at this tyre, it has deformed at this point”. Initially I couldn’t see anything but closer inspection revealed a small inflation or bubble on the side of the tyre. I checked the spot but it as hard as the rest of the tyre. I told Ayush that we can’t do much at that point of time drive with caution and get it checked when we reach Hyderabad. On hindsight, we could have got it checked in Nagpur as well.

I asked Ayush to drive till we crossover into Telengana from where I will take it up. When we had entered the Jungle Road, there was Toll Booth some 50 meters ahead of us but courtesy Google Map guidance we came out on the highway bypassing that Toll Booth and saved some money and some kilometers as well!!

The newly constructed highway on Pench-Nagpur sector is a dream run with wide roads and no potholes. We zipped through the section with ease driving at a sedate 95-110 kmph and soon reached the Nagpur Bypass. There was a posse of Police some 100 meters away and we were flagged down. We thought it might be for over speeding but the signage had clearly indicated max speed 100kmph. The policeman came to the driver side window and asked for the license, RC and PUC. I told him PUC is not applicable as the car is brand new only a month old. Then we realized it was a ploy of MAHARASHTRA POLICE to do HAFTA WASULI. The policeman without a shame asked for money which we had give to avoid further harassment.

The rest of the journey till Hyderabad was uneventful barring the maneuvering of the potholes which remained in large numbers till Adilabad (Telengana) and sporadic downpours which slowed us down a bit. When we crossed Penganga River, a tributary of Godavari River, I knew we have entered Telengana… it was time for me to take the wheel and also fill up gas. I knew there was a HP Petrol pump in Dollara (Sri Ambica Filling Station) and told Ayush to keep an eye for it to stop.

Ayush meanwhile had done his research about the “bubble” on the tyre and became a bit paranoid and asked me to slow down from 100+ to about 80kmph because the bubble might cause tyre burst according to the SM posts. I assured him that if it was to happen, it would have happened by then… we had covered over 1500km by then. I asked him to find out Tyre Shops selling similar size tyres in and around Gachibowli, Hyderabad where we were going.

Fortunately, as we moved closer to Hyderabad, potholes on the road became less evident and most were re-laid with patchwork. After Medchal (one of the entry point to Hyderabad) we took the ORR which I maintain is the biggest boon to all Hyderabadis. Initially, Google suggested we exit the ORR from Exit #18 to Gachibowli but due to congestion at the Gachibowli Circle and at the Toll Gate before that, it altered the route through Exit #1 at ISB Road, Financial District. However, it was equally choked with evening traffic and became worse with sudden downpour. It took us almost an hour to reach the tyre shop opposite SLN Terminus Mall (Whitefield) on Old Mumbai Highway. The technician there reconfirmed the tyre burst theory and suggested we take it to the VW Dealer to claim warranty. We told him that would mean going back 1600km from where we started!! He checked his stock register and informed that their other shop at Madhapur may have the required size of the tyre.

Though, from the direction he provided, I could figure out where the shop was but Hyderabad roads especially in the Cyberabad area has changed much since I left the city 1.5 years ago. So we asked Google Map to assist us which it did through long winding roads much of which I could recognize.

The Madhapur shop did not have exact brand in the required size but suggested a wider tyre (new) or a slightly used same spec tyre (for which it stood guarantee)… buying the first means a set of 2 tyres plus a question of alignment. We negotiated for the used one and got it changed. We also requested them to check the tyre pressure of all the tyres. All of them barring the new one were over inflated and it became clear the bubble was caused when we the pothole because of extra air in the tyre. It was a costly lesson to learn which we will remember forever.

We had planned to visit IKEA to pick up some small items but postponed it to the following morning. Around 9 pm we checked in at Hyatt Hyderabad, Financial District Gachibowli just across the Amazon campus. We had thought of going to Fisherman’s Wharf, a Seafood Restaurant close to the hotel but driving through the city in such thick (and unruly) traffic had taken a toll on our enthusiasm so we ordered food (Oriental) in the room and poured ourselves SM to wash away our fatigue.

Following morning after a sumptuous buffet breakfast we went to IKEA on Hitech City Road. I wanted to checkout our erstwhile residential complex NCC Urban which is right behind the IKEA on NASR Boys School Road. But the road was under construction and the detour was a bit complex so abandoned the idea and proceeded to IKEA on Hightech City Road.

We left for Bengaluru around 12 noon and I handed over the wheels to Ayush as we entered the ORR. The ORR Stretch from Financial District to Shamshabad has been constructed under the supervision of my childhood friend, a civil engineer by profession. I have extensively used this part of the ORR during my 3 years in Hyderabad. Ayush drove with ease and soon we were on the Bengaluru road. There was quite a heavy traffic considering it was Sunday but then the same road also goes to Tirupathi besides Kurnool, Anantpur being the major towns on the route.

Somewhere in between Kurnool & Anantpur, we stopped at a KFC outlet (actually a food court in the making) and ordered for our respective dishes. The service is hopelessly bad… we waited for over 20 minutes before I had to give my piece of mind to the counter guys and only then our tray was made. They would call token no.45 and then the next call is for token no.49… what happened to 46, 47 and 48??? No answer!!

The sun was setting on the western skies giving a nice hue of colors (took few pics) and sky ahead of us was getting covered in dark clouds. I took the wheel from Ayush and proceeded at a good speed hoping that we might cross the cloudy stretch before it starts pouring but it wasn’t to be and the drizzle soon became a downpour and then a deluge. The visibility reduced to 10 metres and speed reduced to 30kmph besides becoming pitch dark at 6pm. Thankfully there were no potholes to negotiate but one couldn’t avoid the water logging at the low lying spots. I checked with Ayush if should stop like other vehicles had done but he said, “If you can drive slowly and follow the truck with reflectors then let’s move on because we don’t know how long this downpour will last”. It was a good suggestion as pretty soon we were out of the deluge and again speeding away on dry stretch.

We crossed Anantpur and saw the KIA Motors factory which I had last seen as a under construction unit nearing completion. On my last journey I had seen one or two Korean food joints around this factory but this time in the darkness couldn’t locate them. In any case, we were filled up with KFC Chicken and Fries.

We reached the outskirts of Bengaluru (Yelahanka) around 9pm and then followed the traffic on NH44 followed by Old Madras Road and finally 80’ Road to reach our destination at Defence Colony, Indira Nagar, Bengaluru. It was a total driving time of 36 hours… same as what Google Maps had predicted. I told Ayush that at any other time of the year I would have beaten the prediction by at least a couple of hours which I had done in all my travels to and fro Delhi-Hyderabad-Delhi.

Ayush has a nice 3BHK house which he shares with two of his friend and I was mighty impressed at the way they have kept the house clean and orderly. Even though I wanted to stay a bit longer but couldn’t do so because of my aging Rolfie and flew out to Delhi on a Vistara Airlines flight a day after. But before that on Monday evening, we went to The TOIT Brewpub and the famed NAGARJUNA Restaurant. The beers at the Toit was amazing however I didn’t find Nagarjuna food to be exclusive as some friends had said.

I hope the journey and the driving on the highway has given a life lesson to my son who drove throughout with great composure and like a pro. It was a daring drive of 2300km plus in the monsoon time and all those who were privy to our journey were a bit apprehensive. It was not just the highways but unpaved roads through the jungle in the darkness that kept us on the edge throughout.  

I plan to take to the road again in about a year’s time to Goa when the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be operational. Surely, I will cover the distance in less than the estimated 12 hours…

By the grace of my dear friend Madhav…   

On Saturday morning we started our long journey around 8 am from Anand Niketan taking the MG Road (Ring Road)-Barapulla Road to join the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. This road has made travelling to Western UP and Uttarakhand a much convenient journey.

My friend Ashish is a frequent visitor to Rishikesh and uses this route practically every 10-12 days visiting his project (Namami Gange) site, provided the details of road condition and pit-stops, so I was prepared when the 6-lane road narrowed down to 2-lanes for few kilometers. However, I was not prepared for the surge of traffic… it seemed that all of NCR is on way to wash their sin in the Ganges!!

We stopped at Namaste Midway, a food court that boasts of some of the well known restaurants. We decided to go to Naivedyam, a south Indian cuisine restaurant which we felt would be less crowded. We had Idli-Vada-Dosa in a relaxed atmosphere and charged up for the rest of the journey after a 45 minutes break. Ashish had suggested taking a right turn towards Cheela Dam-Rishikesh Road, however, because of the heavy traffic, the police had barricaded the turning and we followed the Google Map routing and reached Ganga Kinare just in time (2:00Pm) for check-in.

After a leisurely lunch and relaxation we went to see the Ganga Aarti at Paramarth Ashram, in the evening. The Paramarth Ashram is near the Janaki Setu (Jhula) which has 3 pathways, 2 of which is meant for up & down 2-wheeler traffic and the middle path is dedicated for pedestrian movement. The hotel car dropped us near the Janaki Jhula from where we walked the 1.5km to the Paramarth Ashram Ghat. By the time we reached it was teaming with devotees with ‘Havan’ in progress and 2 of the disciples singing Bhajans which were soothing to the ears unlike the ones churned out in Bollywood tunes. Deepika and others went down the steps to have a better view but in the end I had the most vantage position right below the arch to the Paramarth Ghat. After a while the head of the ashram HH Swami Chidanand Saraswati Ji along with Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati Ji made their way to the ghat and offered Purnahuti at the Havan Kund. Thereafter, the duo regaled the audience with soulful rendition of Bhajans and meaningful sermons. Sadhvi Bhagawati Ji is an American by birth now devoted to Hindu spirituality and spoke of life’s journey comparing it to the flowing Ganga from Gomukh to Gangasagar through the ups and down, narrow and wide passes, shallow and deep gorges in its journey never looking back.

Deepika had availed the service of a youth (Guide) and he took us to the Ashram to see the Kalpataru Vriksha which had purportedly churned out during the Samudra Manthan (as per the Hindu Mythology). We also saw the 200 years old Banyan Tree which had an impression of Ganesha in inverse besides the Glass Temple of Lord Vishnu in Vishwaroop. From there Deepika and I went to a Govt shop to see Ekmukhi Rudraksh (a rare variety). We ended up buying couple of things from there ensuring the guide gets his commission from the shopkeeper (in full honesty he admitted that the shopkeeper pays him at the end of each month based on the customers he brings to the shop).

Back in the hotel, tiredness gripped us completely and we needed some sort of energizer… I was carrying a bottle of Dewar’s 12 years just in case… of which I and my brother-in-law had a peg each before dinner. I had a chat with Ayush before calling it a day and was assured that Rolf had been a ‘good boy’ eating, walking and doing his chores without any fuss.

The following day, Sunday, we had booked a taxi to take us to the Neelkanth Temple, some 25 km from Rishikesh. The way to the temple is through Rajaji National Park, a wildlife sanctuary inhabited by leopards and elephants besides other species. Though the road was narrow and winding it was scenic.

At the entry point of Rajaji National Park near the Barrage, the Govt. of Uttarakhand had installed a Camp for Covid19 Test… which I found farcical; they refused to acknowledge our Double Vaccination Certificate and insisted on the test (Rapid Antigen Test) which does not give accurate result. We were told that by the time we reach Neelkanth Temple, the result will be messaged to us. They gave us a ‘Receipt’ which was supposed to be checked at the Temple Entrance. THERE WAS NOT A SOUL TO CHECK THAT RECEIPT NEITHER AT THE PARKING AREA NOR AT THE TEMPLE AND I CAN BET HALF THE PILGRIMS WERE NOT EVEN VACCINATED.

About 2 km from the temple, the police stopped us and directed us to the parking lot. We were told that we have to walk rest of the road; however we could see many vehicles, primarily local taxis were freely plying on the stretch. We managed to reach the temple which was not just chaotic but confusing as well. As a principle, I do not go inside any temple, church, mosque, gurudwara etc., so I stayed back guarding the shoes of my company while they went inside to offer puja. After a while, my brother-in-law and Bhabi came out visibly shaken and disappointed that they couldn’t find the actual temple with Neelkanth Idol. However, Deepika continued her spiritual journey and offered her prayers and puja. On the way back we managed to get a taxi which dropped us at the parking lot from where connected with our taxi for the return journey. We had planned to explore the city of Rishikesh but it was already 3pm and we were hungry, so, the next stop happened at the Chotiwala Restaurant at Laxman Jhula. Some 30-35 years back this used to be open plan Dhaba but things have changed… it is now an air-conditioned restaurant with a digital access menu card and bottled water. The food is still good and we were hungry from the trekking to Neelkanth… as a result missed out taking the picture of the food!!

There are shops in the vicinity from where we bought stuffs like Pashmina mufflers, ladies suits and t-shirts besides brass sculptures for gifting purposes. None of us had any strength or inclination to explore further so decided to go back to the hotel. On our way back we got stuck at the Triveni Ghat and our driver decided to take an alternate route through the serpentine winding lanes of Rishikesh. Right fro Haridwar to all the way up is Dev Bhoomi and none of the hotels/restaurants/dhaba’s serve non-vegetarian food not even eggs…therefore, I was surprised to see a shop inside the lane openly displaying and selling eggs!!

Early morning, on Monday we went for a walk on the ‘Marine Drive’ a walkway created by the govt along the Ganga which for a change was not only clean but without the usual crowd one sees around the river bank. This may be because all the properties on it were privately owned with many being hotels/retreats for Yoga & Meditation.

We had a hearty breakfast trying out all the varieties… stuffed parantha, puri-aloo, chhole-bhature and even idli-dosa. I also tried the Matar Kachori which was quite delicious. At around 9 am we paid the hotel bill and checked-out…the journey back to Delhi was much smoother and as promised to Deepika, I dropped her home well before 2pm before going ahead to Anand Niketan to drop our companions.

The second wave of covid came like a tornado and affected most people that I know of… it touched me personally as well. Deepika was tested positive and isolated herself for two weeks. Fortunately she was asymptomatic and barring few days of lethargy and fatigue she was otherwise in good shape.

I lost my sister on April 3 due to multiple organ failure due to kidney infection but was post mortem declared to be covid infected. She was cremated as per covid protocol which prevented my older siblings to pay their last respect to her as her mortal remains were consigned to the fire god. She had many issues in life both health and emotional but her passing away has still not sunk in… even now!

Then, later in April 26, Deepika lost her Chachaji (uncle), the last patriarch of the family to old age. He had kidney infection for last few years and had been on dialysis, got covid infection while visiting the hospital for the treatment, recovered but succumbed to post covid complications. Deepika alone went to pay her as well as our last respect to the departed and somehow picked up the infection that very day.

The April-May 2021 has been the bearer of worst kind of news… practically every day we were given some bad news of departures of friends, colleagues and relatives which numbed us in more ways. There was always an element of uncertainties of the future…each day we thanked for being alive and untouched by the virus. To top it, the city was in lockdown, nowhere to go, not even to pick up grocery from our preferred store(s). We desperately wanted to get out of this morbid situation and run, run to wherever we could, we needed some positive boost…

I have made six journeys to and fro Delhi-Hyderabad which is approx 1600km each way in our trusted Toyota Corolla Altis in last three years. Then in December we went to Naukuchiatal, Uttarakhand in the same vehicle and realized that the sedan is good in the plains but one needs an SUV to enjoy the hill drive. In the beginning of March we looked around for a new vehicle and after checking on Kia, Hyundai, Tata, zeroed on Jeep Compass but then lockdown happened!!

Meanwhile, the Altis was nearing its 4^th Birthday (in July) and also the end of its company lease, we paid up the residual amount and decided to lease the new vehicle from the company. However, it had to wait for the lockdown to ease and the auto showrooms to open. Finally, on June 13, we took delivery of the Jeep Compass from the Gurugram Dealer. In a way it was our 30^th Anniversary gift from the company!!!

Except last year (2020), every year for last at least 20 years we have taken a short vacation around June 20 to celebrate our anniversary and this year we were simply desperate to go out of the city. But it wasn’t safe to go just anywhere, the second covid wave had instilled a fear in all of us. After lot of deliberations and search, we decided on Naukuchiatal for two reasons… (1) Availability of an independent fully furnished house for short stay, and (2) Our good friend Sanjay Dutt was stationed in the proximity in his own Villa with sprawling lawns where we can unwind.

Last time in December, we left Delhi in the afternoon and faced lot of traffic congestion on the way, so this time it was decided to leave as early as possible around 5/5:30 am. In December we had taken Rolf with us and he was visibly very uncomfortable not only during the travel but even during our stay. He is 12 human years old now with rheumatism issues, so he was left at home under the care of the housekeeper and Guddu, the driver turned man-Friday to walk him twice a day. It did pain me to leave him but I consoled myself that it was for his good only. And it turned out to be a good decision because during most days of our stay it rained and it would have been a challenge for Rolf to walk and do his job in the wet surroundings.

We started off exactly at 5:30 am from home and reached the Bharat Petroleum outlet at Moolchand in about 10 minutes considering the empty streets. I needed to tank up but as I entered the station I realized something was amiss… the outlet had no power supply and wasn’t able to dispense the gas. The next outlet (Indian Oil) on our route was at Nehru Nagar which was thankfully operational and we tanked up.

As we hit the highway, the speed limit eased up to 100kmph and I pushed the paddle, as soon as the speedometer crossed 80kmph, there was beeping noise and the dashboard screen warned that I had breached the speed limit. It was not just confusing but irritating too as the road sign clearly mentioned 100kmph as speed limit and at 80kmph I was well below that limit. We tried calling up the Jeep Helpline but they were helpless…the lady on the desk was very sympathetic and offered us towing service which we declined as politely as we can. We tried the various options to stop the beeping but it won’t stop so we decided to live with the annoying beeping and drive on. Much later, we came to know that all new vehicles (2021 onwards) have this warning beep pre-installed at 80kmph followed by 2 beeps at 100kmph and continuous beeping as one breach 120kmph…this is the new safety feature as per the GoI directive. In a way it is a welcome measure if it can reduce road accidents due to over speeding.

Although we had decided not stop for breakfast (we carried sandwiches and stuffed parantha) at the Nirula’s outlet at Gajraula but had to stop to use the restroom and had much needed coffee to revitalize. As we left, the Sun started playing hide n seek with the clouds. The rain started as we entered the Muradabad bypass road and remained with us till we reached our destination, giving some respite intermittently. To enter Uttarakhand, one needs to have RTPCR Negative Report and Registration at the govt website (Smartcity Dehradun) along with the details of one’s stay. This is checked and recorded at the entry point of the State (for us it was at Bazpur) where they give a token which again is checked at Kaladungi . Having started early, we were lucky to be the first ones at the counter and got our token in less than 5 minutes. At Kaladungi checkpoint, we simply flashed the token from our vehicle and were cleared to proceed. I guess, because of the conditional entry, the number of tourist entering Uttarakhand was relatively less compared to Himachal where there was a 6 km long traffic congestion to enter Shimla.

It took us 7 hours to reach our destination, by far the fastest that we ever made it. Sanjay along with Sridhar aka Siddu, his son was there to greet us and informed that lunch will be served at his place just behind our temporary abode.

Thankfully, the rain had stopped and we could take out our luggage and other stuff from the vehicle. Must point out here that we carried basic cooking utensils and our own crockery/cutlery sets not wanting to use any third party stuff (if available).

We freshened up and went to Sanjay’s place. On earlier visit, Sanjay had been little paranoid about the pandemic and respecting that we had mostly stayed outside the house enjoying the winter sun and breeze. But this time he was more relaxed, probably because all of us carried a negative RTPCR report!! He had ordered food for a party of at least 25 people starting with burgers, pizza, roast chicken and biriyani. We were stuffed for the day!!

Since, we had no intentions of any excursion (having seen most of the scenic sites in our numerous visits to the area), we decided to relax and played cricket with Siddu letting him hit the ball every time. The joy that he had was priceless. We had the good fortune of having Chewbacca (Shih Tzu) as a fielder but she would reach the ball but couldn’t fetch it as the ball was a bit too big for her to bite.

In the evening, we played our favourite indoor sports of Dumb Charade and the card game called TwentyNine. The former is game where one team gives a name of a cinema (Hindi or English only) to a member of the opposing team. The person has to act without uttering any word or noise or pointing to any physical being/things and that team has to guess the name within 2 minutes. It starts with easy names but ends up with tough ones as competitiveness overshadows the camaraderie. My team lost when I could not enact “Serendipity” successfully.

The Twenty Nine card game is primarily a Bong game, invented and vigorously played by every Bong that I know. It is played with 32 cards between 2 teams of 2 players each. The cards in the game are Jack (3 points) Nine (2 Points) Ace (1 point) Ten (1 point) King, Queen, Eight & Seven (no points but have face value). The person next to the dealer calls for point starting 16 (minimum) and can go up to 28 points (maximum 7*4=28). The card no. 6 (all 4) is used for marking the win (Red 6) and loss (Black 6). My team (Sangeeta & I) lost the game to the other team (Deepika & Santanu). It was not my day for sports… instead I opened the bottle of Double Black to relax.

Following morning I woke up around 4:30 am to the sound of chirping of an unknown bird which continued for an hour… I tried to look for it but couldn’t locate the source of the chirping. This would happen every morning of our stay and perhaps otherwise too.

We were informed that there’s “weekend curfew” in place throughout Uttarakhand and all shops including eateries are closed on Sundays, so we had bought bread, butter, cheese and eggs for breakfast. Lunch too had been ordered from a “Home Kitchen”. One half of our entourage was avermse to having breakfast and the other half Dinner!!

In the pre-noon, we drove down to the lakeside and parked at a convenient spot and walked around the lake…the view of the surrounding was breathtaking, the mountains have turned green after the rains and the clouds played hide n seek with the Sun making the nature sparkle.

The lunch was typically home cooked food, light and tasty and made us sleepy, moreover, it started drizzling so a quick nap was what I decided is the best thing to do!! In the evening we went to Sanjay’s house for the “Adda” with Uncle-Auntie. Both were very happy to have company after a long time, we reminiscence our earlier trips to various places in the pre-covid times.

The Double Black bottle got over between the four of us and the Glenlivet was opened too for one round along with the dry snacks that we brought from Delhi. The leftover from the lunch was consumed by those who wanted to have dinner besides the Maggi…the aroma of Maggi made me drool but I resisted the temptation.

The following day was our 30^th Anniversary and Deepika planned the lunch menu in consultation with Sangeeta and Sanjay before we called it a day.

I made simple breakfast of cheese sandwich, omelet and orange juice for Ayush, Ming and myself. Sangeeta had Maggi while Deepika settled for Milk with Cornflakes. Thereafter, we drove down to Bhimtal to pick-up our lunch from Machaan (Chinese) and i-Heart Café (Pizza & Pasta). Although it was Monday and open for business, the traffic was still very sparse, moreover, the most of the restaurants were open for takeaways of pre-ordered food only. Besides, the RTPCR report being compulsory had turned away many tourists away from this sector. Anyways, our orders were ready at both places which we picked up and returned home. The lunch was spread out at Sanjay’s home as we wanted Uncle-Aunty to be part of the celebration. Post lunch, the real kid (Siddu) and the adult kids (Ayush, Ming & Jhukku) played Ludo & Snake-n-Ladder which became quite interesting with many ups and downs.

Later, in the evening, we once again played Twenty Nine and this time it was Husbands versus Wives!! We were 1-2 down when I got very good cards and decided to play Single Hand. In Single Hand game, your partner puts down his cards and you have to win all the hands, which I did with ease and we went ahead. However, the final result was tied to one set each. This was followed by “20 Questions” where everyone participated.

The following morning was pack up time for departure. I made cheese sandwich for all of us and boiled the residual eggs for the road. Once again it was decided to go non-stop to Delhi but one needs to stop to answer nature’s call too…

Ming, driving the EcoSport took the lead and I followed him as he said he knew of a shorter, less congested route, but I kept the GPS on for safety. It was a smooth drive downhill and within an hour we made it to Haldwani from where Ming took a turn in to a road which to me looked like a lane… as we proceeded, I was thanking Deepika for picking up the Jeep Compass well in time… the road was full of potholes and narrow and still had speed breakers (god knows why)… it would have been a nightmare traversing this phase in Toyota Corolla Altis… but Jeep navigated the stretch with ease and soon we reached the highway.

We stopped at the KFC outlet at Gajraula (just opposite of McDonald’s) to use the restroom and pick up food. At this point we bid goodbye’s to Basu’s as they wanted to proceed… we ate inside the car before proceeding to Delhi (I hate eating while driving), stopping at Brijghat to pick up some mangoes… and reached home around 4:30 pm, once again covering the distance in 7 hours…

This, much deserved break was indeed very relaxing and helped in rejuvenating the home-stuck tired souls… Look forward to more easing up and the next trip… I want to drive down to Goa!!