नीनी मेरा दोस्त

नीनी 

एक प्यारा सा एहसास है नीनी

जीवन की  हर एक आस है नीनी

पान में गुलकंद की सी मिठास  है नीनी

तपती  धूप में छाँव का एहसास है नीनी

जीवन की आपाधापी  में खो से गए लम्हों की

एक नन्ही सी पड़ताल है नीनी

हमेशा जो सच है वो ख्वाब है नीनी

जीवन के रंगों  का  सतरंगी  इन्द्रधनुष  है  नीनी

पापा  के पिट्टू पर कभी सो जाता था जो

मम्मा के कन्धों  तक  की  अब वो शाख है नीनी

चाँद  से भी  रोशन  तारों  से  भी  झिलमिल

सूरज  से  भी  आलोकित  प्रकाश  है नीनी

बौर  भरी अमराई  में  कोयल  की  मीठी  कूक  है  नीनी

मीठी  बातों  का  जादूगर  नन्हा  सा  मेरा  दोस्त  है  नीनी

ताजे  गुड़ की  सी  नरम  मिठास

जैसे  पारिजात  की  खुशबू  है आस पास

कल कल नदिया  का  मद्धम  सा  राग

जीवन  के  पूर्णत्व  का  एहसास  है  नीनी 

(नीनी  की  नौंवी  सालगिरह पर २२ अक्टूबर २०११) 

Lansdowne Travelogue

Lansdowne is a small cantonment town in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is 40 kms from Kotdwara on Pauri road. This was our third visit to Lansdowne. But this journey (9-10 June 2012) was special in many ways. 

It was our first venture of overnight driving. I love to drive but strictly follow the ‘sun-rise to sun-set’ rule while driving on highways and in the hills. However, there is always a first time. I came around 7.40 pm from office on Friday. I asked Divya and Chaitanya about their programme for week-end. Prompt came reply that ‘chalo kahin chalte hain’. Where? Lansdowne was the unanimous call. At 8.40 pm I rang up Colonel Rawat at Oak Groove Inn where we had stayed during last visit in December 2011. Fortunately, accommodation was available due to walk out of some snobbish and cribbing guests who could not perhaps get out of their zone of synthetic urban comfort. Anyway, some one’s loss is some one’s gain. We got accommodation. I said we will reach at 5 am in the morning and Col. Rawat gave mobile number of one of the attendants who would receive us.

We started from Sarita Vihar, Delhi at 10 pm and by the time we filled petrol tank and left Kalindi Kunj it was 10.30 pm. We took the following route – Sarita Vihar-Noida-NH24 Bypass Hapur Road-Modinagar-Meerut-Mawana Road-Bijnor-Najibabad-Kotdwar-Dugadda-Jaiharikhal-Oak Groove Inn. Upto Najibabd it was a routine highway drive except for that it really gets spooky at times while driving in the night. However, after Najibabd the road is nicely paved with fluorescent markers which make you feel that you are driving through a river of bright earthen lamps (Mitti Ke Diye) or you are on a run way. All my driving fatigue vanished. It was a beautiful experience which was possible only due to night drive.

We reached Kotdwar around 3.30 am. It was too early for petrol pumps to open but we woke the guards at 4-5 petrol pumps of Kotdwar albeit without success. Disappointed but we started uphill drive. This was the most beautiful part of this journey. At 4 am, the hills were looking wrapped in serenity basking in the bluish grey light of gibbous moon. As we drove further, shades of blue changed gradually and then quickly and finally merged into bright shades of dawn. Added to this, the songs of birds would make this a divine morning raga. This was an experience no words can describe. We reached Oak Groove Inn at 5 am and called Pradeep who received us with a smile (despite that we woke him from sweet early morning sleep), showed our room and obliged us with hot ginger tea, quintessential of Oak Groove Inn hospitality.

It was 5.30 am by the time we settled. Chaitanya and I went to the ‘Hang Out’ to listen to and watch birds. At this quite hour we could spot many beautiful birds which are difficult to spot at any other hour. We went for a leisure walk across the village and had soft and sweet buns with yummy omelette in a village café at 6.30 am. Though we drove the whole night, my mind was fresh and rejuvenated. We returned to our room and took a nap of 3 hours. I woke up at around 10 am and it was time for breakfast, extended one for me and Chaitanya after our early morning buns and eggs. 

Hang Out at Oak Groove Inn

After breakfast we met our hosts, Mrs and Colonel Rawat who welcomed us with the same warmth and joy with which your parents welcome you. It did not seem like visiting them after six months. It was like we resumed our conversation from where we had stopped last time. One more attraction at this place is that a visit to Pahari village could be organised if you request to the hosts in advance. On our previous visit, we had visited Holi Talli (village at foothill) and had first-hand experience of village life, hospitality and delicious local food. It is an innovative way of the hosts to engage local people in tourism initiative whereby the locals may earn extra income as well. A piece of advice - do visit a Pahari village, if ever you get an opportunity, you would return richer in experience and humble in attitude towards life.

By 1 pm we were ready to leave to Tarakeshwara, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, 40 kms from Lansdowne. Road to Tarakeshwara is very scenic and even during this peak of summer the amount of greenery on the hills was amazing. A lot of credit for this should go to the Garhawal Rifiles which have a centre here and their presence has contained rapacious exploitation of nature for tourism purpose. The charm of Lansdowne, in fact, is its being laidback. It is a calm, serene and clean place. A heaven for nature lovers.

We reached Tarakeshwara around 2.30 pm. This is a place which is probably the best place for any Sadhana, a place where meditation is effortless. Apart from the spiritual experience at Tarakeshwara, there are two more unique features. One, there are pine and oak trees abound everywhere in Lansdowne but this is the only place in this area which is endowed with Devdars. Secondly, it is only here I have seen Devdars’ stems splitting like a Trishul as we can see in the picture. How one does interpret this is individual choice but for the believers like me this is an indication of presence of Lord Shiva at Tarakeshwara

At 3.30 we started from Tarakeshwara to Lansdowne. Mid-way we had lunch at Sisaldi at Khantwal Bhojnalaya. It was simple Dal, Chawal and Subzi in Pahari style but very tasty and light. We also picked some bakery products which are supplied by bakery at Dugadda and found these products (biscotti and rusks) very fresh and delicious. They were very reasonably priced too.

Around 5 pm we reached Gandhi Chowk, the central market of Lansdowne. It is a small bazar with many eateries and also a Cineplex. We had local soft ice-cream and it was yummy. Having spent some time at Chowk we proceeded to Jaiharikhal and reached Oak Groove Inn before sunset.

 We went to ‘Hang Out’ and watched sunset. It was a beautiful sight and with hot and tasty pakoras with Chai it was a wonderful evening. After sunset, we set there and had a long chat with our hosts over snacks and drinks. We met a senior couple who had hired a cottage for one month. It was their third month long stay at Lansdowne. It was wonderful meeting with them and their exuberance and positive attitude to life is inspiring.

Dinner was simple home style tasty food. Non-vegetarian food is also cooked on prior notice. We called it a day at 10.30 after dinner and having biscotti, bought at Sisaldi, for desert.

Next morning we woke up late and hurried up packing as we had to leave after breakfast. We bid farewell to our hosts and left to Delhi at 10 am. On the way we met the senior couple whom we had met last evening and had tea with them at their beautiful cottage, which is an extended property of Oak Groove Inn. We discussed an array of topics over tea but more importantly for us it was their resolute passion for hills, travel and life, which we would want to imbibe.

On the way we saw a river stream and went down. It was motorable upto last 100 meters of river bank. We, especially Divya and Chaitanya, enjoyed the natural jacuzzi in local river and spent almost an hour. Water was cool, clear and fresh. Schools of fish shining in bright sun light added to the charm. A long standing wish of Chaitanya was fulfilled. After lots of masti at river we proceeded around 1 pm and after negotiating traffic jam at a temple on a hair pin band, which was caused by irresponsible parking of touris vehicles, we reached Kotdwar. At Kotdwar we tanked up petrol and had refreshing ice-tea and proceeded to Delhi. 

We had lunch at Kwality Restaurant at Bijnor and we would definitely recommend this place for its Butter Nan and Shahi Paneer as well as excellent service. This place is towards the end of Bijnor on left hand on Delhi road. After negotiating legendary  traffice jam at Modinagar which consumed 45 minutes this time we reached home by 9 pm. One more wonderful visit to the hills which leaves you physically tired but emotionally rejuvenated. We have been to Lansdowne in winter and summer and now we will go to Lansdowne in Monsoon. Amen.