It’s been a long time since we’re back from our trip to Ranikhet. This time the trip wasn’t that good – it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t as good as it should have been or compare to last years. Not only jethu had cold but things were not in right place either. The food – the weather – everthing seemed against our trip. This time we went by train (getting the train was also a different story – will write about it as well) and didn’t hired a car from Delhi … instead we hired a car from Haldwani. The driver was good – infact very good … he drove as slow as we told him.
At Ramnagar TRH – they just couldn’t give us plain boiled food – no matter how minutely you explain them -they will cook the way they always have and this was our basic problem through out the journey.Only at Bageshwar the cook (Manoj) was good – the minute we explained him – he said “plain home cooked food” … i told jethu he understood – he will give us the right food that we wanted.
While staying at Ramnagar – we went to Garjiya Devi temple (i have written about it in my earlier post when i went there for the first time) and to some jethu’s friend’s house. We bought “Barfi” from Diwan sweet shop …. the shop owner was boro jethu friend. We bought sweet as we’re to take them to the friend’s house we’re to visit. The taste of the barfi was exceptionally excellent …. we bought extra for ourselves as well. While we’re going to Ranikhet – we thought of carrying some more barfi with us but then thought … “we’ll definitely get good sweet there as well – so why to carry?” But of course it wasn’t so – we only got to taste good sweet at Almora.
A new place that we visited this time while staying at Ramnagar was the Corbett Fall. There we saw a very different species of Orchid tree. Its branches were more or less like vineyard type – hanging from one tree or spreading to another. It was hard to tell from where its branches or the original tree originated. It was totally weird but amazingly beautiful.
That day we realised one thing : todays youth educated or uneducated – they’re just the same … they have no sense of admiring the nature. I agree when young people go somewhere in a group – they’re tend to laugh or talk loud – but they is no meaning in putting their car stereo on full volume and distrub those who are enjoying the peaceful atmosphare. For me those people are sick – they just know one thing disturbing others. Beside those savages there’re others who not only lack proper manner but were very irresponsible as well. These people were having a good time under the waterfall – one of them held an infant in her arms … i felt scared seeing her with the baby – but she was happy enjoying herself. Off course there’re people like us too – who came to enjoy the peacefullness of the nature … though one can’t stay there for long as it was bit suffocating. Actually the fall is in a gorge like place surrounded by high rised hills and trees – fresh air doesn’t flow in there easily and so it was bit suffocating. Over all the place was good and we liked visiting it.
From Ramnagar – we went to Ranikhet. On our way – we stopped at Binsar Mahadev. There we had lunch – rice dal and radish for salad. I can’t put in words how delicious the simple food was. On our way to Ranikhet – we’re wondering how that simple food tasted so good. What can be the reason behind it – simplicity of their pure soul – the water and the weather – or the hunger. We have eaten food when hungry but the food never tasted that good. The weather and the water might influence but they’re same elsewhere in Uttarkhand but the food taste were nerve the same. It has definitely something to do with the people who cook the food – the purity of their mind and soul.
At Ranikhet – we stayed at Chiliyanula TRH. The best part of Chiliyanula TRH was their garden – though we have heard that Mall Road TRH’s garden was far beautiful than Chiliyanula’s. The person (Harinder Singh) who looked after the garden and the kitchen as well was a very nice person. We asked him if he can mange to give us some plant cutting and some flower bulb (goldie and daffodils)… which he did.
As a whole staying at Ranikhet was good – later when we went to other town … we realized that the pine trees at Ranikhet were very different from any other place. They’re lively and lush green – walking through those pine trees were pleasure both to mind and body. Another best part of Ranikhet is that it’s a cantonment area – so it’s not over crowded and in future too it won’t be. The army won’t allow encroachment … those people who are already settled there have to take permission from the army to extend or repair their house. So most of the Ranikhet has preserve it’s natural beauty – its greenery and has the best pine forest. For me the best way to see Ranikhet is to walk along the curved road a lined with oak and pine – stop to watch the mountain birds or to adore the wild flower. It can be a paradise for the people who love nature and love to walk too.
We also went to Chaubatiya – we knew there would be nothing to see as it’s a apple orchard (govt. run). It’s off season now – so there’s no apple – no flower – not even leaves … only bare branches. Few women and men were cutting the long grass that had covered the large orchard. From there we bought plum and peach jam – rhododendron flower jam and a jar of mango pickle. There’re fruit chutney and many different type of squash including rhododendron flower squash too … we had tasted it and it was worse than medicine – though the jam was very different – in fact very yummy. The specialty of this jam – chutney or pickle were that they have not used any preservative … it’s totally natural and they (local women) have prepared it using the fruits from the orchard only.
From there we went to the driver’s house (he was from Ranikhet). Jethu likes to know as much as he can about the people with whom he interact and travel. He and his family both were good. Near by his house – there was an old church built in 1884 … old and ancient place and things interest both of us – all the wooden furniture were still very much undamaged and intact. A sense of wonderment engulfed us – when we thought that those furniture and stuffs were used by those 19th century people and you too can touch and feel the same stuff … it gives a very different feeling. On our way back to TRH – we visited the Jhula Devi temple – it’s just like any other temple in Kumoun with many bells tide in and around the temple.
Will continue the trip in my next post …. Dunagiri – Dwarahat – Kasuni – Baijinath !