Jaisalmer - The Golden City

A city that has come back almost from the dead in the past half-century, Jaisalmer may be remote but it’s certainly not forgotten – indeed it’s one of Rajasthan’s biggest tourist destinations, and few people come here without climbing onto a camel in the surrounding Thar Desert. My association with Jaisalmer started from the day when I read "Sonar Kella" (or The Golden Fort) by Satyajit Ray. Along with Feluda and team, I also explored the fort and took a camel safari in the desert. The movie completed my visualization of this beautiful city and the longing to be physically present kept alive my passion for the city. 

During my recent tour of Rajasthan, Jaisalmer was the first city from where we started our journey. We started from Jaipur early morning and reached the city by early evening (almost 10 hours journey through Ajmer, Pokran, Bikaner and Jodhpur). The first sight that greeted us just outside the outskirts of the main city was a hoard of camels passing by confirming the nearness to the desert and the main attraction of this city. 

After reaching the city, we first checked into our hotel (Hotel Tokyo Palace) - The location was excellent- less than 5 min walk from the bus station and just behind the fort, yet away from the hustle and bustle of the markets/town. The hotel has really charming rooms with all the inspiring atmosphere of the "Arabian nights" tale. We stayed only one night, we wish we could have stayed the 1000 others! From the rooftop restaurant, we could the see the fort lighted up in the night. The fort of Jaisalmer is a breathtaking sight: a massive sandcastle rising from the sandy plains like a mirage from a bygone era. No place better evokes exotic camel-train trade routes and desert mystery. We went to bed early tonight after our long journey. 

Next morning after breakfast, we went to visit the fort. We entered the fort from its east side and passed through four massive gates on the zigzagging route to the upper part. The fourth gate opens into a large square, Dashera Chowk, where Jaisalmer Fort’s uniqueness becomes apparent: this is a living fort, with about 3000 people residing within its walls. It’s honeycombed with narrow, winding lanes, all of them paved in stone and lined with houses and temples – along with a large number of handicraft shops, guesthouses, restaurants and massage/beauty parlors, just to remind you that you are in the age of 21st-century tourism, not the middle ages. The carvings on the jharokhas on some of the rich merchant's houses were beautiful. Rajasthan is colorful, vibrant and absolutely artistic - a tour inside the fort confirms the same. 

There are 7 beautifully carved temples inside the fort walls built in between from 12th century to 15th century. We visited the very first temple which is dedicated to Chandraprabhu, who is the eighth Tirthankar (Jain God). The painting on the ceiling was still colorful and the temple authorities had covered it with a net protecting from birds.

While walking through the lanes, I also came across various shops which sells miniature paintings and artists working on the same. The intricate workmanship actually left me spellbound and I sat for sometime watching the artist in action.

No tour in Jaisalmer is complete without seeing the havelis of the rich merchants. Among all the havelis, we decided to visit the more famous Patwa-ki-haveli which towers over a narrow lane, its intricate stonework like honey-coloured lace. It's a collection of five houses, each one for the son of a wealthy trader who made money lending to the government. One of the havelis (closest to the street) has been restored and turned into a government museum. The carvings with show of glitz inside the houses were put together to showcase the owner's status and wealth. We spent an hour going through the massive rooms and its awe inspiring display. 

As we are just spending one day, we skipped Gadisar Lake and the Desert Museum. It was time for us to have lunch and leave for Sam Sand Dunes which is 45 km towards the west of the Jaisalmer city. It is a barren yet beautiful shifting sand dunes adjoining the village Sam. Our destination was Winds Desert Camp (our accommodation for the night within the desert). We had quite a lot of anticipation about the place as we were not sure what to expect. What greeted us was 20 beautifully and elegantly decorated tents covering center room with wooden furniture, veranda covered with mosquito nets and attached bathroom with modern amenities. The air-cool tents made our stay extremely comfortable.

We quickly freshened up and then the camp jeep took us to the starting point of the camel safari. Sam has a truly magnificent stretch of sweeping dunes, with sparse or no vegetation. The best way to get here, of course, is on camel back along the breathtaking crests and troughs in the hearts of the Thar Desert. I had quite a lot of experience in riding camels during my one and half year stay in Jaipur. However, actually riding one and travelling more than 1 km in the desert is an entirely different experience - something that cannot be described in words. It was a memorable ride and we enjoyed our time at the dunes duly entertained by local folk singers and dancers while watching the sun setting in the horizon. The experience is truly mesmerizing and you really would not want to leave!!

After the sunset, we had no other choice but to return to our camp. We were given a warm welcome with aarti & tika and the staff served tea, coffee and cookies. We were then escorted to the show area. We enjoyed wonderful Rajasthani folk performance - talented singers and dancers put up quite a show for almost 3 hours.

The day spent in the city of Jaisalmer was truly amazing in every sense. The historic fort, the camel ride in the dunes and finally the folk performance gave us a real taste of this historic city - a memory that is unforgettable!!

Great Hyderabad Adventure Club - GHAC Blog: Maredumilli Trek – In the lap of Nature

Great Hyderabad Adventure Club - GHAC Blog: Maredumilli Trek – In the lap of Nature

Lonavala & Khandala - Twin Hill Stations of Maharashtra

Summer is not a time you enjoy being in Hyderabad with the extreme hot weather conditions. Everyone looks for the opportunity to take a summer break and heading off to a cooler location. Me, being the wanderer, cannot be left behind. So, one weekend, I planned a trip with my mother (who has been visiting me) to the twin hill stations of Maharashtra - Lonavala and Khandala. These hill stations are very popular getaway spots for people from Mumbai and Pune, which are very well-linked with Lonavala by road and rail. Monsoons are the best time to visit Lonavala/Khandala.

We took the Shatabdi from Secunderabad station in the afternoon in an AC Chair Car. The journey was good with steady supply of snacks and finally dinner and the quality of food was great compared to railways. We reached Pune around 11.15 pm and stayed at a hotel near the station. Next morning, we got up early to take the Pragati Express to reach Lonavala Station. An auto took us to our hotel (reserved earlier) - Sunny's retreat. 

After a quick shower and breakfast, we decided to start our sight seeing.  Our first stop was the Bhushi Dam - one of the majestic picnic spots in Lonavala. The Dam is magnificent during the monsoons with water gushing out through the dam making exhilarating waterfalls. The Dam is located at the backdrop of scenic hilly terrains and lush green environments. Calm environment and cool atmosphere add the beauty of this site.

Next we went to see the Duke's Nose which is also another popular tourist spot. This cliff resembles the nose of the Duke of Wellington, which explains its intriguing name.  It is a popular viewpoint as it offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains, valleys and forests. The place is crowded with tourists, and the scenery was beautiful.

Our next stop was Tiger's Leap which is another beautiful scenic spot. Tiger's Leap also known as Tiger's Point is a cliff-top with a sheer drop of over 650 m, giving an extensive view. When viewing the valley from a certain point at this location, one has the illusion of a tiger leaping across the valley, hence the name.  The echoes caused by dropping rocks into the crevasse is another attraction.

The monsoon had rendered the valley lush green and increased the beauty of the place multiple times. We were lucky to have an overcast sky but no rain which made the tour even better. 

After that, we went to the Rajmachi Garden where we were greeted by a family of monkeys.  It offers a spectacular view of the surroundings. You can see the Mumbai-Pune expressway from the park.

The next place we went to visit was the Lonavala Wax Museum. The Celebrity Was Museum, modelled on the famous Madame Tussauds in London, is located only 3 km away from the railway station at Varsoli, near Toll Plaza and is a new attraction for the tourists. It is a great place (a must visit) and the entry fee is very nominal but the models you get to see are very realistic and they don't charge you extra for clicking photos.  For now they have a pretty small collection of 35-36 models. As soon as you enter you are greeted by a very life-like wax statue of Shivaji. The statues of Rabindranath Tagore, Michael Jackson, Hitler & Charlie Chaplin are really nice too!

After the wax museum visit, we had lunch at KFC. Then our driver proposed to take us to the Karla Caves which is a complex of cave shrines built by Buddhist monks around 3rd to 2nd century B.C. A famous temple of Goddess Ekvira Devi is also present here. You have to climb around 100+ steps to reach the caves. Karla caves encloses Buddha viharas; where the monks used to stay during their meditation period in the caves. The cave encloses sculptures of elephants adorned with metal jewelries and ivory tusks. These caves are in a ruined state due to the absence of maintenance. As mum was tired, I went alone huffing and puffing. 

It was worth the climb to see this beautiful structures, however, sad to see the absence of maintenance. Though it is as beautiful as the Ajantha & Ellora Caves, the maintenance is lot less and the place is less popular as a tourist spot. Most people come to see the temple of Goddess Ekvira Devi, however, few actually enter the caves. 

Tired after a long day, we returned to our hotel by dusk and went to bed early after dinner.  By that time, it had started raining heavily and I just kept praying that the sky clears by morning. 

We got up early the next morning, showered and got ready. The sky was overcast, however, it was not raining. So, after breakfast, we decided to go to the Pavna lake, another popular tourist destination. Pawna Lake (Pavna Lake) is an artificial lake formed by the Pawna Dam built across the Pawna River nearby Lonavala. The lake attracts many tourists due to its imposing natural ambience and cool climate. From the dam site one can view the majestic sights of Tungi, Logagarh and Tikona forts. The way to the lake was mesmerizing with the green valley looking even greener due to the heavy rainfall of last night and there were many small streams and waterfalls on the way. 

By the time, we reached the lake, it started raining heavily and we had to wait at the boat club restaurant nearby. The lake was beautiful, however, the views on the other side could not be seen due to the heavy shower. Lot of people went boating in the rain and came back drenched. However, we enjoyed the rain from the restaurant with hot pakoras and coffee.

After spending a couple of hours watching the lake and enjoying the rain, we started on our way back to Lonavala. On the way, we stopped at a beautiful Temple (I have forgotten the name). The temple is a beautiful marble structure - well maintained and serene. As the rains had stopped, I could manage to get some photographs.

After spending some quality time in the temple and the surrounding garden, we decided to head back. Before returning to the hotel, we went to the market for the famous "Maganlal Chikki" and purchased chikki and walnut fudge. Any visit to Lonavala is incomplete without these delicacies. And the walnut fudge was mouth watering - you would definitely want to go back for more. 

The two days spent in these beautiful place was awesome. Lonavala - Khandala a place where nature is present in all its splendor. Entire region has been blessed with valleys, hills, Milky Waterfalls, Lush Greenery and pleasant cool winds. Words are not enough to describe the beauty for this place - its a must visit!!

Tadoba - Face to Face with the Big Cat (Day 2)

First day in Tadoba was a great experience!! It says 'the more you have, the more you want'. I realized the truthfulness of the statement with myself. Like I mentioned in my earlier post, I had never seen a tiger in the wild earlier, however, now I am wishing that I see one more today.

We started early, by 5 am, for the Moharli gate so that we can be the first jeep to start. The safari started exactly at 6 am with all of us alert with anticipation for the treat that is waiting for us today. We again saw a peacock flying by, however, it was too fast for us to capture in the camera. We first went to the Telia dam, however, though we waited for sometime, we couldn't see any tiger. Our guide gave us the offer to take a tour of the rest of the jungle in search of leopard and other animals. The group was in consensus with the offer and so we headed out for a tour. 

We first saw a group of Gaud (Indian bison). You can identify their difference from a regular bison by looking at their feet which seems like they are wearing white socks. The group posed for us while we clicked pictures from all different angles. It was fun to watch a duck following the troop right at the heels of one of the biggest one.

Then we spotted several deer - a Sambar drinking water and a fawn (scared seeing us). We also saw a wild dog which ran away very fast, making it impossible for the camera to capture. However, a wild boar danced for us in the woods. 

We went till the Tadoba lake and saw variety of birds, eagles and owls on our way. The only miss in this safari was the chance to see a tiger cub again. Soon, it was time for our safari to end and we headed back to our guest house. We learned that a cub was actually spotted at the Telia dam some time after we left. We were little sad, on one hand, as we didn't wait patiently, however, happy that we saw other animals and birds.  Our guide Mangesh promised to show us at least one more tiger during the afternoon safari - fingers crossed. We rested for a while, had lunch and got ready for the afternoon safari. 

Mangesh - Our guide,turned out to be our lucky charm

The afternoon safari started at 3 pm with a Nilgai welcoming us to the jungle. Then our guide spotted a sloth bear at a distance and our driver started driving fast to get closer only to see a couple of jeeps standing on the way. We realized soon that a cub idly sitting on the roadside. He yawned continuously, licked her paws, scratched herself, but did not feel disturbed by the row of vehicles in front of her. All of us kept clicking pictures of this cub and our excitement could not be contained. The cub was adorable!!

After about 30 mins, the cub got bored and hot, crossed our vehicles and decided to submerge herself in the water. We moved ahead and drove to the other side of the dam to see the cub enjoying its dip in the water. Though it was quite a distance from the road, we could see its body moving with its breathing and the ripples it was creating in the water. 

All the sadness of the morning was forgotten by now as the cub gave us more than an hour to enjoy her beauty and like I mentioned in my last post, I felt like watching my private Animal Planet show. The entire group was super excited and all of us got up on the seats to capture every moment of the cub. After about an hour, the cub got up from the water and crossed the road in front of us, allowing the earlier vehicle to move and give her way.

During the wait, our guide told us that all the tigers that we saw since yesterday are the cubs of the two big ones (mamma and daddy) who are the biggest tigers in this jungle. These cubs are hardly couple of years old and sometimes tourists have been lucky to see the family together. 

It was hardly another 45 min left for our safari to end, so we decided to take a final round of the jungle. Suddenly, some guys in an elephant safari came out of the jungle wildly signalling to us that there are tigers ahead, and we drove in the direction they indicated. After some time, we couldn't see anything, so our guide decided to wait at the same spot. Within a few minutes, two huge tigers emerged out of the jungle (the mamma and the big daddy) - OMG! We have managed to see the complete family (if not together). The big daddy quickly crossed the road and disappeared before we managed to click his shot. However, the mamma walked a little slowly and I managed to click her somehow from the back. Seeing the size of these two, we realized that what the guide said was true - these two are massive, compared to their babies.

Our day couldn't have ended on a better note. It says "bhagwan jab deta hai, chappar phad ke deta hai". Today seemed to be that day when we got everything we wanted and more. Though the other group got to see the tiger killing its prey, I have no regret. My dreams have been fulfilled and I will treasure this memory forever. Even though I do not get to visit another wildlife sanctuary and I don't see another tiger, I will not regret. 

Tadoba was truly a life changing experience - an experience to be treasured forever!!

Tadoba - Face to face with the Big Cat (Day 1)

If someone asks me which is my favourite animal, I would say without thinking that it is the Tiger. The majestic walk, the beautiful skin with reddish orange furs, the roars - all just adds to the beauty of this animal. I am almost the foremost champion of the "Protect our Tigers" campaign - I have mouse-pad with its picture, T-shirts printed, badges, etc of these beautiful animals. Born free is still my favourite movie and the first poster that I ever pinned on my bedroom wall was that of a Royal Bengal Tiger.

Obviously, the longing to see one in the wild, was a passion that I cultivated from my childhood. I had been to wildlife safaris in Bandipur, Kanha, Panna and other places wanting to see a tiger, however, my favourite animal had always been elusive to me. So, when the opportunity came to visit Tadoba with TCPC (Twin Cities Photography Club), I had agreed only due to the opportunity of visiting another wildlife sanctuary and secretly hoping, maybe I would be lucky to catch a glimpse this time. However, what happened in reality is something beyond my wildest dreams!!

The TCPC group started from Secunderabad on the hot summer day of April 26th. As usual, time just flew in train with every member of the group narrating stories of their wildlife adventures, showing off their cameras with the big lenses and the announcement of a reward for the best photograph during the tour. We reached Chandrapur (which is approx 40 km from the reserve) early morning and took a cab to reach Tadoba Tiger Resort - our hotel for the next 2 days. It is a simple hotel with air conditioned rooms, home cooked meals and courteous staff, and most of all it is just a few meters away from the Moharli Gate. 

Let me first give you a brief history about this place. Tadoba Andhari Reserve is the largest national park in Maharashtra. In fact, the Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Santuary together form the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The park derives its name from "Taru" the local deity, whereas the Andhari river that meanders through the forest gives the sanctuary its name. The reserve has three zones -- Moharli, Tadoba, and Kolsa -- with numerous entry gates. There are about 43 Tigers (2010 National Census on Tigers) in the reserve, one of the highest in India. 

Since the safari start time has already passed, we quickly freshened up, had a light breakfast and headed for the buffer zone which leads to the Tadoba lake. We got up a watch tower and had an amazing view of the forest and plenty of birds and monkeys during this short trip.

View of the Tadoba Lake

After coming back to the hotel, we quickly showered, rested for a short while, had lunch and then got ready to start our first safari. We started our trip fromt he Moharli gate, in Moharli village which provides entry to the Moharli zone. It is the reserve's most commercial entrance point. We were accompanied by our forest department guide Mangesh. Our first glimpse was of a peacock who welcomed us by flying past the gate as soon as we entered. Within 15 minutes of our entering the forest, our guide drew our attention to the cub at the Telia Dam. I could not believe that I actually got to see a tiger, though, it was really small from the distance. I was speechless and was totally focused on capturing the moment with my camera. The cub remained submerged in water for sometime before deciding to take a stroll along the banks. Soon, it disappeared in the grassland and so the queue of vehicles decided to move forward only to find another cub dipping herself in the water. About 15 gypsies patiently waited one after another enjoying the sight of the beast. The experience was exhilarating. It was also fun watching tourists and photographers (with their big zoom lenses) watching in anticipation to see what the cub would do. Though it was really hot, none of us were actually taking our eyes from the majestic animal. 

After about an hour, enjoying its cool dip, the cub decided to get up, stretch itself and then decided to cross the bank. I was totally mesmerized by seeing my favourite animal so close. 

We ran out of water and decided to go to the gate to fill up our water bottles. During this trip, we got to see a wild boar, black drongo, magpie and other birds. On our return, we found the cub again resting on the bank. After about what seems to be an hour, she majestically got up and walked right in front of our vehicles back into the bushes, walking past the motorcycle of a forest guard who made way for her. Watching a tiger at such a close range is a life changing experience and you realize what a majestic creature a Tiger is and deserves to be called the King of Jungle.

The 1st day of our jungle safari came to an end with me watching my favourite beast not for a few minutes, but for a couple of hours. It was like watching your own National Geographic or Animal Planet show - one which I can never forget!!

We returned to our hotel by dusk, each one excitedly talking about our experiences and showing the photographs that we captured. Those who had seen a tiger earlier, also admitted that this is the first time, they have also seen the royal beast for such a long time. 

The Telia cubs had made our day and they would be edged in our memories permanently.