Dhanachuli

Where were you lost on the weekend Medha! I smiled and answered back to my friend and said “ Dhanachuli”. My friend smiled and said “ Oh you mean Dhanaulti”.

And I grinned again and said “ No my dear its Dhanachuli, and I think you would be the 27th person I am explaining this!” With a lopsided smile my friend countered my statement and asked, so where exactly is your “Dhanachuli”?
Well, its an abandoned hamlet in the Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand, about 30 & 15 kms from its more famous kins Bhimtal and Mukteswar respectively. Legend has it, that in the times gone by, the inmates of this sleepy village hid their “Dhan” (Money) in the “Chulhas” (Mud stoves)…. Thus the name Dhanachuli.But then some tough winters drove away the villagers, and they abandoned this town, and settled in what is now called the Dhanachuli bend…..

Who was I with and why was I there…. I was with a bunch of 5 more people who like me call themselves travelographers….and we were going to stay in a place called Te Aroha - The Mountain of Love in the Maori language…. It sure is an abode of love on the mountains of Kumaon… the love child of Sumant Batra, whose signature you find in every nook and corner of this quaint resting place…. I wouldn’t like to call it a Hotel!

But before we got to Te Aroha, we were greeted on our journey with a most amazing Sunrise….. and the Sun as if to answer the prayers of the enthusiastic travel photographers chose a perfect time to show up…. When we were passing through an almost mystic forest……and our shutters went clickty clack a few 100 times :-)

Bindu Jindagi Ka.... Our first stop

We then stopped again at Bhimtal, for a few moments…. Where we began to see a glimpse of the snow clad peaks….. I can no longer say, I haven’t been to snow clad places….. but there is something about that white colour on mountain tops that never fails to be an enthralling sight….. and I am particularly in love with the first rays of the Sun on a snow clad peak…. I looked forward to the wait of the next 18 hours or so, when I can see that sight again….. it always envelops me in the memories of the first time I ever saw that sight in the company of some of my closest friends… and the warmth of that morning some 14 years back brings a smile to my heart and a tear in my eye… oh.. I am getting distracted… back to Te Aroha!

And finally after another stop where we got a clearer view of the snow clad peaks, we reached Te Aroha, after roughly 14 hours…. Oh.. the journey is not that long really, but for the many pit stops in a travel photographer’s life!In a landscape where the browns and greens dominate, Te Aroha stands out with its predominant yellow as a colour on its slanting roofs, on the staircase and in other corners…we were welcomed with a hot towel and a refreshing litchi drink…. This was just a pre-cursor to how warm and caring and courteous the staff is…. We soon made our way to the rooms … they had a stunning view of the peaks…, a private balcony and sit-out area, and then went to check out The Attic, one of the suites in the place…. and it really was straight out of the child hood stories where the Attic was the place you planned your life!

The first glimpse of Te Aroha.. and that Bright Yellow!

After freshening up, we were treated with the awesome brunch of Aloo pooris , Aloo paranthas , water melon juice and masala chai and we surely over ate basking in the warmth of the Sun in that nippy March afternoon. We then armed ourselves again with our cameras and followed Vinod Bhai, one of Te Aroha’s staffers to the abandoned hamlet of Dhanachuli…… the descent to the town was not tough, and presented many photo ops… with some of the cutest village kids following us, the light on the terraced hill slopes was truly beautiful, and we finally reached that abandoned township, making some interesting images on the way……. 

The cute school girl

Coming back to our tempo traveller was another story though, we soon knew what uphill means, and why the villagers chose to abandon the village… it really was a tough climb! But while I was climbing, I did not forget to negotiate with Vinod Bhai to take us to the Sunset point, so we hurried a bit, not to miss another of my favourite sights, and so we reached just in time to watch the Sun colour the sky in the most vibrant shades of Orange, the stresses of our everyday work lives were left far behind and we celebrated being in that moment but not without the Clickty clacks of course!

I may have lost my youth... but I still want to touch the Sky.. (with some support!) @the Sunset point

Back to base, we enjoyed the bon-fire on our terrace, had a home style dinner, with some Angithis (coal heaters) near us to keep us warm, it was beginning to get chilly. And some of us also clicked the star trails, not one into astro photography, I gave it a miss and just rested…Post dinner we chatted with Shahid Sir a bit, and Parul and I learnt a little bit more about making photos… thank you!

Meanwhile, the hotel staff knocked on the door, wondering what it could be about, I opened the door to find a Hot water bottle in his hand… oh.. what a thoughtful gesture, we sure were happy to get it. And I tried to sleep with some creaking muscles thinking about the morning ahead.

We got ready by 6.30am, but soon realized we were actually late for the Sun rise, the peaks were already a golden yellow, so while a couple of us decided to make a time lapse from there itself, 4 of us, still wanted to know where the sunrise point is and started another climb….. and reached some relatively flat land on the mountain, where Shahid Sir inspired us to fly, the wish to touch those snow clad peaks nudged a little more and we made those interesting fly like a bird shots. 

Learning to Fly

Had tea and biscuits and made our way down….. started packing with a heavy heart, checked out the time lapse and sat down for another heavy breakfast of chola bhaturas, jam toast, juice and chai! And while we were at it, we came to know of another place to check out before we leave… Café Flashback…. Here Sumant has created a place where Time stops…. It’s a blast from the past, lux adverts, old calendars, piano, chairs, a Vijai Super scooter, camera…. It was a treasure chest where we hunted for all things interesting….

Not yet done, I cajoled the group into having a dekko at Mukteswar, so up we went….. we stopped on the way, where the villagers pointed out to a peak as Mt. Everest, not sure about what it was… but what the heck, the tree lined drive to the circuit house at Mukteswar was enchanting and we soon found the clearest view of those peaks in the trip! And then we soon realized, we needed to make our way back to what we call civilization… and drove back….only to catch the Sunset hidden in that mystic forest. Reached back home past midnight.. a bit exhausted but happy having explored another part of the mighty Himalayas.

The breathtaking view of the Kumaon Himalayan range...

 For more photos you could check 

Dhanachuli@ FB

Amazing Andamans - Day 8

Last Day on the Islands

Our eyes struggle to open. It’s our last day on the islands. How we wish the holiday could go on and on and on. We have a lazy breakfast and then laze around the house till the taxi arrives to take us to the airport.We part ways here to go to our respective destinations…….

The Colourful Jeep at the airport that caught my attention, signifying how beautiful every thing was here

A week to change your life

I thought it would more than that

A lot of work, a lot of strife

Not a week in the sun with our hats.

A changed perspective greets me now

Á new way of life showed me how

A life where the sun and seas merge

A life where each dive makes you heart surge

I thought I would come back merely tanned

What difference would make some sand?

Enthralled I was by the whole idea

To live for the moment without any fear

Every moment is truly cherished

Holding on to gifted memories

The holiday has become a journey

One where only new lands one can see.

With friends like Medha in tow

I wait for new boundaries to show

Every thought is now in flight

For new destinations that come into sight.

The sun, the sand and the sea

They make such delightful company

Wonders of the sea I feel & see

Filling my heart full of glee.

The last click of a beautiful holiday

Amazing Andamans - Day 7

18 hours of Exploration…. And almost getting lost 

The alarm screamed at us at the ungodly hour of 02.30am as it tried to wake us up for another day of adventure and discovery. We had tied up with a tour operator to go on a tour that said Baratang, Mud Volcano and Mangrove tour.  We had no idea what the day had in store for us but we were sure that it would be as special and exciting as the rest of our holiday had been.

We drove through the streets of Port Blair, picking up people at varied stops even as the sky drew closer to a sunrise. Finally we reached a spot in the middle of nowhere where the driver ceremoniously announced that we were about to enter Jarawa territory. This would be last stop before we reached the jetty to continue our journey. As we waited for our armed escorts, rules were being drilled into us:

·         No pictures of the Jarawas if they were to be seen

·         No mobile phones in sight

·         No stopping of the bus on the way for any reason

·         No throwing of anything out of the bus

It was gratifying to see the extent the Government is going to preserve the Jarawa ecosystem. No bending the rules here. Other buses soon joined us and soon we left as a caterpillar – the armed escort in the front and all the other buses following at a steady pace. We drove through some amazing forests – so dense at times you couldn’t see beyond your eyes and at other times teasing you with a glimpse what lay inside the deep green cover. We made our way through the slinky roads that overlooked rivers that rambled though the rocks and trees. You could see mud roads created into the forest at regular intervals and your imagination could do wonders imagining the wonders that lay at the end of those roads. I envy the forest officials who interacted with these indigenous tribes and were privy to their way of life and to the hidden secrets of the Andamans.

We arrived at a jetty and as we looked around we were astounded by the beauty of the place – tall trees, dense mangroves, a swollen river and the constant reminder from the guides that we were in crocodile country. Eyes craned to find a croc – hoping that every still rock would turn into one. After a short ferry ride, we get into speed boats after donning our life jackets – the futility of which crosses my mind. We were in croc infested waters and were wearing life jackets in case the speed boats toppled! The next half hour was an exhilarating ride through the mangroves. What a different experience compared to the lazy discovery we did with Tanaz at Havelock. 

Views from the Ferry

Suddenly we slow down and take a turn. The guide at the stern warns us not to put our hands out of the boat. The hair at the back of my neck stand up as we make our way slowly through the mangroves, ducking one moment and gazing in wonder the next. Soon we arrive at a makeshift wooden jetty and the announcement is made – we have a 3 mile trek to the limestone caves.

The Lone Hutment

We set off walking through some difficult terrain - uphill at times, downhill the others, balancing on narrow bridges, slushing through some mud, holding on to huge rocks trying to find footholds, seeing basic civilisation at its basic best and some amazing foliage. 

The Rainforest at Baratang...these forests have been evolving for more than 30 million years and occupy only 2% of the earth's surface today ... however they contain 50% of all species of living things..

The caves loom up ahead and we just look at each other in silence. As throngs move in and out of the caves we hear the guides narrate in a monotone the features of the caves. Am sure given some space, silence and access to more caves would have made the experience better but this was no less magical. As the light of the torch played on the formations, I wonder about what lies ahead and wish I could just stay back and explore. I leave with a silent prayer that we maintain the integrity of these places for future generations. It would be criminal to loose all of this in the name of development and growth.

Spot the Ganesha!

Walking back, we notice a spider weaving a web and we set about trying to take the perfect picture. Rice fields on one side and forests on the other for neighbors as we make our way back to the speed boat. A ride later we reach the jetty and set off in jeeps for our next destination - a mud volcano.

The Prolific Weaver.... One of the 10 pics I submitted for the Tamron Challenge and won it!!!

We look at the road ahead and rue the fact we are not wearing better walking shoes. After slipping and sliding across a muddy road, we reach a sign that points a road uphill and says “Way to the Mud Volcano”. Next to the sign is a noticeboard cautioning you to walk carefully as you tread the trail – the hill is a live volcano and its an exhilarating feeling as you make your way to the top. Once there, you notice a cordoned off area. In the centre is a small cone shaped structure which rumbles & boils. The mud slowly seeps across the sides and flows down. Unlike other volcanos, there is no lava. This is the only live mud volcano in India. The Geological Institute has a base camp stationed near the volcano site to constantly monitor the seismic and volcano activity.

The Mud Volcano....created by natural gases emitted by decaying organic matter underground

We made our way down the mountain and downed huge but refreshing coconuts filled with sweet water. Then to our dismay we realized, our jeep was nowhere to be seen; nor were the group of people we had ascended the volcano with. We asked around and were told that our tour guide would send the jeep back to pick us up. We settled down on some makeshift benches and began waiting. It soon dawned that it might be a huge possibility that we had been left behind. No one was coming back for us. Thoughts of being stranded in the middle of nowhere began running through our minds. Each of us were keeping up a calm exterior to calm the other one down but our minds were running helter-skelter with varied thoughts filled with fear and trepidation. Finally Medha approached a jeep that had relatively less people and they agreed to take us back to the jetty. Guess our sad faces helped as well. Medha also managed to click an amazing pic of a gecko that popped his head out for a moment on the makeshift benches we were sitting on.

Sitting on this makeshift bench...  a bit tense, on having missed our cab...that my eyes wandered around... and I noticed my neighbor... with no time to plan a click, i just pointed my camera and clicked... there was no second chance... it vanished the next second

We needed to rush to the other side of the river as the bus was set to leave with the armed escort. Left with no choice, we rushed to the ferry and made the crossing. The tour guide was waiting at the other end, impatiently. Everyone was relieved on seeing us and gave the guide and driver a piece of their mind. We settled down in our seats and then the exhaustion of the day took over. We were soon fast asleep.We drove back through Jarawa territory and finally reached Port Blair. We decided to get off in town and explore a bit and try our luck with the sound and light show at the cellular jail.

 

We first went to the Archaeological Museum where we saw some very well preserved artefacts of the natives of the islands as well as a well-crafted documented story of the islands. A nice walk along the halls of history and some souvenir shopping later we set off for the Cellular Jail. We were hoping that the clouds would not play truant and the light and sound show would go on. 

 

We reach the jail and find ourselves waiting in a long queue where hordes of people were impatiently waiting for the ticket counter to open. An hour later, tickets in hand, we enter the jail again - this time to find the best seats available for the light and sound show. Strains of a patriotic song playing in the background we settle down and wait for the show to begin.

We had received recommendations that we should attend the Hindi version of the show as it was very moving and powerful. We were not disappointed. A poignant narrative draws you into a slice of history that you want to wish never happened. Tears flow freely amongst all those gathered as the tale of atrocity is shared. The show ends in an hour and there is a sense of pride in the crowd. Everyone seemed lost in their thoughts as they made their way to the door. I turn and take a last look at the jail as I leave wondering what kind of guts the prisoners had, to undergo all of this and still have a sense of survival, patriotism and pride. I wonder if we would be able to do the same if we were to face the same scenario today. While my heart says yes, my mind says it would take a huge sense of introspection and will power. 

Its late in the night and we finally find an auto to take us back to Noble House. Realization soon sinks in that this is our last night in the islands. We settle down for the night and talk ourselves to sleep – sharing all that has passed across the last few days.

Our Been There Done That Tips:

- Book the tour on the previous day. 

- Ensure that the trip is a round trip and includes lunch. Please carry snacks with you as well as water.  

- The line for the ticket at the cellular jail is a crowd. So make sure you are there with plenty of time in hand  

- There are separate lines for ladies and gents

- Inside it is free seating so make sure you are early enough to find a good seat