As soon as I hear the word Chikkamagaluru, a broad smile pops up on my face. I think it’s synonymous with its name. The reason being - I have a lot of “First-to” memories with this town dating back to 2007. This place is special and will always be. My frequent visits have made me eligible for a Chikkamagaluru ration card. My dad always has one question about Chikkamagaluru – what’s there to visit the same place again – the magic that this places weaves is beyond anyone’s imagination and explanation. The numerable places, plantations, trekking spots and waterfalls - all combined make it a perfect weekend getaway. It’s located in the foothills of the Mullayanagiri range. The town with its favorable climate, coffee and spice estates attract tourists from around the world.

Before I continue here’s a little etymology about the town and the coffee -

Chikkamagaluru takes its name from the Kannada word “Cikkamagaḷa ūru” that translates to "younger daughter's town". It is said to have been given as a dowry to the youngest daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakharayapattana.

Coffee was introduced into India through the Chikkamagaluru district when the first coffee crop was grown in the Baba Budan Giri Hills during 1670 AD. Per the articles on Origins of Coffee, the saint Baba Budan on his pilgrimage to Mecca travelled through the seaport of Mocha, Yemen where he discovered coffee. To introduce its taste to India, he wrapped seven coffee beans around his belly and got them out of Arabia. On his return home, he planted the beans in the hills of Chikkamagaluru, which are now named Baba Budangiri in his honor. We have multiple blogs talking about things to do, places to visit and the list goes on. So, this is going to be just be a first-hand account of an offbeat thing I did during my recent visit.

We bid a short goodbye to the city chaos and busy lives, headed off to an exciting itinerary ahead. It was a re-union after a long gap of 6 months. Everything was perfect when we arrived – little drizzle, fog and mist, green valleys, fresh smell of air, birds chirping. Nature was at its best. We all were excited for the much-awaited evening. We played, sang, danced, talked, shared stories and there was no dearth to topics or speakers. Time was slipping away faster than the speed of light. As the dusk progressed, the weather started chill down and we started to pull up our shawls. It was a perfect place, group and fun. Little did we then know that the best thing was yet on the cards. We bumped onto dinner, filled up our tummies awaiting eagerly for the night story to begin.

Our night continued, party continued. It was around midnight that one our friends suggested we go to Mullayanagiri for a short visit. Little background about Mullayanagiri is – it’s the highest peak of Karnataka at 6316 ft. Its hosts a small temple dedicated to Tapasvi Mulappa Swamy. That is where it gets its name from. On any non-rainy day, the sunrise and sunsets are very picturesque here.

Switching back to the context – I was wondering, I have seen breathtaking sunrises and sunsets at Mullayanagiri during my previous encounters, but what am I going to see in this pitch darkness. Didn’t know what to look for. But was eager to explore the unexplored. We immediately readied and started our jaunt with 13 people, 2 four-wheelers and one beast. From our resort, it was a mere 3 kms travel, but the task uphill wasn’t an easy one. We had two very skillful artisans without whom I don’t think we would have been reach the heaven. Kudos to them!!!

We had a mid-stop at the place. From there, the night view of the town of Chikmagalur was so very mesmerizing. The city lights were seeming like tiny bulb lights on an electric board. When the clouds engulfed us, we couldn’t see anything, only pitch darkness and when the clouds moved away, lights were back. It was as though we were switching the lights on and off. We didn’t want the night to pass by. Ah what a place it was. After that we moved ahead for a couple of minutes and there we were at the last accessible point... wind was splashing right at our face, pushing us from place to place. We had to be stoned to be able to stand still. I was floating among the clouds, one among them. What a flighty feeling that was – to be able to feel them. A cold nerve ran from my head to toe, touching each of my nerve, each cell and muscle as though they were cleansing them. They say when you stand there facing the strong winds it recharges your battery and strengthens you to face the world again. I was all set to begin again, a new day, a new innings. I don’t have words to pen down my feelings. Thank you guys for this wonderful moment. 

Many such wonderful moments and places are awaiting us… let’s rock guys!!!

Oyster Island - a paradise on earth 

Today’s artefact is about a piece of land, probably a few sq. kilometres in area, which is directly transported to the earth from heaven. At a distance of 11 kms from Karwar mainland, Oyster Rock Lighthouse, also known as Devgad Island Lighthouse, is a lighthouse situated on rocks in Devgad Island. Oyster Rocks are a group of small islands rather rocks - Devgad being the main summit on which the Lighthouse is situated. The Lighthouse was constructed by the British during 1860 CE and was commissioned into service on 25th March 1864 CE. The colonial styled architecture of this light house is really astonishing. The tower has a dome on the top, from where the entrance to the lantern room can be accessed. We did go to top of the dome – from where the light emission happens during the night. There is thick forest growth on this hillock. We had heard about this place in one of our travel forum. Their experience and pictures had inspired us to take this offway adventure.

When we plan a destination – we know what to look out for. But in this case, we had only a few mesmerizing pictures and some scary info from our boat guide. Yet we were looking forward to this adventurous piece, out of our entire week’s itinerary. Reason - probably because it was a less frequented place or we had no idea what to expect out of it. Either of it, we wanted to go and explore the less unexplored. We put in our Vasco-Da-Gama hats and started our journey towards Karwar after a little stint with water sporty Dandeli.

We were on week long self-driving tour which was supposed to end in Goa for the New Year bash. ***Party mode on*** :)  It was 2.5-hour drive from Dandeli. Roads collaborated well with the strong tree-lines all along the way, making the journey beautiful. After passing through variety of forest flora, fauna and water bodies we reached Karwar. We were hungry, logged into a restaurant of an acquaintance, filled our tummies and packed dinner. We were told that there is no food available on the island, so we had pack food and some snacks.  We were already warned as to nothing is available on the island. Working out all the possible permutation and combinations of the required stuff, we got ready for our jaunt. With high hopes and mixed thoughts we reached the slipway (boat

resting place). Guide’s brother greeted us and took us to the nearby safe haven for our automotive. After a good 30 min long wait in the scorching sun, our small boat arrived. Finally we started our wavy oceanic journey in a small boat with 7 of us in it. 4 girls and 3 boatmen. Initial few minutes were delightful, but as we progressed deeper into the ocean, my heart beat started skipping. Water waves were splashing all over my body. I had almost taken a salt water bath. As waves were hitting over me, my fear of drowning increased. Since we were approaching towards the end of the day, the intensity of the waves were high, ocean was getting rougher every minute. Total duration of the journey was around 90 minutes. Those 90 minutes were probably the toughest ones of my life. Me being a non-swimmer, had never felt this captivated ever before.

After the horrendous journey, we reached the shore. Once I landed my foot on the Oyster rocks, all the fear vanished. I was lost in the beauty. We were in a dream land. A small land surrounded by clear water on all sides. No sightings of anything apart from waves rushing towards me. Probably no words can’t do the justice to the scene. Below is the image, where we parked our boat overnight. After trying hard to pull the boat to its hook, we started climbing the small hillock – to the base of the Light house. Once we entered the light house, just threw our bags and started climbing the 5 storey watchman of the seas. We had to rush as the sun was almost immersing itself in the ocean. Didn’t want miss the panorama of Sun and the ocean kissing each other and we were just in time for the sight. After the splendid view, we just stood standstill – wanted to pause the wheel of time, freeze the moment. Nothing in life was more beautiful than that moment. It took away all my wrath, all my fear. Once we got back to the base of the light house, we refreshed ourselves from the salinity. We had whole evening and night to spend. Since it’s a distant place from the mainland – electricity is available only on generator and they switch it off by 10 PM. No mobile network, no electricity makes a man think out of the box. So did we. Started interacting with our guide – trying to understand the of the place and its surroundings. Got to know the nearby islands, their stories, experiences with other guests.

Forgot to mention – an engineer stays at the place for the light house maintenance round the clock. So we did get some info of about light house working. Once it was dark – we trekked down to the ocean again – different side of it though. Seeing the ocean waves in the dark with new moon approaching was a once in a lifetime experience. Then we trekked back – played some music, lit the natural campfire – using dried sticks and leaves – blowing it up using a pipe to maintain the fire. Remembering our grandma’s kitchen days. It was a perfect package for an outdoor out of the way experience.

 They told us – they were shocked when they heard 4 girls are coming to the island for a stay and when they told their mother about it, her reaction was – Are those girls mad? I can imagine her reaction. Anyone who hears that might think we are crazy. But trust me – it wasn’t at all scary. It was one of most precious moments we’ll cherish for a lifetime. We had one of our best evenings - laughed, danced, counted the stars, felt the fresh air around, saw the night sky, their reflection on the ocean – totally magical and mystical. Then we had our dinner and it was time for the generator to be switched off. It was dark and silent. We could hear the sound of waves even on top of the hillock. It was time for some rest. It wasn’t a hostel or even a dormitory to be expected for. We slept on the floor gossiping whole night. We had to rise before the sun rises to witness the new beginning. We got up by 5:30 AM climbed the light house waiting for the beautiful sun to rise across the horizon. It was windy at the top and slight orange streaks of light started emerging out, signalling the arrival of the king in queue. What we witnessed, was nothing less than a magic. One of the most beautiful mornings we ever had experienced. The transition from darkness to light was soothing.  After the sun was sharp enough, we came down looking for a nap. But in vain, we couldn’t even close our eyes. After a while we went down to ocean we had visited last night to get the day view. I was spellbound - Crystal blue water and a clean beach is a rare combination in India. But we did find it here. Blue waters flashing themselves to the oyster rocks, as though they trying to communicate them, trying to establish a connect. That reminded me of an infant effortlessly pulling their mom to show something.  Got some amazing captures of the scene. Not sure if these pictures and words can make the justice to the beauty of the island. It was time for pack up and move for our next destination. Our adventure was coming to an end. All good things end - making way for new and better beginnings.

Sunrise - in sequence 

and the sequence continues.... milky ocean

When the sun rays sprayed their magic on the peaceful water, it turned them into milk - ocean of milk. 

Different views of the island.. marvelous isn't.. 

Lastly, we did have an amazing host which made our experience even more memorable. Thank you guys!!! On our return journey, we had a big boat, rather it was yacht – since sea was rough, they suggested not to use the small boat. Lucky enough for me – I was at peace while returning. Another show stopper of the way back was the sighting of the dolphins. We visited the Kurumgad and DevBagh islands enroute to the mainland.

Some information around the light house and other islands near Karwar:

Karwar has an archipelago of islands along the coast of Karwar offering some of the most beautiful coastal beaches, enchanting its natural splendour and arguably the best diving sites in India. Popular islands near Karwar are DevBagh Island, Anjadiv Island, Kurumgad Island, Oyster Rock (Devgad Island), Sanyasi Island, Sadashivgad Island and Madlimgadh Island. Karwar is known for its sparkling azure waters is where there is confluence of the Kali River with the Arabian Sea.

DevBagh Island

The most beautiful of all the islands, it hosts a beautiful resort – Jungle Lodges Devbagh Island Beach Resort. It can be reached by boat from Karwar. The beaches are pristine and private. Thickly populated with green casuarinas trees -  the name literally means the garden of gods. A great spot to watch Dolphins, it is also a popular Water sports destination. Devbagh also had a great influence on Rabindranath Tagore who stayed here in his younger days. He also penned a poem “Prakritir Pratishodh” about this place.

Kurumgad Island

A tortoise shaped island 4 km off the coast of Karwar (it takes a 20-minute motorboat ride to reach this desolate Island). The Island is now privately owned and belongs to a Coffee Planter Suresh Mathias. It was ruled by different dynasties including the Vijayanagar Empire. Atop a hill there is an old Narasimha temple that draws thousands of devotees every year during an annual jatra. An ideal place to spot seals this rock formation according to Geologists was formed from Earthquake activity 300 million years ago. The Kurmagad Island nearby has an old fort and a Narasimha shrine, worth a visit. Great Outdoors Island Resort is situated at Kurumgad Island at 45 mins ferry ride from Karwar.

Sadashivgad Island

This Island is connected with a 1 Km long bridge. This densely populated hamlet is a few kms from the mainland of Karwar. The Island has a famous fort and Durgadevi temple. The fort leads to a hill from where you get great views of the sea and Islands including Devbagh. The fort itself is quite dilapidated and very little remains. Estuary View Resort is an Ayurveda Resort located at on a hill overlooking the Devbagh Island and Kali River at Sadashivgad, Karwar (Karnataka, India).

Anjadiv Islands (Anjadip or Angediva)

With an area of 1.5 sq km, it is the largest of the Karwar Panchdiva chain of five Islands. Anji stands for five in Tamil and it denotes the fifth Island. It is a 30 min boat ride 4 Km. This idyllic Island is home to the Indian Navy. The island has some remains of the bygone Portuguese era, some old houses and Chruch ruins. Portuguese poet Luis de Camoes described it as the "Island of Amours".

Madlimgadh Island

This Island is used as a Picnic spot; both Wild Buffalos and the British have inhabited this small island.

Sanyasi Island

Most of the island resorts provide a complimentary boat trip to the Sanyasi Island. There is an interesting legends about this Island, in ancient times, a sage sought refuge on this island for penance and hence the name.

How to reach Karwar:

Bangalore to Karwar is 521 km by road. There are plenty of buses plying between the two cities. By train it is 772 Km. There are 2 direct trains from Bangalore to Karwar - Yeshwanthpur - Karwar Express (16515) and Karwar Express (16523). There are plenty of stay options available in Karwar - not an area of concern at all.

I personally feel Karwar has been underrated. It has so much to offer for a tourist. Its pristine waters, beaches and beach resorts are the ones to look out for. I would love to go back to this peaceful haven any given point. I hope I was able to do some justice to the beauty of this place. Anyone interest in visiting the place please do let me know, I shall share the contact number. 

Badami – through the words of Badami Rashmi

Badami: Sounds like a dry fruit name? isn’t it? (Badam)

But reference here is to a little archaeological town in northern part of Karnataka in Bagalkot district. I proudly say, that my family tree begins from here. It is famous for its rock cut structural temples. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged red sandstone on the banks of Agastya lake. Archaeological survey of India has declared Badami as protected site. It’s also is in the process of acclaiming “World Heritage site” status by UNESCO. Pattadkal near Badami is already on the list. It is also believed that name Badami has come from colour of its stone (Badam -Almond).

The town was formerly known as Vatapi. The name Vatapi has origin in the Vatapi legend of Ramayana relating to Sage Agastya. There were two demon siblings Vatapi and Ilvala. They used to kill all mendicants by tricking them in a peculiar way. The elder Ilvala would turn Vatapi into a ram and would offer its meat to the guest. As soon as the person ate the meat, Ilvala would call out the name of Vatapi. As he had a boon that whomsoever Ilvala calls would return. Vatapi would emerge ripping through the body of the person, thus killing him. Their trick worked until Sage Agastya countered them by digesting Vatapi before Ilvala could call for him, thus ending the life of Vatapi at the hands of Ilvala. Two of the hills in Badami represent the demons Vatapi and Ilvala. As per scholar Dr. D. P. Dikshit, Jayasimha the first Chalukya king, established the kingdom in 500 AD. His grandson Pulakeshin I built a fort at Vatapi. Aihole was named after a merchant guild known as Ayyavole Ainuravaru who lived in the area. An inscription record of this king engraved on a boulder in Badami records the fortification of the hill above "Vatapi" in 544. Pulakeshin's choice of this location for his capital was no doubt dedicated by strategic considerations since Badami is protected on three sides by rugged sandstone cliffs.

Badami has eighteen inscriptions, among them some inscriptions are important. The first Sanskrit inscription is in the halegannada (old Kannada) script on a hillock which dates back to 543 CE, from the period of Pulakeshin I (Vallabheswara), the second is the 578 CE cave inscription of Mangalesha in Kannada language script and the third one is the Kappe Arabhatta records the earliest available Kannada poetry in tripadi (three line) metre. One inscription near the Bhuthanatha temple also has inscriptions dating back to the 12th century rock-cut temple dedicated to the Tirtankara Adinatha.

Badami is famous for its sandstone cave temples. The rock-cut cave temples were sculpted mostly between the 6th and 8th centuries. The four cave temples represent the secular nature of the rulers then, with tolerance and a religious following that inclines towards Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Cave 1 is devoted to Shiva, and Caves 2 and 3 are dedicated to Vishnu, whereas cave 4 displays reliefs of Jain Tirthankaras. From an architectural and archaeological perspective, they provide critical evidence of the early styles and stages of the southern Indian architecture.

The first cave is the oldest of all the caves. It is made of red sandstone and has a hall with numerous pillars and a square shaped sanctum hollowed in the control back wall. There are paintings of amorous couples on the ceiling. Other sculptures include Shiva and his wife Parvathi with a coiled serpent and the 18 armed Lord Nataraja in 81 dancing poses. Beside him are Nandi, dancing Ganapati, etc. There is a neatly carved perfect figure of Mahishasuramardini and several other rock –cut dwarf images of kubja ganas, Nagaraja or snake king, Vidhyadhara couple, etc., are on the ceiling. Deep caverns with carved images of the various incarnations of Hindu gods are strewn across the area, under boulders and in the red sandstone.

Second Cave temple is dedicated to Vishnu (also known Trivikrama) portrayed as Krishna and Varaha  - with one foot mastering the Earth and the other to the sky. On its front are the guards or dwarapalakas holding lotus in their hands. East and West walls of the cave have large images of Bhuvaraha and Trivikrama. On the ceiling are engraved Ananthashayana, Bramha, Vishnu, Shiva and Asthadikpalakas.

Third cave temple dates back to 578 AD. The façade of the cave is nearly 70 feet wide, with carvings of ganas on the plinth. It contains examples of Deccan art, illustrating the culture and clothing of the 6th century. It is dedicated to Vishnu, and is the best and the biggest of all. It has splendid giant figures of Paravasudeva, Bhuvaraha, Harihara and Narasimha. All these statues are engraved in a vigorous style. An inscription found here records the creation of the shrine by Mangalesha in 578 AD. There are some paintings on the ceiling and the style indicates maturity but has lost its original dazzling colour. The bracket figures on the piers here are some of the finest.

Fourth cave relates to 6th century Jainism. There is a carving of the Tirthankara Parshvanatha (with a serpent at his feet). Mahavira is depicted in a sitting posture. The pedestal contains an old Kannada inscription of the 8th century A.D. which registers the death of one Jakkave. Scores of Jain Thirthankaras have been engraved in the inner pillars and walls. In addition to it, there are some idols of Bahubali, Yakshas and Yakshis. Some scholars assign the cave to the 8th century.

Bhuthnath Temple facing the Agastya lake

Other places of interest:

On the north hill, there are three temples, of which Malegitti-Shivalaya is perhaps the oldest temple and also the finest in Badami, and has a Dravidian tower. Out of the two inscriptions found here states that Aryaminchi Upadhyaya, as the sculptor who got this temple constructed and the other dated 1543 speaks of the erection of a bastion during the Vijayanagara rule. The lower Shivalaya has a Dravidian tower, and only the sanctum remains now. The town also has Agasthya Tirtha, temples of Goddess Yellamma, Goddess Banashankari, Mallikarjuna, Datttreya and Virupaksha. Bhuthanatha group of temples are most important in Badami. Badami fort lies west of the Bhuthanatha temple, atop a cliff right opposite the Badami cave temples. The entrance to this temple is right through the Badami museum. It is a steep climb with many view points and dotted with little shrines. The path is laid with neatly cut stone, the same that adores all the architecture around. Banashankari temple - popularly called Banashankari or Vanashankari, since it’s located in Cholachagudda in the Tilakaaranya forest on the outskirts of Badami. The temple was built initially in the Dravidian architectural style. The rebuilt structure is in the Vijayanagara architectural style. The temple is enclosed by a high wall on all sides. The temple also has a beautiful kalyani which is locally called as Haridra Tirtha, a corrupted version of the name Harishchandra Tirtha. The pond is enclosed with

stone mantapas (halls) on three sides. Banashankari jatre ('jatre' means a “fair”) is held as a religious cum cultural festival, at the temple precincts every year on the occasion of the Rath yatra, for a period of about three weeks starting from the day of Rath yatra. Its starts on 8th day of Pushya masa - Bandhashtami day, a Palleda Habba or the Vegetable Utsava or festival is also held on this day. 108 varieties of food items (called ‘bazi’ in local language) made of vegetables are offered to the deity. The festival also marks another unique event namely, the Teppotsava (the boat festival) held in the temple tank. During this event, parents use boats made of banana stems to ferry newly born children blessed by the grace of the goddess around the pond seeking good luck to their children. 

Malegitti-Shivalaya temple

Badami is surrounded by many offbeat pre-historic places like Hiregudda, Sidlaphadi and Kutkankeri (Junjunpadi, Shigipadi and Anipadi), there we can see the rock shelters megalithic burial sites and paintings.

We all have heard the famous hymn “Vatapi Ganapatim bhaje” in Hamsadhwani raga by the composer Muthuswami Dikshitar. The idol of Vatapi Ganapati was brought from Badami by Pallavas, which is now in the Uthrapathiswaraswamy Temple, near Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu.

Another interesting fact: the climate has made it a safe haven for the monkeys of south India. Tourists often flock to Badami for the opportunity to see monkeys interact in a natural environment.

Looks like a staircase to heaven.. it's the climb to the caves

Mallikarjun Temple

Weather:

The temperature ranges from minimum 23 degrees to 45 degrees during summer and from 15 to 29 degrees in winter. The rainfall of the area is 50 centimetres. Best time to visit is between low humid season from November and March.

How to reach Badami:

Criteria	Place	Distance
Nearest airport	Belgaum	150 kilometres
Nearest railway station	Badami	0
Nearest major railway junction	Hubli	130 kilometres
Shortest distance from Bangalore	Bangalore	450 kilometres

Badami is reachable from Bengaluru by a 12-hour bus ride, or by a direct train "Gol Gumbaz Express (train# 16535)" or with a combination of an overnight train journey from Bangalore to Hospet followed by a short bus ride from Hospet to Badami. Another option could be from Bangalore to Hubli (8–9 hours) and then a bus ride from Hubli to Badami (3 hours). Local transport in Badami is by Rickshaws, tongas and city buses.

View of  Badami from the caves

References: Encyclopedia and online websites.

Hesarghatta Grasslands - where my heart belongs to....

Grasslands… sounds interesting… that too in the vicinity of a silicon city. Too good to be true???

In fact, most grasslands are located between forests and deserts. About one quarter of the Earth's land is covered with grasslands. They are generally open and fairly flat, and they exist on every continent except Antarctica. Most lie in the drier and less visited portions of a county's interior. Having said all of that, here’s one piece of heavenly land, which is on the outskirts of this traffic laden city. Yes, right next door. Below is my acquaintance with this paradise.

It was wee hour (1 AM) of the last day of the year. The weather was quite chill being the winter month. The atmosphere and the mind were eagerly waiting for the New Year, and we were waiting to finish the unfinish. We started our jaunt with a hot cup of tea at our favorite place. I was a little skeptical as to what to expect. We drove and drove in the dark until we reached our destination. At the very first look, I fell in love with this place. The drive along the road was equally mesmerizing. At every point, I had felt I was at the end of the world till I reached the destination. I don’t think I can pen down the beauty captured by the eyes. That was my first-hand account of this place. That day, I left a part of me there. I think that’s the reason I get attracted to this place every time and the attraction only enriches with each encounter. Since then, I have been a frequent visitor to this place. For me, it has medicinal effects: cleanses my mind, refreshes my mood and all energized to face the world again.

To be more elaborate, this place doesn’t have anything apart from grasslands and neatly lined grown trees. They look like they have been planted with a someone, though it’s not so. The tall green trees are the same throughout the year. They definitely inspire you… You can definitely sit back and relax. There are no specific spots to visit as such. It’s just vast land filled with tons and tons of fresh unpolluted oxygen. Nature lovers will definitely fall in love at first sight.

The sunrise and sunsets are the best here. But would advise not to go for these until you are familiar with the routes. The place is frequently visited by for movie makers. We do have a film institute close by. Also there’s a famous resort just after the grasslands. I would say an ideal place for some peaceful getaway from the chores of the city. A place which will definitely not dig holes in your pockets. 

Pelling - God's special artwork 

The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven,

And as imagination bodies forth,

The forms of things, unknown, the poet’s pen,

turns them to shapes and gives airy nothing,

and there lies a small habitation called “PELLING”.

Have you heard of it? Probably yes; probably No. It’s though a small town, it has nested in itself many beautiful hill tops. The town of PELLING is second smallest in size and first in population in its state. This beautiful city lies at an altitude of about 6100ft above the sea level. The road that leads to the small but beautiful town is made-up of multi-directional curves. While we were traversing through, it was pouring down heavily and the terrain was so tough that the visibility was reduced to half a meter. It was like, we were surrounded by clouds and not hills or trees.

Pelling is the closest inhabited town near the highest peak of India, Mt. Kachenjunga (Sikkimese spell it as Kachendzonda).  This mountain is at an altitude of 8686m from the sea level and its only 37kms from Pelling. The scenario, the flora, the fauna left me speechless. When the sun rises in the morning, the first rays fall on the peak of the hunk mountain. The reflection it creates, makes the hilltop studded with pearls and diamonds of various shapes and colors.  It’s the shining ice that forms the crown of the Kachenjunga. It was marvellous, the picturesque has left a deep impression in my heart.  The landscape during the dusk and dawns left me speechless. 

We consider Kashmir to be heaven on earth. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan said – “Agar duniya mein kahi Jannat hai toh, woh yahi hai, yahi hai, yahi hai!” Translated to – “If there is any heaven on earth, it’s here - Kashmir”. This town definitely falls in the same line if not outbeat it.

Clouds in Pelling are like you and me - they wander around us. When I touched them, a nerve of enthusiasm ran from my head to toe. No words can pen down my feeling. It was nothing but great. I was elated, on top of the world. Sky was no more my limit. We have beautiful waterfalls all along the route. Among many, there is one where the ice melts from Kachenjunga and comes rolling down the hills and forms the Kanchenjunga waterfalls. We have special kind of stone called Ting-Ting stone, which is special of its kind because it creates unique melodious sound when hit at a particular side and no sound which hit at an adjacent part. It also houses one of the oldest kingdoms – Yuksom. There is beautiful lake called Kartok Lake. This is one of the oldest lakes of India. Many bridges have been built to connect the hills with one another thus making it tress passable.  A perfect example of human architect. Man with all the might has conquered the toughest terrains. I brought with me bountiful memories and experiences. They shall remain evergreen and always close to my heart. It reminds me of a quote which sums up the beauty -

Nature presently distilled,

Helen’s check but not her heart,

Cleopatra’s majesty,

Sad Lucretia’s modesty,

Thus Rosalind of many parts.

By heavenly synod was devised.

Isnt it true !