Dussehra Getaways

It's that time of year again! The monsoons have just about given our subcontinent the go by. The hot and dusty summers appear to be safely behind us, and that ephemeral season of fall is upon us, that shortest season in the Indian calendar. Even as the upcoming festival season appears to become somewhat less significant in terms of its religious or cultural roots, what seems to have become more widespread is the concept of the 'dussehra holiday'.

Late in the season though it is to be actually planning a dussehra break, chances are that you have already planned out a typical dussehra destination for a week or ten days of vacationing with the family. Intelligent Investor offers some options to spice up your dussehra break with some offbeat mini-itineraries, based out of your typical dussehra holiday hotspots. Branch off from your walk on the Mussoorie mall and you could end up getting some brilliant views of sunrise over Mt. Banderpunch! Take time off from the temples at Khajuraho and you could well be witness to a grand spectacle of chinkara loping across the Hinauta plateau at the Panna National Park!

1) Khajuraho

You're probably in Khajuraho to see some of the ancient temples that have made the place famous. Well, take a break from temple-watching and explore the glorious forts and palaces of Madhya Pradesh. Go to the wild and unexplored fort of Kalinjar, which lies some 120 kilometers to the northeast of Khajuraho. Make it a day trip, starting out early from Khajuraho, and make it back after sundown.

Or if you want to stick to something in the vicinity, then make a shorter day trip out to Rajgarh palace, which lies a mere one hours' drive away. Ask your hotel or travel agent to get you advance permission to enter the palace. The route to Rajgarh passes through some quaint villages. Look out for roadside wetlands with scattered pairs of the stately Sarus Crane in attendance... A more exciting trip can be made out of the tough jeep ride to the top of Maniagarh Fort, which directly overlooks Rajgarh from a forest escarpment atop a thickly-wooded teak and tendu forested hillock.

Forty-five kilometers to the west of Khajuraho lies the beautiful palace of Chattarpur, the old stronghold of the ruling family of Chattarpur, the district in which Khajuraho lies. Plan on a half day trip and soak in the Chattarpur countryside en route...

Or, for some forest fun, head to Panna National Park, which lies less than 30 kilometers away. Some of the finest grasslands, meadows and pleateau forests of central India will greet you here. Chinkara could bound across the narrow jeep track on the pleateau and an early morning drive may even yield a Sloth Bear blundering back to its cave in the escarpments below the plateau country.

Unwind for a day or two at the exclusive Ken River Lodge, undoubtedly one of the finest outdoor wilderness camps in India. Sit on a machan twenty feet above the placid Ken River, in the middle of a copse of gigantic Arjun trees, sipping a drink at the Ken River bar, or removing the late evening chill from your hands, sitting by the bonfire. If you feel adventurous, make for the second machan at a height of forty feet from the ground, and look for Civet Cats! And when the urge to move strikes again, take a drive down to the Hinauta Plateau and see diamonds being mined at this legendary location. Or else, book an elephant and venture deep into the aonla and teak plateau forests of Hinauta. Watch the sun set from the edge of the plateau. You'll forget all about the mad rush hour traffic of Delhi!

A relaxing day can be spent lunching at Raneh Falls, a twenty-four kilometer drive from Khajuraho. The Ken River has some of the finest waterfalls on it, not spectacular in terms of height but in terms of spread and aesthetic visual appeal.

For local trips, ask your hotel to arrange logistics. For visits to Panna National Park and the neighbouring attractions, contact Shyamendra Singh at Ken River Lodge, Village Madla, District Panna, MP 488 001, phone no. 07732 275235.

2) Mussoorie

You know what Mussoorie is all about so I need not go into great details about the mall or the food or the hotels or the parking! But what you perhaps do not know is that the hillside of Mussoorie, with its grotesque post-modern Indian structures of RCC and jagged sariyas poking into the blue sky, is carved out of a most exquisite lower Himalayan mountain range, with some of the finest forests and wildlife of the region. And where our post-independent culture of ruin and destruction has not taken us yet, small pockets of sylvan magic still remain, with their attendant populations of leopard, black bear, Peora or Hill Partridge and Goral or wild mountain goat. Some fabulous Himalayan snow views also greet the visitor, with almost five hundred kilometers of Himalayan snow peaks coming into view from prominent hill tops.

Take a day trek up to Landour and please don't take a jeep taxi or drive up, unless its health or age that don't permit you to do so! The walk means good exercise and the air is essentially clean and pure, once you're out of Mussoorie's bazaar. Take a walk around the Lal Tibba hill after crossing the bridge at Char Dukani and maybe peep through the telescope at Durbeen point. You may get some close-ups of Jaonli or the Gangotri peaks if the post-monsoon clouds have let up. Walk to the other end of the hill and take the left (and wilder) route at the Landour Language School, till you reach Sister's Bazaar, and if Prakash's shop hasn't run out of cheese, then take some for home. Even if he has run out, you can still get some fresh strawberry, peach, plum or apricot jams for family and friends.

At the other end of town lie the twin peaks of Bhadraj and Benog. Take a drive down to the resort at Cloud End, where those not of an outdoors bent can spend the day. The more adventurous can fuel up here and undertake a tough trek up to the summit of Benog or if you want to be even more ambitious, you can take a full day and try to make it up to the top of Bhadraj. You'll get great views on a clear day, and maybe you'll see a Goral or two! You'll definitely come back more fit...

In the same direction but far less stressful in terms of walking, you could drive down the road above the Municipal gardens in Mussoorie, go past the nursery, and head to the Park Estate. Park at the Toll Barrier and walk a gentle two kilometers to the top of the hill, which once housed the residence of Sir George Everest, whose name was later used to name the peak which we first surveyed.

If you want a longer day trip out, then choose the Aglar Junction for some fishing and walking along the river at its confluence with the Yamuna. Drive down the Kempty Falls road, and if you want to avoid the attendant crowd at the falls, carry on down to the confluence. Park your car at the few shops near the bridge and walk down to the spot where the Aglar meets the Yamuna and spend a day of fun at this beautifully wild spot before heading back to crowded Mussoorie for the night.

For a longer drive this time to the east of Mussoorie, take the nicely tarred road to Dhanolti and pass through the orchards of Kanatal. Stop frequently and take in the lovely views of the plains to your right and the higher ranges and snow views to your left. You pass through some fabulous first range forests along the way, so if you are in a mood to walk, find the right spot, and take off into the woods, camera in hand...

3) Darjeeling

Wherever you are coming from, the trip to Darjeeling takes a small amount of planning regardless, considering its distance from any other town of a considerable size. Once there though, there are a tonne of exciting excursions to be made, for the adventurous or the not so adventurous.

Starting with the relatively tame, one can make a motorised half day trip to the top of Tiger Hill one early morning. If the weather favours you, not only will you get an excellent view of Kanchenjunga but also perhaps of the faraway range of Everest. If you're not chilled by the early morning air, then you can stop over on your way back at the Ghoom Monastery, which practices a sort of permutation of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

For a two day trip, choose a visit to Sandakphu, which lies to the west of Darjeeling at a height of over 4000 meters on the Singelila ridge. You should drive down in a jeep, jonga or Gypsy, as the road from Maneybhanjang is rather basic. The drive takes about five hours and you can stay in a number of places there, either the DGHC rest house or private accommodations. Early morning views of Kanchenjunga, Everest, Makulu and all the peaks of the Kanchenjunga range, can be spectacular, weather permitting.

The trip and stay can be arranged by several tour operators based in Darjeeling. Clubside Tours and Travels can be reached at 03592 54646, 54657, fax 54123; Himalayan Travels is at 54544, 52254, fax 54330 and Himali Travel Specialists is at 54487, 55672, fax 54330.

There are so many other options for trips around Darjeeling, whether sedate or wild. Pemayangtse lies about four hours' drive away, and offers close at hand views of Kanchenjunga, some excellent forest walks, and an up-close look at the local monastery. Closer to Darjeeling lies Mirik Lake with its relatively sober blend of boating, fishing and walking. A more exciting escape would be to the Rangeet-Tista junction via Peshok Tea Estate. En route, you'll find some beautiful butterfly nullas and some wild forests and views of the river.

4) Bharatpur

Where else in the world can you roam around in a wildlife sanctuary on an autorickshaw? Where else in India will your rickshaw driver actually give you the Latin scientific names of the birds and animals around you? Where else can you almost tumble over a twelve-foot-long Asiatic Rock Python without any real danger to you? Where else in this crowded country of ours does the sky still reverberate with the nasal screams of ten thousand waterfowl? Where else can you boat through a narrow canal, more beautiful than the canals of Venice? And open out onto a grand misty wetland, with islands and submerged grasslands, teeming with life?

You must have caught on by now. I'm talking of the otherwise famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, the Keoladeo Ghana situated near the rather crowded town of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, not far from the Agra highway, and close enough to Fatehpur Sikri.

Bharatpur is the perfect dussehra getaway as the wetland breeding is nearing its peak at this time. And if you happen to already be landed in Bharatpur and have seen your fill of Painted Storks and Cormorants (even though there are a lot many more birds and animals to see than just these...), then you can opt for some side excursions. Head an hour away to the beautiful 18th century town of Deeg with its beautiful gardens, pink sandstone structures and five hundred fountains that throw out water of many colours during a spring season festival. Roam the palaces and fort all day, and be sure to see the banquet hall with its collection of Victorian furniture, animal trophies and typical palace accoutrements.

Bharatpur Fort was completed in the year 1756 by Maharaja Suraj Mal, and was one of the best built and protected forts in Rajasthan. The perimeter of the outermost of three walls that comprised the fort, was some seven miles. The Bharatpur Palace itself is built with a blend of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. Nearby is the Lohagarh Fort, with its vast fortifications that run along the ridgeline of a hill. The massive cannons and the impressive doorway with elephants embellished on, are both must-sees if you've come all the way...

The significance of Dussehra is the supposed end of the ten days of war between Ram and Ravan. In the Bharatpur region, the festival is celebrated in the form of the Jaswant mela, which can be visited by those lacking an aversion for crowds!

5) Ooty

Ootacamund and Coonoor are twin hill stations set at around 7500 feet above sea level. Different from Himalayan hill stations, they are definitely less crowded and concretized, but still offer the scope of wilder and more peaceful locales in their vicinity. Modelled along the lines of London's Kew Gardens, the Botanical Gardens at Ooty are 145 years old, and harbour a range of herbs, plants and stands of mature trees. Coonoor has its equivalent of the Botanical Gardens, in the form of Sims' Park, which is a little more tame with its rose gardens, tree-lined avenues and rows of flower beds. Situated 6 kilometers off from Coonoor is Lamb's Rock, another interesting feature worth a look-see, with this precarious rock perch offering a panoramic view of the Mettupalayam ghat and ravine country.

There are a number of options for long walks and drives in the region. You can just about take any path that wanders off into the forest, and you'll be rewarded with typically-Nilgiri birdlife and fine forests. Some of the other options are trips to Wenlock Downs, Lady Canning's Seat, Kateri Falls, Carin Hill and the Sixth Mile. And as you set out on a long trip, remember to carry along lots of fresh locally-grown passion fruit, apricots and strawberries!

Other and more ambitious destinations in the general district would include Munnar, with its fabulous mountainous terrain and tea estates, Eravikulam with its shrinking population of the rare Nilgiri Thar, and the somewhat distant Kabini resort which is world-famous for its fishing and wildlife viewing.

6) Kullu-Manali

Manali has a lot more to offer than just Rohtang Pass and the bazaar. Sure, you must make it up to Rohtang and savour the view, but when in Manali, find time for some of the offbeat options.

In Manali, there is also the Tibetan School run by the Tibet Welfare Committee which one can visit. The Tibetan market sports typical across-the-border cheap goods which could be of interest, and the Buddhist monastery could make for a nice half day getaway, as one walks through the labyrinthine corridors. The name Nehru Park makes it sound like it were in the middle of New Delhi, but this area has some beautiful old-stand deodar forests and a few wildfowl species in a large aviary. You can see a few pairs of Himachal's state bird, the Monal Pheasant and also some Chukor Partridge, over here.

Another walk or short drive is to the Hadimba temple nearby which was built in 1553. Another interesting diversion could be a visit to Duff Dunbar, a grand old house which was built in 1850 by Dunbar, the first British forest officer of the area. Built of deodar and other forest timbers as well as masonry, it was built on European dimensions.

Although Manali is not known for its rafting, there are some relatively soft stretches of white water on the Beas that can be rafted in this season, with the family in tow. A suitable rafting operator for the region is Himalayan Journeys based in Manali, telephone no. 0091 1902 52365, fax 53065. Follow the rules and be cautious if you do decide to raft the Beas!

The Vashisht hot springs are managed by the government. Here, you can take a private hot sulphur bath. Carry your own towels along, to ensure cleanliness. The hot springs are located next to the village and temple of Vashisht.

Located just over a half hour away from Manali town, on the left bank of the Beas, Naggar used to be the capital of the Kullu valley until 1660. The Naggar castle of the erstwhile King of Kullu is now a hotel which affords an excellent view of the valley. A nice half-day or even an overnight getaway from Manali town... If you want a one hour walk from Naggar, take the route to Rumsu village, a beautiful village with some beautiful mountain homes. Beware of the local alcohol which is very potent. Don't say we didn't warn you...

The Roerich art gallery is located in the house where Nikolai Roerich, the famous painter, lived for over twenty years earlier this century, in the town of Naggar.

Solang Nala is where the regular skiing action takes place in the winter months. It may be worth a visit even at this time of year, if for nothing more than long walks and the ambience of the place.

7) Kathmandu

The cost of flying to Kathmandu from Delhi is less than that of going to Bombay, so a lot of people end up going to Kathmandu. But traditional travel to Nepal has centered around inexpensive shopping for consumer goods, which seems to have more recently been replaced by actual tourism and mountain-related travel, with the advent of the post-semi-liberalised availability of similar shopping in India. Indian travellers are beginning to find out about their many other options in Nepal.

For a short trip out of town, you can make your way to the Gokarna Forest Golf Resort, which is run by Le Meridien group, and is situated in the 470 acre forest which once was a private game sanctuary. A walk around the outskirts of the forest reserve can be a rejuvenating experience.

The Botanical Gardens at Godavari can provide some nice walks as well, in addition to lots of birding amid green spaces punctuated with streams and lots of old forest trees.

The drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara runs along a 200 kilometer highway. Even though Pokhara itself is a comfortable vacation spot, it acts as a starting point for some major treks, and the town provides some excellent views of the taller peaks. Four kilometers south-west of the town lies Phewa Tal, which has a temple on an island.

Then there is the famous mountain flight, for which you can buy tickets in Kathmandu itself, or else with your local travel agent in India. The short flight from Kathmandu takes you quite close to the big peaks themselves, and you get as close a view of Everest and the other biggies as you would short of actually walking to the peak.

Local travel can be arranged through a host of big and small travel agencies, such as Yeti Travels, which is one of the largest. They can be contacted at 00977 1 221234, 222329, fax 226152 or through their Delhi agents Jyoti Travel at 011 6475999, 6284333, fax 6220654.

8) Jaipur

If you're headed to Jaipur to 'do the circuit', then include some excitement along the way, and make the trip even more worthwhile! Visit the palace at Samode. Stop by en route at Chauki Dhani for a Rajasthani meal in a rustic setting.

Take a four hour drive out of Jaipur, and you reach Sambhar Lake. This brackish lake stretches for miles, often as far as the eye can see. You can plan on staying overnight, at the rather decrepit rest house, or else with a local family in town. The next morning, drive to the other end of the lake, if you have a four-wheel vehicle such as a Gypsy or a jeep. Start walking not just by the lake, but actually into it, and you'll experience an amazing emotion. It would be like nothing you've ever done before! After a while, you'll find that you're thigh-deep in water that goes on and on, and you're at least a kilometer away from shore, and you can keep going further and further, and the water is pretty much the same level throughout... If you're lucky, you'll find flocks of Lesser Flamingos skimming the water's surface when you get close to them, or else lazily scooping up microscopic algae in their sieve-like beaks.

For a different sort of day trip, take a two and a half hour drive down to the sleepy village of Tonk. Ask around for the Sunehri Mahal and most people will look blankly at you. This is not another Taj Mahal, where the entire city exists for the architectural landmark of a nation... Here, you will actually have to go to pains to find this beautiful structure. And when you do, you might be disappointed. Or you might be elated. You find a dilapidated building with a school house in the ground floor. You scramble to find the chowkidar, to let you in. Once inside, you're in a different world, with windows and doors of fabulous stained glass, and gold-gilted ornamented walls and ceiling. Not an inch of wall or ceiling space has been left without ornamentation. The place is unique in its ostentatious grotesqueness. For that age and era, one even excuses the latter attribute, and marvels at the perfection of a time gone by, at the attention to detail. Apart from this bejewelled room, the rest of the village has little to write home about, apart from lots of Rajasthani dust!

So whatever your dussehra holiday choice already is, you can still work in some excitement into what would otherwise be a regular town shopping and mall walking experience!

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