Phurkhiya - At the edge of the mighty Himalayas!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , , | Posted on 8:51 AM
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It is said that Pictures speak a thousand words.This is my 100th post on www.terrainspotter.com and I won't write anything about Phurkhiya.About 5 Kms uphill from Dwali(And really uphill)...Phurkhiya is the last junction with houses before Pindari Glacier,Kafni Glacier and Sunderdungha Glacier.

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From Purkhiya,the peaks can be seen with amazing clarity,and the Pindari Glacier just seems a stones throw away.There is a KMVN(Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam) rest house here too,but bookings have to be done way way in advance.Thus it is advisable to bring your own tent.Eat properly before starting for Pindari the next day,as there are no dhabas or even tea stalls between Phurkhiya and Pindari.

Cheers to my 100th post.It took one and a half years to reach here:-).

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Dwali - The village by the river!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , , | Posted on 7:48 PM
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Dwali is about 11 Kms from Khati Village.The entire journey is done besides the Pindar River,through narrow manmade lanes cut across the hills.In fact,i strongly believe that a Khati - Dwali trek makes you understand the true beauty of the great Himalayan valley.
There are scores and scores of waterfalls on the way,water coming out of low lying holes,water falling from 100 ft,water flowing besides you as you walk and water flowing below you as you walk.The entire trek to Dwali is the easiest,full of visual delights...with the cool river breeze hitting you all the time!
There are numerous rickety wooden bridges that pass on the way,which creak precariously and freak you out as you are on them.I also want to say a thank you through this site to my Travel Mate - Mr Badru for his Never-Say-Die spirit.A quiet person in nature,Mr Badru was far fitter than me(A true desi ghee khaya hua Punjabi Mumda) who did the entire Pindari Trek terrain without a single complaint.
Evenings are a great time in the hills,when you can see the dim red light of the sun set across the nearby hills.You see the clouds pass by and rub your shoulders.It's a great time to sum up your life till now and think practically about the future.In the above photo,Mr Badru seems to be doing just that.
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Dwali indulges you in the simple pleasures.As you can see from the video,even simple Dal,Chawal and a double omelette can taste like heaven...WHEN YOU ARE IN HEAVEN!


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Myriad Dreams at Khati!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , , | Posted on 1:54 PM
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From Dhakuri top,it's a downhill trek of 8 Km's to the beautiful town of Khati.Khati lies at a height of about 7600 Ft,surrounded by all sides by the mighty himalayas.
Khati looks like a town...that's long lost in time.10 A.M in the morning and you will see people playing cards,snakes and ladders,Carrom and have the least care in the world about earnings and moolah.The best thing to do in Khati is to sit at the wooden benches besides the stalls and sip your tea as the clouds pass you by.
If you are bored with the tea and the sitting a wee bit,then take a 2 Km downward trek to the Pindar river,which especially during rains...looks scary to say the least...with rapids well above level 4.(ferocity of Rapids are are identified by levels : 1-5).

In the evenings,sit on the cottage balcony and take a look at the silence around you...the occasional cattle's grazing by...the stray mountain dog looking for pieces of food on the wet grass.
One of the scariest natural things that you see around Khati are the Landslides.Imagine,you are standing on the hilly landscapes and suddenly the ground beneath you collapses.Gives me the shivers even thinking about it.The villagers say that landslides can happen anytime and there are no signs...but any ground that's loosely hangs from protruding rocks is considered dangerous.
We stayed two whole days in Khati,as we were stuck because of perennial rains.It was a great soul searching time for me in this quiet easygoing town.Khati is the last town going ahead which has solar powered STD booths.So traveller's to Pindari,Kafni,Sunderdungha or the basecamp...do make your calls here because then you get completely cut off from the world.

Do visit by for my next travelogue on the village by the Pindar rapids - Dwali


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Song,Loharkhet and Dhakuri - The Lost Villages!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , , , | Posted on 4:57 PM
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The foundations of the Pindari Glacier trek that I undertook with Mr Badru,started from a place called Song.Song is a small and beautiful village about 199 Km's from Kathgodam(The place till where Indian Railways takes you).Kathgodam is a low lying workmanlike town and the real beauty starts once the jeep starts winding up from Bhowali(30 Km's).
From then on,you are taken on a picturesque yet topsy-tipsy-curvy ride besides river after river,stream after stream,crossing Almora(109 Km's) and Bageshwar(164 Km's) until you hit what looks like a dead end(See Photo)
The bridge adjoining Song to Loharkhet frequently collapses due to rains and landslides,and thus there's a separate solitary jeep which takes travellers 3 Km's up to Loharkhet.The ride is scary as hell as there IS no road...just a pile of rocks with a sheer drop on one side.The pahadi's(Mountain men) call this driving feature as "Mausam banake chalna"(Driving in one weather mode!).Beats me how they find humour in such situations:-).
Loharkhet gives a great view of what's to come - wave upon wave of green hills that we have to cross!Loharkhet has a forest rest house,and we halted there at night.The stay was more than comfortable(In case you are the kind of person who looks for a clean bed to be satisfied at the end of the day).Since Loharkhet is a halting place before the start of the trek,one sleeps early and gets up early,because the hardest part of the trek lies ahead - THE UPHILL TREK TO DHAKURI.
Loharkhet to Dhakuri is a continous 11Km upward trek.It's tiring,hard,neverending,but the cool air hitting your sweat buds keeps you pleasant....and Mr Badru in this photo epitomizes my thoughts.
The vegetation starts getting greener and greener as one treks up,with the temperature dropping accordingly.There are tea/maggi stalls every 4/5 km's so one can take a well deserved break.
Dhakuri top is my Switzerland of India:-).I was mesmerized when I reached here after such a long and winding road.All perspirations,fatigue and frustations vanished when I saw the above picture in real.
On a clear,non cloudy day,the great himalayan peaks like "Baijuri","Nanda Khat" "Changus" and Pindari Glacier" are all clearly visible from Dhakuri.In fact our guide told us that many people return back from Dhakuri itself,as they feel that they have seen what they wanted i.e the mighty peaks!

Obviously I amd Mr Badru did not do that and kept on going.My next post will talk about the further lost villages of Khati,Dwali and Purkhiya.Till then...keep reading this space.

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The Hills are alive... - Pindari Glacier Trek (Prelogue)

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , | Posted on 9:16 AM
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Near the Pindari Glacier,the wind sings its own tune and the hills seem to orchestrate the entire melody.The rocks lie cold and bored with wrinkles formed due to years of wear and tear.
The Icy peaks stand proud and upright,defiant of storms and thunders and whatever beckons.They await the next brave men who will attempt to cross their icy path.
And then as one goes far,the valley and the peaks look even more intimidating from a distance,as if daring a novice like me not to come any closer.

It was not easy reaching all the way up there,as shown in the photos.It took 3 days of trekking and a bit of lady luck,combined and spiced with danger and the occasional adrenalin rush.Read this space for more on that.


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Learning to fly!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , | Posted on 9:30 AM
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Into the distance, a ribbon of black,
Stretched to the point of no turning back.
A flight of fancy on a cloudswept field,
Standing alone my senses reeled.
A fatal attraction holding me fast,
how Can I escape this irresistible grasp?
Cant keep my eyes from the circling skies,
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit I...

I took these mesmerizing photos en route to Delhi for my Pindari Glacier Trek.Looking down at the earth below,with the sea of clouds...with the half shining,half fading horizon...makes us realise how inconspicuous we are...in the bigger cosmic scheme of things!

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The Sea beckons from the hilltop-Utan

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , , | Posted on 9:54 PM
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Imagine a place from where you can see the Arabian Ocean's vast expanse - left,right and centre.A place located on a hilltop with Coconut trees lined along the gravelled path,swayed to and fro by the strong wind that the Sea brings.Utan is a small fishing village located near Bhayander and I went there Friday night with three of my office colleagues.

The unique thing about Utan is that,there is no beach.The road runs along with the Sea,with 100's of fishing boats(Large,Small,Elaborately Designed,Plain)...waiting to get to the deep waters - so that the Koli fishermen can bring the evening's catch for their families.Wild Hen's,playful dogs and mischievous kids all run amok on the narrow broken down roads,and once a while they look up to the strangers entering their town.
Utan Resort is a exotic getaway build on a hilltop(about 75 Mt's high) overlooking the vast expanse of the Arabian sea.The owner as I was made to understand is a dentist from Mumbai - and I must say that the man has done a great job.The resort is tastefully done - wether in terms of the ambiance,Furniture or the quality of food. There are three kind of cottages - Double Bed Cottages,Double Bed Cottages with Balcony or Bungalows.The Bungalows I heard are used for shooting Bollywood movies.The basic charges for the Double Bed Cottages is 3000 INR and that's worth it,because the rooms are clean,the outside ambiance lush and green.Moreover Utan Resort definitely has a fantastic cook in the Kitchen.We tried the Prawn Koliwada and Pomphfret Curry along with Yellow dal and Rice - and it was fresh and extremely delicious.The most important thing is that the staff is extremely friendly and courteous.I had to check my e-mails and they told their back office girl to stop her work and allow me to surf.Now that's what I call - "Pleasing the Customer by making him King".

The Terrainspotter strongly suggests Utan to those who are looking for Quality - not Quantity.It's definitely for those with a great taste for aesthetics - wether man made or natural.

The Details to get you there:
Location : Utan Village,Bhayander(West),District Thane
Place to stay : u-tan Sea Resort
Things to do : Nothing:-)
Contact Number : 9821759882(Mr Morris)

Photo Courtesy : Mr Elton D'souza

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Gastronomy Divine!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , , | Posted on 2:06 PM
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In Mumbai,there lies a place called VT.In VT,there's an area called Fort and in and around Fort are Gastronomic delights.Delights - that - give - your - stomach - the - taste of Malwani,Gomantak,Parsi and even classic Chinese and Indian Veg cuisine!It's been six months and I thought it's time to list out some of the best places to eat at Fort,Mumbai.

Hotel Fountain Plaza(Malwani Cuisine) - Malvani cuisine is the standard cuisine of the Konkan region of Maharashtra,Goa and northern parts of West Karnataka. Although Malvani cuisine is predominantly non-vegetarian, there are many vegetarian delicacies also.When in Fountain Plaza,try their Chicken Biryani,Standard Fish Thali(Rs 50) and of course Porota and Sukka Mutton/Chicken.You can go for normal rice or red rice(the fat rice with a slightly red colour).

Pradeep Gomantak : This place really is unique.It looks like a staff canteen,there's hardly any place to sit and the restaurant owner looks at you with glaring eyes.Add to that a long queue of people waiting for their turn,the initial feel would be a sickening one.But rest assured,once you have the Pomphret Thali here(for an unbelievably cheap Rs 70) you will be coming out singing praises of this Gomantak food joint.Gomantak Cuisine is the cuisine of Goa specifically!

Ideal Restaurant : From Malwani to Gomantak to Parsi now...ahhh...in Gastronomic explosiveness,Parsi food has no other equal.Also the right style is to take starter,then food and end with dessert.So start with "Bombili Fry"(Bombay Duck fried in Rawa),move on to the Achari Chicken with Chapatti and then dive later into the Lagan Custard.Although Ideal is far costlier than the other two mentioned above.A meal for two hungry people can come for about 350-400 here!

Aaaram Veg Restaurant : Once in a while,after a hard nights party and too many Non Veg meals later,you long for simple Veg food and Aaaram gives you that.Bang opposite to VT station,Aaaram is filled to the brim with people between 1-2 PM.Try out the plain but tasty Puri Bhaji,Veg Pulao and the Batata Vada.Prices not to mention are super cheap.By the way,beware of the angry and defiant waiters,who dont like you calling them...hehe...they come to you.Aaaram has been there at VT for Donkeys years and it runs on word of mouth only.So please leave your ego aside when you go in!

Shaan Chinese Corner : Run by a Musalman,ironically this restaurant makes some mouthwatering Chinese Dishes instead of Mughlai.Bang opposite to the Bata Showroom in Fort,try out their Schezwan Fried Rice with Chicken Hot Garlic.It's quite a treat to the tongue!

Well,now you know what I have been doing in Mumbai between 1 -2 PM all this while!The other two guys in the picture are my fellow office Gluttons:-)

P.S : Fountain Plaza,Pradeep Gomantak and Ideal Corner are all behind Times Of India Building!


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Days and Nights in the Forest-Satyajit Rays Genius Unfolded!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , | Posted on 10:51 PM
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I have been writing about travels and terrains for the last two years.Is there a movie that defines the urban middle class's search for solace and tranquility in the jungles,in the still of the night?In 1969,Satyajit Ray directed "Aranyer Din Ratri"(Day's and nights in the forest).It was a movie that pitted four urban youths against the rural heartland,the rawness on life and the lust for it!It was a movie that showed the "Urban Middle Class" in search of that elusive answer.Soumitro Chatterjee(Asheem) as the main protagonist -the urban middle class model man,Hari(Samit Bhanja) as the rebel,Dhuli(Simi Garewal) as the lure and Sharmila Tagore(Aparna) as the ideal match for Asheem.Subendu Chatterjee(Sanjoy) defined the hesitant urban middle class - confused over following his own heart or his own inner fears - etched in the scene in which Kaberi Bose(Jaya) tries to seduce him.
The movie makes you think.After all,what is life?Is it an unknown journey or a quest?Is it a void that is filled with daily chores - of joy and sadness?Or is it all mapped in our palms...our paths decided...our destiny written?Is it friendship,relationships,affinities...that withers away?or is it a maze of paths that we choose that decides the outcome?Is it our missed chances or the lack of it?Are we all victims of our own karma?Or are we cursed to be living a life in which we have our physical needs fulfilled in this middle class urban psychobabble and our self actualisations unfulfilled?

I don't know because if I did...I guess I wont be asking.


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Comfortably Numb!!

Posted by Saurav Chakraborty | Posted in , | Posted on 9:06 PM
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Hello,Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me...
Is there anyone home?

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