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Ah, sounds like I should put Bundi on the list. (If you are going to warn me off Amritsar I already went and enjoyed it.)
Re: the sleeping waiter. I once arrived early off a night train at a Hanoi hotel and discovered that some of the help slept on couches in the lobby. |
Wonderful photos to go along with your fascinating account.
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Am I correct that you are eating street food? You are far braver than I am and I got deathly ill the day I flew home from my first trip. (Didn’t stop me from returning though). Are you sticking to vegetarian food only?
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Ah yes, thursdayd. I realised after I posted that you’d been to Amritsar...we did enjoy the sights, the location of our accommodation was less than ideal, which dampened my enthusiasm.
Thanks Kathie, it’s easy to take good photos when the subject matter is so interesting. dgunbug, yes eating street food. We are mostly vegetarian with a bit of chicken and fish occasionally. I also got hideously sick after our first trip to India, five different GI bugs and nearly hospitalised. We both take a probiotic every morning, fingers crossed, it’s working so far. Jaipur has changed in the six or so years since we were last here, not unexpected. Last time they were digging up the roads for an elevated roadway, this time they are digging up the roads for a metro. The traffic is far worse than I remember, but there are still elephants ambling down the main street...only in India. Our home for two nights found on Airbnb is an artists residence, indeed it is a visual feast. Our host is not home, but his mother greets us with chai and a rundown of the local area. Ramesh wanted to take us to a favourite local restaurant of his, and so it was that we had lunch at Shree Balaji Pavitra Bhojnalya, where their sign states they have a “live kitchen”....hmmm. It’s almost directly opposite the Palace of Winds in the Johari Bazaar area. The joint was humming at 2pm, with people waiting for tables and a young couple asking if they could share our table for four..no problem. We devoured two thali of paneer bhuji, dal makhani, chickpea masala, naan breads, coriander chutney, spicy pickle and yoghurt, plus beer, always a beer ! This was so delicious, and refills were offered. R set off for Delhi, we will see him again in Amritsar in four days time. Interesting, while we were eating he purchased a 15 kilo sack of red onions, a five kilo sack of garlic, and had bought a large khadai for his wife. Khadai are a wok like metal cooking pan. We wandered the market area, walking off lunch and fending off the hundreds of shopkeepers who invited us into their shop...just not in the mood. Eventually tiring, we tuk tukked back to Shan’s home and sat for a while in the beautiful garden. The mother suggested a restaurant for dinner, not too far away, it’s called Shikaar Bagh and is an up market, trendy spot with both locals and foreigners present. After a huge lunch only a snack was required, sorted. Uber works a treat in India, no language difficulties to deal with, automatic payment and clean cars with gps to find your destination. We’d grow to love Uber until the day after tomorrow, when we’d hate it. Tomorrow we have declared a shopping day. I can’t believe we’ve been in Rajasthan for nine days and we haven’t bought a single thing. |
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This thali was GOAT (millennial speak for greatest of all time). https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cee69bdae.jpeg Jaipur traffic https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...13aa0bfc9.jpeg Just a little place across the road. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4bb8edfa2.jpeg More Jaipur traffic. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e60e9a9fd.jpeg From the tuk tuk.... |
You do seem to be eating well. And veg should be safer. More great pix, thanks.
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Bundi looks less stressful overall - tranquil almost.
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Sartoric, I hope things are better at home so you can fully enjoy the remainder of the trip.
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Great report, thanks for sharing
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Originally Posted by CaliNurse
(Post 16829251)
Sartoric, I hope things are better at home so you can fully enjoy the remainder of the trip.
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Thanks for your words of encouragement thursdayd, triplanner001 and rhkkmk.
Shan is an artist and designer, so is his mother. She has a small very upmarket shop at the back of the house and a unit on the top floor where luxury fabrics are hand embroidered and sewn into garments. We had a chance to see the intricate work being completed, gold threads, lots of velvet, fascinating stuff. Now back from Delhi, Shan told us about the major project he’s working on - designing the wedding for a daughter of India’s wealthiest family. There will be 7000 guests at this wedding, 1800 will fly in by private jet, the likes of the Clintons. Oh my, such wealth is unimaginable to me, and frankly a bit obscene when I compare it to our next home stay in Amritsar. This home in Jaipur houses four generations, has three servants, and I wonder about the motivation for letting out a room to strangers. On to the shopping - Shan has told us about an emerging designers enclave, so Uber gets us there and we spend an hour or so in the nine boutiques. Nothing grabs us (well, nothing that we can easily take home). On to Anokhi, another recommended store (@CaliNurse, I think you like this one) and yay, finally we buy a few items. Lunch is at a Jaipur institution. Niro’s has been going strong for 69 years, some of the waiters started here as children I reckon. The food was great, black chickpeas, chicken tikka masala, eggplant bhaji, jeera rice, kalonji naan and picked onions, plus beer. We do more wandering in the chaos, wrestle with an Uber hiccup (bizarrely it decided to stop liking my Mastercard - we grabbed a tuk tuk instead) and headed back to Shan’s house for more eye candy. I really can’t describe how interesting the artwork in this house is...will post a few photos. Dinner was not really necessary, but after learning that Uber in India can accept cash (it doesn’t in Australia) we circumvent Mastercard and went to Henry’s pub for a marvellous mojito and a snack of skewered tandoori chicken. Tomorrow we have a 7.00 am flight to Delhi then on to Amritsar....and Uber lets us down big time. Want to be locked inside a gated community in the darkness of early morning at 5.00 am, when the door has locked behind you and your hosts phone is switched off ? Nah, I think not. |
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Oh my...what a cliff hanger! Waiting for the rest of the story. Sorry about troubles back home.
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"Shan told us about the major project he’s working on - designing the wedding for a daughter of India’s wealthiest family. There will be 7000 guests at this wedding, 1800 will fly in by private jet, the likes of the Clintons. Oh my, such wealth is unimaginable to me, and frankly a bit obscene when I compare it to our next home stay in Amritsar. This home in Jaipur houses four generations, has three servants, and I wonder about the motivation for letting out a room to strangers.
If this is the family of the man who owns Reliance Cellular (an ironic name name for iffy phone service) --he lives in Mumbai in what the cab driver there pointed out as the supposedly most expensive home in the world--part of the company's skyscraper. A*bit* obscene you say? Who needs 40 billion dollars? Agree, wondering about motivation for the Airbnb room rental. Oh well, sometimes not all is as it seems. True anywhere, but in Incredible India, perhaps even more so! Two shared "oh no!!!" moments....the frustrating and angering situation at home ("Pave paradise, put up a parking lot" as Joni Mitchell sang) and the Uber story which, as dgunbug says, is quite the cliffhanger. Glad you found something worth buying at Anokhi. Great sales rack! Actually the Jaipur block print fabric shop I love is Soma. There are branches in a few other other cities, but it's unfortunately not as omnipresent as Anokhi or Fabindia. |
Ah yes CaliNurse, the Ambani (sp) family, if (and that’s a big Indian if) we are to believe what’s been told to us. Apparently each guest at the engagement was handed the keys to a new BMW. The wedding is to be at the Lake Palace in Udaipur.
Thanks for your continuing interest dgunbug....I’ll take us over that cliff NOW. A wasted day of travel, they happen. We had a 7.10 flight from Jaipur to Delhi, then 12.25 Delhi to Amritsar, arriving 13.20. The plan was to see the Golden Temple in the evening. Ready to go at 5.00 am, I summoned an Uber, app says 16 minutes, okay. 10 minutes later the app was still showing 16 minutes to its arrival. I rebooted the phone. Another 5 minutes passed, with Uber still showing 16 minutes to arrival. We decided to walk to the main road to grab a taxi. Gates to the enclave are locked, no sleeping watchman visible. Back to the house, panic creeping, I go to the front door, it’s now locked. Try to ring host, phone switched off. On the street with our luggage a car appears, it’s Uber, we pile in putting luggage in the front seat, but it’s not our Uber. After much pleading (on my part) and screaming in Hindi (drivers part) he evicts us. We are really stressing now at 6.00. Walked around the corner to a budget hotel, where luckily the night watchman is up and loading guests into a car where the driver has some English. He offers to call a taxi. 5 minutes later a tuk tuk turns up, we’ll take anything at this stage, load the luggage, squeeze in beside it, then hurtle through the still dark streets of Jaipur to the airport in 30 minutes. We made it...just. This is all my fault, I should have had a back up plan. The flight on Jet Airways in a prop plane (ATR 72) was fine, had a box breakfast. We knew we’d have four hours to kill in Delhi airport, didn’t know we’d have six....flight to Amritsar delayed, delayed, delayed again. Still have no idea why. I had arranged the guiding services of Gurinder Singh thanks to CaliNurses recommendation. We’d talked by email and had a plan for the 2.5 days we were to be in Amritsar. Then, I made a mistake and booked a homestay at his house. With hindsight, some separation would have been better. A driver collected us at the airport, we were delivered to Johlz homestay and offered tea by his lovely wife. Gurinder was out with other clients (he runs heritage walking tours) so we went for a walk around the neighbourhood. It was very local, a filthy smelly drain featured, loads of rubbish, a dead dog in the main street (also there the next day) and a couple of people who actively snarled at me. Didn’t feel real good about this area. The plan for our first night was to visit the Golden Temple, it didn’t happen. Gurinder convinced us it was possible to fit a night time visit in on another of our two days. With no dinner options close by, and two ordinary airline meals, he offered what they were having. A simple meal of dal, vegetables and rice was very nice. The room was clean and reflective of the price we paid (about $26 per night). Our conversation with him that evening was interesting.... |
I’m enjoying following along without all of the stress. Thanks!
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Thanks Marija, you kinda forget the stress after a while...
The Golden Temple is a stunning edifice and worth seeing more than once. The pinnacle for Sikhs worldwide, it attracts over 100,000 visitors daily. Unlike other religions that just flaunt their wealth, most Sikh Gurudwara (temples) also provide meals for everyone and anyone who wants or needs one. The langaur (kitchen) at the golden temple is a well run machine. Staffed by volunteers, it turns out 60,000 plus meals a day. We were particularly fascinated by the chapatti machine where dough goes in one end, and perfectly puffed chapatti come out the other. People are also welcome to sleep under the colonnades, and a short distance away is a modern “inn” where free rooms are available to pilgrims. As a devout atheist, this seems to me like one of the better faiths to have if you must have one. We started our day with Gurinder by climbing a steep staircase to a small Jain temple on the wide boulevard leading to GT. Here the photos of priests are full frontal nudes as they’ve reached a stage of enlightenment whereby they eschew all material possessions, including clothes. There’s pretty mirror tile work on the ceilings and a great view of the throngs below. To access the Golden Temple one must remove shoes, cover head, and walk through a shallow water bath to cleanse the feet. I saw some people scoop up a handful of the foot bath to drink, yikes. There’s much slippery wet marble, be careful. Later, we visit the memorial to the massacre at Jalianwalla Bagh. It’s peaceful despite the tragic circumstances of the time, when a British commander ordered his troops to open fire on peaceful protesters and hundreds died. A fruit and vegetable market provides some cheerful respite, we admire the colourful displays and dodge a million motorcycles. Lunch was at Crystal restaurant, an Amritsar institution. Disappointed with the food, the service, and especially the cost, they stiffed us 400 rupees for a small bowl of plain yoghurt that was not ordered. I suppress a hissy fit, and we forge onwards, 30 km to the Wagah border ceremony. It’s a spectacle of rampant nationalism, but we chose to view it in a light hearted way. We didn’t understand a word, and couldn’t help thinking of British comedian John Cleese and his ministry of silly walks. 25,000 people a day make the effort to see this. I got stepped on eight times while leaving and got about six apologies, so that’s okay. Not good for those who dislike crowds, but then, India isn’t either. We revisit the GT at night, no less crowded, but perhaps even more spectacular lit up. We watched the ceremony whereby the holy book gets put to bed. A long and full day, it’s time to put ourselves to bed. |
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The Jain temple. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4b3efbb74.jpeg The Golden Temple really is a stunning complex. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...344d431af.jpeg With loads of people eating. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c843ff1a0.jpeg Part of the crowd at the Wagah border. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ff48996b8.jpeg A spectacle at night. |
I ate lunch at the temple, although I didn't drink the water. I skipped the border ceremony, although I had to turn down several drivers wanting to take me there, lol. As best I remember I took a night train in (from Varanasi) and a night train out (to Delhi). Not recommended, lol, and not something I would do today.
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Wow! Sorry I missed this but better late than never.
Your TR and pics are amazing. Thank you for putting such time a effort into this. I see you were not too impressed with China Southern. Thats too bad as they have worked their way up to a 4* rating on skytrax but looks like they have a ways to go. Sorry you were stranded at Qutab Minar. Tough way to start your trip. I am surprised about not calling Pakistan?? BTW we went thru hell in 2010 trying to get a visa for my wife who actually is from Ajmer and one of the questions on the app was if she has relatives in Pakistan. All this happened after the Bombay attacks from Pak terrorists and one of the advance scouts got a multiple entry visa from our own Chicago Indian consulate using a false name. Before this getting a visa was easy as it is now but in between it was laborious. The food pics look amazing, I can do without the rats and I see your experience at Pushkar is the same as ours. Our "student" guide demanded money after he said he did not want any. Hey I heard you the first time. :smirk: Following! |
Hi, sartoric! Still following along and loving your trip report! Wonderful writing and fabulous photos! The shot of the Golden Temple at night is postcard-perfect! And you do have some cliffhanger moments here, too! Wow, talk about a close call with the flight! But I love your attitude: <<you kinda forget the stress after a while...>>
By the way, I've always referred to myself as a devout atheist, too - I was amused to see you use that description, too! |
Loving your report and pictures. My big regret was not having gotten to the Golden Temple. Looking forward to the rest of your story.
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Continued thanks for the descriptions and photos!
Were you able to sneak in a beer in this area of Sikh culture which forbids alcohol? Speaking of the Monty Python troop, here is Michael Palin’s view of the Wagagh border ceremony/performance: I didn’t recognize the stadium in your photo, and sure enough, read that it’s been enlarged and modernized in the last couple years. We stayed for a while after the actual border gate closing. People on the India side poured from their seats to the parade area, and danced to blaring Bollywood music Stepping through the post-shoe removal water at the GT sure felt good in 108°F June temperature! Didn’t see anyone drinking it though! Still, probably safer than drinking from the Ganges. Dhunbug, guess you’ll have to return for another trip! Amritsar is a great stop between Delhi and heading up to Manali /Dhramsaja/Pragpur/Shimla. |
Hmmm...dont know what happened above with the youtube link. Sometimes it shows, sometimes not. Here'a another blurrier version. Narration is good.If this doesn't work, I give up, but Google Search "Youtube Michael Palin Wagagh Border" will bring it up.
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Ha ha thursdayd, our night trains ended with the trip back from Sapa, and like you we found several sleepers and motorcycles in the hotel foyer. We also saw a body shaped rug in our haveli in Mandawa, a recently vacated bed in a foyer of the hotel in Jaipur where they kindly rustled up a tuk tuk at 6am, and I think there was another....details fuzzy.
Thanks jacketwatch, despite their obvious cooperation with the Wagah border ceremony, India and Pakistan are serious enemies over disputed territory, namely Kashmir. Even as Aussies we had to declare that we had no Pakistani heritage when applying for a visa. In Ajmer there is a captured Pakistani tank displayed prominently on a main road. Progol, fellow devout atheist, thanks, old photographers never die (maybe we get overexposed). Yes CaliNurse, never underestimate the ability of an Australian to find beer.... Also, there was an “English Beer & Wine” shop not far from our homestay, we were encouraged to visit. Gurinder is probably a more moderate Sikh, said he even went out without turban sometimes, and he was sharing a whiskey with his father the night we arrived....perhaps that’s why he was so loquacious. Thanks for the video, we didn’t see the thumb action, but the high kicks were impressive. I’m pretty flexible and fit, couldn’t get anywhere near these guys...(yes, I tried). Day two in Amritsar...breakfast is masala omelette with toast and homemade buffalo milk butter, delicious. We started at the Partition Museum (no photos allowed), where we spent at least two hours. It’s a sobering reminder of how Britain (itself in trouble at the time) failed one of its colonies. The museum is in an interesting old building and the displays were informative, well put together. I’d read about Bottoms Up pub in Lonely Planet. It’s in the Grand Hotel on Queens Rd, there is nothing grand about it. There was however, a pleasant leafy garden area, marred only by building/renovating works in progress in the accommodation area, and a decidedly dusty atmosphere. Chose not to eat here, we had a beer and moved on. Back in the GT area, lunch at Bharawan da Dhaba was fantastic, two different thali, fresh lime soda and dozens of Indian families to watch from our back row table. Now time for our heritage walk with Gurinder, we wandered the lanes of the old city admiring the crumbling architecture, dodging the constantly moving obstacles and attracting far more attention than we needed. There was no room for street food snacks, although plenty were on offer. This area is home to bazaars of beautiful fabric, spices, kitchen ware, holy paraphernalia and endless piles of rubbish. We ducked back into the Golden Temple around 5.00, the theory being that many people are at the Wagah border ceremony, and its thus less crowded. Didn’t seem to work today, with there being at least an hour long wait (in a crush) to get a glimpse inside the temple itself. Luckily, Gurinder suggested we ask one of the gate guards to let us in the exit line. It worked! Along with a couple of elderly Sikhs we swam upstream and waited only a few minutes to worm our way through into the temple. Here there are magnificent gold ceilings, priests using sticks to ram devotional money into boxes, plus much wailing, chanting and prostrating. Back to Gurinder’s house we shared a beer in the living room, perched on highly carved ornate furniture and again had an interesting conversation. He plays the harmonium, a piano accordion type instrument which, for me, rates up there with bagpipes on the excruciating scale....he does have a good singing voice though. Amritsar is a place that I’m not sorry we visited, but I’d need a major incentive to go back. |
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Colonial era building which houses the Partition Museum. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7c6c37011.jpeg Thali at Bharawan da dhaba. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aa7da02ae.jpeg Heritage walking. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a2fea8690.jpeg Crumbling, decaying, but still living and breathing. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...22d6fe77b.jpeg And very much in use. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b56196fb6.jpeg Not all of India is like this, just too much of it. |
BTW we went thru hell in 2010 trying to get a visa for my wife who actually is from Ajmer Not all of India is like this, just too much of it. |
Amazing old buildings in Amritsar, some with beautiful paintings on undersides of balconies. THANKS for posting these.
LOL, Gurinder must've grown more moderate. When we met him in June 2010, he was self-admittedly conservative, involved with an organization to encourage young Sikhs to uphold their traditions including wearing of the turban. He has also led the fight for local govt restoration of its beautiful old buildings, and bemoaned lack of appreciation, care and maintenance. Your trash photo is soooo evocative. Glad you put it in the gallery. My daughter walked by, as the image---but not its caption--was on the computer screen and without knowing the thread or forum, immediately exclaimed "India!!" I'm fascinated (in a bizarre way) by the different levels of garbage accumulation: sometimes strewn everywhere, other times swept into neat little hillocks! In the nearby Punjab city of Ludhiana, a similar scene surrounded a bin with the sign, "Please Use Me." The nasty mess around it was a sort of giant rude finger to the vain attempt at tidiness. |
“Too true. And yet the Indian section of Singapore is clean. Maybe there is no trash collection in India. Of course, at one time it was all biodegradable”.
There is trash collection in India, the untouchables (Dalits) do it, just not on that day. In Singapore no one would dare leave rubbish anywhere. It’s all about the country’s laws, and more importantly, enforcement of them. Agreed, like in Myanmar and Thailand, in past times biodegradables were used. Now, plastic is the enemy, big time. |
Ohh, CaliNurse, I have lots of photos of the ceilings - beautiful painted wonders, many falling into decrepitude. I heard one explanation that Punjab has agriculture as its driving economic force, unlike Rajasthan where tourism is the main one. It follows that Punjab can’t allocate as much public monies to restoration/preservation as can Rajasthan where it’s needed to support the economy. Makes sense.
Yes, Gurinder has changed in the past eight years. He’s very much an environmentalist now, and wants to escape the city. Can you believe the constant honking of horns drives him nuts? Also yes, the trash is fascinating. Our driver Ramesh constantly pointed out “plastic/rubbish” with a big sigh. Yet, I suspect he’s not innocent in contributing. It’s india ! |
I remember that tank in Ajmer. In fact I climbed up on it once.
As for the trash our first visit to India was in 1978 and then my BIL bemoaned the lack of civic sense and pride there. In 2013 during our last visit we were stopped at a red light in my nephews car, the son of my late BIL. He too was expressing his frustration about poor civic manners and like on cue a pizza box was tossed like a frisbee from the car in front of us. He said “just see.” Yes “it’s India.” BTW we have been to India 7 times and decided the last time was it. Both of us have become very ill there. I mean very ill, In 1982 I became infected with typhoid fever requiring 2 weeks hospitalization. Fortunately I was home when the symptoms fully hit me. They began the day we left. In 2013 Sue became ill in Ajmer. We flew to Bangkok for a week but she ended up being hospitalized there for practically the entire time, being d/c’d the day we were to leave. I wonder if you noticed the open sewers in Ajmer. In any case we decided that was it. We are older now and our health matters the most. We decided not to risk it. |
Jacketwatch, sad that you have decided not to return to India, totally understand why though. We also thought this would probably be our last trip, now considering number four.
Today we’re excited to set off for Prakriti Farms. It’s an organic farm, a labour of love by the owner Kaushal who I conversed with via email from home. The drive takes about 3.5 hours, pretty easy going. At a chai stop a man engages us, asks for photos and tells us he’s a singer on YouTube....he was very handsome. I used my phone to make a note of his name....jade it day lad burrow (damn you autocorrect and not putting on my glasses). About 10 minutes before Rupnagar, we turn off into a small village and wait for the boy from the farm to meet us. It’s another 2 kilometres to the farm, through dirt roads and two creek crossings. Poor Ramesh, he’d washed the car this morning, as he does every morning. Prakriti Farm is lovely, set in the foothills of the Shivalik ranges, there are views aplenty and huge old trees. Our home for two nights is a spacious cabin with a tented ceiling, a modern bathroom and a comfy front porch. This will be the best shower of the trip ! We were met by Kaushal who gave up his corporate life (in hotel management, then IT) to start this enterprise and escape the pollution of Delhi. He’s a well travelled and genial host who made our stay really special. We were the only guests, but he was also supervising completion of a large new building. With a wedding party expected in two weeks and no glass in the windows yet, there was much to do. Lunch was served in a cabana and comprised mushroom curry, dal makhani, fresh curd, salad, rice and chapattis with homemade pickle. So good, so plentiful. After a rest, we took a walk around the farm with Kaushal, viewing the vegetable gardens, the orchards, the geese pen, a new swimming pool, and always the mountain views. He has deliberately left it mostly untouched, and rehabilitated where necessary. It’s glorious. Dinner was another feast, aloo gobhi, a different dal, eggplant bharta with freshly made bread, pickles, salad etc. A bonfire was lit and we talked well into the night enjoying Old Monk rum with coke ! Never been a fan of rum, but this changed me, and even made coke taste better. What a great night, all down to our host ! |
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Lovely views https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2796740da.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3ee05571.jpeg Our cabin accommodation. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4c1ba1ec1.jpeg A simple lunch. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8848625c1.jpeg Prakriti Farm by night. |
Old Monk. Had that too. Good stuff indeed.
The food looks great and healthy too. Thank you for understanding our situation. As for the border ceremony we witnessed it was notable that neither side would lower their respective flags below the level of the other. It’s all about keeping face. Amazing! |
This latest stop sounds like a real gem!
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Yes, Kathie it was definitely a gem, and we plan to return now that we have an open invite....
Our host has arranged a local bird expert to take us for a walk through the nearby Ramsar listed wetlands along the Sutlej river. He even asked Mr Birdy to join us for breakfast so we could be introduced and have a chat before our walk. We’re rank amateurs at birding, but with help spotted over 30 species including osprey, eagles and the tiniest bird I’ve ever seen, the size of half a thumb. The two hour walk was pleasant enough, although the shocking amount of plastic waste definitely detracted from the natural beauty. I counted 43 discarded sandals/flip flops in one 20 meter section, no two alike of course. We continued on with Mr Birdy through gardens with statuary commemorating the various Sikh gurus, all under renovation (and they needed it), spotted a couple having pre wedding photos, then met up with Ramesh to drive to the archeological museum. Here there are artefacts from the Indus Valley civilisation dating back many thousand years. The museum is poorly lit, dusty, over staffed and no photos are allowed. Say no more. We wandered up the hill to what may have been an excavation site, (Mr Birdy didn’t have a lot of English), and admired the view over the old town. There’s supposed to be an 18th century fort in Rupnagar, we didn’t see it....maybe next time. Back at the farm, our host has asked chef to give me a tour of the kitchen and a demonstration of making Kadi - a dish of pakoras in a chickpea flour sauce. Ingredients are lined up, I’m aproned, and off I go, effectively cooking our lunch. We relished the kadi (the word sounds like curry) with perhaps the best aloo gobi I’ve ever had, rice, chapattis, pickles and fresh tomatoes. There was beer too, we acquired that in Rupnagar ! The afternoon passed peacefully, a gentle stroll, a bit of writing, a nap, then another bonfire was lit and yet another delicious dinner served ! This time we had matar paneer (paneer with peas in gravy) alongside cauliflower with green beans, plus rice, pickles, curd and chapati. The food here is very good, six meals, no repetition and very reasonable at 300 rupees pp. There are six cabins in total, with other accommodation options coming soon. Kaushal is not interested in the mass market, rather he seeks like minded, eco friendly people as guests. My email tag convinced him we’d be suitable. For Diwali strings of coloured twinkly lights decorate the cabins, and a laser projects more lights high into the trees. We will buy one of these laser gadgets tomorrow in Chandigarh after Kaushal tells our driver where to get one. |
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We walked from this bridge... https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8683fc20d.jpeg To this bridge https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9d6da6d2c.jpeg Eagle https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9c3eb3fdc.jpeg Other birds.. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de40507ff.jpeg The happy couple. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b0ffeb861.jpeg Kadi on the left. |
Third attempt at posting. Grrrr...I still have problems with the "new" Fodors!
Thanks for the reminder of super delicious kadhi. Kudos to the chef! I've had it, in a yogurt base. All the food sounds wonderful at this place! And a good shower at last! Was it the ultimate--enclosed--or the "wet room" type that sprays from a modern ceiling showerhead but all over the room? (Yup, one of my admittedly compulsive pet peeves.) The cabins are quite close together. Looks like a great place for a large group/family visit, but only if part of the group. Otherwise, I'd want to luck out as you did, and be one of only a few (or the only) visitors. Surely the guide's name wasn't really "Mr Birdy"? "Kaushal is not interested in the mass market, rather he seeks like minded, eco friendly people as guests. My email tag convinced him we’d be suitable." So he picks and chooses paying guests? To "ecotourism," add eco-snobbery and eco-tism! |
Grr, here too CaliNurse, the new Fodors is difficult for iPad.
Thanks for the the correct spelling of kadhi, (I did ask, lol, it’s India), this recipe had buttermilk as a base. The shower wasn’t enclosed, but was separated enough to keep the rest of the bathroom dryish. At least it had hot water and good pressure, together. Yes, the cabins were close, the night before we arrived they had 22 guests, I guess a full house and some ! Also, there are other options dotted around the property. No, his name sounded like deepshit...thought Mr Birdy suited him better :) i must have have worded that poorly. There was no snobbery or egoism about him. It was more that he didn’t want the kind of guests who would expect room service and chuck their trash on the ground (I can imagine that’s a part of the Indian mass market). He wants guests who appreciate and care for the natural environment. Hope that explains it better, and thanks for your continued interest. I guess people can can figure out we’re home by now. I’m pretending to still be there, it’s much more pleasant than here. I’ve five days left to post, much of which is written (in rough format). In the meantime, I’ve been consumed by our lake which is being destroyed as I type. I claim a prize for dedication, arrived at our house 11.55 on Tuesday, was at the protest meeting (10 minutes drive away) by 12.30 after a short but heavenly shower. Patiala and Rishikesh coming soon. |
Waiting for more. Thanks for taking us along.
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