Incredible India Images

Chopta, Uttarakhand

2010-09-19T04:15:00.000-07:00

While moving from Kedar nath to Badrinath, we take turn from Guptkashi, cross Ukhimath & head towards Chopta. 2-3 kms before Chopta, we found this beautiful valley at village named Duggal Bittha. We stopped to have our breakfast at this place. We must say the food is very tasty over here. More so, when had on a morning full of fog & mist.

Devprayag : The Other Side of the Confluence

2010-09-19T03:42:00.000-07:00

From Images of Incredible India

Previous post showed the views of Ganga at Village Byasi, between Rishikesh & Devprayag. These are a few pictures of the Confluence at Devprayag, the tourist guest house & the Hilltop Temple visible from there and another views of River Ganga after crossing Devprayag and moving on to Badrinath / Kedarnath.

Incredible India, Uttarakhand- Mana-The Last Indian Village near Badrinath

2010-09-19T02:32:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken at Mana Village. This is the last village of indian Territory on this route. This village is just 3 kilometers from the Badrinath Temple, one of the Most Important & Holiest Shrines of Hindu Religion.

Devprayag- Last Confluence of Ganga Rivulets

2010-09-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Moving on from Rishikesh on way to Devprayag, We reach a small village Byasi. Some breathstopping views of River Ganga were visible, which we captured in our camera.
Here are some images... Devprayag will be our next stop.

Rishikesh, The Holy City on the banks of Ganga

2010-09-08T00:19:00.000-07:00

Rishikesh is one of the holiest places of the Hindu Religion. This is the place where Ganga touches the plain lands after its arduous journey from the Himalayan peaks.
Anyone having interest in Hindu Religion has to visit Rishikesh.

This photo series is the first in our journey along the Ganges Trail.

We start from Rishikesh & go upwards in Himalayas till Badrinath & Kedarnath.

Map :
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The Great Indian Jugaad...

2010-09-06T22:16:00.001-07:00

India is Incredible....
There are so many colors in an Indian life, it never stops feeding your thoughts, your imagination... !!! Sometimes, you find India to be incredibly weird also.

Necessity is the mother of invention, & The Great Indian Jugaad is an example of it. Literal meaning of "Jugaad" is : "something functional made out of whatever resources are available".
The above pictures are of a Jugaad as it is popularly known. It is also known as "Maruta" (masculine word for Maruti-the popular car brand) at many places. In Haryana hinterlands, its also called "Bhoond", a variant of Haryanvi word "Bhoonda" -meaning "Bad Faced".

Howsoever bad names it might have earned, it is an example of solid will power of rural Indian folk, who have to live on.. despite the shortage of money, technical support, advanced technology, etc etc. Made from the water pump, Jugaad is the most popular, most workable & one of the most successful transport vehicles of rural India. This is an original example of Indian Ingenuity, which has bloomed in recent times after finding the right environment in the shape of IT revolution.

Kerala: Mannar

2010-09-04T23:56:00.001-07:00

Here are some beautiful pics from the Southern End of Incredible India... Mannar, Kerala. No need to say much, the pics themselves speak for the incredible beauty of the place... (photos contributed by Sachin Verma)

A Village on the banks of River Yamuna

2010-09-03T00:01:00.001-07:00

Beauty is in abundance in India. You just pick your camera, aim it anywhere & just click. It is bound to come back with a beautiful picture. These pics were taken during journey through a small village on the banks of River Yamuna, on the border of Haryana & Uttar Pradesh states.
A watered field, Trees on the roadside forming a cave like view and A bulging River Yamuna looking like a sea on a rainy day.

The Giri Ganga Temple, Khara Pathar, Himachal

2010-08-22T00:43:00.001-07:00

So here are the pics from the Giri Ganga Temple. This dates back to Mahabharat Age, i.e. approx 5500 years ago. Beleived to be built by Maharishi Ved Vyas as told by the local priest, This shrine is full of peace. Far far away from the maddening world, situated on the banks of Giri Ganga river, Surrounded by the thick deodar jungles, 100% pure peace awaits you here. You suddenly feel like meditating to rise above mortality. in winters, this entire space is filled with snow. An overwhelmingly peaceful place, very highly recommended by us if you are seeking a break.

The Path to Giri Ganga

2010-08-10T11:20:00.001-07:00

So, We start moving from Khara Pathar to Giri Ganga. A trekking I'll never forget. Here are a few pics of the path moving up to Giri Ganga Temple, supposedly approx 5000 yrs old.

Road is paved with Silver Dust presenting an amazing view. (The mountain is of Mica stone, the powder form shines no less that Silver).

It takes almost 45 minutes to cover 7-8 Kms of upward journey on a rough road barely wide enough for a single vehicle. You have to drive so slow out of the fear that sometimes you prefer to get down & walk on foot. Going through the jungle is a bad idea... we came to know this when, on the way back, we lost our way in the jungle & had to travel all the way back, wasting an hour or so .

The track itself was enjoyable, the destination all the more so.

Untouched Corners- Reckong Peo, Kinnaur

2010-06-12T06:17:00.001-07:00

This is a view on the way to Reckong Peo, District Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, India. Taken on April 2, 2010.

This is just a glimpse & many more images of breathtakingly beautiful trip to Kinnaur are lined up. Its just awesome... Incredible India !!!

Khara Pathar - Base Camp for Giri Ganga

2010-04-15T19:21:00.001-07:00

After Kotkhai, we reach Khara Pathar. It was not less than a shock for us to find Khara Pathar to be just like an ordinary destination.
Local people told us that this place got this name from a Standing Stone at a temple. But that stone is no more & two years ago it gave way to a calamity.
However, sharing some phhotographs of Sunrise & some Misty Mountains at Khara Pathar, District Shimla.

From here, we were advised either to go to Hatkoti or to see the temple of Giri Ganga, atop a hill, a 7 Km long trek.

We decided to go for Giri Ganga.... wait for the next post.

The Lonely Tree at Kotkhai Valley

2010-04-13T21:12:00.001-07:00

From Fagu we moved on towards Khara Pathar, the base camp for Giri Ganga.
Kotkhai is a small town on the way. These are two pics. The Lonely Tree in the Kotkhai Vally and An Apple Orchard at Kotkhai.

Sunrise at Fagu, Shimla

2010-03-18T20:10:00.001-07:00

Here we go...

Friends now we have set on a journey to Giri Ganga. An unknown untouched corner in Himachal Pradesh. This post is the first in this series.

We start from Chandigarh in evening. As discussed in one of the previous posts (click here), we decide to byepass Shimla & stay at Fagu. This helps us cover some miles before we sleep.

In the morning, we enjoy a beautiful Sunrise behind the Himalayan mountains. Pics are here for you.

From Fagu, we'll be moving on to Theog, take a side road towards Chhaila, Kotkhai & Khara Pathar.This road further goes to Jubbal, Hatkoti & Rohru. This area is famous for apple orchards.

But from Khara Pathar - we trek to Giri Ganga & take another unknown, untrekked route back to Chandigarh. Details & photos will be coming soon.

For the time being, here's the sunrise at Fagu.

Kangra

2010-03-15T09:50:00.001-07:00

Kangra
Originally uploaded by Dainik Batoula

This is the last photograph of our journey towards Kangra, Himachal. Further to Kangra one can visit Dharmshala, Mcleodganj, Baijnath, Palampur. Dhauladhar Range of Himalays is visible in its awesome beauty from here.
We hope to explore all these locations in future.

In our next posts we'll resume our journey on Shimla route. Byepassing Shimla, we'll stop at Fagu.. and then we'll take you to a journey of rather unknown destinations. Untouched by crowd... seen only by some compulsive travellers.. some fanatics of beauty.. some devotees of beauty of Incredible India.

Plains of Punjab, The Land of Five Rivers

2010-03-15T08:55:00.001-07:00

While we almost always cherish the photographs of Mountains,Valleys, Lakes, Sea Beaches, Deserts... beauty of plains is almost taken for granted. So for a change, here are some photos of plains. Lush green fields mark the entire territory of Punjab, the land of Five Rivers. This one is an image from the historical town of Ropar or Roopnagar as it is known these days. Another image is of a bridge on a river on the way to Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. Well, in case you don't like these images, I don't blame you. But lets have them for a change. I hope you agree that all photos can't be enchanting, but simplicity is also incredible sometimes.

Valley of Peace, Kangra

2010-03-12T09:59:00.001-08:00

On way to Kangra from Chandigarh, one has to cross the lush green planes of Punjab, the historic cities of Ropar, Anandpur Saheb & then Nangal Dam to enter Himachal Pradesh. After crossing first major town Una, the uphill journey starts. Somewhere there, while you are engrossed in scenic beauty, suddenly something strikes you... breath stopping peace... tranquility... serenity.

You decide to get down... breathe deeply... you try to store the air in your lungs hoping that the peace & life contained in this air will last forever. Lest memories fade, you also click a few images which you could share with all your loved ones & with all those compulsive travellers.

We don't know exactly what the name of this place was, But we decide to call it ....

Valley of Peace.

A Mountain Floating on Clouds-Dhauladhar, Kangra

2010-03-03T09:29:00.001-08:00

Nothing much to say yet.. just enjoy the pick of mountains floating on clouds.

This is a view of Dahuladhar Range as seen on the way to Kangra, Himachal Pradesh.

Route : Chandigarh, Ropar, Una, Kangra.

Some more beautiful images will be shared in coming posts.

Mhasu Peak

2010-02-27T04:28:00.001-08:00

We byepassed Shimla, to reach Kufri . From here, we move further up skywards, towards Mhasu Peak. Barely one kilometer ride on car & then you have to take a pony to reach the Mhasu Peak. It derives its name from a temple of Mhasu Nag (Snake God namely Mhasu), a deity of local tribes.

Few glimpses of breathtaking view catch your eyes from behine the dense forests while you are enjoying the poney ride & one is tempted to stop in between to go out into the woods to enjoy the fantastic view of Himalayan Mountains. But wait... dont hurry... Once you reach the peak & go to the temple, the forests are left behind and the beauty of nature is available in its completeness for you to enjoy. Just stand there, inhaling all the beauty inside you, because you know you are here for a few moments only & the beauty is so overwhelming to be absorbed with just two eyes.

Himachal Sojourn : The Dancing Clouds of Kufri

2010-02-23T18:45:00.001-08:00

In last post , we advised to byepass Shimla, while we continue our rediscovery of Himachal, The land of Himalayas.

Now the roads divide.. one leads to Fagu, Theog, Rohru, Kaurik Border... We take you on this road in coming blogs, though images Naldehra Golf Course has already been posted by our friend Pradhan Sampaadak(Chief Editor).

For Now we move on to Kufri. The morning was quite peaceful, serene & no doubt beautiful. But soon, to our good luck, the dance of clouds began. Here are some pictures of poetry in Black, White & Grey, the dancing clouds at Kufri. And, the climax...? Of course, the most awaited A SNOWFALL IN THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS OF KUFRI, SHIMLA.

Enjoy the images. In next post we'll take you to Mhasu Peak.

Popular Destinations : Shimla

2010-02-21T09:39:00.001-08:00

Friends,

The speciality of our blog is to explore the untouched & little known places of India, but you always need a starting point for your journey. And it essentially has to be a well known place.
And of course, to let other persons know the route you need to mention popular travel destinations first as a reference point.

Its not that the popular places are not beautiful, they are... but they are also marred by crowd, travel agents, guides, businessmen, pollution, parking problems, commercialization & what not...

Here we present a few images of Shimla, a very popular tourist destination of North India.
First two images are some breathtaking views, quite serene & beautiful. One is the view from The Ridge and another is the image of a sunset... which is always afresh, always beautiful whenever & wherever you see it from.

Two images are of the City, Shimla. Seems beautiful from the view taken from a distance. Click to see the larger image, see closely the congestion, the traffic jam on the road... and you'll understand why we prefer to take a byepass from the popular tourist places.

In our next posts, We'll take you to Fagu, Kraignano, Kufri & Mhasu Peak. Of course, we'll be bypassing the Shimla City.

Beautiful Kashmir : Sonmarg

2010-02-13T20:09:00.001-08:00

Kashmir is no doubt the heaven on earth. We repeat this mantra many many times, knowing too well that we run risk of sounding monotonous.... but well... only the one who has actually been there can understand it, why this has to be repeated repeated & repeated. Just because the kind of scenic beauty you'll see in Kashmir is unmatched, unmatched, unmatched. !!! Srinagar, Sonmarg, Gulmarg, Khillanmarg, Dras, Kargil, Pahalgam... you name the place & the images of pure beauty start floating in the mind. And unforgettable .. indeed unforgettable is the aerial view when flying from Jammu towards Srinagar, you cross the snow filled Himalayas.... We can only be thankful to God we got to see such scenic beauty. We can only be thankful to be alive & to feel such beauty. Oh India... Incredibly beautiful India...

This picture was taken on way to Sonmarg from Srinagar. Just a glimpse of the enchanting beauty of nature awaiting to reveal itself unto us at Sonmarg. This picture was taken by the author in April 2007.

Khajjiar.....India's Switzerland....A Magical Paradise

2010-02-13T04:23:00.001-08:00

Khajjiar is called "Mini Switzerland" of India. Khajjiar is located twenty-two kilometers from Dalhousie & 23 KM from Chamba, this tranquil spot has a small lake in the centre (It is 1.5 km long and 1 km wide), and surrounded by a dense forest of deodar trees and mountains & forest of the Kalatop sanctuary. Nowdays most people travel to Khajjiar by taxi but tourist buses from Dalhousie or Chamba are also available. An ancient temple devoted to Khaji Nag, after whom Khajjiar is named, is a popular attraction.

One among the Highest Golf Course in the world....Naldhera, Shimla

2010-02-12T07:54:00.001-08:00

Have you ever visited one of the highest Gold Couse in the world. ….. Naldhera, a place 22 kilometers from summer capital Shimla, today is one of the oldest and most scenic golf courses in the country. Initially a 9 Hole Course, the Naldehra golf course was expanded to 18 holes, and further expansion has been planned to make the course at par with the best in the country.

Pics speak more then the words……

Popular Destinations Series : Kashmir :The Heaven on Earth

2010-02-12T03:15:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Gulmarg !!! Kashmir is no doubt the heaven on earth. nothing much to say, the picture says it all. If you are a real traveller, a real tourist, if you enjoy visiting exotic places, if you are the one who enjoys nature to its fullest, if you truly appreciate beauty, if you believe in "living", if you dont want this birth of yours to go waste.... must visit Kashmir.
This photo was taken in April, 2007.