PashaTuks stumbles upon- a quick drive into Haryana for lunch

Nomads and explorers under the thinly veiled veneer of respectability, travellers by choice PashaTuks needed to get out of Delhi to beat the monotony of civilized living. Not having too much time in hand,out came the car and the co travellers were ready to join PashaTuks into yet another adventure. Travellers who are ready to move at the drop of a hat.
The coin was flipped to decide the direction and North it was - so we took the outer ring road to get out of Delhi  and to get onto the Delhi Chandigarh Highway.
Despite the number of times one has traversed on this route, there's something about this 6 lane,  well laid out, devoid of potholes,fast moving traffic highway, lined with trees on both sides and profuse bougainvillea flowers in full bloom growing in the lane separators , that makes a traveller want to make repeat journeys on this highway. Peppy music being belted out from the car stereo, happy mutts tongue lolling out in gratitude and three close  travel happy friends in the car, can be close to nirvana actually.
We stopped when the stomach sent out hunger pangs and realised that we had reached Sonepat some 65 odd kilometers from home. Driving into a relatively client free Dhaba,we are welcomed by the effusive chubby owner who seated us and brings the customary welcome drink of chilled water. Even Neuton our pooch's pail gets a fill.  Team PashaTuks is primarily carnivore but the yummy Palak Paneer,Dal Makhni and Aloo Gobhi served with piping hot tandoori rotis with rich layers of white butter, satiated our food pangs and we confidently claim that the hospitality quotient of these small dhabas can give many a fine dine, a run for their money. And all this food, warmth and love for a bill of INR 326!

@ Neelkanth Dhaba,Sonepat

A pashatuks trip is never complete without something off beat and instead of coming back on the highway we take a turn and drive back on the banks of river Yamuna. The river upstream is a full bodied river with overflowing banks in monsoon-not quite the apology of a river that we get in Delhi. Narrower roads, but in good condition (Haryana has an excellent road network) - lush fields all around growing millets, paddy and corn formed a perfect back drop to the hardworking ladies walking home from the fields the faces covered in purdah but the bosoms not having the customary dupatta"stole" (another Haryana trait).
Since its the monsoon month of sawan the road was dotted with flashes of saffron-kawariyas chanting "bole bam,har har mahadev"- pilgrims walking back from Haridwar on Ganges to  Shiva temples in their localities, where they would pour the water from the Ganges river on the Shivling and attain salvation.
From  Baghpat,Haryana we crossed over to UttarPradesh and felt the difference immediately on the roads which needed repairs as of yesterday. All too soon another border at Loni and we were in Delhi- the senses satiated and the wanderlust temporarily satiated. Till the next time..