Destination India the Rajwara style- The Jodhpur, Jaisalmer Saga

There should be a mandatory warning "Romantics be careful with your hearts when visiting Rajasthan- very strong chances of leaving it behind".
And thats exactly what happened on Pashatuks maiden venture into the land of Royals.
Only the people as crazy as team Pashatuks would try to cover a distance of 2000 kms plus in 4 odd days and pack in memories to last a lifetime.

Our journey started from Delhi at around 6.30 am- the travel advisories all said that we would be needing around 10 hours of driving time and we had intimated our associate at Jodhpur accordingly.
Delhi to Jodhpur is around 700 odd Kms if one takes the road via Pali - its slightly less going via Barr but the Pali road is smoother and one saves on time.
Excellent road conditions, nip in the air as we ripped on the highway stopping an hour each for breakfast at Bawal( theres a Haldiram that opens at 10 am- the washrooms are clean) and lunch at Beawar. The topography is even, as the foliage kept getting sparse and keekar and Babool ruled the road sides. Quaintly named villages fired our imagination- Sandra- Bandgaon, Dudu to name a few- all of us have heard about the effects of camel milk and the ability to procreate even while one is ones 80s- and there were giggles throughout the journey. We must have made extremely good time - the road condition was excellent and we were able to maintain an average of 100 kmph( although to be honest the speedometer did read 160 more often than what is safely accepted. We had to turn in right from Pali- it is important to remember that there is only one sign near Pali indicating the turn to Jodhpur- if one misses that its a long drive ahead before one gets a U turn. The turn from Pali is under a flyover with The RTDC hotel on the left. The road from Pali to Jodhpur is not the 6 lne expressway, but a narrow 2 lane. However the condition is good and there is low traffic.

We were in Jodhpur by 3 pm and met by our friend, who is the local associate there.
There are no free lunches in India and travelling on the excellent road all the way to Jodhpur cost us INR 890 in toll taxes one way.
Team Pashatuks would never recommend a traveler to drive at the speeds we do, for there are many random animal crossings- goat, cow, camel- huge groups of animals sauntering through the highway herded by a local in pristine white dhoti and kurta and a huge turban on the head, without a care in the world. For the life of them, these humans would not be able to comprehend why they should not use the expressway as their personal fiefdom - and dont even try to hit one of the animals- these people are of the warrior clans and can kill for the slightest excuse. And their livestock is more precious to them than their women.

After a quick freshening up, we ambled across to the Mehrangarh fort, reputedly the most masculine fort in India.On a winter evening sundown happens earlier than usual and we drove up the hill to the fort awed by our first glimpse - the tourism department has lit up the fort highlighting its awesomeness.
Entry timings are from 8 am to 5 pm and entry tickets cost INR 60 for Indians and INR 400 for foreigners. In addition there is a lift upto the top of the fort which one can avail of at a cost of INR 35 per head.
We were late , so we satisfied our senses by sitting on the peripheral walls and soaking in the spectacular sight of the entire city of Jodhpur by night- our legs dangling and senses heightened by all the adulterated coke that we had imbibed.
Jodhpur is a very clean city and there are plenty of options for a visitor to the city - ranging from INR 150- five figure amounts.

We stayed  at one of the old Havelis now converted into a hotel- Nawab ke Haveli.It has another name- Sadar Heritage Haveli- the type we find in period movies - complete with stables and elephant garage.
The owner Ashfaq Ahmed, a sprightly 80 year old gentleman with a wide range of stories under his belt, willing to share with anyone who cares to listen, made us feel welcome and wanted.

The rooms were clean and big,furniture period pieces decor very colorful with Bandhej work strewn all over, toilets modern and ready for the international traveler and rates very competitive. Proximity to the Mehrangarh Fort made the location very appealing.
Pashatuks likes to stick to local cuisine, had straight from the local kitchen and somewhere on this trip we realized that Rajasthani cuisine can be very heavy on the digestive system with all the ghee and red chillies. The region and nature of hard work demands these two ingredients but our lazy city intestines do not support too much oils or chillies. We found a smart way to circumvent the problem- Phylum husk- better known as Isabgol, available at any grocery store or chemist. Two spoons of the powder with a glass full of water makes sure that the rich Rajasthani cuisine doesn't make you feel acidic through the day.
Life in Rajasthan moves at a leisurely pace- one should not expect punctuality or top end service. If you order a basic meal of bread and eggs , in all probability the restaurant would send someone to buy the bread and eggs from the grocers.
For the more experimental , we were told that grass, marijuana, hash and opium are freely available, provided one knew where to find the right people.
Pashatuks does not subscribe to narcotics to get high- life in itself is intoxicating and so we didnt look for it.

The next day, after getting the brake discs checked , we hit for Jaisalmer, 300 kms from Jodhpur.
It normally takes 5 hours by road, but we managed it in 3 and a half.
The role of the army became more pronounced as the terrain got progressively bleaker. Water is supplied by the army. Sobering thought indeed.
The government is reigning in wind energy as we spotted many windmills - the first of the sandunes came near Pokhran. Pokhran still is the base for the armed forces to test their artillery and ammunition.

We reach Jaisalmer and hit straight for the famed Fort , which was made famous by an old Satyajit Ray movie- Sonar Kella. No self respecting Bengali would call it Jaisalmer fort- it will always be referred as Sonar Kella.

The buildings of Jaisalmer are built with sandstone which gives a golden hue against sunlight.
The fort  was perhaps the only let down  in this entire trip, with dirt strewn all around and an all permeating smell of urine killed all our enthusiasm.
The little bit that was left went flying out of the window when we realized that there were people living inside the fort.
There is however an amazing collection of rocks and fossils up for sale for people who are collectors and rather reasonable prices.

It was almost sunset and the locals told us to hit for the sandunes some 40 Kms from Jaisalmer.
There are 2 belts of sand dunes and desert in Jaisalmer- Sam, pronounced as Sum and Khuri.
We hit for Sam - the drive was a hauntingly beautiful terrain, bleak and barren in its treeless state, yet the senses were assailed by the sheer raw sensual beauty of the sun being swallowed by the vast tracts of sand.
A solitary camel cart trying to find its way home, with villagers taking a lift caught our attention.
The dark complexion of the local dressed in fluorescent vibrant colours, totally in contrast to the bleak terrain as they struggle to beat all odds made us count our blessings more than once in this entire trip.
Life is tough - really tough- and these hardy people battle on. Smiles do not form a natural countenance - nor does the language. The local dialect hurts the ears, but the music is paradoxically melodious with a haunting quality.

.For the visitor , there are camel ride packages, Jeep packages- Pashatuks strongly recommends that one tries out the Jeep Safaris- they charge about INR 2500, but do negotiate for a more competitive rate. Beats the dune bashing experience of Dubai hollow for the simple reason that these vehicles are open air Thars - four wheeled mean machines with extremely skilled people behind the steeering, guaranteeing the thrills of a lifetime. If one has the stomach for it, Pashatuks suggests that one stands through the rides.
The perfect 8 that they make on the sand dunes makes team Pashatuks raise a toast to their skills.
At the end of the safari we get off the vehicle, wobbly on the knees and slightly queasy in the stomachs, but exhilarated beyond explanation.

For people owing SUVS and with a spirit for more and wanting to do the dune safari in their own vehicles, we suggest that the air pressure of the tyres be reduced by at least 10 lbs. This we learnt the hard way as our SUV got entrenched in the desert and needed a lot of help to be back on the road.
This rule applies even to the vehicles with 4 by 4 access.
There are camps dotted all through the desert stretch when one can stay and enjoy ethnic Rajasthani Hospitality.
The standard package in the evening is bonfire, local artisans singing and dancing while visitors eat drink and make mery. There rates of accommodation out here are all inclusive and normally include a couple. It can vary anything from INR 2500 to 25000 depending on quality and location of tents and services.

On the way back to Jodhpur the following day, we took a small detour from the main road to Fort Pokhran. Pokhran to the common Indian is better known for its underground atomic bomb testing and armed forces activities.
The locals know that there is an ancient Jain temple and around 12 Kms is the famed Ramdeora temple.
The owner of the fort, a thakur no less- was our first brush with royalty this trip, as he very kindly welcomes us to his abode and allowed us free access to his Fort. Part of the  Fort has been converted to a heritage hotel catering to a niche clientele. That area is off boundary for tourists just visiting the fort..

The rates for this hotel remain fixed at INR 4500 for a deluxe room and INR 8000 for a suite throughout the season. There is no extra charges levied on festival dates, unlike other hotels. Breakfast is of course complimentary.
We checked out the rooms and found them to be satisfactory. What captured our imagination were the royal washrooms,
The washrooms reminded us more of lounges than loos.
All too soon it was time for us to move on.
By now all of us had become addicted to the land- the romantics in their own imaginary world, the pragmatic hunting for the fossils and antique furniture. Jodhpur is the seat for antique furniture- home to a thriving industry of antique restoration.
Mandore in Jodhpur is fabled to be the home of Ravanas wife Mandodari.

We stopped on the way to a sandstone quarry and were fascinated with all the activities that were going on.
The final resting place of the royals in Jodhpur are no less grand than the mughal kings.
We walked into the Mandore hanging gardens, thinking that its a temple complex- which it wasnt - the architecture style was of the Jain temples of Mt. Abu, the difference being in construction material. The Cenotaphs(empty tombs) were built of red sandstone instead of marble.
We walked along sometimes feeding the friendly langurs who move in perfect harmony with humans.

not quite the ahimsa vadis -our royals

Another day over by the time we were done with the gardens. But there was more excitement to come as we drove into the lake palace of Balsamant. Personally I found the palace, now a super deluxe hotel with restricted entry to be more beautiful than Udaipurs lake palace. Clear still waters , surrounded by lush vegetation with the cresent moon making a clear reflection on the water can do crazy things to the romantic at heart and we were no exceptions.
We watched spellbound from the balcony of the palace, as haunting music wafted from a distance away, each lost in ones own thoughts. No pictures can do justice to the moments. It took each one of us to break out from that spell and walk in to have a quick look into the palace.
We had our filmy moments , bollywood style as we walked down the marble staircase with stairs going through both sides of the same floor. Our desi sound of music moment as we did a quick jig waltzing down the staircase, hoping that no local noticed our madness- but we were a team moonstruck.

The evening was clearly not over as our friend in the city took us out for dinner at a night club. Oh hello- where did a night club sprout up in a land steeped in so much history and romance?
But obviously there does exist a night club complete with a discotheque belting out all currently popular numbers and for a while the spell was broken.
ON THE ROCKS - even the name was so suggestive - we had a candle light dinner under the neem trees- with a recording of birds chirping playing in the backdrop. It  was so convincing, the chirping of the birds that we saw a cat in the branches looking around desperately for the birds- and all of us had a hearty laugh.
The food was excellent, service unobtrusive. The place doesnt believe in cocktails- so if one wants a drink, theres only Rum, Whisky, Gin or Vodka offered.
An extremely tasty meal of Lal Mans( mutton cooked in red chillies - doesnt hurt the tongue but kills the innards the following morning),Safed Mans(white gravy- light on the senses), a kebab platter and lentils had us ready for bed in no time. The pricing of the place is comparable to a fine dine in any other metro.
The next day we had a quick round of the Mehrangarh fort - our senses clearly not ready to end the journey, but time constraints force closed this journey.
Pashatuks is going to go back for more experiences, more stories very soon to this land of pride, valour, savagery, barbarism- the land that clings onto you like the very burrs of the desert that cuts through the clothes and sticks onto the body, drawing blood if not taken out properly.
The return journey had us all morose and not communicative and we delved deep into  our thoughts- seeking that solitude to relive each moment.
This trip clearly has not ended on a complete note and maybe Rajasthan will become an addiction for the team to run back to - them moment one can.

It is important to know that Jodhpur can be reached through both train and by air- in addition it is well connected through the bus network too. Jaisalmer has a rail head- and the bus network is also fairly good. Both cities thrive on tourism- while accommodation is reasonable for the budget traveler, food is slightly on the higher side , unless one is roaming around with a local like we did.

Destination India- Tadoba Tiger Reserve, Dist. Chandrapur,Maharashtra

One of the hidden gems in the name of tiger terrain lies nestled in the district of Chandrapur in Maharashtra. There are over 60 tigers in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and wildlife enthusiasts swear by regular sightings of the big cat.

Now Team Pashatuks has always had extremely bad Karma at Tiger sighting but the lust for exploring the unexplored won over better judgement and Pashatuks got moving on yet another journey.

The nearest railhead is Ballarshah, 50 Kms from the reserve and airport Nagpur, 140 kms from Tadoba.

We chose to travel by train upto Nagpur and then go by road from there. We had  heard that the drive was a beautiful one and we did not want to miss out on the experience.

Bulk of the road journey was on the main highway between Nagpur and Hyderabad and we were suitably impressed by the road condition as we sped on towards Tadoba. The roads were excellent- specially as we were prepared for bad roads considering that we were travelling post monsoon.

There was a lot of greenery on both sides of the road , soothing to the eyes and the weather sultry.

All too soon we got off the main highway and got into the smaller but  well maintained road that led us to Tadoba. A special mention must be made out of the visuals that we managed to soak in. 

Lush green cotton fields- most of it in full bloom – vast expanses of paddy fields stretching into the low mountains beyond. Clear blue skies with pristine white clouds gaily sailing by made some very beautiful vignettes. 

Beautiful yellow flowers growing wildly by the roadside, interesting old buildings at cross roads  gave an ethereal feel to the whole drive. It was as if we were caught in a time warp

Each cross road that we passed by had some unique defining character. Difficult to explain but to a discerning eye, very visible.  The Gond rulers stamp is very visible in the old buildings that still remain standing.

Soon we were at the first check – post, where we had to get the vehicles registered for entry and we were officially inside the premises of  Tadoba  sanctuary. Tadoba is one of the 47 sanctuaries of the project Tiger fame. 

We were entering through the Mohurli gate and had booked our accommodation in the IRAI safari retreat. On the way we did spot some more resorts, but what our impression was that accommodation still needs to be developed in the area if the sanctuary is looking for a larger visitor influx. And because accommodation is probably limited, it’s a blessing in disguise as the area is still unspoilt by rowdy senseless crowds.

We encountered our first traffic jam- stage managed to perfection by the aggressive bovines, who refused to give us way and went about lifting their tails and littering the road with their droppings. No civic sense in these creatures by God!

IRAI safari retreat, gave us a first feel of what to expect as we drove into the eco friendly gates and were greeted smilingly by the cherubic manager couple- Rajesh and Deepika.. The staff were all clad in jungle fatigues and our excitement levels were building up as we walked through the lush premises of the resort – right up to our tented accommodation.

IRAI safari retreat has a huge waterbody as a premise on one side. A vast expanse of clear water which is the home of many edible varieties of fish. And crocodiles. There are two types of accommodation – the cottages and the tents. The rack rates are slightly on the steeper side,but the resort is open to negotiation. We got a 40% discount.  We chose to stay in the tents, which were fully air-conditioned with attached western toilets. All modern amenities that come with any good hotel room are available in the tent including a fridge and safe.

The living space in the tent can accommodate 3 people comfortably as each tent has a double bed and a sofa cum bed. Pegged to the ground by strong ropes the tents are built on logs, giving it an elevation which kept all the bugs at bay. Each tent has an attached sit out with ethnic furniture and an tiny air cooler to keep the visitor from perspiring.

Not exactly the Pashatuks idea of living in tents, but we are flexible people and can adjust to all situations once out on a wandering spree.

The olive green fabric of the tent gives a very jungle finish and the chilled living space makes the lazy travelers want to stay inside. And maybe cool off in the swimming pool that is open to inmates .

The meals are all had at the dining room which has a lovely British feel, main hall surrounded by a lovely sit out where ethnic low seating is organized, bright cushions strewn all around – the furniture looks typical of the British Era-dark wood(probably teak), clearly defined lines- the entire ambiance makes one feel like a brown sahib, wanting to wear jungle fatigues and donning the toupee and go hunting for tigers with a double barrel gun.

The sanctuary is open to visitors from 15^th October – 30^th June each year. Private vehicles are allowed, however our personal experience says that its best to hire the open air gypsies for a more authentic feel. Each vehicle costs INR 4000 and is inclusive of all entry and guide charges . It is important to remember here that bookings are done on the spot also, apart from online booking. Only 30 vehicles per gate per day are allowed(there are 2 entry gates), so there is  always a rush for the open gypsies during season time.

The best time to visit any  Tiger reserve are the dry months  where the wildlife are spotting near the watering holes. We had gone just post monsoon, where there was a lot of undergrowth and water and fodder available for the big cats. In addition there were fresh cubs in the park and so the tigresses were not venturing out. Mentally we gave into the idea that there would be no sighting.

What we did not bargain for was that all animals had the same mentality. Barring a few spotted deer and a huge Gaur bull, we resigned ourselves and enjoyed the lovely drive through the mud tracks, lush bamboo and Sal trees.

 The whole area was fragrant with the smell of fresh basil, which was growing profusely on both sides of the tracks, as tall as 6 feet each. We marveled at what the locals call the "ghost"tree- a tree that had shades of pink, yellow, flame , green and orange in totality. 

The rules of all jungles under the Indian forest Act are the same for all jungles,So we were not allowed to get off the vehicles and littering the jungles, 

The team was of course kitted for the jungle in muted colours that blended with the terrain with caps and lots of sunscreen lotion splashed all over the exposed parts of the body. No taking chances with sunburns or heat-strokes.

The drive itself was so very beautiful that no one in the team had the heart to crib about the big cats not showing up. All too soon the safari was over and we were back to the resort. 

For a price the resort packs up a picnic hamper of sandwiches and coffee to be consumed while waiting silently for wildlife sightings.

This journey of Pashatuks had us experiencing one of the unique events in a city dwellers life- a bullock cart ride - the IRAI resort people upon our request managed to procure  bullock carts from the villagers and the entire team managed to get an experience of a lifetime as we boarded the rickety carts drawn by gaily decorated bullocks and ride into the country side as the entire village ran along behind us amazed to see such unadulterated glee on our faces.The villagers were not the only ones to run along with us. 

The cows grazing on the fields, jolted out of their bovine natures by all the noise and commotion decided to join us , causing a lot of stressful moments for some team members sitting on the outer periphery of the carts. The carts can be hired for as low as 700 rupees and can seat upto 6 adults.

Soon it was time to hit back for destination home and we all returned the same way as we came in. Pashatuks recommends this destination for any traveler who wants to relax and laze on a vacation with all the comforts of city life amidst rural settings. It is important to remember that Dist. Chandrapur is a dry state and alcohol consumption is frowned upon. However within the premises of the resort,if one is a bit discrete and doesnt create nuisance, one can get away with it. However if the authorities catch you- dont say we didnt warn you!

Lazing around in Barog, Himachal Pradesh

Team Pashatuks settled in at Barog at the Pinewood Hotel run by the state tourism.
ever ready for anything new in terms of experience, we heard that the jaggery filled Indian bread deep fried in clarified butter(Gur parantha in desi ghee to the Indian reader) was an item which was a definite must do on the food list. And the name Chachus Dhaba was recommended for this item.
A little more on Hotel Pinewood- like most mountain hotels, this one too was at a slight elevation from the main road. What Pashatuks enjoyed was the different levels at which the property was divided.

The first level was closest to the road, and had a lovely cafeteria, where beer and wines  are served more than tea or coffee. lovely wrought iron chairs make this place picture perfect. Bottle brush trees all around set off the locale. We spent quite a while lazing around here, soaking in the silence and the sound of the mountain birds.
If you look at the backdrop the cafeteria also adheres to the typical hill building structure- sloping roof(though we were told by the locals that snow is rare in Barog).
Tea and coffee are still served in the good old fashioned British style of separate containers for milk and sugar.
Beyond this level is the administrative level with the ground floor rooms. All the rooms lead into a patch of green grass and some lovely misty mountain vistas. The steps leading up afforded many seating moments for us as we enjoyed the surrounding flowers. There is a lovely rose garden with roses in full bloom. In different hues. What captured our imagination was the hill bell flowers. the locals were not able to tell is the name- but we will find out soon.

The third level of the hotel has the dining room and a few rooms done up in wood with balconies that offer spectacular vistas.
We were amused to find that keeping in mind that the tourist might walk away with the linen, they were embossed with the signatures of the tourism department. Very professional. The only silly thing we found was that the pillow covers were over 2 years old as the pillow covers screamed 2013 in circa 2015. Rather unprofessional we found, but the saving grace was that they were spotlessly clean and sparkling white, despite being 2 year old.
The room rates are standard Govt. room rates, maybe a little on the higher side but worth ever bit of the money paid.One gets a 25 % off season discount.
Back to the Jaggery bread story. As described earlier, to get anyone one has to walk down to the main road, A couple of steps away from the main entrance to the hotel, the road bends and we come across a couple of shops- mostly eateries where the famed Chachus was. We walked in and found the place filled and not too clean. Although Pashatuks is very flexible on what they eat, they are a tad finicky about cleanliness of any eatery.
We walked out and were amused to see a billboard offering Chinese paranthas.

We stood wondering aloud what could possibly be the filling for the bread- noodles maybe, when a masculine voice spoke to us in perfect English that the original board was to have the word cheese, but due to an error by the painter(who we are sure must have been a chinese food freak),it got misspelled as Chinese. So the owner put a big  black comma between the two words, signifying that there was also Chinese fare available with the Paranthas.

We immediately warmed up to this owner  with a sense of humor as quirky as our own and requested him to set up a table outside his small Little Punjab cafe(dhabba ) and asked him if we could sample the famed Gur parantha of that belt.
Sweety his ever smiling roly poly wife answered in the affirmative but told us that they had run out of jaggery that afternoon.
And proceeded to feed us the yummiest meal that we had in the hills in a long long time

the Gur Prantha

As usual Team Pashatuks got chatting and we were surprised to learn that Lucky our Dhabba owner was actually working in one of the properties taking care of the construction there. His wife Sweety , converted her passion for cooking into full scale enterprise and they had opened the place a few months ago. The fact that the next shop was a liquor Vendor helps them to get good business.
The food was excellent undoubtedly, but what drew us back to this little cafe was the warmth with which they served the food- we felt that we were among friends, as they happily introduced us to the local hot shots- the liquor vendor, the chemist, the property dealer and the general store owner apart from their family members who had come visiting them.

The only place we ate during our stay at Barog

A bunch of ruffians came for food and wanted to sit where we were sitting, and we got a little tense seeing that they were more than happy with spirits inside them. We were touched beyond words as Lucky maneuvered them with a smiling face to the tiny space inside, thereby ensuring our meal in peace. We even were invited to his home upstairs where we spent some time with his children and came back satisfied from deep within..
Needless to stay we had all our meals with these friends, so cant really give a comparative evaluation with the famed Chachus, apart from the fact that we were not satisfied with the cleanliness bit.

Barog as a place has plenty to offer to travelers looking for long leisurely walks through the trails. We took a couple of them - unfortunately we were not able to walk up to the grave of Col. Barog the person after whom this place was named. Locals advised us against it as it was monsoons and lots of foliage growth could hamper the walk. This trip was not working out quite the way a typical Pashatuks trip works, high on Adrenalin rushes, new experiences and lots of stories for our readers, but this too was an experience. Tranquility on a trip- a new experience for us.We soaked in whatever bounty nature had to offer and looked forward to the next day, When we decided to go upto the Dagshai hills.

Destination Barog, Himachal Pradesh

Our curiosity about Barog was piqued when we saw some pictures of the place posted by a friend on a social networking site. A little research here and there and it became travel time once more.
Barog is a small place nestled on the Kalka Shimla route - 43 kms from Kalka towards Shimla.
Road access is better as one can drive up from Delhi via Chandigarh- Kalka and upto Barog(285 Km). There are VOLVO services also from Solan (7Kms from Barog) or Dharampur, Himachal (10 Kms before Barog). Officially Volvos do not stop at Barog  from Solan, but most of the times one can flag it down if one has a ticket from Solan. Pashatuks however does not recommend it, unless one is ready to be stranded,should the bus not stop.
The fare from Solan is around INR 700 and time taken is around 6 hours.Road conditions are fairly good.
The nearest airport is Chandigarh and then one has to take alternate modes of travel.
But team Pashatuks decided to take the train route this time and travel on the world heritage famed  toy train in that belt.

We decided to take the night train to Kalka and reach in time to catch either of the two trains leaving for Barog around that time. the Rail Motor Car- absolutely plush in the colonial style of years gone by.That leaves at 5.30 am and waits for the Kalka Mail should it get delayed. Theres another train around the same time at 6 am, which is rather Indian but whose first class coaches offer absolute privacy.
For people who like to travel during the day - its possible to do the toy train if one takes the Kalka Shatabdi and then boards the toy train leaving around 12 noon.
A sense of travelling back in time takes place as the shrill whistle from the guard makes us realise that its time for the train to start.its upward journey.
We settle in our seats and start gobbling down piping hot railway veg cutlets and bread. Breakfast at 6 am in the morning? Ah well Pashatuks is known to start the day with rum and coke at that time when theres no tea to wake us up.

The train chugs its way up at a speed of around 12 Kms per hour tooting intermittently - slowing down a the multiple bends and tunnels. Tokens are still exchanged at different stations - those big rings that we have grown up seeing in the coal engine days. Mountains in the monsoon are the most beautiful but also the most dangerous.
The lush green of the Himalayan flora with the mist floating all around the mountains,rising from the valley floating over towards the mountain top.

The first stop is Dharampur- a quaint and beautiful station- with wooden station buildings under conical slopes and climbers in full bloom. One is confident about getting down because of two things- the train staff know all passengers and will not leave you behind . Secondly even if you do get left behind, you can run alongside and board the train- though a certain level of fitness is required for this activity.
At this point , we realized that there is no motor-able road to the railway station at Barog. One has to either walk up for 15 minutes to the main road for further transport or go down another 15 minutes for the same.So we took an instant decision to travel upto Solan where we got a Cab and came back to Barog.

Barog station is one of the prettiest railway stations on this route The station comes just at the end of the longest tunnel on the journey.
Its the prettiest station on this journey with golden shower flowers strewn all around. The station also has the beautiful railway holiday home built there.
One can book for accommodation at very reasonable rates , provided one has a confirmed booking on any train in that route.

Jaywalking on the railway tracks is considered to be a dangerous activity but once in a while, it adds to the spice of life as one becomes a child once more.The train stopped for a good 15 minutes at this lovely quaint station and we had our fill of hot snacks, tea and walking into the tunnel and imagining the ghost of Col. Barog walking up to us and shaking our hands in welcome.
We did suffer a pang or two of regret as we realized that we could have stayed in the railway holiday home.. The train started and we clambered aboard illegally.Our tickets were booked upto Barog- whereas we decided to travel to Solan. Indian Railways have abolished the system of ticket extension on the train and charge full fare for a new ticket. Paying hundreds of rupees for a 4 kilometer ride didnt appeal to team Pashatuks and we just bribed the train ticket checker a princely sum of INR 100 and we carried on to Solan.
Only to realize that no one checks tickets on these journeys.
We had hired a car at Solan to pick us up and take us to Pinewood Hotel the state tourism run hotel.
There are 2 hotels worth mentioning about apart from the hotel we stayed in.
Barog Heights and Pinewood grove.
Pinewood Hotel run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department is the oldest property of that  area and the most lavish one.
Accommodation is in either wooden finish or carpet finish rooms. Each room has a balcony offering a spectacular view of the himalayas beyond.

Theres not much to do in Barog except taking leisurely walks on different mountain trails. Or hire a cab and go upto the Buddhist Monastery, check out the heritage temple(Pashatuks avoids temple visits),
One could spend hours sitting in the lawns of the hotel we stayed in,sitting on the wrought iron chairs and having beer, wine, tea or coffee with a wide assortment of snacks.
We went for a walk on the main road expecting it to be isolated, as in all small hill station, but we were in for a rude shock. High speed vehicles from the plains zip past with absolute disregard for hill driving rules. The locals complain of the brashness of the plains people but since they add to the economy, not much is done about it. And Barog is on the main road to Shimla, the summer capital of the British Raj.

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Pashatuks stumbles upon- The mango orchards of Rataul

A chance bit of information on newspaper  The Times of India had team Pashatuks exploring to a destination that not many people have heard of. The most interesting bit was that it was just 35 kms away from Delhi.

Rataul, a dusty sleepy village of Uttar-Pradesh, is home to 360 different species of mangoes.
Not having heard of Rataul- we were not even sure of which state we had to go to- was it in Haryana or Uttarpradesh?

The lifeline

When in doubt Pashatuks says "Google Zindabad" and we learnt that the route to take is through the Delhi- Loni border, which meant that Uttar-Pradesh is where we were headed to.
Excitement firmly held in check, slight apprehension too( sometimes the GPS have lead us to the weirdest locations, and here we were solely dependant on it), we hit for the road.

Crossed the loni border and blindly followed the GPS through the multitude of instructions of turn right and turn left.
Slowly the roads started bearing the UP hinterland marks- potholed and dusty. There were practically no women on the street and the few that could be seen were covered from head to toe. The ladies in our skirt found themselves wishing that they were more covered. We had a feeling  that trousers or skirts would be frowned upon on Indian visitors. Brick kilns lined the way for a few kilometres and slowly we entered dense folliage on both sides of the road and in about an hour from our starting point we spotted our first mango orchard.

Due to a late summer this year - we were dismayed to find that trees were not laden with ripe mangoes- and learnt that it would be mango time only towards the end of June this year.

We parked the car on the road side and got into one of the many orchards- we even managed to climb a few trees and pluck a few raw mangoes, which we ate without even washing(back to our childhood it seemed).

We got talking to one local there like we always do and learnt that the mango market of Rataul apparently is more famous than what we thought. Even Indira Gandhi former prime minister of India visited the  aam mandi(as it is called).
A Pashatuks trip is never complete with some form of excitement or the other and we were not deprived of our few minutes of excitement as a very drunk motorcyclist rammed into our local friend Mhd. Adil and a first class brawl ensued with the choicest expletives, breaking of the drunks' helmet, kicking the motorcycle tyres and involving all and sundry around. Passions run high in the hinterlands and we got moving towards Delhi before sundown as we had a feeling that it was not exactly the safest place to be after dark.

A few pointers to anyone heading for Rataul for the first time.
Do carry your GPS and depend on it totally.
Dress appropriately and decently if you dont want untoward instances.
Make sure that the tyres of your vehicle are in good condition and your spare is in the car.
Avoid a night journey- not much to see in the dark plus its a territory where the word LAW is defined by the locals.
A day trip is definitely recommended- specially now that its peak summers and mangoes rule the market.