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.

Know your own city with Pashatuks- Gazipur Fish market,Delhi

A first view of the market

There is a sizeable number of fish eating people in New Delhi and adjoining areas. The general perception is that people from the eastern belt and coastal regions are fish eaters, which may be true to a certain extent.

the way fish is packaged from the waterfronts

However with more awareness settling among people about the medicinal and cosmetic benefits(fish eaters have better hair and skin, lower on lipids etc) of Fish, we find that the fish eating community is increasing.

Some available varieties

All fish sold in the capital city is sourced from the Ghazipur wholesale market of Delhi.
Situated on the border of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh,towards the Delhi side (any local can guide you to the area once you are nearby the neighbouring Mayur Vihar area), this market is catering to the fish and poultry needs of Delhi and the National Capital Region.

For the connoisseurs- river snakes can be found here 

Pashatuks decided to check out the place and give you all a first hand report.
Like any other fish market, this one could be identified from a distance from its strong fishy smell.Car parking is free and theres no space paucity.

A normal day for our vendor here

A walk through the stalls can make you realise that you are actually robbed when you buy fish outside this market.
Prices out here are a fraction of the cost of what is generally available in local sub markets.The reason being that even your local fishmonger gets his daily produce from here. Fish has to be purchased whole, even the bigger ones.

The exotic sting ray- careful while cleaning it

The variety of water produce, right from normal fish to the more exotic squids, clams and even snakes are available. All big eateries procure their raw material from here and for the best option one should go there around 7 am in the morning. If you land later than 9 am, you will find an empty market
Delhi doesnt have any direct source for seafood, yet excellent options are available here, be it tiger prawns, or lobsters or crabs  or mussels or squids- the list is endless.

The only drawback that we found was that marketing has to be done in lots, so we suggest that you gather a few friends and go shopping and split the purchases. One can even get the big fish cut and cleaned there for a fee of INR 10 per kilo of fish cut.
Pashatuks suggests that you carry your own bags as fish is not generally available in polybags or carrybags and one has to buy their own polythene bags.
Happy shopping while you explore- go ahead fish around and give us your feedback

Pashatuks Recommends-Gaffar Market(Indias largest electronic market) for mobile repairs

Keeping in mind that mobile telephones have become the lifeline for all of us ,it is also important to remember that these are also electronic equipments and are subject to malfunctions and damages.
When all our mobile phones started giving trouble at the same time- a broken screen of a touch phone on a fall during one exploratory trip, one not booting and the other not accessing the wifi and blue tooth, Pashatuks decided to look for faster options of repairing. None of the phones were within the warranty periods and the estimated repair cost was higher than the cost of new handsets at the manufacturers service centre.
Pashatuks had heard about the mobile repair centres at Gaffar market, in the heart of Delhis Karolbagh area, but never explored the area.
Braving the hot summer temperature of 43 degrees celcius,we got off the metro train at Karolbagh Metro Station, sat on a cycle rickshaw and went through the narrow by-lanes of karolbagh to reach our destination- Gaffar market. The cost of a cycle rickshaw ride from Karolbagh metro station to the Gaffar market is INR 30 for two people.

We marched up to the section catering to the mobile units- every possible thing can be done out here in the multiple small cubby hole sized shops- right from the legal to the illegally cracking the unique identification code of phones- Indian or imported.
A walk through the gulleys was an eye opener for Pashatuks.
Anything was possible here, as long as it was a Mobile phone in question. Right from buying the best brands at a fraction of the original cost(no guarantee about quality or warranty- the entire market works on goodwill)- they grey market, to repairing seemingly impossible problems of mobile phones of any make or model.
One can also purchase new handsets from the authorised showrooms set up in the market,but the market is not famed for branded item purchases.
 Our handset with the smashed  touchscreen which was costing us around INR 3500 from the company to repair cost us just INR 900. Two of the other phones got their entire software changed and one sealed battery unit even got an IC changed- at a measly sum of INR 1000.

Business as usual under the banyan tree

The dexterity at which the technicians did their jobs left us dazed. There were people who had set up shops under the shade of the huge banyan tree. His shop was a table, a laptop and few tools and Voila he was in business - and a rip roaring business.
These people dont bargain, they dont fleece you as business is very competitive. And if they are not able to fix your problem, they would guide you to the exact shop who would do the job at the most competitive rates.
The face of this market is rather seedy and the technicians look as if they know nothing, but scratch the surface and you would find highly competitive and skilled people who can give the most educated of engineers a run for their money.
No wonder we found people from all over the country trooping to see if their seemingly lost causes could be salvaged.
The market doesnt really start functioning before noon and stays open till about 8- 8.30 pm.
The market remains closed on Monday.
Pashatuks suggests that while you are there - do sample the roadside food, which doesnt guarantee quality, but the taste lingers on for days after you have had it.

Pashatuks Recommends- Quick recharges ex-Delhi- Rajaji National Park and Chila, Uttarakhand.

Travel time once more for Pashatuks and this time to a place closer to the capital city. Rajaji National Park, the well known elephant sanctuary in Uttarakhand is around 200 Kms from Delhi Depends on the route you take). The route taken by Pashatuks is through Meerut, Khatauli, Muzzafarnagar, Roorkee and cut off right towards Chila from the roundabout before Haridwar.

We made very good time this time, as we flew over the cities of Meerut and Muzzafarnagar via the byepass. Time taken was around  a very comfortable 3 hours. Enroute one can have freshly squeezed sugarcane juice and fruit salads at multiple points, from the small outlets that are dotted all across the highway.

...and quietly flows the canal

 Alternately people can use Indian Railways. Two trains can be comfortable- The Dehradoon Shatabdi that departs from Delhi at 6.45 am and reaches Haridwar at 11.30 am. Or the Ujjaini Express that leaves Delhi at 730 am and reaches Haridwar at 1.30 pm. From Haridwar the distance is around 25 Kms.

One can stay at any one of the many hotels dotting the city at Haridwar or for the discerning traveller looking to be in sync with nature within the jungle environs, there is the GMVN tourist rest house near the Chila regulator.

Pashatuks personally liked the GMVN option where the property is on the banks of the beautiful aquamarine ganges canal. The entire property looks straight out of a picture book with different flowers in bloom.

Accommodation options are normal rooms - moderately sized with balconies overlooking the canal. One can also go for the dormitory option of 6 beds to a dorm.
What Pashatuks loved is the newly constructed log huts - two and one bedroom units, complete with sitting areas and balconies and flowers all around . They are not priced cheap either, considering that it is Govt. accommodation. The single bedroom outfits come at INR 4500 and double bedrooms are INR 6500 per night. Plus taxes.

One can relax completely by the canal  and food is multi cuisine, soaking in the tranquil environs and recharging the tired soul. It would be worth a mention that non vegetarian fare is available in this place.The entire belt of Haridwar is considered holy(devbhoomi) and non vegetarian food is generally not available.
The more adventurous  can hire a gypsy or take their own vehicle and go exploring in the National Park, looking out for elephants and other wildlife. For that some permits are needed.

Entrance timing to the park are between 6 am to 9 am, and 3pm-6pm and the charges are as follows:
Open roof safari Gypsies available at the entrance of the park at INR 1500 for 3 hours.
Alternately one could take in the private vehicles at INR 250 for Indian citizens and INR 500 for foreigners.
Entry fee for Indian citizens are INR 150 per head and INR 600 for others.
There are no charges levied to Indians for still cameras and a nominal fee of INR 50 for foreigners.
Video cameras are charges at INR 2500 and 5000 for Indians and foreigners respectively. The more creative traveller would use the high definition mobile phones for video clips. Pashatuks never understood the pricing for video cameras at any place in sync with nature.
It is mandatory to take a local guide per vehicle who charges anything between INR 300 to 600 depending on expertise.
After doing their own thing during the day, one can go upto Haridwar and watch the famed Ganga Arati that happens every evening.
And hit back for Delhi post lunch the following day. Or move ahead, up the mountain for some more days of exploration. Whatever is the calling.

Please dont be responsible for this

Pashatuks strongly advocates keeping the environment clean and urges everyone to carry bags to trash the garbage in it during travel and then dispose it at the proper place. Please do not litter the place like the picture shown in the right.

Pashatuks Recommends- Romancing Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Pashatuks is sitting atop a big boulder, with legs dangling in the ice cold  goosebumps creating waters,  of the hurtling Ganges from the Himalayas to the plains below, and can be excused for the emotional tone of this piece.
Very few people are aware that the upper reaches of the Ganges as it comes hurtling down to the plains, there are these pristine white sandy beaches on either side of the river,many of them unapproachable by road.

We are sitting at a very exclusive adventure camp on the pristine white beach of the Ganges, completely cut off from civilization and any sort of road connectivity. To reach this camp, we had to park our car on the highway on the opposite bank and be ferried across on rafts through the rapids. The adrenalin rush starts the moment one steps out of the car and realises that its quite a journey down to the raft and a certain level of physical fitness is required.

Our day started in the wee hours as we hit for Rishikesh. Pashatuks never rushes through any journey. Our journey was complete with breaks for sugarcane juice and  fresh fruit salad that are available in plentiful throughout the journey. Rishikesh is not an unfamiliar destination, as Pashatuks keeps rushing uphill the moment the urge for a mountain and river combo takes place.

There is something about the place that pulls us back here ever so often. Maybe the force of the river hurtling through the mountains. Or maybe the cultural melting pot of the yogis,the hippies, the devout and the adventure seekers.  Maybe the fact that the Ganges is clean till this place after which it becomes a polluted apology due to human degradation.

Pashatuks likes to explore the right bank of the river too, going towards Neelkanth, the holy seat of Lord Shiva. There are some good places to take a dip in the chilled water of the river fed by the melting glaciers. Its paradoxical how you feel the chill cutting into your senses  as you go deeper into the water holding onto the chains that are available at selected points to prevent getting swept away by the massive underwater currents, with the scorching sun beating down on your head. Not at all  a recommended activity for people prone to sunstrokes. But so very invigorating for the the others.

A dip into the Ganges here and you are ready to take on the world no matter how tired you are.

Drying up post a dip, stretched on one of the many boulders does make you feel a bit like a wet towel put to dry, but then even that is an experience to remember.

This trip we had planned to do something different- stay at an adventure camp on one of the many beaches upstream Ganges.
Shivpuri, Byasa and beyond the river has many beautiful sandy beaches on the banks and enterprising individuals set up camps for the adventure seeking traveller.
Pashatuks has many friends and our local friend there,Mahesh arranged for our stay at The Great Himalaya camp.
There are plenty of camps to choose from, but our friend knew our penchant for the different.

So here we are in the lap of nature, using the many boulders dotted on the river banks as tables and chairs, conducting our meetings.Meetings on how to reach out to more like minded travellers to enjoy the absolute harmony with nature. Dense forests home to many wild animals behind the camp does not deter us, for Pashatuks knows that even animals don't attack unless hungry or provoked. There are leopards in the jungles,but leopards don't attack humans. They are scared of humans.

About the camps itself- absolutely eco friendly, they don't even have electricity.Just solar powered lamps which don't last for very long, but enough to illuminate lives.

The camp Kitchen at the back shielded by green cloth

Tents pitched randomly on the beaches, each unit having 2 camp cots,blankets(it can get cold even on summer nights), mosquito repellents, a small table to keep the bare necessities.

The entire evening we spent indulging in activities like getting a natural pedicure as the waves crash on the legs,playing volleyball,sitting around the bonfire munching the endless supply of snacks(both veg and non veg) as we downed the beer chilled  naturally in the flowing river , as we waited for dinner to be cooked. Or even walking barefoot and enjoying the feel of the soft sand on the feet. Or staring at the clear dark sky,lying on the sandy beach and trying to identify the different stars.Some life this.

For people who enjoy their tipple, please carry your own alcohol as the local stuff available would probably not go down your gullet. The beer we purchased was called Godfather beer and was strong as hell and full of glycerine. The staff ,on additional payment also arranges for musicians to play live music of the hills for you.

Normally any package to these camps are of either 1N/2D or 2N/3D and includes food( and believe me the food is royal,  inversely proportion to the simple living), white water rafting in the morning, all the way down to Rishikesh through the rapids.
Sleeping in the tents is one hell of an experience- the camp cots dont do much to reassure you of a night on the bed- but then even if they crumble under the human weight the soft sand below would not cause any injury. Pashatuks was amused to see the way to lock the tents- zippers- the same ones you get in trousers.

However it is better to be realistic about one thing- the toilets. Very basic functional toilets, both Indian and Western. Clean with no shortage of water, but very basic. Its as good as going out into the jungles to relieve oneself, only difference is that this has some privacy. Carry your own soap and handwash as these are not provided.

It is important to remember that as there is no electricity, mobiles cannot be charged on the camp and it is advisable to carry power back ups. There is full  mobile internet connectivity.

But the complete experience of being back to nature more than adequately makes up for this trivia. Whichever package one chooses, one is in a state of a dreamlike haze while on camp location and the soul recharged till the next such trip.

This experience doesn't work heavy on anyone's wallet either and Pashatuks strongly recommends this as a must do in everyone's bucket list.

Not as serene as it looks

To reach the Camp- one has to reach Rishikesh which can be done by Raad or rail. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradoon. Not  a comfortable option for most.
From Rishikesh, these camps are around 24 Kms uphill and most of the camps have their own transport.

Sardhana, Meerut,India - Not recommended for travellers seeking thrills

The sacred seat of religion for the Christian Community- Basilica of Our Lady of Graces at Sardhana, near Meerut captured  our imagination on the Easter Weekend. Pashatuks has the greatest respect for all faiths.

So on Easter Sunday, we trooped into PashTukmobile(thats what we lovingly call our SUV from Mahindras) and hit for the road. Sardhana is 67 Kms from Delhi and one has to cut off from Meerut.
We took the East bank of the Ganges canal from Modinagar and moved towards the direction of Meerut.

The  overflowing canal on our left and acres of sugar-cane fields made a pretty sight. Dribbling through the potholes on the road, missing some, hitting most made us acutely aware of what travelling the royal Indian style meant. The cow dung cakes all out in the sun added to the rustic flavour.

Ouches and uffs juxtaposed with the rustic music belted out on the car radio found us wishing that we were exploring elsewhere. The dust flying all across, everytime we overtook or were overtaken automatically covered the car in a shade of dusty grey.

It took us almost 3 hours to reach our destination and lo behold the beautiful shrine in gold and white was looking at us invitingly.
The irritation wiped off in seconds and we were all set to make our entrance.
However to our chagrin we realized that the church was closed. A place of worship closed on its own festival?
However it took us some persuasion for the guards to allow us to take a stroll through the premises.

Once done, we hunted around for the famed palace of Begum Sombres, better known as Samru in local dialects. To our disappointment the palace is now a school and not accessible to outsiders.
A day wasted? Not quite. Pashatuks never has a bad day- on the way back to Delhi, we stopped at the sugar cane fields, broke off  sugar cane from the trees, munched them like natives - had freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, enjoyed the serenity of the overflowing Ganges canal and came back.

 Pashatuks can enjoy themselves anywhere, but people looking for some excitement and zing on the travel- Sardhana can be avoided

Pashatuks and friends- Saturday jaunt through Paharganj,Delhi

Pashatuks is friends with anyone who loves to experience different flavours of life at the drop of a hat. Anyone who can say "what the heck, its only one life,lets get out and experience one more experience" and set forth to conquer new horizons.

Financial year end, huge pay cuts by the taxmen,end of the month syndrome never stops our friends from stepping forth to yet another experience. 

Paharganj, the backpackers paradise in Delhi, the melting culture and cuisine pot, where everything is affordable and authentic. Just the place for a few hours of losing ourselves into a world unfamiliar.

Taking cars to the area can be a nightmare and Pashatuks and friends decided to do the metro ride to the nearest available metro station(RK Ashram).

We decide to meet up at a common Metro station and the first batch of people trickle in. The enthusiasm levels are high and mood infections and we turn many heads of other travellers with our incessant chatter. Soon the others join us and we board the train that pulled in - all 14 of us. For a lot of us, a Metro ride is an experience.

The regular users of this mode of conveyance were hugely entertained by the groups antics.

Undeterred we got off at RK Ashram metro stop and boarded the E rikkas or Tuktuks, the battery operated vehicles which charge INR 10 to transport a passenger from one place to another.

Winding through the gulleys of Paharganj, one cannot be be awed at the vibrancy of the place. In a city that normally shuts down after 9pm, this place feels that the evening has just begun around 9:30 pm as we wind our way through the brightly lit buildings on both sides affording cheap accommodation(as low as INR 250 per night), chairs laid out on the roads, serving as instant cafes and delectable aromas wafting every step that we move forward.

Fruit sellers who speak English(thanks to the back packing community who find this a haven in Delhi), a free wheeling acceptance of everything,( we were even applauded for "singing we shall overcome" in the middle of the road), it wasn't difficult to figure out why the moral brigade avoided this place like the plague.

We were told that the most Indian sounding names sound the most authentic European and Israeli cuisine.

Backpackers from all over the world make this place their home, not just for days but months at a stretch.One finds plenty of foreign currency exchangers dotted all across the place. No one gives us a second glance as we boisterously bumble through our roads merrily on our TukTuks. They are too used to people like us.

We stop at the innocuous sounding name Hotel Vivek, where  we have been told that the best steak in town is served(only the menu says its Stick, not steak). 

All of us stomp up to their eatery cum bar called SAMS bar.

 

Sams Bar serves alcohol only on the 1st floor. They have a beautiful rooftop restaurant, replete with plants and what have you. The reason Pashatuks decided against the rooftop was that no alcohol is served at the rooftop.

There is no such thing as Dry Days in Paharganj- we discovered  much to our delight as we ordered pitchers of chilled draught Beer, which is available in 3 sizes- 1 ltr, 2 ltrs and 3 ltrs (size matters after all), with finger chips and papads(watch out if you cant handle spice- the papads are  spice bombs)

Seasoned travellers that we all are we decided against going for heavy snacks as we intended to do justice to the meal upcoming.

English Retro music belted out was a very welcome change from the standard bollywood Punjabi music that one gets at almost all fine dine Delhi eateries and the beer binging with like minded individuals began in dead earnest.

Topics changing from the origins of Woodstock to the closer at 

home Politics reigned supreme, as Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and that generation of music makers drowned our senses in their inimitable style.

The happiness quotient increased as the beer went into the bellies and food ordered was random from the Austrian Schnitzel made to perfection fused with Pita bread and humus, to Lasagne to Lafa(the Israeli wrap) to the common Chinese Noodles and chilly chicken.

Ordering the final food menu was a time consuming affair as we were spoilt for choice, but once done, we are back to doing what we excel at- enjoying life.
We were in perfect harmony with the backpackers from all over the world.

 All too soon dinner was over and it was time for payment of bill. The reasonable amount of the bill made us promise to come back here whenever we needed to let off some steam without digging deep into our wallets.

We paid the bills and decided to walk back to the metro station braving a religious procession and singing songs at the top of our voices. 

There was not a soul who was unsatisfied this evening and Pashatuks welcomes more like minded people for such experiences in the days to come.

The metro ride back was fun as most of us got seating and we were tucked into our beds by midnight. Before the coach turned into a pumpkin.