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.

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.