Vaishno Devi Calling - Mata Kaa Bulawa - July 2015

“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast (If there is Heaven on Earth, It’s here, it’s here, it’s here)”. These are the words of Persian Poet Aamir Khusru explaining what Kashmir is all about.

We company friends (4 of us) decided to visit Vaishno Devi. It was Kiran’s idea and a wish, which we three also realized & decided to take it up. Then Srinagar was planned as well for 2 days.

Plan was made 3 months in advance & train tickets were booked immediately. We had booked return tickets for Pune – Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express (11077 / 11078). Stay arrangement at Srinagar were made at Privilege Guest House through one acquaintance. Stay at Katra (base town for Vaishnodevi) was not planned; it was decided to directly reach Katra & look for stay. Since the time of July was supposed to be the off-season in that region, it was expected that there would be no rush.

Prelude to our trip was filled with some negative news all around. Due to fire at Itarasi Signal Control Station on 23^rd June 2015, many trains were getting cancelled including Jhelum Express. During last 10 days of our journey, Jhelum was running only alternate days. One week before our departure, there were heavy rains near Sonamarg & a cloud-burst. Jammu-Srinagar Highway (NH-1) was closed due to land-slides. There was some news about agitation in Srinagar as well. We started making alternate train reservations. We had made about 3 more reservations, in case our train gets cancelled or NH-1 is closed.

Finally, we got a confirmation 2 days prior that our train will be running. At last we boarded Jhelum Express (11077) on 18-Jun-15 evening from Pune Station. After covering one of the longest train journeys in India – 38 hours for about 2000 kms – we reached Jammu in the morning of 20-Jun-15 at 11.15 am (late by 1:15 hours).

Katra is a place about 40 kms from Jammu by road. It’s a small town but an important one because of it being the base camp for Vaishno Devi Pilgrimage – 2^nd most visited temple in India after Tirupati. Vaishno Devi is one of the holiest pilgrimages for Hindus. Vaishno Devi Temple has been recreated at two places – a smaller one at Pimpri (near Pune) while a much larger one at Indore. After seeing both, it was my chance to see the original.

Katra is very well connected with Jammu – Private Buses, Taxis ply regularly from Jammu Railway Station. And, now Katra can be visited by train as well. Jammu-Katra is on the ambitious Kashmir Railway Project which India has undertaken. Under this project, Kashmir Valley will be connected to India through Railway (fully operational hopefully by 2020) which was so far not possible due to the terrain. Technological advancements will now make this possible to lay railway tracks from Jammu till Baramulla via Srinagar. Just one leg of this project is yet to be completed – Katra-Banihal. Other 3 legs are ready & being used – Jammu-Udhampur, Udhampur-Katra & Banihal-Baramulla.

July 20, 2015:

When we reached Jammu at 11.15 am, we came to know there is a passenger train (DMU) at 12 noon for Katra. We decided to undertake this train journey, as this was newly launched service (PM Modi inaugurated Udhampur-Katra Railway Service in July 2014). We caught up the DMU amidst heavy rush. The train takes about 2 hours to reach Katra. By road it is about 1 hour as the train goes by the longer route via Udhampur (Jammu-Baljata-Sangar-Manwal-Ramnagar-Udhampur-Katra).

The route is excellent. Tracks cut through the mountains with Tawi River by the side is awesome. After 56 bridges (read it somewhere, I didn’t count) & 30 tunnels (I counted these), we reached Katra at 2 pm. Katra Railway Station (or Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra – SMVD Katra as it is named) can be the Model Railway Station in the country. In first instance, it seems to be an Airport. Clean Platforms, Clean Tracks, Wide Walkways, Cool Entrance, Green Lawns, Solar Panels over the shades, an Escalator (though it is not yet functioning) – all these are too good.

Katra Railway Station

Outside the Station, there are these Hotel Agents. You need to fix-up a price and they provide Pick-up to the Hotel, take you to the Vaishno Devi Starting Point, Pick you up from Vaishno Devi back to Hotel & finally drop you from Hotel to Railway Station or Bus Stand. All this inclusive in the Hotel price. We finalized one at Rs. 1500 for an AC Room for 3 beds (suitable for 4 people) – Hotel Nest, near Jiji Chowk, Katra (Phone No: 9858575372, 9906331858, 9103331858). It’s a decent hotel, nice rooms, with clean toilets. Immediately we rushed for a lunch at a mess just opposite. Then had a nice bath after 2 day train journey & got ready to 5 pm to move for our Vaishno Devi Darshan. The hotel guy took us first at the Registration Point to prepare an access card. Each pilgrim has to be personally present for this. A photo is captured while registration & an access card is provided. Also it is better to carry another Photo ID proof along.

Access Card

One caveat – please do not carry any additional belongings. No food & water is required. Better to carry separate cash instead of Wallet & Cards. Camera & related equipment can be carried depending upon your load taking ability. Remember you need to walk an ascent of about 12 kms (normally takes about 4 hours). Mobile can be carried as it has become a necessity nowadays. Free Lockers are available above and those are quite spacious. All the belongings can be kept in those. Any leather items are not allowed inside the cave (Wallet, Belts, Watch, etc). Importantly, if possible, an extra Top or T-shirt should be taken. It will be useful to change in case the one you are wearing gets wet. We hadn’t taken one & while returning in the night, it was chilling out there & my shirt was wet due to rains while climbing up.

After getting our access cards, we moved towards the base entrance and started our walk at 5.30 pm. We purchased the “Jai Mata Di” head-bands & a walking stick. Ensure take a visiting card of that shop. You can return back those walking sticks & get back half the money. Sticks costs for Rs. 10 & 20 depending on the size & type.

One can either walk or hire a Horse, or a Doli. Pitthus are available to carry the luggage or small kids & babies. Rate card is available. Nowadays Helicopter service is also available during day-time. Ponies cost Rs. 700, Dolis cost Rs. 4000 (both-ways) while helicopter service costs Rs. 1039 (one-way). Helicopter service is from Katra to Sanjhichat which is about 2.5 kms from Bhawan (which houses Main Cave).

Yatra starts from here

The walk-way is nicely made-up of well-laid blocks. Most of it is shaded; with work still going on. Initial 3-4 kms are fully lined-up with shops & hotels on both sides. Impression of Gulshan Kumar can be seen on these shops with his photos & the T-Series name & brand still displayed. Gulshan Kumar is said to have contributed immensely in development of this area. In between, steps are also there which actually act as a short-cut to the walk-way; however, climbing these is tiresome & those are not recommended for aged & those suffering from BP & heart diseases.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has provided excellent amenities all along – First Aid Centers, Drinking Water, Snacks Centre, Washrooms, Sitting Areas. Security Check-points are also there in between. The Shrine Board has done a commendable job in preparing & maintaining the route. Same must have been since last 15-20 years. Earlier, the route actually was a small path cut through the hill; even riding on a horse was frightening. Watch the song “Mata Ne Bulaya Hai” from Hindi Classic movie “Avatar”; it shows how the pilgrimage was in 1980s.

Vaishno Devi yatra, they say, happens only if there is a Call from the Goddess (Maa Kaa Bulawa).

Vaishno Devi is actually the natural rock formations – 3 Pindis (Maha-Saraswati, Maha- Laxmi & Maha-Kali) inside a Cave. Bhavan is the place, the congregation of buildings, which houses this Cave. Bhavan is about 12 kms from starting point at Katra. Mid-way at about 5/6 kms, the route separates out into two – one through Adhkuwari and another through Himkoti. The one through Himkoti is 1 km shorter. Horses go by Adhkuwari route. Adhkuwari is the half-way to the yatra to the Main Cave. It is about 6 kms from Katra.

The bright lights at the centre is the "Bhawan"

Katra town as seen from top
- bright lights at the centre is the Railway Station

We took the Himkoti route. This seems to be newly constructed route. This becomes much simpler if you are walking; because, there are no ponies allowed on this way. Ponies do come in-between while you are walking, breaking your rhythm. Battery operated vehicles ply from Adhkuwari to Himkoti (only for aged, differently abled people – subject to availability).

With few pit-stops, we reached the top at 9.30 pm. This seemingly exhaustive journey is not so tiresome actually. Since you travel in a group (known as well as unknown people), with an intense desire, shouting (or listening to) slogans of “Mata”, you doesn’t feel that effort. Once at the top, we had some light food, deposited our belongings in lockers & went for the Darshan. There was not much rush and it took another hour or so for us to reach the Cave.

Goddess Vaishnavi in her child (Kumari) form lived sometime during Lord Ram’s Age. On his insistence, she came at the bottom of these hills (Trikoot Parvat) for meditation. During some Bhandara arrange by a local Brahmin, she was harassed by Bhairon Nath. Vaishnavi ran away from him, climbed up the Trikoot Mountan & hid inside a Cave. She did meditation here for 9 months. Bhairon Nath reached here searching her. Vaishnavi ran away from him by breaking away the Cave on other side using her Trishool. This Cave is now known Garbha-joon & is at Adhkuwari. Pilgrims do go through this Cave & it is said that coming out is like a new birth after washing out of all the sins.

Vaishnavi climbed up to run away from Bhairon Nath. She came across another Cave; she hid inside. Bhairon Nath followed here also. At the entrance of the Cave, Vaishnavi severed the Head of Bhairon Nath killing him. So much was the force that the Head flew away & landed at the hillock above the Cave. Bhairon Nath died, but he expressed his remorse & shame before Vaishnavi for his wrong behavior. Vaishnavi granted a wish to him; Bhairon Nath temple is made at the place on the hillock where his Head fell & the devotees would have to visit that temple after Vaishno Devi Darshan. This will complete the Vaishno Devi Yatra.

The Main Cave is rarely used now; it’s entrance can be seen while you pass through it. This was the Cave through which pilgrims used to go years ago. It is about 4-5 feet in height and stream of chilled water continuously flows through it – the Charan Ganga said to originate from the Sanctum Sanctorum. However, as the number of pilgrims started to rise, it became difficult to manage. Hence this Cave is used only during lean periods; now two parallel paths are constructed around it which directly take you inside Sanctum Sanctorum. If you are lucky enough, you could get the chance to go through the original Cave.

Inside, are the 3 rock formations (called Pindis) signifying 3 Goddesses – Maha-Saraswati, Maha-Laxmi & Maha-Kali. The Pindis are beautifully decorated with golden crown, ornaments, flowers, red clothing. The view is satisfying. Inside, you can identify the entrance of the Main Cave coming from the right side. Heavy gushing sound of water is heard; it is the Charan Ganga originating from here.

After such a peaceful Darshan, we decided to return back. By the time, we got our belongings from the Locker, it was 12 midnight. We started our descend. Walking down is obviously less tiresome than ascending. By 3.30 am we were at the bottom. We took an Auto-Rickshaw for our Hotel (note: Hotel Pick-up is not available between 11 pm to 6 am). We had heard from someone that there are Masseurs available and a Foot Massage is important as it relaxes & frees your leg muscles to relieve for any pain later. These Masseurs are available near Bus Stand and they do the Massage there or also accompany with you to your hotel. The Auto-Driver took us to Bus Stand and we took the Masseur with us to the hotel. It was relieving Massage really. And it really helped. We had the whole Kashmir tour in front of us and we didn’t felt that much exertion.

July 21, 2015:

After a brief sleep of couple of hours, we left for Jammu, this time by Bus. Regular buses ply for Jammu from Katra Bus Stand. After getting down at Jammu, we hired a Taxi, finalized a rate with him as we wanted a special taxi for 4 of us. We got Tavera for Rs. 4000. Normal rate is Rs. 700 per person (they take 7-8 passengers).

We started at 9 am for Srinagar. Jammu-Srinagar is about 300 kms along the NH-1 highway. First 50 kms till Udhampur is the 2 lane highway with 3-4 tunnels & bridges. It is newly constructed about an year ago. Once Udhampur is crossed, comes the undependable part of this Highway. Next 200 kms till Kashmir Valley starts, the road is a complete Ghat Section with turns all around. High rocky patches on side while deep valley on the other. This road witnesses closure & blockages due to climatic conditions, land-slides in rainy season, vehicle breakdowns causing traffic jams of hours together. So much the undependability, that at times Jammu-Srinagar can be covered in 6 hours while at times, it may take more than 10 hours. We took about 11 hours to reach Srinagar – about 3 major traffic jams in between due to vehicle breakdowns.

Enroute Srinagar - NH-1 Jammu Srinagar Highway

However, the road is awesome; the view is fantastic. If you wish to visit Kashmir, you need to travel atleast once through this Highway. Air journey to Srinagar would not be that satisfying – The Paradise is better experienced on land & not seen through the air. The road turns through the hills with large Deodar trees all around. Houses with colored roofs are constructed over the slopes of the hills. Large rivers follow you at every nook & corner – Tawi at first, then Chenaab & Jhelum towards the end in Srinagar. The route goes like Jammu-Udhampur-Patni Top-Ramban (halfway)-Qazigund-Anantnag-Srinagar. Somewhere near Patni Top, a large construction activity is going on. It is the Chenani-Nashvi Tunnel Project – a 13 kms tunnel (Asia’s largest) is being constructed. After it is completed, hopefully by 2017, it will save about 50-70 kms. This is equivalent to 3-4 hours of today’s journey.

Dam on River Chenaab
We had an awesome Rajmaa-Chaawal here at place named Peera

Another attraction of this route is the Jawahar Tunnel (or Banihaal Pass). It is about 200 kms from Jammu. It is the only route which connects Kashmir Valley with rest of India. It is therefore strategically important for India & hence controlled by the BSF. State of J&K is comprised of 3 regions – Jammu, Kashmir Valley & Ladakh. And Jawahar Tunnel is the entry to the Valley. It is the Gateway to the Paradise on Earth. It is located within Pir Panjal Mountain Range. Our driver was saying we actually crossed about 420 hills from Jammu till here.

It comprises of 2 uni-directional tunnels, 2.5 kms each in length. It is well ventilated inside. Open to traffic 24 hours & 7 days a week. Fully under control of BSF. Another tunnel is newly constructed below this one. It is for the Railway Line between Banihaal & Srinagar.

From here starts the Kashmir Valley. Actually, we did feel the change in weather after we crossed the Tunnel; climate was much cooler. From here on one can see the Kashmiri Villages, Snow-capped Mountains far away, smart & beautiful Kashmiri People wearing Phiran (traditional woolen overcoat), Kahwa (tea like drink). And also to mention, the presence of Armed Forces; all through the road, after every few kms, a patrol party comprising 3-4 CRPF Men can be seen.

Road now is pretty straight; the 200 kms of turns & twists are not here anymore. The mighty Jhelum on your left indicates that your now entering Srinagar, capital city of the State of J&K.

We reached Srinagar by 7 pm – almost a drive of 10 hours. Straight we went to our Guest House, since it was late, we were tired & there was nothing else to do.

July 22, 2015:

We had one acquaintance in Srinagar. He volunteered to accompany us & show us around. Next morning, he along with his colleague came to our Guest House. He had made arrangements for a vehicle. We started-off at about 9 am. We decided to go to Gulmarg. It is a place very near to Srinagar – just an hour’s drive (40 kms).

Originally named as Gaurimarg referred to the Goddess Paarvati, later on it was rechristened as Gulmarg – literary means “Meadows of Flowers”. It is a vast expanse of pastures further extending towards snow clad mountains. The meadow is World’s highest Golf Course during Summer, while in Winter it get converted into a Skiing Facility. The time we went, it was lush green all over, with colored flowers in between & occasional trees with snow peaks at the backdrop. Emperor Shahajahan is said to have collected various types of Flower Plants from Gulmarg to be used in various Mughal Gardens at places in Delhi & Agra.

Many a films have been shot here – Jai Jai Shiv Shankar song, Jab Tak Hain Jaan song. The room in which the Bobby song “Hum Tum Ek Kamare Mein” was shot at one house here. It is now famous as “Bobby Hut”. The guides show these here.

Temple where 'Jai Jai Shiv Shankar" song was shot

After vehicle parking, there are two ways one can go ahead – a horse ride & a rope-way (Gandola). They take you to the top near snow. There are many shops from where one can hire Gum-Boots, Jackets, Caps, etc. While a horse ride can be exciting & adventurous, after sometime it becomes monotonous & boring. We did take a horse ride, but it took us about 3-4 hours for whole journey. You need to do a good bargain for a horse-ride – we finalised one for Rs. 1200 per person.

There is another good option available – a Gandola ride (rope-way). It is one of longest Rope-ways of Asia & highest in World. It is in two stages. Stage-1 is from Gulmarg till Khilenmarg (literary means Playground) which is at the foot of Apharwat Peak (Ticket price is Rs. 600). “Yahoo” song from film “Junglee” was shot at Khilenmarg. Stage-2 is from Khilenmarg to Apharwat Summit (Ticket price is Rs. 800).

Gulmarg is within miles from the LOC. Actually from the Apharwat Summit, they show the Pakistani Posts across the LOC. We actually missed this view by opting for a horse-ride instead of a Gondola. By the time reached back after our horse-ride, it was almost 4 pm. And due to bad weather, Stage-2 was closed.

Nonetheless, we had an awesome time. Some different experience riding a horse to climb little ahead of Khilenmarg. Total distance might be about 7-8 kms one-way. Horses are well-trained. They know the route and they take you properly to the destination; sometime need to give directions by using the reins. The route is scary sometimes; real tough. Heavy climb, rocky patches, slippery paths. But the horses take you extremely well. They take you till the point of snow. The snow here actually is not the one like we see in movies. Actually, it is brown in color due to mud mixed with it. But the view is breathtaking.

We were just taking few photographs & were planning to walk a little ahead towards some more snow, when it started raining really heavy. There were some shacks made to serve tea. All the tourists took refuge there. We had the famous Kashmiri Drink, the Kahwah, here. It ran heavily for about 20 minutes. Then the rain stopped abruptly, the way it started. The locals said this is the weather here all year at this altitude. Due to such unreliability, we decided to get down at the earliest. We didn’t had any rain protection with us.

We reached the parking at 4 pm. By the end, we were really bored by the horse-ride and wished to reach back at the earliest. It is due to this boredom & time consuming, I feel it is better to prefer a Gondola at Gulmarg. It takes you at much higher altitude, sure-shot to witness good snow; it is time-saving; it will be an awesome experience to travel in one of the highest & longest rope-way as your cable-car disappears in the clouds. My next visit here is going to be a Gondola ride surely.

We had missed a lunch due to our horse-ride. We decided to go back to Srinagar & have an early dinner. Our friend took us to – he said – one of the good hotels of Srinagar, Mughal Darbar, which serves good Wazwan. Wazwan is a food preparation that is Traditional Kashmiri. However, I alone being a vegetarian had to adjust with Paneer. Rice is an important meal here. Raajma-Chawal is a very delicious dish here. Meat is also part of most of the dishes of Kashmir.

After our dinner, we visited Lal Chowk, to have some ice-cream. It has one large Clock-Tower called the Ghanta-ghar. It is the place of extreme significance in History as well as Present of Srinagar (for that matter, the whole of Kashmir). The place is a witness of enormous protests, countless rallies & number of political speeches – in the past as well as today. In a way it is one of the happening places in Srinagar. The Ghanta-ghar can be seen in movie “Haider” (Shaahid Kapoor’s speech).

July 23, 2015:

Next morning, our plan was to visit Pahalgam, about 90 kms from Srinagar. We started early at 7.30 am. The route is via Anantnag, the same route we came from Jammu on NH-1. What all we missed due to low evening light that day, we were able to see now – the vast Saffron (Kesar) Fields & its shops of Pompore & Cricket Bat factories. At Anantnag, route bifurcates, one towards Jammu while another to Pahalgam. Awantipora is another attraction – the remains of an ancient Hindu Temple. We skipped this due to paucity of time.

Pahalgam is one more tourist destinations of Kashmir located in the Lidder Valley & apart from its scenic beauty, famous because of being on route of Amarnath Yatra. The road to Pahalgam is extremely scenic. After Anantnag, the River Lidder follows last 40 kms route till Pahalgam. The view is extremely scenic - clean white river water with white stones & boulders all around. We reached Pahalgam by 9.30 am. Pahalgam is bigger town compared to Gulmarg. It is a main place for Amarnath Yatra. Helicopter Service for Amarnath is available from here. Nice hotels are available. Good market place is there for a good shopping of Kashmir Special Goods.

There are various spots nearby. Ponies are available here too. They refer to some place called as Mini-Switzerland. However, we were terrified with ponies now. We moved ahead towards Betaab Valley, a place about 15 kms ahead of Pahalgam. The place has got this name from Sunny Deol – Amrita Singh starrer film, “Betaab”. It was shot here – see “Jab Hum Jawan Honge”.

Betaab Valley, as per me, was by far the best location I saw in our trip. Lush green pastures, covered from all sides by mountain ranges (snow-capped at some places) & a stream of ice-chilled water of Lidder River flowing across the plains. The water is sparkling clean (actually it is a melting snow at the top) & awfully chilled. We tried to get into the water (just above ankle length); could not stay inside for more than 15 seconds. The area is converted into a park & is extremely well-maintained. There is cleanliness all around. Place is brilliantly photogenic. There is a nominal ticket price of Rs. 5.

We spent about 3 hours inside. We returned to Pahalgam, had our lunch and again proceeded to Aru. It is lesser known place about 12 kms from Pahalgam. It is situated on the banks of River Aru, a tributary of Lidder. The road to Aru from Pahalgam is an adventure. Very narrow road running by the banks of River Aru & negotiating sharp turns, finally takes you to the Aru. It is actually a place resting in the Lidder Valley.

Aru River

After about an hour’s time, we decided to leave back to Srinagar. We reach at the Dal Lake at 7 pm. We bid adieu to our friends from here & proceeded for a Shikaara ride. Actually our’s was a very short trip to Kashmir. 2 days here are insufficient. Our main aim was Vaishnodevi Yatra. Since we had couple of days with us, we planned Srinagar. But we were not able to visit the city (various Mughal gardens, Shankaracharya Temple, Hazaratbal Dargah, Tulip Gardens, etc). We skipped Sonamarg & Yusmarg.

Shikaaras - characteristic of Dal Lake

But being in Srinagar for two days & not visiting Dal Lake, was not acceptable to us. Hence, it was almost getting dark, but we decided to have a Shikaara ride. Shikaaras are the small wooden boats. They have a multipurpose use – mainly used for transportation of people apart for fishing, transportation of goods, aquatic vegetation and also homes. They are mostly made of Deodar wood. There are about 1800 Shikaaras here. A ride costs around Rs. 300 & carries about 4-6 people. We took a Shikaara ride. Our Boatman explained us some information about the lake apart from some view points. He was speaking fluent English apart from Hindi.

Dal Lake is the life-line of Srinagar. About 1 to 1.5 lakh people are dependent on the Lake. They live on the Lake; their earnings depend on the Lake (tourism, fishing, aquatic plantations, shops, etc). It is said to be about 22 kms in perimeter & forms interlinking with many small lakes & water bodies. Nageen Lake is also one such famous Lake for tourism. Two hillocks over look the Dal Lake – Hari Parbat on one side while Shankaracharya on the other.

Dal Lake with Hari Parbat at the backdrop

Houseboats form highlight of Dal Lake. These were originally built by the British. There was some rule by the Maharaja of Kashmir that building of houses in Valley was restricted. Hence British came-up with this unique concept. Since then, Houseboats have become part of Dal Lake. They are made from Deodar or Walnut wood, have intricately crafted interiors & exteriors and can be large enough to house 3 bedrooms apart from a Living Room & Kitchen. Price of a Houseboat normally is in Lakhs of Rupees while its life can be more than 100 years. Unlike Kerala, Houseboats here are stationery and parked along the banks of Dal or Nageen Lake or along Jhelum River. The boatmen show the Housboats where movies like Mission Kashmir & Bemisaal (Amitabh Bachchan) were shot.

Floating Plantations another wonder of the Lake. Locals here grow various Plants, Vegetables (Cucumber, Pumpkins) & Fruits (Watermelons) over the Lake waters. This is the technique is use since centuries here. These are formed by interweaving the weeds in the water forming mats. Plantations are done on these. It is like a farming done on the surface of water. The produce from these Floating Gardens form a source of livelihood for its farmers.

There is a full-fledged Floating Market on the Lake. From a hair-pin to handloom, everything is available. Shops are set-up actually on the boat. One just needs to get from his Shikaara to the other Shikaara-Shop. Various Shikaaras are moving in the Lake carrying small items like jewellery & vegetable for sale. Even, we saw one Shikaara selling Kedaabs.

Dal Lake is rightfully known as “Venice of the East” and more truly is referred as the “Jewel in the Crown of Kashmir”. It’s for this reason, the Dal Lake with its Shikaara forms the identity of Kashmir world over.

Our ride ended by 8 pm. A brief shopping & dinner followed.

July 24, 2015:

Tonight, we had our return train to Pune – Jhelum Express (11078) which departs from Jammu Tawi Station at 9.45 pm. We had some time off; so we decided to visit the Rahgunath Temple – one of the attractions of Jammu. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Ram; while has many small temples of other deities in the vicinity. The temple is located in the market area & is built by Maharaja Gulaab Singh.

Finally, we came to an end of our memorable trip; with a self-promise to visit once again – with a plan to spend more time in Kashmir. We reached Pune on the evening of July 26, 2015.

Maps:

Jammu to Katra - Route Comparison - Road Vs Rail

Jammu to Srinagar


Stay Details:

Kaas Plateau - Maharashtra's Valley Of Flowers_October 10, 2014

Long awaited trip was finally achieved; the season was not good this year... somehow, quantity of flowers blossomed was much much lesser. Nevertheless, we got a lot information about these wild beauties; thanks to the local guide that we took help of - Mr. Vilas Adale

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Maharashtra's very own Valley of Flowers!!! Kas Plateau #kasplateau #kasflowervalley #satara #kaspathar #kaspathar_satara #maharashtravalleyofflowers #instalogues #itsmytravelogue #naturalwonders #throwback

A post shared by Instalogues (@instalogues) on Oct 1, 2018 at 8:54am PDT

We had planned to visit this place on a week-day. This was to avoid the "mad" rush that takes place during week-ends & holidays. Last time we had gone to Bamnoli which is about 10-15 kms ahead of Kaas. We had experienced this rush & traffic then.

We started off from Pune at 6.15 am. Took Sinhagad Road & connected to the Mumbai-Bangalore outer ring road (NH-4). After a brief breakfast pit-stop at Hotel Aashirwad (just before Surur Phata - to Wai, Mahabaleshwar), we reached Kaas by 9.30 am. Normally, for a trip on week-ends & holidays, it is better to do the online booking here. For other days, it is not required. Charges are Rs. 10 per adult & Rs. 40 for car parking. No fee for children.

There were about 7-8 vehicle only. We were able to wander freely and peacefully. We met a local from a nearby village, who offered to took us around and show us the flowers with there names & specialty.

We normally take help of such guides and locals whenever we visit different places. This helps us not only to see, but also to understand (differences, uniqueness, history, etc) the places better. They also show us the places, locations which we would have missed had we gone all alone.

Because of Vilas, we came to know many things about the flowers in the region. There are about 350 odd varieties of plants in the region. Each flower has a specific time of blooming ranging from time, months and even years. If the season is at its peak, one can see a carpet of flowers spread in the area. It is said that if you visit after a gap of weeks during Sep-Oct, you can see the different colors of flowers laid across the region.

Most of these flowers blossom in September-October months. There is one flower which blooms once in 7-8 years. Some flowers bloom in the morning while others late in the day.

Common Name: तेरडा
most commonly found flower

Smithia Hirsuta
Common Name: कावळा / Micky Mouse
most commonly found flower in the wilds

Pleocaulus Ritchiei
Common Name: कारवी टोपली
Blossoms after every 7-8 years

Common Name: मोठी सोनकी

Cyanotis Tuberosa
Common Name: आभाळी
Blossoms in the morning, flower wither late in the day
and it is so tightly closed, that it is impossible to open the covering

Common Name: निसुर्डी
Blooms in shade, below large shady trees

Pogostemon Deccanensis
Common Name: जांभळी मंजिरी
found near marsh land, muddy area by the water body

Dipcadi Montanum
Common Name: दीप-काडी (Tooth-Brush)

Murdannia Lanuginosa
Common Name: अबोलीमा
Blooms late in the morning, after 10 / 10.30 am

Other flowers which we saw (photos were not clicked) are Bhuichar, Neelam, Seetechi Aaswa, Raan-halad, Sonki

Following this heritage visit (the region is declared as a World Heritage Site, by the way), we moved ahead. 3 kms ahead is the Kaas Lake. It was constructed 100 years ago by the British as a water source for Satara City. While ascending a small ghat, the water body looks awesome.

Kaas Lake - A Panorama

While coming to Kaas, just before check-post, there is a left exit (board is available) for Goddess Ghataai Temple (घाटाई देवी मंदिर) and a Devrai (देवराई). About 4 kms from here is a temple situated within dense trees. The temple is being renovated at present.

Ghataai Devi Temple

Devrai is the place around a temple where the villagers and locals do not cut the trees, its fruits and flowers. The trees and thus the forest grows for years (even centuries) completely untouched. It is said that the God lives here, hence these should not be cut (defaced). This was the way of our ancestors to maintain the ecological balance in the nature.

Odometer readings:
Narayan Peth (Pune):            0 kms
Kaas Plateau Check Post:   139 kms
Kaas Lake:                       142 kms
Ghatai Devi Temple:          149 kms
Narayan Peth:                   290 kms

Gibraltar of the East, Fort Raigad_March 22-23, 2014

I had been to Raigad (किल्ले रायगड) about 20 or more years back. It was without the luxury of a Ropeway (that means climbing about 1500 steps to the top). Therefore, conquering Raigad once again was one of our long pending expeditions.

We started-off from Pune in the morning. We took the better conditioned Tamhini Ghat route. Varandha Ghat route is very bad. And, moreover distance from both the routes is same.

We had our breakfast at a newly opened Kamat Hotel. It is actually a bungalow converted into a hotel about 6 kms ahead of Paud; very small compared to those extravagant Kamat Hotels on other highways.

The route (Pune-Pirangut-Paud-Mulshi-Tamhini Ghat) is pretty straight and busy till Nizampur village after Tamhini Ghat. Road is pretty good, except a pathetic patch of 2-3 kms in Tamhini Ghat.

At Nizampur (निझामपुर), there is a left turn for Raigad (signboard is available). Raigad from here is about 30 kms. Road condition is bad, but this route saves about 50 kms if one goes via Mahaad. The route is deserted. Better to avoid it during late evenings / nights; no problems during the day though. We had our share of problem on this route; we had a flat tyre.

We reached the Raigad Ropeway office at the base at about 1.30 pm. Raigad Ropeway has a canteen & Rooms at the base as well as on top. However, AC Rooms are available only at the base. All information is available online. Room booking can be done in advance; however, Ropeway tickets are to be availed on the spot. MTDC also has non-AC rooms on top. We had booked a room on top through Raigad Ropeway.

After lunch we headed for the Rope-way. At the base a 22 minute film on Raigad is shown. Also, there is a museum displaying historical items of Shivaji’s era. However, there should be atleast 30 people. Unfortunately, we were only 3 of us.

We directly boarded the Trolley. It takes about 4 minutes to reach the top. The view is mesmerizing. Within seconds the village below starts appearing miniscule & in minutes it’s time to disembark. Better not to waste time in photographing. Just enjoy the show. But I did click a few photos & a video!!!

Next to the Ropeway Station are the Rooms & a Cafeteria of Raigad Ropeway. Just a caveat. Rooms are really, really basic. Those who feel they are the persnickety kinds; this is not the place for you. Those who are interested only in the Fort & its History, can go ahead.

Climbing about 25-30 steps towards the fort, are the MTDC Rooms.

In the evening, after a cup of tea, we started for a walk-around the fort. Guides are available. We took one. He charged us about 300 Rs. for 90 mins tour (actually, he completed within an hour). There is an entry fee of Rs. 5 per head by ASI (Archeological Survey of India).

Statue of Shiv-rai near Market Place -
installed sometime in 1970s

Shivaji (शिवाजी) took the fort called Rairi (रायरी) after defeating Chandrarao More (चंद्रराव मोरे) of Jawali (जावळी). Earlier he had requested Mores to help the Swarajya (स्वराज्य) by providing the fort. Chandrarao had denied. This was the year 1656. Fort Rajgad (किल्ले राजगड) was the capital of Marathas at that time. Rajgad was extremely difficult (for common public to visit their King) & it had very less space available on top. As the governance of Swarajya started rising, Rajgad started falling short of facilities & space. Therefore, even though Rajgad was the most favorite Fort of Shivaji, for strategic reasons, he decided to shift his Capital on Raigad in the year 1662; which he finally did in 1670. It took 14 years till 1670 to complete all the construction work that we see currently on the fort.

The total area above the fort is 1200 acres. There are about 300 buildings, 11 large lakes & 44 tanks. Architect of the fort was Hiroji Indulkar (हिरोजी इंदुलकर). It is said that during the construction when there was shortage of funds, he sold-off his own land & completed the construction. Whole construction was made of Stones extracted from the fort itself & cemented by mixture of Limestone, Jaggary & Lead. The reason, these remains still stand tall battling the environment since last 350 years. There is one Stone Plaque on the fort bearing a guarantee by Hiroji in Modi Script. It states that till the time Sun & Moon keep on shining in sky, this fort shall stand tall.

Coronation (Rajyabhishek) of Shivaji Maharaj (शिवराज्याभिषेक) took place on Raigad on June 6, 1674; he came to be known as Chhatrapati & formed his Saarvabhaum Saamrajya (सार्वभौम साम्राज्य - Sovereign State). He even started his own Shiva-Shaka (शिव-शक). He was only King who did so in 1000 years of Indian History after Shalivahana (discontinued later by Nana Phadanvis in 1777).

Shivaji died here on April 3, 1680. His stay on Raigad was of mere 10 years. His elder son Sambhaji Maharaj conducted his Last Rites on June 18, 1680 after his return from Mughals. One of the 8 wives of Shivaji, Putalabai Saheb, went Sati on June 27, 1680. Sambhaji constructed a Samadhi which we can see today on Raigad.

9 years after his death, Raigad went into the hand of Mughals on November 3, 1689 and then to Siddis in 1707. After 43 years, on June 5, 1733 Fateh Singh Bhosale (an aide of Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj) got back the fort into Marathas. Peshawas started controlling it from 1773 onwards. On April 25, 1818, during the last Anglo-Maratha War, British laid a seige to Raigad. When they were unable to conquer it easily, they mounted their Cannons on a nearby hillock by the name Kalkai (कालकाई चा डोंगर). During this attack one of the Cannon shot fell on Ammunition Store. Raigad burnt for about 11 days. Finally, Marathas on the Fort, surrendered on May 10, 1818 & Raigad fell into the hands of British.

After 1818, British looted whatever valuables remained on Raigad (the Gold Throne of Shivaji Maharaj was already melted & stolen by a Mughal Sardar of Aurangzeb earlier). They handed over the Fort to their Forest Department & it remained neglected. The Capital of Hindavi Swarajya & Samadhi of its Founder was soon forgotten by people. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (महात्मा ज्योतिबा फुले) searched out this Samadhi in 1869.

After evening tea, we started to explore taking a Guide with us. The Ropeway is actually at the backside of the Fort. On the opposite side are the 1500 steps & the Maha-Darwaza (महादरवाजा). We entered through Mena-Darwaza (मेणा-दरवाजा), the door used by the Queens to enter / exit the Palace in a Mena (Palanquins). Immediately on left are the 6 doors. These are the 6 Palaces of the 6 Queens of Shivaji. Other 2 Queens – Saibai (सईबाई) used to live in Rajgad while Putalabai (पुतळाबाई) lived at the base village, Pachaad (पाचाड), with Jijabai (जिजाबाई) Saheb, mother of Shivaji. All 6 Queen's Room are exactly similar with a separate personal room & a meeting room for guests. A drainage system of those days is till today seen in some of these rooms.

Inside of one of 6 Queen Palaces

The Drainage System

On the right are the remains of the Mantralaya (मंत्रालय) building, The Ashtapradhan Niwas (अष्टप्रधान निवास - Minister's Quarters).

Remains of Mantralaya Building

Mantralaya Building -
Fort Rajgad (left) & Fort Torna (right) at the back

Straight ahead is the Palkhi Darwaza (पालखी दरवाजा) ascending the steps we can reach the Ganga-Sagar Lake (गंगासगर तलाव). Towards Right is the way towards Main Palace of Shivaji Maharaj. One can feel the grandeur of this area and the magnificence of this Palace that would have been in those days. In those days the structure was supported using high quality Sagwaan Wood Pillars.

Royal Palace Campus - Remains

Behind the Palace is the Raj-durbar, the Royal Court (राजदरबार). On the farther side a tall gate-like structure is seen which is the Nagaar-khana (नगारखाना); while just behind the Palace walls is the Place from where Chatrapati ruled Swarajya. A Meghdambari with Shivaji's statue has been kept on the place where Shiv-rajyabhishek took place. This was the place where there used to be his Gold Throne (Sinhasan).

Meghdambari with a Statue- Made of Panchdhatu;
Statue was installed sometime around 2007

Nagaar-Khana

Apart from the splendor of this Raj-durbar, there is one architectural wonder. The distance between Shivaji's Throne & Nagaar-khana is good 80 meters. Still even if you whisper from the Throne, voice is clearly heard at the base of Nagaar-khana (& vice-a-versa). This phenomenon can be witnessed even today. We have tried it.

Shivaji Maharaj was extremely fascinated by this system as well as overall construction of the Fort. He told Hiroji Indulkar to ask for anything in reward & that shall be provided. Hiroji, instead (the simple man that he was), asked for just one small demand. He said to create a Stone Plaque in his name stating - "सेवेची ठायी तत्पर, हिरोजी इंदुलकर" (Always at the King's Service). That plaque is seen in the Jagadishwar Temple complex on the Fort.

Crossing the Nagaar-khana there is a well-laid route towards Bazaar-Peth, the Market Place (बाजार पेठ). On your right you can see the Jagadishwar Temple (जगदीश्‍वर मंदिर - the Lord of the Fort).

Jagadishwar Temple

The temple is constructed in Islamic Style, looking at the Minaars & Central Dome. This was to save it from destruction in case the Fort falls into the hands of Mughals or other Islamic Rulers.

Bazaar-Peth

Market Place was the main trading area of the Fort. There are about 22 compartments (shops) seen. These are properly divided as the front shop area & the living quarters at the back. The height of each shop is such that the Sardars won't need to get down of their horses. They could shop sitting on their horse-backs.
The 7th left shop bears a symbol of a Snake, which is nowhere seen on other 21 shops. It is said to represent one of the big trader & head of the Market of that time, Nagappa Shetty.

It is this place where the Guides end their tour. From here we can cross the Bazaar-Peth and towards Right is the Jagdishwar Temple while to the Left is the Takmak Tok (टकमक टोक).
Takmak Tok is the place from where it is said that the death penalty was executed. The convict was tied inside a sack & then thrown off the cliff. It is till today a very difficult area on the Fort. And the strong winds make walking to it even more difficult. There are safety railings though.
There is one more story related to Tamak Tok. I am not sure how true it is. There was one person who used to hold an umbrella over Shivaji's head whenever Shivaji used to go on a tour of Raigad. While on Takmak Tok, due to strong winds, that guy got lifted upwards due to umbrella & he fell in the valley. But he kept his patience & didn't leave the umbrella & safely parachuted in the village below (Nizampur). Shivaji was extremely happy with his presence of mind & therefore, he named that village as Chatri-Nizampur.

We stopped our Raigad tour here as well since we had a small kid with us & walking towards Temple & Takmak Tok is really tiresome (for children & aged).

Next day morning, we again decided to spend some more time till the Ropeway starts at 8 am.

We walked down the Palkhi Darwaza this time. The Ganga-Sagar Lake & the 3 Watch Towers can be seen from here.

About 50 families still live on Raigad. Drinking water is used from this lake even today.

Palkhi-Darwaza - Takmak Tok at the back

One of the Watch Towers

Ganga-Sagar Lake

Panorama - 3 Watch Towers & a Strategy Discussion Room -
As seen from the King's Palace

After breakfast, we took our descend through the Ropeway. Within 10 minutes we were driving back. On the way, took a halt at the Jijamata Samadhi in Pachaad vilage (base village of Raigad).

The statue is so intricately carved -
just see the design on her Paithani Saree

We came to know that there is one exhibition of 20 miniature Forts of Shivaji, prepared by a localite. We went to see that, but it was closed at 10 am in the morning (?).
We took the Mahaad route this time. We were planning to see couple of places, the Buddhist Caves of Pale (पाले) & Hot Water Springs of Sav (सव). However, by the time we reached these places, it was 11 and the March Summer Sun was bursting extremely hot. Hence we cancelled the idea & decided to return to Pune.

After a lunch break at Quick Bite in Tamhini Ghat, we reached Pune at 4 pm.

Odo Readings:

0                     Narayan Peth

8                     Chandani Chowk

21                   Pirangut

29                   Paud

35                   Kamat Hotel

91                   Tamhini Ghat ends

105                 Nizampur

137                 Raigad base (Ropeway Parking)

159                 Mahaad

177                 Sav (Hot Water Springs)

200                 Maangao

210                 Nizampur

256                 Tamhini Village

316                 Narayan Peth

Bhuleshwar: A Broken Beauty_March 16, 2014

It is hard to believe that a treasure of beautiful sculptures can be found at a distance of just about 50 kms from Pune. We decided to explore this place – for me, once again.

We started from Pune at about 8 am. We took the Pune-Solapur Highway (NH-9) via Swargate. After an awesome breakfast of Misal-Paav at Kaanchan (a Hotel just before the Bhuleshwar exit), we reached the temple. The temple is located about 10 kms off the Highway on a small hillock. This hillock is actually the Fort by the name Daulatmangal (formerly known as Mangalgad). Remnants of fort walls & bastions can be seen. The road up the fort is beautiful with excellent twists & turns. We went in hot summers; however, driving here in rains would be an experience to cherish.

The temple can be easily seen from a distance, with a telecommunication tower just behind it destroying the beauty of the place.

Reaching near the temple, a striking difference is seen as compared to other temples. Half the structure is made from Black Stone in a distinct Hemadpanthi Style while top portion, Shikhara, is of yellowish white coloured stone (seemed to be Standstone). More noticing is that the Shikhara is dome-shaped constructed in Islamic Style.

It is said that the temple was attacked by the then Mughal Rulers & destroyed. The Shikhara was completely destroyed. This was later reconstructed by the then Maratha Rulers. The extent of this destruction can be felt once you are inside. The entrance is hidden. It has steps on both sides to reach the top; the passage is narrow & dark. It is said to be constructed after the invasion to prevent any more.

A large Nandi meets your eye as you climb these steps. Sanctum Sanctorum with Shiva Linga inside is seen ahead of the Nandi. The Sanctorum is at the centre surrounded by the open-to-sky pathway around 3 sides; further surrounded by the pillared corridor. The entire area of the temple is a treat to watch. Intricately carved sculptures of Gods, Goddesses, Apsaras, Yakshas, Nymphs & Celestial Beings are present. These are carved around the Sactorum outer walls from bottom to top. The “differently colored & styled” Shikhara can be seen from here. There are sculptures over the top side of the corridor as well as on pillars.

Sandstone construction over Black Stone

Pillared Corridor surrounding the Sanctum Sanctorum

This Beauty is posing here since eternity

But the sad part is each statue bears the mark of hammers of its invaders; each sculpture is destroyed. The sculptures even in their destroyed form look beautiful. So one can imagine how it would have been looking centuries ago.

Sculptures adoring the walls of Sanctum Sanctorum

There are murals depicting stories from our epics like Ramayana & Mahabharata. I could identify the scene of Bharat-Bhet from Ramayana. One area on the top displays Lord Ganesh in Feminine form (Vinayaki Pratima). It can be easily identified because of its Trunk & a Mouse as carrier.

Mural depicting Bharat-Bhet from Ramayana

Vinayaki - Ganesha in Feminine form

I saw one dark room at the side. Actually nothing was visible inside. I just clicked a photo using a flash and this is what I could see. The sculpture has striking resemblance to Lord Vishnu resting on a Shesh-Naaga. Lord Vishnu’s form is not clear though.

While returning we decided to visit Theur. More info about this Ashtavinaya can be sought here, our previous trip.