Garhmukteshwar, Mini Banaras

I read about Garhmukteshwar in an article and looked for its map. It wasn’t very far plus what my guidebook suggested it was the closet to Delhi where the sacred Ganga flows. It was enough for me to get into my car and head off down the Delhi Lucknow highway on Saturday morning to hit the closest weekend getaway from Delhi.

Two hours later, at a fork on the road, a series of stalls, all selling modhas in various shapes, sizes and colours appeared and where they ended the Ganges showed up almost suddenly at a place called Brijghat.
Garhmukteshwar is like mini Banaras. The main attraction is the Ganges and the bathing ghat along it. The Ganges here can be seen flowing water as far as the eyes can see. The river here was of the colour of cold coffee, but unlike how she is at Haridwar and Rishikesh; the Ganga is much cleaner here. As there are no pieces of legs or length of arms that suddenly appears out of water, and there is no creepy feelings when you stick your legs in the water.

Along the left bank is a large marble platform that overlooks the river. In the middle of this is a walk away, I walked to its edge and stood looking at the scene around me. At the water’s edge was a line of small boats bobbing up and down. And in a break between two boats, a few pilgrims were taking a dip in the river. Next to the walkway, a series of flights of steps or ghats led to the river. And from its edge few boys were diving into the water from a mud flat to gather the coins which pilgrim’s offers to the river.

I went boating for Rs.100 and crossed the bathing ghat to the farms on the other shore. The ride took half an hour, but since it had rained recently, the river was full.
Then the Ganga Devi temple is on the road that goes to Garhmukteshwar, the village near the Ganga is quite old and famous. From this temple the road twists and turns through the sleepy town of Garhmukteshwar.

Follow the twists for five minutes and you will reach a gate with an archway and a large bell hanging at its centre. Inside is a complex of temples, surrounding a central courtyard: Jarkandeshwar Temple in the north, a Shiva temple in the centre, a Kali temple in the left and a Hanuman temple at the entrance. In front is the well that gives the name to the place as Nakka Kuan.

After the temples I went to view the chattris of local Gurudwara. It is said that at Garhmukteshwar the Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur has said to release Raja Nakh from the curse of the celestial being Rambha, who had turned him into snake.

There is no hotel in Garhmukteshwar to stay however towards Amroha side and 10kms from Garhmukteshwar is the Vasant Continental hotel and Midway Mortal approx 15 km.

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Saputara, dispatch from the dangs

Saputara is the only hill station in Gujarat. Saputara was names by the Dangs tribal of the Gujarat districts for they came here during festivals like Holi and Nag Panchmi worship the snake on the bank of nearby Sarpganga River. The air is chilly and the mists fall over the town in the evenings. Plenty of walking is possible and if it’s just a quite getaway one is looking for, Saputara is ideal, and streets ahead of the Lonavalas, Igatpuris that populate Mumbai’s imagination. Saputara overlooks the green valley as there are no auto rickshaws or taxis here as it is so small.

It is a vacation spot for trekking or taking leisurely walks around the lake and the hills. There are quite a few gardens like Rose garden, Step garden and Lake Garden if walking gets too much. There are also few points worth a visit like Echo point and Town view point if you want to gaze at hills. Then there are tribal villages of Bhils, Warlis and Gamits close enough to trek to. Then there are also Hatgadh fort and Pandava Caves to explore all on foot. And the legend goes that Ram spent his 11 years of his 14 years in exile walking about in the forests here. You can also go through the rope way if you are not interested in the treks which will give you the rides and the views. The placid lake is one of the Saputara main attractions and the paddleboats here operate throughout the year.

The Saputara Museum is small, just a couple of rooms which showcase the life and arts of the Dangs tribal. Then we also have the Brahma Kumari establishment here. The local Dang tribal are famous for bamboo handicrafts like pen stands, key chains, jewellery and masks. The town also has an artist’s village and a centre for honey.

Saputara has plenty of places to stay in like Toran Hill resort, Vaity ropeway Resort, Hotel Anando and many more.

Malshej Ghat, up where you belong

When we reached Malshej ghat we did not required the sign board. We entered a short regular tunnel, little expecting the light at the end of it to fall on waterfalls cascading down as if the set designer of the ghats was suddenly overcome with recklessness and decided to see how much beauty one place could handle.

The drive up was beautiful enough, but when we got the first view of the backwaters of Pimpalgaon Joga dam, the picture has the kind of ethereal quality that marked our breath catch in our throat.

Malshej Ghat is a wildly beautiful haven of towering peaks and bottomless valleys, home to a hundred different kind of flora and fauna, and mountain air so fragment and pure, I wished I could pack some to take back home.

Perched on the very edge of a plateau, the MTDC hotel, managed by a private party, is gifted with the best location. But just 160- odd ft from its restaurant, in the hotel’s very backyard is lands end. A gentle rain blows in a tired breeze as we walked to the edge. As we looked down to the valley, the drizzle changes its route; it begins to rain upwards, from downwards. As we trekked up the hills we saw again a giant waterfall that rises up into the air instead of falling down into the valley, such is the force of the winds in these ghats. Malshej what I discovered is for long walks down twisting mountain trails, for plucking wild flowers for your beloved, for shouting something into the valleys and waiting for affirmation.

In the monsoon, Malshej has series of waterfalls. One or two falls generously right on the state highway taking a bath and having hot pakoras is a ultimate start away for a weekend in a Malshej ghat. Right at the point where the falls makes a mess of narrow curving state highway is what the government calls the Nature spot. While on one side of the road water gushes out from the hilltops, the other side is a huge empty expansion of white mist and bright green. Malshej is very wet in monsoon as it rains from all sides here, even from below as we have seen.
We stayed as the Flamingo Hill resort, and then there is Sushant Holiday resort