Nalhati – Real India ‘Bharat’ !!

When we speak about our country ‘India’ we always talk about the economic and infrastructure growth, fast developing cities, tall towers…. Blah blah blah but seldown we speak about the smaller towns and villages which are the real essence of our country ‘Bharat’. India may become a Super Power in a few decades but we would like our Bharat to stay the same, serene, green, pollution free with people caring about each other and enjoying life!

Nalhati is one such small town in Birbhum district of West Bengal. The town is famous for Nalateswari temple and is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India. More than the temple the town is lovable for the clean (pollution free) air, greenery and the loving attitude of its people. Nalhati is like most other small town of India but we are forgetting about these smaller towns which represent Bharat.

 

Nalhati - The road trip

PS: Nalhati is my second home and the year is incomplete without a family vacation here :)

Coorg - Scotland of India

Coorg is a serene, beautiful and calm hill station in Southern India. A good weekend getaway near Bangalore and overall a nice place for a short vacation (2-3 days).

There are lot of options to stay in Coorg varying from High end Hotels / Resorts to Homestays (specialty lodging).

We chose to stay in one such Homestay - 'Serene Woods' which started operations less than a year back. The resort is 10 mins from the city center Madikeri. The resort is nestled in a coffee estate with just 5 cottages. The rooms are spacious with stunning view from the balcony. It feels as if you are staying in a forest. The food was good (homely) and the staff courteous. The owner (Mr Ponnappa) was very helpful and guided us during our trip.

 

'Serene Woods' - Truly serene :)

You can reach Coorg from Bangalore/ Mangalore in Bus, however then for local sightseeing you will require to hire local vehicles. Hence the best option is to hire a cab for the entire journey and back. There are many tour operators providing such services (Safeway travel being one of them - we booked) and the drivers are knowledgeable. It is slightly expensive than the bus + local vehicle, however the overall convenience surpasses the higher cost :)

Coorg has a few tourist spots - Tibetian Monastery, Deer Park, Dubare Elephant Camp, Abbe Falls, Rajha seat, Irpu Falls, Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary, etc. However, we preferred to rest and soak in the peaceful atmosphere of the place, enjoy the homely food and the view from our balcony, sipping Coorg's own coffee.

 

The Tibetian Monastery

Coorg is famous for Coffee, Honey and Spices and we did bought a few packs of them. Coorg Greens is a one stop shop (near the bus stop) to buy all the above.

There are a few eating joints in Coorg but Rain Tree is the best for the quality of food and the ambience.

Kolad – White Water Rafting

White water rafting is an adventurous sport and one can get a firsthand experience on the Kundalika river at Kolad about 2-2.5 hrs drive from Mumbai and Pune.

Rafting on Kundalika river is fun with good rapids (10 of them) and amazing scenery on both sides of the river. The entire stretch on the river is about 10 Kms and is covered in about 2 hrs. Though the rapids provide an exhilarating experience but last 2 Kms on the river given an opportunity to just float in the calm waters of the river and enjoy the scenic beauty.

Rating depends on the water released from the Dam by the Govt Authorities. Water is mostly released by 8:15 AM; however there have been instances of delay (on the day we went!) and rafting was delayed so prepared for the same.

Booking

There are many rafting companies who organize the trip and more or less the packages offered by everyone is the same. So choose any one of them and have fun.

Tip: For people on self-drive, leave the car at the rafting office and take the travel option (mostly auto) provided by the rafting agency to go to the rafting sight and back from river end (they charge for this and it’s not included in the package). 

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Bhandardara - Weekend Getaway from Mumbai

Out of the many weekend getaways around Mumbai, Bhandardara is one of the best places to visit. About 180 kms from Mumbai, nestled among the Sahyadri Hills, Bhandardara is a blend of natural beauty, waterfalls, mountains, tranquillity and pristine ambiance.

There are lot of attractions such as Wilson Dam, Arthur Lake, Randha Falls, Mount Kalsubai, Amriteshwar Temple, Ratangad Fort etc. However, what we liked the most was the 50 odd Kms drive through the forest area around Arthur Lake. It was paranomic! An ideal place for nature lovers and photographers.

It is probably the least commercial of places amongst the famous and most visited weekend getaways around Mumbai.

How to Reach

To reach Bhandardara, detrain at Igatpuri.  If you are traveling by road from Mumbai, you need to turn right just a few kilometers after Igatpuri Toll Naka and enter Ghoti.

Where to Stay

There are a few resorts such as MTDC, Anandvan Resort, Yash Resort etc. There are options to camp overnight near Arthur Lake too. We chose to stay in Anandvan Resort.

Anandvan Resort

The resort is one of the best properties, spacious, well maintained and away from the hustle and bustle of the life. We booked a One Bedroom Garden Cottage with an all inclusive deal (Lunch, Snacks, Dinner and Breakfast). The bed room and living room were BIG and the private garden overlooking the lake was the best feature. The sunset and sunrise from the garden was beautiful. 

View from the private garden

The resort has quite a few indoor games options such as Badminton, Table Tennis, Pool, Basket ball providing ample options to enjoy. The food in the restaurant is delicious and we savoured each and every dish served. The staff  (Mr Bonnie, Mr Kaul and Mr Narendra)  extended extremely warm hospitality  and made extra efforts to make our stay comfortable and memorable.

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