A Pleasant Trip To Nainital – A Hill Station
Photo credit: puravida from morguefile.com
We already visited Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan under the scorching sun of the summer season. My wards were quite aware of our next destination – Nainital – one of the most beautiful hill stations of India where weather was fine and climate was “ Thanda – Thanda , Cool – Cool. ” We were so excited that we wanted to fly over there within a few minutes, we didn’t have patience to wait and stare. Secondly we were extremely tired of exertion that we had had during the period of our visit to Agra, Mathura and Vrindavan – so warm, so tiring !
We reached Mathura Cant Station at 9 PM. We were very fortunate that it was drizzling unexpectedly – “Bin Mousam Barsat .” We had no umbrella with us. We came under the shed. We got the reservation in the first class bogie in the superfast passenger train – Agra to Kathgodam.
The train arrived in time and we got into the compartment. We arranged all our luggage and occupied our seats. The TTE came and sat beside us. We introduced ourselves. He was very pleased to see us on tour to Nainital. He said he hailed from Bihar but settled there. He gave us some important tips while visiting Nainital. He advised to get down at Haldwani in stead of Kathgodam as it would be cheaper. I still remember his name, he is Mr. Rambalak Singh Yadav. So gentle , so sober – a gentle man of helping attitude… ? He guided in a nice way, we could have been cautious and could have saved money by following his guidance.
Early in the morning we got down at Haldwani Station and from there we came to Nainital by Maruti Van. We stayed in a hotel just up the main road. The rent was a little bit higher. We thought of changing after one day stay. But Bablu said, “ Papa! We will stay here, wouldn’t go anywhere. The other boys suported him. I introduced the owner of the hotel that I was a member of lions club of Gobindpur, Dhanbad, District 322A. He said he was also a member of lions club of Nainital.
How many days will you stay?
Only two days.
Stay at least for five days.
Your hotel charge we cannot afford for five days.
Just pay me fifty par cent, fifty par cent discount for you. Any problem, tell me.
He asked the manager to guide us and arrange taxies on reasonable fare wherever we wanted to go. It was a great relief for us. My wards were very happy and desired to stay for a week then.
Nainital is considered as one of the most beautiful hill stations of India. It is situated in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, head quarter of the district, the summer capital of the Governer at 8580 ft. above the sea level. It was founded and constructed in 1841 during the British regime. AS such tourism is the most significant segment of the Nainital economy. During Summer Vacation parents with their families preferred to visit this place and enjoy with their children. Some foreigners liked to visit in winter seasons to enjoy snow falls.
Where and how we visited and enjoyed the worth seeing places in Nainital is depicted here under:
1: Nainital Lake- The climate was very cool. We had warm clothes with us. After taking lunch we came out of the room and decided to enjoy boating in the Nainital Lake. It was just in front of our eyes. It is also known as Naini Lake situated in the heart of the city. We enjoyed the beautiful and scenic views of the surroundings all around the lake. The northern end is connected with that of the southern end with a bridge. As the weather was very cool and the sunrays were soothing, we spent a few ours in the boat going all around of it. My youngest son was so adamant that he didn’t want to boat with anyone but with his mother only.
2: Naini Devi Temple: It was situated just on the northern shore of the Nainital Lake. Next day on 30th may we were ready by 8 in the morning and went direct to do darshan and pujan of Goddess Naini. We offered Prasad with beautiful red flowers only and prayed for peace, happiness and prosperity in life.
Nainital is believed to be one of the 64 Shaktipeeths of India where one of the body parts of Goddess Sati fell down when Lord Shiva carried her body on his shoulders. In Nanital the eyes (Naina) of Sati are believed to have fallen here in Nainital and since then the temple is known as Naini Devi Temple.
Naini Devi are the deities of Mata Kali and Lord Ganesha.
3: Sat Tal, Tin Tal and Bhil Tal: The manager of the hotel said us that it would take whole day to visit Sat Tal, Tin Tal and Bhim Tal as these were far away from there down in the tarai areas. An ambassador car was hired for the whole day. We left early in the morning at about eight after bath and breakfast. The road was pucca but zigzag, every five and ten minutes there were turning points written so many warning slogans. We reached Sat Tal. We got down at the shore. We found a series of very beautiful lakes one after another. All around the lakes we stared at the greenery covered with the green plants and trees of different kinds and sizes in length. We touched the water of the Tal and it was as cold as ice. So clean that we cannot describe in words. The cold wave was blowing and the children were shivering .
Some tea stalls were at the shore. Some people were selling breakfast and serving lunch.
Simla Mirch, tomatoes and cauliflowers were produced here in the Tarai Areas and the farmers earn money from sale proceeds. We were feeling hungry. We ordered for fried rice, dal fried and gobi – aloo, matar panir sabji and salad.
“Very tasteful dishes” – my eldest son said.
Really meal was warm readily prepared and served nicely. In the way to return we stopped for a few minutes. Our legs were jammed in sitting in the seats for a long time.
I had with me some toffees and balloons to distribute among the village children. We went to nearby houses. We were happy to meet the people and loved their children – so innocent and simple like lambs, gave them the toffees and balloons. My wife and my daughter went inside the house and talked to the ladies. They served us very tasteful tea. Our children mixed with their children and talked and played with them. We enjoyed their association.
We were given a packet of green vegetables by them. I asked the driver to make a round with the children. The driver was very obedient as we treated him as our family members wherever we went and whatever we ate and drank. We came back at about 6 PM. Here in Nainital the Sun rises very late and sets very late. The reason is best known to everybody.
I thanked the driver for his good drive and good behavior. I patted his shoulder and paid him Rs.200 extra for sweets for his children. As we were very tired, we didn’t go anywhere but the children went out for shopping in the nearby open market. By that time the owner of the hotel came. I met him in person and thanked him for his co-operation in guiding us.
I said to him, “ We will stay further for two/three days only. We may leave on 3rd. June.
Why so soon? Stay at least for a week, any problem?
No. We are very comfortable and the children are happier than us in living in your hotel so near to everywhere, so beautiful scene and scenery all around us.
4: Ropeway: My wards had noticed the ropeway going and coming up and down – ascending and descending. I also felt its charming scene from a distant place. Early in the morning when bed tea was being served by the waiter, I gave them the packet of green vegetables and asked to prepare Aloo-Parotha and Aloo-Gobi, and Tomatto Chatni by 9 AM.
We had planned to enjoy travelling by the Ropeway. We took our lunch as scheduled in time and came out of the hotel at 9.30 sharp. We reached Millital from where aerial ropeway starts. We bought tickets from the ticket counter and sat for our turn.
Nainital is very popular for its nice ropeway. Ropeway is the main attraction of the tourists and pilgrims. There are only two trolleys and their carrying capacity is 11 passengers each at a time. Travel time is from 10AM to 4PM. The thrilling matter is its steep ascending and descending while going up and coming down. We enjoyed the panoramic views of the Naini Lake from the above and also a bird’s eye view of the flats/houses/buildings while descending. It took about ten minutes in going up and coming back down to the starting station.
The boys and the girl sat still for a few minutes in watching the Ropeway going up with the passengers and coming back down. Really it was an amazing experience in watching it from a distant place going up and coming down – so quickly – so fast.
5: Hanuman Gadhi – Shri Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir: As usual we got up early in the morning and didn’t wait for tea as we asked the waiter not to serve bed tea. We were ready after bath and hired a taxi for hanuman Gadhi. We had to walk on foot also.
As soon as we reached, we noticed a few devotees in front of Sri Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir. This place is situated at a higher level than that of Nainital city.
We stood in queue with Prasad and yellow flowers in hands. We did darshan and Pujan of Hanuman Ji and prayed for peace, happiness and prosperity in family. We came out of the temple and rested on the chaubtara built around a tree. We were surprised to see different sizes and types of bells hanging with the branches of a tree near the temple. The pilgrims and tourist come to this place and pray for fulfilling their desire and when it is fulfilled they tie up bells to the branches of the tree. It is a tradition and the people believe in so.
The children went up the hill, we also (Wife and husband) followed them. The clouds were flying from one side to another touching our bodies. We touched the clouds with our hands and experienced a unique type of thrills. The weather was cold. All of us were wearing warm clothes. The Sunrays were very soothing to our body and mind. The children had a bunch of balloons in their hands and holding very tightly so that they couldn’t be swept away from their holds.
My youngest son couldn’t hold them fast and as such they were swept away far – far away in the valleys. He was crying, for he lost the bunch of balloons. I took him in my lap and handed over to his mother.
We returned in the evening at four.
6. Top Peak of Nainital: It was very steep ascend and descend route to one of the top peak of Nainital. We had never seen such a steep road with big boulders everywhere. We talked to the horseman about our journey on horse backs. They assured our safe riding on the horse backs under their supervision and guidance. We also noticed some tourists on horse backs. Our courage was multiplied to see them.
The road was not pucca, somewhere quite muddy. The horses were stepping up very carefully with minimum speed.
Slowly and slowly we reached the destination. First of all we came near a safe place. We looked at below the beauty of the tri-mountains in a cylindrical state. At the bottom the narrowest area and at the top the widest ones. The most exciting thing we came to know that the voice or sound we made as loudly as we could do towards the valleys, it was echoing in the same manner after a few seconds. I called loudly Rama, it returned echoing Rama in the same fashion. The children enjoyed it calling their names again and again.
My sons and daughter reached the top of the hill by crawling on hands and feet slowly and slowly.
Very calm and quit site we have found here.All the hills were covered with green plants and trees. We had never seen such a wonderful place anywhere in life. We stayed there for a few hours on the lap of nature and came back by horse backs. We were relieved of tension as soon as we got down from the backs of the horses. We thanked the horsemen for their careful and safe guide.
I paid their wages with respect.
We came back to hotel. We were so tired that we didn’t come out. We took tea and biscuits and lied flat on the beds for rest. Our next destination was Dehradun. We reserved an ambassador car from “Nainital To Dehradun” and paid advance to the driver. He said to us to be ready by 6 in the morning next day.
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Writer: Durga Prasad. Dated 29th. March 2015.
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