Andamans

If you have watched the movie Zindagi Na Milegee Doobara, then do you remember the scene where Rhitik Roshan comes out from the water after SCUBA diving onto the boat and just sits there with a very lost expression and finally starts crying? Well that particular emotion beautifully captured on camera tells us exactly what he has undergone after diving in the blue waters. It is the enormity and beauty of nature that has struck him and overwhelmed him !! If you ever dreamed of having such a moment in your life then you are thinking on the right lines. It is something which you should never miss in life and it should be there on your list of "Ten things to do before I die".

There is no better place than Andaman seas to take that plunge into the aquamarine waters. I feel that the most important thing you should do when you visit Andamans is snorkelling and SCUBA diving. And the place for your adventure to kickstart is Havelock island.

Havelock island is about about 100 nautical miles from mainland. There are regular ships to and fro from Port Blair. There is a reservation centre at Port Blair through which you can book once you reach there. There are other options in the form of private ships which ply on the route, better ships but are obviously expensive. As it is, most of the time you will spend on the deck of the ship. So think twice before you splurge on that exotic boat.

There are many resorts on Havelock island. prominent among them are Barefoot at Havelock, Holiday Inn etc. We had stayed put at Symphony Palms. There are some resorts catering exclusively to divers and are mostly booked by foreigners well in advance.





 I think you need to spend at least 3-4 days in Havelock. Book full meal plans with your hotel as there are very few other restaurants out there. But you can try other resorts if you want to explore.

First day, visit the famous Elephant beach. It is accessible only by a boat. There are boats which will take you there in the morning. They will organise snorkeling for you. There is no need for you to be a swimmer. They will guide you and take you inside the ocean near the coral reef using life jackets.

It is really amazing to see the underwater world in a way you never thought possible. It is an altogether different world. A riot of colours. For the adventurous, the ultimate thing is SCUBA diving. There is another option for people who don't want to try snorkelling. And that is glass bottom boat. It in no way offers the same thrill, but nevertheless it's an option.

The beach is so clean and unspoilt that it appears like a huge swimming pool. Aquamarine crystal clear water. Frankly, having seen Mumbai , Goa and Konkan seashores, I was shocked beyond belief to find the water so clear, clean and translucent.

The next day head for SCUBA DIVING. There are various packages available, but a basic training and a single fun dive costs about 6-7 thousand Rs. Per head.You can take multiple dive packages if you enjoy it. The dive masters and boatman take you to a preselected diving spot. They train you in batches, regarding the use of the breathing apparatus and also various emergency manoeuvres. This itself will take about 2 hrs . They ensure you are comfortable in about 7-8 feet deep water.

The real fun starts when you begin the actual dive. The dive master takes you inside the water gradually. He controls your buoyancy and the speed. Your life is in his hands. You have to breathe properly. And believe me its scary. Once you get comfortable with the swim, he will take you deeper along the coral reef. And what do you see..... Something you had seen only on National geographic channel.

It is beyond words. The colourful world of the fish , big and small, in different shapes and sizes. It is as if you are transported into a different world altogether. When you see swarms of fish heading towards you, in thousands, and you wave your hand through them, you feel alive and thank god for the wonderful world he has created for all of us to enjoy. You will be witness to the live corals and see colorful fish playing hide and seek there. As long as you descent along the reef and are oriented with the shoreline, you are psychologically at ease. But the moment you take a turn and see the emptiness and vastness of the deep blue sea, it sends shivers down your spine. And mind you, you are already about 20 feet underwater seeing the rays of light being filtered through the waters.Ah what a feeling....

You can also take some underwater snaps with corals and the Nemos. I am sure that once you have done this you will come back for more.......

 Enjoy your packed lunch on the boat and finally head back to your hotel. An campfire on the beach would be perfect to end the amazing day.

What to see in Port Blair.

If you are not fascinated by water then there is not much point in visiting Andamans. Nevertheless there are certain other standard tourist hot-spots which you can visit.

Cellular jail. 

The jail where Veer Savarkar was imprisoned, is not to be missed. You can see the actual cell where he was holed up.




Do go on the rooftop of the jail. It gives some amazing views.

The mangroves and the drive along NH 10

It is a beautiful drive and takes a full day. Movement is in convoys through the Jungle. You will come across the famous Jaravah tribes here. The limestone caves are fascinating to see.

Apart from these two spots there are other spots like the aquarium, temples and beaches. 

If you have time and the inclination you can visit many islands like Neil island and ..... There are some tours which take you and drop you on some uninhabited  islands too.

The city of Port Blair is quiet spread out. It is very clean and maintained. And most importantly not so crowded. So enjoy your stay there and come back again and again so that your dream of becoming a certified SCUBA diver comes true.....

 HAPPY DIVING !!

Tawang sojourn

   
   There is a time in your daily routine life when you get really bogged down by the monotony of your job requirements, social commitments, the hustle and bustle of the crowded city life...... You get it don't you ? Well that's the time you need to get out of the grid and head to a place where you can connect with nature and yourself. And yes what better place than Tawang, the eastern most part of Arunachal touching Bhutan on one side and China on the northern front.

          Tawang is accessible from Tejpur and is about 300 km from it. One has to stay put somewhere en route as one cannot make it in a day. We had started from Guwahati and hence we hit Tenga the first day. Tenga is a very small town at an altitude of about 6000 ft. The journey through the plains along the basin of Mighty Brahmaputra is very smooth and the highway is pretty good. It feels as if you are in some part of Goa. It is dotted by green paddy fields interspersed with coconut plantations. We stopped by for the fresh coconut water on offer at the many roadside shops on the highway itself. 

         One has to take a detour from the highway and head towards Tejpur. Kazhiranga is also just 30 km from there and you can club that too in your itinerary. Once you hit Tejpur, grab a bite as it is a  small town with some good eating joints. Mind you, this is the last point where you will find good restaurants till Tawang. So fill yourself and drive on.

Orchids

        The journey after Bhalukpong is really beautiful and thrilling as you enter the mighty Himalayas. There is a Orchid research centre there and do make it a point to drop in there. In the months of May through July they will be in full bloom.

Orchids

Orchids

        The road is really narrow and curvaceous as you head towards Nechiphu and is usually foggy with almost nil visibility. We travelled through these conditions for almost 2 hrs. It was only when we gained height and approached Tenga that it actually cleared. I had never really seen such a  long stretch of foggy conditions . Kids were particularly pretty scared !! 

Tenga Haat

            Tenga is small village to be fair to it and is mostly occupied by army. It has a very small market and the weather is quiet chilly. We stayed put for the next day there just to rest and acclimatize ourselves. A nice spot to eat out is the Tenga Haat maintained by army along the banks of the river.

Tenga river

Tenga river

Chillipam monastery

 
     While in Tenga do not the miss the picturesque Chillipam monastery. It is by far the most beautiful monastery in Arunachal and probably the best you will ever see. Located at a beautiful hilltop and surrounded by mountains from all sides , it is very pretty. The ride itself is very pleasant and enjoyable. You will find lots of locals coming here for their small picnics. The monastery itself is so vividly colourful that it blows you away. It's a riot of colours amidst a wonderful Himalayan landscape. Chillipam is also surrounded from all sides by peaks and is very beautifully located. It gives an amazing sense of calm and peace, no wonder it houses the school for young lamas.

School for young lamas

Chillipam monastery entry gate

Bomdilla town as seen from Chillipam

         Once you leave Tenga and approach Bomdila, the climb is very steep and the mercury also drops pretty fast. There is change in the vegetation with the coniferous trees gradually disappearing and giving way to small bushy trees. Bomdilla town sits atop the pass and literally guards the 7274 ft pass. It offers spectacular views of the Tenga valley down below. It is a good place to take a halt if required. The town is reasonably big with all amenities and lots of government offices.

Dirang

On crossing Bomdila , the drive is again downhill to the quaint town of Dirang. En route there are lots of shops selling locally produced Rajma, which is of a good quality and cheaply priced.

Dirang is famous for its old Dirang Dzong or fort. It was used as a jail during the Vietnam war and also in world war. It houses the Monpa tribes today, and is a tourist attraction. So do make it a point to see it.

First glimpse of snow

        From Dirang the drive is along the valley and it offers the first glimpse of the spectacular snow peaks.It gives us a sense of magnificence of the mighty Himalayas and our place in the nature's scheme of things. Once we reach the base of Sela pass, the steep climb starts. Gradually we start seeing the entire valley through which we have just approached the pass. The peaks start appearing at our eye level and the entire perspective changes. We pass through Senge and reach Baisakhi. A beautifully placed location, it has got a nice little restaurant run by the army at very affordable rates and overlooking the valley. It is the best place to have your noodles and Parathas, before you head for Sela.

Entry to Tawang

Sela from distance

Army rescuing a stuck  civilian vehicle

Sela pass top

        Further high up we approach the 14700 ft  Sela pass. It is the gateway to the Tawang valley and was snow clad in the month of April. It was snowing pretty heavily and was absolutely freezing out there. But it was stunningly beautiful. The top of the pass houses the Sela lake which is very very pretty. In spite of the bad weather we did manage to get out of the vehicle and take some snaps.Little did we know that we  were going to be blessed with sunny weather and stunning beauty on our way back.

Icicle formation at Sela top

Sela lake

Sela lake

         On crossing the Sela pass , the drive is again downhill as we enter the Tawang valley. It was totally snow bound till we reached Jaswantgarh. It is place of historical importance and it has the memorial named after the MVC awardee Hon Capt  Jaswant Singh Rawat, who had laid down his life defending our motherland against the Chinese onslaught. The battle of Nuranang was fought in this location. Jaswant Singh had bravely defended the Indian post with just two machine guns against the numerical onslaught of the Chinese. They believed that the post was defended by a company as he used to keep on firing with different guns. It is held that he had single handedly eliminated about 300 enemies. The memorial is nicely maintained and even till date his boots are shined, his uniform and accouterments cared for. He has received all his promotions till date !!

Jung falls

     
        We descended into the Tawang valley after that and headed straight towards Jung falls. It is huge waterfall and made famous due to the shooting of the Shah Rukh movie Koyla. The fall is very picturesque and offers excellent photo opportunities. you have to take a small detour off the main road to reach Jung falls.

       Then we drove along the valley towards Tawang. Tawang is perched on the slopes and overlooks the valley. Further ascent leads us towards Bumla and the Indochinese border. The town is scattered and moderately big. There is a small market. There are a few decent restaurants serving both Chinese, Indian and Tibetan dishes.

Tawang

Sunrise as seen in Tawang valley

Tawang valley

      The view of the valley is very beautiful and it is pleasure to see sunrise with the golden rays falling on the snow caps. It gives it a very surreal appearance.

Tawang monastery

Tawang monastery

Tawang monastery is known as Galden Namgey Lhatse which translates to "celestial paradise in a clear night." It was founded by Merak Lama Gyatso in 1681, and belongs to the Gelug school of Mahayana Buddhism. There are about 65 residential buildings in it and houses about 450 monks.

      The other attractions in Tawang are the Sangetsar lake and Bum la. The approach to both the places is from Maratha light ground towards the Trijunction. From there the road splits to the respective destinations. Bum la is at an altitude of 16,500 ft and is 37 km from Trijunction. It has the Border personnel meeting (BPM) post for having Indo Chinese meetings and dialogues. It is the same route through which Dalai Lama had escaped from Tibet to India. The approach road is difficult and gets closed after snowfall. We couldn't proceed as it was heavily snow clad.
      Sangetsar Tso or lake is a must see and is famous as "Madhuri lake" due to the screening of Koyla movie here. It is 7 km from trijunction. It is believed to have been formed after an earthquake due to falling of boulders, rocks and trees.

     So visit  Tawang for a life time of adventure, beauty and memories. For the daring, motor biking is also an option !! Bye for now.

"Wandering one gathers honey."

Cherrapunjee delights !!

 If you love to take long drives and listen to music then don't ever miss this wonderful drive from Guwahati to Cherrapunjee !! Because it is such a nice gentle winding road which takes you from the Brahmaputra basin gradually up the Shillong hills( Khasi range), onto the plains of the Shillong plateau and finally onto the edge of it where it steeply falls into the Bangaldesh plains.

The beauty of the drive is that it is only about 300 km to and fro from Guwahati and one can do it all in a couple of days. And not to mention you would be experiencing the thrill of visiting the wettest place on earth.....Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram.

When you start from Guwahati the drive starts with gentle winding roads gradually moving higher towards Shillong through lush green forests and hills. The first stop at Umiam lake formed due to the constructed dam is very scenic. You can get busy if you are fond of water sports by doing boating, kayaking or speed boating. There is a good resort which offers nice lake facing rooms and a decent restaurant to cater your taste buds.

           

As you  travel further you will reach Shillong. And the most striking thing that hits you instantly is the presence of lots and lots of Maruti 800s. Nowhere would you have seen so many Marutis in your life.The reason is very simple ...the roads are so narrow that you only  dare to drive these little ones here. No wonder taxis and private vehicles are all small cars and mostly 800s. Another important thing that hits home is the immense driving discipline that the people follow with hardly anyone breaking the lanes and trying to overtake and create jams.

         

Shillong is the capital city of Meghalaya and not till long ago was the capital of Assam as well. It does live up to the expectation of a capital city with lots of important government buildings which bear the marks of old British heritage. The houses and the little bylanes give the impression of some European countryside. No wonder they call it Scotland of the northeast.

The most visited and not to be missed is the Shillong peak which offers you the view of the entire Shillong valley. It is mostly covered by fog and clouds and is very pleasant and offers great views on clear days.

Wards lake is also another landmark which is in the heart of the city. What strikes is the level of cleanliness and maintenance of the lake and surrounding garden and walking track. Boating here is a very pleasurable experience.

One can spend some time wandering the Hydari park or visit the Rhino museum or the Airforce museum. Visit to the Elephant falls is not to be missed. The 3 levels of the falls are a real delight to watch and especially after the rains it is very beautiful.

Another important landmark is the Don Bosco museum . This centre for study of indigenous culture is a real treat. The 7 levels of the museum are all worth a watch and give you a splendid insight into the northeast life and culture. The added attraction is a skywalk on the terrace of the museum which offers a splendid view of Shillong city.

Once you get past Shillong and travel further the landscape gradually changes. Initially one comes across lots of pine trees and the weather is also very cool. It slowly eases out and gives way to
shrubby growth and near absence of big trees. The landscape is like almost barren except for the lush greenery due to incessant rains. This is the reason probably why Cheerapunji and surrounding area faces lot of water shortages.

But the most amazing thing is the drive along the ridge line . You are continuously driving on it with multiple ridges at your eye level. It gives you a feel of being into an altogether different world.

Sohra , new name for Cherrapunjee is full of amazing places to explore. The most popular are the various waterfalls which fall off from the edge of the plateau onto the Fertile plains of Bangladesh. There are lots of them. The most famous and biggest being the Nohkalikhai falls....4th largest in Asia. Others being Wah Kabah, Seven sisters and Dainthlen falls. You can trek to the base of these falls if you have the time and inclination to do so.

Wah Kaba falls

If you have ever heard the term called caving or spelunking then this is the place to be. Meghalaya is famous for various caves and is amongst the top 10 destinations in the world for caving. There are lots of them to explore like Krem Lymput and Krem Mawkhyrdop  . But to start with there is a fully lit cave for amateurs in Mawsmai. The various patterns of rock and the stalagmite formations are worth a watch. It can become scary as the lights went off while we were in there for some time.

Another attraction is the environmental park. One is the Ecopark in Mawsmai and there is one closer to the border, in Thangakharang. Both are really nicely maintained and offer great views of the Bangladeshi fertile planes formed by the Meghna and Brahmaputra rivers.

You must definitely see the double root bridge formed by the intertwining of the roots of the trees which is constructed by the locals over generations. We missed out on it as it is on a different axis and will require another visit from us ......shortly I am sure.

And finally the cleanest village in India and also in Asia.....Mawlynnong, must be on your itinerary as it is on mine and will update you on it as soon as I visit it.. Till then...Goodbye and Khublei !!