Archive for December, 2003

Country roads……

charukesi December 18th, 2003

My recent holiday took me into the heartland of apna Bharat. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh… the works…. Travelling by train and road, I was appalled at the state of (non-existent) roads there…. One understands perfectly why Digvijay had to go (I am no BJP sympathiser, but ten years of Diggy has left MP ravaged). A car journey of 220 km between Jhansi and Kanpur took us close to seven hours recently…. Accustomed to doing Chennai - Bangalore (360 odd km) in six hours, I was in a state of shock by the time Kanpur came into sight….. To mention nothing of my bones…..

In pleasant contrast was Uttaranchal. The roads were in top shape and a pleasure to travel on. The locals I spoke with claim that all this was made possible only after these regions broke away from Uttar Pradesh. Overall better infrastructure and a better life, some of them said…..

Of the bunch of new states (Jharkhand types), Uttaranchal was the only one that ever made sense to me. A state created with the objective of Focussed Development. (As an aside, it seems to be paying dividends; Uttaranchal being in fifth rank, of places most visited by foreign tourists in India - Source : Outlook. Can you imagine Uttar Pradesh ever on that list??!)

I’d written earlier about the PM’s Golden Quadrilateral Project….. Great intentions, Satyendra Dubey notwithstanding…… But what about basic infrastructure across the North? Long way to go……

Anyways, just to end : my own Murphy’s Maxim of Mountain Driving

On a steep mountain road, two cars coming from opposite directions will always cross each other on a sharp curve.

Know what I mean ?!!

Kingsley misses me…..

charukesi December 16th, 2003

That was just to make sure you start reading my blog again, folks…..

Anyways, thanks K :) :) I am back…..

I’d stepped off for a while. In other words, I took a holiday in regions where there were no computers, leave alone internet… Our mobile phones didn’t work either…. And believe me, I didn’t miss these one bit….

Just returned from a fantastic holiday in parts of Uttaranchal. Managed to avoid the crowds by going off-season and going untouristy places too…. Naukuchiatal, Bhimtal, Ranikhet, Kausani, Baijnath, Binsar…. Of these, Binsar was the best….

A bird sactuary in Kumaon region of Uttaranchal, the Binsar experience is unparalled. A steep drive on a single track road leads you to the near-top. From there, a short 2 kmish trek to the top through what was deep forest area not too long ago. Framed by tall oak and rhododendron trees on either side, these same paths see leopards, barking deer and wild boar during the night…… (Am I a poet or what ? But these Himalayan sun-rises and sun-sets are enough to make a poet of anyone)

Up, at 8000 feet is a rickety (looking) watch-tower. A place to get up close and personal (from a distance) with the Trishul and Nanda Devi and the PanchaChuli range, even Kedarnath and Badrinath on a clear day…. A 360 degree view of the Himalayas….. My guide tried to sell us the idea that the China border was visible too, but then you know what guides are….

Knew what it was to feel on top of the world…. getting back to the world below is blah….. But life goes on…..

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