Monthly Archives: March 2017

India, Tourism, Travel

We have been Nominated!! The Liebster Award 2017

25 Comments

Wow! The first nomination and it is a priceless moment for us. We are really happy. We want to sing, dance and thank our fellow blogger Traveltorgeir for nominating us for the Liebster award 2017. Ok! Now many of you will be curious to know about the Liebster award and its nomination. So, let me give you a brief introduction to it.

The Liebster Award 2017

What is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster award is an online award, given by fellow bloggers to other bloggers. There is no trophy involved in it and the award is simply passed on. It exists to acknowledge and introduce the newbie’s who are trying to lay their impressions in their personal areas of interest in the blogging and is also a medium to promote and support the fellow friends in the blogging community.

The word Liebster has German origin with several meanings: dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, welcome, sweetheart etc.

About Traveltorgeir

The Traveltorgeir is a passionate traveler who loves to travel. He cherishes his past journeys and keeps on planning for his next destinations. His favorite destinations are Amsterdam and Japan.

Traveltorgeir nominated me for the Liebster award and I will be passing this award to others, fellow bloggers. For accepting it one had to follow these rules and answer some of the questions.

Rules for the Liebster award

  1. Thanks to the person who nominated you and posts a link to their blog on your blog. (In this case, it will be AllGudThings)
  2. Create a post on your blog and display the Liebster award logo, to make others know that you are doing awesome in your area.
  3. Answer the 10 questions, your nominating blogger will be assigning you.
  4. Nominate 5 -11 blogs, that you feel deserve the Liebster award and have follower base less than 200.
  5. Give a set of 10 questions to your nominee bloggers for answering.
  6. List the rules in your post.
  7. Once you have published the post, notify your nominees, so that they can enjoy the award, continue the chain and nominate other bloggers.
  8. Post your Liebster award blog post link in the comments columns of the blogger who nominated you. (Here it will be AllGudThings)

My Answers to the Questions by Traveltorgeir

  1. What is your favorite thing about running a travel blog?

It is our prime asset. It represents us, what we love, do and is a mere collection of good times and memories.

  1. Do you prefer solo travel, traveling with a friend or to travel in a group? And why?

I prefer, No! No!  I love traveling with my husband because that is the best quality time we spend together. We express ourselves, get to know each other more and we are happy with each other’s craziness.

The Liebster Award 2017

  1. What is your favorite travel destination? And why?

We haven’t seen much of the world till now. But Yes! Out of all my destinations, I love my India because of the different cultures, people, mountains, beaches, terrains, food and everything. I say we have so many countries in one India.

  1. What is your best travel experience?

Seriously, it is very confusing to rate any experience as the best one. But still traveling to Spiti rates high on the list because it is a true Land of God; carved by the pristine force of nature and water. Despite traveling on the same terrains for a week, I used to find everytime everything new there. Isn’t that amazing?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQTNQZkF9ty/?taken-by=suruchimittal&hl=en

  1. What is your worst travel experience?

Not; as such. But we really hate when a vehicle breaks down during our road trips. I remember once we were off to Uttarakhand by our car and had our vehicle breakdown twice. That was really a bad experience.

  1. What are three things you always bring with you when traveling?

I always carry my phone, daily essential kit with few first aid necessities and clothes.

  1. Do you keep a travel journal? Or do you have some other way of documenting your travels when on the road?

No, I am not in a habit of carrying travel journals. I do make a note of certain things in my notes app on the phone or try to capture a picture of the same.

  1. What is your advice to first-time travelers?

Travel with an open mind without any expectations, leave comfort at home and travel light. I honestly went with a backpack on my honeymoon.

  1. What is it about traveling that you love so much?

Travel has opened up my horizons for life and is continuously evolving me as a better human. I have learned how small yet large, our world is and have become more adjusting and patient. I love experiencing different cultures, traditions, food, drinks and meeting new people.

  1. How do you pick your travel destinations?

Destinations for us are really random. When we go for road trips in India, we just decide the route and never the location. But for International trips, we try to explore the destinations which are less touristy and have more beaches.

beach Sri Lanka
Enchanting Sri Lanka

My Nominations for the Liebster Award

  1. Rekha Radhakrishnan – Theunconventionalgirl; who talks about solo traveling.
  2. Sara – Emboldenadventures, a New Yorker with a strong urge to see the world.
  3. Thy Doan – Temptedtotravel, a 26 years passionate girl, who quit her corporate job to fulfill her wanderlust.
  4. Stephanie Frias – 8duffels2mutts, tales of an expat family in Ecuador
  5. Kalyan Panja- Travtasy, who wants to make his life an endless journey and is always looking for unusual places out of the usual places.
  6. Parampara Patil Hashmi – Awaradiaries, believes in making bucket lists and wishful thinking.
  7. Purva Bhatia – Blueskydreamers, along with Abhinav believes in the magic of journeys.
  8. Snigdha Bhowmick– SaltsandSandals; focuses on a gamut of things (food & travel) that makes life interesting.

Here are the questions for our Nominees

  1. Please introduce your travel blog and what motivated you to start it?
  2. What set the path or inspires you to travel the world?
  3. Do you plan your trips? How do you handle the situation, if something goes against the planned itinerary?
  4. What is the craziest thing you have done during your travel?
  5. What is the scariest thing you have experienced while traveling?
  6. Which one you prefer as your travel destination (Beaches or Mountains) and why?
  7. What are your views on adventure travels?
  8. Do you believe in clicking a lot of pictures or living in the moment?
  9. How do you balance life on the road while staying healthy and fit?
  10. How can you make this world a better place?

To the nominees: We have selected you all by spending a lot of time and thoughts. We will be honored if you accept this as we did and take this loop ahead.

The Liebster Award 2017

Once again big thanks to Traveltorgeir for nominating us and to all the nominees who will be accepting this award. We enjoy reading your words so please share your Liebster award blog links in the comment section. If any of you have any question feel free to ask us. Thank you!!

Hotel Review, Hotels, India, Reviews, Tourism, Travel, Uttarakhand

Review of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

23 Comments

I and my husband love road trips and we just hit the roads by deciding route but never the location. That means no prior bookings for a stay. This is because we have a strong belief that “unplanned trips are the best ones” and we can actually stop anywhere on the way or worst sleep in our car. Anyways, during our last trip to  Tehri in Uttarakhand, we planned to visit Uttarkashi. Now the question was where to stay. So here my Google Baba, I mean Google  Maps (search by area option) helped and it searched out Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi nearest to us.

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

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Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

The Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi derives its name from the colorful bird Monal, which is a state bird of Uttrakhand. It is a double storey, handcrafted guest house by a mountain lover and trekking enthusiast Mr. Deependar Panwar.

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

The Monal guest house is located at Kot Bungalow Road, on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri Highway. It is almost 2 km away from the Uttarkashi town. The place is amidst by spouting River Ganges on one side and lush green fields on others. The whole environment is peaceful, green, clean and at a walking distance from the Uttarkashi town. The blue color of the sky here shows how this place is unpolluted and is a true nature’s paradise. It truly deserves the title of Land of Gods.

Little History of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi (MTH)

Mr. Deependar, after graduating from NIM (National Institute of Mountaineering, In Uttarkashi), was working as a porter, instructor and guide with a renowned trekking company. While working in a job he was determined enough to build up his career further in Tourism. Seeing that enthusiasm at such a young age, a father motivated his son to convert their present home to a guest home and here was the result – the beginning of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi and from there the place never looked back.

Rooms at Monal Tourist Home

There are total 8 rooms; which are divided further into wings A & B. Wing A only houses rooms whereas wing B apart from rooms, also comprises of a restaurant, library, and sitting area.  The 4 rooms have double beds, 2 have 3 beds and other 2 have 4 beds.

During our visit, most of Uttarkashi hotels were without tourist and closed due to off season. So,we were the only guests (should I say masters) in this home stay and had the option to choose our room. We opted for the room in wing B in front of garden and restaurant. Check out the room and the morning view from the window. Isn’t that worth admiring?

View from my room at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

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The rooms of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi are not big luxurious rooms. They are small, cozy, clean budgeted rooms with a balcony. The room has a double bed, side table to work and attached washroom with hot water facility. They are equipped with all the basic amenities including geyser, tea and coffee maker which one needs for a comfortable stay and Yes! This actually needs a special mention – There are No Televisions and Intercom services for the room and this is done intentionally, as they consider these as a distraction during a holiday.  The prime aim here is to make the guests feel the pristine peace, coolness, and beauty of Uttarkashi.

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On the top of the rooms, there is a wide terrace where you can sit, relax and spend some time soaking your eyes with the wonderful views of snow-capped mountains, Ganges, and surrounding fields. Tariff for all the rooms varies between INR 700 – INR 2000 and for our room it was around Rs. 1600/-.

On the top of the rooms, there is a wide terrace where you can sit, relax and spend some time soaking your eyes with the wonderful views of snow-capped mountains, Ganges, and surrounding fields. Tariff for all the rooms varies between INR 700 – INR 2000 and for our room it was around Rs. 1600/-.

View from Terrace at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Food at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

The Monal guest house serves really delicious food, but only on prior requests. Timings for the breakfast are from 7 am -10 am and for dinner are 8 pm -9 pm. In seasons you may not face the problem of the prior request, but in off season make sure to inform them for all the meals. They serve meals only in the restaurants and do provide tea and snacks in the rooms.

Restaurant at Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Activities 

As the owner himself is an advanced trekker so a small talk with him can supplement you with all the hiking and trekking trails nearby. He also helps in organizing various walks, treks, hikes, mountain cycling, biking and angling tours. Additionally, you can try your hands on some traditional cookery and mud work art classes.

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Conclusion

I didn’t get the chance to explore the trails and do activities with Monal Tourist Home but yes the property is surely worth staying and relaxing. In short, it is more than Value for money. Comfort is one, but the views you get from Monal Tourist home, Uttarkashi are incomparable. They are just like tranquilizers which make you long for more and you realize the power and beauty of nature.

Rating:

I personally rate this Monal Tourist home,  Uttarkashi (4.5 out of 5). The number is really high because of its location; away from the city rush and mind blowing views from its terrace and garden.

Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Some Additional Info about Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi:

  1. They provide pick and drop service to Uttarkashi town, but only on prior requests.
  2. One needs to climb few stairs to reach the guest house.
  3. Laundry and Lunch services are only available on request.
  4. For prior information and bookings you can speak to Mr. Deependar on these numbers 91-9412984183, or 91-1374-222270 and their email id is [email protected]. Mr. Deependar prefers pre-booking for Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi because he likes meetings his guests personally and treating them with the best hospitality services. I was really impressed by his attitude; he waited for us till 11 pm, just to meet and greet us.
  5. From Uttarkashi town, you get the sharing cabs till guest house and nearby tourist spots.

This is not a sponsored post and it is written purely based on my own views, stay and after a talk with Mr. Deependar. I didn’t  mention to him that I will be talking about  Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi on my blog post. For more details, you can refer to their website here.

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You can pin here.

Review of Monal Tourist Home Uttarkashi

Himachal, India, Tourism, Travel, Uttarakhand

The Colored Tibetan Prayer Stones: Mani Stones

62 Comments

I love taking random pictures and this is what I was doing again during my last trip while walking in the remote village of Uttarakhand. I took the picture of inscribed colored stones outside the monastery and shared with some thoughts on my social media handle (Instagram). The picture got some appreciation but equally had too many questions around it. The majority of friends and igers wanted to know- What are these colored stones and what do they represent? Are they for good fortune or something else? Do one need to buy them? So, to answer all those entire questions here is a short write-up on the inscribed colored prayer stones also known as Mani Stones.

About Coloured Mani Stones

The Mani stones are flat colored stones/rocks with an inscription of Tibetan Buddhist Prayers on it. The writing is a six syllable mantra; “OM MANI PADME HUM”;  for which the simple translation is Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus. All these six syllables of mantras are painted in different colors, as you can see in the picture. Apart from this mantra, some mani stones are carved with devotional images and sacred animals.

The Colorful Tibetan Prayer Stones: Mani Stones
Source: www.pinterest.com

Where will you find these Mani Stones?

The Mani stones are found in the Himalayan regions where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced.  They are intentionally placed by Buddhist devotees on the various significant landscapes such as the entrance to the villages, near monasteries, along with the trekking trails or near rivers.

Mani Stone wall along the himalayan trail - Sacred Tibetan Prayer Mani Stones
Source: www.photoseek.com

Shape and Size of Mani Stones

There is no fixed shape and size for these sacred carved stones. The size of stone varies from small to large, and there can be single to multiple stones at a place.  At times the Mani stones are placed on top of one another to form mounds and the height of these can go as high up to 1-2 meter. Further, these mounds on the top are decorated with Yak and Sheep horns and are worshiped by villagers.

Mani Stone Mound - The sacred Tibetan Prayer Mani Stones
Source: Wikimedia Commons

At some places in the Himalayas, one can find Mani stone walls too. These walls can extend in length to Kilometres and in height to several meters.

Significance of Mani Stones

In Buddhism, people have a belief that spirits dwell in the significant locations. So, to maintain peace, prosperity and good health, these colorful stones are laid. Further, they say that whenever you encounter these Mani stones on your way; always makes sure that you pass them to left (clockwise direction). And the reasoning for the same is that this is how our universe spins and one should go in accordance with that.

Some of the believers when encounters a mani stone mound on their way, pick a stone, touch it to their forehead, chant some prayers and add it to the existing stack. So, the size of existing mound keeps on growing taller and taller.

Few followers consider these Mani stones as Patron Saints and they place them in their house or carry them along on their journey.

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Who makes these Mani Stones?

The Mani stones are handcrafted only in winters,  by the people who work as peasants or herdsmen during summer, spring and autumn season.

Some Interesting Facts about Mani Stones

1. The world’s Largest Mani Stone Mound

The world’s largest Mani stone mound is located at Xinzhai Village of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the northwestern province of, Qinghai, China. The mound here is believed to be built 200 years back by first living Buddha of Jiana and now it has 2.5 billion colored inscribed stones in it.

The worlds largest Mani Stones mound is in Xinzhai Village
Source: www.vtibet.com

2. The world’s largest Mani stone wall

The world’s largest Mani stone wall, known as Bage Mani stone wall is located in Sershul County, of Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The first stone of this wall was laid back in 1671 and till today thousands of pilgrimages are adding stones to it. So, the result is- this wall stretches up to 1.75 kilometers in length and 3.5 meters in height. It has more than 3000 stone statues and 6000 Buddhist scriptures.

The worlds largest Mani stone wall is located in Sershul county, northwest Graze Tibetan Prefecture - the sacred Mani Stones
Source: China Tibet Online

P.S – Apart from being beautiful colored, they are sacred prayer Mani stones. So, we all should respect and pray to them as per the traditions and cultures of the region.

Interesting! If yes, then please share it with fellow travelers to know the story and significance of these colored  Mani stones.

Mani Stones

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India, Tourism, Travel, Uttarakhand

Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand – a lot more than the entrance to Char Dhams of Uttarakhand

36 Comments

Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand is a holy town located at an altitude of 3800 feet on the banks of sacred River Gangotri. It is the entrance for spiritual Char Dham Yatra (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri)  and is also known as the Kashi of North India (just like Varanasi). Apart from this, it is a home to multiple Ghats, shrines, ashrams and Nehru Mountaineering Institute. Many people/ tourists/travelers come and stay here in Ashrams and Dharamshalas for several days to learn mountaineering and climbing. Others make it home for exploration, meditation and some in search of Nirvana.

Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: www.wikimapia.com

The small town Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand is not only picturesque but serene too. It has mountains, lakes, rivers, dense forests, glaciers, green meadows. Did I miss something? So the single sentence for this place will be; it has everything that a traveler or tourist wish to see while traveling. It is painted by Pine and Deodar trees on one side whereas the gushing, clear, greenish blue Ganges flows on the other side.

Ghats of Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: eUttaranchal

Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand was a well-flourished town till 2012– 2013. But a havoc of one cloudburst after another and floods in the region changed the whole picture. The wreck and destruction were so massive that people of Uttarkashi migrated to the nearby safer locations. But now once again with the prevailing years; conditions in the town have improved and it is flourishing.

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Route to Uttarkashi from Delhi: Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut – Muzaffarnagar- Roorkee- Haridwar- Rishikesh – Chamba – New Tehri – Dharasu – Uttrakashi

Distance from Delhi to Uttarkashi – 411 km

Time from Delhi: 10-11 hrs

Stops in between – I stopped at Tehri in between, the other options can be Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Chamba

Season– April to October

Offseason (Best time to visit) – November – March

Temperature during winters – Min: 1-5 degree Celsius; Max: 21 degree Celsius and Summers- Min: 15 degree Celsius; Max: 30 degree Celsius

Things to do in & around Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand

Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand is the entrance to famous four Hindu Dhams (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath) but beyond these, there are certain more attractions in and around Uttarkashi which are worth exploring and can rush your adrenaline.

1. Uttarkashi town:

The first and foremost attraction is Uttarkashi town itself. There are more than 30 temples in the town and the must visit one is:

Kashi Vishwanath temple: This is an ancient temple built by Sage Parshuram in 1857. Here, in this temple, there is Syambhu Linga i.e. a self-manifested image and not set up by human hands.  This Shiv Linga is 56 cm in height and 90 cm in circumference and is tilted towards the south.

Kashi Vishawnath Temple at Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand

Shakti Temple: Just opposite to Kashi Vishwanath temple is Shakti temple, dedicated to Goddess Parvati. The main attraction of this temple is a huge metal Trishul which is 1500 years old, 6 meters high, 90 cm in circumference and is made up of metal Iron from top and Copper from the bottom.

Trishul at Shakti temple of Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: Tripadvisor

The Amazing fact about Trishul- Believe it or not: It doesn’t move when you apply the entire body force but it will vibrate as soon you apply the finger pressure. (Honestly, I failed to understand the logic behind it. It was some Magic for me).

Some other Temples which we didn’t visit but one can visit are: Kandar Devta Temple, Parshuram Temple, Kuteti Devi Temple, Ekadash Rudra Temple etc.

2. Dodital Trek

The Legends believe that Lord Ganesha choose Dodital situated at a height of 3024 meters, as his abode. So, there is a fresh water lake and temple here. To see this Lake one needs to ride by Car/ jeep till Sangamchatti and then trek between pine trees, snow covered slopes and Himalayas for 21 Kms. According to the locals and trekkers, this trek is really a gentle one. This trek is done with one night halt at Agora and Bebra village. At Dodital too, the option for stay is forest rest houses or one can do camping.

Dodital lake from Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: www.tourmyindia.com

From Dodital, One can continue trek till Dayara Bugyal.

Dodital to Dayara Bugyal Trek from Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: Moderate Trek

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3. Nachiketa Tal

Nachiketa Tal situated at an altitude of 2453 meters is just like a lake in fairy land after passing through Rhododendron and dense forests. The lake is elliptical shaped and there is no know-how of its inlet and outlet. This Nachiketa Tal is believed to be named after 10 years old Nachiketa who found the gateway to hell and the truth behind life and death. Nachiketa Tal is around 33 Kms from Uttarkashi, out of which 30 Kms are motorable and 3 km trek from Chaurangi Khal.

Nachiketa Tal from Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: www.highwaycabs.com

4. Maneri Dam

The Maneri Dam is located at a distance of 8-9 Kms from Uttarkashi on the river Bhagirathi. This is the stage 1 of Maneri Bhali Hydroelectric Project and the unique part is water is fed through 8 kilometers long tunnel to the turbines. The Maneri River around this dam has emerged as a tourists attraction and they host several water sports like boating, kayaking, etc.

Maneri lake near Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: Tripadvisor

5. Dayara Bugyal Trek

The Dayara Bugyal trek is again considered as easy and one of the breathtaking treks of this regions. It is nestled amidst snow peaked towering mountains. It brings you to widespread lush green meadows spread over 28 km at an altitude of 10,000 -12,000 feet. In winters this diverse grassland turns to wonderful skiing slopes. The Dayara Bugyal trek is 29 Kms and it starts from small village Barsu, which is located 32 km from Uttarkashi.

Dayara Bugyal Trek from Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand

6. Gangnani Hot Water Springs

The Gangnani hot water spring is also known as Rishikund tirth. It lies at a distance of 46 Kms from Uttarkashi and is an ideal retreat for the people who want to meditate or get mesmerized in nature. There are wildflowers, giant rhododendron trees and clinging peaks on the sides and at some point glistening in the Ganges.

The hot water kund at Gangnani near Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand
Source: My Yatra Diary

In the ancient era, when it was tough for devotees to reach Gomukh (the source of origin of River Gangotri), they used to bath here in hot water spring and say Ganga Yahi Nahani hai – So, now its short form is Gangnani.  There are separate Kunds (Bathing areas) for men and women. 12 Kms ahead, to Gangnani, lies another place called Bhatwari, dedicated to sage Parasara, the father of Veda vyas.

Some tips for traveling to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand 

  • Check weather conditions before leaving for this route.
  • Always carry some woolens with you, as sudden rain can lower down the temperature.
  • Don’t expect to get phone or internet signals everywhere. The only network which works in some areas is BSNL.
  • There will be many people on the way asking for lifts. It is good to help, but be careful.
  • The rooms/ hotels/tents to stay have all basic amenities and don’t expect much.
  • Don’t fall into the traps of fake Sadhus and Saints.
  • Always carry some snacks with you, as on some routes you won’t even find small tea and Maggi stalls.
  • Book your hotels/ homestays/ guest houses beforehand; as in season majority of them are fully occupied and in off season majority of them are closed.
  • In offseason, don’t expect to get a wide variety of food options.

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Uttarkashi in Uttrakhand - A lot more than entrance to Char Dhams of India