Leaving Mussoorie, the ride to Kasauli
Having stayed in Mussorie for almost a week, the night preceding the start of the day spent in Dehradun bus terminal, it was time to head to a new destination. On a Thursday having done almost two rounds of Picture Palace to Library bus stand on foot, the interaction with a host of residents gave a mixed response. In Mussorie there were a large number of people hailing from Nepal working as porters. They were committed to their work for four to five months, the rest of the period spent in traveling or at their homes. Most of them hailed from Birganj, Bhimtal, Kathmandu and places that took almost one day to reach by road from the capital.
Leaving Dehradun
Left the town after 12.30pm reaching Dehradun a little after half past one. Apparently, Dehradun of mid 90s had transformed showcasing its share of advantages and disadvantages. The night i had reached Dehradun from national capital, a deserted bus stand with stray dogs making appearance now and then was all one was witness to. Having spent the entire night, the waiting room had chairs with some attempting to sleep on the floor. This time round i was in the bus terminal late afternoon liberated from the thought that another night would be spent at the same place. After due deliberations the right way to approach Kasauli was put forward through Dharampur. Met a father-son duo in the bus terminal. The son had probably appeared for a law test and both appeared to be down to earth.
Tree lined roads on way to Nahan, Dharampur
The man seated next to me was from Nepal heading towards Jammu. The bus left at 5.57pm. Going past IMA, the area around it has plenty of green gain with the hope that attempt would be made to maintain the same. Going past tyagi market, traffic congestion is the norm here, one could spot a good collection of enriching bananas next to a board which spelt "yahan gadde milte hai". Between 6.45 and 7.40 you come across a good stretch of roads with trees lined on either side. Before Kalhar power project the ride is cool and comfortable courtesy trees. At 7.20 we reach Herbertpur , 7.42 Kalhar power project, 7.45 Paonta Sahib and Dhaula Kuan at 8.15pm. Ascent begins at 8.40 with Nahan coming at 8.50. The area around Nahan raises hope. Around 9.15 the board shows Chandigarh 71 km. Finally we are in Chandigarh at 11.15 pm.
The next few hours are spent in Chandigarh bus terminal. Mind you in Sec.17 bus terminal, the mango shake dished out is not easy to digest and passengers could well try for a small offering or if need be try something else . In the name of doing brisk business, the number of glasses prepared each hour is mammoth but with a milk that is straight poured from a pouch , boiling it something not taken care of. Boiling the milk and then putting in the aforementioned mango shake would be better. Around five in the morning the bus heading towards shimla i board and reach Dharampur a little before seven. Garkhal and roundabout is all i am headed towards for the next three hours with a lodge near post office coming as a relief.
Sightings in Kasauli
From Main Market to Sadar Bazar road
- Lucky star jeans tailor
- Raju Seth Kirana Store
- India Post 173204
- Mobile Repair Lamination Downloading
- BSNL Doorbhas Kendra
- Mahinder General Store
- STD ISD PCO Photostat
From here turn right and there is a Heritage Market
In Heritage Market
-Walson Cards
-Fancy Hair Dress
-Watches Sons
-Good Luck Export House
-Koncepts Restaurant. This restaurant is run by a man hailing from Udhagamandalam.
- Dad's corner
- Cafe Rudra
- Vaishno Dhaba
- Kasauli Dhaba
From Heritage market as you walk straight there is officers mess. As you turn left there is Angoori Bros followed by Kalyan hotel and restaurant, chai nashta maggie bhojanalaya. There are 20-25 odd shops including those dispensing fruits. Earlier known as Tibetan Market renamed Pine Mall. Earlier the shops had bamboo tarpaulin replaced with aluminium sheets. I come across Mr Jam who runs shop number nine. After Tibetan Market head straight and there is Jakimulls Building, having some stores dealing with clothes. Probably the sighting of this building made one wonder whether there would be some reasonably priced lodges. But there were none.
Manki Point
As you head towards Manki Point, you go past lodges that are highly priced. Winding roads coupled with a private home here and there the walk to the airforce station takes almost one hour. There are two cafeteria, the second one near the point from where you take stairs for Manki point is not required. A temple surrounding should be free of such hospitality. Manki Point is a Hanuman Temple and it takes around 12 to 15 minutes to complete the stairs . Begin at 3 and by 3.15 pm i am there. The temple is fairly clean and a need for advisory to be issued to those entering it that they better have eatables outside. The man selling the prasadam is dignified. As you take a return walk to Shiv lodge, the near absence of vehicles and fewer spotting of people who wish to litter is a grand achievement. Thick in green surroundings and some in black frame, the walk back is ok. The lodge near the post office is comfortable but the stairs leading to the room appear vulnerable. Perhaps the stairs need to be redone and the structure too needs a little refitting.
Hooting was least visible in public space. A public discourse defined by hooting never pays. Similarly full page govt ads propagating infrastructure leads should be avoided. Insertions in papers should be less and less concerning infrastructure and other announcements. The key is to utilise public money in a most prudent way. Similarly bio degradable toilets in railway coaches is more important. DEdicated freight corridor is more important. High speed trains should be tried much much much later. Putting the story in papers won't do.
In Kasauli apart from Manki point there is a Gilbert Trail. In Kasauli one can stay at the most for a day or two as theren't other exciting sightings. Leave Kasauli on a Saturday. Reach Parwanoo in one hour. From Parwanoo head towards Kalka. After a brief stay in Kalka head towards Chandigarh. Take a bus after 11pm in the night and reach Delhi at 4.30am. The Himachal Pradesh State Transport Corporation bus manages its way to delhi with all alertness, the alertness of the driver and conductor a high point. A ruffian enters the bus and starts misbehaving, one can make out from where he hails, otherwise the ride is ok.
In Kasauli the seating arrangement in the bus stand is a major plus. The ride to Parwanoo on winding and not that broad roads comes against fewer sighting of stops.
If in Mussoorie, the attempt to not stay overnight should be exercised in all fairness, in Kasauli one can stay at the most for a day. A early morning ride to Mussoorie followed up with a full day stay can be tried. The Post Office, established Dec 1, 1909 is a major plus. In Mussorie came across a maths teacher of Tibetan School, the ride from Library point to the school in a shared vehicle takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Having stayed in Mussorie for almost a week, the night preceding the start of the day spent in Dehradun bus terminal, it was time to head to a new destination. On a Thursday having done almost two rounds of Picture Palace to Library bus stand on foot, the interaction with a host of residents gave a mixed response. In Mussorie there were a large number of people hailing from Nepal working as porters. They were committed to their work for four to five months, the rest of the period spent in traveling or at their homes. Most of them hailed from Birganj, Bhimtal, Kathmandu and places that took almost one day to reach by road from the capital.
Leaving Dehradun
Left the town after 12.30pm reaching Dehradun a little after half past one. Apparently, Dehradun of mid 90s had transformed showcasing its share of advantages and disadvantages. The night i had reached Dehradun from national capital, a deserted bus stand with stray dogs making appearance now and then was all one was witness to. Having spent the entire night, the waiting room had chairs with some attempting to sleep on the floor. This time round i was in the bus terminal late afternoon liberated from the thought that another night would be spent at the same place. After due deliberations the right way to approach Kasauli was put forward through Dharampur. Met a father-son duo in the bus terminal. The son had probably appeared for a law test and both appeared to be down to earth.
Tree lined roads on way to Nahan, Dharampur
The man seated next to me was from Nepal heading towards Jammu. The bus left at 5.57pm. Going past IMA, the area around it has plenty of green gain with the hope that attempt would be made to maintain the same. Going past tyagi market, traffic congestion is the norm here, one could spot a good collection of enriching bananas next to a board which spelt "yahan gadde milte hai". Between 6.45 and 7.40 you come across a good stretch of roads with trees lined on either side. Before Kalhar power project the ride is cool and comfortable courtesy trees. At 7.20 we reach Herbertpur , 7.42 Kalhar power project, 7.45 Paonta Sahib and Dhaula Kuan at 8.15pm. Ascent begins at 8.40 with Nahan coming at 8.50. The area around Nahan raises hope. Around 9.15 the board shows Chandigarh 71 km. Finally we are in Chandigarh at 11.15 pm.
The next few hours are spent in Chandigarh bus terminal. Mind you in Sec.17 bus terminal, the mango shake dished out is not easy to digest and passengers could well try for a small offering or if need be try something else . In the name of doing brisk business, the number of glasses prepared each hour is mammoth but with a milk that is straight poured from a pouch , boiling it something not taken care of. Boiling the milk and then putting in the aforementioned mango shake would be better. Around five in the morning the bus heading towards shimla i board and reach Dharampur a little before seven. Garkhal and roundabout is all i am headed towards for the next three hours with a lodge near post office coming as a relief.
Sightings in Kasauli
From Main Market to Sadar Bazar road
- Lucky star jeans tailor
- Raju Seth Kirana Store
- India Post 173204
- Mobile Repair Lamination Downloading
- BSNL Doorbhas Kendra
- Mahinder General Store
- STD ISD PCO Photostat
From here turn right and there is a Heritage Market
In Heritage Market
-Walson Cards
-Fancy Hair Dress
-Watches Sons
-Good Luck Export House
-Koncepts Restaurant. This restaurant is run by a man hailing from Udhagamandalam.
- Dad's corner
- Cafe Rudra
- Vaishno Dhaba
- Kasauli Dhaba
From Heritage market as you walk straight there is officers mess. As you turn left there is Angoori Bros followed by Kalyan hotel and restaurant, chai nashta maggie bhojanalaya. There are 20-25 odd shops including those dispensing fruits. Earlier known as Tibetan Market renamed Pine Mall. Earlier the shops had bamboo tarpaulin replaced with aluminium sheets. I come across Mr Jam who runs shop number nine. After Tibetan Market head straight and there is Jakimulls Building, having some stores dealing with clothes. Probably the sighting of this building made one wonder whether there would be some reasonably priced lodges. But there were none.
Manki Point
As you head towards Manki Point, you go past lodges that are highly priced. Winding roads coupled with a private home here and there the walk to the airforce station takes almost one hour. There are two cafeteria, the second one near the point from where you take stairs for Manki point is not required. A temple surrounding should be free of such hospitality. Manki Point is a Hanuman Temple and it takes around 12 to 15 minutes to complete the stairs . Begin at 3 and by 3.15 pm i am there. The temple is fairly clean and a need for advisory to be issued to those entering it that they better have eatables outside. The man selling the prasadam is dignified. As you take a return walk to Shiv lodge, the near absence of vehicles and fewer spotting of people who wish to litter is a grand achievement. Thick in green surroundings and some in black frame, the walk back is ok. The lodge near the post office is comfortable but the stairs leading to the room appear vulnerable. Perhaps the stairs need to be redone and the structure too needs a little refitting.
Hooting was least visible in public space. A public discourse defined by hooting never pays. Similarly full page govt ads propagating infrastructure leads should be avoided. Insertions in papers should be less and less concerning infrastructure and other announcements. The key is to utilise public money in a most prudent way. Similarly bio degradable toilets in railway coaches is more important. DEdicated freight corridor is more important. High speed trains should be tried much much much later. Putting the story in papers won't do.
In Kasauli apart from Manki point there is a Gilbert Trail. In Kasauli one can stay at the most for a day or two as theren't other exciting sightings. Leave Kasauli on a Saturday. Reach Parwanoo in one hour. From Parwanoo head towards Kalka. After a brief stay in Kalka head towards Chandigarh. Take a bus after 11pm in the night and reach Delhi at 4.30am. The Himachal Pradesh State Transport Corporation bus manages its way to delhi with all alertness, the alertness of the driver and conductor a high point. A ruffian enters the bus and starts misbehaving, one can make out from where he hails, otherwise the ride is ok.
In Kasauli the seating arrangement in the bus stand is a major plus. The ride to Parwanoo on winding and not that broad roads comes against fewer sighting of stops.
If in Mussoorie, the attempt to not stay overnight should be exercised in all fairness, in Kasauli one can stay at the most for a day. A early morning ride to Mussoorie followed up with a full day stay can be tried. The Post Office, established Dec 1, 1909 is a major plus. In Mussorie came across a maths teacher of Tibetan School, the ride from Library point to the school in a shared vehicle takes 10 to 15 minutes.
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