A word or two on Kasauli; the ride to Jaisalmer

A word or two on Kasauli; the ride to Jaisalmer

Before one begins to write about the ride to Jaisalmer a word or two on Kasauli. There are no STD/ISD booths in and around the town. Perhaps one could find them in Dharampur or on the way to Kasauli. Second cyber cafes are hard to locate; sighting of a large number of eating joints and general stores is a regular feature. Jakimulls building has some general stores in its premises but none on phone booths and cyber cafes. A special note on central research institute and coming across some who have had the opportunity to work in the same. There is a STD counter near the Kasauli military station but it has remained defunct for some time.

As i made arrangements to leave Kasauli for Parwanoo and beyond, the repeated calls made from the bus stand for Sholan didn't entice me  as already two nights had been spent in two different city bus terminals.  Mind you the sleep i gathered in a lodge near post office was spectacularly wholesome; the room itself was neat and tidy except for the flush that needed to  be overhauled. The road to the lodge is paved with stones neatly put and from here there are two ways to the bus stand. From main market to Sadar bazar road one can take a left turn towards heritage market and  go further taking another  left turn to reach the bus stand.  Another path is from sadar bazar road you sight one road going down and up and then taking a left turn
finally  merging at the point where the heritage market opens to those coming from bus stand.  It looks majestic and has some portions done with cement slabs.


Ala Hazrat Express

As for Jaisalmer, the ticket to choose was taken from Delhi Cantt station, the man at the counter helpful to an extent. The ticket ride was meant for Jaipur to Jaisalmer journey. Ala Hazrat Express 14311 meant to leave Delhi Cantt  at 12.15pm started well past 12.50pm.  The coach i got in had a fair sprinkling of waitlisted passengers, one passenger kind enough to offer a  side berth. Reaching Gurgaon at 1.20, Alwar perhaps came after 3.15, Bandikui after 4.10, Dausa some time later, Gandhinagar Jaipur after 5.45 and Jaipur finally at 6.20pm. It was the month of July  and the coach was choc-a-bloc with passengers some among whom took vegetables at regular intervals that were not dry. Post meals and checking of mails they took to cards perhaps a reminder that playing cards is more important than taking a regular bath.

 With Jaipur accessed, the next train to Jaisalmer was well after 11.15 pm and this time was spent in taking a roundabout of the city.  Hotel Mewar in Sindhi Camp (Jaipur Bus Stand) was the place to work on a cyber cafe with the manager informing the keys to the room could not be secured as the man had not reported. It has another personnel hailing from Kerala perhaps a place near Ernakulam or Thrissur. Perhaps Restaurant with the name Kanji sweets has one of the best chach (butter milk) priced reasonably.  The restaurant has sitting arrangement on first floor.  There are share autos in and around the area, with attempt yet to be made to get a cyber cafe working for general public next to the station. With food taken from a IRCTC restaurant (more of a food plaza), the other eating point ,Jan Aahar, has to do a lot to get its service on track. Whoever approached them they asked them to wait.


Leaving for Jaisalmer

Next to Platform One  near the exit point is a waiting hall for general public and here those who don't have the capacity to sleep elsewhere were ruthlessly told to vacate the same. May be five to seven in numbers but all were told to leave. The reservation centre near the gate has ac running to the maximum, a moderate touch would do.   Delhi Jaisalmer Express starting from Delhi after five pm becomes Malani Express from Jaipur leaving at 11.45pm. The train left well after 12am reaching Jodhpur at five. It reached Pokhran around 10.15-10.30. The stoppage is for at least half an hour as the engine has to be put in the reverse direction. Time was utilised to get a paste from Prakash Giri who runs a general store outside the station. Giri had a query on whether i was an  nri or one  not willing to return to home. Because in  the neighbourhood malpractices having been carried out in utter violation of law hurting the people and nation by and large. A structure whose very exercise of laying the  foundation shook the faith of the people in institutions and people being subjected to merciless thrashing for over two years shows how laws are to be subverted and how those with fewer resources are to be treated in this country.  Coming back to Pokhran, the railway canteen here has sumptuous  Kachori with tea adroitly prepared. A small woman called Parvati looked resoundingly cheerful including others who were in attendance at the platform. These two facts for some time took away the worries and turbulence that accompany the act of living peacefully.

Reaching Jaisalmer

The train reached Jaisalmer well after 12.20pm. Sighting of Fort and its fortitude was simple indeed from the station as well. Exterior dripping in yellow sandstone, the story on its strength and reservoir of support  was yet to filter in. Among those  in the vicinity of the coach were a lad working in a spectacle lens concern having boarded the train from Jodhpur and another one going to appear for a test meant for a career in armed forces. The platform has a majestic look and as you exit there are hordes of jeeps waiting outside to take you to different lodges. I board one with a guy who hails from South Korea. In the Interregnum ride to the hotel we discuss about South China Sea and how Ukraine is being razed to the ground for its tilt towards Europe. Hotel Oasis Haveli is where i take a room. The stay is ok.
The place  from where one of the brothers work on a laptop has a charm of its own . The stay in Jaisalmer is for four days, taking time out to visit the fort and the famous cannon points.


First Sightings in Jaisalmer

Near Hanuman Chowk

opposite maheshwari sewa sadan
vinayaka army store
airtel the smartphone network
Hotel Rajputana
Bawarchi Restaurant
Chandan shree restaurant

next to Maheshwari sewa sadan is modern optic
next to that is jagdish photostat

Maheshwari Sewa sadan Jaisalmer and nearby has

Sai baba juice centre
manoj juice centre
shree LMB sweets & namkeen
bikaner sweets
shree kheteshwar sweets corner
ganesh mobiles
Nearby a  hoarding of Kalyan bhawan a budget hotel

After Amar Sagar Gate

Restaurant the trio
Shree Govindam
Shreeram sweet house
sumit cyber cafe book your railway ticket here
nokia priority dealer

Nachna Haveli
opposite is Tibetan Kitchen Restaurant

As you go past tunnel there is Hotel Jaisal Palace inked on a wall, the wall has been turned to a relieving point.

After tunnel
Hotel Shree Palace
Rajshree Carpet House
Hotel Jaisal Palace
Sahil Number Plates
The facilitation centre and Pan centre
Vinayaka Printing Plaza
Marudhara Gramin Bank
Krishna General Store and tea centre. After this it opens to fort road


On Shiv Road

after going past bus station (entrance to bus stand is written aapki yatra mangalmaye ho). As you cross the road there is state bank of bikaner and jaipur (SBBJ) on right side. A little further on the left side are a series of shops.
G G Traders and Engineers
Communication PCO Speak to World
Mahadev Credit Cooperative society
ICICI Bank
HDFC Bank
Hotel Sangam
Chaudhary Transport
Hotel Raj Palace
Govind Telecom
Anil Telecom
Azad tailor

After exiting shiv road there is talariyabada, inside there is jindani chowki

In Jindani Chowk
deepak bakery
kailash juice centre
vegetable market
inside lane has a cyber cafe.

Leaving Mussoorie, the ride to Kasauli

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.

When rooms were hard to come by in Kolkata

Sightings in Landour Cantt in Mussorie; Meals from Rice Bowl

Sightings from Library bus stand


- Faisal motor workshop
- Sheetal Bhojanlaya
- tourist bhojanalaya
- Panwar  restaurant  & tea stall
- taxi association
- guide and hotel workers
- uttaranchal parivahan
- ram  and sons
- tulip in
- lakshmi mistaan bhandar
- games parlour  (STD  booth)
- Sanskar pure vegetarian
- himalayan sweet shop
- Prince hotel (inside lane)
- Akhlak Fruit juice
- Mussorie shawl
- city point restaurant
- whispering windows
- hotel mallview
- hotel paramount
- hotel silver rock
- himalayan associates
- uttaranchal handloom shawl
- second resting place
- kashmir art palace
- hotel padmini niwas
- interspersed with murals of a religious centre
- Tibet market (tibetan welfare super market) upstairs as well as downstairs
- Third resting place
- Say no to polythene (hoarding)
- Hasan Fresh Fruit Juice corner
- Beachwood hotel
- Kailash General Store
- Kashmir Shawl House
- Hoptel Garhwal Terrace
- Hot spot bar and restaurant
- Hotel Madhuban Highlands
- Hotel Surya Kiran
- Udupi  - The south Indian Cafe

Other sightings
- Howard Revolving restaurant
- Learn Magic tricks
- Public toilets MDDA
- Jawahar Aquarium
- Hakman's hotel
- STD booth made to function as a paan centre
- Tourist information centre
- Ismail Mussorie Gift House
- Bags Craze
- Mussorie Handicrafts
- fifth resting point
- Valley view hotel
- Take a left turn
- Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir High School
- Mussorie Novelty store
- UP Cottage and village Industries
- Kalsang Friend's Corner
- Mussorie summer shopping carnival
- Kashmir art emporium

Meals from Rice Bowl were indeed good. And the manager who happenned to be a Tibetan had a tone not alarming as Big C 's Capital Beijing. So was the offering from Kalsang restaurant. The guide from New Bharat Hotel suggested Khana Khazana as another place where meals could be tried. Curd from Jagat Dairy proved handy. And the man running the laundry store nearby proved helpful as well.
As for Landour Cantt, the four shops have taken the shape of five as the all pervasive post office has been replaced by another shop. St Paul's Church and areas roundabout Landour Cantt should not be missed.
Sighted Ruskin, the writer, the other day in a car. Looked cheerful and radiating confidence. You need more such persons to lend a semblance of normalcy to the area. Except for local residents, no other vehicles should be allowed to go towards Landour Cantt because this is one of fewer frontiers that has not been  invaded excessively by market forces.

Reaching Mussorie; stay and sightings

Reaching Mussorie; stay and sightings


Having reached Dehradun, it took a little over one hour to reach Mussoorie. A public transport bus choc a block with passengers, the ride essayed the significance of preserving the eco diversity of the region with hoardings at regular intervals imparting the message. A footwork lasting three hours delivered a lodge on camel's back with a surety from those manning it that peace won't be hard to secure for the duration of stay. That was not to be felt/sighted with ease as random moments suggested the vociferous boast the inhouse caretakers had. Two lodges occupied during two different occasions showed the best deal lay in to never check in a lodge where those manning it tend to create a ruckus. In the first one, the room was just above the reception and i mistaking it for the fact that a rent a little beyond 500rs a day was a godsent opportunity not realising how disturbing would be the stay. Whenever i sought milk or tea (milk or tea was all i sought from this lodge)which i preferred to have it from terrace, i would make it a point to make the payment then and there itself. In the second lodge as well payments were made on spot for milk/tea delivered.
As a friendly advice refrain from staying in the hills and if need be just for a day.

A walk from from Picture Palace to Library bus stand constantly reminded the congestion that had gripped the region with fewer efforts to check it. Simple steps like the private vehicles making their way to Mussorie from Dehradun could be dissuaded by imposing a congestion tax of 100 rs or more for every hour of stay in Mussorie. The lodges and the liberty to charge exorbitant rents simply stemmed from the fact that there were fewer such establishments which were run by locals; most having been taken over by parties from Delhi adding to the din.The search for a simple room with no interest to seek one with a view were rejected point blank by different managers and those reporting to them. A season sauce they had been dipping themselves in now and then and so how they could afford to tame the rents and tame those who were willing to pay  irrespective of the size of their pants. The common refrain being there were no dearth of parties coming from distant lands or lands adjoining Mussorie sands who could pay any amount they sought showing the entire machinery to manage it had begun to rot.

Steps to check degradation
A few steps can indeed do some good to this hill station. Restrain those from charging huge rents; those who wish to let out their premises for lodging/boarding irrespective of their size and the number of rooms have to pay some form of congestion tax for the duration the season is on. Second impose congestion tax on those tourists who ply their vehicles inside For any stay more than a day, for every rent accrued for the following day, 50 per cent would go towards govt kitty. A lax administration lacking in conduct for over 15 years has brought things to such a standstill. Even for a govt functionary who wishes to visit Mussorie from Dehradun should do it not more than once in two weeks. Let the locals run at least a quarter of the guest houses as a partner or full fledged owners and the govt should encourage this process.

For a tourist visiting the hill station a stay not spread for more than two days would be advisable and if a large contingent has come the stay by no means should exceed 24 hours. Lack of discipline in everyday conduct shows the mushrooming of hotels and hitlers-turning-to-whistlers, a telltale sign of commercial contingent that we all seem to swear by. For hill stations and those with a rich green coating of the past , the commercial caravan with  green spaces being gobbled by merchants of merciless marketing  should be discouraged. This reminds me of the green and ever mushrooming cover  that areas beyond Bhiwandi/ Thane has and for residents of  the city, they need not travel more than 20 kms from the heart of the city (say Dadar) to witness the bounty boast of green with no grunt. The rich eco diversity shows at least for now the green gain would endure and hopefully no mad and merciless constructions would be applied.

Returning to Mussoorie , few steps to discourage commercialisation, bringing a lake to check the hullabaloo and asking the tourists to return by evening or next day if Mussorie Motor has to run.

Sightings in Mussorie

-Shree Gandhi Ashram Khadi Bhandar,
  registers brisk sale (woolen, khadi, shirts, blankets)
  Tej Pal Singh , the manager, opening time 10 am to 8 pm
- Neelam Restaurant
- Standard opticians
- Delhi Hair Saloon
- Bengali Sweet Shop
- Priya Appartments
- Central Methodist Church, Established in 1885
- Hotel Doon Place ( it provides a perfect view but exorbitant charges that no person
   in his or her senses would pay)
- Raj Cold Storage
- Game point
- Readymade garments
- Meeting Prem Singh, vendor
- Honey Hut
- Beachwood Hotel
- Kashmir Art Emporium
- Rama Hotel (would settle to give a room only next to kitchen)
- Indian terrain
- Cottage Industries Emporium
- Khanduri Store (for coffee)
- Chic chocolate
- Jewellery emporium
- clark's restaurant
- Mussorie Wool House
- Cambridge Book Depot
- Chander book depot
- SBI. Since 1955, SBI is operating from the historical building. Banking in Hills
   began in 1836. In 1923  came the imperial bank of india as the board at the entrance suggests.
After chander book depot a lane going inside
- Hotel Glenvilla
-  Hotel Sheela
-  some old structures
- Hotel Nand Residency
-  Further away is etched on a stationary cart "Yahan Durbin se camel rock dekhiye"
-  Mussorie Public School Vivekananda Bhawan

 Two breathtaking viewpoints were
 1 View from winter line point
  2 View from New Samrat, New Bharat Hotel

Other sightings
- Mussoorie Tourist Photo Deal
- Taking tea from Peak View Hotel, getting the perfect view
- Meeting two students of Saraswati School Vidya Mandir, class 10th and class Ist , janak and pankaj
- Royal cafe, another breathtaking view from here
- Central Command Holiday Home
- Value Hotel and Spa ( has chessboard tiles at entrance)
-  Near hotel broadway sedbrough appartments. From here as well the view is breathtaking

Sightings near Landour Road

Jasmine Mist
PG G House
Hotel Darpan
Meeting Nima, a Buddhist running a store, discussions centred around Ladakh  and Mc Leodganj

While milk from Green Restaurant was the order of the day, meeting cloth vendors from Kashmir was no less forgetting. As for getting to Dehradun, from Baramullah to Banhal it takes three hours by train, followed by eight hours ride by road from Banhal to Jammu. From Jammu to Dehradun it takes roundabout 24 hours by train .

A share taxi ride from Tirumala to Chennai would be handy

Share taxi rides that we relish

A share taxi ride from Jodhpur to Ajmer was all that we would have sought. A share taxi ride from Tirumala to Chennai could be handy

The stay in Capital

Stay in Capital

Having returned to the national capital, it would be prudent to essay some thoughts on duration of the stay. During the stay had the chance to visit North Campus. Meals from IRCTC run canteen in Arts or Law faculty is one among fewer reasonable canteens run in the national capital. Rail Neer on occasions one finds hard to get in the canteen and the 10rs coca cola from a vendor outside the IRCTC run canteen is conducive in an era when plastic bottles and plastic money has become an irrefutable trend. There are other shops in and around Connaught Place that dish out kanch ka rs 10 coca cola.
For seeking return rail tickets before proceeding to the South had the opportunity to visit Nizamuddin station on two consecutive days. The rail ticket that i got showed a waiting status with the counter man suggesting the seat availability/confirm status would show sooner than later. Not convinced visited the reservation premises the second day to get a ticket for a train from Tambaram. On  another day visited civic centre near Minto Bridge. The complex is huge and the amount of energy that goes to keep it cool is mindboggling.

Even had the opportunity to visit Kashmere Gate Bus Terminal on a Saturday. Stayed inside for over five hours. The stay brought me face to face with some students hailing from Himachal studying in Chandigarh. A meeting with a Buddhist Monk was another redeeming feature. He came with a collection of flags which he hoped to send to Ladakh, a place he had been visiting quite often by air. His official assignments lent him the air advantage and his visits and stay had been quite extensive.