Amritsar - The Food Capital of Punjab

Started in the morning at 9.30 am from Jalandhar to Amritsar with a slightly disturbed digestive system. The highway to Amritsar is a typical Punjabi set up with lush green fertile land with fields extending till horizon. Small hamlets popping up every 10 odd kilometer with the impeccable white glistening Gurudwaras and the houses of flamboyant Sikhs with the water tank essentially shaped as a football or a falcon. Falcon is an important bird associated with Sikhism. Remember the lines? “Chidiya naal je Baaz ladawaan taan Gobind Singh naam dharavaan” You are not an Indian if the Punjabi culture doesn’t impress you!

Mustard Fileds - The Essential Yash Chopra Movie Ingredients

Thanks to the Bollywood and Doordarshan, I have been hearing about these names since childhood – Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Phagwara and how I was there! The verdant green fields, the fertile land, fresh air and the lively attitude of people immortalized by these lines ‘Khao, piyo te aish karo mitro’ makes your trip worth. Punjab as such doesn’t appear on Indian map as a tourist destination. But almost everybody in India knows that life flows in full fervor here. Find a Punjabi friend who has a house in the countryside of the rustic Punjab and you will know why Yash Chopra was so obsessed with painting his films yellow with the fields of sarason (mustard)

I had been to Amritsar three years ago but it was a very breezy encounter. I had approached the city from the endearingly beautiful Dalhousie in HP. Didn’t get time to pay respect to Harmandar Sahib and horror of horrors…didn’t get good food to eat. I left that day with a sunken heart and had decided to return with full vigour. And after 3 years, there I was with 3 days at disposal and a big list of eateries to sink my teeth and my heart too.

I spent the whole afternoon resting and essentially giving rest to my guts who had revolted earlier night. They had faced the onslaught continuously for 3 days and needed a break. The revolt was so bad that I had become slightly doubtful about my plan in Amritsar. But still I had faith in myself and was expecting a quick recovery.

In the evening, I finally decided to go ahead with the planned itinerary. I was still not feeling any pang in my stomach even though I had skipped my breakfast and lunch on that day. I said to myself – a milk should not worsen the condition and besides, what are you doing if you are in Amritsar and haven’t had the lassi at Ahuja Milk Centre!!! It was a no brainer. I hired an auto and asked him to drive all the way to the Hindu Mahasabha College near Beri Gate. Ahuja Lassi is famous since the auto guy dropped me exactly in front of this shop.

Lassi is thick creamy drink made from yogurt and sugar especially popular in the northern region of India. Lassi in Punjab is legend and that too in Amritsar..then it has to be Ahuja Lassi! I love lassi and have tasted it at few places. I have to say that by far this is the best lassi I ever got to drink. Since 1955 if somebody hasn’t gone wrong with his main product then it is least likely that he’ll go wrong today. The graceful and lanky Mr. Ahuja oversees all the preparations and is sure about maintaining the quality. The lassi is served since morning 7 am to 12 noon (because it is finished J) and the second phase starts at 5 pm. You gotta be there on time!

The original form of lassi remains the best in my view. It has simple ingredients of yogurt and sugar. Now it is being modified by adding fruit pulps and dubbing as mango lassi, strawberry lassi etc etc. I have also tried the famous ‘makhaniya’ lassi  at Janata Sweet Home in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. But honestly, Ahuja scores ahead of all the lassis. Every glass of lassi here comes with a dollop of cream. What a start to my food exploration in Amritsar! I managed to strike a conversation with Mr. Ahuja telling him that I had been travelling through Punjab for tasting food and heard a lot about his lassi especially from Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma. He was mighty pleased to hear that and lo and behold…I got an extra dollop of cream on my lassi. My stomach never regretted from this point onwards!

P.S. Some people especially from Mumbai or Pune region may come up with suggestion for the best lassi they have had in their own areas. Thanks in advance for your valuable inputs!

Ahuja Lassi, Near Hindu Mahasabha College, Beri Gate, Amritsar

Taste – 10/10  Ambiance – 5/10 Service – 8/10 Value for Money – 10/10 (INR 25 for this fab lassi!)

My next destination was the Harmandir Sahib or popularly known as the Golden Temple. Since I had stomach full of lassi for the evening, I decided to pay my respect to this wonderful temple late in the night. To build up the appetite, I decided to walk to the Golden Temple through the almost deserted roads at 10.30 pm in the night. As I started nearing the temple, the commotion started increasing. Even at that point of time there was sizeable number of devotees visiting the temple but I guess most of them were done with paying their respect.

The Harmandir Sahib

As I entered the complex, I was enthralled by the beautiful view of the temple at night. The Harmandir Sahib was glistening in the golden hue and it was reflecting in the calm waters of the surrounding lake. The place was peaceful with minimal amount of visitors. After paying respect to Harmadir Sahib, I sat on the banks of the lake trying to grasp the tranquility of the surreal atmosphere.

After spending some time sitting quietly, I made my way to the famous Langar of the Harmandir Sahib. Langar is the term used in the Sikh religion or in Punjab in general for common kitchen/canteen where food is served in a Gurudwara to all the visitors (without distinction of background) for free. This particular langar feeds almost 70 k to 1 lac people in a day. There is no discrimination - no poor, no rich, no Sikh, no non-Sikh, no Indian, no foreigner. All are equal and they sit together to be served by the volunteers of the Harmandir Sahib, right from the distribution of utensils, serving the food and washing of the utensils. That is the ‘kar sevaa’ offered by the devotees here.

Langar at The Harmandir Sahib

I went and sat in the row with my utensils. Soon the sabzi and daal were served and then came the roti. I first extended my right hand to accept the roti. I was promptly told that I should be accepting the roti with both my hands as what I am getting is the holy offering. Honestly, it was such a simple meal yet so delicious. I enjoyed every morsel. However, I didn’t like the attitude of many people enjoying free food. They take everything for granted and leave so much of food in the plate. That’s disgraceful. If you respect God then have respect for food in your plate also. Many a times God must be meeting you when you are hungry and you eat the first morsel. Don’t dishonor that meeting!

The sabzi was a simple potato preparation with minimum spices and daal was the legendary kaali daal with ample amount of garlic giving it a sharp taste. The rice kheer (rice pudding) was delicious. I also found the mechanical water dispenser very interesting as it didn’t have any human intervention maintaining hygiene. In fact, the whole premise of the Harmandir Sahib is impeccably clean and you indeed feel like visiting a holy place.

Rocky Singh put his verdict for the food at Golden Temple in a very apt manner – “God bless you, who are we to pass verdict on this one”

My food journey in Amritsar had started on a fabulous note! J

Punjab Food Trip - Exploring Ludhiana!

“There is no sincerer love than the love for food” – George Bernard Shaw

Punjabi Food holds a distinct place everywhere and also in the memories of a small town boy like me born in 80’s. The idea of luxury food was always synonymous with Punjabi Food as Chinese dishes were yet to be introduced everywhere. The ‘Palak Paneer’ (Cottage cheese in spinach paste) remains my (as well as for many) first encounter with Paneer. Paneer epitomizes Punjab and Punjab epitomizes Paneer. It always used to be a memorable affair to go to a famous local restaurant and feast on the ‘so called’ Punjabi dishes at least once in 3 months. Eating out itself was a luxury that time. While taking every bite, I always wondered that how Punjabis manage to cook this stuff and eat on daily basis. J Super myths! I always looked up and asked, “Why didn’t you send me to this world as Punjabi?” I don’t know but God must have smiled many a times and said, “My dear child, you are a born foodie. You will be in Punjab someday for the sake of food only!”

My love for Punjabi food kept on growing. As I travelled to bigger cities like Pune and Mumbai, I was introduced to the finer versions of this exquisite cuisine. In Pune, I realized that ‘Malai Kofta’ (Fried Cream nuggets in sweet and spicy gravy) is actually composed of ‘Malai’ and not potato. J Mumbai though a den of foodies have few restaurants offering authentic Punjabi cuisine. I loved the spread at ‘Urban Tadka’ and was also disappointed by the ‘Punjab Grill’. My first encounter with authentic Punjabi food happened in the heartland, just outside Delhi on Grand Trunk Road. “Gulshan Vaishno Dhaba” at Murthal is a fab eatery and I can anyday swear by their ‘Pyaaz Paratha’. However, it was just a chance encounter but it further fanned my desire to visit Punjab for enjoying the authentic spread.

Meanwhile, the Gods nicknamed Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma of “Highway on My Plate” were on rampage in the Northern Punjab region, devouring the best of the food and letting it out loudly. It was an awe-inspiring journey through the cities viz. Patiala, Ludhiana, Phagwara, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Pathankot. How I wished while seeing the show that I should also be following the same circuit for food. The dream remained untouched till March 2013. When I was contemplating for a long trip, Anita, my better half suggested me the wonderful idea of exploring Punjab for food. And I was left wondering that why it didn’t click to me. The timing was perfect, the winter was about to over.

Finally, the day arrived, I mean the night arrived. I boarded on the ‘Golden Temple Mail’ on 17^th March 2013. The night sky was smiling at me with the wonderful formation of crescent moon and two stars. All the way I was dreaming about paneer, parathas, chole kulche, naan, bhature, kaali daal, gajarela, lassi and the insane amount of white butter added in almost every dish. Finally I reached the Ludhiana junction on the morning of 19^th March at 2.45 am. Quite an odd hour! But yes… A solo food trip to Punjab and why, yes, it was happening!!!

Due to arrival at odd timings and thrill due to novelty factor of my food trip, it took a while to come to the terms and I slept at 4.30 a.m. This started my day late but there was no change in the schedule. I was staying at Hotel Maharaja near Clock Tower in the Bhadaur Market Area. Since it was a solo trip, I had all the flexibility to make it as frugal as possible. I got a shared auto from the main square to Apollo Hospital and then a private bus all the way to Doraha where my first food destination was located “New Zimindara Baba Neem Wala Dhaba” As I entered the dhaba, I saw only two patrons partaking lunch. 

New Zimindara Baba Neem Wala Dhaba, Doraha

Being true to the Punjabi dhaba culture, I first decided to sit on a ‘charpai’ but changed my mind and settled on a table. The menu was quickly rendered by the waiter while I asked him to hold on and pulled the ‘Highway On My Plate’ book from my sack to decide what to eat. The waiter was visibly surprised. The choice was simple – kadhai paneer and daal makhani with hot tandoori rotis to be washed down with a big jug of buttermilk! Though the daal was served with a big cube of yellow butter, for me, kadhai paneer was the clear winner. The wonderful spices cooked perfectly and absorbed by the luscious paneer and accompanied by crunchy bell peppers was an absolute delight.  

Kadhai Paneer and Daal Makhani

The daal makhani was subtly flavoured but honestly, I didn’t challenge my palettes. As a tradition, the ‘Zimindara Dhabas’ owned by Zimindars (landlords) in Punjab serve unlimited amount of buttermilk. After finishing the sumptuous lunch, I walked over to have a word with the gentleman owner of the dhaba.  He was impressed after learning that I was travelling through Punjab to taste the authenticity. He took down my number and promised to meet me whenever he comes to Mumbai. Guess this holds some prospects of getting discounts next time I visit his dhaba. Yeah!

New Zimindara Baba Neem Wala Dhaba,  Doraha, Near Ludhiana

Taste – 7/10 Ambiance – 6/10 Service – 9/10 Price – 8/10

I was fortunately staying at a very strategic place and didn’t have to make way to my preferred eateries in the evening through the unbelievably noisy and dusty roads of Ludhiana. These Ludhiana people are terrible honkers. Ludhiana is also supposed to have the maximum density of merc in India but that day, all I had seen were BMWs and Audis. Guess there is a change of taste for Ludhiane de Puttars!

Veg Menu @ Chawla Chicken :)

So my next target was – Chawla Restaurant famous for its chicken dishes. Now what a veggie like me has to do with this restaurant? So there are two Chawla restaurants in Bhadaur House area. I first entered the Veg Chawla restaurant and didn’t find ‘Chawla Special Creamy Paneer’. I asked the waiter and he blabbered all the dishes with paneer and insisted that all are ‘Creamy’. I got up, went to the manager and asked him for the address of the Chawla Restaurant I was looking for. I got the address. It was just a 5 minutes walking distance but helped to build my appetite more!

Chawala Chicken, as the name suggests is indeed a chicken eater’s heaven. It is in fact a take away station. However, I was not taking away anything, I settled at a sparse dining area available on the first floor. The order was no brainer – Chawla Special Cream Paneer with again, hot tandoori rotis. The Chawla Special Cream Paneer is the veg variant of their famous dish – Chawla  Special Cream Chicken. The paneer/chicken is cooked in a special assembly line only in milk and cream using special ingredients at different stages (the main spice being the black pepper) and uses no water at any stage. I found creamy paneer very interesting but not a spectacular one. But the combo of hot rotis, raw onion with green chutney and paneer in thick creamy gravy was indeed a gastronomical delight.

The famous 'Chawla Special Cream Paneer' with Tandoori Rotis

Chawla Chicken, Bhadaur House, Near Clock Tower, Ludhiana

Taste – 7/10  Ambiance – 5/10 Service – 6/10 Price – 7/10

Fruit Ice Cream, Basant Ice Cream

In the last stage for the search of best ice cream of Ludhaina, I landed at Basant Ice Cream. As a guy living in a metropolitan city, I believe that my taste for ice cream has undergone multifold changes. After having tasted Naturals, Baskin Robins, Move N Pick, Gelato and Cocoberry, it was unlikely that Basant Ice Cream would have casted a spell. Yes, it didn’t. Too sweet for my palette. Didn’t like it and somehow I was the only person sitting in the sprawling 2000 sq feet area trying to enjoy the famous (?) fruit ice cream!

The trip had started well! With the exception of ice cream, everything was up to mark! Oye, chak de phatte! J     

Bowing at The Top : Trek to Tungnath (The Highest Shiv Temple in the World)

Trek to the beautiful Tungnath Temple has always mesmerized me. I had been longing for my first encounter with the snow and it couldn’t have come better than in the form of the trek to Tungnath Temple and Chandrashila Peak. It didn’t take much time to decide upon the itinerary as I was in Haridwar at the time of scheduling and my friend, Ashish joined me from Mumbai after having an arduous journey in the air and on the rail tracks.

Deoria Taal and Chaukhamba

In the first phase, we explored the enchantingly beautiful Deoria Lake. Words were not sufficient to describe the beauty of this place. The mighty Chaukhamba peak with the fabulous Gangotri Range of the Himalaya reflecting in the calm waters of the Deoria Taal was one surreal experience. After spending a night at the Deoria Taal, we returned to Saari village by noon. A sumptuous Pahadi Lunch of rice, vegetables and special chutney filled our guts for our next project – Tungnath and Chandrashila!

For the uninitiated – Tungnath is the highest Lord Shiva temple in the world situated at an altitude of 12073 feet (3680 m). It is also part of the Panch Kedar group of temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Chandrashila is the summit situated atop Tungnath at the height of 13000 feet.

As we drove from Saari village to Chopta, the drop in the temperature was obvious. An uphill drive in the dense forestation of the Kedarnath Wildlife Conservaory with the red and pink hues due to rhododendrons was a sight which was unforgettable. Garhwal is more beautiful than Kumaon and how I was experiencing that! Finally, we stopped at Chopta and started our trek for Tungnath and Chandrashila at 2.45 pm. It was late by any standards for the 5 km trek till Chandrashila .

Red hue of Buraansh, Chopta

The trek to Tungnath though is longer than Deoria Taal trek but it is not as arduous as the same. The well constructed pavement makes it little easy in the initial phase as you pass through the thickly forested area dotted with numerous trees of buraansh (Rhododendron). We could see many people coming down as they were about to finish their trek and myself and Ashish were the only souls who were climbing. I didn’t check but many of them must have had a bewildered look in their eyes.

Bugyal on the trek to Tungnath

I got the first glimpse of the snow lying by the pavement. It looked as if a carcass of dolphin has washed ashore. Not very best of the comparison but I was still elated. All around me were snow strands and not exactly the way I had expected. But was a heady combo of rhododendrons and snow that energized us to trek further as new dimensions of nature’s beauty were unveiling in front of us at every turn. The next turn and we were gawking at a beautiful bugyal guarded by barren hills on one side. It had started drizzling at that time and the atmosphere became magical.

The snow started to appear prominently and vegetation was getting less dense. The air temperature shifted from cool to cold. Frankly speaking, we were not so well equipped for the snow trek and the change in the weather was making it worse. The weather in the mountain is unpredictable. The clear weather by noon changed with dark clouds gathering in the sky and we could see that it was raining heavily at a distance on few hills. I was wearing a simple t-shirt, a pair of jeans and sweater as if I was strolling on the Mall Road of Mussoorie. Ashish was wearing his all time favourite UCLA jacket. All I could vouch for were my all weather shoes.

Snowy Trek, Tungnath

The vegetation had now almost vanished and we rested at the last full bloomed buraansh before we proceeded.  The pavement was lined by snow though we were yet to see the glimpse of Tungnath temple. 

All of a sudden a mild hailstorm approached us. The tiny small ice pellets landed on the exposed part of my hand giving me momentary numbness. I quickly wore the sweater I was just tying around my waist.  In the meanwhile, we met a newly married couple who were returning to base and generously offered their stick to navigate through the snow at the top. Other two locals who were coming down warned us of the bad weather (which we could see and experience).

Tungnath, village buried in snow!

As I mentioned that we were getting surprised at almost every turn which was unveiling the newer form of beauty. After braving the hailstorm, we reached the point where we could finally see the glimpse of Tungnath temple and the beautiful paved track with snow on either side. Due to the open space at the top, the wind was now blowing with lot of gust and it was chilling too. Me and Ashish were tired and hence took a 5 minute break and grabbed a chocolate bar. All we were praying for was to have a cup of piping hot tea when we reached the colony at Tungnath.

Not a single soul, Tungnath

Lo and behold…we reached the Tungnath village (actually it’s a small colony) and not a single soul was present there. The whole village was covered in 3-4 feet thick snow. The residents had shifted to the plains after the festival of Diwali and we could see why. All the doors locked. Thankfully, we heard somebody repairing a roof of a house there. We approached him and ask if we could get tea. He seemed least bothered and asked to continue to visit the temple. Disappointment! No tea! It was tricky to make way through the snow and the stick came handy. Thanks to that couple who insisted that we should carry the stick!

Tungnath and Parvati Temple, 12073 feet

Honestly, the only thing which looked divine in the vicinity was the Tungnath Temple otherwise the whole village had an eerie look. We proceeded to the temple. The newly constructed blue frame at the entrance has numerous bells hanging. I rang the biggest and whoa…the echo was in the atmosphere for at least a minute. That was one amazing experience with sound (Generally we attribute it to the BOSE sound systems! J) Ashish braved and removed his shoes to enter the temple which had snow everywhere and I followed the suit.

Tungnath is the most beautiful temple I have ever seen. Probably absence of human beings took this experience to different level. We could feel the cold surface but we were simply admiring the temple and the surrounding beauty. Built in a typical Garhwali style, where the smaller structure provides the entrance to the main sanctum sanctorum has a striking similarity to the Kedarnath Temple, the main temple of the Panch Kedar group. The doors of the temples (known as ‘kapaats’ locally) were closed and are scheduled to open in the second week of May 2013. We said our prayers. We took a while to sink in the peace and tranquility of the surrounding. However, the fading light and the numbing peak started to give us the signal.

Evening glory on return, Tungnath

Chandrashila was another 1 km trek, very steep and arduous. Time was not on our side.  It was 5.30 pm in the evening. The weather had just improved and the distant snow peaks of the Himalayas which were little invisible due to haze appeared clearly. I would love to postulate and time and again it has been proved “There is nothing as beautiful as the Himalayas in this world”. We decided to start our return journey with a promise to ourselves that we will soon be standing at Chandrashila.

Nothing as beautiful as Himalaya!

Luck was on our side. We spotted a movement up in the snow. A slightly bulky silhouette of a bird. It was joined by a similar bird and both hid beyond a rock covered with snow. I was surprised to find such a bird at this altitude. Then one of them took flight right in front of us and went on another side towards valley. From that height we could see the span of the fluorescent blue wings and the brown tail. We were amazed by the beauty of that bird which looked like peacock. We were also taken aback by its ability to fly steadily looking at the bulky size. We had found the state bird of Uttarakhand, The Himalayan Monal. Similar to the peacock family, this pheasant is found only at an altitude above 7000 feet and is endearingly beautiful.

Himalayan Mouse nibbling in the snow!

We were little slow in descending. The tiny and cute, Himalayan mice were braving us, sometimes posing well to click a good shot. In the last phase of our descent, we were in dark, walking through the forest alone. Finally, at 7.30 pm we reached the starting point of the trek and straightway headed to the hotel serving tea. The tea in this situation feels better than the heady mocktail for which you may end up spending 1000 bucks. And once you start wandering in the Himalayas (Upper and Greater) then you don’t need anything to get high. But one should remember that even at the summits you have something to bow to and we bowed at the top!  

The Legends of Deoria Taal (Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand)

For the short trip planned from Haridwar in the interiors of Garhwal region, our highlights were a trek to Deoria Taal, a trek to Tungnath temple ( and if possible, the Chandrashila Peak) and stay at the Magpie Eco Camp in Duggal Bitta. With a preliminary information, all I was agog about was our trek to Tungnath Temple (the highest Lord Shiv Temple in the world and a part of ‘Panch Kedar’ group) and it indeed turned out to be a wonderful trek. But I underplayed the grandeur of Deoria Taal. Thanks to all the research done by my roadie friend, Ashish Sharma (@ashish0712).

Saari Village 

After completing the 200 odd km journey from Haridwar to Ukhimath, we were so relieved to see the first glimpse of the mighty Chaukhamba peak which has four summits and the highest (Summit 1) having an altitude of 7138 m being the part of Greater Himalaya. And the air became cooler. After having a simple and yet sumptuous meal at Banswada, we proceeded towards the Saari Village. There are many people who can arrange your stay in the tents or forest houses on the top of mountain near Deoria Taal. We had earlier contacted Mr. Negi. And he had arranged our accommodation up on the hill top near Deoria Taal.

Rhododendron Bloom

We  reached Saari village by 3.15 pm and met Mr. Negi. The plan was clear. We started trekking to Deoria Taal at 4.45 pm. It is a steep gradient 3 km trek and if in no good shape, will make you huff and puff every 5 meters.  However, as you keep on elevating, you are greeted by a wonderful view of the Saari village and the distant snow caped Chandrashila peak which was our destination next day. We were lucky to have arrived here in April as we were greeted by the full bloom of buraans (rhododendron) everywhere on our trek. Such a beauty this Buraans tree is! The flowers of Rhododendron are crushed to extract juice which is supposed to be good for the heart. I rather will ask you to come all the way trekking here both your heart and your eyes will be thankful to you! J

It took us almost 1.5 hours to reach the top where the generous Umendra Bhatt who runs a small restaurant welcomed us. We had the much deserved piping hot tea and Ashish had his power nap for the next half an hour. We walked through the dense forestation for slightly more than couple of minutes and we were simply zapped by what we came across.

Deoria Taal with Chaukhamba in the backdrop

A huge bugyal with an extremely calm lake surrounded by buraans trees on one side and on the other side, just fabulous, Gangotri Range of Himalayas. In the hilly areas, as I heard and confirmed, the weather changes drastically. So by the time we reached the hill top, it had started drizzling and was getting cloudy. At 6.45 pm when the light was fading rapidly, it was getting difficult for us to differentiate between the Himalayan peaks and the clouds. However, the weather cleared slightly and we realized that we were indeed gawking at the grand Gangotri range of Himalaya and the most striking of the peaks was the highest in the region, Chaukhamba. We had seen this first time.. a peak with four summits in four directions and hence the name, Chaukhamba!

With the fading light, the air started becoming colder and we bumped off with the fellow campers who had just lit a bonfire. After spending some time at the bonfire, we returned to Umendra Bhatt’s hotel. Being an eco camp, there is no electricity supply. I had experienced it in the Binsar Retreat in Binsar, Almora in Kumaon region of the same state and now I was in Garhwal. Again a crescent moon night with zillions of stars in the sky. We hardly exchanged words as we were gazing at the sky and were relishing the silence in the jungle. Deaoria taal comes under the Kedarnath Wildlife Conservatory famous for musk deers. In the darkness, I could only spot a leopard cat which looked more curious than me for getting introduced but it shied away.

The hot rotis, potato subzi and rajma (kidney beans) resulted in an exquisite dinner. We talked with Umendra and Sandeep, Mr. Negi’s nephew for a while before falling asleep. How many times do you go to bed at 9.30 pm? It felt as if it is already 12 midnight by that time. Sheer silence and the rhythmic sounds coming from the jungle was indeed a lullaby. It didn’t take much time for us to go to sleep and we had to get up early to capture the morning beauty of the Himalayan range and Deoria Taal.

Greater Himalaya, Gangotri Range

One doesn’t need an alarm or a special effort to get up early in the morning if you are staying in a jungle or in 

the mountains. We got up early and rushed towards Deoria Taal. And this time, we were double zapped. The skies were clear and the snow peaks of the Himalaya were glistening in the morning glory. And Mr. Chaukhamba stood like the most handsome guy in the range directly looking at us. Simple answer to why Uttarakhand is called as Devbhoomi (The Land of Gods). In so many years, I had never come across such a beautiful site… a bugyal with a calm lake lined with rhododendron trees and reflections of the grand snow peaks in the calm waters of the lake.. and in all silence…the sound was silence!

Rhododendron Tree on the bank of Deoria Taal

Deoria Taal is probably the most mysterious lake I have ever come across. I was somehow getting the feeling that there is something very  very clandestine stuff about this lake. The water is strikingly calm. You could see very small fish swimming lazily near the edge. For the time we spent near the lake, no bird came there to drink water or catch a fish. There is this eerie silence surrounding this lake. I enquired to Umendra as well as the forest guards …lo and behold…this turned out to be the most legendary lake I have ever visited in my life.

The famous incidence of ‘Yakshaprashna’ of Mahabharata is believed to have happened at this particular lake only. The same lake where all the Pandavas except Yudhishthir were poisoned to death after drinking the water without answering the Yaksha (the spirit guarding the lake) question. It was only Yudhishthir who answered the questions diligently and revived his brothers.

I also observed stone idols on the banks of the lake. They are dedicated to The Nag Devta (Serpant King). The lake is believed to be the abode of the Serpant King and he’s worshipped there. The lake’s depth is yet to be measured and is supposed to be abysmal. Many scientists have tried measuring the depth of this lake but have failed. Some things go beyond scientific explanation and  you tend to believe them.

It is also said that if somebody dies in the lake after drowning (Swimming is strictly prohibited in this lake) the body comes up only after a month. That’s very unusual. In a normal case, it floats in 24-48 hours. This lake certainly is very very beautiful but at the same time very mysterious too. And it is thrilling to experience these feelings together here at Deoria Taal.

Chaukhamba and The Deoria Taal - Dream Summit

A Vipashyana meditation looking at the Gangotri range of Himalayas and finally spotting a ‘Himalayan Magpie’ was the concluding part of our visit to this enchantingly beautiful place. All I wish is to come back here as early as possible and savour the nature and the stories to the maximum extent.

INFORMATION -

Deoria Taal (Altitude 2387 m) 

12 km motorable road from Ukhimath till Saari Village

Recommended – Vehicle at disposal to roam in this area as the local cabbies charge stratospheric sums for short distances. We hired cab from Haridwar (204 km) and was at our disposal for 4 days for Rs.8400

Stay – Contact Mr. Negi - +91-94102 41543 Devria Tourist Home Stay for very basic stay in Saari Village as well as near Deoria Taal (Rs.600 per head) – No food included

Contact Mr. Nautiyal for accommodation in bunglows for family near Deoria Taal - +91- 97592 44881

Food – Umendra serves delicious but basic food at the hill top

Haridwar : Gastronomical Search In The Spiritual Hub!

Haridwar is such a holy city. The Ganges enters on the plains in Haridwar only, after gushing all the way from Gangotri, in the Himalayas from where it originates. Indeed a gateway to Chota Char Dham, the important Hindu pilgrimage places, the city is always thronged by sadhus, pilgrims, devotees, tourists and travelers. Almost all the roads are dotted with some or the other ashram or dharmshalas. Crowded and hot, every other shop selling the Pooja-Samagri (essentials for performing pooja, in and out of Haridwar) and the same shop playing Anuradha Paudwal’s (absolutely) unforgettable melody “Ganga Maiyya mein jab tak ke paani rahe, mere sajnaa teri zindagaani rahe” from the movie Suhaag Raat (1968) . Quite an unusual plot for a foodie like me! But as per the Hindu mythology, it is believed that Haridwar is the place where few drops of elixir were spilled after the Sagar Manthan, might I would find some places to really relish for…!

Ganga Aarti @ Har Ki Pauri

After attending the ‘evening aarti’ of Ganga at Har ki Pauri, it was the time to go for some serious food hunting or better described as ‘Pet Pooja’ in Hindi. A genuine foodie comes with a thorough research, be it a village or a metro. So going by the research I had done, I had few names in my mind. The brand ‘Chotiwala’ seems to be very popular in Haridwar. The first restaurant started in Rishikesh and the brand now being ravaged by many in Haridwar. The problem with finding a good restaurant in North India is the unstoppable plagiarism. Almost every restaurant bearing the same name of the legend claims to be the original (The Board has adjectives like ‘Asli Mashhoor’). I had spotted at least 6-7 ‘Chotiwalas’ in Haridwar claiming to be the original.

The rickshaw pullers in Haridwar seem to have a certain affection with Chotiwala. I approached one to ask if he could take me to ‘Chotiwala’ and he claimed that he will take me to the ‘asli’ (the original) Chotiwala restaurant. This particular one is located at the start of the Upper Road which is thronged by numerous restaurants and appears to be a food den of Haridwar. A small tip – if you wish to save few bucks and build up a good appetite then I would suggest you walk through the bylanes behind Har Ki Pauri to reach the Upper Road.

Finally, I reached the Upper Road and was facing the famous Chotiwala restaurant. I entered and sat at a table. And suddenly realized that I was the only soul in the ‘customer’ category. Such a famous restaurant and nobody was willing to eat? Was I very early by Haridwar standards for dinner? I was handed over with a menu card and…What a big disappointment! Nothing ethnic, nothing traditional…all the stuff you get in any restaurant anywhere in India was printed on the menu card. That was it. I kept the menu card on the table and stormed out of the restaurant. Dejected, but still I didn’t want to go empty handed (I mean empty stomach)

Another name which was on the agenda was ‘Hoshiyarpuri’! Mind you, Punjab and Punjabis will never fail you on gastronomic affairs. Situated on the same road at a distance, Hoshiyarpuri has been in existence for 75 years and still has patrons following from the current generation. I worked a good appetite by walking to the restaurant. I have earlier mentioned that compact menu cards are such a delight to start with. Few items, but very well prepared and satisfaction guaranteed… I am talking about food. It is a tribute to the restaurant if the customer sticks to the originality and I did the same (since I didn’t have much time to spend and I was alone.. :)) I ordered an Aloo Paratha (Flat bread stuffed with mashed potato with spices and condiments) and a big glass (stainless steel…Punjabis drink their lassi in stainless steel glass…mind you!) of creamy lassi! Basic stuff but was outstanding. I have already found a Gold Standard of Lassi in Ahuja Lassi at Amritsar but I can also vouch for Hoshiyarpuri’s thick, creamy lassi any day.

I got another opportunity to visit Hoshiyarpuri with my friend Ashish Sharma, who is a red blooded Punjabi and doesn’t compromise on taste. We binged on missi rotis, lachcha parathas, kadhai paneer and daal makhani and of course, the big stainless steel glasses of cold, thick, creamy lassi. The vegetables were docile on spices but went well with missi roti. Honestly, I have lost interest in all other lachcha parathas after having it at the legendary, Kesar da Dhaba in Amritsar. So I will suggest choosing between aloo parathas or missi roti amongst the breads and subzi of your choice. However, don’t miss the Lassi…!

Hoshiyarpuri Hotel, Upper Road, Haridwar

Taste – 8/10  Ambiance – 7/10  Service – 8/10  VFM – 8/10

But Punjabi dinner is not something Haridwar should be proud of! Being in Uttarakhand which was an erstwhile part of Uttar Pradesh should have its originality in the food stuff. I had read about it before coming here and spotted it on the way to Hoshiyarpuri Hotel. As I mentioned that if you wish to build an appetite before partaking food then you must take a stroll in the bylanes of Haridwar behind Har ki Pauri. The eclectic smell of food being prepared and the sight of different delicacies along with a hearty walk builds your appetite for a typical Haridwar breakfast.

Two restaurants bang opposite on either side of narrow road – Panditji Pooriwale and Hariram Pooriwale. I entered Panditji’s restaurant since I saw it first...J. Again another restaurant with a very compact menu card…didn’t take much time for me to order. In the first course, I ordered Khasta kachoris served with ‘Aloo Ki Sabzi’ in a spicy gravy as depicted in the pic. Let me clarify that all the items there were DEEPLY friend in desi ghee (or the clarified butter) so just don’t go by sheer quantity offered to you. Two morsels…you’ll start feeling full. The Khasta Kachoris are thick puffed breads with spicy filling into it. Goes very well with aloo ki sabzi. I got the taste of what was on the platter.

Khasta kachoris

After finishing the khasta kachoris, I ordered for Poori Subzi. The waiter gave a strange look to me. Probably he was not expecting that. He came back with four pooris (again thin puffed breads deeply fried in clarified butter), dry potato subzi and the very interesting Kaddu ki Subzi (red pumpkin preparation). I just enjoyed eating pooris with the sweet and tangy Kaddu Ki Subzi. This special subzi reminded me of ‘Launji’ which is a part of typical Amritsari breakfast. I didn’t believe that red pumpkin can be rendered so tasty in the ‘subzi’ form.

The meal is never complete without sweet dish. And I have a sweet tooth. Go Charlie go! And there was this ‘Chandrakala’ on my table. Chandrakala appears to be a pretty cousin of our regular balushahi and tastes very similar. Needless to say that within no time, it was finished.

I was happy with the breakfast which in calorific value would have sustained me for next 10-15 days!

Pooris with Aloo and Kaddu ki Sabzi

Panditji Pooriwale, Near Har ki Pauri, Haridwar

Taste – 7/10 Ambiance – 6/10 Service – 6/10 VFM – 7/10

Haridwar is also famous for its chaat which is sold on the hand pulled carts across the roads of Haridwar. You can choose either boiled or just sprouted brown chick peas for your chaat. Then a mish mash of various veggies and spices will render you the ‘chanaa chaat’. I didn’t find it so tasty and was slightly harsh for my tongue and already loaded guts J

Haridwar is of course not so famous for its food for the demand for food here is very basic. There are free langars (where food is freely distributed), small shops selling rajma chawal, kadhi chawal and it is unlikely to expect somebody to come here in search of exquisite food and taste. All I can say is Hoshiyarpuri is an ever reliable institution and if you wish to experiment with local taste the Poori with Kaddu ki Sabzi is a must have. Bon appetite! 

Jodhpur - The Mighty Rajasthani Breakfast and Meherangarh Fort - Day 4 - Royal Rajaputana Rhapsody

We started early in the morning from Jaisalmer. The Golden City was glistening in the first rays of morning but was still sleeping. We made a quiet exit from the city and marched towards Jodhpur which is the third important part of the Marwar Triangle (other two have already been covered- Bikaner and Jaisalmer). On our way to Jodhpur, we drove through Pokaran which is near to nuclear test site, Pokhran. India had performed nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1974 and 1998. I heard that because of the explosion, the dust was in the air at higher proportion leading to hindrance of sunlight for few days. We took a pit stop to have breakfast and had insipid aloo paratha. Was wondering about only us having breakfast there! The place of exorbitantly expensive for the taste of the food.

Makhaniya Lassi

We had still to cover 200 km to reach Jodhpur. We already had covered 140 odd km since we started from Jaisalmer. There is a stark difference between Indian travelers and foreign travelers. Foreigners love to be at leisure (for obvious reasons) and don’t push the journey beyond 200km a day and we Indians (for obvious reasons) have to keep it pushing so that we reach office on time the day our holiday is done with! Otherwise, boss gets angry! How I wish that we had the same culture of work in India where we have the luxury of roaming places for months. Near Pokaran, I saw a majestic peacock perched on a branch of a desolate tree. It was indeed a moment to die for and captured it by my mind. Sorry, I was not carrying the SLR camera with zooming lenses. The peacock was similar to the one we normally see in the paintings in palaces of Rajasthan. Plump, sitting with an erect glistening blue neck and the huge and extremely beautiful foliage curved in the direction of gravity. I haven’t seen such a beautiful peacock for years and no wonder it is the ‘national bird’ of India.

The Pyaaz Kachori

We entered Jodhpur at around 12.30 pm. This is probably the biggest city in the Marwar region. My agenda was clear about what to do in Jodhpur. I instructed our driver to drive all the way to ‘Janata Sweet House’ on Nai Sarak. (Thanks a lot Dear Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma) Once we entered the sweet shop, the madness prevailed for another half an hour and the taste still lingers on my taste buds. I got my hands first on the legendary ‘pyaaz kachori’ of Rajasthan. This puffed bread deep fried till crispy brown outside and stuffed with onions and other spices inside takes your culinary conscience to another level. I have all the sympathies for the lady pilot of Air India who overthrew the diktat of her seniors for the love of these pyaaz kachoris. J Next o the menu was the burly ‘mirchi vada’. The rajasthani mircha thickly coated with chick pea flour and deep fried is a must have snack when you happen to be in Rajasthan.

The Mawa Kachori

In the meanwhile, Anita who doesn’t share my enthusiasm for food was half-heartedly trying her hand at aloo tikki. She didn’t seem too pleased with that. I helped her finish it but yes indeed, it was not that great. Time to engage the sweet tooth! The Mawa Kachori – Probably the same batter for pyaz kachori but this time stuffed with condensed milk and dry fruits and soaked in sugar syrup. You ask me what heaven is and I will tell you the address! After polishing off the Mawa Kachori, I turned towards the special ‘Makhaniya Lassi’. Laced with insane amount of malai and dryfruits, this lassi can take care of your calorific requirements for days to come. For me…what calories???

Entrance of Meherangarh Fort

Trust me, you always have a happy time with happy belly. Never ignore it. So after pampering our guts at Janata Sweet House, we moved towards the iconic Meharangarh Fort of Jodhpur. For movie buffs, you surely have watched Nolan’s epic ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and if you remember the place from where Bruce Wayne escapes from the dungeon of Bane is nothing but the Meharangarh Fort of Jodhpur. Perched on a hill near Jodhpur, the Meharangarh Fort looks like a guard of the city.

Meharangarh is one of the most beautiful forts we came across in Rajasthan. With a splendid architecture and intricate art inside, it personifies Rajasthan’s royal history in a genuine manner. We somehow did a mistake of not hiring a guide and pushing through this fort on our own. Bad advice from our driver! Take my advice- If you are visiting such a beautiful fort with vast expanse then a guide is a must. It costs only few bucks but makes the visit worthwhile! We captured the beautiful vista of the blue city of Jodhpur from the fort. Most of the outer walls of houses in Jodhpur are painted with blue color and hence, the name Blue City. We had just covered the ‘Golden City’ of Jaisalmer, we were in the ‘Blue City’ of Jodhpur and in couple of days, we would find ourselves in the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur. We marveled at the grandeur of the King’s bedroom, walls with beautiful artwork and windows bedecked with colorful glasses. It must be difficult to sleep there. It is difficult to write about forts and palaces. I can use the words like grand, beautiful, vast, and intricate but you won’t get the feel unless you visit such places.

The Blue City of Jodhpur from Meherangarh Fort

It was past 3 pm and we were ready for another grueling drive of 150 odd kilometers till Ranakpur. And we marched. We had no choice. We had so many places to visit and so less of time. Ranakpur is a wildlife sanctuary and also famous for its Jain temple complex. By evening, when we entered the forested area, we feel relieved with the cool breeze of the air. We soon entered the premises of Ranakpur Hill Resort and got a lovely, cozy Swiss tent. A much needed cup of tea and a wonderful shower. Probably, the best place to stay in Ranakpur Forest. The restaurant of the Hill Resort serves nice food easy on spices. It was good for the palette and for the guts. After the tiring drive of about 500 km in the day, all we needed was a good sleep and we got it. I didn't wish to be in King's bedroom though!

The King's Bedroom, Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur

             

A Day With The Thar - Royal Rajputana Rhapsody - Day 3 (February 2012)

The Camel Ride Begins, Khuri Sand Dunes

As against the choice of other guests, we had decided to skip the camel ride last evening. So we had an unfinished business this morning. After coming back from the sand dunes after spending the night, we were all set to go in the sand dunes again this time on the back of camels directly instead of the camel cart! We started our ride at around 9 in the morning as the Sun gets harsher towards the noon. The two camels named ‘Saaiya’ and ‘Bhoora’ were at service for us. Camel is indeed a wonderful animal. Perfected to weather the conditions in the desert. Still a thorough gentleman (and a lady if it happens to be a female! J). Never seen or heard a camel going berserk! Keeps on chewing leaves of bushes in the desert and is okay if denied to drink water for a while. So we started our ride with these two extremely adorable camels. In just 20 odd minutes we reached the beautiful sand dunes of Khuri.

The Thar Desert, Khuri, Near Jaisalmer

Beware, if you haven’t fallen in love with someone at first sight then the Thar Desert does the trick. It is just beautiful! In my childhood, I was scared of desert – the fear of getting lost, the fear of getting no water, the fear of the heat etc. I never knew at that time that I would fall in love with the desert in the future. Life, how indebted am I to you! The vast expanse of the Thar Desert is similar to that of an ocean. You can keep looking at it for hours and appreciate it (provided you have a heart who knows how to love!) Incidentally, we had few minutes with us to appreciate it.

Me with my camel, Saaiyaa :)

We took a halt at one point near an old temple in the mid of the desert. Me and Anita took a walk in the desert from this point without shoes. And mind you, it feels awesome..the sand is so smooth. I almost embraced the desert for some time. I had been carrying Anita’s ‘odhani’ around my neck since yesterday. We requested our guides to tie it as a Rajasthani Pagari (headgear) and it fit so well. I looked like an authentic Rajasthani guy! J

We came back by 10.15 am and were supposed to head towards Jaisalmer. However, we heard that all the people working at Mangalam and their family members are going to visit a temple 50 km away nearing India Pakistan border. I am always mighty thrilled to be near India Pakistan border be it Jammu, be it Wagha near Amritsar or now near Jaisalmer. This was the picture perfect journey. Desert on both the sides of this narrow and road was actually deserted. J Got the pictures clicked sitting in the midst of the road. And yes, saw a vulture in its natural habitat for the first time. Oh man, what a bird! The expanse of its wings almost covered the breadth of the road when it saw our car approaching it.

Anita with a local guy in Khuri

We reached Jaisalmer by 2 pm.  Finding the right restaurants was not a big task. Thanks to my icons, Rocky and Mayur, who are hosting the show ‘Highway on My Plate’ and have written the book with the same name. We entered the Chandan Shree Restaurant and ordered a Rajasthani thali  (that’s obvious!) but they do serve the Gujarati and the Bengali Thali (what’s that?) also. By this time, I have become an expert on Rajasthani Thali (yeah yeah…Veg ofcourse). At Chandan Shree, the ‘ker sangri’ (a Rajasthani vegetable) tasted different as it was fresh compared to other parts of India as it is produced in the desert only. ‘Gatte ki Sabji’ (Chunks of yellow gram flour boiled in a curd gravy) was not that great. I will still vouch for the wonderful Rajasthani Thali you get at Chetana at Kala Ghoda in Mumbai. That is the best I have ever tasted till date!

We were tired now and after gobbling up the unlimited Rajasthani Thali, all we needed was a good nap. We checked in at a hotel and surprisingly, we met our friends Eliane and Peter who were staying in the same hotel.

After a refreshing nap (this is generally the adjective used for nap, but honestly I was feeling drowsy), we headed towards the famous Sam sand dunes, 40 km away from Jaisalmer. Frankly speaking, I didn’t like the place. There was a congregation of tourists across the country making a lot of noise. You are attacked by the camel owners and coerced to take a ride. However, the bargain could be amazing here and you can ride camel at a minimal price. I rode on a camel named ‘Michael Jackson’ while Anita was on ‘Shahrukh’! J

The Jaisalmer Fort from a distance

My sincere suggestion to the travelers (and not the tourists) that if you realy wish to savour the sand dunes and the desert, Khuri is the place. Sam is not for you. It’s too commercial, noisy and intimidating. A small cup of badly prepared tea and we were on our way back to Jaisalmer. The sunset at Sam was though extra-ordinary. Bu too many cameras clicking and too many people with funny poses kills the surreal beauty of the sunset in the dessert.

Dusk was falling and by the time we reached Jaisalmer, it was dark. It was a cool evening. We couldn’t go to the Jaisalmer Fort though. We came back to our hotel. The rooftop restaurant of ‘Bharat Vilas’ was an ideal place to have a long dinner. I am sure it is loved by the people for penchant with alcohol. We though stuck to simple affair of spaghetti and Chinese noodles. A good sleep was necessary as we were about to cover 420 km on the road to reach Ranakpur Sanctuary near Udaipur.