Majhkhali

Need to start blogging more frequently .... two years ago we traveled to this tucked away corner in the Himalayas - Majhkhali. Cross the madness of the Ranikhet bazaar and the rolls of the golf course, Majhkhali emerges. As we dock into our Lodge, the horizon has a white glow. We think they are clouds till with great joy and excitement I exclaim - Mom They are Snow Capped Mountains not clouds!!! As the sky clears out the mountains get etched out exquisitely - unbelievably beautiful. Majhkhali has the Trishul Range up close as the valley in front of Ranikhet gets compressed. 

We stayed a comfortable cottage where the chef and the helper were literally at our disposal. For the first time a rented cottage felt like home.  We would have breakfast on the patio while gazing at Trishul.  The entire day was spent lazing around or gazing at the ever changing view of the view and high mountain ranges sprawled before us. It was gorgeous.  Two year after also I have not had a holiday which beat this experience yet. 

 Enclosed are some photographs that captured my interest.

A Day Visit to Neemrana Fort Palace!

Come Sunday I kept hoping for a cloudy day! Just my luck it was a bright sunny day with patches of clouds in the sky. Nevertheless determined three friends zipped out of Delhi to the much hyped Neemrana Fort Palace for a day visit.  The entire drive was filled with laughter and great music. Each of us was cracking jokes about everything under the sun be it our workplaces, hobbies, reading lists or driving styles.  The result, before we knew we had crossed the Manesar Toll Plaza.  The landscape moved from 'hilly' to endless plains however it was once we edged into the Shajahanpur area [after paying a toll of Rs. 145 bucks] that the Aravallis came up close.  Know they don't have much height, but have always felt they have a presence which cannot be undermined.  The landscape had left the common residential clutter and had moved to clean shiny industrial sheds with open roads. There was a feeling of having left it all behind.

Just then it was time to return to civilization. After a couple of stops to check if we are on the right track the Yeti cruised along the NH-8 in quiet confidence.  A right turn brought us to Neemrana Fort Palace in the distance. We twisted and turned along the narrow, winding roads of village to reach Neemrana Fort Palace. An impressive entrance door marked the beginning of a breathless climb. At least for the unfit the reception felt like the crow's nest.  However the effort was well worth it after reaching the covered verandah after a sumptuous lunch. Liked the spread of the buffet although the dessert was felt to be wanting.  The best part I felt was their service. The staff was very polite and responsive. Someone was always around to cater to your request.  That felt nice.

A couple of levels up was the covered verandah, figured it was just above the dining area. The view from here was unbroken for miles and miles.  The plains and the horizon were stretched out in front of us.  The many sitouts created made it easy to lounge around and enjoy the view which will stay with me forever.  The fort palace has been obviously expanded from the original structure. However it has been done very aesthetically. The new structure etch out beautifully on the hill.  It would be blissful to just sit in one of the multiple nooks and corners tucked away around the property on a gorgeous rainy day or a warm winter afternoon.

A brief 2 hour stay and I had to pull myself away from Neemrana Fort Palace.  While the palace had a lot of people, the ambiance allowed me to find a corner which felt like mine.  Wonderful place and amazing views, had never believed that plains could enthrall.

No wonder Neemrana is so sought after.  This trip was truly memorable !

Love Affair with Rains!

Here I am ! Following my heart as it dances around during the monsoons. Though the Met Dept claims these early showers are only pre-monsoon, my heart rejoices every time I see dark cloud formations in the sky.  Rain the most beautiful gift to us, always makes me happy inside. So my smiling during rains is a default. Cannot relate to statements about the mess rains bring like flooding, traffic jams etc.  For me monsoons are the best time after winters.  

A recent drive in the general direction of Jaipur was almost a chase to sit in the shade of the dark clouds.  The breeze, the hills, the clouds and the odd diversion into nowhere was a perfect way to enjoy the rains.  And it is when you escape the skyscrapers, you notice the grand scale of the cloud filled sky. Their scale makes me feel small and humble. Believe the horizon is much more magnified with monsoon clouds than just a bright blue sky.  

The pictures above are just some days when the sky was lit up by the red sun and subdued by the cool rain laden clouds.  And this morning the deliciously cool breeze greeted me and the burst of rain lilies at our doorstep made me smile yet again. 

Rains make it easy to smile and stay happy? Guess I'm a romantic at heart :)

My Love for the Mountains

How is it that someone falls in life with a particular landscape. Only that type of a landscapes moves and soothes them. That is the place they continue to go back to as it constantly beckons you. For me that landscape is the mountains - snow covered peaks or austere landscapes. There is something in the endless vistas of the mountains that is peaceful and yes so intriguing that one can sit and view them throughout the day without getting tired.

Guess my love for the mountains come partially due to my lineage. My mother is from Himachal. And for the first 13 years of my life we have spent every summer holiday in our home in the mountains [Solan]. Now I don't find Solan at any great altitude, but in my childhood moving around the fields of daffodils and sitting watching the kandaghat valley to spot the chugging train was the best pastime. During holidays creating tea on a camphor stove and eating local bread felt adventurous.

Now 20 years later I have had the privilege to view the Kanchendzonga Massif, Stay at Kaza, drive through Tabo, Freeze in Chutkul, enjoy the greenery at Sangla and Rukti Valleys, Loose myself at Khab and marvel at the fury of the Satluj and its tumbles down making even the most stubborn rocks succumb. My heart is still restless to view the marvel yet unseen and un-visited. 

Have sat on the edge of a restless Arabian sea during monsoons and have seen its fury at Mumbai. But for me, nothing beats the storm on the mountains where rocks gets hurled down at you, trees crackle, wind bellows and you realize just how non existent you are in the scale of Nature.

The magnitude of the Himalayas is unmatched and my love for them - undiminished and unquenchable.

My Mobile Pics are Back

Lost my mobile and some important numbers ... The Gain - I bought a mobile with an good camera. As a result my impulsive on the drive clicking is back with a bang. This misty, foggy Delhi winter gave me ample opportunity to find and loose buildings and myself completely.

Sharing with you are some pics that I felt brought out the textures of this winter well.

Dargha Sultanpuri Vasant Kunj

Far from the hustle of a busy road connecting two important crossings is the Vasant Kunj - Andheria More Road. On of its sides a monument stands witness to its daily struggle of existence. Get off the road near ISIC and the noise is left behind. Dargha Sultangarhi will always stay close to my heart. A Dargha is a pious place and the moment to enter the connecting avenue from road to the darha its influence begins. Cannot write or express in words the peace you experience when you are there. You just have to feel it. I just landed at the Dargha on a windswept wet afternoon & soaked in all that the rain kissed trees and the damp walls had to offer.

Hope you all enjoy seeing this photos as much as I did clicking them with my mobile.

Chamba in Uttranchal

Our official offsite took me back to the place where I have been many a times, Chamba in Uttranchal. Had always enjoyed the views from this place but watching the Himalayas from this Resort was a different experience. Tho the mountains were not as close and as always my camera was limiting ... I need a 20x zoom .... I liked a couple of shots that I took from my mobile ...
My mind does race back to the images of the Sikkim Himalayas there is a the closeness of the Sikkim Himalayas which diminishes the commanding yet distant glory of the Uttranchal Himalayas. Uttaranchal Himalayas have their expanse and Sikkim Himalayas have their towering presence.
My room mate and me got up at 0530 am by mistake and thank god for that .... the tethered sky combined with the infiltration of the orange sun rays was something which I will not forget. Mankind was asleep and Nature was quietly painting its canvas. At that moment felt privileged that I was allowed a peep into this beautiful tapestry. Every direction I look from the Hilltop was a different vistas. If at one end I was looking at 15,000 plus feet snow covered peaks the other end had translucent clouds were in slow march over hillocks waiting to engulf me. Emerald green mountains wrapped with white muslin clouds is a sight to behold. The sea is vast and open mountains are mysterious and ever changing in seconds and minutes. One day one spot and a photographer can capture so many moods of Nature ... Maybe it is unfair to compare the sea and the mountains ... lets just say I'm in love with the mountains. When I reach them I feel I'm home.
Do share which landscape you are most at home in. . . . .

Enjoying Macro and Close -Ups

The one aspect that always interests me during my travels are the people of the Land. Every place has its unique stamp and the people of the land carry the imprint. A ready smile, a weather beaten face and exquisite pieces of jewellery stay with me forever. I really enjoy is portraits with Macro. Then one can freak out with different portions of the frame. For e.g.: the jewellery of the woman can be zoomed in to bring out the details. Love when the camera does that. Its like finding multiple frames in one photograph.


Macro and tele are two of the most amazing lens in a camera. They allow you to capture more than what the eye can see and more. Watching the stigma come alive and the geometry of its design is mesmerizing. Macro photography opens up a new world which is not available to the eye. Where you capture fungus on a tree trunk or the close up of a inside of a flower Macro captures it all for you. While taking a macro always use a stand. However if putting a stand is not possible then hold the camera in both hands and keep the hands close to your body to ensure stability. Using an anti blur setting is always a good idea. It helps prevent any shake that may occur while taking the shot.

The beauty with digital photography is that you can always play around with it on your computer. Tweak it and voila you have a prize winning snap : )

HAPPY ZOOMING !!!!

A Moment in Time - Snaps From My Mobile

Taking photograph's from a mobile are simple and easy ... They help me capture a moment in an instant. Sometime I click a frame even when I'm driving (Risky though I agree!) so much for responsible driving : ) ... Cannot resist when you see a frame and feel that you just need to capture. It just has to be in your collection. A moment in Time. Some of my captures have been leave turning translucent against the sun or the shape of a cloud that is absolutely unique. The 3 frames I present here are not the best of them and the resolution is of course very wanting but what I enjoy is being able to capture the feel or the atmosphere.

It is interesting as to what all kind of innovations one can do to employ filters on an image while taking it. The first image which I titled a 'Burst in the Sky' was taken through my Polaroid and anti glare black sun glasses. As a result I got this tinge of grey and black stronger than actual.

Moving on, I cherish this snap more than any of the others that I have taken simply because this frame was taken on impulse on a very cold bleary winter morning. I like the framing especially the branch and the Monument which though silent speaks so much. There is a romance in the frame due to the lack on the sun. I love it : )

The lights at the Presidents House and the North and South Block are breathtaking. Take a look at the mirror reflection of the south block. It is complete with the 'night sun'. While photography can be serious I feel take snaps from your mobile are fun and informal not studied or exacted. They are impulsive and candid and therefore natural.

I enjoy this carefree medium a lot . . . Please feel free to share your comments and experiences of photography through your mobile.

Tsomgo Lake - Tranquility Epitomized

Can a place bursting with Tourists still create a sense of Tranquility ? Yes it can .. Tsomgo Lake 34 kms from Gangtok has that unique capacity. I was told that everyone who visits goes to see this lake. But I was not prepared to handle the landscape enroute nor the serene beauty of the lake that was frozen.

We drove to reach snowline and saw the vegetation change from forests to scrub to mosses and then barren mountains kissed with snow. With gigantic monilith tumbling in ravines and valleys the landscape was as austere and wild as can be described by Emily Bronte in Wuthering Heights. All this and a valley filled with white transulscent clouds rising to reach the limitless blue above them. Craggy overhangs and a narrow road that allows only one side passage. Although it is a two way access. You can not only see and feel wilderness you can actually even smell it .... Perfect !

As we continue to acsend around 8 - 9000ft to reach the lake we drove through Sub Alpine Forests. Silent, meditating trees weighed down by the snow on their branches they stood in quiet habit. The entire landsacpe was black and white not color disturbed the pallette of Nature. And I got a chance to be in this frame and feel this creation that stood before me waiting to be captured. Absolute Bliss !

A bend in the road and we are there - Tsomgo Lake at 12, 400 ft. It lay there ahead of us sheilded by low rise mountains all around it .... The shores were dotted with so many tourists and there was a constant chatter of people and yet it as so easy to melt that and merge with the serenity that you eyes beheld. The lake a huge mass of ice was tranquil. We started our short walk towards Baba Mandir and snow started to fall. The voices died down and we were one with our surroundings ..... the snow was meting and gushing down the slope to meet the lake. A single Prayer Flag at the almost start of the Lake held fort for all. One could 'hear' a chant in silence. You do not need to speak here you do not need to express.

You just absorb ... you inhale the beauty, the calm of Nature. Your mind is clear and your heart is a blissful void and all you can do is smile : )

Love at first sight - Mt Kanchenjunga

We recently visited Sikkim the exotic land of flowers and towering presence of mountains. Sikkim grows on you. At first it looks similar to the many Himalayan Destinations you have been to and then its magic unfurls. The valleys the steep slopes the high ridges that challenge you to come hither and see what lies beyond. Two places will always be very dear to me in Sikkim Pelling and Tsomgo Lake (check a more recent posting for details). Pelling a small town nestled in the top ridge of a mountain offers spectaular views of the Kanchenjunga Range. We needed to wake up at 5:30 am every morning but the sight was worth it ! These snow covered mountain encompass you and this 'warmth' needs to be felt not sure if it is coming across to you.

Kanchenjunga is majestic and elusive. It is the mighty mountain which determines who it discloses its glory to. Yes I can understand what the mountaineers mean when they say the mountain allows you to climb it. Nature rules supreme and its wonderful. From Kabur to Pandim to Kanchenjunga the almost 360 Degree view is mesmerizing. Who needs a camera when your memory stays etched with this glorious sights ... for some things and moments in life just your memory is enough ... You never loose them .. those special moments never get erased. Seeing Kanchenjunga was one such moment ... Yes I can say once again Himalayas are my first love : )))

World Through My Lens

Every landscape you look at is actually a frame. Just that you capture it in mind and not the camera. I try to capture as many frames as possible so that I can relive those moments .. Photography is something more .... it is the ability to see a canvas a frame in everything and in your everyday life ... I keep clicking with my mobile and get surprised when a frame captures the romance of a monument even on a bleary winter morning. Getting a good frame and seeing yourself mature with time is a wonderful feeling. I started my journey of photography long ago but got serious when I was gifted a Nikon coolpix 7.0 felt I wanted to capure the whole wolrd every drop of the waterfall every ray of the sunrise and every reflection of light on a snow coevered peak. That journey has just begun and I am just an gushing child wanting to capture the world thru my lens.