A Weekend in Rishikesh

On the banks of the holy river - Ganga

Known to many as the Yoga capital of the world and India’s spiritual hub – Rishikesh is a popular getaway from Delhi. A lot of us go there for rafting on the Ganges, for others, it is a spiritual sojourn. I went there earlier this month for some quiet time after an extremely hectic period at work. Although I had booked an ashram, we were later upgraded to their yoga retreat centre and resort due to some urgent renovation work at the ashram.

Amidst nature at Tapovan Vatika Resort

Situated a few metres from the tempo stand and the main road, Tapovan Vatika Resort is a great place to get in touch with your inner self. It has three large gardens, blooming flowers and is surrounded by fields and mountains. With regular yoga and meditation classes, it can be a great getaway for anyone looking to get in touch with their spiritual side.

My friend and I had taken a book each to read on our trip. In between reading, we went to different eating joints across town in search of good food. Being a religious place, Rishikesh is largely vegetarian and alcohol free (unless you are carrying your own). Here is my list of where to eat while you are there.

Ayur Pak

1.       Ayur Pak – This is a quiet, green homestay away from the city’s hustle and bustle. We had vegan dosas with sambhar and imli chutney, grilled vegetable sandwiches and a chocolate pancake. It was the most fulfilling breakfast I had on my entire trip. Although the flavors were different from what I am used to, it felt wholesome and filling.

Meat Lovers pizza

2.       Bistro Nirvana – Probably the only non vegetarian bistro in Rishikesh, it was a welcome break from all the vegetarian fare. After a long hike to the Beatles ashram on an unusually warm day in March, a cold soft drink and a meat lovers’ pizza was the perfect comfort food.  Surrounded by trees, Bistro Nirvana is a welcome escape from the heat.

3.       Himalayan Kitchen - Rooftop Cafe & Restaurant – We had dinner here on two consecutive nights as the ambience and views were great. The food was not that bad either; do try their ginger tea, tomato soup and pancakes.

4.       Tulsi Café – Located on the main road in Tapovan, it is a cosy café. Food is great but their service was incredibly slow when we were there. A Hawaiian pizza and fresh lime soda took about an hour to arrive. They were quick with the hummus and pita after which we along with other diners had to wait a lot. It is worth a visit but go there if you have a lot of time to kill.

Top Tips for the Perfect Winter Vacation in Kashmir

Nothing prepares you for a trip to the valley of Gods, Kashmir. In winter, a never-ending range of mountains draped in white welcome you with open arms.  The warm hospitality of the locals, rich local cuisine and picturesque views will make this a vacation like no other.

Here are the top things to do while there:

Views from our houseboat: On a very cold morning

     1. Stay on a houseboat: There are over 1500 houseboats in Dal lake. From warm hospitality, delicious food to sweeping views of the valley, White House Group of Houseboats offers an authentic experience like no other. Sipping hot kahwa on a cold day, while watching people go by their daily business on shikaras is an unforgettable experience.

        2. Dig into Kashmiri Wazwan: A trip to Kashmir without tasting some of the region’s delicacies is incomplete. Kashmiri Gustaba and naan at Srinagar’s Ahdoos restaurant (Kashmir valley’s first ever restaurant) is mouth-watering. The bakery downstairs serves delectable cakes and biscuits as well. Do pack some goodies for your trip to Gulmarg as there are no bakeries there.

Views from 14.500 ft

        3. Experience snow like never before: In Gulmarg, the exquisite beauty all around is sure to make your jaw drop. Everything is covered in a thick, white blanket of snow making it a white paradise. Fresh snow feels soft and crisp under your rubber boots (available for hire from Rs. 100 per day) and is perfect for a snowball fight. The panoramic views from Apharwat Peak (14,500 ft) of Gulmarg and the surrounding valleys including Nanga Parbat (26,660 ft) will take your breath away.

Sleighing around!

       4. Go on a sleigh ride: Although Gulmarg is known as Asia’s seventh best ski destination, there is another fun activity that you may partake in while there – sleighing. Weather conditions permitting, you can sleigh down from your hotel all the way down to the gondola or even the main skiing zone. The most enjoyable sleigh ride is from Phase 1 Gondola all the way down to the base. Prices start from Rs. 300 per person for a couple of hours.

Gulmarg

Views from the Gondola

It took us roughly two and a half hours to reach Gulmarg. We stopped on the way to buy some dry fruit at wholesale prices. I spotted some saffron face cream on one of the shelves and could not resist buying some, knowing my penchant for body care.

After renting rubber boots for Rs. 100 per day at Tungnath, we started our incline towards the snowy mountains. It was a sunny day and the snow shone bright as we followed the meandering road amidst mountains draped in white. As soon as we reached Gulmarg, we were greeted by a lovely, white landscape. A lot of tourists were trying their hand at skiing and the even more adventurous were sleighing through the snow. I could not wait to unload the luggage, freshen up and go for a walk in the snow. A short distance from our hotel, our taxi skidded on some ice and got stuck. The driver decided not to proceed further without snow chains. I put on my rubber boots and made my way up, slipping from time to time on the icy road.

We went for a short walk after relishing some mutton rogan josh and naan. Playing around, my friend slipped and fell into fresh snow, two - three feet deep. We had a good laugh. In order to warm ourselves up, we went to a closeby café called Raja Hut for some Kahwa. It was a cosy place and reminded me of the cafés in Manali; maybe because the owner was playing trance music. We met some fellow travellers there and got talking about things to do in Gulmarg. As it was about to get dark, we decided to head back to the hotel, before the temperature would start plummeting drastically.

View from the room

Hotel Lounge

Hotel Rosewood is a delightful, boutique hotel with comfortable rooms, lounge and hookah bar.  I enjoyed their food as well, especially their grilled cheese sandwiches and lamb bolognaise. The next morning, we enjoyed a sleigh ride to the gondola entrance. We had bought our tickets online so it was fairly easy getting in. The gondola ride was a lot of fun as well, offering panoramic views. I even spotted some paw marks on the snow below. Our guide told us that there were many snow leopards and deer in the area.

View From Top

We rode straight to Phase two of the gondola - Apharwat Peak, at a height of 14,500 ft. Our guide took us for a short hike through 2 ft deep snow. I was amazed by the stunning, birds-eye view of Gulmarg and the surrounding valley including Nanga Parbat (26,660 ft). There were clouds below and it seemed like we were in heaven. We saw Pakistan occupied Kashmir in the distance and learnt that that it is more beautiful than what we have.

At Apharwat Peak

After spending an hour in the freezing cold, we headed down to Phase 1 for lunch. We had some delicious Kashmiri pulao along with Kahwa. As the snow mobile ride was expensive, starting at Rs. 1500 per person for a short ride, we decided against it. We continued our sleigh tour for the rest of the afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

On a sleigh

Once back at our snug hotel, we savoured the Old Monk that we had bought from Srinagar. It was the perfect way to end a great day.