Haven of tranquility

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Bhowali town

What would be the ultimate leisure pursuit for urban dwellers? Probably a getaway far from the madding crowd, some place undiscovered, unexplored and not marked on the tourist radar. Preferred activities would be breathing in fresh mountain air, lazy walks, bonfires, and playing antakshari under starry skies.

Uttrakhand has little towns and villages, you will love these places for the way they have remained — untouched.
Bhowali, 11 kms from Nainital, charming and understated, is a wonderful getaway for the archetypal dwellers of the cosmopolitan plains. No malls, no crowds, no fancy cappuccinos and no noise. Crystalline mornings, spectacular views, fragrant fruit laden orchards, and birdsong coursing through your being, Bhowali is like a step into a haven of tranquility.
Because of its salubrious climate and invigorating environ, a TB sanatorium was built here in 1912 and it came to be prized as a health resort. The journey is as reverential as the destination; the drive to Gagar, through lands of unfettered blue and greens, is a pleasure.
Located at 7000ft, it has enthralling views of the Kumaon hills and the endless stretch of the famous peaks such as Nanda Devi, Panchachuli, Nandakot, Bhartoli and Nandaghunti.
This area is known as the Karambhumi of Maharishi Garg, Narayan Swami, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahadevi Verma. As per local legend, Bhagwan Krishna visited the Vedic Muni 4,500 years ago atop the mountain of Gagar, the point from where you can see the city lights of Delhi on a clear night.
The mountains in winter are white, interspaced by the evergreens, nature’s artistry at its magnificent best.
Gagar also offers some of the most amazing mountain trails and river crossings for trekkers, photographers, and nature lovers. There is little tourist traffic here due to its remote location, and the scenery is bucolic.
Ramgaragh is located 26 kms from Nainital and divided in two areas: Malla is on an elevated location and Talla is in the basin. The natural beauty here is said to have inspired great poets and artists. Guru Rabindranath Tagore spent many summers here and initiated work on Gitanjali and our national anthem Jana Gana Mana. You can visit Tagore Point, the house where Gurudev lived. Though the house is in ruins, an aura of poetry and peace prevails.
Close by is Devisthan, the home of poet Mahadevi Verma, author of the famous story Lachma. The Himalayan centre of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Madhuban, at Talla Ramgargh, offers a sanctuary of peace and serenity.
Ramgarh was an army cantonment in the days of the Raj. The Old Bungalow and the Writers Bungalow built in the 1800’s are summons of another era. These heritage structures were once hosts to the British and Indian officers who trotted the hilly tracks on horseback and palanquins.
Every traveller takes back his own special memories, with sincere promises made to the mountains for a return trip one day.

The writer is an avid traveller