After 4 years long wait finally the trp got underway. I was all excited as the itineary was covering Haridwar and Udhampur. I was getting a chance to show Ginny the places where I have come from.
India has changed a lot in past few years and it is quite evident at the IG intl airport. I wish if same kind of development can spread across the hole country. Dilli has changed, the roads look wider and lots of flyovers have been made recently. However footpaths and encroached lands are still an area of concern. Traffic is major part of any infrastructure, we (India) will struggle to compete with developed economies till we make our traffic smoother. The main perils of India's lack of development is usually put on the population but Japan and Korea are similarly overpopulalted but they have less corruption and better work/social ethics.
My brother says that I am a hasty traveller and he says it for a reason. I reached India on 16th and we left for Haridwar in the wee hours of 17th with Janshatabdi express. I love travelling by train as it is totally a different experience compared to air travel and comfortable than by bus. It was hot outside but for locals it was pleasant as summers are really hot in India these days.
In the AC compartment quite a few passengers were playing with the smartphones and tablets. Recently the gulf between the poor and the richer is getting wider and I think that it is going to increase criminal behaviour. The distribution os wealth is not even, poor is struggling to earn even small sum of money whereas people who have money are just busy in locking it in safes or keeping it away from Govt's tax bracket.
We reached Haridwar in the afternoon. It was firing hot outside the AC compartment of our train. We managed to took a taxi to our hotel- Ginger Hotel. This is another welcoming development, a budget hotel with basic amenities and cleaner surroundings. The room was very clean and all the necessities were there. Lodging in India is very different from west, the days are not far when bed and breakfasts, apartment hotels will start sprucing up at tourist places.
In Haridwar we first went to see Mansa Devi. Luckily for us it was not crowded that day. The day was pretty clear and it was slightly warm, considering that summers are socrching hot these days it will not be exaggeration to say that weather was pleasant. Udan Khatola ride was plesant other than the fact that Ginny has acrophobia (fear of heights). The view from the summit is breathtaking and river Ganga looks like spreading its wings and disappearing into the oblivion.
Then we went to Rajghat where I used to spend morning and evening in swimming and only swimming. Bathing is Ganga gives you kind of high, I don't know why it happens. It could be because of the minerals in it or the coldness of the water. Not much has changed other than now there are ghats on either side of the Ganga. I took a dip as that quintessesntial, it is impossible to stop Rohini from getting into water as she is very fond of chappa chappa (playing in water). We had a short but nice time in our own Haridwar ki Ganga jee.
India has changed a lot in past few years and it is quite evident at the IG intl airport. I wish if same kind of development can spread across the hole country. Dilli has changed, the roads look wider and lots of flyovers have been made recently. However footpaths and encroached lands are still an area of concern. Traffic is major part of any infrastructure, we (India) will struggle to compete with developed economies till we make our traffic smoother. The main perils of India's lack of development is usually put on the population but Japan and Korea are similarly overpopulalted but they have less corruption and better work/social ethics.
My brother says that I am a hasty traveller and he says it for a reason. I reached India on 16th and we left for Haridwar in the wee hours of 17th with Janshatabdi express. I love travelling by train as it is totally a different experience compared to air travel and comfortable than by bus. It was hot outside but for locals it was pleasant as summers are really hot in India these days.
In the AC compartment quite a few passengers were playing with the smartphones and tablets. Recently the gulf between the poor and the richer is getting wider and I think that it is going to increase criminal behaviour. The distribution os wealth is not even, poor is struggling to earn even small sum of money whereas people who have money are just busy in locking it in safes or keeping it away from Govt's tax bracket.
In Haridwar we first went to see Mansa Devi. Luckily for us it was not crowded that day. The day was pretty clear and it was slightly warm, considering that summers are socrching hot these days it will not be exaggeration to say that weather was pleasant. Udan Khatola ride was plesant other than the fact that Ginny has acrophobia (fear of heights). The view from the summit is breathtaking and river Ganga looks like spreading its wings and disappearing into the oblivion.
As I have mentioned in my earlier posts as well that Ganga nadee has special place in my heart. I feel kind of attchement with it as I have spent my early days in swimming and sitting on the banks for hours and hours. Haridwar moves at sedentary pace and it can take you back in 200- 300 years back in time or more. We went to see our Nani's house where I spent lot of time with my elder brother and Nani jee. Like they say ' never forget where you have come from'. जननी एवं जन्मभूमि सवर्ग से भी बढकर हैं
It was anostalgic feeling to visit all those places. If there is a time machine then this is the only time machine where you can go back and reminsces of the days when you used to that and that. Every single thing narrates a story. We went on the roof of the house and I was telling Ginny as how we used to sunbathe during winters and tel maalish, varjish and interacting with neighbours and crossing the roofs of the neighbours.
Then we went to Rajghat where I used to spend morning and evening in swimming and only swimming. Bathing is Ganga gives you kind of high, I don't know why it happens. It could be because of the minerals in it or the coldness of the water. Not much has changed other than now there are ghats on either side of the Ganga. I took a dip as that quintessesntial, it is impossible to stop Rohini from getting into water as she is very fond of chappa chappa (playing in water). We had a short but nice time in our own Haridwar ki Ganga jee.
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