Main aur Raka, Mukteshwar Trip March 1997

This is the time, when we were in the Final year of our Diploma in Hotel Management, Lucknow. 1997 was not the best of the year for the jobs and recruitment. Indian economy has just started to open up and in the hospitality sector there were only few major players like TAJ HOTELS, OBEROI HOTELS, SHERATON etc.

Me and my best friend Raka ( real name Rakesh Tewari) were trying hard to get a decent job. As I said that this was our Final year so it was essential for us to get a job before we pass out from the college.

At that time success depended quite a lot on PAWUA , which meant one will only get the job, If they knew someone powerful. Hence it was quite clear that both of us failed to land up any jobs during campus selection. We had to do something and being more serious about life, I started the job hunt. Raka's phillisophy of life was LAISSEZ FAIRE, in simpler words his only motto was , JO HOGA ACCHA HOGA, SAB HO JAYEGA.

I was looking for the jobs in the caterer magazine and my eyes got stuck upon an Ad which said

MANAGERS WANTED FOR A RESORT, MOUNTAIN TRAIL, MUKTESHWAR. This was a small 15 villas property in the beautiful, picturesque destination in the hills of Himalayas. I got quite interested in it and applied for it. To my surprise I got a prompt call from the MD of the company.The Head Office was in Pahadganj, New Delhi, so I went to Delhi by Lucknow mail for my interview. My interview went well and they were impressed with all the BOL BACHAN I gave to them, as that was one of the few things, you get taught well in IHMs. So the proposal was made and because they were looking for 2 managers, I forwarded the name of my dearest friend Raka. The offer made to us was subject to the condition that we must visit the property, stay there, check out the place and then make up our mind.

serpent way to mukteshwar

I came back to Lucknow, this time by PRAYAGRAJ express, sitting in the military compartment as rest of the train was packed and there was no other place to go. Prayagraj only came till kanpur so I took PUSHPAK exp from there after waiting for nearly four hours in harsh winter at railway platform. When I reached Lucknow, I told Raka about the offer, he was upto it. So we decided that we will check the place out and will enjoy the free stay.
There was a problem as we both were kadke(penniless), we had to think of the cheapest way to travel to Mukteshwar. My PHOOPHA JI used to teach at Birla Public School in Naintal and they used to come to Lucknow every year during winter holidays. This looked like an answer to our probelm and I asked Bua if me and Raka can come along to Haldwani with them in their Jeep.

This was a memorable trip and one of the memories from my RAM ( random access memory).

It was a night journey and it included me, Raka, Prem uncle, Bua, Bhaiyu and Shweta. Bhaiyu once owned the crown for being the naughtiest kid in our clan and those were his haydays. We started from Lucknow and we made a stop at Sitapur for some refreshments. In the whole journey Bhaiyu was a constant thorn in the flesh, annoying both of us with his antics. Next morning we reached Haldwani and we took a bus from there to Mukteshwar.

The journey to mukteshwar breaks at Bhowali, its a small hamlet known to all paharis as all the routes go from there and the place is famous for its aloo gutke, which is nothing but aloo jeera made in pahadi ishtyle.










So, we took a halt there did some pet pooja and took another state roadways bus to MUKTESHWAR... we reached there around 2 pm in the afternoon and it was really cold out there. The resort looked beautiful, nicely done small rooms, a restaurant, decent kitchen and there was a fantastic library. It seemed that owner was a very knowledgable and thorough person. We checked into our room and it was chilled like a walk in fridge, the temperature must have been around 1C.

Hotel had fruit orchard at back and the landscaping was done in a very tasteful manner, sadly becoz of being kadka, we never had a decent camera thats one thing I rue the most. We took a walk around the area, It was very serene, calm and peaceful. By the time we came back it was supper time, chef had made us mutton curry and naan which was tasting like manna at that time. It was hot in temperature and rightly spiced. After that we went to sleep.

I woke up at the middle of night as It had become very cold, my rajai had gone cold and I tried to go to लघुशंका and as soon as i put my chappals, i got a shock as even they felt like cold ice. I looked into the room and there was a small blower heater there. So I put that blower inside the रजाई and managed to sleep out the rest of the night. Raka as usual was pretty unaffected with the whole thing.

When we woke up next morning and rays of morning sun were coming to our room thru the window. I came out of the room and that was one of the best mornings I have ever experienced in my life. The winter sun was there at the horizon coming out and lighting up the hills of HIMALAYAS, the red, yellow and violet flowers were blossoming in the front gardens, the chirping of the birds could be heard in the background. And then I looked at the front and there were snow clad mountains reflecting the sunlight, the whole experience was unbelievable. I had never even thought that cap of the mountains will be so high, here I would like to tell people that Himalayan mountains are the tallest in the world, to give an idea to European readers- Mt Blanc is around 5000 ft whereas Mt everest is 9000.

Raka was also woke up in the meanwhile and we both were in the awe of the beauty of the nature. I had never felt the nature so closely before.

If you live close to kumaon hills or if you love hill stations and then I recommend that one must go to Mukteshwar and experience the nature in its purest form.