From the Queen's Meadow

A visit to Ranikhet takes you back to the time when a walk to the
market to have a cup of tea was the thing to look forward to each
day. Susmita Mukherjee visits the sleepy hill town of Uttarakhand and
finds out more about it

Agenda
The Pioneer
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Saturday, September 10, 2011

On my very first visit to the pristine valley of Kumaon, I knew that
I was going to keep finding excuses to return to her lap time and
again. Truly, Ranikhet's natural beauty is a reflection of a peaceful
soul. And, within its dense forest cover, it is not difficult to
realise why the tigers of Kumaon came to be feared the way they were.
Unfortunately, hardly any of the population has survived and several
signboards placed by the Army along the winding road to the city
remind the visitors of their glory. Still the thought of the
possibility of crossing paths with one of the surviving members
caused a shiver to run down my spine.

Unfortunately, my fears were not shared by my driver. An elderly
gentleman, he has been visiting the region regularly. "Baagh ka koi
dar nahi hai idhar. Haan, bhalu aa jata hai kabhi kabhi." (There's no
need to fear the tiger on this side of the town, but the Himalayan
bear definitely makes an appearance once in a while). In villages
that can be spotted at a distance from the slopes of Ranikhet, a few
leopards are known to carry off cattle. None of them is known to be
preying on humans anymore.

History of romance

The locals tell the tale of Raja Sudhardev, who courted the beautiful
Kumaoni princess Padmini for a long time before she relented and
became his wife. Queen Padmini, being familiar with the terrain,
chose the quaint little village on the slope of the Himalayas that
would give her a clear view of the snowy peaks as her residence. She
even encouraged local farmers to move to her new abode. With time,
the village, with a steady flow of the rainwater and fertile soil,
prospered and fruit of the Rani's khet (queen's meadow) became
popular even in the plains. The name Ranikhet remained.

In 1869, the British established the headquarters of the Kumaon
Regiment here and used the station as a retreat from the heat of the
great Indian summer. At one time during the Raj, it was also proposed
as the summer headquarters of the Government of India, in lieu of
Simla.

I didn't want to miss the charm of watching the sunrise in Ranikhet
and my anticipation did not permit me too much of a restful sleep.
However, when I opened my eyes to the bluish tinge in the night sky
at around 5 am, I found a rather odd sound from across my pillow.
There it was -- a precious little Himalayan Toad that hopped after me
as I raced for the balcony and seemed equally delighted to find
freedom. Yes, the fauna of Ranikhet had been enticed by the celestial
display of the night purple dissolving into a cherry red.

Paradise in bloom

Most pockets of Ranikhet today are maintained by the Kumaon and Naga
regiments of the Army. Under their meticulous supervision, the roads
are well-maintained and clean. The lanes are lined with local
flowering plants. A visit to the famous Apple Garden left me in the
middle of a paradise. The modest Hollyhocks welcomed me and a weeping
willow stood guard at the entrance of the apple orchard. I made my
way through the winding path going up and down the hillside, stopping
to admire the crown lilies, torch lilies and various other local
blooms adding a well-meant dash of spring into the oncoming monsoon.

The Apple Garden also has 35 different varieties of apple trees along
with specimens of horse chestnut, chestnut, varieties of pine and
deodar trees as well as wild ferns. One part of the Apple Garden also
leads into the densely wooded area, one that the more adventurous --
unlike me -- would like to venture into for a feel of the Himalayan
forest. I still had a toad to return to.

Breath of green

Of the many things that I valued the most were my morning visits to
the Golf Course. Stretching across both sides of the road leading to
Majkhali from Ranikhet, this spread of green offers a view of the
snow-capped Nanda Devi and Trishul Peaks on a clear day. Maintained
by the Kumaon regiment, civilians are not permitted to play, but
everyone is free to experience the natural beauty.

I decided to walk further, heading into the trekking paths etched out
on the ground amidst the soggy brown pine needles by the locals
ferrying their harvest to the market. The sharp wind made me stop in
my tracks many a time, as did the splendid views of forest green and
mountains blue. I made a pit-stop at a friendly looking tea shop
along the main road and instantly the lady of the house brought out
an array of home-made snacks along with a steaming cup and settled
down for a chat. Three adorable little pink faces peered at me
inquisitively through the window and they toddled out of their rooms
and joined in the laughter.

Seat of the goddess

On the last day of my visit, I decided to thank the God for creating
this beautiful place before heading for the Jhula Devi temple. Set on
the farther side of the city, the temple was built after the local
Goddess, a version of Durga, came into a farmer's dream asking for a
swing. The temple was promptly built and was marked by a thousand
prayer bells hung in and around it. It remains a popular destination
where seekers put up a bell in the courtyard with their prayers,
hoping its sound reaches the Goddess's ears. You could call it a
corollary of Buddhist prayer wheels.

In those early morning hours, I sought nothing from the Goddess. I
merely thanked her for taking me back to nature's fold and awakening
my primal instincts.

Glory of the Raj

The Windsor Lodge Ranikhet is a posh set-up in the green on the
Majkhali road. It was built as a hunting lodge for the British
diplomats by the Raja of Sheikhupura and the room used by him to
entertain his guests remains a prime seat of attention. The hotel has
30 rooms in all, refurnished to accommodate all modern amenities with
a liberal use of local wood along with mortar to retain the smell and
feel of the wild in the interiors. The staff, mostly Kumaoni, are
extremely proud of being a part of the heritage property and share
interesting anecdotes of celebrities like Juhi Chawla and Simi
Garewal's visits. When asked for food options in the cozy dining
area, named the Kumaon Room, the waiters get the best of Kumaoni
dishes for you to savour as opposed to an equally tantalising spread
of European and Continental cuisine.

Things to do:

There's not much activity around Ranikhet, especially after dark
(except waiting for a snarl across your door)

Trekking Ranikhet has several trekking paths marked around it, though
one would suggest you stick to the paved roads unless you have a
guide to find your way through the forest.

Bird watching The Himalayas are home to several birds, including Kala
Titar, Whistling Thrush and three kinds of peasants.

Soak in Garampani For those driving down to New Delhi, Garampani is a
wonderful pit-stop to soak your tired feet at.

Getting there:

By air Pant Nagar Airport is the nearest airport.

By rail The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, about 80 km from
Ranikhet.

By road Ranikhet is 279 km from Delhi and is connected by the
National Highway 87.

- Exotica, the wellness and lifestyle magazine from The Pioneer
Group, available in all rooms of select five-star hotel chains across
the country

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Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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