Mukteshwar - a great view of the Kumaon Himalayas

 

The rays of the sun illuminate Trishul and Nanda Devi.  I could see peaks to the left and right of this massif.

Maybe it was so destined and I just couldn’t get my breath back, the complete Kumaon range was so clear.  Complete with Badrinath and Kedarnath to the left and Panchacholi to the right before the range went into Nepal. But then I am getting ahead of myself.

Part of the view from my room

When I reached Mukteshwar it was snowing, actually snowing!! The snow would melt as soon as it touched the ground and it was magical. The next morning it was clear but cold, I got my eyes full of the Himalaya. I then realized that the view from Vineet’s Homestay (where I was staying) and the KMVN rest house was the best.

A langur pondering about its next meal?

Mukteshwar is dominated by the Veterinary Institute, I could not go anywhere without encountering some branch of this institute. The Vet Inst and langurs were all pervasive.

A family of Langur monkeys.
Other hill stations are dominated by macaques, (colloquially bunder) but Mukteshwar has predominantly langurs  

 

Madan, my guide, on the many walks i went for

Madan, came at about 10 am and took me for the first of the “jungle walks”. There are a lot of forests around Mukteshwar and so we went on many jungle walks. Though I suspect he was a "guide" for the many tourists that infest the place in season.

Oak forests abound

Large parts of Mukteshwar were built by the British and so the houses were archaic, with chimneys and corrugated tin roofs. In fact, major parts of Mukteshwar were made by them, though now “modernization” is creeping in. 

Sunset silhouettes the western part of the range 

I could never get enough of the view of the mountain range, whenever it was clear I would go out and look at the peaks. Though a clear view of the peaks meant strong winds and often  inclement weather. Mostly the clouds would rise and by midday obscure the view or make the range hazy. 

Bhaalugaad Waterfall

On two days I did the touristy thing, one day hiring a car and driving to the Bhaalugaad Waterfalls, a major tourist draw in season judging by the cafes and "adventure" activities along the route. Being mostly bereft of tourists at this time, very early and "out of season", I had the waterfall to mainly to myself.  It is a nice place when alone.

Mukteshwar Post Office

Post offices did thriving business in the days that people wrote letters and actually mailed them, now speed post and other schemes have taken over. This post office was made in 1905, I wonder what stories the walls could tell?

A Methodist Church I found along the way

On the second day I walked (with my guide of course), about 15 kms, going to Chauli Ki Jali, Mukteshwar temple and ending at the “organic goat farm” (whatever that is), on the way back we took a small diversion to see a Methodist Church. And yes...they do need donations for the roof...

Sunrise over Trishul with clouds about to obscure the peak

I was walking every day that the weather permitted which was almost five days of the week I was there. When the Great Indian Tourist is not there, making it "a home away from home" it is an achingly beautiful place.

My annual sojourn in the mountains-Joshi's Cottage revisited

Start of the path to Joshi's Cottage.  It is two Kilometers from here

Lemmings all, multitudes of tired, over-civilised people feel that going to the mountains is like going home. Crowds, loud music, parties, traffic jams and garbage, all go towards making it feel homely. Crowds bring waste, plastic waste, and all the villages, including Dalar, are slowly becoming a rubbish dumps.  

Nature, peace and quiet is the last thing on their minds.

Dalar Village is about two kilometers from the Binsar WLS road.

Until now I have to walk about two kilometres to Dalar, this keeps most of the party animals, except the most adventurous, at bay. I have told Santhosh that once a road comes up count me out. In any case being retired I go at the “off season” when there are the least people. 

The same cottage that I had stayed on my previous visit, now with a verandah.  See the mist in the background.

From my last trip here almost exactly a year ago, I can see visible signs of change to the old homestay, a new verandah, changes to the family cottage, the more expensive homestay is now ready, work begun on a new one and on it goes.

all construction is on mule or human back

The food is absolutely delicious, and Kewal outdoes himself in providing a variety of food which is piping hot. Earlier he was a chef at a nearby resort, but now he provides the same delicacies at his family's homestay.

The old Lady of the house.

This is the second time I go to Joshi’s Cottage and it is like coming home; the entire family is there to meet me. With everyone pitching in and making me feel welcome, there is Santhosh and his two brothers, his mother, his wife, sister-in-law, his nephews and niece. Meals are at a central facility, the only concession given me is that I get a chair to sit on as I cannot sit for long periods on the floor.

The path to Dalar

The Path to Dalar is through the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.  There is so much wildlife to see, we saw a leopard and her cubs twice, Barking Deer, Ghural, wild boar and lots of birds. In fact iI was advised not to go out on the path in hours of darkness for fear that a wayward wild boar or leopard make a substantial meal out of me (well fed that I am).

Sunrise on Trishul and Nanda Devi

One of the most beautiful walks is up the hill at the back, from the top I could see the sun rising on the Kumaon Himalayas. I must have been up at least four times, though I got to see the sun rising only once. It is a beautiful natural light show, the best I have seen.

Rain soaked sweet limes at a working village

It rained more on than off, often hail stones would fall and the mud would get gooey. Santhosh and his family bemoan the fact that there has been no rain or snow this year and that the crop is less because of this. 

Raindrops on a wire 

It rained almost every three days, in fact there was a storm on two days and when it cleared the drops had tiny, upside down images in them.

The school where I would walk

There are plenty of places to walk, and I would walk for three days and rest for one.  The rain automatically made me rest, so I followed a natural rhythm. 

Mist at near the water and clear above, a view from my room

It is curious to see that mist or fog sticks to the valleys where there is generally water and that the upper reaches are quite clear.

Silhouette of a Black-headed Jay with a oak nut

There are many birds close to the village and each sunny morning I would be treated with birds on the tops of trees, basking in the early morning sun.

Himalayan Woodpecker

Woodpeckers would embed nuts in a walnut tree and eat them at leisure. These appeared in mist or sunlight, this bold one, looking at us curiously, is in the mist. 

A pair of Slaty-headed Parakeets basking in the sun

Each morning a flock of Slaty-headed Parakeets would feed on the trees nearby, then, as if on a signal, they would cry noisily and fly away together. There is strength in numbers I guess.

A Himalayan Griffon resting on a tree...

Kamal, (Santhosh’s brother) once showed me a Himalayan Griffon sitting patiently on a tree, tired of soaring or was it waiting patiently for its next meal? 

...It didn't fly

It did not fly as long as I kept a distance, though it was alert all the while and looking at me. I saw many Himalayan Griffon soaring on thermals or flying above dead animals, but just this once I saw one sitting.

Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons are beginning to grow in this season, bright scarlet (at this altitude) punctuation marks in an otherwise multi-hued green forest. 

The view from my room on the last evening 

Keep close to Nature’s heart… and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir  

I did both.

 

The Art and Beauty of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)

Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is a art form in itself, for those willing to see (the Emperors new clothes?), it is beautiful. 

Greens, blues, browns and a wee bit of red

I went into the hills and went to Joshi’s Cottage (for the second time read about when I went for the first time here).  

A bit of path with bushes overgrowing

Going for long walks into the forest with my camera, I decided to shake up my photography by doing intentional camera movement (ICM).

Slower this time, browns and blacks bring out the foreboding forest

It is like using a paint palette, broad brush stokes and and a dabbing effect, a very different view and feel from the typical photograph.

A hint of red (rhododendrons) amidst the green and almost black leaves, the sky peeps through at places

Initially I simply wouldn’t get it right, but after more than fifty tries I slowly started I started getting the hang of this creative art form (or so I think!). 

From dark at the bottom to light at the top, the palette of colours  

Slowly I tried to get streaks of red in a green and brown background. but being in a forest they were predominantly colours of green brown.

Diagonals this time with glimpses of red.  Very slowly and which accounts for the curly designs
 

An extreme movement, slightly curved, I don't know how that happened, maybe the lens I used or the movement 

I am still miles away from this form, more hit or miss really. But I am getting there, ever so slowly. Maybe I will try the colours of the seashore next time. I am gradually reimagining the world through the art and beauty of ICM.

Norway - North of the Arctic Circle and a lot of snow

Snow, snow, everywhere snow… and slippery ice; our trip to Norway was nothing but snow and ice. It was very beautiful, very cold, very serene, very stormy, very dark… It is very difficult to use extremes to describe being here.

Gorgeous fjords, snow, and very little sunshine

Landing in Bergen one quickly discovers that it is an almost cashless country and all transactions, big or little are done by card (and no, there is no GPay or other UPI app), so make sure that one’s credit or debit card is valid for international travel. 

I couldn't stop taking photographs, when the light was good with my camera and in poor light with my mobile.  I had earlier discovered that wide-angle pictures in low light are better on my mobile than on my camera.

A city tour of Bergen takes us to the touristy places, Fantoft Stave Church, the Royal Gamlehaugen Palace with its beautiful scenery, the Funicular to the top of Mount Floyen, and the Bryggen. Everything wears a Christmassy look, lights and stars over all the streets. 3^rd Jan at about 4 pm sees us on board the Hurtigruten ship MS Nordlys.

The Fantoft Stave Church

A view of Bergen City from Mount Floyen, notice the candles, probably for the Christmas Look

Gamlehaugen, the official residence of the Norwegian Royal family when they are in Bergen

Bryggen, an old fishing village, see the the lights as Christmas and New Year had just gone by

Norwegian fjords in winter, here we come. At Alesund we take a ‘cultural’ trip to Hjorundfjord, it is an excursion organized from the ship, in which we board a smaller boat, MS Brevik, and it’s a two-hour trip each way.  At the end of the fjord we have lunch at a homestay and return.

On the way to Hjorundfjord there were many boathouses in different colours, at this time only the most intrepid boatman ventured out, though there were some.

Two Santa effigies in a traditional bedroom at the place we were going to have lunch. 

At Trondheim we decide to see the Nidaros Cathedral by ourselves.  It is breathtaking, the organ cockpit is in the center of the floor and there is an organist playing gently right through.   The Cathedral is so lovely that we lose track of time and have to run back to the ship for half an hour for fear of not making it on time.

The Nidaros Cathedral

The Arctic Cathedral, it is a long structure of glass and concrete

Candles at the Arctic Cathedral

At Tromso (the Arctic Capital) we sign on for an excursion and see the Arctic Cathedral, which is very unusual in that it is a long glass and concrete structure.  Then we take a ride up a cable car (Fjellheisen) and get to the top of Storsteinen Mountain ledge (adult return 415 NOK, I told you that Norway was expensive!)  From here we could see Tromso by night.

Tromso at night from Mount Storsteinen

A weak sun barely rises above the horizon after a snowstorm

We pass many ports by day and by night, at some we stop for four to five hours and at some for 10-15 minutes.  We cross the Arctic Circle (66⁰ 33’ N) just before Bodo, and we are awarded with a certificate and also with the sun not coming above the horizon.  It was a light grey in the day and pitch-dark at night.

The snow storms get stronger and it gets very cold, though we are told that Oslo is much colder.  It is academic
 as -2 ⁰C seems as cold as -12 ⁰C. 

The northern most point in Europe is Honningsvag, it is also referred to as the north cape. Here it was pitch dark and a snow storm was in progress, so after going out for 15 mins, we came back.

….And finally on Day 7 we cruised into Kirkenes from where we flew to Oslo.  In Oslo, quite in south but -12 ⁰C, our hotel was in the center of town so we walked on the main road before our guide came at 12 noon. During our walk we saw the University and the Royal Palace among other sights.

Life size statues of Norwegian explorers outside the Fram Museum.

The guide took us to the Fram Museum, a real-life sailing ship of the polar exploration era.  Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, both Norwegians  were famous polar explorers and the ship belonged to them at various times. The Kon Tiki expedition museum (Thor Heyerdahl was another Norwegian explorer) was nearby but time was running out so we couldn’t visit it.

A life size (or is it bigger than life size?) statue of Mother and Child at Vigeland Park

On our way back We went to the Vigeland (Gustav Vigeland) Park, the man really made a lot of statues in his life, the crowning glory being this Park.

The monolith, it is a carved stone giant totem pole in the Park 

A full wall mural in the Council Hall

View from the fort

The ceiling of Oslo Cathedral (or church?)

The next day we went to the Council Hall, which is also the venue for the Nobel Peace Prize. The hall was breathtaking, not only was the main hall painted from floor to ceiling, but the side rooms too. While ambling along, we saw Oslo fort from outside, Oslo Cathedral and finally had lunch at a restaurant on the main road near our hotel.

Norway in winter is so, so icy, snowy and bare, it has a soft but rugged beauty, it is a country of polar (pun intended) opposites, long and narrow, with many fjords and spanning the Arctic Circle. A country which epitomises the saying that "there is no bad weather, only bad clothing" or "if you are feeling cold you haven't worn enough". A country of compromises, we could feel nature here, stark and beautiful.