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.