Valley of Flowers - Paradise on earth!!

Paradise - An ideal or idyllic place or state, Garden of Eden (Oxford Dictionary)

Imagination run wild when we hear the word paradise. Or is it just imagination? Does Paradise really exist?

Yes, it does. It is very much within India. It is called "Valley of Flowers". In Garhwal Himalayas in India.

It was in 1931 that Frank S Smythe, a British mountaineer with his team of Mountaineers descended into what is known as Bhyundar valley after their Mt Kamet expedition. Let us hear what happened in their own words

" Dense mist shrouded the mountainside and we had paused, uncertain as to the route, when i heard R L Holdsworth, who was a botanist as well as a climbing member of the expedition exclaim : "Look!" I followed the direction of his outstretched hand. At first i could see nothing but rocks, then suddenly my wandering gaze was arrested by a little splash of blue, and beyond it were other splashes of blue, a blue so intense it seemed to light the hillside........

Lower where we camped near a moraine, were androsacs, saxifrages,sedums,yellow and red potentillas, geums, geraniums, asters,to mention but a few plants , and it was impossible to take a step without crushing a flower.........

The Bhyundar valley was the most beautiful valley that any of us had seen. We camped in it for two  days and we remembered it afterwards as the VALLEY OF FLOWERS

(From "Valley of Flowers by Frank S Smythe, Natraj Publishers, Dehradun, India)

We had planned to visit this place few years back. Landslides and road blocks put a stop to our plans.

Some how it did not materialize for couple of years.

It was in June this year that the bug of Valley of Flowers bit us again. Arjun of Indiahikes, a good friend also was instrumental to make us visit this place. Indiahikes is a young and enthusiastic team which is popularizing trekking in Himalayas. we strongly recommend them and we had very good experience with them.

Here is their website with all details

Indiahikes - Your guide to Trekking in Himalayas

Eventually it happened.

We visited the "Paradise" on 03 Sept 2012.

This is the story our journey to Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, Badrinath.

I am going to narrate it in next few days taking you from Bangalore in South India to Indian Himalayas.

Before we start, a sample of what is in store as we embark on our journey.

Ganges river flowing deep in the valley on the way to Gobind ghat from Rishikesh

Morning sunlight caressing the peaks - Seen on trek from Gobind ghat to Gangaria

One of the many lovely falls you see on the way from Gobind Ghat to Gangaria

Milky streams of Pushpavati river in Valley of flowers

Beauty that can not be described - One of the myriad varieties of flowers

Beauty that can not be described - One of the hundreds of varieties of flowers

Peaks of Garhwal Himalayas as seen from Mana village - The last village on Indo-China border

For more details of our trekking experience to Valley of flowers please click on these posts below:-

Valley of Flowers 2 - Journey with Ganges, Haridwar to Gobind ghat

Valley of Flowers 3 - Trek from Gobind Ghat to Gangaria along Laxman Ganga

Valley of Flowers 4 - Trek to Valley of Flowers from Gangaria

Valley of Flowers 5 - Lovely flower varieties of the Valley

Valley of Flowers 6 - Trek to Hemkund Sahib

Bhojpur - Temple with tallest Shiva linga in the world!

When you travel in India, you always come across some hidden gems. Places which are not on regular tourist circuit but they leave you with a feeling of fulfillment. Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh is one such place. Not many visit Bhojpur which is off Bhopal. When we were on the road trip to Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh last year, Bhojpur was on the top of "Must see" places. We had heard about the unfinished temple for Lord Shiva which would have been one of the largest in the country if completed.

Bhojpur is at a distance of 35 KMs from Bhopal. The road is good and once you come out of 

hurly-burly of city traffic, you will enter the peaceful environs of Betwa basin. Betwa is an important river in Central India. 

We notice a small hillock with a huge red granite structure on top of it from a distance as we drive towards the place. The first sight of the temple tells you what to expect – the massiveness. Bhojpur is a nondescript village. Few shops on the way to the temple welcomes us as we park the vehicle.

We won’t get disappointed when we go closer. Our jaws drop when we see the massive Shiva Linga on a large platform. It is really tall. Bhojeshvara temple built by Raja Bhoja in 11th century.  It houses the tallest Shiva Linga in the world – taller than the one in Brihadeeshwara temple in Tanjavur in South India. The incomplete dome could have been the largest and is supported by four massive pillars. The main entrance is embellished with exquisite sculptures of Yakshis. The side walls have intricately carved balconies.

Though it was a weekend, there was very few people around which was good for us. A small group of kids from local school had come for a picnic. The place was quiet and serene.

Let us take a pictorial tour of the place.

Bhojeshvara Temple from a distance

The entrance to Sanctum - Santorum. Notice the height of the roof and incomplete status.

Lord Shiva in the form of Tallest linga. Notice the size of pillars supporting the roof.

Beautiful Yakshis on the entrance panels

Notice the size of the pedestal and the size of Linga

Beautiful carvings on the roof

Don't miss this place when you plan your India travel. If you are there in Bhopal next time don't miss to visit Bhojpur.

Getting there

Bhojpur is at a distance of 35 KMs from Bhopal which is the capital of Madhya Pradesh state in Central India. Bhopal is well connected to other parts of India by air, train and bus. It is recommend to hire a taxi from Bhopal to visit the place as local bus services are irregular.

Best Time to visit

The months immediately after monsoon should be the best. This means September. The place will be green and soothing and the red granite structure provides a nice contrast to surroundings. Otherwise the best time would be from October to March. Winter months of December - January will be very cold in the morning. If planning to visit during summer months of April - July, make sure you visit the the place early in the morning or late in the evening. Day temperatures in these places soar to 45 degree centigrade in summer months.

Stay options

There are no stay options in Bhojpur. Make Bhopal as the base to explore. Bhopal has stay options suiting all budgets.

Travel tips.

a) The best time to visit the temple is early in the morning or during sun set. One will be able to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere surrounding the whole place.

b) Make sure that you take a loot at the exquisite sculptures at the entrance and on the ceiling of the temple. Since the roof of the temple is very high, a binocular would help.

c) If you have time on hand explore Jain temples, ruins of Raja Bhoja's palace, Rock shelter popularly known as "Parvati's cave".

c) It is recommended to pack your food as we did not see any good eating places. However you will be able to get some good chai.

d) It is recommended to have Bhojpur a part of a day trip which extends to Bhimbetka, a UNESCO World heritage for rock shelters which are renowned anthropological ruins.

You may also see the related link on Lord Shiva in this blog

Thanjavur which has second tallest Shiva linga in the world - Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple - Big, beautiful, Divine!

Maheshwar - Lord Shiva's quiet abode on Narmada

Useful Links

Wiki on Bhojpur

Wiki on Bhimbetka

Glossary

a) Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh - Name of states in India

b) Shiva - Part of trinity of Hindu gods. God of destruction.

c) Linga/Ling - A form of Shiva worshiped in temples

d) Raja Bhoja - Name of the king who ruled Central India in 11th century.

e) Brihadeeshvara temple - A Chola temple in South India. A UNESCO World heritage site.

f) Yakshi - Fairies in Hindu Mythology

g) Parvati - Wife of Lord Shiva

Back of the Blog - Sculptural marvels in Badami

Back of the blog. Here we will share tit-bits and snippets on India Travel which may be useful for a traveller in India. It may be some new information about the place, a new cuisine one can explore, a bit of history, a funny anecdote or a good travel book. Anything connected to Travel in India.

Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal in the state of Karnataka in South India is a marvelous heritage of cave temples, outstanding Chalukyan temples, and great sculptures. I chanced upon these pictures from our album which are nothing but the finest form of art and embodiment of the finest form of sculpture in Badami. Take a look at he panoramic view of Bhoothanatha temple from the top of the hill. The setting is just beautiful!

Trivikrama statute

This is the show stopper - 18 handed Nataraja

Panoramic view of Bhoothanatha temple from the top of the hill

Related posts on this blog

Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal - A Chalukyan heritage

Glossary

a) Trivikrama - One of the ten Avatars of Lord Vishnu Wiki on Trivikrama

b) Nataraja - Lord Shiva in dancing form Wiki on Nataraja

Back of the Blog - Windmills in the Morning!

Back of the blog. Here we will share tit-bits and snippets on India Travel which may be useful for a traveller in India. It may be some new information about the place, a new cuisine one can explore, a bit of history, a funny anecdote or a good travel book. Anything connected to Travel in India.

We always look forward to see these wind mills on top of the rolling hills near Chitradurga whenever we drive on National Highway 4 connecting Bangalore to Mumbai. These windmills makes a pretty scene in the mornings or in the evenings. Don't forget to look for them next time you are driving close to Chitradurga.

These pictures were taken in the morning around 7.30 AM. The shadow play in the mornings look beautiful with the huge machines in the background. If you are lucky to be driving at sun set, don't forget to frame the sun setting behind the hills with silhouette of the machines in the foreground.

Back of the Blog - Breakfast in Bhopal

Back of the blog. Here we will share tit-bits and snippets on India Travel which may be useful for a traveller in India. It may be some new information about the place, a new cuisine one can explore, a bit of history, a funny anecdote or a good travel book. Anything connected to Travel in India. 

Nothing can be better than starting with food. Indians love their food. India is a Gourmet's paradise. The tastes change every few KMs in this country. Exciting part of traveling in India is also becoming adventurous in experimenting different cuisines.

When we went to Bhopal last year, we did not want to eat in the hotel we stayed. Noor-us-Sabha is the best hotel in Bhopal. But we wanted something authentic, something very "Bhopali". So we took an auto-rickshaw and headed to the small bye-lanes which are famous for the breakfast of Poha and Jalebi.  A motley group pf locals were already gathering in front of Sharmaji's joint which is famous for tangy Poha and hot, crispy Jalebis.

Crowd gathering in front of Sharmaji's stall

Poha is spicy and tangy puffed rice which is soaked and light fried with a garnishing of chillies, coriander leaves etc.....and Jalebi is the the sweet which is made of lentil batter which is deep fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. Jalebi must be the national sweet of India!!

Poha (yellow in colour), Jalebi (orange in colour). The other dish is Kachori.

Sharmaji serving Poha and hot, crispy Jalebis

 The combination was heavenly. No doubt, we helped ourselves to generous helpings!!

Useful links

Jalebi - Wiki on Jalebi

Poha - Wiki on Poha

Tale of two Mountains - Himalayas & Western Ghats

Mountains amazes me.

Mammoth, they captivate you with diversity they sustain.

Every mountain has its own character and beauty.

I thought of sharing two pictures of mountains.

Separated by miles.

One of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges near Badrinath in North India and the other of Mullayana Giri ranges in Western ghats in Karnataka in South India.

Both pictures shot during monsoons.....with clouds hugging them. Pictures taken within 15 days.
 
Allow me to quote John Muir (John Muir on Wiki) on mountains

"Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean"

How true....... 

Garhwal Himalayas near Badrinath

Mullayana Giri ranges in Western Ghats

Ladakh Diaries 5 - Leh to Pangong Tso, the lake @ 15000 feet

After the summit drive to Khardung La, we were looking forward to our next day's trip to Pangong Tso. It is a high altitude lake at 15,000 feet. For anyone traveling to Ladakh, a visit to the lake is a must. Ever since it was show cased beautifully in Aamir Khan's Bollywood blockbuster "3 Idiots", it is "the hot spot" for the tourists visiting Ladakh. This a good example of how one movie can make all the difference. It had happened earlier to places like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Shimla, Manali and Kashmir.  Now it the turn of Ladakh to get swarmed by tourists.

As usual, Zigmet, our driver was ready with his vehicle at 5 in the morning and we set out for the drive to this lake at dawn. Driving in the hills as the sun comes up is an experience to behold. The Shadow-play over the hills is something one cherish for a long time. It happened to us as well. Leaving behind Leh and few KMs on the road, we could see sun coming up and lighting up the ranges. Stok Kongri, the tallest peak was literally basking in the sun.

Shadow-play at Dawn. Notice Stok Kangri - the tallest peak in Ladakh - in the centre.

The best part of the trip to Pangong Tso is the drive. No doubt, the lake is pristine and beautiful. But the drive to reach the lake must rank as one of the most beautiful drives in the country. We cross one of the highest pass in the region - Chang La - on the way. The landscape changes every few KMs and we are greeted by mesmerising landscape with amazing colours of mountains and sand. The barren landscape is broken by small streams with wild flowers growing in abundance. Fortunately, the road was freshly laid and fantastic. There was one patch which was bad - a avalanche prone area - and we had to literally struggle to get past that. But for this, it was a drive we always cherish.

The mustard and barley fields add contrast to barren landscape

The shadow play continues as we climb to Chang La

Yaks grazing

First glimpses of snow as we close in to Chang La

Colourful Prayer flags fluttering in a make shift mandir @ Chang La

Your truly @ Chang La

The bad stretch and avalanche prone area - Notice the snow wall

A frozen lake surrounded by snow clad peaks

We now move into barren and desert landscape. It is disturbed only by a stream with some lovely wild flowers on its banks. Notice the changing colours of the mountains in the succeeding pictures.

First glimpse of the lake

The lake itself is pristine, calm and beautiful. Though tourists have increased, it has not gone to the level of spoiling the pristine charms of the place. You will come across people who will inquire locals - there is hardly anyone except for a small tent selling chai and meals - about where the last scenes of 3 idiots were shot. Grant it to them. The lake is one of the largest brackish water lakes in Asia stretching across India and Tibet. You can not see the farther bank which stretches into Tibet. Fortunately there is no boating arrangements in the lake and hope it will remain so in future as well. The beauty of the place is enhanced when the sky is clear when you can see the reflections of the peaks in the crystal clear water. It was a bit cloudy on this day. Nevertheless, we could capture some nice pictures of the lake.

It is possible to camp on the banks of the lake for which you need prior permission. I have heard from friends who have camped here of watching the sky with millions of stars. The best time to camp should be full moon day.

The lake and its surroundings

The lovely blues of the sky reflected in the clear waters

 We have observed that many a time, we miss out some views which will always strike you on the way back. It did happen to us a s well. Our return journey was fabulous as well. The mountains, the desert, the sky, the clouds all made a beautiful collage.

Natural Zen Garden

To us, the trip to this lake always remain special. The drive, the tranquil lake and pristine surroundings make this a pleasurable day trip. If you are doing this as a day trip, we strongly recommend you to leave Leh early and return early as a road condition in avalanche prone areas may turn out to be a risk.

Travel Tips

a) A visit to Pangong Tso can be comfortably done as a day trip from Leh. If you want to enjoy the stars pitch a tent at night or stay in any Eco-tents pitched by some agencies. Check this out in advance. Leave early and return early if you are going on a day trip. Special permission from district authorities will be needed. Check with any tour operator in Leh and they will help you.

b) If you are staying at night, make sure you have a good tent, sleeping bag and woolens. It will be very cold and windy at night.

c) If you are stuck with any medical emergency, contact army detachments which are nearby. They will be glad to help.

d) Be a responsible tourist. Don't leave any plastic or any other thrash. Take it back with you. Enjoy the tranquility of the lake and surroundings. Don't spoil it with loud music. This is not a place for partying.

e) Savor the drive. Stop and enjoy the nature. It is just awesome. 

f) Always be mentally prepared for delays due to unforeseen landslides. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is doing an amazing job in keeping these roads in excellent condition. They will clear the blocks in quickest possible time.

Related posts on Ladakh in this blog 

Ladakh diaries 1 - Manali to Leh, Day One 

Ladakh diaries 2 - Manali to Leh, Day 2 

Ladakh Diaries 3 - Leh, Sights of a mountain town 

Ladakh Diaries 4 - To Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world 

Ladakh diaries 6 - Basgo and Magnetic hill 

 

 Useful Links

On Wiki - Pangong Tso

If you are staying overnight you can look at this nice link - Camping at Pongong Tso

Glossary

a) Bollywood - Another name for Hindi film industry in India

b) Aamir Khan - One of the super stars of Hindi film industry

c) 3 Idiots - Name of a super hit Hindi film

d) Chai - Indian spicy tea

e) Mandir - Hindu temple

f) Zen garden - Japanese gardens which use minimalistic designs with stone and sand

g) Tso - Ladakhi word for "Lake"

Did you like this post?  Do you need help in planning a trip to Leh and Ladakh? You are welcome to write to me at poorna62@gmail.com.

Happy to help