The sculpture calls out to me. Carved in stone is a story of a devout cowherd called Chandesa who worships an icon of Shiva on sand and anoints it with milk. His father angrily strikes him and Chandesa retaliates . His staff turns into an axe chopping off his father’s legs, just when Shiva lands on the scene and accepts him into his fold. When the guide finished his narration, it seemed to be just another tale from Indian mythology; but it did not end there.

“ See the sculpture carefully , the cowherd is a prince and the prince is the great Rajendra Chola 1,” he said explaining that this could be an allegory . Engraved in stone is the coronation ceremony of Rajendra Chola 1 graced by the Gods – Shiva and Parvati as the prince dedicates all his laurels to them .The sculpture that depicts this celebrated moment is the famous Chandesanugraha murthi panel from the Brihadeshwara temple.

I am in Gangaikondacholapuram,the long lost capital of Rajendra Chola 1 which has mysteriously disappeared leaving behind this mammoth temple. This was the town that once ruled all of India upto the Gangetic plain and also Srilanka, Maldives, Malyasia and Indonesia.
When Rajendra Chola 1 conquered the Gangetic plain, he wanted to portray to posterity that he was probably greater than his father Raja Raja Chola 1 who had immortalised himself with the Big Brihadeshwara temple in Thanjavur.

So he built another Brihadeshwara temple in a new found capital called Gangaikondacholapuram. However he did not complete the temple. And he finally ensured that his father’s temple was bigger than his. There were no answers to this sudden change of heart. Probably the panel was a clue to the sudden decision says my guide.

The towering 180 feet tall Vimana seem to touch the sky announcing its existence in this otherwise dead capital . A majestic Nandi obstruct our gaze. A few gardeners are tending to the lawn while we soak in the ambience. Various forms of Shiva captured in different moods stand out in the artistic mosaic.

A giant lion shaped sculpture called Simhakinar in the form of the Chola emblem stares at you . ” This is the way the defeated kings used to go down and pour the water they brought down from the Ganga,” says the guide. I peer down and see a flight of steps leading through a tunnel below into a huge well filled with murky water. Rajendra built another huge reservoir which was about 22kms long and elephants were used by the armies to bring the water from the river. “He had brought back more than 1000 pots of holy Ganga water and performed the Kumbabhishekam,” adds my guide.

We move on looking for the palace and reach a small mound close by called Malligai medu near a small village called Ulkottai An empty spectacle of sand and rocks greet us. Recent excavations have unearthed some priceless treasures which are now sheltered in a small hut near the temple complex where the State ASI’s museum remains. A Buddha stands on the stony pavement along with some banana vendors as we enter the hut. Smiling silently at me is the king himself from a painting against the wall. The image stays with me as we drive down the highway.

This post is about my favorite top ten treks in the Indian Himalaya that can be done by a person like Nishith with his family. Now that demands that I must briefly tell you about Nishith so that you can compare yourself to him and know for sure that the following treks are for you as well. Nishith, no offence to you but I got to be factual here. Ok, Nishith is a happy go lucky perpetually smiling bespectacled fellow, who in his present avatar along with a prominent middle is one of the most unfit persons that I know of. He is merrily married to a wonderful woman equally normal in her physical prowess while his kid is as naughty as kids can be. Nishith and family have absolutely no special training, technical or physical, for going into the mountains. They live a perfectly normal big city life (Mumbai) with all its failings and they love to eat and enjoy the good life. Despite this what makes them different and among my dearest friends is their spirit. There’s nothing on earth that can keep Nishith away from the mountains. He continued this journey even after he got married, along with his wife and now with his kid. This guy is unstoppable and so can you be.

Mountains don’t demand much from you. All they want and wish is that you would visit them once in a while and talk to them like friends. They are benign, they are majestic, they are enchanting and they are mythical. They will touch within you at places you did not know existed. They will transform you forever. They will teach you how to live and how to die without the fear of death. They will tell you stories far more spellbinding than any mortal ever can. They are a part of our heritage, our country and you. If you haven’t yet gone into the mountains or never rolled in soft snow then it is time you did. There’s absolutely no age, sex, religion, culture, color, creed, physical limitations barriers to the mountains. Go at your own pace in your time but please go in this life time. No matter what ails you, be it cancer, blindness or physical handicaps mountains will heal you even if they don’t have the panacea for eternal life and well being. And if the thought that worries you most is that you have never done it before, please remember that even for me and Nishith there was a ‘first’ time and once you have overcome that hurdle you will realize there will never be a ‘last’ time. So here’s to you the top 10 treks.

While selecting the top ten treks I have maintained the following assumptions: involves at least 4 nights of tented camping, crosses at least 10,000 ft in altitude, can be done with a child of 5, fairly well known and well marked trails, among the trails I have personally done, and all within the boundaries of Indian Himalaya. Further these treks are not mentioned in any order. Each one of them is equally exciting. Being fairly well known and in today’s google world since nothing is really unknown I haven’t included any details about the routes save their names. So go ahead get your trekking shoes out, dust your backpack, tell your paunch to watch out and step off into another adventure of body and mind. I will see you all on top.

1. Lachen to Green Lake in North Sikkim. This is a spectacular trek with stupendous views of some of the highest peaks in the Himalaya including the breathtaking NE ridge of Kangchenjunga. An interesting add on to this trek would be the crossing of Thieu La into Lhonak Valley (Minus the Missus and Kid of course).

2. Yuksum to Guicha La in West Sikkim. A beautiful hike full of trekkers in all seasons, crossing an emerald lake and again Kangchenjunga in all its glory. A really fit and motivated group could attempt an approach to the Zemu gap as well (MMK).

3. Munsyari to Ralam Village in Uttarakhand. An add on could be a quick trip to Kalabaland Glacier and base of Ralam Dhurra or a detour through Brijganga Dhurra and return via Martoli (MMK).

4. Kagbhushand Taal. Despite being easy and near the famous and over rated Valley of Flowers, KT gets very few visitors. Enchanting valley during post monsoon.

5. Chitkool to Baspa Valley in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. One can also opt to continue with Charang Ghati from Chitkool (MMK). Baspa Valley is as near to heaven as one can get in this life.

6. Bataal to Bara Lacha La via Chandratal in Lahaul, Himachal. A mid-grade trek, very enjoyable and offers amazing landscapes. Try to plan this to have full moon around Chandratal or Bara Lacha La. You won’t forget the view ever.

7. Dharlang Valley in Kishtwar Himalaya. One of those hidden and undiscovered jewels of our Himalaya. Any approach other than from Atholi would need crossing of very high and dangerous passes to enter this valley.

8. Four lake trek in Kashmir. This round trail takes you along the shores of Kishensar, Vishensar, Gangabal and Nudkhol with out of the world views of the mountains and glaciers across the LOC. This is a mid-grade trek and can only be done by a fit family. It is hard but absolutely worth the effort. It had gone down in popularity chart due to the Kashmir problems but is reemerging now and it is safe to do it.

9. Chadar or frozen river trek in Ladakh. Contrary to what you might have heard about this trek, the only real danger posed is the cold since it can only be done during winters. With a safe and sound guide and support team this trek is very much doable by a family.

10. Several short trails in and around Lake Tso Moriri Ladakh. Even few rounds along the lake shore is worth the visit. One full moon night is highly recommended.

Distinct Disclaimers. Well, as you know by now, anything coming from me comes with a catch. As much as I have recommended the above as my top ten family treks in Indian Himalaya, I do not by any way claim this to be exhaustive. There are more than 5000 treks in the Himalaya and almost 60% of those are family kind. The above 10 are my personal favorites and would recommend to a friend. Though I must caution that none of these treks are easy walking. They need some amount of preparation in terms of physical fitness and determination, but then isn’t that the reason why you wish to go into the mountains; to overcome your weakness and to win the battle of bulges. And please don’t worry about the toddler, in all probability he would outpace and outrun me any day on those slopes. Yet caution must always be your priority and please do a thorough research work before leaving home. Talk to those who have done it. Finally all risk that you run and take is yours and so are the enjoyment and the rewards. I can only show you the path and offer you my best wishes but it is your own feet and heart that will take you to the lofty heights where Swami Satya will meet you. Go with guruji’s blessings and may you come down a new and healthier person. Sab ka kalyan ho jai bholeshankar (may all benefit from Lord Shiva’s divine power).

Travelling has several incentives – you get to see places, meet people, relax ,de-stress and enjoy some wonderful cuisines… Sometimes you can also win prizes!.

CLAY has just announced a new contest that can win you “Handy cameras” and “Digital Cameras”.

All that you need to do is to create an itinerary. If you have travelled on the Delhi – Corbett – Naukuchiatal – Binsar or  Bangalore -Coorg -Ooty circuit, share your experience . We are not talking about that lengthy travelogue or the brilliant photograph that you took of the sunset.We are referring to a simple itinerary that you can create of your journey. Tell us where you stopped for meals, what are the sightseeing places that you visited and suggest more pit-stops for fellow travellers like you .

Even if you havent been there or you have been planning to go or you simply prefer arm chair travelling, you can still participate.

Mail in your entries to clay@clubmahindra.com and win yourself the cameras ! We will also be posting your entries on CLAY and on Facebook as well..

Go for it… this contest is one for the road !

Pic courtesy – Lakshmi Sharath

A serene, unpolluted, eco-sensitive “popular” hill station near Mumbai. Unbelievable! This was my reaction when my husband told me all about the tiniest hill station in the country and Asia’s only pedestrian hill station. Matheran.

Surfing the internet for more information on this favorite holiday destination for tourists from all over the world got me interested in this “Forest on Top” located at an altitude of 800m above sea level. I learned that all fuel-driven vehicles, except for emergency vehicles, are banned from this little town. This is its USP. Horses, ponies and hand-pulled carts are the only means of transport. The architecture is typically colonial and civilization and economics haven’t mutilated the old world charm which is present everywhere. Thank God for that!!

Eager to experience all this and since there was an upcoming extended weekend, we decided on spending it at this quaint place. It’s quite easy to get there actually as Matheran is well connected with nearby Mumbai and Pune. One can drive down all the way to Dasturi Naka which is the entry point to Matheran or take a local train to Neral, the nearest railway station. From there, trekkers follow the tar pitched road to Dasturi Naka; the others hop on to the mini train which takes around 2 hours to cover the 21 km distance.

One our way to Neral, someone informed us that a 24 hr share taxi service to Dasturi Naka was available at a short distance from the station charging a fare of Rs. 50 each, which seemed quite reasonable. Anyway, one can’t really haggle here! Trekking did seem a little arduous and there was a long queue for the mini train. So we hopped in, sharing the taxi with 3 others. Since it was just after the monsoons and just before the onset of winter, the landscape was picturesque. Warm sunshine, cascading waterfalls and lush green vegetation; what more could one ask for?? The climate was pleasant and humidity almost negligent. The tar pitched road did have a few twists and turns and a couple of hairpin bends which were overcome quite smoothly by our experienced driver, without any discomfort to our systems.

The cab dropped us off at Dasturi Naka, the entry point to Matheran, 2 km away. We were told that those traveling to Matheran by road from Mumbai or Pune have to park their vehicles here in the parking lot and pay a nominal parking fee on a daily basis.

As for us, we hoisted up our backpacks (how thankful I was now on taking my better half’s advice to travel light!) as we made our way into Matheran via foot. We were warned that it would be a good half hour walk but were also assured that we wouldn’t regret it. Our fellow passengers opted for horseback and we left them haggling. A few others had hopped onto the brightly painted hand pulled cart with their luggage firmly placed along with them at their feet. I noticed that these carts can accommodate only one person at a time. As for us, we were directed towards the mini train track where we joined several others and trudged along a little till we started feeling quite hungry as we hadn’t eaten anything yet. Sitting down on a wayside cemented platform under a dense leafy canopy, we took out our little picnic basket which had been safeguarded so far from the monkeys. Now don’t be alarmed; they are quite harmless otherwise. Keeping our eyes peeled, we settled down to munch on our delicious sandwiches with a hot cuppa alongside. No one really bothered us as they passed by. Quite an enjoyable experience I must say… of just being ourselves in a shady forest without a care in the world, munching away!

Once done, we dusted off the crumbs and set off again. Believe me, nothing, absolutely nothing compares to walking along a mini train track, hopping over sleepers, following a leafy path with the sunlight flittering in through the leaves. The horses and carts follow another longer, uneven path. I do advise wearing sturdy shoes for walking. The path we were on did provide us with a panoramic view of the scenic landscape dotted with mist–laden hills, seemingly close enough to touch!

Time flew by and just when I was beginning to tire, the path opened up into a little clearing and we caught sight of a few cottages and Matheran station. Yes! we had finally arrived.

We had to walk on a little more to get to our hotel which was at the furthest end of the crowded Bazaar road. The shops were doing roaring business. Its season time after all! Several popular hotels jostled to fit in with the shops. The horses and carts were moving to and fro, ferrying passengers. A busy time for everyone!

Finally, we arrived at Hope Hall. The owner, Maria, welcomed us and showed us around the place. She has used colours quite subtly all over the hotel which was sight for sore eyes and tired feet and put us in the holiday spirit right away!

Setting down our bags in our room, we immediately set out to explore this “Forest on Top”. Our first stop was the nearby, colourful Bazaar. What caught my eye immediately was a pretty wide-brimmed hat and I went ahead and bought it. Now I was protected from the sunlight on my face. A few stalls had colourful, but sturdy, handmade leather sandals and shoes on display and we picked up a pair each. The dried flowers would later find their pride of place at home. And the chikki and fudge was a treat to die for! What varieties and flavours!! We bought loads of chikki; it being the local product, the fudge was eaten right away.

The Bazaar road has a red laterite road running through it and I noticed the same red soil all over Matheran but don’t get discouraged if you find traces of it on your feet. It washes off quite easily.

As for a rumbling tummy, one needn’t worry too much as there are several restaurants catering to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian palates. Stopping for lunch at Gujarat Bhavan was a good decision as they serve an unlimited supply of Gujarati dishes to delight any vegetarian palate.

Post lunch, we went for a short walk to Charlotte Lake and were lucky enough to find a log of wood by the lake to sit on. The reflection of the clear blue sky in the calm, still waters, the peacefulness, the trees surrounding the lake; nature in all its glory all around and we were in its midst, lucky enough to experience all of it.

Matheran also provides a dual experience of sunrises and sunsets and both are exquisite to witness. The other tourist spots (or points) can be covered on horseback or carts as most tourists did; we preferred to walk and find our way around.

Dinner was by the poolside. Since winter was setting in, the evenings were slightly chilly and a light shawl or cardigan provided enough warmth to ward off the chill.

We were told that this little town experiences a drop in tourist traffic during the monsoons due to the heavy rainfall. Also, as none of the paths are tarred, the whole area turns muddy and slippery making it difficult to move around freely. The place virtually shuts down during this time.

Our last day was spent exploring the surrounding forests, listening to the sound of whispering leaves, watching the sunlight playing peek-a-boo through the leaves, sidestepping the passing horses, feeling the cool breeze on our faces, crushing dried leaves beneath our feet, the twittering birds, savouring country living! Where would we get this all this in the city?? Even the silence was welcome, it brought a sense of peace with it. One tends to believe that all’s well with the world, enveloped in this little corner, away from all cares and worries. This enveloping silence was occasionally broken by the laughter and chatter of passing fellow tourists.

Soon, time beckoned and reminded us that everything has to end at sometime or the other and the time had arrived for us to leave this quaint town and return home. The holiday ended too soon. We were reluctant to leave but reality struck and Monday morning responsibilities came to the forefront. We packed our bags and hoisted them up once again. This time, on the long walk down, we were silent, taking in the final few moments with this peaceful town. The trip had left a lasting impression on us to carry home. We did make another trip there as soon as we possibly could. But that brought a different set of memories and is another story to tell! Ciao!