Dastarkhwan - e - Lucknow - Feasting in the land of Nawabs

Lucknow - For me, the name brings with it lot of Tehzeeb and Aada ( Manners and Elegance/Grace)  and a wonderful fragrance of royal cuisine or to put it more simply the aroma of good food. When P announced that he has some work in Lucknow over the weekend and asked me join him, the aroma of Awadhi cuisine wafted through the streets of Mumbai! And thus keeping the tradition of our sudden weekend trips, we landed in Lucknow late evening in the last Friday of February 2015.






Saturday P got done with his work by evening and we had time till Sunday afternoon; so we decided to make most it and when in Lucknow, you let your stomach make the decisions. First stop - Hazratganj, the most happening place in the city.

Royal Café : This place is a full fledged multi cuisine restaurant. But Royal Café is famous for the chaats; topping the list is the Tokri chaat. This one is very interesting. The whole chaat is served inside a tokri which is edible too. The chaat counter is outside the actual restaurant.

Tip : Avoid the restaurant and eat with the crowd outside.



The famous Tokri Chaat

There we met the steward named John Bell.

As he was moving with a smile from one customer to the other serving orders, clearing the dishes; we got talking with him. He said his grand father had come from Germany and his name was Arnel Bell. Arnel fell in love with an Indian lady in Lucknow and stayed back. John has been with Royal Café since last 9 years. Educated at La Martinere school, this father of a daughter and a son said he loves Lucknow and happy in his place. It was fun watching him work there, smiling and with a twinkle in his eyes.

Tunday Kababi : THE MOST iconic place in Lucknow. Any visit to this city of Nawabs and Kebabs is incomplete without eating at Tunday's. We went to the one at the Naaz cinema lane, near Aminabad. The original one is at Chowk,in the old city.This is where Haji Murad Ali single handedly began this  100 year journey of world Kebab domination!

Tunday Kababs deserve all the accolades that they enjoy. Their famous Galauti Kabab is a riot of flavours and just melts in the mouth. What one remembers is how the flavours of the  160 ingredients that go into creating this kebab reveal themselves layer after layers...wonder how Ghalib or Mir would have described these kebabs in their poetry. We had decided to get Kebabs packed next day for our friends in Mumbai. So we thought of going slow that evening and ordered only one plate with one Ulte Tawe ka paratha. But no true lover of good food can eat just one Galauti there. We ended up ordering another plate with Sheermal. They are heavenly and quite reasonably priced too!

Prakash Kulfi : Walk a bit from Tunday Kababi towards the main market and you have another famous place. Prakash kulfi is known for the awesome, mouth watering kulfis.

The Mughal's Dastarkhwan : There are many Dastarkhwans in Lucknow. All claiming to serve       " Authentice Lucknowi cuisine". For this we took the help of my colleague from Lucknow and went by his recommendation. This Mughal Dastarkhwan is at Lalbagh, opposite Islamia College. This one is the oldest in town. We reached pretty late and when we were finally seated, ours was the last order. We had Mutton chops for starter, Mutton Biryani for Mains and Shahi Tukda for Dessert. Each one of the dishes were very finely cooked. In each place the biryani has a unique taste and feel to it. Kolkata Biryani is very different from Hyderabadi biryani and Lucknowi biryani is again very distinctive from both.

Lucknow is surely a " paradise for foodies". With just one evening and a half day in hand it was not possible for us to explore the way we would have loved to. But it will be really unfair if I don't talk about the lunch that we had on Saturday. It was with a Sikh family residing in the city since last so many years. They made Kadhi Pakode, Chicken curry, Paneer Matar, Chapatis and Veg Pulao for us. The North Indian Kadhi Pakode is my favorite and when I saw that on the dining table I was sure elated. Nothing was over spicy or too oily. Everything was cooked with simple spices but each morsel tasted divine. For dessert, they served a super simple version of the classic Gajar Ka Halwa. It had no ghee, no mawa and no sugar either. Simply garnished with chopped cashew nuts, this is one Gajar ka Halwa I can indulge in without feeling guilty. Incidentally my version of Gajar ka Halwa is equally simple but I do use one spoon of sugar and little oil.

On Sunday early morning we went to Bara Imambara and the old city.We thought of having breakfast somewhere at the Chowk area but could not manage time as we had to get Kebabs and Biryani packed before we check out and head to the airport. Next to Tunday Kababi, there is Wahid's Biryani who serves excellent biryani. We got the biryani packed from there.

The foodie in me fully satiated, I had make a quick visit to the shopping area too. Thankfully the Aminabad market is full of Chikan Kari shops and I did manage to pick up a thing or two too. That was surely the icing on the "Lucknowi cake" :D


PS:-Reasons to go back?
we missed having Makkhan Malai at Chowk and the dahi bhalles...there will be a next time soon.

My Super Six for Leh



27th Jan 2015

It is said that : while coming out if you look back at the Taj mahal; you will be back one day. I have also heard the saying that pick up a pebble from Ladakh and you will be back for sure. I have done both! Success rate of these sayings; I had been to the Taj thrice since 1993 and Ladakh once that too only last year. Needless to say I picked up not one but quite a few pebbles on my way back.


Ladakh had always been on my travel wish list. With so many people visiting and coming back with so many stories; who would not want to go to Ladakh. It's the dream destination for hard core bikers across the country. I am not a biker. But Ladakh fascinated me since I started my career in travel industry in 2003 and its only in 2014 that I finally landed there. While I was always a Ladakh fan, now that I had been to this magical place; here goes my top 6 ways of travelling to and in Ladakh without cutting a big hole into your pocket. These are what we ( I & P) did. Trust me when I say this; budget travel is very much possible here.

Just out of Kargil town

1.Land in Srinagar. Srinagar is more well connected to the rest of the country than Leh. Limited flights to Leh and during the " season" air fares touch the sky. While airfare to Srinagar is also no less, but if planned way in advance you could save a lot. You can always fly out from Leh. The road transportation in Leh will be on the higher side if you are a solo traveler hiring the whole vehicle to yourself.


2. Depending on your fitness level, you can take a shared cab to Leh directly or if you wish to take it slow and go the recommended way; take a shared cab to Kargil. Spend one night there and then next day continue to Leh. The distance between Srinagar and Leh is approx. 435 km.You will be travelling on NH1; one India's best roads and will be greeted by breathtakingly beautiful sceneries in each turning.  This will give you ample time in acclimatizing yourself to the heights. Srinagar to Kargil takes 6 hours and from Kargil to Leh 5 hours. In Srinagar just go to the TRC ( Tourist Reception Centre) previous evening or same day very early morning to catch a shared cab to Leh or Kargil.
The other scenic road to reach Leh is from Manali. I have heard that too is mesmerizing. That's next on my wish list.

Zojila Pass

3. There are tons of stay options available in Leh town. From expensive hotels to simple homestays; you will be spoilt for choice. We stayed at a hotel called Oriental Guest house. Even they have 3 wings with 3 different rates. Wing A and B with simple rooms with attached bathrooms @ Rs. 800 - 1000 and the newer Wing C with wooden flooring and bigger rooms with spectacular view @Rs.2000 - Rs.2500. ( Recommended to cross check the rates as they are revised each year)


4. Don't worry about travelling to Pangong or Nubra valley or any other place for that matter. Walking around Leh market keep looking out for the notice boards put outside local travel agents. They put out notices for shared travel to all places. Travel is also about meeting new people and sharing your stories; isn't it? We shared a cab to Pangong lake with 3 Korean students and 1 girl from Delhi. It was fun and even though we spent the night at Pangong at different places we came back together again.  Besides that you can hire a bike too if you want to ride to these places.


5. Leh is full of eateries suiting all palates. From simple Thukpa to lavish Italian fine dine, you name it you have it. Let me share some of the places where we ate and loved. Café Jeevan on Changspa road. Just be there, sit enjoy relax while gorging onto their excellent food. For Pizzas it is Il Forno. We went there during the day; but during evening the whole place wears a different look. We had dinner once at World Garden Café. They serve super momos and wood fired pizzas. And our last night in Leh we went to Bon Apetit, a place highly recommended for a special evening. The ambience, the service and the food : just perfect for a cozy relaxed evening. We had Khao Suey. They do not serve alcohol. It's a task to find this one though!


6. Ladakh is a highly eco sensitive zone. Please be responsible and avoid plastic or any hazardous material as much as you can. Water is precious in this barren desert. While packaged drinking water is sold in every shop, it is highly recommended to keep on refilling the bottles at your guest house or any place with the sign of " Refil your water bottle here". They charge very nominal. If you are

carrying any plastic or any other such things on your rides or trips; please make sure you bring them back with you. There is no recycling plant available in Ladakh yet. This little place should not be turned into a garbage ground in a few years. This is our responsibility.

Besides these, Ladakh is not the place to show off those hot pants. Please refrain from doing so and respect the sensibilities of the locals.

Leh Palace

I have heard many people who had been to Ladakh say that this place touches you like no other. Something is stirred within and you become a different person than the one you were. Now I completely believe that. The harsh barren terrains of this cold desert, rocky naked mountains, the clear sky, the fresher air, the colourful prayer flags swinging everywhere and above all the simple people living in the extreme conditions; they all touched me like no other place in India. And I cant wait to go back; again and again.

The Khyber you must not pass

2014 was ending in 10 days and keeping up the trend of sudden trips that we had in the whole year, P decided to extend his stay by 2 days once his work was over and I decided to sneak out a leave and join him there. "There", this time, was Gulmarg. P was there for the shoot of the Dewarist Season 4 and the whole team stayed and shot at Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa ; which within 2 years of its existence has been ranked as one of the top Ski resorts in the world. This sure turned out to be one of the most memorable trips of 2014 thanks to the wonderful hospitality extended by the team of Khyber in Gulmarg.




The rooms

From the moment you enter the vast lobby; the warmth of Kashmiri hospitality greets you and each one of the members of the team Khyber makes sure that it stays with you even after you leave. This luxury resort is an experience in itself. Located very near to the Gulmarg Gondola; Khyber Himalayan Resort has 80 rooms 4 Luxury cottages and 1 Presidential Suite; all offering breath taking views of the Affarwat peaks or the evergreen Valley of Gulmarg. We stayed in a room with a balcony overlooking the green meadows of Gulmarg. Though it had not snowed properly yet; there were patches of white from the earlier scattered snow falls.Winter was already setting in, paving the  way for a whiter Christmas and New Year. Since I was there for just 2 days, I decided to make most of it and soak in the luxury that Khyber offers in the midst of  beautiful and serene Gulmarg.




Our room








One of the sitouts

I firmly believe that any resort or hotel , to feature in my personal list of good hotels worth recommending to friends and family, must serve real good food. Khyber sure tops the list in this.With huge glass windows over looking the mountains and meadows; Cloves  is their multi cuisine restaurant offering an array of food from across the globe and Kashmiri cuisine too.  I had one of the best Goshtaba at Cloves. It was perfectly cooked, juicy but really subtle in spices. In fact in all the food, the spices used were never too over powering and I loved every morsel I ate at the Cloves. Add to this the attentive staffs serving each table with a smile; Bilal, Saptarshi, Sajjad to name a few. Besides that, I also had an awesome dosa for breakfast the next morning. I admit I am not at all a Dosa person. Even if I had to have, I avoid the sambhar completely as somehow that ends up ruining the dosa for me. Even in most "authentic" of dosa places, I donot have sambhar. But one fine December morning, I had an amazing Dosa and Sambhar, the signature dish from Southern part of our country, in one of the extreme Nothern corners of the country; thanks to
Chef Chotelal.

Chaikash

The  two evenings that I was there, I spent them doing the same thing. First an hour inside the heated pool overlooking the majestic mountains and after that sipping into a hot cup of Kashmiri Kahwa at Chaikash, the tea lounge. Even though I wanted to, but could not find time to go the Khyber spa by L'OCCITANE . As the spa rightfully claims it "brings to life the changing seasons of Gulmarg with signature treatments where guests are encouraged to choose from a repertoire of home grown seasonal flora which are mixed with natural L’OCCITANE products and fresh Himalayan water to create fusion recipes." But trust you me, this is sure an amazing indulgence not to be missed.  Well for me, I guess this is the reason for me to plan another trip to Gulmarg and Khyber.

On the day we were leaving Gulmarg, all the signs of an impending snowfall were staring at our faces. But alas; we weren't meant to witness  our first  flurry of snowfall that  turns the green meadows into powdery white this time. One more reason to go back.

From Khyber, the Gulmarg Gondola is just few meters away. I thoroughly enjoyed walking around the area during the day with the soft winter sun playing hide and seek amidst clouds. As it was predicted to snow within a day or 2; the Gondola phase 2 was closed for maintenance on that day. P had been to phase 2; just a day ago for shoot. As he vouches for it, this sure is a must in Gulmarg. The ride to phase 2. This time I could go till phase 1 only. I am so convinced that Gulmarg wants me to be back for sure and I know where I am staying.

The wonderful team - Khyber

Khyber Himalayan Resort and Spa is a luxurious experience to indulge and enjoy. A special mention of Mr. Jerin Philip, the very welcoming front office manager and ever smiling Aman Dhiman. Actually the whole team of Khyber; it's their warmth and their hospitality which set them apart.

The recognitions

The Magic in the sky

This is not about any place or any specific destination. It's an experience that as a traveler I had to share with everyone. And I am sure many would agree to the same.

I hate taking early morning flights. I mean the ones which have the departure time of 5am / 5.30am. This means waking up at 3am and reach airport by 4am latest. What surprises me is how crowded the airports are even at that time; specially airports of metro cities. And if that happens to be the " Season" then you had it. I am talking about the school holidays or any festival. You must report by 3am for a 5am flight because by the time you complete all the check in formalities and clear security, your flight is announced!

As my luck would have it, in most of the early morning flights I would end up in an aisle seat or middle seat. Very rarely I would get a window seat. Even if I did, I confess, I only slept. Yeah, not even waiting for the take off, I would close my eyes and happily doze off.

Just few days back I and husband had to take a flight at 5.30am. This time we got an window and a  middle seat. We were going home for a family function and I was super excited. My excitement kept me awake and aren't I glad for that. It's the magic the unfold in the sky just before the sun gets ready to rise is awesome. Its an ethereal sight to behold. My husband would always talk about the importance of "magic hours" in his profession. I never fully understood that. But that day when I saw the sky turned magical, I realized what he meant.

 
 

 
 This happens everyday. Hundreds enjoy that moment everyday too. But my "concrete city dweller" of a soul misses it. If you ask me, it was a very humbling experience for me. The whole sky erupts with colours of joy as it gets ready to welcome the sun heralding a new day. A new beginning and new hope. May we all always fly towards the sunshine.

And yeah; this sure makes up for the effort of getting up at insane hours to catch such early morning flights.

 

 

On Tiger Trail

  “Bhaiyya Kitna time lagega Swai Madhopur tak?” ( Brother, how long will it take to reach Sawai Madhopur?) We asked the passenger next to us. We, I and my husband P, were on the way to Ranthambhore National Park in a Rajasthan Roadways bus. He replied “ 3 hours” . “ WHAT…oh no no, we have our afternoon safari booked and the pick up is at 2.15pm. We must reach by 1 pm anyhow at least to check in.” I turned to P and blurted “All because of your Rawat ki Kachori, we will miss our safari” Before the bus became our drawing room (our battle ground at home!); the alarmed bus conductor intervened. He said “ Don’t worry, we will not stop at every turning and the driver is very good. You will reach on time.” We decided to believe him and depend on our luck. The Rajasthan Roadways bus driver and the conductor did not disappoint and when we got down at the Sawai Madhopur Bus stand the clock struck 1 pm.

 

It was a spur of the moment decision and a SOS call to Biju our friend who works in a travel company in Delhi, we were on our way to Ranthambhore National Park for a short weekend trip. That Saturday, because of the runway closure at Mumbai Airport the flight was rescheduled to 4.30am from the usual 5.55am. It was still slightly dark when we landed in Jaipur airport at 6.00am.

 

Since it was early we decided to go to the city and take a Rajasthan roadways bus to Sawai Madhopur, the nearest town of Ranthambhore. P suggested to have the famous “ Rawat ki Kachori” for breakfast before getting into the bus. The Rawat sweets shop is located very near to the bus stand. It was indeed something not be to be missed. But in all these, we came to know that the only bus to Sawai Madhopur left early in the morning. The guys at the bus stand suggested us to take a bus to Tonk and change to another one to Sawai Madhopur from there. Ranthambhore National park is approx 180 km from Jaipur city. However due to the road conditions, the Roadways bus option would have taken 4-5hours. The other option was to hire a cab. Actually the airport is already on the Tonk road around 16km out of Jaipur city. Since we came to the city, we decided to go ahead with the roadways option.

 

It was fun crossing all those small towns and villages. We started from Jaipur bus stand at 7.30am and we reached Tonk by 11am. We got a bus to Sawai Madhopur almost instantly. We were booked in Ranthambhore Regency. We dumped our bags in the room and headed straight to the restaurant for lunch. The Safari canter came exactly at 2.15 and there were 6 guests from our hotel on it. In Ranthambhore there are 2 options for safari. Either by gypsy or by canter. Since ours was a last minute decision we could not get a gypsy safari. A canter accommodates 20 people whereas a gypsy is for 6 people. Every vehicle is allotted a specific zone inside the park for a particular day. On each vehicle there is a naturalist besides the driver. At the entrance of the park, we had to show our identity cards. You have no option but to go with the allotted vehicle and to the allotted zone. Each vehicle works on roster maintained by the national park authorities. We entered zone 3 on that day. 20 minutes into the safari we came to know of the presence of a tigress nearby. There were many vehicles at the spot. We could barely see the stripes lying on ground. The tigress was fast asleep. Our naturalist suggested that we should wait for sometime and as the sun goes down she will get up and we would get to see her. At times the naturalist and the driver made such type of pact to save fuel. But since it was a rare opportunity most of us agreed. However some people insisted on going inside the jungle till the sun sets. So we did and when we came back she was gone! We returned to the hotel disappointed at the missed opportunity.

 

Ranthambhore was once the gaming park for the Maharajas of Jaipur. However in 1973 when Project Tiger was started it got enlisted as one of the nine Tiger Reserves. Later in 1980, an area of 275 sq km from within the Tiger Reserve was declared the Ranthambhore National park.The Park is one of the best national parks in the country to spot a tiger. In fact it is said that the tigers of Ranthambhore are the most photographed in the world with “Machli”, the tigress being the most famous one.There are villages surrounding the National park. With the problem of poaching and deforestation, the number of tigers dwindled and the age old man-animal conflict increased. But the park doesn’t have only tigers. It is home to a number of other animals like sloth bear, crocodiles, deers, macaques, leopards and more than 270 species of birds.

On a hilltop overlooking the park is the Ranthambhore Fort built in the 10h Century by Chauhan rulers. Because of its strategic location, the fort was one of the most difficult to invade. For years the brave Rajputs fought against invaders. Later the fort went into the hands of Mughals and it is believed that Mughal Emperor Akbar stayed here sometimes between 1558-59.  Now the ruins house a Ganesha temple which is thronged by devotees all over the country. Apart from the Ganesha temple there are ruins of other temples, mosques and other palaces. Most of all it’s the breath taking view of the park that the fort offers is worth the effort of trekking uphill to the fort. One should keep a full day for the fort. We couldn’t go as we didn’t have time!

Next day early morning we were picked up for the morning safari. This time we had a more vocal and a strict naturalist named Shiva. He made it very clear to questions of possible “citing” that the park is not only about tigers and if one ran after the tiger he would miss a lot of things. No one can guarantee a view of the tiger. We were allotted zone 2. We went very deep into the jungle. When we were returning suddenly Shiva signaled the vehicle to stop. There she was! The big cat was sitting in the shade in her full regalia, T17 also called “Sundari”. Since ours was the last vehicle left inside the park and official safari time was almost over, we could not wait for long. But that glimpse was enough to make us gone through a lot of emotions. Happy that we could see the majestic big cat; wonder at the royal air it exuded, sad that we do not know how to value this beautiful national animal of India.

 

 

How to reach::

By Air: Jaipur, about 4 hrs drive, is the nearest airport. Usual bus services are available between Jaipur and Ranthambore.

By Rail: Sawai Madhopur is the adjoining Railhead. Different trains connection Sawai Madhopur to cities as Jaipur and Delhi are available.

By Road: Sawai Madhopur is the nearby township from Ranthambore which is well linked to Delhi, Jaipur and Agra.

 

A Fragrance to remember

It was a sudden decision like many of our trips and we decided on Kochi; Fort Kochi to be precise. Kerala in Monsoon; officially "off season". Got out tickets booked, applied for a day's off and reached the airport. A quick search in the ever dependable tripadvisor showed so many options of bed and breakfast in Fort Kochi. We zeroed upon Walton's homestay. There was something about the place which clicked. Yes even in the small screen of the phone. P made a call to the place to check availability and also to ask was it ok if we took a pre paid taxi from airport to Fort Kochi. A very cordial but firm voice said, rooms were available and advised us to opt for the AC bus from Airport to Fort Kochi rather than paying Rs.800 to the taxi.The voice also informed that since he didn't have commission paying policy to autowalas and cabbies, they would not know his place. If you ask us honestly, that made us confident of our choice as it showed the owners faith on what he offers to his visitors.
We landed in Kochi at 1pm. There it was, the AC bus waiting to carry passengers to Fort Kochi through the city of Ernakulam. Fare - Rs.70 per head.The bus takes about an hour to reach Fort Kochi from Kochi International airport which is about 45 KM. The Bus dropped us at the Kochi bus stand which is merely 5minutes walking distance from Princess Street.It is on Princess Street, Walton's homestay is located.
At the reception we were greeted by the man behind the voice we spoke in the morning ; Mr. Walton himself. He assured us that he was giving us the best room. Out of the 9 rooms, only 2 - 3 rooms were occupied as it was not the Tourist season.We got a room on ground floor which opened directly to a very well kept garden. Because of the rains, everything around was green and fresh. We entered the room and a very striking and sweet aroma of Lemon grass welcomed us. It was such a pleasant surprise! In our previous experiences, we had been to Inn or hotel rooms with all sorts of smells; mostly the strong room freshner and sometimes even the damp smell of carpets and walls.The room's flooring was wooden and the house keeper informed that they used Lemon grass oil while mopping the floor to keep the mosquitoes at bay.The room was big, airy and very very well kept. We stayed there for 3 nights. Every day they would clean with the same oil.
The town of Fort Kochi was under Portuguese, Dutch and British rule in different points of time. The whole town still has the remnants all over. We decided to discover the city on foot.Heard that during tourist period, one can hire bicycles too. One day we went to see the Jew Town and Mattancherry palace. Mattancherry palace or the Dutch palace. The Dutch palace was originally built by the Portuguese and was gifted to ruler of Kerala. Later it fell into the hands of the Dutch and they revamped it. The walls inside the palace are adorned by some superb murals. in the Jew town, there is the Jewish Synagogue which is now considered to be the oldest among all the synagogues in the commonwealth of nations.

Chinese Fishing Nets

We never wanted to hurry and go everywhere the tourism brochure mentions just to strike off the place. We walked, sat in the cafes, sat by the beach,enjoyed the fishing sessions in the evenings and mornings. After 3 wonderful days, we took the bus to airport again.

It remains one of our memorable trips. That sweet aroma of Lemon grass still lingers whenever we remember this lovely little unplanned trip. Some memories are forever. This is one of them.

Kurseong

Everybody advised us against this. In fact we ourselves were not very sure. After all, “hills in rains” --- not a very good combination for travel. But when the travel bug stirs there’s no stopping. Thus we let go off our apprehensions and worries about rain, landslide and most importantly no Kanchenjunga views as they show in postcards! So after much speculation, research and about 15 days of googling everyday for any news of landslides or road blocks, we reached Kurseong.

“Kurson rip” in Lepcha, Kurseong is known to be the land of White Orchids. This tiny school town is often overlooked by tourists as a mere stopover on the way to Darjeeling, the more famous and preferred hill station in North Bengal. That was one of the reasons of us choosing Kurseong because we wanted to avoid the crowds and roam about on our own at our own pace. Kurseong has several schools and on the day of our arrival it was the last day before they closed for the summer (read monsoon) holidays. So this place was full too; with parents reaching to take their children home.

We chose Kurseong Tourist Lodge run by West Bengal Tourism to stay. The Lodge is a little away from the main town. It is on the main highway towards Darjeeling. Even though we had requested for a Deluxe room with a private balcony, as renovation work was going on we got a regular room. Not that we complained. The room was airy and clean. The windows offered superb mountain views. As it was monsoon, we missed the much coveted Kanchenjunga views. Otherwise from the windows of the room, the lobby and even the restaurant of the Tourist lodge, one gets lovely views of the Kanchenjunga on a clear day. Also the added bonus is that the restaurant at the Tourist Lodge serves excellent momos!

The star attraction of this little town is of course the Toy Train or the Darjeeling Himalayan Train which runs between Darjeeling town and Kurseong. The train leaves Darjeeling every morning at 10am. It reaches Kurseong by 2pm and again goes back to Darjeeling at 3pm. We didn’t have the chance to board the train because of time constraints. But then one cannot miss the railway tracks running alongside the roads through the small towns right from Siliguri till Darjeeling. The scenery must have been spectacular in some bygone era. But now it is marred by the concrete structures growing all over the hills and the ever growing vehicular crowd.

The town has some excellent walks around. The one quite popular is Eagle’s Crag which is approximately 3kms return. For those out of practice like us; this walk can be really tough at some point. At the highest point of Eagle’s crag there is a watch tower which offers fantastic views of the mountains around. When we reached the point, the clouds presented a spectacular “hide and seek show“ with the mountains.

Eagle's crag

This little town of Kurseong is surrounded by some very famous tea gardens. The legendary Makaibari Tea Estate is just 3 km from the town. Anyone visiting Kurseong should never miss an opportunity to visit the aromatic factory of this renowned tea estate. We met Mr. Chetri sitting in the outside retail counter for Makaibari Tea. He very warmly welcomed us and showed around the factory. But to our luck it was hardly 10 - 15mins and hoot went the bell for lunch! All the machines stopped, the ladies working inside the factory went out carrying their lunch boxes and water bottles. We came out and sat for sometime with Mr. Chetri at the retail counter outside. One can pick up small packets of famous Darjeeling tea straight from the retail outlet of the equally famous Makaibari Tea Estate. From “First Flush” to “Silver Tip” there are different varieties of tea available at the outlet.

Kurseong is the home for some vey famous schools. 2 of them are Victoria Boys and Dowhill Girls. Both the schools still retain some of the old glory of the British era in their buildings and surroundings.  There is a Deer park at the Dow Hill area; but it is very rare to catch a glimpse of the shy animal. Urban development and deforestation has taken a toll on this deer park. The forest department has prohibited to enter into the forest.

The Forest Near Dowhill School

Kurseong the small beautiful hamlet has now grown into a bigger town. We left Kurseong with one hope ;the growing traffic and concrete buildings must not destroy the essence of this place!