Corbett in the rains

The son is due to go back to college so we took off on a small family vacation before he left. The hills were ruled out of because of the rains, we were looking for someplace not too far off and decided on Corbett,even though the Sanctuary remains closed in the monsoon season. It’s just four-five hours drive from Delhi and makes for a good quick weekend getaway.

We started around 5 in the morning for Corbett so as to avoid the traffic. Of course getting everyone out of the house at that ungodly hour was an uphill task but we were still quite close to our original schedule of 4.30.

Picture perfect countryside

It was cloudy when we started perfect weather for a long drive, the countryside was lush green because of the rains, we passed through vast stretches of paddy and corn fields and minus the traffic we hit Moradabad in no time. On the way we passed through Gajraula a town made famous for its kheer and its dhabas-which dotted both sides of the highway-a real haven for foodies.

After Moradabad the road is not so good but thankfully it was just a small stretch. We passed through Kashipur-a very small U.P. town then onto Ramnagar which is an even more smallish town, here we gorged on Baal Mithai, a delicacy of the Kumaon region. The milk is first boiled till it turns into khoya then cane sugar is added to it and it is set into desired shapes and then finally coated with poppy seeds. It’s a very fudgy sweet and very addictive-definitely a must try.

Our resort was at Gajariya-a small hamlet on the way to Ranikhet. This place had a couple of shops selling some knick-knacks and a handful of eating joints.The local economy is totally dependent on tourism and resorts lined up the entire stretch of the road till Dhikala. Some sense seems to have prevailed with the local administration and there is no rampant construction work going on here unlike other tourist spots which have been spoilt by over construction. Also the resorts are confined to one side of the road and the other side is totally forested so some effort has been made to keep the area green and wooded.

Corbett Riverview Resort the place we stayed at, was on the banks of Kosi River. It was a charming little property spread over a huge area with lots of foliage everywhere very much in sync with the local surroundings.

The resort nestled in greenery

This whole area is totally forested and it was nice to see that the same theme has been maintained at the resort which was totally lush with huge bamboo trees and other local trees growing all over the property.

Verdant and leafy -view from the room

There is a small temple inside for the religious minded folks and an in house panditji is also there to do puja. The serenity and peacefulness of this place had a very soothing effect and one felt very relaxed. For once nobody wanted to log onto their laptops or reach for the television remote.

The garden area and the river view

The weather stayed extremely pleasant except for some intermittent rains and we could easily visit the temple nearby which stands in the midst of the river Kosi. Goddess Parvati in one of her forms is worshipped as Garjiya Devi in Uttarakhand. This temple is dedicated to her, it  is perched on a hill with a flight of steps leading to the top. One of the beliefs amongst the people here is that the shrine never gets submerged even during heavy floods .A big fair is held here on Kartik Poornima and at that time lakhs of devotees congregate here.

The Resort had all the facilities to keep us occupied, from enjoying live music in the evenings, to taking a dip in their fabulous swimming pool or playing a game of table tennis.

Swimming pool and bar area

 One could also rejuvenate with a spa and if none of these took your fancy then one could go and sit by the river as I did.

Kosi River and the forest area in front

It was truly a picturesque sight - the other shore of the river was flanked by forest and the river flowed in between. This spot was quite a favorite with other guests too-guess nothing can beat natural beauty.

The River flowing by the Resort

We wanted to try some local Kumaon cuisine so went around the small marketplace, it was sadly not available but in the bargain we discovered this very non assuming little joint called Village Vatika where we had the most amazing meal. The good part was everything was freshly made, it was not dunked in oil or too much masalas so the taste of the vegetables came through. The pahari aloo were so flavorsome, and we realized what authentic ones taste like, the dal was also such a delight to have- it was cooked in a very U.P. style with hing and loads of desi ghee and sans the ubiquitous onion- garlic masala that is so predominant with restaurants in Delhi. The place belongs to a young fellow called Umesh and I have a feeling that he will soon be giving the other resort guys here a run for their money.

The bar and grill area with a thatched roof

Our holiday had been so relaxing that we were loathed to go back to Delhi. The tranquility and simplicity of this place was something I was going to miss for sure. The local people around are still very simple folks and the unhurried pace of life here is to be envied. A lot of times one returns from a holiday feeling exhausted and in need of another one but this one had been where I put my feet up and unwinded.