Sunset at Netarhat, Jharkhand

Netarhat is a popular hill station in Latehar district of Jharkhand.It is loacted at a height of 1071 metres and is referred to as the "Queen of Chotanagpur". It is famous for it's Magnolia sunset point, sunrise point, Netarhat Residential School and a breathtakingly beautiful view of the hills all around.

We visited Netarhat during our short winter trip to Ranchi at the end of December. We started from Ranchi at about 9:30am and reached our hotel, Ravi and Sashi Lodge, Netarhat by 1pm. The journey  from Ranchi to Netarhat through the roads with eucalyptus trees on both sides takes away all the exhaustion and tiredness caused. After having lunch at the hotel of Netarhat, we decided to start for the sightseeing of the places at about 3pm in the afternoon. At first, we reached the Koyel View Point, a serene hilly place, from where the beauty of Netarhat can be seen.

Then, we went for the Upper Ghagri waterfalls, which turned out to be a complete disappointment as the source of water could only be seen and the rest of the waterfalls was hidden beneath the huge rocks and boulders.The road to the waterfalls at the beginning is through the naspati garden on its both sides with a great view,but as one gets near the falls, the condition of the road detoriorates becoming dangerous with numerous potholes and puddles.

After our futile to and fro journey of Upper Ghagri Falls, we finally reached the Magnolia Sunset Point at about 4:40pm. The huge crowd which had gathered there to experience the sunset made me realise that we were too late to find a good spot in watching the sunset. Though we managed to get a suitable spot, to add to the misery, some people had climbed up the railings of the sunset point and gathered in front of a tree,thus blocking the view of others.

Nonetheless, we were able to experience the beautiful sunset amidst all the odds. The sky was filled with different colours of blue,yellow and light orange. But as time passed by, the yellow ball of fire which was shining bright had become soothing to the eyes and painted the whole sky with its hues of orange.We could feel the temperature going down and the weather becoming chilly as the biggest star in our solar system merged with the sky and disappeared slowly in front of our eyes.It was one of the most beautiful picturesque sunsets I had seen in my life.
 Netarhat is located about 156km from Ranchi and is well connected by roads.It a place of beautiful sunrise and sunsets in the middle of the hills. Summers are pleasant here but winters can be quite chilly. If you looking for taking a break from the monotonous life or planning a short trip away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, then you can definitely give it a try.

A Visit to God's Own Garden

Mawlynnong  Village

MAWLYNNONG
Located at a distance of 90km from Shillong, Mawlynnong portrays the combined efforts of its people to keep their village clean.Also referred to as "God's own garden", it has been conferred the title of "Asia's Cleanest Village"in 2003.It is situated in the East Khasi Hills of the north-east Indian state of Meghalaya.The village offers a breathtaking view of how nature has spread its beauty throughout the environment. The people living in Mawlynnong belongs from two tribes; Khasi and Jaintia. Another unsual feature of this village is that, they follow a matrilineal tradition of society; that is, the families are run by females.

 There are different types flowers,trees,plants and birds present and one can take a walk through the village to observe the lifestyle of the village people. It also has several homestays and eateries where tourists can spend a day or two amidst the lush green nature.

Every people in the village make sure to keep the surroundings clean by regularly removing garbage from the roads,picking up dry leaves and putting them in bins, from where the waste is directed to the pit and then used as a manure.. These bins are made of bamboo and are present at every corner off the streets to ensure that the garbage is thrown inside them by both the villagers and tourists. Here, smoking and use of polythene is prohibited, whereas rainwater harvesting is encouraged.

Living Root Bridges
This is the most attractive tourist destination near Mawlynnong. The living root bridges have been formed in the neighbouring village known as Riwai. One has to go down through the naturally made stairs to reach the bridge.Many eateries are present alongside the path so that the tourists can take rest while having some fruits and water.It takes about half an hour walk to reach from Riwai village.
These bridges are made by the village people with the help of roots of rubber trees. The tree roots are made to grow through the trunks until they attach themselves from other side of the trees,These are then placed across rivers or streams and sticks,stones,pebbles,etc are used on them to stabilize the bridges.The living root bridges may take more than 20 years to complete,and once formed,they can last hundreds of years.

Sky Walk Bridge

Sky Walk Bridge
Sky Walk Bridge is another popular spot in Mawlynnong village,which offers a bird's view of the Bangladesh plains. The bridge has been made up of bamboo and cane structure, which is tied to a tree beside it. It is about 80 feet tall and has a narrow width which allows only one person to walk at a time. The top of the bridge has a broad base,from where the Indo-Bangladesh Border and the entire village of Mawlynnong can be seen.Though not tough,the walk through this bridge itself provides a thrilling experience to the tourists. But persons who are afraid of height or not physically fit may avoid this place.

View of Mawlynnong

View of Bangladesh plains

These are the views of Bangladesh and Mawlynnong from the top of Sky Walk Bridge.

How To Reach: Mawlyynong is located at a distance of about 90kms from the city of Shillong, which can be reached by private cars and local buses. It takes about 2.5hrs to 3hrs to reach Mawlynnong. Thus,it will be better to consider this as a full day tour.



DAWKI

It is a town in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. Dawki is located at a distance of a few kilometres from Tamabil, which is the India-Bangladesh border in the North-East. The Dawki-Tamabil road is used for coal transportation to Bangladesh. A large number of trucks cross the border everday which creates a congestion on the road.

Inspite of these difficulties, Dawki remains a favourite spot of the tourists due to the beauty of the Umngot River. The river flows through Dawki near the India-Bangladesh border.


 It is the prime fishing spot for the people in the nearby villages.The crystal clear water of  Umngot river is the main tourist attraction of Dawki. It is the natural boundary between the people of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills over which hangs a suspension bridge.This was built by the British during their colonial rule over India today serves as an important gateway to major import and export transactions across the border. 


Also,the bank of the river is a popular picnic spot for the people of Bangladesh. Apart from this, other major attractions of Dawki is the annual boat race in the Umngot River.which is held during March to April. It also provides some adventure sports like camping,scuba diving,cliff jumping.boating,etc.


 How To Reach: Dawki is at a distance of 95kms from Shillong. It can also be reached from Mawlynnong,which takes about  one and a half hours.
 Since we visited Dawki after covering the places at Mawlynnong and there was a huge chaos in the Dawki-Tamabil road due to the trucks; it was already dark when we reached. Thus we didn't get the opportunity to stay there for very long. Here are some of the pictures of Dawki taking during sunset.

 If one wishes to visit Mawlynnong and Dawki at the same day,then it will be better to start early in the morning. One can also spend a night in Mawlynnong,visit Dawki next morning and then come back to Shillong. There are several homestays present for the tourists in the village. All types of cuisines are available. 
Mawlynnong and Dawki are suitable for visit throughout the year.
 For more photos go to the link below
https://plus.google.com/collection/gvkFmB

For videos go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0MJa27WgOM

Alleppey Backwaters

Kerala is blessed with one of the most hyped tourist destinations; the city of Alleppey or Alappuzha, which successfully satisfies the thirst of a nature lover.

Located 62kms to the south of Kochi and surrounded by the Lakshadweep Sea on its west,lies Alleppey, comprising of several canals,rivers,backwaters and lagoons,through which one can take a boat ride; and hence the city is popularly known as the "Venice of the East'. This name was given by Lord Curzon;thus Alappuzha is called the "Venetian Capital" of Kerala.Malayalam is the most spoken language.Hindi,English and Tamil are also widely spoken by the people here.

The sole purpose of visiting Alleppey is to experience a relaxing and soothing boat ride through the backwaters of Kerala. The Kerala backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes which are separated from the main river by small islands.Here the water remains stagnant as there is no current.These backwaters are a network of rivers, canals,lakes,etc. which has formed a system of waterways.The freshwater from these backwaters meets the seawater of the Arabian Sea.

If you want to spend your vacations with the green beauty surrounded by different waterbodies,then you must take the boat ride of the Alleppey backwaters. The serene journey through river canals provides a picturesque of the isolated islands,paddy fields and coconut trees along with a wide variety of birds like kingfisher,waterfowl,cuckoo,water duck as well as Siberian cranes. On either side opf the backwaters,there are simple dwellings,eateries,shops and stores; where one can have a cup of tea or buy some articles as souvenirs to take home.

One can also see the lifestyle of the village people from the boat or enjoy a walk through the paddy fields and have some cocconut water.. ;) 

You can either hire a canoe,country boat,launch for the water ride of stay in the Kerala houseboats or Kettuvallams.The country boats are relatively cheaper and provide a 2 to 3hours ride with sitting arrangements both at the lower and upper decks.The houseboats,on the other hand, provide a lavish experience with all the modern amenities. 

For accommodating tourist,these houseboats have been converted into floating cottages with a sleeping area,western-style toilets,a dining area and a sit-out on the deck. Food is cooked by the accompanying staff and has a flavour of Kerala.

Regular ferry services are also available for both passengers and tourists,connecting most locations of the backwaters. 

Another popular attraction near Alleppey is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race,held in the Punnamada Lake,which is conducted on the second Saturday of August every year. It is the most popular of the boat races in India.

Other tourist destinations include the long stretched peaceful beach of Alleppey,which has an old pier of 150 years old extended over the sea. The view of sunrise from the beach complements the tranquility of the place.

 The beach also offers views of the Laccadive Sea, Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple, St. Andrew's Basilica, Arthunkal, Mannarasala Temple, Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy temple, Thakazhy Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Mullakkal Temple, Edathua Church, Alappuzha CSI Christ Church (oldest Anglican church in Central Kerala) and Champakulam Valia Palli. Krishnapuram Palace Kalavam kodam temple where Sree Narayana Guru installed Mirror is at about 30 km north of Town. The tasty ambalappuzha payasam is a popular dessert.

The Cochin International Airport, located at a distance of 75 kms is the nearest airport to Alleppey. From the Cochin International Airport, one can book a taxi or a cab to get to Alleppey.The Alleppey Railway Station lies within the city limits and is well connected by rail to Cochin and Trivandrum. From the railway station, one can board a bus, hire a taxi or get in an auto-rickshaw to reach the main city. Alleppey is accessible by National Highway-47, which goes through Ambalapuzha and Cherthala cities. Alleppey is well connected to other cities such as Kochi, Kottayam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Chennai, Bangalore and Coimbatore by road.

Travel agencies generally devote only a day and half for Alleppey along with other places in the 14days long Kerala tour. But one must spend atleast two or three days here to have an alluring experience of houseboat cruise amidst the backwaters and have the real essence of the nature's beauty of Alleppey.

For information related to booking details of houseboat or canoe,go to the link below:

http://keralacanoetourism.com/

For more photos click on:

https://plus.google.com/collection/QChekB
For backwater videos go to the links below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXwbZGbax-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-D-MpUnHdY