Jewel in lake country

Place: BHIMTAL

Verdant mountains. Lush valleys. Azure lake. Perfect weather. Home-like digs. Amazing food. Country music. Nymphs to sing to you…

Okay, the last wasn’t true, but is as close to paradise as you will get. And surprisingly, it was nowhere exotic or faraway, but just Bhimtal, a few hours drive northeast of Delhi. Well, if the name doesn’t ring a bell straightway, it is actually a less glamorous cousin of the Queen of the Hills, Nainital. The setting is uncannily similar — the mountains are majestic, the valleys green and enticing, the lake in the middle shimmering in the golden glow of the afternoon sun.

What price for sights like these?

But that’s where the similarities end. For while Nainital teems with people, Bhimtal is comparatively silent — in fact, an evening walk is not the done thing at all, is the quick realisation after one such stroll around the lake!

But there is lots to be done. You can walk about, laze around, fish, rediscover secluded walks and even more secluded lakes, or hike up to the top of a hill and discover the breathtakingly beautiful view of the next valley. I stayed at Fisherman’s Lodge, towards the southern end of the lake, and it is a perfect choice for those visiting this lake-town. “This is a house, and anyone staying at my house is a friend of mine,” says Bunty Bakshi, a Delhi-based businessman who runs the place along with his wife. He did not choose the place on a whim. He grew up in Bhimtal, at a time when, he says, “there was hardly anyone here and as boys we could go swim about in the lakes nude as there was no one to see us!”

Relaxing by the lake in one's balcony, it seemed like paradise on earth

Though the Lodge has 12 rooms, Grewal says having up to six rooms full is ideal as he can really take care of his guests. The attention to detail at the Lodge can put quite a few five-star establishments in the country to shame — from the architecture to the aesthetics, it is a blend of beauty in pastel shades lit be tee lights. And though Bhimtal is no longer as isolated, he still takes his guests fishing, pampers them scrumptious food, and even sings to regale his guests. And unsurprisingly, he is full of tales, past and present, at the evening barbeques. There’s also a portico overlooking the lake, almost jutting into it. Sitting there to watch this idyllic lake in its changing hues can fill your day.

Fish motifs and designs are aesthetically woven in

The lake has a small jetty with a few sail boats. You can lazily circumvent a tiny island on which an aquarium is being built. For even a fan of the ongoing IPLs, following the television is not going to be easy.

The approach to the lake is either from the south or the northwest. But the focal point is the northeast, where there is a small dam built during colonial era and a minuscule market surrounding it. Though there is a souvenir shop, don’t really expect anything much.

Bhimtal, which gets its name from the legendary hero of the Mahabharata, looks set to embrace the future. A little away from the lake, a little industrial zone is being built, and quick excursions also reveal a comparatively large number of houses being built. Time to get one if you are planning a longer stay?

Flowerworld

Place: DELHI

This is the annual flower show at the Garden of Five Senses, organised by Delhi Tourism. It used to be earlier held at the Talkatora Gardens, but has since shifted. This is in 2009, one of the first years at the new venue.

This is a flower show rather than a garden show, so basically there are a lot of potted plants. Lots of spring flowers multihued, in many shapes and sizes, make this a great visit for the average visitor. For a flower expert, not so much!

For more pics click here 

Auto pilot

We shall be Mercs soon! The CKD factory at Chakan near Pune

Place: CHAKAN 

A view of the Mercedes assembly line at its Chakan CKD plant near Pune.

It was amazing to see the extent of precision and detailing in the cars. Especially as this was just a factory where the parts are assembled, they are not manufactured here. Sales in India do not still justify a manufacturing facility.

It took us hours to see a various car parts from one assembly to another in as each little part was added. There was testing too, and it felt a bit like the movies to see these fancy getting tested. The 100 acre plant was one the fastest automotive greenfield projects completed in India, and Mercedes had in on priority as it was getting overtaken by competitors in the Indian luxury car space. Well, whether they catch up or not, this is a new benchmark for Indian auto factories. 

Test drive

A Nano on a test drive ahead of its launch

Place: PUNE

Early bird. An early Nano on a test drive on the roads of Pune. There was such enormous curiosity about the car then, and it was thrilling to see it up close. The flimsiness was apparent even then, right?

As Tata's gift to the lower middle classes, it alternately had the dream of making every Indian who earned even a little a car owner and the nightmare of Indian roads getting clogged by these little beetles. Well, neither happened, or rather the clogging of cities had other reasons, and the dream of the lower MC buying cars remains unfulfilled as not many bought into the dream.

Yes, Ratan Tata bemoaned the missed opportunity, but then selling a substandard product had not prevented the group from selling well before! 

Patience pays

Place: KOCHI

Somewhere in the backwaters near Kochi

Little canoes are still a basis for livelihood for traditional fisherfolk in Kerala. They may look flimsy, but they nevertheless serve their owners well and are capable of trips not just in the backwaters but also occasionally do short trips by the sea shore.