Where the road meets the sky - Kiki's odyssey to Ooty

Unlike Kodaikanal, Ooty is not a dead end. In fact, there are many interesting and unexplored routes around Ooty, which was the main reason for me to head towards this otherwise most popular hill station in southern India. The route via Masinagudi would be thrilling for those fond of hairpin bends. It is the other route through Gudalur that I personally like, as it has smooth-flowing curves, and leaning around the corners at good speed is doable on this stretch. Do remember, too much traffic is a disadvantage on this route. On a Friday early morning, before the traffic build-up on the Nanjangud-Gundulpet road, I reached Gundulpet in less than an hour and filled up with petrol. The next one would be in Tamil Nadu or Kerala, which are higher than in Karnataka. The Bandipur on this side of the forest seems to be teeming with more wildlife, and I saw peacocks strolling on the side of the road. It was breathtaking to witness a bevvy of deer crossing right in front of me and herds of them grazing on the forest floor. I could see them all along the Bandipur Tiger Reserve until Theppakadu. This is where one deviates towards Masinagudi. This is a small town nestled in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, which has become a popular destination with many resorts and guest houses. 

 

The 12 kilometres from Masinagudi to Ooty has 36 hairpin bends and goes through the Kalhatty Ghat. With a steady climb, some hairpin bends are steep as well. It is not for a novice driver/rider. The advantage of this route is that heavy vehicles don't ply here. Once you are up the ghat and at Kalhatty, you will start seeing colourful houses perched on hilltops. This is the picture I imagine of a village on a mountain sans the bright neon colour. The only thing I had on my to-do list in Ooty was to buy some chocolates. This was accomplished in a matter of 15-20 minutes. A good-hearted local old lady was selling peanuts just outside the chocolate shop and was excited to see a girl coming there on a motorcycle on her own.

 

Bordering with Palakkad in Kerala, some of the remote places around Ooty have surprisingly excellent interior roads. One such route was to Mulli, which is very close to Kerala. There are a few tourist attractions on this route, but I didn't see any tourists that day. It could be because it was a weekday or owing to the distance. The scenery only gets better with each twist and turn on the road. I had two encounters with Indian Gaur on this stretch, one was munching on tea leaves by the side of the road. Mulli is approximately 50 odd kilometres from Ooty. Exiting Ooty on the Coonoor road, I soon turned towards Lovedale, passing through the railway station, Lawrence School, and so on. The captivating landscape kept me company on the winding road. Passing through numerous tea gardens and some forest, it was at one of the tea estates that I spotted the Indian Gaur munching along the roadside. I skirted around the great beast, hoping not to provoke it with the roar of my bike. The calm creature was minding its own business, ignorant of my anxiety. Manjoor is the next main town, and the milestones announce the distance to this place. Gliding on the nine hairpin bends towards Kundah and Manjoor, one can catch a glimpse of the Kundah Dam.  

I could go as far as Manjoor and had to turn back, as it was noon by then, and I had to return to Ooty and eventually to Wayanad the same day. While returning towards Ooty, on one of the hairpins, a mischievous Gaur was sleeping in the bushes, with its head resting on the road. This was the second rendezvous and quite an alarming one. Lunch at A2B in the heart of the town was a good stop for lunch and a delightful chance to meet with the security guard, who spoke impeccable English. He studied in one of the convents in Ooty and holds a PhD but was working here due to some unfortunate turn of events. It was nice chatting with him and bidding adieu to Ooty headed towards Wayanad via Gudalur. 

Gudalur to Ooty is one of the most popular routes in South India, thanks to Ooty - the most favoured hill station down south. The place is thronged by tourists year-round, especially during the weekends. It being Friday was a respite, but towards late afternoon, the traffic towards Ooty started building up. On my way down, gliding on the curves and enjoying the scenery, I was thankful that I was going away from the maddening crowd that was building up. The tarmac of the road is excellent for the most part, except for some stretches nearing the Gudalur town. These bad stretches are rather bad, with deep potholes. From Gudalur, there are two routes to enter Kerala. One is via Devala, Pandalur, towards Vaduvanchal (the border town on Kerala's side). Choosing the other option, I headed towards Biderkad via Devarshola. The route traverses through forests, tea estates, and every hundred metres of the road with boards warning about Elephant crossing. Though a few hundred metres lower on the western ghats, these mountain roads with sensuous twists and turns are equally impressive. Biderkad was a good pit stop to fuel the bike and the biker. The next main town in Wayanad on this route is Sultan Bathery. Cherishing the glorious day of the ride, I reached the homestay by five in the evening. A full day (eleven hours) of the ride came to an end. 

With love to Mussoorie

 

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go. 

 

The quote is from a bookmark I bought on my recent trip to the mountain town of Mussoorie. An ardent fan of the author Ruskin Bond, a visit to Mussoorie was a must. The Himalayas of Uttarakhand are mesmerizing and mysterious at the same time in his books. His writing had created this urge to visit the places featured in his books. Another friend and a Ruskin Bond fan was excited about visiting his place. Until a few years ago, one would see him at Cambridge Book Depot, signing his books. From the locals, we heard that he has now shifted to Dehra Dun. For us, it was just exciting to see the places right in front of us, as if they just came out of the pages of the books. It was mandatory that I read Roads to Mussoorie while there. It was surreal and thrilling, at the same time visiting most of the places in and around Mussoorie that appear in his books. Though not physically signed, we can buy the books with his digital signature. It is also remarkable that we visited his home the year he turns 90! 

 

 

 

The planning began in February. We lost no time to book flights and stay, as these hill stations get crowded during the summer vacation season. Though the flight was direct to Dehra Dun, almost the whole day was lost in travelling both ways. We got 3.5 days, and the last day happened to be the elections there (which we didn’t know when we planned our trip). The stay was booked at an Airbnb in Jharipani, 8km before the main Mall Road in Mussoorie. Located in a peaceful location overlooking the Doon Valley, the cottage is just the perfect place for those looking for a relaxing and calm stay away from the hubbub of the touristy Mussoorie town. The Airbnb we stayed in is part of the Kamal Cottages. At one point, this area belonged to the Nepal Royal Family. After the king’s time, his children sold most of the land that belonged to them. Kamal Cottages is one of the parts. A small temple on the premises houses varied Hindu gods, and a small park surrounds it. The views are spectacular from every corner of the place. Every bend of the road delights you with an enchanting view. 

The small town of Jharipani boasts a waterfall, which is not touristic and hikes around the area aplenty. A concrete road is in the making towards the Jharipani waterfall. We met a few young guys from Saharanpur who had come on their motorcycles 80% of the route and walked the rest of the trail. Sceptical about there being any water in this summer season, the waterfall surprised us with gushing water. The last stretch to reach the waterfall is narrow. Be cautious, and it is worth the effort. It is situated in a serene place covered by forest on all sides.

 

Spend an evening strolling on Mall Road, shops selling warm winter apparel and cafes offering food to satiate the food preferences of everyone. From local cuisine to gourmet food, you can have it all -the barbecued corn or popcorn from the roadside (perfect companion for the cold evening chill). The ropeway to the Gunhill top is another attraction in the heart of this road. I was excited as this was my first time riding a cable car. The view from here is majestic, the Himalayan mountain ranges on one side and the town of Mussoorie on the other. Unfortunately, we reached there after sun-down.  Other than the viewpoint, some shops (most of them) offer photos in traditional Uttarakhand attire. Sipping a hot ginger from a restaurant, we headed back towards the cable car and down we came to the Mall Road. Though the rule says no traffic is allowed on Mall Road, we came across locals (on their scooters) causing havoc (to pedestrians) by constantly honking and riding rashly. One end of the road hosts Picture Palace, now closed, which used to be a cinema hall and the other Library, known as Library Chowk. 

Savoy Hotel

The Savoy Hotel has been featured in Ruskin Bond books with captivating stories. One is of a leopard straying inside the hotel, and co-incidentally, the maid goes missing from there. It is a mystery whether the leopard had her for breakfast or did she run away with the laundry man? The hotel is now run by ITC under Welcome Hotels. Having read stories about these places, it was but natural that we visit them. The writer’s bar is a fascinating place, old British architecture of spacious rooms with high ceilings and marvellous big furniture. The wall in one corner of the bar has wooden plaques announcing the famous writers who visited the place. 

 

Doon Valley at sunrise

In the olden days, one could reach Mussoorie via Dehra Dun – Rajpur Road – Jharipani – Barlowganj – Mussoorie. There are now two roads - the main road proceeds directly to Mussoorie, and another locally called bypass goes through Jharipani, Barlowganj. The Rajpur Road in Ruskin’s description is not how the road is now. There are ample showrooms of all famous brands, the nights are lit up with bright lights, and fancy restaurants and cafes beckon to you. After the showrooms are the turn of restaurants and cafes that run for many kilometres. They are found on either side of the road, and one wonders how many will have a business. This question was answered on our way back when we saw hundreds of cars going upwards towards Mussoorie, and the flow wouldn’t stop. The season was just about to begin. 

An exhilarating experience to visit the places as we've read in Ruskin Bond's books, especially these particular ones that were on our route and we passed through them multiple times:  (excerpt from the poem in the book Roads to Mussoorie)

Remember the old road,

The steep stony path

That us up from Rajpur, 

Toiling and seating

And grumbling at the climb,

But enjoying all the same.

At first the hills were hot and bare, 

But then there were trees near Jharipani

And we stopped at the Halfway House

And swallowed lungfuls of diamond-cut air.

The onwards, upwards, to the town - Ruskin Bond  

 

Landour is a cantonment area, further upward after Mussoorie. This is where Ruskin Bond’s home is. An evening was spent in Landour walking around the streets, admiring the views and the old colonial-style architecture. The famous Landour Bakehouse bakes a delicious spread of croissants, brownies, and sandwiches. Their cheesy garlic croissant was finger-licking good, and I had a ginger lemon honey tea to wash it down. The chilly summer evening was a perfect setting for this supper, and the bakehouse has unique furniture (reused sewing machines) for the table. The backdrop for the bakehouse is spectacular, covered with pine and oak trees. 

 

View of the snowcapped Himalayas 

A privately maintained/preserved nature park is the Jhabarkhet Nature Reserve. They charge 450/- per person (including GST), and you can spend the whole day inside the reserve, though camping is not allowed. They provide a paper map with multiple trail options and information about the reserve. The trails are very well marked, and one can easily find their way inside this nature reserve. For a guide, they insist on booking the slot ahead, who have more knowledge about the flora and fauna of the area. On a clear day, the Himalayas are visible to the naked eye, and we were lucky to have been on the hike on one such day. Some of the mountain ranges had received a fresh snowfall the previous night, and the white snow-capped mountains were a treat to the eye and made me stand dumbstruck there for many minutes. 

 

The Hills-E-Ishq Café (also a restaurant) close to the Jhabarkhet Nature Reserve dishes up local dishes and beverages. Their Gharwali thali is a must-try that includes all the delicacies of the traditional cuisine specific to this area of the Himalayas (the Garhwal Himalayas). As the rhododendrons were in season, they had the juice/soda of these flowers, which was very tasty and aided in digesting the heavy spread of the meal. The café is run by an enthusiastic local lady genuinely interested in what she does. Appreciate her effort in saving the tradition and serving the local traditional food by visiting the cafe when in the area. 

 

Another privately run place (hosted by the couple – Kavitha and Shukla), the SOHAM Himalayan Centre, is a fascinating museum displaying varied items related / belonging to the history, culture and geography of these mountains. This should ideally be the first place to begin the journey. You learn about the history and culture of the place, which will help you to appreciate the rest of the trip better. Having a PhD in Painting, the host, Mrs Kavitha, is highly knowledgeable and skilled at narrating stories. This multistoried museum houses everything from old scriptures to coin collection, photographs to paintings, locally used utensils to pieces of architecture and the like. It is no wonder that this region is rich in culture and traditions. Many religious places like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Rishikesh, to name a few, are part of this state. It is fascinating how the culture and local practices still thrive to keep the rich historical and mythological tales alive. They have a meagre Rs.100/- for entry fee. Support the cause of preserving the traditions, history and culture of the Himalayas by visiting the centre. 

 

Mussoorie town seen from Airbnb's balcony

Located away from the hubbub of the touristy Mussoorie town, the Airbnb Cottage at Jharipani is a perfect place for those looking for a quiet stay. The evenings and early mornings are tranquil with the melodious chirping of birds. The views are spectacular from every corner of the property, inside and outside. The cottage overlooks the Doon Valley, and 50mts from the gate is the beautiful view of Mussoorie town. Commuting to Mussoorie is a breeze, thanks to the taxi service recommended by the host. The driver, Faizan, is well versed with the mountain roads and is very good at negotiating the traffic on the narrow, steep hill roads.

 

This was my first time in Uttarakhand, and I can’t wait to explore the other Himalayan places in the state. The well-laid roads from Dehradun airport to Mussoorie make travel easy and hassle-free. The Flybus by KSRTC is the best way to get to KIAL from Mysore. They keep up with the timings. They reached the airport earlier than the expected time of arrival when I went. The buses are comfortable, and experienced drivers make it a smooth ride. 

The best souvenir to remember a trip (in my opinion) is a postcard of the place. I posted one from the Mussoorie post office, and it was an incredible feeling when I received it at my doorstep. Heartfelt thanks to my close friend and her mom who agreed to tag me along on this trip! 

Link to more photos from the trip: Photos

Postcard that made it from Mussoorie to Mysore