Historical Sites With A Magical View: J&K And Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka

J&K AND LADAKH

SRINAGAR TO LEH DRIVE – Flying to Leh, which stands at 11,562ft, almost always results in altitude sickness. But if there was a scenic route, wouldn’t you take it? Thanks to the Border Roads Organisation, there is, and you should. The 434km Srinagar-Leh road, also called NH ID, is one of the most beautiful roads in India. Stop and smell the flowers at Sonmarg, ascend to Zoji La, stop at Drass and break journey at Kargil. Head out again via Mulbekh, cross Namik La, Fotu La, pass through Ule and push on to Leh. Check if the road is open before making plans. The snowbound road is normally open from the last week of April till mid-October.

CHANGTHANG PLATEAU – There are a few words that travellers and writers often use to describe Changthang Plateau: eerie, magical, desolate, surreal, menacing, beautiful and profound. This uninhabited cold desert in the northern plains of Ladakh, with an average elevation of 15,000ft is all that and more. This is a region of vast highlands and giant lakes, home to the nomadic changpa tribe and pashmina goats. At 14,835ft, with a surface area of 12,000 ha, Tso Moriri is more breathtaking than words can say. Changthang is best experienced by the 9-day, 7-pass trek from Rumtse on the Manali-Leh highway to Karzok by the Tso Moriri via the lake of Tso Kar. You can also drive to Tso Moriri from Leh. Tso Moriri is located about 250km away from Leh.

GADSAR LAKE – Many fabled trails in the Himalaya are so off-grid, they seem near-mythical. Not this circuit. Set off from the village of Shitkadi Sonmarg, and the trail leads you past the lakes of Vishansar and Krishansar to altitudes over 13,451ft across two mountain passes, Nichnai and Gadsar, and a few smaller lakes before you arrive at the meadow of flowers that surrounds Gadsar. Reflecting the lofty glaciers that surround it, Gadsar is popular with anglers for its brown trout and also a rumoured octopus that drags unwary tourists under. The trek goes on over Gaj Pass to picture-postcard views of Gaganbal and Nundkol lakes and the sacred peak of Harmukh before ending at Naranag. The trek head point of Sonmarg is 80km/2hrs from Srinagar.

HEMIS – This is Ladakh’s richest and largest gompa. This scenic Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa lineage was built in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal, and it is known for its annual festival honouring Padmasambhava. Further adding to its mystique, the library here is rumoured to preserve a gospel called Life of Saint Issa, which is said to document the ‘lost years’ of Jesus, which he supposedly spent in Kashmir with his wife and son, Ben-lssa. Apart from the monastery, Hemis is famous for its 4,400sq km high-altitude national park—the only one north of the Himalaya. It harbours a high density of snow leopards and boasts a species list of some rare flora and fauna. The Markha Valley trek ends here. Hemis Monastery is 45km/1hr away from Leh.

MADHYA PRADESH

JUNGLE BOOK TRAIL – The enduring world of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book has been the subject of one of Walt Disney’s most popular animated creations and a timeless hit with both kids and grown-ups. Today you can re-wind the escapades of Mowgli, Sher Khan and Baloo in Madhya Pradesh’s loveliest game parks. Sign up for a tour with Taj Safaris, which has tied up with South Africa-based ‘& Beyond’ to introduce a Mowgli trail. These especially crafted itineraries follow a trail covering the wilderness reaches from Kanha National Park and Pench National Park, in Madhya Pradesh. Stays are arranged at the Banjaar Tola and Baghvan luxury lodges. Game drives, village community visits and Anglo-Indian menus are part of this wildlife deal. Jabalpur airport is 165kms from Kanha National Park.

BHIMBETKA – The world’s largest group of painted rock shelters dating to the early Stone Age was discovered by chance in a densely forested region in the Vindhyas. A Unesco World Heritage Site, Bhimbetka’s rock paintings rank among the world’s greatest testimonies for the first traces to Homo sapiens, evolving culturally as they sketched the human journey from the Mesolithic period right through the historical times. The oldest date back about 30,000 years. The well-preserved linear representations, geometric figures and paintings feature dancers and hunters, tigers, bisons, elephants, deer rhinoceroses and bulls. Traces of Homo erectus have also been found at the caves. The Bhimbetka caves can be accessed from Bhopal, 45km away.

OORG – Karnataka’s charming Kodagu, or Coorg district, offers visitors rich and varied holidaying delights in its balmy environs. Long renowned for its coffee and spice plantations, where one can book a colonial homestay experience, the Coorg region is also rich in wildlife-come here to meet Malabar squirrels and tigers. In Dubare, look forward to interactions with elephants at the government-run Elephant Training Camp. Go trekking in forest trails along the Ka-veri to the Pushpagiri and Brahmagiri sanctuaries. At Madikeri enjoy rambles in Tippu’s fort. At Kakkabe climb Thady-endamol Peak and look for rare orchids. The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport, 160kms away.

KARNATAKA

BADAMI, PATTADAKAL, AIHOLE – The seventh century site of Badami represents the sophistication of Chalukyan architecture. Of Badami’s four richly carved cave temples, three are Vedic caves, dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, and the fourth, with its idol of Parashwanatha, to Jain deities. Patta-dakal, with its Virupaksha Temple, is a World Heritage Site. Among the 10 temples in the complex are also the stunning Mallikarjuna and Papanath temples. Erstwhile Chalukyan capital Aihole is home to 100 shrines built between the 6th and 12th century AD, the star attraction being the Durga Temple, which has a fusion of Dravida with Nagara architectural styles. Use Badami as your base for a day tour of the other two. Accessed from Hubli (115km), which is a six-hour drive northwest from the state capital Bangalore.

HAMPI – Its jaw-dropping carved temples, palaces and other ruins of the Sacred Centre around Hampi Bazaar and the Royal Centre near Kamalapuram from the legendary Vijayanaga-ra Kingdom provide a window into the world of medieval South India and its enormous wealth, noted by many writers of the era. But adventure buffs in the 21st century love it for the great landscape of giant boulders among which the historic site stands. A handful of rock climbers from abroad discovered the potential of Hampi as a granite bouldering climbing site. Today, would-be boulderers seek locally available professional help to explore Hampi’s 700 boulder challenges, especially in November and December. Hampi is accessed from Hospet (13km). The 341 kms drive from Bengaluru takes about six hours.

MYSORE – Central to this erstwhile royal city is the massive sprawl of the Mysore Palace, home of the Wodeyar royals. Rising Phoenix-like from the ashes of a terrible fire, this grand palace is the first stop for visitors in the city—for the dazzle of its Darbar Hall and Kalyana Man-tapa. The palace design and aesthetic displays a mix of Hindu, Islamic, Gothic and Rajput styles. A higlight is the dramatic lit-up view after sunset. The 10-day-long Mysore Dasara Festival was a royal initiative, and is celebrated lavishly with the public display of the Golden Howdah even today. Set off on a languid trawl of Mysore’s other ornate palaces, gardens, Chamundi Hill and old markets where you can pick up Mysore silks, sandalwood joss sticks and garlands of fragrant jasmine. Mysore is a 146kms drive from Bengaluru, which takes 2.5 hours.

DANDELI – Said to be the oldest declared game reserve in India, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is where you can spot the elusive black panther. Flying snakes, flying squirrels and flying lizards are other unique denizens of this pristine world, also famed for its rare and colourful hornbills. The white water rafting experiences, arranged by Kali Wilderness Adventure Camp on the Kali River, attract many adventure buffs. For the less adventurous there are gentle coracle rides on offer. Jungle safaris are arranged by the Kulgi Nature Camp. Trekkers can conquer Shiroli Peak and further ahead explore the network of limestone caves at Kavala. The nearest railway station is Alnavar, 35kms away.

RIVER TERN ISLAND – An all-year retreat, this picturesque island rises off the sparkling waters of the backwaters of the Bhadra river, just 4km from the Bhadra Tiger Reserve. The river shares the secret of this special place with only those who venture into these parts. You can’t stay on the island itself, as it disappears when the monsoon engorges the backwaters. But before that happens, it’s the residence of the river terns, who have been using it as a nursery for years. Stay at Jungle Lodges River Tern Lodge here and take a boat ride to watch the chicks come out to take their first swim. Watersports are also on offer by the resort. The island is about 27Skms from Bangalore.