Mukteshwar-Say Hello To Yourself

Life is all about traveling and exploring the unexplored. In the end, what matters, is the memory you have accumulated. Visit unknown spots, meet strangers, stay at unconventional places, and that’s how you will create memories. I have heard a lot about Nainital, so wanted to visit a place which was quiet and away from the crowd. That’s how I landed in Mukteshwar, it’s a nice, calm hill station, which will soothe your senses. Set amidst the conifer forests and orchards, Mukteshwar offers the most enchanting view of the Himalayas and its snow-bound peaks. Abundant with apple, plum, peach, and apricot trees, this place is a hidden beauty, mostly unexplored. Its evergreen vistas of exquisite beauty and the sapphire of encircling hills blend with deep blue cloudless skies. These have a charm of their own against the background of great Himalayan peaks glittering in the distance. It is an ideal hill station if you want to admire the panoramic beauty of the Himalayas and leisurely walks through the winding paths of the hills. It is 51km from Nainital, 72 km from Haldwani, and 395 km from Delhi. It was developed by the Britishers as a research and education institute (IVRI) in 1893.

The serpent roads provided us with stunning sceneries, and the area was filled with fruit orchards, primarily plump, apricot and peach. If you ask me then the monsoon and the spring season are the best time to visit the place. The whole landscape comes alive with vermilion rhododendron, the peach blossoms with deep shades of pink near the center, the white plum orchards. Breathe in the fresh mountain air to come alive.

Our host Mr.Aditya Amar owner of Cottage Nirvana, briefed us around a plethora of activities that could be explored. He suggested we explore a small trek, surrounding the cottage, and be back by twilight, to experience something divinely. The trek was a mild one and good for beginners, it would definitely fuel the adventure spirit inside you. It was interesting to get a glimpse into the life of localities, most of them are hardworking and well connected to mother nature, probably that’s the secret behind their healthy life. This was an eye-opener, living in big cities has dulled our basic senses, and most of the time we sleepwalk through life. But in mountains, most of the natives, have a highly developed hearing sense than us. During the trek, we were still figuring out different noises, when our guide clearly demarcated the sounds emitted by different birds for us.

The evenings are chilly, the sky was clear, sprinkled with stars, different constellations, and far-off planets. If you are lucky you can get to witness the meteor shower. The host narrated many interesting stories of UFO sightings and many surreal phenomena that occur in the mountains. I believe this, one on one connection with the host is the most endearing USP of the place, his passion for mountains was clearly reflected in his talks, and very soon the listener would be infected by the same. When he suggested us to visit again during monsoons and experience a unique festival Jagar we were unable to refuse.

The Cottage Nirvana is the Promised Land for all wellness seekers. It is rustic in appearance but has all the basic facilities intact. This place is heaven for solitude lovers, providing ample opportunities for quiet introspections and self-healing. Regular retreats are held around yoga, meditation, classical music, writing, de-stressing techniques, etc. Satvik food is served at the cottage, the staff headed by Navinji will dish out home-cooked food within minutes.  Being a bookworm, I fell in love with their library, it contained all kinds of classics, chic literature, encyclopedias, self-help books, and even a collection of Tin Tin for the kids.

The next morning he suggested we cover Bhalu Gaad waterfall, a 2.5 km trek, but worth undertaking. The place is named after the frequent sightings of bears (Bhalu)in that area. The raw trek was generously fringed with pine trees, the needle-like leaves proudly pointed towards the sky, we sighted a number of feathery companions as Magpie, Himalayan Bulbul, Sparrows, and many others. The trek started with a slight ascent but soon the path went downhill. There were eateries and resting points during the way, but we opted to walk the whole stretch, without taking any breaks. After a 25 minute walk we reached the waterfall, it was a regular fall and nothing out of the mark. Though the water collected in a clean pool, with good visibility, we were tempted to go for a quick dip but decided against it. Visit this trek for a memorable experience, and also to give your body some kind of exercise.

After returning to the cottage, the spa masseur welcomed us for a luxurious foot massage. The masseur Mohit put Ayurvedic oil, which was infused with different herbs, on our aching feet and started applying the right amount of pressure, soon the dull ache gave way to a soothing relaxed sensation. The foot massage gave way to the shoulder and head massage, this was one experience that was highly recommended.

It was a wellness holiday in a true sense, where mind, body, and spirit were nurtured.

The sight of looming mountains will humble you and strangely would engulf you with peace. For time being it makes us ponder at the relevance of the mad rush behind money, success, and materialistic things.

 

Additional Information on Mukteshwar:

Area: 3090 sqkm.

Latitude: 29 degrees 36’ N

Longitude: 79 degrees 30’E

Total Population: 6,21,972

Language: Kumaoni, Garhwali, and Hindi

Best Season to visit: April-June, Sept-March