Braving the monsoon - travelling from Nainital to Rishikesh

Location:
India

Crossing the Gangetic plain with the full monsoon run off from the Himalayas

By Steven Cassidy

According to Hindu legend when the body of Shiva's consort, Sati, was dismembered, one of her eyeballs fell into the Himalayan foothills and the emerald green Naini Lake (or Tal) was formed. Whether this is true or not there is no denying that Nainital is unbelievably beautiful and a magnetic draw for thousands of Indians particularly during the hot season when temperatures down on the plains of Rajasthan may reach fifty degrees. The primary attraction of this resort is its cool climate, mountain views and holiday atmosphere. If you want to see India relax and enjoy itself - then come here.

But your main obstacle will be getting to the hill station itself. It is set 1,938 feet up in the Himalaya and has no rail link. The nearest one is Ramnager or Kathgodam. There you will have to catch a bus (unless you have your own transport) up to the Hill station. The twisting, mountainous roads up to Nainital are exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure. And only a driver experienced with the Himalaya should attempt them. Those yellow buffers on the edge of the roads are there for a reason - people do go over the edge. But the scenery is spectacular and you may get a chance to see wild monkeys in the sal forests lining the mountains.

The best advice I can give you is to pre-book accommodation. During the Indian summer the place gets very busy and most hotels are booked out. Most of the good hotels are on the lakefront, but the cheapies are away from the lake in the bungalow-covered hillsides. These bungalows are a legacy of the British Raj. Some are dilapidated but most are charming; scrupilously maintained with verandahs, bird tables and little English gardens. Wherever the Victorian British went, snobbery followed soon after and in Nainital it came in the form of the yacht club where the local sahibs would moor their craft. The place was so exclusive that the hunter Jim Corbett, a native to the area, was blackballed for years.

After visiting Corbett NP we found that the monsoon increased in ferocity. We had an appointment to keep in Rishikesh over 400 miles away and decided to drive there in one go. The terrain between Corbett and Rishikesh, once you descend from the mountains, crosses the Gangetic plain which is as flat as a pancake. The problem being the run-off from the Himalayas which floods the plain like a tidal surge over sandflats. And we had to cross from one side to the other.

But as we hit the flat terrain we saw that the country was taking more rain then it could handle. The paddyfields on either side of the road will filling to capacity and the water was sloshing from one paddyfield to the other blocking all traffic. Villagers would gather to watch cyclists brave the running water or simply roll up their trousers and wade across. Nut-brown children swam in the newly formed rivers and locals spread nets in the ditches to catch any fish that came their way

Not far out of Ramnager we reached a town, Kandigah, that was completely flooded as the nearby river had burst its banks. The water reached above the doorsteps of the houses and villagers carried their belongings on their heads. Did we risk the village or go back the way we came? We decided to risk the village and called over a tractor which dangled with farmworkers. For 200 rupees they agreed to tow us through the village. So we afixed a rope to our bumper and they pulled us through the cream-coloured water. We passengers took off our socks, shoes and trousers. We became anxious when the water reached as high as the windows. When the car started to leak and water came in through the sides we got nervous. We pulled our feet onto the seats just as water began to come up through the floor. Christ! Were we going to drown in this car.

But the tractor pulled us through and back onto solid ground. Then came the hard slog across the Gangetic plain to Haridwar and Rishikesh.This town's setting is spectacular. It is situated on the banks of the holy Ganga where the Himlayan foothills emerge onto the plain. From the heights of the Sri Nabootha temple you can actually see where the Himalaya's peter out onto the flatness of Uttar Pradesh. The town itself straddles both banks of the Ganges and is connected by two impressive rope bridges which are always busy with pilgrims, devotees, sadhus and cows. Ashrams dot the forest covered hillside and sadhus (holy men) live in caves on the outskirts. Rishikesh is rather a tourist town now, but you can still find areas of tranquility. And the sense of solace which brought John, Paul, Ringo and George here in 1968 and the start of their psychedelic phase under the Yogi Maharishi.

The Sri Nabootha temple is one of the most enjoyable. To enter the temple you must remove your shoes and socks and risk your bare feet against the hot stone. The temple is on 14 levels with the view of Rishikesh and the Ganges gets better as you ascend. There are statues of Hanuman, Devi and Shiva positioned on each level. As everyone around you is overcome with such genuine respect for these idols it is very hard to remain estranged. After a while I found myself bobbing, clasping my palms together and saying "nameste" to each idol. After ten minutes of climbing we reached the top of the temple where there was a final shrine to Shiva. In a small room a brahmin priest was seated crosslegged over a table with candles and incense. We joined him in supplication and added prayers to the god Shiva. It was a beautiful experience and one I'll never forget

Further Information

Travel tips: Pre book accomodation in Nainital. The place gets packed with Indian tourists on the lead up to the monsoon. Also make sure you hit Corbett NP before the monsoon (late April). The last jeep out of the park is before the monsoon hits and the elephant rides are cancelled before that.

Must see/do at this place: Nainital is just a gorgeous place to wander particularly in the hillsids where the old Britisher bungalows still reside.Rishikesh has a lot of religious sites so respect must be shown. Haridwar, further downstream, is a maelstrom of worship

You should avoid here: The usual Indian precautions over food and water surfice. Drink only bottled water and if you are worried about food stick to rice dishes such as biryani where you know it has been boiled. Also keep out of the way of the brahma bulls.