Binsar: Touched by the Gods, Untouched by man

Uttaranchal is perhaps one of the most unexplored of tourist destinations. I had heard of its unspoilt beauty and chose to go there. After a comfortable train journey from Delhi to Kathgodam, I commenced the extremely pleasant drive up the Kumaoni mountains with pine trees lining the road all the way to my final destination, the Club Mahindra Valley Resort. Located at a height of 5000 feet, with views of the snow-capped Nandadevi peak. I enjoyed an exhilarating drive up a steep road to Manipuir Villa, the extension of the resort situated 600 ft above the main resort.

Manipur Villa used to be an English-style villa. It now has five exquisitely appointed rooms and a cosy common area complete with a fireplace and mantelpiece. The Villa is an ideal getaway for a group of 10-12 people for corporate training or the like. Honeymooners would also Find serenity and exclusivity up there.

My room at the resort was very comfort able and equipped with all the amenities I might need during my stay. The rooms at the resort have been designed by Sonia and Kalapa, two Mumbai-based designers, using an architectural style and decor of the 14th century Gupta dynasty.

At the resort I met up with the resort manager, Mr. Kripal Negi and learned of several important aspects of the adjoining Bhainsori village. It has the rare distinction of sending one person from each family to serve the Indian armed forces.

I soon realized that most of the tourist attractions in Binsar were not very far off. My first tour was to the Binsar sanctuary 23 km away. It is home to hundreds of migratory birds, barking deer and leopards. It also has dense oak and rhododendron forests. The juice of the rhododendron flower, a visually appealing, rose-like flower, is believed to contain Ayurvedic medicinal value and is said to be good for people suffering from high blood pressure and as a preventive for heart ailments.

Within the Binsar sanctuary is Khali Estate, a former British mansion that later became Gandhiji's ashram from 1929 to 1935. Zero Point is the highest point in the Binsar area where a 30 foot tower provides you with a 180 degree view of the Himalayan range comprising peaks like Gangotri, Shiviing, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Nandadevi etc.

Another very interesting spot is the Patal Bhuvaneshwar underground cave complex. The Pandavas are said to taken shelter inside the cave during their period of isolation. The cave, which takes you down 30 feet, is a natural formation and has been created out of a single rock. The rock face of the innerwalls has depictions of characters from Hindu mythology, such as Kamadhenu, Sheshnag, Airavath as well as other characters from the Mahabharata.

The three most well-known temples around Binsar are the Jageshwar, Chitaidevi and Bageshwar temples, all within a radius of 75 km. Jageshwar is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is regarded as one of the most sacred 'tirthas' in the Kumaon region, with a linga considered to represent one of the 12 jyotirlingas. The temple complex comprises 124 temples of which 5 are major ones. Of the numerous temples in the Jageshwar group of temples, the Mrityunjaya temple seems to be the oldest dating back to the 8th century.

The Chitaidevi temple, close to Almora, is steeped in legend. Here devotees tie a bell, make a wish and even write letters seeking divine intervention in legal issues to Chitai, who is regarded as the God of Justice.

The third most well-known temple is the Baijnath temple at Bageshwar which is one of the few temples where both Lord Shiva and Parvati are worshipped. The temple complex holds a pond where you can see a variety of fish. It also holds a particular stone which can only be lifted by nine male little fingers. Bageshwar represents the meeting of the Srayu and Gomati rivers.

This is where lakhs of devotees bathe on the auspicious day ofMakar Sankranti to wash away their sins. The occasion is celebrated by holding the annual Uttreni Mela.

I could not help notice that the Kurnaoni people are simple, honest and hardworking. The ladies do most of the household work such as collecting firewood, cooking and grazing the cattle.

The cuisine at the resort comprises local Kumaoni, North and South Indian, Chinese and Gujarati dishes made at the request of guests.

As Chef Prakash Chand explained to me the nuances of Kumaoni cuisine I realised that all the main ingredients used in Kumaoni dishes are procured locally, are unique to the region and have some medicinal value. Like the herb called gandhraini found only in the Kumaon region is known to be good for people with pain in their joints. Gandhraini is used frequently in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking.

Mustard is a regularly used ingredient in Kumaoni cuisine. Kumaoni raita uses mustard powder and mustard oil and is made four hours before serving for the flavours to mature. Another dish called bhatt ki chatni uses black beans (bhatt) that is only grown in the region. Gehat ki dal uses a local dal which is said to provide enough heat and energy to the body to last almost the whole day.

The desserts are also very unique, the two most unique being bal mithai and singodi. Bal mithai is made from khoya and maida and is coated with little sugar balls. Singodi is made from khoya and sugar and is rolled in a mou leaf which is only found in the region. The leaf retains the freshness of the mithai as the leaf itself stays fresh for around 15 days.

Every evening at the resort is time for good family fun with Subhasish Guha enthralling every single resident at the resort with his creative games and group activity. It's amazing the way he involves people of all ages. You can depend on Subhasish to coordinate other activities at the resort like trekking, rock climbing, rappelling, glass painting, etc. You can also play cards, table tennis, video games as well as participate in hobby classes such as clay modelling, glass painting, diya painting, candle making, etc.

Almora is themain shopping destination around Binsar. I could not resist the shawls, brass artefacts like diyas and bells and the scented candles from Nainital. Do visit the Women's Weaving Association if you wish to shop for shawls and other artefacts. One can also shop for good honey and murabbas made from apples, apricots and plums.

As I prepared to leave Binsar I was over whelmed with the divine presence of Lord Shiva which can be felt all around Binsar and I came away with a feeling of purity, serenity and peacefulness. Binsar was truly created by the Gods and thankfully is yet untouched by man.

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