15 July 2021 – Gurugram to Udaipur – 630 km - Day 13 of Spiti Valley Exploration

All through the Spiti Valley Exploration drive I found immense opportunities to marvel at and savour God’s gift of nature. However, I got more chances to bemoan how we have abused it. We have destroyed forests, permitted unfettered and unscientific tinkering of the Hills and played with the course and flow of waters. Crass commercial interests and land grabbers have had a field day, altering the environment to such an extent that the Hills have been shorn of its innocence and virginity. Most erstwhile hill stations have become extensions of cities, such as Shimla, Manali and Leh. Every summer and monsoon we hear of the destruction wreaked by Nature; its own method of settling scores with a race that brutalises and rubbishes the creations of God.

This morning, as I woke up and turned on the news I was greeted with that about landslides on the Batal-Gramphu road and its closure the day before. According to my original plan I was to have stayed in Kaza for three nights. Thanks to Jeevan, the Manager of the Hotel I stayed there, I was able to round off my visit in two days. It seemed to be the grace of God that I forewent the extra day in Kaza and got out to Kullu on the day I did. When such situations confront you, you know that there is a super power backing you all the way to ensure that you escape harm, get over obstacles and complete your mission successfully. Yesterday I could have been butchered on the road. Instead, here I am contemplating this day’s drive to Udaipur.

I had spent many weeks in the Railway Institute in Udaipur as part of my initial training in the Indian Railways. The double room accommodation in the Institute was just adequate, but it had an excellent shuttle badminton court, where I spent the bulk of my evenings. The days belonged to the foot stomping music of Bappi Lahiri who started the disco music trend. The dhaba just outside the Institute played ‘Rambha Ho’, sung by Usha Uthup in her inimitable style, for us to enjoy hot samosas and katchoris with mint chutney. Some of us probationers would hire bicycles to roam the lovely city enjoying the many sites. However, what I recall most of the city are the many bathing ghats that provided sufficient spectacle for the young and raring loins! I had every intension of looking up some of the touristy sites in the city when I reached there this afternoon.

Staffing in the Holiday Inn Hotel in Gurugram has been reduced to the bare minimum to tide over the financial crisis brought on by the pandemic. Besides, the hotel kitchen is closed and they operate from a central kitchen with a basic menu. Understandable in such bad conditions for business. All corners must be cut without compromising on the basic comforts of the customer, which is a tough ask. I chose to have idlis and omelette with toast for breakfast and a strong cup of coffee before easing out on to the highway to Udaipur.

The massive hold up at Singur border due to the farmer agitation resulted in long queues of passenger vehicles and freight traffic. When such disruptions happen what irritates me are the lousy louts that try to sneak in, cut in and do their bit to further disrupt movement. At times, I wished I had the courage to puncture their tyres and leave them disabled at the spot! At other times, I visualise bludgeoning their face. These fantasies better remain trapped inside, I pray. However, frustrated one is on the road, and is bound to be, it is best to retain the equanimity required to face long sessions on the road, driving safely. Most frustrating are trucks that ply with materials jutting out, vehicles driving merrily in the wrong direction and come headlong into you and the ubiquitous cattle. It seems no highway is complete without the last named staking their own territories on it!

The road condition was mostly quite good on NH48 up to Kishangarh and NH58 thereafter to Udaipur via Ajmer and Beawar. While approaching Nathwada I was mesmerised by the huge 351 feet tall statue of the trident wielding Lord Shiva in a sitting position. This is considered to be the tallest Shiva statue anywhere in the world and was commissioned by Shapoorji Pallonji, the construction company. The statue of the baby-faced Lord Shiva, known as the Statue of Belief, sits atop a hillock in Nathwada and hence, commands views from all over.

Nathwada was already famous for the Shrinathji Temple. Legend has it that the self-manifestation of Lord Krishna happened in the Govardhan hill near Mathura. In 1672 the deity was moved from there to escape the wrath of Aurangazeb. When the cart reached the present location the wheels sank axle deep to indicate to the priests that Lord Krishna had chosen the place for the deity’s installation. Shrinathji Temple is a popular pilgrimage for Vaishnavites.

As I neared Udaipur I was battered by heavy rain putting paid to my plan to visit some of the historic places in the city. I had booked in advance to stay at the Udaigarh hotel. The accommodation was chosen after a careful study of the reviews. As I drove into the city there was construction activity in the city centre and large boards proclaimed that work on Smart City is in progress. After trying to reach the hotel from many directions, I was told by a policeman that there is no road access to the hotel due to the ongoing works! Imagine my plight. I do not know why such information is not reflected in the booking.com site. It is indeed exasperating when the best laid plans are laid waste. Finally, I located another hotel, the Hotel Udai Palace, very close to the city centre near the popular landmark, Chetak Circle.

The room was quite large and decently furnished. Of course, lesser than necessary maintenance could be evidenced, but who is to blame in these times. Anyway, I just needed a clean bed and a decent toilet. After settling in I wanted to have a chilled beer to keep me company while I updated the expense register and the actual itinerary. Though the hotel receptionist had given me direction to the wine shop I lost my way and wandered around a bit. Then I came across a couple sitting outside their laundry shop and asked the gentleman if he could direct me to the nearest wine shop. While he was mulling my question their smart young daughter told me that I could find one just four shops down the road! I bought a bottle of super chilled beer for myself and also two slabs of chocolate for the young lady.

Super crisp masala papad accompanied the beer intake and the hotel restaurant served excellent black dal curry and chappatis for dinner. The food was exceptionally tasty. Before the bed lamp was put out I made mental note of my halt for the next day – Daman; the time it would take me to get there, where I could stay and what I could see there. Then I drove into dreamland.