Prelude:
Like morning-walkers on grassy fields, we, that is my wife and I, are regularly bitten by the bug. Self-driving in our trusty Tata Punch AMT, we chalk out a plan that would keep us away from our cosy home in Kolkata for at least a month.
This time, my eyes fell on Uttarakhand, the lap of the Himalayas. Google threw up more than 20 places worthy of attention in that region, and given the fact that we were unlikely to drive there time and again, we decided to cover as much as we could, barring places we have already been to. Also given the fact that I was not willing to drive more than half a day in hot weather (have some heart for the poor car), it would take us 4 days to reach the foothills, clocking up our total tour to 41 days. That’s quite a stretch. The pic below is a close up of the places we plan to visit ex-Lucknow, which is the entry and exit point.
Leaving Kolkata (6.45 am):
Our car was loaded up the previous evening. A road trip like this pushes up the number of luggage items to more than ten, what with clothes, warm clothes, shoes, snacks, kettles, electricals, laptops, backpacks for the same, tool kit and, I kid you not, an orthopaedic pillow. No wonder our tagline for the trip is “Packing a Punch”. Dicky plus rear seats were chock a block.
The distance to Asansol was 220 km, perfect for a pre-lunch travel. We left at 6.45 am from Tollygunj and reached my cousin’s place in Asansol at 11.45 am. NH-19 has vastly improved, with the completion of many flyovers (though a few are yet to be completed). Roads were mostly smooth as butter. And apart from a Volvo which imagined itself to be Schumacher’s son, traffic was pretty disciplined.
Breakfast at (8.30 am):
We had planned to have breakfast at 9.30 am (our usual time at home). We ignored New Hotel Hindustan. We looked right when passing Hotel Nabanna on our left. But when Hotel Highway Mirchi hove into view, our Pavlovian instincts erupted and we veered in to polish off some excellent peas kachuri and masala dosa. The place was thrumming with travellers, both business and pleasure.
Reaching Asansol (11.45 am):
I used to remember Asansol from my early working days in 1989-90 as a dusty mining town, full of grimy shops and grim businessmen. It seems to have mellowed down over the years. With the close neighbourhood of Durgapur, Ranigunj and Dhanbad, as well as the slightly farther circle of Burdwan, Hazaribag and Patna, Asansol is in good company and seems to have polished its character up.
This will be an evening of strengthening family ties with my cousin sister and her father.
Tomorrow morning, we travel to Bodh Gaya.
Photo credits: Panna Rashmi Ray
Your trips are inspirational! Love the way you pen your thoughts. What a fantstic itinerary. Wishing you a safe and enjoyable trip.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, on all our monthly Kolkata-Shantiniketan-Kolkata runs, Highway Mirchi is our regular stop. Not so much because of the food but it's the only pet friendly joint on that stretch.
Read your blog, it's wonderful and lucid. i was at Bodh Gaya on 3rd April 2025 for overnight stay cum rest while returning from Lucknow. Towards main temple, at the crossing of Hotel Embassy (on left) police does not allowing vehicles to go beyond without special permission. In between, along the city road, locals trying to confuse travellers shouting " age rasta bandh hai, idhar gari park koro"... Hotels around Thai Monastery has ample car parking place. The famed Tibetan Om Caffe is closed from 11th March 2025 till October, as the family went back to their native place .. excellent tibetan delicacies they cook .. however Nirvana Caffe (veg) and just behind it Maya Heritage (multi cuisine) is a good place with family .. the serenity, tranquility of the Mahabodhi temple always engulfed me, that's why used to stop over at Bodh Gaya for sitting under the Sacred Bodhi tree!
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