30th November 2009...It was the pleasant morning when we started the journey. Leaving behind a warm good-bye to wholly Himalayan ranges significant there in Ranikhet and heading to Almora the city of ancient temples. Along with the family members..me-hubby,his elder brother n wife, including two cheerful kids...the journey was totally unplanned.
Brother-in-law had heard about the ancient Katarmal Sun temple located somewhere around in the outskirts of Almora which is the second most important sun temple after konark and had collected good enough information about it on net....
Yes this very quote defines him finely....though he is an experienced man but he is a believer too, and that day he was playing the believer. moving up-n-down through the hills..we finally pulled down our car in front of a narrow,rocky path going up to hill, at its starting point there was a corroded board on which,"Way To The Sun Temple" written with an arrow directed up.
We were still not sure that, is it the same temple we are looking for? and on the other hand by looking to the path half of the members decided not to track up...in case if this not turned to be the same temple then what!.. all waste!!....but bro-in-law assured us that this is the right one and we started tracking after making some arrangements for our car (parking your car safely on hills is a tough job, but my hubby is expert in that
Starting is always good but after some clock rotation it becomes heavy and tiring....but then we saw some locals tracking down, seemed like some celebration they had up there and were coming back. This obviously boosted our hope level,"yes we are on the right path". After some more clock rotations we heard some weird noises...like something big is coming down(no rocks,no landslides and no any other big danger) you won't believe what we saw...A Santro car rolling down from above stretch of track....we were like wow! okay great!
After many more tracking steps we reached up there on hill and we saw there is no temple, but there were a small village up there..we asked some kids,"Is there any Sun temple here". No response...we were so confused and thinking what to do...then suddenly Bro-in-law saw an ancient ruminants far away on another hill-top. "But where is the way", he said...then we saw a narrow track going up to that hill which was about 400 meter.
We have already made about 1-2 km up to the village rest 400 meter more to go for the temple...again half of the members raise their hand,"No way..we can't make it now". But me and bro-in-law keep on encouraging them, "it's just 400m, we can do this...we have come across this much , now we can't go back..if we go back then we will regret it whole life". They agreed finally and we start our tracking again with more hopes and joy of finding the temple. Kids were happy too...
Finally we were there...we can see the temple, it was old the 9th century Architecturally,made up of stones instead of bricks.Sculptures, carved pillars and wooden doors lend an artistic touch to the temples.
It was beautiful. We have made it finally..this feeling was unique we were happy.Before reaching to your destination,many thoughts come to your mind but when u finally reached there, you have nothing to say. Just to sit quite and see around and feel the moment.... I think just one sentence can describe this whole unplanned trip
Brother-in-law had heard about the ancient Katarmal Sun temple located somewhere around in the outskirts of Almora which is the second most important sun temple after konark and had collected good enough information about it on net....
An experienced man may lead you to the destination safely, but the believer leads you to the destination with gratification.
Yes this very quote defines him finely....though he is an experienced man but he is a believer too, and that day he was playing the believer. moving up-n-down through the hills..we finally pulled down our car in front of a narrow,rocky path going up to hill, at its starting point there was a corroded board on which,"Way To The Sun Temple" written with an arrow directed up.
We were still not sure that, is it the same temple we are looking for? and on the other hand by looking to the path half of the members decided not to track up...in case if this not turned to be the same temple then what!.. all waste!!....but bro-in-law assured us that this is the right one and we started tracking after making some arrangements for our car (parking your car safely on hills is a tough job, but my hubby is expert in that
Starting is always good but after some clock rotation it becomes heavy and tiring....but then we saw some locals tracking down, seemed like some celebration they had up there and were coming back. This obviously boosted our hope level,"yes we are on the right path". After some more clock rotations we heard some weird noises...like something big is coming down(no rocks,no landslides and no any other big danger) you won't believe what we saw...A Santro car rolling down from above stretch of track....we were like wow! okay great!
After many more tracking steps we reached up there on hill and we saw there is no temple, but there were a small village up there..we asked some kids,"Is there any Sun temple here". No response...we were so confused and thinking what to do...then suddenly Bro-in-law saw an ancient ruminants far away on another hill-top. "But where is the way", he said...then we saw a narrow track going up to that hill which was about 400 meter.
We have already made about 1-2 km up to the village rest 400 meter more to go for the temple...again half of the members raise their hand,"No way..we can't make it now". But me and bro-in-law keep on encouraging them, "it's just 400m, we can do this...we have come across this much , now we can't go back..if we go back then we will regret it whole life". They agreed finally and we start our tracking again with more hopes and joy of finding the temple. Kids were happy too...
Finally we were there...we can see the temple, it was old the 9th century Architecturally,made up of stones instead of bricks.Sculptures, carved pillars and wooden doors lend an artistic touch to the temples.
It was beautiful. We have made it finally..this feeling was unique we were happy.Before reaching to your destination,many thoughts come to your mind but when u finally reached there, you have nothing to say. Just to sit quite and see around and feel the moment.... I think just one sentence can describe this whole unplanned trip
"Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) by Julius Caesar
Nicely narrated....
ReplyDeleteI like the pics also a lot....
thanks!!!
ReplyDeletesoothing discription..i am also feeling like to go there...
ReplyDeletehmmmm, thnks for sharing this.i m waiting for some more...
ReplyDeleteYes y not.......
ReplyDeleteHmmm...
ReplyDelete2009 was the year when we did tour a lot of places unplanned...... random plan were the theme of the year for us. the same has not been the case since then......
well written...... explained it exactly the same way it happened... like reliving the trek.........
and i am good at parking my car but it was heartbreaking to leave it there all alone on a national highway......... but post that trip our car could advertise for Maruti........
made a nice read..keep writing...
Cheers........
wow nice narration and great facts about the great temple. hats of to Chacha (well he is the knowledge gem of our family) and to you too for writing it down....
ReplyDeleteThanks......:) I loved it
ReplyDeleteThanks dear....if u want me to keep writing then keep on taking me to the new places.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm....... Catch 22
ReplyDelete