Happy New Year

Spent last 31st December and 1st January driving among the hills near and around Nainital.

We realized that this is one of the places where flowers bloom unattended. And the stars shine not only in sky but also in the hearts and eyes of people.

One gives what s/he has; joy, pain or unconcern. People in this part of the world give you joy even if they don't have it for themselves.

On 31st December, we started but had to drop the plan to go to Almora, due to heavy rains in Nainital area. We eventually drove to Nanak Matha, a place that has perhaps the most peaceful Gurudwara in India.

On 1st January, in morning we went to Golu Devta temple at Ghorakhaal (a little above Nainital) and then spent the afternoon/ evening with a bonfire at a small cliff house on the top of Bheemtal.

Ghorakhaal

• To reach there, we need to take the upward road at the junction where we take the down cut for Nainital.

• Golu Devta is incarnation of Lord Shiva and the temple is around 100 years old. Here Lord Shiva has fair skin and he rides a horse.This temple has hundreds of bells. Legend is, if you have a wish, place a bell anywhere in the temple premise, it gets fulfilled.

Bheem Tal

• After the prayers, in afternoon we went to our Moushaji’s house in the forest at the top of Bheemtal hills. His house is near to the house that was used as forest house in movie Koi Mil Gaya.

• We cooked in the guest house and spent the evening just sitting in verandah, talking and watching the evening fall. We did a bonfire. Had dinner and came back to Haldwani by night.

Wish you all a happy new year.