Author Archives: Ankit Roy

Day 1
Gurgaon
During this year’s New Year trip, we were discussing what we want to do this year. And it was then that I realised I want to add solo trip in my bucket list. A friend recently asked me, “Solo trip pe maza kaise ayega?”(How will you enjoy on a solo trip) I guess I have the answer now.

I had booked my travelling and stay a month before. Being a female traveller on a solo trip adds some additional level of precautions. I started off on Friday morning 7am from bus. I had booked the tickets in a very affordable price. We stopped midway at a local dhaba to enjoy meals. The weather was really nice and I got some amazing views from bus.

I reached Jaipur by 1pm. I quickly took a cab to Zostel. I was allotted a room with two more people. They also provided with a map and guide of the city for convenience. I was really hungry so I quickly got fresh and went out to eat something.

Let me tell you that the best way to explore a city is to have your own vehicle. This I realised when I went to a road trip earlier this year. I am a beginner level scooty driver (seedha seedha chala leti hu). So taking up a scooty on rent was a big risk to take especially when I was all alone. But sometimes you just need few seconds of insane courage and it happened to me at that moment. I got number of a bike provider from zostel and booked a scooty for a day. After taking some rest, I left to get a scooty. They took some details including my Licence number and submitted an ID proof for safety.

For first two minutes, I was hell scared to ride the scooty but then, all the fear went away. I took a tour of the city and the nice roads helped me a lot. A friend had strongly recommended for Amer fort Light show. So for the day, I planned to go to Amer fort and see the Light show. In summers, the English show starts at 7pm and Hindi show at 8pm. I took a small trip around Jal Mahal which is on the way to Amer fort and then went for the show.

The light show was really nice and since it was dark by that time, I quickly made my way back to the Zostel. I had dinner at a nearby restaurant. And with this, Day1 ended.

I had planned to wake up early as I had to cover lot of places but failed. I woke up by 7am and left Zostel by 8am. I decided to check off another item on my bucket list – riding an elephant. So I went to Amer fort where elephant rides take place between 8:30 am to 11 am. But before that came to Jal Mahal to have an early morning view.

The cost of ride is 1100 INR. I took the ride and then visited the Amer Fort. The fort has amazing view. From people playing instruments to amazing architecture, it is a must visit place. All I can think after the visit was how much effort it took to create such huge palaces.

Then I went to Panna Meena ka Kund which is near Amer fort. It is a small kund and you are not allowed to go down too.

While finding my may out of small lanes, I came across a beautiful temple.

Eventually Google maps gave up and I had to take some local help to get back to Amer fort road. Next stop was Nahargarh fort. This fort is actually located at a hill top and this I realised after I saw sign boards of steepy curves ahead! Luckily, my scooty did quite well and I was able to reach the top spot in 30mins from the starting point. But I wont deny it was a risk knowing I am an amateur rider ( Do not try it on solo trips! ).

The viewpoint from Nahargarh is amazing. You can see entire Jaipur from the fort. Getting back from the fort was another adventure!

I did not have time to visit another fort so I skipped Jaigarh fort and reached back at Zostel in afternoon. After taking some rest I went to explore places near the Zostel. Had lunch at View Point Cafe which has view of amazing Hawa Mahal.

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chevron rightRajasthan Travel Guidechevron rightRajasthan Tripschevron rightBackpacking Solo | How I Planned An Unplanned Trip To Jaipur
Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur
19th Apr 2019
Photo of Anonymous
By Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Day 1
Gurgaon
During this year’s New Year trip, we were discussing what we want to do this year. And it was then that I realised I want to add solo trip in my bucket list. A friend recently asked me, “Solo trip pe maza kaise ayega?”(How will you enjoy on a solo trip) I guess I have the answer now.

I had booked my travelling and stay a month before. Being a female traveller on a solo trip adds some additional level of precautions. I started off on Friday morning 7am from bus. I had booked the tickets in a very affordable price. We stopped midway at a local dhaba to enjoy meals. The weather was really nice and I got some amazing views from bus.

The sun was up in Aspura

Photo of Gurgaon, Haryana, India by Anonymous
Jaipur
I reached Jaipur by 1pm. I quickly took a cab to Zostel. I was allotted a room with two more people. They also provided with a map and guide of the city for convenience. I was really hungry so I quickly got fresh and went out to eat something.


Let me tell you that the best way to explore a city is to have your own vehicle. This I realised when I went to a road trip earlier this year. I am a beginner level scooty driver (seedha seedha chala leti hu). So taking up a scooty on rent was a big risk to take especially when I was all alone. But sometimes you just need few seconds of insane courage and it happened to me at that moment. I got number of a bike provider from zostel and booked a scooty for a day. After taking some rest, I left to get a scooty. They took some details including my Licence number and submitted an ID proof for safety.

For first two minutes, I was hell scared to ride the scooty but then, all the fear went away. I took a tour of the city and the nice roads helped me a lot. A friend had strongly recommended for Amer fort Light show. So for the day, I planned to go to Amer fort and see the Light show. In summers, the English show starts at 7pm and Hindi show at 8pm. I took a small trip around Jal Mahal which is on the way to Amer fort and then went for the show.


Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Asking random people to take snaps 🙂

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
The light show was really nice and since it was dark by that time, I quickly made my way back to the Zostel. I had dinner at a nearby restaurant. And with this, Day1 ended.


Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous

Amer Fort
I had planned to wake up early as I had to cover lot of places but failed. I woke up by 7am and left Zostel by 8am. I decided to check off another item on my bucket list – riding an elephant. So I went to Amer fort where elephant rides take place between 8:30 am to 11 am. But before that came to Jal Mahal to have an early morning view.

A devotee throwing pieces of dough in water to get his wishes granted

Photo of Amer Fort, Devisinghpura, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
The cost of ride is 1100 INR. I took the ride and then visited the Amer Fort. The fort has amazing view. From people playing instruments to amazing architecture, it is a must visit place. All I can think after the visit was how much effort it took to create such huge palaces.


The gardens of Amer Fort

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
View from inside of Amer Fort

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Nahargarh fort visible from Amer Fort

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Panna Meena ka Kund
Then I went to Panna Meena ka Kund which is near Amer fort. It is a small kund and you are not allowed to go down too.

Panna Meena ka Kund

Photo of Panna Meena ka Kund, Amer, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
While finding my may out of small lanes, I came across a beautiful temple.


Nahargarh
Eventually Google maps gave up and I had to take some local help to get back to Amer fort road. Next stop was Nahargarh fort. This fort is actually located at a hill top and this I realised after I saw sign boards of steepy curves ahead! Luckily, my scooty did quite well and I was able to reach the top spot in 30mins from the starting point. But I wont deny it was a risk knowing I am an amateur rider ( Do not try it on solo trips! ).

The viewpoint from Nahargarh is amazing. You can see entire Jaipur from the fort. Getting back from the fort was another adventure!



Photo of Nahargarh, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Jaipur City from Nahargarh Fort

Photo of Nahargarh, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
I did not have time to visit another fort so I skipped Jaigarh fort and reached back at Zostel in afternoon. After taking some rest I went to explore places near the Zostel. Had lunch at View Point Cafe which has view of amazing Hawa Mahal.

View Point Cafe

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Jantar Mantar
Next stop was Jantar Mantar. This was also a recommendation from a friend to take a guide in Jantar Mantar otherwise you cannot understand the science behind the things. It is really surprising how people at that time were also so advanced in science. I also visited City Palace after this.

Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan
After the nearby visits, I went to visit Gaitore Ki Chhatriyaan. A very peaceful place with amazing architecture. Near to the place was Ganesh Mandir at the hill. A family was going to the place so I got along. The temple was also a peaceful place. Though I am not a fan of temples, this has a terrace where you can sit and enjoy the view of the city. I enjoyed sunset at the temple and came back with the same famiy making friends with little Pankhudi 🙂

Next stop was Sisodia Rani ka Bagh which was equally peaceful with people sitting in the garden and enjoying light breeze.

I visited Albert Museum and it was lit at night. Went back to Zostel. Came back to visit local market and have dinner. The best part? The Hawa Mahal was glows at night. This ended the day 2 in Jaipur.Menu
chevron rightRajasthan Travel Guidechevron rightRajasthan Tripschevron rightBackpacking Solo | How I Planned An Unplanned Trip To Jaipur
Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur
19th Apr 2019
Photo of Anonymous
By Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Day 1
Gurgaon
During this year’s New Year trip, we were discussing what we want to do this year. And it was then that I realised I want to add solo trip in my bucket list. A friend recently asked me, “Solo trip pe maza kaise ayega?”(How will you enjoy on a solo trip) I guess I have the answer now.

I had booked my travelling and stay a month before. Being a female traveller on a solo trip adds some additional level of precautions. I started off on Friday morning 7am from bus. I had booked the tickets in a very affordable price. We stopped midway at a local dhaba to enjoy meals. The weather was really nice and I got some amazing views from bus.

The sun was up in Aspura

Photo of Gurgaon, Haryana, India by Anonymous
Jaipur
I reached Jaipur by 1pm. I quickly took a cab to Zostel. I was allotted a room with two more people. They also provided with a map and guide of the city for convenience. I was really hungry so I quickly got fresh and went out to eat something.


Let me tell you that the best way to explore a city is to have your own vehicle. This I realised when I went to a road trip earlier this year. I am a beginner level scooty driver (seedha seedha chala leti hu). So taking up a scooty on rent was a big risk to take especially when I was all alone. But sometimes you just need few seconds of insane courage and it happened to me at that moment. I got number of a bike provider from zostel and booked a scooty for a day. After taking some rest, I left to get a scooty. They took some details including my Licence number and submitted an ID proof for safety.

For first two minutes, I was hell scared to ride the scooty but then, all the fear went away. I took a tour of the city and the nice roads helped me a lot. A friend had strongly recommended for Amer fort Light show. So for the day, I planned to go to Amer fort and see the Light show. In summers, the English show starts at 7pm and Hindi show at 8pm. I took a small trip around Jal Mahal which is on the way to Amer fort and then went for the show.


Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Asking random people to take snaps 🙂

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
The light show was really nice and since it was dark by that time, I quickly made my way back to the Zostel. I had dinner at a nearby restaurant. And with this, Day1 ended.


Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Day 2
Amer Fort
I had planned to wake up early as I had to cover lot of places but failed. I woke up by 7am and left Zostel by 8am. I decided to check off another item on my bucket list – riding an elephant. So I went to Amer fort where elephant rides take place between 8:30 am to 11 am. But before that came to Jal Mahal to have an early morning view.

A devotee throwing pieces of dough in water to get his wishes granted

Photo of Amer Fort, Devisinghpura, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
The cost of ride is 1100 INR. I took the ride and then visited the Amer Fort. The fort has amazing view. From people playing instruments to amazing architecture, it is a must visit place. All I can think after the visit was how much effort it took to create such huge palaces.


The gardens of Amer Fort

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
View from inside of Amer Fort

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Nahargarh fort visible from Amer Fort

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Panna Meena ka Kund
Then I went to Panna Meena ka Kund which is near Amer fort. It is a small kund and you are not allowed to go down too.

Panna Meena ka Kund

Photo of Panna Meena ka Kund, Amer, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
While finding my may out of small lanes, I came across a beautiful temple.


Nahargarh
Eventually Google maps gave up and I had to take some local help to get back to Amer fort road. Next stop was Nahargarh fort. This fort is actually located at a hill top and this I realised after I saw sign boards of steepy curves ahead! Luckily, my scooty did quite well and I was able to reach the top spot in 30mins from the starting point. But I wont deny it was a risk knowing I am an amateur rider ( Do not try it on solo trips! ).

The viewpoint from Nahargarh is amazing. You can see entire Jaipur from the fort. Getting back from the fort was another adventure!



Photo of Nahargarh, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Jaipur City from Nahargarh Fort

Photo of Nahargarh, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
I did not have time to visit another fort so I skipped Jaigarh fort and reached back at Zostel in afternoon. After taking some rest I went to explore places near the Zostel. Had lunch at View Point Cafe which has view of amazing Hawa Mahal.

View Point Cafe

Photo of Backpacking solo | How I planned an unplanned trip to Jaipur by Anonymous
Jantar Mantar
Next stop was Jantar Mantar. This was also a recommendation from a friend to take a guide in Jantar Mantar otherwise you cannot understand the science behind the things. It is really surprising how people at that time were also so advanced in science. I also visited City Palace after this.

Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan
After the nearby visits, I went to visit Gaitore Ki Chhatriyaan. A very peaceful place with amazing architecture. Near to the place was Ganesh Mandir at the hill. A family was going to the place so I got along. The temple was also a peaceful place. Though I am not a fan of temples, this has a terrace where you can sit and enjoy the view of the city. I enjoyed sunset at the temple and came back with the same famiy making friends with little Pankhudi 🙂


Photo of Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan, Krishna Nagar, Brahampuri, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Photo of Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan, Krishna Nagar, Brahampuri, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Photo of Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan, Krishna Nagar, Brahampuri, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Sisodia Rani ka Bagh
Next stop was Sisodia Rani ka Bagh which was equally peaceful with people sitting in the garden and enjoying light breeze.

Photo of Sisodia Rani ka Bagh, Lal Dungri, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Photo of Sisodia Rani ka Bagh, Lal Dungri, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Albert Hall Museum
I visited Albert Museum and it was lit at night. Went back to Zostel. Came back to visit local market and have dinner. The best part? The Hawa Mahal was glows at night. This ended the day 2 in Jaipur.


Photo of Albert Hall Museum, Ram Niwas Garden, Ashok Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India by Anonymous
Day 3
It was my last day in Jaipur and how could it end without an early morning ride? I started off at 6am in morning and went to outskirts of the ci

Lty to enjoy driving. I had added Dolls Museum in my list. Unfortunately, it opens at 9am and I did not have that much time. Came back by 8am to pack my stuff, Had breakfast in Zostel. A sure recommendation from my side.

I returned the scooty, and then went to visit Hawa Mahal.Came back to Zostel and left around 12pm. I had a train at 1pm. By 6:30pm, I was back in Gurgaon. With this, I ended by first solo trip.

Here are few points to note while taking a solo trip to Jaipur-

1. Travel light. Keep basic stuff, mix and match. Shoes are your best friend while traveling.

2. Prefer travelling by bus than train. Buses are way more comfortable for this route and takes around same time.

3. You can get a combined tickets for all important places from famous places like Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh fort etc instead of taking at every place. The ticket is valid for 2 days.

4. Prefer to take personal mode of travel. I took scooty on rent for 2 days at 550 INR. But even if not, take public transport which will not be as expensive.

5. Stay hydrated. Keep a bottle with you. Jaipur is heated in April. Keep taking lemon water or coconut in every few hours.

6. Do some small research. I did not plan where and when I will travel places but I had made all stay and travel bookings and keeping me on safer side.

7. It is better to keep someone from family in constant touch with your plans and status. In case you parents are not that open about this, take your siblings in confidence.

8. Lastly, be confident in what you do. Enjoy, and bring back experiences. Travelling alone gives you confidence like no other thing. You get a sense of good and bad influence around you. The feeling of being on my own was amazing. Whether it was sitting near Jal Mahal at night or simply enjoying the silence in Sisodia Rani ka Bagh, all the experiences are beyond words. Meet people, take help, get clicked by strangers, probably you will never see them again in life yet they become so much important part of your memory. That is what is called – experiences !!!

Let me tell you that the best way to explore a city is to have your own vehicle. This I realised when I went to a road trip earlier this year. I am a beginner level scooty driver (seedha seedha chala leti hu). So taking up a scooty on rent was a big risk to take especially when I was all alone. But sometimes you just need few seconds of insane courage and it happened to me at that moment. I got number of a bike provider from zostel and booked a scooty for a day. After taking some rest, I left to get a scooty. They took some details including my Licence number and submitted an ID proof for safety.

For first two minutes, I was hell scared to ride the scooty but then, all the fear went away. I took a tour of the city and the nice roads helped me a lot. A friend had strongly recommended for Amer fort Light show. So for the day, I planned to go to Amer fort and see the Light show. In summers, the English show starts at 7pm and Hindi show at 8pm. I took a small trip around Jal Mahal which is on the way to Amer fort and then went for the show.

Asking random people to take snaps 🙂

The light show was really nice and since it was dark by that time, I quickly made my way back to the Zostel. I had dinner at a nearby restaurant. And with this, Day1 ended.

Amer Fort

A devotee throwing pieces of dough in water to get his wishes granted

The cost of ride is 1100 INR. I took the ride and then visited the Amer Fort. The fort has amazing view. From people playing instruments to amazing architecture, it is a must visit place. All I can think after the visit was how much effort it took to create such huge palaces.

HThe gardens of Amer Fort

View from inside of Amer Fort

Nahargarh fort visible from Amer Fort

Panna Meena ka Kund

Then I went to Panna Meena ka Kund which is near Amer fort. It is a small kund and you are not allowed to go down too.

Panna Meena ka Kund

While finding my may out of small lanes, I came across a beautiful temple.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxZDBwgnFcs/embed/captioned

Nahargarh

Eventually Google maps gave up and I had to take some local help to get back to Amer fort road. Next stop was Nahargarh fort. This fort is actually located at a hill top and this I realised after I saw sign boards of steepy curves ahead! Luckily, my scooty did quite well and I was able to reach the top spot in 30mins from the starting point. But I wont deny it was a risk knowing I am an amateur rider ( Do not try it on solo trips! ).

The viewpoint from Nahargarh is amazing. You can see entire Jaipur from the fort. Getting back from the fort was another adventure!

Jaipur City from Nahargarh Fort

I did not have time to visit another fort so I skipped Jaigarh fort and reached back at Zostel in afternoon. After taking some rest I went to explore places near the Zostel. Had lunch at View Point Cafe which has view of amazing Hawa Mahal.

View Point Cafe

Jantar Mantar

Next stop was Jantar Mantar. This was also a recommendation from a friend to take a guide in Jantar Mantar otherwise you cannot understand the science behind the things. It is really surprising how people at that time were also so advanced in science. I also visited City Palace after this.

Gaitore Ki Chhatriyan

After the nearby visits, I went to visit Gaitore Ki Chhatriyaan. A very peaceful place with amazing architecture. Near to the place was Ganesh Mandir at the hill. A family was going to the place so I got along. The temple was also a peaceful place. Though I am not a fan of temples, this has a terrace where you can sit and enjoy the view of the city. I enjoyed sunset at the temple and came back with the same famiy making friends with little Pankhudi 🙂

Sisodia Rani ka Bagh

Next stop was Sisodia Rani ka Bagh which was equally peaceful with people sitting in the garden and enjoying light breeze.

Albert Hall Museum

I visited Albert Museum and it was lit at night. Went back to Zostel. Came back to visit local market and have dinner. The best part? The Hawa Mahal was glows at night. This ended the day 2 in Jaipur.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxaXtE_gG1I/embed/captioned

Day 3

It was my last day in Jaipur and how could it end without an early morning ride? I started off at 6am in morning and went to outskirts of the city to enjoy driving. I had added Dolls Museum in my list. Unfortunately, it opens at 9am and I did not have that much time. Came back by 8am to pack my stuff, Had breakfast in Zostel. A sure recommendation from my side.

I returned the scooty, and then went to visit Hawa Mahal.

Our group of 7 friends visited for the Christmas long weekend to Shimla and Kufri. All our bookings were planned last minute still we managed to get hotels at reasonable prices. We started at Friday late night from Noida after watching ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ and then continuing our trip with ‘Swag se krenge sabka Swagat’ 😀

At late night, we reached Murthal and had our mini snack break. Leaving from Murthal, we headed straight to Chandigarh and enjoyed an early morning breakfast at a local dhaba.

What happened next was quite unexpected. Two out of seven people started off a vomiting spree ! 🙂 No, I am not joking and if I remember the condition of the poor souls, they were really dehydrated. We took multiple stops and as a result reached Shimla late afternoon.

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chevron rightKufri Travel Guidechevron rightKufri Tripschevron rightChristmas Trip To Shimla And Kufri
Christmas Trip to Shimla and Kufri
22nd Dec 2017
Photo of Anonymous
By Anonymous
Shimla: The queen of hills

Photo of Christmas Trip to Shimla and Kufri by Anonymous
Noida
Our group of 7 friends visited for the Christmas long weekend to Shimla and Kufri. All our bookings were planned last minute still we managed to get hotels at reasonable prices. We started at Friday late night from Noida after watching ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ and then continuing our trip with ‘Swag se krenge sabka Swagat’ 😀

At late night, we reached Murthal and had our mini snack break. Leaving from Murthal, we headed straight to Chandigarh and enjoyed an early morning breakfast at a local dhaba.

Chandigarh
The local dhaba had an interesting way of preparing bread sandwiches and chai.

Photo of Chandigarh, India by Anonymous
What happened next was quite unexpected. Two out of seven people started off a vomiting spree ! 🙂 No, I am not joking and if I remember the condition of the poor souls, they were really dehydrated. We took multiple stops and as a result reached Shimla late afternoon.

Day 2
While others were busy taking out food from stomach, we were taking out pictures.

Photo of Chandigarh, India by Anonymous
Our driver was ignorant to leave the car in public parking. As a result, four of us left in a local cab with luggage to hotel while rest of us decided to walk. To be honest, we were tired, exhausted and literally crawling to find out hotel asap. We could literally see starts in afternoon 😀 Anyways, we reached in one hour. We had the best view from our hotel rooms to refresh ourselves. We were literally wishing to find snowfall this time.After lunch we decided to discover the Mall road for the day. We traNext day, we left for Kufri. We found a local guide along the way who agreed to help us with the spots on the way in return of some bucks which we agreed upon. I personally won’t recommend to take one because every place is easy to discover on the route.

First stop was a road stop scenic place which is a home to many natural species.velled through the area, enjoyed a food fest and did some shopping.

Finally went on a ride to Mahasu peak on mule. It was scary to ride on such roads especially while traversing back but it waa the only option available. We reached there by late evening so the temperature came by -1 degrees. The point had some amazing views.

Came back to Shimla late night. Went for a walk and had panner momos. Also, having ice cream in chill weather is fun to another level.

Next day, it was time to leave. But we stayed back for sometime to visit the church as it was Christmas. There were Santa wishing people Merry Christmas. Enjoyed some time in sun and rode back. Obviously, we were disheartened that we did not find snow or snowfall even after going in December! But that is all about chances.

We stopped by Jhilmil restaurant to have our dinner. By far, it is the best paneer butter masala I have had in my life. Without making any further stops, we reached Noida back by Monday midnight.

I booked my stay in Moustache Agra for 3 days. The best thing about it is the location. It is walking distance to the Eastern gate of Taj Mahal(~1km). You will find many other hostels on the same road as Moustache. I started early morning from Gurgaon via shared cab. It costed me around 400/-. I reached Agra by afternoon, had lunch and continued office for the day. As I was staying in dormitory, I met two other fellow travelers. A dorm costs ~600/- per day.

The main issue with covid situation in Agra was the missing cafes. Only a few were open(eg Bamboo cafe). Even the hostel where I stayed used to have a lovely restaurant which was closed. Thanks to food app service, at least delivery was easy.


I booked online ticket for Taj Mahal. You can get tickets for all places in Agra at https://asi.payumoney.com/#/. The place opens at 6am , so to avoid crowd and get best pictures, I woke early next day and reached the Eastern gate by 6am. The online tickets are just scanned and you can easily enter the premise. There are many guides available outside the gate, you can choose to take it or explore on your own. The Western gate lies on the other side and is closer to Agra fort.As you enter, you can see the beautiful monument on the right. On either side of the monument, you have two buildings – the Mosque and the Mehmaan khana (dining hall). You will definitely be amazed by the symmetry of the whole structure. The garden on both sides, the water in the middle, the symmetrical Mahal from all the sides. It is really amazing to know how people of that era were able to create such a master piece at that time, it really is a wonder. On the opposite side of the Mahal is Yamuna bankAs I was early to visit, I was able to take some beautiful shots of the marvelous monument. The monument looks so bright and shiny when the rays of the sun fall onto it.TripotoGet App
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chevron rightBackpacking Solo| Workcation From Agra
Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra
25th Aug 2021
Photo of Anonymous
By Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
Work from mountains became a rage with the new normal after covid. I wanted to try it too, but being a solo female traveller, it always takes you by scare to travel to such places alone. After lot of plans here and there, I decided to give a short trip to Agra a try.

Day 1
Gurgaon
I booked my stay in Moustache Agra for 3 days. The best thing about it is the location. It is walking distance to the Eastern gate of Taj Mahal(~1km). You will find many other hostels on the same road as Moustache. I started early morning from Gurgaon via shared cab. It costed me around 400/-. I reached Agra by afternoon, had lunch and continued office for the day. As I was staying in dormitory, I met two other fellow travelers. A dorm costs ~600/- per day.

The main issue with covid situation in Agra was the missing cafes. Only a few were open(eg Bamboo cafe). Even the hostel where I stayed used to have a lovely restaurant which was closed. Thanks to food app service, at least delivery was easy.

Day 2
Taj Mahal Agra Trip/Taj Mahal Tours/Agra Day Trip
I booked online ticket for Taj Mahal. You can get tickets for all places in Agra at https://asi.payumoney.com/#/. The place opens at 6am , so to avoid crowd and get best pictures, I woke early next day and reached the Eastern gate by 6am. The online tickets are just scanned and you can easily enter the premise. There are many guides available outside the gate, you can choose to take it or explore on your own. The Western gate lies on the other side and is closer to Agra fort.

Photo of Taj Mahal Agra Trip/Taj Mahal Tours/Agra Day Trip, Taj Nagri Road, Taj Nagari, R.K. Puram Phase-2, Basai Khurd, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India by Anonymous
As you enter, you can see the beautiful monument on the right. On either side of the monument, you have two buildings – the Mosque and the Mehmaan khana (dining hall). You will definitely be amazed by the symmetry of the whole structure. The garden on both sides, the water in the middle, the symmetrical Mahal from all the sides. It is really amazing to know how people of that era were able to create such a master piece at that time, it really is a wonder. On the opposite side of the Mahal is Yamuna bank.


As I was early to visit, I was able to take some beautiful shots of the marvelous monument. The monument looks so bright and shiny when the rays of the sun fall onto it.

Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
After spending around 2 hours, I returned. The whole road to eastern gate is filled with shops selling marble items mostly home decoration items or replica of the Taj. You can shop for some leather stuff too. There are many eateries too.

One thing to note about coming to Taj – if you are traveling by your own vehicle or taking a local auto/rickshaw ; they do not take you to the end of eastern gate. You have to keep your car in parking. From that point, electric vehicle takes you to the main gate. But I will recommend you to prefer walking if you can, as it is not that far. And please don’t get fooled by their over pricing, the auto should not ask you more than 10/- per person.

After breakfast, I continued to work for the day as I work as a full time IT developer. In the evening, I took an hour break to visit sunset point. I had heard a lot about the view of Taj at sunset so I did not want to miss that opportunity. To find the sunset point, simply follow the route to Eastern ghat. Once you are at the end, instead of moving left, turn right. After walking for some distance, you will find a middle point, continue walking straight or lets say, turn left. After few minutes, you will reach the Ghat. There is also a temple at the Ghat. Try and reach atleast 15mins before sunset to get the best experience. The temple prayers and the view of Taj gives an excellent mix of the atmosphere. There are usually a lot of people here so no need to worry.

This is the exact same spot people choose to go boating. The boating starts at 6:30 am morning till sunset. Sadly, they do not cross the river but take you somewhere in the middle of the river and then back. It costs around 200/- per person.

Menu
chevron rightBackpacking Solo| Workcation From Agra
Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra
25th Aug 2021
Photo of Anonymous
By Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
Work from mountains became a rage with the new normal after covid. I wanted to try it too, but being a solo female traveller, it always takes you by scare to travel to such places alone. After lot of plans here and there, I decided to give a short trip to Agra a try.

Day 1
Gurgaon
I booked my stay in Moustache Agra for 3 days. The best thing about it is the location. It is walking distance to the Eastern gate of Taj Mahal(~1km). You will find many other hostels on the same road as Moustache. I started early morning from Gurgaon via shared cab. It costed me around 400/-. I reached Agra by afternoon, had lunch and continued office for the day. As I was staying in dormitory, I met two other fellow travelers. A dorm costs ~600/- per day.

The main issue with covid situation in Agra was the missing cafes. Only a few were open(eg Bamboo cafe). Even the hostel where I stayed used to have a lovely restaurant which was closed. Thanks to food app service, at least delivery was easy.

Day 2
Taj Mahal Agra Trip/Taj Mahal Tours/Agra Day Trip
I booked online ticket for Taj Mahal. You can get tickets for all places in Agra at https://asi.payumoney.com/#/. The place opens at 6am , so to avoid crowd and get best pictures, I woke early next day and reached the Eastern gate by 6am. The online tickets are just scanned and you can easily enter the premise. There are many guides available outside the gate, you can choose to take it or explore on your own. The Western gate lies on the other side and is closer to Agra fort.

Photo of Taj Mahal Agra Trip/Taj Mahal Tours/Agra Day Trip, Taj Nagri Road, Taj Nagari, R.K. Puram Phase-2, Basai Khurd, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India by Anonymous
As you enter, you can see the beautiful monument on the right. On either side of the monument, you have two buildings – the Mosque and the Mehmaan khana (dining hall). You will definitely be amazed by the symmetry of the whole structure. The garden on both sides, the water in the middle, the symmetrical Mahal from all the sides. It is really amazing to know how people of that era were able to create such a master piece at that time, it really is a wonder. On the opposite side of the Mahal is Yamuna bank.


As I was early to visit, I was able to take some beautiful shots of the marvelous monument. The monument looks so bright and shiny when the rays of the sun fall onto it.

Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
After spending around 2 hours, I returned. The whole road to eastern gate is filled with shops selling marble items mostly home decoration items or replica of the Taj. You can shop for some leather stuff too. There are many eateries too.

One thing to note about coming to Taj – if you are traveling by your own vehicle or taking a local auto/rickshaw ; they do not take you to the end of eastern gate. You have to keep your car in parking. From that point, electric vehicle takes you to the main gate. But I will recommend you to prefer walking if you can, as it is not that far. And please don’t get fooled by their over pricing, the auto should not ask you more than 10/- per person.

After breakfast, I continued to work for the day as I work as a full time IT developer. In the evening, I took an hour break to visit sunset point. I had heard a lot about the view of Taj at sunset so I did not want to miss that opportunity. To find the sunset point, simply follow the route to Eastern ghat. Once you are at the end, instead of moving left, turn right. After walking for some distance, you will find a middle point, continue walking straight or lets say, turn left. After few minutes, you will reach the Ghat. There is also a temple at the Ghat. Try and reach atleast 15mins before sunset to get the best experience. The temple prayers and the view of Taj gives an excellent mix of the atmosphere. There are usually a lot of people here so no need to worry.


SPONSORED

This is the exact same spot people choose to go boating. The boating starts at 6:30 am morning till sunset. Sadly, they do not cross the river but take you somewhere in the middle of the river and then back. It costs around 200/- per person.

Sunset shot with fellow traveler. Follow her @_kiran_shah

Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
After sunset, I had dinner at hostel and booked ticket for next day at Mehtab Bagh. Even the garden is just across the Yamuna bank, you have to cross all the way to reach. You can book ola/uber as per you convenience. A local auto will also cost you almost the same(~120/-).


Mehtab Bagh
I started at 6am in the morning. It takes around 20mins to reach Mehtab Bagh. The beautiful garden is filled with shrubs and trees. The shrubs were filled with flowers in this season. It is also aligned with the Taj. From this viewpoint, you can get a full glimpse of the Taj. You can also find peacock and other birds in the garden. It is prohibited to go to the banks of Yamuna. The sight is amazing.

I also went around to try the famous petha of Agra. You get many varieties ranging from – Mango, Strawberry, Chocolate, Sandwhich, Paan. ‘Panchi Petha’ franchise goes all around the city and it is nearly impossible to find the original ones. To be honest, I liked the ones I got from Cantt area.

Another place that was in my list was Sheroes cafe run by acid attack survivors. It is 750m from Moustache cafe and just across the goStops stay. Unfortunately that was also closed. But do try it in case you run around the area and find it open.


Agra Fort
For the last day of the trip, I went to Agra fort. It is on the same route as Mehtab Bagh. It is actually a collection of various palaces and forts. Guides are available around this area too to walk you through the different palaces and their relevance. There is also a beautiful garden inside the fort. The fort also gives a another wide view of the Taj Mahal.
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chevron rightBackpacking Solo| Workcation From Agra
Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra
25th Aug 2021
Photo of Anonymous
By Anonymous
Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
Work from mountains became a rage with the new normal after covid. I wanted to try it too, but being a solo female traveller, it always takes you by scare to travel to such places alone. After lot of plans here and there, I decided to give a short trip to Agra a try.

Day 1
Gurgaon
I booked my stay in Moustache Agra for 3 days. The best thing about it is the location. It is walking distance to the Eastern gate of Taj Mahal(~1km). You will find many other hostels on the same road as Moustache. I started early morning from Gurgaon via shared cab. It costed me around 400/-. I reached Agra by afternoon, had lunch and continued office for the day. As I was staying in dormitory, I met two other fellow travelers. A dorm costs ~600/- per day.

The main issue with covid situation in Agra was the missing cafes. Only a few were open(eg Bamboo cafe). Even the hostel where I stayed used to have a lovely restaurant which was closed. Thanks to food app service, at least delivery was easy.

Day 2
Taj Mahal Agra Trip/Taj Mahal Tours/Agra Day Trip
I booked online ticket for Taj Mahal. You can get tickets for all places in Agra at https://asi.payumoney.com/#/. The place opens at 6am , so to avoid crowd and get best pictures, I woke early next day and reached the Eastern gate by 6am. The online tickets are just scanned and you can easily enter the premise. There are many guides available outside the gate, you can choose to take it or explore on your own. The Western gate lies on the other side and is closer to Agra fort.

Photo of Taj Mahal Agra Trip/Taj Mahal Tours/Agra Day Trip, Taj Nagri Road, Taj Nagari, R.K. Puram Phase-2, Basai Khurd, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India by Anonymous
As you enter, you can see the beautiful monument on the right. On either side of the monument, you have two buildings – the Mosque and the Mehmaan khana (dining hall). You will definitely be amazed by the symmetry of the whole structure. The garden on both sides, the water in the middle, the symmetrical Mahal from all the sides. It is really amazing to know how people of that era were able to create such a master piece at that time, it really is a wonder. On the opposite side of the Mahal is Yamuna bank.


As I was early to visit, I was able to take some beautiful shots of the marvelous monument. The monument looks so bright and shiny when the rays of the sun fall onto it.

Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
After spending around 2 hours, I returned. The whole road to eastern gate is filled with shops selling marble items mostly home decoration items or replica of the Taj. You can shop for some leather stuff too. There are many eateries too.

One thing to note about coming to Taj – if you are traveling by your own vehicle or taking a local auto/rickshaw ; they do not take you to the end of eastern gate. You have to keep your car in parking. From that point, electric vehicle takes you to the main gate. But I will recommend you to prefer walking if you can, as it is not that far. And please don’t get fooled by their over pricing, the auto should not ask you more than 10/- per person.

After breakfast, I continued to work for the day as I work as a full time IT developer. In the evening, I took an hour break to visit sunset point. I had heard a lot about the view of Taj at sunset so I did not want to miss that opportunity. To find the sunset point, simply follow the route to Eastern ghat. Once you are at the end, instead of moving left, turn right. After walking for some distance, you will find a middle point, continue walking straight or lets say, turn left. After few minutes, you will reach the Ghat. There is also a temple at the Ghat. Try and reach atleast 15mins before sunset to get the best experience. The temple prayers and the view of Taj gives an excellent mix of the atmosphere. There are usually a lot of people here so no need to worry.


SPONSORED

This is the exact same spot people choose to go boating. The boating starts at 6:30 am morning till sunset. Sadly, they do not cross the river but take you somewhere in the middle of the river and then back. It costs around 200/- per person.

Sunset shot with fellow traveler. Follow her @_kiran_shah

Photo of Backpacking solo| Workcation from Agra by Anonymous
After sunset, I had dinner at hostel and booked ticket for next day at Mehtab Bagh. Even the garden is just across the Yamuna bank, you have to cross all the way to reach. You can book ola/uber as per you convenience. A local auto will also cost you almost the same(~120/-).

Day 3
Mehtab Bagh
I started at 6am in the morning. It takes around 20mins to reach Mehtab Bagh. The beautiful garden is filled with shrubs and trees. The shrubs were filled with flowers in this season. It is also aligned with the Taj. From this viewpoint, you can get a full glimpse of the Taj. You can also find peacock and other birds in the garden. It is prohibited to go to the banks of Yamuna. The sight is amazing.


I also went around to try the famous petha of Agra. You get many varieties ranging from – Mango, Strawberry, Chocolate, Sandwhich, Paan. ‘Panchi Petha’ franchise goes all around the city and it is nearly impossible to find the original ones. To be honest, I liked the ones I got from Cantt area.

Another place that was in my list was Sheroes cafe run by acid attack survivors. It is 750m from Moustache cafe and just across the goStops stay. Unfortunately that was also closed. But do try it in case you run around the area and find it open.

Day 4
Agra Fort
For the last day of the trip, I went to Agra fort. It is on the same route as Mehtab Bagh. It is actually a collection of various palaces and forts. Guides are available around this area too to walk you through the different palaces and their relevance. There is also a beautiful garden inside the fort. The fort also gives a another wide view of the Taj Mahal.

Photo of Agra Fort, Agra Fort, Rakabganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India by Anonymous
Photo of Agra Fort, Agra Fort, Rakabganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India by Anonymous
After this visit, I moved back with lot of memories.

Tips:

1. Taj mahal is closed on friday. Everything else is opened all days.

2. . Make sure to book hostels for stays if your traveling alone. It is actually much safe.

3. Fares :

– Taj Mahal : 45/-

– Mehtab Bagh : 20/-

– Agra fort : 35/-

4. Use public transport as much as possible. They can be cheap to travel around with 10/- or 20/- fare.

5. Taj Mahal is well maintained. Even the public toilets are super hygienic and clean. Food is not allowed in any of these places.

6. You can also go to Chatt wali gali in Sadar Market. It opens after 3pm.

A Rishikesh trip from Noida happened two months back and this was my first trip with my sister’s friends . And let me tell you it was not a planned trip for me. It so happened that I came to my flat on Friday and my sister’s group was leaving for Rishikesh in the mid-night. It was a last invite, so I asked for permission from my parents and quickly went to pack my bag and returned to join for the first trip from Noida.

Rishikesh trip begins
We left by evening from Noida, and reached late night to Rishikesh. We had planned a camping for the night. No electricity and with minimal amenities, the experience to stay close to nature was just amazing! We stayed at the tents and spent almost all night playing Tambola near bonfire.

We woke up by 6am as we had to quickly go for rafting. The sooner you go the better as the heat makes it difficult if you plan for afternoon or later. The camp on the Rishikesh trip was situated at river side and was one the most calming, peaceful and refreshing places I had been to from the longest time.

After having breakfast at the camp, we went for rafting, wait..wait.. MY FIRST EVER RAFTING! and it was a thrill. I do know how to swim and the person managing the raft literally threw us in the river after a point. The water was so clean, and this view from the Rishikesh trip is still captured in my eyes.After rafting, we quickly got back to camp, packed our stuff and left for Noida. One of the best weekend getaways from Delhi is surely a Rishikesh trip for rafting.

Indian Railways operates a train from New Delhi to Sh Mata V Devi Katra 3 times a day. Tickets cost ₹320 – ₹1,600 and the journey takes 12h 35m. Alternatively, Northern Bus operates a bus from Delhi Majnu Ka Tila to Katra once daily. Tickets cost ₹1,150 and the journey takes 13h

My name is Ankit roy. I always wanted to visit some places of my choice with my friends but I never got the chance to go outside of Delhi and NCR without my family members. A few months ago, my companions planned to visit Agra together, I joined them and it was wonderful visit. One day, at night I was randomly checking some tourist destination within 600 Km. around Delhi. I found some exciting descriptions about Jammu in Ghumakkar.com and I decided to visit holy shrine of Maa Vaishno Devi. I and my six other friends planned to visit on 13th august. Due to rush of festival Raksha Bandhan and Independence day, we could not get reservation in train. I frankly accepting that I can not travel more than 6 hours by Bus. Therefore, I tried to postpon the journey but three of my friends were not agree to me and they went to Katra by bus on same day.

At last I and my two other friends abhishek singhania and mohit yadav planned to visit on 3rd of nov 2021.

As planned, I and martin left college at 5’o clock in the evening and went to Room of martin where we packed all necessary things in a bag and refresh ourselves. Around 7’o clock we left room to Noida Sector 15 Metro station where we would meet mohit yadav who was coming from Greater Noida.

He was late becuase he chosen a wrong transport option to travel from Gr. Noida to Noida, meanwhile we were just planning about our next step like when to have dinner etc,. Somewhere in my heart, I was not feeling good as we did not carry a good quality digital camra. It was more than 30 minutes, me and martin was in paltform with tickets; we were afraid if our ticket’s validity got expired, so I was frequently calling up Rakesh to know his status. Around 7:45 mohit called me up and said he is inside the train coming from Noida City Center and asked us to board same train. We did as instructed but we did not find each other inside train as there was plenty of people traveling.

At last, we all get together in Rajiv Chowk Metro station and we reached on New Delhi Railway Station at around 08:30. When I reached Ndls( new delhi railwaya station) I found everything was not same as it was before 3 years, my last visit .

When we reached at paltform we found train was on track, we searched for our coach and boarded on train. We got all three births of one side (upper, lower and middle birth) and our co-passengers were not yet present. We bought two bottle of water and few paper soaps. There were no rush inside train so we dined before train start.

Just 5 minute before the train started, one old couple and one teenage girl came and sit in our opposite seat. The old couple was from delhi and the girl was from Kolkata who recently came to delhi in summer vacation. She was living here with the couple, who are friend of his father. As usual we were enjoying journey by cracking jokes and gossiping about all hearsay.

Around 11’o clock, most of passengers went to their birth and slept except few who were palying cards, waiting list ticket holders. I was also not sleepig and just browsing net and listening music till 3’o clock.

4th SEPT. Early in the morning at 5’o clock, Rakesh woke me up and asked to down my birth, I was tired as I slept just two hours before. I got down and saw some beautiful scenery. I was told that we were in Jammu. I pulled out my mobile phone and found there is not network signal. All prepaid numbers do not work in Jammu & Kashmir as prepaid numbers are prone to used by terrorist without any legal ID proof.The train was on time and we reached at Jammu at 6.30. We did not waste any single minute and went out from station and moved on the bus.

All devotee inside bus shouted “JAI MATA DI” and bus moved. Katra is approximately 50km. far from Jammu and fare is b/w Rs. 40 to Rs. 60. My mom used to say that when Maa calls out, nobody can stop you to visit. I was thinking “if I come here fun or Maa Vaishno Devi called me”. I do not know about it but there was some spiritual power which was attracting me. Mohit never visited any hill station earlier so he was so excited and Katiyar who is so lazy person just fall asleep. I am from a religious family. Although, I hardly worship god in my daily life but I have strong faith on Maata. After around 1.30 hrs of journey bus stopped at a restaurant for a short break where price of anything was almost double. We just took one cold drink, there were many monkeys playing with each other and entertained us. After 20 minutes brake, conductor ensured that no one left then bus started again. On the way to Katra all buses halt for checking at a check-post. Our bus also did the same.Around 09:00 am we reached at Katra. I was told by my friends that there would be a huge crowd, you might wait for 3-4 hrs in queue to get Bhawan Yatra Ticket which valid for next 6 hrs to reach at main entrance. Although devotee(s) come to visit Bhawan in entire year but I believe month of Sept. is a non peak period as there is no HINDU festival ( except PITRA PAKSHA) fall in this month. We easily got ticket and move further to our way

There are many shops of Handicraft, dry fruits and gift items in the market. We bought some JAI MATA DI written ribbons to tie on foreheads. Auto rickshaw drivers tried to convince us to hire rickshaw but we opted to walk. Main yatra gate is almost 1.5 km. far from Katra bus stand.
I couldn’t believe that I was in door of heaven. I was so excited to move up but I was starving too. We decided to first bath then breakfast so we walk around 1.5 Km to reach at Ghaat of Ban Ganga…

There are three bathing Ghaat in Banganga. Let me tell you something about Banganga, ” When Bhairav Nath was after Mata Vaishno devi and she was one the way to Trikuta hill, she shot an arrow into the earth from where water gushed out — this stream came to be known as Banaganga”. We were hungry and not aware about Ghaat of Banganga so we stopped at first Ghaat and bathed, however, third and uppermost Ghaat is best as shown in above picture. Although, It was raining heavily yet we bathed for 1 hour and enjoyed a lot.

At Main entrance, few boys were selling Raincoat ( a fullsize raincoat made of a lower quality polythin ) for Rs. 10 only but we did not buy there. After having breakfast/Lunch we purchased same raincoat at Rs. 15/ per piece.After rain, weather was pleasent, air was blowing slowly. Once again, we started our journey with more energy and excitement. There were many temples, small shops and shelters on the way to Bhawan. We decided not to stop until we cover at least 5km distance but it was very difficult to move up, every kilometer seemed like 5 miles. People say “It is better to use footpath instead of stairs while moving upward” but I felt comfortable to use upstairs because it saves our time and I think energy too.

Please read notice board carefully before moving upstairs because it indicates the number of steps of ladder. there are many monkeys around the hill, I found all were calm and not annoying any pilgrim.Street was clean and there were many shelters, public toilets and Coffee shop. Only thing that I did not like ” horses and donkeys were also using same street and they might hit anyone anytime, entire way was being smelled dung”.

We took break after every mile and recovered our lost energy with coffee, tea or cold drinks.There are many dustbins on the way. In stead of using dustbin many people were throwing garbage in corners. Please use dustbins and make your Mata’s Bhawan clear, clean and Eco-friendly.

After a long journey, I saw big buildings and crowd of people. It was temple of Ardhkwari. The temple was under construction. I and my both friends were visiting first time so we decided not to stop here and move upward till we reach at Bhawan. That was our biggest mistake, we did not take coupen for Darshan of Garbha gupha. It is believed that Mata Vaishno Devi stayed here in a cave ( known as Garbha Joon ) for nine months and worshipped Lord Shiva. When Bhairo nath entered the cave, the Goddess made a new opening with her trident and ran away. Whole year, there is long waiting to visit Garbha gupha so visitors must take coupen for darshan before moving up toward Bhawan. Waiting list sometimes get so long that we have to wait for even 2 to 3 day.Around 4 O’clock, we reached at sanjhi chhat where we took longer break. we took coffee, ice-cream and cold drinks. There is a facility to visit maa vaishno devi bhawan by helicopter as well. Choppers stop here and Devotees have to cover rest of the journey on-foot or they may hire horse.

Around 7 o’clock we finally reached at Bhawan. There was not so crowd as expected. We decided to took bath first. There was a great arrangement of bathrooms and toilets where devotees can fresh before darshan. We took bath in cold freeze water. I was not feeling well that time and had temperature too. After changing new clothes, we stored our all bags, mobile phones, wallet and belt in clock room. There are many clock rooms available at Bhawan where we can keep our belongings lock and keep key with us. After that, we bought prashad for Bhawan darshan. There was no crowd so we got much time for Darshan of Pindies in sacred cave. We had a great darshan of Maa. When we came out, we went to clock room and got our bags back. I was so tired so I wished to rest but my friends decided to reach at Bhairov Mandir as soon as possible. At Bhairow mandir we ate rajma rice, pakodies and rested their for few hours. Then we started our journey back to down. It was taking less effort to coming down, we just had to maintain the balance of our body, and rest of the work was being done by the gravity. We had some monkeys, langoors, deers on our way.Early in the morning, we woke up, brushed teeth and washed our faces.We had to reach at Jammu Railway station till 7o’clock so we did darshan of Ardhkwari maa and did breakfast. Once again were ready to start our journey downward to Katra with tired body. When we reached in Charanpaduka, we had our lunch in a restaurant.Once again I could not stop myself to bath in BanGanga. Chilled water of Banganga absorbed our tiredness and pain.Finally, we did shopping at Katra market and reached at bus stand. We got return journey ticket for rs. 40 per person which rs. 20 cheaper than we paid while coming Jammu to Katra. Around 5’o clock we reached at Jammu Tawi railway station where we had Duronto Express at approx. 7:30. The train came on platform 10 min. before schedule departure of train. I found Duronto express was much better than other train of Indian Railways.

The train have one stoppage at Jalandhar city between Jammu Tawi to Delhi Sarai Rohilla station. We were to tired to woke so we just felt asleep.

I heard some noise and opened my eyes. I was surprised to see the train was in Delhi. It was raining outside, time was around 5 o’clock. We sit on the bench at platform and adjusted our clothes and luggage. After that we went to inquiry counter and enquired about any local train for New Delhi Railway Station or Old delhi Railway Station. There was a local train at 6:20 from Delhi S. Rohilla station to New Delhi Railway Station. We took tickets rs. 2 per passenger and boarded on train. Frpm NDLS we took metro to came back to noida. All we huged each other and went to own way. This is my first story I ever wrote. Soon I will write my second story……..till the time

………. JAI MATA KI………..