Phraya Nakhon Cave in the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Thailand

To reach the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Thailand to go to the Phraya Nakhon Cave we went to the Bang Pu village in the Pranburi area near Hua Hin. Khao Sam Roi Yot means mountains with 300 peaks. 

One has to go through the muddy waters to take the boat

There we took a boat and therefore on both sides had to wade in muddy water as it was the time of low tide.

The trekking path to the cave

The trek to the cave is not a long one and by gradient also I would rate it as a easy trek though for the first timers the climb was too steep and were taking rests every few steps.

The view of the Gulf of Thailand from the trek to the cave

One gets a beautiful view of the Gulf of Thailand and surrounding areas from half way atop this trek to the cave. As the Gulf of Thailand is a sheltered gulf therefore its waters are calmer and bluer compared to several other beaches.

The path leading to the two caves

The caves are formed by the water’s erosive action over a long period of time. The rock in the area is mainly limestone as a result of which the cave has beautiful stalactites, stalagmites and columns and being a geographer it gave me much pleasure to watch them. 

Formation of stalactites, stalagmites & columns

The cave is a very popular tourist attraction contributing to the local economy. But despite the fact that I saw several tourist the place was absolutely green and beautiful with no litter at all. 

The natural bridge formation at the cave

The cave consists of two caverns with sunlight filtering in due to the collapsed roofs. One of them also has formed a natural bridge – from underneath it looks like a flyover.

The Pavilion

The second cavern has a beautiful Pavilion. King Rama V got this Tetrahedron Pavilion built in Bangkok and it was carried from there and reassembled at this location.

The Pavilion at the second cavern

The Pavilion is also the symbol of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province of Thailand. Three Thai kings have visited this place over time.

A Dusky Langur on the way

The area is also a birder’s paradise with over a thousand species of birds inhabiting the area. I also saw Dusky Langurs which are of a different species than the ones found in India.

A bird in the area

It was a wonderful and memorable experience and I would highly recommend this to all nature enthusiasts.

Is it is mosque or a temple or a gurudwara?

When I initially looked at this structure in Farrukhnagar from a back lane I thought it must be a mosque and that also at least from the pre-partition days.

A Mosque like structure, Farrukhnagar

So I decided to have a look at it. When I entered the lane from the front of this building I was astonished to see the gate at its compound proclaiming it to be Sita Ram Mandir (temple). Though the gate of the premises was open but the entry to the main structure was closed. So I made some efforts to track down the caretaker of the place which turned out to be the Pujari (Hindu priest) of the said temple. He first refused to open it as he said it opens only in the morning and evening but after some persuasion agreed to open it. While entering I just rang the huge bell hanging at the entrance which offended the priest who kind of scolded me for doing so. When I asked the reason he said that afternoon is the time when the gods are sleeping and by ringing the bell I am disturbing them! I wondered if the gods sleep at particular time and people know of it then they would commit all kinds of offenses (in the eye of the god) during that period to get away from persecution from god!

Gate proclaiming it to be Sita Ram temple

Anyhow, when I went inside I was further astonished to see that the place of worship was not only for the Hindus but for the Sikhs as well as in one corner there was a Guru Granth Sahib (Holy book of the Sikhs). So it was a place of worship for two communities. There are though very few Sikhs living in Farrukhnagar.

Temple priest and the temple 

What I can make out is that it must have been a mosque before the partition and after that the dominant Muslim community left Farrukhnagar and people converted it to a temple cum Gurudwara. Of course we all know that the Indian partition was a bloodied affair with lot of persons from both (or rather three) communities being (forcefully) converted to another religion on both sides of the border and I am assuming the same happened in the case of buildings also on both sides of the border.

Sikh Holy Book inside the temple, Farrukhnagar

Also read:
Ali Gosh Khan Baoli in Farrukhnagar
Sheesh Mahal, Farrukhnagar
Sethani Ki Chattri
The Gates of Farrukhnagar - Dilli Dawaza & Jhajjar Darwaza

The Gates of Farrukhnagar - Dilli Dawaza & Jhajjar Darwaza

Farrukhnagar is a small sleepy little town close to the millennium city of Gurgaon. The famous Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary is part of the Farrukhnagar block.

Jhajjar Gate, Farrukhnagar

It is a Mughal era town which lost its importance to its neighbour Gurgaon after independence. The town has several heritage buildings like the Sethani Ki Chattri (cenotaph), Sheesh Mahal built in 1711, Ali Ghosh Khan ki Baoli (stepwell) built in the 1730’s .

Dilli Darwaza, Farrukhnagar with vegetable market in the front

In fact the town still has several old houses and havelis, though some of them in utter state of disrepair now. About the other monuments I have already written in my previous posts.

Crumbling structure of the Delhi Gate, Farrukhnagar

There are few darwaza’s (gates) which were built for either celebrating a particular victory in a war or others that were protective in nature. The Jhajjar Gate is right above the Ali Ghosh Khan ki Baoli. As the name suggest this gate is to welcome/stop visitors from the Jhajjar side (a small town in Haryana). In fact both the gate as well as the stepwell needs to be protected from the vehicular movement that passes right over them. Some restoration work has taken places for both these sites by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Shops right inside the Delhi Gate, Farrukhnagar

The Delhi Gate (Dilli Darwaza) used to be the gateway to Farrukhnagar and is a huge structure but unfortunately it is in utter neglect and some of the side walls and roof is falling down. The huge wooden spiked gates may crumble down any time. Shopkeepers have encroached upon the place inside the gate and I could see several small shops operational here.

The crumbling spiked door of the Delhi Gate, Farrukhnagar

On the Delhi side of the gate is a vegetable market presenting a colourful look to the place with vendors selling local produce while on the other side of the gate the shops sell agricultural implements and other stuff. One has to pass through this gate to reach the Sheesh Mahal and the Sitaram temple.

With Farrukhnagar being so close to Delhi, Haryana Tourism department should develop the heritage sites so that it can attract a lot of tourists and can also generate revenue (only if these are well managed!).

Also read:
Ali Gosh Khan Baoli in Farrukhnagar
Sheesh Mahal, Farrukhnagar
Sethani Ki Chattri

Manchester - An Amalgamation of Old & New

As the FIFA World Cup is currently going on in Brazil the football (or soccer as it is called in some parts of the world) fans have of course heard of Manchester as a Mecca of football with two clubs - the Manchester United and the Manchester City – producing some world class footballers. David Silva and Vincent Kompany play for the Manchester City whereas Wyne Rooney and Robin van Persie play for the Manchester United.

The Old & the New, Manchester

But this post is more about the Manchester City as a town and not as a club. The city came into prominence during the industrial revolution mainly due to the textile manufacturing. Therefore one sees lot of old buildings with beautiful architecture.

Old Church with new Arndale building

The buildings specifically notable are the Manchester Town Hall and several old hotels like the Midland Hotel etc. But now when one visits Manchester one sees very old buildings with the ultra modern and new glass buildings side by side.

Selfridges and Harvey Nichols buttressing an old structure in the middle

The city also has several museums and art galleries. It is also a leading educational hub with three universities – including the University of Manchester and the Manchester Metropolitan University – providing lot of options to the students.

An old building dwarfed by the City Tower building

Though I am not too fond of shopping but to others Manchester could be a heaven for shopping with lots of malls and big names like Selfridges keeping all the top brands under one roof.

Manchester Street Market

But competing with these are also the Manchester weekly street markets selling all kinds of wares!

Another old building surrounded on all sides with modern structures

Manchester is also known for a bustling night life with several pubs and clubs. Sometimes it does lead to a law and order problem late in the night.

Manchester Metrolink

One can commute to all these places either on foot or by an excellent bus service. The trams are also a good way to see the city quickly. The Manchester metrolink is the largest tram system in UK spanning a route of 77 kms.

Wellington Statue with a modern building in the background 

The city is far from London but has the Manchester International Airport that serves most of the cities of North England like Manchester, Lancaster and other Lancashire towns and cities.

Katnalu Creek Trek

I have done two treks in the Katnalu creek area – the first one was the Shiva waterfall trek and another in the opposite direction towards Sadhu Pul via Kufri village. Readers should not confuse this Kufri with the touristy location by the same name (the Kufri-Chail-Shimla circuit). This Kufri village is not on the tourist destination radar. While the Shiva Waterfall trek led me through mostly uninhabited areas this trek crisscrossed some villages as well.

Trek amidst the pine forest in Katnalu Creek area

My trek started from the point where the Hail Himalayas camp site is located and after crossing the creek there was a steep climb for the next 15 minutes that took me to the village from where I could see far off Shimla on one side and Sadhu Pul in another.

A huge banyan tree and a small temple

After this there were more gradual rise and falls till I hit the pine forest area. The trees were small and it seems have been planted only a few years back as part of the aforestation drive.

A traditional house

During this trek I saw several new bird species and it definitely should be on the bird-watchers list of places to visit. I saw Black Headed Jay, Blue Whistling Thrush, Orange Flanked Bush Robin, Red Billed Blue Magpie, White Capped Redstart and several others that I could not recognise or could not click as they were too evasive.

A House in a village in Katnalu Creek

The houses that I saw in the villages were all ‘Pucca’ houses and were big in sizes with mostly tiled roofs with the ground floor being used for keeping the animals and the upper floor used for living quarters for the family. This serves two functions specifically in the winters – it provides shelter for the animals and also provides warmth generated by the animals on the upper floor and vice-versa.

Floriculture, Village Kufri

At village Kufri I saw floriculture being practiced as a commercial venture by the locals leading to some additional income generated in an otherwise not so commercially viable agriculture practiced here.

View of Sadhu Pul from Kufri

How to reach: For reaching there the nearest train station is Kalka. To reach beyond Kalka one has to take a detour from the Chandigarh-Shimla road at Kandaghat and go towards Chail and at Sadhupul (about 12 kms from Kandaghat) leave the metallic road and take the dirt track for about 4 kms to reach this as yet unexplored area.

Also read:
My Stay at Hail Himalayas
Birds at Katnalu Creek, Himachal
Sunrise at Madag
Shiva Waterfall Trek, Himachal
Jangchub Rabtenling Monastery, Himachal 

A Visit to an Organic Farm

I have been to plenty of farms in India and abroad but this time I got an opportunity to visit an organic farm in the Lancashire region in England.

Cows roam freely in the Gazegill Organic Farm

The world over farming is increasingly using chemical fertilizers and pesticides which are harmful for the body. Compared to this the organic farming relies on natural methods and is sustainable and good for the environment as well as the product is good for animal and human consumption. 

A stream with bridge inside the Gazegill Organic Farm

I visited the Gazegill Organic Farm situated a few kilometres from the town of Clitheroe. We were met at the farm by the owner Mr Ian O’Reilly who was kind enough to take us on a tour of his farm. 

The ownder Mr Ian O'Reilley

We put on high gum boots as several parts of the farm had muddy water which would have spoiled out city shoes! The farm is spread over several acres and the grass is probably 700 years old and has not been uprooted since then and is only sheared periodically so that it retains its true value over the years and it is this grass which the cows eat roaming freely in the open instead of tied in a cowshed producing excellent quality of milk. 

Cow with calf in a shed

Only cows with new born calves are kept under a shed. The owner explained that he does not feed anything extra to the cows to increase their milk output by artificial means. There were probably around a hundred cows. He has set up his own milking and chilling unit. Even the meat products that he sells are organic in nature.

A huge pig at the Gazegill Organic Farm

The farm is located in a beautiful undulating area with small streams flowing within the farm and the view of the Pendle Hill in the background adds to the beauty of the area. 

View of the Pendle Hill from the farm

The grass is sheared periodically and I could see bales of grass piled high wrapped in special bags which retain the moisture of the grass inside so that when they are opened to be given to the cows in the winters it is as fresh as when it was cut as it had retained their moisture.

Bales of grass stacked in special moisture retaining bags

Mr Ian O’Reilly had a good knowledge of the flowers and herbs that were growing naturally on his farm. The grass with flowers and herbs when eaten by the cows produce high quality of milk.

Also read: Clitheroe Castle, Lancashire

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, Scotland is a treat to one's eyes. The Garden is just a couple of miles away from the city centre and can be reached either by cab or bus.

Beautifully landscaped Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Garden remains open from 10 Am to 6 PM in summers. There is no entry fees for the garden and only the entry to the glasshouse has a charge of 5 GBP. Within the garden one is transported from various different climates from equatorial to Scottish Highs.

The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

If one gets tired while walking within this 70 acre of beautifully maintained garden then there are plenty of benches spread all over the garden to sit and relax. Else if you want to grab a bite then there are three restaurants/coffee houses.

Flowers in the Garden

The landscaping has been done in such a manner that there is a small stream flowing within this garden with waterfalls and lakes in between. The lakes have several ducks . The garden is also host to several bird species.

A waterfall within the Botanic Garden in Edinburgh

I saw some plants whose single leaf was as big as an adult human being. There are various kind of cherry  plants as well as rhododendrons.

A Place to sit & relax? But how do you reach it?

In one of the lakes I saw this platform with a few chairs on it but I wondered how does one go there or is it only ornamental? Of course the reflection it created in the water was very pleasing. There is a big section devoted to Chinese plants with Chinese huts also built for an added effect. Within the gardens are the huge beech hedges reminding me of the Harry Potter movie.

Cherries in the Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The Inverleith House within the gardens normally is the venue of exhibitions for the new works of artists though no exhibition was on during my visit. The Royal Botanic Garden was opened in 1670 and in the previous century three regional gardens were acquired. These are the Benmore, Dawyck and Logan gardens.

The Temperate Palm House

The tall glasshouse (about 72 feet high) contains some very tall palms. Within the glasshouse ten different climate zones have been recreated so the overall experience is not only soothing to the eyes but educational as well.

Also read:
Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh
Edinburgh's Calton Hill - Athens of the North
Old Calton Cemetery