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FOR those who like the slight chill, this is the perfect weather for a trip to the Uttarakhand hills. A little later and it will get too cold, a little earlier the days would be warm. A bowl of hot soup, a warm blanket and a cloud hovering over you in a pine forest`85it could be paradise rediscovered. In fact, that is why it is called Ranikhet, for when a king named Sudharadeva fell in love with Rani Padmini, she decided she wanted to live in the Uttarakhand hills and so the area came to be known after the queen, and is called Ranikhet or the Queen's fields. Even today, Ranikhet is better known as the head quarters of the Kumaon Regiment and almost the entire town is a cantonment. There is a certain coy and dreamy air about the town. The holiday to Ranikhet should begin with a stop at Neem Karoli Baba's ashram at Kainchi that lies halfway between Kathgodam and Ranikhet. It is a lovely break and has some spiritual and gastronomic delights to offer. The ashram itself is spotless and has keertans going on for a large part of the day. Neem Karoli Baba was a spiritual person whose unassuming persona was draped for most part in a huge shawl. That is why he is also called the Kambli baba. There are very few verified facts but the stories of his miracles are heard from everywhere. Just outside the ashram is a small tea shop that sells tasty and clean food. The hill people normally eat a raita which is made with cucumber and ground mustard. This comes as a combination with allo ka tukda. Potatoes are diced into small pieces after they are boiled and fried with turmeric, salt and a little spice. This combination is said to relieve you of any nausea that you may have climbing uphill. From the ashram it takes one and half hour to get to Ranikhet. It is a quiet place, unless you go to the old part of the town. In the market place you will find one long street selling everything from hardware to some of the most exquisite jewellery of the region. One interesting item is something that looks like small bells that are worn on the feet, ghunghuroos. But actually they are arm bands. There are the huge nose rings that Kumaoni women wear. Ranikhet has some nice fruits though all fruits come either from Almora or Bhiwani. The market place showcases these along with the huge cucumbers, special to the region. For woollens, go the shop called The Woollens, run by the Army Widows Welfare Organisation. You can see the factory where women have been employed and weave shawls and knit sweaters. Some of the best woollen material for suits can be bought there. They also sell coats for men and women. Close to this place is the Chaubatiya garden. One can learn a lot about local flora, you can eat some juicy small apples if you visit around May-August. Ideally, however, Ranikhet is the place for walks through languorous pine forests and rambling mounds of green. There are clean and well walked pathways or pagdandis for trekking. The locals are friendly guides and sometimes even walk with you to show you the way. The feeling is that because of long years of the presence of the army, the locals are, by nature, law abiding and gentle people. The young boys and girls are soft spoken. Ranikhet is perhaps one hill station which offers a commanding view of the Himalayas. On a clear day you can even count the peaks. The best place to see them is the Haidakhan baba temple. The temple complex is calm and clean. To meditate sitting here with the Himalayas watching you, is like sitting in the presence of the Divine. But reaching the Divine is not so simple and so even here the clouds often hide the view entirely! The golf course is another place worth visiting. Wherever you go in Ranikhet, remember not to carry anything in your hands because monkeys lurk around almost everywhere. If they think you are carrying food they jump to grab. From some very high-end hotels to paying guest accommodations, there is a range of facilities available here. Most of them supply a hot water bottle to snuggle with at nights, but if you are the one, who cannot do without it, carry your own. Do remember to carry a torch for though the supply of electricity is not bad, when the light does go, it becomes pitch dark. Also when walking you would require a torch. For the ones with sweet tooth, balmithai and local chocolate with sugar globules are a must.
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