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Rishikesh, also known as the Gateway of Garhwal Himalayas is situated 25 Kms from the holy city of Haridwar. Nestled in the foothills of Garhwal Himalayas, legend states that Lord Rama did penance at Rishikesh after killing the evil King Ravana.
Rishikesh has something to offer for all its visitors. Rafting for the adventurous; temples, aartis & bhajans for the spiritual & peace, calm & serenity for the usual traveller.
We wanted a short break from the hectic work-life & decided to make our way to a secluded Neemrana property- “Glasshouse on the Ganges.” The resort is located 30 Kms beyond Rishikesh in an area called Gulab Tekri, crossing Shivpuri along the way. Shivpuri is famous for its numerous White Water rafting camps & hiking/trekking facilities.
Since this was a leisurely vacation with no real agenda, we decided to make the Mumbai-Delhi journey by train. The First AC Rajdhani travel is highly recommended for those who love privacy, peace and LOADS of steaming, delicious food. The compartment is luxuriously furnished with red carpets, upholstery & curtains to match. Every coupe has its own personal attendant& a elaborate menu to choose from.
Day 1: We covered the 250 odd Kms stretch from Delhi to Rishikesh by car which was probably not such a good decision. The highway is a narrow two-lane road & runs through upcoming industrial towns such as Muzzafarnagar, Meerut, Muzzafarpur etc where the traffic ranges from horse & bullock carts laden with tonnes of sugarcane to trucks, long haul containers, passenger cars & state run buses. This obviously does not include the usual population of cows, dogs, goats & other extended farm animals. The arduous journey took us almost 8 hours with an average speed of 25 kmph. It is a better idea to take a train from Delhi to Haridwar & then rent a car for further travel in the region.
The resort is situated by the River Ganges almost mid-way between Rishikesh & Devprayag on the road which leads to Badrinath- one of the four sacred dhams. Given the proximity to the ganges, the temperature was around 8-10 degrees in the evening when we reached. Our cottage (Godavari) was river facing with all basic amenities in place including a heater which is a boon for a warm-weather person like me!
One of the USP of Neemrana properties is their delicious buffet spreads. As expected our dinner was a sumptuous meal of Indian & continental dishes served piping hot with discreetly waiting stewards.
Day2: Following another leisurely breakfast meal, we decided to make our way to Devprayag (2265 ft above sea level). The name literally means ‘holy confluence’ and as implied it is the junction where rivers Bhagirathi & Alaknanda meet to form the Ganges in its entirety. At this point, the distinct blue-green & brown of both the rivers can be distinctly seen merging into one. It is one of the five sacred confluences in the region & hence considered a sacred place by the Hindus. The
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