5 Destinations to Visit this December

December is that period of the year when most of the planet is soaked in the lucent beds of snow. This is also a time when the bone-chilling winds of Siberia, Antartica, Europe, and Far East Asia compels many beautiful birds to make their interim home in India because of its soothing climate and diverse landforms. Surrounded by the water bodies from three sides along with the majestic Himalayan range sprawling in the north, the country is a threshold to many hidden gems and unsullied landscapes blooming to its full glory during the coldest season. While some places are radiating with the mirage of the bygone eras, other places are oozing with the ethereal beauty of nature's bounty.

Marked with a stretch of long holidays, December is a great month to evoke an adrenaline rush and thrill in your travel journeys. Here are the top 16 destinations which will make your winter vacations the experiential one.

A) Kumaon

Sitting in the verdant hills of the Himalayas, the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is scattered with tranquil villages and scenic towns exuding with the glory of green hills, freshwater lakes, and snow-clad mountains. While trailing through its topsy-turvy lanes will open the gateway to many unspoilt colonies of birds and mammals, one can also uncoil the doorway to several ancient temples and caves. If the masonry of Jageshwar Dham Temple talks architectural style that prevailed between the 8th and 9th century, the vicinity of Mukteshwar Temple, Vrish Jageshwar Temple, Naina Devi Temple, Haidakhan Babaji Temple, and Jhula Devi Temple are reverberating with the hymns of Vedic shlokas. Besides carrying the spiritual angle these temples are world-renowned for offering bewitching views of many popular peaks and summits of Himalayas. The meticulously handcrafted tour of 'The Historical Walks of Kumaon' will make you uncover places like Jageshwar, Mukteshwar, and Pangot that has been carrying these highly-energized temples since yore.

B) Andamans

The archipelago of the Andaman Islands is yet another great escape from the cold winds of the north. Laced by palm trees overlooking the pristine turquoise beaches ringed around its beautiful isles, Andaman is a perfect destination to unleash your passion for scuba diving, snorkeling, and other water sports activities. Every Island in Andaman display a unique canvas about its rich culture and unique landscape that thrives in the region. If the cellular jail of Port Blair echoes with the oppression of our freedom fighter, charming landscape of Neil's Island cast a magical spell on you. Besides soaking into the captivating sunset of Neil's Island, you will get ample opportunity to unfold the gorgeous life dwelling in the vast percent of Chidiya Tapu. With Asian Adventures' upcoming Andaman Tour brace yourself to explore the five elements of Andamans.

C) Jageshwar

Paving way through the dense forest of Uttarakhand will lead you to Jageshwar- one of India's ancient village. Scattered with centuries-old temples and caves, the place gives a deep insight into the mystical civilization that flourished before the science of architecture and culture emerged in other parts of the world. One may see Jageshwar as Shiva's abode for the various forms of Shiva beautiful depicted in these temples, but the place is also filled with tranquil and picturesque beauty alluring people to spend some quality time on the lap of nature. All it takes is a long peep or a quiet stroll in its untamed land to lay your eyes on the beautiful colonies of the rare Himalayan birds. However, it is the celestial night of Jageshwar that has become a muse for any artist. With the spiral of milky adorned like a jewel in the midnight sky, Jageshwar is one of India's ultimate destination for starry night walks. recommend Hotel Van Serai  

D) Varanasi

Shores of river Ganges have seen the emergence of many cities and town but it is the spiritualism seeping under the mayhem of Varanasi that has garnered popularity across the globe. Feted as one of the oldest towns on this planet, it is amongst the sacred places in India attracting pilgrims from all corners of the world. It is said that on the

Shores of river Ganges have seen the emergence of many cities and town but it is the spiritualism seeping under the mayhem of Varanasi that has garnered popularity across the globe. Feted as one of the oldest cities on this planet, the arrangement of the place radiates the ancient culture that reverberates in its vast expanse. One will get to see around 2000 types of temples and for this reason, Varanasi is called the land of temples. Various famous and important temples have been situated at the Ganges Ghats. It is believed that the Ganges flowing in Varanasi is so pure that a dip in the river can wash away all the sins and break the cycle of life and death.

E) Corbett Experience

In the dense thickets of Himalayan Foothills lies a national park which has become a significant turf of Bengal Tigers. Ringed by verdant hills and crisscrossed by Kosi river, the wild landscape of the park tells a heroic saga of Jim Corbett who liberated the entire region from the nightmares of man-eaters and transformed it into an ultimate wilderness destination attracting serious birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts from around the globe. Hosting a wide variety of unique and rare birds including Ibisbill, Pallas's Fish Eagle, Tawny Fish Owl, Himalayan Woodpecker, etc, Corbett National Park is one of the notable destinations being covered in the most awaited North IndiaBirding Tour.

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A trip to remember!

This long weekend we chose to explore Jageshwar, an ancient village of Uttarakhand hidden in the dense forest of deodar trees. By night we reached our lodge Van Serai.

2. Next morning we strolled around this unique retreat that is inspired from the charming local Kumaoni architecture

3. Through the large veranda, we could look deep inside the untamed forest of deodar trees which has become a humble abode for birds like Red-billed blue magpies & Verditer flycatcher.

4. Cafe Swayambhu is a little heaven for those who want to enjoy the mouthwatering cuisine of Kumaon

5. The scenic beauty of the tall groves and the clear blue sky commands for a perfect shot!

6. Surprisingly the lodge has already arranged for the trekking sticks so that we could explore the beautiful vistas of the Himalayas

7. The adventurous excursion to Vriddh Jageshwar along with our travel mates have carved permanent memory in our mind

Morning Arti at Jageshwar

Jageshwar is Shiva’s abode and I’d been told that Jageshwar is where Nagesh, the 8th among the Dwadasa Jyotirlingas (the twelve resplendent lingas of Shiva) exists within the forest of Deodar or daruka.

So, there was no way one could miss being present for the morning arti. Rising early and taking a quick bath at Van Serai, we headed to the temple complex around 4:15 in the morning. Surprisingly, at this time of the year, in May, there wasn’t anyone around. We had the place totally to ourselves. In the breaking dawn, the entire temple complex exuded calmness and serenity, which was no way broken by the sound of the conch shell, a part of the morning ritual. First, we went inside the Mahamritunjaya Mahadev temple. The purohit applied a chandan tika on our foreheads. We sat down for a while and were lost in meditation. Then, I strolled around on the stone pathway admiring the various small and large stone temples, such as the Pushti Devi and the Batuk Bhairav temples. I also noticed the small pond filled with lotus plants and its beautiful flowers and swimming leaves; and watched a stream gurgling along close by.

It knew where to go! And then we were in front of the Nageshwar Mahadev temple. Going inside, we did a ‘jal abhishekam’, i.e., poured a potful of water over the lingam. The purohit gave us some flowers as

prasad. We heard the stories and read the ASI inscription which stated that the temples were over 400 years old and were built during the Katyuri and Chand dynasties. Even Adi Shankaracharya had renovated and re-established some temples on his way to Kedarnath. I marveled at the human endeavor and spirit that resulted in these structures being still alive and standing. These ancient temples weren’t built for prayer; they were powerful energized spaces for human wellbeing. One just needed to sit there and imbibe the energies of these consecrated spaces so that one

Discover the quaint, quintessential and quixotic Jageshwar, home to the comfortable eco lodge, Van Serai

 I almost feel guilty now for ever doubting whether I had chosen the right destination to visit Jageshwar, as the experience was nothing short of divine and one that I will forever cherish.

I reached Jageshwar, which lies about 35 kilometers east of Almora town, on a spring afternoon. My route was fringed with trees bearing pinkish flowers that danced with the breeze, as if chuffed to fruit apricot, peach or plum the next month. The village, though, was in a slightly arid region. I wasn't headed for the main hamlet either- my destination was Van Serai, a serene refuge nestled amongst towering Deodar trees.

The hotel reflected local character and divinity. The patches of silence were only broken by the chirping of birds or gurgling of water in a creek below the hotel. I quite liked the lodge's aesthetics-built in the traditional style of the region with spacious balconies overlooking the beautiful Deodar forest.  A lot of the decor had been fashioned by local wood carvers and purchased from nearby craftsmen. Indeed, local was the keyword: the material, the labor and, most importantly, the design.

 There was even a specially designed room for Yoga and Meditation where I spent most of my free time. Yoga in the Himalayas at Van Serai lodge was a dream-like experience.

The lodge served Satvik homemade traditional Indian food, which was delicious in taste and your best bet for miles. Saatvik is derived from a Sanskrit word "Sattva". Sattva is a concept from Indian Yogic philosophy.

It means one that is pure, true, ethical, energetic, clean, strong, wise and vital. Thus, a Saatvik diet is meant to include foods which comply with its meaning. But after these wholesome meals, what was a good way to burn calories? The answer was obvious—hiking. Turns out, there were plenty of trails to follow, and a nice one was a mere 15-minute downward walk to the well-known Jageshwar temple complex, which was but a kilometer away from the lodge. Considered home to one of the12 Jyotirlingas (or a devotional representation of Shiva), it has a centuries-old history and consists of 125 temples.

Along the way, I saw a group of people participate in a procession, perhaps headed to another temple. I remember thinking—“there’s a spiritual air about this place.” And I hadn’t spoken too soon because Jageshwar was abundant with a pronounced air of spirituality. Or, maybe, I was just too overwhelmed by the sheer number of temples. One Deodar tree, someone said, was over a thousand years old. I even learned the history of Naikana, which was once home to barbers (or nais), and later taken over by Jageshwar’s Nath priests.

The next morning, we set off for the second hike. It reached a climax right at the onset: we almost had to slide down the hill, headed towards the river below, clutching onto trees for support. I proved to be pathetic at this. We crossed a bridge across the river and found ourselves at a deodar forest, rife with towering trees. From here, it was uphill till Naikana village. As we gained the meters, it was a delight to watch the scenery unfold—eventually, the lake formed a ‘U’ shape.

 Naikana turned out to be a lush agricultural wonderland, with everything from wheat to banana. It formed a bit of a plateau, and each house looked more fascinating than the last. The villagers were cheery, though shy. Atop, we sat by a temple and enjoyed tea, which our guide had been kind enough to arrange before we headed back.

Our final trail, held just the evening before my departure, was perhaps the most memorable. It was when we went out for bird watching. Our guide seemed quite skilled as he quickly identified the different species of birds that sat perched on the wires, or even hid in the surrounding forest.

 Only the white-capped redstart was prettier than the Black Francolin, but the fire capped Tit and the brown Dipper, too, made for stunning sightings. Given the plenty of vistas, birding was a breeze here.

 

Van Serai hotel delivers on each and every promise it makes. Geared with comfortable rooms, a host of amenities and most importantly, the spirit of  Kumaoni culture, it's a holiday paradise.  I felt contentment and peace as Robert Frost's words echoed in my head once again.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.