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.
