A Home Away From Home

Beyond Bhowali (a one-horse-town, notorious for its TB Sanatorium built for consumptive British wives to recuperate in), the region around Ramgarh and Mukhteshwar in Nainital district was renowned for its orchards of plum, apricot, peach and apple. The picturesque terraced fields offered the only livelihood for the local populace.

Plum Blossoms

Every spring, as the snows melted, the leafless trees would start to bud and the riotous blossoms would paint the hillsides shades of pink and white. Buzzing bees pollinating the flowers and birds with their melodious mating calls signaled the fecundity of nature’s bounty.

Into this melliferous paradise entered the twin devils of El Nino and Man. There has been an increasing lack of rain and snow in the Kumaon hills. Consequently, the land is drying and the orchards dying; the once green hills now wear a barren look.

A once flourishing orchard left with a few struggling trees

Scraggly wheat drying up for want of water

Barren hillsides

Desperate orchard owners are either selling their land to rapacious property developers or turning their sere land into hotels or multi-storey residential blocks that are garish architectural monstrosities. As Nainital, Bhimtal and Bhowali are choked and overflowing with humanity and garbage, residents and tourists are increasingly moving over to these potentially ecological disasters -  townships or tourist ‘resorts’.

What an eyesore!

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One exception to this crass commercialization has been Mountain Trail.  This orchard too has been adversely affected by the paucity of water. The owner has built a series of 12 rooms and a restaurant that have been tastefully integrated into the terraced landscape. 

Welcomed with a glass of refreshing rhododendron squash

The single-storey rooms offer all modern facilities for a comfortable stay. The restaurant has a diverse and delectable selections of meals. The dining hall has been tastefully decorated with exquisite pieces of driftwood (there was a rather naughty piece of a nude man!), antique clocks, spectacular photographs and a lagre fire-place. The cook/chef has versatile talents from good old दाल रोटी सब्ज़ी to 'Chinese' and continental steaks and sizzlers.

Restaurant/Dining Hall

Sizzling hot

Studio

When it is too windy the writer or artist can work from the 'studio' that is attached to each cottage. You get an unimpeded view, sunshine but are protected from the chilly breeze.

Close to the main road, Mountain Trail has a spectacular and relatively unimpeded view of the valley below. Weather permitting, parts of the majestic Himalayas too are visible.

Trident of Lord Shiva

The Trishul faintly visible through the haze

A spectacular sunset can be seen after short walk to the other side of the hill. Watch the sun go down while you sip from a steaming cup of herbal tea.

Sunset from Madhuvan

Besides plum, apricot, peach and apple trees there are green-oak, silver-pine, cypress and acacia trees, providing the feel of living in a veritable forest. 

Silver Pine

Acacia ?Himalayan Babool

There is a perfusion of flowering plants. Birds abound the place. There are bird-baths and nesting sites for small birds. It was most heartening to see a flock of sparrows frolicking about

Himalayan Bulbul on an Apple tree

Himalayan Bulbuls frolicking

Is this the Himalayan Mynah?

There is secure parking, and a souvenir shop that sells ambrosial homemade chocolates – enter at the risk of raising your blood-sugar levels! You also have the healthy option of sugar-free chocolates.

The Mukhteshwar temple is a mere 5 km drive away. More about that in a later blog.