Temi Tea Garden, South Sikkim

Temi Tea Garden is the only Tea Estate in the state of Sikkim. The garden is 26 km from Namchi and can be visited on a day tour from Namchi. The garden is spread on a slope below Tendong along the highway leading to West Sikkim.

Temi, South Sikkim is 118 kms from Siliguri.

Temi Tea Garden was established in 1969. The total area of Temi Tea garden is approximately 435 acres. The garden employs about 450 people and produces 100 tonnes of orthodox tea annually. The garden produces some of the best tea in the world. The original tea saplings were brought from Darjeeling, and the produce of the garden are not very different from what one can expect from the gardens of Darjeeling hills. The garden offers beautiful natural views. The picturesque view of tea plucking can be seen here during the plucking season. The factory can be visited to have an interesting lesson on tea processing.

Temi tea is also a common souvenir for tourists visiting the state. Most of the tea produced in the garden is either consumed locally or purchased by tourists.

A night spent in a old British built bungalow situated just below the Temi Tea Garden Sikkim could be a bewildering experience of connecting the past to the present. A visit to the garden, enroute to the Tendong Hill, could be a rewarding experience.



Road map of Siliguri to Temi Tea Garden.

Foreign tourists in Harsil can stay overnight

Foreign tourists may soon be allowed to stay overnight in ‪Harsil‬, the picturesque tourist destination near Gangotri, without an inner line permit.
Till now, foreign tourists were required to take a permit to visit the strategically sensitive area which lies close to the China border.

After the district administration wrote to the state government asking for the restriction of overnight stay in Harsil town on foreign tourists to be waived in order to boost tourism in the region, chief secretary Shatrughan Singh said that the Centre has agreed to waive inner line permit restrictions on overnight stay in Harsil, though he is yet to receive the official letter in this regard.

According to Uttarkashi district magistrate Dipender Kumar Chaudhary, since Harsil is situated close to the China border and comes under the jurisdiction of Inner Line, tourists are not allowed to stay here at night. They can only visit the area, with due permission from the district administration.

Locals have been raising the demand to remove the restriction from the town so that the tourists can stay in hotels and homestays here. The move will boost tourism, bring revenue to the government and augment livelihood opportunities for the locals.

(Source: Toi Kolkata dated 2016-06-26)

Oyster Opera at Padanna

Set amidst palm-fringed islands, criss crossed by canals and fanned by Kerala backwaters, Oyster Opera, Kerala’s only village with oyster farming as its theme, is located at Padanna, near Cheruvathur in Kasargod District.

Promoted by the national award-winning farmer Mr.G.S Gul Mohammed, Oyster Opera has 24 acres of farm. Mr.Mohammed’s passion to enhance the livehood of his fellow villagers has now culminated in the form of a retreat, becoming the first theme village of Kerala. It is now a source of income to thousands along the coastline and a destination for those who would love to be part of the very best of available natural settings.

Facilities offered at Oyster Opera in Padanna reflect the cultural and traditional traits of the local people. The villagers pay host during a guest's stay at the retreat. Oyster Opera village has a total of eight cottages. Four landed cottages, one tent cottage, one floating house and one elevated house with well equipped kitchen and one houseboat-all built with the locally available materials but with absolutely no damage to the environment of this beautiful virgin land.

The brackish water of Padanna and its surrounding villages are splendid and gifted with enormous natural beauty. One can visit the nearby tiny islands, coconut lagoons and mangroves, or take a close look at the interesting collection of natural clam and edible oyster.

The Kerala village offers a host of activities. Visitors can go for a cruise in Kerala houseboat or country boats. One can also test his/ her self culinary skills in the built-in pantry on Sara’s Float, sunbathe on the Valiyaparamba Beach and estuary or opt for rejuvenation therapy by traditional practitioners of ayurveda, spend time in oyster farming with the farmers, visit nearby attractions like famous Bekal Fort and Parassinikkadavu Temple noted for its unique rituals, Karim Forest and also witness Theyyam, performances that this region is famous for.

The village is 180km from Calicut airport and 120km from Mangalore airport. The nearest railway station is Charvattur, just 8km away.

Contact:

Oyster Opera at Padanna
“Thekkekadu” Padanna - 671345,
Kasaragod Dist, Kerala, India.

(Additional content & photo courtesy: keralaholidays247.com)

Amarjeet Singh holds the coveted Guinness Book of World Records for an 1001 hrs non-stop two-wheel ride

Indian Roadie, Amarjeet Singh holds the coveted Guinness Book of World Records for an 1001 hrs non-stop two-wheel Kinetic Honda DX 100 cc scooter ride covering 30,965 kms at the Traffic Park, Pune from 22nd April to 3rd June 1990.

The record remains unbeaten till date.

‪#‎OfficiallyAmazing

Kodaikanal - Palani 16 kms trek on 2016-05-29

On the 29th May 2016, Sandeep Banerjee had an excellent trek with his son Sankha and daughter Dipavali from Kodaikanal to Palani (in Tamilnadu), a 16 KM trek through the mountains and forests of the Western Ghats.

The trek is mostly along wild elephant trails. Though they did not have any sightings, however, this trek is not allowed by the Tamil Nadu government without the permission and accompaniment of either forest officers or someone knowledgeable of the forests.

They were lucky to be accompanied by the Vilpatty Gram Panchayat Joint Secretary and two other friends of the Gram Panchayat Joint Secretary.

Following are some photos of the trip for Roadie friends.

Photo credit: Sandeep Banerjee.

Mamallapuram‬ (‪Mahabalipuram‬) in March 2016 by Deep Banerjee

Mamallapuram‬ (‪Mahabalipuram‬) on 2008-03-16 during Kolkata - Puducherry - Kolkata family drive in Maruti Suzuki Esteem Vxi by Deep Banerjee (Indian Roadie founder).

Sillery Gaon, West Bengal in May 2016

Sillery Gaon, West Bengal in May 2016.

Photos by Abhimanyu Mitra, s/o. Indian Roadie, Partha Mitra.



Mt. Kanchendongza (Kangchenjunga) from homestay cottage



First rays of sun on Mt. Kanchendongza (Kangchenjunga)





Homestay cottage at Sillery Gaon

Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur, Udupi district, Karnataka

Kollur in Udupi district of Karnataka is about 135 Kms from Mangalore and 80 Kms from Udupi. The serene town Kollur nestles in the valley of Kodachadri peak of Western Ghats.
Kollur is regarded as one of the seven pilgrim centres in Karnataka created by Parashurama, a Hindu mythological figure. The six other centres are Udupi, Subrahmanya, Kumbasi, Kodeshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna.

Sri Mookambika Temple dedicated to Devi Mookambika with gold plated crest and copper roofs in Kollur is famous for Vidyadana Temple Trust running several schools & sponsoring mid day meal programme for surrounding schools. Mookambika, the holy temple of knowledge and education honours the Hindu goddess Parvathi. Mookambika is regarded as a manifestation of Shakti, Saraswati and Mahalakshmi.

Sri Mookambika temple complex besides the never drying River Sauparnika and located on a spur of the Kodachadri peak with statues of Hindu gods and goddesses, dates back around 1,200 years. Devotees from all over India visit this temple. The temple premises is clean and proper system is followed by the temple devasthanam. Temple offers free food to all devotess. A lot of devotees visit Sri Mookambika Temple for kids vidyarambam, a ceremony to begin the mark of education.

Kashayam is the last offering to the deity any day. This is given to all the devotees free of cost at the end of the last ceremonial circumambulation of the temple. The timing is about 8:15 PM. There is generally a scramble for this prasadam, but there is a organised line for this too. Keep to your right hand side of the main internal temple entrance (as you face the deity) to get into the queue. The timing varies day to day depending on the ceremonials for that day. It is advisable to carry a small bottle to carry some of the Kashayam home.

Visitors can also have food either from Adigas or Vasuedev Adigas restaurants in ground floor of Hotel Mookambika Palace. Its costly but quality of food is good.

Spiti road direction/ condition (as in early June 2016)

Spiti update (road direction/ condition) by Rajiv Kumar, Founder - Yellow Peaks (as on June 4, 2016):

For those wishing to plan a drive trip to Kinnaur and Spiti on a sedan or hatchback, this is the best time in last few years.

Delhi - Shimla : Wonderful road condition.

Shimla - Narkanda : Nice drive.

Narkanda - Rampur Bushahr : Fantastic road, just couple of kms of bad stretch just after Narkanda.

Rampur Bushahr - Wangtu : Decent road with just one bad stretch.

Wangtu - Tapri : Flat track. Rajiv Kumar drove his Maruti Suzuki SX4 at 30-40 km/hr on this stretch.

Tapri - No waiting or oneway timing, just one small tight stretch, with steep ascent and descent. There are two big landslides but bypass to those are all good.

Tapri - Karcham : Road under construction, you can do 50 km/hr in a sedan.

Karcham to Sangla : Mix of good and bad, again doable by any sedan.

Sangla to Chitkul : Mostly broken but easy to drive.

Karcham - Powari : Some usual broken roads near Shongtong Bridge and Powari, rest all good. Good thing is, no slush, its absolutely dry.

Powari - Spillow : Broken under construction road.

Spillow - Nako : Mix of good and bad roads, drive to Kazig is awesome.

Malling Nalla : As of now, you will not even realize when will you cross it, completely tamed.

Nako - Tabo : Ok road.

Tabo - Lingti : Dusty, very very dusty.

Lingti - Mud : Awesome roads, some bad patches between Sagnam and Mud.

Lingti - Kaza : Bad and dusty.

Kaza - Kibber : Super smooth.

In Summary:
As of now in early June 2016, this section is in its best form, compared to last 5 years. Can be done by car with care.
Its dusty, very very dusty.

Beware of tourist rush in Kinnaur, book in advance.