Lansdowne & Garhwal Rifles
Friday, September 29, 2006

We don't remember the days, we remember the moments and I re-lived each moment of my past in those 24 hours. It was one of those perfect days and everything seemed so right. The surroundings were the same, the faces were so pleasantly familier, the trees were testimony of the fact that not everything in this world has changed. I spotted the Pine tree next to my house and it felt that it wanted to stretch its arms to welcome me. Under it, I would play cricket endlessly.

Looking at my house almost drove me to tears. It was a half a century old British house with wooden floors and a fireplace. Time had left abrasions in the walls but the grass was as green as ever. I had a strong urge to peep inside my room but I resisted, the house had new owners. I sat there for a moment and it seemed like a lifetime

Ten years is an amazingly long time but this city has perfectly preserved itself. I was so apprehensive when I decided to set out for Lansdowne wondering if it would still be the same as I left it 10 years back.

The city has never failed to surprize me. For a place so beautiful it is a wonder that people have no clue where it is and that is really a blessing in disguise. The town is unspoiled thanks to the cantonment and would easily qualify as the prettiest and the quitest hill station in India.Lansdowne is the base headquarters of the Garhwal rifles. Garhwal Rifles is a well known combat arm of the Indian Army whose recruits are from the upper hills and are known for their hardmanship. Everywhere in the cantonment area you can find green vehicles and army men doing their daily chores. I spotted a platoon of soldiers practicing bagpipers for Republic day and it was indeed a pretty sight. These soldiers undergo rigorous drills which includes running atleast 10 kms a day. This is the only city where you can find armymen playing musical instruments and handling weapons with equal elan and if they are not doing anything, they're removing the moss from rocks and buildings. Majority of trees here have surrogate vegetation on the bark (see the tree in the lake). I guess it is the moisture that facilitates it. It makes such a beautiful sight!

If you love the old world charm of the 19th century, then the place is an ideal getaway. It was founded by Lord Lansdowne in 1887 AD thus being named after him (3rd picture). Lansdowne is at a height of 5800 ft above sea level and as far as you can see, you will find pine and oak trees and if you're the one who wants to go beyond Mussoorie and Nainitaal - this is your ideal hill station as you won't find cars, crowded public transport, game parlours and rikshaws. There are no cinemas, neither ice cream shops.

(to be continued.......)

posted by Vj @ Friday, September 29, 2006,

25 Comments:

At October 01, 2006 6:41 AM, Anil P said...: The first picture - that's about as mystical as a place can get. Lovely picture.
At October 07, 2006 2:13 AM, mizfit said...: the first pic is breathtaking in it's simplicity and beauty...fab pix.
:)
At October 08, 2006 2:06 AM, Sigma said...: So .. your long due post after a long hiatus :-)
The pics are amazing.
Very true. Visiting a place where you have spent many wondful childhood years, after a long time, is both painful and exhilirating.
At October 08, 2006 2:47 AM, Anonymous said...: hey v.j great pics and writeup as usual
At October 12, 2006 5:56 PM, Anonymous said...: nice article
At October 14, 2006 12:04 PM, Maverick said...: i can't believe u spent ur childhood in such a wonderful place, it must be a bliss.when i visited the home where i spent my childhood, i wanted to see it too.I somehow asked permission frm the owners n they let me see it. all those beautiful memories came alive again, those places where i used to run away to hide, those places where i cried, i laughed and i grew up.n this post bought those memories alive again, thx.
At October 15, 2006 2:56 AM, Mridula said...: And what a childhood it would have been? But did you ralize it while growing up or you did it only later?

I am heading there at the next best opportunity :) The pictures will help in convincing my husband :)
At October 15, 2006 4:01 PM, Vj said...: @ to all who like the first pic

I took about 150 pics and I didnt really have to delete a single.The Place is as good as it can be .You don't have to make any angles .The Landscape is so beautiful,you just have t0 point and shoot it and Oh it is such a joy to transfer it to your computer and see the pictures.
At October 15, 2006 4:02 PM, Vj said...: @ to all who liked the first pic

I took about 150 pics and I didnt really have to delete a single.The Place is as good as it can be .You don't have to make any angles .The Landscape is so beautiful,you just have t0 point and shoot it and Oh it is such a joy to transfer it to your computer and see the pictures.
At October 17, 2006 1:58 PM, Vj said...: @Mridula --I've been to lot of places as I was an army kid.It was a pain earlier to change schools ,leave your best friends back .but now I see the Metro kids on computers,videogames and thronging the cinemas and I realize what a good life I had.Nature was my Playground and I had great memories of all the places ,I stayed at.
@Maverick -- It was Indeed a bliss...hey I watched ur Skydiving video and this is in one of my must do things before I die. i just loved it.i could see the fear when u were in plane and about to dive but when the chute opened and u resisted gravity..iam sure all fear would have turned into Joy.
@Thomas-- I absolutely loved your Homecoming story.Will drop you a comment soon.
@sigma-- Thanks .your Goa post is indeed faboulous ,Waiting for more
At October 17, 2006 3:37 PM, travel plaza said...: Beautiful pictures as usual.
At October 17, 2006 6:08 PM, Pooja Aggarwal said...: VJ,

You must have enjoyed so much growing up in such a beautiful place. You were very lucky.

Nicely written account too.

-Pooja
At October 18, 2006 12:57 AM, Tanushree said...: hey garhwwal is a very beautiful place..
and ur camera has captured it very nicely...
At October 23, 2006 2:55 AM, Sigma said...: Hey! You have updated the post woth new pics. They are amazingly beautiful.
What about your Jaipur trip ?
Thanks. I am going to start writing the next post in the Goa series soon :-) I took a break to write one on a team outing, which I'll upload shortly.
At October 28, 2006 11:48 AM, Sigma said...: My post on our group visit to Mashobra is up!
And you are tagged ! check out my blog !!
At November 01, 2006 11:54 AM, Anonymous said...: hey vijay, long time to blog, u gotta write this time, check out my blog, i have a TAG for u
At November 05, 2006 4:45 AM, Anil P said...: It's been quite a while, Vijay.
At November 07, 2006 8:35 PM, Anonymous said...: hi vijay
my friend's dad was posted in landsdowne and she raves about it....by looking at the pics i completely agree with her........great write up as well........
At November 20, 2006 11:05 PM, Mridula said...: Long time, no new post?
At November 27, 2006 6:49 AM, Mrinalini said...: i feel sorry i cud not mk it.. but its definitely on my list. i specially wanna go there in rainy season.. maybe next year sumtime.. the pics are beautiful..
At December 01, 2006 10:04 PM, Wide Aware said...: Lovely post. I have lived the life of a nomadic horsewoman in the Himalaya for 7 years...... and your blog put me straight into flashback mode.

Though not a nomadic post, I have linked to your blog from mine where I speak of the things I find essential when packing for travel.

You can find it here: Travel packing

Do pay a visit. I'd love to have people like you around.
At April 28, 2007 12:08 AM, Anonymous said...: Hi VJ
you seem to be an thinker and environmentalist by your soul. preserve this emotion. because nowadays this kind of sensitivity is very rare.
cheers and
salute to green earth
prats
At June 14, 2007 3:36 PM, Anonymous said...: Hey!!! Being an Army Kid myself and staying in Laansidowne( As Local call it)It was refreshing to see those pictures and i tell you, i remember each of those days in winters. It used to so cold and foggy that I remember kids crying in pain and adventure.There was a storm which uprooted big pine trees and damaged lakhs of property.I remember it quite vividly.I relish those times and moments spent at LAANSIDOWNE > there is old cemetry down from the central School.We used go and watch those grand graves of all the British soilders who died in WWI.Those frequent killing of dogs and live stock by leopards was so common.If I tell this to my friends now, they think I am just making it up.Place is just WOW.I am planning to go there and spend some days to get that old charm back in my life.
At June 14, 2007 3:42 PM, Anonymous said...: Hey!!! Anybody from Lansidowne. I would love to talk abt that place.Kitchner lines, central School, Bazzar,Bungalow NO-2& 5 and those finest churches.Hitesh Here mate.
At August 19, 2007 11:49 PM, Sudhir said...: This posting is just great. Hope you enjoyed your trip.

Please also check, http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Lansdowne-Overview.html & http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Garhwal-Overview.html