Trip to Poanta Sahib And Renuka Ji

The Trip to Poanta Sahib one of the major Gurudawaras’ of the Sikhs in Himachal pardesh , was totally unplanned. On 11^th july, we left for the trip and last night(10^th ) my cousin called and asked me to accompany them. As I was looking some option to have a leave from Delhi for 2-3 days I accepted the offer in no time and packed my stuff in midnight for the trip.

Day - 1

The very next day at around 11 I have to reach Narela, as we were suppose leave by 12 noon from my cousin house in Narela. I First tried for train to reach Narela but was late, So finally have to catch the bus to reach their. I was bit late and failed to find any source to reach to bus stand that is 1.5km away from my home. So I decided to walk and walk fast with my easy to carry bag-pack.

Hardly, have walked half km heavy wind with dust welcomed me in the company of heavy rain. And I have no choice except to walk as I was already late and have to reach Narela before my uncle reaches from office.

To my luck this time I managed a rickshaw and had paid him Rs. 5 hardly for 2 min(all done to save my camera). And soon after, I got a DTC bus for Narela. Reaching their I called my cousin to pick me up from their to his home and I felt that was the big mistake on my part.

He first came on scooter in rain and drive it so wonderfully that the entire standing-water with a mixture of cow dung and all gave us bath. Things didn’t stopped here he marginally managed to escape from a peddler. And when I shouted on him asking why isn’t he applying the brakes, he then told me “ Bhai Scooter me brakes nahi he”( scooter without brakes).

My adventure has already started.

Some-how in one piece we managed to my cousin home(thank God), and had a good lunch with fresh lassi. My uncle got bit late and we left for the trip At 2p.m.. After this, things were pretty smooth; we had a tea at dhabba around 4p.m. along with Paranthas’ so packed by my aunt. But with Sumeet (my younger cousin) things cant remain smooth for long.

While taking a turn to Yamuna-Nagar we bought Aanar-Dana(digestive tablets one can say). And sumeet cant’ resist him from having that. There is no issue in him having these. But issue was the smell he is producing after having them(hope u guys understand) and literally, Puneet(my another cousin )and me have no option except to open the car windows to the fullest . And sumeet was enjoying the moment.

Finally day -1 had an easy end as we reached our hotel by 8p.m. and thereafter had a dinner and went to bed after palying some cards.

Day-2

Waked up at 7a.m. we all had breakfast and checked out hotel by 10 a.m. reaching Poanta Sahib at around 11 a.m. after My uncle finished off his work in PNB(Punjab National Bank)branch of Poanta.

Poanta Sahib is surrounded by material jungle in front and with natural jungle at back. The back side of Gurudwara is surrounded by river and small hills covered with thick forest.In the Gurudwara their is a museum which provides answer to every question rising in your mind regarding the place.One also come across the Weapons so used by Sikh Gurus for their fight.

From their we visited BCL Labs a factory of Soap Making and learnt about the Soap making. After having lunch at BCL Labs we left for Renuka Ji. While passing through Didahu we haulted on a bridge and had some pics. And after having tea in Didahu at 4p.m we reached Renuka Ji by 5 p.m.

At Renuka Ji we covered the area of Parshuram Lake in car and also tried to cover the Renuka Lake in car, but at 5p.m. gates of Renuka lake gets closed and thus we dropped the idea. I was bit happy as I was completed against covering the lake in car.

Then we first went to temple of Renuka ji had our worship and looked for room thereafter.

Himachal tourism rest house were full so we have no option left to go to forest rest house or to a local one there.

We managed our room with Forest people, and at 5.30 I some how managed to take everyone to renuka lake on foot. After a lot of pushing succeeded in covering the area on foot. It is around 5-6km long but worth walking. In the dense forest , the calmness and peace surrounds you with too many monkeys(please carry your eatable carefully while walking, as monkeys were expert in snatching them). One also come across lions, beer , deer, leopard, fishes and turtle in the lake while walking.

Almost when the entire trek is walked one come across this small temple. It is written their that the water so coming down is the milk of Renuka Ji and every devotee must have it for the blessing of Renuka ji.

If one tries to find out the source of water, will find nothing else but a huge tree from the roots of which this water is coming.

But it is said In Faith is no logic. So with a devotion in the holy feet of Renuka ji we had some.

One will take hardly an hour to cover it on a normal walking speed, but we took 3 hrs to cover it.

As we were busy enjoying each and every bit of it. We did hell lot of drama to shoot the pics of lion in desired pose and to shoot the vedios. Even we touched one of the lioness through the grills as she is sitting in corner and tell you what as soon as our finger touched her she roared to us(my god, that’s was scary but excting).

playing lions(video)

We ended the day on tired note, as when we went for dinner in himachal tourism rest house the only place their to have dinner, all the table were occupied except one. Almost 10 minutes, we all were busy discussing the order to be placed when waiter came and put the reserved notice on it . We annoyed with the attitude, left the table without even asking anything. And then for dinner we had to go back around 2km at 9 in the night and came back by 10.30 p.m. completely exhausted.

Day-3

In morning at 7 we again left for the Renuka lake round. This we all make sure that it wsa completed in time (1hr). we soon return to room, got ready and left it by 9:30. Forest guy who rentes us the room was bit uneasy as this was the time of officers to visit the place and room is still occupied, which is unauthorized.

We had our breakfast at same place where we had dinner last night, and finally left for delhi via Nihaan at 10.30. The stretch of 35 km from Renuka lake to Nihaan is very beautiful , entire is cover with thick forest and ones sees beautiful valley all-round. With these beautiful scenes we fall asleep after Nihaan and wake up at 2 when our car got punctured near Karnal.

Driver replaced the tyre and we had tea there at road side dhabba and then moved to delhi. And after this, played cards all the way. Just players kept on changing. In final few games my uncle too joined and beat his own son. We some light talks we ended the trip at 4.30 in Narela and I ended it at 5.30p.m. reaching my home.

Key deatils:-

Route followed:

Delhi- Panipat-Yamunagar-Poanta Sahib-didahu-Renuka ji

Renuka Ji - Nihaan - Ambala- Panipat- karnal - Delhi (coming back)(take this routes as roads are very smooth and time taken will be less(5-6 hrs), only one has to bear the Toll Tax if going through personal vehical)

Go with proper booking as other rest house at Renuka Ji either refuses to give a room or charge too much.

Also the behavior of Himachal Tourist rest house their is very strange and not so tourist freindly.

For Photos visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/24078766@N03/sets/72157621365148422/