Visiting Kartarpur From India - All that you need to know

 Visiting Kartarpur From India - All that you need to know

Kartarpur Sahib is the largest gurudwara in the world. It is the second holiest place for Sikhs after Golden temple in Amritsar. It is also the only place that an Indian can travel in Pakistan without having a VISA. You travel by going through a Landport (just like an airport but for land borders). There is a 4km corridor build on Pakistan side, barbed wires on both sides but a highway in between for tourists to travel via a bus, operated by govt. of Pakistan. 

There are just too many cool things associated with Kartarpur. Whether you travel for spiritual reasons or for fun or just to place your foot in another country, that too Pakistan, it makes a great travel story. But you have to work for it. In this post, I will share a step by step guide on how to plan your visit to Kartarpur Sahib, what to expect and dos and donts. 

Step 1 - Application

Govt. of India has a website where you have to submit an application to visit the Gurudwara.  There is an upper limit of 5000 people who can travel in a day. You need to know your travel date in advance. Yes, dates are not flexible and you have to return the same day, you can not stay overnight. Filling application is easy and takes max 20 mins. You will need your passport handy. Kanishka and I submitted our applications independently. At the end, we got an application number that is needed for all tracking purposes. We applied about 8 weeks before our travel date. 

Step 2 - Police verification

The next step after submitting application is police verification. The form asks details of your local police station. For us, it was Bandepalya Police station. The station inspector was surprised to receive such a request. We were asked a lot of questions - why did we want to travel, how come VISA is not needed, can you escape into Pakistan? For me, my birthplace is in Kochi Kerala, so I had to explain why a Mallu wants to go to Gurudwara :) 

We had to visit the station twice - first to meet an inspector where we were asked to write a letter requesting to approve the background verification. Second time, the station chief wanted to meet with us, asking the same questions again. Very likely it was the first case of this kind for them, it was a mix of curiosity and surprise for them. 

Step 3 - Waiting

Next step is on Pakistan where they have to approve each request. While the police inspector confirmed that they have verified us and approved our request, we did not hear back for a long time. The website also did not share any updates. Turns out, the actual confirmation comes 4-5 days before the travel date. It came via SMS, almost parallel for both of us. So, there will be a period of uncertainty but that is expected, part of the plan and faith - agar likha hai toh hoga 

Step 4 - Preparation & getting there. 

A visit to Kartarpur needs passport, copy of the confirmation slip and a negative RT-PCR report. Yes, they still need one. We missed it and got it from the nearby govt hospital. 

The nearest border town on the Indian side is called Dera Baba Nanak , about 50 kms from Amritsar. The landport opens at 8 am and you have to be back by 5 pm. Our taxi picked us up from the airport and charged us around INR 2000. The driver waited while we visited the Gurudwara at the landport. It takes about 1.5 hrs to get there from Amritsar, one way. 

Step 5 - What to expect there

Just like at an airport, one goes through a rigorous security check at Dera Baba Nanak landport as well. There are couple of more steps - they count your money, including coins. One can only take INR 9000 per person across the border. Kindle is not allowed.

At the landport, you need to collect dollars - $20 per person to be paid at the Pakistan side. This is the entry charge. They also gave us polio drops, apparently polio is common on that side. 

After that, you go through immigration where they affix a stamp, not on your passport but on the confirmation slip. Once through immigration, a golf cart takes you to the border gate. 

Once you cross the border on foot, a bus awaits on the other side that takes you to the Pakistan embassy. Here you pay the entry fees, and then go through immigration on their side. They again affix a stamp, not on the passport but on a slip that has to be returned to them when you are back. Keep this slip handy. You go through another security check, this time a lenient one. Once through another bus will take you to the gurudwara. 

There is a canteen at the landport but it is not accessible once you are inside. The only food next is langar at the gurudwara. Our golf cart driver was a Sikh shared that eat langar first before you go to Gurudwara, there is a Sikh saying - pehle Pangat phir Sangat.   One can only meditate once you are full stomach. Langar at Gurudwara was nice Chole Pudi, roti and halwa. 

Once you reach the Gurudwara, there will be a welcome and some instructions shared. Listen carefully. You can take photos and videos at the Gurudwara (videos are not allowed for Pakistan folks for some reason). Behind the gurudwara, there is also a market where you can buy some artifacts and clothes. Indian currency to Pakistan currency ration is 1:2.7 and market is cheaper on the other side. There is a Pakistan bank there where you can exchange notes. You can not bring back a single Pakistan currency note or coin back. Indian govt is very strict about it and you will be in jail if you do so. 

They speak hindi and you can bargain to some degree. 

Gurudwara itself is lovely. Its huge, with not many travellers. So, it is very peaceful. We went inside and heard gurbani for about an hr before heading back. 

The story of how Indians were allowed to travel VISA-free is interesting. Apparently, it is because of cricket and politics - When Imrank Khan became PM, he invited Sidhu who attended and this gesture of an Indian visiting Pakistan, a friendship has led to this. 

There may be enmity between nations but not among people. We were greeted warmly by everyone there. We had to wait for a bus for about 20 mins, the person in-charge apologized for us to wait. There was no need for him to do so. Inside Gurudwara, it is like any Sikh gurudwara, you get the feeling that people are doing sewa. Folks in market also spoke kindly. Their voice / language definitely has a touch of royalty and izzat, tehzeeb to it, something that is missing on our side now. 

The 4km corridor though has barbed wire running on both sides, it is actually in the middle of farmlands and it was covered with green wheat fields this time of the year. Weather was hot. Pakistan as a country looks less developed than ours, their landport much underwhelming, it was as if we were in a rural village, not a historic temple-town. 

It is a visit just for the bragging rights but the Gurudwara itself is a treat to visit. It wins your heart. It is majestic. A land less explored, preserved through centuries. It made me wish the radcliffe line was 4 kms on that side but then maybe, it will not be as special as it is now. Things with effort are savored more! 

Varanasi - 2023

Varanasi - 2023 - A business leisure trip 

What is a business leisure trip? When you travel for business but end up making a leisure trip out of it. 

Varanasi happened because of IIT-BHU hiring as part of my workplace. Stars had to align for this one because we do not typically visit BHU for hiring, this was happening for the first time as part of our campus expansion. Next, I was slated for a different campus but because the other campus was to happen over a weekend when I was not available, I was re-assigned and lo and behold, I am going to Varanasi - hometown of my better half and out of nowhere, we had a trip at our hands. 

Day 0 - Thu - Flight to Varanasi.

We flew on Thu because I wanted to attend some meetings on Fri, virtually. Thu 2nd half flight meant landing in Varanasi just in time for dinner. Kanishka in her last trip had showed pics of Baati Chokha and it had been in my list since then. We wasted no time and started dinner at Baati Chokha restaurant. I liked the food overall, also the ambience. 

Varanasi in July/Aug timeframe is hot and humid - kind of the worst season to travel. To top this, we are from Bengaluru where we are spoilt from weather point of view. Plus, this was Saavan season in Varanasi when crowds throng this holy city. So, it was people people everywhere. All this combination would have meant that I stay in my AC hotel room and do not venture out but then it is Varanasi. Even in its best of seasons, crowd goes down only by hairline :) So, the only way to enjoy the city is to embrace it, embrace the weather (wear antiwick shirts :) ) and then go out there. 

Day 1 - Friday. S

Day 1 started by visiting to Assi ghat to witness Subah-e-benares. Subah-e-benares is a morning 5 am Aarti at the Assi ghat. We woke up at 4 am to reach the ghats at 430 am. There is a daily morning ritual which includes Aarti, classical music, Yoga session and some prayers. We attended the Aarti and then took a boat ride. 

Our companions were two colleageus from workplace - Gnanavel who was with me at IIT-Bombay hiring event previous year and Bhagya, alumni of IIT BHU, acting as a campus ambassdor this year. For whatever reason, they were ok to trust the trip itinerary in my hands, and that meant in Kanishka's hands since it was her 'gadh', her backyard. But even Kanishka had not attended Subah-e-benares yet. While she discovered this event, I can claim credit for the event, atleast 50%. 

Subah-e-beanres was very good. The morning sunrise, the spiritual Aarti, bhajans in the morning, lesser crowds, all of it makes it a really good experience. Place was clean too. We followed the Aarti by taking a boat ride seeing all Ghats. Ganga level was quiet high so only motor boats were allowed. We were lucky since sometimes boat rides do not happen in monsoon season. 

What is Benares without the morning breakfast of Kachodis. While returning back from the boat-ride, a thela guy had already setup his breakfast joint and Kanishka had to try it. I too ate it and it was pretty good. Kachodis are small, stuffed with alus with a kala-chana gravy (for protein you know :) ) and some chutney on top with some more crunchy triangle namkeen. A good taste overall. 

I slept after this morning excursion to wake up to Bedmi Poodi and alu for breakfast. Kanishka had went out and got it packed along with famous lassi of Benaras. A perfect bedtime breakfast. We were staying at Vijaigarh Kothi - a recommeded place at a walking distance from Assi ghat. Room was really spacious with AC working :)  

Post breakfast, I attended my calls virtually and then travelled to BHU campus. The e-rickshaw guy dropped me just outside the Vishwanath temple and I had to walk at noon to the guest house 1.2 kms away, in that sun/humid condition. I was drenched. But I did stop at the Samosa place next to temple and had that INR 7 samosa, a highlight of this trip. They are really good. Rest of the evening went in campus hiring and work. Our dinner was at Cafe ROma which I felt was a much over-hyped place. 

Day 2 - Sat. Travel starts

Day 2 started by us changing accommodation from Vijaigarh Kothi to Shree Ganesha place at Girja Ghar. The morning plan was to take the offered candidates out for lunch. We took them to Taj Ganges a 5-star place where we were the only guests. Taj's service was really slow, food was also ok. On the way back we hit traffic and then asked us to be dropped down at the Bharat Mata ka Mandir. 

Bharat Mata ka mandir, as the name suggests, a temple dedicated to motherland India. It has a marble-made map of India in a temple like setting. It is an interesting concept but it needs something more to be made into a good place. Rest of the evening was planned - Kanishka had helped hire a local guide for us to do sightseeing. 

Bhawna from The Ghumakkads was our guide and she is really good (5/5). We covered Durga mata mandir,  Tulsi Manas Mandir, Sankat Mochan Mandir and then finally to Vishwanath temple inside BHU campus. Yes, it was a temple hopping tour :). Along the way, Bhawna shared history of each temple. Behind Durga Mata temple, due to the month of Saavn, a mela was going on and we walked through the mela as well. At Tulsi Manas Mandir, there were Jhaakis setup, a special once a year event that should be seen. 

Vishwanath temple was more peaceful. Mostly visited by students. Post the temple visit, we had the famous cold coffee and samosa from shops just outside. It did not disappoint which is a compliment. We also had Pehalwan ki lassi and then walked to Assi ghat for some coin shopping. Our plan was to see evening Aarti but that did not materialize since we were late. 

Dinner was at Deena Chat house. The pani-puri was good along with the Chats. Post dinner, we walked to a local thandai shop which serves bhaang flavored Thandai, legally. There are legal Govt. Bhaang shops as well, a unique thing about Varanasi. The bhaang thandai was shared by Kanishka, Gnan and myself. It had no effect on me, I just went to hotel and slept. 

Day 3 - Ghat walks

Day 3 morning was by another walking organizer - Mr. Aman from Varanasi Vibes. The idea was just to walk in the galis and ghats of Varanasi. This Ghat walk is an experience. It does not matter what you visit, you just have to see these galis and ghats on foot. The lanes are narrow, people going from here and there. Next to every turn is a temple, some small, some big. Walls are covered with painting, there are food-stalls on cycles, small shops, people living in their homes, hostels, guest houses, restaurants making malpuas, kachodis, and more temples, more shivlings. And then crowds, people going from here to there, on foot, on cycles, on bikes, whatever that can fit in these lanes. Then there are ghats, temples on ghats, cremation happening on ghats, there is the famous Vishwanath temple, with thousands of people standing in queue to visit the temple, there is the new corridor that govt has constructed, there is an entry to this temple that goes to the ghat, giant spaces and buildings, all newly built, sanwiched in between ghats which are centuries old. It is difficult to explain but one has to experience this. This is true Kashi - the oldest city, the holy city. 

My favorite of all places that we visited was the Nepali temple - a Shiv temple built by king of Nepal. It is situated at the river where the river turns slightly. So you get a beautiful view of the river. They have also carved out space to sit and enjoy the scenery. It had rained in the night so weather was good, bearable and enjoyable. The fact that amidst all the chaos of the city, there is a place just to enjoy the beauty is awesome. The opposite of Ganges is all trees and it makes a good sight. You could see how Tulsidas would have sat here and wrote Ramayan in Awadhi language. You could see why kings will visit this place, centuries ago and fall in love with this place. 

We saw all sort of temples - big, small, and underground. The one below was the unique of them all - The actual Shivling is down, 15 feet down and there is a hole on top to see it below. Unless you know that it is there, you will not know. Our guide knew. So bizarre of a temple.  Each temple has a caretaker, someone who lives near it, or within the premises. Temples can not be neglected. It is a full time job for them. 28,000 temples someone wrote a book too . A lot of temples are hidden, not underground, but hidden due to construction all around them. Some where purposefully hidden to prevent them from destruction years ago. 

There is no walk in Kashi without its food. We had Kachodis- both small one, the Poodi one, we had Malpuas, visited the iconic Blue lassi shop. We saw the flower market. Again, it is not the food that matters, it is the experience - having food while sitting 2 feet away where poodis are being fried. In that low roofed, small corner place. Same food brought home would be rated bad but at that time, in the middle this small gali, when the hot food is just served right from frying pan, it is lajawaab, tasty. You ask for one more serving even when you know that you are full, you do not want that another poodi, you want to immerse yourself one more time in that experience, spend more time in that den of a restaurant, on the uncomfortable chair but you have a place to sit now. 

Our walk took us to Manikarnika Ghat, to Vishwanath temple's gate that leads to the ghat, to Nepali temple, to Kedar ghat and some galis etc evenutally bring us back to our hotel. Folks were tired at the end of it. We retired to our rooms. Kanishka and I stepped out after an hr for some shopping. Our lunch was late at Kaashi chat bhandar, again walkable from our hotel. Varanasi is actually a very small city. its like HSR and Koramangala put together, maybe Domlur too :) But just like in BLR, distance is measured in time not in kms.  We had the evening flight back. 

I am not sure if I will ever go back to Varanasi. It is an experience lived but is it repeatable? I am not sure but I find the answer leaning more towards a yes than a no. It is surprising. I am not sure why is it so? Fundamentally, Kashi and its galis is the microcosm of India, you have to embrace the city just like you embrace this country. with all its positives and what nots. Who knows what future holds. Maybe there are more ghat walks. 

Merthi Gudda - A 'technical' trek

 Merthi Gudda - A 'technical' trek

Monsoon treks in Western Ghat is an experience in itself. You do it just for the experience of trekking, because most likely your views are going to be cloudy. And then there are leeches as well, you have to get used to them. Wet trails, slippery rocks, slushy ground, all makes the trek to be fairly interesting, sometimes risky as well. 

Merthi Gudda is a lesser known peak in the Kudremukh range. Our plan was to do Kudremukh trek but due to some incident (someone had died), they had closed the trek for two weeks. Our plan then changed to go to Merthi Gudda. This was a guided trek organized by Shyam, an avid runner. I got connected via my running group (JJ - Jayanagar Jaguars) 

Shyam was really awesome and so were my trek friends. Theirs was an existing circle and I was the newbie noob.  Most of them were kannadigas but they made me feel welcome. They helped me a lot in the trail when some patches were difficult to climb.

The itinerary - Take the bus from Majestic on Fri night. Reach Kalasa in the morning. Get a hotel to freshen up. Have an early breakfast and start the trek. Finish the trek by evening, go back to hotel and clean up. Dinner and take the bus back on Sat night. The Sat night bus was sleeper and Fri night was semi-sleeper. It was a packed schedule. We were asked to carry tiffin boxes for packed lunch. 

The trail of Merthi Gudda is amazing. I loved it. It was 'technical' - a new term shared by Shyam during the trail. I liked the term, did not understood it how a trail can be 'technical'. But on the trail I realized why was it called so - it was not a slam dunk easy. The trek will be called moderate difficulty level but there are some portions, like some rock steps where one has to take extra precautions (and sometimes support of peers) to climb up. 

There were leeches but I did not bother - that is the trick. It had a decent uphill climb, first 20 mins in sludgy mud where I struggled. And some more climbs after that :) But the best part of this trail is that a significant portion is ridge walk - you walk from one hill to another, walking on the ridge. I have always wanted to do ridge walks.  Whenever I see hill outlines from a distance, my first thought is how it will be to walk on the ridge, LOTR scenes on ridge walks were my fav as well, they had always fascinated me. Ridge walks made this trail awesome but I also learnt a lesson - Ridge walks are not that easy either, sure it depends on the ridge but not all of it was easy. 

We climbed couple of hills,  one was a steep one. The hill tops were view-less, surrounded by clouds, extremely windy. It rained most of the time, raincoats were helpful. Truth be told, compared to the gang, I had struggled, I was the last one in the group. They were very kind to give me company in the end, I was not a lot behind but my fitness or the lack of it was in display. I was also trekking after a very long time. My fitness thankfully had improved due to recent runs. I was ok, not that bad either but not like them. 

We had our packed lunch somewhere between hills. I had got some leech bites but it was not painful. The walk down was through this amazing treeline - this is yet another awesome thing about this trail - the upstream and downstream are totally different trails.  We walked a total of about 9kms. I was fairly tired by the end of it. 

Back at the hotel, there was no hot water so a cold bath was also an experience. I slept like a baby in the bus ride back. And slept through most of my Sunday as well :) Overall, very happy to have done the trek. Liked the trail, the group and everything about it.