BINSAR

Sometimes following the squiggliest lines on the map can be a huge pay off in finding a place away from the hum drum of touristy spots and the need to rush around to sight see. You can just sit back and relax as you savour the peace and the stunning views. One such place is the Binsar Wild Life Sanctuary at a height of 7000 feet. Binsar is 33 kilometres north of Almora in Kumaon. A haven for bird watchers with over two hundred species of birds identified and a panoramic view of the Himalayan range with peaks of the Nanda Devi, Trishul, Kedarnath and Badrinath, like icing tops on a scrumptious cake. After a nine-hour drive from Delhi. A beautiful Chirr pine forest will welcome you and a picture-perfect view will rejuvenate the soul. There is a forest rest house in the sanctuary, one can stay here with prior permission from the forest department. Evenings here can give you a chance sighting of barking deer and maybe even a leopard. The recommended mode of transport is a car though if you have the legs for it you can even walk but let me warn you it can be a bit of a long haul. If you are a walker, walk up to zero point to spot birds, the watch tower provides a great view. It’s a good idea to take a guide with you on your nature walks, one who is well versed with the terrain and the birds in the forest. Thrushes, wagtails, sunbirds, redstarts and the beautiful paradise flycatcher are just a few. The forest rest house belongs to the British era. It has every bit of the quiet, old charm of places such as this. A simple structure, slant roofs, high ceilings, two detached rooms, a common central area that opens on to a veranda, sparsely furnished with quaint fire places. Large glass windows fill the interior with the amber hues of the setting sun that make the bungalow look warm and inviting.
Spending the night at the Forest Bungalow is quite another thing. Dark moonless nights render the setting with an eerie look. With no electricity or running water creaky doors and windows and a leopard on the prowl in the jungle beyond, this is certainly not a night for the faint hearted. A decent back from the forest rest house has a beautiful temple where they follow a curious practice. Logic gives way to belief and faith. When the rain gods forget to shower the parched earth with their benevolence, the locals hold a puja followed by a meal, the bhog is the jhootha, the left over from the meal. The temple is showered with the food. The belief being that God will send rain down and cleanse his temple. There really being no scientific explanation, but most often than not it does rain after.