Mist Mane and Marble Old

Mist, Mane and Marble Five day circuit – Ooty, Bandipur & Mysore Takeoff while Kolkata was still asleep The driver waited at the pickup point Humble breakfast: Puri and Sabji The smooth highway with first hint of the hill Aroma of Karnataka coffee Lunch at Mysore: Mutton Shikh Kebab Departure: The Journey Begins On a late February, a 6:00 AM takeoff from Kolkata, while the city was still asleep, transitioned into a day of shifting altitudes and sweeping vistas. By 9:00 a.m., I had landed in Bengaluru, where my driver was waiting at the pickup point. Swiftly, we started our journey in an attempt to avoid the notorious Bangalore traffic snarls and soon the congested roads of India’s Silicon Valley gradually eased into long, open highways. Breakfast was humble yet practical—puri with sabji—followed by a short pause once the first silhouettes of the hills appeared, accompanied by the unmistakable aroma of Karnataka’s filtered coffee. Lunch in Mysuru offered a welcome interlude before the ascent toward the Nilgiris. Smooth highways gave way to the forests Deer grazing by the side of forest road Peacocks sat lazily on the branches The Rainy Threshold (Ooty Arrival) The drive to Ooty evolved steadily in character. Smooth highways transitioned into stretches flanked by forest and eventually into winding ghat roads. The air grew cooler and  vegetation denser and the sky turned a bruised purple. By the time we approached the hills, the sky had darkened and threatened to rain without warning. Peacocks galore on the forest roaad https://spmukherji.art/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Peacock.mp4 The Nilgiris did not offer a postcard welcome; they offered drama. We navigated the 36 sharp hairpin bends in a torrential downpour. Headlights sliced through the mist, reflecting off the slick, black asphalt as the town of Ooty emerged, looking like a moody masterpiece rendered in charcoal. It was a cold, wet and strangely fitting introduction to the highlands. Ricocheting 36 hairpin bends in torrential rain https://spmukherji.art/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/VID_20260225_173246419.mp4https://spmukherji.art/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/36-hairpin.mp4 I quickly checked in at Lake View Resort. The sky started to clear gradually revealing the crimson hues of the setting sun over the ridges. From my room I watched, in awe, how the town of Ooty bathed in the colour of Mother Nature. I swiftly checked in The Sky slowly cleared Gorgeous sunset view from room Over the course of five days, highways became hill roads, hills yielded to forests and forests ultimately led to palace corridors—which in totality gave me enough opportunity to share my travel experience. The Mystic hills A view of Ooty town Lake View Hotel My cottage Self made morning tea A view from my balcony When the Mist Lifted in the Morning The rain had cleared overnight. What had looked distant and obscured the previous evening now appeared sharply defined. The hills around Ooty looked freshly washed, their slopes bathed in early sunlight. I prepared the morning tea, sat by the private lawn and took time to savour the mystical surroundings. Built on a hilltop, Hotel Lake View has 116 well-appointed rooms, most of which has great views. Every room has a balcony, a private lawn and a living room with a recliner sofa and dining table. The hotel also has a multi-cuisine restaurant serving delicious food.  Centrally located with the view of Ooty lake within a walking distance, I felt this property offered enough incentives to budget travelers for a decent stay a couple of days.  Moment: The Cuddly Intruder “A morning visitor: A local cat slipped into the room, bypassing the cold mist for the warmth of my company—and quite clearly, a request for a snack. After morning tea, I began the day with a complimentary breakfast. The view of hill bathed in gentle sunshine from the arched window in the dining hall was awesome. Moment: The Mental Arithmatic “With low occupancy, breakfast was served via a fixed menu rather than a buffet, capped at ₹560. The repeated calculations of selecting and reselecting items became an unexpected exercise and made me stronger in mental arithmetic: a small, amusing detail of travel logistics. The Day Trip The morning began at Doddabetta Peak, the highest peak in the Nilgiris, where the morning air was cold and visibility stretched across infinite, layered ridgelines. The light was diffused and soft—perfect for slow, sweeping panoramas rather than hurried snapshots. Later, we drove toward Coonoor. Sim’s Park was our first stop which offered curated greenery and quiet walking paths. Another view from Dodabetta Ooty town from the view point Closeup of a spiral staircase at the View Point At the top of Dodabetta Quiet walking paths at Sim’s Park Curated greenery at Sim’s Park Next we drove for Dolphin’s Nose which opened dramatically toward the valley below. The road ended abruptly at the viewpoint, creating the quiet illusion of standing at the edge of the world. The approach, however, was calm and contemplative. The road was so picturesque, that I frequently had to ask the driver to stop the car for some photo shoot. Visit to strawberry farm, tea factory and homemade chocolate shops added more flavour to the already fascinating sojourn. Viewpoint (1) Tea Garden on the slopes of the mountain Dolphin Point – Resembles the nose of a Dolphin Viewpoint (2) Viewpoint (3) Strawberry blooming in the farm Moment: The Inquisitive Young One “Noticing a herd of bison in a Connoor tea garden, I asked to halt the car; suddenly, from nowhere, a young inquisitive one peeped out of the tea leaves and then posed for a photograph. However, the day’s highlight was the rhythmic mechanical symphony of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway—a nostalgic climb where vintage engineering meets the ancient pulse of the hills. Ascending the Nilgiris isn’t about speed; it’s about the steady, mechanical pulse of a bygone era. The rack-and-pinion system—a technical marvel dating back to 1908—clocks out a rhythmic symphony as it bites into the steep mountain grades. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway https://spmukherji.art/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Nilgiri-Toy-Train.mp4 Connoor Station Preperation for the journey The puffing steam engine The pilot amidst the engineering marvel The coaches being