Anniversary in Alwar

I knew my wedding anniversary for the last one year but call it ‘Just in Time’ management that I managed to plan a trip just one day in advance. Yes – and the place we decided to visit was Alwar, a bustling city about 165 Kms from Delhi.

The frantic search for a good hotel started with all the Neemrana properties; but nothing was available – not even the honeymoon suits. Next on the list was the RTDC hotel on Siliserh Lake which was completely booked too. One last ditch effort in Google led me to Clark’s Inn – the resident manager promised a good deal with a room upgrade when I played the anniversary card with the hope of making it special for my wife Vaishali.

The accommodation in place we packed in a hurry and left by 6:30 pm on the 10^th of July, which was a Saturday. It was already 8 by the time we could cross the toll plaza near Haldiram’s on NH8. This was our first drive to this city and though I had gone through the map thoroughly, we needed quite a few directions. Over the years I have come to admire the Google maps app on my Blackberry as it gives current locations and also quite an accurate road map to most destinations. The map kept us on track and we arrived at our destination by 10:45. The hotel was nice and the upgraded room looked cosy and comfortable.

11^th July 2010 – Our 2^nd Wedding Anniversary

The day started with a late breakfast, and a few negotiations with a local cab driver. We wanted to see some interesting places around and shortlisted a few from the tourist brochure available with the hotel.

We stopped at a local Police Station where I had to submit an application for entry into Bala Qila – its restricted to visitors unless you have a written permission from the local police station. Our cab driver knew where to get it.

Alwar City Palace

The first on the list was Alwar City Palace. It’s a huge palace situated in the heart of the city – which now houses a few administrative offices. There was an eerie silence when we entered the portico which was later dispersed by the high pitched voices of some local boys who were just wandering around. The palace showed the trademark neglect which can be seen at most places of historical importance in India. 

City Palace - overlooking the tank

The architecture was beautiful and reflected the splendor that these walls had seen centuries ago. The palace also houses a museum with collections of arts and artifacts of the Alwar rulers. The museum had a nominal entry fee of `5 per person. Behind the palace is Moosi Rani ki Chhatri – this was built by Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh in memory of his wife Moosi Rani. The chhatri looks upon a huge tank which took 9 years to complete. The entire place had a magnificent view surrounded by the Aravalis on 3 sides.

The Queen looks over the city

Our next destination was the Bala Qila, otherwise known as the Alwar Fort. Built in the 16^th century, this fort had many owners, right from the Mughals, who built it, to the Marathas, the Jats and finally the Rajputs. Situated at 1000 feet above the city of Alwar, it has a magnificent view of the entire city and the valleys of the Aravali range. The entry to the fort was closed due to construction work to restore it to its formal glory, but we got in after some requests to the site officer.

Enjoying the view - Bala Qila

The balconies had an awesome view and the breeze was just amazing. Both Vaishali and I could not help but sit and let our senses absorb all that they could feel. The fort at some time housed huge canons which were used to fire at any enemy incursions. These canons were later brought down into the city and one of them can be seen at the ‘Bhawani Top’ crossroads – close to circuit house (the location of our hotel).

Siliserh Lake Palace

Though we carried some snacks, our stomachs felt the need for some good food to stop the rumbling inside. Siliserh lake palace hotel seemed a good place to grab lunch and enjoy the beauty of the lake. I was a bit disappointed by the time we actually stepped into the hotel restaurant. The place was shabby with every guest complaining of shabby service and we were witness to a high pitch quarrel between the hotel staff and a family which was there to have lunch. The RTDC administration hasn’t done justice to the beautiful palace on the hill-side overseeing the lake. There is an entry cover charge of `30 per person which gets adjusted against your bill in the restaurant.

We had some snacks which took ages to be served and managed to click a few snaps under the scorching sun. After making a mental note of the room rates printed on a shabby banner I made a decision never to call them for a booking.

It was 4 by this time and we decided to stop by the Jagannath Temple and offer prayers before heading back. The temple is situated close to the city palace and had a beautiful idol of lord Jagannath. We took along a sweet which is famous in Alwar – the milk cake. This is also referred to as Kalakand by the locals. After praying for a happy life for the remaining of our lifetimes, we left for our hotel.

Sariska Palace

On returning to the hotel we inquired with the staff for some good options to eat out – we dint want to have our anniversary dinner in the hotel restaurant. We wanted to go some place special; and special it was – the Sariska Palace Hotel. Deciding to take a short nap before the evening outing we hit the covers, only to be surprised by the hotel staff that brought us a cake for our anniversary. Thank you guys for making it special for us.

Sariska Palace - At night

Situated just at the edge of the Sariska wildlife reserve, this palace was built in 1892-1900 and was the hunting ground for the rulers of Alwar. Sariska Palace was 40 Kms away from our hotel. The drive was smooth for the first 35 Kms but the last 5 was absolutely horrendous. The road was lined with huge pot-holes and the 3 bridges we crossed had minimal railing. With no lights around, any vehicle at higher speeds could easily end up in the valley below – dangerous.

We managed to locate the palace although it was shrouded in darkness with just a few lights glowing. I assume there were not many guests as the wildlife reserve was closed for the rains and the animal’s mating season. We were guided to the restaurant which was housed under a huge verandah used for organizing cultural gatherings. The food was fine, the cutlery was good, and the wife was happy! What else can you ask for.

We hurried back to our hotel with the intention of watching the FIFA world cup finals. Vaishali was excited about the entire day and was looking forward to end it with a good soccer match. But little did we know that our eyes and mind would not be willing to do some overtime after what I would call a field day.

The drive back home was quick as the roads are pretty smooth. Signing off with the hope that i will plan my next anniversary well in advance :)

Alwar: Directions from Delhi

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