Photos: Falling in love with nature

Rediff reader Mridula Dwivedi, an academician from Gurgaon who blogs at Travel Tales from India, sent us these pictures of her visit to Lakshman Sagar in Rajasthan, a 19th century hunting lodge which is now a resort.

Lakshman Sagar is in the Pali district of Rajasthan and was built in the 19th century as a hunting lodge by Thakur Lakshman of Raipur.

I boarded the Jammu-Tavi train from Gurgaon to Ajmer (to all those who live in Gurgaon, many Rajasthan bound trains stop at Gurgaon station). I could not get a ticket for the Ajmer Shatabdi. In retrospect it turned out to be a good thing. On this long distance train which arrives at Gurgaon at 5.18 am I could sleep till Jaipur! Hence I arrived feeling quite fresh at Ajmer. From Ajmer (80 km away) I had arranged for a pickup to the Lakshman Sagar Resort.

If you are driving, you would cross Bewar and continue till Raipur. Raipur is the closest town. The Haripur railway station is about 3 to 4 kn away from Lakshman Sagar but only a few trains cross that way and getting a reservation at a short notice is difficult.

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As far as you can see there is only nature around Lakshman Sagar. It used to be a hunting lodge with two structures, both have been converted into restaurants now.

The place is ideal for people wanting to get away from the hustle bustle of city life and spend some time in peace in the midst of nature.

This was the sunrise on my first day and to view this glory I had to just step outside my room!

There are only 12 villas in the resort set over 33 acres of land that it gives you an immense feeling of space. Even beyond the 33 acres there is no habitation, as far as your eyes can see.

Raipur is the nearest small town with a hospital, a market with narrow lanes and the haveli belonging to the thakurof the region. Plans are to convert the haveli into a hotel.

As of now the it is locked and looks abandoned.

Lakshman Sagar is a rain water lake and they say the rains have been very good this year. The rooms at the resort are along the lake. Both the restaurants offer excellent views of the lake.

My guide Gajender took me to the Chili Market at Raipur. The season had just started and I could feel the sharp aroma of chili in the air.

He said that the entire area (which was as big as a football field) becomes read during the peak season.

I was walking around the resort and these girls were going to give tea to workers who were building the walking path. They posed for me readily and offered me tea as well!

I am sure that nature puts up such spectacles even in the city, only we block it with buildings.

I loved the uninterrupted drama in the sky that I could witness any time I cared to look up.

There was no television at the resort and I did not miss it at all.

I never associated fall colours with Rajasthan but looks like I was wrong.

Rawli-Tatgarh Sanctuary is 15 km from Lakshman Sagar and I was surprised to see fall colours around the water body.

The sanctuary also offers two rooms but from what I saw, they are not very well maintained.

I used to run to this restaurant for my evening tea before sunset and I would remain there till it became dark.

The two restaurants used to be janana (pink one, room for ladies) and mardana (room for men, it is blue in color) during the hunting lodge period.

It takes a lot of time from sunset to dusk to dark. Dusk is something I hardly ever witness in my city life!

On my way back to Delhi, I visited the dargah at Ajmer Sharif. These floral offerings on sale were everywhere along the narrow road that leads to the dargah.

Mridula Dwivedi is an academic from India who is passionate about trekking and travelling, and these days dreaming about going to Antarctica. She blogs at Travel Tales from India.