Quick trip : Patiala & Mahendra chaudhury Zoological PARK:Chhatbir (Drive in zoo)

[v&v]

It so happend I had a business meeting last friday and since kids too had a holiday a quick vacation was planned.

So the final plan was to reach patiala by Friday evening and roam around, then visit chhatbir zoo on saturday & return. One of my old friend who hails from patiala too joined us and he arranged our stay. Initially i was planning to stay in Baradari Palace (Nimrana hotels has restored it.)

What we saw at patiala

Qila Mubarak
Sheesh Mahal
Netaji subash national institute of sports
Baradari Gardens
Zoo
Kali Devi temple, Mall road

Shoping at : Adalat bazaar (Lot of nik nak shopping)
Famious for Phulkari suits, Juthis

Must try : Shahi lassi at sheranwala gate.

Eatout : 22 No. phatak area has lots of option.
Try fish fry : Simbly aswesome. (Mali)

Rest let the photos speak for the city. Reached by 3 pm. We were staying near head post office road. it was just a walk down to Baradari garden and we planned to explore that region today.


Head post office road




























There were lots of bats. You rarely get to see in delhi.

[v&v]

Friday early morning went to kali temple on mall road.
This temple was built by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1936.

[amitoj]

Thanks for bringing back memories of my hometown!!
Been a long time since i last went there.
Hey you could have met up resident Patialvi TBHPian Anku also there.

[v&v]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Thanks for bringing back memories of my hometown!!
Been a long time since i last went there.
Hey you could have met up resident Patialvi TBHPian Anku also there.

Thanks Amit. The trip was planned on Wednesday itself. Had no time to network.

Continuing with the log.

After my meeting we went to see Quila Mubarak.it is listed in worlds 100 most endangered monuments. Darbal hall has a mueseum of Armoury. No photography is allowed inside.

Also came to know of some intresting facts of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh.
He had more thant 20 Rolls Royce in his collection. Once his order was refused by Rolls Royce company and he put his old RR for garbage pickups

Shots of market Adalat bazaar

[v&v]

Post lunch, We headed to Sheesh mahal. it was the residential palace of Maharajas of Patiala. it was built in 1847. It has an artifical lake and hanging bridge to the garden. The Sheesh mahal is closed for restoration. The guard told it will take around 3 years.

[v&v]

It as around 4pm , we had another 2 - 3 hrs, thought of visiting the Zoo near to Sheesh mahal , then seek the NIS (National institute of sports) and back. By the time we finished zoo and reached NIS it was 5.30 pm, Entry to visitors are only upto 5 pm. Took shots from outside and we head back , spent some time again at Baradari Garden.

Parakeets








Emu









Black buck deer

[v&v]

Saturday morning we left Patiala, Next stop over was Chhatbir zoo near Zirakpur. I was surprised not to find many details of this zoo, Even on BHP didnt find any material. Reached there by 10 am.

Location :
It is on NH64 and just before 7km Zirakpur, One has to turn right from and head another 4 km inside. People coming from Ambala, you have to turn left after the New Mcdonald. The road is bad.

IMO nice place to worth visiting. The zoo is big and best advantage is one can take the car inside. Personally i am against it as i found lots of guys honking, using loud music etc. There is also electric vehicles in zoo. it will be trying to cover the zoo on foot.

Main attractions

1. Royal Bengal tiger
2. Lion Safari
3. Deer Safari
4. Good collection of birds.

Rest let the photos speak about the zoo.

[v&v]

More pictures processed.

[v&v]

Some more photos processed.

[hvkumar]

Which route did you take from Delhi to Patiala - via Rajpura?
Never knew Patiala had so much to see! I have seen only the inside of the HOtel Haripavithar (hee, hee) when I went there on a business trip 3-4 years ago!
Are you referring to Rajpura junction to turn off to Zirakpur when coming from Ambala?
And is the Rajpura-Banur-Zirkapur road in bad condition?
There is a McD before Rajpura?

[v&v]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Which route did you take from Delhi to Patiala - via Rajpura?
Never knew Patiala had so much to see! I have seen only the inside of the HOtel Haripavithar (hee, hee) when I went there on a business trip 3-4 years ago!
Are you referring to Rajpura junction to turn off to Zirakpur when coming from Ambala?
And is the Rajpura-Banur-Zirkapur road in bad condition?
There is a McD before Rajpura?

Thanks hvk.
Yah via Rajpura. There entire stretch on NH-1 , road widening is in progress from panipath.
Even my family too were PATIALA ! Noooo. Now the perspective have changed. Now they are ready to visit again , wont mind.

Rajpura junction to turn off to Zirakpur
Yes, this is one option, Other wise if coming from Delhi, take the usual route to Chandigarh(NH22). Just before Zirakpur may be 7-10 kms , there is a new McD, immediately after that there is left turn which connects NH24 & NH64.

Rajpura - Banur - Zirakpur road is in good condition. We didnt find much traffic too on this road.

[v&v]

Last set of photos of Royal Bengal tiger.

[laluks]

The picture img_3015a.jpg made me remember my doggy dashy. She always used to hang her tongue out and be near me to pet her. But petting this fellow would be dangerous

[phamilyman]

This is very nice. Now I know why tanveer raves about chhatbir every time I dare utter wildlife in front of him!!

[SS-Traveller]

That's a good trip you seem to have had there! I'll echo HVK about the fact that I wasn't aware of the zoo and so many other places in Patiala either. I guess with the summer already here, we'll wait to venture out to that area till the end of the year. But this is certainly a good weekend trip worth doing.