In the epic movie of Hindi cinema, Sholay, the town of Ramgarh was terrorized by the fearsome gang of dacoits led by their ruthless leader, Gabbar Singh. Like many other kids of my time, I remember enacting many of his legendary dialogues from the film that were meant to instill the fear of death in the minds of the poor peasants of Ramgarh. However, if you are visiting the quaint sleepy town of Ramgarh in Uttaranchal, do not be scared of running in to the clan of the dreaded dacoit 
. This is not the dacoit infested Ramgarh of the bad lands of central India, a figment of the film writers imagination. The Ramgarh that I visited is a small hill station on the way to Mukteshwar near Nainital and is also known as the ‘Fruit Bowl of Kumaon’ owing to its verdant orchards of Peach, Apricots, Pears & Apples.
Ramgarh is well connected by road to New Delhi and its a 10 hour journey. However, I would suggest the daily overnight air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station ( departing at 10:45 PM ) to Kathgodam (arriving next morning at 06:15 AM.) and then a 1 and half hr drive to Ramgarh via Bhimtal & Bhowali.
In Ramgarh, I had chosen to stay at the magnificent Taradale Cottage which is named after the aristocrat and diplomat Major General Tara Singh Bal, Taradale is owned by his son Brigadier Amarjeet Singh Bal.It is situated in a fairly secluded spot overlooking tree covered slopes and a verdant green valley or ‘Dale’ from which it derives the latter half of its name . A three minutes easy downhill walk from the road leads you to the property which is reminiscent of the summer houses built during the British Raj.the grey and white stucco façade of this secluded two-storey cottage, with sloping tin roofs, bay windows fringed with flower beds and balconies replete with Victorian trims is reminiscent of the classic British hill home. Facing the Panchchuli peaks, the cottage is surrounded by apple, peach and apricot orchards which merge into the forest of pine and oak below.
My room had all the comforts of a luxury hotel with ensuite bathroom that had running hot and cold water.I simply loved the colonial furniture and tastefully done interiors, wooden ceilings and there was a fireplace too. And there was a splendid view of the lush hills from the window, just perfect. There was a telephone in the foyer to keep you connected to the world you have left behind.The television though was in the common parlor room but then who has time to watch it when you have so much natural beauty to explore. Ramgarh is pristine in its beauty and I was completely mesmerized by the surrounding majestic mountains, pristine Oak & Rhododendron forests, crisp cool air and vast clear skies.
The Taradale cottage itself is a place to explore.Old black-and-white framed prints of the General receiving various salutations and awards, with various dignitaries, a tiger kill and a fox hunt are some of the photos that line the atrium wall along the teakwood staircase.All rooms have high wood-paneled ceilings, fireplaces and ancestral antiques.
Meals are served buffet style or à la carte depending on occupancy, with a five-day rotating menu switching between Indian and Continental. The food was mouth-watering and the service was efficient, the staff polite and discreet.The cottage is non-smoking but guests may smoke outside and are advised to bring their own liquor.
There’s a small library that has a good collection of books for book lovers. I preferred to examine the scenery around the place through the telescope that is available at the cottage.
Watching the sunset while sipping a hut cup of tea in the verandah is a remarkably soothing experience. Ramgarh is home to a variety of species of birds and butterflies that you will find if you go around exploring on foot in the nearby jungle and also while trekking to the nearby Tagore Top hill. The Taradale Cottage is ideally located for exploring the other(busier) hill stations nearby such as Nainital, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal, all of which lie within a distance of 30 to 40 kms from here.
All the while during my stay at Taradale Cottage, I was dying with the urge to do a “Gabbar Singh” act from the movie Sholay that I had done so many times as a kid. And so when I was on this solo walk in the nearby hills away from the hotel, I gave in to my urge and shouted like Gabbar Singh at the top of my voice, “Ramgarh ke logon….!”. Though it felt stupid, I simply loved it and laughed at myself all the way back to the cottage. My most treasured memory of the stay at Taradale
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