Can we go to ...err...the Himalayas?
Generally I plan my vacation months ahead. But this was one was more impromptu. In mid-April I realised that I can perhaps just squeeze in a short trip around mid-May, that is a month from then. In May there are fewer places to go other than the mountains of the Himalayas. I popped my proposal to have a vacation in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh to my wife. I was hesitant whether she would agree. If she did it meant we would go to the Himalayas 4 times in the last 19 months - Kashmir, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and ,this time, Himachal Pradesh. Not bad. My admiration for the Himalayas is no secret. But that does not mean she has to fall for the Himalayas too. She loves dogs; I dont! After a bit of coaxing, she agreed. Phew!
The next hurdle came in the form of selecting the destination. Overnight bus journey was something I wanted to avoid. And trains were fully booked and overflowed to waiting lists. But I was pretty desperate. Luckily, I found plenty of seats in a special train that would take us to Pathankot...and from there Dalhousie, Khajjiar and the likes.
So, on 15th of May, Wednesday, afternoon we were in the Indigo Airlines flight and off to Delhi. Overnight train journey took us to Chakki Ban.
Thursday, the 16th May, 2013
It was morning 5:30 when the train stopped in the Chakki Bank railway station for 2 minutes halt. We jumped off the train. It was a clear sky, with few flakes of white clouds above. The station looked pretty clean. We could not find any porter, so carried the luggage up the foot-bridge. Our driver had arrived. I had given him a wake-up call at 4
AM. No sooner did we leave the plains of the Pathankot did we find ourselves in the spiraling mountain roads. It was early morning and traffic had not flooded the roads yet. So, it was a fairly smooth ride. We reached Dalhousie in about a couple of hours. But that is not where we would stay. Our destination was a place called Kalatop obout 15 km from Dalhousie.
Serenity at The Kalatop Forest Rest House
The last few kilometers to Kalatop was through huge devdar trees on stone-strewn narrow roads. The roads had many turns through the forest. We realised that as we were going deeper and deeper into the forest, we were moving out of the hustle and bustle of the civilised world. Gradually it was the sound of the car only and occasional tweets of the birds. Our road ended onto the huge gates, what looked like that of a old traditional old bungalow. It was the Kalatop Forest Guest House. Almost wrapped under the huge trees and beautifully lit by the yellow sunlight the small cottage looked absolutely stunning. I walked up to the caretaker and handed over my booking confirmation. He showed us our room.
It was pretty cold. Hard to believe that when the rest of India is reeling under severe heatwave, we are wearing thick pullovers and have been provided with thick blankets for the night. After placing the luggage inside the room and getting refreshed, we stepped out of the room and basked outside. After many many years, I was able to hear the sound of the wind as it whistled past the leaves and the trees. The silence of the surroundings was broken only by the tweeting of the birds from some distant branches and the sound of the breeze. The distant snow-capped Pir Panjal range was right opposite to our cottage. Soon we realised that we were the only guests in the sprawling bungalow. It was a privilege, indeed, to be so close to nature and not getting disturbed by any over-enthusiastic tourists. My daughter was having a great time. She was running here and there, chasing butterflies, posing for the photographs. We had the lunch on garden, overseeing the beautiful mountain range. In the afternoon we decided to visit a mini-trek called Dainund peak.
Trek in The Dainkund Peak:
The car again rolled down slowly through the woods. It was so green and serene. After about an hour ride we reached the base point of Dainkund Peak. It is a small trek, where you climb up some 1-2 km to have a great view of the surroundings. We were initially skeptical whether my daughter would be able to climb up. Because carrying her and climbing was quiet a tedious job. We soon found that she enjoyed the journey and was pretty excited negotiating the way through the faintly-outlined roads and the green soft grass. The view from the top was mesmerizing. The roads snaked through the mountains. The surrounding mountains seemed closer. The afternoon sun made the walk a pleasant one. Daisy and other beautiful flowers grew all over the place. Butterflies, dragonflies, bees and other insects were having a feast. From one point in the Dainkund Peak trek, we could catch a glimpse of the Khajjiar, officially called the Switzerland of India and our destination for Day 3.After spending a few hours in the Dainkund point, we were driving back
Sunset at The Kalatop Forest Rest House
It is no secret that I have an admiration for sunrise and sunset. My photos and my blogs also have good dose of them. The sunset of the Kalatop was again a special one. With no other tourists around, I saw the sun slowly and stealthily hid behind the grand Pir Panjal range right opposite to our room. Just when the sunrays began to turn orange, the few villagers who lived below started returning back to their homes. Cattles and sheep lined to return to their herds. Women drove them, with stacks of dead twigs and brunches on their shoulders. A man returned from work and hugged his little son who was waiting in front of the doors. The difference between the tired smile from the man and the innocent one from the child was the difference between adulthood and childhood. The light was fading pretty fast, as was the temperature plummeting. My daughter was as energetic as ever. My wife was sitting on the garden chair. The golden sun rays fell on the patio. The breeze was becoming cooler. Up above birds flew in flocks and were returning to their nests. Flakes of white clouds have gathered. There was almost pin-drop silence. Sometimes I heard
jingling sound from some cows and bullocks returning home with their master. The life of the simple villagers here revolve round these basic activity. They are , perhaps, oblivion of the larger world outside. They are busy finding solutions to their problems, they are occupied in doing their daily duties honestly...and that be raising their family and earning bread and butter for them. During snow when this area is covered in snow, they migrate to the lower areas of the region. Once the snow melts, they return. When I talk of my motherland, I dont only mean people in the metros or those living a luxurious life or the urban middle class Indian. These people are also Indians. When we talk about the world, we dont only discuss about the Americans and the Europeans, but these humble people also, who have been living in some remote parts of the world for generations. It is my way of exploring my motherland, my world and myself.
The night was bone-chilling cold. As soon as it became dark, I slipped under the blanket. Good that there was no TV in the room. The mobile signal was weak. We were literally cut-off from the rest of the world. With no other guests or rooms around, it was dead silence in a pitch-dark Kalatop Forest.
Friday, the 17th May, 2013
Boating at The Chamera Lake
Chamera Lake is a little known lake in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. It is around one to two hours from our accommodation at Kalatop. We checked out of our hotel early in the morning bidding farewell to the poetic Kalatop Forest Bungalow. Again through the woods and some more "adventurous" roads our car reached the lake in around 2 hours. We had already seen the lake from the top by stopping our car at a view point on the road. It looked green to the core. It was surrounded by mountains and a road
outlined the lake. When we reached the lake we found that the dreaded hands of commercialization had not got a good grip of the place yet. Only, one one boat surfed the lake at any point of time, unlike in lakes of other popular hill stations where fleets of boats criss-cross the lake.. There were only five to six stalls around selling snacks, chips etc. We took a good one-hour trip around the lake. I dont have the words to describe the experience. I hope the serenity is preserved in the coming years too. But I am sure as more and more people come to know about this place, we will see an increase in human activities around the area. First Kalatop and then this lake. Both are little know places. And both offer the exquisite view of the Himalayan beauty, unspoiled by the human infiltration.
Dalhousie
Dalhousie is one of the most popular hill stations in India. And that meant lots of shops, vehicles, tourists, crowd and chaos. Our hotel in Dalhousie was placed at a very nice location. As I removed the curtains of the huge windows of our room, I found snow-capped mountains , which seemed like an arms distance from our room. In the afternoon we went out to see the common sight seeing points. In the evening we went to the market area, where we had hot popcorn with steaming hot tea. Crowd and commercialization ensured that
the cold factor is not an issue here. At night when my wife and daughter slept, I stayed awake for more than an hour gazing at the mountains, seeing some tiny glows on them when any car or bus or lorry passed by. After many years I was saw clusters of fireflies just below our window.The world outside seemed to have been gone under a dark and cold blanket. The hotel was also quiet. I was feeling tired. So, went to sleep soon after.
Saturday, the 18th May, 2013
Breezy Jot (Chowari) Pass
Its difficult to keep us quiet.We are always on the move. The journey from Dalhousie to our next halt, Khajjiar, was around 20 km. So, we started early from Dalhousie and instead of directly going to Khajjiar, we went to the Jot Pass. This is one of the lesser know places around Dalhousie. But again a gem of a place. More than the destination, the journey was thrilling. Through the Devdar trees and along the snowy Pir Panjal range, on the empty road the drive was worth. The place was quite breezy. We climbed up to a high point. Saw some sheep and horses grazing at a distance in the green meadow. Another facet of the Himalayan mountains. We spent about an hour here. Really nothing much to do than to see the occasional cars and buses and lorries ply on the roads below. There was an abandoned hut with thatched roof. It was a place where you can have your mind wander and let your thoughts free.
Khajjiar - The mini Switzerland of India
Khajjiar has been officially recognised as the Mini Switzerland of India. Sometimes I wonder whether there is any Mini Himalayas in any other parts of the world. I dont think so. And the reason perhaps is the diverse and contrasting landscape of the Himalayas. There are vast green valleys, cold deserts, highest peaks, gorgous lakes...you name them. Those who haven't gone to the Himalayas will have no clue of the grandeur. Those who have gone, even a hundred times, are clueless of her grandeur. The word mountain or mountain range is very misleading in this case. For, the Himalayas is much more than that. The more we explored the more we are in awe. And the more we wanted to come back again and again to the Himalayan mountains.
When I was looking for accommodation in Khajjiar, people had one answer: stay in the HPTC (Himachal Pradesh Tourism Corp.) accommodation. Done. When I went to book, I saw except the relatively pricy Khajji cottage, everything else was booked. So, Khajji cottage be it. When we reached Khajjiar, I realised this is what is called a boon in disguise. The khajji cottage is placed at one corner of the vast green valley, surrounded by tall devdar trees. The entire world seemed to be on the other side! A walk to the restaurant takes a minimum of 20-25 minutes. The cottage was a heritage building, built about 150 years ago. Hugely spacious rooms, having provision for a fireplace, which made it look like we have been transformed to some medieval days luxury.
The valley was crowded initially. But as the day was coming to an end, it seemed we owned the place! There were lots of activities going on. Romantic couples dressed like the locals and clicking photos. People took snaps with rabbits. There was no dearth of snacks and those street-side foods.People rode ponies. I decided to take one that circumfenced the entire valley. Not to miss are the innumerous sheep who graze.
They seemed fearless and oblivious to the presence of human beings . They come almost beside you and start grazing, as if they don't care about our presence in their place. As the sun hid behind the tall trees and dusk approached, we slowly walked back to our isolation. At night, the moon shone clearly upon the vast field. Light from shops and buildings at the other end valley resembled stars. The darkness on the valley brought with it the fear of the unknown. What was hustling and bustling a few hours ago has fallen silent. The known world suddenly becomes unknown; the seen becomes unseen. In Puri through the darkness pierced the roaring sound of the sea waves. Here it is the deadly silence. Both are equally hair-raising, when you come to think of it. Both the cases are shrouded with mystery.It was cold. We had an early dinner and went to sleep. I dreamt of a white Khajjiar! Khajjiar in winter, when the entire area gets covered under thick layer of snow. I am sure one day I will turn that dream to a reality.
Sunday, the 19th May, 2013
Crowded Dharamsala
Dharamsala, about 120 km from Dalhousie, was not exactly on my list as it was difficult to fit it in our short trip. At the insistence of our driver, I thought to give it a try. It started off well, as we left Khajjiar when the first rays of the sun just started kissing the tall trees surrounding the valley.But when we reached Dharamsala we realised that we stepped inside an overcrowded stadium! There was an IPL cricket match the day before and people thronged in the small city. Though the surrounding mountains gave the city a very charming look, but the loads of cars, road blockages, people walking in the middle of the streets spoiled the beauty of the place. We were not very amused. And it was hot, too! We saw some places, most notably the residence of His Highness Dalai Lama, Triund trek point, tea gardens of nearby areas and then back to the Chakki Bank station, from where it all started 4 days back. This time the station seemed hot. Indeed it was hot. Not very clean and quite crowded, which is very much in contrast to the first impression I had about it on the morning of the first day when we landed here.
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Sweet Memories
From the Delhi airport my wife and daughter took the flight to Kolkata, where they would have an extended vacation. I took the flight to Bangalore. It was a short and sweet vacation. While on flight I was thinking of the last 4-5 days. As I write them now, I still remember them so vividly. There are so many days in our life which we pass, and not necessarily, live. So, I wont be able to recollect those days, even if they number to thousands. But these days of vacation and similar other days stand out from the rest in our lives. A life is
enriched by the number of memorable moments we live and remember. These vacations do exactly that.
They fill the treasure of moments with unforgettable memories. Time can take everything away from a man. But not bygone days, not memories. It is this bagful of sweet memories I bring every time from my vacation that makes these vacations so special. It is for these wonderful moments that I am ready to plan and toil and slog a thousand more forgetful moments. For, at the end of the day all the pain of planning and toiling will go. But, what will remain with me and what I can cherish for the rest of my life are those precious out-of-the-world moments.
