Gossip session in
the morning with bed tea in hand was followed by digging into steaming hot aalu puri as sweet rays of winter sun warmed
our bodies.
Of all the hill
stations in the North, Kangra valley rarely vies for attention with gimmicky
spells. But perhaps that’s where its charm lies. Snuggling up to the snow
capped Dhauladhar range, this valley in Himachal is a weekend getaway from
Delhi with its scenic viewpoints, hidden monasteries and warm people. It has
something to offer to everyone, amazing landscapes and lush green forests for
photographers and nature lovers, serene monasteries hidden in the pines for
those looking for some quietude and activities like paragliding and trekking
for the adventurous lot.
Embracing the Cool Winds at Billing
It was a clear
day, perfect for paragliding. We were now heading to Billing, one of the world’s
best Paragliding sites. Zigzag
ways, deep valley on one side and snow covered high hills on the other and chilled
air kissing our faces. The paragliding team was headed by Sonu. Sitting at the
height of 2290m above sea level, looking at the horizon and sipping hot tea in
chilling weather was something we will cherish throughout our lives. Exalted hearts, nervous minds and shivering bodies. Right direction
and velocity of wind was required to jump off the cliff. Our pilots were
experts in judging the right moment and encouraging us to jump. All the
nervousness disappeared as soon as we were in the air. Then it was all excitement
of flying up above the deep valleys and high mountains. The feeling while you
are up there is beyond words.
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| Paragliding at Billing |
Landing was trickier than the
take off. Along with the right direction and velocity of air, folding legs in a
specific way was also required. Follow the instruction exactly as given by your
instructor or else break your legs, we were told. We opted to follow the
instructions. We were all dead tired after this soul stirring experience. Not just
exciting but it was also a good learning experience - trust and confidence in
your instructor, perfect coordination, taking timely decisions and much more.
Celebrating Life with Lively Monks at Shera Bling
monastery, Bhattu
Tucked away from
the town, just a few kilometers west of Bir in Upper Bhattu, is this sprawling
Tibetan Buddhist monastery and retreat complex. Situated in the midst of lush
green pine forested foothills of the Kangra Valley, Palpung Shera Bling
monastery is the place to relax and celebrate life, leaving behind all the worries
and hassles.
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| Serene walk around Shera Bling monastery Bhattu |
A quiet walk
through the pine forest with colorful Buddhist prayer flags on the sides of the
road guided us to the monastery. While
we were taking a look at the magnificent monastery building, the magical drum beats
compelled our attention. We followed the beats and found that they were coming
from the 3rd floor. The monks, young and old, were engrossed in the
rehearsals. The monastery will host bi-annual Lama-dances in its premises we
were told, of which the practice sessions were going on. Celebration of life in
the midst of serene nature, glowing jovial faces of kids, youth and old alike,
we felt as if we have reached some different world altogether where people knew
no sorrow. After having Thukpa and tea,
being served by most friendly people in the café outside the monastery we
proceeded further.
Rediscovering
History at Ancient Shiva Temple, Baijnath
On our way back to the hotel we visited the ancient Shiva
temple in Baijnath. 13th century temple
dedicated to Lord Shiva has been continuously under worship ever since its
construction in 1204 A.D.
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| Old Shiva Temple, Baijnath |
The temple is a beautiful work of the early medieval north
Indian Temple architecture known as Nagara style of temples. Baijnath being my
birth place, this temple holds special importance for me. We, as kids, used to
come here every evening with our parents. While they used to offer prayers, we
would spend time playing in the well maintained garden just outside the temple.
I still have very fond memories of grand 5 day celebrations on maha shivratri in the temple. All the
members, including kids of the family would get up early morning, take bath and
rush to the temple and this routine would go on for the whole week. Decorated with marigold flowers all over,
temple looked so different in those 5 days. Thronged by numerous devotees from
all over the state, we had to wait for hours just to get a glimpse of the
inside of the temple that’s so easy to approach on any normal day. Today while visiting it with people from other
cities and narrating to them the whole childhood experience I relived those
childhood memories.
That was the moment when we realized that it’s
time to say goodbye to this serene land. With heavy hearts we left the
beautiful valley but we were happy to have gathered so many memorable moments
and have made friends for life.
The Guide
Kangra Valley is situated in Himachal Pradesh, India. The
valley has an average elevation of 2000 ft. The highest peak on the Dhauladhar range which marks the boundary of the valley reaches 15,956 ft.
FACT SHEET
Getting there
· By
Rail : The nearest broad
gauge railway station is at Pathankot placed at a distance of about 90 km from
Kangra. There is frequent bus service and taxis are also available from Pathankot.
One can also take narrow guage rail from here.
· Air: The nearest airport to reach Kangra is
Gaggal airport, placed at distance of 13 kms from Kangra city. Taxi cabs are
available from there. The taxi fare varies depends on the season. Typically
taxi charges are Rs.300.
· By
Road: Kangra is approximately 450kms from Delhi. It is around
10hrs drive and roads are in good condition.
Getting Around
You’ll need a
car to travel around. Hire a taxi from Pathankot, if you have come by rail or
from Kangra, if you have come by air.
The
areas of interests in and around Kangra valley are Palampur, Baijnath, Bir, Billing,
Bhattu, Kangra fort and Mcleodganj.
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