Chandrashila - Where the Magic Starts

I woke up to a knock at the door of my room from a fellow traveler Lalima at 4.30AM. Excited she was to announce that the sky is clear. We took no time to get up and start trekking towards Chandrashila. It was biting cold sub zero temperature. The hands, nose, cheeks and lips were all red with cold and the heart was thumping not sure from the rush of blood due to trekking or from the anticipation of what awaits us.

It was a steep climb of around a kilometer with no specific path to follow. Cold and darkness made it even more tough. But as they say, "no pain no gain". Just when our stamina was shaking after around two-third of the climb, we took a turn and got a glimpse of what awaits us. The sky was deep orange and there were layers of mountain ranges visible. There was no looking back after that. Every second was precious. Our speed doubled and excitement increased many fold.  

 I was surrounded by layers and layers of mountain ranges all around placed beautifully in different shades 

We were on the top point in less than half an hour. I couldn't believe what I saw. I was surrounded by layers and layers of mountain ranges all around placed beautifully in different shades. In front were snow covered Himalayan peaks like Nanda devi, Chaukhamba and Trisul standing tall acknowledging our efforts.

The sky was all red, ready to welcome the Sun. And the hills were ready to embrace the day with open arms. Slowly the rays of the sun started appearing from behind the Nanda devi peak, lighting it and creating a golden outline... It looked like some magic was about to happen. The divine ball of fire, the source of every possible energy, the core of our creation appeared slowly from behind Nanda Devi leaving us spellbound. The love of God was all over in the form of fresh warm golden rays that lit the whole valley and the mountains.

The sun was up in its full glory in no time. It was the sign of a new beginning!  

P.S. - I was so engrossed in the magic happening in front of me that I forgot to take pictures. And I am glad I did, it is now all engraved so well in my memory disk. Below are the 2 mobile pictures I could manage while in the trance...

The rays of the sun appearing from behind the Nanda devi peak creating the golden magic  

Chaukhamba lit by the morning rays of Sun

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Also Read:

The Calm in the Chaos - VARANASI
In the Shadows of Dhauladhars - KANGRA VALLEY
The Thar Experience

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Pangong Lake - A Gorgeous Wonder!

The journey was no less than the destination...

It is an amazingly beautiful drive of around 6hrs from Leh on a dramatic mountain terrain via Karu and Sekti village.

We started early morning with Tenzing, an experienced and cheerful driver from Leh. We drove through the vast barren landscapes with small villages and some greenery appearing every now and then. This was followed by the barren mountains of interesting shades of blue, grey and purple. They soon started to get white with snow and was fully snow covered as we approached The Chang La (17,590 ft.), world's third highest pass. We took a break to have hot meal of maggi and bread omelette at then-highest cafe of the world. Now the highest cafe is at Khardung La.
As the day progressed water on the roads started increasing. Glad we were to have listened to our driver and started early morning.

Travel Tip - One need to hire cab from Leh as taxis from outside Leh are not allowed to ply on this road. Start from Leh as early as possible. Water on roads will keep increasing as day advances.

 

The view of the road that we came driving on from Chang La

It is always good to start as early as possible from Leh 

The drive was more or less smooth except for a few places near the pass. There are many interesting road signs from BRO that make the journey even more enjoyable. Below are a few of them that fascinated me:

"Be gentle on my curves."

"Don't be a gamma in the land of Lama"

"Darling I want you but not so fast"

"Feel the curves, do not test them"

"Mountains are pleasure only if you drive with leisure"

"Love the neighbor but not while driving" 

A little farther on the road we met these cute little creatures called Marmots. They came out of their burrows as we were passing by. They did not seem to be shy at all. Rather they seemed curious and playful. It was fun playing with them and clicking them.

A curious Marmot spotted on the way to Pangong approaching the camera 

The Gorgeous Pangong Tso...
While we were still in the awe of meeting marmots, we saw a hint of brilliant blue in the barren brown terrains. I could not believe my eyes. The whole tiredness and the cold disappeared and we were filled with a joy, excitement and anticipation of what is in store. The moment is still engraved on my mind. It was surreal to see almost every shade of blue in sparkling water in these barren lands.

Brilliant hues of blue in the barren brown terrain - the first view of Pangong lake

This was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful creations of nature that I had ever seen. The sight of unending expanse of deep blue water and the spectacular Changchenmo range in the backdrop. 

This beautiful Himalayan lake Pangong Tso (Tibetan for "high grassland lake") is situated at a height of about 14,270 ft and is 134 km long. It extends from India to China and around one-third of the lake lies in China. The lake is 5 km wide at its broadest point.

Pangong is one of the largest brackish water lakes of Asia

The fascinating fact about Pangong Lake is that it has saline water and even then the water freezes. There is no aquatic life but some migratory birds can be spotted. It was a visual delight to watch the gulls and ducks play over the beautiful lake

Brown headed Gulls at Pangong

The first place we crossed was the army camp at Lukung. From here till Spangmik, the road was merely stone filled dirt track. Spangmik is the last village till where foreigners can go with an inner line permit.

Spending night with the locals at the height of 14,270 ft. ...
The village has merely 5-6 houses of which 2 provide the facility of home-stay. We chose to stay in one of them rather than at the camps nearby; One, because in a remote place like this I want to contribute to the economy of the place and second, I love to experience the local life and interact with locals.

Me with my hosts in the neatly organised kitchen of our home-stay at Spagmik

The evening was spent in the kitchen-cum-common room chatting and having endless cups of tea. There was a biker who had come from Bangalore and was exploring Himalayas from past one month on his bike. I still remember his adventure tales that inspired me to do Leh-Khardung La on bike.
The hot dal-chawal and ladakhi rotis with vegetables tasted heavenly delicious in the chilling cold of Ladakh. We were provided with a cozy room with wooden flooring covered with carpets and wooden roof. The bedding was warm and comfortable. And the hospitality of the hosts made it even better.

The home-stay at village Spagmik

One can also stay in the camps on the shores of the lake. The camps are made of canvas and the floors are covered with jute carpet to provide warmth. Each camp has an attached bathroom with cold running water. Thick blankets and a hot water bag is provided for warmth.
On the way back we visited Shay and Thiksey monasteries.

This was undoubtedly one of my best journeys so far. Have already visited Pangong thrice and every time it seems more beautiful.


P.S.- Pictures are clicked while on a road trip Himalayan Voyage with INDIAN TERRAINS in June 2012 and July 2014

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Chopta - Tungnath Trek

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” ~ John Muir

We started our journey with this thought in mind with a lively bunch of people from Delhi. Our first halt was at Rishikesh where we reached late in the evening. The walk absorbing the silence and beauty of the starry night brought us out of the humdrum of city life. A perfect start to a holiday in the lap of nature.

We woke up to a beautiful wet morning. Earth was fresh as dew and atmosphere was filled with the fragrance of flowers and foliage. Morning tea never felt so refreshing like it did that day.

Refreshing morning at Rishikesh

Singing, chatting, laughing and enjoying the drive through dense forests and Himalayan villages we reached CHOPTA. Clean roads, sweet breeze carrying the fragrance of nature and chirping birds welcomed us.
We had driven deep into the pines to reach this remote place where there were no mobile signals and no electricity. Such a respite it was to be cut off from the world in this paradise. We were awestruck to see the lush green meadows and dense forest. Everyone just refused to settle in rooms and were out in the woods. Some were walking silently just enjoying the serenity while others were chasing birds and clicking while some others were just sitting with their feet dipped in chilled water. It took some time to get them all together to enjoy the tea.

Evening tea in the lap of nature, literally

It was a breathtakingly beautiful, dark yet glowing mysterious full moon night. The clouds were playing hide and seek with the moon. The trees were standing tall trying to reach out to the moon while the meadows silently lying down enjoying the glow of moon light.  The only sounds in this dark night were of the stream nearby and of howling wolfs that were adding to the mystic feel to the night. The sky was studded with numerous big and small starts shining bright giving competition to the moon. Never before have I witnessed a night so beautifully mysterious.

A short break during the trek

We started our trek on this gorgeous hilly terrain early in the morning. While take careful steps on the wet, a bit slippery paved path through thick forest of rhododendrons and oak, it was difficult to imagine our life back in the
city.
The deep valleys, the lush green open meadows and the magnificent Himalayan ranges make you feel so tiny. We were transported to a different world altogether.
Different plantations - algae, mushrooms and what not attracted our fancy. We were going pretty slow enjoying and absorbing each step and turn of the trek. 4 hrs trek would take the whole day it seemed. But whats the hurry, we took our own sweet time to climb up and reached Tungnath in the later half of the day.

Different plantations attracted our fancy

We were all hungry when we reached. After having maggi as an appetizer we had nice local dal and rice. Once our tummies were full we looked around and realized where have we reached. A small place with couple of shops, very few people... rather just a few shop owners around, and a temple, TUNGNATH.
High above the clouds lay this quaint place called Tungnath, the highest Shiva temple in the world. We went a little farther and reached the end of a cliff. Surrounded by the curtain of clouds we found ourself standing on the edge. On one side were the snow covered peaks and on the other side was this deep valley.

At The Edge of The Cliff

In no time fog engulfed the whole valley and everything got out of site. We were not even visible to each other. One wrong step and we would have gone deep down the cliff. We decided to settle in the temple guest house for some time to regain our energy.

It was all so quiet when we came out after a few hours . The area was still under the cover of fog, when we heard the temple bells ringing. It was evening aarti. The thick fog started to disperse and visibility kept increasing with increasing volume of ringing bells. We could see the blue sky appearing magically from behind the clouds. Sun was about to set and there was amazing play of evening light in the sky. The golden reflection of setting sun on snow covered peaks made them glow like gold. and the sky turned orange with the spread of evening colors.

The Magical Evening

Can't say if God exist or it's just the faith of people, but the magic moment I witnessed up there makes me believe in the Ultimate power that created universe - the magnificent nature and its miraculous beauty. We were all mesmerized by the nature's show that we just witnessed. The ringing of bells stopped and gradually darkness engulfed the whole valley. The whole universe seemed to be in synchronization.

Night was no less engaging. It was more than 12 of us in a small kitchen cum sitting area of Raju hearing his stories over dinner celebrating life and rejoicing our togetherness. He is one of the survivors of the Kedarnath tragedy that happened a year before. Talking to him we realized how connected these people are to nature and how well they have understood the zist of life while we city people are still stuck in the frantic race of life.


Plan it with Chaloletsgo!

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Exploring the hidden gems of Odisha

The train journey...
Looking out of the window of Dhauli express on the way from Hawrah to Balasore, I was feeling like a child again. Green fields seemed to be smiling at me, small ponds where kids were taking bath and having fun seemed to be inviting me to join them. Mud houses reminded me of my childhood spent in the villages of Himachal.

 Singara, jhaal moori, chai, bread cutlet, biryani, cold drink and chips... there ware options to munch on every other minute. Eye contact and smiles shared with the cute kid of the family sitting next to us made my day. There was another huge family traveling together. They had lots of alu dum and moori packed and members kept moving to and fro in the compartment... serving, eating, chatting and what not.

Green fields as viewed from the train

Happy village kids

A memorable walk through the Villages of Odisha...

My destination for now was village Kantabonia, Shyamsundarpur. I liked the rawness of the place.

Village people far from the modernity seemed happy living close to nature. Ladies sitting out on the verandas of their houses, children rejoicing together in the pool, men folk returning home on their by-cycles.

Agriculture is the main occupation

Walking on the muddy route crossing water stream twice and passing through a village, we reached KUMKUT. I thoroughly enjoyed having tea while watching the sunset and talking to the villagers. 

Kumkut 

t was already dark when we started back. This time on a different route. Devraj told me to take my shoes off. We walked on the muddy road with puddles all along, through the water stream for around half a km and through narrow lanes cutting through village. While I was struggling to find the way and keep my feet on right place to avoid the puddles, Devraj was narrating stories of Elephant herds frequenting this place. Moon and stars gave me company and lighted my way. Fireflies were my other companions on this adventurous walk. Silence of the night was broken only by the sound of crickets. 

As we reached back the resort the santhal ladies and men were getting ready for tribal dance performance. It was fun to match the steps with those shy ladies and funny men folk.

Tribal Dance

Drive through the Jungle

Jungle walk to Devkund...

Next day was dedicated to Devkund. Started just after breakfast. A drive of around 3 hrs took us to Simlipal reserve forest. Though the reserve park was closed due to rains we drove a stretch in the jungle and walked a few kms to reach Devkund. It being monsoon season, the area was lush green and the waterfall gushing. Hundreds of small steps took us to the temple. The serene forest walk refreshed our senses.

Serene Jungle Walk

Drive back through the country side was even more beautiful.  The setting sun beyond the green fields; saree clad ladies and men folk in their lungis, kids in vibrant clothes all were going to the mela... It was a festive season and everyone seemed to be in their cheerful best.

Delicious dinner served with love by the village people was a perfect end to the day.

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In the shadow of Dhauladhars

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.

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.  

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 3^rd 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.

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.

Recommended stay: http://www.homestaysofindia.com/properties/palampur-homestay/

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5 Place you must visit if you live in Delhi

1. Siliserh Lake (5hrs drive)

Hidden in low wooded hills of Rajasthan, Siliserh is just 5 hrs drive from delhi (184kms).  Silserh Lake and reservoir is a huge man-made lake constructed by the King Vinay Singh in 1845 to cater to the water needs of the Alwar town and the water channels are still intact from that duration. The lake spans over a wide expansion of seven sq kms. and when filled completely, it covers area of 10 sq. Kms.
The only place to stay here is a heritage hotel of Rajasthan tourism. You need to book it online in advance. 
Best time to visit: July - December

2. Chakrata (8 hrs drive)

At an elevation of  about 7500 ft Chakrata is known for its serene environs, virgin forests and pollution-free atmosphere. The town has a magnificent view of the Greater Himalayas and everything around is delightfully green — Deodar, Himalayan oak and Rhododendron cover the hills. Other than the small village, the only built-up area consists of some of the prettiest colonial army buildings, green- and red-roofed gables complete with rambling roses and wisteria. There are just a few places to stay here but usually are available due to no tourist crowd frequenting the place.
Best time to visit: April to July

3. Kausani (10hrs drive)

Kausani is a quiet little town in the Kumaon region of Uttaranchal 420kms from Delhi. It offers breath-taking view of approx 350km of the Himalayan range and is a scenic splendor, pure and pristine. Hotels are available in all ranges starting from INR 500 to INR 5000. 
Visit Kausani any time of the year there will be something amazing to witness.

4. Orchha (12hrs drive)

Travel back to medieval times at Orchha, a quaint little town 470kms from Delhi in the middle of forest on the banks of Betwa River. This medieval city seems to have frozen in time, its palaces and temples still retaining their original grandeur. Equally exciting for historians, nature lovers and photographers. Do hire a cycle and visit the nature reserve. Stay there till sunset to get a mesmerising view of sun setting behind the chhatris and Betwa. Home-stays are available in Orchha and you must experience one in order to get the feel of the village. 

Best time to visit: October to March

5. Kasol (14hrs drive)

Kasol is an overnight drive from Delhi (520kms). Situated at the height of 1640 meters, Kasol is a quiet and peaceful village in Parvati valley, Himachal Pradesh and is surrounded by mountain ranges, higher reaches of which are covered with dense growth of coniferous forest with trees like pine, blue pine, fir and Deodar whose resins exude very pleasant aroma that lingers in the unpolluted cool mountain air. The lower slopes are covered with tress like poplar and silver oak.  The market area has a few guest houses and not more than 100 - 150 shops within 2 kms area. The village has traditional wooden houses having slanted roofs of black slates. A mountain stream called Grahan Nallah divides the village in two parts - Old Kasol and New Kasol. Through this small stream ice-cold, crystal clear water cascades down and flows into the Parvati River. The place is dotted with small orchards of apple, plum, peaches, pears, apricot and almonds. Hotels, guest houses and home-stay are available in all ranges. 
Best time to visit: April to July

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Kasol – A Sleepy Paradise

Driving along river Parvati and passing through lush green pine forest and lovely villages we reached Kasol.

DAY ONE – Exploring relaxed village and lazy market

We could feel the relaxed fresh air as soon as we stepped out of the car after crossing a small wooden bridge in the middle of a market. The market was quiet with only a very few shops open preparing for the day when we reached. After settling down in a family run guest house "Rainbow", we decided to be the first customer of a dhaba just outside the guest house. Butter toast with omelette was enough to charge me for my first few hours at Kasol.

We spent some time absorbing the calm of the place sitting on huge boulders at the banks of the river and then exploring the village. Kasol at the height of 1640 meters is a quiet peaceful village situated 6 kms short of Manikaran in the Parvati valley and is surrounded by mountain ranges.

The market area has a few guest houses and not more than 100 shops within 2 kms area. The village has traditional wooden houses having slanted roofs of black slates.

There's a great variety of food to munch on in this little town. Right from Israeli cuisine to Italian, Indian and Chinese, you can find it all. There are cafes with nice ambience to spend hours at serving best coffee, sandwiches and some awesome bakery.

As soon as we finished our lunch it started drizzling. Light rain and fog enhanced the beauty of the place.  We started walking along the riverside after crossing the bridge connecting Kasol to Chhalal. Nothing but pine trees dotted the entire landscape as the rhythmic sound of gurgling Parvati accompanied us. We stopped regularly to admire and capture the beauty of colorful flowers, lovely birds or just the entire scenery. While returning, a few village ladies washing clothes in the stream caught our attention. A narrow slippery path took us down to them. I was surprised to see a small pond with two entry points - from one natural boiling hot water was coming in and the other was bringing in cold water and an exit. The arrangement was such that the temperature of water in the small pool was just perfect. And this is where the village ladies were washing.  They did not take time to mingle. Looking at my curiosity about their attire one of them offered me to teach how to drape the shawl in peculiar Himachali way. I, like an excited little child, readily agreed.

The evening was spent chilling out in cool cafes, roaming around in the market, shopping hand-knitted woolens and eating to our heart’s content.

DAY TWO – Tete-a-tete with nature

Morning bought with it chilly winds from North. As I stepped out to the balcony of my room I could see the peaks covered with fresh snow that urged me to leave the room and go out for a walk in the woods. Walking on wet ground through narrow lanes and crossing slippery boulders, I reached a vast green open space bordering the river overlooking snow clad peaks, an ideal place for a person like me, a metro-city dweller to unwind. Tall trees wanting to kiss the cotton clouds, cold stream of flowing water eager to reach its beloved, big round boulders enjoying the gentle touch of water, cool breeze trying to whisper a message it has bought from far-away lands and deep blue sky smiling at this romantic setting of nature...  I was lost in the wonderland for quite some time.

When I regained my senses it was a bright sunny day already, so I immediately went back to wake my friends up and start our journey to Tosh. We drove till Tosh via Barshaini. Kasol is also a base for Himalayan trekking to SarPass, Yanker Pass, Pin Parbati Pass and Khiriganga. Tosh was a quaint little village on top of a hill surrounded by stunning snow covered peaks. Simple village people enjoying the small nothings of life made me wonder why we in cities have made our life so complicated.

We lost the track of time while sitting on a huge rock on top of the hill looking at gigantic mountains unmoved by the forces of nature, gushing Parvati River as if trying to tell stories and a small habitat of simple human beings enjoying their existence. 

We bade adieu to the tiny hamlet around evening and started our journey back.

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A relaxing weekend trip to Lotwara

Comfortable stay, good company, simple fresh food and great hospitality are the ingredients of a relaxing weekend trip for me.

Last weekend I went on a short break with some of our "CLG Elite" friends to a small village in Rajasthan called Lotwara.  The hot masala tea that was served as soon as we drove into the fort was such a relief after a long drive of more than 6hrs in a cold morning of January.

Enjoyed the company of my "Elite" friends

The owner of Lotwara fort, Giriraj Singh ji showed us around the fort that has a history. The place where baithak use to happen, some old family pictures of Rajputanas, lineage of the royal family, his livestock, the plantations, Banganga river bed... it was a different world altogether. While we were taking a round looking at the goshala, the small pond with blue lotus, the hound... our lunch was being arranged. We all digged into the home cooked delicious food... this is exactly what our hungry souls wanted at that moment. Simple food - alu gobhi, dal, raita and hot chapatis served with lots of love satisfied us to the core. We no longer felt the need to take rest... we were all set to explore the area. The warm hospitality is what I like the most about Rajasthan tourism.

Some 7 kms from the fort is Chand Baori. This is one of the oldest and most attractive step wells in Rajasthan. Built by King Chanda of the Nikumbha Dynasty between 800 and 900 AD and was dedicated to Harshat Mata, Goddess of Joy and Happiness upon completion.The step well is around 65ft deep. The intent of Chand Baori was to conserve as much water as possible. At the bottom of the well, the air remains 5-6 degrees cooler than at the surface, and Chand Baori was used as a community gathering place for locals during periods of intense heat. How I wish I could go down the stairs and experience it for myself but the authorities have closed the entry as there had been many accidents recently.

Chand Baori, Abaneri

Just next to it is Harshat Mata Temple. There are many broken structures lying around the temple which locals say are the ruins of some other structures destroyed during the Aurenzeb rule. 

While we were on the way back to the fort we got a call from the kitchen inquiring when will we be back. So nice it was to see hot tea waiting for us when we reached back. After refreshing ourselves we went out to see the village. Well maintained roads, 4 primary and secondary schools, an ITI college, a hospital, a marriage hall - this small village of around 10,000 people is self sufficient. We walked past the market, vendors selling peanuts, shopkeepers winding for the day, families gathered around the fire lit in the courtyards, kids playing around. A happy village it was! So heartening it is to see that our villages progressing fast.

I was amazed to see peacocks roaming around the village so freely... they were all around like we see pigeons here in a city.  Never before have I seen 5 peacocks sharing the same tree along with numerous parrots. Their sound was almost deafening. So thrilled I was to be there around sunset... the ball of fire dipping down and vanishing behind the florescent yellow mustard fields looked marvelous. 

Bon-fire was ready when we reached back. It was fun to be a part of a warm session of gossip and songs along with mungfali and popcorns.

Evening-chat session

I woke up to the loud chirping of birds. Just above my pillow was a small jharokha from where the light was trickling in. It was a very cold morning and everyone else was sleeping but I could not sleep any more. The loud chirping of birds, the cool breeze, the shreak of peacocks all seemed to be calling me.  While on the rooftop of the fort, I realized it was worth giving up the laziness. Perfect start to the day it was!

After a sumptuous breakfast that was served with lots of love and care was enough for us to keep going for another 6 hrs of our travel. The warm hospitality that they offer is the best thing I like about the people of Rajasthan. As suggested by Giriraj ji we visited Jhajurampura on the way. Driving through the green fields of mustard and the remote villages we reached there. It was amazing to see the faith of the crowd there who'd come to take a holy dip in the hot water spring. 

After having a hot cup of ginger tea we started our journey back to the city. I wonder why we have moved away from this simple rural life!

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Conquering Dhauladhars

Tucked in quilts at the height of 2975mts with a cup of hot black tea and a spoon of rum to beat the cold while the whole valley is covered in mist, it was hard to believe that it would be 40 degrees plus back home in Delhi. 

A few adventurous souls decided to trek to Triund in monsoons when ways will be dangerously slippery and views hidden due to fog. We were told that the trek is 9kms and will take around 4hrs. Climbing up the rocky path, watching snails and moss on the way for around half an hour we reached Dharamkot. Got an interesting piece of information – the locals here drink these snails with milk for speedy recovery of fractured bones. Glad we were to have finished one eighth of the trek, when someone told us that trek actually STARTS here and that vehicles can come till here. Gathering our courage we started the “real” trek. It had been raining since yesterday and fortunately it was a clear day to start with.

Trekking up the Dhauladhars

The valley looked like a beautiful lady wearing green saree fresh out from bath... hair still wet, drops still resting on her sweet face with red bindi on her forehead. Glad we were to have done this in monsoons. On our right was the diminishing village making us feel we have climbed quite high... but soon we would find ourselves at the foot of another hill that is still to be conquered.

After almost 2 hrs of continuous trek on slippery rocks, passing through lush green Rhododendron and oak trees we all had different pace... some of us much ahead still managing a smile without effort... some struggling with their baggage and thinking why they bought that night dress, could have easily done without it but managing to smile with an effort and some tired to the core talking to every person trekking down and checking how much more they have to climb, their smiles vanished completely. I would not reveal which category I belonged to.

A quick break

Weather was good till now. To our relief we found a tea stall. The moment we stopped there for a quick lunch, it started raining heavily... as if weather God was watching over us. After half an hour of torrential shower it stopped raining. By the time we were reenergized with parathas, juice and chocolate. With even more enthusiasm we started the second leg of our trek. It took us around 6 hrs with breaks from Mcleodganj to reach Triund. 

The moment we reached up there, we forgot our aching toes, hurting back and paining legs.  We were mesmerized by the beauty of nature… standing on a natural green carpet in Dhauladhars with a wonderful view we felt out of this world. We were smiling down at the deep valley while mighty dhauladhars were looking down at us with a smile.

Nature at its best

The sky was clear blue now with white fluffy patches of clouds here and there. It was a perfect day for photography so we started capturing the beauty of the moment on our cameras. By the time we came back to our senses it was almost dark. Preparations started for setting up the camp. Triund is a beautiful camping site in Dhauladhars at an altitude of 2975mts.

Camping at Triund

It was amazing to see the beautiful day turning into gorgeous night. Sun sank deep into the horizon hiding the last gold of the miser sun... Slowly darkness took over the whole valley. We could see nothing but some glittering lights far below… music of silence playing all over.

We felt real proud and precious to be there in oneness with nature!

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