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Monday, December 25, 2017

Himalayan Diaries

Day 1 - Chandigarh to Shimla
My first aerial view of Chandigarh - cluster of houses packed together but neatly in squares... It was a sight to see! And then the air hostess announced - Chandigarh is a defence airport and hence photos are strictly prohibited... Well, didn't know that!
The airport is sparkling clean... It seemed a sin to not to take any snaps of something so good... My hands itched for my loyal mobile and then I saw a military guy walking purposefully toward me... 'Hey, just a thought, I didn't take any snap!' My mind shouted and then I watched him pass by me and breathed out a sigh of relief.
We met our driver - a Jatt from Delhi with excellent command over Hindi... Even when he swears at other drivers it feels very decent and respectful... He has good ambitions... Has been driving since 23 years and now wishes to buy a car of his own and start his own travel service... He says confidently to us, 'Next year, U will take a package only from me, I assure U. I will show U the entire Himachal in my own car. ' His confidence is impressive and we hope he succeeds in his plan.
I have come to believe that every place has a phrase associated with it. For eg...
After staying in Mumbai for three decades, the phrase that now comes to my mind when I think about it is - Peace amidst chaos. I have been staying in Hyderabad since three years and I would say that Hyderabad signifies - Growth amidst impermanence.. Half of the city is occupied by people from other cities staying there on rental basis. And yet, the city is witnessing tremendous growth at an alarming rate.
One hour in Chandigarh and the phrase that popped in my mind is - Big, Bigger and Biggest! People are of a big stature (even school-going kids are sturdy!). The roads are broad, the vehicles are mostly large trucks and to my amazement, even the animals seem bigger there ( I honestly haven't seen such huge and hefty cows!).
It is a pleasure to see a typical Punjabi with a tightly woven proud turban on his head, long beard, formal pants and shirt and a sleeveless sweater worn on top of the shirt. U almost feel that anytime the good old guy will approach U and tell U to save your hard-earned money in RD or FD. Or it feels like meeting that favourite neighbour uncle who always takes your side against your parents. It is a comforting sight to see these people.
As we entered the Himalayan Expressway, I got my first view of HP. Mountain on my left side, a deep valley on the right and large mountains at the far end of the valley. The expressway is more of a long series of S-bends that see a continuous procession of vehicles to and fro. As far as the drivers of these vehicles are concerned, heights don't matter at all while driving. Our driver, like all drivers, speeded like he was driving in any other highway - so what if it was the Himalayan Expressway? Doesn't matter, highway is highway!
The phrase that comes to my mind while thinking about HP is - Nature, untouched but not wild.( Well, almost untouched - the mountains won't agree with me. They are being chipped every day to extend the expressway). There is a gentleness to the imposing mountains and valleys. Time seems to have slowed down here. Except for the drivers, no one really seems to be in a hurry. Life goes on, on an unhurried and leisurely pace.
We stopped at a small stall to have some coffee. I stepped down from the car gleefully and then just stared around in disbelief as the first wave of cold mountain air struck me. Unbelievable! We rushed into the stall and the kind lady who was the owner of the stall immediately closed the door. The feeling of warmth was precious!
After a cup of hot coffee and steaming Maggie noodles, we rushed back into our car which felt warmer compared to the ruthless cold weather outside. After two more hours of driving, we reached our hotel in the evening.
And that's where we are now, shivering uncontrollably as the temperatures plummet to zero degree as the night progresses. The cold weather aside, I get the familiar exhilarating feeling of being in a new place and can't wait to explore the mystical land called Shimla!
Day 2 - The freezer called Kufri
We woke up to a glorious morning and stepped out of our room into the balcony. At first we saw only the big brown mountain facing us. Another view showed us snow-capped peaks behind the mountain. With a gasp, I realised that we were seeing the great Himalayas for the first ever time in our lives! I stared at the peaks in wonder and amazement. It felt like the culmination of the dream of a lifetime. Unbidden, Lord Krishna's assertion in the Bhagwad Gita comes into my mind - Among the mountains, I am the mighty Himalayas. What a feeling to see that which has been in existence probably before Time or History began!!!
We dared to take a walk around the hotel premises and found life-giving, heart-and-body warming sunlight!! We couldn't soak it enough... It lifted our hearts and spirits and we went to our rooms with a renewed sense of joy.
Today we had planned an excursion to Kufri which promised a grander view of the Himalayas. We proceeded outside our hotel room sans our winter wear, blissfully soaking in the warmth of the kind Sun that shines here.
Kufri isn't very far from our hotel and within half an hour we reached there. We got down from our car and something told us that it would be better to take the bag of our winter clothes with us(Just in case, you know).
As we slowly climbed down the lane in Kufri, a wave of harsh, cold air attacked us. It seems like this place doesn't get much sunlight(a large mountain looming on the east and a valley in the west, beyond which lie the magnificent Himalayas). Then began the uncontrollable shivering.. We hastily donned our winter clothes but they were no match for the freezer called Kufri. It took sheer effort to keep walking and climbing down the lane.
The only thing that made us forget the freezing weather, was the vista that lay in front of us. A deep beautiful valley and the Himalayas clearly visible... ( I secretly thought, well, that explains the unbelievably cold air!).
My words cannot describe the stunning view or the weather there. As they say, see it, feel it, to believe it!)
Kufri is a photographer's delight. We can keep clicking on snaps but they won't do any justice to the real picture. Having mixed feelings about this place - I would like to go there again and again simply to see the Himalayas but never, ever want to feel as cold as I felt there. Bone-chilling, heart-thawing cold - as if there were no sun there!
There is another peak in Kufri which is accessible only by horse-ride. I bravely agreed to attempt horse-riding for the first time in my life and left with my husband and kid towards the lane where the horses stood.The guys brought our horses - one look at the stallion and my confidence crumbled. I shook my head quietly and left from the place with my kid while my husband climbed on a horse and went to the peak. Well, that's something pending for the next time!
It was late afternoon as we left from Kufri. And hunger started showing its pangs. Our driver said he would find a 'first-class' hotel for us to have lunch. After some time he stopped in front of a small roadside hotel(which, I believe, has seen better days). Well, something is better than nothing, I thought miserably and hoped that we would find something decent to eat.
We bravely order a 'Deluxe Thali', keeping our fingers crossed. It turned out to be large enough but not overly stacked with lots of food. There were two hot rotis, one curry, an adequate amount of rice and steaming daal-fry.
Needless to say, the food was DELICIOUS. Everything was sufficient yet limited. The service was quick and to the point. As we barely glanced from our plate, devouring it hungrily, we heard the light-hearted banter of the people there. 'Arre jara achi si khadak ek chai pila de year... ' discussions about every day life.... It made us feel very humble and content as we acknowledged the feeling of having come to a town frozen in time - a good time...
After a sumptuous lunch we left for a view point called Naldehra which has a golf course and promised stunning views of beautiful small villages nestled among the hills. But again, it was accessible only by horse-ride. We felt bad to see that this place had very few visitors compared to the horse-riding range in Kufri though the views were much more beautiful here. We opted to enjoy the views from the viewpoint. After a brief photo session, we got inside the car and returned to our hotel. We braced ourself for the cold wave as soon as we got down. There is one thing that Shimla has taught me - if u are not its native, u can never brace yourself enough for it's cold weather.
Shivering and laughing uncontrollably we walked towards the lawn of the hotel which has a small play area for kids. As our boy played in swings and slides and I was shivering embarrassingly and uncontrollably, my husband showed a snap which I found difficult to see or comprehend.
In a ground in the backside of our hotel, some guys were playing volleyball - just dressed in normal casual clothes and no sweaters or mufflers or caps! At first, my uncontrollably-shivering ego took on a massive hit. But then I pacified it saying - These are not normal people. Either they are aliens in the disguise of human beings, or they have truly become Yogis - unaffected by anything!!
As I write this from the warmth of my room (cosily warmed by the heater) my husband shows the current temperature to me. 4 degrees , and I am dreading the impending visit to the dining hall of the hotel for our dinner.
Tomorrow we bid adieu to Shimla and are bound for Manali (which, by what the locals say, is a colder freezer than Kufri!). I am reminding myself of my desire of travelling to new places and trying to ignore the dread of going into another freezing place!
Day 3 - Shimla to Manali
We left our hotel at 9.30 in the morning and proceeded towards Manali. On the drive, we could see the Himalayan range from far. I felt a sense of loss and kept seeing the snow-capped peaks as long as I could. Someday or may be in some other lifetime, I hope I can see the mountains from as near as possible.
The first thing that made the drive eventful was a mini-traffic jam caused by - mass exodus of goats! It was a funny sight to see vehicles like Desire, Etios, I20 wait patiently to make way for the goats who took their own sweet time to pass the road. There were almost hundreds of them and they seemed to mock us as they proceeded ahead and we waited patiently.
Today being Monday, we saw kids in uniforms walking towards the bus stop which seemed way too far to walk for city-bred weaklings like us. The kids walked up the hill with the ease of years of walking. We learnt from our driver that even office-going people park their vehicles at one point and walk for a long time to their offices. Can't imagine walking so far but also can imagine the wonder and amazement of walking on a beautiful hill with stunning vistas of mountains around you!
We passed by the picturesque town of Solan where colorful houses can be seen nestled prettily among hills. I could only wonder about how the people staying here travel anywhere.... The town sure made up for a post-card perfect picture.
After a sumptuous meal at a restaurant named The Highness we proceeded along the town called Mandi. True to its name, it is a large market with numerous shops and road-side vendors. I rejoiced in the opportunity to see another new place but within minutes, dozed off! When I woke up we had already left the market place.
My sleepy self regretted the loss of seeing that new place till I woke up instantly as I took in the new scenery in front of me. All sleep vanished from my mind.
We had reached Beas Valley where the Beas river flows, in all its glory at some places, in the form of a gurgling steam or a trickle of water at other places... But always there with U on the road. The river and the omnipresent mountains of Himachal never left our sight from that point of time.
I have to say this, unlike the gentle mountains of Shimla, the mountains here felt a bit fiercer and commanded respect and awe. They seemed to say - we are just neutral witnesses, watching the proceedings of the world around us and have nothing to do with it. In the presence of these majestic giants, I felt my tiny identity melt away.
We halted at a place called Aut which has a temple of a Goddess to whom all the drivers pray before proceeding on the curvy highway. There was only contentment on their faces and no trace of any uncertainty or fear about the drive ahead.
As our driver started the car to proceed ahead I took out my mobile with the intention of taking some snaps. I had conveniently forgotten that our driver, like all drivers of Himachal, considered himself as a Ferrari driver. I found myself struggling to hold my mobile as I was flung from one side of the car to another side whenever our car took on a sharp turn. I just laughed helplessly as I kept oscillating from right to left in every sharp turn.
Just when I thought that it couldn't get any worse, our driver got a call in his mobile. To my disbelief and amazement he took the call. One hand on the wheel of the car and another hand holding the mobile, he sped on the highway blissfully talking over the phone. Luckily, a tunnel arrived after few seconds.
The tunnel has been wonderfully created right in the midst of the highway. It's illuminated with enough lights within and both its walls and the road are smooth. Needless to say, this is the first ever tunnel ride that I enjoyed (my mild case of claustrophobia not making its presence felt for the first time inside a tunnel).
After almost an hour, the highway slowly made way for small roads and we found ourselves at a spot called Bhunter which is a river-rafting point. Our driver parked the car in the area and gleefully said "Go ahead and attempt the water rafting!".
I looked at him in disbelief. Here I was shivering with cold and he wanted us to raft in the Beas river! I refused politely and instead we spent some time in the scenic place taking snaps and drinking steaming coffee.
After an hour we were back on the road. This time we passed through Kullu market which is a crowded and narrow road (narrow enough for just one vehicle to pass through). Our Ferrari driver masked his frustration with great difficulty as he couldn't fly his car on this road, however he may wish or try badly. I on the other hand enjoyed the slow and leisurely drive as I took in the market and its shops. Kullu has its own shawl-making factory and a visit to the same is impending.
By 6 in the evening it had already turned as dark as night and I checked the temperature. I stared at my mobile, not knowing how to react. It showed 1 degree and beside it was written, Feels like -1. It didn't feel like 1 degree inside the warm car. I hastily put on my sweater and prepared myself for the temperature outside.
After an hour we reached the area where our hotel was situated and our driver started searching for it. I felt like checking my faithful GPS but something told me that it would be downright insulting to consult GPS in the presence of a driver who has been driving for 23 years without any GPS. Suddenly realization dawned upon him and he exclaimed, "Achcha wo waali hotel!!! Yaad aaya mujhe! Bas pohonch hi gaye... '
Within five minutes we reached the hotel. After checking into the hotel room, we realized that we really didn't feel cold. In fact we couldn't feel anything at all as our hands and legs froze on their own and turned numb with cold.
Well that's a blessing. Because it is best to not feel anything at all than to feel the cold which 'feels like -1'!
Day 4 - Frozen at Manali
We woke up at 6 in the morning, woken up by the internal alarm clock that usually awakens us by that time, wherever we may be. By now we are slowly getting used to the chill but still it never fails to shock us to see negative temperatures.. It was -1 and we resigned ourselves for another cold and freezing day.
The cold in Manali is eerie... in the sense that, u may still manage without a sweater but u can never ever move without gloves or socks. While Shimla made us shiver, Manali thawed our hands and feet to such an extent that after some time we could not feel them at all. In comparison, Kufri feels like a warm hug!
Today's itinerary included a visit to Snow Point or Rohtang Pass ( any one of them). It broke our hearts to hear that Rohtang Pass has already been closed. It was something that we were hoping to visit very badly. Well, as my husband said, if everything is completed in one trip itself, there won't be any excuse to return here... So Rohtang, we will meet u next time for sure!
Now, about Snow Point... Apparently there are two Snow Points in Manali... One is at the Solang Valley and the other is at Hampta Pass... Our driver, on whom we relied heavily, assured us that Hampta is a far better choice than Solang as the views are spectacular there. We decided to follow his advice as we were just concerned with visiting at least one Snow Point.
We left our room at about 10 in the morning. Even at that time the cold weather froze us completely. It was difficult to walk and we took heavy and steps towards our car.
The route was awesome. The snow mountain that we had been seeing from our balcony loomed large in front of us. Most of the mountains had large dumplings of snow. The brown color of the mountains combined with the snow, gave the impression of a large mountain-shaped cake with vanilla and chocolate frosting on it. A snow-mountain is a thing of unimaginable beauty... Neither words nor pictures can do it any justice.
We reached an area called Him-Valley. Here we were supposed to take clothes, shoes and socks fit for snow-laden places. Our vehicle being Etios, the driver said that the vehicle won't take us up to Snow Point and we had to arrange another Vehicle for the same.
Hampta Pass is actually a trekking route on a mountain, at the top of which is Snow Point. The road is, if u can call it a road, narrow and rugged and more suitable for walking than driving. But the larger-than-life views of the mountains on the route more than made up for the bad road.
After 30 minutes of a bumpy ride, we got our first close-up view of snow at the side of the road. It looked like a fluffy and wet cotton ball. I have always wanted to see snow and this was one of my long-time wishes come true.
We reached Snow Point finally and I have to say, it is an absolute delight to walk or trod on snow and to play with it. Your feet will get painfully numb, you will have trouble breathing and you will no longer be able to feel your fingers and nose... But nothing will matter at that point of time. Holding snow in your hands and playing with it, can become seriously addictive. I couldn't keep my hands off the snow and even made my very first snow-man!
We spent two hours there but it didn't feel like two hours. Time hurried up and soon it was time to leave. Leaving the snow has been one of the most difficult things that we have had to do in this trip. It's a precious rarity, this snow, as we won't get to see it in our cities. Someday I hope to return here again.
It was lunch time and our driver suggested a small hotel named Sher-eh-punjab Da Dabha. By now I had learnt to not to doubt our driver's choice of hotels. This time also we weren't disappointed.
The best part of the hotels here? U can safely order a Thaali. I love Thaali but never order it in any hotel in our city. The enormous platter of food tucked in the Thaalis is too much for a single person. But here, in Himachal, I have ordered Thaalis at three hotels and found that the Thaalis here are sufficient with limited amount of food. Normally there would be 2 or 3 rotis, one curry, rice just about enough for a single person and delicious Dal. There is no system of stuffing three types of curries, three types of sweets or the usual amount of food that is stuffed in the Thaalis of big hotels. I just love this system of Himachal - sufficient food, minimal wastage. Wish the hotels in cities also followed this system.
Our driver had yesterday brushed off Solang Valley as not that imperative to visit. But our friends had been recommending a visit there. So we insisted that we would like to visit the valley just to see it. Our driver agreed and we proceeded towards the valley, the snow-mountains never leaving our sight.
Solang is a beautiful valley totally surrounded by snow-mountains on all sides. I seriously doubt whether the valley gets any sunlight. The moment we got out of the car, we were hit by harsh and chilled air. I couldn't stand there for more than five minutes and rushed inside the car, shivering badly.
To visit the Snow Point of this valley, you have to ride a horse or take a small cart. And here is where we are confused. We never got a chance to compare between Solang Valley and Hampta Pass. The heart is satisfied, but the mind whispers - what if the Snow Point here was bigger, better and cheaper than what we paid for Hampta? Being new to this place, we cant help but wonder whether we have been taken for a ride here. Anyways, that's spilled milk now but it's a lesson learnt.
From Solang we proceeded towards the Mall Road. It's a fairly large market with a wide assortment of shops selling winter wear, food, clothes and almost everything that a tourist wishes to buy. There is a Durga Mata temple in the center of the market. We leisurely strolled through the market and took in the city's busy life. Compared to the leisurely and unhurried pace of Shimla, Manali seems to be busy, crowded and active.
The end-of-vacation pangs slowly set in as we reach our hotel room. Just one more day in Manali and then we leave for Chandigarh. I know that it will take a long time for my eyes to get used to seeing just buildings and roads instead of mountains, streams and rugged, twisted, curvy highways. Hoping for time to slow down... Himachal, I am not ready to leave you yet...
Day 5 - In love with Manali
Mornings in Manali can wreak havoc with your mind. One minute, U see dark grey clouds obscuring the Sun in the morning... When U call your partner eagerly to show him the pretty picture, U will see that the Sun has won the battle and is peeping out from the clouds, weak yet determined. U rush inside the room to get your mobile to take a snap and when U come out, the clouds have won over the Sun. This goes on till U don't know how to describe the morning. Cloudy yet sunny? Sunny with a chance of rains? So confusing!
And this is how the first hour of the morning was spent. Even without the sightseeing plan, today was special as it was our tenth anniversary. The plan for this special anniversary celebration has been going on since June and today felt like the culmination of a long process of planning and coordinating and getting excited with the progress of the plan. This anniversary will be always special!
We left the hotel at 11 am. My husband, by now, has become immune to the weather and walked out of the room without winter wear. My over-confident self decided to mimic my husband's gesture but made it only till the car waiting for us outside the hotel. The sweater and gloves were back in two minutes. May be next time, Manali. At least for ten minutes, I would like to stay here without a sweater.
Our first halt was Hadimba Temple, dedicated to the wife of Bheem, the Pandava. The temple as such is small yet the surroundings are awesome. There are tree groves and awesome views of Solang Valley. There is also a small amusement park offering some games for kid. In the same area there is an open temple dedicated to Ghatotkach, son of Bheem and Hidimba.
And here the weather fooled me. A bright Sun shone on the area and I gladly removed my sweater to soak on as much of sunlight as I could. Within seconds, the clouds gathered and it started drizzling. With a tired sigh, I put on the sweater and just shook my head at the sky.
From there we went to a ClubHouse, which, our driver said, is a popular tourist attraction. It is like a Fair, having many stalls selling woolen wear, toys and junk food. It also has a small rivulet where you can try boating and river-crossing. We wanted to try boating but came to know that we only would have to pedal the boats. Me and my husband looked at each other, each one asking the silent question 'Will U?' and both shook our heads simultaneously. I guess, that is the telepathy that U achieve with your partner when U have been together for ten years. Needless to say, we decided to give it a pass.
We then proceeded to Vashisht temple which has hot sulphur springs. While we were driving, the Sun and the clouds again played hide-and-seek with me. Seeing some sunlight peeping in, when I eagerly opened the window of the car, the clouds again blocked the sun and a cold breeze started blowing.
The temple is situated at the top of a hill. Our car dropped us at a point and we had to walk uphill to the temple. I tell U, climbing uphill in the cold weather is equivalent to having an asthma attack. By the time we reached the temple, me and my husband were gasping for breath. After dipping our hands and feet in the hot water(which, by the way, felt wonderful) we took Darshan of the deity of the temple, Rishi Vashist and also went to another temple in the same area dedicated to Lord Ram. The downhill journey to our car seemed relatively easier and quicker.
Our driver brought us to the same hotel as yesterday for lunch. I ordered a Thaali again, realising that this is probably the only place where I can finish a Thaali's contents completely without wasting any. This is one of the things that I will miss in the city.
After lunch, our driver took us to Him Valley which is a small amusement area that showcases some cultural dance programs, magic shows and some games for all age groups. We spent an hour there and enjoyed the dance programs.
Tibetan Monastery was next on the list. It's a very beautiful Buddhist temple having a large statue of Lord Buddha. There are several rotating mettalic cylindrical disks placed on the walls of the temple. We have to rotate the disks one by one, all the while repeating the words Om Mani Padme Hum. It's an ancient Mantra for meditation and peace. We could have achieved both today, if it were not for the steady stream of people that kept visiting the temple.
The monastery is located at Mall Road and we strolled leisurely , taking in the many shops and food stalls there. There is a wide choice of winter wear and we were strongly tempted to buy some. Only the fact that we won't be needing these in Hyderabad , kept us from buying anything.
At a food stall we saw Maggi and it invoked a strange kind of emotion. Maggi seems to be the favorite food of most of the tourists here and it has become a special delicacy of both Shimla and Manali. Feeling ridiculously sentimental we ate Maggi at the stall. It seemed like a proper way to end our last day here.
We kept strolling through the market, not wishing to return to our hotel. We strolled as much as we could, until we could no longer dally and returned to our hotel with sad hearts and happy memories.
The staff of the hotel in Manali are really good in building relations with their customers. Because of these simple and good -natured people, this hotel is much more harder to leave though it wasn't as posh as the resort in Shimla. We really wish that this hotel gets more and more customers in future and grows rapidly as a brand of Manali.
Tomorrow we leave for Chandigarh. The only thing that is saving me from end-of-vacation depression is the prospect of the 8-hour long drive (one of my favorite travelling fantasies come true).
Last Day - 8-hour long drive to Chandigarh with memories of the trip
Time has a way of speeding up when U are enjoying yourself too much. The days of our trip sped by, one after another and today we found ourselves moving out of Manali and subsequently out of Himachal for good.
It was a slow, backward rewinding of our trip from Shimla to Manali. The wonderful tunnel came first, followed by the temple of the Goddess to whom the drivers pray. Then came Beas River and Beas Valley where this time, we halted for half-n-hour and took some snaps of the breath-taking vista before us. The village which I had missed in the trip of Shimla-Manali by dozing off, Mandi, gave another chance to me and this time I checked it out. We had lunch in the same hotel The Highness and reached the same place where the goats had created a mini traffic-jam. A left turn from there would have led us to Shimla and we took the right turn, gazing longingly at the direction of Shimla with whom we had fallen in love at first sight itself.
The rest of the journey was uneventful as we again passed through rugged highways and saw the beautiful lake of Bilaspur (no, not of Chattisgarh, there's one at HP too).
At a small Dabha at the outskirts of HP, we bid adieu to the last mountain in our sight. Thereafter the route took us on a smooth highway directly to Chandigarh where we checked into a very good hotel.
And that is where I am writing this from.
Himachal has changed my perspective about many things. Maggi will never be the same again. It has always been my favorite food, but now, due to its association with HP, it has become really special. Shimla taught me the real meaning of cheating. It is not when someone lies to you or dupes you. It is when U turn on the knob of the tap but realise it too late that it is the knob of the shower. The icy spray can leave you paralyzed for several seconds. Speed has altered it's meaning forever. I will no longer crib about Hyderabad drivers, thanks to the drivers of HP. A highway won't be a highway unless it is twisted and curvy, with a mountain on one side and the deep valley on another side.
And on this note, I am ending my Himachal Diaries. Thank U reader, for being with us all these days. Those who have already been to HP, we hope we refreshed your memories. And those who are yet to visit this wonderful place, I hope that when U visit HP (and I hope that blessed moment comes soon in your life), U will remember us while visiting all those places mentioned in my Diary.