A brush with the Kumaoni culture & heritage

A brush with the Kumaoni culture & heritage

Sunrise across the valley in Timila Village, Raikhet, Almora, Uttarakhand

            Children’s growing up has its own advantages & disadvantages, for one when they are young and in primary classes, if travel bug hits you, one can forego a few days of classes, without much of a hassle.  However, if they are in higher classes, this liberty goes away and you have to adhere to the school schedule strictly and in the senior most sections, it is almost impossible even to get out during the routine holiday sessions too.  I got struck with a similar predicament this year and could not go ahead and book in advance, as the schedule of teachers & tuitions were not clearly chalked out and hence I had no other option but to check into my small pad in Timila village in Ranikhet Tehsil during the summer vacations in June, 2015.  Thus, it became the first occasion for me to experience the culture & heritage of Kumaon at close quarters.

The Jagar ceremony about to begin

           I have traveled all across Kumaon extensively and also many regions of Garwal, but merely as tourist, merely touching upon the tourist spots spread across Uttarakhand (earlier known as Uttaranchal).  However, the extended stay in a nondescript village exposed me to the day to day routine and cultural heritage of Kumaon region.  The Central Himalayan region comprising Kumaon and Garhwal is known as Uttarakhand.  This region has largely remained unknown due to lack of information and accessibility. From early times onwards, geographical factors have played a key role in shaping the history and culture of this region. Another factor which has contributed in a large way towards the culture of Uttaranchal is the waves of migration to this region from the Gangetic plains, Punjab and Rajasthan particularly, also extending from parts of Maharashtra during the medieval periods, either because of exploitation by Muslim invaders or on invitation to scholars & Pundits by the Royalty of the region. The impact of these migrations can be seen in the religious and socio-cultural practices of the people of Kumaon and Garhwal. This is particularly evident in the rich folklore of Uttarakhand, which throws a vivid light on the social and cultural conditions of this region.

The Jagariya with traditional instruments Dagru & Thali

The Syonkar on left foreground, Priest on right foreground and Dagariya near temple

            The day we reached our modest dwelling, there was quite a cacophony in the vicinity and in no time we received an invitation to be part of a Jagar ceremony being convened by our next door neighbors.  This was an alien concept for me and after checking out as to what would be our part in the proceedings, whether some monetary donations etc. was required to be made etc., we proceeded to be a part of the proceedings.   Jagar is a form of ancestor spirit worship practiced in the hills of Kumaon and Garwal. The word Jagar originates from the Sanskrit root Jaga (meaning to wake), Jagar is a medium or way by which Gods and local deities are invoked or woken from their dormant stage and asked for favors or remedies for certain problems plaguing the person or village as a whole.  It is attached to the idea of divine justice and is organized to seek penance for a crime or seek justice from the Gods for some injustice.  Music is the medium through which the gods are invoked. The singer or Jagariya sings a ballad of the gods with references drawn from the great epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana and also from folklore of local deities, wherein the adventures and exploits of the God being invoked are sung.  Apparently, the hard life of the hills accompanied with lack of basic facilities and isolation from the mainstream, accompanied with constant exposure to the vagaries of nature, has inspired a strong belief in paranormal phenomena and also in numerous Folk Gods who have gained great reverence and respect of these hill dwellers. Every village had its own God protecting its boundaries called Bhumyal or Kshetrapal, each family has its Kul Devta or Kul Devi and numerous other benevolent demi-Gods/Goddesses and malicious spirits, which could reward or torment people and had to be appeased.  The isolation of these regions of the Himalayas has promoted the emergence of local religious traditions, which are still strong in these regions along with mainstream Hinduism.  Jagar ceremonies are of two types one is the Dev Jagar, the invocation of a god, usually local gods in the body of the medium and the other is the Bhut Jagar, the invocation of a deceased person spirit or soul in the medium’s body.

The Jagariya in his full rhythm

Having experienced the rituals, I got interested in understanding the proceedings of Jagar and collected first hand information from he villagers as well as the oft reliable source i.e. the internet.  The integral parts of the Jagar ritual are – i) Jagariya is the person who is the singer of the ballads of the Gods and who leads the rituals and invokes the Gods by calling upon them, he is assisted by two or more men who sing along with him in chorus; ii) Dagariya is the medium, whose body is used by the Gods when they are invoked. Dagariya comes from the Kumaoni word Dagar (meaning way), he is the one who shows the way; and iii) Syonkar is the person who organizes the Jagar to seek divine intervention to his problems. The Jagar is held at his home or family temple.  The rituals are followed in the prescribed manner - The room and during this occasion the family temple,  in which the Jagar is to be performed is purified by purification processes closely administered by the Jagar singer or ‘’Jagariya’’.  The ‘Dhuni’ or sacred fire is lit for performing the ‘Homa’, which is the process of chanting or recitation of religious hymns through purification by fire.  The musical instruments used are the ‘Hurka’, ‘Dhol’, ‘Damau’ & ‘Thali’ all of which are percussion instruments native to Uttarakhand, played by the professional musicians & Jagariyas themselves.   The actual ritual begins with singing of ‘Sanjhvali Geet’, wherein all Gods are remembered and their names repeated and assistance sought for a successful completion of the Jagar.  This is followed by the ‘Birtvai’, wherein the divine spirit being invoked upon is praised and ballads related to his or her adventures and his or her life are sung out loud.  The next stage is known as the ‘Ausan’, wherein the beats of the ‘Hurka’ and the other instruments are slowly increased in a crescendo.  Now the ‘Dagariya’ starts going into a state of a trance with frenzied movement.   Another essential part of the ritual is known as the ‘Guru Aarti’, as it is based on a local belief that all Gods, Demi-Gods in the local pantheon of Kumaon are believed to be disciples of Guru Gorakhnath and therefore, he too is appeased and remembered and his protection is also sought.  As the ceremony nears its end, ‘Kakh Raman’ is applied on foreheads of all present, which is the  ash known as ‘Bibhuit’ obtained from the ‘Homa’ ash, offered during the fire sacrifice made to the Gods.  Thereafter, some senior citizens expresses the ‘Dainik Vichar’, which means thinking about the provider, they contemplate about God and the way he provides for us.  As the ceremony draws to a close, the people present are ritually blessed by the priests who pray for their prosperity, this is known as ‘Ashirwad’.  Finally, to conclude the proceedings, the Gods are requested to return or ‘Prasthan’ for their respective heavenly abodes, at this concluding stage of the Jagar cenermony/ritual.  Behind the performance of Jagar is the deep-seated belief of the people of Uttarakhand in divine justice and the law of “karma’ (‘As you sow, so shall you reap’ theory).  It is a deep seated belief set in the minds of these hill people that bad deeds shall be visited upon the doer and that justice will finally be delivered by the Gods.  This has been the essence of their honesty and simplicity, because of which they lead a simple & pure lifestyle, which is now being eroded through exposure to modern way of life, as in cities.

Headed for the village temple of the local Kshetrapal

Front view of Bambaiyanath temple, Timila Village

The Homa site inside Bambaiyanath temple, Timila Village

        As narrated hereinabove, every village has its own God to protect its boundaries known as the Bhumyal or Kshetrapal.  Similarly, Timila village also has its own temple dedicated to village God called ‘Bambaiyanath’.  Although the place where I have built my dwelling is part of the Timila Gram Sabha, but it is known as Badhan Khet and the actual Timila Village is situated below in the valley.  The next morning, as was our plan chalked out even before arriving at Timila, we started early, before the Sun was up to its zenith, as the June Sun is really harsh in the mountains.  It took us a good part of an hour to reach our destination, although it was all the way downhill.  The temple is situated on a spur, right before the actual village boundary starts.  Although there is no visible form of any God or Goddess in the temple, but there is a big Homa spot and evidently the Shaivite traditions are followed here.  There is a small temple dedicated to Goddess Kali also within the precincts of the temple.  A local resident of Timila, who is also overseeing the work of construction, Sh. Bansi Dhar Papnae had graciously extended his help to take us to the village temple and is also an active participant in village activities.  He assured us that it takes about 15 odd minutes for him to reach the top i.e. upto the roadhead, where our dwelling is situated.  Assured that it would not be an arduous trek, we started our ascent, but to our dismay found the trek a wee bit difficult, particularly for my daughter.  After resting hither & thither, we finally reached our next destination for the day i.e. Golu Devta temple of the village.  We performed a small Puja ceremony, conducted by our benefactor Sh. Bansi Dhar Papnae, who is also a Bramhin.  However, by this time we were literally famished, both with exhaustion and hunger, as we had proceeded for the temple without partaking our B’fast.  Having performed the Puja, we sat outside the temple courtyard to partake our packed B’fast, comprising of Aloo Pranthas & tea, which was akin to a picnic. 

 Brass bells of many shapes & sizes inside Bambaiyanath temple, Timila Village

Goddess Kali temple in the precincts of Bambaiyanath temple, Timila Village

Idol of Goddess Kali in the temple in the precincts of Bambaiyanath temple, Timila Village

Sh. Bansi Dhar Papnae offering prayers & performing puja in Golu Devta temple, Timila Village

            We passed our next few days cocooned in the village and our days passed like bliss, with nature at its purest, no noise, dust or suspended particulate pollution.  As the sun set, the twinkling lights of the mountain homes alongwith the twinkling stars merged and occasional firefly passing by was a mesmerizing experience.  Thus, we spent our first vacation in our new dwelling nestled in the hills of Kumoan, experiencing its cultural heritage et al.

Enjoy some views from Badahan Khet, Timila

Lal Kurti region of Ranikhet as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

Pali village as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

Mangar village as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

Himalayan ranges  as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

Close up of Trishul mastiff at sunset as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

The hill lights & twinkling stars at night as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

A joint family dwelling in Timila Village as seen from Badan Khet, Timila Village

An unplanned visit to Corbett

An unplanned visit to Corbett

A barking deer or Kakkar in Corbett

            As usual, this year too we headed to the hills for our short winter vacations.  However, unlike other years when we visited lesser known destinations, as the work regarding construction of my small apartment was in progress and I was required to deliver some goods for the said construction, we all headed for the destination and arrived at Chilyanaula, Ranikhet KMVN to spend a few nights.  After having visited the construction site and delivered the goods, we spent the day there having a picnic with food being cooked on temporary makeshift chulah and with local condiments, which added a special flavour to the simple ‘dal & chawal’ and we enjoyed a good day out.  However, we realized that we had nothing much to contribute to the construction process and would end up having a look around at the same destinations that we have visited many times in the past.  Therefore, after returning back to the Rest house in Chilyanaula, I spoke to the Manager in this regard and he checked the website and suggested that I could move over to Mohan near Corbett, but the difference in tariff would have to be paid by me, as the rooms were costlier at Mohan.  Hearing about the proximity with Corbett, I jumped at the proposition and early next morning we were headed for Mohan.

Sunrise at Chilyanaula

As we head out towards Corbett 

Beyond Bhatrauchkahn - Himalayan view point

Beyond Bhatrauchkahn - Himalayan view point - close up of Nanda Devi range with Trishul

             Mohan is a nondescript little destination situated on the Ranikhet to Corbett State Highway and it has a quaint and quite little Tourist Rest House run by KMVN.  To give you a general idea about it’s proximity with other destinations – Mohan is situated at a distance of 73 Kms. from Ranikhet and the break up of distances are as follows – Ranikhet to Bhatrauchkhan – 27 Kms. and Bhatraouchkhan to Mohan 46 Kms. – Mohan to Ramnagar – 10 Kms. Being situated hardly at a few kilometers distance from Corbett alongwith it’s jungle like ambience, is an added advantage for Mohan.  Having arrived at Mohan, I contacted the Manager seeking advice about visiting Corbett during the afternoon Safari.  I was informed that as the booking was required to done online, it was not possible to visit Corbett on arrival.  I had no idea about the same and therefore had no other option but to rake up my contacts, to at least visit Corbett during the ensuing day.  The idea worked and the contact sent a person who collected our personal details alongwith photocopy of my official Identity card and he also informed me that my entry was subject to any cancellation made.  My program was in much more jeopardy, as during the previous few days, it had been raining ‘cats & dogs’ in the region and the jungle safari had been temporarily halted, which had created additional queue.  Hoping for the best and mentally preparing for the worst, we decided not to waste the day idling and went ahead to visit the famed ‘Girija Devi temple’ nearby.

Bracket fungi on  a Banyan Tree - just as we enter Corbett

The TRH at Mohan

Panoramic view of Garijya temple

As the sun sets across the Kosi River bed

            The temple is dedicated to Girija Ardhangini and is myth-logically identified as being the daughter of the Himalayan mastiff known by the same name.   The temple is situated on a steep mound right in the middle of the Kosi river and during the lean periods the river bifurcates and creates an island around the temple, with the river flowing on either side of it.  However, during the monsoons the island also disappears at times, thereby making visit to this temple very difficult.  To ensure safe passage, the Government has now constructed a sturdy concrete bridge across the river to help the pilgrims visit the famed destination.  The temple is very small and only about 10-15 persons can be accommodated atop it at a time.  The temple has a small 4.5 feet high statute of Goddess Girija Devi accompanied by statues of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati placed alongside, as the presiding deity is also identified as Parvati of famed Lord Shiva Parvati combine.  It has gained tremendous following during recent years and consequently a small market has emerged along the bank of the river, wherein people are engaged in selling worship/Puja related articles alongwith a few sweetmeat shops sprinkled here & there.  The main pilgrimage to the temple takes place during the Basant Panchami.  We visited the temple and after offering prayers, on our way back we got down and headed onto the banks of Kosi River and enjoyed the sunset before returning back to the Rest House.

A kingfisher basking in morning sun inside Corbett
 

Langurs on tree tops inside Corbett

            As we were having a cup of Coffee in the cold winter evening at TRH Mohan, good news filtered in that there had been a few cancellations because of the inclement weather, however, the trip was subject to the weather conditions improving.  After we have had our dinner and were getting ready to retire for the night early, as next day we were to be picked up at 6.30 A.M for the trip scheduled from the Bijrani Gate entry, it started pouring again.  We tucked ourselves in, a wee bit dejected by the prospect of getting bad news in the morning.  Because of a hectic days schedule coupled with the quiet ambience of the place, we drifted into the land of dreams and were woken up in the morning after the loud sound of the alarm clock went off.  We quickly got dressed and as we were making some final adjustments, the intercom rang informing us of the arrival of the open safari jeep.  It was quite dark when we started and bitterly cold also as the jeep was totally open from all sides.  It took about 20-25 minutes ride to reach Bijrani Gate and after entering the premises, the operator asked for the money as well as the Identity card for making necessary entries.  By stroke of luck and a chance decision, I was inside Corbett for my first maiden journey to any Tiger Reserve.

Cheetal deer (Male) inside Corbett

A Sambhar hiding in the grass

            Corbett National Park has been mesmerizing its visitors with its diverse plethora of wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. It was established way back in 1936, when Corbett attained the distinction of being the first national park to be established in mainland Asia.  The geographical location of this National Park that stretches between the Himalayas and the terai region and the sheer number of streams, rivers and ridges that crisscross its terrain, enrich Corbett with a remarkable variety of landscapes. This vivid mosaic of habitats – wet and dry, plain and mountainous, gentle and rugged, forests and grasslands – supports numerous plant and animal species, representing Himalayan as well as the species thriving in the plains.  The most famous of them is the tiger and over the years Corbett has become synonymous with it.  Perennial rivers like the Ram Ganga and Kosi are the source of sustenance for the animals inhabiting Corbett and apart from them there are many rain fed rivulets that join these rivers during the rainy season as their tributaries. 

A Wild boar inside Corbett

Topography inside Corbett

A herd of Cheetals feeding inside Corbett

             From the main gate the open jeep takes you to the interior passing by a raging stream and I understood that the safari is to be stopped because during rains these rivulets cannot be passed by vehicles because of the torrents, as there are no bridges built across them.  The core area begins from an area deep inside, which is a fortified part with electric fences covering the periphery and the jeeps etc. assemble here and then start for the safari in batches.  There are a plethora of deer in the region of many varieties, sizes and hues and easily found roaming around foraging alongwith other kinds of mammals like Pigs, Monkeys etc.  However, the elusive tiger did not show up, although we could hear is low pitched growls from time to time  and despite sustained efforts of guide and the driver, we could not spot one and returned back a wee bit disappointed, but having had a blast otherwise, it was a trip to remember.

Visiting –Tilyar Lake in Rohtak

Visiting –Tilyar Lake in Rohtak

Panoramic view of Tilyar lake in Rohtak

       This year the winters had set in late in Delhi and its affect, which is usually felt by mid November was not palpable till about middle of December, when the temperatures plummeted after a bout of heavy rains.  We had planned to visit any small destination in the vicinity of Delhi.  After weighing in all the options available to us, we decided to visit Tiliyar Lake in Rohtak as we had never visited this place earlier.   We started at around 9.00 A.M. as the notorious Delhi fog had set in overnight and the driving conditions were not all that good.  Having started cautiously, cutting across the village landscape after going past Najafgarh, we drove on till we reached the Highway near Bahadurgarh.

Having Pakoras in Bahadurgarh

Having crossed over to Haryana at Bahadurgarh, we stopped over at one of the sweetmeat shops to have ‘Pakoras’ that are famous for this destination and ordered a pack full of assorted ‘Pakoras’ (a salty fried snacks) and had our Sandwiches and Coffee alongwith for B’fast, while sitting in the Car and enjoying the green fields set around.  Thereafter, we moved on towards Rohtak and reached our destination in about 40 minutes or so, as the road was well maintained and without much of traffic, maybe because of the cold weather.  Having reached our destination for the day, we walked around the entire parameter of the lake, trying to have a look at every ‘nook & corner’ and photographing whatever winged variety we could lay our eyes on.  Having completed the trek along the perimeter of the lake, we headed for some light lunch in the Restaurant and thence headed for a visit to the Zoo.  We roamed around the Zoo for around and hour or so as it is well spread out, after that we returned back and had a cup of hot tea and then commenced our journey back towards Delhi.

Ducks wading in Tilyar lake

A Rose Ringed Parrot looking up a nesting hole

A winter visitor - Kashmir flycatcher

Cormorants flocking on a tree top 

A Peacock graces the lake

Tilyar Lake is situated at a distance of 42 Kms from Delhi Border at Bhadurgarh and about 55 Kms from the Peeragarhi Chowk in Delhi.  Tilyar Lake is located in Rohtak District of Haryana and is spread over132 acres of land. The Tilyar lake forms a perfect green belt in surroundings area and thus an attraction for the Delhites, as weekend getaway and picnic spot.  The destination boasts of a well maintained restaurant and bar run by the Haryana Tourism and also has an added attraction for kids in form of a Mini zoo with animals like Tiger, Panther, Deer, Birds and Monkeys etc.  Apart from the above, the destination has a broad lake for boating and large green lawns for sitting and playing etc. One can ensure a wonderful time as weekend getaway from Delhi amidst the natural wealth.  However, if the boating part is restricted during the winter season, more seasonal migratory birds would definitely prefer this destination akin to nearby Bhindawas and Sultanpur.

A Red vented Bulbul seeking out its food

Little Grebe or 'Pankauri' in Tilyar lake

Night Heron 

Entry gate to Rohtak Zoo

          The extended waterway of the Tilyar lake is surrounded by a well paved pathways, with small bridges built across to visit the smaller islands in the middle of the lake and thus, makes an perfect destination for nature lovers and walkers alike.  There is no entry fee for the lake but a small token amount of Rs.10/- per person is charged for entry into the Rohtak Zoo that forms part of the lake periphery.  Although the destination is nothing spectacular, but at the same times it is a pleasant day picnic destination.

Here is the link to the video for the destination

Enchanting Himachal – Visiting Khajjiar & Dalhousie

Enchanting Himachal – Visiting Khajjiar & Dalhousie

Panoramic view of Khajjiar

           Having visited Chowari Jot, we traversed back upto Gete village and here from we took the diversion towards Khajjiar.  Khajjiar is at a distance of about 10 Kms. from Gete and about 37 Kms. from Chamba.  As we had started early in the morning from Chamba, we were able to reach Khajjiar by 10.30 A.M. in the morning and the tourist rush had not built up by this time.  Therefore, we had a little breathing space, though we too were pestered by the local Poni wallahs et al.  Khajjiar is a beautiful destination, but the over exploitation of the place for commercial use is slowly having its affect on its ecological balance and if not checked in time, it shall be an irreversible action.  Khajjiar at a first glance appears as a saucer shaped meadow, with a pleasing view of green grass, with a backdrop of Deodar trees and blue sky from one side and the backdrop of the Dhauladhar Ranges from the other side of the meadow.  There is said to be a small lake in the middle of the meadow, but it was non-existent when we visited.  Khajjiar is perched at an altitude of 6400 feet above sea level, thus, enjoys a salubrious climate all year round, except for the few winter months, when snowfall blocks the way to this destination.  The picturesque backdrop of the place has earned it the epitaph of being the ‘Switzerland of India’.  Apart from a plethora of vendors selling all kinds of wares & food items, there is a group of locals who carry alongwith them a wicker basket containing artificial flowers and a pair of Rabbits, offering them to the visitors to photograph with @ Rs.10/- per shot per person.  My wife & daughter too participated in this ritual and had their photographs clicked by me.  However, the kids were most thrilled when they found that the adventure sport of ‘Zorbing’, rolling down inside a inflated transparent plastic ball, which was first tried in Russia in 1970s, but introduced as a regular sport in New Zealand in 1994 (from Wikipedia) was being offered in Khajjiar.  The rates for a 10 minute ride, including time to mount and dismount @ Rs.150/- per person, with two persons boarding one Zorbing ball at one time, is reasonable, looking at the kind of thrill it provides to the kids.   Having spent some quality time at Khajjiar, we headed towards Dalhousie.

Posing for a photograph with Rabbits in Khajjiar

Panoramic view of Khajjiar from the other end

Kids being prepared for the Zorbing experience

             The road from Khajjiar to Dalhousie is through a narrow road, with points where it is difficult for two vehicles to pass each other and ascends all the way upto Lakkar Mandi.  The distance from Khajjiar to Dalhousie is 29 Kms., but it took more than a hour for us to reach Dalhousie, as the rush from Dalhousie towards Khajjiar had started at the right earnest.  There were foolhardy drivers from places like Haryana, who had driven in their own vehicles and were afraid to drive their cars to the sides for allowing the other cars to pass by, thereby causing a minor jam on the road.  When the other drivers started shouting at them, they said in their local dialect – “Daar laage hai”, meaning that we are feeling afraid.  This is one of the numerous examples of types of drivers who drive into the hills, without knowing the basics of hill driving.  We ascended for about 18 Kms. till be reached the trifurcation of the road at Lakkar Mandi, wherefrom one road comes in from Khajjiar and the other two lead to Kalatop Sanctuary and Dian Kund respectively.  Thereafter, the road descends for another 11 Kms. up to Dalhousie, till one reaches Gandhi Chowk.

As the weather deteriorated in Dalhousie shortly after our arrival 

View of Subhash Chowk in Dalhousie

As the Sun sets across the horizon - view from Dalhousie

The author enjoys the view of Sunset from Dalhousie

           Dalhousie as is its name indicates has been named after its founder, the then Viceroy Lord Dalhousie. Perched at an altitude of 2039 meters in the outer slopes of Dhauladhar range, with the backdrop of its natural beauty and quiet surroundings, it is one of the beautiful hill towns of Himachal Pradesh. It comprises of five Hills namely Balun, Kathlog, Potreyn, Tehra and Bakrota with heights ranging between 1525 mts. to 2378 meters. It has many level and interesting walks amongst dense forests.  Two major points in Dalhousie are the Gandhi Chowk and Subhash Chowk, which are within walking distance of each other.  Dalhousie is a place for walking, as there are numerous trekking routes within the town itself.  The roads have been designated to be one way; however, the locals flout it with impunity.  We headed for hotel Geetanjali, which is located on the road from Gandhi Chowk to Subhash Chowk.  However, the hotel did not have the facility on parking the vehicle and is housed in an archaic old building and room allocated to us reminded me of my residence, a British era bungalow in Kasauli, where I had spent my childhood.

Front view of Hotel Geetanjali, a HPTDC run hotel

Enjoying snacks in hotel Geetanjali

Having checked into the Hotel at around 3.00 P.M. we proceeded to take a short break and decided take a short tour of township later in the evening.  However, I had a bout of nausea while coming from Khajjiar alongwith my daughter and I had assumed that it was because of the morning B’fast.  However, the bouts continued intermittently and finally I had to take some medicine to get some relief.  It was my daughter who pointed out to the right reason for our sudden illness, as the two of us had partaken ‘Nimbu Soda’ (a kind of local soft drink with the bottle having a marble, pressed up due to pressure of Carbon dioxide present, on its neck) at the Chowgan in Chamba, the previous evening and despite instructing the seller not to put ice in the drink, he had proceeded with it.  Sensing that we had contacted some sort of water borne infection, I immediately took some anti-biotics and that did the trick for us.  Being a wee bit tired and in the salubrious & cool environs of Dalhousie, all of us fell asleep, only to be woken up by noise being generated by howling winds outside.  I stepped outside and found that the weather a taken a turn for the better ?? (in such circumstances) and the bright sunshine and heat of the day had given way to cloudy skies and strong winds and it started raining also, albeit only light showers to start with intermittently.  We ordered Coffee and Pakoras to enjoy the weather to its hilt.

Statute of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Chowk in Dalhousie

Church at Gandhi Chowk in Dalhousie

Inside view of the Church at Gandhi Chowk in Dalhousie

           As it appeared that the weather had improved a wee bit, we started for a short tour of the Dalhousie town.  We had hardly gone about 100-150 meters from the Hotel, that it started raining again and luckily for us the vehicle was parked nearby and we boarded it in a hurry.  After waiting for a few minutes, as we could feel that the weather was again improving, we moved in towards Subhash Chown and as it was still raining we decided to go upto Gandhi Chowk instead, hoping that the weather would improve by then.  Being designated as an one way traffic, we drove down to the Bus stand and therefrom again headed upwards for Gandhi Chowk.  Being Friday evening, hordes to tourists had started arriving in Dalhousie, even in big buses, causing traffic jams all along the road.  However, as we reached Gandhi chowk after about 40 odd minutes, we found that it was raining heavily and therefore, we turned back towards Subhash Chowk.  Now luck seemed to favour us and as we neared our hotel, the rains gave way to clear skies and after disembarking from the vehicle, we walked down to Subhash Chowk.  Having watched the Television serial ‘Chakh Le India – Kaache Raste’ anchor & host Mr. Aditya Bal savoring  local Buns with boiled Chick peas, my wife wanted to taste it and except for me & my daughter, who were suffering from pangs of having tasted ‘Nimbu soda’ in Chamba, everyone else enjoyed the treat.  They also tasted other delicacies like Momos etc. and cup of coffee from the shop nearby, whereas I had a cold drink with my daughter.  Having enjoyed the views from Subhash Chowk and after witnessing the grand sun-set we proceeded back to the Hotel.  After having freshly cooked and good food, I and my daughter had puffed rice that we were carrying, we retired for the night.

View of distant Manimahesh peak from Dalhousie

View of a Buddhist Monastery in Dalhousie

Panoramic view of the cantonment area of Dalhousie

Next day, my better half got up early in the morning, as she was apprehensive, as to whether I would be physically fit to embark upon the strenuous trek in the Kalatop Sanctuary as planned and having assured her about my fitness, after partaking a quick B’fast, we proceeded towards the Kalatop Sanctuary.  The Sanctuary is perched atop the hill overlooking Dalhouse and one has to retrace one’s steps back up to Lakkar Mandi (literal meaning Wood trading place) at a distance of 11 Kms. from Dalhousie.  We reached the Sanctuary Gate, but we did not want to drive inside the Sanctuary area and hired a guide for Rs.400/- for facilitating a guided tour, on foot, inside the Sanctuary.  Initially the trek route gradually ascends upwards, meandering towards the top, passing amidst the Deodar trees and scattering of Daisies all around and whiffs of sweet fragrances floating in the air from the flowers and trees, some of whose leaves smell like Primrose.  One can hear occasional chirping of birds high up on the forest canopy, but the sudden sound of vehicles roaring in towards the Forest Rest House scares them away.  Inside the Sanctuary, we found Cattle grazing rampantly as well as the herders & their children making a cacophony of noises.  However, we were able to spot a few Minivets, Parrots and other smaller Warblers, but were unable to capture many in our Cameras, as they were higher up on the canopy.  As most of the visitors do not trek through the forest, the guide too lost the way on our way back and he had to make some frantic efforts to find out the correct route and we in turn had to make way and descend through heavy undergrowth, which we negotiated skillfully.  However, this debacle made us loose some precious time and the trek was almost 6 Kms., as against 4 Kms. as many sites had suggested, thus, by the time we reached back the hotel, it was almost 1.00 P.M.  As we had promised to be back by 11.30 A.M, the old ladies were a harried lot, as the mobile phones had no connectivity inside the Sanctuary and thus, they had no idea about our whereabouts.  We decided to have lunch immediately and move out of the hotel at around 4.00 P.M for visiting other destinations in Dalhousie.

Schematic map of Kalatop Reserve forest area

The author trekking through the Kalatop forest with better half trailing behind

View of the Pir Panjal Ranges from Kalatop forest

A Scarlet Minivet inside Kalatop forest

A house belonging to nomadic tribe just outside the Kalatop reserve

In the evening we started off for visiting the remaining destinations in Dalhousie.  From Subhash Chowk we again retraced our way back to Gandhi Chowk and therefrom headed downwards towards the Panjpullah.  On the way a sign board indicated ‘Satdhara falls’, we got down only to see a trickle of water coming down and were disappointed, as this placed paled in natural beauty as against the waterfall we had visited beyond Hadsar and others on way to Holi.  We continued with our journey, only to be more disappointed as ‘Panjpullah’ (literally meaning five bridges), which was a man made mockery with nature, with five colorful little bridges built across a dirty mountain rivulet???  The place was teeming with people and various eating joints and curio shops around.  On the main road just across ‘Punjpullah’ stands a memorial erected in honor of Sardar Ajit Singh, brother of famed patriot Sardar Bhagat Singh.  Adjoining the place is the ‘Subhash Baoli’ a small pond emanating from a natural spring where people do some paddle boating and eating joints and curio shops all around.  This was a complete disaster for any nature lover like me, but would be an enjoyable destination for those who do not care for nature, but are merely interested in eating & merry making.  Ahead of Panjpullah lies Jandhri Ghat, which houses the summer retreat of ernstwhile rulers of Chamba Kingdom, but as we were thoroughly dejected with what we had seen so far, we avoided this spot and returned back to Gandhi Chowk.  My Mom & in-law decided to give Gandhi Chowk a skip and headed back to the Hotel as there was no place of park the Car due to heavy rush of traffic in Dalhousie, being a Saturday. 

Panjpulla in Dalhousie 

View of Dalhousie township from Panjpullah

Memorial of Sardar Ajit Singh at Panjpullah in Dalhousie

Statute of Sardar Ajit Singh at the memorial in Panjpullah, Dalhousie

       My daughter was full of enthusiasm, as she had planned to visit the local Tibetan Market, having heard about it from some place, but her euphoria was short lived, as the local Tibetan Market was a total disaster.  There were no shops selling anything ethnically or remotely associated with Tibetans, but were selling cheap China made slippers et al.  Thoroughly dejected, she decided to eat some Ice-cream instead and thus, we purchased some and sat at the bus stand enjoying the Ice cream and the hustle bustle around.  I went to the Church situated at the Gandhi Chowk known as St. John’s Church and shot a few photographs of the Church and that of the statue of Gandhiji just outside its precincts of the Church.  Thereafter, we started walking towards Subhash Chowk through the ‘Garam Sadak’.  Just at the juncture of Gandhi Chowk itself, there are a plethora of shops selling all kinds of trinkets and my daughter was thrilled to purchase some.  We headed further along the road and found the views of natural vistas from this road were beautiful too, but this place too was plagued with the same malady that has set in the rot of Dalhousie i.e. Hotels, which can be found in all shapes and sizes akin to Shimla, growing like wild mushrooms during the rainy season, on this road as well.  This road is also infested with monkeys, as they find food from the waste bins placed around by the hotels.  It is a moderate walk of about two kilometers from Gandhi Chowk to Subhash Chowk along this road.  As we reached Subhash Chowk, I went ahead to photograph the famed St. Francis Church. Built in the year 1894, it still retains its beautiful glass work and intricate stone work.  Having had some Coffee from the vending machine in the shop at Subhash Chowk, we walked back to the hotel and thus, ended our summer sojourn for the year, as early next morning we headed back to Pathankot via Banikhet – Nainikhud (where we shared a sumptuous lunch with a local home made recipe of sweet Mango Kadhi, which was a real delicacy) with the Mahajans  before boarding train in the night from Pathankot, where the other Mahajan brother was there to provide us with some delectable home made dinner and after overnight journey back to Delhi, which had received a sharp shower of rain the previous evening and was overcast when we arrived, thus, we were saved from facing the harsh Delhi heat.

Here is the link to the video for the destination -  

1) The Khajjiar experience - 

2) In & around Dalhouie -