Like The Flowing River

 

We embarked on a mini-adventure yesterday, about an hour’s drive from Chandigarh. As a bird enthusiast, I was keen to explore Chakki Mod, a Birder’s Paradise, in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. I wanted to hike upstream along the Kaushalya River to explore the area and perhaps, witness some of the unique birds that the area is famous for. Two of my friends tagged along for the excursion.

We drove from Chandigarh towards Zirakpur and then got onto the Chandigarh-Shimla highway. I turned on Google maps shortly after passing Timber Trail, to not miss the Bhojnagar turn. We drove downhill on a fairly empty road and parked the car close to the second bridge. We made our way down to the river bed while listening to the sound of the gentle, flowing water and chirping birds surrounding us. The fog had finally lifted, allowing the winter sunshine to filter through. We crossed the stream while carefully balancing ourselves on rocks.

I could hear the sound of a woodpecker hammering into a tree. I quickly took out my binoculars and spotted the bird, much to my delight. We carried on forward on the dry part of the river bed, observing many other birds around us. My friends relied on my limited knowledge to learn about them. Curious villagers grazing their livestock stared at us, probably wondering what we were doing there. We walked slowly, taking in the valley views. I stopped often to observe the ebb and flow of the river.

We came across deities and other religious items washed ashore.  I wondered about the distance people’s prayers travel. All of us walked in quiet contemplation through shrubs, wide cracks in the dry sand, and sections of sandy beaches at some places. I was very excited to finally see a white-crested laughingthrush, an otherworldly beauty. We reached a large, natural pool with water falling over massive rocks into it. It seemed like the perfect place to take a break. We dipped our feet in the cold water while munching on delicious sandwiches and drinking gin.

Stories, laughter, and Chopin floated through the air. We were in the moment – like the flowing river.  

A Walk in the Woods

It was a bright, lovely autumn day. I woke up early for my trek from Vashisht towards Bhrigu. My friends had ditched me last minute and I was in no mood to waste a free day. Although I felt anxious the night before, I decided to go ahead with my plans anyway. En-route, Vishal, my friendly, well-mannered driver chatted with me about various treks in the area. He was also quick to caution me about any ‘druggies’ that I may meet along the way. Apart from that, there was no danger, he said.

Feeling confident and raring to go, I was unperturbed by this little piece of information. The trail started from alongside the Vashisht temple where I asked a little girl for directions. I started to climb up the stone steps, stopping every few minutes to catch my breath.  As I stood outside the last house in the village wondering which of the two paths to take, an old man magically appeared as if to guide me on where to go.

From there, it was a steep uphill climb. Little did I realise that it would only get steeper as I climbed higher. The morning sun rays, birdsong, and sweeping valley views of the snowy mountains kept me captivated. Steps carved out of stone soon turned into a steep dirt track with loose stones and rocks strewn all around. While I would want to catch a breather every now and then, I had to keep a firm grip on the ground to avoid rolling down the mountain! The path did flatten out at times, however, too few times to count. Leaky pipes along the way made for a muddy adventure. It did come in handy when I had to wash my hands from all the holding onto rocks, bushes and tree branches to carry myself up precipitous corners.

Starting out from Vashisht village

A verdant green mountainside

Navigating rocks and loose stones en-route

Breath-taking views

Jogini waterfall

One of the flat sections on the trail

I enjoyed walking at my own pace without a destination in mind. For a change, I was actually taking the time out to enjoy the journey and the beautiful surroundings. With no one around, I had the cool breeze in my hair and chirping birds for company. It was so quiet that at one point I could hear the sound of rustling leaves and spotted an oriental turtle dove foraging through them for any light bites. Further on, I was lucky to catch a glimpse of the colourful Himalayan Monal, its electric blue coat glinting in the sun. Throughout the way, I only came across two villagers making their way down for supplies. Apart from that, it was just me and nature in all its glory. I have never felt more at home.

My friend had told me that I might get bored alone. On the other hand, I had the most magical time being in the moment – bird-watching, filtering through happy memories and gazing at the mighty Himalayas. I went on a trek alone after many years. Generally, I am always trying to keep up or catch up with someone, oftentimes missing the lovely views and the journey. This time it was different. Every step felt meditative. I feel like I came back stronger, except the minor aches courtesy a few slips along the way. Perhaps, that’s what makes the journey even more worthwhile.

A happy poser

A trek to the high altitude, glacial Kareri Lake

At Kareri lake

On the May Day weekend, I along with my brother decided to go on a trek to a relatively lesser known destination – Kareri Lake. We were a group of 12 people, a mix of solo travellers, friends and siblings (a rare pairing, as we learnt). What we all had in common was our eagerness to escape the humdrum of our city lives.

Aman and I

We were served a buffet breakfast at Kareri village, our starting point for the 15 kms trek, with a hearty serving of the snow clad Himalayas on the side. Our group leader, Ashish gave everyone some instructions on responsible travel and we were on our way. We trekked through green pastures, blooming rhododendron trees and broad leaf forests. Once the actual trail began, we were literally climbing up the river bed, traversing huge rocks in the process. A few lunges later, I could feel the muscles in my thighs awaken. We kept moving ahead, taking frequent breaks along the way.

The first stop was next to a small waterfall where we filled our water bottles with fresh, chilled stream water. Some people dipped their feet in the water while the more adventurous ones, their heads. I munched on chocolates and frooti along the way in order to keep my energy levels high. The clean air, flora and fauna were such a welcome relief from my busy city life. A black dog kept us company along the way, stopping as and when we would.

We were close to our base camp, Reoti village, when dark clouds set in. As thunder roared above our heads, we kept walking ahead. Light rainfall followed. We stopped for a late lunch at a small café set inside a cave. A short while later, we crossed over a metal bridge and reached Reoti village. Everyone took a moment to take in the beautiful scenery; sheep grazing on the mountains and the Nyund nallah flowing through.

Campsite at Reoti village

Our camp for the night was set in a deep valley; a bamboo bridge dividing tents on either side. Our tent had the most magical view, of the forest and the stream running through. Just when everyone was settling in, there was heavy rainfall. Aman, my brother and I listened to the Doors as raindrops battered our tent. Our evening snacks comprising of tea, popcorn and maggi were just what we needed to enjoy the lovely weather and scenery.

At night, everyone shared their stories huddled around a bon fire under the starry night sky.

One of the many ladybirds

Up the river bed

We embarked upon the remainder of our trek the next day, right after breakfast. Along the way, I took a dip in the icy cold waters, which was one of the trip highlights for me. Many others followed suit. The trail was tiring yet picturesque; I took frequent breaks to admire nature in all its glory. There were all kinds of ladybirds along the way, their body designs fascinating.  

As we reached the top of the valley, we could see the snowy mountains up close. The sight of the beautiful, fresh water Kareri Lake amidst snowy mountains made me forget all about the arduous journey that we had undertaken.

As we trekked up the rocky, sometimes steep trail, I was reminded of challenging situations that I had faced recently; the trick is to keep swiftly moving ahead.

A Spring Poem

With a spring in my step, I walk out the front door;

To smell the blossoming flowers and lose some of those kilos;

It is time to plan a trip, a getaway to the mountains;

Climb up a hill or to sit still in nature?

With adventure instilled, a trek it is;

Amongst Pine and Rhododendron forests, gushing streams;

A place where I am the happiest, my soul at ease;

Cool breeze & Dhauladhars, to make me go weak in my knees;

With less than a week to go,

My face aglow;

Thoughts swarming like bees, travel light please.

- Saachi Dhillon

Of Butterflies & Snowy Peaks

The orange and black butterfly brought back memories from my childhood, flying right above Gobind Sagar reservoir waters, visibly enjoying the new day that had just begun. We were on our way to Kasol, running very late, primarily due to the traffic jam in Delhi and partly due to a few slow moving members of the group. We had stopped for breakfast somewhere close to Bilaspur, with still a long way to go.

Our group captain set the tone for the day by playing some nice numbers on the Volvo’s music system once everyone was back onboard. We were passing through small towns and villages, with open fields on both sides; the mountains beckoning in the distance. The drive to Kasol/ Manali is one of my favourites, with the mighty Beas river flowing alongside.

At Alpine Guest House Cafe

We finally reached our hotel – HHH around lunch time, although we were very tempted to lie down on the soft and luxurious bed; we resisted. My friend, Sukhmani and I decided to head out to one of the many cafes in order to make the most of our free day. The next day, we were to trek up to Kheerganga, a perfect long weekend summer getaway. Alpine Guest House café was our first stop, it had a beautiful view of the snow clad mountains as well as the roaring Parvati river. A hot glass of coffee and paneer pizza provided us with the much needed energy. We went to a German bakery later to have those delicious chocolate balls. Later, we shared the leftover chocolate balls with a beautiful husky who sprang out of nowhere. He did not leave us with much of a choice.

Jim Morrison café, another well known café was unfortunately shut for renovation. We found another great café right behind our hotel called River side cafe. It was a nice, quiet find; by the river as the name suggests.  Their mint tea coupled with the sound of the flowing river was refreshing.

Fresh mint tea

For dinner, we went to an Israeli café on the main road, right opposite Alpine Café’s entrance. Although service was understandably slow, their hummus with lamb and freshly baked pita bread was worth the wait. 

Breathtaking view en route

The next morning, we made our way to Bershani in a taxi, our starting point for the Kheerganga trek. It was a beautiful 45 minute drive past Manikaran and a few other villages en route; the river Parvati flowing alongside as we steadily climbed towards the snow capped mountains. We bought walking sticks for our 14 kms long trek, at Rs. 20 apiece, got a group photograph and off we went. These walking sticks were a good decision, as we later realized. It helped us keep our balance at various rocky, marshy areas.

Our first stop, Nakthan village took us about an hour to reach, the way up here was fairly easy with a few steep areas in between. As we were carrying rucksacks and the sun was out in all its glory, we took frequent water and rest breaks. There were a fair number of trekkers, majority of them carrying day packs. As we kept walking and climbing higher ground, we were getting closer and closer to the snow clad mountain tops. Passing through apple orchards, streamlets and waterfalls along the way made for some amazing photographs and memories. We took a long-ish break at Rudranag which has a couple of dhabas and one of the larger waterfalls; many people took a dip in the icy cold waters there. I lay on the ground, resting my back and taking in the scenery.

Breathing in the deodars

The real trek started post Rudra Nag. It was a steep incline pretty much all the way from there. We were now surrounded by deodar forests, providing us with the much needed shade. As we kept trekking our way up, we could feel the strain in our lower backs. Sukhmani and I made several rest stops, sometimes just to take in the sound of the birds, the river flowing down below, to observe the butterflies flying past us or to simply breathe in the fresh mountain air.

         

Made it!

Campsites at Kheerganga

After a couple of hours, I was absolutely thrilled upon seeing the ‘Welcome to Kheerganga’ sign. After taking a victory picture with it, I dragged myself up the last steep stretch towards our campsite. We were lucky to get a roomy tent for two, the mixed vegetable and rice gave us the much needed energy. After a short nap, we made our way to the famous hot springs. One dip and I could feel the pain and tiredness in my body disappear. Definitely recommended after the arduous trek up!

Reflection of the setting sun

As the sun began to set, we watched it light up the snowy peaks with its warm, orange glow. Once back at our tent, we layered ourselves up with all the woolens we had as it was starting to get cold. It was night sky full of stars; I had not seen so many stars in a very long time. We lay down on the cold ground, star gazing, trying to spot different constellations.

Soon enough, the bon fire had been lit and we could hear everyone singing and dancing around it. As we joined in the merry making, it was a night full of stories, music and laughter under a blanket of stars, a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Time to awaken the writer in me

I've been meaning to update my blog since a while now. 

I started a new job earlier this year, the demands of which took over and my travel writing took a back seat. I also lost my 9 year old dog soon after my last blog post after which I didn't feel like writing. 

I have travelled a fair bit around India this year. Lots of weekend getaways and even an extended weekend getaway with my family for the first time in 15 years. Jaipur, Kasauli, Shimla, Mussoorie, Mumbai, Goa, Naldhera, Alwar, and most recently Kasol & a trek in Malana.

With the high pollution levels in Delhi, I was finding it hard to breath. In spite of buying oxygen inducing plants and wearing a mask outdoors, the city was beginning to stifle me. Fresh mountain air is what my body was craving. After asking for trek recommendations on a travel group on Facebook, I came across a travel community called Tripver. I like their website's UI & UX, they had great reviews and so I decided to book it. 

It was a 14 hour overnight Volvo journey from Delhi to Bhuntar, Kullu. Suprisingly, I managed to sleep quite comfortably during this time. We were woken up in Bhuntar, when we had to change buses as a Volvo cannot travel on the narrow road leading to Kasol. The seats on the local bus were freezing. I zipped up my jacket, put my hoodie on and sunk my hands into my pockets. The driver decided to wake us up by playing old bollywood songs at a really high volume. An hour later, we had reached our destination. Soon after getting off the bus, I took in a deep breath of crisp mountain air. With our rucksacks on our backs, we hiked down a mountain path, over a rickety wooden bridge, a few people at a time, over to the other side of the Beas. We then walked through the woods, passing a couple of cafes and homestays, to our hotel White House in Katalga, Kasol.

It was a quaint hotel with a huge garden full of flowers and vegetables growing on the side, overlooking the Beas. A breath of fresh air from my daily life in Gurgaon indeed. After lunch, we went for a long walk to Kasol and Chalal. Everyone stocked up on goodies, we did the same, buying old monk and chocolate balls from the German bakery. By the end of it, everyone had gone their own seperate way. As it was getting dark, we decided to make our way back with the help of torchlight. Many cars passed by, some with blaring music and buses swerving on the curves. We flashed the torch their way so that we wouldn't get run over. It was quite a long way back, 3 or 4 kms. Luckily, as soon as we reached the hill from where we were to begin our descent, we saw the others. We passed through the woods, over the rickety wooden bridge,  listening to the sound of the passing river.

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We sat around a bon fire later that night, one of the guys had a guitar. He took song requests, we all sang along and had a great time. Everyone struggled to get out of bed early the next morning. It was the day we had all signed up on this trip for - our trek to Malana, a remote village at a height of 8700 ft known for its hash around the world. We took a bus up to the trek's starting point. The bus journey was quite gruesome. As the villagers in Malana like to be cut off from the rest of the world, they have not let the government build a road there. As the road was very narrow, there were many times when you could not see the road below and it seemed like we were floating (with a few bumps here and there). I tried not to look down as all you could see was a sheer drop right into the Beas. The conductor was communicating with the driver through a whistle - two whistles indicated that there was room to manoeuvre and one meant he should stop. Every time there was a tough turn and the driver would reverse, the whistling began, making my heart sink with fear. An hour later, we reached the starting point for our trek. 

We found out later that ours was the only bus that had actually climbed up that hair raising route.

We were given instructions on how to behave in the village and not to touch anything as the villagers would otherwise create an issue and not let you leave till you paid a fine. We climbed 1200 plus steps to get to the top, stopping many times to catch our breath, realizing how unfit we all were. The locals seemed to climb up and down the mountain with ease. I found the village architecture to be quite unique.

There was what seemed to be a main square with wooden temples in it. There were wooden stilt houses all over the village, some of which had villagers sitting outside drying locally grown weed. A rare sight, I have to admit. They were carrying some of the freshly picked weed on their backs, we would get a strong whiff of it every time they passed us. We had cheese maggi, nutella pancakes and some tea to gather some energy for our way back.  

We had to walk an additional four kilometers to the bus as the driver refused to bring it back up all the way. Although the others were complaining, I was secretly glad as I didn't have the heart to sit through that hair raising journey again. Towards the end, the conductor who was waiting for us closer to the bus, suggested a short cut. It was a steep downhill trail, we had to sit on rocks, hold any vegetation we could get our hands on and make our way down carefully. That, according to me, was the highlight of the trek. While the others slowly made their way down, we waited by the riverside, watching the ripples in the water.

The next day we relaxed at our hotel, sitting by the riverside, eating and chatting; enjoying the peace and quiet of the mountains before returning back to the city madness.

A Hidden Himalayan Jewel

Tucked away in the panoramic Himalayan valley, on the banks of the Sutlej, lies Tattapani, one of India’s lesser known natural wonders, blessed with natural hot sulphur springs. Tattapani which means Hot Water in English will warm its way into your heart with the snug hospitality of its people and sublime natural beauty. According to local folklore, a dip in Tattapani’s hot springs can cure you off any joint pain, stress, fatigue or any skin disease, leaving you completely refreshed. My crick in the neck disappeared completely after a dip in the hot springs, leaving me calm and relaxed after a long journey. The months’ of January & February are considered auspicious, when a dip is believed to cleanse you off your sins. 

The quaint village of Tattapani is located 51 kms from Shimla and 29 kms from Naldhera, at an elevation of 655 metres above sea level. The 6 hour drive from Chandigarh is delightful; offering scenic views of Kasauli, Shimla and Naldhera along the way. 

EXPLORE

REJUVENATE Start your day with yoga, taking in fresh mountain air and watching the picturesque valley spring to life with the first ray of sunlight softly caressing the majestic mountains, adding various hues of orange to the surrounding green meadows and forest. After greeting the sun with a Surya Namaskar, treat yourself to a hot, relaxing thermal bath followed by a healthy breakfast. Later in the day, book yourself for an Ayurvedic Shirodhara massage to revitalize your senses. Tattapani is the perfect place to unwind leisurely in the lap of nature, without burning a hole in the pocket. Hotels here offer a variety of Ayurvedic and beauty therapies to choose from, from Mud Therapy to Reflexology, in the price range of Rs 500 – Rs 1750. So, take your pick. 

GEAR UP FOR SOME ADVENTURE A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts - rappelling, kayaking, rafting and mountain biking are some of the activities that Tattapani has to offer. White water rafting is an all time favourite here, choose between the 6km and 12 km stretch. Opt for a Mountain biking expedition and enjoy scenic views of the surrounding mountains, villages and wildlife. For experienced riders, there are trails leading all the way up to Chindi at 1950 metres, 30 kms from Tattapani, passing through lovely apple orchards, temples and scenic meadows. Bookings for these activities can be easily made at the hotel. 

TREAD ALONGSIDE MISTY MOUNTAINS There are many trekking routes in this beautiful Himalayan valley, offering ample opportunities for bird watching and photography. A short 6 km trek to Shiva Caves, open all year long, is quite popular. You also have the option of taking your car till there and walking up 450 stairs to the holy cave. Experienced trekkers have a bounty of options to choose from, the Shikari Devi Peak trek is well recommended. A 6 -7 hour trek from the nearby picturesque village of Chindi, through thick woods of pine and deodar and myriad apple orchards, takes you to the highest mountain peak in Mandi district, Shikari Devi at a height of 3360 metres. There is an ancient, roofless temple there dating back to the times of Mahabharata. From there, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Greater Himalayas.

HOOK UP A CATCH Tattapani offers some great fishing spots for Trout (Rainbow and Brown) as well as Mahseer. Bask away in the sun, waiting for the perfect catch and if you get lucky, you can enjoy devouring into your fish, specially cooked by the hotel chef. Fishing is a great option for those looking to enjoy the outdoors without doing any strenuous activity.Trout fishing season begins in April and ends in October. Mahseer fishing season is during winter months, from November to February. Fishing equipment is available to rent from the hotel you are staying at.