Heavenly Himachal - A jewel in the Himalayas
- In Travel
- 07:06 PM, Jun 15, 2015
- Vibha Sekhar
In the latest ‘Mann Ki Baat’ Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, in an attempt to boost India’s tourism, encouraged people to share pictures from India with the hashtag #IncredibleIndia. This drew a fantastic response on Twitter where many enthusiastically participated in this trend by posting photos from across India. This travelogue is on Shimla, Manali and Dharamsala, which I have tried not to present as a route map but as a memoir of my journey.
Serene Shimla
Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh and erstwhile summer capital of British India, lies in the lower Himalayan foothills surrounded by green valleys and snow-capped mountains. Our first stop was the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, a popular temple located on the Shimla-Kalka highway. The temple is surrounded by lush green trees with a nice view of the city of Shimla. We then took a long uphill drive for a bird’s eye view of the city and the valleys which was nothing short of breath taking.
As you walk around the city you realize that there is some influence of the British Empire in some architecture as seen in the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies. Also known as the Rashtrapati Nivas, a summer retreat for the President of India, the IIAS is a pretty huge campus surrounded by pine trees, with a regal colonial exterior, wooden interiors with the panels are made of teak and beautifully carved walnut ceilings all of which have stood the test of time. Though not all the places are open for public (like the library) you get an opportunity to see some intricately made furniture used by the viceroys apart from some rare pictures of Indian leaders during the freedom struggle.
Pic 2 – Indian Institute of Advanced Studies
Pic 3 – IIAS wooden stairs and walnut ceiling
We then headed to Mall road to get some shopping done. There are many branded stores and other shops to buy souvenirs at reasonable prices. It can get over crowded at times but an ideal spot for window shopping or to enjoy a walk whilst watching the serene sunset (Nagar Nigam picture). We also spotted the historic Shimla-Kalkaji train on the way.
Pic 4 – Shimla Nagar Nigam
Pic 5 – Shimla-Kalka Train
The next morning we left for Manali, passing through Kullu on the way. Kullu is located on the banks of the River Beas, so our entire drive was along this river. Our itinerary did not allow us to stay in Kullu, although we decided to go river rafting which was an exhilarating experience. This offered us some picturesque views of mountains and valleys on the either side of the river as we rafted in between the two. There are also other activities like paragliding, trekking, rock climbing etc. which would interest backpackers looking for an adventurous trip. Make sure you buy the renowned 'Kullu shawl' made from sheep-wool, angora etc. As we began our ascent to Manali, we had a glimpse of the world famous apple orchards that offer some of the juiciest apples.
Pic 6 - Kullu
Mystical Manali
Manali is one of the most loved hill station and honeymoon destinations in India and it is home to quaint river valleys. The first thing people seem to be doing on arriving at Manali was to visit the Rohtang Pass. So we left early in the morning to avoid traffic, only to be told a good and bad news. The good news was we were lucky to be experiencing the first snowfall of that season in Manali and the bad news was Rohtang was closed due to heavy snow fall. However, our driver said there was a halfway mark where he can drop us off. With the matter settled, we zipped our snow suits and headed towards the place. We completely flipped out experiencing it first hand, built a snow man, had a snowball fight and made snow angels. In short, we all brought out the child in us.
Pic 7 - Manali snowfall
Pic 8 - Sunrise in Manali
After an hour, with our body completely frozen, we headed towards Solang valley, a heaven for adventure aficionados. This valley is abuzz with activities like paragliding, snowmobiles, and skiing lessons etc. which are all a tad expensive, putting a hole in your pocket but hey, adventure never comes free, right? We then did some local sightseeing where we visited the Hidimba temple, Vasishta temple and a Tibetan monastery. The Tibetan monastery was a nice serene place surrounded by tiny shops which sold Tibetan souvenirs. As we visited the famous Hidimba Temple and Vashisht Temple, my camera's battery drained (pro tip: batteries drain faster in cold climates) and it had started to rain, due to which I couldn’t click any pictures. A short walk from the Hidimba temple is the tree temple of Ghatotkacha, the son of Hidimba Devi and Bhima (Look out for Hidimba temple in the movie 'Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani'). The Vashisht temple, dedicated to the sage Vashisht, is located a few kilometers away from Manali where tourists throng to take a dip in the Sulphur hot springs and there are separate baths for men and women inside the temple. There is a mall road in Manali too, with many places to shop for woollen clothing, souvenirs etc.
Pic 9 – Solang Valley
Pic 10 – Buddhist prayer wheels and Tibetan Monastery in Manali
Breathtaking Dharamsala
Located in Kangra district, Dharamasala is the home of the exiled Dalai Lama. From the time we arrived in Dharamsala there was strange calm to the place. It was a very long drive to our guest house, but the view was breathtaking. We were lucky to see the sunset amidst the snow-capped mountains, our eyes not leaving the surroundings even for a minute. We arrived late in the evening so we decided to take a walk along the streets of McLeodGanj. There is calming stillness in surrounding with a gratifying sense of peace as we walked the streets though they are packed with souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes along its alleyways. We had dinner at a famous restaurant called Mcllo which has been visited by many celebrities and famous personalities from across the globe. The next morning we visited the Gyuoto Monastery which is a center for Tantric meditation, Tantric ritual arts and Buddhist philosophy. The snowcapped Dhauladhar Range formed the backdrop of this monastery, the morning prayers were midway thus evoking a spiritual atmosphere. The last stop of this trip was the Norbulinka Institute which was established to preserve Tibetan culture and promote traditional handicrafts. It is another monastery with a doll museum and cafe inside the institute. Unfortunately our trip to Dharamsala was very short, but I wish I could spend more time here sometime in the future leaving behind a bustling life.
Pic 11 – Dharamsala
Pic 12 – Gyuoto Monastery (exterior)
Pic 13 – Gyuoto Monastery (interior)
Pic 14 – Norbulinka Institute
It was my first trip with a DSLR (Canon) where I was experimenting with the photos, learning the tricks of the ‘trade’, finally turning out to be a learning experience. This travelogue is about only three places from ‘Incredible India’ but there are many such beautiful places in India which I hope to visit soon.
By Vibha Sekhar
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