I Love Himachal In The Springtime - Long Trip Report - April 2011

Thank you Daisy, Ashok, Hermetic, Julia and Kumu.

Ashok, it was 21 days. I will be posting about the logistics at the end of this report - not too long to go now but if you have any specific query, please ask.

Julia, yes it is very simple but nothing too different from other Indian chutneys, as you know we have no dearth of them in our cuisine. Wash the flower petals, grind with garlic pods, dry mango powder [or you can use lemon juice or tamarind], red chilly [dry or powder] and salt. You could add a dash of sugar or honey to vary the taste. That is it more or less.

Kumu, I kept a daily diary of anything that was out of the ordinary so that it would all come back later. In fact, my entire text is ready, it is the photos that take so long. I will post many more pics and much more detail in my travelpod blog after Ive finished these threads.

Next chapter coming up.

Our room at The Kashmir House at Dharamsala had an extraordinarily high ceiling, equivalent to two floors in most Mumbai buildings.

After settling in, we took a stroll down the Kotwali Bazaar where we were almost run down by a car full of foreign tourists that veered suddenly toward us to avoid an oncoming bus! Traffic on that road was ceaseless. It seemed like all the world was going to McLeodganj. It was better for us to go back to our hotel.

The next morning, we took the short cut steep road to McLeodganj. This was the same road on which our hotel was located. It was very, very steep. The more gradual, longer road is used by heavy vehicles.

The sky was clear and the snow capped Dhauladhars seemed very near.



McLeodganj was a bit of a shock, too crowded, with way too much hustle and bustle for comfort. Our instant reaction was let’s get the hell out of here …………



A signboard pointed the way to the Dal Lake and Naddi. At least 200 taxis must have been parked on that road, bringing an instant recall of Matheran’s Dasturi Naka where on a busy day, cars are parked halfway to Panorama Point. The saving grace here was that the rhododendron forest was in full scarlet bloom. At the now empty Dal Lake, we turned left for Naddi.




The snow peaks view got better and better.









A path skirting the scenic cliff edge led off from the Naddi car park.



Saw this beautiful butterfly along the way:

Papilio machaon




The path terminated at the locked entrance of a Sahaja Yoga Centre run by Mata Nirmala Devi. This would be an ideal place to sojourn, if one could swing it. They must surely have a rest house but no one was around to ask.




Naddi is undoubtedly beautiful but in a couple of years it will be terribly built up.

Back at McLeod Ganj, we ambled along aimlessly. Tibetans were everywhere and copious quantities of Tibetan kitsch was being peddled in all the street stalls.










Some of the pieces were attractive and I asked a Tibetan lady vendor what the price was. She did not reply.

Believing she may not have heard me, I asked again. Now, she ignored me pointedly. I felt insulted and walked away.

Though one should not generalise, the Tibetans here are not interested in dealing with Indian visitors, or so it would certainly seem.

I observed that several other Tibetan vendors also did not solicit Indian customers though they called out cheerily to the foreign tourists. With that attitude, I am not surprised that there is a covert resentment of the “Tibetees” amongst the local Himachalis who resent the government facilities freely accorded to them, merely because they have refugee status. The recent scam involving those close to the Karmapa, does nothing to improve opinions, though on the surface it is all 'happy families'.

McLeodganj also has a sizeable population of long staying foreigners. Many were driving around in locally registered motorbikes and jeeps.

Narrow lanes were crammed with small guest houses, laundries, stores selling foreign foodstuff, trek arrangers, everything very well organised to cater to long term visitors, especially to the Israelis. It is undoubtedly very good for the local economy.

An abundance of reasonably priced restaurants and eating places offer very much more than standard North Indian and Punj-Chinese fare. It would have been nice to stay the night here instead of at Dharamsala, if only to go out for a nice dinner.

We enjoyed a refreshingly different lunch in a pleasant establishment with a pleasing view. What a change from the standard north Indian fare which now was beginning to pall.

View from restaurant


Fancy an evening out at a hookah bar or a discotheque? Here they are:





With nothing better to do, we walked after lunch to Bhagsu, a pleasant walk overlooking McLeodganj and the valley.



On this road, the street vendors were Biharis selling Tibetan kitsch!

Bhagsu itself was too built up for comfort and we turned back after sighting the falls from a distance.

Here is some assorted traffic on the Bhagsu road



and a pretty wildflower which looked like a miniature Karvy of the Western ghats. Certainly of the same family





The much written about Nowrojee stores was in a dilapidated and decrepit condition, leaving us wondering what all the fuss was about.


There was not very much else to do here. I remembered another IM'er [Rebeccam] recommending the Norbulingka Institute on another thread. Upon enquiry, we learnt that the Institute was not here, but in Sidhpur just outside Dharamsala. Off we went, having had more than enough of McLeodganj.

It took a bit of asking to get correct directions but once we reached Norbulingka, it was pleasant enough though not anywhere near as striking as the new colourful Tibetan monastery at Bir.

The premises include the Norling guest house, along with a museum of dolls [Losel Museum] depicting life in Tibet, an outdoor café and a well laid out store selling beautifully crafted Tibetan ware at inflated prices.










A photograph of the Dalai Lama is placed beneath the Buddha idol in the main temple, which had noteworthy frescoes on the walls.







On our way back to our hotel, we stopped by at the spanking new Dharamsala cricket stadium of IPL fame. Ever since the dates were announced, the stadium is off bounds to the public on non match days, or so the guard informed us, not that we were particularly keen on going in.

Another evening stroll through the Kotwali bazaar and it was time to call it a day.

To be continued …………

What a great report! I will be in the region for 6 weeks starting Aug 27 (half the time in McLeod Ganj). I have never traveled to this area before (or even India!) and report has reinforced my decision to spend my time in this State. The temple in Bir was recommended to me as a place to visit and spend some time. It was great to what it looks like. There may be others in the area so this is an assumption on my part.

Wow, as usual, the photos are stunning!

How interesting that the vendor did not want to sell to you. I would think that vendors would be interested in money. I don't understand their attitude, and I'm sorry that you had to deal with that.

Thanks Nanaimo and Daisy.

Daisy, some people are like that - everywhere in the world, its all part of the game!


Here comes Part - 11: Jot


The next morning we set off for Jot en route to Khajjiar which was to be our next overnight halt. The word ‘jot’ means mountain pass. This particular pass is called simply that - Jot!

At a mere 2436m, Jot is by no means the highest pass in Himachal but it does not lag behind in scenery.

From Dharamsala we joined the highway somewhere around Gaggal. The Kangra airport is at Gaggal but there are no non stop flights from Mumbai.

It was very scenic with the mountains resplendent in the morning light.









A group of scruffy looking children descended on us – to beg. This was the first time we had encountered beggars in Himachal.

They were children of Rajasthani migrant workers living in tents on the dry river bed. When we shooed them away, they pleaded with us to take their photos. As we left, we gave them some money to buy sweets. After all, they were just small children.






Saw this gorgeous barbet [?] on a tree





Some interesting village Gods were along the roadside next to the dry river bed. Somewhat similar but not as elaborate as those found in rural Tamil Nadu.







We made the big mistake of taking the Sihunta – Lahru - Jot route from Shahpur. We should have continued on the highway to Nurpur and then to Lahru. From Shahpur to Sihunta, the road is an unmitigated disaster with widening work in progress and dust laden JCB’s blocking almost every turn. Mud particles cloud the air and coat every leaf on every tree; this road should be avoided like the plague until it is complete.





Beyond Lahru, strange mud formations rose from the ground like craggy peaks of clay. Very intriguing. They looked crumbly but were hard as rock.






Another curious village God




From Chowari [Chuari] the road ascended steeply, winding its narrow way up the mountains through decent forests of oak and rhododendron, eventually reaching the Jot [mountain pass] at 2463 m.

A breathtaking view of the snow clad Himalayas bathed in glorious sunlight, greeted us at the pass.







It was also freezing cold with an icy wind.





We clambered up to a picturesque meadow from where we had a 360 degree view of the Kangra valley, the plains of Punjab and the snow peaks on the other side.

A couple of horses grazed languidly amidst picturesque flat roofed mud houses. These were in fact cow sheds used by nomadic Gujjars.







The tourist department has constructed small pergolas here and there for people to sit and enjoy the view. Some were unfinished, the result of a stay on construction by the environment authorities. Mud tracks along the ridge led to various villages, one of the paths went all the way to Dainkund as we learnt later.










A couple of local lads came by. One had a heavy bag of cement slung across his shoulders, the other was lugging an equally heavy porcelain latrine. They said this was the shortest route to their village, 5 km away.




Apparently the mud pathway that we were all on, was according to government records a “cemented path”, constructed under the aegis of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna. In actual fact as anyone could see, there was not the slightest trace of cement on the path. It was a scam and the money for the work had been misappropriated by the powers that be…. What could we say? Why should Himachal Pradesh be any less corrupt than the other states?



Without realising it, we had spent over two hours on the ridge and had built up a hearty appetite. The best and most sumptuous meal was served at the unpretentious dhaba at Jot, all of it home grown produce. After the meal I asked if the khoya barfee in the glass case was fresh. The owner responded with pride that he had made it that day with fresh milk from his own cows. It was the best sweet I had tasted in a long time, and I regret not having bought a whole lot more.

After lunch, we walked along the road for awhile enjoying the scenery. It was just another 16km to Khajjiar.






Gaddi shepherd






Langur in the forest




At Gete the road bifurcated, the downhill road on the right went to Chamba. We took the left turn.

A huge statue of Lord Shiva resplendent against the snowy mountains, welcomes all just before Khajjiar.







To be continued ……….

Khajjiar is a large green saucer shaped meadow surrounded by dense deodhar forest, very close to Dalhousie. A small pond lies in the middle. Some literature describe it as a “lake”… Nonetheless it was pretty, and peaceful with no one around when we reached early in the evening.










The Deodhar hotel where we stayed, stood at a strategic vantage point overlooking the old Khajji Nag temple, a few small lodgings and the entire meadow. Our cosy all wooden room had an excellent view.






The meadows beckoned. An immediate walk was in order before it became dark. Contrary to what it looks like from afar, these are marshy meadows for the most part, fed by tiny mountain streams. You cannot run across the grass Bollywood style, unless you do not mind wading through slush.

Perhaps it dries out completely in the summer. The pond must certainly expand in volume in the rains, given the large number of feeder streams. I now understood why it is called a lake.

The best ‘dry’ walk was along the circumference of the meadow. It was rather pleasing. A Forest office and rest house stood hidden behind the deodhars, a short distance away. The quaint Khajji Cottage, a part of the Deodhar Hotel, was at the other end of the meadows standing alone in splendid isolation. Anyone staying there had a magnificent view of the Pir Panjal range in the distance.







Rooms were available at The Cottage but we were advised not to stay here as there is no restaurant attached and it would take ages just to get a cup of tea! So true.

We returned for another round of the meadow early the next morning. It was lovely with not a soul in sight, human soul that is. A couple of furry stray dogs accompanied us silently for most of our walk.




Wagtails and other pretty little birds flitted in and out of the surrounding deodhars as the light became brighter. We walked up into the Raj era PWD guest house at the other end. This must be booked out all year round.






By now, the tea stall and dhaba owners had come alive and were setting up their wares in anticipation of the days visitors.

By the time we were done with breakfast, several huge transparent plastic balls had appeared out of nowhere on the meadow. They had a smaller ball within, where a person could sit and propel himself all over the meadows without getting wet and miserable in the slush. Obviously these strange contraptions were hugely popular, judging by the number of them being pumped up and ready to go. We could see the parking area slowly filling up to disgorge groups of day trippers, all of them making a bee line for the giant balls.





Our plans were elsewhere. A short scenic drive brought us to Lakkad Mandi, a small settlement with an assortment of flat roofed mud houses.






Some ground orchids along the way – Calanthe perhaps?


F

rom here we took the left turn up the mountain to Dainkund.

This road is broad and in excellent condition, thanks to the presence of the Air Force Station. Unauthorised persons may not proceed beyond the barrier a few kilometres away, where we parked alongside a couple of other vehicles.

The military guard showed us a mud pathway on the left side of the barrier where we were free to go. He said it was a very scenic walk leading to a small temple of Bhulwani Mata.

It was indeed a lovely walk, some parts steep but mostly level once we reached the ridge at 2740m. The view was fabulous. We were on top of the world with a wide vista of both the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar ranges.














A flock of migratory birds flew swiftly past, making a pretty picture against the distant mountains.






The Chamba Kailash peak of Manimahesh lake fame, was also visible. Butterflies, pretty pink primulas
and other wildflowers dotted the grassy slopes.








Old snow still to melt



There were not many people up here, the few that were walked straight to the temple. We learnt later that one of the pathways here on the ridge led to Jot. If we knew, we would have hiked to Jot to eat at that yummy dhaba again.

The military radars could be seen from an angle. The runway is visible on Google Earth!






It was so beautiful up here that we lost track of time until hunger pangs reminded us that it was time for lunch.

On our way down we came across a group of men carrying lengthy water pipes. They were to be fitted in the temple.

Upon hearing that we were from “Bambai” one of the younger lads wondered if we could get him a job in the big city. He was prepared to do any kind of labour, he said. I wondered if he would survive the heat, crowds and grime of Mumbai after living all his life in these pristine surroundings, but at the end of the day it is a question of economics. We suggested that he try closer to home, such as in Delhi where surely job opportunities must abound.





After lunch at a dhaba at Lakkad Mandi, we drove up to the Kalatope Forest rest house. The signboard said the fee for LMV’s was Rs 60 but the men at the checkpost charged us Rs 200, pointing out to another sign board. Strange …….

Kalatope was disappointing after Dainkund. The deodhar forest here was nice but the forests between Khajjiar and Lakkad Mandi were more varied, those too form part of the Khajjiar - Kalatope sanctuary.

The rest house on top was an old Raj era building with a lot of character.



Kalatope sanctuary is known as a habitat of the Himalayan black bear but the guard at the resthouse said that they have not been sighted here in a very long time. The view was nice though.




We walked back along the scenic road from Lakkad Mandi to Khajjiar, which was a lot more interesting than Kalatope.


Langur on the road



A glimpse of Khajjiar



Rhododendrons in the forest



Beautiful forest




A small roadside temple to Kali Mata looked very pleasing in the evening light. Himachal Pradesh has innumerable little Devi temples and shrines at every bend in the mountain.





The day trippers who had descended on Khajjiar earlier in the morning, were now on their way back to Dalhousie. A short cut nearer Khajjiar brought us to the meadow through the forest office. After a half round of the meadow, we enjoyed a reviving cup of tea, then had a quick look at the Khajji Nag temple. This had carved wooden statues on the outer columns and an old stone image in the sanctum. The temple apparently dates back to the 14th century.



After another round of the meadow the next morning, we set off for Chamba.





To be continued …………….

Awesome posts & pics snonymous! ... I have been to some of the places you have described in the last few instalments and so revived & relived old memories. Thanks.

And good to see pics of snonymous & Mr Snonymous too. You are now taking to trekking too (2740M) I think

Aren't you really happy that IndiaMike is allowing these large pics to be embedded inside the texts in posts (as in BCMTouring & Team-BHP). These pictures inserts do enhance the story-telling beyond words, don't they??
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Thanks KS. Are you back from your trip? Where's the report?


"Trekking" - I call it walking, which we have always done on every trip!

Yes, inserting photos saves having to write copious amounts of text which may not be of interest to others, unless you really want to know about a place or have been there yourself. With the photos, one can just skim through fast.

I agree with you totally. Pictures say everything so well and that is why I was putting most of my trip reports in my blog with all pictures.

Myself (and SK) decided to visit the Tigers & Cubs in Pench Tigers Reserve, in MP. There is no new Thread, but see my IM posts (from post #64 onwards) & pics in this thread:
Documenting the growth of 5 Tiger cubs in Pench Tiger Reserve : 2011-2013

I am still to shortlist and upload Pench pics on Flickr but uploaded a few in my Facebook album here (can be acessed without FB account):
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...00000328386633
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I just saw that thread KS, fantastic stuff. Congratulations and keep posting more pics.

wow, very nice! admin, please upgrade to an article so we can see it in its entirely in one section.

Is it possible to include a map of all the places visited and the route.

A very professional report.

Thanks

Thanks Sam and Fsg


Fsg, I will include some maps at the end of it. Just a few more to go now.

What a fantastic report! And amazing photos. Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you CIA, here comes the next installment