Way to learn about you: Dev Bhoomi Sojourn

It was mid-semester break in our University. One of my friends and I planned a trip to Himachal Pradesh. Why ? because they say Himachal is “A Destination for All Seasons and All Reasons” be it the Summers of March or the love for nature and adventure.

We randomly searched buses and their timings for Manali. We booked two Volvo seats in redBus. The boarding point was petrol pump Majnu ka tila at 6 pm. There was a halt at a Punjabi dhaba at 9 pm in Karnal road. The deboarding point of the bus was Volvo Bus Stand Manali. Beas river along the road to Manali makes the trip mesmerizing.

Pic 1. Mid way halt to Manali

Next day in the morning we got off the bus. From there we walked Mall road to get to the hotel. It was Post Office IQ, an accommodation facility provided by Government of India for their employees. It was very cold in Manali, we wondered if there was any use of the wall mounted fan. When you go from such a hot place like Delhi then resort city like Manali would be a delight. It was very cold there but in no time we could acclimatize to cold weather. All thanks to the room heater. Room was very comfortable. There was housekeeping staff to provide all kinds of facilities in the room.

Pic 2,3. Post office IQ room

For breakfast we ordered dal and paranthe at a Punjabi dhaba which was situated nearby our accommodation. We reached Hadimba temple on foot. The temple has featured prominently in Bollywood movies: Roja (1992) and Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani (2013). A good place for tourists to take pictures with white fluffy angora rabbits and yaks. Hadimba is a place of historical and archaeological importance.It is dedicated to Goddess Hadimba, the wife of Bhima, a figure from the epic Mahabharata. It is said that the temple was constructed by the raja of Kullu, Maharaja Bahadur Singh in 1553. It is a quaint structure with a four-tiered pagoda-shaped roof and a wooden doorway that is adorned with carvings of mythological figures and symbols of gods and goddesses, animals, designs resembling leaves and episodes depicting Lord Krishna’s life.

Pic 4. Hadimba Devi Temple

When we were coming back from Hadimba we booked a cab. First we went to visit Vashisht temple. A temple dedicated to sage Vashisht, who finds mention in the oldest religious book of hindus the Rig Veda. The Vashist temple is decorated with excellent and beautiful carvings on wood. The interior of this temple is rather traditional which is ornamented with antique painting and figures. There is a market as well primarily curio shops. One can buy local handmade Himachali cap they say it “Pahadi Topi”. Make sure you buy Himachali because Tibbetan and Himachali looks similar in first impression. The Vashisht Hot Water Spring is one of the popular attractions of this locale. The hot springs is believed to have medicinal value. The springs are said to fix many skin ailments. Numerous individuals go to the Vashisht showers to take a plunge and free themselves of skin contaminations and maladies. There are additionally isolated bathrooms for men and women. There is another old stone sanctuary known as Rama Temple nearby the Vashisht Temple. Inside the Rama sanctuary the icons of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana have been installed.

Pic 5. Outer view of Vashisht temple

Pic 6. Ram temple in Manali

And then we directed towards Solang valley which is located 12 km from Manali. We wore snowboard jackets and opted for skiing. Indeed it was a great experience. The outstanding snowy landscape, chilling weather and fine ski slopes add to make the place a hot favorite for travelers from different parts of the country. Believe me, nothing's better than some hot soupy noodles with the snow below and the sun above. When you are there go for it. Harsh cold weather resisted us to stay more. We rushed to our hotel room.

Pic 6. Snowy scene at Solang Valley

Pic 7. Trying my hands at skiing

Following day in the morning we had breakfast. And headed to Shimla. Here, we took a bus to reach Kullu. Basically we did break journey to reach Shimla it may be because of HOLI or we wouldn't know the bus route and timings since we were new to the place. Again we took a bus from Kullu to Mandi. We were very hungry by the time we reached Mandi. We had lunch before heading towards Bilaspur. And then we finally got to Shimla. Let me tell you these destinations were covered listening to local songs with local people in the local bus. One can make observation that Hindi, Punjabi and English are understood and spoken by the people engaged in tourism trade. Local usually speak the Kulluvi dialect in their everyday dealings. There were many school children who were applying colours among others near the bus stand. It was the first instance of Holi celebration, we could notice. Later the celebration went till we left Shimla.

Pic 8. Inside view local bus Manali to Kullu

Pic 9. Passengers on Holi at Kullu bus stand

Pic 10. Our national flag at Mandi bus stand

We deboarded at the Old Shimla bus stand. We had to go to the “Grand Hotel” situated at Mall road. People welcomed us outside our hotel and offered sweets & water after the Holika bonfire. We took sound sleep since we were tired. It would be your kind of real strength checking when you reach the uphill area. There is Lakkar Bazar, a must visit market. It will be a surreal experience when you find district Administration Shimla at such a place. One instance left me blank that to bring commodities, materials etcetera they do not have any option but to use manual labour.

Pic 11. Grand Hotel compound

Pic 12. Inside Grand Hotel room

“Grand Hotel” comes under CPWD meant for government employees. Jugaad works here if your cousin or friend is in government service. It was a fabulous hotel. Far from the cacophony of busy Indian cities, the snowy mountains and deep river valleys of Himachal have the power to infuse new life into anyone.

Pic 13. A morning: Mall road Shimla

Next morning, we had breakfast and headed towards Kufri. It was Holi so we couldn't see the zoo but we did horse riding. It was an amazing place. One would get astonished how come there could be an ecosystem of humans and nature at such a high altitude. We returned to the hotel room. We rested for sometime then went to church. Christ Church is one the oldest churches in North India and was built by the British in 1857 to serve the large Anglican British community in the area. The majestic appearance of the church and its stunning location makes it a prime attraction in Shimla.