While I have crossed Jalori Pass a number of times over the years on journeys to Kinnaur and Spiti, it has taken forever for me to undertake the trek from Jalori Pass to Serolsar Lake. There is also the small hike / trek to Raghupur Garh (Fort) and the seemingly offbeat nature of the same meant that in the autumn of 2014, I ended up being awed by the majestic valley views from Raghupur Garh (Garh = Fort). That time I was staying in Sojha at one of the two homestays in the tiny village and remember witnessing a majestic moonrise!

Another time in 2017 or 2018, I was accompanied with locals and we reached Jalori Pass in the afternoon and as soon as we started the trek, it started drizzling causing us to consider the Serolsar Lake trek for another time. It was a warm summer and I was put up at Jibhi this time around. I had always thought Serolsar Lake trek to be quite popular and the thought of hiking / trekking with 100-odd first time city trekkers ensured I kept this on the sideline.

I guess it was third time lucky (in hindsight) as I was planning a spring sojourn to Kinnaur in the end of March. The original plan was to head to Batahad village and trek to Baga Sarahan via Bashleo Pass. I had been to Bashleo Pass earlier in 2016 with Jita and had no idea it was a straightforward downhill trek to Baga Sarahan; otherwise we might as well have spent a few days in Baga Sarahan and other parts of Kinnaur. A quick phone call to Thewa Ram Ji in Batahad confirmed my suspicions about snow at Bashleo Pass. It was therefore decided that we would play it by the ear and try to catch the first bus of the day from Kullu to Banjar.

I called the HRTC Kullu bus stand guys and found out that there’s a Kullu to Banjar bus at 530 am and then at 7 am, then at 8 am. We made a practical target to catch the 8 am bus from Kullu bus stand. I tried calling HRTC Banjar but their number was out of order. Anyway, HRTC Kullu guys had informed me that while Jalori Pass was open a few days earlier, recent bad weather and subsequent snowfall meant that buses had stopped plying across Jalori pass and they were only going till Jibhi and Sojha.

We woke up on a fine sunny morning and were quickly on the road at about 715 am. I immediately called HRTC Manali and they said that I would have to rely on a local bus to go from Dobhi to Kullu at this early hour. The Manali to Dharamsala-bound Bedi Travels bus came around and got to Kullu bus stand at 8 am. The Kullu to Banjar 8 am bus had been cancelled (maybe due to the recent snowfall at Jalori Pass) and we continued till Aut in the same Bedi Travels bus and made good time to reach Aut at 9 am.

A Banjar bound local bus was about to leave from Aut but was already full; in the absence of any other options we jumped in and struggled to find even breathing space. The bus was filled to the brim and it was really difficult with our backpacks but the necessity of these kind of journeys is the helping nature of the locals and that ensured everyone managed to survive. The weather was holding up and the sun was still out. Rain was forecast after 1-2 pm and I was hoping we would find a bus headed to Sojha (Shoja) from Banjar bus stand.

I thought that the bus would get less crowded at Balichowki but it turned out to be the opposite as more and more people got in! Thankfully, it was our turn to get seats and it was a smooth arrival at Banjar bus stand. The time was about 1030 am and a few raindrops came around from the overcast skies. I went to find the bus timings for Sojha and was promptly told by the enquiry counter that bus service from Banjar to Sojha has been temporarily suspended with the inclement weather alert and imminent rainfall. The next bus from Banjar to Jibhi was the Gadagushaini bus at 12 noon.

We were in a fix and had no idea what to do next! A couple of taxi guys hovered around quoting outrageous prices for Jalori Pass. A Banjar to Bathad bus was scheduled to leave at 11 am and I briefly flirted with the idea of going to Bathad. Thankfully, sense prevailed and when a shared taxi alto guy came asking, this time I asked him the price for 2 people to Sojha. I told him we lived in Dobhi village and he quoted us the local’s price at INR 200 per person. He had two more passengers who wanted to go to Anni village (across Jalori Pass) and the alto guy was supposed to drop them till Jalori Pass only. It was well known that there would be local shared sumos ferrying passengers from Jalori Pass to Khanag and Anni.

It felt like Banjar town had the same old traffic jam problems. This road has long been awarded the status of a National Highway (NH-305) but there has been no work done on the ground. Anyhow, it was comforting to see a police guy with a walkie talkie directing the traffic and we were soon out from Lower Banjar to Upper Banjar and on the road to Jibhi. The condition of the road was quite terrible (to say the least) and I reminded myself that I wasn’t missing out on too much by not coming this side inspite of living in Kullu Valley.

I was happily surprised when two buses crossed us; they were coming from Khauli – just a bit ahead of Gada Gushaini. Jibhi had the look of a shanty tourist town with multiple colourful homestays/guest houses, cafés, restaurants on both sides of the broken road. There was a sort of relieved sigh to see that we had not chosen the easy way out by opting to stay in Jibhi. Just after we crossed Jibhi and neared Ghiyagi – close to the diversion of Sajwar; the rain started coming down and had me scrambling for my jacket.

In conversations with the co-passengers, I asked if anyone knew the chowkidar/caretaker of the PWD Rest House? The reply was pleasing – it appeared that there was now a newly built Forest Rest House in Sojha as well. I was keen on staying at the vintage PWD Rest House in Sojha and not at one of the numerous homestays / guest houses. The plan was to hopefully find a ride to Jalori Pass next day and trek to Serolsar Lake and come back to Jalori Pass and then decide the further course of action depending on the weather.

The shared alto guy dropped us on the road near the signboard of the FRH in Sojha and I was left wondering about the exact location of the PWD Rest House. The rain was steady and my rain jacket had to be summoned from the small backpack. I didn’t have to wait long to quell my doubts about the PWD Rest House as it turned out to be adjacent to the Forest Rest House in Sojha. We saw smoke coming out of the chimney of one of the houses but were not able to find the caretaker and thankfully went to the Forest Rest House and met the chowkidar there.

He called the son of the PWD Rest House Caretaker and told us to meet him since the Forest Rest House was already booked (which turned out to be untrue!). The son of the chowkidar was very helpful and asked us to take the confirmation of the booking from an official phone number in Kullu. The lady in the office confirmed our stay in ten minutes and asked us to take Set Number 2. We thanked and put our bags in the spacious set number 2 and since we had not eaten anything since morning, asked the caretaker’s son to recommend a place to eat in the town.

He suggested that the Forest Eco-Tourism area has a recently inaugurated canteen and he recommended that over the dhaba in Sojha. So, we just hopped across the gate and found the dining room. Fresh aloo paranthas were the only option to be made in a jiffy and with the cold breeze blowing due to the rain turned out to be perfect. We had multiple rounds of masala chai and requested rajma+chawal to be made on order for dinner.

The whole valley was engulfed in clouds at this moment and it felt quite dreamy. It was a feeling of contentment and satisfaction after a full tummy and the weather gods reciprocated when it stopped raining once we stepped out of the dining area. We decided to go for a short walk in Sojha and see how it has changed over the years. The rain had caused the temperature to plummet and at 2700-2800 metres altitude, Sojha was quite chilly. It looked timeless though with the floating clouds in the valley below.

We came across a handful of newly established hotels in terms of staying options and a few cafés as well. Sojha seemed to have hit the right spot in terms of still keeping the scenic beauty intact unlike Jibhi which can clearly be said to be under the clutches of over-tourism. Locals working at an under construction hotel invited us to sit by the side of the bukhari and we enjoyed the conversation for a while. At about 230 pm, we were back to the PWD Rest House and just in time for it to start raining again.

Thankfully, the PWD Rest House had a long corridor with glasses and we had carried our books. It was teeth chattering cold and we enjoyed the same since these were the last few days of a long winter before summer winds blew in the valley. When the rain relented for a bit, I went around wandering in the PWD Rest House compound and then we went dot on time for our awaited late lunch/early dinner of rajma chawal in the dining area at 5 pm.

Rajma chawal was ready and we were served steaming hot bowls of the ultimate comfort food. It was delicious and we asked for masala chai to round off a grand eating experience in the lovely interiors with the aroma of deodhar wood furniture. We requested him for early morning chai at 7 am the next day and he asked us to just wake him up and he will do the needful. Since we had forgotten a pack of biscuits, we wandered off to the nearby shop in Sojha and with no rain ended up walking to the Banjara Retreat.

The landscapes seemed surreal with the floating clouds and we couldn’t have been more pleased to be out for our evening stroll. We also noticed a number of 4*4 vehicles on the road heading to / coming back from Jalori Pass on our walks on the road in Sojha. So, it was decided to start walking next morning for Jalori Pass and hope that we got a ride in one of the vehicles heading up (if there was) so we could start the Serolsar Lake Trek from Jalori Pass at an early hour. We got back to the wood and glass interiors of the PWD Rest House and made ourselves cosy.

It kept raining on and off and after fiddling with reading and aimless scrolling on the phone, we called it an early night and put our alarms for 630 am. Once the thick blankets got warmed up, it was a nice sleep and we woke up fresh and raring to go and trek to Serolsar Lake. We woke up the canteen owner and he quickly made tea for us while all of us shared the solitary packet of biscuits. We were out on the road even before it was 730 am and since it felt like a nice, clear morning we were happy to start walking on the road to Jalori Pass.

The distance from Sojha to Jalori Pass is almost 5 kms and I was hoping to find a camper or locals headed to Jalori Pass and catch a ride so as to save time. Of course, there were no sounds of a vehicle and we were pleased to be in a thick forest hardly 1 km after walking past Sojha. We spotted a variety of colourful birds in the forest and started encountering snow on the road. There were also a few private tourist vehicles parked on the side of the road as the snow on the road increased and we figured that the vehicle owners were smart enough to come back and take their vehicles when the road became clear.

Just as we were nearing Jalori Pass at about 9 am, two 4*4 campers carrying a bucketful of tourists crossed us and I was in a spell for a moment. Jalori Pass was totally snowed out and there were many vehicles / shared taxis waiting. Some were from Anni, Khanag side while the recent campers who had crossed us were ready to take tourists back to Sojha. They were charging about INR 200 per person for the 4.5-5 kilometre distance between Sojha and Jalori Pass. We went to the nearby dhaba and had a round of black tea; requested dhaba uncle for a plate each of rajma chawal and kadi chawal upon return.

Since we were told the distance between Jalori Pass and Serolsar Lake is 5 kilometres and the fact that it was a level trail, we calculated roughly 3.5 hours for the coming and going and included about 30 minutes of spending time at Serolsar Lake. Our breakfast turned out to be green apples that we had carried and told the dhaba uncle that we would see him on the return. There were a couple of local youngsters standing at the start of the trail and I asked them in the local lingo if there were any confusions that we may encounter on the trail and they said it was a straightforward trek.

We started at 910 am and the weather was holding up for the moment. The sun was playing a constant battle with the clouds and the weather forecast showed 70 odd percent chance of rain/snow at Jalori Pass after 1 pm. So, our aim was to get back after the trek to Jalori Pass before 1 pm and decide the next course of action based on the weather. It was nice to walk on fresh snow although I was a little surprised to see multiple dhabas at the start of the trail. The youngsters who had arrived in campers to the top of Jalori Pass were apparently headed to Serolsar Lake but were playing in the snow seemingly unaware of the fickle mountain weather.

After crossing the cluster of dhabas at the start of the trail from Jalori Pass, we entered a dense oak forest that would continue till we reached Serolsar Lake. There was pin drop silence only interspersed by the sound of falling drops from the melting snow on branches with the currently abundant sunshine. Thankfully, the drops were few and far between and did not create puddles on the trail and we could continue to crunch the fresh snow under our feet. Our heads had to be covered though with the sort of occasional rainfall effect of the same!

We crossed a meadow where the HP Forest Department puts up tents for staying in the summer. Although there were no markings on the trail, the path seemed fairly straightforward and could have become confusing in the snow. Hence, we had asked beforehand and were told there is no turn as such and the entire path is straight rather than a sharp right or left turn somewhere. After 20 odd minutes of walking (roughly past 1 kilometre) there was a camping site to the right and another 360 degree campsite somewhere to the left. The left side campsite seemed to have a vantage viewpoint and could make for a nice nature camp in the summer months.

We continued walking at a brisk speed and after the 2 km mark, came across another cluster of dhabas (all of them were closed with the recent snowfall). The sun was out and two benches were kept at just the right place so we opted for a five minute breather. Here, we met a couple of locals who were walking ahead of us – they were going to open their dhaba that was located close to the lake. They were carrying supplies and told us that they roughly call this 2 km dhaba stretch as the sort of halfway point.

I started feeling quite warm in the direct sun and we opted to start walking again since we were not really tired at all. After this point, the trail gets a little smaller in width and with the melting snow required a bit of extra concentration. There were a few downhill stretches and then uphill stretches but nothing alarming and after another 40 odd minutes of hiking, we came to another area with spread out dhabas(all of them were closed). I figured that the lake was nearby; the watch showed that we had covered 5 kilometres but Serolsar Lake was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there were steps on the other side of the trail which meant there was more distance to be covered. On the other side, there were about 2-3 sizeable dhabas and one of them had been opened – courtesy of the local couple who went ahead of us. I noticed that the watch showed that we had covered about 5.6-5.7 kms at the dhaba point and I ended up asking the dhaba owner that everyone says that the distance between Jalori Pass to Serolsar Lake is 5 kilometres. He replied saying that the distance is almost 6 kms but like a popular myth, incorrect information has been floating around presumably to make it feel more attractive to first time trekkers!

He said that Serolsar Lake is hardly 200 metres ahead from there and told us to continue straight! We alighted past a flight of snow-laden stairs and came upon a stunning sight. Serolsar Lake looked incredibly beautiful surrounded by snow and had absolutely still waters with a reflection of the nearby trees. There was an iron gate that signified the entry to the walking path around the lake. The first reaction upon seeing Serolsar Lake was that it is quite big whereas in the photographs on the internet it looked quite small.

We walked a bit on the path that was totally submerged in snow and I had a glimpse of The Budhi Nagin Temple that was located on a higher platform on the left overlooking the lake. At first I thought that we would visit the temple but then I quickly deduced that there would be no pujari at the moment, the path was entirely snowed out and a quick look at the sky suggested that the clouds will be back soon. There were a couple of signboards instructing visitors to maintain the sanctity of the lake and not to go near the water. Snow had seeped in inside my shoes and I felt a bit chilly now that the physical activity was reduced to gazing at Serolsar Lake and clicking pictures!

The time was about 11 am and we started climbing the flight of stairs and sat at the dhaba. There was only maggi on offer (which I hate!) and so we decided to ask for black tea and a packet of whatever biscuits they had (nor that I like biscuits!). We had covered more than 10 kms without real food and had 6 more kilometres to trek to get back to Jalori Pass. The weather was holding up for the time being and we totally relished the black tea (laced with cardamom) and biscuits sitting on the wooden benches. We thanked the dhaba couple for leading the way and they recommended us to return in the summer!

In the summer months, every slope on the Jalori Pass to Serolsar Lake trek turns into a camping ground and with the numerous dhabas around – food is never really a problem. Only the presence of crowds deters me from heading to popular places in the high season. We started walking and mentally recollected the landmarks that we had encountered on the way so that we could return safely even if the weather worsened and the visibility reduced.

It was almost 12 noon when we encountered the first visitors on our way back. Another group was accompanied with a local guide and were trying to trek to Serolsar lake on a day when bad weather was forecast after 1 pm. The trail itself had become a bit slushy once more people had walked on it. We opted to sit on the same spot where we had rested at the 2 km mark on the way. As soon as we sat on the benches, it started drizzling and within no time turned to snow. Thankfully, another dhaba had opened by then and was serving 4 youngsters who were having maggi / etc. We sat under the tarpaulin for a minute and decided to just get back to Jalori Pass since it was not too far from there.

Within a matter of minutes the snowfall gave way to fog and mist and we were in a white forest all of a sudden. Thankfully, we were well prepared for this scenario and at this juncture we reached the first campsites where the trail widens. Here, we encountered a number of tourists chilling at the dhabas. Some were headed to Serolsar Lake in this inclement weather. Tourists were enjoying the unexpected snowfall and it felt nice to see the raw feel of the joy of travel. We were back to the dhaba at Jalori Pass just a tad before the clock struck 1. Dhaba uncle gave us a thumbs up and said well done and confirmed that our food is ready!

We gobbled up the rajma chawal, kadi chawal and it was really really delicious and felt even more so after a total of 16 odd kilometres of hiking in the snow. It was a nice feeling to know that living in Kullu Valley was working well for our fitness levels and we were almost on par with the locals in terms on basic speed in hiking even while not trying to speed up. Campers and other 4*4 vehicles were parked on both sides of the road on Jalori Pass and now we had the choice of going to Anni, Khanag or Sojha, Jibhi. It was still snowing and we instinctively said it is best to return home to Kullu Valley and sought about figuring a vehicle.

A shared camper guy said he’s charging INR 200 per person from Jalori Pass to Sojha and that he will leave when the vehicle is full. I tried asking him INR 200 till Banjar so that we could get a bus from Banjar to Kullu but he wouldn’t budge and I figured that he might take more than an hour to fill the number of passengers. After the lovely lunch, we were also ok with hiking back to Sojha along the road if it stopped snowing/raining. Just as we were wondering, I spotted another camper guy who was about to leave for Sojha. I quickly ran and asked him to drop us to Banjar for INR 200 per person. He had no other passengers and asked us to get in as he had to go somewhere and was in a rush.

As we say, sometimes we make our own luck and this camper guy seemed to be doing the same. We paid the dhaba uncle who was so kind that he came to tell the camper guy to drop us safely! There was a local family of five headed to Ghiyagi and off we went without wasting any time. As usual, aimless chatting was the order of the day and the gentleman of the family invited us to their home in Ghiyagi. The snow turned into rain just a few bends after starting our journey and by the time we reached Sojha, there was no sign of snow but only rainfall. The cold also abated a bit and even though my socks and feet were totally wet, I was ok.

The camper guy was quite friendly and told us that he was in a hurry because he was anyway headed to Bhuntar to get the servicing of his vehicle done. He agreed to drop us till Aut for INR 500 total for the two of us. We made good time from Banjar and reached Aut at 4 pm. Our reaching home was delayed as the bus from Aut took forever and after changing another bus in Kullu bus stand, we got down at Dobhi at 630 pm.

The weather was pleasant, our hearts were happy and it was an adventure of a trek from Jalori Pass to Serolsar Lake that made all the difference!

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We left early from our home and were at the Allain Duhangan Power Project barrier gate after taking the diversion from Prini at about 930 am. There was an entry charge even for local vehicles, and I filled an online form for the same and paid. We also gave a ride to a local who was headed to Sethan. She confirmed that it was a nice and easy day hike to Chikka from the last point till where the vehicles went. We had a heavy breakfast at home and also carried some apples to enjoy on the hike.

Here are a few phone photographs of a stunning day hike from Sethan to Chikka in August :

We would have wanted to spend more time on the hike but the drizzle meant that we started hiking back and got back to the place where the car was parked at about 3 pm. So the time taken to reach Chikka was about 2 hours and we hardly took an hour to return.

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We woke up at about 7 am and requested the kitchen guys at the Rest House to serve us some aloo/gobhi paranthas as quickly as possible. They were on time and we were ready to leave after 2 paranthas each. We were not sure about our evening / night stay plans since Raila was only planned as a day trip. Therefore, the staff told us to keep our backpacks in one of the dormitories.

Our target was to reach Raila; visit Dhaliara Kothi, and perhaps also see the waterfall on the way and explore some unknown places – and try and possibly return by evening at the rest house. We were flexible with our thought process and had kept two options – revisit Upper Neahi village or head to Shangarh and relive some good old days. Ya, I know it sounds pretty far-fetched as a plan when you don’t have your own transport – but thats what my style of travel is about!

When we were in Sainj one day earlier, I had tried to find the bus timings to Raila and the taxi union guys had ensured in convincing me that there was no morning bus from Sainj to Raila and that there were 2 buses a day that plied in the afternoon. So at least, we were clear about our return journey with the surety of a bus. We started walking on the road from the GHNP Ropa Rest House and even though we were not sure about the 1km distance to the bridge from where the road to Raila diverted, we were happy to walk.

As it happens with so many things in life, a bus from Shanshar came as soon as we were out of the gates of the rest house but we chose to let it go since the bridge was only 1 km! When after 15-20 odd minutes of walking there was no sign of a bridge or the landscape changing, Jita checked google maps and the truth dawned on us that the bridge to Raila is at least 4 km from the GHNP Ropa Rest House.

If there was no predetermined time of returning from Raila, we might have actually enjoyed the walk on the road with the sound of the river a constant company at this early hour of 8 am. However, it seemed that we were off to a terrible start to the day and logic suggested that we better keep the reserve of good luck on the road when we would invariably have to resort to hitchhiking in the absence of a bus!

After a while, we were lucky to get a seat on another HRTC bus and funnily enough got down before the actual bifurcation when we saw a small bridge and thought that to be the road to Raila! Anyhow, we walked ahead and reached the actual concrete bridge at a turn called Siund where the road continued to the power project and Raila village.

Just to be doubly sure, I asked a few school-bound kids who confirmed that it was the road to Raila and presented us with a very encouraging piece of information. They said that they were also waiting for the Sainj to Raila bus that would be coming anytime now. I saw the watch and it was about 9 am; we were quite ecstatic upon hearing the news of a bus but the skeptic in me wasn’t sure yet and we chose to walk past the power project area and reached a shop where the bus news was confirmed. It was about 930 am at that time and they said as well that the bus is about to come!

Since the sun was directly hitting the shop and there was no space to sit, we chose to walk a bit ahead and sit upon finding some shade under a tree by the side of the road. We are confident about the arrival of a bus at this juncture, since so many locals have told us about the morning bus to Raila. They confirm that the last return bus from Raila to Sainj is at 4 pm.

The clock ticks by and we notice there are hardly any vehicles crossing us on this road. It is almost 10 am and I am beginning to get restless and not sure if the morning bus to Raila really exists or it is a figment of the villagers imagination! Just as we are about to start walking, the HRTC Sainj to Raila bus arrives and we are relieved.

The bus is almost full; mostly with school children. The shopkeeper guys had told us to ask the bus conductor for tickets till Kamtan village (last stop for the bus to Raila). The twin towers of Raila or Dhaliara Kothi were a short walk from a turn just before reaching Kamtan village and the conductor would assist us in the directions for the same.

The road to Raila is full of sharp hairpin bends and the bus ascends on the steep slopes. I notice that the road is quite narrow on many stretches and that the road widening has recently started. A chance encounter with the young owner of a popular homestay in Raila (Kamtan village) meant that we ended up going till the last point where the bus goes.

He invited us for a quick round of chai at his homestay and we had a nice time chatting in the common space. If we had carried our backpacks with us, we might have actually ended up staying in Kamtan village; the view was surreal and the quaint village had a lovely aroma of a dense deodhar forest.

Anyhow, we started walking towards Dhaliara Kothi or Raila Twin Towers and came across a pair of local shepherds taking their flock of sheep and goat for grazing. The massive trees lent glorious views of the snowy peaks beyond as the sights were quite spectacular since Raila is located at a vantage point and I’m guessing should be at an altitude of about 2000-2200m.

Once we crossed the forest section and came closer to the main road from where the road diverged for the Twin Towers, the full force of the sun hit us and we had to eventually resort to taking breaks while walking. The distance seemed quite far and I came across a worker who confirmed that we were on the right path.

After about 40 odd minutes of walking, we had our first glimpse of the towers. Dhaliara Kothi is the ancient / traditional name for these towers and they looked quite imposing from a distance. We were quite excited about finally seeing these twin towers for real and quickly climbed the set of stairs to get closer. There were a number of small shrines near the towers and the entire area seemed like a sacred spot.

Both the towers had dizzying staircases but outsiders are forbidden to climb them like most religious places in Kullu Valley. There was a lone house in the vicinity and a lady informed us that one of the towers houses a temple and that it is only opened on special occasions. It reminded me of the Chehni Kothi and I also imagined an ancient treasure hidden in one of the towers!

The sun was quite harsh and after clicking a few photographs from various angles, we decided to descend from the stairs and find more details about a beautiful meadow in the vicinity – Bhatkanda. Kanda is the local term used to indicate a grassland located at a higher altitude than the valley and we were told that Bhatkanda is hardly 30 odd minutes from Dhaliara Kothi and that it is a must see since we are already in Raila.

We kept walking and crossed an in-construction homestay being built in the woods. They confirmed the path to Bhatkanda in the forest and even though we were hungry, we started our ascent to Bhatkanda meadow.

We were relieved to get out of the direct sunshine and walk in the shade of the forest under the deodhar trees. It was a mild and continuous ascent and we reached the small meadow at Bhatkanda at about 1 pm. The meadow itself wasn’t very green since it was peak summer and the monsoons hadn’t started yet.

Bhatkanda felt like a nice place with a few houses scattered in the surrounding areas, and a cute wooden cabin was also getting made (presumably as a homestay/guest house). There were a few locals around, cows and sheep grazing and funnily enough a tourist family was also there. It was nice to see Indian tourists choose these unknown spots for a short hike.

We roamed around the undulating hills for a bit, savoured the views and then when the sun started feeling too strong – I chose to lie down in the meadows. It was a blissful few minutes of sleep until a cow decided to head my way near the tap to drink some water. At this juncture, Jita had also returned from his small excursion and we decided to fill our water bottles and start on our way back.

The newly constructed homestay owner showed us the rooms; we were quite astonished with the excellent rooms and attached washroom. Accommodation standards across India have really gone up in the post-pandemic era and it seems like shoddy accommodation options are a thing of the past.

We were very hungry and he told us we could have ordered lunch before going to Bhatkanda and it would have been ready on our return. Anyhow, now that option didn’t exist and since we had seen multiple signboards for fancy cafés in Raila – we thought we could eat anywhere at some dhaba. Since it was only about 2 pm and we had been told that the return Raila to Sainj bus was only at 4 pm, we were in a confused state.

Our tentative and best case scenario was to get down at the bridge at Siund, catch a Shanshar bound bus and reach the GHNP Ropa Rest House and then catch a shared camper to Upper Neahi village. Mahi from Upper Neahi had told me that with the recently constructed road, there were a 1-2 campers plying locals everyday to Upper Neahi for some INR 50 per person.

A lady grazing her cows told us about a steep shortcut from the trail near Bhatkanda meadows that would take us directly down to Raila village. On our way up, we had spotted another temple with a massive tower in Raila that was close to the road and had decided that we would see it on our way back. Now with the steep shortcuts full of rudimentary stairs, that possibility was gone.

Apparently, Raila was some 5-6 kms by road and we managed to cover the distance in hardly 30 odd minutes with the shortcut path that also saved us from the sun. Once we got to Raila, the challenge was to find a working eatery but we quickly realised the fancy cafés are all closed and there is no small dhaba that exists.

The shortcut path also led us straight in the middle of Raila from where the road was a good 10 odd minutes walk. The sun was shining brightly in the absence of any sort of cloud cover and we were quite hungry and exhausted at this juncture. We somehow plodded on and sat in the shade after joining the road; hoping to hitch a ride in one of the vehicles heading towards Sainj. However, most vehicles were coming back to Raila after attending the Shanu Mela festivities from the previous day in Shanshar! The time was about 3 pm and we decided to walk on the road and wait for a ride so that we could make it back to Ropa Rest House in time before dark to catch the shared camper to Upper Neahi.

However, it seemed like a luckless day when we couldn’t get a ride even in an empty van. The Sainj to Raila bus went the other way and we figured that the bus would soon start back from Raila at 4 pm. It was then when we reached a bifurcation point; the road diverged to a treacherous looking cliff to villages like Pashi. There was a dhaba there with a lot of locals sitting and chatting around. In the absence of all other options, we had to opt for maggi which the lady owner mentioned she would cook with tomatoes and onions. It was perhaps my first maggi in over a year of living in Kullu Valley; the maggi was excellent with soupy taste and I thanked the aunty for making it well.

Finally, the bus to Sainj arrived. We took our seats and were dropped at the bridge at Siund at about 440 pm. We were lucky to instantly catch the last bus of the day to Shangarh – there was only standing space and we somehow made it to the Ropa Rest House. I met Mahi’s relative in the bus and she confirmed that there will be a camper leaving for Upper Neahi! We were ecstatic at this piece of information. At the rest house, we ran and took our bags – said our thanks and goodbyes to the staff and sat outside in the waiting shed for the camper to arrive.

We made it to Upper Neahi in the evening, much before dark. It was the sweet sleep of tired explorers!

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Shashur in the local language literally translates to – ‘in the blue pines’. I would come to know about the adage when I reached there; Shashur Monastery is indeed surrounded by a small forest of blue pine trees and is reachable by a 3 km uphill walk from Keylong – which is preferred by the locals. For folks travelling by car, there is also a 5 km long motorable road to reach Shashur Monastery.

It was afternoon and clouds had just started gathering in the sky, and since there was a road that led to Shashur Monastery – I was more or less confident (or rather, hopeful) of being able to hitch a ride. I began my day in Keylong and opted to head to Tandi Bridge and Beeling village in the morning after a quick breakfast at one of the eateries in the bazaar.

Also read : Othang Gompa – The Crown Jewel of Pattan Valley, Lahaul

Over the last 2-3 days, one thing had led to another and as I visited one monastery, I was being guided by the locals for exploring other monasteries in Lahaul. I climbed to visit the Yardong / Yordong Monastery in Beeling near the HRTC workshop close to the Tandi bridge but was mildly disappointed when the doors were closed and there was nobody to show me around the cave-sort of monastery. However, I felt a tad unlucky when I met a monk while climbing down who said that he had the key to open the doors.

Read : Othang Gompa – The Crown Jewel of Pattan Valley, Lahaul

Anyhow, I started walking back to Keylong and someone in Beeling village suggested that I take a quick look at the ‘Jabjes‘ in the fields. Jabjes are the holy footsteps of the lama embedded in rock and I was happily surprised to be shown a rock with a clear foot imprint. Since it was the month of July, we were roughly in the middle of the summer in Lahaul Valley and the fields were awash with potato blooms. I enjoyed clicking the surreal landscapes and thanked the gentleman for bringing me to the fields.

After a few minutes of excitement of clicking Lahaul Valley’s rich summer landscapes with Keylong in the background, I decided to resume my walk back to Keylong.

It was around 2 pm in the afternoon and I went to the room to rest for a while and perhaps eat something (can’t really remember). At about 3-30 in the afternoon, I was unsure of what I wanted to do and once I got back to the road I saw the signboard of Shashur Monastery directly in front of me! It seemed to be a cue; since Shashur Monastery was one of the prominent monasteries in Lahaul Valley and there was a motorable road (dirt road) that went all the way to the top. I had decided about visiting it on one of the days when I was in Keylong and not exploring the other monasteries.

I made sure of refilling my water bottle before beginning the hike and asked the passersby for the best directions to reach Shashur monastery. Some locals told me that even though the motorable road would lead me to Shashur Monastery, the distance would be about 5-6 kms while there was a shortcut that would take about 1.5 hours for the 3 km distance on foot.

I was keen on hearing more about the shortcut and they told me that the shortcut would be a sharp ascent and I would keep meeting the road after every few bends. The trail itself was well defined and I was told to find the next shortcut very close to where the previous shortcut had ended.

I started on the path and within a few minutes lost my way because I was unable to find the shortcut. Nevertheless I continued walking on the road till I came across the next shortcut and was able to follow the aforementioned trail. After covering some distance, the path duly came in the midst of blue pine trees.

The shortcuts were quite steep and sometimes had a water canal flowing past and it so happened that I slipped and ended up falling near one of the canals. Thankfully, only my jeans was soiled and the camera had been saved. I felt a little cold with the fall but thankfully Lahaul’s arid air meant that I would be dry in no time. I was hoping to get a ride in one of the cars headed to the monastery since I was always in vicinity of the road but funnily enough no car came and I continued walking along the uphill trail.

Read : Khangsar, Kwaring, Sarang, Kolong – Exploring Lahaul Valley

Like all other things in life, I began to enjoy the hike and the views as I climbed higher; the sun didn’t seem harsh anymore and the yellow roofed Shashur Monastery started peeping from among the blue pines. I crossed an ethereal looking patch of ‘sia’ (or wild roses) that clearly stood out with the tantalising pink blooms.

A sort of storm seemed to be brewing in the distance and the Chandra river (or was it Bhaga!) shined whenever a sliver of sunshine fell on it. The green fields lit up and it presented a sight as bucolic as it could be. I reached Shashur Monastery after walking through a large stretch among the juniper trees and had all but forgotten about my soiled jeans that was dirty but drying rapidly at that time.

There was some sort of construction work going on near the chorten outside the monastery and one of the labours from Bihar indicated to me the entrance to the main monastery and I was glad when a young lama offered to show me around the different structures.

There was a signboard placed right in front of the monastery noting that : Shashur Gompa was founded by Lama Deva Gyatsho of Zanskar in the 17th Century and belongs to the Drukpa Sect. He was a missionary of Nawang Namgyal, who was the king of Bhutan. There was a small gompa here at the same spot before the bigger monastery was established by Deva Gyatso. Deva Gyatso stayed at the monastery till his death.

Shashur Monastery is quite big with a number of rooms and has a number of valuable thangkas with one thangka over fifteen feet in length. There are also well-preserved wall paintings depicting all the 84 mahasiddhas of Buddhism. In the month of July, Cham (masked dances) are performed by the monks in the monastery and the festival is called Tsechu, which is the most popular Cham festival in Lahaul.

The lama was kind and interesting and we ended up chatting and he allowed me to go to the different parts of the monastery and also opened a number of doors that were locked. The weather had started worsening and I was glad when he offered tea. The extra time had enabled me to notice the intricate bells (dorje) and I was able to click a few pictures with the mountains in the background.

The carvings on the door of the monastery are intricate and a nice breeze started blowing as soon as we had finished the tea. I noticed that a number of threatening dark clouds had gathered in the horizon and was hoping that the rain would stay away, at least until I had made it back to Keylong.

One of the doors of Shashur Monastery was incredibly beautiful with a delightful colour pattern along-with Buddhist designs. The lama and I made conversations in the open air balcony that had a vantage view of both sides of the valley. If memory serves me right, the lama was from Bhutan and I was quite surprised to know that it is customary for all serving lamas at Shashur Monastery to be from Bhutan. I was ecstatic when the sun peeked out from among the clouds lending a glorious light to the proceedings. He told me to try and attend the masked dance festival Tsechu at Shashur Monastery someday.

Just when I had thought I would encounter no other visitors, a lady tourist came in a taxi / cab and since there was no harm in asking for a ride back, I did and to my astonishment the car sped with the local Lahauli driver even before I could blink. I had a good laugh about this with the young lama and he said that human beings on earth are not alike and on this note, I took his leave since I would take an hour to make the long trudge back to Keylong.

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I remember eating a meal of rajma chawal in Neuli because of the uncertainty about the road to Shangarh and even noticing that the road continued straight. However, like all things in life happen when they are supposed to be – the visit to Manu Rishi Temple in Shanshar only fructified when a special visit to Sainj Valley was planned and the stay was arranged at the Ropa Rest House before Neuli.

Penelope Chetwode in ‘Kulu : The End of the Habitable World’ writes : ‘Near the head of the Kullu Valley, 14 km from Sainj Village. The only five-tiered pagoda temple so far recorded in H.P. first noticed and photographed by H. Lee Shuttleworth in about 1918. All five of the receding roofs are tiled, whereas in most pagoda temples the top circular roof is of cedar wood. The pitch of the roofs is very steep and the large stone tiles rest on wooden planks which are kept in position by iron pins which protrude through both the tiles and the planks.

An open veranda runs round the garba griha with 12 square pillars in groups of three. They have scroll capitals with confronting bird panels beneath them, but more crudely carved than those at Nithar Dhana and Mandoli. Beautiful graba griha doorway with seven receding lintels and six ditto jambs. Writhing nags and many panels of deities including Durga wearing a crinoline. Well carved floral ceiling panels above main veranda outside garba griha doorway. The temple is dedicated to Manu Rishi, but the stone image slab in the best pahari tradition in the sanctuary appears to be of Shiva.’

We left at about 8 am from Dobhi and immediately got into a long-distance bus. It was the Bedi Travels Manali to McLeodganj bus and we asked for 2 tickets for Aut after confirming that the bus had no long stop in Kullu Bus Stand. The bus kept making random stops but we still made it to Aut just before 10 am. As soon as we got out of the bus, a sort of traffic jam had started building up in Aut. Jita was buying some mangoes and in the meanwhile I ended up asking for aloo paranthas for breakfast at the usual dhaba. It turned out to be a forgettable affair as the son of the owner wasn’t quite adept in the kitchen.

When a Sainj bound bus did not appear even after finishing breakfast, we walked briskly to the Aut bus stand (Yes, there is a bus stand in Aut just a short walk from the main road) where we were told that it was better to wait on the highway itself as the Kullu to Sainj bus was about to come. I had already spoken to the caretaker at the GHNP Ropa Rest House and he had confirmed the availability of a room. Once the bus came, we reached Sainj in quick time and in random conversations with the locals names of hitherto unknown scenic villages came up. It was quite hot in Sainj and there was no bus headed to Neuli. Our plan was to first put the bags in the rest house and then head to the Manu Rishi Temple in Shanshar.

I took the opportunity to ask around the bus stand in Sainj for timings of buses from Sainj to Shanshar and also from Sainj to Raila. I got conflicting answers and a small mafia sort of setting (taxi guys) seemed to be emerging. The time was past 12 noon and Jita spotted a tourist trying to book a taxi to Shangarh (in the absence of a conveniently timed bus); we stood on the road and the taxi guy asked us to pay INR 50 each to be dropped in front of the GHNP Ropa Rest House. We happily agreed and were content when a room was allotted to us at the rest house.

At first, we thought of quickly going back to the road to try and find a ride to Shanshar but a quick calculation suggested that we were better off having a proper lunch before leaving for Manu Rishi Temple. In the meanwhile, someone told us that there’s an annual Fair called ‘Shanu Mela’ to be celebrated later in the evening at Manu Rishi Temple! We were ecstatic with that piece of information and figured that there will be many locals headed to Shanshar to celebrate the festival. At the GHNP Ropa Rest House Canteen, the cooks confirmed that rajma chawal can be quickly made on order and that is exactly what we wanted.

The rajma chawal turned out to be legendary and the staff also served local onions in salad. We ate like hungry beasts and then stood on the main road with our daypacks, waiting for a ride to Shanshar. A few locals were chit-chatting outside the rest house gates and they told us that the next Sainj to Shanshar bus is scheduled at 2 pm. Like always, I preferred hitching a ride rather than get a seat in the bus and luck soon smiled on us and a pick-up camper stopped. It was only going a few kilometres but we didn’t mind and were pleased to get going. The weather had suddenly become cloudy and the heat had all but disappeared.

We were dropped past Neuli at a turn on the road to Shanshar where a road diverted for Niharni (base for the trek to Lapah). There was a small shed adjacent to the road where we confirmed with someone about both the roads. The road seemed to be newly tarred and a lady appeared from somewhere with her grazing goats and sheep who told us that there’s a lake on the road to Niharni (if we were wondering where to head). We walked on the road to Shanshar and were in constant awe of the greenery and wildflowers growing on the side of the road. It soon started drizzling and after crossing an uphill hairpin bend on the road, we found an empty tin shed for shelter in the rain.

It was a vantage point where we could see the vehicles coming from down and were able to hitch another ride in the open carrier of a pick-up camper that seemed to be a milk vehicle going by the number of milk cans in the back. This one turned out to be an eventful ride as we were also joined by school kids. The newly laid out road was the chief orchestrator in the fun with the surreal landscape of the green Shanshar Valley getting even more pronounced in the rain.

The camper guy seemed to be high and would increase the speed as soon as he saw other people on the road (many young guys and girls were dressed in their finest and heading to the Shanu mela). We had to cling to the iron bars with the numerous hairpin bends and the adrenaline rush with the local kids made us shriek in delight at the speed! It was a continuous steady drizzle and since everyone was heading to the Shanu Mela, we were dropped at the exact point near Manu Rishi Temple. The school kids were quite excited in showing us the first sight of the five-tier pagoda style temple from one of the hairpin bends.

The drizzle had abated for a bit and it was a brief but slippery climb to reach the Manu Rishi Temple. The Shanu Mela Annual Fair preparations were in full swing and a handful of shops were being set up. There were two stalls selling knick-knacks which mostly seemed to be cheap plastic products while the food stall that was setup in a cemented structure had the maximum popularity. There were four deities with their palanquins in a space for devtas and the Manu Rishi Temple stood tall on the edge of a cliff. Just as we were about to start composing the frames for dslr photography, it started raining.

We waited for a while under a tree in the temple courtyard hoping that the rain would stop and that the weather would reveal blue skies and the mountains. In the meantime, a knowledgeable local also told us the names of the four deities. They were : Mata Shatrupa Shanshar Kothi (Gaon Mahel Patni), Manu Rishi Shanshar, Kasu Narain Banaugi, Jagthamb Bagishadi. Once the rain relented for a bit, mist was floating around the valley and we took the opportunity to click a few photographs from different angles. We even climbed a bit higher up from a staircase that led to a vantage point of the deities and the temple with an ethereal light in the background.

There were all sorts of locals gathering in the small meadow of the Manu Rishi Temple for attending the Shanu Mela Fair. Young kids ran and played, and even old men and women from the entire valley could be seen greeting each other. The fair was also an opportunity for the youth to mingle and we could see some shy glances being exchanged!

As the rain got heavier, we had to put our cameras back in the bags and hope that we had got the photographs that we wanted! The aroma of freshly fried hot pakoras was tantalising and we ended up relishing the crunchy ones for 10 Rupees each. After some time the rain relented and as the clock struck 4 pm, we were expectant of the local folk dances and the procession of the deities. However, someone told us that the time for the festivities is slated for the evening and that prompted us to have a quick look at the temple and then try and head to the ancient towers called Talyara Kothi.

We were told that the steep stairs served as a shortcut to get to the road from where Talyara Kothi was around 30 minutes walk. I was hopeful of finding a ride and therefore we chose to get to the main road and start the walk. Within no time, we got a ride in a truck but that only dropped us about 1 km ahead. Some school-kids indicated the way to a shortcut and we ended up reaching a different old stone structure where the inhabitants showed us the twin towers called Raghunath Kot of the Talyara Kothi from afar. One of the towers had received a fresh coat of paint and was refurbished.

As it had started drizzling again, we had began to think about our plan for return and realised in the absence of a bus service, we better leave before it gets dark.

We started on our walk back to Manu Rishi Temple and decided that if the festivities had begun, we would take a quick look and then start our journey back to the Ropa Rest House. At about 5 pm, we didn’t hear the sound of trumpets and noticed that the crowd had started swelling going by the number of cars parked on the road and locals arriving by the bus load. Someone gave the information that the performers have not yet arrived and are late resulting in the delay.

The distance from Manu Rishi Temple in Shanshar to the Ropa Rest House was about 8 kms and since everyone in the valley was headed to the mela, there was a slim chance of finding a ride on our return. A number of well dressed locals were curious why we were returning when the real fun of the fair was just about to start! One of the ladies informed about a recent homestay in Shanshar and that we could stay there if we wanted. I was aware of one Sapna Homestay in Bagishadi village but that was much farther away and it was easier to stay at the Ropa Rest House and make day visits to Shanshar and Raila.

We thoroughly enjoyed the walk as it gave us a chance to really enjoy the landscapes of the lush green Shanshar Valley and also because we were able to see numerous tiny villages scattered in the distance. The walk also made us more aware of the fact that Shanshar was used to denote the entire valley. We ended up hitching a ride that dropped us a few kilometres. After the first vehicle dropped us, we immediately got another ride that dropped us in Neuli. The rest of the 2 odd km distance from Neuli to Ropa Rest House was covered on foot. On the way, we stopped at the Shangarh cut to chat with the wine shop guys and noticed a number of signboards advertising stays and cafés in Shangarh!

All in all, Shanshar Valley turned out to be much better than we expected and I am already thinking it could be the next hit offbeat destination in the evergreen Kullu Valley.

How to reach Manu Rishi Temple, Shanshar?

Buses run from Sainj to Shanshar, roughly after 1-2 pm in the afternoon and there are multiple buses. These buses make a return journey from Shanshar to Sainj only next morning. So, its better to make plans for a stay if you are travelling by bus as it is near impossible to make a day trip due to the bus timings.

Homestays in Shanshar

A few homestays have come up in the valley and as tourism grows with the recently tarred road, you should be easily able to find a homestay in Shanshar Valley in the coming times.

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Me and Jita were keen to go on day hikes and explore more of Kullu Valley and Bijli Mahadev seemed like the perfect day trip. Bijli Mahadev Temple is located in Kharal valley at an altitude of roughly 2400m and is accessible by a 1 hour hike or 2-3 kms via a well-laid out path through the forest. We left early to reach Kullu bus stand at about 830 in the morning. We were suggested to get down at the Ramshila road near the Gammon bridge where it was easier to find a bus / shared sumo but we were skeptical about getting a seat in the bus and opted to go to the bus stand in Kullu itself.

We weren’t sure of the name of the village where the bus to Bijli Mahadev went and were happy when informed that the HRTC bus will leave from Kullu bus stand at 940 am. We saw a private bus with the signboard stating that it was heading towards Bijli Mahadev but opted to eat something before leaving for the journey.

It is a hot day in Kullu and the humidity reminds me of the start of the morning on the Mathasaur – Jai Maa Fungni Temple trek. Anyhow, we are better prepared this time and have left early and I have also kept a rain jacket in the bag.

There was ample time to have breakfast and we rushed to one of the nearby dhabas near the bus stand. Kullu bus stand looked swanky with the recently upgraded building and has been converted into ISBT Kullu! The aloo pyaaz parantha smelled dicey and my stomach started grumbling as soon as I finished it. It was freshly made but looked like the oil used in the making was old and could have been the culprit.

Nevertheless, we reached the bus stand and I started feeling a bit pukish and was in a spot of bother. We occupied our seats in the bus that was supposed to leave in 10 odd minutes and I was in a dilemma if I should go for a short stroll to try and stabilise my grumbling stomach. Before I could think any further, the bus started. Thankfully, I had carried a few candies in my pocket and opened an alpenliebe for a change of mood.

Last year, after completing the hike from Raison to Jana one of the dhaba owners near the Jana waterfalls had informed us that the scenic dirt road continued ahead of Ashni and would directly reach Bijli Mahadev Temple. I was quite intrigued to know that but the locals were clear with the information that it was a very rough road and was only recommended for experienced drivers in a 4*4 wheel drive vehicle.

It all sounded very appealing and when we stayed with friends at an obscure cottage in the woods on the Jana road, we walked for a kilometre or two and I wondered if it was possible to walk all the way to Bijli Mahadev temple from the Jana road as the distance was about 16-18 kms. It would make a fantastic trail as the forests around Jana are some of the densest in Kullu area and this region was part of the Kais Wildlife Sanctuary.

The bus trundled out of Kullu town and as it took the diversion to Chansari, finally we were able to identify the road to Bijli Mahadev Temple. The distance from Kullu to Bijli Mahadev Temple is roughly 20 odd kms and the distance from Kullu to Chansari village is 14 kms. The road is narrow and the bus groans on an endless uphill ascent along winding turns through apple orchards while crossing numerous nondescript villages. I spotted signboards for a few homestays and realised it could be an excellent region for tourists to stay in Kullu Valley who want to experience a local environment and be away from the crowds of Manali.

As we climbed higher, a bird’s eye view of Kullu Valley was presented to us and I was pleased that the bus ride had somehow helped in the digestion and I was feeling a lot better. The single road was so narrow that our bus had to reverse umpteen number of times and we took almost 1 hour to reach Chansari village.

The majority of passengers alighted in the villages en-route Chansari and that prompted me to ask the HRTC bus conductor how far the bus would go after Chansari Village? I was aware that the road continued past Chansari village and was certain that the private bus dropped passengers till Raugi turn and the HRTC bus conductor also remarked that they go till the private bus place.

When Chansari village came, there were only 5 people in the bus and the bus conductor suddenly announced that they would not be going ahead of Chansari and therefore we had to get down as well. I remember seeing a signboard that Bijli Mahadev was still 7 kms from Chansari village and was convinced that there was a method we could continue on the road and hike when the trail began.

At the Chansari village bus stop, there were a few small eateries on the left while the walking trail to Bijli Mahadev Temple began on the right side with a steep flight of stairs. The dhaba owners said that the hiking trail via the steps should take us about 3 hours to reach Bijli Mahadev as the trekking distance from Chansari to Bijli Mahadev temple was about 6-7 kms.

I was not keen on taking the hiking trail of the steps that began in Chansari village. There were 2 Bengali tourists in the bus who alighted at the Chansari bus stop as well and we started walking on the road to make sure we avoid them. It is almost impossible to hitch a ride when you are 4 people!

To our shock and astonishment, we see the HRTC bus going ahead and it doesn’t stop even after they see us on the road. We tell this to a nearby shop owner and she remarks that the HRTC bus goes about 1-2 kms ahead and it would be much better for us to start our trail from where the road ends. A few private cars cross by but some of these are full and don’t give us a ride. I am feeling much better after the easy walk along the level road and now it feels like the aloo parantha has finally digested.

We might have covered 1 kilometer and when I spot another car coming, I give it a hand and its a middle aged uncle and aunty from Mandi who stop and ask us to hop in. We tell them we are going to Bijli Mahadev Temple and that the HRTC bus dropped us in Chansari village itself even though it went ahead. Aunty asks us to complain to the HRTC Kullu office so that this sort of incident does not happen with others.

Aunty and uncle from Mandi are also going to Bijli Mahadev Temple to pay their respects and I thank them for letting us sit with them. We are aware that the road continues ahead but are not sure how far we can actually go. It is a normal small car and after 4 kms the road becomes very bumpy and after we cross a couple of sharp hairpin bends, we can see cars parked on the side of the road signifying that the end of the road is close.

The bus had dropped us to Chansari village at about 1030 am and the clock shows the time is 1120 am as uncle finds a parking spot and we get out of the car. The sun is shining directly above us and we scamper for some shade. There are a few taxi vehicles bumping away to glory and dropping tourists even farther ahead but these are all SUV sort of vehicles and we figure its easier this way. Uncle has parked the car at a dhaba style eatery and someone shows us the stairs where the walking trail for Bijli Mahadev Temple and tells us that we should take around 1 hour to reach the temple. We wait a while for uncle to join us after he parks the car and aunty tells us he was in the army earlier and took an early retirement.

It was around 1140 am when we finally started climbing the stairs. I had automatically assumed that aunty uncle would be slower than us so we thanked them for the ride and told them that we would see them on our way down. Little did we know that the army uncle was obviously much fitter than us and we would end up trailing them for most of the hike.

As soon as we started ascending, I noticed a number of shops / dhabas selling snacks, tea, coffee while breakfast, while lunch and dinner could be made on order. We were informed that the distance from this point to Bijli Mahadev Temple was around 3 kms and that we would take an hour at a reasonable pace.

At one of the closed dhabas, an old lady was selling freshly plucked ripe apricots by the kilo for 40 INR. I picked up a few pieces for 20 INR to be eaten as a healthy snack once we made it to the Bijli Mahadev temple.

By this point my stomach troubles had stabilised and I figured that the walking had surely helped digest the parantha (culprit) and that it was better that I don’t eat anything untoward until we reached home after completing the hike. The views of Kullu Valley were quite splendid from the road and after the cloud cover dissipated as the day progressed, the weather became hot but the views became clear as well.

It is a non-stop uphill climb and everyone tries to stop and rest in the shade every after few minutes. After 10 odd minutes, we join the end of the road at a place called as Karate where most of the tourists are getting dropped off and this is the last point till where the vehicles go. The hike is well laid out and is an uphill climb on steps that pass through a dense devdhar forest. Uncle and aunty are leading the way as we take a break every few minutes to click pictures and sit sometimes to rest in the shade. The trail is reasonably crowded and we are quite aghast at seeing multiple groups shouting at the top of their voice, playing loud music in the jungle on the speakers and generally disregarding the solitude of nature.

The forest department has tried to do a good job by installing multiple dustbins along the trek but the garbage seems to be rarely collected and most of the dustbins were overflowing. All the shops/dhabas and restaurants along the hike were selling religious offerings. We came across old women in pattus selling juices, fruits and offerings in the jungle. A chance conversation with mom meant I also bought religious offerings worth 100 INR as she had asked me to pray at Bijli Mahadev Temple. There were 2 young kids who had also set up a stall in the jungle and were trying to sell fruits and religious offerings. The army uncle gave them quite a lecture and asked them to go to school since it was necessary and they were far too young to be making a living.

Just before reaching the temple, aunty pointed to me some of the trees that had been struck by lightening. The trees struck with lightening had been sliced into two and the phenomena of lightening around Bijli Mahadev temple was turning out to be true. I thanked her for showing me the trees as I would have most probably missed seeing the same.

According to a popular legend : The temple is called Bijli Mahadev (roughly translated to Lord Shiva of Lightning). According to this legend, the idol or Shiva Lingam in the temple is struck by lightening every year during the monsoons, shattering it into numerous little pieces that get scattered all over the mountain top. These pieces are then collected by the temple priest who binds them together in the original form by using butter and sattu.

After hiking for about 40 odd minutes it felt like we were nearing the end of the forest and a cluster of dhabas was visible after a green clearing. As we made one final climb, we found ourselves amongst green meadows that stretched on both sides of the mountain and horses could be seen grazing in what was an idyllic sight. In less than one hour after beginning the trek / hike to Bijli Mahadev Temple – we saw the entrance of the temple with a Trishul – Shiva’s Trident.

A signboard suggested that photography was not allowed inside the temple. A crowd was gathered outside the doors of the Bijli Mahadev Temple and we were told that the Goddess from Pini village was visiting (she is the sister of Bijli Mahadev devta) and that the doors of the temple are closed until the ceremony.

Some of the dhabas just before reaching the temple were sizeable structures and could possibly serve as sleeping spaces in the night on a per bed / dormitory system. They had a wide variety of offerings and were geared up to served lunch / snacks to the visitors at short notice. One could order something to be made and it would be ready by the time the visitor got back after paying their respects at Bijli Mahadev Temple. The meadow in June had just started turning green after the recent rains and I could only dream of the eye-pleasing shade of green after the plentiful rains of July/August.

We put our shoes in the racks provided outside the temple and after a quick glance at the ceremony opted to walk around the temple to take in the scenery. There was a massive tree in the courtyard where a few sadhus were resting in the shade. I clicked a photograph of three sadhus who were sitting outside one of the smaller temples. The temple structure of Bijli Mahadev was a sort of flat roof which was quite different than the pagoda style temples normally seen in the region. A number of local visitors were sitting on the green meadows just ahead of the temple. Bijli Mahadev Temple is located on a high meadow that has a full 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains.

The views were not very clear but as I went ahead, I could spot the airstrip at Bhuntar airport in the far distance. The aerial sight of Kullu Valley and Parvati Valley was stunning and I could only wonder how pristine it would be on a clear day.

After clicking a few photographs, I decided to lie down for a while on the green meadow and enjoyed the apricots. The apricots were perfectly ripe and super yummy and I decided that to buy a kilo or more from the same lady on the way back. In the meantime, the ceremony of the sister goddess was almost over and the gurs spoke among themselves while the trumpets were sounded and the devotees started returning.

It was close to 1 pm at this juncture and the temple priest informed us that we could enter the temple for paying our respects. I also asked one of the priests if we could click photographs of the temple and he reiterated the fact that we can click photographs from the outside but not from the inside. The entrance door of Bijli Mahadev temple was richly carved and looked incredibly beautiful. We entered the temple and immediately a small crowd had gathered inside. I quickly gave the priest the religious offerings and uncle made me light up the incense and after praying for a while, we were able to feel the solitude and spiritual richness.

The air inside the temple was thick with the aroma of incense while the devotees prayed together. We sat for a while and noticed that opposite to the main temple there were ancient looking small and big stone statues. There was also a huge 20-25 meter tall pole made from the trunk of a tall Deodar tree which attracts lightening.

Some locals told us that the pole is replaced every year by another one made from the tallest Deodar tree found in the nearby forests. It was also quite close to the month of July, denoted by the month of Saawan in hindi when kheer is served to all devotees and visitors to Bijli Mahadev Temple. Saawan is a time for visiting the temples and thereby, an annual fair is held at Bijli Mahadev temple during monsoons.

While strolling on the meadow around the temple, I wondered if there was a staying facility around Bijli Mahadev where the night skies would be quite special and one could also watch lights of Kullu & Parvati Valleys like twinkling stars. The return ceremony of the goddess sister (from Pini village) was full of fanfare and felt quite surreal and lucky for us to be able to see it.

After spending a few minutes soaking in the surroundings, we decided to start our journey at about 130-140 pm. The sun was shining quite brightly and even though it was nice and breezy at the top of the meadow at Bijli Mahadev Temple, we were keen to get back before there was any chance of the weather worsening and the rain coming down.

I had a light moment with uncle and aunty when I remarked that uncle turned out to be much faster and fitter than us and that we ended up making the entire journey together. They asked us where we wanted to be dropped on the way back as we had originally thought that we would descend all the way to Chansari village bus stop. The locals had told us that shared taxis and regular buses were plentiful from Chansari that would ensure we got back to the main road / Kullu bus stand. The hiking trail to and from Chansari continued past the Karate village where private cars were being parked and taxis were dropping tourists.

I was clear about not eating anything while Jita picked up a few pakoras to eat on the way back. We made quick time on the descent even though the steps felt tiresome for the knees. It was quite hot and we were pleased about the cool breeze in the jungle and the relatively relaxed pace that we were at.

Within no time, we reached the closed dhaba where the old lady was selling apricots and ended up buying a kilo of yummy freshly picked ripe apricots! I also bought a few yellow plums from a nearby seller. As we made the final descent to get to the main road, we saw many visitors were getting dropped off in taxis and starting the walk up at about 2-230 pm.

I guess that is what most tourists do; they choose to take it easy in the morning and then make the difficult climb up during the day. I have always preferred to start early in the morning and give plenty of time to enjoy the hike and get back relaxed during the day itself as there are more chances of catching public transport. Uncle and aunty had reached as well and we sat in the car which had become quite hot in the searing heat.

The ride back was uneventful and mostly smooth because only 1 bus crossed on the way before we reached Ramshila. Aunty-uncle were headed to Mandi and dropped us at Akhara Bazaar in Kullu at about 3 pm. We were in a celebratory mood having got back much much earlier than expected and thus decided to go to Sapna Sweets for a snack.

Kullu was extremely hot and Sapna sweets was so crowded that they were taking forever to serve in the cooler section of first floor. We thought about leaving but they agreed to serve samosas in the ground floor section.

We caught a bus and got back to the home in Dobhi before evening and enjoyed a dinner with local wild vegetable of kathu ke patte and chapatis.

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Since it was the middle of June and we are well aware of the dicey status of the Udaipur to Killar road that frequently gets stalled due to landslides, we decided that it was best to perhaps head to Keylong and then decide our further course of action. We left from home in Dobhi village at about 615 am and caught a Punjab Road Transport bus and reached Manali bus stand at 640 am. To complicate our already muddled thought process, I spotted the Kullu to Killar (Via Keylong) bus at the bus stand in Manali and asked Jita if we should sit in that one and simply continue with our original plan of heading to Pangi Valley? Jita suggested we should have breakfast first since he was feeling a bit hungry.

Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Gemur Gompa (Monastery)

Manali mall road was empty at that early hour and when we didn’t find an open dhaba / eatery serving breakfast, we went behind in the by-lanes near the monastery and sat at one of the promising looking dhabas. The whistling of the pressure cooker was signal to take our seats and we asked for an aloo-pyaaz parantha each and ginger masala chai post the paranthas. It was a small eatery and seemed like a pretty popular place with many orders for packed paranthas. The paranthas were delicious and the chai turned out to be excellent as well. We thanked the guy, paid and as we were leaving for the bus stand it started drizzling.

I took my rain jacket out of the backpack and we walked back to the bus stand. We were a bit confused if we should head to Keylong first or directly go to Jahalman but the status of a homestay in Jahalman was not clear and it was decided we are better off staying a night in Keylong and familiarise ourselves with travel like the old days.

My first memory of Jahalman (Jahalma) is seeing the signboard on the Reckong Peo – Jahalman bus and wondering where exactly was this fascinating sounding place! Later when I would see the bus regularly in Kullu – Lahaul region, I would come to know that Jahalma (also Jhalma) is an important town in Pattan Valley, Lahaul. It is the gateway to the famous Kugti Pass trek from Bharmour to Lahaul as the starting (or ending) point of the trekking trail that starts near Rashil village.

I had a photograph of the timetable of the buses from Kullu – Manali to Keylong and was quite confident that there was a Keylong bound bus every 30 minutes or so. It turned out that some of the buses mentioned in the timetable are non-existent! We waited at the bus stand amid the thick diesel fumes and I kept wearing my mask to avoid any breathing trouble. So, after the Kullu to Killar bus left Manali bus stand at 7 am, the next bus that came was the Haridwar to Keylong bus that turned out to be so jam packed with the migrant Nepali workers and there was not even standing space. The conductor clearly told everyone not to get into the bus and we had to return dejected at our current circumstance!

I kept hoping there was a local bus in the early morning hours but that was not to be and all we did was get wet in the rain and hopelessly wait for a Keylong bound bus! The Haridwar – Keylong bus left the bus stand at about 830 am and now we were determined to somehow get a seat / standing space in the next bus. The drizzle was getting stronger and we had mixed emotions about letting the Keylong-Killar bus go. We kept hovering around the entrance of the bus stand to keep a keen eye on the buses coming so that we could grab the seats!

In the meanwhile, there seemed to be a long queue of people heading to Keylong and a few enterprising taxi guys were asking folks for a shared ride at INR 400 per seat. I proposed one extra smart taxi guy the usual bus fare and he scoffed at my offer! There were a few guys looking for Leh bound travellers as well for a seat in the Sumo / Minibus Traveller.

After some time, sense prevailed and we stood on the other side of the bus stand where the fumes were much lesser and we were able to see the incoming buses without getting wet in the rain. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity a bus to Keylong duly arrived at the Manali bus stand and we ran and somehow pestered the conductor to let us in. He informed us at the outset that there were no seats in the bus and given our 2-3 hours of waiting, we were pretty content with getting standing space and somehow getting to Keylong.

We hauled our bags in front and ended up standing for the entire duration of our journey, only getting a seat in Tandi (hardly 8 kms before Keylong). We requested the bus guys to let us off on the highway (or Old Bus Stand in Keylong) to avoid us the long uphill walk from the New Bus Stand. The scenery on the road after Solang Valley was pristine with the recent rain and clouds occupied centrestage.

We were quite flexible with our thought process and just wanted to take it easy in Keylong. At the outset, since it was about 1230 pm – the first task was to find a cheap place to stay. The weather was sunny and the blue sky was interspersed with clouds. As I spoke to some of my acquaintances who ran guesthouses on the main road, we were told that cheap rooms are a thing of the past and that 1000 Rupees is the minimum we would have to pay for a double room.

Since it was the tourist season for Ladakh, most of the rooms were full and one of my known person in Keylong indicated to me to quickly finalise a room as once the tourists started coming in it would become difficult to even get a room! I went to check a homestay and that turned out to be so spic-and-span that we felt it was easier to just stay at a normal guesthouse. It was decided that we would most probably leave for Killar in the early morning bus from Keylong.

Also read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Trilokinath Temple

We finalised a room for 1000 Rs. and immediately stepped out since it was a long time since we had the early morning breakfast. It was rusty decision making when we ended up ordering chowmein that turned out to be quite passable at one erstwhile good Angmo Dhaba! Nevertheless, we were keen on having a stroll in Keylong and see how much the town had changed with the Atal Tunnel. We descended onto the Mall Road of Keylong from one of the staircases and were frankly surprised with the level of frantic construction activity going on in Keylong Bazaar. There were loads of vegetable shops selling a wide variety of vegetables and some even had fresh strawberries from Sissu/Gondhla. There were a few fancy looking cafés and a new branch of HDFC Bank in Keylong town!

We loitered around for a good part of almost 2 hours and after enjoying the food at The Climber’s Café walked back to our room; and it turned out just in the nick of time as it started raining as soon as we got back. The temperature dropped instantly and it became quite cold. After it kept drizzling for an hour or so, we checked the weather updates again and deduced that it was better to call a local from Killar and get hands-on information. I called a guest house owner in Killar and he said that it had rained all day and that we should defer our plan by at least 2 days. We were quite stunned by the information and suggestion and decided to let go of the Pangi Valley plan for the time being and just head to Jahalman.

We stepped out for dinner at about 7 pm and saw that the rooms in Keylong were all sold out and one of the restaurants even refused to serve us dinner and said that the rush means that they are only serving food to in-house guests. Ultimately we ended up eating food at the restaurant of the guest house we were staying in and decided to call it an early night. It was very cold and we woke up to a sunny morning and immaculate blue skies with fresh snow on the mountaintops.

The views were epic prompting us to click a few pictures with our dslr cameras and after a quick breakfast we rushed to the bus stand. I called the HRTC officer in Keylong and he asked us to come to the bus stand itself. Upon reaching the bus stand, we were overjoyed to see the Shimla to Killar – Sural bus and quickly put our bags inside.

The HRTC officer informed us that there have been multiple landslides on the road to Pangi Valley between Udaipur and Killar near Thirot and that the previous day’s HRTC bus between Kullu to Killar was stuck at a very peculiar spot for the last 14-16 hours. The bus was stuck on a stretch and was able to neither move forward nor back since both the sides were closed due to a landslide. Thankfully, no damage was done and the passengers were safe. However, the HRTC officer said that the Shimla – Sural bus was supposed to leave from Keylong much earlier but had been waiting for the Kullu to Killar bus to reach so that all the passengers could be transferred to one bus till Udaipur and then depending on the status of the road, the final decision will be taken.

In the meanwhile, I also got fascinated with a JKSRTC bus stationed at the bus stand and saw a few backpackers triumphantly holding the tickets in their hands. I briefly toyed with the idea of heading to Ladakh but the supposed tourist rush quickly nipped the thought in the bud. We kept our bags in the Shimla to Sural bus bound for Udaipur and I chanced upon talking to local ladies of Pangi Valley (Pangwals) who belonged to different villages scattered around Pangi Valley.

Anyhow, the bus was jam packed and we had to step out when the seats that we had occupied turned out to be booked online and those gentlemen had made their way inside! Thankfully, another bus to Udaipur was supposed to depart in another 30 minutes. There were plenty of empty seats in the bus and after more time wasting at the HRTC workshop in Tandi we eventually made it to Jahalman village at around noon.

The scenery of Pattan Valley was as beautiful as ever with stunning green fields dominating the landscape while the Chenab (Chandrabhaga) river kept flowing serenely. As soon as we stepped out of the bus at the Jahalman bus stop, we spotted a signboard for a homestay. In keeping with the general style of the current travel, I was adamant that there might be a homestay at a better location and we kept walking ahead of the village until we reached no man’s land! Someone informed us that there are only two homestays and a Forest Rest House in the village and both of them are close to where the bus dropped us! So, we walked back and eventually reached the homestay after a short walk from the main road.

The weather felt perfect with a nice breeze blowing and the sun was largely hidden by the clouds. The lady at the homestay quoted us INR 600 for a room; it was a basic room with a common bathroom and I thanked her and asked her to quote us a price including the meals. Since she asked for a reasonable INR 1000 for both of us including meals and breakfast the next day, there was no need to bargain and we put our bags inside.

The morning parantha at Nalwa Restaurant had long been digested and I requested her if she could make a quick lunch for us since we were quite hungry. She casually remarked that we can finish the lunch and then head to Othang Gompa that was hardly an hour’s walk from the homestay and rushed to make rajma chawal for lunch for the entire family.

In the true essence of being in a homestay, I made sure of telling her to just cook something that she would anyway make for lunch for the family. Me and Jita were quite overjoyed at finding a reasonably priced homestay and the mention of a hike to Othang Gompa got us interested. We went out for a stroll and I came across the stunning location of the Forest Rest House that seemed to be in urgent need of repair. Once on the road, there was a small crowd gathered at the Beer & Wine Shop and upon asking, someone pointed to us the Yellow roofed structure of the Othang Gompa located on a hillock at a much higher elevation from Jahalman. We ended up walking back to our homestay since lunch would be ready.

Lunch was served at about 1 pm and after a hearty meal, the lady led us to the start of the trail through the fields and told us that the path is pretty straightforward and that we have to reach a yellow roofed building that will be visible after a bit of climbing. She also asked us to remember to take the same path back to get back to the homestay in the evening.

We were feeling quite lazy after a super heavy lunch but the incredible scenery on offer was a happy surprise. When the Pangi Valley plan did not materialise, we had started thinking maybe this will turn out to be a failed trip but it seemed like our luck had turned a corner and the troubles would lead to something good.

We were walking through a water canal fed by the snowmelt and being directed to one of the fields. Almost all the valleys of Lahaul grow a variety of exotic vegetables during the short summer season and the chief reason for the high yield of broccoli, iceberg, lettuce, leafy etc. is the ample water supply through the channels. There was a variety of wildflowers surrounding the path, white, yellow, pink, blue and different shades of other colours of flora was delightful. We stopped every few steps to admire the view in front of us and had our first glimpse of the wild rose – Sia (on this trip). There is an unsaid pleasure in revelling in nature’s delights and after 15 odd minutes of the lazy trundle, we had ascended to a path that was clearly visible. The weather was still cloudy and we were thankful that it wasn’t sunny!

Even though the lady had said that it is not more than an hour’s walk, we were quite certain that we would take at least 2 hours to make the climb all the way to Othang Gompa / Monastery. We crossed a nice grove filled with wild roses – sia and looked back to marvel at the stunning green fields of Pattan Valley with the Chandrabhaga river flowing calmly. It was an unrelenting ascent and quite stiff in some sections. We were passing through a juniper forest and the nice fragrance added to the feeling of exuberance that only the vast skies of high altitude regions give.

After about an hour or so, as we made a long climb – we came across a dirt road and quickly understood that there is also a motorable (sort of!) road to Othang Gompa. At this point the yellow roof of the monastery was clearly visible and the short-cut walking path became even more uphill.

The views kept getting better as we climbed higher and the sun also shone through the clouds. Thankfully, I had carried my hat that protected me from the full blast of the sunshine. We were huffing and puffing and were grateful to have carried water with us since it had become quite hot. We were having a gala time clicking the landscapes with the blooming wild roses reminding ourselves of the glorious days of travel in the pre-pandemic era.

On one of the climbs, I saw a car zoom on the road and before I could scamper to get to the road – it was gone. We met a shepherd who told us that it was the Lama Ji’s car that had just whizzed by and that we just missed it by a whisker. We were concerned with the opening of the monastery and now it was more or less guaranteed that the Lama Ji will be there to open the monastery doors.

At this point, the climb became almost vertical and we crossed an old mud chorten with a newly built white chorten near it. To our massive surprise, we saw a few homes just before we reached the monastery. Apparently, there are a total of some 8 houses that comprise Othang village. All the houses in Othang village seemed to be quite sizeable and had cow sheds and fields surrounding the houses. There were a number of colourful wildflowers growing near the houses and for a while the numerous paths had us confused but ultimately we ended up asking a few locals working in the fields who guided us on the right trail.

A few fields were being sown with green peas for the family home consumption. The view from this village located on a much higher altitude than the road in Pattan Valley was stunning with snowy peaks clearly visible on multiple sides and the fields below us felt like a green chess board! On the way back, I even remarked to one of the locals to convert one of the homes to a homestay since it was clearly one of the prettiest hamlets of Pattan Valley in Lahaul.

After one final turn, we were in front of the yellow roofed Othang Gompa that had a green field in front of the monastery. The windows looked very pretty with the bold coloured patterns that are a hallmark of most Buddhist monasteries. Othang Gompa is a monastery of the Gelugpa sect (Yellow hat sect) and the yellow roof signified the same. Othang Gompa is also the among the very few monasteries left in Pattan Valley and perhaps the most widely regarded as well. A tall prayer flag (Darchog) fluttered in the courtyard of the monastery and the view from the top was quite epic. Lama ji was quickly spotted and he was clad in a red goncha. Here, we saw an old building and Lama ji said that one part was the old gompa and the adjacent building was the monks’ residence.

He showed us the insides of both the old and new monasteries and said that Othang Gompa was originally built in the 15th Century. The yellow building was recently built about 5-10 odd years ago and Lama ji said that the work was completed under his supervision. The old monastery had old statues of Bodhisattvas and also housed sacred Buddhist texts and manuscripts. He was very kind and even let me light a butter lamp when I offered to pray. Lama Ji belonged to Tungri village in Zanskar but had been living at Othang Gompa since the 1970s.

Check : Khangsar, Kwaring, Sarang, Kolong – Exploring Lahaul Valley

He said that there is another Lama from Ralakung who lives at Othang Gompa and he is in charge of the kitchen etc. So, even though he was keen to offer us tea – the Ralakung lama ji had gone to a village somewhere nearby to perform some duties. Earlier Kee Gompa was in charge of Othang Monastery, now the same is done through Karsha Gompa and that perhaps explains the monks from Zanskar at Othang Gompa.

It was a very interesting and fun conversation with Lama Ji about Zanskar, Pattan Valley and life in general and he even invited us to spend the night at the monastery itself. I asked him if the monastery offers services like a guest house but he replied that there are plenty of rooms and a big hall and some mattresses are kept so it should be a comfortable night’s sleep! He said that the lama from Ralakung made excellent food and that we would love spending the night at the monastery.

We were quite interested in the same but told him that the homestay guys will make dinner for us and that we have already booked a room at the homestay. We thanked him for the offer and I exchanged numbers with Lama ji to meet someday in Manali for a meal at Chopsticks! (Oh, in case you didn’t know when the tourists are gone from Manali, red robed lamas at Chopsticks is a regular sight!)

At that instant, we heard the sounds of a bus crossing the road behind the monastery and it simply continued on the road that climbed ahead. I asked Lama ji and he nonchalantly remarked that there is a daily evening bus to the next village. Me and Jita wondered if knowing this piece of information might have made us more laid-back and try to catch the bus rather than hiking all the way up from Jahalman!

Sometimes, it is best to not know otherwise the mind gets confused with multiple thoughts and ultimately you end up achieving nothing. We were triumphant at having come via the trekking trail to Othang Gompa. Lama ji told us that via road the distance from Othang Monastery to Jahalman was 13 kms while we would hardly take about 45 minutes via the downward sloping hiking trail.

We spotted a few bright blue lupines growing in the monastery compound and were quite astounded with the beauty. It was about 5 pm when we decided to start our walk back to the homestay in Jahalman. After initially trying to take the hiking trail, we decided to enjoy the walk on the dirt road for a few kilometres before rejoining the hiking trail somewhere along the way. That way, we would be able to savour the stunning views that were visible now that we were at a vantage point in Pattan Valley. We were able to clearly see the beautiful villages of Jobrang, Rapay and Rashil alongwith few other villages the names of which I have forgotten. Finally, we took leave of Lama ji and started our return on foot via the road only.

I was excited to see if the bus would make the return journey so that we would be able to see a different side of Pattan Valley at close quarters. As if on cue, the sun came out and made the proceedings quite hot. I had to pull my hat out once again and just when I thought it was time to put the dslr camera in, a nice frame came into the picture with the sun shining on the pink wild roses with the Othang Gompa flanked by snowy peaks in the background.

Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Kardang Monastery

After walking for about 2-3 kms on the road, we came to one of the hairpin bends where the walking trail joined the dirt road and now opted to take the hiking trail and get back to the homestay. If we had followed the road, we would have ended up in a totally different area much farther than Jahalma.

The heavy lunch was nicely digested with the excursion. It was a very satisfactory and easy walk back and took more than an hour as we were at a relaxed pace. I remarked to Jita that for the first time in more than a year (or two) I had actually seen a place where I had not been earlier and hence felt very elated at clicking photographs with the dslr camera. With that ecstatic feeling in the heart, when we approached Jahalman village near the homestay I was already planning our next exploration in Pattan Valley.

There were a few locals working in the fields and one of them remarked that the cherries of Pattan Valley were almost ripe and if we had come a week later, we would have been able to savour those!

I am well aware of the joys of cherries and strawberries of Lahaul and asked them if those would be available in the market in Manali / Kullu?! There was another chance encounter with a contractor who was in charge of procurement of exotic vegetables from this region in the summer and he seemed pretty miserable at his plight when he had to wear a jacket in the Lahauli summer as the weather changed at the drop of a hat!

At the homestay, we thanked the lady for suggesting the Othang Monastery hike and for not telling us about the bus! She mentioned that there is a curry of the local buckwheat leaves (Kathu ke patte) for dinner alongwith chapati.

We were also looking forward to tasting the local brew that she made from barley grains. She claimed to be an expert at the brew since her husband was in the habit of regular consumption! It was an eventful evening with an excellent dinner and a glass of the local brew. The night was cold and the mobile batteries would be dead since there was no electricity in Jahalman. It was a comfortable and warm room with wooden flooring. Maybe the locals forgot to inform us – but when we returned to Kullu someone asked us about visiting Hidimba Temple in Jahalman and all we could do was show blank faces!

This small prelude calls for a longer and more detailed exploration of Pattan Valley in Lahaul.

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Also read : Musings from the new Home : Winter in Kullu Valley

We had a heavy early lunch at home at about 10 am and left for Kullu. The June tourist rush meant that we were stuck in traffic and could only make it to the Lug Valley road bus stop near Dhalpur, Kullu at about 1115 am. The weather is very humid and I am reminded that whenever it has got hot in Kullu Valley, it usually rained within a day or two. I packed a few ripe plums and apricots in the daypack along-with a water bottle and perhaps for the first time embarked on a trek without any warm clothing/rain-jacket. I’ll blame it on the familiarity of laid-back living in Kullu and basically assuming that the trek to Mathasaur was an easy one.

I had collected basic information that the trek route from Bhalyani-Jathani village was the longest but the easiest as well with a well marked trail. The distance from Kullu to Bhalyani is 14-15 kms and only the last 1-2 kms have to be covered by foot as the road is still under construction. I had been to Bhalyani earlier on a drive in the summer of 2021, when we lived in Kullu Valley for about 5 months at Yuthok Homestay at Raison; which ultimately paved the way for us to find a home in the valley. At the bus stop, I asked around and got conflicting information about the next bus to Bhalyani. The local sumo drivers assured me that the next bus to Bhalyani was only at 1 pm which made us quickly reconsider an alternate idea. Someone informed me that the first bus from Kullu to Bhalyani was at 8 am and that would have been just perfect for us for embarking on the Mathasaur Day hike.

If we left at 1 pm, it would be almost impossible to get back to Kullu before it got dark. The to and fro bus journeys would take us about 45 minutes each one way. We had kept the trek time from Bhalyani to Mathasaur as 1.5 hours and return time of 1 hour while spending about 30 mins at Mathasaur and an hour for contingencies. A basic calculation indicated that we were far behind and that we had already made a mistake by not starting early in the morning.

At 1130 am, a bus headed to Kalang (a sizeable village in Lag Valley) arrived at the bus stop. I chatted with the driver and conductor and was able to convince them to drop us at a convenient point from where we would be able to hitch a ride towards Bhalyani village. They discussed amongst themselves and decided to drop us at Dadka village where the roads bifurcated in Lag Valley. The bus left Kullu at 1145 am and within no time we were dropped at the intersection of Dadka village. Honestly, I was quite disappointed since we had hardly covered 3-4 kms and it turned out that I was right because the actual road bifurcation for Bhalyani was still quite quite far from where we were dropped.

Of course, in their defence the bus guys had heard me talking about Mathasaur trek and a different road also bifurcated from Dadka village – towards Bhumtir (also Bhumteer). I had discussed the Mathasaur and Fungni Mata Temple trek idea with my landlord’s son the previous day and while he had not been to Mathasaur, he had happened to mention the name Bhumtir as an alternate and shorter (but confusing) route to Mathasaur. Now we were in a quandary about our next steps. We didn’t have to think too much as a driver of a camper stationed there took note of our confusion and said that he was headed to Bhumtir and that we can climb on the open carrier.

Meanwhile, the carrier itself was loaded with a massive stone crusher along-with plywood, cylinder and other construction materials and there was barely any space to stand. The other guy in the camper was a bit confused and 2 other villagers added to the confusion by not giving a clear decision on whether it was better for us to trek to Mathasaur from Bhumtir or from Bhalyani. Finally as it was time to leave for the camper, the driver motioned us to jump into the carrier. With great difficulty, we somehow made space to stand and the other guy also told us to be safe from the stone crusher (especially on turns).

It was exhilarating and a hark back to the good old travel days for us; even though age was catching up it still felt nice that we were able to take a ride in the carrier of a camper on a remote road in Himachal Pradesh. The road was full of winding turns and as expected was in a bad shape. A part of my tee-shirt had turned black from the grease of the stone crusher. There were a few sharp hairpin bends and we had to be extra careful to hold on and not get thrown off. After 4-5 kms, the camper stopped abruptly and the guy indicated to us to get down and showed us a diversion to Bhalyani.

It was essentially an uphill dirt trail and thankfully there was a local taking his cows for grazing who was able to reconfirm that the path indeed went to Bhalyani. He mentioned that we could have (should have) continued towards Bhumtir from where Mathasaur was a shorter hike compared to the current idea of us going to Bhalyani and then trekking up to Mathasaur. He even indicated an alternate route to Mathasaur through the jungle but it wasn’t clear if the trail was marked so we chose to trundle up on the excruciating climb. The sun was out in full force and it was making the hike very tiring; we stopped for a breather every few steps.

Finally the dirt trail ended and gave way to another uphill section lined with stones. Thankfully, there was a water source at this point and I was able to wash my face with cold water, sit for a while to let the sweat dry. Jita joined me at the same point a few minutes later and we wondered for a while if this was indeed the way to Bhalyani village. As we ascended on this path, we met a local who confirmed that this trail indeed led to Bhalyani. We would first cross the houses of Kharka. It was a small village and a lady even suggested that we take an alternate route to Mathasaur and that we didn’t really need to go to Bhalyani. The trail was in the midst of fields and sowing of peas and other crops had been done quite recently.

We were clear in our mind that it was best to go via the most used trail and that was the Bhalyani-Jathani (also Jethani) trail to Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple. We kept walking and in 10 odd minutes reached a lovely grassland meadow also called Bhalyani Ground with a huge deodhar tree flanked on the Katrusi Narayan Temple (Shri Krishna Temple) on one side and open vistas in the other directions. It was incredibly beautiful and we also sat under the shade of a tree for a while enjoying the sight of the animals grazing. I relished a few freshly plucked apricots and plums that I had carried from home in Dobhi village. There was a nearby shop where I asked for directions for Mathasaur. I also went for a closer look at the Katrusi Narayan Temple and while it looked old, I got the impression that outsiders were not welcome in the temple (like most other places in Kullu Valley).

The trail for Mathasaur would first reach Jethani (Jathani) village and started just behind the grassland. We crossed a Primary Health Centre (PHC) at about 130 pm and met a lady who was heading to Chorkpin village (hope I got the spelling right) near Jathani. She had spotted me earlier asking for directions at the shop near the Bhalyani Ground and struck a conversation. There were steps on the trail and the lady remarked that there is a different trail to Mathasaur and Jai Fungni Maa Temple from almost every village near Bhalyani and Bhumtir. She mentioned that she was heading to Chorkpin village and that it was best that we went via the Jathani trail only since the Chorkpin trail would be very confusing.

One stark difference between the locals of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand is their attitude towards outsiders hiking on a trail. While the Uttarakhand guys are likely to discourage outsiders by saying the trail is difficult etc.; Himachalis usually give the required confidence and tell that the trail is not that long and to make sure we have enough water with us if there is no water source on the trail. Since it was (seemingly) a never ending uphill climb, Jita was lagging behind and the lady showed us the straight steps to Jathani before she took the path that diverted to Chorkpin. We reached Jathani village in no time and came across another Krishna Temple constructed in the traditional style of a wooden temple.

The sound of the wooden chimes of the temple was like music to the ears in the swaying wind now that a breeze had started blowing. It was excruciatingly humid and I was secretly hoping that the rain stay away on this day since we had both not carried our rain jackets or any jackets for that matter. I requested a local for drinking water and he indicated that a tap was just a few steps away. I refilled my water bottle and washed my face again to let the sweat dry. We were asked to check for the trail to Mathasaur at the last house once the village ended. There was some road construction work going on and some ladies remarked that we must take a trail to our right just before the bridge on the road. The ladies also said that after a while the trail will have a bifurcation to the right and that we are supposed to take the left path at that juncture.

We were told that it was a straightforward uphill trail and that we should reach Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple in about an hour. At this point the time was about 150-2 pm and even though the sun was out, storm clouds could be seen brewing from a distance. We were told that there were return buses for Kullu from both Bhumtir and Bhalyani at 430 pm and we were aiming to return via Bhalyani as that was the village we had seen and I was aware of the bus stand place just before Bhalyani. The trail was quite confusing from the start itself and was a non-stop but the presence of memorial stones on the path served as a marker. We deduced that these memorial stones and places to rest had been made specifically for pilgrims heading on the Mathasaur – Jai Maa Fungni trail.

We would stop for a breather every few minutes and came at a point where the route bifurcated to the left. While logic suggested that the trekking trail to Mathasaur was the one on the right, the prior information given by the ladies meant we took the trail to the left. It didn’t lead anywhere and we ended up reaching a small meadow with a few cows grazing and a solitary home visible in some distance to our left. In the meanwhile, a light drizzle had started with thunder prompting us to wonder if we should be going ahead for the Mathasaur trek after all. We tried seeking the attention of the home but it was quite far and there was nobody to be seen so we decided to go back to the main trail and take the path continuing on the right.

After climbing a few turns, the presence of memorial stones assured us that we were indeed on the right trail. The drizzle was intermittent but the sounds of thunder kept putting doubts in our mind about the feasibility of this trek to Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple. Anyhow, after about 40 minutes of the narrow uphill climb, we came to a sort of a meadow with multiple trails heading in different directions. The view of Lug Valley could be seen but our mind was pre-occupied with reaching Mathasaur. The storm clouds had gathered and we were praying that like the preceding week in Kullu Valley, it would just drizzle and not result in a downpour.

Pine needles were scattered everywhere and on one of the trails, the ground was littered with pine cones that felt like confetti. Although that path did not turn out to be right, I still remember the immense feeling of happiness upon seeing that sight. It was already close to 3 pm now and the weather was definitely worsening and the visibility was a bit poor as the sky was covered with clouds. Jita was looking at the maps on the phone and deduced that we were going in the right direction and that Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple should not be more than 10-15 minutes away from where we were. We discussed a ‘Plan B’ possibility that if we are not able to reach Mathasaur or find the proper trail by 330 pm then we will reconsider our plan of action and possibly turn back.

Of course, we might not have thought otherwise but the weather conditions had really worsened and since we had not met anyone after crossing Jathani village, we were not really sure if we were on the right trekking trail to Mathasaur. To put all doubts on hold, I spotted someone coming down a slope and rushed to ask him if we were indeed close to Mathasaur. He confirmed that we were on the right trail and said that Mathasaur is hardly 5-10 minutes from there. We also asked him about the best trail to return and he suggested that Bhumtir is a shorter trail and if we had to catch the bus then there is a Bhumtir to Kullu bus at 430 pm. He said that the trail to Bhumtir can be seen from a specific hut once we descend from the right side of the Mathasaur Lake or Jai Maa Fungni Temple.

We felt very confident after meeting this gentleman and with a spring in our step quickly made good time and reached a huge meadow that housed the Mathasaur Lake and Jai Maa Fungni Temple. There were a number of cows grazing on the green grass and on a clear day the view from Mathasaur might have been impeccable. We were ecstatic upon spotting the Jai Maa Fungni Temple from afar and chose to quickly walk to that side when I was halted in my steps. I could see 2 foxes near the carcass of an animal. At first I thought they were dogs but when they saw me they slyly made their way from the scene and ran away in the jungle. We stood outside the temple, paid our respects and clicked a few photos of Mathasaur – a small lake with greenery sprouting from the water – which reminded me of Pundrik Rishi Lake in Sainj Valley.

The meadow was stunning and would get even more prettier in the monsoon. The locals had informed us that we are likely to meet a lot of people at Mathasaur who take their cattle for grazing but it seemed that they had either returned to their homes or chosen to stay back that day. After clicking a few pictures of the Jai Maa Fungni Temple and Mathasaur and reading the information and rules written on the signboard, we wandered around the meadow for a bit and then crossed over to the other side automatically assuming that the way to Bhumtir was from there. We started descending at around 330 pm and within no time realised there was no trail where we were.

I remembered the village guy’s directions where he had mentioned that the path to Bhumtir would be from a small water source near the temple from where a straight path would lead to a sort of a hut. He was quite confident that we would easily find the hut and thankfully I had seen the water source and mentioned it to Jita which prompted our return. We headed to the other side of the water source and saw a bunch of beautiful horses grazing and loitering around and duly spotted the stone hut. At this juncture the time was almost 330 pm and we had began thinking that it would be quite difficult to reach Bhumtir in time to catch the 430 pm bus to Kullu.

I tried my best to find a trail near the stone hut as we had been advised that the path to Bhumtir was a wide trail but to no avail. Jita looked around as well and just as it started raining we started descending via what we thought was the trekking trail to Bhumtir. We were in a dense jungle and as the rain got heavier any semblance of a path disappeared and within five minutes we had absolutely no idea of any trail. The rain got heavier and heavier and we were drenched in no time. As I mentioned earlier, we had not carried any raincoats or jackets, it quickly became a case for survival. I was worried about the camera getting wet in the rain as the small backpack would not be able to hold off the rain water for too long.

We kept descending through the jungle through any semblance of a trail we could see (Bhumtir or not). And just then when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, hailstones started coming down with full fury. For a moment I felt an eerie thought come to my mind that we were lost in the jungle and had to call for rescue but I quickly calculated that we had more than 3 hours of daylight left and since we were surrounded by villages in Lug Valley – we would surely arrive somewhere if we kept descending. After 10-15 minutes of rapid descent, I had to give up any thoughts of retracing our path to Mathasaur and going back via the same trekking trail that we came via Jathani and Bhalyani.

I was going ahead and Jita was coming behind; we were constantly speaking to each other about the next steps in case we are unable to find any headway say by 430 pm. We agreed on the fact that if we kept descending we would surely arrive somewhere if not Bhumtir! Thankfully I was wearing a panama hat that shielded me from the direct brunt of the hailstones and I was still able to see clearly through my spectacles. Jita was struggling due to water on the glasses and I would soon be in the same situation. As soon as the rainwater made it on the spectacles, it became almost impossible to navigate through the slush, mud and a slippery downhill descent.

It had suddenly got quite cold and we were just not prepared for it. At one point Jita even suggested if we should wait for a while in the jungle shielded from the rain in the shadow of a big deodhar tree and start again once the rain had subsided. He was also checking a map and said that we should soon be near a village in the next 20 odd minutes since it had only taken us about an hour to climb to Mathasaur and Jai Fungni Maa Temple. I was also feeling very cold and my jeans and tee-shirt was totally soaked. I wanted to save the phone from water and quickly put it in the small backpack and checked that no water had yet entered the insides of the bag. The hailstones fury lasted for about 10-15 minutes and we didn’t stop anywhere but kept descending.

We can call ourselves a bit lucky that some semblance of a trail had been spotted and we were quite positive about that being the right way when water had started flowing down from where we were descending. The paths in the jungle had become very slippery and at one point I was in a dire situation and had to be on all fours to get down without falling down. The mud made my fingers slippery and caused a ring to get off my finger. I realised that something was amiss even before I had taken a further step, tried to locate the ring in the nearby area with my bare eyes / watered spectacles. At that very moment I noticed that the heavy rain had sobered down to a slight drizzle and that meant I could see Jita had reached this spot too.

I told him that a finger ring was missing and that I was certain that I had dropped it somewhere close. As we were looking around I quickly replayed the slippery stretch in my mind and spotted a shiny object shielded by a pine cone. I was mighty relieved as it was a gold ring and quickly cleaned it and put it in my pocket to avoid further trouble. In retrospect, I wonder what would we have done if we had been unable to find the ring after about 10 odd minutes of searching – given our precarious situation. All I can say now that it was serendipity that the rain had almost stopped at that very moment and I was able to spot the ring with my bare eyes since there was no way the spectacles would be clear now that everything was wet.

That moment made us lighten the mood and we let out a chuckle at our dire situation and the cold. In our defence, we had made sure to not rest and keep descending and make sure that the body heat was maintained. If we had rested we would have really felt the cold and the momentum had been lost. We joked among ourselves that someone should make a reel of the current status of this adventure in our drenched condition! I checked the camera again and saw that the inside of the bag had started getting moist and that it would not hold on for much longer. There was still no sign of any habitation or a village but now that the rain had completely stopped, we were able to see clearly and I was now trekking without my spectacles.

At about 415 pm, Jita looked at the map and said that we must reach a village anytime now. I was not sure of where we were but we had followed a trail in the jungle and now that trail had turned into a sort of a water trail. At this juncture, we came across a memorial stone and we were quickly reminded that the trekking trail from Jathani village was also exactly like this. This made me very confident and I started descending even more rapidly now (thanks to the Salomon shoes). Within 5 minutes, I spotted a house beneath us and let out a shout of joy+relief to Jita even as it started drizzling again.

I was worried about not being able to make it to Kullu by a bus and continued walking ahead. The trail crossed a few houses and I shouted at the top of my voice to ask for our whereabouts but there was nobody to be seen and I was mighty relieved when the trekking path finally ended and joined a sizeable dirt road. I was super confused in my mind and ran helter-skelter on the road and was wondering where I should go when I just spotted a lady sitting in the balcony of her house. I told her to tell my companion coming behind that I am continuing on the road itself. She told me that this is the Bhalyani side and that we have not descended by the Bhumtir way and that there is a possibility of catching the bus if we are quick enough.

I was almost running on the road when I met another woman carrying some fodder for the cows – at this point the rain had totally stopped. It was about 430 pm and she said that the road would lead to a place called Satreem where we might be able to catch the bus at a turn coming from Bhumtir. I then asked her if there were more possibilities of buses late in the evening from Bhalyani for which she pointed the walking trail to Bhalyani which I had left behind. Jita had also made it to the road and now we were both together and on the walking trail to Bhalyani. We were almost shivering with the cold but could not afford to take it slow as we had no idea of the status of the bus.

Just then we got a few houses in the village and met some school kids coming back from school. At this moment the sun also decided to come out making us feel like the gods had caused the rain and hail just for us! Someone at the house informed us that there’s a 515 pm HRTC bus from Bhalyani to Kullu and that we should easily be able to make it to Bhalyani from where we were. It was then that I realised that this village was Chorkpin (near Jathani) – where the lady in the morning had gone. We continued walking past green fields and felt nice when the sun dried a bit of our clothes and shoes and provided the much needed heat in our bodies. By about 440 we were at the Bhalyani ground near the Katrusi Narayan Temple (Shri Krishna Temple) and I heaved a sigh of relief.

We quickly went to the shop guy and I requested him if he had a polythene to keep the camera and mobile. He obliged and asked us to rush since the bus stand/road where the bus came in Bhalyani was still quite far from there. That bit of information surprised us as I had never thought Bhalyani of such a big village. On the way we met a lady who was headed to the bus stand too and now we were finally at peace knowing that the 515 pm Bhalyani to Kullu bus was not a figment of our imagination!

It was a funny coincidence when we kept walking and walking and ended up in another village at 5 pm and had apparently left the Bhalyani bus stand behind. Now that the sun had gone down and it was back to being cold, we deduced that it was better that we walk back to Bhalyani bus stand in case there is any confusion or miscommunication about the bus. The lady was happy to see us at the bus stop and the bus duly came at 520. We shivered throughout the ride to Kullu and only steaming cups of Darjeeling tea in the home in Dobhi and a change of clothes helped us get back to normalcy!

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Andretta (sounds Italian?) is a quaint village in Himachal Pradesh that rose to prominence in the 1920-30s. It is possible that you may have heard the name of the village in connection with theatre, art and pottery. It is said that when Norah Richards first arrived; she came to Andretta on horseback! There are clear views of the snow capped Dhauladhar range that looks deceptively close while the village is surrounded by fields as the weather is conducive for farming.

Andretta was a melting pot for artists, painters, thinkers and creative folks. Here are a few interesting notes to know when you are visiting or thinking about visiting Andretta : 

Norah Richards (Norah Centre for the Arts)

Norah Richards was an Irish theatre artist who was instrumental in making Andretta what it is today. Norah Richards built a traditional house in the Kangra style (Chameli Niwas) using mud and wood and even set up a makeshift stage. In 1935, the District Commissioner of Kangra gave Norah 15 acres of land, and the Woodland Estate came into existence where she built a basic amphitheatre and invited amateur actors to perform Punjabi plays. Even the young Prithviraj Kapoor (of the illustrious Kapoor family fame) worked under Norah during his theatre days. She started a school of drama, and it is said that Andretta village itself came to be known as Mem-da-pind (the village of the memsahib).

Sobha Singh Art Gallery & Museum

Sobha Singh, widely renowned for his paintings had settled in Andretta and lived here till his death in the mid-1980s. Murals painted by Sardar Sobha Singh adorn the Parliament House in Delhi. His paintings of Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus, Heer Ranjha and Sohni Mahiwal are quite famous and can be seen printed on calendars across the country. He painted hundreds of paintings in the four decades that he spent in Andretta and his work is showcased in the Sobha Singh Art Gallery which is run by his family. It is possible to buy poster prints of his work at the shop in the Art Gallery.

Andretta Pottery & Craft

Norah Richards invited Sardar Gurcharan Singh (who was awarded a Padmashree later!), the master potter from Delhi. Gurcharan Singh had trained in Japan, but came back to India to work with the country’s oldest pottery institute. He built a house and a small pottery studio for summer use in Andretta that paved the way in introducing studio art pottery into India. The blue pottery technique, used in ancient Indian pottery, was rediscovered by Mini’s father, Sardar Gurcharan Singh.

Gurcharan’s son, Mansimran Singh (Mini) and his wife Mary, both potters, moved to Andretta in 1984 to start the Andretta Pottery and Craft where prospective students can enroll for pottery classes with a variety of short and long duration courses. 

I was lucky to be able to visit the Andretta Pottery studio even though I had not made any prior contact and had come unannounced. The studio was filled with incredible works of art that are made in Andretta combining village pottery with designs to create glazed earthenware. The exhibition room here has an excellent collection of tableware and sculptures made by artists that are available for sale. One can try their hand at the pottery wheel for a small fee (INR 150).

Terracotta Museum 

In the same compound as Andretta Pottery, there is a small museum started by Gurcharan Singh. It showcases a collection of work of local potters as well as terracotta samples from around the world.

I really liked the products for sale at the pottery studio but was skeptical about my packing skills and whether they will last the journey back home and ended up not buying anything. The town itself had a small village vibe and was very peaceful, almost to the point of being uneventful. I’m certain that there are interesting folks who live in Andretta in the present day and that only a longer stay can reveal more.

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Even though we stayed in Raison, Kullu Valley for 5 months – we had never ever thought of shifting here (or anywhere else) for good. The semi-nomadic style of being able to live for a few months in any place we wanted did feel very appealing but after having stayed out of the rented Delhi home for almost 1.5 years, and paying the rent and salaries was too much. It was as if the stars had aligned when our friends were also keen on moving to a better place in the nearby area of South Delhi. When all four of us discussed this possibility; it resulted in a mutual decision of giving the landlady a notice of 1 month and that we would empty the Delhi home by 31 October.

Of course, none of us had even looked at a home yet and it was a bit easier with regards to home searching in Delhi with brokers around. The real struggle would start when we had to go home searching in Kullu Valley. I began by calling a few homestay owners in the 10-15 kms stretch from Bandrol to Katrain because that is where we were keen to live. We were not keen to live on the Naggar side of the road because that was where the outsiders of the valley lived and also it would be too cold for the winter. A few locals were encouraging and asked me to meet them when we came to Kullu Valley; the common consensus was that we would only find a home we liked if we found it ourself rather than hoping for divine intervention.

We went to Leh and were surprised to see it packed with tourists even in mid-October. It was a lucky journey when we were able to make it to Manali by a shared taxi from Leh on 15th October. It snowed on the high passes in the evening and the Manali-Leh road was promptly closed for vehicular traffic. Our aim was to find and finalise a home in 10-12 days and then head to Delhi so that we could empty the Delhi home. Thakur bhai (from Yuthok) had arranged our stay at his relatives homestay that was located adjacent to the road in the centre of Kullu and Manali. He was correct in figuring that a conveniently located home would enable us to explore more options. We started going and seeing prospective homes and finally after a week had shortlisted 2-3 options. The kindness of the owner triumphed over everything else and we finalised a 2nd floor home located in an orchard – conveniently located just a minute away from the NH3 in Dobhi Village, Kullu Valley.

7 November : Autumn feels, the trees had begun to shed their leaves and the wind was piercing cold everyday; as if it was preparing us for the colder winter. The skies were a shade of dark blue and the days were nice and crisp. The sunshine felt nice but the time of sunrise started to shift. There was a massive temperature change from the plains to Kullu Valley in the first week of November. The diwali pollution had got me in trouble in Jaipur/Delhi and the sudden cold after reaching Kullu Valley in the night caused a troublesome chest congestion that would only go after a few weeks. The house had been properly cleaned and we just had to come and start living. Of course, to make it feel like home we were to set it up and hang paintings on the walls. We had carried some paintings with us and got lucky when the electrician who came to fit the television agreed to drill the holes for the paintings. Since it was a brand new home and we were the first people to actually live in it – we were not keen on hammering the nails since all it would do is damage the paint on the walls.

Home in Dobhi, Kullu Valley

Online e-commerce had done well with all the companies delivering products and groceries in Kullu Valley as we had experienced last year in the lockdown. It made sense to create an order for basic necessities so that we would have a ready supply of groceries even before we reached. Basically, when we got to our home, a package with tea leaves, sugar, pasta, poha, oil was already there and we had carried the rest of the necessities like wheat flour, masalas, grains and pulses with us in the car in a small package. It only added to our happiness quotient when we saw that the kitchen was well stocked with utensils, casseroles, plates, gas connection with a cylinder, and all the other necessary accessories one might need. We had also carried a variety of teas; like Darjeeling tea, green tea, nettle tea, bergamot tea, and other local herbal teas procured from Uttarakhand.

Everyday troubles when you live in the mountains

Finding a home to live in Kullu Valley was difficult alright, but what seemed even more difficult was managing the workload. The 3 meals have to be cooked, the utensils have to be scrubbed clean (did I mention the freezing water), the house has to be made in order. Every little detail had been taken care of in the 3 bedroom home; viz. mattresses, bedsheets, quilts, sofa set, chairs and tables, bed-side tables, utensils, pots, pans and boxes in the kitchen, mosquito nets on the windows and doors. Our kind homeowner had even set the home with carpets and bed runners, extra bedsheets and even towels. We were floored by their gesture and ultimately ended up returning the carpets and bed runners (we had carried our own), the extra bedsheets and the towels. It is a testament to the kindness of these local Kullvi folks that they end up doing so much for strangers; even though they are not obligated to do so.

The sun rises from behind the mountains opposite to our home and directly hits the bedroom at about 815 am. Only when the sun lights up the room, do I rush to get up from the bed and quickly wear the jackets to start making the tea. Winter months mean there is less availability of cow milk and we make regular enquiries with the locals for 1 litre of fresh cow milk everyday. The first few days we take the easy way out by buying the 1 litre milk tetra packs. The kitchen feels quite cold and my hands freeze when I wash the ginger and then grate it with the cheese grater. It takes 15 odd minutes for the tea to be made and that is enough time for the kettle to warm up the drinking water and set up the table with biscuits/accompaniments for chai. Good morning tea is the pre-requisite for a nice day and I take extra effort in ensuring it always turns out good.

Chilling in Manali (as locals)

Even though the plant nursery guy doesn’t recommend buying money plants since there is every likelihood of them not surviving the cold; we buy a couple of money plants and also get a few succulents planted in earthen pots. The aim is to just feel that there is a bit of life around us. Thankfully, our friends are still at Yuthok Homestay when we arrive here and they come every few days so that we have a bit of non-fussy social life without making an effort. Once or twice, we go to Manali for live music and beer at Johnson’s Café and spend a nice Sunday afternoon at Martin’s in Shanag. It is nice to head to these places for a change.

Even though the sun is strong and shining in the balcony and we sometimes drink chai while soaking in the sunshine, the chilly wind would soon ensure that it became rare to sit peacefully in the outdoors for tea. Breakfast preparations would be simple and quick and it would usually be poha, upma or seviyan. We would take utmost care to use as less utensils as possible and would mostly eat breakfast from the pan itself (if practically possible). The wooden roof in our room traps the warmth of the sun and makes it nice and cosy. It is soon work time and we work on our respective laptops; the third room has been converted into a work room with a study table (and the storage cabinets serve a very useful purpose for ‘Indilocal.’

We would try to keep a very simple menu for lunch in the form of either dall or some vegetable to be eaten with rice or roti. I was in charge of figuring and planning the lunch and barring a few hits and misses we managed well. Making rotis was a big challenge and it was soon decided that the best idea was to eat rice for lunch and occasionally go to the nearby dhabas / restaurants / eateries whenever we missed roti too much. We have plenty of options with regards to eateries within our walking distance. The sun would shift to the big balcony at lunch time and if the wind was in control, we would try to enjoy lunch in the abundant sunshine. Post lunch, we tried to go for a customary 30 minute walk/stroll while the sun was still out. Evening time after 5 pm meant a rousing cold wind and we would have to make sure to wear an extra jacket and cover our head with a cap.

Thankfully we had a kettle because it was almost necessary to drink warm water all the time. The sun would go behind the mountain at about 330 pm; and the funny part was that there would be abundant sunshine till 430 pm only 10 minutes walk from our home. Life here felt like a perfect mix of urban and rural; we had the highway if we wanted to go anywhere to Kullu or Manali or we could just go in the big balcony on the other side of the house and be blissfully away from civilisation. Professional work would always get done like it does; evening tea making was a point of debate and although we would want to drink it – the fact that we had only 1 tea pot meant someone had to wash it! Sometimes, we would bicker and fight and tell each other ‘It’s your turn, it’s your turn,’ because the tea pot had to be cleaned and it was almost stupid to start the next day without chai first thing in the morning.

Thankfully, our landlord had installed a semi-automatic washing machine because if washing clothes is a task, then it is an even bigger task with cold water in the winters! Of course we had geysers in both the bathrooms and the kitchen as well but the mix of hot and cold is never really perfect and within a few weeks my fingers started having minor cuts as a result of the mix of the hot and cold water!

On top of it, as soon as we reached the Kullu Valley home, I fell sick – I was anyway not feeling quite well due to the pollution. So the burden of unpacking and setting up the home felt even more troublesome and I tried to compensate for it after 3-4 days when I started feeling a bit better. We ended up charting a plan for our daily activities and divided the work so that we would fight less and enjoy more! Of course, it was enriching to be able to experience autumn colours and watch the paragliders float in the evening sky while we sipped our tea. After 10 days or so, our landlord helped us by asking one of his relatives to deliver 1 litre of fresh cow milk to us every morning. We were overjoyed! I have always believed when you live somewhere, it is very important to do things like a local and a daily supply of milk is an important part of life here.

Eateries in Kullu Valley

We kept making plans for short day hikes and even ended up discovering a few village paths for going on walks. It is no fun to walk with vehicles passing you by and we enjoyed the joys of ambling along on different local trails. After settling into life in the new home in Kullu Valley, we began to enjoy the new routine and also started going out to the nearby eateries. Sometimes, if we felt like eating paranthas we would go early in the morning to the roadside Shubham Dhaba for piping hot tandoori aloo, mooli and paneer paranthas served with curd and chickpeas curry. There would be days when we would seek the indoor warmth of Crimson Restaurant for dinner and have a simple vegetable with chapatis. When we went on our walks, once we saw a new roadside eatery that had just opened and ended up eating delicious siddus with chutney and ghee.

We had kept the lookout on for a help who would come and cook a meal for us and do the utensils but it seemed that such luxuries were hard to come by in Kullu Valley. Wherever we asked, it was understood that here everyone did their own work and that the concept of house help did not exist at all. I had known that it would be difficult to find someone to do the house work, but had no inkling that it would prove to be almost impossible. We were pretty clear that we didn’t want a full time help because it just becomes too much of a hassle to make staying arrangements for the help. Since the windows and the doors would largely remain closed through the winter, the house wouldn’t accumulate much dust and there was no real need of regular cleaning.

As the days progressed into weeks and we completed our first month of living in the new home, we felt a proud sense of accomplishment. We had somehow managed to organise our daily lives, figure the food, wash the utensils efficiently, go on long walks everyday; and still make time to enjoy the sunset colours with the evening chai. The weather turned colder in December but we were prepared for it; and were really looking forward to have our friends from Dehradun visit us in the end of December. We had planned to go on holiday in the second half of December and perhaps it was that happy feeling that enabled us to sail through the first two weeks of December. Or maybe it was the new OTG that we had ordered that really seemed to make life easier!

Baking = Happiness

The aroma of baking would spread around the house and there is no better feeling in the world than the warmth and coziness of a home during the winters. We had put table lamps with warm lights around the hall and in the bedrooms as well and coupled with the wooden roof, it exuded a calm and welcoming feel. The nearby Roots Café made excellent ragi bread and bajra bread and sometimes we would pick the multigrain bread from Bread of Life Bakery close to Manali. The vegetables in November were mostly locally grown (radish, spinach etc) and tasted better than their counterparts grown with pesticides in the Indian plains. Open toasts made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and paneer were turning out to be quite amazing and to make life easier we would eat them straight from the oven tray. The paneer in Kullu Valley is especially good and always freshly made.

We had got into the habit of early dinners and also figured with time that if a special dish was being made, it made sense to make extra quantity of the same since it was cold and nothing would go bad. It made wonders with the dash of confidence after the successful cooking experiments and that enabled us to successfully make thukpa (from memory, having seen the preparations umpteen number of times at Yuthok). The black peas were procured from Spiti Valley and there was one time when the thukpa we made lasted us for 3 evening meals! During the cold winters, there’s nothing like an early evening soupy dinner that warms you up from the inside and is not heavy as well.

Persimmon in the Winters

The stiff breeze in the afternoons caused the remaining leaves to fall off the trees and that also meant that the last hanging ripe persimmons on the trees had to be picked up or risk getting rotten. I bought 10 kg persimmons (that turned out to be 7.5kg) from the fresh picking going on in an orchard close to our home. These were safely kept aside to be eaten as 1-2 pieces everyday in the sunshine. Persimmons can cause a cold if eaten in inclement, stormy weather and I had to be especially careful with the not-yet-fully-cured coughing. The fact remains that persimmons are super healthy fruits (largely pesticide free) and make for a nice snack in the afternoons.

Things would get really chilly when it rained every few days and we would see snow on the nearby mountaintops with every spell of rain. The locals said it was a a sign of an early winter when the daffodils / nargis flowers bloomed earlier than usual and we were merry with arranging a vase full of daffodils gifted to us by our landlord’s son! The nargis flowers had a peculiar, sweet fragrance and lasted us for a full 25 days. Of course, there is a lone flower seller in Kullu and we would occasionally buy flowers from there for decoration. One of the days, we also entered Reliance Smart Point in Kullu and that also meant we would use e-commerce very sparingly from now on for groceries, as everything was available at a much cheaper price than amazon.

The cold meant there was no possibility of us trying to set the curd, so we would make kheer every now and then. When we felt the need for more sweets and snacks, I researched online and found some companies delivering namkeens from Jaipur, Mysore Pak from Almond House (Hyderabad) and I personally made a few phone calls to get a few kilos of desi ghee sweets straight from Jaisalmer. India Post is quite reasonable for couriers with sizeable weight. We had carried a number of gajak boxes from Jaipur for near and dear ones as a diwali gift and due to unavailability of a few of these folks who had gone elsewhere, we always had healthy sesame and jaggery gajak from Narayanji, Jaipur!

The trees slowly but steadily shed their leaves and were rendered bare by the middle of December. The views of the snow capped mountains kept getting better as it got colder and with the floating paragliders the evening sky looked especially enticing. It was a strange sight to see the bare apple trees surrounding us and for a change even seeing the vehicles on the road gave us a semblance of belonging. We could clearly see the road from our front balcony now that there were no leaves on the trees. It was fun to see the tourists come in droves in the packed Volvos even as the threat of covid resurfaced again. The news of our friends arriving from Dehradun post-Christmas brought a wave of cheer and we began setting up their room in anticipation.

Holidays in December

We went on long walks on the holiday, baked recipes like persimmon bread, cookies, muffins (for Nilza), pesto pasta with fresh basil procured from Manali, Chettinad egg curry, ate chole puri at Behl Sweets in the rain and at Sapna Sweets in Kullu, spent lazy afternoons at Roots Café in Bandrol, made and drank a lot of mulled wine, watched a lot of movies, stayed warm while it kept raining continuously for 4-5 days. On one of the long walks, it was a memorable time when we remembered to buy a Christmas tree and decorated it with pine cones. The days got shorter and shorter and I remember that the sun rose at 8:50 some days and would set at 2:50 in the afternoon.

In between, our earlier milk lady had sold her cow and after a few days break; with the help of a neighbour we were able to secure supply of fresh cow milk from another home. Since there was plenty of extra milk, our friends from Dehradun taught us how to make ricotta cheese. With this new skill under my belt, we made ragi and bajra bread open toast sandwiches. After wondering where to go in the touristy rush of the new year, it turned out to be a fabulous trip to Jana when we decided to stay at a cottage in the woods with a grand view of the snow mountains. When we went for a walk in the evening, the weather gods fulfilled our wish as we witnessed a fresh flurry of snowfall. In no time, the road turned white and after enjoying the snowfall for a good hour we returned to the warmth of our cottage when it was still daylight. It was a memorable evening with copious amounts of Morpheus Xo and an adrenaline rush next morning to drive back on the slippery road in the snow.

Day trip to Lahaul

In a first, there was the added thrill of having a Kullu number Thar and everybody decided that now that we had a 4*4 wheel drive, it made sense for me to learn driving on snow. Even though we knew that there was a huge possibility of a traffic jam while going and coming back from Lahaul – we decided to go! Of course there was a massive traffic jam at Solang Valley, the fact that we had a local number car meant we weren’t stuck for too long and reached the other side of Atal Tunnel soon. The road was totally snow bound and I engaged the 4 wheel drive for the snowy and slippery stretch. It was bone chilling cold in Lahaul and we were pleased to eat paranthas and momos for brunch/lunch at the only open eatery in Keylong.

The original plan was to stay in a nice homestay in Jispa / Keylong but when we reached Jispa it turned out to be a scene of a locked village and there was not a soul to be seen. We did enjoy the drive though and were greeted by a number of frozen waterfalls amid the blue skies. The traffic jam while coming back was a pointer to the scene while going back and we tried to be smarter by leaving early from Lahaul. It didn’t really matter though and we were stuck in Solang Valley for another 2 odd hours and were so tired that I didn’t want to sit in the car even for going to a restaurant for dinner! Nevertheless, we had a gala time observing the behaviour of the tourists who were piling snow on their stationery vehicles and a lot of tourists looked funny with the jumpsuits in bright colours.

First Snowfall in the Kullu Valley home

After this adventure, we decided to spend a few quiet days at home so that we would not get stuck in more traffic jams! Our friends left for Sainj Valley on 2nd January and we missed having them. It was back to routine now and the holiday did feel like a welcome break once it was over. The two meals a day routine was on and finally it seemed that the days started getting bigger and sunrise time was advancing by a minute every few days. Our Dehradun friends had really wished for snowfall and it seemed their wish was a bit late in coming true when the weather started turning bad from 8th January. It rained continuously for 2-3 days and became frighteningly cold and since we were unable to go out, we baked apple crumble from the apples given by the neighbours. On 9th January, it started snowing on the nearby mountains and the nearby village was shrouded in a blanket of white. In the night, I kept looking out of the window but it seemed as if there was no activity.

When we woke up next morning, it was eerily silent – I pulled the curtains and saw the most astonishing sight. It was snowing heavily and we were in the midst of a white landscape. We called our near and dear ones on video call and shared the joy of the first snowfall in the new year with everyone. It stopped snowing in the afternoon but the white landscape remained till the next morning. Once the snow melted, it lent a fragrant feel to the surroundings and it was magical to go on walks nearby when the sun was out and the views were crystal clear. We had a memorable time celebrating ‘Saja’ or makar sankranti when we were invited by Yuthok Homestay Thakur family for lunch. I had a minor discomfort of a strange skin infection that would stay with me for the next month or so!

On one of the many walks, we ended up venturing to Palrabling – a Tibetan colony in Dobhi located by the river. It was a pleasant surprise to visit the monastery and meet old Tibetan men and women. The sky colours were turning dramatic during sunset whenever the weather was stormy. I was terribly missing fresh haldi ki sabji and my wish was answered when the vegetable seller in Manali had fresh turmeric! One of the days we invited Yuthok Homestay family and sister for lunch and were able to make spinach and ricotta quiche and a snack! They liked it and thankfully we had the Jaisalmer ghotua remaining. We were glad that they came and asked uncle and aunty to definitely come next time. In the last week of January, we saw the first signs of life when we noticed fresh yellow flowers sprout from the ground where there was plenty of sun.

We only had a small electric heater in our home to combat the winter cold but we would rarely use that and preferred to be clothed well and snuggle under 3 layers of blankets. Landlord uncle came to the rescue when they installed a tandoor bukhari in the glass room upstairs. It was fun to sit in the warmth of the tandoor when it was snowing outside!

On 31st January, we were out for our everyday walk and had an epiphany – that we should try going to a nearby cottage and asking the staff there if they were looking for part-time work. It was a big stroke of luck that we found the caretaker couple who were out of work the same day and the guy agreed to come for work to our home the next day. He turned out to be a fantastic cook and seemed to be the answer to all our troubles! He told us that either him or his wife would come everyday and we were very happy with the excellent food that they made and the ease with which the utensils were getting done.

Driving to Manali in snow

We had more bad weather as February started and now that I had successfully driven the thar on the snowy roads of Lahaul, we made a plan of a staycation in Manali and booked 1 night at a nice English cottage. It snowed and snowed for 2 days and when we left for Manali from Dobhi, it was snowing heavily like a snowstorm and we actually wondered if it made sense to go. Then it dawned on us that this might turn out to be the last snowfall of the winter for us and it was now or never! The locals in Manali were really kind and helped me navigate the slippery snow and we somehow made it to the snowed out English cottage! I heaved a sigh of relief after we parked the car and noticed that it had snowed about 3-4 feet and the cars parked 2-3 days ago were completely covered in snow. We had a grand time in the snow and I was very happy to see a properly snowed out forest in Manali.

It took a lot of manoeuvring and patience to drive back from the slippery roads of Manali next day and again I thank the locals who helped me navigate the car in my slow speed! Once we were back in Dobhi, it felt like the weather had shifted. It was only the first week of February and the grass was green everywhere now that the rain had watered the ground and the sun enabled growth of new life. We baked an apple pie in celebration and it turned out to be quite amazing! The nights were even colder once the skies cleared but the days were nice and warm and the sunshine in the big balcony felt like a lifesaver. We ate our first palak patta chaat of the season at Roots Café and started going out more during the day to make ample use of the sunshine. Now finally we thought that the house work was being managed well and that gave us a chance to enjoy more. The arrival of strawberries and raspberries in the markets of Kullu – Manali gave us a lot of cheer and we made breakfasts of chia seed bowls!

From Kullu Valley to Tamil Nadu in March

We were missing South Indian food very much and ended up booking return flight tickets to Chennai. The plan was to relax and enjoy the relatively warmer weather of Pondicherry-Auroville and explore Chettinad and Madurai or Trichy. It was furiously cold when we sat in the Volvo bus to Delhi; took a cab directly to Delhi airport and reached quite early for an afternoon flight. Once we got down in Chennai, the heat turned out to be so much more than we anticipated and I was having an especially difficult time. The months of living in cold weather meant I wasn’t sweating and the body was just getting overheated. We figured it would be better to take it slow and thats what we did throughout the trip – ensuring a calm but memorable experience.

When we had left from Kullu Valley the trees were still barren and there was the anticipation of the plum blossoms turning the entire valley white in 2-3 weeks. We didn’t want to miss it for the world and planned our holiday around it. Our landlord called us when we had landed in Delhi and said, ‘The plum blossoms are here and if you don’t come soon, you will miss them!’ We were overjoyed on hearing this and told him that we were returning the next day.

We are welcomed by the most epic sight of the white plum blossoms and the occasional pink peach blossoms the next morning after reaching Kullu Valley. Our house help tells us that the weather had suddenly turned appreciably hotter once we left for Chennai. I am happy to be sweating again in the pleasant and bearable Kullu heat.

When we meet landlord uncle, he says, ‘You have spent the entire winter in Kullu Valley, so you totally deserve the joys of spring now!’

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