Marshrutka / Minibus from Tbilisi to Mtskheta and back

The distance between Tbilisi and Mtskheta is hardly 20-25 kms and takes less than an hour even with Tbilisi’s busy traffic. There are no buses that ply between Tbilisi and Mtskheta and even though the official Georgian train website shows that passenger trains stop in Mtskheta, be advised that Mtskheta railway station is quite far (about 2 kms) from the town itself and train schedules are sporadic making it an unwise choice to try and visit Mtskheta by train from Tbilisi. Mtskheta lies in the historical Mtskheta-Mtianeti region.

Regular marshrutkas (minibuses) ply between Didube to Mtskheta and are the easiest way to reach Mtskheta from Tbilisi. These marshrutkas are usually 16-20 seater Mercedes Sprinter vehicles and run every 30 odd minutes starting from 7 am from Didube station while the last marshrutka for Mtskheta departs from Didube at 8 pm (or sometimes even later in the summer). We took less than 30 minutes to cover the 18 km distance from Didube to Mtskheta. We were not sure if the driver would take us into town so we decided to get down as soon as we saw the walk-only pedestrian street! Later, we came to know that the last stop in Mtskheta is the parking spot at the end of the town quite close to Old Mtskheta.

Where exactly to take the marshrutka at Didube?

We had booked a small family run hotel quite close to Samgori / Isani metro station for two nights as our flight landed in Tbilisi at the uncomfortable hour after midnight. From Isani metro station, it was quite easy to figure the Tbilisi metro and reach Didube station where a few taxi drivers offered us a ‘cheap’ ride to Mtskheta for 20 Georgian Lari (GEL). We politely declined their (expensive) offer and promptly found the Mtskheta marshrutka ticket counter. After confirming the 2 GEL per person one way ticket price with locals who were also waiting for the marshrutka for Mtskheta, we paid and got our paper tickets. It is important to remember that the last marshrutka from Mtskheta to Tbilisi (Didube) runs at around 8-830 pm and is likely to be full so it is best to time your return to Tbilisi by daylight to avoid any unforeseen adventure!

In principle, you can hire a taxi for Mtskheta anywhere in Tbilisi or even use a bolt or maxim taxi (internet app-based taxis) but the prices are likely to be standard in Didube. If you are a group of four, then your best bet is to get early to Didube and negotiate a good price with a taxi driver to take you to Mtskheta and also include the other sights of interest like the Shio-Mgvime monastery and Zedazeni monastery.

Introduction to Mtskheta

Mtskheta is the former capital of Georgia and an ancient city that was established between the 1st and 5th Century BC. It is located at a enviable point of the confluence of Mtkvari (Kura river) and Aragvi rivers and jaw-dropping views of the confluence can be seen from Jvari Monastery. Mtskheta has a number of monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage, that was bestowed in the year 1994. The old Mtskheta town around the centrally located Svetitskhoveli cathedral is a bucolic sight with cobblestone streets and green mountains in the backdrop. Mtskheta’s importance of being steeped in Georgian culture is evident in the fact that it is a favourite place for Georgians to get married and for pre-wedding photoshoots.

This travel guide to Mtskheta includes all that you need to know about visiting Mtskheta on a day trip from Tbilisi. It includes details on – how to reach Mtskheta and transport options from Tbilisi, must visit attractions in Mtskheta, time taken for exploring, food, wine tasting, shopping, and timing your return back to Tbilisi.

History of Mtskheta

Mtskheta is one of Georgia’s oldest towns and was the capital of the Kingdom of Kartli in East Georgia from the 3rd Century BC till the 6th Century AD when the capital was shifted to Tbilisi after the discovery of the sulphur springs in Abanotubani. Mtskheta gained importance as it lies at a strategic location; at the intersection of trade routes from Byzantium, Syria, Roman Empire, Silk Road that resulted in a rich commercial exchange with the mingling of different cultures. Mtskheta remains the spiritual and religious centre of Georgia since Mtskheta is where Christianity was first embraced as Georgia’s official religion in the year 337 AD.

Accorded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta include Jvari Monastery, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Samtavro’s Convent. These three medieval religious establishments are home to precious relics of Christianity; painted frescoes and burial sites with graves of monarchs and royalty from the times when Georgia was a Kingdom. History lovers are in for a treat as the region around Mtskheta is rich in Old Georgian architecture and is dotted with churches, caves, archaeological sites, ancient chapels, palaces and forts.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Originally built in the 4th-5th Century AD, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is a stunning sight and is likely to be your lasting memory of Mtskheta. The present structure dates to the 11th Century AD and the Orthodox cathedral complex exudes a calm and spiritual vibe with the greenery amidst the mountain view. It is a perfect example of the medieval architecture of the Caucasus. As you enter the spacious cathedral complex from the street, you can see a number of women selling fresh flowers. It was a weekday when we visited and found it quite amusing to come across a number of weddings and see newlyweds getting clicked in the green lawns with the cathedral. I can only imagine the scene of wedding parties on weekends! Although it can get pretty crowded inside Svetitskhoveli cathedral, take your time to gaze at the frescoes and carvings.

A number of Georgia’s most important monarchs are buried at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, including King Vakhtang Gorgasali, the founder of Tbilisi. Qvevri pots (for winemaking) can be seen scattered in the monastery complex and also don’t miss the beautiful bell tower built in a different corner of the entrance. Candles and souvenirs can be bought at the monastery shop located on the right after entering. There are scarfs and skirts available at the entrance if you are inappropriately dressed for entering the church.

Jvari Monastery

Also called the Holy Cross Monastery of Jvari; Jvari Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Georgia (by some accounts, the holy wooden cross was erected here in the 5th Century). According to legend – in the early 4th century, St. Nino, a female Christian preacher erected a large wooden cross on this site where Jvari Monastery was built later. The distance between Mtskheta and Jvari Monastery is 12 kms and round-trip taxis are easily available in Mtskheta for about 20 GEL. The 6th Century church in Jvari Monastery is located on top of a mountain and is the most sacred and revered church in entire Georgia. The chief pull of Jvari Monastery is the bird’s eye view of entire Mtskheta old town overlooking the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers.

While the exterior of Jvari Monastery is quite rustic and simple; the symmetric building is built in what can be called old Georgian architecture. It is perched on a hilltop and hiking to Jvari Monastery is possible via a trail from the park in Mtskheta; but not recommended unless you have an entire day out. If you have organised a taxi from Tbilisi, it may be a good idea to visit Jvari Monastery in the end so that you can enjoy the incredible view of Mtskheta town with Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the centre during sunset time! The sacred St. Nino’s spring locally revered to be a healing water source is a 15 minute hike from Jvari monastery.

Samtavro’s Convent

We had not planned our day in Mtskheta and wandered with an explorer’s air to find ourselves right in front of the Samtavro’s Convent. Samtavro’s Convent is a pleasant ten minute walk from main Mtskheta town. The monastery complex is set among gardens and has a relaxed, open vibe since it is relatively less crowded than the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The church at Samtavro’s Convent was originally established in the 4th century and has been restored a number of times. The present day building of the main church was built in the early 11th century. Samtavro’s convent houses the grave of King Mirian III – the king of Iberia (Kartli kingdom) who established Christianity as the official religion in Georgia.

We drank and filled our water bottle from the spring water where the locals were also quenching their thirst. There was also a small chapel – St. Nino Chapel (Tsminda Nino) which is an active chapel with frescoes and a priest inside. While walking around the monastery grounds, take notice of the bell tower as well. On the other side of the entrance is the church shop where visitors can buy candles and souvenirs. While going back, we noticed old men and women asking for alms from visitors while some others were selling some dried herbs(?)

Samtavro Necropolis

The ancient cemetery of Mtskheta; Samtavro Necropolis is located just 500m away or a 5 minute walk from Samtavro’s Convent and is the most peaceful stroll in Mtskheta. This burial ground has been in use since the 3rd Century BC and is steeped in history. It also served as the burial place for the royal family. The Samtavro Necropolis or mausoleum is a lesser visited monument and can be called an offbeat attraction in Mtskheta.

Antioch Church

Antioch Church is a 4th-5th Century church built on the banks of the Aragvi river just before its confluence with Kura river. To reach here, take a walk in the residential by-lanes in Mtskheta old town and turn right for the riverside. There are hardly any visitors to be seen at the relatively austere-sized Antioch Church (also called St. Stephen’s Church). The church complex is pleasing with the greenery especially after seeing the crowds on the tourist trail in Mtskheta. Enjoy the sweeping view of Jvari Monastery and savour the blissful breeze of the river. Do not miss the colourful frescoes in the interior of Antioch Church. Due to lesser popularity of this attraction, I can denote the Antioch Church to be an offbeat place to visit in Mtskheta.

Shio-Mgvime Monastery

The 6th Century Shio-Mgvime monastery is set into a rugged hillside and lies at a distance of 12 kms from Mtskheta. Caves used by monks for meditation can be seen all over the cliff face of the hillside. There is no marshrutka or shared transport to visit the Shio-Mgvime monastery from Mtskheta or Tbilisi, hence it is best to discuss and finalise a taxi with other tourists for visiting Jvari Monastery and Shio-Mgvime to make it economical. Take some time to roam around the scenic monastery complex (accommodating about 2000 monks at one time) to see beautiful gardens housing two churches. The interiors of the bigger church have perhaps the most well preserved frescoes in Mtskheta. The smaller church is called the Shio Cemetery Church; in honour of the monk Shio who founded this site. The church shop sells excellent quality of honey and beeswax candles made on site!

Exploring Mtskheta on Foot : Heritage Walk in Mtskheta

Rather than making a checklist, the joy of travel lies in the unplanned and serendipitous encounters. The quiet by-lanes of this historical old town of Mtskheta are apt to check the rich architectural style of Georgian houses with the courtyards shaded with grape vines, elaborately carved wooden balconies and the greenery. We were enamoured with the heritage houses sporting a faint red of autumn in the trees, vintage cars, art nouveau signboards and decided that Mtskheta is worth staying for a couple of nights (at least) if we come to Georgia again.

Among other places to see in Mtskheta; Bebri Tsikhe (abandoned fortress on a hillock) easily reached by a 20-30 minute walk from Mtskheta, Zedazeni Monastery, the colourful mosaic painting outside the Mtskheta Archaeological Museum (not open); St. Barbara Church, in a different direction – Armaziskhevi Archaeological Site, Armazi Tsikhe (fortress), Armazi Monastery and a few other churches around Mtskheta.

Souvenir Shopping in Mtskheta

There are pedestrian streets (ocassionally used by cars) around Svetitskhoveli Cathedral square where vendors set up market stalls and souvenir shops. Tourists can purchase churchkela, carpets, quirky fridge magnets, spices, fresh juice, wine ice-cream in summer and in winter, mulled wine. Also on offer are wine, chacha (grape liquor), souvenirs like scarfs, Georgian caps and hats, handmade dolls, ceramics and paintings. Among unique souvenirs on sale are kantsi – traditional Georgian drinking vessel (now mass-produced), tklapi (fruit snack), and hand-painted fridge magnets.

This market in Mtskheta is a very touristy area so it is good to be aware that prices quoted can often be very high. It may be a good idea to bargain subtly and see if the seller offers a better price. After having gone around the other parts of Georgia over a good 16 days, we realised some souvenir sellers were offering really good deals like 1+1 on fridge magnets for 2 GEL. Although I don’t recommend buying mass produced souvenirs; but I can understand if someone wants to buy, then the market in Mtskheta may turn out to be a good choice. We found the prices in Tbilisi for the same stuff are much higher.

Wine Tasting in Mtskheta

Winery Khareba located right on the opposite side of the entrance of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The wine tasting is free as long as you buy a bottle of wine. Prices are fixed (unlike some other places in Mtskheta) at Winery Khareba and the staff is quite helpful in suggesting which wine to buy.

Handy Tips :

Since Mtskheta is primarily a religious destination for locals, dress and behave appropriately.

Carry a water bottle. Time your visit to the washroom/toilets when you go to a restaurant. Try to visit Mtskheta on a Sunday morning while mass is being held, and savour the authentic cultural experience of polyphonic singing very unique to Georgia.

Festivals in Mtskheta

14th October Svetitskhovloba Festival.

How to Pronounce Mtskheta?

Georgian spellings and pronunciations can be mind jangling and none more so than ‘Mtskheta’. This tongue twister is actually pretty easy to pronounce. The locals seem to ignore the first two letters ‘Mt’ and rapidly say ‘skheta’ with a stress on the h. For us, it took a while getting used to since it was our first day in the country. Thankfully, we weren’t caught on the wrong foot and learnt to pronounce Mtskheta like the Georgians do before committing a faux pas!

How to go from Tbilisi to Mtskheta?

Metro to Didube station. After reaching Didube station, you have to go through a market to get to the other side to reach the exact point for the Mtskheta marshrutka / minibus and the ticket window. Buy the tickets for 2 Lari per person. Shared taxis also ply about 5 GEL per person.

From Mtskheta to Tbilisi : Marshrutka stop in Mtskheta to get back to Didube is on the main road while coming back from Samtavro’s Convent.

Staying in Mtskheta

Mtskheta has an old world charm and warrants much more than just a day visit. We have already decided we will spend a couple of nights in one of the charming homestays of Mtskheta whenever we return to Georgia.

Where to eat in Mtskheta?

There is a row of restaurants in front of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. We are a khachapuri and enjoyed fresh tap beer at one of those. Ornament Express was our choice but they had run out of food due to a party that day! Other recommended restaurants and cafés in Mtskheta are – Restaurant Check-in Garden, Café Tatin, Riverside Baginati, Tsiskvili. Favourite eateries of Tbilisi locals are on the way to Mtskheta after the diversion from the main road. I spotted a big crowd from the marshrutka both while coming and going. A few locals also got down on the way and while coming back our marshrutka was full but they took passengers for standing space.

Best time to Visit Mtskheta?

Mtskheta is accessible throughout the year. Summers are warm while a visit in peak winter might be a chance to see Mtskheta in snow!

Think I missed something in this Mtskheta Guide? Suggestions are welcome.

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We landed in Istanbul and travelled across Turkey to places like Trabzon, Van, Gaziantep, Izmir, Selçuk, Antalya and traversed across numerous towns and villages in the Turkish countryside. If you are planning a trip to Turkey, here are the links for the posts.

Istanbul : Tips for Backpacking

Trabzon : Travels on the Black Sea Coast

Van : A City of All Day Breakfasts

Gaziantep : UNESCO approved eating!

Photographs and Memories from Travels across Turkey

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It had been almost three months in Kasar Devi near Almora and since the coldest months of the winter were behind us and spring was fast approaching, we thought why not head to Munsiyari just before the Holi festival holidays! We were in the third week of March and the post-pandemic era of travel meant that the bus service to Munsiyari was not operational and that necessitated finding out details about the shared transport options from Almora to Munsiyari.

I started by asking at the local shared taxi area in Almora and they were clueless about a direct option from Almora to Munsiyari. Someone suggested that we first take a shared taxi from Almora to Bageshwar and then try our luck for another shared taxi from Bageshwar to Thal and then figure another shared taxi from Thal to Munsiyari. Another idea that locals figured was to take the morning bus to Pithoragarh and then find a shared taxi from Pithoragarh to Munsiyari. The trouble with both these options was the probability of spending a night in transit in either Bageshwar or Pithoragarh and while both these places are tourist destinations in their own right, we were in no mood with a break journey.

I reminisced about my grand summer of 2015 in Kumaon, and recollected sketchy details about direct shared sumos that plied between Haldwani to Munsiyari and left from Haldwani at about 6 am. They would cross Almora at about 9-10 am and reach Munsyari in the daylight around 5-6 pm. I was able to find out more details about the shared vehicles from Haldwani to Munsiyari through local contacts in Almora and they confirmed that it was indeed the best way to reach Munsiyari from Almora in one day. My local contact shared the phone number of the daily service and these days a tempo traveller plied on this route.

The charges were fixed at INR 1000 per seat from Haldwani to Munsiyari and after some negotiation, we were able to finalise 2 seats from Almora to Munsiyari at 700 per seat. Since we had booked in advance, we were able to secure excellent front seats. On the day of the journey, we came to the bypass road near Almora and even though the tempo traveller was about 30 minutes late from the estimated time, we were overjoyed to sit in a direct vehicle that would reach Munsiyari before night fell! It was a smooth ride despite multiple tyre punctures; with excellent food stops on the way. As we reached the highest point of Kalamuni top – the scintillating array of Panchachuli peaks with a surreal pink sky welcomed us among the candelabra of jagged white peaks.

We were keen on staying in a homestay in Munsiyari itself for 3-4 days and directly taking the same shared sumo / tempo traveller back to Kasar Devi, Almora. It had been a while since I had tasted the delicious and unique dishes of Johar Valley which is a whole lot different than the usual Kumaoni food available elsewhere. A basic search on the internet revealed that all the homestays in Munsiyari seemed to be located in Sarmoli village and while the initiative was excellent, as always I was looking for a raw and novel experience.

The perfect adage of ‘what you seek is seeking you’ worked when the owner of the tempo traveller had recently started a homestay and on the phone he welcomed us to stay and promised home cooked meals. I was a bit skeptical because there were no pictures shared but the fact that it was a newly built homestay meant that it would have the modern conveniences that we looked forward to since we were already living in a pretty basic setup in Kasar Devi. We reached Munsyari and were dropped close to the bazaar where the homestay was located in a quiet and peaceful lane. The owner Pankaj was soft-spoken and kind and we agreed on a price of INR 1000 including basic home-cooked meals.

The homestay was a new building some 2 minutes walk from the original home of the owners. The room was spic and span with an attached washroom. As night fell, we were asked to come to the original home for dinner. It felt quite cold and our joy knew no bounds when aunty ushered us into the warm confines of their old home. We were seated on the dining table adjoining the kitchen and she served us hot food with chapatis straight from the tawa. The food was yummy and we ate well, thanked her for the same and requested her if it was possible to savour different varieties of local food over our course of stay.

She was happily surprised to have guests who understood how a home-run kitchen works as the first stayers at their homestay. We told her to not get hassled about our food and that we had no untoward demands and would be happy to eat whatever was being cooked for the family if aunty was busy! Since Holi festival was around the corner, aunty told us that she might have to go and attend a few get-togethers and that we should be prepared to eat a meal or two at a local dhaba if she was not around.

Pankaj Bhai told us that someone will bring us tea in the morning at the homestay itself – we filled our water bottles, wished them good night and walked back to the homestay. It was fully dark at this point and the stars shined in their full glory with the Panchachuli mountains providing a great backdrop. We woke up early next morning and went to the roof for a legendary one hour Munsiyari sunrise! It was freezing cold but well worth it to see the sun come from behind the snowy mountain range and the rays scatter in all directions in the blue sky.

Over the course of our stay in Munsiyari; we walked around town and went to the usual places like Nanda Devi Temple, Darkot village, Tribal Heritage Museum, saw the colourful holi festivities of the locals, and explored the local market, but the highlight of the trip was the hike to Khaliya Top. The entire trail beginning from Balati Bend was filled with pink and red rhododendron flowers in full bloom. We had started very early in the morning and the views of Panchachuli peaks were extremely clear in the cloudless sky. It remains an unforgettable memory walking in the forest with the splash of colour everywhere the eyes could see.

As we climbed higher, the views kept getting better and after we crossed the KMVN Guest House – it felt even more surreal while climbing to Zero Point. It was almost a 360 degree view. We savoured some dry fruits with the magical sights around us and even as a rousing wind started blowing, we lie down in the meadow. There was some unmelted snow in some parts as we neared Zero Point. In hindsight, it felt like luck was on our side as clouds started gathering as soon as we started our descent at around 1-130 pm.

The rhododendron delight made me wonder if it would be a good idea to visit Munsiyari for the autumn colours!

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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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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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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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On our last night in the forest cottage in Kasar Devi, we were invited for a bottle of wine by our only neighbours. It was a poignant moment when the lady remarked that they had also come to Kasar Devi for a few weeks or months and in the present day it had been 18 years of them living in Kasar Devi! We had decided to stay on in Kasar Devi and celebrate Holi festival with the family of the cottage owner and in retrospect I can safely say it turned out to be an unforgettable holi celebration. I began the difficult task of trying to find a personal cab from Kasar Devi to Delhi, at a reasonable cost. We gathered that the Volvos to Kullu-Manali were operational from Delhi and I decided to tackle one problem at a time and to just focus on the returning to Delhi part.

I got lucky with my search and we reached Delhi safely in a Toyota Innova that drove the almost 400 km distance from Kasar Devi to Delhi for only 4000 Rupees. The 5-6 days in Delhi felt quite troublesome after spending the previous months in Kasar Devi without a mask. I quickly started my research of getting out of Delhi by calling the private Volvo guys and figured that since most of the buses were going empty, it would be prudent to choose a weekday to leave for Kullu Valley. We went out sparingly in Delhi and it was quite cumbersome to go around with the stringent mask wearing and constant talks of Covid-19 in the air. In the meanwhile, a wonderful development came by. Rajeshwar bhai wasn’t keen on random folks staying for a few days at his homestay and we decided on a mutually agreeable price for staying at Yuthok Homestay (his Home).

I was keen on leaving from Delhi at the earliest and my Volvo guy had promised to book me in a bus that had hardly 5-6 passengers thereby reducing the risk. Anyhow, the bus idea never came to pass and we left for Kullu in a car with a friend. This was by far the safest way of travel at that time and we left from Delhi early on Saturday morning in the first week of April and made good time. We had chai at home and only stopped for a late breakfast/early lunch (or brunch, if you prefer) somewhere on a bypass near Chandigarh. It was a Punjabi dhaba by the name of Lovely Dhaba and the food turned out to be incredibly tasty and freshly made.

We ordered paneer and aloo pyaz paranthas made in a tandoor and served with a dollop of fresh white butter, I had also asked for dall to go with it and a freshly made green chutney was also served. We were all quite hungry and figured that it made sense to eat a heavy meal and just stop later in the afternoon for a chai. We relished the food with gusto and asked for seconds; and even requested for a glass of lassi. The lassi turned out to be super amazing and was given in a true Patiala glass. I went and thanked the owner at the end of the meal. I made a note of the approximate location in my mind to make sure of eating at the same Lovely Dhaba whenever I crossed this region next time in a self-driven vehicle.

The weather had already become quite hot post noon and we were relieved to be beginning the ascent to Bilaspur. The road was fairly empty and we entered Himachal Pradesh without any checking or testing and paid the entry fee of INR 40. We would periodically roll down the windows and take the fresh air in to make sure we don’t get very tired. At around 230 pm, it was decided to make a short stop and we got lucky when a sugarcane cart appeared to our left under the shade of a big tree. The young kid at the cart made fresh sugarcane juice for us and seasoned it with fresh mint and lemon.

It turned out to be a welcome break to stretch our legs and we resumed our journey again and felt the sun mellow down a bit. After crossing Mandi, we took the recommended Kandi-Kataula road and loved the scenic landscapes. The air started getting colder as we ascended to Kandi, it was delightful to see the rhododendron flowers still in bloom. A solitary shop near Kandi had freshly made rhododendron juice and we tasted a glass each. The rhododendron juice was also available for sale and I bought a bottle of the concentrate for some 220 Rupees. It was a lot more expensive than the one we had recently bought in Uttarakhand which was for only 100-120 Rupees.

Also read : Raison to Jana hike

It was about 5 pm and we were enjoying the landscapes on this single lane road which was a far cry from the dust of the main highway to Manali. We joined the main road near Bajaura and made quick time to finally make it to Yuthok Homestay in Raison at 7 pm. It was almost dark and Thakur bhai was there to welcome us, with a mask of course! I had called him to update about our location many times during the day and he knew we were super hungry and were looking forward to dinner! We put our bags in the cottage and I immediately searched for my jacket. It was mildly cold and the weather felt like a welcome change from the hot winds of Delhi.

We were all quite tired and after freshening up and sitting in the open for a while, went upstairs to the dining table once the food was ready. Everyone said our hellos to the family and Nilza (Rajeshwar Thakur’s 6 year old daughter) came and said hi to us as well! Dinner was simple yet hearty and was served in vintage kansa plates and matching utensils. We thanked the family for letting us come from Delhi and assured them of our safety since we had not met anyone from outside in the last 2-3 days. The meals at Yuthok Homestay were always freshly made (mostly with farm grown vegetables cultivated by aunty herself) and were so varied and delicious that I ended up gaining 5 kilos over a period of 5 months!

It felt colder as the evening passed; we chatted with Thakur bhai after dinner and kept a safe distance from each other in the open garden. After all this is exactly how Covid-19 was spreading when people were not taking the simple precautions. After a short walk in the orchard, we went to the cottage and slept. It was a feeling of contentment and safety; of being relieved to get away from the danger zone also known as Delhi. We had reached our intended destination without any untoward trouble and whatever happened next with regards to the closing of the state borders would not matter.

The Cottage – Yuthok Homestay

We slept blissfully and all the effects of the long journey were forgotten next morning. We took the bigger and warmer blankets since it was still quite cold. It felt like proper spring weather and the days felt nice and pleasant in the sun and a jacket was always required. A lot of effort was required to get out of the cosy blanket in the lovely cottage when it was morning. A part of the cottage was the vintage building that housed Dorje Yudon Yuthok, a lady of Tibetan origin. She lived here in the 1960s for a couple of months and paid the family in 2 vintage carpets from Tibet! That, in short is why the place has been named Yuthok Homestay.

The cottage itself is a huge space and is nicely made and tastefully decorated. On the left side, there are many windows that see a waterfall from afar and in the front a solitary window opens to a view of the green orchard that is also owned by the family. The sound of the waterfall is a constant music to the ears! There are numerous settees in the cottage with a reading/writing table in one corner. The low seating arrangement is embellished by traditional Buddhist carpets and became the preferred space for us to sit and work, and chill after evening. There are two extra single beds on the left side and a cupboard for long term stayers to keep their stuff. The beds are made from walnut wood and it feels very nice and homely to live in this cottage.

There is a big television in the cottage which comes in handy when we wanted to watch movies on a big screen! Even though the whole idea of a television doesn’t sound appealing at all; the fact remains that it is fun to cosy up on cold afternoons and evenings and watching a movie is a great mood changer. The cottage door opens to a chorten and a tall prayer flag (Darchog) which is the highlight of this home. There is also a small garden with chairs and a table where the chorten is located and a colourful array of different flowers also grow in front of the cottage. The chairs are setup with a view of the waterfall on the other side of the road and the table is two tree trunks kept together. It is a nice mix of modern and rustic and would soon become our favourite spot.

I thank Rajeshwar in the morning and he says long term guests minimize the chances of infection so this arrangement suited them as well. I went to the kitchen and made chai for us; aunty gave a small kettle which kept the tea super hot. The floor of the kitchen was quite cold and I made a mental note to wear socks in the morning from now on. The sun came from behind the mountain at about 8 am and the it surely felt nice and warm. It is a very happy and peaceful vibe with the chorten and we sit on its step to soak in the sunshine.

The aroma of shukpa (dried juniper) pervaded our nostrils and put our happiness quotient on another level. After all we were in a Buddhist home and aunty had put the dried juniper on coals from the tandoor bukhari. It is akin to a traditional ritual when we burn these herbs for good spirits and clearing the energy from the house. The smell is very sweet and aunty loves it when we tell her that we love the aroma of shukpa. She tells us she will hang the small utensil near our cottage from next time onwards so that we can enjoy the fragrant aroma!

We enjoy the chai and then spread our yoga mats in the open space. The filtering sunlight is just about perfect to make sure it is warm enough to get in the yoga mood! The sound of a waterfall from the other side of the road is nice as a background music; not too loud and not too soft – just right to indulge less in conversation and more in listening to the sounds of nature. Breakfast time at home is 9 am and we rush to fill our tummies. Normal work-days for work-from-home and as a freelancer with less assignments coming for travel writing I had decided to focus more on my art and craft platform ‘Indiocal’.

The network at Yuthok Homestay is excellent and it is a welcome change to have proper network after a few months of barely manageable internet connectivity in the forest cottage in Kasar Devi. That, plus a proper postal address with India Post services meant I could actually get stuff delivered from artisans across India to Raison, Kullu and the big size cottage meant I had ample room to experiment with photography for these products. Even though that meant I would spend less time on my blog and maybe put the publishing of the book on the back burner but then life doesn’t work according to plan and this seemed to be the way forward.

2020 hadn’t turned out to be a great year financially and I am glad in retrospect that it didn’t, as it enabled me to start the craft platform where I am able to work directly with the artisans to make a difference at the grassroots level. At Yuthok Homestay, I laid out the soft sheep wool blanket that I had procured from Uttarakhand and converted it into a rug. It looked nice and provided a cosy feel with the cold temperatures.

Spring in Raison, Kullu Valley

After gently easing into a sort-of routine during the weekdays; we were ecstatic to be able to feel the joys of spring on short walks in Raison. Rajeshwar bhai and Nilza led us to their surrounding orchards and to make us more familiar with walking trails in the vicinity. We were spellbound with the sight of blooming flowers in shades of purple, pink, yellow, white and red while every inch of land was covered by grass. It was an otherworldly experience to notice the bare pecan nut tree bear the first leaves and progress to get so dense so as to become the regular shaded space once the weather turned hotter in June.

The nearest walk led us to a path that was surrounded by greenery and had a shaded canopy; it was to quickly become the most desired escape whenever we wanted to go somewhere. Since it was complete lockdown across India and Himachal Pradesh was no exception, we were not supposed to go out of home.

This is when we realised the full joys of living at Yuthok Homestay in Raison; and life in Kullu Valley in general. With the limited population that Kullu Valley has, it seemed that the Police didn’t really have to resort to being strict. We had ample space in the orchard to sit and work and could go for walks whenever we liked. Of course, the presence of us outsiders was a bit disconcerting for the locals at first but they soon realised that we lived in Raison and did not pose the ‘outsider’ threat of coronavirus.

There were still apple blossoms blooming on the trees that grew on a higher altitude and it was a pleasant surprise to come across those on random walks. We tried our best to stay in the little bubble that we had at Yuthok Homestay and had to carefully choose our conversations as every other phone call seemed fraught with terrifying news with the pandemic raging across India.

We weren’t missing eating out at all courtesy of the special meals being made almost everyday by Sangey bhabhi (Thakur’s wife) and then aunty took over once bhabhi went to Manali. The secret to the incredibly tasty food was the fact that aunty grew vegetables like potatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli, zucchini, peas on their farm space and everything was cooked fresh. Over the course of 5 months, I gained about 4-5 kilos! Among the traditional Lahauli dishes served at Yuthok Homestay were shunali(Lahauli pasta), tingmo, momos, thukpa, siddu and patrode (Kulluvi dishes). I had never really been a fan of Tibetan food till now but then this was the first time I was actually living with a family long-term and they used atta rather than maida.

A most joyful accompaniment to these dishes would be fresh chutney made on a stone silbatta with whatever fresh was available at any given time. Once work time was over, there would be days when we would play sequence (board game) with a glass each of Morpheus Xo. The secret recipe for the chutneys was fresh garlic and onion leaves, one dry rhododendron flower, some pecan nuts (from the family tree) and the masala magic of the stone silbatta!

From someone who would almost always say no to momos, I transformed into a momo-lover gorging on paneer momos at Yuthok that are the best in the entire world! Whenever it rained, Rajeshwar bhai would entice us with tales of Thukpa (or Trultu Tsati) being soul food for cold evenings. Over the course of 5 months we realised it became cold in the mountains at a moments notice and that it would become just the perfect weather for thukpa! I had taught Nilza the art of jasoosi (is there really an equivalent word in english for aimless jasoosi) by observing the goings-on in the home and kitchen and giving us the news about what was being made for dinner.

There was no going to school for Nilza and her two cousins who lived in the adjacent home; and all three of them would create quite a ruckus. Aunty had warned us beforehand to not let the 3 of them together in the cottage; Nilza’s antics were the maximum we could manage. As Nilza became more familiar with us, she would come unannounced and demand to play her favourite songs so that she could dance! Sometimes she would announce that all of us had to dance together and that would become like the funniest sight ever.

When bhabhi had gone to Manali; the onus of Nilza’s classes was to be shared by everyone (including us) since uncle and Rajeshwar bhai were getting busier in the orchard. These little things made us feel like a part of the family when we organised a small outdoor lunch for uncle, aunty and had a gala time with a cool breeze blowing under the shade of the pecan nut tree!

We were four of us at Yuthok; our friend had joined us just in time when the lockdown began in Delhi and he was quarantined for 3-4 days to make doubly sure we were not responsible for inadvertently jeopardising our surroundings. When the cases in North India were rising, it was a cause of concern in Kullu Valley too; and the local village festivities were halted as well. Only after the worst of the pandemic was over, then the villagers congregated once for an important matter to be discussed for a decision to be made by the devta.

In a theme common across India, making traditional dishes involved a lot of effort in making and thats one of the prime reasons everybody wants to stick to making dal, chawal, roti, sabji everyday but thats not the case at Yuthok! When the number of guests is less; there are more chances of a traditional dish being made. Aunty’s persimmon pickle is legendary and after relishing the pickle with gusto for 3-4 days; aunty safely hid it to save it for the other guests who would visit later in the year. To not feel left out; there was ample supply of pear pickle, peach pickle and lingdu pickle – when the season of lingdu arrived.

After 2 odd weeks of getting acquainted with Raison, we started going to the nearby orchards with a dhurrie and yoga mats and sat under the shade of the apple trees to make it a ‘work from orchard’ afternoons. Invariably, Bella (neighbour’s dog who usually was at Yuthok) would accompany us and it would result in a very happy time with never a dull moment.

After a week or two; we realised that it was possible to go out from 10 am to 1 pm and that enabled me to dispatch the pending orders of Indilocal via India Post. The lockdown was said to be quite strict and we heard stories that tourists caught violating the covid norms were penalised with novel ways of punishment; manning traffic lights! Repeated offenders were supposed to serve in hospitals as a community service. I didn’t bother to verify the news and had to be content with the fact that we could always go sauntering on the village paths through the orchards. We were supposed to stay clear of the main road and now that everyone in the village knew we were living like locals, there was no apprehension for them as well.

At Yuthok, breakfast would be served at about 9 am; lunch at around 2 pm and dinner at 9 pm. I had taken over the duties for morning and evening tea since the masala chai made by our friend proved to be too hot for everyone! It was still quite cold in the end of April and aunty had suggested I take tea in a kettle to make sure it didn’t get cold by the time we ended up drinking it. In the evening, it would be lovely to play games like chupam chupai, pakdam pakdai, musical chairs and tippi-tippi-tap with al four of us, Nilza and the two cousins. It took us back to being kids and we would fall and some of us would cheat to try and win and our bodies would pain from the falls; but now as I write this after almost a year of the experience – I am reminded what a wonderful time it was!

Me and Nilza would play saanp-seedi (snakes and ladders) and although Nilza would try her best to make sure I won some of the games; I would lose miserably and she soon got bored of winning! We tried carrom once or twice but it was a no competition as I was far superior and then the carrom board was nowhere to be seen for the next 4 months.

Yuthok Homestay family had numerous orchards and one of them was located higher up in the mountains. They had also kept a cow there and we would have a bounty of milk products like paneer, curd and heavenly ghee! The paneer and churpi (used in thukpa) at Yuthok is home-made and that is the secret ingredient for the incredibly tasty and fresh feel. As soon as spring arrived, aunty had sown peas, garlic, onions, chillies etc and within no time we would be assisting in harvesting fresh peas in May.

A juice bar, ‘LPS’ was within walking distance for us and whenever we felt bored, we would take a walk to drink apple/plum/pear juice in the serene environs of LPS. It is quite interesting to observe human behaviour; we are able to find joy in small things if we are unable to undertake big tasks for pleasure.

As the days turned into weeks and then into months; it became a sort of a Friday evening ritual for us to walk through the fields of Raison to then go up to one Harihar sweets shop in Chatanseri to pick up piping hot samosas with their (now famous) green chutney made with coriander, green chillies and fresh mint leaves. We would rush back to the path of the orchards and sit somewhere overlooking the road to enjoy the samosas like there was no tomorrow. Once, we were also able to convince bhabhi and aunty to send Nilza with us and even though she thought the green chutney was too spicy – even now we fondly remember that time when the simple joy of eating samosas made us look forward to Friday evening!

Since we knew it wouldn’t always be possible to go to LPS every time we wanted a juice fix; we had got a crate of seabuckthorn juice. It proved to be a refreshing drink post lunch as the weather was at its warmest at about 3 pm and made for an excellent cocktail mixer later in the summer. We shifted places with the weather; earlier we would seek sunshine while having tea in the open air seating in the garden just outside the cottage; and then as the months passed we would seek shade whilst sitting on the chorten or even relaxing on the swing located under the pecan nut tree. Evening time almost always meant surreal shades and hues in the sky on cloudy and stormy days.

Just a week before the actual lockdown started, we would sometimes venture to Naggar to a particular café for their delightful cheesecake. The cheesecake love affair only lasted for a few days as the extra-smart owner once served and packed stale cheesecake for us and upon me telling him – ‘It was less than perfect and that it created trouble for everyone’s tummies’ said that the cheesecake was perfect and that maybe we didn’t get the right taste! Needless to say we have never entered the said café again inspite of an entire year of now living in Kullu Valley. After an year, we have learnt that the safest bet for simple and fresh cheesecake in Kullu Valley is at Valentino’s where all of Kullu seems to come at-least once every week.

Tingmo (steamed bread) at Yuthok are usually served for breakfast with a seasonal vegetable. They are nice and plump; made with atta and steamed to perfection. These tingmo’s are a far cry from the blobs of maida that are usually served in restaurants in the name of tingmo. One of the times while enjoying tingmo, I remark that I would like to get a tee-shirt with ‘I love Tingmo’ written on it! One of the days when it has rained and the weather is even nicer, we go walking to the Beas riverbank on the other side of Raison. Our days here are characterised by morning yoga where sometimes Nilza would join us.

I had carried some pulses and herbs from Uttarakhand and those came to create a good change at Yuthok. There was black bhatt ki dall and jambu masala; bhabhi made the bhatt ki dall so nicely that even the Uttarakhandi locals would have been surprised with the perfect taste! Kullvi folks aren’t exactly known for their taste buds in terms of sweet dishes and although I had known this; the feeling was reinforced and after trying the sweets at Chandralok once or twice, I figured it was easier for me to occasionally make a sweet dish. It was by a stroke of luck that I had carried black rice and since it is savoured in small quantities, I was able to make black rice kheer thrice for the entire household. After all, the ghee was excellent and the milk was full fat cream – all it required was slow cooking and the black rice kheer turned out to be quite awesome, with a nutty flavour.

Early morning yoga with Nilza was the funnest; she would first take one of the mats and copy all the yoga poses nicely. She would giggle and make everyone laugh while the meditation session was on. She would continue with her antics and create some new exercises and poses. Sometimes for breakfast, there would be bhaturu’s stuffed with green soybean (grown on the family farm). One of the weekends, our friends created painted artwork and a signboard for Yuthok Homestay. In the meanwhile, Nilza was not to be left behind and painted some pine cones. I tried a paint brush for the first time in my life and painted something on a stone! The LPS juice bottles made for nice planters and after getting painted in a light shade of blue looked very nice.

Once when we had gone for a drive, I had spotted a board ‘Salasar Dhaba’ – Sikar wale and immediately called the phone number. The owner was from Shekhawati itself and one day we decided to surprise the Lahaulis with Rajasthani food and drove to pick dal bati churma from Salasar dhaba. It kept raining intermittently & then remained stormy for 3-4 days, subsequently leading to snowfall in Manali in the end of April. On the same weekend we ended up going for a day hike to Kaisdhar accompanied with Rajeshwar bhai; there was snow on the hike and the last climb to the top of Chambagarh was quite an adventure. The views of the snow clad mountains were epic and the packed lunch felt like a nice picnic in the green meadows of Kaisdhar.

When the fruits were ripe, it felt like an everyday feast. First came the plums, then the apricots and peaches; then the pears, then apples, and followed by kiwi and persimmons. Ice-cream making was fun and the lucha plum jam received a great response from readers and followers across India.

From eating rajma chawal, to going on drives to the impeccably green Lug Valley, to playing sequence, gorging on siddu with chutney & ghee, picnics in the orchard house of the Thakur family, to asking Nilza for strawberries from her farm, enticing aunty to make her special kadhi pakora, watching the pecan nut tree turn from leafless to shade giving in the summer heat, going on ice-cream and juice walks in the ’10 day summer’, reading vintage books from Rajeshwar bhai’s collection, eating broccoli paranthas, going on riverside picnics, gossiping with aunty, uncle, Thakur, bhabhi and Nilza, making sorbets and ice-creams and being adventurous enough to start eating ice-cream with aunty in breakfast – Yuthok Homestay started feeling so much like home that we figured that we could live forever in Kullu Valley and have ultimately started living in a home only 4 kms from Yuthok!

Living at Yuthok provided me enough spaces for impromptu shooting for indilocal products like rugs & dhurries, paintings etc. At first the joy was in seeing flowers bloom, then it was to observe the weather transform from spring to summer and then progress to lush greenery in the monsoon. Finally when we left in September, it was the fag end of the monsoon and autumn chill was the predominant feel in the weather.

‘You can check out, but you can never leave.’

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Anyhow, we start the journey and our tentative goal for the day is to reach Govindghat. Our plan is to trek to the Valley of Flowers and possibly also to trek to Hemkund Sahib in the 3-4 days time that we have. As soon as we near the highway to Badrinath, a drizzle ensues and it feels like the forest is bathed in a shade of green. The full force of the monsoon is upon us on the Dehradun to Rishikesh forest road. The ongoing rain makes the proceedings feel like a dream; the sky is full of dark clouds and the shining green forest looks serene and inviting.

Also read : Travel Guide to Chopta, Chandrashila Trek

We are very hungry but since there is a lot of distance to cover and it is not very practical to stop for breakfast in the rain, we keep going. The drizzle slows down to a pitter-patter of raindrops and we push ourselves to get out from the traffic situation and continue ahead on the highway to Badrinath. We are finally able to stop at 10 am for breakfast at a cluster of dhabas and enjoy fresh aloo paranthas and chai. It is a nice place to stop and has become a favourite breakfast place ever since because the paranthas are crisp and the service is quick. We opt for a crowded place (these were the pre-covid times!) because we all know popular eateries are crowded for a reason.

It is a very quick stop and we stretch our legs and resume our journey in the car. Depending on the time of our reaching, we discuss probable places of stay after Joshimath. The only requirement is that it should be a nice and comfortable place since we have already had an overnight journey from Delhi to Dehradun and a rest should be good. Govindghat is preferred since it is the diversion point for Ghangaria (the base for the trek to Valley of Flowers). From Govindghat, a road branches off towards Pulna village, from where the trekking trail to Ghangaria begins.

The road is in ok shape and the traffic is non-existent since we are earlier than the other city folks who are travelling during the long weekend. We cover good distance once the rain finally relents after breakfast. The weather is nice though and we make a lunch stop at a roadside dhaba at 130 pm. Badrish Bhojnalaya has a view of the green valley from its terrace and the sitting space is in a breezy setting. There was a little traffic while crossing the Srinagar-Chamoli stretch. The dhaba guy makes fresh food and since we are the only customers at the moment, we take a moment to chat up with him. He feeds us well and we resume our journey.

We are finally in the outskirts of Joshimath at about 430-5 pm. There is still plenty of daylight left so we decide to continue till Govindghat and try and find a nice place to stay. The distance from Joshimath to Govindghat is hardly 20 kms and the road is in perfect shape so we hardly take 15 minutes. Since it is a long weekend and there are limited options to stay in Govindghat, most of the stays have been booked by online trek operators. Our idea of taking a chance by reaching early works; after looking around we eventually settle for a nice, clean and comfortable place to stay for the night. The owner confirms that except our 2 rooms, all the other rooms are booked by trekking operators like Indiahikes and GIO for trekking groups that will reach sooner or later in the evening.

We have to coax him a little before he says yes to our offer of 600 Rupees per room. It is still daylight and we are wandering around in Govindghat and the sound of bells is a nice welcome! The donkeys and horses sport bells around their necks and it is a mellifluous sound. The car is parked in a wide parking space on the road itself; we intend to keep the car in Govindghat and take the shared sumo to Pulna village next morning. A small conversation with one of the locals ensures that he confirms our seats on the first sumo that leaves from Govindghat at around 630 am. Pulna village is hardly 7-8 kms from Govindghat and is reached after crossing a bridge across the Alaknanda river.

There are many options to eat in Govindghat and we choose one of the dhabas for an early dinner. Once the daylight ends; cars, sumos and travellers begin arriving in Govindghat. We know it will be dusty and crowded once everyone reaches and steps out for food, so we ask the dhaba guy to recommend what to eat and relish the food with gusto since it is empty as of now! The dhaba food is expensive and he almost charges restaurant rates; I instantly compare it to Himachal Pradesh where thalis would be charged for 60-70 per person. In Uttarakhand, prices are almost always higher which is a little detrimental to the state’s backpacking culture.

I spot 2 shops located alongside the road selling a variety of horse bells; they look like cheap imitations of copper bells from Switzerland. The prices are reasonable but the quality itself is not very polished and I end up not buying even one bell. We have eaten a lot and walk around for a bit and indulge in an ice cream each after dinner. Sometimes, we must appreciate urbanisation and it remains one of the very few times I do it too! The ice cream is a refreshing memory and we notice that the trekking groups have arrived as well. As we are climbing the stairs of the hotel that we are staying at – someone announces that all the rooms in Govindghat are full and that now people coming in would have to go back to Joshimath.

A nice breeze is blowing in Govindghat. There is a conveniently fixed sofa set in the balcony and we sit and observe the vehicles and quietly thank ourselves for having reached Govindghat early. We also know in our minds that we will follow this pattern for our next days too. After all it is no fun to mill about in the crowds and makes more sense to trek in the midst of nature. I go and reconfirm the shared sumo with the helpful owner/manager of our hotel and he tells us to be ready at 630 am!

We are overjoyed and go to sleep at 9 pm. I later learn that there are also a few homestays that have recently opened in Pulna village. The weather is clear in Govindghat and we hope for clear weather from the next day onwards to enable it to be a successful trek to the Valley of Flowers. We are deep in slumber and wake up at 6 am. The dhaba guy nearby makes excellent tea and we have it just in time before the sumo appears. It is crammed with 10+ people and we pay Rs. 50 each. Our backpacks are loaded on the carrier and off we go!

Govindghat to Pulna

Earlier, the Valley of Flowers trek used to start from Govindghat itself when there was no motorable road across the bridge. It is an overcast day and our only hope is that it shouldn’t rain today because it will spoil the fun of trekking otherwise. There are a new nice homestays and hotels located at vantage points across the river on the way to Pulna village. The road is manageable and we reach the last roadhead in Pulna in no time. The shared sumo stops at the end of the road where there are a lot of ponies gathered. It seems like a chaotic place and has many basic shops selling tea, snacks and other basic necessities like a wooden stick for the trek.

Porters and guides offer their services for the Valley of Flowers trek and some try to coax us to hire ponies or horses for the trek till Ghangaria. This is the same path that also leads to Hemkund Sahib (Gurudwara set by a holy lake and pilgrimage for the Sikhs). The hiking route for Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib bifurcates after the village of Ghangaria. Therefore, Ghangaria makes for an excellent base camp for exploring both the Valley of Flowers and Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib Ji Yatra. Pulna is located at an altitude of approx. 1500m and Ghangaria is perched at 2800m.

Pulna to Ghangaria Trek

The trekking trail from Pulna to Ghangaria is well defined and has a properly laid out path too. It starts drizzling as soon as we start the trek at 730 am. The horse hiring rates vary quite widely : from 300-400 Rupees to 800-1000 Rupees. We thank the pony guys for asking us and continue the hike. They tell us most of the pilgrims to Hemkund Sahib hire the services of a pony to make it easier. After an initial ascent, the trail passes through a lush green oasis surrounded by trees and we love the positive and pristine environment that we are in. The distance from Pulna to Ghangaria is 10 Kms.

I have always maintained that the real beauty of nature is only in places where the road doesn’t reach and it reinforces my belief in the same. The trek is accompanied by a melodious sound of bells tinkling of the ponies and horses who are stationed for prospective customers. Initially, there is a dominant smell of horse shit due to the concentration of horses or ponies on the trek. The trail is properly constructed in stone (mainly as it lies on the Hemkund Sahib Trek Route). After some time of level walking, it becomes an uphill climb.

After an hour or so, the drizzle finally stops and we reach a place called Jungle Chatti. There are a number of dhabas/eateries/shelters here – it looks like a sizeable hamlet. In the far distance, mist rises from the dense forests. It is progressing as a cloudy day and there is no sign of the sun. Now we notice the impact of the long weekend and realise that there is a huge crowd of trekkers and pilgrims coming behind us on horses and ponies. It starts raining again at about 10 am. Thankfully, we have carried rain covers and ponchos. We keep walking and cross a dense canopy of trees, it turns out to be a lovely section of the walk.

There is a bridge across the river and we cross it to get to the other side; and another bridge appears. The landscapes are even more beautiful on the other side of the river. There is mist everywhere as the hills open up and the expanse of the landscape widens. Some work is going on in the mountains with regards to construction of a road. The sun comes out for a bit and the weather instantly becomes very humid.

We have ascended quite a bit but the air feels little hot when the breeze doesn’t blow. On the climb, the backpack starts feeling heavier! We cross a few small streams and now the weather changes quickly. It is around noon when the mist and clouds gather and a cool breeze starts blowing! Thank God we had not removed our jackets and now we clutch to them to provide the much needed warmth! There’s a popular saying that ‘Bombay ka fashion aur pahadon ka mausam kabhi bhi badal sakta hai.’ I am reminded of this statement!

It is surprising to come across concrete toilets on the way; and they have taps with running water! I make a slow clap to the administration for this excellent idea and to actually make it work. On crowded treks, men can pee anywhere but it becomes a challenge for women to find secluded spots. There are many signboards in Punjabi language greeting the pilgrims bound for Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib. Another cluster of dhabas duly makes an appearance; we decide to ask for a round of chai and biscuits.

Since we had started quite early, we gather that we have already covered 2/3 of the distance to Ghangaria. Someone tells us that we have trekked about 8 kms and that Ghangaria is only 2 kms from the dhaba point. We are overjoyed with this piece of information. It is decided to push ourselves a bit and try and reach Ghangaria early to enable us the best chance of staying in nicely located rooms. We are certain that as the day progresses it is going to be the same situation as Govindghat. Most of the accommodation would get booked by the evening and the remaining rooms would be the bad ones and even they would jack up the prices!

There’s a furry dog at the dhaba, so we just sit back, rest and catch our breath and relax for a while. It has been a continuous uphill walk and we are understandably tired. As we are about to load our backpacks, it starts pouring down and we are in a fix now! What to do? We wait for 5 minutes and when the rainfall doesn’t stop, we put on the ponchos and decide to just continue on the trail. We are drenched, the rain is in full flow and yet we continue walking and perspire underneath the ponchos and rain jacket!

It is an uphill climb and the feet and lower part of the body get wet because the poncho drains out water on the hiking pants! I start feeling a bit cold and think to myself that maybe the hiking pant wasn’t such a great idea after all. Maybe I would have been better served with my usual hiking shorts. The rain finally stops after 30 odd minutes and we heave a collective sigh of relief. The final ascent to Ghangaria starts – its about 1 km away and the time is 1 pm.

We are in the midst of lush greenery and the climb is excruciating. The misty forest and melody of the river flowing provides welcome company. There are many campsites located in the greens to our left and seem nicely done. A signboard indicates that Ghangaria Helipad is also nearby. It is an idyllic scene; there are horses grazing in the greenery and waterfalls are flowing from the misty mountains. Most people have opened their umbrellas and are hiking. The big campsites have 20 tents each and if the weather wasn’t very chilly, we might have actually tried staying at one of them!

The left side of the trail is fenced and we finally enter Ghangaria at about 115 pm. There are more campsites on the way – Camp Resort, Blue Poppy Camps, Ghangaria Camps. Thankfully the rain has now reduced to a trickle and that should aid us in making a sensible decision with regards to finding a nice homestay/guest house or hotel in Ghangaria. After all we will be staying here for 2-3 nights and it is always better to return to a comfortable place with a good view. Walking does not feel like a strenuous activity anymore now that we are in Ghangaria. We have made pretty good time on the trek from Pulna to Ghangaria and even with breaks have reached in around 5 hours!

I see very shabby looking guest houses on the way to the Forest Rest House in Ghangaria. There is also a Museum near the Forest Rest House which I am keen to visit later. There is a signboard on the Museum wall about an Informative documentary show with much knowledge about the Valley of Flowers. The Forest Rest House in Ghangaria is located at a picturesque location. I am pretty certain that the rest house is booked and don’t even try asking the status or checking the rooms.

Since the hotels and guest houses in Ghangaria are expecting a crowd of trekkers in the evening, they don’t seem to bother with the cleanliness. We move around and walk for a bit with a singular goal of quickly finding a guest house and agreeing on the price. In hardly 5 minutes, we are able to find a huge room with 2 double beds on the top floor of a guest house. There are 2 double beds and it is a huge room with an open balcony that has a nice view of the misty mountains with the clouds floating by.

We agree a price of INR 1000 for the room that comes with an attached bathroom and confirm that we will stay for either 2 days or 3 days. Clouds gather in the far distance and it starts pouring again. We congratulate each other on reaching Ghangaria in good time and to be able to enjoy the rain from the relative comfort of the balcony with a glass of chai in hand. We are quite exhausted after the efforts of the day but are hungry too and it seems waiting for the rain to stop is the best idea before we head out for lunch.

At about 3 pm, the rain stops and we step out for a walk after resting for a while. All of us are quite hungry but I am more interested in eating a proper lunch of roti, dal, vegetable and rice rather than making do with snacks etc. At the Gurudwara, black dal is being served with roti and 2 of us eat and feel satiated with the great food. We thank the Gurudwara guys and clean the plates as is the norm. There are many sweet shops in Ghangaria and one of them is making fresh samosas.

The weather has turned cold with the recent rain and tempts us with eating a samosa. Some locals remark that in the monsoon months of July and August, it rains almost everyday in Ghangaria. Therefore one has to get really lucky to get clear weather in Ghangaria and the Valley of Flowers in the monsoon! We give in to temptation and get some freshly fried samosas packed. We sit in the balcony of our guest house and ask for chai to be had with the piping hot samosas.

I remember about the Valley of Flowers documentary at the Forest Rest House (FRH) building and go for a walk in the evening. It is a sort of a museum in a separate building near the FRH in Ghangaria and has excellent information about the history, heritage and flowers in the Valley of Flowers. I see a number of trekkers reaching Ghangaria at this time and news spreads that there are no more rooms in Ghangaria. I am curious and someone tells me that now 4-5 people will adjust in a room to make sure everyone has a roof to stay above their heads.

I am relieved with the knowledge that our plan of reaching early has worked well. The documentary is quite informative and I go back to the guest house. We eat an early dinner in the restaurant downstairs and the food turns out to be excellent. We decide to head to the Valley of Flowers the next day. The Valley of Flowers is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and no one is allowed to stay there overnight. Hence one has to go and come back the same day. The staying place is only Ghangaria so the only way to explore Valley of Flowers is by day treks and hikes from Ghangaria itself and returning to the guest house/hotel in Ghangaria before dark.

Ghangaria to Valley of Flowers Trek

In the morning, we wake up at 6 am and after a hearty breakfast of aloo paranthas and tea, we leave for the Valley of Flowers. The restaurant guy recommends us to get food packed for lunch and we get some paranthas packed as well. The previous 2 days are a great cue to begin early and we are at the entrance gate of the Valley of Flowers at 754 am. It has been raining since morning and since time is at a premium we keep walking in our ponchos. The Valley of Flowers entry gate is located at a distance of around 1.5-2 kms from Ghangaria and is a proper uphill climb.

Just before reaching the entry gate, the route bifurcates for Hemkund Sahib. Both the routes are well laid out and well marked and there is no possibility of losing one’s way here. There is already a sizeable queue outside the Valley of Flowers entry gate and we stand in the queue as well. We pay the fee (INR 100 or 200) per person and when the tickets are issued all the individual details are properly filled and it is the trekker’s duty to ensure that they inform the gate officer while exiting. It becomes a huge headache if by any chance someone ends up staying back in Valley of Flowers after dark, as it is prohibited by law.

The Valley of Flowers entry gate opens at 7 am and closes at 12 noon. That means one cannot enter the Valley of Flowers once the clock is past noon. A few minutes after crossing the entry gate with the tickets in hand, we continue on the path in the drizzle. The stone trail disappears for a bit but we keep walking. As we walk ahead, we notice that the crowd at the entry gate keeps swelling. In the rain, the soil has created a lot of slush on the path. After we walk and march ahead of the crowds, the stone trail reappears and we are in the midst of lush greenery.

From this point, it is around 3 more kilometres to the Valley of Flowers. The weather is cloudy and foggy and at about 9 am – flowers start appearing. The greenery is unbelievable and dense fog rises from the low mountains. We finally enter the Valley of Flowers at about 10 am and flowers and ferns of different colours start appearing. It is raining continuously though and the landscape is simply stunning – exactly how they show Valley of Flowers in the photographs. I instantly think if the weather was clear, I would be able to click much better pictures from the dslr.

Pink and red flowers spread out across the landscape. There were many guides at the entrance of Valley of Flowers ticket gate. I didn’t bother to ask their fees but once inside the Valley of Flowers, there are many routes and since I haven’t done any prior research we are a bit lost. I wonder if the services of a professional guide might have been better as he is likely to be fully aware of the flora and fauna of the Valley of Flowers. The first 2 weeks of August are said to be the best time for exploring the Valley of Flowers since a majority of flowers bloom during this time. I think that it would be amazing to know the names of all the flowers on view if we had hired a professional guide.

We choose to take the trail to Leggy grave. At the outset we cross a cute bridge over a small water crossing, the water level with the non-stop rain has come really close to the bridge. Very few people are headed this way and most crowd near the Valley of Flowers entrance and since almost all of them have come through trekking operators – they wait for everyone in the group making the group a slow moving lot. It is a crowd of ponchos everywhere amidst the majestic scenery of the mist-filled greenery.

It is only about 1030 am and we remember the packed lunch of aloo paranthas that we have and remember to find a nice spot for a memorable lunch. The scenery becomes even more prettier as we keep walking ahead of the crowds. The earth is carpeted by pink flowers. In the lush greenery, every inch of bare ground has become a paradise of green. When the rainfall stops momentarily, it becomes even more prettier to look at once the visibility improves.

I have no motivation to click photographs from the dslr due to the rain and low light conditions and I only use my phone camera. I spot a colourful umbrella with one of the trekkers and it makes for a great prop for the photographs! There are multiple waterfalls flowing from the nearby hillocks; it is a surreal sight. Purple, red and pink flowers are just among the few dazzling variety of colours and the eyes are in for a feast. There are many makeshift bridges over gushing and swollen mountain streams. Even though the sight is stunningly beautiful, we are all tired of the rain and constantly trekking in the downpour.

Leggy grave is written as 700m away and another diversion for Tipra Kharak is at a distance of 3 kms. Our original plan is to spend as much time as possible inside the Valley of Flowers since we are only required to return by 4-5 pm. The tiredness is already upon us and we are very hungry; it is a relief to gobble down the dry fruits that one of us has carried. At about 11 am we reach Joan Margaret Leggy’s grave and there is a stone here from 1939. She was an explorer.

It continues raining and we find a nice sitting space and peaceful area to just relax for a while; but the rain has other plans and gets heavier so we end up scrambling to find some shade. After wandering around for 10 odd minutes, we decide to walk in another direction towards Tipra Kharak. In reality we are just too tired and amble for 2 mins, admire the scenery and decide to turn back. On the way back, we come across a huge cave-like rock. A number of people have gathered beneath it as it is a nice place to sit and enjoy the packed lunch.

It is past noon and we eat a relaxed lunch. We resume walking at a leisurely pace at 1-130 pm and our feet lead us on the return path and the only thing on our minds is to get back to the comfortable staying place. I click a few photographs with the colourful umbrella whenever I encounter those trekkers in front of us. Originally, we had kept in mind the possibility of going to Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib the next day – but now we give up the idea. We were excited to sight Bhramkamal on the Hemkund Sahib route but it will happen another time. The time is 230 pm and we reach the park gate at 3 pm.

It is mandatory to get the exit formalities done at the gate. Thankfully, it is devoid of people. I can only imagine the crowd that gathers here in the evening when the timing of 5 pm closure nears. We cross the diversion for Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib on the way to Ghangaria and a fleeting thought crosses our minds. Maybe we do really want to trek to Hemkund Sahib the next day. We take a poll and it is a common outcome that all of us are exhausted with trekking continuously in the rain, in the wet clothes that show no sign of drying.

We reach Ghangaria at 4 pm and since we haven’t really carried extra clothes with us; the wet clothes make the proceedings feel even colder. We get samosas and pakoras packed to eat with chai in the balcony as a celebratory snack. After a nice dinner, it is decided to get going early next morning and explore the possibility of going to Auli and staying there. We sleep like babies and pack hurriedly in the morning; keeping the wet clothes aside.

After a quick round of chai and biscuits, we settle the bill and start our return trek at 630 am from Ghangaria. It is a downhill hike and even though our legs, calf muscles and knees are paining we don’t take a break on the return hike. It only takes 2 hours and 30 minutes for us to reach Pulna and we are lucky to get a shared sumo as soon as we reach! We reach Govindghat and have a quick breakfast, thank the owner-manager at the guest house/hotel where we stayed and start the drive to Joshimath.

We take the bifurcation to Auli; check out some staying places and give up the idea of Auli. It is just too expensive; the basic places all cost upwards of 2000 INR per room. I have an idea; the Forest Rest House (FRH) in Joshimath is located in a nice area and it can be booked through District Forest Office (DFO) Joshimath. Since we have a car, it is possible to do this and we head straight to the DFO’s office in Joshimath. We are asked to wait for a while and submit an application for the stay for 2 rooms in FRH Joshimath.

The permission is granted for INR 1000 per room and we are overjoyed! The Forest Rest House in Joshimath is located away from the main town and has delightful rooms, a cosy sit out surrounded by flowers with a view of the mountains. The caretaker has clearly indicated that he can give us tea and that we will have to figure our plans for lunch/snacks/dinner elsewhere. We chill for some time and rest. Once the hunger pangs set in, we head out to one Dream Himalaya Resort Guest House property that we have seen on the way to the FRH.

It is about 5 pm and we have decided to have snacks and finish the evening with an early dinner. There is a gorgeous sitting space in the outdoors and chairs have been laid out with a table. The guest house seems like a nice property and the rooms are old but look comfortable. The manager says the cheapest rooms are priced from 1600 INR onwards. Earlier the Forest Rest House rooms were available for INR 500 per room but now the officer showed us a circular where the prices have increased to INR 1000 per room.

The Forest Rest House and this Resort are located at a walking distance from each other and the views are truly magnificent. We are ecstatic on sitting outside and enjoying the cool breeze and sunny feels. It is a welcome delight to be away from the rain for some time. There are roses blooming and other flowers too in different colours; purple, red, yellow etc. We eat pakoras and ask for chai in the evening and love the setting so much that we decide to just stay back at the Dream Mountain place for dinner.

The staff recommends simple veggies and dall, chapatis and rice for a meal at 7 pm. It seems like we are compensating for the crazy quick Valley of Flowers trek. Even though we are a little disappointed that we have not been able to go to Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib, we celebrate with gusto! At dinner time, we are seated inside in the grand old hall that is made in the heritage style. The dining setting is impeccable and we eat nicely. Thank the owner and staff profusely for a wonderful evening!

We head back to the Forest Rest House, our bellies content and for a change it isn’t raining! We sit in the open and gaze at the sight of the moon and the glistening peaks. The caretaker is summoned and we ask for an early chai next morning. The plan is to leave early and reach Dehradun. The date is 15th August and it is highly probable that traffic on the road will increase as the day progresses.

We enjoy our morning tea and hit the road at 730 am. The weather is stunning and there are clouds floating around in the greenery. School kids celebrate the 15th August Independence Day ceremony and traffic is non-existent till lunch time! We cover the distance quickly since the weather is just perfect for a road trip. We stop for a late breakfast and reach our friends’ home in Dehradun in the evening.

There’s no place like home. The weather is excellent in Dehradun and we witness a gorgeous sunset from the balcony. We order dinner from Kalsang and relax and have wine! The next day or two turn out to be an eating festival and we end up gaining 2 kilos each.

Ever heard of anyone going to trek to the Valley of Flowers and gaining 2 kilos? Maybe I will return someday and have a different story to tell! For better or for worse!

Thanks for reading.

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We were overjoyed to be at Thakur’s home which felt nice and cosy even though the homestay in Bathad was quite comfortable. It is a fun time at his home as the kids of the extended family are visiting for the holidays and creating a nice ruckus! There is an excellent open space with an old chorten outside the spacious cottage. We take this opportunity to have a warm bath and freshen ourselves. Thakur’s mother asks us to sit in the living room with a warm bukhari and extends a plate filled with walnuts and dry fruits. Dinner is homemade; yummy and simple. There is no fixed plan for the next day and we decide to keep our options open!

In the morning, I make moka pot coffee for everyone. Even Thakur’s mom likes it. Thakur’s daughter Nilza and her cousin are playing a game tiger-prey in the kitchen! We have had a cozy night’s sleep in the cottage and even though it is cold, the heater has served its purpose. The home is called Yuthok Homestay and it is an old colonial-looking place where a Tibetan Yogi stayed. Yuthok House is also mentioned in a book and Thakur shows us a copy of the old book.

In the nearby orchard, I spot a persimmon tree! It is locally called Japani Fal. The weather seems to have cleared and we are in bright sunshine now! Breakfast is served at 915 am and is given in beautiful bronze plates and the paranthas are in a bamboo box! Freshly plucked nargis flowers (daffodils) are laid out on the table in a vase. There is homemade persimmon pickle to eat along-with the paranthas and we relish it with great delight. We have another round of tea sitting in the garden near the chorten, enjoying the sunshine!

We pack our backpacks; thank the family, and tell them we will be back in a day or two! Thakur suggests that we try and make it to Jana village; even though the road is surely closed with plenty of snow around. We take a shortcut from Raison to get to the other side of the road (Naggar side) across Beas river. Kais Monastery looks beautiful in the sunshine with chota lamas (novices) studying. Some of the lamas are from far off places. Prayer lamps are being lit up in a separate room and even after seeing the same setting in countless monasteries, I am excited! It feels pleasant in the sun and I take a chance to walk around and appreciate the lovely doors of Kais Monastery.

We thank the lamas and continue in the gypsy to Jana village. The road is full of snow and it is a very pretty scene with the dense jungle and 1-2 feet of snow on the road! Snow clearing work is on and we park the gypsy in a safe spot and start walking. It is an ascending road and as we near the cut to Sonaugi village, we realise that the path is very slippery. Lack of sunshine on the road means that the snow has frozen solid and repeated movement of locals has made it even more slippery now! It results in a few funny moments but no damage is done and we continue walking!

In a few minutes, we decide to give up the idea of staying in Jana village and start walking back to where the gypsy is parked. It is already past 1 pm and we figure that we should choose a more doable hike! The downward walk is spectacular with memorable views of the snowy apple fields and faraway mountain peaks. We decide to head to Naggar and possibly make our way to Rumsu. As soon as we cross Naggar, we spot snow on the pataal stone roofs of the homes. It is a pretty sight and the weather seems to be holding up for the moment.

We park the gypsy around 2-3 kms before Rumsu and notice that a lot of vehicles are also parked there itself. Thakur narrates to us why it is important to park in the right place because sometimes sudden heavy snowfall might mean that the car is stuck with no way out until the snow melts. We start our walk to Rumsu along the road; there are tyre marks on the road and some patches feel very slippery. After walking for about an hour or so; we start seeing the houses of Rumsu village and have views of the other side of the valley – villages of Halan I & Hallan II.

Thakur knows a local who also runs a travel company and a homestay. We therefore do not look around and directly walk to the homestay. Rumsu village is totally white and the snow glistens in the intermittent periods of sunshine. Clouds are also building up in the sky and we are glad to have made it well in daylight. It looks like a modern village with most of the buildings constructed in concrete. The area around Jamlu Devta Temple Complex is slippery because a lot of the villagers have walked from there.

We slip and slide on the snow and make it to the homestay. It is owned by a local by the name of Padam and he takes us to his home. Kids in Rumsu village are skating, sliding on slopes wooden equipments. There is only one feisty girl playing this game in the gang of boys! All the sliding has resulted in the path becoming incredibly difficult to navigate. We somehow make sure not to fall and Padam ushers us to a huge room in the basement of the house. It is a wooden traditional home (earlier the room was used as an animal shed!) and it feels a little claustrophobic because there is no fresh source of air.

The ceiling is very low and the wood panelling makes the room feel warm. It is quite cold in Rumsu once the sun disappears and a stiff breeze starts blowing. Padam also brings a blower-heater from somewhere but the room is nicely warm and we say we don’t need it. The open part outside the home has a fabulous valley view with snowed out slopes. The open courtyard also has views of traditional Himachali homes designed in the Kath Kuni style.

There is a bit of sunshine still visible on the nearby slopes. It is about 5 pm and we are very hungry. Padam bhai helps us with fresh pooris and home made pickle as a snack! We are also given chai with it and end up relishing the timely snack. Padam bhai has asked for 400 Rupees per person including food and we tell him we will only stay for a day.

We go roaming around for a bit and enjoy the timeless feel of Rumsu village. Some of us are understandably tired after the incessant walking throughout the day! We can feel the profound silence as darkness descends in Rumsu. Whenever we step out for filling water or using the bathroom, we are privy to a sky full of stars. Dinner is yummy vegetable curry, dall, chapati and we have our fill! We eat at 7 pm and decide to sleep early because all of us are very tired.

It is surreal sight when we wake up the next morning at about 7 am. Rumsu village is in a total white out and heavy snowfall seems to be continuing since early morning. The valley below cannot be seen because the snow flurries are in full force. I love looking at the railings that have a fresh helping of snow which slides off when the weight becomes too much! The snowflakes are sizeable in size and we ask for a second round of tea in big glasses. One might think that after having experienced fresh snowfall in Shangarh and Bathad, we might be bored of it. That doesn’t seem to be the case though as we love the white scenes in Rumsu.

Rumsu feels like a white wonderland with its traditional houses and the chimneys billowing out smoke from the fires of the tandoor bukhari that are invariably running in every home. The chairs left in the open are laden with snow, and even the water tanks and ladders are full of white snow! We take our chai glasses and go outside to stand under the roof and sip hot tea with the valley view. The snowfall stops for a while and thats when the clearest views of the morning are.

Breakfast is served at 9 am, and that seems to be the cue for the snowfall to resume again after a brief break! The kids had just begun to play games and skate but now they have to scurry back to their homes. We sit huddled in the room and tell each other that we have been really lucky to experience snowfall in 3 different villages on this trip. When we open the door of the room and look outside, it feels like a scene from Narnia. The clock strikes 11 am and ideally we would like to leave from Rumsu now and reach Thakur’s home for the next leg of our journey.

We are waiting for the snow to stop falling and have packed our bags to leave. We briefly wonder if the snowfall doesn’t stop we might have to live in Rumsu for another night! It finally stops snowing at 1230 and we start walking right away. Its good that we don’t wait for the perfect weather as it is dull and overcast and the clouds come into Rumsu as soon as we have crossed the temple area. Now we are on the main road and there are no chances of getting stuck.

Some of the locals are taking out their flock of sheep for grazing, it is a surreal sight in the snow. Kids continue playing and making the path slippery again! Snow hangs on apple trees, the branches are bare with no leaves. We cross the Jamlu Devta Temple area of Rumsu at about 1 pm and realise that it is much easier to walk on fresh snow as compared to melting or hard – frozen snow. There are massive pine and deodhar trees on the way and the whiteout feels even more majestic. The valley in front of us is covered in clouds and it is quite an unbelievable sight.

We also spot a few locals beginning their walk and realise that we are the first ones to step foot on the fresh snow once again. There are a few cute and furry dogs on the way. We are wary of the fact that it might start snowing again and that would cause our bags to get wet. On the road, there are a few tyre marks visible in the snow. Roofs of houses and windshields of cars are fully covered in white snow. I spot a Royal Enfield covered in snow; it looks gorgeous! The views of the other side of the valley become clear.

Some locals tell us that this was the heaviest snowfall in the last 4-5 days. I am excited when we encounter a lost sheep on the road; it looks very cute with the whiteness around. The landscape looks surreal and there is total peace and silence in the valley. Thakur is a little worried if the gypsy is stuck with the snowfall.

We still have a long way to go and are delighted to notice that the weather is clearing. Our only breaks are for photography and we continue walking. A jeep crosses us and after that we walk in the middle of the tyre marks. It is nice fun but becomes a little tiring sometimes. There is finally a glimpse of blue skies as we near the parking place. Thakur has parked at the right place. If the gypsy was parked any farther, there would have been chances of it getting stuck.

We directly head to Naggar Castle to celebrate our last week of epic wanderings! There is snow in the courtyard of Naggar Castle and on the roof too. The sun is out and the peaks on all other sides glisten brightly under the blue skies. The wood and stone building of Naggar Castle has great carvings and makes it worthy of a historical sight. The cast iron chairs and tables kept outside are covered in snow. Since it is winter, there is a discount scheme at Naggar Castle that is run by HPTDC as a heritage hotel. We briefly tinker with the idea of staying there since the cheapest rooms are priced at about 1200 Rs. but decide to just eat lunch with the epic views.

There are a number of day visitors and they are savouring the valley views from the open spaces. From the table in the restaurant there are framed views of the snowy mountains. Surely, Naggar Castle has one of the best views in entire Kullu Valley. The prices at the restaurant are on the higher side but thats ok for the epic sights. We are 4 of us and have a late lunch at about 3-30 pm. Anyway, we only have to go to Thakur’s home for the night so there is no rush. The food turns out to be excellent and that caps a fine exploration of Rumsu. We are all very pleased with how things turned out.

When the car stops in Naggar, my friends buy some handicrafts as gifts for Thakur’s family. When we reach Raison, the snow at Thakur’s home has already melted away and the weather is absolutely clear now. We sit in the garden adjacent to the orchard and enjoy our evening tea. Hellos with the family are exchanged and we tell them that we had a wonderful time.

Goodbye snowy Rumsu!

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