I made the journey from Kurseong to Mirik by shared sumo locally called as Syndicate in this region. In Mirik, I stayed at Haamro Ghar Homestay and I highly recommend them if you are planning to visit Mirik. Sumendu Lake is the highlight of this tiny town that is spread around the lake that also boasts of a monastery.

A Journey in Photographs of Two Days in Mirik

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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We 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 a glorious few months in Kasar Devi and we had braved through the winter cold. As soon as February began, we chalked out plans to visit the nearby places for weekend visits.

In the last week of February, we left early morning from our cottage in Kasar Devi and walked to the diversion of the road for Jageshwar near Almora, and were lucky to instantly hitch a ride till Chitai Golu Devta. We paid our respects at the temple and started walking on the road and were lucky again to find another ride that dropped us at Artola – the point from where the road diverted for Jageshwar. I remembered from my earlier visit that it would be a pleasant 2 odd km walk from here as the region around Jageshwar is surrounded by pine and deodhar forests to reach the Dandeshwar Temple.

Since the distance between Almora and Jageshwar is only 35 kms, we didn’t bother to have breakfast when we left from Kasar Devi and figured that it made sense to eat an early lunch along the way or directly after reaching Jageshwar.

In 2015, I had stayed in Jageshwar for a day and someone had mentioned that while Vridhh Jageshwar was quite close to Jageshwar; it was a good 8-10 km distance from the road and there was a diversion road for Vridhh Jageshwar from Artola. In the absence of a proper mode of transport (bus or shared taxi), it wasn’t practical to think of a day visit from Jageshwar to Vridhh Jageshwar and back. I had multiple bags with me and therefore had to sort of plan my travel accordingly.

It was a surreal walk on the road from Artola as there were hardly any vehicles and we reached Dandeshwar Temples at about 1230 pm. We were quite hungry and came across a boutique stay on the way to Jageshwar after crossing Dandeshwar Temple. The dining area looked very inviting and we asked the staff if it was possible to make lunch on order? They said lunch would be simple dal, green leafy vegetables, chapati and rice and would take about 30 minutes to make. We requested them to speed it up as we were super hungry!

Food was out of the world when it arrived after some time and we ate till our stomachs were full! The 250 Rupees per person charge felt absolutely worthwhile. We thanked the staff wholeheartedly, paid them and set on our way. We visited the various temples in the Jageshwar Group of Temples complex; crossed the Jataganga stream to reach the Kuber Temple. Jageshwar town seemed to have expanded and didn’t have the charming feel as earlier so we were already thinking of an alternate plan of stay!

We asked the Pandit Ji at Kuber Temple about the hiking trail for Vridhh Jageshwar temple. It was early afternoon and we had ample time for trying to head somewhere else. Pandit Ji was quite confident and told us that the trail to Vridhh Jageshwar was well marked and pretty straightforward. He estimated that the hiking – trekking trail from Jageshwar to Vridhh Jageshwar is about 3-4 kms and should take between 1.5 to 2 hours maximum. He also told us that there were a couple of homestays right in front of the Vridhh Jageshwar Temple and that we would have no trouble finding a place to stay for the night.

It was about 315 pm when we started our walk from Kuber Temple. There was a proper cemented path with beautiful houses surrounded by early spring flower blooms on the way as the onset of the Jageshwar to Vridhh Jageshwar trek. One of the homes had such an incredible array of flowers – on the pretext of asking about the trail, I ended up asking whether the house was also a homestay! The lady of the house quoted a heavy price and we figured that as a classic trait in Uttarakhand. I stuck to the task of confirming the path and was told that a road is being built and that we should take the walking trail even after the road joins.

We were on the right trail and easily climbed a steady ascent in the initial 15 minutes. The weather was sunny when we had started but quickly began to change with clouds gathering and a breeze starting to blow even before we had reached the first road construction that was said to be our first landmark. I tried asking anyone on the trail where the path joined the bigger road in progress but there was no one to be seen and as if on cue, it started drizzling.

Thankfully, we had carried our rain jackets and since we had a rough idea about the trail, continued walking on the dirt road and kept a look out for a walking trail ascending towards our right. The drizzle was steady and we were overjoyed when a vehicle appeared on the road and was kind enough to stop for us. The gentleman was a local who said he was aware of the correct trail to Vridhh Jageshwar and informed us that it is easily identifiable.

We were ecstatic to spot red rhododendron blooming flowers in the forest and even though the road was dusty, the drizzle came as a welcome delight with the smell of petrichor. Even though it was only around 4-415 pm, it started feeling a bit dark in the forested region and we heaved a sigh of relief when we finally saw a hiking trail emerge from the road. It was a sharp ascent and although I was still uncertain about us being on the right path, the occasional raindrops and cold breeze ensured that we kept going ahead rather than second guess.

After about 20-30 minutes the light improved as we climbed higher and were relieved to notice that the drizzle had stopped and the sun had started peeping through the clouds. The rhododendron flowers looked even more beautiful after having a shower in the rain. We clicked a few pictures and I made a mental calculation that there was daylight till 630 pm at least. Even if we were on the wrong trail, our general hiking direction was in the region of Vridhh Jageshwar Temple and we were quite confident about making it to a homestay before dark.

Just as I was starting to get worried about not reaching Vridhh Jageshwar nor seeing any signs if we were on the right trail, we came across a stone boundary and there were multiple trails branching from that place. It was getting super confusing and for a minute I contemplated turning back and just getting back to safety in Jageshwar since we knew the way back. As a distraction, we decided to take a small rest break sitting on the stone boundary and were pleased when a dog came from somewhere.

The presence of a dog increased the possibility of a settlement nearby and my joy knew no bounds when a group of women carrying firewood appeared from nowhere and told us that we might have missed the correct trail but pointed us to a path and said that we will hardly take 15-20 odd minutes to reach Vridhh Jageshwar Temple. It was about 515 pm and we thanked the ladies and rushed on the trail. We had a spring in our step and relief on our minds now that we finally knew that we were about to reach Vridhh Jageshwar Temple and that there were 2 homestay options there.

Within no time we reached a road-head where the road had very recently been laid with tar and for a moment wondered if we had to go left or right but google maps quickly solved the problem. Recent development in the remote areas means there is hardly any place left without mobile network and internet connectivity. The weather had totally cleared and the sun was out. We were in front of the Vridhh Jageshwar Temple and there were only a handful of buildings.

I had assumed that this was a temple town but the solitude felt even more pronounced when we saw that there were only a total of 4-5 buildings that comprised Vridhh Jageshwar! We were shown the room at one of the homestays and were quoted a reasonable price of INR 500-600. It was a basic but pretty comfortable room with an attached bathroom and the owner was soft spoken and a kind hearted man. The homestay doubled up as a dhaba with a general store and the owner lived there with his wife. We requested him for an early dinner of freshly cooked dal, vegetables, rotis at 730 pm and quickly asked him if there was a chance of attending either the evening or the morning aarti at the Vridhh Jageshwar Temple?!

He looked at the watch and asked us to rush to the temple as it was about to be 6 pm and the evening aarti would begin anytime now! We were having a great day and loved this piece of information and quickly walked to the Vridhh Jageshwar Temple. The evening colours in the sky were simply out of the world and the horizon was being painted in yellow and orange hues. Since we were at a much higher altitude, the air felt cleaner and colder and the green hills completed a pretty picture.

The temple was a massive stone structure and the architecture style was similar to the bigger temples in the Jageshwar Group of temples. The Vridhh Jageshwar Temple pre-dates the Jageshwar temples and is said to have been established in 7-8th Century AD. The evening aarti was about to begin and it felt peaceful and calm as there were no other pilgrims or visitors at Vridhh Jageshwar. There is a certain charm about visiting places off the main tourist circuit and we were quite pleased with being able to sit in the aarti and feel the mantras being chanted.

After 30 odd minutes the evening aarti was over, we thanked the Pandit Ji and spent some time gazing at the stupendous after-sunset views. We were super hungry and walked back to our homestay which also doubled up as a general store and a dhaba where pilgrims and visitors could get food made on order. It was almost 7 pm and food was going to take a little longer to get ready so we went to the room and aired it out a little. A bit of fresh air in closed rooms always works wonders. While Jageshwar felt hot during daytime, there was a proper chill in the air in Vridhh Jageshwar and it was not even night yet.

We were quite relieved when the owner uncle handed us an electric rod to heat water (if we needed it). The night skies from the homestay terrace were incredible in the absence of any light pollution in Vridhh Jageshwar. There was a solar powered light at the Vridhh Jageshwar temple but that was hidden by a big tree in the homestay compound. The electricity conked off and decided to give us an even more epic view of the stars. We weren’t complaining and went to the dhaba area when the food was ready.

It was nice to see a proper family run place and aunty was making hot chapatis. We gobbled up the offerings as we had nothing to eat after the fabulous lunch in the afternoon. The wind had really picked up and it felt like a thunderstorm was on its way. We ate well, thanked uncle and aunty wholeheartedly and went back downstairs to our room. It had started to get cloudy and funnily enough the electricity came back!

There was full 4G internet connectivity and it felt nice to lie down in the warmth indoors and do some aimless scrolling. We slept well, after all the body had a nice workout with the hike and was pretty tired.

It was a spectacular morning as the weather had cleared and a stunning 180 degree view of the Himalayan ranges awaited when we were going to the temple for the morning darshan and aarti. There were crystal clear views of Mount Trishul, Nanda Devi and other peaks. We were overjoyed and requested for aloo paranthas for breakfast and enjoyed them in the outdoor sun with the splendid views. Even though the original idea was to leave back for Kasar Devi early morning, it was a delay that felt totally worthwhile.

Someone mentioned that Vridhh Jageshwar lies on an old trekking/hiking route commonly used by pilgrims and it is possible to continue via walking trails to reach other important temples in the region. At around 11, we started walking towards Panuanaula (next sizeable village on the road) and I came across a signboard and a trail towards Jageshwar Dham which mentioned the walking distance as 3 kms. We quickly understood that we had surely got lost in the jungle yesterday and made it to Vridhh Jageshwar by a much longer and confusing trail. A shared taxi duly arrived and we got a ride till Panuanaula.

I don’t remember the exact sequence but it was rhododendron flower season and we got down at a place called Toli where there are a couple of local shops that make fresh squashes. The homestay uncle in Vridhh Jageshwar had given a reference of one of the squash makers and we ended up picking a number of bottles of the various varieties that they recommended. The prices were also quite reasonable, we thanked the owners and caught one of the numerous shared taxis bound for Almora.

It was a feeling of contentment and satisfaction to come back to our cottage in Kasar Devi!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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Once the rains started in the latter part of July, the humid weather became more pleasant but there was still that characteristically sticky weather that deterred whenever I thought of a hike. Also, there was also the small matter of me ending up with an upset tummy after excess consumption of plum and then pears. There were minor hiccups with apricots and peaches but that is just me at my best – eating fruits like only I can do! With the added incentive of being in an orchard at Yuthok Homestay, it would have been surprising if I had remained sober and not given in to temptation of the fruit trees in my vicinity.

My friend and Yuthok House host, Rajeshwar Thakur had mentioned Mahling Day Hike and Rani Sui Lake but both those required prior planning and that ensured we struck them off our ‘plan’. One fine Saturday morning when we were having chai, Thakur mentioned that we could walk to Jana … Yes, we could walk to Jana directly from Raison. It sounded perfect; because of the fact that we wouldn’t have to catch a bus or drive anywhere but could start walking straight after breakfast at home. Of course, there was the small matter of it being an entirely uphill hike and the fact that there was no well-marked trail.

A comfort factor that ultimately settled the decision was the presence of locals on the hike from Raison to Jana – locals own orchards along the trail and have houses along the trail. That meant we could ask for help in case we ended up losing our way. So, we had an extra tingmo while eating breakfast and packed a few apples and pears for the hike. We had estimated that we would take about 5-6 hours to reach Jana village since the locals take about 2 hours. Our worst-case scenario assumption was that even if we get there by 4-430, the popularity of the waterfall at Jana would mean there would be plenty of chances for us to hitch a ride on our way back.

So, at 1030 we started walking from our orchard home in Raison and crossed the bridge in Raison Bazaar to make it to the other side. The breeze felt nice in the cloudy weather but soon the sun would be out and we would be huffing and puffing for every step. Anyhow, we ascended the first shortcut and got to the main road. While we were sipping chai in the morning, Thakur had indicated the electric pole from where we were supposed to start hiking to Raugi village and then Jana village. There were 2-3 groups of locals sitting by the side of the road and waiting for the bus.

Not to miss a chance, I went and spoke separately to the 2 groups and one group pointed to the start of the trail to us and told us that we should only ask for the trail to Jana village. I posed all the possible questions to them and got the information that the trail crosses many houses and there is nothing to worry about; if we went through Raugi village it will just take longer; that the trail will keep climbing and there will never be a straight patch. As soon as we started ascending, the humidity factor came into the picture. The sun was out after only 3 turns and we couldn’t have been happier to be walking amidst a pine/deodhar forest. There was a nice trail in the jungle and like always the first 30 odd minutes were a little difficult. Sweat trickled down my face and my tee-shirt was wet in no time.

We figured that it could get very tiring if we continued this way and therefore decided to enjoy the shade whenever we got a chance. On the way, we met a gentleman catching up his breath in the shade and munching on (still) raw apples. I asked him about the way and he confirmed that there was only one trail to Jana and even if we missed the trail in a few places, the presence of homes and people working in the orchards along the way would ensure we had little chance of getting lost. I thanked him and we too sat in the shade; it was a sort of a vantage point and we enjoyed a grand aerial view of Kullu Valley with the lush greenery and clouds floating around and Beas river meandering through the divine setting.

The break got us thinking rationally and we were clear now that we needed to rest every 10 minutes. After all, hikes are meant to be enjoyable and if all we are thinking of is reaching the destination, then we need to do things differently. The gentleman we had met was unsure about the distance / time taken till Jana but remarked that we won’t take till 4 pm to get there. We were overjoyed to cross a section full of apple trees and ripe mariposa plums waiting to be picked. A local lady was in quite a rush and was speaking on the phone on the downhill walk; I figured she would have all the answers and politely queried her if the same trail would continue to Jana village? She put the phone on hold, gave us 2 mariposa plums and told us that we need not change the trail anywhere and that we would anyhow reach Jana village by about 2 pm.

We were overjoyed with this piece of information and it seemed the weather gods also started to become a little favourable when the sun was covered by clouds. It was a welcome change and hiking just became more pleasurable when we figured that we could actually relax and not get unduly worried about reaching Jana and then making our way back. We crossed a number of houses to our left and right on the way up and noticed that we left Raugi village to our right. Since the idea was to make it to Jana village we didn’t bother asking about the way to Raugi village.

As we continued on the trail, we encountered a newly cut road on different corners but it was totally a dirt road and there was no vehicle to be seen. I had to rely on past experiences and remember that a walking trail would always be visible where the previous walking trail ends and even if it was faint we would continue and later realise it was the correct path. We went on an incorrect trail 2-3 times halfway to Jana village but were lucky that whenever we felt like we should retrace our path and turn back, a house was always seen and they would guide us on the correct path.

So it was close to a village called Dhama that we met a gentleman just chilling in the shade. We had only half litre of water left and it was only 30 minutes past noon; I asked him if there was a water source nearby? He offered to fill the water bottle from his home since the water source was quite a distance away. I walked with him and was super happy to see grandma at a wooden home and cauliflower freshly picked from the fields. Grandma scolded me in her own sweet manner and suggested that we must rest for a while to avoid the sun that had just come out!

We chatted for a while; it was a fun conversation when I could barely understand what grandma meant when she spoke in her Kullvi dialect but she was so kind she gave a cauliflower and waved us goodbye! I have kind of missed these random encounters on the road that were so often a hallmark of my travels. The gentleman showed us the way to the main trail to Jana and informed that we should hardly take 1 hour to reach Jana village from his home. The distance from Raison to Jana village by road is 31 Kms and here we were walking by the classic old trail that was the only way of reaching Jana before the road was built.

We crossed some confusing sections on our way to Jana village and just as we thought we would lose our way again, we met a local who was collecting dried leaves in a bag to be used as a warm bed for the cow. I gave him an apple from our orchard and he started leading the way for us. Just as we made a final ascent and saw the houses of Jana village in front of us, it was about 120 pm and we couldn’t believe our eyes! We had covered almost 6.5 kms of steep uphill climb in less than 3 hours. The local reminded me that there are 2 temples in Jana village, one is an ancient temple and another is the recently built one that is on the way to the Jana waterfall.

The ancient temple reminded me of the visit to Jana village in 2014. There were a few concrete houses visible at the start of the village close to the road-head. A number of villagers had gathered near the road and were loading a camper with fresh cauliflower packed in boxes. We made a small conversation and they were astounded to hear that we had walked from Raison! The locals congratulated us and said that nobody does that anymore. With a spring in our step, we entered the lush greenery of Jana village.

After crossing a few newly built houses, we were amidst huge wooden homes that were at least 100-200 years old. Jana village boasts of some of the oldest houses in Kullu Valley. The locals were very welcoming and it was with a happy surprise that we saw an ice-cream seller in Jana Village. Young and old alike were eating away at the ice-creams and the seller was happy with the rousing business! It reminded me that there may not be an ice-cream shop in the remote villages of Kullu Valley but development and roads mean the ice-cream guys come to the village itself! A few elder men were still wearing their smart woollen jackets and trousers and I felt as if my old travels never ended. I had a nice conversation with them maintaining a safe distance and it just felt so normal to forget about the pandemic at hand.

We walked to the new temple made of wood that turned out to be so huge that I couldn’t even capture it in the phone camera. I ogled at the richly carved doors in wood and clicked a few photographs. The weather was simply perfect with a thick layer of cloud over the horizon and the green fields looked stunning with the fog in the background. We had got to Jana village well before our estimated time and looked forward to a yummy lunch at Mani Ram Dhaba at Jana Waterfalls.

We kept walking and joined the main road to Jana Waterfall after one final sharp ascent. On the way a few locals that I spoke to said that other dhabas had also come up and that everyone served similar fare. I had heard a few accounts that suggested Jana Waterfall had become a very popular place even for the locals. It was fun to walk on the dirt road through the dense forest that remains one of my favourite forests in the entire Kullu Valley. As we reached the waterfalls, I saw one Sachin Thakur dhaba at the start. To its left, there was a trickling small waterfall and I instantly rushed there to wash my face with the cold water and feel refreshed.

The owner Ramesh Thakur was taking a walk outside and over a short conversation congratulated us on hiking up from Raison in such a short time! It was a fun conversation and while we were walking to Mani Ram Dhaba, the honesty with which Ramesh Bhai said that his food is better made me do a u-turn and we were sitting at the other dhaba instead. I had spotted a tempo traveller at Mani Ram Dhaba that of course had a better location right beside the waterfall but the instinct had spoken in favour of Sachin Thakur Dhaba.

Ramesh Thakur’s wife laid out 4 bowls of accompaniments on the table – desi ghee, jaggery powder, green chutney and home-made lingdi ka achaar (fiddlehead fern pickle). The thalis for the other table for local tourists who came after us was served quickly and we were told that the food is being made fresh for us as I had requested Ramesh bhai that we are in no hurry and that good food is our only criteria! We relished the thalis that were laid out in front of us – makki ki roti, sarson ka saag, kadhi, rajma, locally grown red rice, and poppy seeds siddu. Since we had eaten perfect siddus every other week at Yuthok Homestay in Raison, we asked for an extra makki ki roti in exchange of the Siddu!

The food turned out to be incredibly yummy and I thanked Ramesh Thakur and his wife numerous times. The jaggery powder mixed with ghee was a deadly combination to be eaten with the makke ki roti. The rajma, kadhi and sarson ka saag were excellent too and the lingdi ka achaar was a nice surprise. The siddu was a little spicy and with the spicy green chutney gave a nice kick! Ramesh Thakur was generous and only took 300 INR for the 2 thalis, less than his usual rate. He said because we had walked all the way from Raison, we were entitled to a discount! I took a few photos of him and the dhaba and promised to share the review for prospective travellers.

The dirt road looked very beautiful in the mist and we debated for a while if we wanted to walk a bit ahead and feel the calm but since it was a Sunday there would be no return bus from Jana in the evening. That was reason enough for us to think about returning even if it was only 3 pm. We started walking back to Jana village and kept a timeline for ourselves that if we got a ride till Naggar village, we would go back by the road but if we didn’t get a ride in a vehicle, then we would hike back to Raison from Jana village.

As luck would have it, we walked all the way back to Raison. The downhill hike was relatively easier and we were back in the orchard home of Yuthok Homestay at about 5-515 pm.

Memorable hike if you are living in Kullu Valley for a long time and want to see an old village!

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We had spent most of the anxious post-March months at home in Jaipur; only heading out to Delhi and Himachal for around 4 weeks in September-October. Most of our travels otherwise were around Jaipur in the form of staycations and drives. It had started to feel boring being back in Jaipur and once Diwali celebrations were over, we started making plans in our head to leave for the mountains. The ‘where’ seemed like a sacrilegious question, and was left alone for the time being.

Read more on Kasar Devi :

Aimless Wanderings in Almora

Alternative Living in Kasar Devi, Almora

In December, when we learnt that there was no compulsory negative Covid test report required for entering Uttarakhand, it felt pre-ordained that we head to Dehradun to stay at our friends’ home there. Further, detailed enquiries meant the information that folks arriving from Delhi were being made to undergo a compulsory Covid Test at the border. Since we were not keen at all on getting a Covid test done, we decided to hire a cab directly from Jaipur to Dehradun and made sure it was a RJ number.

We spent a nice two weeks in Dehradun and on a random whim ended up staying a couple of days in Landour when we went for breakfast to Hathipaon, near Mussoorie. After breakfast, it was just decided to hike up via the jungle path to Landour and since we had covered almost 16 kilometres, it only seemed prudent to end up staying in Landour! The weather was very cold and temperatures were in the negative but we loved the walks galore and it felt as if we were ready to travel in the old style (of course with precautions).

It was a memorable Christmas feast in Dehradun and we were 7 of us travelling in 2 cars from Dehradun to Kasar Devi, next day. We had decided to take the long but beautiful winding route from Garhwal to Kumaon – the Karnaprayag-Gwaldam to Kasar Devi route. The biggest challenge was to figure out a safe place to stay on the road, and accordingly we left at about 8 am from Dehradun. It was decided to stay at one secluded place on the way to Gauchar.

It was a forgettable night stay to say the least but we left very early for our final destination Kasar Devi in Kumaon and luck started smiling on us. As we crossed Karnaprayag and were on the Gwaldam-Almora road, it was still quite early in the morning and for the first time in our lives (seemingly) we took a u-turn to end up at a dhaba eatery that we only noticed after going ahead.

The dhaba eatery turned out to be just the perfect spot with a flowing river and served freshly made incredibly tasty paranthas with veggies and dall. It felt as if our trip was already off to a great start. We met an internet acquaintance who was kind enough to give us chai with a grand view of Mt. Trishul. I was excited to see the fabulous looking bamboo baskets when our car crossed Gwaldam Bazaar and made a mental note to buy them if we were in Gwaldam again.

We drove and drove and passed different parts of Kumaon and were in Kasar Devi at around 330 pm. Since it was intended as a week long stay, I had decided that accommodation was best at a secluded place and I had in mind exactly the place that fulfilled the requirements. We were in the jungle and the place of stay wasn’t exactly luxurious but had an element of rustic beauty to it. There was a fireplace in every room to keep the cold at bay.

We enjoyed our aimless walks in the jungle and our evenings with the fireplace. It was fun to wake up to a view of the Himalayan peaks somedays as we practised yoga and meditation on the terrace. When it was time to go back, we realised we were mentally prepared to just continue living here and told our Dehradun and Delhi friends the same. The weather was cloudy and continued being so as everyone else except us left on 2nd January 2021.

There were a lot of factors involved in the shifting to the mountains. On our travels, we had always wondered what it would be like to live in one place. Now that ‘work from anywhere’ is a reality and it is possible to live this life, if we didn’t try it now, there might never be a better time to do it. We have not really decided how long we will live here, but it is just an experiment to see how it feels to actually live in the mountains.

We were hoping to be shifted to a warmer cottage on the 2nd but that didn’t happen and on a cold and gloomy day we decided to get dropped to Almora with our friends who were headed to Ranikhet. It was meant as a quick stop to buy the necessary stuff that we would need to start living. Almora Bazaar is closed on Sunday and that necessitated our going on a Saturday because we didn’t want to leave our shopping for essentials for too late.

It was a cloudy and gloomy day and felt very smoggy. We got dropped off on the Ranikhet road around 3.5 kms from the Almora Bazaar and got a ride in a camper after walking for a bit. The camper dropped us close to a set of stairs from where we reached Almora market after huffing and puffing for about 15 minutes! On the way, I realised that I had forgotten my mask and the first thing that we did after reaching the market was to buy a mask!

We figured that it made sense to buy some basic supplies and rations like oil etc since we were planning to ‘live’ here. If I’ve forgotten to mention it earlier, our cottage came with a kitchenette and there was a gas and the required utensils too. We also asked the owner to start giving us 1/2 litre daily milk that came straight from their cows that someone owned in the extended family.

Day 1

Vishal Mega Mart

Whenever we showed anyone in Almora our list of things to buy, they would invariably ask us to go to Vishal Mega Mart. Even though we were keen on buying stuff from the usual small shops in the bazaar, we figured it was easier to go to Vishal Mega Mart and buy the things we need in one place. Plus they had some massive discount scheme going on! We finished our shopping for masalas, rice, cups at around 3 pm and were super tired and hungry as well. I could only buy an upper warmer at the Neva shop since they had no lower in my size!

We bought towels to be used as a table cover and a curtain from one of many khadi shops in Almora Bazaar. Also bought a bottle of Morpheus XO brandy for 900 Rupees since I was told that it is a nice remedy to be used in small quantities as medicine to combat the cold.

We must have looked rather funny with the bulky looking bags but still decided to have a late lunch rather than rushing to our home in Kasar Devi and being hungry. It was a simple meal of bhatt ki churkani and mandua roti at Joshju’s Restaurant in Almora and we were glad to speak to the owner, Siddharth. We requested him to ask one of his staff guys to book the 2 front seats for us in the shared sumo because it might possibly be the last sumo of the day to Kasar Devi.

Almora Rasoi

While roaming in the heritage area of the Johari Bazaar, we had come across a utensil shop and picked some antique stuff in brass from him. The owner was a middle aged uncle and remarked that his kids had started a small venture in the lockdown, Almora Rasoi. He gave a packet of the tea masala made by Almora Rasoi for 30 Rupees for us to try it out. I spotted Almora Rasoi’s signboard near the shared taxi stand and met one of the young owners. He told me that everything they made was in desi ghee and I tried the makkhan bada and it really turned out to be amazing.

Almora is quite warm and when we get back it felt frighteningly cold in the cottage. We light a fire in the evening itself and make hot chocolate from the homemade mix that we had bought from Prakash Ji’s shop in Landour. We feel satisfied and accomplished having done most of our required shopping. We figured that we could make a list once we shifted to our actual cottage.

Day 2

Woke up to a drizzle. It has been raining since morning, not too much but enough to make it very cold and seemingly impossible to get out of bed. We have breakfast at our host’s home at 9 am and go back to our room. There is no chance of yoga on the terrace. It stops raining for a bit and we venture out to see the clouds in the forest that we are.

We light a fire at about 11 am and declare that it is a day to chill and relax and that we should celebrate our having gone to the market a day earlier. It is a cozy bed and I’m able to concentrate on reading a book after what seems like a long time. At about 1240 pm, we feel very sleepy but decide to not get too lazy and make lunch.

Lunch is sautéed whole french beans, carrots, and capsicum. It turns out to be super yummy and I am so happy with myself. We have received our first container of the fresh cow milk in the morning and the cold day means we make a round of hot chocolate. It turns out to be an epic lunch idea, especially in this Ruskin Bond – kind of weather!

To let go of our lethargy, we decide to go for a walk in the woods but have to opt against it as it starts raining as soon as we step out. We finally go to the terrace for network and stand in the sheltered part and download a movie or two! I also put out some social media updates.

It is surreal to notice the clouds and mist float around the trees in the near and far distance and how the mountains have been invisible for the last 3-4 days. I almost wonder if visitors to Kasar Devi feel what the fuss is all about if they come for a 2-3 day visit and don’t get a view of the mountains.

The day ends early and it is dark when we get back to our cottage at about 530 pm. There has been no electricity all day and we are lucky that the cottage has a single charging point that works on an inverter. At 7 pm, we go for dinner. Amazing food menu – mushroom tomato soup, dall, vegetables, chapati and rice. We chat up with our host about the possibility of snowfall next day if it continues raining. We continue the fire post dinner and sleep early because it will be cottage shifting day tomorrow!

Day 3

Our hearts are beating wildly in anticipation of shifting to a permanent cottage today. I am feeling wonderful after a good night’s sleep and the day begins nicely inhaling the fresh aroma of petrichor once we open the cottage door! The weather appears to be shifting between cloudy and sunny and it is fun to notice the small battle that the sun finally triumphs in! It is not raining anymore and we decide to not wait forever for the shifting of the cottage and go out for a walk and do our work.

Tara General Store, Papersali

We set out after breakfast to head to Tara General Store in Papersali to buy eggs and other basic supplies that we were unable to buy in Almora Bazaar. Tara General Store is like an all purpose hub in the region; as everyone gets their Amazon deliveries and other necessary stuff delivered there. There are also other shops nearby and it makes for a nice walk once you are familiar with the jungle paths.

It is a great day for a walk because the jungle has all kinds of pleasant smells today as the sun is shining brightly now after the spell of rain. The view of the Himalayas is clear and we wonder how the mountains decide to reveal themselves once the weekend tourists are gone.

We buy a tray of eggs at Tara General Store and are surprised to know that there is hardly any stock in the usually burgeoning shop. We cannot even find brown bread or atta maggi (not that we actually eat both of them) and even the vegetables don’t look fresh at all. I am happily surprised to see nice looking local avocados being sold for Rs. 30 per piece.

Tara Ji tells us that since there are hardly any long-term tourists staying in Kasar Devi right now, he has decided to take it slow for the time being. There’s another shop selling boutique stuff owned by a brother of Tara Ji, and that uncle tells us of a jungle path to reach our cottages! We thank him for the same and tell him we always want to avoid taking the road.

We have a peek around the other shops too and are able to buy a nailcutter and a locally made bamboo basket. It is around noon and we take the jungle path to go back; and come across pretty looking homes. Some of these homes are homestays too and there are a few cuddly looking dogs barking at us strangers!

We spot many malta trees (local oranges) and the stark orange colour is especially pleasing to the eyes. It is around 1 pm when we get back to our new ‘home’. The cottage hasn’t been emptied yet and we make a quick lunch.

We go up to the terrace for better network and to enjoy some sun. Our host tells us that the cottage is empty now (finally) and that it is being cleaned. We are excited to hear that and after a quick bath start packing our stuff in different bags so that we can shift quickly. We finally start shifting our bags at about 4 pm once the room is cleaned and the floors have been wiped clean.

We have also got our leftover wood in two lots. We unpack and arrange our stuff in the shelf. Once the basic stuff has been done, I make tea and it is a super happy feeling to drink in the new transparent cups!

This cottage already feels much warmer than the previous cottage! It has wooden flooring. We think that we might not even need to light a fire here. We setup the kitchen and put the fridge to good use by switching it off and storing rice and different dals in it.

It is time to test the internet speed and figure the best way of working here. This cottage opens to a small terrace where there are 2 chairs and a table. It is pretty cold outside and we will be able to sit outside according to the timing of the sunshine.

It is a lovely feeling to have shifted here in daylight because otherwise it might have just felt very gloomy to have moved here in the dark. We decide to give a load of clothes to wash the next day. Have dinner at 7 pm and thank our host for giving us a warm cottage! Since internet speed is manageable here, we watch a movie after dinner and call it an early night.

Hilans

We come across the Hilans outlet while checking other shops after Tara General Store. Buy bhatt ki dall, red rice and local mandua biscuits from there. These are all local foods of Uttarakhand and have immense health benefits in addition to providing warmth in the winter months. The prices at Hilans are a bit higher than the market but the quality is better too as the grains are sorted and there are less chances of stones in the pulses.

Day 4

It is our first morning in the new cottage. The alarm is set for 715 am but it feels very cold in the morning and I end up snoozing the alarm. I finally wake up 15 minutes later and see clouds in the sky after pulling the curtains. A round of nicely made tea and we are up and running with the new life.

We go to the bigger terrace at about 815 am and practise yoga and meditation. The view of the Himalayan peaks is absolutely clear and we give our clothes for a wash as we head for breakfast. It is oats porridge, milk and fruits for breakfast. It is indeed a very cold morning and the temperature is easily in the negative as we start work at about 930 am.

The sun comes at around 10 am on our terrace and we scramble to put the chairs and shift our position with the sunshine! At lunchtime, make rice and light stir-fry onions, tomatoes, spring onions, beans, capsicum and mix in rice. It turns out super yummy. I call it a case of beginner’s luck! We are pleased with how life is turning out here and sit and eat outside in the sun. The sunshine continues till around 2 pm and we decide to go for a walk in the jungle post that.

As we are about to leave, I see a message from The Farmhaus saying that our freshly baked atta bread is ready. We are supposed to pick it up from their house which is about 25 minutes walk from our place! It is the best part of life here and as simple as it gets when you walk through a dense pine and mixed jungle to pick up freshly baked bread! We are amazed to see their blue and white house with 2 cute dogs and the aroma is tantalising. We are given mandua cookies to taste and love them!

On the way back, we lose our way and wander around in the jungle for a bit. It turns out we were on the right way and finally make it back to the cottage at about 330 pm. We have decided to make sure that we go for a walk in the jungle everyday; otherwise whats the fun of living in the middle of nature.

After working for some time, it is time for chai and I marvel at the view of the snow clad Himalayas from the glass window – Mt. Trishul, Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba are among the prominent peaks visible from here. It is a majestic sunset and I see the peaks light up in different hues of orange and pink and then funnily enough I see the clouds roll in.

Dinner time is fixed at 7 pm and we relish the food laid out on the table. There is yummy tomato soup, avocado salad, dall, vegetable, chapati and rice. We chat with our host, spiritual chants playing in the background. The weather seems to be changing and the electricity goes. Thankfully we have a solar powered light in our room and we light up a fire in the fireplace to make it feel cosier. The wind is rushing through when we are about to sleep and it begins raining.

Day 5

It is fun to hear the pleasing sound of raindrops on our tin roof. It rains all night and there is a big downpour when the alarm for 715 sounds. I pull the curtains hoping to see a whiteout! It is still sort of dark and the surroundings are cloudy and misty. I feel like I’m in a Ruskin Bond movie! The rain finally stops after some time. There is a spider in the room and our host helps with it!

There is no electricity but thankfully everything is charged. The rain returns after breakfast. It feels bitterly cold in the absence of sun. I wonder if it continues raining, then maybe it might snow in the night. Lunch is omelette and bread and the bread turns out to be totally amazing. Invite our host for evening tea, he’s here at 430 and it is a lovely time! The electricity finally comes just in time and we put all our devices for charging lest there be another power cut!

I use the locally made gloves while typing on the laptop. I’ve sourced them and other local woollen products for my arts and crafts platform Indilocal. Otherwise it feels too cold and the teeth chatter. We decide to light up the fire everyday post-dinner only; since its not safe to leave the fire on while we are not in the cottage. I am trying to complete a blogpost and decide to work post-dinner too. That is one of the biggest challenges of a freelance life, since you have no boss – it becomes difficult to decide how much work to do.

Day 6

The weekend comes and like villagers we dress up and are super excited to go to Almora Bazaar for our weekly shopping of groceries! I also have to ship some orders for Indilocal. I wanted to find out a proper shop to buy local produce and I am able to locate it in the old Almora market. We buy local garlic, gahat ki dall and other herbs and spices. Tibetan ladies sell jambu and gandrayani and we buy small quantities to be used in food.

Now that we have completed almost 2 months of living in Kasar Devi, let me compile some highlights from the memories :

• Seeing a deer in the forest. A curious deer came by and stood still as we blended in the surroundings of the jungle. It skipped, jumped and disappeared. The joy of seeing a deer in the wild is simply inexplicable.
• Simple joys – Sitting in the sunshine, watching a flower bloom, drinking fresh cow milk, of being in nature, breathing fresh air, waking up to the chirping of birds, yoga and meditation, making flower vases with nature’s bounty, dewdrops on leaves, watching the Himalayan peaks.
• Learning to cook Kumaoni food – bhatt ki dal, red rice, gahat ki dall, jhangora, jambu masala.
• Learnt how to light a fire – with a fireplace in the cottage and winter in its full force, it was essential to keep a fire going in the evening to feel cosy and warm!
• Working from anywhere – Courtesy of a cotton dhurrie, we have worked from different places in different forests depending on our need for sunshine. We just need to find a nice flat land to spread the dhurrie.
• Working with the local women folk around villages of Almora and shipping hand made and hand knitted woollen products across India through @Indilocal
• Become a part of the community – Now, wherever we go in the nearby regions, most locals know us and share conversations with us.
• Watch winter transform the forest in spring. From leafless trees to seeing fresh shoots appear everyday.
• Endless walks in the forest, with dogs for company. Appreciating the urban pleasures whenever we go to Almora Bazaar to buy groceries.

And thats how life is in Kasar Devi.

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Distance from Delhi to Karsog via Shimla route – Approx 430 Kms

Distance from Delhi to Karsog via Sundernagar route – Approx 500 Kms

I had spotted a Delhi to Karsog direct bus once but the timing of the same turned out to be quite odd. We end up booking the HRTC 830 pm Delhi to Shimla bus that is supposed to reach Shimla at around 6 am; which should be perfect for the 3-4 hour time that it takes to reach Karsog from Shimla. I have always preferred reaching a place at 10-11 am in the morning than at 5-6 pm in the evening. 

I had been intrigued by a tiny town called Chindi (2000m) which comes 7 km before Karsog. Chindi is located at a higher altitude than Karsog and has rolling hills, ancient temples with spectacular views and an old PWD Rest House. 

My fascination with Chindi-Karsog began 3 years ago while coming back from Spiti Valley in winter. I was staying at a small lodge in Sundernagar and the knowledgeable lodge owner had introduced to me details of the temple belt of the ancient Suket Kingdom of Himachal Pradesh.

Starting from Sundernagar to Karsog, he mentioned about age old temples with mythological stories. I was hooked to the tales of yore but also knew that since most of the temples mentioned were not on the main road, I had little chance of visiting them all on one trip, unless I rented a car (which I never do). It would also be possible to visit these temples if I was prepared to rough it out for a week or two! 

We decided to not think and sat in the bus to Shimla with a flexible plan to head somewhere else if the buses to Karsog or Chindi were unavailable or had unsuitable timings. I had seen some pictures of the PWD Rest House in Chindi and was keen on staying there since Karsog was a much bigger town and was located in a valley at a lower altitude (1200m). 

We reached Shimla early at around 530 am and as soon as we reached someone shouted that the bus to Karsog is already ready to leave! We rushed towards it to try and catch the few remaining seats on it! Thankfully, there was ample space and we got on the front seats just behind the driver. 

The road after Shimla is scenic and we cross apricot, peach blossoms, and cherry blossoms that are visible intermittently. There is slight chill in the air in Shimla and the weather is clear. The bus stops for breakfast at a place called Tattapani which is located near a bridge full of natural sulphur hot springs. 

I take the opportunity to use the clean loo of the restaurant-dhaba. It is in a big square compound where 2-3 roads bifurcate for different places. Breakfast comprises of paranthas and chai. The locals tell us that Tattapani is popular as a pilgrimage site and also for hot water springs for curing many skin and body ailments. The breeze is cool as the sun is not up yet at around 8 am. It is a 30 minute break and we resume our ride at 830 am. 

The road starts ascending towards Chindi which is around 50 odd kilometres away. The bus is slow and we have a chance to gaze longingly at the beautiful valleys and views on the way. At around 1030 am, we inform the bus driver and conductor to drop us at the PWD Rest House Chindi itself. A quick search on google maps has made us aware that the rest house is on the way to Karsog and will save us valuable time. 

Even though it is a weekend, we want to try our luck and check with the caretaker of the PWD Rest House about the possibility of a stay. I haven’t done any research on homestays or guest houses but am confident of finding a nice and reasonably cheap place for staying. We walk into the PWD Rest House complex in Chindi; the outdoor space is huge and the open air sit-outs are very pretty! 

The caretaker is sitting with one of his friends and they are soaking in the sunshine. We try and make small conversation with him and tell him that we are from Rajasthan. The friend responds happily and urges the caretaker to give us a room (the mention of Rajasthan has almost always worked in the past, everywhere)! We keep our bags in the sit-out and happily roam around soaking in the sunshine. A nice breeze blows in Chindi and the rest house is located at a vantage point on a high hill. 

The PWD Rest House is a beautiful big building that was originally made in 1920-30s and has been recently renovated. After a bit of back and forth, the caretaker’s friend is able to coax him to finally give us a room. We have lots of conversations about far off places in Himachal; like Lahaul, Spiti, Chamba and the remote regions of Kullu Valley. Maybe that was instrumental in clinching the deal in our favour. 

He informed us that the room would cost INR 500 per day and that the meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner) would of course be extra. We requested him to give us a room for 2 days; he sort of verbally confirmed and showed us a corner room in the main building but it still had to be cleaned. It also had a faint smell of the paint job that had recently been done. The caretaker told us that the room would be ready in an hour or two. 

We told him that we were anyway going to go to Karsog and will come back by evening, so we just needed to use the washroom for the moment. He guided us to the common washroom area near the dining hall. That was when we came across the prettiest part of the PWD Rest House! 

There was a huge maple tree growing on a platform and beneath it were kept 4 pretty wooden chairs and a table, painted in a pleasing light blue. The leaves of the maple tree were shining in a fresh shade of green and it felt like a fairytale setting with the sun shining on the leaves. We asked for tea and were served biscuits to go with it.

We asked the caretaker, Khem Chand Thakur about the temples in Karsog and Chindi; the directions for the same and the suggested order. I took his number and requested him to make dinner for us at the rest house itself. He said that our bags will be kept inside the room when it is ready and we need not worry about anything. We thanked him and his friend and started walking towards the nearby temple in Chindi.

We were a bit hungry but decided not to wait any longer at the rest house and continue roaming around. As soon as we started walking, we came across the nice looking HPTDC Mamleshwar, the commercially run HPTDC Hotel property in Karsog-Chindi. Even with the off season discount, the minimum price for a room there would be around INR 1500. It could have been a good place to stay in the worst case scenario of us not finding a likeable place to stay. 

We continue walking and come across the signboard for Chindi Village. It is a small village with houses scattered on both sides of the road. A beautiful old wooden temple is visible to the left, and has a circular pond to its right. Another temple sort of structure is located opposite to the Chindi Mata Mandir which we later learn is the temple bandar (storage or treasury). The circular water pond in front of the main temple has been fenced off. 

The Chindi Mata Temple was closed but the Pandit Ji’s home was nearby and he was kind enough to open it for us to have the darshan. It was around 1230 pm and the sun was at its peak, surprisingly we felt quite hot in the direct sunshine and chose to sit in the shade for some time and listened to the Pandit Ji’s stories. He also told us that the timing for aarti in the evening. 

We were famished at this point and really wanted to have a proper tasty lunch. So we started walking towards Karsog and asked the people we met along the way for a recommended dhaba. A common consensus emerged, everyone recommended a dhaba adjacent to a Petrol Pump before reaching Karsog! Luckily, we got a lift in a car going in the same direction. The car gentleman also confirmed that the dhaba in discussion was indeed the best in Karsog and he dropped us there itself. 

We got down full of excitement and told the dhaba guy that we had come from quite far to eat the food and that we were very hungry! The dhaba had cabins set up in a closed space and a solitary table was also kept in an open space. We were asked for wait for 5 minutes and our food was served on the solitary table that was farthest from the petrol pump. 

We were served rajmah, vegetable curry, chapati, rice, onions and green chillies. Everything was super yummy and it made us very happy. I ate to my heart’s (or stomach’s) content and we felt very lazy after the lunch. We wondered once or twice if we should leave our plans for Karsog for tomorrow and just walk back to the PWD Rest House and rest. 

It is already around 3 pm and we stand on the road and when the bus to Karsog doesn’t come for a long time, we decide to go back to Chindi. It is anyway quite hot in the sun and we quickly get a ride. Someone had informed us about an ancient temple farther away from Chindi and drops us at the cut to the temple. We walk on the road since it is shaded with trees and feels nice. Our post-lunch laziness has disappeared and we are keen on wandering in these unknown areas.

Mahunag Temple (Mool Mahunag Temple near Chindi)

We get a ride in a car of an election campaigner. The views along the route are very pretty and we have a nice time. We somehow get back to the main road and catch a bus to reach the PWD Rest House in Chindi at 6 pm. It is a surreal show of stunning evening colours that we are welcomed to. I go mad clicking pictures of the colours in the spectacular setting of the wooden chairs with the greenery around us. We are lucky to have reached here at just the right time. 

History of Mahu Nag Temple : It was built in 1664 AD by Raja Shyam Sen in honour of Lord Karna. Lord Karna is the guardian deity of the region, and legend has it that the deity transforms into a ‘mahu’ (bee) and helps out the villagers when they require help!

It is sheer serendipity when caretaker uncle brings us 2 glasses of nicely made masala chai while we are gazing at the sunset. We are so stunned by the experience that we decide to enjoy the show fully the next day and come to the PWD Rest House by 5-515 pm. 

We are tired after all the walking around but caretaker bhaiya shows us the VIP rooms on the upper floor where Indira Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had stayed earlier. The rooms looked quaint and gorgeous. We implored him to give us one of the VIP rooms, he laughs and tells us that they are only for Class – I Government servants, like IAS officers. We try and ensure that he continues the same room for us the next day as well! 

Our room is huge and the bathroom is equally spacious as well. It has been freshly painted so a bit of the paint smell is left. The caretaker confirms that dinner will be served in the dining room at 8 pm. The weather has become quite cold after the sun went down. We still have to keep the windows open to keep the paint smell from becoming overpowering in the room. 

Dinner is freshly made vegetables, a local spinach curry, dall, chapati and rice. We thank the caretaker for the dinner and confirm that we will have breakfast of paranthas and egg bhurji in the morning and only then leave for Karsog. It is quite cold in the night and we sleep like babies; clutching to the heavy blankets. 

Morning brings beautiful skies and bright sunshine along-with it. We sleep till late and ask for chai at 8 am. It is quite incredible to sit under the maple tree and enjoy the tea! We eat breakfast at around 9 am, it is delicious and we have our fill. The caretaker gives us some iffy news; he tells us some guests are expected and we may not be able to stay at the PWD Rest House for the night. We request him to help us, and he offers us the annexe room in case we have nothing available. 

The annexe is located 2 mins walk away from the main building. We decide to keep our bags at the PWD Rest House itself and rush to catch a bus to Karsog. The bus is very crowded and we reach Karsog bus stand in 20 mins. 

Our aim is to walk to Mamleshwar Mahadev Temple and the other easily accessible temples, if any. We walk around Karsog market and come across a shop selling morel mushrooms (gucchi) at around INR 5000 per kilo. 

Mamleshwar Mahadev Temple, Karsog

We walk to the temple close to Karsog market; it is beautifully constructed in wood and looks very old. It is closed when we reach but a signboard at the temple informs us that the temple will reopen for prayers and darshan at 1 pm. The temple opens and we are astonished to see the massive dhols hanging outside the main prayer hall. There’s another local family who were also waiting for the temple to reopen; they tell us that it is one of the most famous temples in entire Himachal Pradesh. 

The Pandit Ji shows us a big rice grain from Bheema’s time kept in a glass box. It is full of surprises and we walk around the courtyard marvelling at the old architecture. When we walk out of the temple premises, I spot a wide expanse of a green valley and we decide to walk through the fields. The green peas in the fields are ready for harvest and locals give us some peas whenever we walk in close vicinity. The peas are super sweet and we love them! We continue walking through the fields of wildflowers and come on the road after crossing a small bridge over a stream. 

Mamleshwar Mahadev temple is one of the most well known and important temples of Karsog valley. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is a sacred place where Bhrigu Rishi meditated. The locals believe that the Pandavas constructed the outer part of the temple during their exile. There is a fire within the temple premises that keeps burning at all times.

After reaching the road, a local informs us that the road will lead us to another important temple and so we continue walking. To our right the full splendour of Karsog Valley is visible as the fields are glowing in a shade of green and the clouds are sweeping in. It is shaped like a circular valley and we are pleased to have chosen Chindi – Karsog as our destination. 

Also check : Life in a Secret Village : Near Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh

It is quite hot and humid as we walk on the road in Karsog. There are no trees for shade but we continue walking in the sun. After a few minutes when we are told that the temple is still some 3-4 kms away, we decide to head to a stream visible from where we are. I am amazed to see some migrant workers from Rajasthan at a road construction site, dressed in colourful clothes. The stream looks a fair bit downhill but we are glad when locals show us the path from where we can walk and easily reach there. 

The path crosses some homes and we quickly reach a steel bridge located on the sizeable stream. A few ladies are washing clothes, youngsters are sitting and chatting and clicking selfies. We also find a shaded spot and sit there listening to the gurgling sound of the stream and enjoying the calmness that only nature can bring. The setting is lush green, and we spot a pretty house nearby to go and ask for tea later! 

After an hour or so of relaxing by the stream and taking short walks by the banks of the flowing water, we decide to go to the pretty-looking home and ask for tea! The house turns out to be locked and we continue walking to join a road in a small hamlet close to Karsog. We are super hungry as it is around 3 pm now and jump in joy to see a school bus headed to Karsog. The bus guys are kind enough to let us on board and drop us in the market. 

Karsog market is crowded and crazy and seems very polluted with a number of vehicles on the road. We amble around the market and try to find a nice eatery but with the paucity of time and the urgency of reaching the PWD Rest House in Chindi (remember our room hasn’t been confirmed yet) ensures we are only able to have an omelette. My tummy grumbles after giving in to temptation at a cake shop! 

We walk to Karsog bus stand and get inside a bus headed to Chindi. It is a private bus and is taking forever to start. We get bored and decide to walk and hitch a ride to Chindi; after all it is only 8 kms away. We get a ride in a car thats going till the petrol pump only. Funnily so much time has been wasted in waiting and walking that the bus we had left at the bus stand comes and we are left to scramble for standing space on it! 

We laugh at ourselves and the funny adventures(mis) that the road brings! And that is also another reason why we travel, so that we can laugh at ourselves and realise the fun in these little things. 

After reaching the PWD Rest House, the caretaker informs us that our bags have been shifted to the annexe and that the rooms are all booked. We are a bit uncertain now about what to do as it is already 5 pm. We walk to the annexe to check it out. The building looks beautiful from outside but inside is a broken glass window with a strong smell of paint. We decide to take our backpacks and look for a room at HPTDC Mamleshwar, but the caretaker is a kind man and asks us to shift to our earlier room. 

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He tells us that 2 rooms have anyway been booked by a bunch of guys who are probably going to just get drunk, so he will give them one room with extra beds. We are extremely pleased and thank him! 

We ask for tea, sit in the garden and enjoy the full sunset experience. We intend to make the most of our last evening here since we are supposed to leave for Delhi the next day. The caretaker tells us that its better that we have dinner early since he will be busy later. We wonder for a while if we want to have dinner at HPTDC Mamleshwar but decide to eat at the PWD Rest House only.  

The sunset show is extravagant today and we can’t believe our eyes with the number of colours in the sky. After the early dinner that is excellent, we take a walk on the road and go to HPTDC Mamleshwar but come back from the entrance gate. A gentle breeze is blowing in Chindi and since we have had a long day, we decide to sit and relax in the outdoors. 

The boys adjacent to the room in ours have broken a glass. We take it as a cue to go to our room and snuggle in bed as it gets colder. We chill and read and watch a movie and go to sleep. There is a big spider in the bathroom and that ensures our visits are less frequent! 

We wake up nicely relaxed and quite late next day. It is a cloudless morning and the sun feels very hot when we have tea at our stunning table under the maple tree. The natural setting also means we practise yoga in the open lawns under the trees in the shade. We have booked a bus to Delhi from Sundernagar and intend to leave from Chindi at around 12 noon. 

Caretaker uncle has realised our fondness for paranthas and serves us aloo paranthas, and egg bhurji for breakfast. He also serves some home made pickle and another round of tea after we are done eating. We go for another short walk in the woods nearby and return in an hour. It is time to go for a bath and get ready to leave. 

The caretaker has already made our account and charged us very reasonably for the food. We pay the required amount and a tip for his help. Before leaving, we sit for a while on the chairs under the maple tree which along with the sunset remains our best memory of the trip to Karsog and Chindi. 

We get a bus as soon as we step outside. It drops us to the point where the road bifurcates for Sundernagar route through Rohanda. Here one road goes to Shimla and the other to Pangna, Sundernagar. After 15-20 minutes of waiting, the bus to Sundernagar finally comes. We count ourselves lucky that there are ample vacant seats in the bus.    

The road is pretty with stunning scenery on view. I spot a number of homestays on this road; perhaps because there are numerous temples around and a steady stream of religious tourists. The bus stops at Rohanda for snacks, so I take the opportunity to walk on the trail to Kamrunag temple and find more details about the stay etc. 

We reach Sundernagar at around 440 pm and a chance conversation about local food with a gentleman in the bus means we know exactly where to have our early dinner in Sundernagar! Our bus from Sundernagar to Delhi is scheduled to leave at 630 pm, so we first enquire at the bus stand about the same and are told the exact spot where we should stand when it is time. 

The Mandyali Dham restaurant dhaba is hardly 5 minutes walk from the Sundernagar bus stand. There are 8-10 tables and it appears like a neat and clean place. The timing of 5 pm is a little uncharacteristic for dinner and the entire place is empty! The owner is a Rajput and welcomes us to sit. 

We order 2 thalis and are told that they cost Rs. 120 per person. 4-5 dishes are served in a large sized thali along with rice and ghee. The food is really tasty and we ask for second helpings of some of the dishes. The Rajput owner tells us about the dishes and also informs us that there are other places in Sundernagar and Mandi that serve Mandyali dham at cheaper prices but their food is not top quality.

We confirm to him that the food is indeed top notch and thank him for serving a taste of tradition to hungry outsiders! We sit and while away some time under the fan in the restaurant itself. It is quite hot and dusty at the bus stand in Sundernagar. We only go to the bus stand at around 615 and the bus comes on time. 

Perhaps we shall return to Karsog and Chindi again in August someday when the rains are bountiful, the green valley is surrounded by clouds and the orchards are laden with apples! 

We were unable to visit the other prominent temples in and around Karsog like Kamakshya Mata Temple, Ardhnarishwara Temple and others for various reasons. Maybe that will be another reason to return to this region someday in the future!

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