McLeodganj .... Manali .... Shimla
It’s
summer again…and it’s that time of the year when I get out my backpack and
sneakers. This year, we decided to go up North and explore what we could of
Himachal Pradesh (the name literally means in
the lap of the Himalayas.)
This
picturesque state is full of scenic beauty…snow capped mountains, perennial
rivers and a wide variety of flora and fauna. The month of May is a good time
to visit Himachal since it provides much needed respite from the scorching heat
of Mumbai (that’s where I hail from). Even though it’s summer, in Himachal it’s
cool enough to wear sweaters and ear-muffs.
As
always, being not at all in favour of guided tours, we chalked up a plan of
action and began on the first leg of our journey…Mumbai to McLeodganj. I must
admit it turned out to be a very, very long leg. To start off, we flew Air
India to New Delhi.
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| Delhi train Station |
Compared to the last, terrible experience with the airline,
this time around things were so much better. In fact, I have nothing to
complain about. The flight attendants were pleasant and polite and the flight
was perfectly on schedule. Air India gets a pat on the back from me….pat pat
pat!
So,
AI got us safely to New Delhi from where we took a pre-paid cab to Old Delhi
railway station and followed it with a very comfortable, nine hour journey to Amb, a pocket sized station that seemed
to have popped out from a storybook. The platform is about a 100 mtrs long,
white-washed and almost empty. One needs to hire one of the many private taxis
that lie in wait a few meters away. They drop you at the local bus-stand or
drive you to your destination, all for a price. Haggle a little, but not too
much. People in Himachal, we have learned, are simple, hard-working and
downright honest. In fact, we were so touched by their honesty and simplicity
that we decided not to haggle with any of the locals for the entire duration of
the trip.
Although
travelling by the local bus is comfortable and cheap, we decided to employ the
services of one Honey Sharma, a decent young chap who drove us all the way to
Kangra from where we took a local bus to Dharamshala (fare, Rs. 50 for two
passengers). Just before we arrived at Kangra bus stand, we paid a visit to the
beautiful and well-maintained Kangra
Fort.
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| Kangra Fort |
Now under the care of the Archaeological Board, the fort is still in
good condition and some of the temples within the fort are still frequented by
worshippers and newly-weds.
It
was at the Kangra bus-stand that I got my first ever glimpse of snow-capped
mountains. Travelling by bus is a great way to learn more about a place….its
people, its culture and its scenic beauty.
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| Inside a local bus |
The bus wound its way along the
narrow streets and mountain paths, passing colourful market places and quaint
villages. The bubbling of the river was mirrored in the sing-song manner of
speaking that is so typical of the north. They speak mostly Hindi, but, oh, how
sweet it sounds! It’s so unlike the crude and harsh version one hears in
Mumbai. Throughout our journey in Himachal Pradesh, people have been nothing
but polite, courteous and generous. I am in absolute awe of the people of
Himachal Pradesh, and it is the people that I remember most whenever I think of
Himachal.
There’ll
be more about the people as I go along, but let me continue from where I was…in
a bus on my way to Dharamshala. Another 30 rupees took us further to our 1st
destination, McLeodganj (finally!).
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| McLeodganj - main street |
A heavenly slice of
Tibet…that’s the metaphor that came to mind the moment I
set foot in McLeodganj. Am trying to find the words to best describe
McLeodganj, but all I can say is I am speechless. All I can say now is that it
seemed to me as if I had stepped into a foreign, fairy-tale land…with colourful
Tibetan flags strung on rooftops, narrow, crowded streets and Buddhist monks
weaving their way around the tourists. This little town was named after Sir
Donald Friell McLeod, a lieutenant Governor General of Punjab.
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| The Dauladhar range |
It is situated
on the Dauladhar Range of mountains and is the home of the Government of Tibet
in exile since 1960. This little town is shelter to many Tibetans and also the
official residence of the Dalai Lama.
Dropping
our bags at The Bhagsu, an HPTDC run
establishment, we wandered out to explore what Mcleodganj has to offer. Here’s
what we found during our two-day sojourn;
ü It’s
beautiful! Yes, the streets are crowded with vehicles trying to make their way
through, it’s also not very clean (w.r.t garbage disposal), but it does have a
certain charm that winds itself around you.
ü It
offers many options for eating and drinking. The best for us was CoffeeMeal. Located in the lane behind
the popular McLlo Restaurant, Coffemeal serves some of the best coffee and
snacks at affordable prices.
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| Coffeemeal |
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| Golden Flower at Coffeemeal |
The interior is cozy and the ambiance is
wonderfully warm and friendly. A great place to spend time alone or with
friends. Another good place to dine is Tibet’s
Kitchen, just a few doors to the right of Coffemeal. Delicious fare at
great prices.
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| Street food - momos |
ü Shoppers
can browse through the numerous shops and stalls selling everything from
Tibetan jewelry, woolen wear and Tibetan handicrafts. I purchased a pair of ear
rings that resembled Buddhist prayer wheels.
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| Tempest Apple Cider |
If
you’re not up to walking uphill & downhill for a good hour or two, I
suggest you do what we did and take a cab from the local booking office. It’s
convenient and cheap. We made just two trips around McLeodganj, one to the
church of St. John of the Wilderness, and the other to catch a glorious sunset
at Naddi.
Built
in 1852 at Forsyth Ganj en route to McLeodganj, the Church of St. John of the Wilderness, famous for its Belgian
stained glass windows, is dedicated to John the Baptist. The church is not only
the resting place for many of the victims of the 1902 earthquake, but also of
James Bruce, the 8th earl of Elgin, Viceroy of India (1862-63).
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| Towards John of the Wilderness |
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| Here lies James Bruce, the 8th Earl of Elgin. |
Naddi,
about half an hour away from McLeodganj, is by far the best place to catch the
sunset. Get here early and tuck into a plate of steaming Maggi noodles and peer
through a telescope to get a close-up view of the glacier and the trekking base
camp on the distant Dauladhar range.
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| Sunset at Naddi |
That done, set up your camera, hug your
sweetheart and watch the sun as it makes its descent behind the mountains.
OFF TO MANALI
Having
spent two lovely days at McLeodganj, we took the early morning bus to our next
destination, Manali. It’s close to a
seven hour long ride, but not an uncomfortable one. The bus stops at regular
intervals for breakfast, lunch and evening tea, so passengers can get off and
stretch their limbs. The best views are once the bus gets closer to Manali. You
have the snow-capped mountains looming in the distance and the river Beas
gurgling by alongside the road.
Although we’re still in Himachal Pradesh, the
vista here is very different from the one offered by McLeodganj and
Dharamshala. Here, houses are made of wood and stone, with bright red or green
roof tops, very unlike the slate rooftops of Dharamshala and Amb. People here
seem rather poor, but there’s a feeling of contentment and happiness that is
prevalent everywhere. It is impossible to miss this happy-feeling as it kisses
your face in the breeze. Thus, after a long and pleasant journey the bus
finally stops at the Manali bus-stand, a bustling spot right on the famous
Mall.
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| Manali Bus stand |
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| Tava Paneer at the Bus stand |
That’s
what it’s called – The Mall. It’s a
wide, paved promenade that is serves as the hub of all activity in Manali. It’s
bright, loud and delightful. With innumerable restaurants and shops, The Mall
has a very touristy feel to it. We were put up at Hotel Kunzum, which is right
which is located along The Mall. The rooms are airy, bright and well-heated. Our room looked straight out at the busy
promenade.
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| The Mall at Manali |
We
spent the first evening walking around the Mall and browsing through the many
interesting items the stores had to offer. We purchased some gloves and caps
since Manali was much cooler than we expected.
The
next morning, we had hoped to go to Rohtang, but since it was still snow bound,
we could only go up to a certain Snow
Point where there was less snow and more sludge.
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| Snow Point |
Still, clad in our
borrowed snow suits and boots, we did played awhile in the little snow that was
available and then rode ponies all the way to the base where our cab waited to
take us to Solang Valley which lies 14km to the north-west of manali on the way to
the Rohtang pass. A popular ski resort in winter, this place offers visitors
horse riding, paragliding and zorbing during the summer months.
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| Solang Valley |
Now, I’d
seen many interesting pictures depicting people paragliding, skiing and
generally having fun on the lush green hillside, but what I saw when I actually
got there was a major disappointment. I suppose it would be better to visit
Solang during winter when the mountains are shrouded in snow.
Lunch
was at Chopsticks, a popular option with most tourists. It offers Chinese &
Tibetan fare and cold beer as well. Best item on the menu - Trout n Chips.
Post
lunch, we visited the Himalayan Nynmapa
Buddhist Temple that is a rather small temple complex, but still retains
the sense of calm that is omnipresent in Buddhist monasteries. Photography is
permitted at the meager sum of Rs. 20 which goes towards the maintenance and
restoration of the temple. Inside, the paintings on the walls and the panels is
quite impressive. The sanctuary is dominated by a tall golden statue of the
Buddha. Impressive!
We
next visited the Hadimba Temple,
dedicated to the Goddess Hadimba who is said to have meditated here, at that
very spot. Born in a Rakshasha family, Hadimba was the wife of the mighty
Pandava warrior, Bheema. This temple, built around 1553, has intricately carved
wooden doors and a three square-roofed tower that rises for approx’ 24 meters.
The walls are covered with carvings and horns of bulls. Animal sacrifices are
carried out here as part of the celebrations of the Dhungri Mela.
A
few meters away from the Hadimba Temple, is the temple dedicated to her son,
Gatotkacha, who, the epic says, played a major role in securing the victory of
the Pandavas over the Kauravas. Gatotkacha is worshipped in the form of a
sacred tree.
OFF TO SHIMLA
Two
days in Manali and then began the last part of our journey…Manali to Shimla.
The journey takes you away from the snow, higher and higher around rather brown
and dry mountains. So different from the first two places we had visited my
first view of Shimla from across the
mountain made us think of a rash on the
mountainside.
It’s crowded, with large clumps of hotels and residences
spread all over. I wasn’t sure I’d like it at all, or maybe it was just that I
was tired after the long, uninteresting bus ride. After checking in at Hotel
SukhSagar, we very unwisely decided to venture out and explore Mall Road, which
is said to be the most happening place in Shimla. Getting there meant trudging
up an extremely steep incline for what seemed like half an hour, and then
walking uphill until we got to Mall Road. To our surprise, it was only 9pm and
shops were already shut for the day and the street was almost deserted. It was
unexpected since a popular travel journal stated that Mall Road is buzzing with
activity until almost 11pm. We opted for Dominos Pizza which was the only store
open, and headed back to the hotel. I must mention that the Pizzas here are
different, but they’re much better, with generous amount of toppings.
The
next morning, we walked almost 2kms to take the lift to Mall Road. This walk is
long but easier on the legs since it isn’t uphill. Shimla, once the summer
capital of the British, still holds on to its colonial charm…in architecture
and in manner. Most of Shimla needs to be explored on foot, and just when you
think you’ve reached high enough, you realize there’s still another flight of
stairs top climb. That, I think, is the most painful part of the experience for
me. I have city legs and they are not used to this much exercise.
But I was
forced to stop complaining when I saw the many porters, some very young, most
very old, bent double under the weight of a heavy load of everything from
luggage, to refrigerators to piles and piles of chinaware. All for a mere 50 or
100 rupees! It was heartbreaking to see the poor men making their way uphill
and climbing stairs with all that weight on their backs.
What bothered me was
the fact that no one even minded them. No one seemed to think it was inhuman to
burden a poor man so. Yes, they are poor and trying to earn an honest living,
but like this??? In spite of the obvious misery, what is commendable is the
self-respect and dignity with which these poor, hard-working people live their
lives. They choose back-breaking labour over unemployment and begging.
There
are two main points of interest for tourists to lounge about while in Shimla,
the Ridge and Mall Rd. Various government functions, festivals and Fairs
are held here.
Built
in 1857, Christ Church is a prominent landmark of Shimla. It contains beautiful
stained glass windows and one of the biggest pipe organs in the Indian
Subcontinent. What I liked best were the many memorials to loved ones long
gone.
Located just below the Ridge, Mall Road is like the main street of Shimla. The important
buildings such as the police station and fire department are situated here.
There are numerous eating houses and stores all along Mall Rd. Vehicles of any
kind are not permitted on this road, thus it’s very common to see tourists strolling
about leisurely along Mall Rd. Once can find almost everything on Mall
Road….local shops stand shoulder-to-shoulder with large ‘brands’.
That
afternoon we stopped for some delicious mutton biryani at Devicos and then took a cab to then Jakhoo Temple.
This temple is
famous for the world’s tallest statue of Lord Hanuman, which stands at a height
of 108 feet. It is largely believed that it was here that Hanuman stopped to
rest while on his quest for the Sanjeevani medicine. Like most hanuman temples,
this one too is graced with the presence of innumerable monkeys. Visitors are
warned to put away cameras, sunglasses and any such items, for the monkeys are
a rather curious bunch and do not hesitate to make a grab for whatever might
catch their fancy.
For dinner, I’d like to recommend Dim Sum, a small eatery right beside Dominos on Mall Rd. For a very
reasonable price, they serve large portions of delicious Chinese food. The
place is almost always packed, but it’s worth the wait.
The next morning, we hired a taxi and made a stop at the Vaishnodevi Goofa (Cave) Temple. Like
almost everything else in Shimla, this temple, too, is located at the top of a
flight of stairs. The main shrine is deep inside a cave. Once again,
photography is not permitted inside the temple, but walking into the cool cave
and finally seeing the little shrine with numerous bells hung above the deity
is something you mustn’t miss. There’s a sense of quiet that one feels inside
that cave where a solitary pujari/priest sits chanting prayers that echo all
around.
Not very far from the cave temple, is the Sankatmochan Temple, another serene place that deserves a visit.
Next up, my favourite - the Viceregal Lodge. Once the residence of the Viceroy of India and the
summer home of the President of India, the lodge is now the property of the
Indian Institute for Advanced Studies. The Viceregal Lodge was designed by
British architect Henry Irvin during the regime of Lord Dufferin. Its construction started
in 1880 and was completed in 1888. Also known later as Rashtrapati Nivas, it
served as a summer get-a-way for the President of India who visited the Lodge
for not more than 15 days a year.
The
Lodge was later handed to the IIAS that now uses the facility for
post-doctorate scholars who are doing independent research in the Arts &
Social Sciences. What was once the ballroom and dining area is today the
library. As the upper storey are used by the IIAS, guided tours are carried
out only through three rooms on the ground floor and the breathtakingly
beautiful parlor that is made entirely of Burma teak. The walls of the rooms
are lined with pre-independence and post independence photographs of all the
political goings-on at he Lodge, Being a teacher of History by profession, I
found these most interesting, but was disappointed that photography is not permitted
inside this magnificent building.
With
that, we came to the end of our adventures in Himachal and prepared to head
back home. If one has time to spare, it would be fun taking the toy-train from
Shimla to Kalka. It takes around seven hours to get to Kalka by train, but
we’ve heard that it’s an enjoyable ride. We, however, had miscalculated the
time and had to cancel our train tickets and board yet another bus that took us
all the way from Shimla to Delhi, via Chandigarh. Now, it’s not super cool in
Shimla, but it was pleasant. Chandigarh was like sitting in front of a roaring
furnace and Delhi was like sitting in the furnace. Summers in Delhi are
terribly hot with temperatures rising well above 42oC. Braving the
cruel sun, we took an auto from the pre-paid stand and headed straight for the
cool confines of the airport. A word of advice – always opt for the pre-paid
taxi/auto services while in Delhi. It’s cheaper and it prevents you from
getting fleeced by the local drivers.
Question:
what did we get back from this particular holiday?
