Land of the Snow Peaks
The mighty Himalayan heights are home to many picturesque Indian states that span its vast length across the northern limits of the subcontinent.
One such state is Himachal Pradesh, located almost directly due north from Delhi.
The name translates into a vision of beauty and poetry: "land of snowy mountains.
" It is also a land of wild and rugged beauty, with steep, jagged peaks that pierce brilliant blue skies and plunge into deep, lush, narrow valleys that are home to myriads of roaring, rushing mountain streams and rivulets that seem to be in a hurry to reach the sea.
Scenic vistas of richly forested, verdant hillsides and emerald-green highland meadows, could take your breath away.
Two towns in this beautiful state have traditionally seen hordes of visitors, even though the name of the state is not so well-known in general.
Dharamsala is better-known as the home of the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan government in exile.
It is located on a spur of the mighty Dhauladhar range and is now a flourishing and colourful Tibetan colony in the midst of which, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had reached Tibet.
Colourful prayer flags line the winding streets and the nearby hilltops, fluttering prayers into the winds with vigour and gusto.
Prayer wheels thrive outside every temple and seem to spin in perpetual motion that is kept alive by the gods, as an endless stream of passersby, seemingly in need of divine assistance, add their mite, by giving them an absent-minded twirl and then moving on about their business.
The other well-known town is Manali, deep in the inner Himalaya and a longtime favourite with adventurers and trekkers eager to test their strength and mountain-climbing skills on many of the mighty peaks that dot the area.
Manali lies at the northern extreme of the 84 km.
, long, narrow Kullu Valley that is not more than 3 kms.
, across at its widest point.
The white waters of the untamed Beas rush headlong down the length of the valley to exit rather hastily at Aut, which also serves as the narrow entrance towards Manali from the south.
By then, the river has burrowed deep into a steep, narrow, winding ravine alongside which, snakes the road that enters Kullu, high above the rushing waters, gouged out of the rocky cliff-side and clinging precariously for continued existence.
Aut is a small way-stop marked by the presence of a temple dedicated to a local spirit goddess who seeks obeisance from all wayfarers in order to be appeased for allowing them to pass safely onwards to Kullu and Manali.
Local legend has it that there were many fatal accidents here in the past and that the installation of the temple has served to cut down on the number of deaths.
Thus, almost every cab and bus driver tends to make a short stop here while going in and out of the valley.
This legend also seems to be a thriving source of business and prosperity to the local community, if we go by the number of flourishing teashops and local eateries that have sprouted-up here over the years.
Kullu is the main town that gives the valley its name and is located almost in the exact middle, at a point where the valley opens out to its broadest.
Kullu is home to around 900 villages, spread around the valley.
Each village has its own deity and no two villages worship the same god or goddess.
Every year, around late October, Kullu celebrates its very own version of the major Hindu festival of Dussehra.
But, Kullu celebrates this festival almost 10 days later than the rest of India.
Also, the festival is stretched out for around 10 days.
The entire valley takes on a festive air.
It is also time for the gods and goddesses of the valley to put on their best finery and make their way down to the town of Kullu in order to pay homage to the main god at Kullu and also to celebrate.
Each god or goddess is fancily dressed in the gaudiest of reds and yellows and is carried down on palanquins by groups of men who dance intricate steps to the beat of drums and the cheery lilt of pipes and flutes and cheer lustily every step of the way.
Local legend has it that the gods enjoy the music and soon take part in the dancing and festivities themselves.
They jump up and down with joy and twirl around and run around in circles with the terrified palanquin bearers struggling hard to keep up with them and to keep from dropping the palanquins.
The palanquins seem to take on a life of their own, pushing and pulling with great force.
The palanquin bearers struggle to keep up with this inebriated spirit force.
But they dare not drop the palanquin at any time for it is considered to be an insult to their god that always brings on the gravest consequences for the bearer, his family and his village.
Of the 900 villages in the valley, there are two villages, high up above Kullu, at Malana, at an altitude of around 9,000 ft.
, which are not considered to be of Indian or Aryan heritage.
These two villages consist of around 600 persons and they do not mix or marry outside their group.
Further, they speak a language that is very unlike any of the other languages or dialects that are spoken in the valley.
Even their god, Jamlu, is markedly different from all the rest of the gods and goddesses of the Kullu valley.
Jamlu is also one of the richest gods in the valley with a lot of gold and precious stones and wealth to his name.
In hard and difficult times, a part of this wealth is shared equally amongst the people of the village in order to tide over.
This is then returned to Jamlu with interest, when times are good.
It is said that the people of Malana are descendants of a small company of Greek soldiers left behind by Alexander the Great to guard the territory that he had conquered when he had come all the way up to the River Indus in Punjab.
They employ a unique, democratic system of government in their villages that seems to go back to the original democratic ideals and traditions that prevailed in the days of the ancient Greeks.
Another group of people who seemed to be attracted to this part of the Himalaya and flocked here in droves, are the "hippies" of the sixties and seventies and later.
They were drawn here due to the easy availability of hemp and cannabis that grows wildly and in great abundance.
Soon, some smart souls started assisting nature in her efforts.
And "Bingo!" we soon had a thriving cottage industry with exports stretching all the way to Europe and America.
Till today, "Malana Cream" is supposed to be the preferred quality of choice for cannabis connoisseurs around the world.
Another beautiful area in this part of the world is the Tirthan Valley.
As one enters the Kullu valley from Aut, there is a bridge that crosses the river Beas and takes one back towards the south.
An hour or so of driving brings you to the Tirthan valley and the river.
Accommodation is limited to a few home-stays and a couple of camps.
But the river affords some of the best trout fishing that is to be had.
For the serious birding enthusiast, the terrain at the river level offers sightings of Crested Kingfisher, Redstarts, the occasional Ibisbill and a few more.
Higher up the slopes in the lush alpine forests of oak, rhododendron, hemlock and Himalayan cedar one is quite likely to spot species such as the Eurasian Nutcracker, White-collared Blackbird, the Black-and-Yellow Grosbeak, the Gold-billed Magpie and of course, the official bird of Himachal, the Monal or Himalayan Pheasant.
The pheasant, though, requires a little bit of effort due to dwindling numbers and an innate shyness.
Out in the open high areas you could be rewarded with an occasional view of the Lammergeier or Himalayan Griffon cruising gracefully across the valley, scouting the area with eyes that miss nothing.
The road through the Tirthan valley goes upward to the Jalori Pass where a small lake at the top offers some more trout fishing.
On a clear evening, usually when the skies are clear in the autumn months, it is possible to view the faint glimmer of lights from Shimla located at 8,000 ft.
, on another high ridge around 100 kms.
, south of here, as the crow flies.
Shimla used to be the summer capital for dehydrated British civil servants, struck down by the searing heat of the plains in the summer months, during the colonial era.
The soothing alpine heights and the cool forests of oak and cedar brought welcome relief to the suffering exiled Briton in India in those days, reminding him nostalgically of the cooler, more hospitable climes back home.
For some time, they could escape the heat of the plains and enjoy the pleasant mountain air.
And thus it was that Shimla took on the look of a quaint English village.
For many, the mist in the forests and the unpredictable weather reminded them of the highlands of Scotland.
It has been recorded by a Victorian writer that: "...
even the mud tastes the same.
" Some of the original British cottages and buildings still exist in Shimla today to give us a glimpse into the past of an era of Victorian elegance, pomp and glory and the trappings of Empire.
One such state is Himachal Pradesh, located almost directly due north from Delhi.
The name translates into a vision of beauty and poetry: "land of snowy mountains.
" It is also a land of wild and rugged beauty, with steep, jagged peaks that pierce brilliant blue skies and plunge into deep, lush, narrow valleys that are home to myriads of roaring, rushing mountain streams and rivulets that seem to be in a hurry to reach the sea.
Scenic vistas of richly forested, verdant hillsides and emerald-green highland meadows, could take your breath away.
Two towns in this beautiful state have traditionally seen hordes of visitors, even though the name of the state is not so well-known in general.
Dharamsala is better-known as the home of the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan government in exile.
It is located on a spur of the mighty Dhauladhar range and is now a flourishing and colourful Tibetan colony in the midst of which, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had reached Tibet.
Colourful prayer flags line the winding streets and the nearby hilltops, fluttering prayers into the winds with vigour and gusto.
Prayer wheels thrive outside every temple and seem to spin in perpetual motion that is kept alive by the gods, as an endless stream of passersby, seemingly in need of divine assistance, add their mite, by giving them an absent-minded twirl and then moving on about their business.
The other well-known town is Manali, deep in the inner Himalaya and a longtime favourite with adventurers and trekkers eager to test their strength and mountain-climbing skills on many of the mighty peaks that dot the area.
Manali lies at the northern extreme of the 84 km.
, long, narrow Kullu Valley that is not more than 3 kms.
, across at its widest point.
The white waters of the untamed Beas rush headlong down the length of the valley to exit rather hastily at Aut, which also serves as the narrow entrance towards Manali from the south.
By then, the river has burrowed deep into a steep, narrow, winding ravine alongside which, snakes the road that enters Kullu, high above the rushing waters, gouged out of the rocky cliff-side and clinging precariously for continued existence.
Aut is a small way-stop marked by the presence of a temple dedicated to a local spirit goddess who seeks obeisance from all wayfarers in order to be appeased for allowing them to pass safely onwards to Kullu and Manali.
Local legend has it that there were many fatal accidents here in the past and that the installation of the temple has served to cut down on the number of deaths.
Thus, almost every cab and bus driver tends to make a short stop here while going in and out of the valley.
This legend also seems to be a thriving source of business and prosperity to the local community, if we go by the number of flourishing teashops and local eateries that have sprouted-up here over the years.
Kullu is the main town that gives the valley its name and is located almost in the exact middle, at a point where the valley opens out to its broadest.
Kullu is home to around 900 villages, spread around the valley.
Each village has its own deity and no two villages worship the same god or goddess.
Every year, around late October, Kullu celebrates its very own version of the major Hindu festival of Dussehra.
But, Kullu celebrates this festival almost 10 days later than the rest of India.
Also, the festival is stretched out for around 10 days.
The entire valley takes on a festive air.
It is also time for the gods and goddesses of the valley to put on their best finery and make their way down to the town of Kullu in order to pay homage to the main god at Kullu and also to celebrate.
Each god or goddess is fancily dressed in the gaudiest of reds and yellows and is carried down on palanquins by groups of men who dance intricate steps to the beat of drums and the cheery lilt of pipes and flutes and cheer lustily every step of the way.
Local legend has it that the gods enjoy the music and soon take part in the dancing and festivities themselves.
They jump up and down with joy and twirl around and run around in circles with the terrified palanquin bearers struggling hard to keep up with them and to keep from dropping the palanquins.
The palanquins seem to take on a life of their own, pushing and pulling with great force.
The palanquin bearers struggle to keep up with this inebriated spirit force.
But they dare not drop the palanquin at any time for it is considered to be an insult to their god that always brings on the gravest consequences for the bearer, his family and his village.
Of the 900 villages in the valley, there are two villages, high up above Kullu, at Malana, at an altitude of around 9,000 ft.
, which are not considered to be of Indian or Aryan heritage.
These two villages consist of around 600 persons and they do not mix or marry outside their group.
Further, they speak a language that is very unlike any of the other languages or dialects that are spoken in the valley.
Even their god, Jamlu, is markedly different from all the rest of the gods and goddesses of the Kullu valley.
Jamlu is also one of the richest gods in the valley with a lot of gold and precious stones and wealth to his name.
In hard and difficult times, a part of this wealth is shared equally amongst the people of the village in order to tide over.
This is then returned to Jamlu with interest, when times are good.
It is said that the people of Malana are descendants of a small company of Greek soldiers left behind by Alexander the Great to guard the territory that he had conquered when he had come all the way up to the River Indus in Punjab.
They employ a unique, democratic system of government in their villages that seems to go back to the original democratic ideals and traditions that prevailed in the days of the ancient Greeks.
Another group of people who seemed to be attracted to this part of the Himalaya and flocked here in droves, are the "hippies" of the sixties and seventies and later.
They were drawn here due to the easy availability of hemp and cannabis that grows wildly and in great abundance.
Soon, some smart souls started assisting nature in her efforts.
And "Bingo!" we soon had a thriving cottage industry with exports stretching all the way to Europe and America.
Till today, "Malana Cream" is supposed to be the preferred quality of choice for cannabis connoisseurs around the world.
Another beautiful area in this part of the world is the Tirthan Valley.
As one enters the Kullu valley from Aut, there is a bridge that crosses the river Beas and takes one back towards the south.
An hour or so of driving brings you to the Tirthan valley and the river.
Accommodation is limited to a few home-stays and a couple of camps.
But the river affords some of the best trout fishing that is to be had.
For the serious birding enthusiast, the terrain at the river level offers sightings of Crested Kingfisher, Redstarts, the occasional Ibisbill and a few more.
Higher up the slopes in the lush alpine forests of oak, rhododendron, hemlock and Himalayan cedar one is quite likely to spot species such as the Eurasian Nutcracker, White-collared Blackbird, the Black-and-Yellow Grosbeak, the Gold-billed Magpie and of course, the official bird of Himachal, the Monal or Himalayan Pheasant.
The pheasant, though, requires a little bit of effort due to dwindling numbers and an innate shyness.
Out in the open high areas you could be rewarded with an occasional view of the Lammergeier or Himalayan Griffon cruising gracefully across the valley, scouting the area with eyes that miss nothing.
The road through the Tirthan valley goes upward to the Jalori Pass where a small lake at the top offers some more trout fishing.
On a clear evening, usually when the skies are clear in the autumn months, it is possible to view the faint glimmer of lights from Shimla located at 8,000 ft.
, on another high ridge around 100 kms.
, south of here, as the crow flies.
Shimla used to be the summer capital for dehydrated British civil servants, struck down by the searing heat of the plains in the summer months, during the colonial era.
The soothing alpine heights and the cool forests of oak and cedar brought welcome relief to the suffering exiled Briton in India in those days, reminding him nostalgically of the cooler, more hospitable climes back home.
For some time, they could escape the heat of the plains and enjoy the pleasant mountain air.
And thus it was that Shimla took on the look of a quaint English village.
For many, the mist in the forests and the unpredictable weather reminded them of the highlands of Scotland.
It has been recorded by a Victorian writer that: "...
even the mud tastes the same.
" Some of the original British cottages and buildings still exist in Shimla today to give us a glimpse into the past of an era of Victorian elegance, pomp and glory and the trappings of Empire.
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