The Wintry Wonderland of Himachal

 

The winter season is on the full swing and I am writing about yet another trip to Himachal Pradesh. After Dharamshala in 2016, it took me exactly 4 years to go back to my favorite state and this time I was travelling to Jibhi and Manali. Tired of working from home and definitely not being the kind of person who likes to stay at home for long periods of time, my feet were itching to go out and I was craving for some snow laden mountains.
I was looking for a trip to Himachal and the Photographers of India presented one in the nick of time and I grabbed it swiftly. There were a lot of questions, is it safe to travel, what will be the restrictions due to COVID-19 etc. but I was not worried about them, all I wanted was to get out and I was already counting the days. This time I was not completely alone, as my friend Sahista was also joining me on this trip.
I had to undergo the COVID test before leaving from home as it was advised to get it done just to be on the safer side and only God knows how much I hated those 2 seconds of agony. The result came out 'negative' and I was ready to witness the winter wonderland of Jibhi and Manali. We were supposed to reach Chandigarh on 27th December by 9 PM, so it was decided to take the train from Delhi only.
We boarded the Jan Shatabdi from New Delhi Railway Station in the afternoon and reached Chandigarh in the evening. The city welcomed us with extreme cold and rain which made me wonder about the temperature up in the mountains. On reaching the boarding point, we found out that due to heavy traffic the travelers have not yet arrived, so the only option was to wait it out. We had taken shelter outside a hotel named Sunbeam and thanks to those guys for not asking us to go away, as after sometime it seemed to look like a refugee camp. Finally, after waiting for more than 5-6 hours, the tempos came and we were ready to leave the lovely city of Chandigarh. The journey started around 2 in the morning and I decided to get some rest and fell asleep.
After a long drive and a couple of stops, we reached the mesmerizing hamlet of Jibhi situated amidst the lush green forests and surrounded by beautiful mountains in the afternoon. Well! It was not that straight forward, actually we had just entered the town and due to immense snowfall the previous night, the roads were totally blocked and were being cleared. Meanwhile, it was decided to explore the Jibhi Waterfall which was nearby, the temperature was dropping by every passing hour and we were presented with the first glimpses of snow.
To reach the waterfall, you have to take a short 10 minute walk. The place is neatly done with lovely arched wooden bridges made over the streams which are fed from the waterfall itself, the waterfall is tucked inside lush green jungle and the soothing sound of streams and the waterfall makes it even more precious.

After a short photography session, it was time to head back. We were informed that our tempos won't be able to go ahead, as the road was too slippery for them. Consequentially, a pick up truck was arranged for us and we had to hop on the trolley of the truck to reach our hostel.
An adventure was unfolding in front of our eyes, we were 7-8 people standing in the trolley holding on to each other. The climb started and in some time we came to a halt as one portion of the road was way too risky for the people coming down on their cars and bikes. A struggling trio of bikers were trying to get their Royal Enfields downhill, 3 people holding on to the bike and still falling down, gosh that was scary. After letting the traffic pass by, we started again and accidentally our pick up went inside a side drain and we had to push it. It was so slippery for us that we were falling down while pushing the truck but finally we made it and again hopped on. The climb was getting steeper and we were holding on to our dear lives because on our right was a deep gorge full of snow covered Deodars and if you fell, well that will be the end of your story.

It was 5 PM, the light was dying and we eventually reached 'The Hosteller' after all the struggles and hassles. Our bags were yet to be delivered to us, as taking them with us on the pick up truck was not possible. We got our rooms and mostly everyone fell on their beds, it was a very cozy and a comfortable stay. After freshening up and some rest, we went downstairs to the cafeteria for dinner and there we had a short introduction session. The dinner was done and when most people had decided to call it a night, myself and some friends decided to go out for night photography, the temperature had dipped to -6 but photography is love. We clicked outside for an hour and Sandip, (the Director as I call him) was giving us some tips and tricks. That was a great and a freezing night but we ended up with good pictures. Now, it was time for shut eye and much needed rest.

We woke up to a pleasing sunny morning and after some tea and breakfast, it was time for a hike to Jalori Pass. We started the ascend at 1 PM, it was at a distance of almost 5 kms from our hostel so it did not seem like a gigantic task. We started walking, making our way through the snow covered roads, the view was majestic, it felt like the mountains were embracing the valley. The snow started getting heavier on the road and it was getting difficult to walk, again the same pick up truck came to our rescue and we hopped on to reach the top.

 

Jalori Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 10280 feet above sea level, nestled in the peaks of Northern Himalayas. It is a sight to behold and there is a Mahakali temple at the top known as Jalori Maata and some small restaurants operated by local folks.  We reached the top and had tea because we were freezing and started clicking pictures and exploring the place. I certainly cannot miss out the lunch we had, steaming Rajma Chawal, oh boy! It was so delicious.

The daylight was dying and it was time to head back to our hostel. The descend was great fun, everyone was singing, sharing stories and most importantly slipping and falling down. We came back to the hostel by evening and after some rest, we were back at the cafeteria chilling with everyone.

Jibhi was so alluring and tranquil, it is the place where your thoughts will be at peace, away from the hustle and bustle, you will appreciate or at least learn to appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.

The next morning, we had to start the next leg of our journey and the bustling town of Manali was waiting for us with more adventures and lesser temperatures. We bid adieu to Jibhi in the afternoon and were set for another 4 hour journey to Manali.

Traversing through the gigantic mountains, we reached Manali by 4PM in the evening and it was jam packed. The town was bustling like the entire population of India had come there for vacation, who says we are living in a pandemic world. We got off at Old Manali Bridge which separates Old and New Manali and from there we had to walk with our backpacks to The Orchards House - The Hidden Tribe.

The place is calm and serene, nestled away from the streets of the town, you will get to see the mountains jubilantly beaming at the valley.

We retired to our respective dorms to get some rest and then decided to head out to explore the streets of Manali. It was so crowded that after wandering around, we settled in a cozy looking café called Café Melange for some snacks and after a short shopping spree, we were back to our hostel. The bonfire was ready and temperatures had already dipped to -10 so, naturally everyone was sitting around the fire chatting, eating and drinking. We came back to our room well after midnight and it was time to sleep.

Next morning, the Jogini Waterfall trek was waiting for us and after some tea and breakfast, we left for the next adventure.

We were ferried on our travellers to the base point and from there it was just an hour long trek which seemed easy but I didn't know that my shoes will be failing me badly. I was not even able to get a proper grip at some places due to snow but after struggling for a while and getting some assistance from my fellow friends, I finally found my feet. Also, going back was not an option for me and the only way was up! The view was spectacular and it raised my spirits as we continued climbing through snow, mud, trees and what-not.

After an hour long arduous trek, we finally reached the top and the 150 feet high waterfall was in front of us. We made our way through some freezing streams and found a spot to click some pictures, drones were flying, people were posing in front of cameras, overall it was a fun little place. We filled our water bottle from one of the streams and that was the most delicious water I had ever tasted.

After the photography session, we started heading down to the base and had some refreshments. We came back to the Mall Road and it was time for some proper shopping. The Mall Road was immensely crowded as it was New Year's Eve, even walking was difficult for us and yet again these are 'pandemic times' we are living in. The shopping was done and now we were back at hostel for the new year party and the gloom of the trip ending was already looming over me but despite that I was content. That was the last night of our trip and everyone was chilling and celebrating the arrival of 2021.

The next morning we started the journey back home and that was altogether a different story.

Before this trip, I had decided that this will be a leisurely trip for me but it turned out to be one hell of an adventure that I will remember forever. And before ending this tale, a big shoutout to all the people who joined this adventure, you all made it lovely and I certainly cannot miss to mention my crazy roommates, a bunch of totally crazy people. Sahista! I seriously hope, you had a great time and now you know why I love Himachal so much, and thanks to 'Photographers of India' for this much needed getaway.

I am writing this from home but deep down I know, "Mera Dil Kahi Door, Pahadon Me Kho Gaya." 

Till the next Adventure, Keep Travelling and Keep Exploring!

Ciao!

The Marble of Jabalpur

 

What is better than a Weekend Getaway? The answer is a long weekend getaway and thanks to the great explorer Christopher Columbus I had scored the long weekend starting from October 10th to October 12th. To honor Mr. Columbus, an exploration plan was cooking up in my mind and thanks to my cousin Rajat who took the responsibility of executing that plan.

This weekend was a welcome break from the tedious 'Work from Home' and I had no intention of being cooped up at home, so I decided to visit Jabalpur which is a 4 hour train ride from my hometown. With a mask on my face and a backpack, I boarded the Intercity express early in the morning to the city famous for its White Marble. As I had some time in my hand, I started writing my 'Dil Dilli' blog which some of you might have already read. I reached Jabalpur at 10 o'clock, my brother picked me up and instantly told me where he will be taking me, seems like he was more excited than me. We reached home, my Uncle and Aunt were waiting for us and together we had breakfast. After some rest and freshening up, we headed out for the first stop of the day - The Dhuandhar Waterfalls.

It was a hot and humid day and after a 30 minute drive, we stopped over a bridge from where we could see the vast expanse of the ghat, all covered in pristine white marble which had turned into a tinge of yellow due to years of oxidization and wear and tear. At a fair distance, we could see the holy Narmada in all her glory making her way through the deep gorge. My brother told me that the city had received plenty rainfall during the monsoon season and the entire area was submerged, all one can see was the muddy water of roaring Narmada. It would have been one hell of a sight to get to a glimpse of Narmada river in full force but nevertheless what I was peering at was equally amazing.

Dhuandhar is derived from two words: Dhua (smoke) and Dhar (flow), the reason is that the water falls with such intensity that it gives a feeling of smoke and to reach the waterfall, one has to trudge along the narrow path which leads to a wide open gorge through which Narmada flows.

I was excited by the prospects of clicking Dhuandhar but I got a glimpse from some distance that the waterfall which falls from a height of 30 meters was nowhere visible, the river Narmada had swell due to excess rainfall and the waterfall was almost levelled. My hopes were shattered but that provided an opportunity of experiencing the brawn of Narmada. The loud roar of the holy water of Narmada, the might of cutting through any obstacle was clearly visible, it was like an exhibition of pure power.

There was a white marble boulder at some distance and my brother said let's go over and witness the river from there and I was like "Bro! There is water everywhere and the force is also quite strong" but he convinced me to go over. 

We removed our shoes and started crossing, as I took my first step in the water, I was immediately introduced with the strength of Narmada. You might be thinking that we were taking unnecessary risks but actually it was a safe area which was engulfed by the swollen river. We reached the marble boulder and it seemed like we were in the middle of a raging storm, the strong waves were crashing and at some distance Dhuandhar was visible which was fighting for its own life amidst the mighty Narmada, but that battle was already lost by the waterfall.

After this little stunt, I became aware that the next one was starting shortly because we were now making our way out by not taking the traditional way but by hiking over the marble rocks which had been carved out by holy Narmada over years. Initially, I was very comfortable with this idea but after some time heat started killing me, I had turned red and the only way to get some shade and rest was to make my way out to a nearest shop but they were at a fair distance. To distract myself, I started clicking pictures because from that point I could see the entire gorge of beautiful white marble looking so sublime. 

Finally! We made our way out and were totally drenched in sweat, we went and had sugarcane juice and rested there for a while. After replenishing our body sugar level, we headed out for the next stop of the day - The Chausath Yogini Temple.

Chausath (sixty four) Yogini Temple is an ancient temple built during the Kalchuri Dynasty around 11th Century AD. A 'Yogini' is a female attendant of mother Goddess and the temple is surrounded by a circular perimeter which has shrines of 81 yoginis rather than 64.

As we parked outside the temple, I was informed that to reach the temple we will have to climb approximately 100 steep steps and that was an absolute horror because the shining sun had already upped its game. We started the steep climb and within 10 minutes reached the top, the temple was almost empty and it was neatly kept.

The architecture makes you push your imagination and you start wondering how these complex buildings were constructed. We were standing with folded hands in front of Maa Durga but my mind was not there, I was just focused on the circular perimeter housing 81 Yoginis. I got out and started exploring the perimeter reading some history, the names of Yoginis and clicking pictures.

I recommend you to visit this temple, if you are visiting Jabalpur because apart from being a temple it is a piece of history and heritage. 

We came back and headed to Bhedaghat which is a 5 minutes drive from the temple. We stopped there for 10 minutes only as there was nothing much to do, also due to the pandemic all the activities like boating had ceased.  We drove back to home and after a lovely lunch and a shower, we spent the afternoon sleeping. 

The evening was reserved for Gwarighat and the Narmada Arti. After sunset, we left home for Gwarighat and there we got to know that Narmada Arti does not happen at the river banks now due to pandemic, I was pissed listening to this but nothing could be done now. We roamed around the ghat for a while looking at people bowing down to Maa Narmada, some were lighting lamps decorated with flowers, cows were roaming around without a care in the world, sadhus were singing some hymns and a crowd was gathered around listening to them. After roaming around the ghat, we booked a boat and took a round of river and experienced the Narmada Arti from the river only. It was a peaceful and a spiritual experience with the chants of Hare Ram, Hare Krishna and Har Har Narmade.

With the conclusion of Narmada Arti, we also concluded our day with the blessings of Maa Narmada.

Next morning after breakfast, we made a brief stop at the Devtal Garden. The place is well known for its natural beauty, the lush greenery all around makes it a proper picnic spot. We spent some time there and then headed to Madan Mahal Fort.

The famous Balancing Rock of Jabalpur can be seen on the way to the fort but we did not stop there because I had been to the site on one of my previous visits. 

There was again a hike of 20 minutes before me to reach the fort but this time it did not create any trouble for my body. Madan Mahal Fort dates back to 11th Century AD and was more of a manned post for vigil against invaders, it is a compact structure and fulfilled its purpose during those times, though it is not an architectural master piece but it is one of the most important tourist destinations of the city. We climbed the narrow and steep stairs leading to the top of the fort and from there the panorama of the marble city was visible. 

The evening came and it was time for the final destination of the trip Bargi Dam which is almost 40 kms from Jabalpur city.

We left a bit late and my brother was driving like a proper Formula 1 driver and thanks to him only we reached the dam site before sunset. Bargi is a huge dam of 21 spill-way gates and to control the flow and the water level, many gates were open. Gazing at the horizon, the only thing visible was water and the loud sound of the gushing water. Trip to Bargi was not in my plan but thanks to my brother for taking me there because I had not seen a dam with its gates open.

While I was writing this blog, I was not sure what to name it. So, I based it on the USP of the city because everywhere you go, Marble was constant. Be it in the name of hotels, restaurants or any shop, one can definitely find Marble, so I named it 'The Marble of Jabalpur' and I cannot end this blog without thanking my brother Rajat, my Uncle and Aunt for making this trip memorable and fun for me. 

May God keep blessing us with many more adventures and travels. So, till the next adventure, keep Exploring!

Har Har Narmade!

Dil Dilli

 

December 2016, the Dharamshala trip had ended and I was back in the bustling metropolis of New Delhi, the weather was perfect and thankfully I did not get to experience the ''Smoggy Delhi'' which we see every winters live or on our lovely news channels. I had chalked out a small plan to explore the city as much as possible and for that I only had 3 days. I was at my Mausi's place in Rohini and she gave me a rough idea where and how to go, the itinerary was clear now and all I had to do was figure out the Delhi Metro which I later found out was quite systematic and easy.

Next morning after breakfast, I ventured out with my sole companion i.e. my DSLR and boarded the metro to JLN Stadium Metro Station. The greatest and the most important rule when you are travelling in a metro is ''carry your earphones" and I had broken that rule and had enrolled myself for a very boring journey. Finally, after changing a couple of trains I reached the JLN Stadium Metro Station and decided to walk towards my first stop of the day which was The Humayun's Tomb. Google had failed me and it turned out to be a 15 minute walk instead of the 5 minute which it was very confidently showing. After making some unsuccessful turns, I ditched the maps and asked for directions from the Rickshaw guys, a couple of them offered me to drop but I thanked them and just requested for the directions to which they obliged humbly.

I reached the tomb, got my entry ticket for 35 bucks and asked if there are any extra charges for DSLR photography (apparently in some places when you are clicking from your phone, it is free but if you are willing to use your DSLR or digital camera, they charge you extra). The guy at the ticket counter replied "Nahi Sir! aap ko jitna photo lena ho lo (No Sir! Take as many pictures as you want) and his answer made me very happy, I gave him a thumbs up and entered the huge campus surrounding the tomb. The beautiful Humayun's tomb was in front of my eyes but the first thing I noticed was the gorgeous Mughal gardens with lush green grass and the central fountain which was supplying the clear water to its many channels effortlessly. I took a round of the garden and clicked the tomb from various angles, then I went to explore it from the inside. I am a big fan of symmetry and I was so pleased to look at this monument from every angle, the sky was clear and the sun was also shining keeping the temperature in check so I decided to rest for a while in those well kept Mughal gardens.

After a 10 minute breather, I headed out for my next stop - The Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, I had always wanted to visit this place after watching Rockstar's "Kun Faya Kun" song.

Again, rickshaw walas came to my rescue and gave me the directions and I reached the dargah within 5 minutes. If you go to any religious place in India, there will be vendors who will make you go mad by continuously shouting in your ears to buy stuff from them and the same happened to me but for a change I kept my cool which I am absolutely not known for.

I made my way by dodging all these people and reached the Dargah, it was crowded and I was under some wrong expectations to see a group singing Qawwalis (Expectation Courtesy - Bollywood). Anyway, I went inside the Dargah for darshan and a huge bee stung me in the thumb and that made me shriek in pain, the priest who was taking care of the the place asked me to rub my thumb to the door and I followed his advise and that give me some extra couple of minutes inside. I paid my respects and came out holding my thumb which had turned a little purple but I ignored it for good and clicked some pictures of the holy place and ventured out.

With a paining purple thumb, my initial thought was to go home but I decided to go to The Red Fort and if possible check out the Chandni Chowk and the Jama Masjid also.

I boarded the metro and reached the very crowded Chandni Chowk Metro Station and went directly to the Red Fort which was heavily guarded, after a proper security check the entry was permitted.

Red Fort has a very huge campus and the closing time was nearing so I had to satisfy myself with just a short round of the complex, I gave myself 45 minutes and tried to cover most of it.

I came out of the fort famished, headed directly to Chandni Chowk to eat some tempting food. I found a street side vendor selling typical " Dilli ke Chole Bhature" and boy they were so good. Now, my stomach was full, I asked a rickshaw wala to drop me to The Jama Masjid. On reaching there I found that the entry was not allowed for some time due to unknown reasons and that made me feel dejected.

As no alternative was there, I asked the same guy who dropped me there to take me back to the Chandni Chowk Metro Station from where I went back home.

I headed out again the next morning and took the metro to Qutub Minar Metro Station and this time I had not broken the "Rule of Metro." I got my entry ticket and went inside the complex and clicked some pictures. While I was busy clicking pictures, a guy with a thick Australian accent tapped on my shoulders and asked "Mate! Can you help me?" I asked him whatsup and he asked whether I can click a picture of him and his girlfriend. I took his camera and clicked their pictures and they seemed to like them. He thanked me and we introduced ourselves, his name was Alexander and his girlfriend's name was Selena, they were on a 2 month long vacation trip in India.

He told me how much he liked India and after a 10 minutes discussion we were talking about Cricket, he was a hardcore Ricky Ponting fan and absolutely hated me when I said "We have Virat Kohli now."

Finally, that conversation ended and he asked where was I headed to, I told him I am going to Connaught Place (CP) and then Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Selena asked me of any Starbucks nearby and I told her that there is one in CP but none nearby. The couple asked me if we can go to CP together, I agreed and we went to CP Starbucks directly. After an hour of chit chats, I bid adieu to them and went to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.

The sermons were going on, the vibes were very positive and after a good cup of brew I was feeling content. It was not a very busy day so getting the darshan was easy, I paid my respects and sat down in a corner listening to the sermons which were going on, I do not understand punjabi but they seemed so soothing to the soul. I sat there for half an hour, ate the very delicious prasad and went back home as it was evening already.

On the final day of my Delhi History Walk, I was supposed to meet one of my long lost friend. We met at CP again and went to Agrasen ki Baoli, it is a historical step well built beautifully. Since, we were catching up after a long time, an hour passed very quickly. She said let's go to the India Gate and then we can go back home, I agreed to her and we took an Auto rickshaw to the India Gate.

It was a crowded evening and after clicking a couple of pictures at the India Gate, I asked her let's go back to CP.

We came back to CP and I told her whether she wants to go to Palika Bazar but she had to leave as it was getting late for her, I said her goodbye and went to Palika Bazar. I was strolling around in the Bazar when a guy asked me to buy something from his shop, I said I am just walking around but he was very adamant and said to me "Sir! Hum Dilli wale hain, Dil bohot bada hai humara. Aap nahi loge kuch bhi to bura nahi maanenge" (Sir! We are Delhites and we have a big heart, if you won't buy anything, I will not feel bad). I said Ok! Show me what you got and in an excited manner, he showed me some t-shirts and stuff, I hesitantly said that I do not want anything, he replied "Koi baat nahi sir, aap aaye accha laga" (It's Ok Sir, it felt good that you came).

He shook my hand and that is when I saw a poster in his shop, it was written "DIL DILLI" in it and I told him "Dil hai to bada Dilli walo ka" (Delhites do have a big heart). That put a smile in his face and he said Thank you and Bye to me. I came out of the Palika Bazar with this little encounter thinking about all the happy faces that helped me whether I was asking them for directions or anything, no one shied away and helped me with a smiling face.

With all this on my mind and many fond memories, I said to myself "Dil to Dilli Hi Hai" and boarded the metro again and went back home and my 'Delhi History Walk' came to an end.

Ciao!

The Greatest Trip of my Life

The year 2020 is taking toll on everyone and while the fight with the global pandemic is going on, I decided to write this blog after getting a push from my brother. So, a big thank you to my brother and as this is my very first attempt to write something like this,please pardon me of any discrepancies.

The year was 2016 and in the month of September, my brother sent me an Instagram direct message with the information of a Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) trip. It was supposed to take place in the month of December and around 40 seats were available, at first I was skeptical about it as I will not be knowing anyone in that trip but I decided to try it as it was a brand new experience for me (big shout out to my brother who paid for my trip).

December came and I was very excited with the prospects of going to a new place and trying  out my DSLR camera which was also gifted by my brother on my birthday. I reached the boarding point which was Majnu ka Teela, Delhi and called up the tour organizer and he told me that we are running a bit late but some guys have reached and they are at Ama's Cafe which was like a 10 minutes walk from the bus stand.  I walked up to the place and met some people who were waiting there and we instantly connected and thankfully I am still very much in touch with those people. Finally, we left for Dharamshala in the bus and after some chatting and dinner it was time to sleep.

We reached the city at early hours of dawn and it was super chilly. All we could see was  the glimmering lights of the mountain city soaked up in a beautiful silence. Day started to break and the first visuals of the city were in front of us and I was awe struck.

The trip started the same morning after some rest and breakfast, we started with local markets first getting to know the food, the people and the culture. The place was bustling with people doing their chores, setting up their business, the buddhist monks passing by in their trendy sneakers. I got busy doing some street photography taking some guidance from my friends and time passed by. It was a great first day to get comfortable and acclimatize. We ended the day with a proper Tibetan cuisine which I got to know I am not a big fan of.

There was plenty on the table the next day and Photography was growing on me, although I have always admired photography but here I was getting a wide range of subjects and landscapes to click also I was getting to learn from my fellow mates. I was itching up to go out as on the itinerary of that day it was the St. John's Church, HPCA Stadium and Naddi Point.

We first reached very beautiful St. John's Church surrounded by many Deodar trees maybe that is why it is called St. John's Church in the Wilderness. Beautiful Victorian architecture, very peaceful though you may not want to stay there till dark (it is not haunted or something but it will surely make you feel scared amidst those big deodar trees and the lone standing church).

Being in Dharamshala and not visiting the HPCA Stadium specially when you are cricket fan will be a sin so that was our next stop and boy o' boy it was splendid, nestled between the beautiful mountains it looked so surreal and i found myself clicking as many pictures as I could. 

As the day was coming to an end, we rushed to the Naddi point famous for it's sunsets and surely it did not disappoint. I am a sunset chaser and always click whenever I witness a beautiful sunset but that evening in Naddi was something else, it blew my expectations. I was so overwhelmed and possessed with the view that I decided to keep my camera away for a while and just watch nature showing all its glory. I found a spot and sat there eating some noodles and looking at the horizon, so beautiful that it is still etched in my mind vividly.

Came back to hotel and my love for photography was growing with every picture I clicked.

As Dharamshala has a very significant Tibetan population and his holiness Dalai Lama resides there so missing out on the Dalai Lama Temple was not an option. On the way, I met a monk and asked him for his picture which he very delightfully accepted, he did not know Hindi but was well versed in English and he asked me to show him what I had clicked. I showed him his picture and I asked him how is life here to which he replied "Life is very simple wherever you go, it is Us who complicate it". Obviously, I was not expecting a reply like this but it stuck to me. 

We explored the temple silently, clicked some pictures with proper permission and started to hike to Morgan's Cafe for some delicious thin crust pizza. It was an astounding evening.

It was the final day of the trip and it was reserved for leisurely stroll around the city, shopping and stuff but someone said in the previous night to visit the Triund which is approximately a 9 kms trek. Some people decided to go to Triund while some were in the mood to chill and stayed in the city only.

As we had to board the bus for Delhi in that same evening, we had to start at dawn and fortunately we did start on time. This was the pivotal decision that I decided to join the guys for the trek as I love doing treks and hikes. 

When we started to trek, I got to view the city and the Kangra valley from the vantage point. As I trekked higher whatever settlements were visible started to vanish and only huge deodars were visible and in the side the scary gorge. I was getting exhausted because the last portion of the trek was difficult and I was wearing my normal sneakers which were not helping my cause but finally we made it to the top and I was spellbound with view I had in front of my eyes. 

All the exhaustion and the pain vanished when I saw the Triund peak, the sky was so blue, the air was so clean and the view was so mesmerizing that I clicked almost a 100 pictures and even posed for some, come on I had to get clicked with those beautiful peaks.

 Those mountains made me fall in love with them and that started my never ending affair with them. So huge yet so humble. I even got myself inked with a beautiful mountain on my arm.

Finally, closing on this long memoir, I'd like to reflect that this trip to Dharamshala made me understand how much I love photography, it made me realize how many ways are there to get a good picture, you may get a good picture standing straight up or in some cases you might have to squat or even lie down to the ground to get a proper angle and perhaps same goes with our lives also.

That is why this trip to Dharamshala will always remain the most important trip of my life.

Keep it simple and silly and remember You need Mountains, Long Staircases Don't Make Good Hikers.