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!

Kalsubai - Conquering Maharashtra and a Broken Fibula

Trekking has always been one of my favorite activities and being an outdoorsy person I am always excited with the prospect of going to a trek. Since, 2017 when I had moved to Mumbai for work, Kalsubai was on my to-do list but I was not able to go for it and finally in April 2019 (thanks to Instagram) I decided to go because it was like a now or never kind of situation. I told my office friends about the same and two them decided to join me. So, I made the bookings for myself, Rutuja and Tejas for the coming weekend of 14th April.

Kalsubai is a mountain in the great Western Ghats and its summit is the highest point in the state of Maharashtra at an elevation of 5400 feet and after trekking Triund which is at an elevation of 9350 feet, I was pretty confident about it despite it being a moderately difficult trek but I did not know what was going to unfold in front of my eyes.

I informed my friends that it is a night trek and provided them with the details of necessary stuff which needs to be carried like flashlight, water bottles and some energy bars etc. 

Saturday came and we reached Thane station from where we had to board the last local train to Kasara which was the meeting point for everyone but when I saw Rutuja at Thane station, my first observation was her shoes. She was wearing red sneakers which definitely did not qualify as trekking shoes and I immediately asked her about the sneakers but that conversation did not last long. Finally, Tejas also reached Thane and we boarded the train and reached Kasara at 1 in the morning and were ferried on a taxi to Bari village from where we had to start our ascend.

We reached Bari and after a quick rest and some instructions, we started the ascend. It was a group of 15-16 people and everyone's flashlight was out, the initial stages were pretty easy and it took us no time to reach the first halt for a quick breather. The weather was pleasant and it was a starry night, while we were catching our breath, Rutuja saw a shooting star or at least she claimed that. We began again and the climb started to get a little tough, the absence of any physical activity in my daily routine started showing its signs and I started getting a bit tired but I did not let that thought stay in my mind for long, also some motivational quotes painted on the rocks pumped me.

It was dusk and we had completed almost 90% of the climb, we could see the glimmering lights of nearby establishments. I was ecstatic, my energy was back and the only thing that was going on in my mind was sunrise and the pictures I will be clicking. Finally, we reached the summit and three of us sat on a ledge, talking and clicking pictures, a cool breeze was blowing and it was very pleasing.

The sky was showing its colors, from the dark blues to the bright golden hues, it was surreal.

 

The sun was up and shining and after some rest and a little breakfast, it was time for us to descend, we told Rutuja to take extra care while descending and stay between myself and Tejas because going down is always the most trickiest part of a trek. The soil was loose and slippery, our dear friend Rutuja was in no mood to follow the instructions and 20 minutes into the descend, Rutuja, who was in her own world made a mighty mistake. The foot placement got wrong and her sneakers did the rest, she gained momentum going down and after dodging 2-3 boulders she finally slammed into a massive boulder.

Tejas and I were shocked, we looked at each other and ran towards her with an "I told you so attitude."

Rutuja was lying down in pain, initially we thought that she will be fine but after giving her a pain killer and spraying the affected area, she still was unable to stand. This sight scared me and I could only think of a broken leg but I did not say anything as absolute honesty isn't always the safest or the most diplomatic form of communication with emotional beings. We encouraged her to at least stand up but she was not able to do that. The worry factor was surging as we had a long way to go before anything could be done, the sun was starting to warm up and she was in immense pain.

Then we found 3 saviors within the group: Rishikesh, Lloyd and Jayesh. The former 2 were coming from Pune and they said that we will have to carry her all the way down and honestly speaking there was no other option available. Rishi took the lead and carried Rutuja over his shoulders and we started to walk again. We were cracking jokes to keep her encouraged and even she was singing. Rishi and Jayesh switched lifting Rutuja and we were carrying their bags.

We had almost covered the descend but the heat and the pain started taking its toll on Rutuja so, we decided to stop under some shade, gave her whatever water was left. We asked Tejas to keep going and ask for some help as our trek leader had abandoned us and had reached the base village. Tempers were running high but we had a dehydrated and injured friend so we had to calm ourselves down. I was constantly talking to her because her being conscious was extremely important for us, finally Tejas came up with some help. The trek leader also came with a sheet and we lay her down in it and carried her to a nearby point from where she can be taken on a bike. I held her firmly on the bike because the balance was very important and the things were not going our way, falling her again from the bike was not an option. Thankfully we reached the base village  and I carried her inside the designated place and after a while the rest of the guys were also there. Rishi and Lloyd said that they will drop us Mumbai and we instantly agreed to it because carrying her in a local train would have been a gigantic task. After all this drama, we finally left from Bari village and dropped Rutuja to her home. She had not informed her family and the sight of me carrying Rutuja to her home along with 3 other guys must have shocked her little sister.

We came back to our respective places after dropping her home, next day we called her to know about the condition of the leg. The impact from the boulder had broken her fibula bone and she got operated in the same week, she is fine now but she has a screw in her leg now which is holding the bone together.

The experience of this trek will always remain ingrained in my mind, the sense of achievement and the euphoria of climbing the highest peak of Maharashtra to immense shock and fear, it was a proper package. In a way, this accident made us meet some very humble and lovely gentlemen and I think it is safe to say that this friendship will remain with us for a very long time.

Till the next trek or the next journey, 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.