The setting was a drab day in January, with me getting bored at work as usual. Not the launch pad one would expect for a trip to the Himalayas. Enter air deccan, now people generally check mails, orkut or blogs in there spare time. I on the other hand exhaust all of these options early in the day and religiously check low air fares regularly. And voila my efforts were rewarded! Deccan launched a new flight on the Delhi Dharamshala sector for as low as Rs 9 (plus taxes) and was I smitten! Inquiries were made, and suitable dates in May were scheduled. It was a good opportunity to spend some quality time with my dad. I like to observe how he negotiates the best deals with taxi drivers, persistent tourist agents, hotel managers and the like.
The actual journey began when we left beloved Jaipur on a hot sweaty Friday evening aboard Laloo's express. Now I have to political interests but I must compliemnt Laloo and company for a job well done. Web ticketing, flawless air conditioning and comfortable bedding, what else can one ask for? Our next stop was the Indira Gandhi International Airport which turned out to be not very different from a railway station. Picture wailing kids, people eating poori/aalu and the general din associated with a vegetating bourgeois. Flies and mosquitoes enjoying a buffet of human delicacies complete the abyss that this place has become.
After three excruciating hours finally we get to board our rickety propeller driven aircraft. On one of these machines one can actually discern the tug on the belt shaft to bring the engine to life. I could even make out a gear shift reverberating through the entire craft not unlike a quivering overloaded city bus. Fortunately we reach our destination without incident. Dharamshala is a semi commercialized town. It affords beautiful mountain top views while being within easy reach of essential commodities. It is situated at a height of 6000 feet above sea level; no wonder the cool mountain breeze literally took our breath away. The winding trip to the top was blessed with copious forests. One can’t help feeling beatific amidst the natural panorama engulfing the human mind and soul.
Our Hotel was situated atop a hillock with a back door opening to a waterfall and clouds floating around. We shared the hotel with a group of school children out on an educational excursion. The kids ignited a bonfire and celebrated the night singing and dancing to keep away the chill. The fun reminiscent of childhood memories.
The First day we visited the usual suspects on most hill stations. We saw a tremulous waterfall, an old cavernous church, a holy lake and a rose park. The prize however was a mountainous trek dotted with telescopes to site trains, and other wonders of the lower world. Another novelty was a swimming pool perennially powered by warm spring water. The water looked clean and tempting and overflowed gently onto the hillside. Else where minor waterfalls disgorged water so cold that it was being used to refrigerate soft drinks.
The second day we went to see a monastery and witness first hand the spartan Tibetan way of living. One can’t help regretting that these guys face extinction in there traditional homelands of Tibet. Next, we visited the Jwalamukhi Deveji's Temple. We had to wait in a queue for several hours for a darshan lasting not more than a minute. There are no idols to be seen here the deity here is a perpetual flame. Myth logically believed to be a work of angels; it is a spectacular geothermal phenomenon. It is a vent to trapped natural gas, ignited by the heat of rocks rubbing together.
Overall we really enjoyed this trip and this is a must go for anyone wanting to spend quality time in nature's lap.
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