Travelling across the length and breadth of India is the
surest way to fall in love with the land. The awesome diversity, the prized
possession of India is its most enthralling aspect. Quite characteristic of our
earlier travel episodes this impromptu road trip to Kinnaur district of
Himachal Pradesh too satiated our ingrained adventurous sinews.
Day 1
Past experiences impelled us to refrain from travelling on
weekends as the serpentine queues of the vehicles stuck in the traffic dampened
the spirit of exhilarating road drives. Cautiously we chose to hit the highway
before 9 pm to avoid the truck traffic. Thankfully the roads were not too
crowded when we set off from our house at 8:15pm and by 9 pm we were driving on
the Delhi Ambala Highway with designated speed limit of 90kmph for cars. We
drove pretty fast and reached Zirakpur by 1am where we halted at a decent hotel
for a night rest.
Day 2
The Himalayan High Way which begins from Panchakula, just few
kilometres away from Zirakpur has an extended 8-lane road. Driving on these
spacious, well laid out metal roads was a pleasant experience. We drove along
the Highway bypassing Pinjore Gardens, Kalka and directly reached Parawanoo,
the base station for the famous Timber Trail which continues to draw lots of
tourists. We began to slightly feel the thrill of the ascent slowly from
Parawanoo. Drive along the hills covered
by tender blooms of trees after the spring through places like Dharmapur, Solan,
Khandaghat and Shoga was very lively. Away from the deafening noises of the stalled
traffic and raising aerosol pollution of cities, a drive through the hills is
truly refreshing. As we neared Shimla traffic was stalled for a while. Parking
our car aside on the outskirts of the Shimla city, we quickly rushed to the
nearest Tourist Desk to collect more information about Kinnaur district. Upon
the advice of Himachal Pradesh Tourism executive, we chalked out plan for the
next three days and decided to visit Kalpa village in Kinnaur district. We
acquired a road map from the office and began to drive towards Kinnaur district
in Sangla Valley.
We actually got to know about the Sangla Valley after
watching the breathtaking views of Himalayas in the Highway movie. Himachal
Pradesh with its greatest mountain system offers a splendid travel experience.
For people who love adventure and are unnerved by the monstrosity of the
mountains ranges it is a must visit place.
Shimla
Having travelled to Shimla and Kufri previously though
palpable enthusiasm was missing as we bypassed Shimla but we were enthralled by
the spectre of the legendary deodars of the Silent Valley, few kilometres
before Kufri. Further ahead of Kufri we began to slowly ascend the hilly
terrain and passed through villages of Fagu and Theog and stopped at an
isolated restaurant at Sandhu village. After a brief chat with the locals, we
came to know about the famous Hatu temple near Narkanda. Since it is on our way
we planned to visit the temple.
A Temple on the way
Narkanda is a small town and popular skiing resort in the
region. It is endowed with excellent accommodation facilities setup by the
Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC). Located at an
altitude of 2708 meters on the NH-22 (Hindustan-Tibet Road) and 65 kilometers
from Shimla, it offers a splendid view of snow-capped Himalayas. The entire
belt of Narkanda, Thanedhar and Kotgarh lie in the lucrative Apple Belt of the
state. Satyanand Stokes introduced Apple cultivation in this region which
subsequently strengthened the economy of the region. The place is quite famous
for a variety of fruits like Cherries, Plums, Almonds and Apricots as well.
Nature resorts of Narkanda are quite popular among tourists seeking seclusion
and tranquillity. Besides it offers a unique view of the eternal snowline. 8 km
from Narkanda is the majestic Hatu peak 3400 meters from the sea level and one
of the highest motor able peaks in this region.
Hatu Temple
The road to Hatu Peak is quite narrow and allows passage of a
single vehicle at a time. The steep curves and sharp bends of the road demands
exceptional driving skills and agility while manoeuvring the curves. The sharp
ascent right at the base of the peak was really scary and made us rethink about
our decision of visiting the temple atop the peak. As we began to meander
through the road we were thrilled by the dense vegetation of the tall spruce,
fir, cedar and maple trees. All our moments of thrill and excitement suddenly
evaporated as were closing towards the peak when we had to make way for a huge
vehicle coming in the opposite direction. Meticulous driving skills of my
husband averted a dangerously close mishap. Overpowered by spirit of adventure,
we drove ahead and reached the peak. The
total drive along the hill was 11km.
Hatu temple carvings
The splendid sight of the beautiful temple Hatu temple
dispelled away our anxieties. The Divine Shrine made of rock had exquisite
wooden carvings of various deities. The wooden empanelment is uniquely carved
into coiled dragon characteristic of pervading Tibetan influence. Such
architectural engravings are quite unusual for Hindu temples. Roof has two
layers, the lower one made of wood and the upper one made of the slate. Slate
specifically found on hills is very shiny. The architectural form of the roof
is typical Pagoda style. This temple is one of the finest specimens of slanting
roofs and slightly concave like the Chinese ones.
According to the local legends, Hatu Mata is the temple of
Mandodari, wife of Ravana. It is believed that Pandavas spent part of their
exile on these hills and the two giant stones shaped like chullah called Bheema
Chullah, is present on the top of the peak. There are few resorts on Hatu Peak
aptly named as Agyaat Vaas. True to its meaning the place is secluded and
serene. The peak offers a spectacular view of the Himalayan ranges and the
amazingly beautiful green valley surrounding the peak.
British Lieutenant Hugdson established a trigonometric
station at the Hatu peak to measure the height of great Himalayan ranges as the
place provides 360 degrees panoramic view of the inner and outer Himalayas.
Hanuman Tibba, Shrikhand Mahadev, Kailash, Parvati and Friendship peaks can be
viewed from this place. This peak is considered to be the last watershed as
water flowing down to the North eventually enters Arabian Sea via Sutlej River.
The water flowing towards South empties into Bay of Bengal through Yamuna and
later on to Ganges. After some photo-ops, we sat down for a while to savour the
tranquillity of the place and slowly drove down to Narkanda.
Road to Hatu Peak
Most of our trips are unplanned and we set out with a vague
idea about the destination. So as we embark on our journey, things would
randomly unfold with amazing surprises/ The visit to Narkanda was one such
happenstance. We didn’t have slightest clue about the existence of this rarest
gem amongst these mountain ranges. But as we started enquiring people we
collected the information and made it. Our next destination was Rampur, an
important commercial centre of this region, 65 km from Narkanda. To reach
Rampur located along the banks of the torrential Sutlej, we had to descend 1350
mts. Altogether we had a rollercoaster kind of journey from Zirakpur to Hatu
and Rampur on a single day.
Hydropower Plant at Rampur
After a sharp descent we entered a historic town of
Kumharsain which also has a training centre of Seema Sashastra Sena Bal. The
place is famous for the Koteshwar Mahadev Mandir, which is brought out of a
cave shaped temples every four years. The event is marked by a fair and local
Naita dance. Little ahead of the town is Sainj and a left turn along the State
Highway 11(SH11) will proceed to Kullu Mandi. Along the outskirts of Rampur we
saw lush green fields bountifully irrigated by Sutlej River. But unlike the
hills enveloped by vegetation at higher elevations, hills of Rampur are devoid
of vegetation and most of them were cut to make way for building new
infrastructure.
Mahishasura Mardini Temple, Rampur
Rampur was winter capital of the princely state of Bushahr,
one of the largest hill states under British administration. From early 18th
century the town is a trading hub for Kinnauris and traders hailing from the
passes of Ladakh and Tibet. The town has a rich historical legacy in its kitty.
But as we wanted to make a night halt at Sarahan which is almost 50 km from the
town we gave Bushahr palace visit a miss. Rampur is a very stuffy place and
bustling with activity. We were soon overwhelmed by the sight of one of the
hydroelectric project, Sutlej Jal Vihar Nijam Limited (SJVNL). Along the
highway we had a sneak peak of the workers quarters, other offices and a temple
of Mahisasur Mardhini by the side of the road. We had a quick darshan of the
Goddess and steadily move along the highway. Beyond Rampur towards Jhakri, home
to Asia’s largest hydropower project we encountered a patch of bad roads lying
in the land slide prone region. From Jakhri we proceeded to Jeori from where a
steep road ascended towards Sarahan, the summer capital of the Bushahr rulers.
By the time we reached Jeori sun is already down and it has become quite dark.
We cautiously drove along the steep ascent to reach Sarahan, 17 km away from
Jeori and perched at an elevation of 2313 mts. Having booked room at the HPTDC
accommodation, Hotel Shrikhand we checked in and tumbled into beds after travelling
280km.
Photographs Courtesy: Dr. T. L. S. Bhaskar
@ Copyrights reserved.
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