The age-old features of Narkanda

By Shriniwas Joshi

Recently I was in Panchayat Jarol at Chaatti, an ‘apple village’, about 12 kilometres from Narkanda on the Thanedhar road. There were apple trees all around but the fruit had already reached the markets. Narkanda situated at an altitude of 2,708 metres on the Hindustan-Tibet Road falls on National Highway 5. It was in NH 22 earlier but in the year 2010 when the Government of India renumbered the highways, it became NH 5. Narkanda is a hinterland 64 kilometres from Shimla and offers seclusion and peace to the visitors as also a chance to explore the beautiful apple orchard countryside. It is the central point for many treks and also famous for skiing. Skiing was started here in 1980 and every year the Tourism Department conducts ski courses.

Narkanda falls on the old Hindustan-Tibet Road which was started by the British Governor General Lord Dalhousie in 1850. Sir Charles Napier, the then Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in India, had designed the map of the road. I think that the road was completed before the year 1873 because Andrew Wilson, who traversed the road in 1873, writes, “The cut bridle-path, which has been dignified by the name of ‘The Great Hindusthan and Tibet Road’, that leads along the sides of the hills from Shimla to Narkanda Ghaut and from Narkanda up the valley of the Sutlej to Chini (now Kalpa) and Pangay (now Pangi), is by no means so exasperating as the native paths of the inner Himalaya. It does not require one to dismount every five minutes…..Nevertheless, the cut road, running as it often does without any parapet, or with none to speak of, and only seven or eight feet broad, across the face of enormous precipices and nearly precipitous slopes, is even more dangerous for equestrians than are the rude native paths.”

There are two important telltale signs at Narkanda. Bang on the middle of the highway, there is a temple of a goddess (probably of Mahamaya) (See Photo). The original and a big temple of goddess Mahamaya is about seven kilometres from Narkanda proper at Kacheri. The Devimahatyma states that Goddess Mahamaya appeared from the energy of Gods. When she was given weapons to destroy Mahishasur, she became Goddess Durga.

The story that goes with the temple on the middle of the highway which is an accepted folklore now is that when the highway was being constructed in the 1960s, officers of the PWD refused to touch the temple due to certain beliefs. The then Chief Engineer (L.N. perhaps) Nangia decided to intervene and reached Narkanda to stay at the PWD rest house. At night, "invisible forces brought him down on the floor from his bed and a shadow appeared before him saying enough for the moment, but more may happen if I am touched". Nangia returned to Shimla the next morning. So, the temple stands where it was and is venerated by the locals and the passersby slow their cars as they approach the temple.

The other is ‘Lal Kothi’, the first factory in Himachal Pradesh based on agriculture produce of the state (See Photo). It was built in 1914 when the World War-I was on. Here potato-chips and flour of potato were prepared for the soldiers. Local people proudly compare it with Solan Brewery, established in 1855, and Nahan Foundry, established in 1875. Presently, it has been converted into a residential block as the clothes drying on clothe line depict.

Hatu Peak at an elevation of 3,400 metres would be a pleasure walk if you can cover six kilometres on foot from Narkanda. There is a motorable road too cutting up through the dense forest and meandering to the top but the charm of footing the way amidst the verdurous trees and picturesque landscape will get lost. At the top of the peak there is a small wooden temple with exquisite wood carving called Hatu temple. The belief is that Hatu Mata is none other than Mandodri, the pious wife of Ravana. There is also a stove like formation of rocks nearby the temple. Locals believe that it was where the Pandavas came during their Agyaatvaas and cooked food.

Tailpiece

There is not much to see in a small town but what you hear makes up for it.