A day out in the stream and hills
Kuldip Dhiman
You wish to go on a day trip, and wonder where, because you have been to all the popular spots around Chandigarh. Try Subathu the next time. You could be there in about two hours if you are leaving from Chandigarh. Plan it in such a way that you could spend half a day there and return before dark. It is fairly easy to find your way to Subathu. As you drive along the Kalka-Shimla highway, turn left before Dharampur. There is a sign that tells you it is 15 kilometres way. Subathu town has a small market where you could buy water and munchies for the way. The place is remarkably clean as it is home to the Gurkha regiment.
Subathu or Spatu is a small town in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. It was established as a cantonment by the British at the beginning of the 19th century. There are some interesting tales associated with Subathu. Legend has it that during the Mahabharata time, a king named Subahu, made this town the capital of his kingdom, hence the name ‘Subathu’ is a corruption of ‘Subahu’. Another view is that ‘Subahtu’ is derived from ‘Subbah Tum’, which in the Gurkhali language means residency of the governor. Some claim the town got its name from ‘Subha Thor’, which means the place where you stop from breakfast.
Six kilometres from the Subathu Cantonment you reach Gambhar bridge that is built on the river Gambhar. Take a right after the bridge, and a kilometre away you would find yourself in front of Vijeshwar Mahadev Temple. A bridge across the river takes you to the temple. If you drive further down, you would come across a small bridge. Pull over to the left and leave your car or two-wheeler there. Next to the bridge, you would see an old broken bridge. Walk a few hundred meters until you reach the rivulet. This is a wonderful and quiet spot to picnic. The place is great to just lie about for hours and chat with friends by immersing your feet in the cool stream. You may swim here, but be careful and keep watching the water level because during the rainy season, the water level can suddenly rise putting your life at risk. Carry your own food, tea, coffee and water. If you love to trek, you could explore the hilly pathways nearby. You may consider visiting a village or two and chat with the people who are quite friendly. It would be advisable to carry umbrellas as it could rain any moment. The place is clean and not frequented by tourists too much.
On your way back, if you have about an hour or so, take a right from Gambhar bridge and proceed towards Shiva Gufa five kilometres away. Right next to the main road is the entrance to the Shiva Gufa. Gugga Naumi festival is celebrated here by Googa devotees a fortnight after Krishna Janamashtami. As the name suggests, there is a cave with a Shivalinga in it. It is believed that this cave is actually a tunnel which opens in Solan at the other end. We would advise you not to test the claim.
