The Himalayan diary

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

  

The early morning chirping of sparrows woke me up. A tiring journey on the unmetalled, unrepaired roads of Himachal Pradesh had left me completely exhausted. The pre-monsoon showers added to the woes as streams and nullahs had started flowing on the roads, worsening their condition. The incessant tweeting transported me to my village in Punjab of the 1980s.

From the glass window of my room in Baga Sarahan, Kullu district, I saw a flock of sheep and herd of cattle grazing on the sprawling meadows. Giving them company were crows, bush warblers, chir pheasants, monals, khalij pheasants and wire-tailed swallows. The most dominating sound here was that of the game bird black partridge, with its signature repetition of ‘subhan teri kudrat’.

Baga Sarahan was one of the three off-track destinations we chose — the other two being the Gahan forests near Narkanda (Shimla district) and Neether near Nirmand (Kullu district). What distinguished these offbeat destinations, bordering the Kurpan valley, was that there were no blaring horns here, no crowded markets or merrymakers getting themselves clicked at touristy spots.

The decision to choose these unconventional destinations followed a discussion with Rajat Jamwal, director of a travel portal. According to Jamwal, “Himachal Pradesh has a number of unexplored destinations. Tourists don’t prefer   these places due to the poor condition of roads, besides lack of facilities”.

Gahan 

Surrounded by apple plantations, the sleepy hamlet of Gahan is 17 km off the road from Narkanda. The 5-km stretch towards the end was particularly bad. The last entry in the register of our Forest House was more than a month old. 

Early next day, we began our 20-km trek to the Hatu peak, the second highest peak in Shimla district. According to a belief, the Pandava brothers lived in the wood-carved Hatu temple when they went incognito. Dense forests of conifers, maples and oaks, besides deciduous evergreen shrubs, surrounded the area.

According to former village pradhan Gulab Mehta, “There are many tracks that have not yet been treaded upon. After the rigorous climb, these mountains award you with rare scenic views”.

Baga Sarahan 

About 115 km ahead of Gahan was the scenic meadow of Baga Sarahan (also known as Kullu Sarahan). Situated at a height of about 2,090 m, the place was endowed with immense natural beauty. A delight for children as well as the elderly, the natural tranquility of the surroundings was soothing.

During one of the early morning walks here, we met Balak Ram and Chet Ram, father-son duo who were walking up the steep mountain, along with their flock of sheep. They told us that they take their sheep high up in the mountains for grazing for two months every year. On one side of the meadow, the village had an ancient temple, which was thronged by visitors during the two-day fair in summer.

Starting early in the morning, we undertook the 7-km-trek to the Bashleo pass. The climb through the thick forests and patches of green meadows was steep. Besides, a slightly off-track waterfall, which gushes with water during monsoon, the trek offered panoramic views of Kinnaur, Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu. On the way, we met some young devotees, who were on their way to Srikhand Mahadev, the abode of Lord Shiva located at about 18,000 feet. We avoided the popular tourist descend till Bathad, 6 km ahead, and returned to our base in Baga Sarahan. On the way we saw scattered empty packets of chips, and bottles of alcohol. About the grim situation of littering at hill stations here, director, Environment Science and Technology, DC Rana, said, “We should begin imposing fine on those littering tourist places to save these from losing their beauty, besides affecting our environment”.

Neether

Figuring that the return journey of more than 270 km to Chandigarh would be very tiring, we decided to take a break at Neether village, nearly 90 km from Baga Sarahan. The village (nearly 1,730 m) was in the Nirmand block of Kullu district.

Besides the quiet settings, deserted roads and scenic views overlooking the  Himalayas, the village offered us the luxury of local hospitality. An opportunity to partake of local meals was grabbed instantly and relished. In another delightful offer by a local dentist, we were able to watch the ongoing Football World Cup.

“On Neether and many other offroad destinations, you can get lucky with hospitality of the local people. But for this, you have to make an effort and earn their confidence,” said Jamwal. And we were lucky.

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Quick tips

• When travelling to offbeat destinations, carry minimum weight and be prepared to eat simple meals. 
• Be practical and do not expect comfort of stay, food, travel and luxuries at such places.
• Check the weather conditions and pack woollens/raincoats accordingly.
• Go for a vehicle that can battle out the wear and tear on the unmetalled hill roads.