From Kalka to Khajjiar to Jwalamukhi
While planing the tour we have taken a different/offbeat rout. We planned the entry through Kalka (the railway head). the places to be visited Bilaspur, Rewalswar, Jogindernagar, Sundernagar, Palampur, Dharamsala, Dalhousie, Khajjiar, Jot, Chamba, Jwalmukhi.
On getting down from Kalka mail I was greeted by Pinkaji, our guide-cum-driver, with whom my husband already had a long-time friendship and whom he already informed. Pinkaji took us to his house and we were welcomed by his wife and children. Took breakfast there and proceeded for Rewalswar (approx 160 K.m.). On the way in Bilaspur we visited Govindsagar Lake, a reservoir of Bhakra Dam, and Nayna Devi temple (by roap-way on a hilltop). In the afternoon at around 5 p.m reached Rewalswar Hotel (of HPTDC) and checked in. Took a cup of tea and went out to browse (!) the small town in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. On the left the road goes up to the village, mainly inhabited by Tibetians, to offer a grand wide view of the valleys and midows of the Himalayas. On the right the road goes through the small market comprising of Momo stalls and small shops and takes a round of the Rewalswar lake (medium in size having Cristal clear green shadowed water) to the Monestry. We strolled through the road in the night. The lake is flanked by the small town at one side and the hills with dense forest on the other. The forest has a vast wildlife. A stroll in the night through the road touches some of your raw nerves of excitement. The night was really cold in the last days of December. In the morning we took the same road and saw the Shiva temple. The view of the large group of fishes playing on the sore will surely enthrall you.
In the way we took our breakfast at Jogindernagar, a beautiful river valley with wide spread fields and forests looked upon by the sno-capped Dhauladhar Range of upper Himalayas.
On the way, in Sundernagar, we took our lunch. In Sanskrit “Sunder” means “very beautiful” and “nagar” means town. Sundernagar make justice to it’s name. It is named as pollution-free town by the UN despite the fact that it houses a large cement plant of L&T. Sundernagar is famous for its natural beauty of its large agricultural fields colored by seasonal flora bordered by ravishingly green treeline which is always looked upon by the sno-capped Dhauladhar Range of upper Himalayas.
From Sundernagar we went to Baijnath, the temple town. The temple here is the temple of Lord Shiva. What a place the Lord has chosen! The temple is more than 500 years old and comes in the same frame with the Dhauladhar and Manimahesh peak. River Sutlej is running just beside the temple.
From Baijnath we went to Palampur, famous for its natural beauty and tea gardens. God has given his everything to decorate this place. Agricultural fields with every shade that the colour green dotted by golden yellow patches, the dark green tea plantation slopes…… The flora consists of everything that nature offers at every altitude. Forests with oak, maple, berch, pyne, deodar, high altitude casurina,……….. I have never seen the Dhauladhar Range of the Himalayas in such a gleeful mode. Now I do understand, why, now a days, most of the Hindi (Bolywood) films are shot in Palampur.
In Palampur Pinkaji loaded the petrol tank of his Tata-Indigo and Qualis. We proceed to Dharamsala. By 4 p.m we reached our hotel (HPTDC) in middle Dharamsala. After taking some refreshers we walked out for a evening stroll. This place has a very old history. The mighty peaks of the Himalayas have always guarded this place. This is the seat of Dalai Lama, after he fled from Tibet and given asylum by India. Next morning we went to Naddi, the highest point of Dharamsala. Clouds played hindrance for our sight. Then we went to Dal lake. A small lake surrounded by hills with dense forests. Then we went to Bhagsunag temple. We trecked to the source of water, that flows through the village. It is at a height in the forest and oh!, its snow everywhere. I lament for not bringing my camera.
After taking lunch we proceed for Khajjiar.
We reached Dalhousie at around 4 p.m. At Dalhousie every body said, the road is closed due to heavy snowfall at “Lakkarmandi” and we better stay at Dalhousie. Dalhousie is one of the oldest Hill Station of the world with world famous beauty, but we have our hotel (HPTDC) booked at Khajjiar. Pinkaji asked, are you ready to take a risk? We replied, yes. The car rolled, and soon it became white-out (hills covered by cloud to such extent that one can not see beyond 1 ft., a common phenomenon in the Himalayas). The headlights are on. Everybody is tight lipped. The alpine trees are only nodding their heads in disbelief. After one hour drive, be easy, we reached Lakkarmandi, nothing to worry about. My god, its snow everywhere! On the road, in gourge, on the mountain, on the roof of the houses (lakkarmandi is a very small hamlet). We get down from the car. Its biting cold. In a moment the open portion of the body became numb. But, who cares? The car headlights are on. We started jumping, shouting, and playing with snow. Start camera, action, take. Soumen, the photographer in our team started shooting everything. We spent almost half an hour their. I have seen snow in many places, in the Himalyas, but never been so enchanted by the circumstances. The wheels roll on. After 15 minutes drive, the car stops again. Pinkaji declares, it’s Kalatop, the highest point (almost 11000 ft.) of the road. The same story. Snow everywhere, in bigger volume. Kalatop is the gateway to the Kalatop sanctuary ( got sanctuary status in 1958, area 69 sq. km.), which nestles red panda, bear, chitahs etc. The car engine starts, after half an hour, we reached Khajjiar. Just stepping down from the car, I felt that everything within me have been frozen. The hotel staff informs that the mercury level is below 0 degree C. In the moon-light we could have a feeling of the reason for calling this place the most beautiful place of Kinnaur-Chamba circuit. It’s a small valley (looks like a field from the top) surmounted by dense deodar forest with a small lake in the middle overlooked by the snow-clad peaks on the east side. We took our shelter in Khajji Cottage (HPTDC) in one side of the valley. The night was freezing. In the morning we are all in the long balcony and its snow everywhere. We can’t wait. We started strolling through the valley. We were greeted by numerous birds who were also taking a stroll with their wings. I don’t know how many types of birds were there. I could only identify White-throated Tit, Himalayan Swiftlet, White-throated Needletail, Winter Wren, Speckled Wood Pigeon, Flycatcher, Himalayan Greenfinch and parrot. The lake is covered by a transparent layer of ice with the image of the forest and snows in it’s chest. The children, started running, jumping, slipping, crushing the snow-cover of the water body and forgot to have their breakfast. At around 9 a.m. we took our breakfast, sitting in the balcony. We took a stroll in the backside of khajjiar. Oh my god! Through the dense forest, who is he? The snow-capped/snow-packed Dhauladhar is standing flaunting all its majesty.
The cars roll on to have a feel of Dalhousie. Enroute, in Kalatop, it’s more snow, more fun more play, more snaps. In Dalhousie is very beautiful but not as chaste as Khajjiar. After having a photo session at Subhash Chawk we took our lunch in Hotel Gitanjalee which offers a 270 degree view of the snow-capped Himalayas. After lunch, made some shopping at Gandhichawk and back to the serenity of Khajjiar. I have seen many valleys in India but Khajjiar still wares a chastity belt.
The next morning we started our return journey to Jwalamukhi.
We reached Jot, the highest point (more than 11000 ft.). Snow every where with a panoramic view of Dhauladhar, Himalaya. From jot we have a birds eye view of Chamba valley and could understand why many modern hindi films are shot here. We go through chamba valley keeping snow clad Dhauladhar on our left side. Enroute we have seen age old Chamunda Devi and Braheswari temple.
Jwalamukhi is a temple town. The temple is more than thousand years old. It is mythologically said that the tongue of goddess Parvati fell here. The top of the temple is covered with gold. The deity of the god is flames summing out of gases which comes out, nonstop, naturally from the earth. It is said that Akbar, the Mughal King, tried to drouse the flame but failed despite all efforts. He then paid homage to the deity by giving a Trishul (three pronged Javelin) to the temple. The next morning we started our journey back to Kalka through chamba valley again keeping snow clad Dhauladhar on our left.
For photographs please click here
www.flickr.com/photos/himsayan/ or
http://srijans.wetpaint.com/page/Western+Himachal