The journey as experienced by a bubble from Bangalore (Prasanna)…
It is 12:40 pm when I check my watch as I stand to wait at Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 for my best friend. I’m meeting her after a year. I have been grinning ridiculously at the prospect all along, oblivious to the disapproving frowns of passers-by. After our undergraduate, all four of us ended up living in different cities. This is our first trip together after having known each other for 5 years. I keep recalling fondest days of my college, the impromptu visits to Marine Drive, sticky- dripping ice-creams at Amul parlor and those countless hours spent at those xerox shops, fretting over a new lab manual or another assignment… I’m brought back from my reverie as my friend looms into the periphery of my vision. After bone-crushing bear hugs, we start for Connaught Place to join our other friends.
The city of Delhi bustles with life as it prepares itself for Independence Day celebrations. We get off at Rajiv Chowk metro station and walked towards United Coffee House, known for its old-world charm and a vintage element in both hospitality and ambiance. With ornate chandeliers casting golden hues on exquisite wooden furnishings, this place is perfect for cozy and memorable fine-dine experiences. After a tear-filled reunion and sumptuous, tasty Continental meal we spend the rest of the afternoon dawdling along the pillared streets of Connaught Place which teem with tourists. Connaught Place is one of the renowned markets of New Delhi, housing several global high-end retail stores and popular cafes.
In the evening, we reach Kashmere Gate ISBT to catch a Himachal Pradesh state transport(HRTC) bus to Bhuntar. The bus fills up quickly as several groups of youngsters prepare for their weekend getaway. The four of us take our seats and begin to exchange the bits of college gossip over a bag of chips and funky 90’s Bollywood music.
The journey lasts for about 14 hours and at 8:00 a.m. the bus promptly drops us off at Bhuntar, a small town in Kullu district which serves as a starting point to explore other places like Manali, Kasol, etc. The state-run buses run at a frequency of every 30 minutes and soon, we are on our way to Kasol, the first destination in our itinerary. The stereo next to driver’s seat hums Kishore Kumar’s evergreen hits and we join in for chorus as the bus winds its way through sinuous ghat roads offering a gorgeous view of the dark Himalayan valleys, snow-speckled mountain peaks and bluish-green waters of the mighty Parvati river at every turn. The interplay of shadows cast by hazy sunlight and monsoon clouds add allure to the panorama.
We reach Kasol after 1.5 hours and check into ‘Parvati Kuteer’ - a sweet, serene resort with a breathtaking view of Parvati River. Surrounded by lush green mountains, graced by effervescent waters of Parvati River, this sleepy little village of Kasol located in Parvati valley of Kullu District is one of the most scenic places in HP and a paradise for trekkers. After freshening up and having a breakfast of steaming hot parathas, we decide to explore the trekking trails. Gingerly, we trek our way down the steep, moss-covered slopes. We stroll along the white-grey pebbled bank, absorbing the stunning view of the bright wooden homes against the back-drop of greenish-purple mountains. The river gushes right past us, carrying ancient secrets from the snowy peaks of the North, whispering them to the exotic flora and fauna nearby. It is impossible to imagine the river as anything else but a living, pulsating entity.
An hour-long trek later, we trace back our way to Parvati Kuteer and catch a bus to Manikaran, a small pilgrim town located up North the valley. Manikaran is famous for its hot-water springs and houses Gurudwara Shri Manikaran Sahib, one of the most sacred spots for Sikhism in India. With ornate carvings in its pinkish-white marble dome and colorful prayer flags stretching across the river in all directions, the Gurudwara is a beauty unparalleled. After offering our prayers and having a fulfilling meal at the Langar, we walk down-hill from Manikaran towards the local markets of Kasol, whose fluorescent light-bulbs illuminate colorful woolen and silk shawls, trinkets studded with semi-precious stones and Tibetan souvenirs. This hamlet is also known as mini Israel due to its predominant Israeli population, whose culture seeps even into the local cuisine.
Following a brief round of shopping, we call it a day and head back to our resort for the night. If anything can match the beauty of Himalayan terrain in the daylight, it is the nightfall. The celestial stars shimmer like diamonds studded on the velvet cloak of the night sky. The greenish-blue tinge of the river is replaced by liquid silver. The whole village is lulled to sleep by the deep roar of the Parvati river.
Early the next day, we set off for Tosh, a village north of Kasol. The drive gives a picturesque view of the entire valley and the road is broken by numerous ephemeral waterfalls that pop up during monsoons and meet with the river below. A nondescript village located higher in the mountains of Parvati valley, Tosh is almost always masked by misty clouds that give it a surreal and dreamlike appearance. The scent of Himachal apples, garden roses, petrichor, and cow dung is characteristic to this secluded little paradise on Earth. We walk all the way up to a café called The Last Resort, located at one of the highest points of Tosh. We sit on rocks trying to catch the clouds that slip through our fingers and draw our attention to the splendid view of the valley as they clear before us. The light green terraced meadows of the ravine below are dotted by fluffy white and brown Himalayan sheep grazing lazily at dewy grass.
