The Switzerland of Himachal Pradesh

Summer is a happy and joyous time. It’s a time of abundance – to enjoy the summer sun, flowers and fruit. But nothing beats a trip to a calm hill station like Dalhousie to immerse yourself in nature, and get away from the city life.

We started for Dalhousie before dawn on 1st July in our car. After a two hour drive, we reached Karnal and couldn’t resist the long chain of roadside dhabas. We selected our dhaba of choice based on the number of cars parked outside, and ordered typical North Indian fare – daal makhni and parathas. You simply can’t go wrong with that, and it made for a lip-smackingly hearty breakfast.

After a heavy breakfast, which lasted well over an hour, it was time to indulge in some spirited driving. With light showers for company, and even heavy downpours on a few occasions, our halts were kept in check. Jalandhar’s roads were a complete mess as a result of the rain, and a few places were completely waterlogged. The car was unfazed however, and a little beyond Jalandhar the roads improved. Mind you, once the single lane stretch to Pathankot began, my average speed dropped by a huge margin. After a short stop for tea, we resumed the journey towards Dalhousie – with the final stretch of road being in good condition throughout.

The winding roads in the hills gave my wife a headache. But we had a disprin handy, which proved to be a suitable cure – so keep that in mind for your co-passengers whenever driving in the hills. Once we reached Dalhousie, we headed straight for our hotel, as we were exhausted from our journey. The location was awesome, as it was surrounded by thick trees and was on the tip of a mountain. The weather was soothing – with fresh, cool air that you could never experience in the city.

Though Dalhousie is not a shopper’s paradise, my wife couldn’t refrain herself from buying some Buddhist paintings and junk jewellery from the Tibetan market at Gandhi Chowk. This is one town that begs to be visited on foot. A good stroll is surely a treat for nature lovers like me and my wife. We walked around on paths dotted with pine, deodar and oak trees. It felt wonderful to be alone with nature.

The next day, thanks to the alarm I had set the previous night, we woke up at 5:30 in the morning to enjoy the sunrise, which is an impossible thing to view in Delhi. We watched the skies transform from one hue to another from our hotel balcony. It was wonderful to sit and watch the colors change around us and see the clouds engulf one hill after another – only to stay there momentarily, and then move on to the next. This was no less than a dream sequence for me, and I was abruptly woken up from my day dream by a monkey who was enjoying his banana on the roof directly opposite our hotel room.

After a heavy breakfast, we were ready for action, and the day was quite hectic with a trip to the famous five churches, which reminding us of the beautiful colonial architecture of Dalhousie. We then took a trip to Satdhara and Panchpullah – the seven tiny streams that converge at this spot, hence the name Satdhara. It is believed that the water here has medicinal properties. Panchpullah, on the other hand, offers two impressive waterfalls at touching distance – while the Subhash Baoli also promises tourists panoramic vistas. Nature at its best, but soon the clouds started descending, which was a signal for us to pack up for the day.

The next day we headed to Khajjiar, which is also known as the Switzerland of Himachal Pradesh. En route to Khajjiar, we passed through the Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary, where we saw the barking deer and various birds with melodious voices that immediately drew our attention in the otherwise quiet surroundings. This is also home to the Himalayan black bear, and the Ghoral, which we didn’t see unfortunately. It’s also a nice place for children, as they can enjoy pony rides and eating joints at a nearby mall. Narrow roads, lack of traffic, small streams and falls nearby made the whole experience even more endearing. Finally, we reached Khajjiar – a stunning valley with a spring in the middle. It truly deserves to be referred to as ‘Switzerland,’ due to its meadowy look. However, I was extremely disappointed at seeing trash littered by the tourists, not to mention animal waste from all the horse rides. Nevertheless, the pleasant weather was icing on the cake, and we spent hours clicking some photographs before we decided to head on. Overall, it was a wonderful day.

As we headed back to Delhi early the next morning, I was contemplating what had clearly been the best trip of my life. And, if I had the chance to do it all over again, I don’t think I would change anything. Whether claims that Rabindranath Tagore penned his first poem here or Subhash Chandra Bose visited it secretly hold good or not, Dalhousie’s spectacular landscape sure warrants a visit! We came back with fond memories that will remain firmly etched in our hearts and minds forever.