bhavita_ghanish
23 Jun 2022
#Divine Dhauladhar
The anticipation of a trip, specially along the Mystic Himalayas puts you on a high that is difficult to describe. Moreover, if it is laced with meeting your best friends, i think the combo is difficult to beat.
The trip to Dharmshala and Mcloedganj set along the Dhauladhar ranges of Himalayas started from Vadodara to Kangra via Delhi. When the trip was planned we were just looking for a place where we could reach easily by flights to save time. But as the days approached and I read more about the place, the idea of going to a beautiful place drenched in Tibetan culture really excited me.My research also introduced me to a website where you could write a letter to Dalai Lama requesting a private audience with him.I was really looking forward to it but that remark from wizard, "You shouldn't try things for their flaunting value. You have to read much before you can think of seeing Him. If you ever request a private audience with such a divine man, make sure it is worth His time." Well,I couldn't have agreed more. So, we settled for an itinerary that involved the usual " to do list" but instead of a drive , we will try and trek as far as possible.
Meeting our besties was truly heartwarming. After a one night stay with them, we said" Hello Dharamshala, here we come". But as soon as we landed , the announcement of outside temperature :38degrees Celsius was a bit of spoil sport.To add to it, that vertiginous cab drive from Dharamshala to some altitude above Mcloedganj left us questioning whether this was really on our list.It took a beautiful sunset view from our hotel terrace, good food and lot of live music to help us get back our equilibrium.
The most memorable part of the trip was Day2 when we planned to explore these mountains on foot. Believe me, nothing comes close to walking up and down the hills at your own sweet pace ,trying to appreciate everything from those trees to birds to roadside temples. We walked 13 kms on that day coming home dead tired and yet enjoyed the way Himalayas touched us in some mystical unexplainable ways. The architecture of St.John's Church, those humble Yaks who enjoyed their celebrity status( you had to pay to get clicked with them ????), the busy streets of Mcloedganj, the serenity of Namgyal Monastery, the indifference Of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts( they never opened their doors), the magnanimity of Bhagsunag falls:all left us mesmerized.
We explored Dharamshala on Day3 with our driver and guide, " Sunny Paaji" who was funny, honest and innocent in his own sweet ways. We were quite tired on that day and were just looking forward to finishing the trip. But it was Sunny who kept our interests alive in KunalPathri mata temple, Himalyan Brew tea gardens, war memorial, Gyatso Monastery, Norbulingka institute and Aghanjar Mahadev temple.
One of the best parts of the trip was the interactions we had with people there. They were simple and genuine. They didn't bargain but then they never inflated the prices either.And how can I forget the shopping part - it was fun to buy those souvenirs- Little Buddha idols, prayer wheels and exotic Tibetan crockery.
Overall, a nostalgic trip that left its footprints on the sands of time. ????