Samatva
Byte Sized Travel Stories
people, places and stories.
nothing else.
just the trivial things.......
that make travel interesting....
and memorable
Everyday life at Kali Bhari, Shimla
Hanumanji at hilltop, Shimla
Mataji, Mountains and Maggi, Dainkund
Harmony lived each day, Triloknath
Land’s end at Bharmour
Variety of Manikiran
Philosophy at a glance, Kardang
Perfect setting for the soul. Baijnath
Coming out of Mud, Dhankar
When the whole town is a temple, Kullu Dussehrah
The perspective of Buddha, Langza
Hatkoti, on its own
One of her kind, Bhimkali at Sarahan
Lake placid at Renukaji
Sun Temple of Sutlej Valley, Nirath
The pleasure of doing nothing at Ki
Lake placid at Renukaji
Renukaji, Temples of Himachal …2.
Renukaji is one of the quietest lake fronts in India and on Christmas holiday in 2017, I could not spot more than a dozen overnighters. Strange, considering the reserve area is only three hours from Chandigarh.
Perhaps, because hotels are not allowed to set up shop, that makes the place less attractive, comfort wise. Hidden inside Sirmour district of Himachal, it remains aloof from the rest of the State in every aspect.
The birthplace of Parasurama, his mother is said to rise from the lake once a year, and a temple is dedicated to the same.
I reached Renukaji from Kalsi,a Buddhist edict and another interesting story, and travelled through roads that I would never be able to find again. I reached Renukaji only by evening. And while in the morning, the magical December mist had just begun to unfold, I had to leave.
Sometime again, Renukaji.
River Giri that joints Tons that joins Yamuna that Joins Ganga that merges with Bhramaputra
Sheperds on the way to Renukaji
Hatkoti, on its own
Hatkoti, Temples of Himachal… 5.
Shimla is over visited, so is Dehradun-Mussourie. Surprisingly, the region between Shimla and Dehradun is not. There are several routes, some as short as six hours.
Hatkoti is in one of them, a 100 odd kms east of Shimla. This is the start of the Yamuna river territory. Every drop of water that falls on this side finds its way to Yamuna and eventually to Allahabad and Varanasi and Bay of Bengal. The road passes through Karapathar: a hill station that Himachal tries to hide for its own good. You can see all the snow you want, and also leave behind the crowds of Kufri and Shimla.
Entrance gate of Hatkoti
The Hateshwari temple is at Hatkoti, where the road meets the river Pabbar. At Hatkoti, Pabbar opens up into a wide valley and the temple overlooks the valley and the rice plains.
On an idle day, there is so much to do around. You can wander in any direction and into any field as guests are assumed to be non threatening. There was a dam under construction and I even slithered up the spillway without anyone objecting. The depth of knowledge in the chit chat within the temple; the extent of their global awareness stunned my assumptions.
December Sun at Hatkoti
Gup Shup at Hatkoti Temple
Hatkoti temple, on its own
Guardians of Hatkoti
Shrines of Hatkoti
The route from Hatkoti towards Dehradun is bliss. It snakes along the Pabbar river at level; jumps over the confluence of Tons and Pabbar; and then runs along the Tons for several miles. There is not an outside soul and no Gujarati, South Indian, Chinese Vaisnavi Dhaba. I stopped at the riverside and was served fresh milk tea, by a Gujjar family.
Temples, rivers and hospitality, Hatkoti, Himachal Pradesh
Pabbar river that meets Tons to flow into Yamuna eventually
Harmony lived each day, Triloknath
Triloknath. Temples of Himachal…14
Triloknath is a small, but primary temple in Lahaul valley of Himachal. The valley is cut off for six months each year. The snow blocks the passes and the residents just live out the winter. Every now and then, a chopper addresses emergencies; and drops firewood when the winter sours. That will soon change as the tunnel near Manali will make it accessible all year.
The Chandrabagha, as Chenab is called in Lahaul, defines the Lahaul valley. A thin strip of green stretches on the sides of the river continuously. Then suddenly there is a sharp rock outcrop with a vertical face, almost as if someone worked on it. Across the river. Triloknath temple is on top of it.
It is a totally nondescript temple with a deep message. Its original identity is claimed as both Hindu and Buddhist, 1000 or 2000 years old. The deity is worshipped as Shiva by Hindus and as a bodhisattva by Buddhists. The form of worship defines harmony. There are both Hindu and Buddhist priests sitting together. The pujas alternate between the traditions every few hours. The festivals also keep flipping between Hindu, Buddhist and common festivals. This is not photo-op secularism but deep lived harmony.
Triloknath towers above the Chandrabagha valley
The landscape around adds to the harmony. There are stunning patches of greenery amidst the sand and rock face. Chenab snaking through the thin valley. Suspension bridges adding mystery to the landscape. Streams cutting through mountain passes to feed Chenab. I was happy riding a scooter and took more than 4 hours to cover the 40 km distance along the valley.
Lived harmony in the temples of Himachal. Triloknath.
Chenab Valley
Around Trilokanath in Lahaul
Farming at the riverfront of Chandrabagha
The many suspension bridges across Chandrabagha
