Samatva

One of her kind, Bhimkali at Sarahan

Most temples in Himachal are small. That is the burden of the terrain. There are a few exceptions. Sarahan is one. It is on the Sutlej valley, just before the famous Kinnaur district. Once the road from Shimla drops down to the Sutlej valley, the drive is magical. It hugs the river for the entire stretch until it reaches a place called Jeori. A branch road climbs up to Sarahan. A paramilitary camp is on the way to Sarahan. I was about to cross the camp on a bike, and was waved down. I was a bit tentative, it was a hired bike and I didn’t know what to expect. Then the soldier offered me tea. The camp serves tea to everyone who passes by. He was chatty, but giving zero details of what was the camp about; and there are strict warnings of no photographs. High up on the hills, about 800 meters above the river valley is Sarahan. It has the Bhimkali temple, one of the Shakti Peeths in India. It also has a fearsome reputation of human sacrifice until 17th century, but these stories can be mere legends. It is a really large temple in the mountains. A beautiful mix of stone, wood and slate, it both stands out and blends into the landscape. A lovely perimeter, small shrines and two tall towers. The deities are at different levels. There is also a small guest house within the temple that is open to public. Sarahan is also a beautiful hill country. There are endless small roads around Sarahan, leading to no place in particular. There is also a pointless manmade park amidst all the natural beauty, made maybe because there was a budget for doing something. I went to Sarahan in August, when the whole region is covered by clouds and mist. Anywhere around Sarahan is a great visual treat. Visibility beyond a hundred feet was just a pale haze. Every now and then the mist would clear a bit and I could a bit more of the hills. Towards evening, it settled rapidly; and the Sutlej river lifted itself into view appearing out of the mist. It was also apple harvest season. Anywhere you walk, you can stretch your hand and pick an apple. If you are lazy, you can also help yourself from crates of plucked apples left on the road; trucks would come at their own schedule to pick them up. For some reason, I had carried Rain, the first book written by my friend Sriram. I finished the book while I was in Sarahan. The monsoon, the solo trip, and the general forlorn character of Sarahan was a beautiful complement to the theme of the book. If you have two days around Shimla, visit Sarahan; and if you can spare three hours for great prose, read Rain by Sriram; preferably together.Bhimkali temple at Sarahan

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.

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.

Everyday life at Kali Bhari, Shimla

Kali Bhari at Shimla. Temples of Himachal …10.

There are grand temples, there are popular temples and there are temples at great locations. Then there are some that are part of everyday life.

Kali Bari temple in Shimla is a part of the daily life. It is an interesting blend of native history and migration. Kali as Shyamala represents what is native,  giving the city its name; and as Kali, gives identity to the Bengalis who accompanied the British into the city in its early years.

It is at the western end of the ridge, a few hundred meters after Scandal point where most tourists stop. My client in Shimla has a habit of walking to the temple every day, and I have accompanied him a few times.

The temple is grand because of this routine of its devotees. One June, we were at the temple when it had started raining heavily, The chill was unbearable and bare feet were making it worse. I took a glance from within the temple outside.

There is a small but open courtyard and you can look at all of Shimla from there. A bench if you are tired of the walking, a tiny oil lamp on the wall, shielded from the rain and snow; which must have been here since 1845. Then the sight of modernity –  a solar lamp post. The sight of the bells in the background of dusk, create serenity. The locality is nothing such, but faith does create an oasis.

Everyday life at Kali Bari temple, Shimla