Several hours after leaving Chamba, the bus found itself gingerly moving along the river Chandrabhaga. Rahul Sankrityayan, in his seminal work From Volga to Ganga, has described Chandrabhaga as the river of the lovers. One of his stories featured a star crossed woman who apparently went skinny dipping in this river.Such amorous hotness from classical antiquity generally keep me engaged, but on theses treacherous roads, the ageing and tired bus didn’t allow me that luxury. We had boarded the bus to go to Bairagarh at the Chamba bus station on that cold November morning after a superhuman effort to wake up and crawl out of the blanket. The distance did not seem too much at first, but the bus kept slowing itself down as the road got steeper and narrower. For some time it flirted with the Chandrabhaga but after sometime she got lost amidst the ancient mountains. The music of her flow was still audible but she was out of sight, hidden amidst the steep gorges.

The plan:

At Bairagarh:

Initially I was ruing the lack of frequent public transportation in the area but after that ride, I felt grateful that a transport system exists there after all. It looked like a sleepy village and we were wondering if anybody will provide accommodation out there, not to mention the provision for a further ride up the pass. However, a local guy, who claimed to provide good chicken and liquor among other things, took us to a local farmer who runs a homestay. Those comfortable beds and homemade food were far better than what we ever expected in that seemingly godforsaken location. The guy called himself Prabhdayal. While he had sharp Kashimiri facial features, he claimed to be a local.

Our driver for the next day was also staying there for the night and he offered to take us to the pass and drop us back at Chamba the next day. So, we spent the evening roaming around the place and clicking random photographs.

The Ascent to Saach Pass:

The late autumn sun was pleasant but inadequate. At that altitude, even the cool shades of the coniferous trees have a piercing impact, especially if you forget to take your gloves. The first signs of the winter were visible as the road was covered with a thin layer of snow. I struck up a conversation with a local man who had taken a lift in our car. What I learnt from him was far from encouraging. We already knew that we were a bit too late to venture into Pangi and that is why were only planning to climb up the pass and come back. He warned us that the winter snowfall was in the offing and the road was likely to close down very soon. He also told us about a violent terrorist attack that happened near the pass a few years ago. Overall, we were not particularly pumped up at that point of time.

After almost an hour, the vehicle was finally ready to move again. This time, the progress was even slower. It was a treacherous and slippery road and even the seasoned driver did not dare to drive faster than 10 kmph at any point of time. Slowly we rose above the tree line and the only vegetation remained was a thin layer of alpine grass, that too with a pale reddish hue characteristic of the autumn. The zigzag road was photogenic but it gave a tough time to the vehicle but eventually we reached the top of the pass at noon and were greeted by a temple. I know that temples can be found in the remotest corners in India but still, this one took even me by surprise. It is built so that the travellers crossing the pass can pray for a safe journey and looking at the nature of the road, I thought it is only natural to hope for divine intervention. Also it didn’t help when the driver told us a story about his friend who inexplicably disappeared along with his car in the same route, never to be found again.

The pass is always covered in snow at the top. We noticed several feet thick layer of snow and it was not even winter. Officially this is a part of the “Peer Panjal” range. On the other side we could see the road descending down to the Pangi Valley. When we looked up, we saw clouds rising up from the mountains. It looked as if the clouds were being formed and released by the ancient mountains. Although we were freezing, we roamed around the pass for almost an hour and photographed our hearts out.

The Descent from Saach Pass:

It was almost dark by the time we reached back Bairagarh and stopped for a round of well-deserved tea and Maggi, again at Prabhdayal’s shop. We saw a woman and two little daughters in the last leg of their daily chores. Life’s hard out there, but at least it seemed a life worth living.

Traveller FAQs

How to reach the Saach Pass?

1. Hire cabs from Chamba to Kilar in Pangi Valley. You have to ask around and find the right people but it is a small town and that should not be a problem. I have seen people travelling shared car by paying INR 600 per heard. The downside of this option is that you do not have the freedom enjoy the views and you will be at the mercy of your driver and co passengers.
2. Take a bus up to the nearest point. Then hope to meet some local guy willing to take you to the pass from there. This may not always work. It did for us.
Some other nearby places such as Tarella/Trella may also attract your attention but I thought reaching Bairagarh is the best way to do it.

Where on Earth is Shatrundi?

It is an advanced base near the pass. During summer buses go up to there and the check post also moves up. After mid October, as the temperature drops and snowfall starts, the buses limit themselves to Bairagarh and even the check post retreats to the same place. We were there in early November and there was nothing at all in Shatrundi.

Entry at the Bairagarh Check post

How cold is it up there?

What about High Altitude Sickness?

Where to stay and eat?

What about reaching Pangi Valley?

[mappress mapid="18"]

Over the last few days I have been feeling that this website has been too family friendly for my own liking. As a fan of R rated films, I was feeling the need to shake things up a little bit but could not think of anything. Then suddenly today, I spotted them. Initially they were on a piece of concrete but eventually they moved to a more likable playground. Please note that I did not actively pursue them… I just happened to be there…

Nevertheless, finally the bus reached the bus stand in Chamba at around 9 pm and after some scouting, found a cost-effective lodge lorded over by manager with picaresque qualities who called himself Khatri. The entire alley seemed full of similar accommodations.

Around the Chougan and the Market

The heart of the town is a large plane ground called Chaugan. Chamba people seemed to take their cricket very seriously and Chaugan was the main venue for the same. The main markets and businesses are spread in the nearby areas. The rest of the settlements are scattered around the hills that surround the town. Although small, the town was pretty crowded and bustling with activities. Most of the major buildings displayed a distinct architecture and as we found out later, were built by the ruling monarchs of the erstwhile princely state. Amidst all the shops selling Indian sweets, woolens and other apparels, one workshop caught our attention. This was the one where artisans were busy creating Chamba Rumals, handkerchiefs with intricate embroidery that mostly depict mythological stories.

River Ravi

Bhuri Sing Museum

And yes, I also found the classical version of Snake and Ladder.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple

Chamba was idyllic and peaceful. There was a option to venture nearby attractions such as Dalhouse, Khajjiar and Bharmour but instead of those we opted for what was arguably the most confusing, unplanned and finally the most was rewarding trip to Sach Jot via Bairagarh. But that is another story!

[mappress mapid="17"]

Traveller FAQs

How to Reach Chamba?

Where to stay in Chamba?

Best Time to Visit Chamba?

What to see in Chamba?

But we did none of the above and went to see the Sach Pass that leads to the secluded Pangi Valley. Most people don’t go that way and that is why we did that. How to do it? Wait for the next blog post.

Trekking has always been one of those activities that my non-pathetic alter ego has yearned for. But but rarely does it get an opportunity to indulge in the same. The regular readers will be aware of the first ever trek of any value or consequence done for this blog, the Valley of Flowers.

After more than two years, I was again back in the Himalayas and as I’d mentioned in the previous post, McLeod Ganj spoiled us with food. So, to overcome the socialist guilt of excessive consumption, I decided to undertake the Triund Trek the next day along with Su Ko who has always been a bigger sinner of gluttony.

We did have a bigger than usual breakfast at the hotel in McLeod Ganj but I think it was fair because we were going to have a tough time. We first moved from McLeod Ganj to Dharamkot by hiring an auto rickshaw. It is a smaller settlement barely a couple of KMs away and it is better to take some vehicle to this point to save time. At this point, the real trek starts and it is 7KMs from here to the peak of Triund, a distance I rarely walk at one go even on the plains.

The first few yards of the trek are not that difficult. The ambiance was not lush green like the monsoons but had a more demure green look with occasional reddish hues of the autumn. The moon was visible even in the broad day light due to the clear and unpolluted sky.

We occasionally came across other trekkers, small settlements and mini caravans of the locals with solitary donkeys.

One particular view was especially attracting my attention. It was a small plot of terrace cultivation that could be seen from a distance. There was also a steep trail leading towards it and there was also a small hut and I wondered how great it would be to live such a secluded existence. As we moved on, that particular plot kept becoming clearer and after a couple of tiring hours, I suddenly noticed that we’ve reached a higher spot than the plot in question.

The progress was slow and tedious. Years of lethargic urban lifestyle was showing its colours. The sun was warm but the shades were chilly and the lone water bottle was quickly getting empty. But with every turn the Dhauladhars became clearer with vibrant fall colours.

The last stretch was becoming more and more tedious especially for me as it was the longest trek I had ever done. As we were about to reach the top, suddenly the weather did a volte-face. Suddenly there was a light drizzle and thick fog all over. Not that I dislike rain but the view was completely blurred and practically blocked. When we finally made it to the Triund top, all we could see was small shacks selling food, a few dogs, some other trekkers having lunch at the edge of what looked like a foggy abyss.

From Triund it is possible to move higher up to certain other locations and in fact it is one of the ancient routes connecting Kangra with Chamba. But the popular day trek for dummies is supposed to end here itself. We were tired, famished and sleepy. We asked one of the shopkeepers if we can get anything to eat, he offered us Maggi and Gatorade and we eagerly lapped up this triumph of globalization. We waited for an hour but the fog refused to go away and so the pseudo aerial shots that I fantasized about were never possible.

While coming down I suddenly saw a goat. After a few steps, I saw a couple more and finally I noticed an entire herd of mountain goats. I always knew that the goats are capable of good balancing acts. The first ever circus I ever visited during my childhood had a goat walking on wire. But it was impressive seeing so many of them swarming the steep mountain and soon I realized that they were not alone. There was a shepherd guiding them but we only heard his voice. But we did see a shepherd dog keeping a close eye on them. I must confess that this was the most stately dog I have even seen in my life.

While coming back, we stopped for tea at the midpoint. There was a small house cum shop and also a small temple. There we found a lonely British guy who called himself Garry. Apparently he has been coming to India for almost a couple of decades. He works for a few months, saves money and rushes to India. And he was planning to spend that night at that shack in the midst of nowhere. This is how the mountains seduce people! Anyways, the last leg of the trek was event less and I just got a few photographs clicked with silly poses to be used as display pics in various social media profiles.

The Dharamshala sojourn ends basically with this trek. The next day we moved to Chamba. But that’s another story.

Triund Trek: Traveller FAQs

How long is the Trek?

How much time does it take?

What are the prerequisites for the trek?

Best time for Triund Trek

Guides for Triund Trek

[mappress mapid="16"]

As the train reached Chakki Bank at around 4am, we dragged ourselves unwillingly from our comfortable bunks, packed our bags and got down from our coach, and after a long time felt the winter shiver that Southern and Western India always denied us. (At this point some of you may be wondering what on earth this “Chakki Bank” is, I’ll explain that in the FAQ section.)

Anyways, the first rays of the morning indicated clear azure sky and pristine white clouds which was a welcome change from the dull and morbid skies of Rajasthan. As the bus slowly but steadily moved ahead into the Himalayas, the scenery kept getting better.

The bus initially moves through the plains for some time before officially leaving the great Indian plains and entering the mountains. To my respite, I found out that the road to Dharamshala is not as deadly as I’d imagined it to be. There are some sharp turns but there are several straight stretches that makes the bus ride fairly comfortable albeit slow. Finally it left us at the Dharamshala bus stand. For the uninitiated, the main tourist attraction here is actually McLeod Ganj, which is situated slightly higher up. So, we took another bus from there and moved to McLedo Ganj which was around 8-10 kms away.

McLeod Ganj is one of those places in India where the typical desi does not “feel at home”, in a good way of course. The milieu is incredibly cosmopolitan and just like in Goa, the hotels, restaurants and their menus is tailor made to cater to the Occident. Compared to Goa it is even more so because even most of the business owners are of Tibetan origin. Most of the activities in the place are arranged around the central square. Most of the major hotels and restaurants are located in this area. After wandering around for a while, we checked in at the Kunga Guest House which turned out to be surprisingly cost effective. It was a nice room with wooden flooring and charged only INR 600 per day for a double bedroom. And yes, it had a nice restaurant.

Gluttony unleashed

In comparison, typical Indian food is either not present in the menus or were not very well made. You could find Earl Grey tea but the typical Indian milk tea was strangely bland. But anyways we didn’t mind. They also served Tibetan specialties such as momos, thukpa and Tibetan butter Tea and we spent most of the time eating and drinking. Apart from Kunga, we liked the food at McLlo Restaurant and the Mandala Coffee Shop.

The Little Tibet

So, India has allotted this place to the Tibetans who still prefer to believe that Tibet is a free nation. So the Dalai Lama, Karmapa lama and other major officials of the Tibetan government in Exile operate from here and try to advance the Tibetan Cause. For those who are wondering whatever happened to the Panchen Lama, nobody exactly knows!

After hanging around the town market, we slowly moved towards the Tsuglagkhang. This is the center of all Tibetan Buddhist activities out here. It was already evening and there was a big prayer meeting being organized. There were Buddhist monks as well as young school students. After the prayer a big pyre was lit along with the butter lamps. The gigantic statue of the Shakya Muni Buddha was especially awe inspiring and I also got a photograph of mine clicked with a clichéd pose rolling those “Dharmachakras”. After the prayer, we finally found a roadside tea stall that served road side Indian tea.

There are some other Tibetan attractions in Mcleod Ganj including the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives but we spent most of our time eating and trekking. Now trekking is a long story and has a lot more photographs than I can cover in one post. So, I will deal with it in the next post.

Traveller FAQs: Dharamshala and Mcleod Ganj

Chakki Bank or Pathankot?

It is also possible to reach Dhramashala on train. You can take the small hilly train through the picturesque Kangra valley. But it runs extremely slowly and if you are short on time it may not be a good idea. There is an airport at Ghaggal nearby but frequency of flights is suspect.

Hotels in Dharamshala

Best Time to visit Mcleod Ganj

We basically had one evening and one morning in Jaipur. The evening, for the lack of better options, was spent munching Kachoris and watching Skyfall dubbed in Hindi at a local cinema hall. I spent the night pondering over the increasing insignificance of Bondgirls in the franchise (Or was Judi Dench herself the Bondgirl here?).

I did manage to take some snaps, mostly of pigeons and cycle rickshaws against the backdrop of pinkish royal gates that define this city and its sobriquet…

At the Jantar Mantar:

For the uninitiated, Jantar Mantar is a labyrinthine collection of astronomical structures built by the Rajput King Sawai Jai Singh II. Now, it is a pleasant surprise that he could even take some time out to build this. He was, like most of his contemporaries, was a man busy with politics and warfare. But he felt the need to achieve a better understanding of ancient and rich astronomical tradition of India and hence commissioned these large scale observatories in the 1620s. In fact he built five of them in five different places. The ones in Delhi and Jaipur are still there. I am not sure of the other three in Mathura, Varanasi and Ujjain still exist. The one in Jaipur seems to be the best maintained and still functional as it was located at the heart of his kingdom.

Various structures in the complex are built for different purposes. They are called Yantras (Gadgets) such as the Samrat Yantra, a huge sundial that gives local time and also locates the pole star, Shanku Yantra that gives you latitude. There are other such evocatively named Yantras although my limited understanding of astronomy and Vedic mathematics prevented me from realizing their potential. We tried various angles to shoot the structures. Some of them are so colossal that even the 18mm kit lens failed to cover them in one frame.

The importance of this structure is not only in resurrecting and preserving ancient achievements of Indian astrologers and mathematicians of yore but also in providing a platform where they could interact with the rapidly evolving post renaissance science and technology of Europe. I personally think it is one of the last great works of any kind in the field of science in pre-colonial India. The western education system implemented by British was systematic and widespread but the achievements of ancient learning traditions were lost gradually. The biggest casualty of that has been the loss of rational thinking and inquisitiveness which has been taken over by token shows of devotion and pointless herd behaviour.

At the Amer Fort:

As someone arriving from Jodhpur after being overawed by Mehrangarh Fort, it is difficult to be impressed by size, scale and expanse. But the Amer Fort managed to do that. It is so vast that yet again I felt the need of a wide-angle lens although I was standing at a fair bit of distance from it. Apparently it has a four points of entry and you have to climb up some tiring flights of stairs no matter which side you enter from.

There are multiple courtyards and each of them houses individual palaces. Overall the entire compound is so big that I am still not sure if I managed to cover everything. The one I particularly liked was the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors), which is obviously adorned with mirrors. There are well maintained gardens inside the compound but the best is the garden that is built on a protruded plot over the Maota Lake which the fort looms over.

By the time I was done with Amer, it was almost time for our train to Pathankot from where the real Himalaya Sojourn was going to start. I will be back with full scale travelogues

Traveller FAQs:

[mappress mapid="14"]

Accra, a major destination for business conferences in Africa, is hosting Africa Hospitality Show 2013. The three-day event will be attracting people related to hospitality industry in large numbers from across the world. I have also decided to attend the Africa Hospitality Show 2013 and will be taking British Airways flights to Accra. The trade show is being held from September 12-14, 2013. I will be making the preparations of my visit here in advance, and will be contacting a well-known travel company to buy cheap tickets and get the best flight deals.

I have been intimated by the organizers of Africa Hospitality Show 2013 that this would be an unparalleled platform for businesses and leading experts to meet, discuss and find solutions for the hospitality industry in Africa and beyond. I am associated with the hospitality business for long, and hope that attending this event would prove to be beneficial for me. I will be fortunate to come into contact with hundreds of Africa’s food and hospitality industry professionals as well as those from around the world. By attending the event, I want to ensure that I’ll make the most out of this platform and learn how to increase sales, and forge lasting networking and business relationships.

Though, I’m not among the exhibitors, but the organizers have said that the Africa Hospitality Show 2013 would offer a profitable opportunity for exhibitors to promote and showcase their new products and services. The event will be attracting professionals from various sectors, including Hotels, Airlines, Real Estate Developers, Travel and Tours, Car Rentals, Leisure Equipment and Products, Interior and Exterior Design, Equipment and Supplies, Housekeeping, Bar & Refreshment, Food & Beverage, Hotel Support Services, and Technology & Software/Audio & Entertainment.

There will also be entertainment and other activities for the visitors here. All the exhibitors would also be awarded certificates of participation. I hope that my visit to Accra and participation in the event would be a memorable one.

______________________
Dawn Richard is an associate editor with Farebuzz.com. The website offers exclusive information related to cheap tickets and Amazing hotel deals .

The book is a collection of several small incidents or stories that the author has experienced over his travels in Ladakh. As it can be seen from the book, he has traveled extensively in the enigmatic region and has spent a significant amount of time exploring the remotest corners and interacting with the natives.

It is full of interesting events, local myths and genuine characters. There are reclusive ascetics, bewitching village belles and industrious entrepreneurs. There are mysterious oracles inside far flung Gompas and there are tales of angry monks eliminating arrogant aggressors. While going through these details, the author doesn’t forget to include the landscapes that are gloriously devoid of “civilization”. Other creatures are not ignored too. There are friendly marmots fighting over bananas and Tibetal Argalis camouflaged against ancient rocks.

Overall, the book gives us glimpses of immense possibilities. Ladakh is one of the last frontiers in this country that has not been touched by the malaise of modernity. As the author suggests, it has to do with not only the remoteness but also the traditional values and ethos of those people. Eventually the book leaves you wanting to know more about this land. I only wish the author takes up the individual myths and folklores in detail and transforms them into something of epic and mythical proportions such as Jiang Rong’s Wolf Totem.

You can purchase this pictorial travelogue of Ladakh online.

On the 10th of Januray, I visited METROPOLIS, a festival of art and literature in Guwahati. It was good to see a well managed youthful event organized professionally.

While I went there to attend a quiz and hence did not have much time to roam around and capture all the activities. Besides, due to biting cold, I also had to avoid the concerts at night. There was a lot more going on including painting and photography competitions, literary events, musical concerts etc. The following photographs do not really do justice to the mood of the event, still… here they are…

PS: You will find more details about the event in their FB page.

This is a guest post by Ashwin Sharma who is an avid traveller working with Cheapoair.com to promote low cost flights to India.

Ladakh or popularly known as Leh Ladakh – A dream destination. It was planned and cancelled in 2010, planned again in 2011 to be cancelled once again. And as always the best trips are those which are planned at the spur of the moment without any plan. It finally happened this year.

After getting reprimanded in the office on Friday sitting with a beer in my hand with 2 friends near a deserted lake at 3 in the night, a friend says lets go somewhere. I was not in a mood to go to office and wanted to go somewhere, desperately. And within minutes it was decided we all are taking a week off from our respective offices.

With Internet it is difficult to expect surprises and get an expression of an awe and there is exhausting detail about every possible thing and place, so we decided it was better to keep our knowledge to minimum and explore the place realistically than virtually.

After some extensive riding for 2 days we reached Leh the capital of Ladakh passing through the mighty hills, dangerous passes, crossing a number of streams, rivers, roads with mud, black snow and sometimes riding on so called roads. But the ride to Leh-Ladakh is full of picturesque views and serene valleys and raging rivers. It’s a complete journey.

Ladakh: It’s a heaven on earth with unparalleled splendid beauty, diverse, distinct, unlike any place of earth. Ladakh is encompassed by mountains in all directions accompanied by grasslands, barren desert and countless streams. Ladakh remains cut off from rest of the country for most part of the year. Ladakh is also known as ‘little Tibet’ because of the cultural similarity which it owes to its proximity to Tibet.

There is no shortage of natural wonders as well as other human made structures. Here are a few must visit places in Ladakh:

Leh: Leh is the capital of Ladakh but sparsely populated. Leh has some famous Monasteries and largely buddhist population.
Shanti Stupa: The beautiful Shanti Stupa was opened by Dalai Lama. Shanti Stupa is the most important attraction in Ladakh.

Khardung La: Khardung La is the highest motorable in the world. For every motorist it’s an achievement to drive on this circuit.

Pangong Tso: Pangong Tso is the surreal blue water lake stretching from Spangmik to China.

Nubra Valley: Scenic vistas, barren deserts, bactrian camels, lush green orchards, Nubra valley has it all to awestruck you with its serenity and grandeur.

Magnetic Hill: 27 kms from Ladakh, Magnetic hill attracts a number of tourists for anti nature phenomenon it exhibits.

Hemis National Park: Hemis national park is the second largest biodiversity park in South Asia. The national park is home to numerous species of mammals nearing extinction. The park has more than 200 snow white leopards. Near 400 yr old Hemis monastery is also located in this park.

Tso Moriri: Tso Moriri is another high altitude lake in Changthang, though less famous than Pangong Tso, it is full of splendid beauty.

Zanskar: Zanskar is one of the most unexplored and isolated place in the country. Zanskar is very famous among adventurous enthusiasts. Trekking, Rock climbing and the white water rafting are very popular here. Quaint old monasteries, raging water bodies, mighty Indus, free fluttering flags and no civilisation in sight, this is what describes Zanskar. It’s a place where you feel at peace with yourself.

The 10 days I spent in this barren splendor, snow clad mountains, mighty passes, ravaging rivers or in short the heavenly Ladakh are the most amazing days of my life with each day imprinted in my mind as if it happened yesterday. The bike ride to Ladakh is a must. It’s a place to let go of your inhibitions and explore the unexplored in this pristine, serene, extraordinary, primeval world. It’s rightly said you do return from Ladakh but your soul is left wandering in beautiful passes of Leh-Ladakh which makes you to return to this place again and again.