Beyond Batahad: Rise of the Machines in the Valley of Gods
A short walk in the GHNP ecozone to one of the interior villages beyond Batahad (Bathad), in the Tirthan Valley.
Kullu
Gushaini to Rolla: Trek to the Beginning
It is basically an 8 KM long trek from Gushaini to the official entry point of GHNP near Rolla. It is probably the only place where even reaching the entry point can be considered a trek in itself.
Roerich Estate: A Cinephile in a Art Gallery
I don’t exactly remember when I first came across the name of Nicholas Roerich. In all probability, I worked it backwards from Devika Rani Roerich. Nevertheless, he has been a highly interesting character for me for a long time now. Surely many British luminaries settled down in various parts of this country but how often …
Shoja to Jalori Pass: Slopes of Iris
The area around Shoja and Jalori Pass blooms with delightful Iris flowers in the month of June. Time it well to experience these magical views.
Kalga: A Near Utopia
Kalga is a beautiful village on the Kheerganga trek where people can halt at night and avail delightfully cheap accommodations.
Manikaran: The Greenest Langar Ever
All the food for pilgrims here are cooked using the geothermal energy of the hot spring without the use of any polluting fuel. Manikaran can surely be proud of their carbon footprint or the lack of it.
Rashol Trek: Rhododendrons and Wandering Pilgrims
With blooming rhododendrons and apricots, Rashol trek offered good spectacles although it was steeper than what we imagined.
Chalal: Under the Blossoming Apricot Trees
Chalal is a small village near Kasol. A walk to it offer great views along the Parvati Valley and in the spring apricot blossoms wash it with surreal pink hues.
On eating Persimmon, shooting blurry rivers and reaching GHNP
To reach the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), smaller roads deviate from Aut. You can get local buses to either Banjar or Sainj.
Hamta: Countless shades of Green
Once there, I stayed two days in Old Manali and explored places like Gulaba, Kothi, Vashisht etc. It was then that I stumbled upon a lesser known village called Hamta.