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Travelogues

Something about Himachal


Ashish Kaul is a travel writer, a landscape and outdoor portrait photographer, a trekker and mountaineer. He has traversed many trails in the Himalayas as well as in the Nilgiris and is Editor, Indian Himalayas at suite101.com. Other than that, he lives in the corporate world.

Which is the largest glacier in the world? Siachen. Where is it? Jammu and Kashmir. Which is the second largest? Don't know? I'll tell you. Bara Shigri. Where is it? In Himachal Pradesh.

Which is the most beautiful lake in India? Divided opinions. One that says Dal in Srinagar, Kashmir. Another that says Wular in Jammu and Kashmir. Have you seen Chandratal (Lake of the moon) in Himachal? No you haven't. Why? Two reasons. The first which is obvious, that it is in Himachal and the second that it is at quite a height. Perhaps a third reason as well. You've got to trek up there.

More About Himachal
At a Glance

Travelogues
Return to Manali
Manali to Leh
Road to Khardung La
Dharamshala Diary
Honeymoon in
  North India


Impressions
Chamba
Palampur
Dalhousie
Kasauli

Where are the most beautiful saffron farms in the world? Pampore in Kashmir. Have you heard of Chitkul in the Sangla Valley of Himachal? No you haven't. Two reasons. Or three? One, the obvious one; it's in Himachal. Two, that it just became accessible about two years ago. A sensitive border area, it required an 'Inner Line Permit' (euphemism for 'Not Allowed') to go there.
Reminds me of a line on my soft board in my advertising days: " Hell is unpopular because it is badly advertised." Himachal is different. It isn't badly advertised. It is hardly advertised.
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Where do the finest Indian apples grow? Let's cut this short. Supposedly in Kashmir. Actually in Sangla, Himachal Pradesh.

And then they tell me I'm a Kashmiri ! Just one reason. Cause I am ! Then why do I promote Himachal instead of Kashmir? Two reasons. One that I don't do it at the cost of Kashmir. And two, for god's sake I didn't erect the border between the two states. Who did? It doesn't matter who did. I visit both.

To cut a pretty long story sadly short, if you love the mountains and realize that the top end of other mountains is where the Himalayas begin, then you can't help but visit Himachal.

Reminds me of a line on my soft board in my advertising days: " Hell is unpopular because it is badly advertised." Himachal is different. It isn't badly advertised. It is hardly advertised.

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Don't tell me 'what's in a name '. A name says it all. The very sound, as it rolls off the tongue, casts its own image of places. Names of places in Himachal Pradesh almost paint an entire picture.
Don't tell me 'what's in a name '. A name says it all. The very sound, as it rolls off the tongue, casts its own image of places. Names of places in Himachal Pradesh almost paint an entire picture. 'Dalhousie' is actually named after Lord Dalhousie and is actually an old British station. 'Chamba' is very correctly a valley with Hindu origins. Just as 'McCleodganj' is a Tibetan settlement perched on the Dhauladhar ranges. And when you say 'Kulu', doesn't it sound cute, green, verdant and accessible ?

A valley with apple cheeked people and a river going through it ? Logically apples also. And when people commonly say 'Kulu - Manali', isn't it clear that the two are apart, but connected, geographically by a river and that the accsess to the two would be in the order they are mentioned ? Kulu comes earlier on the road and then Manali. And what comes earlier is usually lower in altitude ? And that the reason people refer to both the names together is the river Beas (wonder why it is called that !) runs through both ?

If a hill station in India is created by the British, it has, apart from European architecture, an English sounding name, like Dalhousie. Or if it is created by Indian history, the name would sound Indian, or better still Hindu ( or Hindi ) or Mughal ? The vegetation too would take precedence over architecture. Either, a natural forest like Manali, Naldehra or Narkanda or cultivated vegetation like tea plantations. Like Palampur or Dharamsala.

Lakes are usually suffixed with 'tal'. 'Chandratal', where 'chandra' means moon. Or 'Surajtal', where 'Suraj' means 'sun' ! Passes are suffixed with 'La', unless they are so commonly traversed by English speaking people that they are merely suffixed with 'pass'. 'Shingo La', is and sounds like high altitude pass crossed by people of the Buddhist faith. If you think you are an adventurous trekker, then sample this one. 'Rohtang' is a pass where 'Rohtang' means 'pile of dead bodies' in Tibetan ! Tell me when you want to go there. I'm all ears !

What about the arrogant mountain ranges of Himachal ? 'Pir Panjal' sounds higher than 'Dhauladhar', which sounds higher than 'Shivaliks' Does 'Lahaul' confuse the hell out of you ? Me too ! Feel cold and loony, desolate and dreamy, when I say 'Spiti' ? How logical !

When I say 'Sangla Valley', you may not immediately feel spiritual. But then, with some places even names fail to do justice. By the way, I forgot the capital 'Shimla'. People forget this place these days. The British have clearly left.


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