Treading on the non-trodden path. Review on Himachal Pradesh, General

Tourists crowd tourist hubs, but travelers take the road less traveled. Smita Roy, travels on the lesser known roads of Himachal Pradesh.'The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page, ' so said

St. Augustine. And how true that is! We might know most of the places by the famous tourist places they have to offer, but travel more towards the untread paths and there's a whole new world to be explored.

One such discovery was in Himachal Pradesh.

While the only places that are most discussed about this state are Shimla and Manali; we aren’t just talking about these places which have become more than a tourist hub. We are talking about the not-so-famous-yet-beautiful places that have remained untouched by the impurities of commiseration and are beautiful beyond imagination. For a tour to this land during these winter months, the only thing that clogs the mind is snow and more snow. But there’s a lot more than that this state offers. Unfortunately, the snow bit is reducing year after year, thanks to the wonderful new-age phenomenon called ‘global warming’!

Choosing a top-down path on the map, you hit Punjab and enter through Pathankot, which is connected to all major highways and rails. Spending time in Pathankot would be much like almost all other places in Punjab. A lot of mustard farms accompany you on the way till you enter the precincts of Himachal and you are greeted by some green coniferous filled mountains, with the snow-capped Himalayas peeking through them trying to grab your attention. In the early morning hours when the sun has just said ‘hello’ to the world, the snow would be a shade of gold rather than the usual white and the experience to see it, magical!

Also there are various rivers flowing through the state, adjacent to the national highway, keeping travelers some good company. Each travelling a distance, till the other takes over. While this scene is a feast for the eyes, a feast for the stomach would be some delicious gigantic paranthas available in the roadside dhabas for an equally unbelievable price —they are shockingly cheap given the generous amounts of butter and aloo or the choice of fillings that you order.

The road leads straight to Dalhousie which still holds memoirs of the British Raj with the stone houses standing intact. Further on, it connects to Khajjiar which boasts of the Kalatop Wildlife Sactuary, that promises a glimpse of the rare Himalayan snow-leopard, condition being, you have to be really lucky! At the entrance the guard gives a warning not to step out of the car while passing through it, but the sight of snow would get the better of you. Khajjiar connects to Chamba, which was once infamous for it’s dacoits, but now has become yet another traveler’s destination. After a whole lot of travelling, just as night falls, rest can be aquired at Dharamshala. There are a few heritage hotels providing a stay worthy of a king, yet easy on the pocket. Looking for cheaper options can take you to some roadside inns which are an immediate recall of the ‘Hotel Decent’ from the movie Jab We Met!

While the Dalai Lama was believed to be staying in Dharamshala, fact is that his monastery is actually in Mcleodganj which is a few kilometers away. The monastery has a peaceful atmosphere that refreshes the mind, especially with the Himalayas in the backdrop. There are various treks and mountaineering packages that are carried from around here to the lower Himalayas. If you are one who loves to kiss adventure in every step, this one’s not to miss!

Going further east, you’d cross Palampur which has a lot of tea-plantations. These plantations don’t just provide the regular teas but rather the now-exotic Green-tea which is believed to have come from China. But fact is, these plantations have been here since ages now and this tea was one of the famous exports to England during the Raj. Problem is, that we never marketed it here and China siezed the opportunity.

Night falls by the time you enter Manali. Kullu has already been left far behind on the way. So obviously a stay for the night is recommended. Waking up in most of the hotels in Manali can give you two optional views. One is that you open the curtains and see the mesmerizing mountains, or you are on the banks of the river Beas. One place famous in Manali, is the hot-water spring in Vashisht. But venture here at your own risk. You might just find the pages of your Playboy or Debonaire magazines come alive, but in a very non-pleasurable avatar.

Almost everyone is bathing here stark naked and they are not even an interesting sight to see.

If your adrenalin pinches you further, you can move up towards the Solang Valley and get yourself an ariel view of the mountains and valleys by doing some paragliding. If this still is not enough, you can proceed towards Gulaba and quench your thirst with some skiing in the snow. Both these places lie on the Manali-Sarchu road which connects to the Rohtang pass, where one road takes you to Ladakh while the other enters Tibet. Post all the adventures and misadventures, you can proceed down south towards the capital, Shimla. While Shimla is pretty ommercial, it still has a different charm. An entire city, built on a mountain! From here there are places like Naldera, which has the highest golf course in the world, and Kufri, from where you can get a distant and faint view of the China border.

After Kashmir lost it's major tourism business to incidents of terrorism, Himachal Pradesh took charge and is in the top charts of the tourism industry of the country. And what better a way than to be a traveller here and discover more!