[mugen_pinaki27]

"Musings start…
My friend: Yo, what’s the plan?
Me: I don’t know. You tell? How should we go to the mountains this time?
My friend: We’ve already done it via bus and train. How about we drive all the way?
Me: You sure? I mean it’s a 370 km drive and the trusty Alto has not done such a trip ever. Would it be able to?
My friend: Yes, most certainly. She can. But I’m going to drive most of the way.
Me: Nope. It’s going to be turn-by-turn. But please fill her up before the trip. Don’t abuse her needlessly!
My friend: Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything like that

D-DAY of the trip
Me: Yo, is the Alto filled?
My friend: Nope. Forgot about it.
Me: And you call yourself a car lover? Tch Tch.
My friend: Don’t fret. We’ll get her filled up.
Me: Only after you’ve abused her enough. Wannabe car lover?!
My friend: Wide Grin
Me: Facepalm

Musings end.

And that is how we embarked on this special road trip. Covering 370 kms from Delhi to Chail. An ambitious journey filled with lots of bad jokes, good food, and scenic beauty. All from the protective embrace of our 2011 Alto LXi, which we lovingly dubbed “Pyaari ”.

29th September 2023

I was super excited. Even though it was 3 a.m., the weird sounds from the dark of the night could not scare me. I usually get scared but today was different. Me and my friend were going on a road trip! Called a cab and then marched ahead just as Delhi was twisting and turning in its sleep as was the norm.

Reaching my friend’s place, whom we shall call G, I found him sleeping in the exact shape as my pet pug. Without a care in the world. Woke him up and told him to wipe his drool and get ready. Slowly as the clock ticked away, me and G got Pyaari loaded up and then scooted ahead. Excitement and fear plastered on our faces. But courage resolute in our hearts.

Covering mile after mile, we crossed Murthal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, and Ambala. The beautiful countryside filled with the smell of jaggery made for a surreal experience. Despite suffering from an apparent case of “Delhi belly”, nothing could stop the adventurer in me. I soaked in the myriad nightshade which was giving away to the rays of the sol. Nature at its finest. However, being the glutton I am, the smell of jaggery and food encouraged me to screw my tummy and munch on yummy! And G voiced the same. The fact that he hadn’t sipped a Cola for more than 4 hours on a trip was incredible. On a normal day, 4 cokes would find their way into the bloke. Anyhow, not today it seems. Pyaari was chugging along effortlessly. After seeing Mannat Dhaba at Kurukshetra, Pyaari , I, and G made a pitstop.

The continental spread did little to arouse our olfactory senses. Upon further enquiry, we were told that Paneer Paratha and Aloo Pyaaz Paratha were ready to be served. Without wasting time, we ordered four of them, the glutton in me pleased at the spread about to come. And what a spread it was! Desi butter mixed with pudina chutney made for a killer combination. To top it off, the awesome kulhad chai made things that much sweeter and earthier. Pyaari was basking in the sun. Soaking it in. And we were soaking in the food. Ideal world indeed.

Satisfying our stomachs, we paid our bills and got going. Ambling along, we reached Chandigarh. Le Corbusier’s pain-staking “Work of Beauty”. Being a hot day, which we really didn’t mind, we slowly snaked through the traffic intersection and finally arrived at Solan. Chail was only a few more miles away.

The drive from the plains up the mountain roads was definitely challenging. Thanks to our iron stomachs, a side effect from being gluttonous creatures perhaps, we didn’t feel any nausea. Snaking along left and right, Pyaari raced ahead effortlessly. A small car with a giant heart indeed! After what seemed like an eternity, we reached Chail and checked in at Hotel Sunset Grand, much recommended by G. We met the local Pahadi manager and checked into room Teen Sau Chaar. Big, spacious, and with beautiful views of deodar and chir pine. We were a happy lot and quickly settled in. Since the hotel was located on top of a mountain, the views from the balcony were breathtaking. The fun fact was that despite driving for close to 8 hours in Pyaari , we weren’t the least bit fatigued. Our trust in the old Alto increased by a huge margin. After a quick lunch consisting of delicious kadai paneer and ghee chowmein, we lazed around the property, made friends with mountain dogs (just love their bushy tails) and then called it a day.

30th September

After a yummy breakfast consisting of Aloo Paratha and Mango Achaar, we checked out of the hotel and started our search for our next budget hotel. Given that it was a long weekend, we did encounter a lot of eager tourists. Finally, after enquiring with the locals, we found an awesome homestay, Pahadi Zayka. The owner, Rajat, was a former Tech Mahindra employee, who lured by the beauty and tranquillity of the mountains, decided to set up a cosy resting place for weary travellers. Interestingly, his mother and father, too, were co-managers. After checking into our rooms, we headed to our first destination for the trip, Shiva Mandir.

Perched on top of a mountain peak, this place would have been a pure nirvana for off-road enthusiasts, given that the road to the temple was nothing but soft sand and slush! The gnarly and broken mountain road, that too elevated, made things a bit scary. But we weren’t daunted. We put Pyaari in gear and snaked along alternating between first and second gear. And finally made it! The view from the top was mind-blowing, to say the least. What struck me about the place was the absolute silence. A far cry from so many temples I’ve visited in my short lifespan. The piece de resistance was the Veerbhadra cave. Veerbhadra, for those who may not know, is one of the fierce forms of the Hindu god, Shiva. Snaking along the dimly lit cave, we reached the idol of Veerbhadra.

And for a minute, my heart came into my mouth.

Standing in front of me was an 8-foot tall idol, in a sitting position, with long clawed hands and feet. His mouth, resembling a mix between a human and a demon, gave me a piercing look. For a minute, I thought, the idol would jump at me. Such was the realism. Bewilderingly, the idol was made from steel rods and what appeared to be a mix between POP and concrete. The fake hair on Veerbhadra was made of tufts of something resembling cotton candy and adorning the God’s head was a crown of twigs and rods. A truly spectacular and terrifying sight. After paying our respects, G and I slowly crawled out of the cave. I wonder how visiting the idol would be at night if the morning darshan was so daunting. Maybe some other time!



After reversing Pyaari , we slowly ambled our way down to the main road. But just before the last curve, a Tata Punch blocked our way. We were on a decline and the Punch was on an incline. G, looking nervous, took a deep breath and reversed Pyaari slowly to give the Punch a little wiggling room to leave. After some tense moments, going back and forth, both cars went on their way. Hill Descent Control, what’s that? I imagined.

Our next stop for the day was Chail Palace, a beautiful erstwhile palace of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, now turned into a heritage hotel. Sitting on a quaint mountaintop, the property was impressive. Upon enquiring about the room rates, we were told the starting price for a double bed was 3500 INR while the top Maharaja suite was a whooping 17000 INR for a single night. To pacify my eager mind, I started imagining the Maharaja suite to resemble one where James Bond and Vesper Lynd stayed in Casino Royale. Sigh! Good times indeed. :cold sweat



After roaming the property, for a princely sum of 200 INR per person, we made our way to Pyaari and headed back to our homestay. After gorging on Rajma Chawal, we decided to take a short nap. After a couple of hours of zzzzzsss, we contemplated exploring the local bazaar, situated 3 kms from the property, via foot. Now, this is where things got interesting. Since sunset happens around 6:15 pm in the mountains and we left for the bazaar around 5:30, that meant that we would have to walk amidst darkness-infested streets. Not that we were complaining. The walk to the bazaar for some local liquor was painfully quashed since none of the stores were open post 7 pm. Cursing our late loitering, we headed back to our homestay. I could not spot a single streetlight. Ambling slowly, we navigated the dark streets of Solan, excited at the prospect of meeting a local chudail or coming face to face with a hungry tendua. But none of that happened. Looks like, we weren’t interesting prospects for either party.

Upon reaching the homestay, we requested Rajat bhai for dinner. And he obliged by serving us awesome Shahi Paneer and chole. After a sumptuous meal, we watched some nice horror shorts on YouTube and called it a day.

1st October

Today was going to be a long day with lots of exciting things planned ahead. But first, the breakfast. Rajat bhai obliged our hunger pangs by serving us warm chole with some mouth-watering Pooris. Between G and I, we finished close to 15 pooris. To top it off, we also requested for some chai and curd.

After the gastronomic affair, we started our trip by walking to Gurudwara Chail Sahab, situated just 1.5 km from the main bazaar. The incline walk to the gurdwara really tested our stamina and grit. And we passed it with flying colours. The granthi Pritpal Singh was a cleaner, gardener, writer, speaker, and YouTuber by his own admission. Despite feeling sad about the lack of support from the state government, Pritpal ji was optimistic about the millions of donations pouring in from across the world, from ardent devotees. The place had a contemplative aura about it and I sat there for quite a while in absolute silence, alternating between letting my thoughts run wild and calming my eager mind.



After paying our obeisance to the Gurus, we made our way to the Sidh Baba Mandir, situated about 30 minutes from the gurudwara on an even higher incline. The lack of good roads meant constant encounters with muddy terrain. But the smell of fresh earth was something else entirely not to mention the breathtaking views of the mountains and hillside. Reaching the Sidh Baba Mandir, we could spot a single lad who doubled up as both the priest and caretaker of the holy lands. Sidh Baba, for the uninitiated, is also another form of Shiva, but one who looks like a child monk. Another name for this form is Baba Balak Nath. Balak means “child” in Hindi. Upon further enquiry, we got to know that the place was also built by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. Legend suggests that Baba Balak Nath appeared in the late Maharaja’s dreams and told him to build a temple at the present place. The temple was adjacent to Chail Military School and from time to time, we could see batches of strapping young army students making their way up and down the mountain.

But the worst, or should I say the most awesome encounter was yet to come.
Just as we were ambling down from the temple, the sky opened up and we were drenched completely. Taking momentary shelters under tin cans did little to prevent us from getting wet. We trudged along the 6 km round trip to our homestay battling the chilly winds and slippery slopes. After a quick change of clothes, we ate Rajma chawal, grilled bread and Maggi followed by two cups of kadak chai. This soothed our souls and stomachs.

G contemplated staying back but I being the ever-ready adventurer vetoed and suggested we head to Kali ka Tibba. This was a mountaintop temple dedicated to the Goddess Kali. Situated just 30 minutes from our homestay, we nudged Pyaari and started for our final destination for the day. Unfortunately, we missed the sunset by 5 minutes but the absolutely stunning views of the valleys around more than made up for that. After paying our respects, we made our way back to the hotel for some well-deserved dinner consisting of butter chicken, honey chili potatoes and rotis. After the sumptuous meal, we called it a day watching Manoj Bajpayee show Tigmanshu Dhulia who was the boos!

2nd October

Time to head back to Delhi. After getting up from a restful sleep, we packed up our bags and headed downstairs to Pyaari . Loading her up, we sat down to have our last meal for the day. Aloo paratha with lots of dahi. After having had our fill, we started our ride back to Delhi. I just don’t know what it was about Himachal that I didn’t want to leave it. The mountains, the tranquillity, the presence, the stability. It was all of these at once. Perhaps, if the desire prevails, I might contemplate shifting here :P And, most of all, the people were perhaps among the most genuine lot I had the good opportunity of mingling with.

Not missing any chance for some liquor and sweets, I and G bought some local delicacies like peach jam and apple wine. The lad at the HPMC store was a cheery one. He egged G and me to try other varieties, too. But being low on “Green Gandhis”, had to settle with just one bottle. On the way to Shimla, had the chance to buy some fresh Himachali apples. Their deep red color and divine taste (I had a sample) made me purchase two big cartons for my folks at home and for my fiancé. Loading up Pyaari , we marched on.

Owing to the weekend rush, there were lots of vehicles heading to Delhi. We were, inadvertently, caught in the traffic. However, our mood was not to be dampened. Egging on, we crossed Chandigarh and soon reached Murthal for our final meal stop at Shiva dhaba. Despite the fantastic feedback that we had heard about Shiva dhaba, the final meal proved to be a damper. But hunger pangs got the better of us. Wolfing down our dinner, we made our way to the parking lot and proceeded onward to Delhi. After another 2-hour drive, we reached home around 12:45 am and crashed soon after.

Prologue
1. It was a fun-filled trip. And the Alto proved to be a surprisingly comfortable car to cover almost 400 kms on a single trip.
2. Me and G took turns driving. But me being slightly the “Fast and Furious” driver, G declined to give me the car. But hey, being the navigator had its own perks.
3. We didn’t encounter moronic drivers once we entered Himachal. At least, didn’t see any local Himachali driver try to bully us.
4. Venturing out at night was scary but a really cool experience. With almost no street lights in and around Chail, we had to adjust our eyes to the darkness from time to time. But it was fun. We felt like hunters. Or was it the other way around? Those “gleaming eyes” from the forest would say otherwise.
5. Given the chance, I would love to do Chail once more.

If you have stuck till now, I thank you for your time. Do let me know your thoughts in the comments about more places to see in and around Himachal!

Adios!

[maddy42]

Lovely write up and the King Altos rule the hills of Himachal!

On the way to to Sadhuphul from Chail, we saw a Monestry or some religious building on top of a hill but were unable to go there as it was getting late. Any chance you know what this building was?

One lovely thing of Himachal is the lovely fruits you get at the side of the road. It totally fills you up and doesnt make you hungry for long durations.

[Maverick Avi]

I have always been in love with this quaint little town due to being less crowded as compared to Kufri or Shimla. Infact this used to be our go to destination for experiencing snowfall. Been there 5 or 6 times and just enjoy what nature has to offer. The Chail Kufri road is very picturesque and worth a small drive!

Originally Posted by maddy42

On the way to to Sadhuphul from Chail, we saw a Monestry or some religious building on top of a hill but were unable to go there as it was getting late. Any chance you know what this building was?

This is Kali ki tibba, a temple which is made of white marble and looks like a monastry on top of a hill.