In October 2008 after Sach Pass trip, I again wanted to do something different. We made a plan to hitchhike to Mcleodganj and come back in less than 499 Rs. But Sandeep and Vaibhav backed out at the last moment and I went there all alone but on a bus.
Again in January 2009, I was getting bored on one fine day and I suddenly decided to go to Mcleodganj and explore the nearby areas.
This time I chose buses, shared jeeps, trains and hitchhiking as mode of travel. I wanted to make it cheap and experience the way locals do things over there.
Day 1: Chandigarh - Macleodganj (By bus) :
I catched a bus at 8:30 pm and was in Mcleodganj by early morning.
I was greeted by this view:
Took a room and slept there for sometime then came out and had lunch at some cafe. Kept walking to Bhagsunath, Dharamkot, local monastries and finally back in my room. Slept early and day 1 was a usual day of doing nothing in a hill station.
Day 2: Mcleodganj - Kangra (hitchhiking on a scooter) - Palampur (train) - Baijnath (Hitchhike on a Bolero) - Bir (Shared jeep)
Day 2 was an exciting day. In the morning I came out from my room and met a guy at a tea stall. He was from Kangra and he invited me to his place. I had no other thing to do so I gladly accepted his offer and we reached Kangra. He had a small Dhaba in Kangra near to bus station, we had parathas, curd and tea there and then he suggested me to see the narrow gauge train and travel by it to Palampur. I had no fixed plans, but had heard of Palampur so I decided to travel by that train.
The train from Kangra to Palampur passes through beautiful landscapes, paddy fields on both the sides and view of snow clad mountain range.
Instead of going inside the town, I preferred to go to see the tea plantations at Palampur.
Then I met a driver at a tea stall with whom I hitchhiked to Baijnath in his Bolero.
Baijnath temple is an ancient Shiva temple.
Baijnath town was crowded and I really didn't wanted to stay there for the night. So I asked for directions for Bir and took a crowded local bus and reached Bir.
It was 8:30pm when I reached Bir, dark everywhere and couldn't find any guest house. Somehow, kept walking and found 1 house where an elderly couple gave me option of staying in their home, actually they were running a guest house with home stay option. Very neat room and I slept there. They charged me 500 for the night, but somehow I took the room as I had no other option. At this point of time, I realized the importance of a camp.
Day 4 : Bir - Deer park institue - Suja(on tractor) - Battu (by feet) - Sherab Ling monastery
Just above village Bir is Billing which is famous for para-gliding. In the morning after having my breakfast, I started walking out of the village and met a Tibetan guy there. He told me about Deer park institute at around 20 minute walking institute and I set out towards the institute, first in India with a formal system of training for Buddhist studies.
Deer Park Institute is a centre for study of classical Indian wisdom traditions. Established in March 2006 on the campus of a former Buddhist institute, it is a project under Siddhartha's Intent Society.
There are a lot of monasteries in the area, I liked everything about the place. It was quite, uncommon, away from tourists and a very peaceful place.
Did I mention the beautiful monasteries out there? Ok, see for yourself, beautiful art work and design of monasteries can impress anyone.
After having lunch there I walked further ahead to attend evening prayers at Sherab Ling monastery.
And from Sherab Ling I walked towards the other side of monastery, a bit in hills to reach village Battu. Took lift in Maruti 800 till Baijnath and an overnight bus to Chandigarh.
Again in January 2009, I was getting bored on one fine day and I suddenly decided to go to Mcleodganj and explore the nearby areas.
This time I chose buses, shared jeeps, trains and hitchhiking as mode of travel. I wanted to make it cheap and experience the way locals do things over there.
Day 1: Chandigarh - Macleodganj (By bus) :
I catched a bus at 8:30 pm and was in Mcleodganj by early morning.
I was greeted by this view:
Took a room and slept there for sometime then came out and had lunch at some cafe. Kept walking to Bhagsunath, Dharamkot, local monastries and finally back in my room. Slept early and day 1 was a usual day of doing nothing in a hill station.
Day 2: Mcleodganj - Kangra (hitchhiking on a scooter) - Palampur (train) - Baijnath (Hitchhike on a Bolero) - Bir (Shared jeep)
Day 2 was an exciting day. In the morning I came out from my room and met a guy at a tea stall. He was from Kangra and he invited me to his place. I had no other thing to do so I gladly accepted his offer and we reached Kangra. He had a small Dhaba in Kangra near to bus station, we had parathas, curd and tea there and then he suggested me to see the narrow gauge train and travel by it to Palampur. I had no fixed plans, but had heard of Palampur so I decided to travel by that train.
Instead of going inside the town, I preferred to go to see the tea plantations at Palampur.
Then I met a driver at a tea stall with whom I hitchhiked to Baijnath in his Bolero.
Baijnath temple is an ancient Shiva temple.
Baijnath town was crowded and I really didn't wanted to stay there for the night. So I asked for directions for Bir and took a crowded local bus and reached Bir.
It was 8:30pm when I reached Bir, dark everywhere and couldn't find any guest house. Somehow, kept walking and found 1 house where an elderly couple gave me option of staying in their home, actually they were running a guest house with home stay option. Very neat room and I slept there. They charged me 500 for the night, but somehow I took the room as I had no other option. At this point of time, I realized the importance of a camp.
Day 4 : Bir - Deer park institue - Suja(on tractor) - Battu (by feet) - Sherab Ling monastery
Just above village Bir is Billing which is famous for para-gliding. In the morning after having my breakfast, I started walking out of the village and met a Tibetan guy there. He told me about Deer park institute at around 20 minute walking institute and I set out towards the institute, first in India with a formal system of training for Buddhist studies.
Deer Park Institute is a centre for study of classical Indian wisdom traditions. Established in March 2006 on the campus of a former Buddhist institute, it is a project under Siddhartha's Intent Society.
There are a lot of monasteries in the area, I liked everything about the place. It was quite, uncommon, away from tourists and a very peaceful place.
Did I mention the beautiful monasteries out there? Ok, see for yourself, beautiful art work and design of monasteries can impress anyone.
After having lunch there I walked further ahead to attend evening prayers at Sherab Ling monastery.
Originally located in Kham, Eastern Tibet, the Sherab Ling Monastery has been rebuild near the town of Bir, according to principles of the ancient science. |
Walked through Soja village to reach Sherab Ling: a monastery inside a jungle.
And from Sherab Ling I walked towards the other side of monastery, a bit in hills to reach village Battu. Took lift in Maruti 800 till Baijnath and an overnight bus to Chandigarh.
This was an amazing trip, I missed my bullet at many points but somehow enjoyed walking with people, eating with locals and hitchhiking.
And the best part about this trip was randomness, no planning at all.
