Kalpa Travelogue

How do you describe this feeling when your favourite dessert arrives on your table after you had a good meal or how that dress you have been trying to fit into finally fits you? Splendid? Superb? Marvellous?

I get this feeling when I travel and when I explore the mighty Himalayas. Though I was born and brought up in Delhi, I still feel as if I have some connection with the mountains. It could be partially be the result of the fact that my mother is from Uttarakhand and had spent a major part of her childhood on the mountains. Her stories about the snow, the rivers, the storms and the rituals always amused me and left me with an urge to experience all of it myself. So I decided to travel the Mighty Himalayas on my own, slowly and fully. I made a decision to reconnoiter the valleys and the mountains, and learn about the rituals and hear the stories from the locals. I could only quench my thirst for thrill and satisfy my hunger for adrenaline through this journey.

I was traveled across Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh during my summer break of 2015. It was one of the best trip of my life. I started from Delhi on the night of 08 June 2015. My first stop was a hill station called Nakanda, which is a small town in Shimla district. It took me good nine hours to reach Narkanda. The weather in Narkanda is quite pleasant at all times of the year. One day stay is enough to explore the whole town and the nearby attraction such as Hatu Peak.

I continued my journey further on the next day making a quick stop at Rampur for breakfast. Rampur is a large town situated on the bank of river Sutlej. When you hear the gushing waters of River Sutlej, you can actually feel the fury of the river. But I did not stop here. I still had a long journey ahead of me. Since I wasn’t fortunate enough to travel on these roads earlier, I was quite unaware of the roads and the route. Little did I know I was in for a big surprise. The roads were so smooth and the cut of the mountains left me spell bound. The mountains were so high and mighty and the valleys so deep that it will tempt you to look deeper until you almost fall. From here on, I just kept my eyes open, even refusing to blink them for a second. I rolled down the windows and stuck out my head like a happy dog. Occasionally, we would bump into large herds of sheep and trust me watching those fluffy animals was so much fun in itself. By the end of the day, I could finally see the mighty Himalayas and the lofty snow peaks. I reached Kalpa at around 5 in the evening and yet everything looked so fresh and lively. Never in my life was I so enthralled by the beauty of mountains. As the day ended, tiredness took over my excitement and I retired to bed early that night.

Next morning, I started for Chitkul. Chitkul is the last village towards China border in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. This place is nothing less than Heaven. With river Baspa flowing quietly in the valley of snow covered mountains, this place is really quiet and a perfect getaway for people who seek solitude. The roads to Chitkul and Sangla Valley are not even remotely close to the ones in your city. They are dangerous, thanks to an on-going Hydel projects in the valley. Massive damage has been done to the mountains but nevertheless those green valleys and the crystal blue sky above won’t fail to amuse you. Mountains will be closer than ever and you can sense peace all around you. Chitkul will leave you pondering if you are in Heaven or on Earth. It is one of the most peaceful and pollution-free places in the Himalayas. The vastness of the landscape will make you feel like a little animal and it is then you will realise how truly beautiful and diverse nature is.

Next day was spent exploring the small town of Kalpa and the nearby places. It was the first time I saw Mani wheels while I was sightseeing a monastery. I also had a chance to talk to two travellers from England. We talked about the various places they visited and I suggested them some of my favourite places as well. I never realised it was so easy to talk to people. Post that conversation, I had some really delicious steamed momos from a local food joint. Interacting with locals and knowing about their traditions was also the highlight of that day for me. I asked one woman why they wear those traditional Himachali caps to which she replied that it was equivalent to the ‘pallu’ or ‘dupatta’ which is quite prevalent in parts of North India. As we move to higher parts of Kinnaur, Buddhism prevails. We can see prayer flags tied everywhere. A prayer flag consists of five colours with Buddhist chants written on them. Each colour signifies an element of nature and five pure lights. The five colours are arranged from left to right in a specific order: blue, white, red, green and yellow. Blue colour represents the sky and space, white represents the air and wind, red represents fire, green represents water and yellow represents earth. The perfect day to tie a prayer flag is a windy and a sunny day. This creates positivity all around and when the wind blows through these prayer flags, it will further spread positivity all around. On the other hand, a prayer flag tied on a cloudy day or an old prayer flag which has faded mantras can bring about negativity all around. Therefore, it is important to untie a prayer flag as soon as the mantras begin to fade and tie a new one in its place.

Apart from Kinnaur, I have always wanted to go Spiti. But with only one day left in hand, trip to Key Monastery of Spiti was not possible. So I planned a quick trip to this small village called Nako which lies in-between Kalpa and Spiti valley. This came as a surprise to me because I thought I was done exploring Kinnaur. As I started moving from Kalpa towards Nako, the change in landscape was very much evident. From a greener valley, I was moving towards barren mountains. There was hardly any plantation or animals to be seen around. It seemed like a mountain desert. The roads were really in a bad state, mostly damaged by huge rocks that keep falling from time to time. Often you will come across signs telling you that ‘You are travelling on World’s Most Treacherous Road’. These roads are, thankfully, maintained by BRO (Border Roads Organisation) and you will see men from the Indian Army continuously working on sustaining these roads. After travelling for two hours, I finally reached Nako village. Nako is a very small village with around 50-100 residents. Most of the houses in this village are empty. Those living here survive solely on farming and other agricultural activities. Towards the end of the village, a small lake awaits you. A small yet the most beautiful lake I have ever seen in my life. The crystal blue waters reflect the trees and the snowcapped mountains so perfectly that you would want to leave city life and settle in this remote yet enchanting village forever. On my way back to Kalpa, my eyes were filled with tears of joy and sadness. Joy because I had the privilege of seeing this beautiful face of Mother Nature and sad because I had no intentions to return back to Delhi and living that same old boring life. I returned back to my hotel somewhere around 5 in the evening. I went up to the terrace and sat there watching the sun set for one last final time. As the sky turned black, stars shone like bright diamonds in the sky. Surprisingly, I was also able to figure out some constellations. It was one of the best days of my life. After a scrumptious meal, I packed my bags and slept in peace knowing that this trip has been a life changing experience for me.

It was after this journey, I became fully aware about the purpose of travelling. Travelling indeed awakens one and helps to figure out the real purpose of life. It is the process of reconnecting with soul and living in harmony with nature and other living beings. I have seen certain positive changes in myself after this trip. Materialistic things do not tempt me anymore and I see myself as a calmer and composed human being. I, personally, think that it is important for everyone to travel alone once in their lifetime. There are many reasons behind this thought of mine. Some are very obvious and some are just uncanny reasons. To travel is not just visiting a place and getting as many pictures clicked as possible. It is seeing the real beauty of nature and surrounding yourself with that goodness of nature. It is all about interacting with new people and discovering the unknown. With each trip, you will learn something new about yourself and see yourself transforming into a happier person with a solid determination in life. Spending time alone with nature soothes the mind and refreshes the soul. I firmly think that travel not only makes you a better human being but a way cooler one too. When people come to know that you travel, they will be attracted towards you and want to be around you interested in knowing about your personal experience. Travelling alone helps you to become more social and a confident individual. You see life from a whole new better perspective. A perspective which will be unique and which will probably change your life forever.