My Kasol Revisit.
The first time I visited Kasol, a few of the locals had narrated about this 800-year-old village of Parvati valley, that voguishly perched at the summit of a mountain behind the famous Manikaran gurudwara.
I was excited to visit the village that shared my name. Hence, I decided that I would visit the village next time I toured Kasol. Fast forward to a few months later, I was ready for the peregrination.
I’m thankful to two of my friends for their company. We started our 5 km long ascent from Manikaran, late in the afternoon. Our intention was to complete the to and fro journey by sunset – we had high hopes. Unfortunately, because of our limited stamina, we dropped the thought of the return journey. However, we treaded towards the destination. In the setting sun, the three of us made our way through the mountains. We couldn’t spot any other human in the vicinity: all we could see was the distant hamlet, with its nebulous motifs.
Soon, from a distance below, however, emerged a figure. On deeper scrutiny, we realised it was the co-owner of Sun View Café, Gargi village’s only commercial homestay. His name was Atul. He assured that he would accompany us and also invited us to stay overnight at his homestay. Our spirits were elevated upon encountering this person. Moreover his wondrous descriptions of the scenic beauty of Gargi village helped us revive our almost lost vigour. We eventually reached the village after three and a half hours. Grateful we were to Atul – he had allocated us a room with the best view of the Himalayas. The view was soothing – it erased memories of the travail we endured during the journey. To replenish our lost energy, the homestay’s staff served us a sumptuous home cooked supper and few pancakes. After satiating our hunger pangs to the fullest, we decided to take a stroll outside, in the chilly winter evening. The night was perfect, with a full moon and soft breeze. The moonlight had lit the entire Parvati valley . It was indeed a heavenly sight to see the white snow on the nearby mountains literally glittering in the moonlight. Soaking up these view in our eyes and minds, we headed back to our rooms to retire for the day.
The next morning, welcomed us with a beautiful sunrise. A Monday morning, that couldn't have gotten any better. Later we had an interesting chat with the villagers over a cup of garam chai. After having pancakes again for breakfast ( because it's one of my favourite breakfast menus), we geared up for our voyage, back to base. Atul's younger cousin accompanied us till the village’s entrance to ensure our safety and help us with the directions. Binding in all the memories of this amazing trip we starting hiking down with a smile on our faces and calmness in our minds.
In conclusion, Gargi village is a very good offbeat escape for travellers looking for an experience beyond the hippie vibes of the main town of Kasol or Tosh village. One gets to revisit Parvati valley from a different perspective. It is ideal to stay in gargi village for 1-2 nights. Things to do include- village tour, short hikes further up, relaxing at sunview cafe, enjoying sunrise views and interacting with the cordial and warm hearted people of the village. Place to stay- Sun view Cafe & homestay- very reasonable. Also the staff’s hospitality is commendable. Rooms are warm, and adequate blankets are provided. Since this village is at a height of about 7000ft and commercialization has still a long way to go, bathrooms are a bit of an issue, but nevertheless, manageable.
Overall, the experience of this village is definitely worth all the efforts one puts in, to reach here. A must do day trek for travellers who prefer to explore offbeat places.
