Every globetrotter wanders for a reason, and I wandered to find my own!
Smitten by the pictures of colourful prayer flags and camping tents buried within the clouds, we had the wheels rolling as the dusk fell to begin a beautiful journey to the place famous for it's scenic beauty, Mcleodganj.
The distance of approximately 500 kilometres was covered in 12 hours from New Delhi, with a brief halt at Pahalwan Dhaba in Murthal, for a quick steamy cup of tea.
Famous for it's numerous Buddhist monasteries and home of the spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, Mcleodganj is an enchanting hill station which is part of the mighty Himalayas. This picturesque town is all about colourful Tibetan flags, rolling prayer wheels and it's alluring beauty. The walls all over the city are covered with graffiti’s and posters about Tibet, a reminder of the refugee lives of the people in the town.
As you turn your head around, you will see beautiful and magnetic mountain ranges topped with snow from the distance. When the fragrance of the deodar and pine trees reaches your nostrils, you would think nothing but to cuddle up the moment right away.
There is no person on the face of this earth who doesn’t need a break from the monotony of their office cabins and travel with the backpack on their shoulders. With the similar thought in my head, I kick started my first day in Mcleodganj.
Without wasting even a second on this paradise, I decided to visit the alluring Bhagsu Waterfall, where pellucid water softly cried and rumbled on its journey across its rough rock path after a easy going two kilometre walking trail from Mcleodganj. Being a photographer, it was an absolute marvel to capture and look at the unsoiled water as it giggled excitedly.
The beauteous rainbow only made the fall more aesthetic. People were relishing every single moment they had. Some were capturing memories in their cameras, some were singing songs their lungs out and some were just living in the moment by taking the dip in chilly water. The water was incredibly clean as it was coming straight from the arms of nature. The feeling of unbeatable tranquillity engulfed every cell and bone of my body as I sat on a rock with legs dipped in cold, fast flowing water.
With the camera full of pictures and heart full of memories, I finally trekked my way back to the main square of Mcleodganj. I headed towards one of the oldest and authentic places to eat- Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen. Trust me, if you are there then do try their utterly delectable waffles.
New day, new start! With the zeal to begin the ultimate trekking plan, I got out of my warm duvet early in the morning and turned my sport shoes game on!
Today, I was kick starting the most exciting trek, to Triund. This trek is fairly easy for initial five kilometres but the last one kilometre may require a bit of toil. The trek starts from a spot almost 3 kilometres away from Mcleodganj called ‘Gallu Devi Temple’, and one can also hop in a taxi instead of walking.
As I began my trek with highly pumped self hoping to collect memories all along the way, I couldn't stop myself from admiring the way along. As I kept moving towards the top, the view kept getting exquisite and soon the clouds were just walking with me!
I stopped at little, homely shops along the way to have piping hot tea. What can beat a cup of tea and the view that will leave you spellbound?
It was already dusk when I reached my camping site on top of the Triund hill. The view was magnificent. As far as your eyes could see, you would only see either dome tents or Dhauladhar mountain from afar, topped with snow.
The bonfire and scrumptious food kept me warm in the chilly -1 degree temperature. I turned up the volume of the songs playing on the speaker and relished every moment of the night.
I admired the beauty of the moon till midnight and then headed towards my camp. As soon as I hit the cold concrete, I slept like baby due to all the tiredness.
Next morning I woke up fresh as a daisy. When I unzipped my camp, I could see clouds floating and birds chirping right in front of my camping tent.
The person who booked my camp, served me hot parathas for breakfast. Post eating, I started trekking my way back to Mcleodganj. As soon as I trekked my way back down to Mcleodganj, I sat in the car directly and started travelling back to New Delhi.
Triund was one of the best experiences of my entire life. There were no fancy hotel rooms, not a variety of options on the food menu, no networks and not even a washroom but the peace and calm away from the hustle bustle of my monotonous life was worth every step we took.
Thank you!