This has to be one of the most beautiful places that i have ever visited. Parashar lake lies 49 km ahead of mandi and has got a three storied pagoda like building dedicated to the sage parashar. But trust me thats what google says, i am gonna tell you what exactly this place is.This place leaves you numb and shakes you both at the same time.
Starting from the start, our journey started from delhi. We took a hrtc bus around 7 in the evening and reached mandi around 9 in the morning. As soon as we reached we got to know that the only bus that goes to parashar has left and there is no other bus. There are taxi's gong to parashar from mandi and they charge somewhere between 800-1000 bucks. Since we were short of budget and wanted to take the bus we decided to spend that day in mandi and leave for parashar the next day. We got a nice room in a hotel for 500 rs in mandi. We roamed around that evening, strolling and seeing stuff. Mandi has got nothing as such to watch so we came back and slept since we had to catch an early bus tomorrow.
So day 2 started around 5 in the morning. We packed bags and left for the bus stand. The only bus comes around 8 in the morning. As soon as the bus comes find yourself a seat because in no time all seats would be occupied. So from mandi to parashar this bus would take approx 4 hours to reach the parashar lake. The whole route is so so beautiful and so full of views. It is no less than heaven for photographers. Half way the bus stops near some local dhaba, so u can fill up your tummies with some good rajma chaawal. The bus would reach parashar around 11.This same bus would leave back for mandi at 1pm. So it leaves you with 2 hours to roam around in parashar as much as you want. Parashar lake is of utmost importance to the people of mandi as they worship and consider it to be their main diety .We met a local girl too who told us a lot about the Temple and its importance to the people.The lake with the temple has shrunk in due course of time due to a lot of reason. It alwaya feels so good to know about things from local people as they know the most and the best. We planned not to go back and stay for the night at parashar. So when it comes to staying, there are 2-3 options u can choose from. First one being the Temple itself, so the temple has got rooms at almost no charges. U have to pay 100 bucks for a room but this room has got nothing except a bulb. So for those who can do without a charging point can go ahead. Apart from this one can choose between camps and the PWD guesthouse in parashar. But honestly, it's not easy to get a room in the guesthouse so be prepared for camping which in true sense will give you the best experience of parashar. The day we reached was hell windy. At parashar top the wind was too cold and left us shivering. We took a tent for 400 bucks which might not be the prize in season time. That night in parashar was beyond words. I still can't sum up the beauty of the place in words. We were sitting outside our tents, almost shivering but the calmness and the peace of the place was all worth it. I wanted that night to freeze and never finish. We found some random amazing people like we find on every trip of ours. Meeting people on a trip just makes it all even better. U meet people, get to know about their hardships in life and then their rescue to the mountains in order to get over that chaos and stress of life. We got food near the temple for around 70 per plate. We sat on the top of the mountains outside our camps for a while and felt all the positivity we came looking for.
After a mesmerizing night, the next morning we had to leave for mandi. The same bus came around 11. Regarding mobile network, airtel and jio have good access to networks. So just in case you visit, airtel and jio would work for you. As soon as we boarded the bus we decided not to go to Mandi and go to kasol. The bus driver dropped us 15 kms ahead of parashar and told us a bus would come around 4 that would drop us to bhunter. We boarded the bus and reached kasol via bhunter around 6 in the evening. It was already raining in kasol and the weather was just amazing. Booked a room in sarita guesthouse for 400 bucks. This is one of the cheapest but best stay in kasol and one of my constant ones too. We wanted to go to challal that very day but since it was already dark we decided to go to challal next day. It was a tiring day so we came back to our rooms to get some rest.
This was our last day of the trip. We got up early in the morning and amidst little showers we headed towards challal. The whole place is magical and so is the path to challal. Walking between trees everywhere is so soothing and is kind of paths I love. Challal is at walking distance from middle of kasol. Camps at the river side with vibes that can be felt only in kasol and challal. Places like these are so difficult to leave but in order to come back one has to leave. Challal was a 2 hour journey. We came back to our guest house, packed bags and boarded a bus from kasol till bhunter. From bhunter buses plying to Delhi can be easily found. We reached Delhi next morning around 6 after a 11 hours journey but my mind and heart will be in parashar and challal for few more days. This is a must to go place for those who seek peace in calm and solitude.
Time taken - 3-4 days
Budget - 4000-5000 rs
