The next morning we
took a walk to the Bhagsu falls. It was a pretty walk along the mountain side
with a cool breeze and sun filtering through the tall trees. The road wound
around the town and led to the Bhagsu temple, which we had visited last
evening. Beyond it lay the narrow trail. The gargling stream could be heard
from a distance and now came into view a few metres below. The path was smooth
initially, at first steps were carved out but after covering some distance it
turned rockier and increasingly difficult. After about a kilometer, the
waterfalls became visible. What an enticing sight it was. The more I saw it,
the more I wanted to reach. The breathtaking beauty beckoned me very eagerly
and with each step my excitement grew. However we had to be careful since the
ground was getting slippery and the climb perilous. In anticipation of the
ultimate destination, my heart egged me on.
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| The View Just Outside Hotel Bhagsu |
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| Colour Flags - What Do You See Beyond It? |
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| Market Street - Still Early Hours |
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| Lone Tourists! |
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| Monastery In The Market Place |
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| Can You Spot The Waterfalls? |
At last we reached the end of the
path, but holloa! the falls were within striking distance, but a huge boulder
blocked the way. We looked around for an alternative path but couldn’t discover
it. So we carefully climbed over, exercising caution with every step. And then
the sight that unfolded was unforgettable - the enormous falls gushing down the
towering cliff, the deafening sound of water crashing onto the pool below, the
jagged cliffs jutting out behind the cascade! We soaked ourselves in the
abundance and beauty of nature. I stood transfixed for many minutes as if
to capture this heavenly experience. The weather had changed and being so
close to the falls, all of a sudden I felt its icy cold touch. We spent as time
possible but with the day’s itinerary planned in advance, we could not afford
more time. I looked back affectionately quite a few times before bidding bye
and taking the path back. The morning trek was extremely satisfying. It had
made us hungry as well, so once we reached the parking area beyond Bhagsu
temple, we looked around and chose a small eatery for breakfast. Nehria Tea
Shop was somehow able to make the simple alu paratha very delicious and the tea was refreshing.
It was around 10.30 in the morning when we
returned to the hotel. We packed up quickly, paid the bills and hopped onto our
cab. The last destination before moving out of Dharamshala was the abode of His
Holiness, the Dalai Lala temple. The temple had been set up by His Holiness after escaping from Tibet in 1959 and his residence is located opposite the temple. It was a kilometer from our hotel down a
narrow road dotted with small shops on either side. The car dropped us outside
the large entrance gate. There was a large turnout of tourists for this landmark.
Unfortunately photography is strictly prohibited and every person is searched
before entering the main complex, hence I was unable to click any photo.
The
first flight of stairs leads you to an open area, the size of a half hockey
field. The next flight of stairs brings you to the main temple – the sight at
first was no different from any other Indian temple. It was very crowded with
Tibetans occupying every nook and corner of the place and the consequent din was
not surprising. However once you step inside you realize that the murmur
results from chanting of prayers by the monks. The inner sanctum consisted of a
towering bronze statue of lord Buddha flanked by 2 other smaller statues of
Buddha in other forms. On one side there is a huge heap of eatables - chocolates, biscuits, salted items etc. You can take a
clockwise walk around the temple which is decorated with prayer wheels, flags,
mani stones and other symbols of Tibetan culture and history. It was quite an
overwhelming experience to watch a kingdom being run in exile. We are all
citizens of a free country and it is here that I felt the air of dependence,
which my forefathers must have surely experienced prior to our own independence. I was so
moved by the determination of these exiled people that I went around to enquire
in what manner I could contribute to their continued sustenance. I was directed
to the office at other end of the temple, where I donated as per my wish –
there was no coaxing, forcing or threatening – only a simple smile and gratitude from the
young Tibetan who handed me the receipt.
Outside it was
drizzling fairly hard now. The morning sunshine had been replaced with grey
skies and dampness had set in the air. As
we bid farewell to Little Lhasa, it seemed the heavenly place was shedding
tears at our departure! It was mid-afternoon and by now the traffic had built up. The narrow roads were
now choc-a-bloc and we were stranded on the outskirts. I could not anticipate
the delay just then and being somewhat exhausted, dozed off. My slumber was interrupted
many times by our cabbie turning the ignition on, only to move a few metres and
then come to a halt. It was after an hour and a half that we were finally able
to get a clear road down the hill. The rest of the descent was uneventful and
once on the plains, hanger pangs gripped us and we had a meal at a dhaba. We had
to take off our woolens since it had become quite warm. With a hearty meal in
place, we boarded the cab at about 5 o’clock for the ascent to the second leg
of our vacation – Khajiar.
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| Dhaba In The Plains! |
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| Freshly Cooked Food At The Dhaba |
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| On The Way To Khajiar |
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| Fading Sun |
The roads were smooth
and the climb was also a visual treat till darkness set in an hour later. Lights
could be seen at times through trees and as villages approached the darkness
momentarily disappeared. It was around 7.30 p.m. when bright lights could be
seen at a distance, another half an hour brought us to Dalhousie. It was chaos
here as well, when our cab got entangled in another traffic snarl on a narrow
stretch while passing through Dalhousie. Fortunately, intervention from some
locals and cooperation from the vehicles coming in the opposite direction,
expedited unlocking the gridlock. The ascent from Dalhousie to Khajiar brought
in some anxious moments. There were very few vehicles on the road and it was
pitch dark – the only lights were those of our cab’s headlamp flashing against
the pine trees. Signboards warning us about the wildlife flashed once in a
while. As our cab sped along, the dense jungle on either side sent a chill down
my spine. Looking back through the rear windshield I noticed the full moon
filtering through onto our seat, but the moving car reduced any effect of its
light. After non-stop travel of about an hour we reached a lighted stretch and hotels
on either side, at last, indicated human habitation! What a relief we felt to see that our hotel, Royal
Residency, was also among these!
