My first Travel Blog ; Heaven on Earth :

Guys am back after a hiatus of few days . So , here I start with my first travel blog. Well , traveling has been a passion to me , maybe it is because of my Army background or it is inborn I really donno .

The point is I am really passionate about travelling . I have visited many places but none as pristine and beautiful as Harshil.


What is a travel blog doing in a legal crusader's blog . Guys we also need break so here I go:-



September 2005 :- Well I had just secured an internship in the prestigious firm of Paras Kuhad and Associates and had few days with me so I decided to go to Gangotri little did I knew that that I will get much more than I thought .



Travel till Gangotri :- Well I boarded a bus of Uttranchal tourism which took me to Rishikesh from the Delhi ISBT ( Interstate Bus Terminus) and it took me nearly 14 hours to reach Rishikesh ( Wont be able to elaborate on my stay in Rishikesh because it was restircted to bus stand) .



From there I took a small rickety bus towards Uttarkashi a beautiful township located in scenic valleys of Utttranchal . The roads were really narrow and I couldnt help but marvel at the amazing dexterity shown by the driver it took my breath away ! really.



Bus halted just once and I feasted myself to a tasty spread of Hot Pakoras and one sugary sweet only found in Uttranchal . It goes without saying that it was really delecious ( or was it hunger which made it doubly delecoius).


And so I reached Uttarkashi . My blog wont be complete without writing about Uttarkashi but guys since my focus is on Harshill am gonna give it as well as Gangotri a slip but let me assure you my next travel blog will be on them.



I stayed one day in Uttarkashi ( If you guys are wondering why it is known as Uttarkashi watch out my next blog) in the beautiful Tapovan kuti where pure and pristine Great Ganges flowed in all its splendour just a few feet away from my room (Wow ! what a feeling even now when I think about that place I feel myself bathing in the cold waters of ganges surrounded by hills and chirping birds among the chanting of holy hymns coming from the nearby temples the whole atmosphere was radiating a positve radiation and kind of unexplainable innocence....truly mesmerizing and surreal ! really time stood still that day more of that later)

The next day we boarded a Sumo to Gangotri . Not many people are aware that enroute to Gangotri falls a peaceful and pristine place where Ganges flow in her privacy far away from maddening crowd of civilization guarded by the Indian Army .

Yes ! I am refering to Harshil an Army Cantonment .

If anyone of you paln to go to Gnagotri please visit this place the memories you take you will cherish forever.

And so I reached the Harshil which is really a heaven on earth ( Without taking away anything away from J&k ).

One warning Foreigners are not allowed there and there is a big board proclaiming the same.

So I entered Harshil .

As soon as I entered the Harshil I could see Juicy red apples dangling from the apple trees within my arms reach . I could smell the scent of apples in the crisp and cold air . Shivering I made my way to a Small but amazingly beautiful Hotel there.

The owner of the Hotel was our acquintance so I was able to secure the best Room . From the big room window I could see tall mountains and snowy peaks all around me surrrounded by lush hilly trees.

Next day I decided to explore Harshil ( The Army Cantonment is off limits until and unless you yourself are in the Army). So I went the opposite way . I was amazed to see the magnificent Ganges flowing in her full glory cutting across mountains . It was really amazing site .

There were no signs of human civilization or so I thought. I felt no fear and continued going forward.

I enter a different world :- Suddenly a village appeared in front of me straight out of the book of
"Seven Years in Tibet " ( In case you have not read it please do it an amazing piece of history of what Tibet was).

I could hear buddhist chants filling the atmosphere generating a positive energy field which lifted me many notches above this materialistic world . Lo and behold I was in a Tibetian Village among Tibetians speaking Hindi better than me and still preserving their culture . The amount of respect and love they have for the present Dalai Lama is really amazing.

Well I have been to Dharamshala also (of which I will write later ) Which also have Tibetians but I am sorry to say mass commercialisation has affected their natural innocence for which Tibetians are famous for more of that later)

I also made a Tibetian friend who was high on dope and thanks to him I was able to savour the delecious slice of Tibetian culture. Strangely I felt no fear roaming with him carrying valuables in the isolated place with I being the only native Indian . This was the power of those surroundings which filled me with love and took out all negative emotions.

The people of Harshil stay in mud houses and are basically engaged in the cultivation of apples and also a delecious variety of Rajma prepared with a typical hilly herb with a sharp and pungent taste.

I was invited to one of the houses and was offered butter tea which frankly I didnt like , but their sweetness more than made up for the saltiness in the tea.

I purcahsed lot of apples and Rajma from them . They offered as a custom few complementary apples ( one apple for a kg purchased to be precise)

I took one juicy bite of the crisp apple and I knew I have tasted heaven .

It was full of juice which flowed from my mouth till my elbows I unabashdely licked the juice like a toddler and I knew I have seen the heaven I closed my eyes and streched my experience as long as I could savouring the truly enchanting experience . ( I also purchased few shalls and a white sweater from them ,really nice !)

I have not described the people of that Village . Well they were as red as a ripe apple . Women were really beautiful with flawless complexions and and even sweeter nature . The best part was they were really happy as they were and one could feel the satisfaction on their faces which made them look even more radiant.

I sat on the rock near ganges and meditated . Time had stood still and I could only hear the running waters of pure and eternal ganges.

I wished I could stay in that place forever ! maybe in next birth.

Next day I resumed my journey but not before eating tasty omellete and drinking sugary tea prepared by a ex hawaldar from Army who has made Harshil his home. So lucky Tskkkk. .

P.S.:- I am giving a miss to many other incidents like my chance meeting with a prominent congress leader of yesteryears who is hiding there as a pujari in a temple . My conversations with my Tibetian friend . A wedding ceremony between a Tibetian and a Doctor from Ludhiana (Love marriage you see) .

So ended my sojourn to a world beyond ......Maybe I have discovered Shangrila ( A mythical place where everybody is happy and peaceful and all people radiate a positive and energy . Please read Legend of Shangrila and Tenth Insight by Jmaes Redfield for more information about this eutopian place).

Bye guys . Next time I may write something about my inward journey watch out.