Dainkund – the place where the dain or witch lived in olden times. Vickramjit had told me in detail and raved about this particular walk, at the end of which was a temple devoted to Palaani Mata. There was much to look forward to as we drove up to the point from where the walk began. I wasn’t disappointed. The path was a tiny one and twisted and turned uphill for a sizeable distance. We had already driven uphill before commencing our walk and this was about the last stretch before we reached the top of the mountain. Huffing and puffing and ruing my lack of fitness, I was determined to get to the top, from whereon I had been told was a level walk to the temple. 

The walk was lush green and the path manageable. I realised that we had reached the limit of the tree line and our surroundings were now meadows carpeted with wildflowers. 

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The silence was bliss and the walk was unlike anything I have ever experienced before.

We were surrounded by mountains on almost three sides. To the south was an expansive view of the Ranjit Sagar Lake opening out in to the plains. To the West were the Pir Panjal and the Pangi ranges. Beyond them lay the plains of Punjab, with the rivers Ravi, Chenab and Beas flowing through. On a clear night in October, the lights of Amritsar are visible from here. And through binoculars one can spot the lights of Lahore as well.

The north and the east were surrounded by layers and layers of mountains of the great Himalayan range. Again, on a clear day, Mount Kailash is clearly visible from here. In order to grab a breathtaking view from here, make sure you have a high-end camera with a telephoto or zoom lens to max out your mountain images. 

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The utter stillness of the place and the forks in the paths made us wonder if we were on the right track. We were. The temple of Palaani Mata is a tiny one set in a little niche on top of a cemented platform. The resident dog in attendance would happily wander around and muck up all the offerings laid out in front of the goddess but no one seemed to mind. Amidst a cluster of tinkling bells we tied a red chunri as our offering. Grabbing a cup of tea and packets of aloo bhujia from the makeshift shop nearby, the walk back was tinged with regret at leaving this magical place.

On our way down, at the Lakkar Mandi Chowk was the entrance to Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary. The 3 km walk inside can and should be done on foot, but lacking the time and the energy we took the easy way out and got a permit to drive inside. The thick forest and the utter stillness of the place were simply amazing. I noted a particular spot which was like a clearing between the trees with a grassy carpet — just the place to take a picnic basket and laze the day away — and have stored it away for future reference. The Forest rest house in the middle of the sanctuary is a charming cottage built in British times and if one wants to spend a night there one needs to book in advance.

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Little pathways around and behind the rest-house are made for exploration but the arrival of a horde of cars with people spilling out with their coke cans and packets of chips and loud voices made us shiver and beat a hasty retreat. 

Wish we could have stayed on and done more…

Our time in Dalhousie was nearly over. There was a tiny twinge of regret at leaving behind such beauty, coupled with delightful memories of all that we had seen and enjoyed. I plan to go back and do the Dainkund trek again when the skies are clear and with a better camera. 

There are other walks and treks that we missed out on – the one in Kalatop and the trek down from Lakkar Mandi to Khajjiar. Those are on my “must do” list.

As always, the child had the last word on the dusty drive back to Pathankot. When asked if Dalhousie was still Dull and Lousy the answer was succinct and spot on, “No Ma, it’s bright and shining!” 
 

Dalhousie Fact Sheet: 

Dalhousie is a town with a colonial past and located along the Dhauladhar Range in Himachal Pradesh, 80 kms from Pathankot at an altitude of approximately 7,000 feet.  It’s the perfect place to be as active or as lazy as you want to be. The days move by at a gentle pace, everything seems different and the appetite multiplies enormously. 

Getting there:

By train: Take an overnight train to Pathankot from Delhi (Jammu Mail Rs 836 2 AC). From there drive up in a taxi (Rs.1,150 upwards)

By road: 555 km from Delhi, 190 km from Jammu, 300 km from Chandigarh

Where to stay:

Silverton Estate Guesthouse, above Circuit House, Moti Tibba. Rs 800- 3,000 (EP)

Tel: +91 9418010674

www.heritagehotels.com/silverton (Closed Jan 15-Mar 25). 

When to go:

Summer: May-June is the best time. The weather is cool, but fickle.

Autumn: Mid September-first week November. Crisp cold, clear skies. 

What to Carry:

Woolens and a windbreaker. Sunscreen. A pair of sturdy walking shoes is a must.

Walks of Dalhousie: 

Mini walks: 

- Thandi Sarak which connects Subhash Chowk and GPO Chowk – good only on weekdays and in the evenings or in the mornings since vehicular traffic moves here.

- Garam Sarak which is a walk on the other side of Moti Tibba again connecting Subhash Chowk and GPO Chowk. No traffic here, so walking is a breeze. Check out the St. Francis’ Church at Subhash Chowk or walk down Court Road to DC Khanna and Sons departmental store that’s over a hundred years old. The gracious owners let you mooch around and even click pictures. Park yourself at the next door verandah cafe and watch life go by. 

Longer walks / treks : 

- Inner Bakrota walk from water works around the Bakrota hill down to Chill Out Café and then to the Tibetan Centre. Past Neelam Hospital on the path behind,            (Vickramjit calls it “Sudden Death”) down to the Bakrota Hill and further on to GPO Chowk. Total distance should be approximately 3-4 kms 

- GPO Chowk to and from Jandrighat Palace - 3 kms one way.

- Lakkar Mandi to Khajjiar – about 12 kms of steep downhill trek one way. A local guide would be needed.

- Kalatop Sanctuary from entrance to Forest Rest house - 3 kms one way. You can also explore the forest path ways around the rest-house.

- Dainkund – At 9,000 feet. A two kilometer distance each way, some of it is uphill. Post that it’s a level walk. 

Use sunscreen and carry drinking water to rehydrate on the walks and to prevent muscles from cramping up.

(Ritu Chugh is a Delhi based media and communications professional. She always loved to travel but has lately discovered that writing about her travels is as exciting and enjoyable as the experience itself. She owes a big thank you to her teenage son, Shaashwat, for being a wonderful travel companion and for making her believe that she can climb life’s mountains without losing her breath)

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