Kasol is about natural beauty and awesome food that people generally do not mention as they have associated Kasol with other ‘things’ more than its natural beauty.
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May 26, 2017 03:36 PM IST | Source: Moneycontrol.com
Kasol: A trek to Kheerganga, let Parvati be your guide
Kasol is about natural beauty and awesome food that people generally do not mention as they have associated Kasol with other ‘things’ more than its natural beauty.
By Nidhi Joshi
Flow and flow like a river – wish I could live by this phrase all through my life ignoring the trivial matters and just flowing freely without worrying about what’s next. When I visited Kasol with my husband last year it was not just another trip for two reasons, mainly – first we were travelling without our kids and second, Kasol is about natural beauty and awesome food that people generally do not mention as they have associated Kasol with other ‘things’ more than its natural beauty which was the major pull for me.
I am not much of trekker but when we planned this trip I took it as a challenge and wanted to discover the never touched part of me. The road to Kasol from Delhi is beautiful (I mean the part when you are in the mountains) and the Volvos are very comfortable, once you reach Kasol you will be surprised that it is a small place but has so much character.
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As soon as we stepped out of the Volvo we couldn’t resist a look at the Parvati River which flows carelessly like a young girl who has just known the wild. This river emphasizes the beauty of this place manifold, you could spend hours just sitting on the rocks by the river with the coniferous trees reaching the sky you are bound to wonder if the height of the mountains or the trees is competing with each other. We also crossed the bridge on Parvati river which sort of swings as you walk across and you’ll also notice hot springs just on the banks of the river.
The next day we left for our trek to Kheerganga and midway stopped at Manikaran Gurudwara which is a famous Sikh religious site. You can find numerous hot springs here too. After a tea break here, we boarded a bus to Kalga village which was our pit stop for the night. The bus full of locals going by their business, was packed to the brim but we travelers did not mind in fact it was a great way to talk to the locals and understand their way of life. As we reach Kalga, we noticed that we had to climb a steep hill and reach our cottages at the Kalga village for the night. The trek which was only a trailer for what we had to go through to reach Kheer ganga was scary for me, at least. It was steep with very gravelly ground which made is extremely difficult for me to climb but I managed with the help of my husband.
As we made way to the top we were greeted by the wonderful view of the mountains and little orchards at the foot of the mountains in between which our cottages were built. These are actually the houses of the villagers that are built two or three stories high, made of wood these houses will make the scenery look even more beautiful as you open the window of your room and look out and find a snow covered mountain at a distance, much like a view from a Yash Raj movie. Even the most unromantic soul will find his heart skip a beat or two every time you look at the surroundings and feel the cool breeze on your face. Such crystal clear and fresh water, crisp air and a view to die for your lungs, for once would know what fresh and unpolluted actually means.
Next morning we started our trek of around 12 kms to Kheer ganga at an altitude of 13,000 ft which is a mid-level trek and by no means was easy for me but the views and sweet and fresh water springs interspersed all over the trek made up for the difficulty. As you reach the top and soak in the 360degree view you realize that you are on top of a mountain which is more often than not covered with snow. We were there in March and there was enough snow to play and run around. What is a must do here is a good soak in the hot water spring which will take away your pain and leave you fresh and rejuvenated.