A Trip to Shimla and the “Quieter Shimla”

Long weekends often urge you to take an outstation trip and by obvious choice you prefer hill stations.

Last weekend, we decided to visit Shimla. Though we knew it would be crowded there, we still wanted to go as we had never been to Himachal. Shimla being the most popular hill spot, it was the first to come to our minds.

Everything was planned at the last moment. An innova was hired. We started at 5 in the morning from Gurgaon. We were six including me, my husband, my sister, my brother-in-law, their three year old kid, and my other sister. We reached Shimla around 3.15 pm, with just two stoppages in between not taking more than half an hour. So, it actually took around 10 hours. It is Needless to say that we all were tired and immediately needed a comfortable place to stretch out. I forgot to mention that we were super excited and invigorating during our journey but our excitement took a pause when we landed to our destination and got to know that almost all the hotels were booked. As we had no prior booking, we had to go from one hotel to another to look for rooms. It was very hot there in the afternoon and seemed too crowded. After a strong-willed try, finally we got a place. 

 My picture of Shimla was totally different from this real one. In the evening, we roamed around the mall road. The entire road was flooded with tourists and locals too. The end point of this road was “the Ridge”. I think it was the most happening place of the town. By that time, weather had become awesome, pink chilled. Visitors were relaxing, posing for pictures and some were relishing street delicacies. There was a church too round the corner. Overall ambience was lovely and enjoyable. We had a great fun.

The next day in the morning, we went to “Jakhu temple”. Many people trek to the temple but we took a local cab. The way to the temple was full of scenic views. What captivated me the most were the Rhododendron flowers. The sight of those deep red colored flowers throughout the uphill way to jakhu temple has casted a permanent impression on me. Just beautiful!  In the temple compound, there was a huge statue of Lord Hanumanji, in fact the tallest in Asia.  You would be welcome by a lot of monkeys outside the actual temple who are ready to grab anything you carry, especially your sunglasses. Watching them was also a great fun. You can have a complete Shimla view from this temple.

Rhododendron Flowers

 After the temple, we went to another popular attraction “Kufri”. The main point could be reached by horse riding only. Horse riding was fun but I think kufri is more enjoyable in winters when this is covered with snow.

Although we were enjoying our time, somewhere we yearned for a quieter and peaceful place. Sensing our desire, my brother-in-law suggested a place 13 km away from Shimla. It was “Mashobra”. He had heard about it from one of his colleagues. We all agreed at once on his suggestion and after having our lunch, we headed towards Mashobra. We left around 1.30. We had to go to a secluded eco resort, Himgiri, 3 km into the woods from the Mashobra town. It took around 40-45 minutes to reach there. Before talking about the place, I must narrate my experience of that 15 km drive to the resort. Tucked amidst beautiful landscapes, the road was very quiet. There were hardly one or two vehicles. Driving through the silent lush hills gave a kind of thrill. I got lost mentally in the beauty of those tall trees that illusioned to be moving with us. It was an ultimate experience.  

Way to Mashobra

 We had already talked to the concerned person of resort regarding room availability and informed him of our arrival. The location was just perfect. Nestled in the woods, it was surrounded by the apple orchards, seemed a heavenly abode. The hotel staff was very friendly. They greeted us very well. One of the staffs escorted us to our respective rooms. Rooms were spacious, clean and comfortable. There were no fans. As soon as I opened the attached balcony door, I was taken aback by the mesmerizing view. This was it my heart was longing for. Words won’t be enough to describe that beauty, so I just post a few pics for all my explanation and your own imagination…

Balcony View

In the evening, we went for a walk through the surrounding apple orchard. Walking on a narrow “pagdandi” laden with delicate apple trees on both sides filled my lungs with a new freshness. On one side, there were also cherry and pear trees. I was blissfully happy for being so close to nature.  

Apple Orchard

 After returning from the walk, I again sat in the balcony gazing at deodar and pine trees fenced by unlimited Himalayas. I must say that the place was endowed with exquisite beauty.

Sweet chirping of birds made it easy to get up early the next day to watch the sunrise. I hadn’t seen sun rising so beautifully ever. I remember drawing orange sun with black rays on upper part, making a semi-circle in my childhood but never really knew the reason of those black rays. I got this answer on that morning when I saw those hazy black rays emerging from behind the mountains before the actual sun came. That was a lifetime experience I will cherish forever. I couldn’t help myself falling for that enticing view. 

Sunrise

Around 10 am, we left Mashobra. What made this trip so special was the presence of mystic beauty with purity all around us. I was carrying back with myself a big bundle of joy folded with unforgetful memories. If you are seeking solace in the serenity of Mother Nature, this is the place for you.