The flight of imagination - Kalpa. After having our breakfast at HPTDC hotel at Narkanda, we walked of about 100 meters away to the bus stand. The journey to Kalpa is via Rampur, Recong Peo and then Kalpa. It reached about 6.30 p.m. The route along the Sutlez river was precariously beautiful. There were a number of Hydro-Electric power stations being built thus making the road more rough. There were a number of water streams we saw coming down from the upper reaches. The bus stopped for lunch at Jeori. Jeori is the place from where the road to Sarahan about 17 kms. at a height of 2100 meters. The only problem we faced was that we could not get a decent hotel for lunch neither at Rampur where it stopped for quite a while nor at Jeori. We managed with fruits and sweets. Another thing which we felt absence of was cleanliness. Perhaps cleanliness is not in our blood. Unfortunately, we do not give it a priority and we are very casual about cleanliness. I think our nation will really progress only when this cleanliness will be a part of our nature. It is not due to lack of resources but it is a poor mentality we are satisfied with. This must change.
The bus dropped us at Kalpa bus stand at 6.30 p.m.. We really did not know where the HPTDC Hotel was. The conductor pointed his finger up in the hill which will be, I presume, about 200 meters above the road. We were already tired by the whole day’s journey and now we had to carry our rucksack up there.
However we trekked upward and finally reached our Hotel. It was so tiring. After reaching our destination when we looked at the mountain range of Kinnaur-Kailash, all our exhaustion evaporated and instead a feeling of exhilaration ran through our body. It was such an excellent view and the cool breeze took away all our feeling of dissatisfaction. We sat unmoved looking at the gigantic mountain range. The hotel ‘Kinnaur-Kailash’ where we had our booking is also an excellent structure built keeping in view the tribal architecture of the place. As soon as we were allotted a room with three beds having a row of windows through which we could see the mountains, we felt as if we were transported to a heavenly abode. Although it was getting dark slowly, still we could clearly see the natures’ splendor around. The moment I opened the windows, the cool breeze flooded the room with chill air. I felt our coming all the way from Delhi to this remote corner of Himachal has not been in vain. With a cup of tea from the hotel and some biscuits which we carried with us, the evening was perfect. After some time, the sky became cloudy and it covered the mountains for a while. When the clouds moved away, the moon became visible bringing with it a mystical touch of night. The stars glowed from the far away horizon making our place like an island away from human habitation.
Our hotel ‘Kinnaur Kailash’ is beyond comparison. The location, the architecture, the rooms with wonderful view, the Restaurant is more than a five star hotel because the view you get from the restaurant, and the rooms, I think a very few places in the world can offer that. We could not stay out for more than half an hour as the cold breeze slowly turned into strong wind while the moon continued gliding through the clouds. After having our dinner we had to go back to our room to protect ourselves from the strong chill wind. In the room we switched off the lights as the moonlight flooded the room with its romantic silvery light. We could still see the Kinnaur-Kailash range through the glass window as if you were watching it in a dream state.
Next day (June 26, 2007) we planned to take a walk up to the suicide point, deepest and steepest incline in the world from where one can see down below the Sutlez river flowing like a fine thread. After finishing our breakfast we headed towards that point. On the way we came across a big Dewdar tree. Its trunk is so big that even 6 people would find it difficult to hold it with stretched hands. I surmised its age would be around 1000 years. Next to this tree we saw another small hotel - by name ‘Golden Apple’. This hotel attracted me with its cozy corner and it had a telescope so it was written. So we went in to sit there for a while. The green lawn with a few chairs was enough for us to enjoy the cool breeze and the ‘Kinnaur Kailash’ range in front.
After about half an hour we continued with our walk up to the suicide point. Yes, the deep gorge below is mind boggling. We could see the road below along with the Sutlez river. One interesting phenomena which we watched was that a strong wind possibly more than 100 kms. per hour was rushing from below to the mountains above with deafening sound. Strangely enough it was covering only 2 meters stretch and beyond that point there was no ferocity of wind. My daughter said it could be trade winds - travelling from high pressure area to low pressure area. We also met there some road maintenance worker, mostly aged ladies. They said that the wind has been blowing all the time. We found them to be happy and satisfied in life. Krishna clicked her camera to freeze their picture with myself and Shivani. We promised to send them the copy of the picture. We have yet to do that. On the way back & forth we could see the Apple Orchards. All the apple trees are laden with small apples and we were told that these apples would ripe around August and are exported. In Delhi too we see these apples but are very costly for our budget.
After lunch, we retired to our room and to have some rest. Only one irritating factor that bothered us was ‘flies’. They are not one or two, they are in hundreds. They get into your room, in the dinning hall. They are everywhere. In fact we have invaded their land and we are intruders but now they have become unwanted, the original inhabitants of the land! Around 4.30 p.m. we asked for tea. We also observed that a new family occupied one of the cottages on the ground floor and we were on the first floor. The newcomer was looking for a band aid. I told my daughter to give him one from our stock. How thus our conversation started. .
Kalpa is a place where you could view the Kinnaur-Kailash range from any point. That evening the mountain range took a golden hue. It was marvelous. Slowly the twilight turned into darkness and the moon already present in the sky became brighter. The landscape of Kalpa is dominated by the Kinnaur-Kailash range. This domination is so overwhelming that nothing else really matters as if only Kinnaur-Kailash exists. Breathing deep into fragrant air and delighting the eyes with beauty of that area, we slowly turned back our steps towards our hotel in that moonlit night.
The bus station of Recong Peo is a picturesque one, very quiet, clean and you have the impressive view of the Kinnaur-Kailash range.
From Recong Peo we left for Sarahan.