A travelogue unfolding the beauty of the unexplored landscapes of Tirthan Valley. Himachal's well-kept secret revealed from the corners of a riverside homestay.
Let's go back to the good old school days. Remember the first drawing class? The first thought once instructed to paint would've reminded a gabled-roof house. Sprawling green mountains and a serpentine turquoise blue river was the afterthoughts. The house thus becomes a scenic home!
A home amidst the mountains with a river in the front is a long-cherished memory. How does it feel if this childhood memory becomes alive? Nostalgic, isn't it? I had a similar feeling coming face-to-face with Tirthan Valley at the offbeat Himachal town of Banjar.
Tirthan Valley
Tirthan Valley is a forested valley tucked deep inside the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. It's named after a sacred icy cold glacial water spring called “Tirth” that originates from the 4800 metres tall Hanskund Peak. The water from the mouth of the spring trickles down the V-shaped valley as Tirthan River. The river belt is dotted with alpine, sub-alpine, temperate and subtropical coniferous and deciduous forests. This natural setup brings unprecedented beauty to the entire valley. The scantily spread human habitation along the length of the river attributes to the valley's remoteness.
The striking thing about the valley is the presence of the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP). The park comprises 25 forest types that house numerous flora and over 375 fauna species, several of which are threatened. Tirthan Valley covers a vast area of 754 SQ.KM and is entirely earmarked as Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuary. This happens to be the richest and the largest constituent of the GHNP. It covers ~65% area of the high-altitude mountainous national park.
The valley is a great choice for those longing to be in the closest proximity of nature. The secluded hamlets, towering waterfalls, vast meadows surrounded by cedrus and pine forests offer bountiful options for all types of travellers.
Tirthan Valley Riverside Resort
This particular voyage was a lot adventurous due to trekking and paragliding over the Dhauladhar Himalayan ranges. I kept aside three days to indulge in a relaxation spree in the lap of nature ensuring a full recharge before returning to the urban cacophonies.
This time I wanted to get myself transposed to the childhood days of growing up in the mountains. The prime requirement for this needed that home - one with a sprawling mountain backdrop and a gushing river in the front. The geomorphic features of Tirthan Valley exceeded all the expectations of being the ideal location.
I couldn't believe my luck as I discovered this beautiful wooden house at Banjar. The Internet often gifts you with bundles of joy!
The property was named Riveraansh after the eight-year-old son of the Himachali couple who owns and manages it. Two double-storey wooden cottages offer four tastefully designed spacious rooms. The bathroom was large, the solar heater ensured the availability of hot water 24/7. Day or night, the sound of gushing waters of the Tirthan River will always sound pleasant.
While you're here, relax in the balcony in the company of the lush green surroundings. Listen to the music of the chirping birds, and smell the fragrance of the fresh mountain air. The property though listed as a hotel/resort, however, the calmness and the warmth of the caretakers will make you feel at home!
The property had its own kitchen and was managed by the lady of the house. The food gets prepared fresh on a made to order basis. The kitchen was equipped to serve a four-course meal. Ask for a simple meal to get surprised by the nuances of the local Himachali flavours of the region. For instance, every meal came with a delicious plum and onion chutney - this turned out as an all-rounder side dish, one that complimented the servings right from breakfast to dinner. The owner of the place Hemaraj is a humble man who's always around ensuring you get the best experience during your stay.
Things to do in Tirthan Valley
Tirthan River
Tirthan River is a glorious gift to the valley and offers plenty of options for travelling souls. The easiest and best thing to do is to catch the evening sun from the stony banks of the Tirthan River. Be mindful and take precautions, the river has strong currents and its path is strewn with large boulders (a common geographic phenomenon of mountain rivers).
Another way to enjoy the river view and the cleaner greener surrounding is to have your meals in open. My place of stay had this wonderful lawn covered with the forest green leaves of the trees and plant bodies running throughout the length of the property. The canopies of the leaves opened tiny windows that provided mesmerising views of the mighty river flowing below.
A simple breakfast of hot parathas with plum-onion chutney and fresh homemade yoghurt complemented this beautiful setup. The cinnamon-flavoured tea helped close the scene in grace!
Jalori Pass Trek
I wanted to make the best use of the second day to witness the unprecedented beauty of the valley. A quick chat with Hemraaj post-dinner matched options seen on the internet viz. trekking and hiking near Jalori Pass through the picturesque villages of Jibhi, Shoja, and to Serloskar Lake. These were popular hotspots of the region, thus, I asked for a rare option.
I was told about the ruins of an old fort perched on the top of a towering meadow accessible after a jungle hike of 2 odd kilometres. This is seldom visited by tourists and locals, a revelation after Hemraaj confirmed that he never visited the fort despite having born and brought up in Banjar. He confirmed my booking for a day trip to Jalori Pass after a call with an acquaintance who owned a local car rental business.
Jalori Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass situated at a height of 10, 800 feet on National Highway 305. The pass remains closed for four months starting mid-December due to heavy snowfall. Do not underestimate the pass's short 20 KM distance from Banjar as this stretch got marred by a narrow road that gains steep elevation and is entwined with sharp hairpin bends. The surrounding forests of rhododendron and oakwood transformed the drive into a palette of green.
This hill station in Uttarakhand offers the ubiquitous sight of five Himalayan peaks - a hidden gem in the Kumaon Himalayas.
Raghupur Fort Trek
The trekking trail to Raghupur Fort starts from the right side of the road 260 metres after Jalori Pass. The 2.5 KM trail ascends flat through a dense forest. The trees getting themselves packed in a neat array on the mountain terrain demonstrates a fine example of nature's artistry. The trail becomes a little steep in the last kilometre. This is evident once you reach a point where you see this mini-meadow. Stay here for a while and soak into the loftiness of the lush green valley towards the right.
You need to push yourself against the stone wall to climb up to the bottom of the meadow. The landing will be welcomed by wide trenches of green and a far-off view of the fort's boundary wall and the cloud-kissed blue sky.
Climb a little further to get a glimpse of the expanding meadow to witness the 360° view of the surrounding valleys. On a clear day, the snow-capped mountains of the Dhauladhar Himalayas can be clearly seen. On other days enjoy the sight of far-flunked high-altitude mountain settlement and the encircling green Himalayan hills.
Continue the climb for a rendezvous with the wide meadow that leads to the boundary of the ruined fort perched on the easternmost corner. The tiny pond situated slightly left midway draws attention due to its slate-grey appearance.
The grass on high altitudes is a lot nutritious compared to the one found in the valley below. This explains the reason behind the nearby villagers bringing their herd for feeding at these heights. The large meadow also acts as a joyful playground for the flock. A few can also be seen soaking the fresh Himalayan air like this cute one who posed in shyness.
Stay put up for a while once you turn for the descend and look at the slanting meadow for one last time. The meadow extends steeply downwards making it impossible to see the boundary which you climbed earlier. Don't worry, it's a mirage, the path to the trail starts at the very end of the vanishing point.
The 7 KM walk to Gushaini Village
I prefer earmarking the last day of stay for light-hearted activities. More so for cases when the departure is due during the wee hours on the following morning. My initial thought was to travel 7 KM east to the idyllic village of Gushaini to catch a glimpse of the hamlet. A quick look at the map revealed that the road runs parallel to the river till the start of the village. This was a strong enough impetus to spend the last day in the exclusive company of Tirthan River for one last time. A walk was all needed to slow down the process!
The road began to ascend after a distance of less than half a mile. The elevation and the gleaming sun presented the turquoise green water in its purest form allowing clear visibility of the river bed this far. The sparingly strewn boulders coloured in different shades of white and brown beautified the course with their shining brilliance. A small rectangular trolley hanging in the middle of the valley drew my attention. Walking a little to the edge of the road revealed an iron rope that ran across the valley forming a pulley system. A cleaner greener way of crossing the river!
The road ran flat for a kilometre or so before getting covered by giant mountain rocks on the right. The road took a zigzag course whose far end was completely blocked by the teething rocks. A blind spot for the vehicles, a scenic road for the walker.
The road was back on a straight course. I realised the altitude gained after the sight of this cute little bridge that looked quite low on the left. The tail end of the bridge was vanishing within the large mountain range.
Waking a couple of hundred metres farther bought an unpaved road. I took the sharp descend towards the village of Dehuri, a detour to get closer to the bridge. I was standing at the edge of the Dehuri Bridge after a short walk. The river on either side of the bridge was traversing through a wide course. Its left bank had several campsites and cottages.
The road took a flat course again for the next 800 odd metres. It became almost parallel to the river before the Gram Panchayat limits of Kandidhar. The road took one of its best meanderings. The slanting hill on the other side got decked with inclined pine trees. The scene looked like an early bird prize into the one-third journey to Gushaini Village.
In the mountains, the afternoon sun can be quite harsh. I had the dual feeling of H's - heat and hunger right after entering the village of Shairopa which also happens to house the forest office of the Tirthan Wildlife Range. A right turn after a gentle walk of three minutes brought the sight of a large double-storey stone house. This happens to be a resort named The Forest Edge.
The café and restaurants of this Himalayan town often face the snow-capped mountains - a guide to witness the calm beauty of the Himalayas.
I liked the T-shaped restaurant situated on the west edge of the property. It overlooked the beautiful road outside through its large verandas. The mud walls and the wooden floor helped maintained a cooler temperature inside. I was seated next to one of the mud walls that was completely covered with beautiful photo frames of different sizes in square and rectangular shapes. The dark-brown table with a handful of books in the left corner filled the gap below the frames and completed the wall decor.
The road continued to mesmerise with its remoteness and the pristine river valley. The twists and turns in and around the village of Nagini looked beautiful.
The 4 KM stretch after the forest range office had many homestays and resorts. "Everybody needs a piece of land near the river. The unlucky ones feel no shame erecting makeshift wooden houses right into the river". Hemaraaj's words reminded the sad reality of the erosion. The haphazard construction along the river's course indicated a future disaster in making!
The valley gained its glory a kilometre after Himachal government's Trout Fish Farm. The road took a sharp 90° turn at Naglari Bridge hiding the river in the lap of the giant mountain. The river reappeared at the last milestone to Gushaini!
The Tirthan River took a sharp bend to left at the entrance of Gushaini village. It continues for another 70 KM to its source at Tirth. The four hours journey on foot was fulfilling!
I returned to the homestay before dusk. The sun hiding behind the horizon in the company of chai and pakodas brought the curtains down. A beautiful trip ending on a lovely evening!
How to reach Tirthan Valley from Delhi
Location: Tirthan Valley is a part of the Banjar town in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. Banjar happens to be the major town and main marketplace of the region and has good connectivity to the interiors of the valley. The 23 KM main route to Banjar veers off from the Mandi - Manali highway at Aut.
By Air: The domestic Kullu Manali Airport (IATA: KUU) at Bhuntar in Kullu is situated at a distance of 43 KM from Banjar. Chandigarh has limited but direct flights connecting to Bhuntar. A couple of flights connects Delhi via Chandigarh. Flights on this route are unreliable due to the often changing mountain weather.
By Train: Jogindernagar (IRCTC Station Code: JDNX) railway station on the Pathankot - Jogindernagar narrow gauge line is situated at a distance of 100 KM from Banjar. Chandigarh (IRCTC Station Code: CDG) at a distance of 250 KM is a major railhead with pan India connectivity.
By Road: Banjar is 497 KM away from Delhi via the Panipat - Karnal - Ambala - Chandigarh - Mandi - Aut route. The 512 KM alternate route via Chandigarh - Shimla - Theog - Aani - Jalori Pass is more scenic but closed during winters due to heavy snowfall at Jalori Pass.
By Bus/Public Transport: Manali route has many private and govt. bus services. The safe and reliable option is to book a seat on Delhi - Manali Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Volvo bus till Kullu. Disembark at Aut for a change over to Banjar.
HRTC Kullu depot serves the town of Banjar. Regular services from/to Kullu (54 KM) connects its interiors. Private buses and shared taxis are also available between Aut and Banjar (and beyond).
Traveller Tip: HRTC buses don't allow standing passengers on Aut - Banjar route. Getting down after crossing the Aut Tunnel at the bus stop will allow you to get a seat.
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