My first visit to Chail was way back in 2000 with Seshadri. While coming back from Fagu, we took a small detour again to Chail. This time it was with Chhavi and 15 years have passed in between! However, Chail retains its sleepy town ambience.
I was able to see only two places, the Chail Palace and Kali ka Tibba. I had not seen both the attractions on my last trip! That trip in 2000 was more about walking around the place over a few days.
The Chail Palace was built as a summer retreat by Maharaja of Patiala. It is now run as hotel by HPTDC. One can visit it even if one is not staying there by paying an entree fee of RS. 100. Children get to enter free. It has huge grounds and lovely spaces. I would actually like to go back and stay there sometime.
Chail Palace was also the place where I dropped my wallet to the last card, only to find it back! I still shudder to think what would have happened if I didn’t find it back!
Kali ka Tibba is a temple devoted to Goddess Kali which is over the top of a hill at Chail. The views from the temple are quite beautiful.
The day we visited the temple it was not crowded. Also the persists at the temple were not pushy at all. They would let you be and give any offering only if you wish to. I like such places.
After spending sometime at the temple, we headed back to Kalka to catch our train. We decided to have lunch at Dharampur. But fate had other plans. As it was Shivratri, the temple near Dharampur was organising a mela (festival). There were so many pedestrians on the road that it caused a massive traffic jam on the narrow road! It took us 45 minutes to cross 3 kilometers. We were quite late already so we had to skip the lunch in the end, as it was preferable to taking the risk of missing the train! We did reach in time to catch the train and grab a quick bite at Kalka.
I am quite pleasantly surprised that Chail is still a sleepy town even after 15 years! I really wish to go back and take a vacation there.
‘Kali ka Tibba’ looks breathtakingly beautiful!
Thank you so much Maniparna.
Knowing that one can still get a visit on the lovely place even if one is not staying is a lovely news. I guess the serenity you’d feel will be worthwhile if you do stay.. from looking at your photos.
Thank you so much Rachel.
last pic awesome !
Thank you so much Mahesh.
Hi again…Visiting Chail was on my list during my last visit to HP. However we detoured and went to Chamba. HP has raw beauty with nature in full burst. Love your post pics. Keep writing!
Chamba is equally beautiful Shilpi 😀
Nice post, Mridula. Hope tourism never invades it.
Let us hope so Niranjan.
I first went to Chail in college, then have been there every few years, and thank god one of the few hill stations that retains the old world hill station charm…
Wow! You really must know the place well!
Good to see nice little hamlet like Chail which tourism has not yet invaded.
Yes Amitabha 😀 I too was pleasantly surprised.
OH, what lovely shots.
Thank you so much Lady Fi.
Great post, Mridula!
the memories of my visit in 1999 have come alive:)
Amit I too went there first in 2000. 😀
The palace looks small in the picture… May be it is stretched long in the backside?
View from the Kali ka Tibba is superb! Amazed to see the solar panels!
Yes this is the side view of the main building but there are many cottages throughout the compound Sindhu.
yessssssssss .. I love this place spent a lot of summer days in this beautiful place .. just an hour and half away from my place.. My grand dad use to have a house in chail , which we recently sold 🙂
it also has a cricket ground and if i am not wrong it is the highest altitude …
Bikram’s
Yes there is a cricket ground at Chail too, though not sure if it is the highest altitude or not 😀 Lucky you to live so close to the hills.
I have visit this palce few years ago, its really very memorable moment for me. i am really happy and thankful to you for memorizing this. i travel from trevelauto.com.
will have to plan my next trip to this place,, really amazing.. i have been to himachal 2 times that was to Manali and Mcleodganj,, will go for this beautiful spot now.
http://gouravdoomra.blogspot.in/
Living in a country that has to be explored every valley and plain, I don’t see why people prefer touring other continents. The sheer pleasure and breathtaking beauty our nation has in store has to be explored inside out! Travel Tales from India is doing an amazing job in contrasting some inspirational travel sequences to draw people towards it.
But I do count the countries that I have visited Raghav 😀
My experience to chail was little different. It was totally an unplanned travel with lots of memories. Though I could not get to stay but I can never forget my this journey:
http://trekkerpedia.com/2014/03/an-unusual-journey-to-chail-a-unique-story-himachal-tour-special/