I remember finding the weather very cold and it was raining lightly almost all the time. We had many cups of tea and sat next to the fire that the owners had got going. It was followed by soup and dinner and we retired early the first day. They did not had any hot water that night (as there was no power) and it was a task to use the freezing cold water for anything.
Shringi Vatika, Himachal Pradesh
Next day, I got up late, around 10, I guess. Sesha was out before me. When I surfaced it was Grey with a fine drizzle in the air. Sesha told me we were taking a small hike. The youngest son of the owners, Raju, was coming along with us as our guide. After I had gobbled my bread and omelet with tea and we started walking along the stream. That is when I noticed the smashed up car for the first time.
After a very short distance, the way started creeping uphill. And it kept on going uphill till we reached our destination, Sojha. I am usually very comfortable walking even if it is uphill. But on this one I was not. Initially, when we started walking, I opened my jacket and later on realized that in spite of the climb I was shivering. Once I zipped it up again, it was a bit better. We had lunch at Sojha and later we started walking toward Jalori Pass.
The Road to Jalori Pass
There was some snow around even on the last stretch to Sojha and at many places Raju literally took my hand and helped me walk on snow. As we were walking on the road to Jalori, I saw light snowfall and it is the first I have ever seen. Sesha once again acted superior and said this was nothing, they had to abandon a trek in Manali (student days, I was not into trekking then) because of excessive snow that came down at night. After some distance, there was too much snow on the road and we decided to turn back. Finally, the road started going downhill.
When we were quite near the Vatika (and we had walked in all for about 5 hours) , Sesha in a big singsong voice told me “If walking all day in the rain is your idea of holiday, please start taking them alone.” I laughed my head off, he dragged me all the day in rain (it was raining moderately all the day through this walk) without even asking me if this was what I wanted to do. Anyway, we were soon sitting back in front of a fire and I was drying my wet jacket, sipping tea. This was also the day of Kungis soup (Nettle soup) and Sidu (a Himachali Dish).
Snowfall at Shringi, Himachal Pradesh
The next day, thankfully it was raining hard from the word go and Sesha could not drag me anywhere. For the whole day, we were sitting in front of fire and reading and chatting and eating (I wish I would do this more on my vacations). In the afternoon, three other guests came and one of them started chatting with us. In the meanwhile, many of the surrounding regions that were green before were turning white. For a while, wind was blowing, and making the rain and snow run lightly with it. At this point the guest remarked “aap ke liye tou plasma TV laga hua hai samne hi.” (It is like a flat screen plasma TV for you and the images keep changing constantly). I was watching the changing scene with my mouth open and how I agreed with him. That is how the third day passed.
After a nice dinner it was time to turn in and look ahead to get up at 5.30 in the morning to start the journey back to the world of 21 inch TV which I rarely watch.
I am definitely going back there in March to get my cell phone back.
14 thoughts on “Shringi Vatika, Ghiyagi, Himachal Pradesh”
Hi Mridula,I am happy to have written about you as I also read and enjoy your posts. Thanks for the BBC comment, I’ll make the changes. Keep up the interesting travels and congratualtions again!
Thanks a lot for your comment Sanjay. Hope you will go there one day but let me warn you, the accomodation is very basic, something you might not be used to.
I’m jealous reading your Shringi Vatika log. Last year in june i literally flied through Banjar Shoja Jalori route, I was on my way from Sangla to Manali by car. Its one of the most beautiful green and scenic part of himachal i’ve been to. Only snow was missing though. I like the way you enjoy your trips (reading, chatting and trekking), whereas i enjoy journey more than destinations.mk26in
Madhukar, thanks a lot for sharing your experience with us here. I tried to follow through to your blog but it looks like you do not have one as of now.I do enjoy the journey too, particularly the khatara buses but yes, I do enjoy the destinations too 🙂
When I visited Nagarkot in Nepal, along with the family, I and my brother were fortunate enough to have a hotel room with a balcony running along it on all four sides. We spent a lot of time there, just watching the changing scene in the valley below and taking pictures, as cloud formations continued to change shape all the time. It was better than any kind of television!
Hi Mridula,Your account refreshed memories about my visit to Shringi Vatika and Jalori pass in April 2006…. It was a mountain cycling expedition.Take a look at this: http://priyank.com/weblog/travelogs/jalori-pass-and-north-india/#day4and onwards to Jalori passI dont know how you missed hiking to the village above Shringi Vatika. It should be one of the historical landmarks of our country, nowhere else have I seen such amazing architecture. At these great heights, there are structures as unbelievably high as 11 storeys. They stand there magnificently, and you look trivial before them.http://priyank.com/weblog/wp-content/plugins/falbum/falbum-wp.phptags/structures/page/1/photo/255000268I can send more pictures if you like:)
Priyank, thanks a lot for sharing your experiences. I think YHAI is also now conducting a mountain bike expedition in this region and one of their stops is at Shringi Vatika itself. Is it the same? Loved your pictures.I am more tempted to do the Manali-Leh cycling by YHAI if they take me but probably not this year.I did go to the village this time but I unfortunately do not have your good eye and missed the structure. But was it Shringi itself cause we went through the entire village and I don’t remember coming across anything like what is there in your picture.
Hi Mridula,I am happy to have written about you as I also read and enjoy your posts. Thanks for the BBC comment, I’ll make the changes. Keep up the interesting travels and congratualtions again!
Thanks a lot for the comment marina. i have learned so much from the good folks at Gonomad and it has helped me in my blogging.
Loved reading your post, and thank you for incl contact info, in case I ever manage to make it there.
Thanks a lot for your comment Sanjay. Hope you will go there one day but let me warn you, the accomodation is very basic, something you might not be used to.
I’m jealous reading your Shringi Vatika log. Last year in june i literally flied through Banjar Shoja Jalori route, I was on my way from Sangla to Manali by car. Its one of the most beautiful green and scenic part of himachal i’ve been to. Only snow was missing though. I like the way you enjoy your trips (reading, chatting and trekking), whereas i enjoy journey more than destinations.mk26in
Madhukar, thanks a lot for sharing your experience with us here. I tried to follow through to your blog but it looks like you do not have one as of now.I do enjoy the journey too, particularly the khatara buses but yes, I do enjoy the destinations too 🙂
When I visited Nagarkot in Nepal, along with the family, I and my brother were fortunate enough to have a hotel room with a balcony running along it on all four sides. We spent a lot of time there, just watching the changing scene in the valley below and taking pictures, as cloud formations continued to change shape all the time. It was better than any kind of television!
BTW, superb photos!I hope I’ll be able to visit this place some time.
Sidhu, for having visited so many places you seem to blog very little about it. Thanks a lot for the kind words about my pictures.
Hi Mridula,Your account refreshed memories about my visit to Shringi Vatika and Jalori pass in April 2006…. It was a mountain cycling expedition.Take a look at this: http://priyank.com/weblog/travelogs/jalori-pass-and-north-india/#day4and onwards to Jalori passI dont know how you missed hiking to the village above Shringi Vatika. It should be one of the historical landmarks of our country, nowhere else have I seen such amazing architecture. At these great heights, there are structures as unbelievably high as 11 storeys. They stand there magnificently, and you look trivial before them.http://priyank.com/weblog/wp-content/plugins/falbum/falbum-wp.phptags/structures/page/1/photo/255000268I can send more pictures if you like:)
Priyank, thanks a lot for sharing your experiences. I think YHAI is also now conducting a mountain bike expedition in this region and one of their stops is at Shringi Vatika itself. Is it the same? Loved your pictures.I am more tempted to do the Manali-Leh cycling by YHAI if they take me but probably not this year.I did go to the village this time but I unfortunately do not have your good eye and missed the structure. But was it Shringi itself cause we went through the entire village and I don’t remember coming across anything like what is there in your picture.
Mridula, based on your account of Shringi Vatika, we visited the place recently. What a find!You could check out my little travelogue here:http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6153
Hi, I checked your account and the pictures are wonderful. i am glad you liked the place and have put it on the net.
We request you to kindly update the contact details for Shringi Vatika:
Phone nos: 08894834310, 09857293952, 09459106728, 01903-227029
email: [email protected],
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shringi-Vatika-Homestay/1613293392223336
Manohar Lal/Pammy, Shringi Vatika