The uphill journey from Chandigarh to Himachal Pradesh is so familiar that I can close my eyes and remember it as if I were there. I can almost feel the movement of the curves in the road, take in the smell of the pine trees, breathe in the fresh mountain air (very often infused with diesel fumes, but that’s part of my cache too!) and hear the distinctive cawing of crows from the hills. It’s been over a year since I last drove these roads, but it’s still as fresh as yesterday.
The journey from Chandigarh to Kalka is on the plains and it is the most boring part of the journey; there is too much traffic in this part. Back when we used to drive uphill to get back to boarding school, it was a time of adjustment and determination that the holidays were (unfortunately!) over, but also with the anticipation of meeting friends again (and sharing a tuck!). The view of Kasauli from this road used to be excellent and as one got closer the hills seemed to recede further. Now, there are so many stone crushers here that the view is hidden in clouds of dust.
Entering Himachal
Just past Kalka is Parwanoo, where one enters Himachal on an absurdly steep bridge, made by an engineer who probably assumed traffic would be moving at Formula 1 speeds and tilted it that way. There is actually a toll gate there and traffic is struggling to get up this steep and crooked bridge! Upon entering my favorite state of India, my no littering rule comes into effect.
The 7 years that I was in the boarding school, as part of our weekly activities we cleared the slopes of dry pine needles to avoid forest fires. All it takes is a carelessly thrown cigarette butt to engulf an entire mountain in flames that can travel at alarming speeds. At school, as part of SUPW (Socially Useful Productive Work), we picked up rubbish on campus and surrounding areas, planted trees to stop soil erosion, taught local village women hygienic ways of cooking and keeping home, and her children the English alphabet. and visited the local sanitarium to cheer up the residents.
Dhaba and picnics
The road becomes interesting beyond Parwanoo. The hills will be full of flowering bushes and trees no matter what time of year, the road will curve back and forth non-stop, and there will be dhaba’s and juice bars on almost every branch. Every time I drive I am reminded of all the different places we have stopped for picnics over the years. Our family has been pretty crazy about picnics. I still think the most enjoyable way to spend a hot summer day is to drive up the hill with some food for a picnic and then explore the area to find a perfect spot. The perfect picnic spot should have shade, a flat area to spread out a dhurrie, be away from road noise and pollution, and have a sparkling stream or waterfall nearby to cool drinks would go a long way. I think it must be genetic, as our family is pre-programmed to constantly be on the lookout for good picnic spots, even when they’re not going on a picnic but just driving.
Further down the road is the city of Dharampur, which is divided into two parts. At Dharampur I, one road branches off to Kasauli and another to my old school Lawrence School, Sanawar. Both paths meet below the school in Garkhal. At Dharampur II, a road climbs steeply towards Dagshai. Dharampur I is famous for Giani da dhaba which has become a legend all the way to Delhi serving good fast food. Masses of boarding school students stop by with their visiting parents on weekends. My favorite dish there is the lemon chicken, which is absolutely delicious and makes a great picnic meal.
The direct route to Kasauli is a pleasant and pleasant journey. I remember that on the way there was a quaint mushroom farm called Snow White, where we used to stop quite often for picnics. It has now become a charmless mini-resort, but I prefer the open terrain to the concrete build in a cubicle.
the final climb
On the climb from Garkhal to Kasauli, the beautiful old bungalows built in the style of the British Raj, most of them built by the British themselves before Indian independence, become grand. All houses within the Army cantonment boundaries cannot be changed structurally, so the charm has been maintained, along with the original structures. The names of the cabins and bungalows are curiously old-fashioned.
Deforestation and soil erosion are the two most important problems affecting the lower Himalayas today. Wood remains the main source of fuel for cooking and felling of trees is common despite the fact that it is a punishable offense under the Indian Penal Code. The vegetation in most of the hill stations in India has survived only thanks to the presence of the Army or the Air Force. In fact, most of the remaining forested areas in the foothills of the Himalayas are now Army cantonments. An exception is my old school, Lawrence School Sanawar, where afforestation efforts of the last 30 years by students have led to greatly improved greening of hills and reduction of landslides during the rainy season. rains. Some of the Himachal towns with army cantonments that still remain heavily forested are: Kasauli, Dagshai, Sabathu, Dharamsala, Solan, Simla and Dalhousie.
Kasauli, queen of the hills
Kasauli has two main streets, the Upper Mall and the Lower Mall. Both have bungalows and cottages along them with the lower mall getting the morning sun (the lights of Simla are visible on clear nights) and the mall It overlooks Chandigarh and Simla and gets beautiful morning and afternoon sun. Like all cantonment towns, it has an old bazaar where originally only Indian merchants and merchants lived. There is a tourist hotel in Himachal Pradesh (Ros Common) and some private ones (Alasia Hotel) but the best place to stay is The Kasauli Club. It’s a members-only club, but visitors can get a temporary membership for a few days and use the club’s facilities.
What you can do in Kasauli is go for a walk, absorb the atmosphere of the British-built bungalows, enjoy the incredible views and the even more amazing stories of its residents, past and present. The local photo studio is an interesting shop to visit as they have a photo documentary on the history of Kasauli and Sanawar.
There are 2 social seasons in Kasauli. The first season is in the last week of June called Kasauli Week, where there are many parties and social events organized by the Army and the Kasauli Club. There is a contest for the Kasauli King and Queen and a dance party is held at the Kasauli Club as the grand finale. The second season is during the Sanawar Founders celebrations held in the first week of October when the fathers and old Sanawarians take control of the town.
I personally avoid visiting Kasauli during social seasons, especially June. I find it too crowded, too dirty, too full of boisterous boys who can’t drive in the hills and can’t understand the peaceful silences among the pines. For me, it is the tranquility, the views along with many childhood memories that keep me captivated by this wonderful little town.
Some word explanations:
Spur = outer curve of a hill
Dhaba = roadside restaurant
Hill Station = denotes a city with a military presence
Mall = an old British term, usually implying a wide path primarily for pedestrians
British Raj = A general term covering British colonial rule of India
Dhurrie = A flat woven cotton rug
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