Namaste ji,
Hello to all you beautiful souls! I know I promised the last time I shared a blog that I would be consistent and post regularly. I’m sorry for not following through. I got a bit caught up, and a lot has changed since I wrote my last blog.
I’ve now started working for a US-based firm as an HR professional. The two best things about my job are: first, it’s a remote setup, and second, it’s a five-day workweek. This arrangement gives me ample time for myself. This time, I won’t promise that I’ll post regularly because now I know that I will—come hell or high water. LOL.
Apologies for digressing. Let’s talk about the recent hike I went on to Jhumba Ki Dhar, located in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. The best part is that it’s not touristy at all; it’s remote, and because of that, didn’t come across a single plastic packet on the way to the top. Jhumba Ki Dhar is the abode of the deity “Jogni.” The distance from the road to the top is around 4 km. The hike is easy, with very little chance of getting lost in the jungle. The only challenging aspect is the numerous man-made stairs on the way up, which can take a toll on your calf muscles.
I was accompanied by my cousin, and it was a super spontaneous plan. We started at 4:45 PM and reached the place where the hike starts around 5:30 PM. We immediately began our ascent, aiming to catch the sunset. After hiking for an hour, we finally reached the top. We could have made it in less than an hour, but we stopped a couple of times to click pictures. As I mentioned earlier, it’s not a touristy spot, so there was no trash and no people on the way up. It was truly beautiful and uncrowded. At the top, it was peaceful and breezy.
On our way, we even came across pink rhododendrons, known locally as “buransh.” The Pink Rhododendron is the state flower of Himachal . The flower is native to the Himalayans and usually grows at altitudes between 2300 and 5000 meters and the flower is renowned for its medicinal and Ayurvedic benefits. In summer, locals use the flowers to prepare “chutneys” believed to protect against heat strokes.
Once we reached the top, we encountered a human—the “Pujari Ji” of the temple. He’s 90 years old and lives there all by himself. The villagers refill his supplies monthly, and that’s how he survives.
When we started our hike, it was quite hot—32°C—but by the time we reached the top, we began feeling cold. Considering the altitude and the wind, the temperature dropped to 10°C. Around 7 PM, the priest started the vespers ‘arti,’ which filled the entire atmosphere with positivity. The setting sun made the experience even better. After the vespers, Pujari Ji closed the main temple. However, my cousin and I sat there, marveling at the sunset. It was the first time in my life that I saw the sun setting into the horizon in the hills. Usually, the sun hides behind a taller mountain, but that wasn’t the case that day because no mountain is taller than Jhumba Ki Dhar(in the vicinity).
We started our descent around 7:30 PM after resting for a bit. We captured the “highest” and “prettiest” sunset I’ve ever seen. By this time, it had started getting dark in the forest, as it’s very dense. After 25–30 minutes, we reached the spot where we had parked the scooty. By then, our stomachs were growling because we hadn’t taken anything along—no food, no water.
On our way back, we were extremely hungry and tired, looking for something to eat. Being a rural area, there weren’t many shops open, and those that were had already closed. However, after half an hour, we randomly came across a small shop that served momos and noodles. I can’t explain the happiness I felt upon seeing that shop. The owner was about to close; the lights were off, and he was ready to shut the shutter. However, upon our request, he very warmly opened and welcomed us. We had two half plates of momos and two half plates of noodles. We absolutely loved everything, and the fact that it cost us only 200 INR was a bonus. LOL.
Around 8:30 PM, we resumed our journey and reached home by 9:15 PM. I’ve now decided that I will visit that place more often because it’s truly a beautiful and serene spot, and the best part is that it’s not far from my place.
Overall, it was a great hike—much needed for my soul.
All these pictures were clicked by me using my iPhone 13.