My toes were wet and my nose was cold. A giant brown mountain stared down at me. An eagle flew over and disappeared into the clouds. Somewhere beyond the skies, an owl hooted. The river danced on my two feet as the valley resounded with the echo of my dreams.
I wake up, and traffic snarls outside my window jolt me back to reality. This was the fourth consecutive night where I felt a calling to drop the dusty plains and take a trip to the hills.
“Tirthan Valley is lovely,” a friend, solo traveller and fellow city girl suggested. Tirthan, which literally means ‘gift from the gods’, I thought would be dotted with temples, a contrast from the sleepy town of Kasol that was calling out to me for reasons other than religion.
Since this was my first solo trip to Himachal, I chose to go with the recommended option. My first stop was Gushaini village, 1,600 feet above sea level in Kullu district. This sleepy town is famous for housing the most popular homestay in the valley.
My escort there was Lal Singh, a trusted guide who drove his dusty little Maruti 800 through the twirling hill roads as though they were made for him. “Once you’ve come to Tirthan, you have to come back again and again,” he said to me, and it was only at the end of my week-long trip did I realise why.
An unusual crossing
During this two-hour drive from the Aut bridge to the village, you will glance upon the Tirthan river for the first time. Encircling you from all ends once you’ve entered its trail, Tirthan’s glassy waters tear through colossal rocks. She’s fierce and gushes through all ends of the valley, almost whispering stories that she brings down from the glaciers.
“The river never stops,” Lal Singh said as we approached Raju’s Cottage, a 25-year-old homestay that’s become a legend in itself within Gushaini.
“Are you sure this is it?” I nervously asked Lal Singh, when he parked his car on the edge of the narrow road enveloped by hills. A few steps downward towards the ledge of the river, we discovered a wobbly ropeway that ran above the waters. It was my only way to get to the door of the homestay.
My big blue backpack and I sheepishly climbed onto a little square iron box attached to a pulley that was being dragged from the other end by an elderly woman. It’s a quick 30-second ride, but at one point you are suspended in between, with the river under you and the sky above you. That’s the moment you feel this holiday has really begun.
The minute you enter the cottage, three gorgeous mountain dogs receive you at the door, and you almost immediately feel at home. This is a sprawling green property stitched together with cosy, old-world wooden cottages, each sitting in between a gamut of peach and pine trees. Your phone will mostly go off connectivity here, which is for the best.
Laden with colourful daisies, wild shrubs, painted river rocks and bright butterflies, the space looked like the Neverland you always dreamt of as a kid. “I’ve been coming here since I was five, and now I cannot wait to come back every holiday,” said 11-year-old Renee as she gave me a tour of the place.
Hillside haven
The cottages perched on top of the hills give you a majestic view of the valley. If you’re put up in one of the huts higher up, then you literally have to climb down a hill to get your meals, and that’s pretty cool.
The silence here plunges you deeper into the environment and the autumn sun makes everything seem like it has been sprinkled with magic dust. A few days at Raju’s and you feel like a character in a novel set by the English countryside.
Badminton anyone?
My mornings here began with the sound of chirping crickets and gushing waters and my evenings ended with a game of badminton by the fireplace.
You can choose to explore the riverside, before your first cup of coffee and hot Himachali puris for breakfast. For me, it was yoga by the waters.
Hammocks are placed in every other corner of the property, to give you the option of disappearing into the greens with your favourite book. The best part is, you can do absolutely nothing at Raju’s and still feel at ease.
The place is buzzing with patrons, but the architecture of the cottage is such that it never feels crowded. The family that runs the homestay is almost inconspicuous, except during mealtime, as they prefer to let you be.
Out and about
For those looking at a peaceful rested weekend, leaving the cottage isn’t a thought. But since I had travelled all the way from Mumbai, I had to make the most of it. There is a lot to do in and around the valley, from hiring mountain bikes to fishing for trout, to shopping at the nearby market for authentic Himachali woollen clothes, to just trekking up the hills.
That’s what I did. One was a three-kilometre trek to the Mandi temple, among many popular temples around the village, and the other was the Chhoie Waterfall about six kilometres from Gushaini. The walk up to Chhoie is short and steep, and tested my shaky city feet, but once I got there, it felt like my very own little achievement. The boys at Raju will be happy to guide you along your trails at Tirthan. Once you head back, you’re treated to fresh plum juice and a side plate of freshly-caught trout, which is a speciality in the valley.
I spent seven days at Raju’s Cottage in Tirthan and it’s a safe haven within the hills. Be it the food or the friends you make here, the afternoon games of chess or evening glasses of wine, the stillness of the mountains or the songs of the river, you will carry a piece of Tirthan back home like I did.
How to get there: The nearest airport is Kullu (Bhuntar), 60 kilometres away. Flights are available from New Delhi. The nearest railway station is Chandigarh, 310 kilometres away, and Joginder Nagar 180 kilometres away. You could also take the overnight bus (Himalayan Nomad recommended) from New Delhi to Aut bridge and then drive from the bridge to Tirthan.
Things to do: You can indulge in an intensive seven-17-day trek to the Great Himalayan National Park, which is the most popular tourist destination at Tirthan Valley. The place is famous for camping within the woods. A drive to Jalori Pass at an altitude of 3,210 metres is highly recommended too, but only before December when it begins to snow.
Tip: Raju’s Cottage is booked for almost all year, so make your reservations a few months in advance.
