I have been to Kasauli millions of times. However, I never get bored of it. You would ask me why?. It is a small place, very accessible to tourists and hence commercialized. There is also nothing much to do apart from moving around the city and the “mall road”. Well, this is the definition of the place with the eyes of a “tourist”. The “traveler” will see it new every time. The reason I say this, is it looks different in different seasons. With the old architectures, stone buildings with chimneys and narrow roads, it rakes you back to the British era and you start imagining the sound of hoofs, soldiers marching and dainty ladies with hats. Bottom line, you have to have the eyes to see it. This time, I went in the monsoon season for the first time and what I saw, left me awestruck. You need to have eyes to see it. Did I say that?.. because I realized, I was too busy clicking that did not really give a treat to my eyes. nevertheless, I was able to get some beautiful pictures for you.
The first thing I saw when i entered the gate of HPTDC Ross Common. The color was all around and you tend to get lost in it. The receptionist has to remind me to check-in.
This is the view of the heritage hotel i stayed in. It is a HPTDC property named Ross common. The stone walls, the chimney and the classy french windows makes this place an awesome stay.
And then I turn back….. This is the view from the lawn.. mesmerizing I requested them to serve lunch in this lawn as I just could not get enough of the view..
The corridor which was my companion when it rained. The sound on rain on the shade above especially at night was spooky and romantic at the same time.
Now enough of the hotel. I think I went overboard! You must stay there to experience it.
Since I reached in the evening on Saturday, I could not see some prominent places. However, the walk to the higher town made me feel like I am in a fairy land. Clouds accompanied me as I walked. Wild flowers sang in the rain as though they have been waiting for it since eternity. I chose to walk away from the Mall road as that is where most of the crowd is. However, if you are interested in shopping or eating, you should walk towards the mall road.
This is where my walk brought me. To a beautiful cottage called as “The barns”. The road was mist covered and it looked like the houses out of fairy tales. Unfortunately could not click a lot of pictures as it was raining.
The road…..I kept on moving in and out of the clouds..
I called it a night post having delicious food from the hotel. Sitting in the lawn and watching the lights of the Panchkula valley is a great recreation.
The next morning started early for me. I decided to go to the “Manki point”. Some people call it ‘Monkey point’ (no idea why?.. maybe because there are a lot of monkeys? 🙂
Man-ki point is the highest point of Kasauli, has a temple dedicated to Lord hanuman and also has a helipad. Standing on the helipad gives you a ‘Top of the world feeling’. It is said that when Lord Hanuman was returning from the Himalayas with Sanjeevni, he stepped here. The temple provides an amazing sense of peace and tranquility. Since it is under Air force boundaries now, please be prepared for multiple security checks. Also, an important point to note is that you cannot carry any electronics inside, including your mobile phones.
After coming back from there, I decided to have bread pakodas and tea. Tea from the local shops and momos and chowmein from authentic Tibetan shops can make your day if you are a foodie.
The Mall road early in the morning.
After the refreshing tea, a visit to the majestic church in the middle of the city was a must. The church is right on the mall road and has some amazing stained glass windows to witness. You also must see the sun dial (I could not figure it out because it was rainy :(.
The church and the Sun dial. Do not miss out the stained glass windows.
Now came the interesting part, trekking to the “Gilbert trail”. It is one of my favorite points where I can go, sit, and listen to myself far away from the hustle bustle of the city. I would let the photographs speak for themselves.
The night ended with watching the natural light show from the lawn.
I have visited Kasauli in almost all the seasons and I would recommend you to visit in the monsoons as it is the most beautiful then with mist covered roads and flowers in full bloom!.
Information
How to reach
You can reach Kasauli by Train(Kalka being the closest railway station, 40 kms away).
You can also reach by bus from Delhi & Chandigarh.
Where to stay There are many hotels and resorts in Kasauli which you can choose based on your pocket, location and luxury preferences. I stayed in the HPTDC hotel ROSS COMMON and I would highly recommend it to you.
What to eat
You must try out the local foods, hot momos and bread pakodas from the small local shops. All the hotels here serve good food.
Hope to meet you there soon!. Keep smiling and happy travelling!.
Image gallery
Hope you like this blog and enjoy the experience! If you happen to travel there, do let me know how was your experience.
Urmimala Datta
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