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Sunday, June 28, 2015

A Break





The long hiatus from writing took its toll as the mind suddenly refused to work. The fodder for writing kept popping in mind but with so many things happening all of a sudden it became even more daunting to choose the pecking order!  A holiday plan to Shimla was looked forward to and in the first week of June yet another vacation for a longer duration was lined up. Of some of the things that come to mind when encapsulating these memorable days, a few deserve mention.

The crowd of Delhi and NCR had not stopped following us or maybe they too viewed it the same way as us. Never ending streams of cars and taxis on the entry to the salubrious surroundings was an eyesore besides delaying reaching the destination. Fortunately, as it was early, the traffic had not built up to a menacing proportion.

The few places in Shimla like the India Coffee House are stuck in the time wrap. One still finds office goers, and old friends chatting endlessly over cups of freshly brewed coffee! The Chinese food at Aunty’s Dhaba in Ram Bazar, the mithaiwalas churning out golden jalebis from early morning hours till late in evening too have with stood the test of time as the crowds never seem to fade away. Then there is a very neat joint that caters to the tangy palate by selling pure ghee sweets, chats and much more for more than a century

The best thing about Shimla is that one can walk out of the hotel in any direction, virtually at any time of the day without worrying about heat! A pleasant walk on the Mall Road, The Ridge , Lakkar Bazar, or even to Jaku top keeps the spirits high!. The climb the Jaku needs more stamina but the rest of the strolls are not tiring! It feels good the see how things have changed with time at this lovely hill station for better. Despite the growing number of tourists, the place has been kept relatively clean and the people seem to pay more heed to posters urging them not to litter and throw used plastic bags!

For some of the most stunning views from Shimla one needs to climb atop Kalibari temple which is just about a kilometer away from the Mall Road. The dance of the clouds, the cool breeze, the tall swaying trees and the majestic snow clad Himalayas are a sight that cleanse the soul and refreshes the mind. A constant chime of bells from the temple helps in bringing one step closer to the creator!

 There are some old heritage buildings that have been locked and are decaying as apparently, their owners are waiting for the prices to escalate before they make a kill and one finds a new hotel in their place in the time to come.


Shimla too has changed with times as one can see even the coolies and vegetable sellers glued to their mobiles as they negotiate with the customers. The Chinese goods like torches, toys, blankets and even caricature of gods  are littered on the pavements of the inner streets once again reminding of the world of their industrial might of the neighboring nation!
Exotic flowers in Mashobra

One pleasant morning we headed to Mashobra that is located about 12 km away and the thick foliage and never ending beauty of small streams and cottages built during colonial days add to the regal splendor! The long walk in search of the apple orchards was paused with chirping of birds, a few passing vehicles in the otherwise wild beauty. The final leg of trek was most rewarding with glimpse of small green apples and amazing sight of wild flowers

A brief stopover a Chandi  Mandir Military cantonment brought back the memories of the quiet life in the military cantonments in yesteryears! Even these places have modernized with more spruced up theatres for entertainment and beauty parlors and eating joints, rubbing shoulders with the outside world, besides the ever inviting sights of lush green golf courses and well maintained tennis courts! The return to Delhi was rewarded with spell of rains, and a wait for the next journey!

21 comments:

  1. That must have been very enjoyable.It reminds me of my own.

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  2. Lucky you. How many breaks do you take Rahul? :)
    I went to Shimla as a teen and can't forget the monkeys at Jaku, Tibetan flea market, Solan, Barog and the toy train.

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    1. Ha ha , Alka that was good one! If I had my way I would always be on the move,:) thanks for reading and do visit Shimla if you can, once again!

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  3. I have not been to Shimla yet, but have travelled to Manali and Kullu a couple of times. I love hill stations anytime.

    Good to read through your experience. I just love they way you kept me engrossed here, very few writings do that for me.

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    1. Thanks a lot Alok for your kind comment! Between you and Saru you can get to read the best of written blogs under the same roof:)

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  4. Have been to Shimla just once but have not explored it fully .... Should do it some time :D

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    1. Shimla is adorable but nothing can beat Singapore, Jaishree:)

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  5. Sounds like a wonderful place!

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  6. Had a good break from the daily grind, I see. I'm happy for you. Thank you for taking us along. It was a pleasant journey despite the crowds and all the modernisation. Long live the India Coffee Houses. :)

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    1. Very true Divya, it was good to rewind!the old world charm of places like Indian Coffee Houses is unique:)

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  7. Sounds lovely. I have never been to Shimla but heard it is terribly commercialized now just like Ooty here. But they do offer a great break from the routine. Good to see you again.

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    1. Shimla is well worth a visit but off season is perhaps a good time! Feels good to catch up on blog front!

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  8. Sounds lovely. I have never been to Shimla but heard it is terribly commercialized now just like Ooty here. But they do offer a great break from the routine. Good to see you again.

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  9. Most popular hill stations have become sorry versions of their former-selves. But
    i guess they'll always be part of our cherished childhood memories.

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    1. Could'nt agree more but they o provide the much needed escape! A lot of memories are sure associated with these trips:)

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  10. I always want to visit this place, and someday I will... Hope you enjoyed the trip. :)

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    1. Thanks a lot, Nupur for reading! You must visit when you get time!The trip was good fun

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  11. Always enjoyed reading your travel blogs. Enjoyed this one too :) Btw, where are the pics? How can you not post pics of all these beautiful descriptions? I have been through Shimla once but not really visited anything. Just stopped on the way to Kulu Manali. Would love to spend some time there. Waiting for your next trip updates :)

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  12. So good to see you back Latha, with those ever adorable comments:) Next time onwards will post more pictures! Take some time off at Shimla if you can and am sure you will love it! Thanks a lot!

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