Sunday 21 August 2011

Kharapathar and Giri Ganga

I try and visit locations which are normally not frequented too much by the tourists and so I went to Kharapathar and Giri Ganga. Kharapathar is a small village about 85 kms from Shimla in the Pabbar valley and has scenic snow capped views, green dense forests, orchards and wild flowers.

Giri Ganga Resort, Kharapathar

I stayed at the Giri Ganga Resort run by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) - a state government enterprise. The rooms are decent and give good views of the valley and the peaks.

View of the Snow Capped Peaks

Wild Flowers

Next day after a hearty breakfast I decided to take the trail leading to the source of Giri Ganga. The trail is approximately six to seven kms from the hotel one way. I packed a knapsack with water, snacks, chocolates etc  and started at Nine in the morning. The view on the trail is very good and you get a panoramic view of the snow capped peaks. If one wants one can drive right up to the top but if you are interested to do so make sure that you have a 4x4 with a high clearance vehicle.

Deodar Forests

The last one-third of the journey not only have denser forest but also the rocks are huge (some several hundred feet long). The path is along the pines first and later deodars and full of wild flowers.

A Water Snout on the trail

Flowers

Flowers


Flowers

 The Giri Ganga temple complex has five-six small temples of Durga, Shiva etc.


Giri Ganga Temple Complex

Durga Temple at Giri Ganga

The point where the Giri Ganga reemerges (presumably it originates at Kuppar peak and then vanishes and reemerges here. Also known as Giri, it later on merges with the river Yamuna. The actual point is quite hidden and most people presume the larger concrete pond to be the place instead of the actual one (photo given below)

The Source where the Giri Ganga Reemerges (presumably) 
The temple complex does not have even a tea stall leave aside any place to eat so it was just as well that I had carried some stuff with me. During pilgrim season I believe several pilgrims do visit the place so it is important that either a private enterprise or the state government comes up with a place to stay and as well as some eateries.

Sunday 7 August 2011

Dhosi Hills

Dhosi Hills or Dhosi ki Pahadi as they are called locally are situated about eight kilometers from Narnaul, a small town in Haryana on the Delhi - Singhana - Jhunjhunu route. Narnaul would be approximately 150 kms from Delhi. After crossing Narnaul (towards Singhana) one takes a minor road on the left approximately five kilometers after crossing the town and go further 3 kms to the base of the hills.

Interesting Rock Formation to Climb

I decided to climb the hills for the fun of it one winter morning as in summers the rocks would be too hot to touch. I reached the foot of the hills by car at around 7 AM and parked the car and started to climb on the path initially and later on as it became too boring to stick to the path I started randomly to climb and find my own route including some interesting rock climbing as well.

View of the Dhosi Hills as you approach from below

Sunrise as seen after climbing some distance on the Dhosi Hills

As per some sources (I am not vouching for the authenticity of the same) Manu Smriti, Vedas and Upnishads were written in and around this hill. The famous Chavan Rishi Ashram is located here. The ashram gives the looks of a fort.

Chavan Rishi Ashram

The area around the Ashram and the temple is in a depression with the hill walls all around and there is a pond where the water therefore gets accumulated from the whole area.

Remnants of a 500 year old fort built by Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya are still visible at several points.

Fort Walls

The view that I got from the top of the Dhosi hills of the villages down below as well as the nearby areas was worth the climb.

A village seen from atop the Dhosi Hills


Would you like to go there?

Rock Climbing anyone?