Mr. Ruskin Bond, the master story teller, affirms, “Once you have lived with mountains, there is no escape. You belong to them.” And my affair with the Himalayas makes me agree with every single word of his. The Himalayas, the ivory crown of India, owns so many mesmerizing hamlets that are untouched and hence, unexplored by the travelers. One such treasure is Tirthan Valley.
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| You beauty, Tirthan! |
Brimming with lush green forests and cuddled in the lap of the majestic mountains in Himachal Pradesh, Tirthan Valley is an off-beat place situated in Kullu district. It has an altitude of approximately 1600 mts. One can board a bus or travel by a car. Since the place is little known, boarding a bus is better. The bus drops you at Aut which is around 20 km away from Tirthan Valley.
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| A beautiful lake we came across at Aut. |
From Aut, a local taxi or bus will take you to the Valley. As you enter the valley, you will witness the musical Tirthan river shimmering like a diamond and gushing alongside your car or the bus. Soon, you will forget about the world you’ve left behind, a world that usually makes sense and enter a portal that will replenish your freedom.
Nothing can disturb you in that lowly populated village where everybody knows everybody and visitors are welcomed with open heart. The weather here at Tirthan is whimsical too. At one moment you are smeared by the sun light but in a jiffy, you might get sprinkled with the grey chorus of rain and the clouds. Anyhow, rain in the mountains is an utter euphoria.
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| At Khem Bhart's Homestay. Lovely place to stay. |
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View from my window.
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| And this is how my room was. |
Tirthan is a perfect getaway for those who are sick of the fast paced life of the cities. A 2-3 days stay at this magical place is enough to lighten your mood and take on the world again. Stay at Tirthan is also affordable. There are various homestays like Khem Bharti’s Guest House, Raju Bharti’s Guest House, Himalayan Trout House etc. It is advised to book your rooms before visiting the place just to be on the safe side.
There is nothing much to do there apart from appreciating the picturesque scenery and having a relaxed time with yourself and your people. However, if you are a trekker, you can behold something totally out of this world here in the valley.
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| Trek to the waterfall. |
A hidden waterfall. The kind that should and most probably will make it to the list of India’s most amazing waterfalls. If you go on a trek which is long and a little over the edge but is totally worth it because as soon as you hear the sound of water cascading down the mountains, like a child, you would want to trace the sound and reach the waterfall and as you see it, you would second me when I reckon that the Himalayas is full of natural treasures like this that nobody has heard of as yet.
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| The waterfall was breathtaking. |
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| Yes, we went crazy after we saw what a beauty the waterfall was! |
A waterfall in the middle of nowhere. The best thing about the whole valley is this. Or so I think. You may visit the place and find out yourself. Apart from this, a visit to the Great Himalaya National Park and Trout Fishing can be a part of your itinerary. A drive to Jalori Pass and Manikaran can also be included since they are near by areas.
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| Little stream flowing under my feet. |
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| The pristine Tirthan River. |
Nights at Tirthan Valley are alluring. One can witness the beauty of pearly white moon and a handful of twinkling stars. The stars that can be gazed at all through the night. Cool breeze along with clear sound of gushing water fills you with a sheer sense of freedom in the wilderness. Tirthan, in a nutshell, is pure bliss.
I'd do another, more elaborated post on Tirthan Valley including accommodation, things to do and food to eat.
