A walk in Eden Dalhousie Hill Station, India

Carpeted within the crest of five hills with the western edge of the Dhauladhar Range is gift using the once Governor General Lord Dalhousie to the State of Himachal Pradesh. And what a gift at 6678 ft! Unlike the Shimlas and Darjeelings, Dalhousie still maintains to give her visitors that cloistered and cut-off-from-the-world impression, for that complete weekend rejuvenation. Very British in look and feel, Dalhousie is as small as your legs can encompass and as vast as your eyes can sweep. Trek the forests, pray in its churches, dance under its waterfalls, discover little villages, snooze under the blue sky, write a poem or propose marriage to your beloved, this piece of Eden is just perfect to unwind the bohemian in all of us. The main activity in Dalhousie is on and around the three level Malls that had been laid in the early 1860s for promenades, carriages, horses, dandies, etc. these roads and the steeper by-lanes which connect them t

Walk as far as legs can take : The five quaint towns, etched at an elevation of 5,000 feet to 7,800 feet, are as interesting as their tongue twisting names (Kathloang, Tehra, Bakrota, Potreyn and Balun). The five stately churches (the main being Catholic Church Of St. Francis at Mall road end), the Thandi and Garam sadaks (roads), the Mall road, Gandhi Chowks and Subhash Chowks are best explored on foot.

Woodlands beckon : Drive or trek up the winding 10-km, cedar forested path to the hilltop Kala-Tope from where you can have that hallucinating view of Pir Panjal mountains. At the way, set amidst thick forest may be the small temple of Bhulwani Mata, in the village of Ahla. A fair is celebrated in July to venerate the goddess.

Little Tibet : Just 3 km off Gandhi Chowk is Himachal’s oldest Tibetan settlement, mostly visited due to its handicrafts center from fo you to pick varied Tibetan bric-a-brac as souvenirs.

Jandhri Ghat : Nearby Subhash Baoli stands out as the elegant Chamba palace fringed by tall pine trees, with tiny streamlets gushing by. Go there if you have a whole day to spend picnicking.

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Satdhara : As you head to Panjpulla, at an altitude of 2,036m. (6,678 ft), the noise of gurgling streams amidst that beatific locale will freeze you on your tracks. The waters of the seven tiny streams here is lored to have great therapeutic value. And you are done early, you can try the 2.5 km trek by the stream to Alah Water Reservoir on Bakrota Hill and then walk back to town.

Chamera Dam : At Banikhet is the once British race-course and some 8-km away is the Chamera Dam, locally nicknamed Bhadrakali Lake, with its rock-littered slope called Devi Dehra. Picnic here and head for Chamba.

Dainkund (at 2745m): About 10 km out of the town, this tall peak affords a sweeping view of the hills, valleys and the river Beas, Ravi and the Chenab threading their silvery way down to the plains.

Shopping

Dalhousie shopping will consist of Tibetan curios, unless you explore and discover something totally out-of-place and unique. The town has so many undiscovered corners that chances are your hunt will be successful. For Buddhist paintings, woolens, trinkets, variety of copper and silver diyas, try the Tibetan Market at Gandhi Chowk. The Himachal Handloom Crafts Center on Potreyn Road has wonderful Chamba and Kullu shawls. For antiques, look for DC Khanna store over the Potreyn Loop. Tibetan Handicraft Center has excellent carpets that can be bought at reasonable rates.