The most important rule of travelling is that there are no rules. So why restrict your travelling plans to just one state or one city? What if we picked up travel destinations regardless of the State Border?
I landed at Amritsar with a very unusual plan for the first time, and it turned out to be the best one. To begin with, I couldn’t wait to explore the Golden Temple. The divinity of the temple is something that no one can ever describe in words. It is a holy pilgrimage for the Sikh Community but welcomes people of all religions. The mesmerising environment fills your soul with purity.
After spending invaluable time at the Golden Temple, I headed onto “Heritage Street”. Heritage Street is too good to be true! It connects you to the past of Amritsar, showcasing the richest architectural and traditional heritage. It is a perfect place for someone who loves street photography. Although Punjab tourism provides two hours of a guided tour, I preferred to shorten the trip and directly visit the very famous Jallianwala Bagh. It is a public garden with a memorial to honour those who lost their lives in a peaceful celebration of Baisakhi. It has a wall that still bears the marks of the bullets that were aimed to kill innocent lives and a well in which many people jumped into to save themselves from the bullets. The visit to Jallianwala Bagh will always remind Indians the price our freedom fighters had to pay for our Independence.
On the second day, I travelled 28 km from Amritsar to witness the very famous ‘Beating Retreat Ceremony’ at the Wagah Attari Border. It is 22 km away from Lahore and is heavily guarded by the Indian Army. Before the ceremony, people keep on singing out loud with utmost respect and enthusiasm. The ceremony is conducted by the Indian Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers just before the sunset. Both the forces engage in a 30-minute display of military camaraderie. The objective is to formally close the border gates at night. The patriotic Bollywood songs playing out loud and the applause from every spectator fills your heart with immense pride.
The next destination on my travel plan was Dalhousie via Pathankot. Pathankot is at the tripoint of three of the states — Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir. It is sort of a travel hub for the three states. As you reach Dalhousie, it will definitely remind you of the colonial era. It was one of the favourite destinations of the Britishers. Apart from its Scottish and Victorian architecture, Dalhousie is a paradise for nature lovers. It reminds you of the movie ‘Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani’ due to its beautiful streets and the view that it offers. Here’s the fun part. The actual adventure starts when y
On the next day, after exploring the streets of Dalhousie, eating delicious momos and exploring Nature at Kalatop, I headed towards the most awaited destination - Khajjiar, aka the Switzerland of India. Khajjiar is nothing but just a vast stretch of land that consists of a lake. What makes it special is the dense pine trees that surround the landscape. It offers you a plethora of adventurous sports like paragliding, horse riding, zorbing, trekking, etc. Khajjiar is that place which probably nobody would want to leave. It is beyond anyone’s expectations. You’ll find small rabbits running around.
Khajjiar - ‘Mini Switzerland’
After Khajjiar, I travelled to Bharmour which is famous for Chaurasi temple and Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary. It holds immense religious importance due to temples built around 1400 years ago. It is called Chaurasi Temple because of 84 shrines built in the periphery of Chaurasi Temple. Apart from the temple, It is believed that the Kailash Mountain peak is visible from the temple. There’s something really different about Bharmour. The people living here are very welcoming and helpful. Like every journey has a final destination, Bharmour marked the end of this wonderful trip. However, the nearest airport was Jammu, so, I returned back to Pathankot.
I have come across a lot of people who believe that India is nothing as compared to the countries of Europe. Well! I must say that Khajjiar and Dalhousie prove them wrong. It very often reminds me of the quote - beauty is in the eye of the beholders. India is the most beautiful travel destination, only if you are willing to travel limitlessly and boldly. Khajjiar, Dalhousie, and Kalatop are places that you need to discover yourself after long hours of dangerous road trips, eating at aesthetic ‘Dhabas’, adventurous treks and much more.
After travelling across three states, trying to understand how people adapt to different geographical conditions, exploring the culture of Sikh community and having those delicious Parathein with Dahi at the roadside Dhaba, meeting the soldiers at the border army who protect us from a country that provides a safe haven to the terrorists, trekking in the rich pine forest and exploring flora and fauna of India, I have certainly chosen to believe the words of Alexander Supertramp.
“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
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