"Choordhaar conquered .."

I can simply not resist tapping any opportunity taking me close to mother nature. This time it was to explore the beautiful place named Choordhaar.  A trek beginning from Nauradhaar, Sirmaur (HP).

I had a four days window available in mid November. The hectic schedule, long studying hours and the constant worrying a normal CA student eventually becomes habitual of, had all taken a toll on me. So, I just wished to be able to make the most of whatever little time I had.

 Usually when I make such plans I prefer not to discuss it with my lovely parents for they start worrying unnecessarily. However, I took them in confidence this time around. I was pretty sure that dad wasn’t going to allow me to ride and that mum would altogether say no. To my surprise and amazement, I was proven completely wrong. Not only did they allow me to ride on my bike and gave me the required funds, dad got a room booked at Nauradhaar(place where the trek begins). There couldn't be anything else I could have possibly asked them for. I was particularly excited because this was going to be a solo trip(All of us, the good friends, have gotten into different fields and usually our schedules clash).

Hoping to quench the long outstanding thirst for riding and trekking, I began my trip. With me was, of course, the most faithful and dear friend of mine- my beautiful and ever so comfortable bike. Together we marched through the mesmeric valleys of my state, Himachal Pradesh. I was paying my first visit to this part of the state which in itself was really exciting. The occasional cold breeze, the always smiling native villagers, the long traffic free stretches and of course the pitiable road condition(ha-ha) simply made it altogether an experience worth having.

By late noon I made it to Nauradhaar. A beautiful and well kept room was awaiting me. After taking a long hot and soapy shower, all my tiredness vanished. Refreshed and energized, I went for an evening walk. I wanted to acquaint myself with the new place. It was beautiful and had some kind of uniqueness about it. I happened to have conversation with some locals here. As soon as I told them that I was going solo on the trek the next morning, all of them without any exception were surprised. With the best of intentions they suggested me not to go alone, some even asked me to cancel it altogether for they feared I might get lost in the woods. Perhaps, they thought of me as a fancy city lad with no experience. However, by that time I had conquered many such treks solo so it didn’t bother me much. In the end I thanked all of them for their advice and moved on.  Since it was situated at a higher altitude, the sun set early and by half past seven the place was completely deserted. By 8 pm I was done having dinner at a local restaurant and surprisingly it was one of the best dinners I have had in a long time. The place was so quiet that I couldn’t really sleep for now I have become habitual of the usual hustle and bustle of city life. I placed a chair in my room’s balcony and enjoyed the silence for a good couple of hours before finally going off to bed. What followed was one of the most peaceful and unperturbed sleeps I have ever had.

With every necessary thing in my backpack and a revitalizing breakfast, I began my trek. I had plans to spend the night at top and return the next day. As such, I was moving at a slow pace capturing photographs and enjoying every little detail. By God’s grace the weather was immensely good with no trace of a single cloud. I was having a really good time. Every native villager I met gave a warm smile and wished me good luck. Going further I reached the point from where a thick cover of forest began with no sign of habitation. I can’t put it in words as to how much fulfilling and satisfying experience was it to have walked through that patch. Some guys may call it crazy but I guess the best way to interact with nature is to do it all alone. I strode through enjoying every little aspect of nature.

After a few minutes I reached an open area and found certain natives resting. Having approached and talked to them, I found out that they were headed to the same destination. As always, these humble guys offered food and tea. And once again I encountered a moment that trademarked that when it comes to hospitality, we HIMACHALIS are second to none. Within a few minutes I made good friends with these guys and started trekking with them. Every now and then I was given a piece of information about the local vegetation, delicacies, the do’s and don’ts. In return, I shared about the experiences about the city life and even counseled my young pals about their upcoming career options. All this while, we came across mesmeric sceneries.

It was 1:00pm and we were at the top. Earlier I had a plan to stay the night here but figuring out the possibility that I could very well make it back to the place I started, I decided to head back. Besides, I had company, too. We paid our gratitude and obeisance to the Almighty. Personally, I thanked the Almighty for having given me this opportunity and making it a success.

 By 2:30pm we began our descent. There was no stopping us this time around. We were literally running on our way back and trust me it was fun. On our occasional stops, we shared some light moments and at the same time regained our lost energy.

By 6:00pm we were at Nauradhaar. Charged up, for no apparent reason, I decided to ride my way back to Solan the very same evening.  At this point it became really difficult for me to convince my newly made pals to allow me to leave. They wanted me to stay with them for the night. After a lot of pleading they agreed but on one condition- it being me having dinner with them. Seeing the enthusiasm and particularly the warmth with which they invited me, I could not say no. It moved me so much to see that I was asked to take bath first. I mean, we all were equally exhausted. Words can’t describe the kind of hearts these people possess. Dinner was delectable and I relished each and every bit of it. Promising to be their exclusive guest next year, I bade farewell to all of them. By 7:45pm I had started riding back to Solan. And boy, it was one hell of a ride. The chilling winds, unacquainted roads and day long tiredness made it a nightmare. At this point I wished I had listened to my pals and parents. However, I had already taken a decision and had to stand by it. And well, I did. No surprise that it shivered every single nerve in my body but then again it was one experience I’d never forget.

All in all, I would say that I had an unbelievably nice trip. God willing, there are going to be innumerable trips I will be having in coming times.