Palampur
A promising retreat

ON the foothills of the towering Dhauladhar range, at a height of 1219 m, lies Palampur. Blessed with a spectacular landscape of lush green tea gardens, misty pine groves, mighty snow- clad mountains, the vast Neugal Khud with its surrounding rocky terrain and the perennial water channels, Kuhls, running through it, Palampur’s beauty is mesmerising.

You can literally taste the different flavours in the air as you pass from one landscape to another.A walk through the Bundla tea estates surrounds you with its musky flavour, whereas the pine groves with their distinct smell and full shade invite you to stretch out and relax. Dip your hand and feet in the bubbling ice cold water of Neugal Khud and the flowing kuhls; splash it on your face and it will drive away the tiredness of hours of trekking. It is from these kuhls and the area they help to irrigate that the name Palampur arose. In Himachal Pradesh, the land was divided into two types, that which was only rainfed and the other which even relied on kuhls. The area which depended on kuhls was called as ‘Palam Kshetra’ by the locals. It later got modified to Palampur during the British regime.

Among the enthralling and overpowering Dhauladhars, "Bhim ka Ghasoot" immediately catches the eye. It’s a large snow-clad slope. Myth has it that while the Pandavas were climbing the mountain each met with his end. It was here that Bhim slipped and fell.

The folklore of Himachal abounds with such stories, and the window to them are the traditions and culture of the state. Every district differs in its culture and dialect. This is easily visible in their traditional manners of celebrating occasions and festivals. Holi is the festival of Palampur as Dusshera is for Kullu. Here, besides the famous Ghugar Mela, it is the eye-catching jhankiyans which start two days prior to Dhulandi that steal the show. Besides the commonly known gods, even the kul (clan) devis and devtas are taken out in a procession.

In fact, Palampur can be called the town of melas. Salyana Mela, DehanMela, Bhikhashah Mela, Ghadi Mela etc, the list is endless. At the Bhikhashah Mela, cattle exchange hands. Then there is Machial Mela near Andretta.Machial has been blessed with a natural lake where fish breed in plenty. Thus the name Machial. The unique feature about this place is that no one kills the fish as a reverence to the local god. During the mela, people come from all overthe state to feed the fish here.All these melas are held within a span of 3-4 months, before the harvesting of wheat. Hill life being harsh, this is the only period when the farmer has time on his hands.

There are also several trekking routes through the rough mountainous terrain. The very adventurous can trek from Triyund (Dharamsala) to Bharmour (Chamba). This route takes you over the steep Dhauladhar ranges. The flighty types can try out their wings at Billing paragliding resort, an hour’s journey from Palampur. For family picnics you have the lesser heights, such as that of Ashapuri which is at 1000m and takes around two hours of climbing. A small temple dedicated to Goddess Durga is situated here. Camping on the hill top is an experience in itself with strong winds blowing and the whole of Kangra district at your feet.

There is also the famous Chamunda temple, a local picnic spot. The older, smaller temple of Chamunda Mata lies atop a hill, which again has a steep climb of around 5-6 hours. It is a picturesque place with a natural lake and dense forests. There are sarais where one can spend the night.

For the lovers of art, around 13 km from Palampur, lies the abode of late Sardar Sobha Singh at Andretta. It consists of the rare collection of his original paintings.

Other places of historical and religious interest in the vicinity of Palampur are the Church of St John in Wilderness, the Tasijong monastery and the Bundla Temple of Vindhyavasini.

Like most hill areas, a lot about Palampur lies hidden in the hearts of the locals. To know the true side of Palampur, the best way is to visit a local house and partake in their festivities. If a marriage is on the cards, you are lucky. Besides the traditions and customs such occasions are full of local music, song and dance. The best part of it is that you get to taste the local food which is not to be found in any restaurant or hotel. The chooaare ka raita, various madras, khatti dal and mithe chawal make you yearn for more.