’Insurmountable’ was the only word flashed in my mind to describe my panic after seeing a steep narrow 14 kmroad going up from RekingPeo town to the highest point of hill top where HPTDC guest house of Kalpanestles.

Before taking the route from Sarhan to RekongPeo in early morning I was reminded by my friend that a drive to the Kinnur of Himachal through Hindustan- Tibet road is not meant for a weak heart. Just after scaling the height and zigzagging the dark shadowed mountain trail I felt that all warnings are not false always.

Resting on the lap of Sultej river valley in Kinnurregion of Himachal ,Kalpa is a striking heritage village that rubs shoulder with infallible Mt Jorkanden the highest peak of Jhaskar Himalaya. It has Tibet in north and Garwal in east.

Teamed up with a friend’s familywe were navigating into a world of chilling thrill and boundless delight thanks to our skilled young Punjabi driver.

As the car entered into HPTDC complex on hill top the panorama now got an almost 360 degree view of Himalayan ranges and some of the peaks as it seem were dangerously leaning on us.At the hill top this HPTDC hotel is the only sign of human habitation.Location wise it is 9711 ft above the sea level touching Tibet border.

Known as the valley of apple for it’s bumper production of the crop Kalpa and around has huge commercial importance to Himachal’s agro production.

History tells that in mid of 19th century Dalhousie braving a horrific semi constructed eight ft wide rocky road travelled almost 4 days to this place from Shimla and immediately engrossed with it’s charming panorama. It was then called Chini a place Dalhousie found more adorable to set up his office than Calcutta or Shimla.He ordered to build Hindustan-Tibet road from Kalka to Shimla and beyond. In his own imagination he was sure that onedayit’s beauty will beat any mountain road of the world.

Dalhousie’s Chini is now called Kalpa of Kinnur where we have a plan to stay a night.

The height at which we got our rooms wasgiving a feel that we are in cloud.From the lawn one can try to touch Jorkanden and KinnurKailash peaks which is one of the three Kailash peak visible from this part.

Mythology says it is the resting and meditation place of Lord Shiva in winter and Geology says KailashKinnur peak is 6050 mt high and a rock mass of 79 ft at top gives an impression of a Shivalinga which is considered sacred.

For us in naked eyes it was easy to identify MtJorkanden and Mt KinnurKailash . The crystal clear air enhanced the view of theentire range.

As ourchildren started playing in the lawn, we two pair of adults started a typical coffee sipping Calcutta style session. The first subject that walked in the discussion was Kinnar- Kinnari the local habitants of the region. It is believed that Kinnars are the cursed group of God – They are neither God nor human aspermythology. In ancient time they were considered most beautiful human. Even today we add adjective like “ Kinnari “ before any beautiful girl.Our discussion exposed few little known facts about the place.As per the epic in MahabharataPandavas spent their last year in exile here.

Even in it’s social customs this place holds an unique position. The system of polyandry is still practiced here from ages. It gives agirl the choice to marry all brothers of a family to live as a common wife with the power of deciding father of her child that she bears.This they call the tradition of Draupadi of Mahabharat.

In local tribal culture marriage by forces known as “ KhitataniShadi “ still prevails where a boy can physically overpower a girl to kidnap her to marry but only with her consent.If consent is not given she is returned with full honor to her home.

It was late afternoon and a twilight was slowly passing over snow dust on the peaks

Soon after the sundown the darkness travelled over horizon and the sky started opening up with thousands of blinking stars.The evening offered us a mind blowing experience.

As the cavern of darkness was slowly covering our sights and the valley below where 40 km away river Spiti and Baspa have their confluence faded from visualitywe witnessed a long beamof faded yellow and white light slowly travelling from the valley towards up on the sky.A little later the beam appeared even brighter and now behind the dark mass of rock a bright white light was lit up.

It forced us to stand up in excitement as the magic of light by then started to overcast the sky replacing the darkness.

Was it the same what Lord Dahousie might also had seen many years ago ?

Within a minute a part of a round moon slowly unmasked it’s face behind the mountain.

It is a moonrise in night - The excitement is now at it’s zenith.

A mute yet spellbound me wastrying to recall where I had read that Kalpa is one of the best place to watch a moon rise on a full moonnight.

A moment after a huge yellow moon bounced up from the back of the rock.

There is now light everywhere. On the ground, on the rock, in the sky and over the valley The HPTDC building was softly flooded with moonlight – It is a full moonrise at Kalpa a moment none of expected to see.

Soon dinner was served.

As the cold was unbearable we had our remaining round of evening gathering inside the room. We were being told to be careful about insects because this HPTDC remains closed for months during summer.

Our wives just over ran on this fear of insects – Both started searching their respective rooms like a Discovery channel explorer and finally my friend’s wife was successful to find a small yet curious looking walking object on the wooden wall. With loud verbal panic alarming the entire hotel they forced us to rush and kill it. It restored peace in a moment.

Next day the dawn broke at Kalpa

The bright fountain of light flooded the valley and the snowbedswith equal vigor.Mount KalpaKailash and Jorkanden both are now almost at touching distance as it seems.

Done with breakfast we decided to have a walk nearby.

We again scaled down the stiff haul from hill top to RekongPeo town. The town was named after Tibetian monk Rinchensang Po who came between 950 to 1055 AD. Though a little unplanned but from it’s taxi stand the panorama was breathtaking with train of snow peaks of Jhaskar range of Himalaya. Almost from every single corner of the town Mount KalpaKailash was visible.

This tribal district of Kinnur has it’s own archaeological edifice.

The Hu-Bu-Lan-Ca monastery still there. Other such relic is Kalchakra Celestial palace from where in 1992 Dalai Lama delivered sermon.3km from here is situated Chandrika temple and Narayan Nagani temple.

Returning to hotel by afternoon we started to pack up .Our tight schedule of this tour called for our next destination. As our bags were getting loaded in car me and my son started another round of Himalayan photography.

Suddenly my son with massive repent reminded me that last evening none of us had taken any photograph of moonrise.

In fact neither me nor my friend even tried to capture it as we found that a wise decision.

I remotivated myself justifying that a photograph is not always the best tool to capture an everlasting memory.A frozen moment is not always better than a motion picture that moves in our eyes..

Atleast for a place like Kalpa this thought stands right.

Travel Logistics :

# Kalpa is 260 km from Shimla and 14km from RekongPeo town of Kinnur district of Himachal.
# The road towards the place is deadly and very stiff – Do not risk to drive unless you are really good in that.
# HPTDC lodges are the best option to stay.
# Take permission before clicking local people in their traditional dresses.
# Population is very thin – Do not venture out after sundown.
# Helpful website/email –www.hptdc.in and www.himachaltourism.gov.in

This article was published in The Hitavada on 7th August 2022

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