I was in Dharamshala the other day. Me and the gang were having dinner when my phone rang. I excused myself and went into the room to take the call. So while I was on the phone something was cooking outside in the hall. As soon as I stepped outside the room Ananya, one of my buds, grabbed my hands and shouted “Shalu hum Yulla Kanda ja rahe hein!” This was so sudden and unexpected. It took me some time to sink in but I was thrilled. We started making plans and texted some friends to tag along. Luckily they said YES, and just like that, Yulla Kanda was on.
So What and Where is Yulla Kanda?
Yulla Kanda is home to the world’s highest Krishan Temple. It is situated at an altitude of 3895 meters above sea level in the Rora Valley of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh. It is believed that this temple was made by the Pandavas during their outcast to the Himalayas.
The next morning I called my friend, Monu, who lives in Bhavanagar, Kinnaur just to inform her about the plan. I thought I would meet her along the way but the moment I mentioned it, she was all in to join us. I was ecstatic. Everything was going so good.
We started our journey one day after the plan was made. There were 5 people already in the car, my friend was the 6th addition. We started from Dharamshala at around 2 p.m. and reached Rampur Bushehr at 1 a.m. in the morning. We crashed at my place. My old man’s posted in Rampur so we have got those government quarters to live in. We were so tired and slept like logs till morning.
Image: The majestic view from my friend’s balcony
The following day we started from Rampur at around 11 a.m. and reached Bhavanagar at 4 pm where my friend was eagerly waiting for us. It was my first visit to her place since her marriage, her place is breathtaking. The views from her balcony ahh!!!! Totally a sight for sore eyes. Her hospitality along with her husband was also top-notch.
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What Was Our Plan?
Our plan was pretty straightforward: Venture the 12 km trek early to finish it in a day, then head towards Reckong Peo for the Lavi fair. The next day my friends would drop me at Anni, it’s where I live, and continue their journey via Jalori Pass to Dharamshala.
But plans don’t always go as expected. We left her place at around 8 a.m. which we were supposed to do at 6 a.m. and reached Yulla village, the starting point of the trek, by 11 a.m.
Oh! And here’s the twist, the main highway was closed due to a heavy landslide so we had to take the longer route which was via Nichar. The road was not in good shape. Dust was everywhere. And it took us an extra one hour to reach the highway from that road.
“You guys are super late. By this time you should be reaching up there, take the guide with you.” said one of the locals we met in the village. Despite feeling a bit tight, we decided to pick up the speed to make it in time. The sunlight was scorching, making the hike, primarily on those vertical stairs, quite tough.
Some of us were ready to go the next day, but the rest weren’t quite ready, because we were running short on days, so we decided to move ahead.
Image: A Temple Near Nichar Valley
While crossing the village, we heard the same words from every single person we met, just like the guy said. Nevertheless, we continued on our way.
The trek was quite steep, tough, and challenging, but it all boiled down to the magnificent mountain views.
They were ‘so beautiful, so elegant, just looking like a wow’.
As we were pushing ourselves to the top the snow-covered mountain vistas just kept getting clearer. Taking a deep breath while resting and looking at those stunning mountains brought a sense of calmness. It was surreal.
After 5 hours of walking, we reached the gate of Yulla Kanda. Oh boy! We’re over the moon to see something significant! That motivation we got from that particular point was something else. It was like we finally made it somewhere. All we could see were the three mountains one on each.
Image: The Mountain Vistas
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The moment we started walking we realized that it was the toughest of all. Plus the temperature was going down as we were heading up. Eventually, we saw a shelter home which was great news! But the time was slipping and we had to make it back on time.
Moving up we saw a shepherd, who directed us to the temple. However, when we reached the shelter we were totally lost. Time was ticking, and we couldn’t figure out where to go. We’re totally confused.
“Suno upar do log hain, phle khade the ab baith gye” Ananya exclaimed. We looked in the same direction she pointed at, but that was too far to notice something. We waved at them, thinking they could probably help us but got no reply. We then moved on thinking it must be our illusion.
We then decided to go back to the shepherd to ask if we could stay for the night and do the rest of the trek the other day. But unfortunately, he had no space. He tried calling the villagers to bring some food. The tents were already there but the room was locked. Sadly, no one was picking up. Now there was no option left for us but to leave without completing the trek. It was so disappointing. I mean, just imagine trekking for 6-7 hours in the scorching sun and not being able to finish the trek. It’s a major bummer.
Image: Me being happy that we were about to reach.
We could have stayed there and waited until that tent guy came but the weather was getting worse. Plus, some of my pals weren’t geared up with the right clothes to survive the night. So, bailing was a wise move.
The sun was setting. The shepherd advised us that if we wanted to head back we should probably do it on time because we had to cross the forest. He suggested making a little noise as we walked the forest to keep the wild animals at bay.
As we made our way back there were tons of thoughts in each of our minds. Some said ‘Bulava Nahi tha’ while the others were convinced that we should’ve stayed in Yulla and kicked off early the next day.
Image: Shelter home from where we left.
And the best part? Usually, people cook Maggi when they finish the trek and chill out. It was quite different here. We made it while we were on our way back. As we spotted the village lights twinkling from a distance, we decided to stop at a shelter and take some rest. By that time it was completely dark but that didn’t stop us from making Maggi. I swear that Maggi tasted like heaven probably because we’re so hungry.
We spent at least half an hour there and guess who we met here? The two shepherds that Ananya was talking about at the shelter, whom we thought were illusions. Haha, what a surprise!
They had a word with the shepherd we met before and got to know about our situation. These guys were so nice and kind that they even arranged a stay for us in the village.
‘Ap logon ne to theek speed pakdi thi’ one of them said, impressed by our pace. They’d arranged everything but we were planning to go back to Bhavanagr since the road was supposed to be open by that time.
So we finally reached the road. Monu called her husband to check if the road was open or not. Unfortunately, it was closed just an hour ago and it was going to stay shut the whole night and will open the next morning. Just another bad news!
But Monu, being the problem solver, found a way out. She called her husband on the other route and the plan was to park our car somewhere, walk a bit, and then we’d be picked up by her husband. We followed the same game and reached her place by 11 p.m. Had our dinner and went to sleep.
The next morning we left her place. She gifted us Kinnauri topis as goodbye gifts. My friends dropped me off at Anni and continued their journey to Dharamshala.
Trips that don’t go well stick in your mind for a long time. It’s frustrating when you put all your effort into something then it doesn’t work out. Strangely enough, failure makes you think more about your attempts. It’s fun to take on challenges. Isn’t it?
I will definitely remember this trip not because it was unfinished but because of that call to go back from that point.
Learnings From This Experience:
1. When you’re planning treks, aim for at least a week. Two days just don’t cut it because anything can happen in between.
2. If someone’s guiding you, it’s smart to stick to their advice. Don’t rush, especially if it’s your first time on that trek. Take a guide with you if you’re new to the area.
3. Punctuality is key. Be on time and be prepared.
4. Always check the weather before leaving.
5. Prepare yourself for the long steep walk.
6. Make a wise decision if something goes unplanned.
7. Don’t ever make the mistake of wearing light clothes just because you’ve to walk for so long and you’re worried about breaking a sweat. Just ditch that mindset. Don’t do it. Pack or wear smartly.
About the Author:
Discover the artistic flair of Shalinee Thakur, the creative beacon behind this blog. Renowned for her mastery in content and copywriting, Shalini crafts stories that resonate and engage. Connect with her and transform your content into an unforgettable journey of words.
