KUMAON HIMALAYAS- GLOBAL LUXURY, LOCAL RESONANCE

Kumaon – that wondrous part of Indian Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand is gradually unravelling it’s gorgeous mountain glory, aka Himalayan glory with a quietude so graceful, that it seems almost celestial! No ultra luxury branding, no big spends on advertisements and no chasing trends; and, yet subtly capturing the attention of today’s global traveler with tourism that heals you from inside.

Recently, I was on a week long trip to Kumaon and thanks to my long time Kumaoni buddy – Chandan Singh Koranga, who literally dragged me out of the cacophony of Kolkata metropolis to his enchanting land – Kumaon, in Devbhumi Uttarakhand. And what a stellar experience it was – soft treks, Malta fruit plucking, endless gossips with village folks, surreal sunrise and sunsets and off course plenty of “Me-time” – Yoga, Mindfulness and what have you....

In today’s fast paced world we chase dreams that turn to ashes faster than we  ever imagined! Be it the corporate world, business or entertainment, we have simply forgotten the fine art of “pause”, which our forefathers possessed. However, there are still some small patches left in Planet Earth’s repository where life is unhurried, purposeful and grounded.

I am sharing my daily travel logs of my week long escape to Kumaon Himalayas and I am sure it will be an eye-opener to many wannabe Himalayan travellers.

Wood Villas, Dhamas ( 30 Kms. from Almora hill station):

After a strenuous 22 hours Rail journey from Kolkata to Kathgodam and another 4 hours drive to Dhamas, that sleepy Kumaoni hamlet where Chandan’s Wood Villas is located, I was all but dead tired! I overcame mild altitude sickness. A steam bath and the hot wood-fired  Rajma Chawal cooked by the resident chef Sundar was enough to revitalise my sagging spirits.

Around 4.30 P.M. as I was relaxing on the Villa’s balcony gossiping with the resident cook – Sundar, my eyes fell on the ethereal sight of a magnificent golden sunset – the red molten ball dipping ever so gracefully, kissing some of the highest peaks of the Indian Himalayas – Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba and Co....,as if whispering to them that it’s time to rest and see you guys tomorrow!

That night being my first night in Kumaon Himalayas, the temperature dipped to around -2 C by 7 P.M. and we all huddled together besides the crackling fireplace at the Villa’s backyard. I was told that the Wood Villa backroom staff collect these mammoth logs from dead pine trees found below the Dhamas village. I could see a huge bundle of finely sized wooden logs stacked in one corner of the Villa, enough to cater to guests for a week.

Out here in Kumaon Himalayas, they take special pride in offering  “Pahadi Chicken” for discerning guests as they are organic to the core and are found in the jungles. It took an hour to cook and I marvelled at the deft touches of the Wood Villas chef – Sundar, who truly cooked up a storm using Pahadi spices, onions, garlic .....

The first bite and I realised it was special – a pungently aromatic Chicken curry with red-coloured Kumaoni rice (Pahadi Lal Chawal), reportedly high on nutritional elements was the perfect outback Himalayan dinner!

As the night time temperature dipped further, I was advised to go indoors and once inside the Villa, the luxury king sized bed was the only place to rest my tired limbs. I curled up, pulling the furry blanket over my head and lu lu lu ....just dozed off.

Soft Trek to Dewlikhan and back to Dhamas Wood Villas:

By default, I am a late riser and so today I missed out on the sunrise but, no regrets as the sky was clear and offered absolutely ravishing 360 degree views of the powdery peaks.

Breakfast consisted of Kumaoni style Methi Paratha with Pahadi Alu Dum, with Bhang ki Chutney to add. A cup of organic Ginger Tea and a dash of jaggery charged me up to embark on a 30 Kms. soft trek to Dewlikhan passing through Pine forests, a variety of avian species and the occasional Leopard.

Chandan provided me with the services of one of his backroom staff – Dheeraj to guide me enroute. We took the single lane metallic road to Dewlikhan and in half an hour covered about 2.5 Kms. which I reckon was good by any standard!

Out here, as you walk on the road, traffic is non-existent and by the time we reached Dewlikhan after trekking for almost 3 hours, with occasional halts at road side tea shops for refreshments, only two cars went past! Isn’t that refreshing?

 What was even more perplexing to me as a city dweller was that at the approach to every village there was this signage – “Abadi Kshetra, Dhire Chalo”  which literally means – Populated Area,  Drive Slow. But the fact of the matter is that these village intersections might at best have 10 to 15 shops and may have not more than 100 people! And, yet these village intersections are deemed to be populated by Himalayan standards. This in itself speaks volumes about Kumaon Himalayas’ sparse population and unhurried life.

Malta Plucking :

Enroute, as we passed through zig zag mountain roads, suddenly my eyes fell on those luxuriant yellow coloured fruits dangling freely on the branches. At first I thought they were wild fruits, not suitable for human consumption. But Dheeraj, my guide proved me wrong! According to him, these fruits are nicknamed “Malta” and are native to Kumaon, which are actually consumed. WOW!

Without wasting time, I plucked a bagful of those from the roadside trees and further ahead was a fruit vendor. On request, he agreed to squeeze the juice and make a tangy concoction, applying a variety of local Pahadi spices. That one glass of handpicked  Malta orange juice was perhaps the most unadulterated fruit juice I ever had in a long, long time!

This tangy flavoured Malta fruit grows in profusion in the whole of Uttarakhand and is a storehouse of Vitamin C and also has medicinal properties that is so good for the immune system. But, alas! the rest of the world is unaware of the fruit’s immune boosting properties due to insufficient or negligible marketing. Coco Cola and Pepsi - are you listening?

Dhamas Village Tour and Immersive Kumaoni Experience:

After a refreshing trek the day before, today Chandan wants me to be grounded in Dhamas village - soak in the bright sunshine and immerse into the Kumaoni rural life. And Oh God! By 8.30 AM, as the mist disappeared, giving way to clear blue skies, all eyes were on the kaleidoscopic vigenette of the powdery peaks - Nanda Devi, Trishul…….giving me a sense of deep connect that no words can describe.

Breakfast consisted of Kumaoni Alu Paratha, Bhang ki Chutney and a glassfull  of Malta juice, handpicked by me from the jungles enroute to Dewlikhan the other day.

The joy and satiety you experience from the “Farm to Table” concept reverberates deep inside and your innerself  knows by default that you have consumed something pure. And in my case, I plucked the bagful of Malta oranges with my two hands and when I gulped the  juice, I felt I was Wellness personified!

Just below the Woods Villa, there was another ancient Indian drama unfolding - An old man in his early 80s ploughing his small patch of land with a lone bullock! This was the way our forefathers used to harvest and took me to an India I never knew existed; atleast not in today’s high tech world!

 2 Kms. downhill from Wood Villas, there is a village hamlet/settelment with barely 15 hutments where the houses are made of vernacular Kumaoni architecture. Some seemed to be dilapidated due to the vagaries of nature, yet, the sense of belonging to a tightly knit community was very palpable.

Kumaoni natives do not accept strangers at face value and they will only open up if a local Kumaoni introduces strangers / visitors to them. Since, I was accompanied by a local guide from the Wood Villas, the transition from a stranger to an honoured guest didn't take long. What followed was absolutely mind blowing - their native hospitality, knowledge about issues like climate change, their belief system, particularly on gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon and their sense of patriotism.

When I talk about patriotism, let me inform you that the Kumaon Regiment is one of Indian Army’s oldest and most trusted infantry regiments. It is also the most decorated. In every village of Kumaon, you will find Armymen. This Regiment fought in the battlefields for the British Indian Army and after India's independence, their stellar services have seen them being deployed in harsh terrains like Siachen Glacier, Jammu & Kashmir, North East and Punjab.

The villagers take great pride in serving for the nation and particularly Kumaon Regiment's contribution to the armed forces. And why not? General S.M. Shrinagesh, General K.S.Thimayya, General T.N.Raina and General Bipin Rawat have all contributed immensely to make India a military powerhouse.

Patriotism aside, Kumaoni folks are culturally sensitive and they have safeguarded their ancient traditions - festivals, dance, music and vernacular art forms from the intrusion of contemporary trends. In this part of the Himalayas, there is no question of chasing trends. Rather a sublime continuation of India’s ancient civilization.

Back to the cozy comforts of Chandan's Wood Villas, post dinner, as I curled up in my bed, a realisation dawned on me.

Every winter, we, the so called contemporary global citizens, make such a dash towards achieving our goals, as if there was no tomorrow! But, on hindsight, winter was never about speed. It was meant for quietude, sophisticated refinement and wisdom. Winter is the harbinger to a slower, more immersive life and if we bowdown to this rhythm of nature, the destination itself unravels it's bewildering diversity like a veil slipping out from the forehead of a beautiful bride. And, Kumaon in winter is all these and much more.

For tailor-made and Immersive Travel in Kumaon Himalayas,  please feel free to get in touch with -

Chandan Singh Koranga

Wood Villas, Dhamas Village,

Sitlakhet,

Uttarakhand- 263601

Mob - 75050 01510.

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