Lower Himalayas are undoubtedly my favorite weekend getaway from Delhi. Just a few hours on the road, and one lands up in the lap of nature, away from the chaos of the city. Exploring unknown Himalayan villages that are not on the tourist map is a great way to unwind, and that is how I once landed at Kanatal, a few kilometers away from touristy Mussoorie. The mesmerizing views, simple village-folk and the sheer beauty of this simplicity is something that remained with me, long after I returned from that trip.
Recently Justwravel invited me for their Second Anniversary Celebrations at Kanatal, and I was glad to be a part of it even though I had already been to Kanatal twice before. There are not many places that I repeat, because, well there is so much more to see. But then, Kanatal is special for reasons that are too many to count. So, the past weekend was spent in the lap of Himalayas, enjoying the views of majestic snow clad Himalayas at The Kanatal Orchids Camp and a short hike to the Surkhanda Devi Temple nearby. I hadn’t come prepared for a hike on my previous visits, so this time I made sure not to miss this one.
There are two ways to reach the Surkhanda Devi Temple, which is also a Shakti Peeth. Legends associated with Shakti Peeths have always fascinated me, even though religion isn’t something I am passionate about. As per legend, newly married Shiva and Sati were not invited to a Yajna that was organised by Sati’s father , Daksha who didn’t really like Shiva. Sati still went ahead to participate, but wasn’t welcomed by her father. A turn of events lead to Daksha insulting Sati as well Shiva. Sati couldn’t bear her father insulting Shiva, so she jumped into the fire, making it impure so the purpose of yajna won’t be met. Shiva, mad with grief and rage at the loss of his beloved, he carried the remains of Sati in his arms and began the tandava , the dance of cosmic destruction. Other Gods, afraid of their own annihilation, requested Vishnu to pacify him, who used the Sudarshan Chakra to destroy the mortal remains of Sati. Pieces of her body fell until Shiva was left with nothing to carry and that’s when he started with the Mahatapasya. Parts of Sati’s body fell at several spots all through the Indian subcontinent and formed shrines which are known as Shakti Peethas today.
Surkhanda Devi Temple is the site where a part of Sati’s head fell off, hence was called Sirkhanda Devi (meaning a part of the head) which has now morphed into Surkhanda Devi. One can either take the stairs from the village Kaddukhal or opt for a hike which begins a couple of kilometers before. We opted for the hike, which was steep but enjoyable. Lined with pine trees, winding mountain trails gave me the rush that I missed on my previous trips to Kanatal. Valley views and a sunset sky added charm to the hike that was already beautiful. The temple itself was serene, and the lone pujari shared with us many a legends from Hindu Epics in great detail. But it isn’t the temple or the legends that were the highlight of this journey for me.
Being a devotee of nature rather than Gods, I got my blessings from Mother Nature in the form of my first ever sighting of the Winter Line. Winter Lines are a meteorological phenomenon, unique only to the Doon Valley, Mussoorie and Bern, Switzerland. From mid October to January, what seems to be an illusion of the horizon appears in the sky. Varied hues of yellow and orange stare from up above, the sun dips under them to make a false sunset that is pure love. It only happens when the sun rays fall at a unique angle and is visible only from a certain height above sea level, with a valley along the west. I was lucky to experience this marvel of nature that really left me speechless.
It was a surreal experience looking at the sky that was a riot of a thousand shades of yellow mixed with orange, that slowly turned darker with each passing minute. As the background grew darker, the colors got all mixed up, making the sky look like a painter’s pallet. With the sounds of temple bells creating melodies and mother nature displaying her magic on the sky’s majestic background – I couldn’t have asked for a more meaningful closure to this journey.
A huge shout out to Justwravel for the arranging this trip at the most appropriate time, and making this dream come true. Thank you for the most unique sunset I have ever seen. And another one for The Kanatal Orchids, for a comfortable stay with vistas of snow clad Himalayan peaks for company through the day.
Amit kumar
Beautifully crafted Amazing snapshots.