Endless roads winding around serene mountains, challenging terrain to trek on with icy cool water streaming down from between the rocks every few hundred metres, extremely generous people with highly inspirational life stories and an atmosphere so conducive, it ties the whole experience together. Does this sound straight out of a Bollywood travel movie? It might just be. It is the story of Churrah valley – a place tucked away between the mountains and as yet largely unexplored by the quintessential Indian traveller. But that’s precisely the reason why the natural beauty of the region hasn’t been tarnished yet and can be enjoyed in its full glory.
About 160 Kms from Pathankot, the easiest way to reach this place is by taking an overnight train from Delhi to Pathankot followed by an approximately 7-hour, 160 Km-long journey in a cab/ traveler depending on the size of the group. This might best be started early morning if visiting during non-winter months, as the early part of the route tends to get pretty hot and dusty once the sun is at its peak. Some people may also prefer to take motorcycles on this scenic route as well. The first stop can ideally be made at Bhanjraru (formerly Tissa), which is also administrative headquarter of this region. Paths diverge at this place with one of the paths taking you towards the center of the town while another takes you on an adventure into the mountains and forests. The daring take the road less traveled and challenge themselves by climbing their way through peak after peak. Notable spots during this ~19 km hike up and down the hills are the helipad, Pugthala rest house and the downward sloping trek to get there that will test your trekking skills to the core, the downward trek from Pughtala full of muddy and rocky terrain, again requiring extreme concentration and providing a huge sense of satisfaction when achieved, the various streams flowing across the route and waterfall along the road to Devikothi.
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| Group photo before start of trek - Day 1 at Bhanjraru guest house |
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| Helipad - feels like the top of the world after the effort |
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| Trekking through narrow rocky cliffs - if this doesn't get your adrenaline pumping, what will? |
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| The group that treks together, bonds better |
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| Just another waterfall right in the middle of the only road leading to Devikothi - your everyday scene in Churrah valley |
The Chamunda Devi temple at Devikothi, according to the locals staying there, was constructed in the mid-18th century during the rule of King Umed Singh. It has intricate carvings and paintings adorning the outer walls of the temple which make for a very beautiful sight. The area makes for a very good place to witness sunrise in the early morning cold with temperatures dropping to as low as 12-14 ºC even in non-summer months. About one hour of hiking takes you to what is quite possibly the lushest of green and tranquil place you’ll find in the entire area, in itself very secluded. Right next to the woods is a meadow that provides for a wonderful place to spend the hot afternoon when you’re tired from the trek. Getting down from the place once the sun relents, you can walk through a very scenic route, roughly 7-8 Km long, to get to Bairagarh. This place houses the largest secondary school in this area and plays host to some of the most brilliant budding minds that we came across during our visit. A charming place in itself, you can sit with your friends for hours at a stretch watching the sun go down and the atmosphere get colder while engaged in long meaningful discussions. The background scenery, fading mountains, and foggy sky, add to the mystic nature of the place. About an hour climb from here takes you to the army check-post at the border of Jammu & Kashmir, which is said to be about 2 hours of further hiking from this place. The area is highly manned and valid government ID proofs are a must.
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| Group meeting right next to the woods in the cool breeze. |
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| The prettiest meadow ever, woods to the left (yeah that's me soaking in the feeling) |
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| Leading up to Army check-post, Jammu & Kashmir border |
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| A panoramic viewpoint of the valley |
Getting down from Bairagarh and walking towards Bunderi, there’s a passing river stream near village Trella. This is a highly photogenic spot, the water extremely cool and the stream’s noise extremely soothing. About 8 Kms from the village of Bunderi is Mangli, a village largely neglected by the administration but abundantly blessed by nature itself. The trek to Mangli is full of pretty views but best taken once the sun is on the descent. The region itself is very disconnected from the mainstream, to the extent that it doesn’t have the mobile network of a single service provider (one of them is in talks to establish a tower soon, we were told). Mangli has its own enigmatic feel. The last village of Himachal Pradesh, about two peaks away from Jammu & Kashmir, this village doesn’t have proper electricity supply yet. It also stays in the dark on purpose at times with the army manning the areas close-by. It has been the subject of attacks from cross-border terrorists in 1998 according to the locals and since then, has held an important role in the plans of the paramilitary forces for national security. An intriguing fact about this place, which we were told by the villagers, was that they aren’t allowed to direct flashlights into the sky at night lest they want the army to pay a visit. The same is used by the forces themselves as a means of communication at night. A further hour of trekking will take you to the riverside, a great place to sit and relax and get absorbed in one’s own thoughts. This is also the place where the final trek to the last peak before Jammu & Kashmir begins through dense forests and heavily inclined terrain.
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| River stream near Trella - where noise soothes your ears |
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| The road never ends, nor does the risk. But nothing ventured nothing gained |
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| India's version of the Swiss Alps minus the snow |
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| On the rocky road to heaven |
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| When Sun decides to play hide and seek throughout the trek (the sunburn was serious though - sunscreen is advisable) |
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| When no peak is the last |
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| The view makes all the effort worth the while |
To sum up, Churrah is not a place you’d find topping the bucket list of a novice trekker or amateur traveler. But it is the perfect tonic for individuals looking for the exact blend of adrenaline rush and peace of mind at the same time. The physical strain encountered in getting to different destinations is perfectly complemented by the mental solitude on offer. Make no mistake, the social media junkie will have the prettiest of pictures to last them an entire year. While for the traveling enthusiasts, the place stands to provide recollections to last a lifetime and a place that stays in the memory long after the person has left.
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| Job well done. Smileeeee! |
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| Just another reminder: Sky is the limit, never let it out of the frame |
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