Summer escapades

Anindita Chattopadhyay and Anupama Anand try out three quaint places off Delhi to get some respite from the heat

he Indian summer is particularly severe on Delhi. Cool gusts of morning breeze change mood by 10 am. It is then fuming hot and the trees stand drab and roasted. The capital becomes a perfect tandoor and even if one chooses to remain closeted inside, frequent power cuts make it impossible to work or relax in peace. Those who can, are already heading for cooler climes abroad like the Swiss or Austrian Alps for a vacation but for those not-so-lucky, the best option is to take a break after a gruelling week's work to some green sylvan setting where the air is cool, fresh, fragrant and soothes your frayed nerves. Escaping the summer torture for the weekend is not difficult since Delhi is blessed with the proximity of the Shivalik Himalayas. A six-eight hours drive from the city takes you to the foothills where various shades of green intersperse with touches of brown and rust, criss-crossed by silvery white streams and rivers, and dotted with lakes to give you the feel of being part of a huge canvas. The hills are dotted with beautiful heritage resorts, which define peace and serenity. A quiet break to these places on the weekends can be very invigorating and refreshing.

PRAGPUR

A cottage amidst deodars trees at The Chalets, Naldhera

The immediate impression as the car rolled into Pragpur, the first official heritage village of India, was of being in a time warp. The quaint village stood out like a period painting from the pages of medieval India with its narrow cobbled streets and mud plastered, slate roofed houses sharing the streetscape with elegant colonial wooden architecture. Tucked away into the Kangra valley, Pragpur can be your ideal getaway from the bustling city. Our stop in the village was The Judge's Court, a country manor.

The Judge's Court, with its two onion-shaped domes, is designed in the Indo-European tradition. It is built over a sprawling 12 acres. True to its design, the decor and even the names of the rooms (Kipling, Hardinge) reflect the English old-world charm. As you enter the hall period furnishings, paintings and an old-fashioned fireplace catches your eye. The spacious upper veranda and the terrace offers a magnificent view of the snow-capped Dhauladhar range. The manor has seven rooms, one suite and one twin sharing room set in an annexe. Hence, prior booking is a must.

Food is the best part of the stay. Fruits, vegetables, milk, condiments, preserves - all are either grown or produced in-house. The fresh succulent taste of fruits and veggies are divine. The water, piped from a mountain spring, tastes so good and is such a good appetiser that we felt famished every few hours and noshed on the lavish spread. After a lavish English breakfast we went around the orchard and strolled through a melange of trees which included mango, lychee, grape, plum, citrus and exotic ones like camphor, clove and cardamom. The best way to enjoy here is take a book, Discman, chilled beer and laze under a tree in the orchard. In the evening, we went cycling around the village - a heritage paradise, every inch rich in architecture, art and craft. The village inn forms the core of Pragpur where young and aged can be seen having a leisurely chat or an animated discussion. The area is inhabited by weavers, silversmith, painters, musicians, basket makers, who don't really mind pop-eyed strangers visiting them while they are at work. There are quite a few places around that are worth a dekko. The River Beas (six kms), Kangra Fort, Jwalamukhi, Chintpurni and other temples, Pong Dam renowned for its bird life (around 240 species have been identified here), etc. You can even take a day trip to Dharamsala and McLeodganj and be back by night. We chose to visit sites that are cradles of the famous Kangra school of painting - like Masroor (57 kms) that has Ellora-style rock-cut temples and Haripur Guler and Dada Siba Temple, which have magnificent wall paintings depicting stories from Indian mythology. The sheer marvel of the murals is mesmerising. The pristine beaches of Beas is a must visit. The shimmering river etched against the backdrop of the majestic Dhauladhar is picture perfect.

Nalagarh

Nalagarh, once the capital of a small princely kingdom founded by Raja Ajai Chand of the Chandela Rajput clan, now resembles a dusty rural town, but for its stately fort. If you are looking for an uninterrupted, quiet breakaway with your family or to catch up with yourself, head for this place. As we drove from Delhi, just about half an hour from Chandigarh, the Nalagarh Fort stood staring at us perched atop a not-so-green hill. With its pillars, turrets, bastions, ramparts and the weathered facade, the massive structure looked awesome. As the car rolled into the porch, beautifully manicured lawns interspersed with trees greeted us. Keeping in tune with the Chandela fame, the dynasty that gave us architectural marvels like Khajuraho, Nalagarh has a complex architecture. The fort, rising above a 20-acre estate of forest and orchard, is built on five levels in the Mughal style. Three levels sport luscious green lawns. It feels refreshing walking around the expanse as birds serenade and the wind, pregnant with the smells of fruits, blows whispering sweet nothings. Tired after a walk, we sat in a small temple in the courtyard. The ambience is so peaceful that it makes you philosophical. At night when the ramparts lit up, it seemed we were in fairy land. But the dream was short-lived as loud music and the revelry of a barbeque party shattered the silence. There is a tree-house for those who would like to spend the night in the company of stars, the moon and of course, the sentries. But we chose to stay indoors. The rooms are big, with typically short Rajasthani beds, period furniture and artefacts. Interestingly, no two rooms are similar. The huge royal bathrooms are awesome.

And if you don't want to soak in the quietness, there is much to do. A swimming pool, badminton and tennis courts, putting green, croquets - everything is here to bring the sportsperson within you out in the open. We, not so sporting inclined, decided to melt the grime away at the Sansha Ayurvedic Nature Cure Centre managed by Sansha, a leading manufacturer and distributor of ayurvedic skin and hair care products, therapeutic herbal tea blends, ayurvedic medicines and massage oils. As the masseur went pounding and kneading our bodies, we floated in the realm between sleep and consciousness. After an hour, we felt quite light and sprightly - ready to take Delhi and work head on. Next day after a nature walk and breakfast, we visited the nice old market nearby that sells some amazing textiles and old silver jewellery. The Pinjore Gardens, the oldest Moghul garden in India, is worth visiting. This unique terraced seven-garden complex, built by Aurangzeb's general Fidai Khan, is a mosaic of cool shady walks, dense mango groves, colourful flower beds, fountains, a sparkling watercourse traipsing from level to level and arched balconies and buildings. There's an open-air cafe that stands amongst the fountains - a perfect sit-out to enjoy the charm of the place. If you are spiritually inclined, visit the famous Naina Devi temple, some 60 kms away.

Naldhera

We often spend so much time wondering about a perfect destination and sometimes we reach it only to learn that the journey has just begun. The Chalets Naldhera, located approximately 22 kms from Shimla and an eight-hour drive by road from Delhi, was something like that. We boarded the Delhi-Kalka mail at around 9.30 pm to reach Kalka early next morning. The landscape began to change as we drove two-and half-hours towards Naldhera along the foothills of the Himalayas. For Delhites like us, arriving from 43 degree heat, the chilly, pure air was welcome relief. By 7.30 am we were at Naldhera famished for a breakfast.

Set against the backdrop of deodars, The Chalets Naldhera, our idyllic home for the day, extended from a mountain spur with a breathtaking view of the valley. The sylvan surroundings, the carpet of soft grass, the sunny clime coupled with the cool breeze, was therapeutic. We stayed in a quaint pinewood cottage with a small manicured lawn. The bedroom opened into a living room with a working fireplace. A winding staircase took one to the second bedroom. The best part of the stay was personalised attention from the staff.

Activities at the resort kept us occupied in the evening as we shifted attention from table tennis to pool. Evening barbecues and bonfires under the night sky were followed by a sumptuous dinner to bring an almost perfect day to an end. The next morning we were greeted by a glorious sunrise. As the orange orb rose, the golden glow penetrated the peaks and the thickly forested hillside sprang to life, coaxing me to explore Naldhera. As we went trekking up the hill we found Naldhera far more beautiful than we had imagined. At every turn it seemed like we were with the sounds of birds, the stately cedars and svelte pine trees.

You can also go on a picnic in the adjoining forests. The adventurous and the spirited can have a gala time horse riding, white water rafting and golf. An 18-hole golf course is just 300 metres away. In fact, according to Yatish Sud, managing director, corporate houses find this place ideal for meetings as young executives enjoy the outdoor activities on offer. The same day we took a bit of a diversion to drive into Mashobra-Bekhalti road. This tour took us to some exotic scenery, valleys and dense pine forest. The small, sleepy villages we passed had their populations in hundreds, some even in double digits. The small village of Mashobra was about 13 km from Shimla on the Shimla-Naldhera road. The village is surrounded by thick forests and offers some pleasant walks including one to Sipi where a fair is held every year. The view of the Himalayas from here was incredible.

Later, while returning to Delhi, when we reached Kalka, the very sight of people, cars and heat almost made us turn back.

Nalagarh factfile

How to reach: By car from Delhi to Chandigarh and up hill towards Pinjore. By train to Chandigarh and from there by car. Nalagarh Heritage Resort: WelcomHeritage, C-7, 2nd floor, J block market, Saket, tel: 26561875, 26868992, 26868993 Branch office: A-3 , Sujan Singh Park, New Delhi - 03, tel: 24634139, 24690741 Tariff: Weekend packages (2n/3d) range between Rs 4,399 to Rs 5,999.

Naldhera factfile

Naldhera can be reached from Delhi by going via train to Kalka and from there by car. The Chalets Naldera, Naldhera, district Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Tel: 177 2747715; 177 2747562; website: www.chaletsnaldhera.com Tariff: Double Room, Rs 2,475; Apartment, Rs 2,950; Cottage, Rs 4,950.