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It was all getting a bit too much. The heat (47°c), the dust and Delhi’s population of 16 million was getting to me so there was only one thing to do, head for the Himalayas.
I had found the perfect retreat. Or rather, I had been told about the perfect retreat through a chance meeting at the Foreigner’s Registration Office. At the final stage of getting my Resident’s Permit, with a three hour wait to go, I got chatting to a rather charming German professor. After sharing many tips on Delhi, he informed me “if the heat get’s too much you must go to Jilling”. Jilling I discovered was a family run farm in Uttarakhand in the foothills of the Himalayas about eight hours from Delhi. The German professor had his own cottage on the site, had known the family for many years and it sounded like heaven.
So as a birthday treat, off I headed on Friday getting the train at 5.30am arriving at Lal Kuan at 11.30am. I was then picked up by a taxi for the two hour drive into the foothills. The view was spectacular and I felt like Lady Penelope as I sat in the back of the AC car winding up the hills. My poor buttocks are used to being battered about in the back of a rickshaw, so a car trip in soft furnishing was sheer luxury. The area is known as the Lake District of India and it was a delight to see so much green and blue replace the usual view of dust and rubbish. As we wound around the final corner of the road I was greeted by Steve, my host for the weekend.
I had found the perfect retreat. Or rather, I had been told about the perfect retreat through a chance meeting at the Foreigner’s Registration Office. At the final stage of getting my Resident’s Permit, with a three hour wait to go, I got chatting to a rather charming German professor. After sharing many tips on Delhi, he informed me “if the heat get’s too much you must go to Jilling”. Jilling I discovered was a family run farm in Uttarakhand in the foothills of the Himalayas about eight hours from Delhi. The German professor had his own cottage on the site, had known the family for many years and it sounded like heaven.
So as a birthday treat, off I headed on Friday getting the train at 5.30am arriving at Lal Kuan at 11.30am. I was then picked up by a taxi for the two hour drive into the foothills. The view was spectacular and I felt like Lady Penelope as I sat in the back of the AC car winding up the hills. My poor buttocks are used to being battered about in the back of a rickshaw, so a car trip in soft furnishing was sheer luxury. The area is known as the Lake District of India and it was a delight to see so much green and blue replace the usual view of dust and rubbish. As we wound around the final corner of the road I was greeted by Steve, my host for the weekend.
I liked Steve within seconds. I first of all heard him before I saw him. The satisfying roar of the Bullet motorbike was backed up by the view of Steve complete with white beard and flying goggles. He looked like Captain Birdseye on shore leave, thoroughly enjoying some quality time on his bike. He was heading off for a ride and let me know someone would help me with my luggage for the final walk up to the house. The walk was spectacular it took an hour up winding stone paths, past cottages, horses, buffalos and friendly locals in an Alpine setting.
I arrived at the farm to be greeted by Steve’s daughter, wife and a delicious lunch. And so my weekend at Jilling started. I had my own cottage hidden amongst the trees further up the hill which was the German professor’s library. In between sitting outside reading on the terrace, watching birds, white monkeys and the spectacular scenery of snow capped peaks such as Nanda Devi (7816 metres) I had the most relaxing time. There were six farm dogs to play with, the adopted baby deer Benaru, who would accompany me on walks between taken for guided tours of the estate. The farm and woodland has been very carefully preserved and it was fascinating to learn about the ecology, effects of the population growth and global warming in the area on the flora and fauna and life at the farm.
One of the highlights had to be attending a local wedding over two days. The first day was a celebration for the bride called the Mehendi. It involved celebrating the bride’s big day with dancing, bracelet buying and henna painting. The women were dressed in vibrant orange, pink and red saris and the bride’s family wore traditional nose rings. It was fascinating and an interesting comparison to a traditional British hen do – no booze, strippers or dancing around handbags in site. The wedding on the second day was even more interesting. The groom arriving on a horse with a band and the ceremony involved handing over of lots of gifts. It did slightly remind me of Bullseye as the Hindu priest had a touch of Jim Bowen to him as he handed over briefcases full of everything from gold watches, knitted jumpers, cash and dried fruit.
The bride looked very solemn throughout and I was told that this was because it was a sad day for her as she was leaving her family. It was very interesting particularly to see how the families did not mix in the same way we do at European weddings. The groom’s family ate first then the bride’s ate. They sat separately across the courtyard and despite the fact everyone was singing and chatting throughout, the ceremony had a formal edge to it. I returned to Delhi on Monday night, feeling recharged and relieved it had rained so was slightly cooler. Stepping off the train at New Delhi station I was embraced by the sounds, smells and sights that only Delhi gives and reflected that it had been good to have my own adventure away from the daily adventure that life in India is.
Highlights: sleeping with a duvet – no noise of a fan or AC just the sounds of nature, eating delicious home cooked and wedding food, being able to be outside in the sunshine without getting third degree burns, being in the hills – it did not feel like I was in India for the whole weekend which was a bit of a treat as sometimes the dust, rubbish and heat can make you go a little crazy, my birthday – I had cake rubbed into my face in the traditional Indian way and enjoyed an evening of sangria and cigars which was very random but lots of fun, the Percy Pigs that I received for my birthday amongst other wonderful packages – the perfect train food and a nice change from samosas.
I arrived at the farm to be greeted by Steve’s daughter, wife and a delicious lunch. And so my weekend at Jilling started. I had my own cottage hidden amongst the trees further up the hill which was the German professor’s library. In between sitting outside reading on the terrace, watching birds, white monkeys and the spectacular scenery of snow capped peaks such as Nanda Devi (7816 metres) I had the most relaxing time. There were six farm dogs to play with, the adopted baby deer Benaru, who would accompany me on walks between taken for guided tours of the estate. The farm and woodland has been very carefully preserved and it was fascinating to learn about the ecology, effects of the population growth and global warming in the area on the flora and fauna and life at the farm.
One of the highlights had to be attending a local wedding over two days. The first day was a celebration for the bride called the Mehendi. It involved celebrating the bride’s big day with dancing, bracelet buying and henna painting. The women were dressed in vibrant orange, pink and red saris and the bride’s family wore traditional nose rings. It was fascinating and an interesting comparison to a traditional British hen do – no booze, strippers or dancing around handbags in site. The wedding on the second day was even more interesting. The groom arriving on a horse with a band and the ceremony involved handing over of lots of gifts. It did slightly remind me of Bullseye as the Hindu priest had a touch of Jim Bowen to him as he handed over briefcases full of everything from gold watches, knitted jumpers, cash and dried fruit.
The bride looked very solemn throughout and I was told that this was because it was a sad day for her as she was leaving her family. It was very interesting particularly to see how the families did not mix in the same way we do at European weddings. The groom’s family ate first then the bride’s ate. They sat separately across the courtyard and despite the fact everyone was singing and chatting throughout, the ceremony had a formal edge to it. I returned to Delhi on Monday night, feeling recharged and relieved it had rained so was slightly cooler. Stepping off the train at New Delhi station I was embraced by the sounds, smells and sights that only Delhi gives and reflected that it had been good to have my own adventure away from the daily adventure that life in India is.
Highlights: sleeping with a duvet – no noise of a fan or AC just the sounds of nature, eating delicious home cooked and wedding food, being able to be outside in the sunshine without getting third degree burns, being in the hills – it did not feel like I was in India for the whole weekend which was a bit of a treat as sometimes the dust, rubbish and heat can make you go a little crazy, my birthday – I had cake rubbed into my face in the traditional Indian way and enjoyed an evening of sangria and cigars which was very random but lots of fun, the Percy Pigs that I received for my birthday amongst other wonderful packages – the perfect train food and a nice change from samosas.
Sounds a marvellous place and what a way to spend your birthday. One to remember.
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