Sumitra Senapathy
The Hindu; 25th July 2004

...it's a hushed theatre of excess attended by nothing but birdcall and when the sky is blotches of soot 'black watercolour on the morning's damp, diaphanous spread'...
Are you game for a 'rain holiday' destination, asks SUMITRA SENAPATHY.

It is the thick of summer with schools out in the North, when the crash and thunder of the monsoons interrupt the general air of lethargy. Suddenly you want to break free, away from surfing channels, sipping chai and binging on hot pakodas. If you are wondering where to go for that "ideal" monsoon break, head for Thanedar, in Kotgarh district, 80 km from Shimla on the old Hindustan-Tibet road. Thanedar enjoys a special place in the history of Himachal. In 1916 Samuel Stokes, a social worker from Philadelphia, brought the first apple saplings to Kotgarh, the place he adoptedas his home. One can still see the "Starking Delicious" apple orchard that he planted here. Prakash Thakur, the host, for whom the "Orchard Retreat" has been a labour of love, is also the resident expert on the history and culture of this little piece of paradise. Visit the Parmjyotir temple built by Stokes in local Pahari style, or stroll amid the serene environs of the Tani-Jubbar Lake, famous for the "Nag Devta" temple built along the Lake.

Another place to chase away the monsoon blues is Shoja, a little village 5 km from the Jalori Pass that links the Shimla and Kulu districts. The "Banjara Retreat" is a solid cedar wood house surrounded by thickly wooded forests from which you get a panoramic view of the snow-covered Himalayan ranges in the distance. The numerous walks and treks in the surrounding forests and meadows are a well-known feature of the area, especially after a fresh drizzle. Thirty km from Shoja, is the Tirthan river, which flows through the valley and is great for trout fishing. Alternately you can walk through thick oak forest to reach the Raghupur fort. But don't be disappointed if you don't find what you expect in most hill stations; a plethora of eating joints and restaurants, shopping malls, vantage points to see and pose for photographic memories.

Moving on from Thanedar and Shoja, you notice the verdant shades of green interspersed with numerous silvery streaks cascading down the cliff face into the ravines below forming gurgling streams and countless rivulets. On the winding highway, there are some merry makers under a thundering fall, shivering from the sharpness of the cascading waters.

It is a sublime experience to savour the beauty of the monsoon in the foothills of the Himalayas. The showers bring a multitude of visitors, to these hitherto less frequented hill stations. You can meander along the serpentine paths that lead into the forests and soak in some wilderness. Or clamber atop the ridges, to watch a green blanket coming into focus when the clouds part momentarily...
Enjoy yourself.