Of snow and ice... and cricket!

... an unusual hill town of Himachal Pradesh

Amrapali Singh

When you reach Chail, the sleepy hamlet, spread over three hills, offers a hint of paradise.

The town, called bazaar in local language, is oblong with the main market bordered by tiny wooden houses. The ground floor of each of these wooden houses is let out to shops selling typical Himachali goods like bright woollens and dry fruits. The spartan, non-glamorous look of the market is a welcome relief after the crass commercialism and confusion of Shimla. Life moves at a snail's pace and expects you to follow suit.

Chail is a trekker's paradise. If you happen to be a nature lover, or an outdoors kind of person, Chail will offer the combined attractions of Paris, Milan and Switzerland. A dozen or so trek routes lead out of Chail, all the way to Shimla and the Choor peak. In summer, the fiery-red rhododendron, called brass locally, turns the miles and miles of forest, that line the paths, into a burnished red wall.

Bird watchers will be delighted with the specially designed wildlife sanctuary situated just outside Chail, which houses the exotic ghoral, kakkar, samber, blue magpie, greenbacked woodpecker and blackbirds (tits), red jungle fowl, khalij and cheer pheasants. Machan-like sighting posts have set up near the village of Blossom and at Kharium. The Patiala royal family still retains a small manor here. And, for those who have never seen an orchard, experience your first sighting here.

Or you could walk from Chail to Sadhupul -- a village which lies halfway between Chail and Kandaghat, near the Ashwani stream. Sadhupul, a great picnic spot, offers orchards, and a little fishing. About 29 kilometres away at Gaura is the Giri river, which eventually joins the Yamuna, and the river offers even better prospects for fishing enthusiasts.

About 1.5 km away -- at 8,000 ft, the highest point in the area from the downtown Chail -- is the famous Sidh Baba ka Mandir. Legend has it that this place, located within dense, deodhar forests, was the original site for the Maharaja's palace. But a sidh (a saintly man) appeared in the Maharaja's dream and deemed the spot sacred because it was spot where he had meditated. The next day, the Maharaja relocated his palace and built a temple in honour of the sidh.

You could also visit Kufri from Chail. It's an enjoyable drive through the forest and past wee villages. At Kufri there is a nature park that possesses a good cross section of Himachali flora and fauna.. And from Kufri a short but uphill trek will take you to the top of the Mahasu peak! And, of course, if you visit Kufri or nearby Narkanda, in winter, you can enjoy skiing on its snow-covered slopes.

Fast Facts

How to get there

Buses leave regularly for Chail from Shimla, Chandigarh and Delhi. But I would still recommend a trek to Chail from Shimla! In fact the ideal route to Chail is to come up to Shimla from Kalka by toy train (a wonderful rail journey) and either drive or trek to Chail from there.

The nearest airport is at Shimla, 63 kilometres away. Or at Chandigarh, 180 kilometres away. Archana Airways flies to Shimla from New Delhi. Flight number F5131departs from New Delhi at 0630 hours IST and arrives at in Shimla at 0740 hours. The one way fare is Rs 2,799. The flight schedule often gets disrupted in the monsoons.

When to go

In winter Chail is snowbound and temperatures drop below 5 degrees Celsius. In autumn (October and November) and spring (February and March), the weather can alternate between being sunny and rather chilly. The monsoon arrives in June and lasts till September and the hills and valleys almost magically turn a bright shade of green and the weather is pleasant. The ideal months to visit Chail are during the summer from mid March to mid June. But at this time of the year many holiday makers are doing the circuit of Himachal's cool spots.

Where to stay

• Palace Hotel, Chail, tel # 01792-48337, 48343, fax # 01792-48383. Rooms in the main palace go for Rs 858 per night. The four bedded Maharaja Suite comes for Rs 4,000 per night.

  You could opt for a room in any of the surrounding log huts or cottages, which are cheaper. The Rajgarh Cottage has four rooms available on individual basis. It is possible to hire the entire cottage with living-dining room and kitchen. The Wood Rose Cottage, the Monal Cottage and the log huts have double rooms with kitchen. Honeymooners can opt for the Honeymoon Den. Cottages cost Rs 6,000 per night, while the log huts are available for Rs 700 per night.

  

• Himneel Hotel: Bookings can be made by calling the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation office in Shimla at tel # 0177-78311. We stayed at the more economical Himneel Hotel (Rs 500), also run by the state tourism department. It has 18 double bedrooms. The food's not bad.

• The locals also rent out rooms; a good option for cash-strapped backpacker. Ask a round.

Where to eat

The local dhabha or wayside cafes serve the best food. Like the delicious sarson ka saag -- a spicy recipe of mustard greens -- and makkai ki roti -- unleavened corn bread.

Quick getaways

• Solan: About 90 km away. This small town has a mineral water spring and a brewery.
• Shimla: 63 km away. One of India's most famous hill stations, Shimla is full of character and colonial charm. Back in the 1830s it was probably one of the most stylish summer resorts this side of Blighty.
• Kalka: About 150 km away. An important railhead located at the start of the ghats.
• Parwanoo: About 120 km away. The chief attraction of this Himachali town is the cable car ride.
• Renuka Lake: About 140 km away. The countryside in the vicinity of this lake is rather pretty. There's plenty of wildlife to be glimpsed and the jungle is stuffed with deer, lions (!), monkeys and a rich variety of birds. The temples nearby add an interesting touch.
• Paonta Sahib: About 160 km away. Located at the border of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, Paonta Sahib, a quaint town of cobblestone streets and tiny houses, has a Sikh shrine, dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru, who made this town his home.
• Sarahan: About 140 km away. Once the summer capital of the dynasty of Bhushar kings, this captivating town is perched on a high bluff overlooking the River Sutlej. The beautiful wooden Bhima Kali temple, with its pagodas and gilt steeple adds a fairy tale element to the town.