Shutters

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

India | Friday, June 14, 2013 | 5 photos

One thing on my bucket list was to travel to a place, alone. A wedding of my cousin gave me a chance to cut that off my list and I jumped for the opportunity. It was a bit hard to convince my parents initially but then I had it my way in the end. But because of he wedding, I had to leave a bit early to reach back for the wedding on time. I had exactly 3 days and the first place that stuck my mind was Dharamshala. I also wanted to visit the Kangra temple Jwala Ji temple, religiously important places in North India culture. So my trip began from Pune to Mumbai, a 4 hour trip by bus. From Mumbai I took a train to Delhi, a 18 hour journey. From Delhi I undertook an overnight bus journey to Dharamshala. Placed in the Kangra valley and in the foothills of Dhauladhar mountains, this place is amongst the most visited by foreign nationals in India. The peaceful and stress-free atmosphere here will make anyone want to stay forever! The 2 days spent there were one of the best experiences of my life. From Bhagsu temple to Bhagsu falls to the famous Shiva cafe, the streets to the monasteries, every place gives you a taste of how life can be lived without really falling for the materialism world. The third day was reserved for the duo-temple of Kangra Devi and Jwala Ji. Though I have had memories of visiting these temples often, coming here alone was a totally different experience. The calm and holy atmosphere here almost made me forget I had a camera! Spending about 3 hours a each place, I headed for my cousin's wedding in Nangal. The 3 days spent alone walking through the streets and mountains and temples have given me memories of a lifetime. I came back much calmer and satisfied :)