Trekking

Malana Trek: A Perfect Escape To Himalayan Shangri-La

So what makes Malana so popular? Is it the unique culture and tradition of its inhabitants, who are supposed to be the descendants of none other than the soldiers of Alexander the Great? Is it the best-quality hashish it produces aka the Malana Cream? Or is it because it’s simply beautiful?

Well, I guess it’s the mix of everything and much more. Situated high at an altitude of around 2650 meters in the mountains of Parvati valley in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, the mysterious Malana has been attracting visitors from the country and abroad for the last over four decades now.

I have been to Malana many a times but still never say no whenever an opportunity arises to go there again. Last week, I took a break from my office and straightway headed to Kullu-Manali.

My destination was Malana but this time I wanted to get a little more adventurous and so decided to go solo. Also, I decided to try the longer but more beautiful path that goes through Chanderkhani Pass having an altitude of around 3650 meters.

Rumsu Village: The trek starting point

There are two ways to reach Malana — One from Jari village and the other from Rumsu village. The trek from Jari side has become shorter due to the road that takes you almost to Malana. Actually, the hydro project here has completely spoiled the fun and joy of trekking to Malana from Jari side. But the trek from Rumsu is still pristine and unspoilt by all the ‘developments’ being done by the governments.

Rumsu is a beautiful village and to reach here you have to first get to Naggar, the capital of erstwhile Kullu Estate located around 15 kms from Manali town. Rumsu is around 4 kms from Naggar and both the villages are connected by a road. I took a cab from Naggar and was in Rumsu in half-an-hour by 10 am.

Rumsu to Chanderkhani Pass

As I took steps amidst a forest of Deodar trees it began to drizzle. Within half an hour I was walking along a meadow known as Rumsu Thach where trekkers usually spend the night. But I had plans of staying near Chanderkhani Pass. The path was not very difficult barring few steep patches. As the altitude increased I slowed down and started sitting for rest more often.

The magic of the mountains

There is this thing about solo trekking which I love the most. In the absence of any company you are mostly talking to yourself and when you talk while trekking your head starts to become clearer and lighter. As I walked up in the misty forest with almost negligible visibility I started seeing my life more clearly.

My thoughts had begun to lighten and my awareness of surroundings was heightened. I was becoming mindful of everything. My whole attention became one with every step I took. Physically I was tired but mentally I started feeling lightheaded, fresh and actually happy.

Chanderkhani Pass

Though I was tired but I kept on walking and stopped only for my lunch which I had got packed in Naggar. I was more than half way through by 2 pm. The only people I met were some shepherds with their flock of sheep resting under Deodar trees. The last bit to Chanderkhani was the most difficult one as I was now trekking at a height of more than 3000 meters.

I was breathing heavily but the sheer beauty of the green mountain top kept me pulling up. And after an hour or so, I was standing right there on the Chanderkhani Top, smiling to myself and watching the grand Himalayas all around me. Luckily, the skies had cleared up and I could see Deo Tibba, Seven Sisters peak and Pandu Ropa from here. The Sun was setting and I hurriedly started pitching my tent. There couldn’t have been a better place than this. Actually, it’s a place to live and a place to die, I thought.

Spending the night alone on a mountain top

I had carried ready-to-cook food and within half-hour my dinner was ready. I silently ate my dinner by a bonfire. I was so hungry that the ordinary food tasted sumptuous. I ate with my eyes closed, enjoying every bit of it. After dinner I just sat there looking at the flames when it started to rain again. I put out the fire and got inside my tent. I lied on my back listening to the rain falling on the roof of my tent and fell asleep.

Good morning

Next day, I woke up to the best morning of my life. The sun was rising above the grand snow-clad Himalayan mountains as I stood there completely filled with joy. I made myself some tea and sat by a stack of stones, considered sacred by the villagers of Malana, while eying as much beauty as I could.

The piles of stones or cairns serve a variety of purposes including religious besides being landmarks and trail makers. The villagers of Malana visit Chanderkhani Top every year and perform their religious rituals in front of these rocks. It was a good morning in the truest sense of the word.

Malana

I resumed trekking in the afternoon. From here till Malana, the trek was all downhill. But interestingly, I couldn’t see the village all my way down till I almost reached there. Malana is located in the mountains in such a way that it remains hidden to the eye till you reach there. May be perhaps this is the reason the existence of this village became known to the outside world quite late.

Anyway, I was finally in Malana and after crossing the village streets, the temple of Jamlu Rishi and meeting some locals who I know for a long time, I settled down at a local guest house. As I sat by the window of my room having tea, it began to rain again.

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