Kanatal Uttarakhand

A quaint, little hamlet in Uttarakhand, Kanatal grants every wanderer, who walks its path, the invaluable gift of silence

While leading a 24x7 connected life, it's difficult to take time out for yourself ¬ to let your thoughts wander where they wish to, and enjoy some peace and quiet. The layered hills of Kanatal -a picture-perfect hill station near Dehradun, perched at 8,500 feet -may be just the place for tuning out of all the mental baggage, being one with nature and reconnecting with your disoriented self. It's a landscape straight out of Keats' poetry. Yet unharmed by commerce, Kanatal is surrounded by dense pine, cedar, oak and rhododendron forests and offers a splendid view of the mammoth, snow-capped Himalayas. While it is punctuated with fruit orchards and colourful blooming flowers during monsoon and spring, the high point of the year, at Kanatal, occurs between December and February, when over 50 inches of snow carpets its areas, making it look like a cotton canyon.

KANATAL EXPLORED ON FOOT

While a laid-back bibliophile can curl up in a hammock to read a book and, at intervals, stare at the never-ending vistas, an adventure seeker has a lot to explore. Climb the artificial rocks, mountain bike on the meandering terrain, rappel down a cliff or go for a guided moonlit jungle trail through a forest. It makes you overcome your fears and y o u come back with a feeling o f scaling a summit. Plus, watching the blue faintly gleaming over snow-capped mountains on a silent, breezy night is an ethereal experience. Get to know the sky a little more by planning a session of star gazing or simply enjoy a barbecue night with loved ones, spiced up with some soulful music, a lot of laughter and meaningful conversations. One thing you certainly shouldn't miss is the day trek around the scenic Jwarna region; it is dotted with little villages every few metres, and gives you an unfiltered taste of rural life. The two-three-hour trek has enough to keep you both engaged and mes merised. Walking past these clusters of cosy pastoral homes set amid organised patches of plantations (green pea, cabbage, turnip, potato, mustard and coriander), will energise your worn-out body and fatigued soul.Pluck some sweet organic green peas and munch away or keep clicking photographs, as the vivid scenery gives you enough opportunities to get artistic with your eyes as well as your camera. Except a few steep paths, the trek is smooth throughout, making it apt for almost anyone with a decent fitness level.

EXTRAORDINARY IN THE ORDINARY

Kanatal is not an ex traordinary destina tion ¬ it's a simple place that leaves an extraordinary im pact on you. A grat ifying conversation with a pahari, eager to feed you home-cooked Himachali food, witnessing the saffron sunset sky while lying back and sipping a cup of hot tea... washes away all the fatigue from your weary nape. The pure mountain air refreshes your senses and the ever-smiling lo cals reaffirm your faith in the simple way of life. A hidden gem in every sense of the word, Kanatal is a haven where you will want time to come to a standstill.

GETTING THERE

Air:      Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest Airport to Kanatal. It is situated 92kms from Kanatal with well metalled roads. Taxis are easily available from Jolly Grant Airport to Kanatal. Jolly Grant Airport is well connected to Delhi with daily flights. The distance from Jolly Grant Airport to Kanatal can be easily covered within 3 hours of time. A one-way drop to the airport by taxi costs around Rs 2,000 to 2,800.

Rail:     The two nearest railway station connected with Kanatal are Dehradun and Rishikesh. Dehradun is situated 85kms from Kanatal and the distance from Rishikesh to Kanatal is 75kms. Taxis and buses are available from both these destinations to Kanatal. Kanatal is well connected by motorable roads with both these destinations. Dehradun and Rishikesh are well connected by railway networks with major destinations of India..

Road:  Kanatal is well connected with motorable roads situated on Mussoorie – Chamba road. Luxury and normal Buses to Mussoorie, Rishikesh and Chamba are easily available from ISBT Kashmiri Gate. Buses and Taxis to Kanatal are easily available from major destinations of Uttarakhand state like Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar and Tehri, Chamba and Mussoorie, etc.

STAY & FOOD

There are a couple of peaceful tent retreats nestled in the midst of the mountains; they offer a spectacular view of the snow-covered Himalayan ranges, warm hospitality and delicious local food. You can also carry your own camping equipment for a `close to nature' experience.

NEARBY PLACES TO EXPLORE

Manali, Dhanaulti, Chamba, Surkhanda Devi Temple, Tehri Dam and Kaudia and Devdarshini forests.......Article by Shikha Shah