Churdhar, a Religious and Adventurous Destination

“I like the mountains because they make me feel small and help me in sorting out what’s important in life.”
― Mark Obmascik,

Churdhar, also known as Chur-Chandni (bangle of snow), is the highest peak in southern Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the district of Sirmour (HP) and is known for the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and its picturesque surroundings. The temple is also known as Chooreshwar Mahadev and Srigul Devta. Churdhar has its share of mythology, too. Legend has it that Bhima’s grandson Barbareek witnessed the Mahabharata war from Churdhar’s summit, which rests at 11,965 feet. It is also said that Lord Hanuman took the Sanjeevni booti from here to save the life of Laxman.

The best time to visit Churdhar is from May to November, as it remains under a thick blanket of snow for the rest of the year. It is approachable only on foot, and the nearest place from Chandigarh to start a trek is Nauradhar, although one can take a shorter trek from Chaupal (Sarahan), located in the district of Shimla. Nauradhar is about 150 km from Chandigarh and can be approached via Solan and Rajgarh.

Nauhradhar

Nauhradhar is a small hamlet with a few shops and hotels. It also has a PWD rest house. Churdhar Peak is visible from here on a clear day. A number of hamlets dot the landscape around Nauradhar, and one can have a panoramic view of rolling mountain ranges and magnificent surroundings from here. The track to Churdhar is about 18 km long from here. The local people cover this distance in about 6 hours, but those who belong to the plains and are not regular trekkers require at least twice this time to reach the summit.

For a better appreciation of nature and its beauty, the one-way trek to Churdhar can be covered in two days. Doosri, a lush green glen surrounded by majestic devdars, can be chosen for the first night halt and the next one at Churdhar. Doosri lies almost halfway to Churdhar. The return journey to Nauradhar can be completed in one day without much difficulty.

The climb

I could reach Churdhar Peak in my third attempt. The earlier attempts did not succeed due to heavy snowfall on the way, and you would not believe that once it happened in the month of May, when the plains of northern India were reeling under intense heat.

The initial 2 km track is very steep and has no tree cover. On a sunny day, the radiation becomes intense due to the clean environment. Therefore, an umbrella is helpful, both in the sun and rain. The steep gradient takes the breaths out after the initial enthusiasm wears out, and each step appears to be a stupendous task. During this stretch, one comes across small patches of cultivated terraced fields and scattered houses amidst denuded hill slopes. And as we were down with fatigue and looking for some rest, the sight of a tea shop appeared as a boon.

The tea shop owner, in his early forties, greeted us with a broad smile. He is a farmer and shifts to this place along with his family during the summer to cultivate the land here and return to his second home at a lower altitude in the winter. Besides cultivation, he caters to the needs of trekkers and pilgrims visiting Churdhar. A few of us had steaming tea, and others took lassi. The shop owner refused to charge for the lassi as he considered it against his culture to accept money for a home-brewed milk product. We profusely thanked him for his generosity and moved on. The brew flushed much-needed energy into our weary bodies.

After the steep climb of the initial 2 km, the track eases a bit. Walking through the terraced fields with plants of ginger, cauliflower, and peas, one reaches Jau-ka-baag, the last village en route to Churdhar. The track beyond the village passes through a thick forest of oak and rhododendron. The forest, with its scenic beauty, the chirping of the birds, and fresh air, charges one with much required vigour. Glimpses of different varieties of beautiful flowers are a recurring feature. The stretch also abounds in wild raspberry and barberry. We also came across many local people returning from Churdhar along this stretch.

Doosri

We approached Doosri, also known as Jamanlata, after about a three-hour trek. It is a fascinating place with a large, scenic, undulating green spot amidst majestic devdars. Doosri is a gujjar settlement, and they settle here along with their cattle in the summer and move to lower altitudes in the winter. It also has makeshift dhabas operated by locals, which provide dal and rice besides maggi and tea. It is an enchanting place with beautiful natural surroundings and rich vegetation for a night’s halt.

Leaving Jamanlata, one enters the thick forest of deodar, kharsu oak, and a number of other trees. The jungle is so thick that sunrays hardly sneak through the canopy of trees. Therefore, this stretch provides a cool and damp environment. At times, beds of fern are visible along the serpentine leaf-strewn bridle path with a gentle gradient. A number of water streams with gurgling sounds cross the path. Numerous times we crawled under the thick trunk of fallen tree logs or jumped over them to make our way forward. Calls of birds’ echo regularly in the surrounding hills, but it is very difficult to detect them amidst the thick foliage.

Teesri

After two hours of an enjoyable trek from Doosri, we arrived at Teesri. A makeshift dhaba with loose stone walls and thatched tarpaulin sheets greets the visitors with steaming tea and maggi. Teesri is a pass with an altitude of almost 10,000 feet. Being a pass, this place is very windy. One can have a panoramic view of the Chaupal region, distant villages and peaks, wide-open valleys, and various mountain ranges from here. The excellent view leaves one mesmerized. It took us about six hours to reach Teesri from Nauradhar.

The trek hereafter is moderate and passes through the thick growth of trees of different hues up to Bhimkhanda. It takes about an hour to reach Bhimkhanda from Teesri through sylvan surroundings. Being at alpine altitude, the vegetation on the way is plentiful. Bhimkhanda enchants the heart with its bright green, gentle gradient slopes, and coloured flowers of different hues. The summit of Churdhar is clearly visible from here.

Bhimkhanda

Bhimkhanda also has a natural water spring. The crystal-clear and sparkling water of the spring not only quenches the travelers’ thirst but is also a veritable source of wonderful flora. The tinkling course of the stream houses large varieties of ferns and flowering plants. To shape the stream into a sprout, local residents have secured a hollow stem of a weed on the face of the hill, through which water seeps and trickles down. Local people visiting Churdhar temple perform some rituals here and partake of the food brought from home before embarking on further journeys.

The track ahead of Bhimkhanda is rocky and uneven. The path has been carved out through huge boulders, and in some places, overhanging cliffs form a canopy over it. As we approached the last km to the peak, which is very steep, the darkness started spreading its wings. This made our travel even more difficult. In the meantime, the swarming clouds also appeared on the scene and made their presence felt by deafening thunders. We felt scared and increased our pace to reach Churdhar at the earliest, as we were not equipped for the rain. Somehow, we reached our destination, finding our way through big boulders in the pitch darkness with the help of dimly lit torches.

At the temple

The temple complex has a large dharamshala and many shops catering to pilgrims’ needs. The caretaker of the dharamshala allotted us a room and also provided blankets at a nominal charge. Each one of us was given three blankets, as it was very cold. We had langar in the dining hall of the temple complex and returned to the room to provide rest to our tired limbs and for nighttime sleep.

By the time we settled in the allotted room, it started raining like dogs, and the lightning kept striking at regular intervals along with deafening thundering sounds. And as if it were not enough, heaven also started firing hailstones. We thanked the Indra Devta for his mercy, as He allowed us to reach the temple complex safely.

Morning at the top

The next morning, the sky was clear, and a group of crows perched on bare trees close to our room made their presence felt by a loud and incessant caw-caw. The crows in the hills are slightly darker in plumage. We visited the temple and performed puja. The temple is built in the pahari style and has an idol of Lord Shiva in the inner precinct. The outer premises of the temple have a Shivalinga. A large number of devotees were having ritual baths even in the prevailing intense cold weather.

The morning view of the surroundings was fascinating. The distant peaks of the greater Himalayas were visible in the rain-washed, clean environment. The rising sun was spreading its crimson glory far and wide. And in the midst of such wonderful settings, it was time for us to make the return journey.