Essay: Following My Fernweh by Urmi Chakravorty
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In this essay, Urmi Chakravorty documents a recent solo travel to a few Himalayan destinations sharing the beauty and magic of the mountains in words.
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”
This quote by T.S. Eliot has been my credo for as long as I can remember. And this is precisely what goaded me into packing my bags and setting off at a pre-dawn hour for what was going to be a 12-hour journey to reach the exotic mountains of Himachal Pradesh. My destination was a village called Naddi in the Kangra subdivision, situated at an altitude of 2180 metres (7152 feet) above sea level. An uninterrupted view of the mighty Dhauladhar ranges to the north and the lush green Kangra valley in the south, acted as my travel lodestar as I weighed multiple options and finally zeroed in on Naddi. This was my second solo travel to the Himalayas and I was raring to go!
An early morning flight from Bangalore took me to New Delhi where I had a layover of about three hours. Taking a shuttle bus at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and changing terminals was a new experience for me. A steaming pot of caffeine and a loaded cheese sandwich helped quieten my empty stomach which had started growling audibly in protest. As I eased myself to a seat in the designated wait area for my connecting flight, I felt a strong sense of thrill and anticipation overpower me. The upcoming ten days held a promise of unlimited natural beauty and an unhurried pace of life, far removed from my city hustle.
A compact ATR flew us into the Gaggal airport, popularly known as the Kangra or Dharamshala airport. A whiff of cool, fresh air greeted us as we stepped out of the aircraft – a welcome change from the autumnal sultriness that pervaded the cities. The airport, though small in size, was well maintained and generated warm, welcoming vibes. I had already coordinated an airport pick-up with the travel partner of my booked property. As we left the airport precincts and set off for Naddi, I kept my phone camera ready to capture the charming view that accompanied us.
