Way to Jalori Pass, Shoja,H.P.
It was a long journey Rohru to Shojha...the road in a large parts is almost not motorable...but it has wonderful scenic beauty...we started early after a quick breakfast.....reached Sojha after crossing Jalori Pass with a short break for some photography...in the afternoon! The temptation of a trek of 5 kms each way to Serloser Lake from Jalori Pass was calling me incessantly....but my friends were not that sure...none other than one of us has any previous experience of trekking...and all of us are over 50!!!! And the one who was a regular trekker has stopped trekking on doctor's advice on health ground! So the scenario of my making it was not good...........I just kept hoping it...that may be in the Hotel...Raja's guest house at Shojha just 5 kms from Jalori Pass I may found some party who are going for that trek next morning! It was just a wish! Alas in the resort we were the only guests...the place is stunningly beautiful..... we decided instead to go for the water falls which does not have much trekking to do in the other direction from Jalori from Shojha.which is at Jibhi..and then will go on that direction further ahead to Gushaini to reach the Tirthan River and valley crossing Jibhi, Banjara. This much for today...because the next morning things changed dramatically......so its always best to dream...always have nice dreams and believe in it...it comes true when you really really want it to come true!!!!
Raja Guest House, Shoja
So to start from where I had stopped the other day..... after reaching Shoja, Raja Guest House....a basic but nice one...[and you will hardly get anything else at such remote place like Shoja... none of us were fussy as well] the resort appeared quite cosy and comfortable and homely to us. In fact my friends Papia and Sujata went to the kitchen to give directions for preparing tea and food to our liking....and the cook was happy to learn our way of things!!!! The view was nice from the balcony...mountains and jungle...green ...green ...and green only will greet you in all directions. It was very refreshing to say the least. Apple orchards are in the slopes just below the resort. We were the only guests...so that was a unique feeling. Just like all other days in this trip, I went for a morning walk though not for long...it was quite cold and the path is steep...I wanted to store my energy if...if by any chance I get the chance to go for that trekking. The small trekker's hut beside our lodge was bustling with young men from 5 am!!! They left before 7 am....I thought they must be going for some trek! My friends were still asleep. Then after our breakfast was complete and discussing with Mr. Raja we decided to go for the Jibhi water falls and then proceed towards Gushaini besideTirthan river in the valley. Jibhi is 7 km from Shoja and Gushaini 24 kms. The road in most of these routes are bumpy and the car was moving at about 12 -16kms / hour speed!!! After reaching Jibhi we went to the small and cute water falls inside the jungle...but it was somewhat anticlimax to our expectation of some trekking through the jungle. Though we enjoyed the surroundings, after our photo session was over, the hard core trekker's mind of Papia revolted and she blared out ..." chal Serloser trekking kori"..... yahoooooo....I just grabbed the good fortune..... we scampered back to the car. The driver Santosh was totally astonished when we told him to reverse the direction and head back to Shoja and then to Jalori Pass!!! But may be, I'm wrong since by this time he must have understood that this time his travellers are a bunch of half mad people...because he started to laugh and asked us whether we shall again want to go to Gushaini after reaching Jalori Pass!!!!! Crossing our guest house at Shoja we reached Jalori pass once more, today in the morning and scampered out to hurriedly reach the beautiful path through the bugiyal which slowly entered the jungle trail. The path is through the jungle of Rhododendron and many other unknown trees and is inter spaced with beautiful (bugiyals) green meadows. Since we didn't start early there was always tension of the weather getting foul which is so common in high altitude.Three more trekkers were going just before us. As you know one cannot trek in groups we were also not together. I and Papia were some what close by but Sujata who was accompanying Ranjanadi was much behind. At times there was quite confusion about the correct path..... since there are not many trekkers it was difficult to be sure which is the correct one.Most of the people we met were actually coming down after visiting the lake. We were eagerly asking them how far is it? Reply we got are always in terms of hours and minutes...which is very difficult to understand since it depends on his speed!!! Once I fell down being slightly unmindful of my way and has to suffer the pain in my knee which became a great nuisance while coming back...I had to drag my right foot and when there are boulders, the hurdle to cross it proved quite tricky. But ultimately I could see a structure like thing from that path....ohh what a joy it was to feel....till then I was never sure whether we shall be able to make it or not. 5 kms is not a matter of joke for a non-trekker like me. That was a tea stall...but still I cannot see the lake.....so again got slightly confused...there was a beautiful bugiyal in front and the path has gone through that bugyal again inside the jungle. But the tea stall owner understanding my anxiety and confusion made it clear that we have almost reached there...our destination is just round the corner. Though still that round the corner thing was quite a bit tough part with quite steep slope. At last we were able to see that cute, wonderful Serloser lake...surrounded by trees. The feelings of great satisfaction and happiness engulfed us. Achieving anything which you want badly......whatever may be it...gives a feelings of ultimate bliss! It was exactly that feelings...... for all three of us.............[Ranjanadi could not make it though she walked about almost one hour...then went back to Jalori.] In this tour both these Passes Jalori and Chanshal gave us great happiness, satisfaction and joy though absolutely of different kinds.
