Bir Billing

The second travel and my first solo trip of the year – Bir Billing, was a as-good-as-it-can-get encounter with nature, people and adventure. Here’s recounting the memorable four days through this blog.

Dates: 2nd March to 5th March 2018.

2nd March being a holiday on account of the festival of colours, I just required a day off to plan my escape to the Himachal. Himachal Pradesh, or Devbhoomi, remains my most favourite geographical state in India to travel alone for the sense of safety, friendliness of people and the ease of commute in the region. This time my plan was to paraglide at Bir-Billing, the paragliding capital of India which is also a home of meditation and spiritualism.

Day 0: I had an Air India flight to catch in the evening and a HRTC bus from ISBT Kashmiri Gate on the same day after landing. After a host of exciting occurrences like flight delay, long queues at the Delhi metro, panic attack on not being able to find the right bus, I finally managed to locate the bus I had booked till Mandi at the nick of time. I usually find it difficult to sleep in these AC Volvo buses but the “exciting occurrences” throughout the day had made me tired enough to doze off for the night.

Day 1, 2nd March: The bus reached Mandi at 6:30 am and one of my co-passenger showed me where to catch a local bus to Bir Road. I was in for good luck as I got a bus within no time and thus started my journey to Bir. The weather was playing spoilsport as dark clouds loomed large threatening the activities planned for the day. Nevertheless, the sight of the mountains against the grey clouds, the deep valleys and greenery lining it made the journey worth losing thought of the destination.

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The first mesmerising view at Bir village! Do you wish that house was yours? 😉

I was going to put up in Zostel Bir for the next two nights. Zostel Bir was welcoming with its friendly staff and a host of travellers all of whom were ready for conversations. I came across a group of three friends – Sid, Ani and Nik. (Get comfortable with me using short forms of names as I rarely call people by their full names.) Sid suggested that I join them for exploring the place and we teamed up for our first monastery visit – Nyingma Monastery near to the Zostel.

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Inside Nyingma Monastery

After the monastery visit, we took a long walk in the area and satiated our voracious hunger at just around 200 bucks. Food was cheap and tasty. It was time to take some rest (I had spent the night in the bus from Delhi to Mandi, remember!). I returned to Zostel with the promise of joining them back for dinner. During dinner at a roadside hotel, I met Jatin, a friend of my new friends who, coincidentally, was in Bir to practise solo flying, which is his passion. He suggested that we hike the next day from Bir to Billing through the forest trail. I was totally sold on the idea and after some coaxing my three new friends agreed on the proposal as well.

Day 2, 3rd March: The day commenced early as we were supposed to start the hike at 9 am. Ignoring the dark clouds that loomed over us, we started our steep uphill climb moving slowly through the thick jungle of Rhododendrons (I tasted the flower and it was delicious :D) with intermittent rests. No exaggeration, but this was one of the difficult ascends I have done in the last three years of my Himalayan trekking experience. It tested our stamina to the fullest. Nevertheless, none of us gave up and we reach the top of Billing at 1 pm.

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During the trek from Bir to Billing. From left to right clockwise: Manik, Siddharth, Jatin, Aniket and me 😀

Weather had gone worse and freezing cold winds hit us with vengeance. The first sight of a host of tourists with colourful gliders ready to embrace “flying” was fascinating and it filled me with an unbridled anticipation about my own impending experience. We had a quick round of Masala Maggi and Chai which tested delectable after the hard climb. The weather deteriorated sharply in the next few minutes and the authorities shut down the tandem rides impairing my wish of tandem paragliding for the day. With nothing left to do, the four of us climbed further up to get a better view of the Billing valley and on reaching there discussed and exchanged views on life, aspirations, travel, marriage and so on. It was beginning to rain and therefore we decided to go down quickly by asking for lift from the tourist vehicles. The late evening was spent chitchatting over plates of Pakora, Chilli Paneer, Sandwiches etc. and literally rolling on the floor laughing over Sid’s hilarious anecdotes.

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The place at the top of Billing valley where we discussed so much!

Day 3, 4th March : Today was my final day at Billing and therefore my last chance at tandem paragliding. Sun peeped from beneath the clouds to my relief. Ani and I took a vehicle to reach Billing before the weather could spoil our intentions for the day. While seated at the back of the open jeep, we were tossed from one end to the other like sticks muddled in a matchbox. With each big jerk, any light-weight could have been easily thrown into the adjoining valley. Later I realised the jeep ride was more adventurous (read dangerous) than the actual paragliding. Thankfully I survived that ride to tell this story!

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Mountains capped with fresh snow from previous night’s snowfall at the beginning of Day 3

After a brief introduction session with my pilot, I was strapped with the gliding gear and was instructed by him to run till I was off the cliff. I obeyed without questions and guess what, I flew! Undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful experience of my life was those 15 minutes when I was 2400 metres above the ground looking with awe at the miniature stretches of jungles, villages, fields harnessed to just a man-made wing and surrounded by mountains. It felt like the sky was within hand’s reach. A sense of great calm descended on me. Nothing worried me anymore. And in that moment of carefreeness, I experienced unparalleled joy. I laughed and giggled to the amusement of my instructor and refused to be brought down.

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My moment of ecstasy when I flew.

The 15 minutes of exhilaration were over in what seemed like seconds and I joined the group at Silver Linings Cafe to plan the rest of the day. This cafe is run by a guy who returned from US to settle in Bir and opened a picturesque cafe in the middle of nowhere with no one to accompany. Not to forget, the appetising food it served and the relaxation it offered to travellers who hoarded Bir-Billing! This made me ponder over the unconventional ways in which people choose to live their lives (discounting the conventional wisdom of career-money-marriage-kids-property etc.), some of which still remains implausible for people like us.

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Silver Linings Cafe

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My sumptuous brunch at the cafe

Tripling on a scoot, Nik, Ani and I (Sid wanted to go back) headed for Palpung-Sherabling Monastery which is one of the largest and most beautiful monastery in the region. Apart from having an impressive design on the exterior, Sherabling Monastery houses the most eye-soothing idol of Buddha which left me agape with wonder. We spent quite some time inside the premises as Nik wanted to know about the meditation courses there.

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One of the pillars at Sherabling. Photography is not allowed inside the monastery.

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This was one beautiful spot near to the monastery – an abode of peace and serenity

Later Nik took Ani and me to a spot near to the monastery which was lined with prayer flags, prayer wheels and a series of Stupas. The environment felt beautifully surreal. I utilised the opportunity to do a quick photo-shoot. 😛 (Cut me some slack please..the trip was about to end..) Gratitude towards my travel mates inundated me as, I felt, without them I might not have been able to make it to this remote monastery.

It was time to return as I had a bus to catch from Joginder Nagar and had to reach there from Bir on time. Nik, Sid and Ani headed to Dharamshala to catch their return bus. The return to Delhi was minus any hiccups. In the bus, I came across a co-passenger who kept me engaged with his life stories and also promised to undertake solo travelling soon. (No, I did not push him to! :P)

The trip was over. I had a day to spend in Delhi and I utilised it fully meeting up with my Delhi friends. Looking back, I could not have asked for a more fulfilling travel experience and a more wonderful start to the year. Cheers to more such solo explorations!

P.S.: While I was buying snacks at Joginder Nagar bus stand, a shopkeeper who was watching me for a long time popped the most predictable question “Akeli ghum rahi ho?” I simply smiled. 😉