O! Palampur!! - An ode to the loveliest town of Himachal!

O! Palampur!! - An ode to the loveliest town of Himachal!

 'Wow! What a view!' I was not prepared for the  majestic Dahauladhars as I entered the room with French windows. 'This is Diwan-e-Aam.You continue climbing up to the 'Diwan-e-khaas' encouraged my host; the famous wild life vet of Himachal - Dr Kishtwaria who taught us in Palampur Veterinary College in 90's. As I climbed to the glass walled cabin on top of the house, I forgot to breathe as I soaked in the 360 degree view of Palam valley.  I let my eyes trace the peaks remembering the treks we took and the camping we did in the thick pine forests. The hills had not changed much though the valley had become dotted with more and more habitats. I looked at the huge boulders on top of one of the mountains and regretted that I could never reach there as we lacked proper mountaineering gear. The hills are inviting us aloud to develop treks and facilities so that locals and tourists alike can explore them in a regulated way. That can bring Palampur truly on tourist map and provide jobs and incomes to youth as well as business to what looked like excessive inventory that has come up. As of now these peaks have not even been named as far as I know! How callous can we be to our pristine surroundings!! No wonder we remain ignorant, poor and unhappy. 

I had returned after some twenty years for college reunion. As I had also had some schooling in Palampur, I was on a nostalgic trip and planned to not only meet old friends but also reacquaint myself with the mountain peaks that loomed high, pristine tea gardens, khuds or mountain streams of snow water in which I had learnt swimming, hill tracks that I traversed for school, the trees, the shops, the landmarks, the play grounds and few amongst the gentry who define Palampur. I wanted to immerse myself in the milieu once again.

The genial professor by then had brought out bowls of dry fruit from the small almirah in a corner and was busy extracting cans of Budweiser from a strategically located mini fridge. We both sunk in the mountain facing sofa with our beer and raised a toast to the eternal mighty Himalayas. As promised, Dr Kishtwaria told me the story of his transformation from a normal vet to the wildlife expert - 

'It all happened quite suddenly. We were in the college clinics looking after the cases that arrived. I saw a guy approaching us with lot of trepidation. He was quite unsure about himself. I observed him keenly. I saw he was carrying a basket in his right hand and kept it at a distance from his body. I waved at him and gestured for him to come to me. 'What's there in the basket'? I had asked. 'Sir, it's a snake' he told me gingerly. 'People hit it with stones and injured it badly. I saved it and brought for treatment' He explained. I had never come across an injured snake that demanded treatment and was at a loss. Just then my Head of Department, (HOD) jumped in. 'We don't deal with snakes. You take it out of the clinic complex immediately' He asked the guy. 

I was flummoxed! 'Sir, how can you turn him out like this? I had interjected.

'We don't deal with this species' was his curt reply.

'If we don't then who will'? I had asked him in a sudden fit of anger. I had by then overcome my hesitation and proceeded to examine the snake which was badly injured. I restrained it using some improvisations and cleaned the wounds. Then I applied antiseptic cream and prescribed same for further use. Luckily the snake survived and was released in the forest by the Good Samaritan in a few days. That was the day I decided to learn wildlife medicine and focussed my energies in that direction'.

Rest as they say is history. He has till date rescued some  innumerable snakes, leopards, bears and dears. He's the 'go to' man for the wildlife department for any injured or strayed animal.

We then proceeded to 'Infini-tea' a luxury resort built in midst of the Bundla Tea Estate for lunch. I marvelled at the state of art gym and climate controlled pool - an unthinkable feat in the Mofussil town. Thence we proceeded up the hill past the now concretised Neugal cafe location and crossed the bridge into Kandi area. The view of the valley was heartening as it still looked very green contrary to my fears. Then we reached 'Himachal Heritage Village' a unique resort with beautiful cottages made in traditional architecture in the lap of nature. Mr Hemraj Dogra, the owner was a thick pal of the professor who had helped with his incisive ideas in the development. We enjoyed some local delicacies accompanied by the unique Palampur green tea listening to the waters of the neugal khud flowing down the valley. A lone paraglider took off from a peak above us and slowly flew to a landing zone across the khud. Hemraj, who returned from Oman and bought this piece of land can give a dozen lessons to planners of HP government for creation of world class yet traditional, sustainable infrastructure in the hills. People like him - true stake holders and enlightened - must be involved in any developmental efforts taken for the region. 

Next day I explored the route I took as a child from my house in a tea garden to KV in Holta Camp and was surprised to find that the distances that seemed too much as a child were actually much shorter! The steep inclines were after all not that steep! Unfortunately the barracks that were my school were demolished few years back and school relocated so that all the memories of a generation of palampurians who studied in the school have disappeared into thin air! For the first time I envied my friends who passed out from legacy school like BCS and Sanawar in Shimla hills. The khuds that I crossed on way to schools were still there but - with less water and strewn with something that didn't exist in the 80s - the discarded plastic. A natural water source near 'Doru Mohalla' that was used extensively for refreshing cold baths by public was unkept, gone wild and with a warning sign - The water is polluted and unfit for drinking'. Since my school days, the Cantt has graduated to be a Division location rather than a Brigade. With that, the Cantt has extended and now has a beautiful Golf Course that offers the best panoramic view of the Dhauladhars in Palampur. Its nestled between a well cared for pine forest and the approach road is a heavenly walk with pine scented fresh air that is elixir to the body and soul.

A beautiful British type cottage atop a hillock, overlooking 'Maul Khud' had always intrigued me. We knew it to be abode of some retired General. This time I didn't want to leave it unexplored. Armed with my rank I strode confidently to the cottage hoping to find the next generation. To my utter surprise, I was met by 97 year old Mrs Korla, widow of Late Major General Sri Kanth Korla, PVSM, DSO, MC - an exceptional war hero who distinguished himself in the bitterly fought 'Burma Campaign' (World War II). He was commissioned in Baluch regiment in 1940 and after independence shifted to the Gorkha Rifles. The lady retained all the grace and charm of an Indian Army wife and asked her help Sweety to show me around each room of the heritage house . The beautiful house was adorned with military history and was a veritable treasure house of vignettes about Indian Army. 

' My husband belonged to Nagrota Bagwan and my family was from a village near Baijnath. my father was in Defence Estate department and our wedding took place in Ravalpindi Cantt in 1944' Mrs Sarla Korla told me over tea with a twinkle in her eye. ' No. This isn't a British house though it's near the St Pauls School. Actually we bought it from a local businessman who sold it off as soon as it was completed. Look at the 'Om' designed in the concrete jalis. Timber used is high quality deodar. We bought the house in 1960s on retirement. Palampur was so small then. We didn't even get bread here. But the khud below was so fresh. Children used to fish during free times. We used to have a beautiful garden full of flowers. I sustained a pulled leg last month. Soon I will be again up and about'.

'Madam is a great lady full of love and knowledge. I was an illiterate when I joined her service 20 years back' Sweety later told me ' Madam insisted and taught me. Today I read the Hindi newspaper aloud to her everyday as her eyesight is weak'. I could sense the pride that education brings in her voice. 

In the evening I met couple of friends who got employed in the town and finally settled down. The town is full of people from outside who got jobs in the large institutes like Agri university, CSIR, Cantt and never left. The place is full of beautiful bungalows made by the highly educated middle class. However, the era of easy govt jobs got over two decades ago. Now there's no job, industry was never there and agriculture is finished or not meeting aspirations. Tourism has not taken off as much as one would like. As such, there is no option for the youth but to leave for places beyond Chandigarh for employment. That's not a problem for the very bright youth of the area. But the issue  is that Palampur is fast becoming a town of old who in turn are facing pressure to leave for getting united to their children and in search of better health facilities and convenience. It is a food for thought for the young and very able politicians from the area to think 20 years in advance to keep the place on track.

Palampur owes its birth to 'Tea'. The most important commodity for British in 19th century. It became essential for British to have own supply to offset the huge trade imbalance it created with China. So some enterprising and brave British stole the tea saplings as well as technology (With Chinese workers) and tried growing it in Kumaon. Kangra valley was also selected due to its climate and under the relentless missionary zeal of Mr Ferguson, the then Commissioner of Jullunder, fallow land was procured from the villages and allotted to British planters in second half of 19th century. Ferguson persevered for more than two decades to make tea industry a success and organised International Tea Fairs to attract traders from Central Asia. However, changed political and trade conditions didn't allow the trade to reach its potential. Devastating 1905 earthquake destroyed the tea factories and led to large scale deaths forcing all the British planters to quit in haste selling their gardens to available bidders from merchant families. Since then, tea industry has seen few ups and mostly downs despite periodic government efforts. Almost half of the approximately 2000 hectares of tea land in Kangra district today is not well looked after. These remaining tea gardens are the unique charm of the region but under severe stress from builder lobby. Some owners have intelligently combined hospitality with tea production and created wonderful leisure destinations. At the same time they have experimented with producing organic and unique blends, successfully marketing them as a niche product. I wish we had a leader of the stature of Lal Bahadur Shastri who during 1965 war exhorted Indians to eat less and contribute to war effort. Such a Himachal leader could motivate Himachalis to use only Kangra tea to give it a leg up!

There are a number of graves of British planters in the cemetery besides the church near St Pauls school. The epitaphs on the graves give a peek in this interesting past. A tablet commemorating Ferguson was put up by his family inside the church - 'As Palampur was there his heart lied'. Unfortunately, 'Palampur Club' - that small cottage above old bus stand - one of the important vestiges of the Raj has been demolished and replaced by undoubtedly the ugliest concrete building I saw during my visit.

Availability of large parcels of land under tea is a boon that has stood Himachal in good stead. Lands of the sprawling 'Holta Tea Estate' were acquired for setting up Agriculture university, CSIR, and a number of other government institutes like Horticulture, Silk and Dairy farms which have contributed immensely to not only Palampur but entire state.

The market was as I could remember. Gobind sweets, Sawhney Hotel, Pine Hotel and Bar, the liquor shops next to mini secretariat ( Earlier Tehsil building is survived by a single 'Treasury Room' left as a reminder by some wise guy), the Subhash statue and Nehru statue (replaced) are still there. I found the 'Joy Twins' in their restaurant. They are synonymous of Palampur for me since 1982. Their signature Chaat and Cold Coffee taste the same!!! Some of the colonial deodars on the road to church have died but there are some that were planted 30-40 years ago and thriving. Many deodars planted at that time in university are doing well. I wish more are planted in the salubrious town for coming generations.  

Palampur is truly a land of brave hearts. Vikram Batra, Sudhir Walia, Saurabh Kalia - these are household names in India as epitome of bravery. The town has honoured them with public roads, institutes and parks in their names. the place is home to large number of serving and retired soldiers of all ranks (There must be more than 50 General rank officers from the region)  who have made their mark in service of country. The land has something in it that produces courageous sons (and daughters). I wish all the best to this place in the 21st century and hope that its natural beauty and salubrious climate is nurtured jealously by the public as well as government to make it the crown jewel of Himachal.