November is that time of the year when the cold has begun but the merciless chill is still at least a month away. Being the winter lovers that we are, we wanted to grab a slice of the frost before time & this made us think of Himachal Pradesh over a 2021 long weekend.
Shimla & nearabout were done but then we came across a name we’d not heard before – Tara Devi. We also chanced upon a magnificent, dog friendly accommodation, Casalini Estate.
So, why not?
We took the road to Tara Devi. We used the (then) new Eastern Peripheral to reach Sonipat. We halted at the Ethnic India Resort in Rai for a quick breakfast.
The Electric Vehicle charging stations at the Ethnic India parking captured our attention and became a focal point of our conversations over chai.
The Resort is right on the highway with ample parking available. It has plenty of open spaces. Every time we’ve halted here, the staff members have been kind enough to let Fluffy run around in their nice garden.
We then continued to Tara Devi.
The First Evening
It was evening by the time we reached. The road took us to the Tara Devi Temple entrance before we figured that an offroad path had to be taken to reach Casalini Estate.
The best recourse in such situations is to call the owner/ manager as Google Maps, at times, stops working after a point. We dialed the owner, Mr. Bir Singh Atwal who promptly sent an escort party for us.
There was not much to do once the Sun had set. Moreover, we had had an early start to the day; so, we were happy to lounge in the cozy living room of the Estate.
We had not expected the chill to hit us; so, we were happy to sit next to heaters & sip on warm tea. Moreso because Mr. Atwal, the friendly owner of Casalini, had kept his ancestral home & hearth warm.
We scoured the living room noticing, with delight, many an antique piece as well as vintage photos. An ancestral house is always one that gives rise to numerous conversations!
Mr. Atwal gave us company in the evening. We chatted away until it was dinnertime. Always loving a friendly conversation on our travels, we were pleased as punch to have chosen the Casalini Estate for our stay!
The First Full Day
The cold did not go away in the morning but became bearable. We stepped out of the warm cottage gingerly. The garden was full of colorful flowers.
We basked in the Sun while cupping our hands around cups of steaming tea. The day was absolutely gorgeous. We could see the Shimla hills in the distance & even the Jakhu idol.
There was no way we could let go of the warm mountain Sun. So, Mr. Atwal very kindly arranged for breakfast to be served in the garden itself.
There are umpteen forest trails near Casalini Estate but be ready to huff & puff. We chose to descend to an Ancient Shiva Temple (also called Shiv Kutiya) that took us through an unforgettable forest.
The path was marked at most places but was composed of steep steps; having walking staffs turned out to be a clever idea.
Clearings in the forests made us stop to click pictures. We spotted a blue sky & lots of greenery! The whole point of mountains is you do nothing; just surrender yourself to nature…
At the base of the steps was the Shiva Temple. It’s a small temple but quite important for the locals. In times past, an ascetic used to live here too in austerity.
His cottage is preserved and can be viewed by devotees/ visitors.
The temple precincts were adorned with red chunris. As this is in the middle of the forest (& a bit of an effort to reach), it’s quite empty usually.
Thus, for those inclined so, it can be a good spot to meditate. In complete silence…
An uphill path connects the Ancient Shiva Temple of the main Tara Devi Temple. But as we’d planned to visit the Tara Devi Temple the next day, we headed back to the Estate.
On our way back, we took the flatter but longer route. Our guide (a staff member of our accommodation) told us stories about leopards.
At one point, he even went, “What was that?” He then stood in silence for some time before he finally said, “Chala Gaya!” You can imagine our excitement (& apprehension maybe)!
After the tiring walk, we recharged our batteries with a hearty lunch with Mr Atwal. He narrated anecdotes about the Tara Devi winters & how managing to keep water flowing in the taps is a task!
The crisp autumn air did us good. For the rest of the afternoon, we strolled in the gardens. The ~180-degree view of the Himalayas was pure magic!
In the evening, we lazed around in the living room listening to Mr. Atwal telling us about Sikhism.
The Second Full Day
As usual, we woke up to see the sunrise. Little birds were up & about. The feathered creatures were proving the saying ‘The early bird catches the worm’.
Later in the day, we headed to the Tara Devi Temple. We drove to a high plateau from where a forest path led us to the Temple.
This time, the path wasn’t an incline and quite easy to navigate. We ambled along, talking, taking in the sights…
‘Tara’ stands for a single point of light that helps one navigate. So, while Tara Devi is a goddess considered to be a form of Durga, she’s seen as a ‘guiding light’ by Hindus & Buddhists alike.
The Tara Devi Temple is 250+ years old. It is made of wood. It is surrounded by red religious flags. Its precincts are quite huge with facilities like shops also available.
We removed our shoes and climbed a few steps to reach the Temple. The first thing that struck us was how stupendous its architecture was!
The second thing was a delicate tree full of pink blossoms; what a sight! The third was the corking scenery in front of us. Being on a hilltop, you can see kilometers in every direction.
Heaving mountains & green valleys stretched out in front of us.
The Himalayas have been our source of happiness for decades. Every time we visit this mountain range, we understand a little better how people become spiritually enlightened here.
Standing on this hilltop, you can’t help imagining that Tara Devi is keeping an eye on all her disciples from here. Because of this sweeping view, the temple isn’t just a pilgrim spot; it’s also frequented by tourists.
The temple is open every day (except special occasions) and its timings are 7 AM to 6:30 PM. If you visit on the Navratri Ashtami day, you can witness a grand worship as well as participate in a fair where you can also watch wrestling competitions!
In the evening, we chilled in the Pink Room at the Casalini Estate. It’s called so because of its all – pink decor, from the walls to the furniture.
The Last Morning
Every morning, the dawn scenes made our hearts grow fonder of Tara Devi. We so miss that chilled air… We drove back to NCR stopping at the Kingfisher Resort, Ambala for Chai.
We halted again to buy shoes at the factory outlet complex in Ambala. And a last halt at the Royal Hoshiarpur Dhaba, Murthal for Chai, Samosa & Bread Pakoda.
We ate standing in the parking area because this wasn’t dog friendly.
Accommodation
The Casalini Estate has a charm. It’s an expansive yet cosy British – era cottage, reminding you of the English countryside you read about in childhood.
The green lawn outside is a perfect spot for tea while sunbathing. If you like bird watching, you can keep an eye out in the garden around sunrise.
We saw many little feathered creatures.
The expansive premises are also full of gazebos & sculptures. The Estate was still in the process of being renovated. So, the long – forgotten sculptures gave quite an eerie, mysterious look to the property; we loved it!
The interiors are full of artifacts of the bygone era. Mr. Atwal has painstakingly preserved his family antiques. These gave a richness to his home without ever seeming ‘too much’.
Heaters & hot water bottles were available when we felt a chill. Our room was comfortable with enough blankets & a heater.
All our meals were at Casalini itself. We ate till we exploded. Such an assortment of dishes – Omlet, Sausages, Cheese Toast, Aloo Pyaz Paratha for breakfast; Pumpkin Soup, Chicken Kathi Roll, Dry Chili Chicken, Veg & Chicken Momos for snacks; Aloo Gobhi, Aloo Methi, Chicken Curry, Lachcha Paratha, Paalak Paneer, Dosa – Idli – Vada – Sambar, Veg Noodles & Chili Chicken Gravy… phew! Everything was JUICY!
The Casalini Estate is a homestay in the truest sense. It is Mr. Atwal’s home & he has opened it to strangers. Over our two days, he not only made us feel at home but also took us for a guided tour of the Tara Devi Mandir.
The Estate has doggies (which always clinches the deal for us) but they were confined to an enclosure the entire time we were there.
Casalini was exactly our kind of place! But we are cognizant of the problems cold & remote areas bring. It is easy to get enchanted as a sightseer, but different to live there!
We’d the feeling that we were at home. Not for a moment we felt we were in a stranger’s house. We made the right choice with the Casalini Estate; it was exceptional!
Tips For Visiting
- Noida to Tara Devi is 364 KMS & took us ~nine hours with stopovers.
- Tara Devi is barely 20 KMS from Shimla yet has a completely contrasting character. Instead of staying in the bustling Shimla city, go here.
- Please do not expect ‘touristy’ activities at Tara Devi. Instead, expect a lot of calm & nature.
- If you like hiking/ walking & birdwatching, then Tara Devi is the place for you.
- Tara Devi gets snowfall in winter. For the winter chill & snowy magic, go from October to March. But even during the rest of the year, the weather is pleasant.
- Tara Devi can be reached via –
- Jubbarhatti airport, Shimla
- Kalka Railway Station
- Shimla bus stand
- Well connected by National Highway 5
- Please be prepared for patchy connectivity. Disconnect!
- Do not feed the wild animals & birds.
- Keep the mountains clean!
