Cooling off at kalpa
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When summers scorch the plains， the prospect of running away to the mountains soothes. But it’s the thought of finding snow that tantalises， and how. A mission comes into focus. Bragging rights garner attention and animated conversations revolve around swirls of white， flakes and sheets of white. Schedules are made and aborted， till one fine day the unbearable white heat outside the door appears in sharp contrast to the white the mind has warmed up to. In the titanic clash of whites， the expected one is the winner， and plans get firmed to finally set out. If life’s joys lie in small things， chasing snow in summer is the god of small things.
Some mountain roads have， over time， come to acquire cult status. Amidst that line-up are a few which qualify as classics on the sheer strength of name. The Hindustan-Tibet Road is one among those. Though officially stripped of that aura and austerely referred to as National Highway 22， nothing has altered its charm for the traveller for whom it still promises the heady romance associated with surface voyages of yore. This highway runs through the heart of Kinnaur， one of the prettiest regions of Himachal， and apart from quenching the thirst for adventure， leads to sun and snow locales， certainly a blissful thought during blisteringly hot conditions.
The 459-km route runs across the colonial-meets-chaos landscape of Shimla， rises up to the alpine-line of Narkanda， zig-zags past the apple orchards of Thanedar-Kotgarh， races through Rampur and a little ahead of Jeori （a diversion here leading to Sarahan）， enters the scenic valley of Kinnaur. The shift in terrain from the twists and bends of Shimla’s green hills to the ruggedness of Kinnaur is quite stunning and the mountains appear like sculpted art. more than the destinations， the road becomes a point of discussion as it rapidly ascends and descends， at times precariously clinging to the edge and on occasions grandly zipping through dramatically-carved sheer rock. The River Sutlej is its steady escort， and moody waters add another irresistible element in the already stimulating mountain canvas. Nature has the ability to sparkle in every season and bursts of summer resplendence are brought in by brilliant lavender jacaranda trees peeping through dense conifers， wild roses cascading down a barren hillside， a flame of the forest in red profusion or the silver oak proudly presenting its mustard-orange flowers. The colours sparkle and the contrasting mountains heighten this magical effect.
During the initial stages of the journey through Kinnaur， a driver’s skills are tested often in encountering the appalling Wangtu-Karcham section， where hydel projects are in progress and have ruined the terrain. An unexpected spell of rain adds to woes on this stretch， but these are the sort of challenges mountain addicts thrive on， the successes in such moments adding to the bag of brag to be dug into often， long after the journey is over. The intermittently good-bad tarmac clears out a little before the uphill detour for Reckong Peo， the district headquarters of Kinnaur. The highway carries on to Sumdo and enters Spiti where it winds up at Kaurik， the Indian frontier which needs to be accessed on foot. For mission snow， though， you needn’t stretch yourself the full distance. A spectacle awaits at kalpa， a destination 14 km ahead of Reckong Peo and 220 km from Shimla.
The drive up to Kalpa （9，051 ft） is impressive to say the least， with the pretty chilgoza or pine-nut tree （this region is said to produce the country’s best） lining the winding road and the whiff of snow drugging the air. The mountains play hide- and-seek and the eyes stay peeled to spot the white. The road is flawless， the drive is smooth and a few twists later when the vehicle halts， the spectacular scene stuns. n offer is a panoramic 180-degree view of the Kinner Kailash range， appearing to be at touching distance. And it’s stark white. Snow white！ It looks magnificent against the brilliant blue of the sky and to use a clichéd expression ‘takes your breath away’. Often the actual lacks the beauty a picture-postcard conveys. But this is not the case here. Kalpa is real and utterly beautiful. Its postcard will never be a lie. The search for sun and snow is rewarded here， and magnificently so.
Kalpa is characteristically quaint and picturesque. It has stunning walking trails， and friendly people with lyrical voices and soft blue eyes， typical kath-kuni（walls built with alternating slabs of wood and stone） homes with gently sloping slate roofs， apple orchards in blossom running down the hills and a quietude that’s interrupted only by the chirping of the birds or chants from temples and monasteries.
All these features are quite mountain- specific， but are elevated to a new high by glorious Kinner. As with all ‘Kailash’ suffixed mountains， this is also considered the legendary winter abode of Lord Shiva. His homes are in choice locales and， at Kalpa， he let’s you savour a bit of that experience. Do make sure， though， that you strike a deal with the weather gods to keep overcast grey skies at bay and let the white reign through the summer season.