Salogra - Introduction

On the way to Shimla near Solan, Salogra is one place where you can actually hear the wind-whispering romance when it flows gently, singing songs of passion as it assumes the force of a current. When clouds, heavy and grey, decide to loosen their knotted shapes to thirsty leaves and stems, they are accompanied by a ceaseless thunder. First, it appears as if a white haze has gripped the mountain head, then slowly it is lost in a shower from tip to toe. The sight of this bathing beauty is breathtaking. One cannot hold an impulse to walk out in the rain and feel the drops drench you through and through.

You can go crazy discovering shapes and faces in the rocks. The tall deodars seem solemn and scholarly. They sway with the wind, more at the top than anywhere else, as if nodding in an intellectual discourse.
-www.tourism-of-india.com/salogra.html
By- Ishan Bhatnagar

Salogra- My visit

I Ishan Bhatnagar, I was in 11th class when i visited Salogra , Their was a  Trek to salogra. Trek to Kufri
I was in 11th . Our final exams were going on.  I and my friend gave our name at the end when there were only two seats left. Because there was a problem with me , whenever I gave my name for a trip, its got cancelled.This time I gave at the end .. I have been in this school from nursery and this was my first trip ever from school. I was very happy and Excited.

19th march 2008 (Departure from School)
I woke up at 4:30 and started getting ready. I was ready till 6:15 then i had my breakfast and then Departed for school.We had to reach school at 6:45 to get on the bus. Bus was timed to leave at 7:00. But was delayed, waiting for a teacher. Bus departed at 7:30. Its was scheduled to reach salogra till 4:00.
We were stuck at the Delhi Boarder, we hadn’t crossed Delhi border till 11:30. How could we reach Salogra till 4:00?

After all we crossed Delhi border near 12 and stopped at a Dhaba at Karnal at 1 pm.All of us had lunch there.It was a wonderful experience.

We had fun in the bus. We watched Movie, listened music, talked and played cards.We Reached Kalka at 4:00, From Now the Mountains started or we started climbing Mountains. The Views were Damn Awesome! but Dangerous , Roads were steep and Turns were very Sharp. 
At Last we reached Salogra at 8:30.
We all were tired after sitting in the bus for a long time. We took our luggage and started moving behind our Guide, what we saw was Terrifying. Now we have to go up the hill about 500m where the road was making an angle of 45 Degree. And with our Luggage it was too Difficult. But we have to go and we did it.
That day it was planned to have a bone fire  , but it got cancelled due to our late arrival.The place looks very scary at night, but during day it looks beautiful as heaven.
The point we reached there I started looking for eclectic points, to charge my DVD player and mobile.We were called at the hall,t hen we were arranged randomly in 4 groups with 4 different caps. Sky Blue, Dark Blue, White and black. I was made the captain of the Dark blue team .

Then we saw our Rooms or Room,
there were only 1 Cottage which was divided into two parts one for girls and second for Boys. The Beds were like the berths of a Train. One upon another.

 

At 9:00 we told to bring our Plates and Glass for dinner. We had self service , also had to wash plates on their own.I had never done it on my own.Then told to sleep.. No way.. We just reached and you are saying to sleep. It was time for some fun! We chat and roam  .. It was totally dark out there with only a bulb .Then suddenly light goes we started shouting and screaming. Then the caretaker shouted and told us not to shout, Our voice will Echo and will disturb people living up there. 

At night we all were getting Bored so we started watching movie..Golmal.. Only boys.. I was on the middle on the Top of the Bert ,All the Boys shifted towards my bed, there were three beds and 18 children sitting on them.Girls were sleeping at other partition . Our movie volume was quite loud.. There was scene  when Tushar kapoor acting as a dumb.. Says "Aaee o aeeo ae aeooaea"… than a voice came from the girls partition .." Ye goongae ki awaaj kahan se aa rahi hai".
Mam was their. All of us rushed to all their beds .. Before mam comes. While going to their bed . As all of them were sitting on the same beds while getting down from the Bed Some of them fall from the bed and got hurt badly.

Now mam comes to our door, knocking at the door .. Open the door. All of were gigling and asking each other .. "Oye Tu khol" But no one opened the door. After 2min of knocking.. A child sleeping next to door woke and opened the door and then jumped on his bed.. Mam was very angry- and warned us that if we make noise . The person has to sleep in the girls partition. All of us started making noise , so that all of us will go there. Then all of just lay down on their beds and staring flashing our torch lights at the girls partition.
But no response came .. Then we slept.. We were asked to woke up at 6:00 and get ready till 7:00 for exercise. But all boys of us woke up at 5:00, all the Girls were sleeping.  

20th March Thursday 2008
We got ready till 6:30.
Then we had the thought of the day, and then exercise..
Then it was time for Breakfast. While every one was having breakfast,, I and Harshit was roaming and viewing the beauty from our base camp. We got down from our camp every time when we had lunch or before  dinner to a shop to have a packet of Kurkure and Fanta.. I lived there because of this. In these three days , I only had these things. I can’t eat the food served at our base camp,, “Daal, Roti and Chawal” , Daal was like water. And after that we had to wash our Plates. No way, so i only had Chips and Soft drinks.

Then it was time to get ready for go to mountain trek.
We started climbing mountain at 9:30.. It was very adventurous. We walked 4-5 Km .. Which is a very long and stressful on a mountain. The paths were very dangerous .. By dangerous I really mean very dangerous. We had fun while climbing up the mountain. We helped each other and learned many things.

We clicked many photos  at very dangerous points.. We were taken to a gurudwara up the mountain , where we rest for 15 min and then started climbing again.  Then we reached the top of our trek point . There we sat for more than 15 min and enjoyed the view..
Than we started declining back to our base camp.
Then we reached down . All the captains were asked to collect Rs25 from every one for Toy train ride.

We reached base camp till 12:00. to have lunch. My lunch was at the shop. A bottle of fanta and a kurkure.
We departed for Shimla . At 1:30
We reached Shimla at 3:30.. We got to the mall road. And were set free. We were told that we have to assemble here at 5:00.. For catching the toy train.

All of us had so much fun there. Played games.We clicked photos and did many other things. Had a exotic lunch. And the most important was the fun with my friends.

Then we reached the station .. Our train timings were 6:00.. But we reached there at 5:20. So we were waitng at the waiting area. I and Harshit, and Jayesh  , went out on the station to search for food. There we had coffee.. We just took our coffee , suddenly our sir shouted train is at the platform . Hurry. Get on it.
We threw our coffee and ran for the train. Every bogie was full. There wasn't a space. Any more..  All of us boarded  the train . We were literally hanging on the train door. . There was no space to move. And it took 3 and half hour to reach our base camp.. All the time standing .

That night we had dinner and slept. As we were very Tired.
As Usual my Dinner was at the Shop.
Next day was our day.. On which we have to leave for Delhi.

21 March Friday 2008 ( Depart to Delhi)
But 1st we had some competitions between the 4 groups.
It was the gun shooting and A drama.
And activities like cramping and Rope climbing.

We were first in gun shooting and 2nd in drama. But overall we were first ..Then we made a drawing
and wrote our experience.
Sat for lunch ..  Than packed our bag. And got on the bus. Bus started .. Moving. I was feeling very sad. I had so much fun. Was my best time of my life.

We stopped at a Dhaba near Ambala at 7:30.We played antakshri in the bus for passing time.
We reached our school at 11:45.  I was feeling very sad . I was crying inside for the best moments of life.
And I will always remember them….
By- Ishan Bhatnagar

Salogra- Photo Gallery