Rupi Raila Water falls
The idea of going on a lab trip is a thought that had been lingering in our minds for quite some time owing to the hectic work schedule of the past few weeks. We craved to break free of the chaos and go to a place that is calm, serene, and less jam-packed. So, it was settled that the six of us from the lab will be going to Shangarh, a village in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. We were so determined to go that every aspect of the trip was planned and executed in less than 2 days.
After an overnight journey, we reached a place called Aut from where we had to take a local cab to reach the village. The path from Aut to Shangarh was a roller coaster of views ranging from the majestic 3 km long tunnel, the hydroelectric power project on the Beas river bank to the lush pastures, towering trees, and snow-covered mountains. Finally, we reached the place of our stay where we were welcomed warmly by our host. After a tasty brunch we left for our first exploratory destination, the Barshangarh falls. The trek to the falls was filled with funny banters, and a picturesque view of the village. The lost energy was restored with the single view of the falls which portrayed the pristine beauty of nature. After clicking a few mandatory candid pictures and relaxing we started moving towards our next destination – the Shangarh meadows. When we reached the meadows it was around the time of sunset which felt like the perfect time to just sit in the vast green landscape and enjoy the view. At the end of the day, we were all tired and exhausted but the amazing memories of the day, the bonfire, and a hearty dinner made us excited for our exploration the next day.
It is always surreal for me to enjoy the morning after waking up with a steaming cup of coffee. The pleasant cold weather, the view of the mighty Himalayan ranges, the chirping of the birds, and my hot coffee made my morning just perfect. The first half of the second day was so adventurous as we explored the untraversed mountainous trails that were so serene and calm. After lunch, we bid goodbye to the host and the place where we were staying and started moving towards the Dhaliara Khoti (Twin Towers of Raila) and Rupi Raila waterfalls. The driver who drove us to these destinations was an awesome guide and explained the history of the abandoned Twin towers which were the home of some of the native people of the village many years ago. As we headed towards the Rupi Raila waterfalls he told us that we can experience the feeling of heaven on earth when we see it and it was absolutely true. It was almost time for us to bid adieu to the village and go to Aut where we had to board the bus back to the tumultuous life awaiting in Delhi. As the Sun set, I took one final view of the mountains with the last shred of visible light and it felt that if time could stand still, I could live forever in those magic hours!!!
Jeyashri Rengaraju
Jeyashri Rengaraju is a second year PhD student at Dr. Vivek T Natarajan’s lab. She is currently working on understanding the cellular factors and molecular mechanisms guiding the fate transition of neural crest cells towards becoming the melanocytes using zebrafish and iPSCs as model systems.
I had been visiting Shangarh since 2019. Hope you had an amazing journey…