Day 222 of Indian places giving smiles – Unheard Himalayan town of Gagal
When I was told that I have to do an official training workshop in this unheard of place called Gagal in the scenic mountains of Himachal Pradesh, I was quite excited. As usual I made enquires with friends, looked it up on the internet and planned in advance to visit some famous tourist spots like the Dalai Lama’s Dharamshala nearby. Little did I know that there are 2 places called Gagal in Himachal Pradesh. One is the Gaggal (with a double g in the middle) where the Kangra airport is situated to conveniently visit the famous monastery of Dharamshala.
However I was surprised to be driven from Chandigarh airport to another completely unheard of Gagal(this time with a single g in the middle )which is also called Gagal Cement works. And the only speciality of this remote Gagal was the factory and modern colony set up by the reputed cement company where I was supposed to do a motivational workshop.
My colleague and I were first taken to a beautiful guesthouse overlooking a colourful flower garden with scenic mountains as a natural backdrop. And then for whatever reason we were shuttled again to another guest accommodation which was not in any way as fancy as the first one. I realized that this disparity exists throughout the colony and we could notice the stark difference in the various types of residential accommodation available for different levels of staff all within walking distance of each other. All the factory employees of all grades live within the community in different sized quarters based on their official level posts.
While my colleague preferred to get glued to the computer inside the room, I used the evening spare time to explore the place. At the temple I interacted with some of these random employees and their family members to get a sense of what it feels to live amidst such surroundings. There is also a shopping area, club house, playgrounds, school, etc. all within the complex to make it comfortable for the residents of this sprawling colony. Most of the people here are so open hearted, that after just a few minutes of polite conversation, I (who was a complete stranger to them a few minutes ago) was actually invited to one of the smaller flats. I enjoyed their simplicity and the amazing taste of local hospitality. We city dwellers have to still rediscover the joys of such unplanned genuine caring!
I also went out of the colony to visit the local market. I generally buy a small item as a token of remembrance of new places I travel to, and I got a lovely warm stole at a very reasonable price.
The natural beauty in the mountains of the Himalayas is visible everywhere. I got up at 4.30 am in the next morning and explored the beautiful gardens and other pathways inside the complex. The sight of the rising sun above the mountains at dawn, the fragrance of flowers, the crisp winter chill on my skin, the unpolluted air- all added to reinvigorate all my senses.
Instead of driving past the small towns of the Himachal mountains, if you get a chance please do stay at least for night in one these cozy unheard of places, you will have your own surprising experiences!
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