a glimpse of Himachal rural life - part 1

Nov 29, 2019
This was my second day at Dhagpo Shedrupling Monastery, Kais. It was a business visit. We were expecting a consignment around midday but the truck driver informed that he would be arriving a day late. So we had to wait and be patient. I was in no mood to remain idle in this amazing place, exploring the mountains would be a nice way to use the time. Also a business associate here was willing to be my guide and host. I informed a senior monk about my plan and left the monastery by 11-30 or so. Our transportation was Honda X-Blade. Rajesh made sure I wore a helmet. I was riding a two-wheeler after a decade, that too in these steep mountain roads. The road was wide enough for two cars to pass by slowly. Three kilometers from the monastery we stopped for a short break.

The main objective of this trip was to see the traditional Kath Kuni houses. The houses were typically two-storied, made of stone blocks, wood, and slate slabs. The foundation comprised of shaped slate blocks neatly stacked. The gaps between the stones allowed water to flow through reducing the scope for soil erosion. The lower was built of heaver stone and wooden blocks and surrounded by beams and columns which acted as a canopy for the lower floor and flooring for the upper level. The upper level is where the kitchen and bedrooms are. The wooden walls and flooring would keep the interior warm. The roof was made of slate slabs with a long overhang so that rainwater and melted snow would fall away from the wooden walls and column. Most houses had a separate shed to store cattle fodder. The houses were simply fascinating.

Here's a mass of slate sticking out of the surface. Nature has provided semi-finished raw material for construction. This is similar to Cuddapah stone of Andhra Pradesh and Shahabad stone of Gulbarga district. Wondering how many more regions in India have such stones.

The mountains, the valley, and Beas river. This is the scene to many a homes here. How fortunate they are. They have their difficulties and hardships, but they are blessed to be breathing fresh air and viewing this landscape.

Our journey up the mountain continues with stops to shoot pictures like these. For that matter, one should simply walk these roads which would be a lot more comfortable to shoot. Wish I had that luxury of time. Anyway, I was trying to make the best of this visit. Coniferous are stylish looking trees, especially the pine trees. They are all over the mountains especially the upper levels. I guess the entire slopes of these mountains were covered by coniferous before humans started making apple orchards and building homes.

We stopped to see a slightly larger village. Except two house roofs covered with plastic sheets, all houses merge into the surroundings. Most houses are built in traditional method, there are few houses built of red brick and cement too.

A closer look at the houses. Some of the houses could be 50+ years like the house in the foreground with dark walls. The house next to it is a classic example of Kath Kuni walls. The walls has layers of stone and wood. The ancient builders devised this method to make walls are earthquake proof. The same house has stored hay in the balcony. By doing so, the interior is better insulated and hay is aired sufficiently.

This village is next to a pine grove. The air inside the grove is definitely colder than outside. The forest is the source of wood for the village people here. There are certain unwritten rules in making firewood.. only the branches are cut but the main trunk is untouched so that trees grow back branches for the next year. People living in the jungles of Yellapur follow the same rule- they prune slender branches just before rainy season.

Below the spot where I stood to shoot pictures was a shrub with small leaves. I noticed a small lump on one of the branches. The lump had a hole. I zoomed into the image and saw its a part of the plant. Wondering if the plant had created a nest for some kind of insect. Rajesh and I searched the plant, we couldn't find another one. Need to consult a botanist about this matter.

Movements in the sky cut our attention on the plant. Two kites glided gracefully. I'd not seen any Kites over the monastery earlier in the day. These birds looked larger than the ones I'd seen at Bangalore.

The birds were soon out of our sight. Next were the pines, going by the color they would fall off in a week or two. These pines are the softer variety. The pine cones I'd collected from the botanical garden of Karnataka University were hard, almost wood like. The leaves are needle like so that they don't catch too much snow. How beautiful are the ways of Nature.

Here's a hamlet of some four or five homes. Looks like these homes belong to one family. Of all the villages so far this one is built on the steepest slope. The hamlet has stocked sufficient hay in the form of conical towers, hay wound around wooden poles like cotton-candy.

Another home. There are two houses- big and small. The larger house must be the landlord's home and the smaller one looks like worker's quarter. Family members have gathered in tight groups, warming themselves in sunlight.

The house sits far away from other houses. What a sight! Love those coniferous trees. Across the road, next to the woods is the village we saw earlier. Wish I could stay up here in one of the homes for a week during winter.

We had reached a point where the smooth road ended abruptly and the path ahead was too rough. May be one person could ride comfortably but it wouldn't be safe for two people. Had we gone another kilometer ahead we might have reached snow. The road lead to an ancient temple which is quite popular. It was tempting to go ahead but Rajesh said that wild animals might have come down due to snow We decided not to take too much risk, decided to turn back. This house was the last thing we saw on this mountain. Two women and a dog sat there soaking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. This house is a corrupt version of Kath Kuni architecture.

Mr. Lion checking out the two strangers entering his territory. That spot seems to be his favorite. He's super comfortable lying on a soft bed of dry grass. I envy that guy!

The two women and a man draped in locally made shawls. For one seeing this picture, the brightness of the place might give an impression its warm. Not really. Its cold, for city person like me, it was freezing. Had we gone further up, the temperature would be even lower.

Opposite the house, across the road, the mountain face is steep, we could see straight into the monastery. Rajesh's team would be working on the top most floor of the temple building. Wish I could see the same during winter, when the place is covered in snow.

On the way back, we stopped at another village to check out this temple which is known as Shamshari Mahadev Mandir. This structure is a good example of Kath Kuni architecture. The wood used would be Deodar, the local name for pine. The name Deodar is actually Devadar ~ wood of Devas. Locals believe this wood has special properties- both physical and chemical. It has a pleasant aroma which is retained for centuries. Hence this is the preferred wood for temples.

The temple is built by masons and carpenters. The builders have decorated the structure to the best of their means. Small windows to keep the warm inside. On the door frame is a pair of horns, probably the horns of a mountain goat.

We'll see more of this temple in the following post- a glimpse of Himachal rural life - part 2.
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