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DODRA and KAWAR - Mysterious Himachal

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Beautiful Chanshal  Village Dodra  Village Kawar - pic curtsey Internet Every state in India has certain areas which are remote and mysterious and evoke interest – interest as a visitor and as a researcher - in their history and uniqueness. Himachal also has many such places and at the top of the list is – DODRA - KAWAR – probably the remotest and one of the most backward areas of Himachal. Till 2009 it was approachable only on foot (three days trek to the nearest road head) and still gets cut off for 3-4 months a year due to heavy snow fall on highlands. It mainly remained cut off because the road could not be constructed as the local ‘Deity’ did not give permission for it till 2006.   Administratively also it was just a tehsil and became a sub division recently. Its a tri-junction of the state of Uttrakhand and Rohru and Sangla in Himachal. The confluence is evident in its language, dress and culture. Ever since I came to this state, I had heard about this far off land (a drea
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PANGI VALLEY - Land of Pangwals and Bhots AND of Glaciers and Waterfalls

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Hill Tuwan Bhatori Glaciers and Seichu Nallah  At Hill Tuwan Bhatori Happiness  Pangi Guest House  Ever since I got married and came to Himachal I have been hearing about these far flung areas of the state – shrouded in mysteries - considered to be difficult; but very beautiful. They lacked basic facilities, road connectivity and had extreme weather conditions. That’s why perhaps were not high on the tourists list as well. Lot has changed and changing since than. Pangi Valley is one of them Pangi basically is a sub division of Chamba district with a population of almost 25000 inhabitants, living in small villages spread across the valley, at a height of 11,000 feet upwards. Killar is its headquarter but it is not a big township. The entire region receives heavy snowfall and is a land of glaciers, waterfalls and tall trees . It is remote because it is deep in the Pir Panjal Range and can be accessed only through passes - via Keylong and Udaipur, via Saach Pass and via Kishtwar in J&a
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