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| Himachal’s 7 Natural Hot Springs,Water Therapy. www.thebetterindia.com |
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| Highest and oldest Golf Course,Naldehra,HM, India.topyaps.com |
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| A view from Naldehra, HM,India.www.flickr.com |
If you ever want to be away from the mad, mad world of highly polluted crowded cities, breathe fresh air, relax with your family and friends and be at peace with your self, your best bet is Naldehra, a small quiet place perched atop a 2044 meter high mountain, just 23 Km from the capital city of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. North India. Naldehra got its name from the Nag temple built here. It is a paradise in the lap of the Himalayan mountains.
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| Holiday cottages. www.swantour.com |
The beautiful rolling hills are flanked by tall deodar trees and you can see the nature's pristine beauty every where around you. A perfect place to loosen your stressed mind from the ritual office work Monday through Friday. The moment you step on this place you will feel rejuvenated. This paradise on earth was discovered by Lord Curzon, British Viceroy at the turn of the century (1900s) and he was so obsessed with this romantic place strewn with boulders, tall green trees, and little hillocks with carpeted slope, he had spent much of his summer season here. Not satisfied with his romance with this serene place, he named his third daughter Alexandra Naldehra. There is a functional golf course here, one of the oldest and highest in the world, founded by none other than Lord Curzon. The natural topography, terrain with nice gradient and slopes of enormous glade make the 18 - hole golf course a challenging one. It used to be a 9 - hole course. One will be thrilled to walk on the historical golf course that was once used by the erstwhile British Viceroys and higher-ups who controlled the administration of the entire subcontinent- the largest country in the British Empire.
A stay in a quiet place like this, far away from the maddening crowd is really exhilarating because you will see a perfect union between your mind and soul.
The HPTDC (The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department) cottages, in the midst of pine glades adjacent to the golf course are available for reasonable rent and there are private Chalets and guest houses to suit you budget.
There are other places near by that are equally enchanting: Mahunag, located picturesquely in the midst of the Golf Course in Naldehra, offers enchanting view of Karsog valley and its surrounding. Built in ancient Pahari style by Raja Shyam Sen in the year 1664, it is dedicated to Lord Karna. Lots of devotees visit this temple because, it is strongly believed, that a sincere prayer at this temple, reposing trust in the deity will help them get through the bad period and the contentious issues will be resolved amicably. Mind you, here people make their offerings mostly in Silver. On ''Mahara Sangaranti day'' (January) very year a huge fair is organized by the people.
Tattapani, 25 Km from here, has many small temples and caves that might interest you. The Sulphur hot springs here are popular and have medicinal properties Visitors come here in large numbers for relaxation and health benefits.
If you happen to be a ski buff there is a place called Kufri,16 kms away. The nice snow- clad gentle slopes will offer you a perfect skiing experience.
There are some beautiful chalet- type lodges perching atop the hills from where you can witness the ever moving mystic clouds hugging the lush hills. There are apple orchards here in the near-by places and the apple orchards of Mashobra's Regional Horticultural Research Station are famous. The center has about 170 varieties of apple trees, both red and golden. The research station is about half-hour drive from Naldhra. Himachal Pradesh is one of the major producers of apple and here the harvest season is between August and September.
There are places like Sirpur and Fagu (just within 22 km range) where one can enjoy the breath-taking view of the majestic mountains. Besides, there are beautiful apple orchards on the road sides. In the summer, horse-riding and hiking into the nearby woods offer lots of fun.
Naldehra can be reached by road: From Delhi: About 6 hours
From Chandigarh: About 2.5 hours
Ref:
http://www.journeymart.com/de/india/himachal-pradesh/naldehra/mahunag-temple.aspx
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