Bir, Himachal Pradesh
Bir is a little town in Himachal Pradesh, unknown to most of the people, so much so that when I enquired about the bus to Bir at the enquiry counter of the bus station, the guy on the other end was like "Bir? Where is that?". To escape from the hustle bustle of the city life, it of course made the perfect destination then.
Bir is very different from most of the famous hill stations of India. So far, it has been left untouched by the crazy commercial tourism that has ruined most of such places in India. But, it is not long before this beautiful little town will also be consumed by the commercialization. As of now, Bir is known for two things - the paragliding, and the tibetan colonies. When you enter the town, you see all these single storey residences scattered all over the place. I was a little disappointed that the place has lost the vernacular architecture, and most of the buildings are now constructed with RCC. I for one, really miss the traditional architecture that these hill stations proudly boasted once upon a time.
The roads inside the town are fairly wide for a hill station (given the crazy driving skills of the Himachali drivers), and make it easier to reach your destination. Thanks to the scarcity of public transport, and population, this make for a perfect and enjoyable journey. Just as you enter the town, you see a hoard of commercial shops promoting paragliding and other adventure activities in the area. Gladly, they have managed to maintain the sanctity of the beautiful town. If I had to explain what is so special about the place, I probably wouldn't be able to figure it out. All the hill towns have the same features - mountains, thick forests, small houses, and lovely people, and yet each one of them is so different and unique. Bir was unlike any hill town that I have been to. The quiet and peace of the place is just lovable.
The location of the Bir Zostel is really isolated, you wouldn't reach there without the help of the locals in the area. They are just so amazing. An isolated place far from the crazy population is exactly what I wanted, and Zostel was the perfect place therefore. It has recently opened, and is home to some very nice people, and exciting vibes. The moment I reached, I met this group of people who were going for paragliding, and asked me to join them if I wanted. I, being a sucker of good company and adventure, of course agreed. I had plans to do paragliding anyway, but I didn't know I would do it the first thing in Bir.
Within the first 30 minutes of my arrival at the hostel, I had already met three very interesting, different, and adventurous people, who all were on a solo trip of their own. I was told that the ride till the paragliding site is going to be more adventurous than the paragliding experience itself. They couldn't be truer. To reach the take off site, one has to go through all these twists and turns on the hilly road. The view is amazing, but your driver makes sure that you are more worried about your life than the views ;)
Once you reach the top of the hillock, you are satisfied that the crazy ride was totally worth it. You are suddenly surrounded by nothing but the clear skies and the beauty of the mountains. It is a different feel altogether.
Like every other adventurous thing on my 'bucket list', paragliding was something I was super excited as well as a bit scared about. I have had a brief experience with paragliding at Kamshet during my last solo trip, but this experience at Bir was a bit 'more'. The paragliding site at Billing is world's second highest, and of course the best in India. To fly high in the sky with such amazing views to surround you, is an experience to cherish after all. I didn't know I could make that run and glide away in the sky, until I did it. And for the lack of apt words, it was the best experience ever!
I fell in love with the place, and not only because of the best paragliding experience, but there was something about Bir, that made it a tad bit 'perfect' in every sense. The people were amazing, the places were beautiful, and the experience was just exciting! From the monasteries that were just so peaceful and quiet, to the energetic young monks who you could see hopping around in most of the corrners, to this beautiful little village called 'Gunher' which Google maps couldn't even find, and above all, the super awesome starry nights, I loved every bit of it.
Not everyday do you get to sleep under a beautiful sky full of shining stars, and fireflies spread all around you. Bir has truly been something of a charm!
Like every other adventurous thing on my 'bucket list', paragliding was something I was super excited as well as a bit scared about. I have had a brief experience with paragliding at Kamshet during my last solo trip, but this experience at Bir was a bit 'more'. The paragliding site at Billing is world's second highest, and of course the best in India. To fly high in the sky with such amazing views to surround you, is an experience to cherish after all. I didn't know I could make that run and glide away in the sky, until I did it. And for the lack of apt words, it was the best experience ever!
I fell in love with the place, and not only because of the best paragliding experience, but there was something about Bir, that made it a tad bit 'perfect' in every sense. The people were amazing, the places were beautiful, and the experience was just exciting! From the monasteries that were just so peaceful and quiet, to the energetic young monks who you could see hopping around in most of the corrners, to this beautiful little village called 'Gunher' which Google maps couldn't even find, and above all, the super awesome starry nights, I loved every bit of it.
Not everyday do you get to sleep under a beautiful sky full of shining stars, and fireflies spread all around you. Bir has truly been something of a charm!
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