By Priya Goswami
Once called the Switzerland of India for its beauty and wealth, Garli is now a notified heritage village tucked in the Kangra valley. A treasure of architectural marvels-Kangra, Colonial, Portugese, Rajput and Islamic, it is a beautiful mix of all these influences.
The lanes of Garli |
This village was set by
the Soods, an enterprising merchant community, in the early 19th century. Way
ahead of their times in planning, they built their own houses and brought their
own craftsmen and servicemen with them, including the cobblers, barbers,
carpenters, etc. They also established the schools, hospitals, sarais, roads and the
waterworks making Garli the epicenter of Punjab’s economics and politics by the
1920s. It is said that the location of village was also carefully chosen to
receive good astral influence as the three shakti temples are also locatenearby-Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi and Brajeshwari (Kangra).
Garli is believed to have enough European influence and is also credited to its
proximity to the summer capital (Shimla) of the British Raj back then. It was
in the late 1950s that the village was completely abandoned, and when visited
today, one can still see many buildings and mansions lying in distressed state.
Some are as old as 200-300 years but speak of the village’s wealth back in
those days. And this is evident in the grandeur of these structures made of
exquisite wood, expensive balconies and intricate wall work. Garli has a small market for grocery, bakery, bangles, shoes and tailor shops. The village has a small taal as well.
The Abandoned House |
Local Attractions
For Heritage enthusiasts-
The buildings and mansions all have a story. You can stop anytime and enjoy the architecture of these grand houses such as Bishnu Niwas, Bhagwan Niwas, the ‘Hidden House’, the ‘Mystery House’, and so on.
The Chateau Garli - A restored building |
Apart from the three shakti
peeth- Chintpurni, Jwalamukhi, Brajeshwari (Kangra), one can also explore
heritage temples within a radius of 50-60 kms like the Dada Siba Temple and
Masroor Rock cut Temple. The Dada Siba is also called the temple of Radhe
Karishna and is revered for its
mural paintings all across, which have been restored and delicately coloured.
The rock cut masroor temple is the only monolithic rock structure in northern
India and said that to have been made by the Pandavas in just one night during
their "incognito"exile.
For Nature Lovers
Just 20 mins away from the Garli main market is the Chamba
Pattan Bridge over Beas where most of the people tread to enjoy the sunset.
Another nature lover's delight is the wetlands of pong lake, an hour and a half
drive from Garli, is a seasonal habitat and stopover for migratory birds
that enter India from Central Asia. It is also one of the 25 international
wetland sites declared in India by the Ramsar Convention. Needless to say, it’s
a photographer’s dream destination as well.
Food & Stay
Pong Dam Wetlands |
If you like to discover the local flavours, you cannot miss the
malai barf sold by Mr. Satpal Sharma. His forefathers have been selling this
since 1890. On a leaf plate for mere Rs. 30/, it is made of milk, khoya,
cheeni, and badam. Other local delights included Mandra (kidney beans in gravy
of kaju & kishmish), Chana Daal with amchoor, Mhani (black chana, jaggerry
& amchoor), Maa ki dal, Mittha (made with urad dal).
The Chateau Garli-a 95
year old heritage boutique hotel in Garli has all the modern amenities you can
ask for.
Famous Malai Barf of Garli |
Naurang Yatri Niwas-also
known as Naurang Sarai and The Judge’s Court-a 300
year old heritage property built in a country manor style in Pragpur are a few options for one to stay.
A Local Bakery Shop |
Author Bio: Priya is a professional baby and portrait photographer who left her full time corporate job as a marketing and brand professional with an MNC to follow her passion. When not clicking, she loves to travel and explore places. You can follow her on Facebook or visit her website: http://priyagoswami. com/
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Share your travel experiences with us. Write to us at blog@indiauntravelled.com
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Share your travel experiences with us. Write to us at blog@indiauntravelled.com
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