Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, misty mountains and dense forest, Ranikhet sings the Song of the Soul. With so many choices as to what to do during my one full day here, I opted for a nearby visit to a small temple followed by a hike, not wanting to push myself too much as I normally would. If I ventured just a bit further, I mused…naw, stay close. Lots of riding coming up. Jhula Devi Temple followed by a six kilometer hike down the mountains and through the trees to Bhalu Dam seemed perfect.

The route to Jhula Devi took me along the tops of mountains on winding roads and dead-ended at a military checkpoint. After parking my bike and chatting with the soldiers on guard, I went into the temple and was greeted by an elderly monastic who spoke excellent English. The holy shrine is dedicated to Goddess Durga, he told me, who fulfills the wishes of her devotees when they pray to her to remove obstacles from their path. When the wishes are fulfilled, the devotees return with bells to give to Goddess Durga. Thousands of them hang at the shrine. The monastic blessed me with a prayer of his own before I left.

I then registered with the soldiers so I could enter an amazing nature preserve maintained by an army regiment. I followed a narrow road that snaked through trees to the apple orchard and led me to a few barn-like structures where a friendly man greeted me, offering me a tour guide.

I really wanted to take a meditative stroll on my own, but I couldn’t help bartering with him over the price. He didn’t go down much on the price, and I was ready to decline, but I had no idea how to get to the dam through the jungle. I’d learn something with a guide and have a new friend, which certainly turned out to be true. My guide soon joined me and off we went into the forest and descending down the mountainside.

G. was fantastic. He lived in a nearby village and walked to work every day. He had been doing this for decades and really enjoyed meeting new people while being able to walk in the forest every day. He told me what fruits grew in the trees, what vegetation they used as medicine or herbs, how they collected sap from the trees, and all sorts of fascinating details about his idyllic life in these majestic mountains. He also led treks into the surrounding mountains and promised to take me on one when I returned next year, even inviting me to stay at his house if I wanted, for as long as I wanted. What a paradise. We shared how we both disliked the large crowds of the cities and preferred this lifestyle, so removed from all the troubles in the world.

We came to a group of women sitting in the forest. G. started talking with them and then G. asked me if I had any snacks with me. I actually had some biscuits so gave them to the women. I joked that it would cost them a photo and asked if it would be ok. Shy and giggling at first, they finally acquiesced. I sat down in their midst. Boy, was that a mistake! They scrambled to their feet and darted ten feet away.

“What’s wrong?” I cried. After a lot of laughing, they waved me over to where they were standing in a group. Apparently, a photo while standing was ok, but not sitting. Perhaps me sitting in their midst would show too much familiarity. Who knows. We had fun and then they went off to collect firewood while we continued to the dam.

British soldiers built Bhalu Dam in 1903 as a water source. G. told me that he came down here on moonlit nights to have picnics with his friends and family. The moon would be so bright that you could read with that light. On New Years Eve people from all over the region come here to celebrate. I asked him if they ever saw strange lights in the sky, and he said, Oh yes! Very fast and then stop. Some shooting stars, too.

I had so much fun on this walk and reveled in G. sharing stories from his life in these mountains. What a paradise!