For many people, special occasions mean lavish dinners, a horde of guests, where champagne flows endlessly and towering cakes steal the show. But for me and my husband, joy lies in an uphill drive, a quaint cottage, and the taste of local food.
It was November, our wedding anniversary, and without a second thought we set out in the afternoon, steering towards Himachal Pradesh. The destination was decided en route, Barog, a quiet town tucked in the Shivaliks.
After three hours of music while driving amidst the mountains, we arrived at a charming Airbnb cottage. The caretakers welcomed us with a steaming cup of tea. As the evening drew into night, they arranged a bonfire with the promise to serve the best pahadi chicken from their chullah. As the night deepened, songs mingled with the mountain chill, and the smoky, spiced chicken turned out to be one of the finest meals we had ever savoured. These kind of evenings wrapped in warmth and laughter amidst the hills remains our favourite and preferred way of celebrating any special occasion.
Morning brought another delight. Coffee in the cottage lawn, overlooking Barog’s sleepy townscape where time had seemed to pause. After a hearty but simple breakfast, we began our return journey, stopping at the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka-Shimla toy train route. The famed Barog Tunnel, 1.14 km long and the straightest on the narrow-gauge line, stood as a reminder of the skill of British engineer, Colonel Barog, whose grave lies nearby.
Barog with its colonial charm has got permanently etched in our hearts and become a forever memory.
Manav Mander, Ludhiana
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