Saturday, October 6, 2012

Himalayan Odyssey Day 2 - Chandigarh to Gushaini


Today is our first day on the Royal Enfield Bullet bike - a classic retro designed bike with little change in it's looks from the original model.  The predecessor of the Bullet was first produced in 1931. This was followed by a four-valve, single-cylinder model named Bullet in 1932. The 1935 G model was the first that assumed the 'modern' look, with vertical cylinder, cast-in pushrod tunnel and eventually fully enclosed valve gear.  The single was reintroduced in 1948-49 redesigned by Ted Pardoe, chief draftsman at Enfield in Redditch, England. The strong single cylinder engine allowed it to excel as a trials bike.Orders from the Indian government for use in it's army led to setting up of the Royal Enfield factory in India in 1955. The Bullet today is faithful to that classic design of the 50's albeit with several design and quality improvements.
 

 Everyone was eager and enthiusiatic and ready and all the bikes were shiny and our motorcycle attire were all gleaming. Gushaini is 250 km from Chandigarh and we will be travelling along Chandigarh-Mandi-Kanda-Gushaini.  


Barely 15 km and still within the city limit, we had our first breakdown!  One of the bikes had a puncture.  While waiting by the roadside, we were surprised when we saw "weeds" growing by the road side. Now I know why Marijuana are also called weeds.  In India or at least in Chandigarh it is growing everywhere and were actually growing as weeds.
 
The road to Mandi was an elevation up to 1,200m above sea leavel.


 The mountain-side buildings.

 Colourful lorries plies along this road.  The ride today are generally amongst heavy vehicles.

 

A former princely state, Mandi in the state of Himachal Pradesh is located in the banks of the Beas River. This historic city has retained much of its past glory and elegance. Steeped in the grandeur of its past, Mandi has made a flourishing changeover in to an effervescent and bustling city.  Famed for its stone temples, this city has popularly called as the 'Varanasi of Hills'. The majestic palaces and finely carved temples speak out the princely elegance of this pictorial town. Elegant mansions of Victorian era add the charm of this beautiful picnic spot. Mandi is believed to be the place where the great sage 'Mandav' had undertaken his penance and legends say that his reparation was so severe that the rocks were turned black due to it.





The ride continues on to a dirt road up the mountains and traffic remains busy with heavy vehicles.  Unfortunately it rained mostly after Mandi and the camera was kept in the bag and no photograph were taken.  An accident occurred after Mandi when one bike lost control and went under a bus.  We had an injured rider whom had to travel in the back up vehicle and a damaged bike up into the lorry.


When we were in Gushaini, we stayed in a tiny hamlet nestled in the folds of the Tirthan Valley in Kullu district. This mountain hamlet would have been like any other village that dots the hills and mighty mountains of North India.  Raju Bharati, an enterprising man has converted his house into a pleasant homestay amidst an orchard of apples and peaches trees.  The cottage is partially hidden under lush mountainous foliage and across the Tirthan river and hidden from view from across the river.  The double bedroom was made up of wood and locally-sourced pine woods.


Posing at the hamlet myself, Fadil of Royal Enfield Malaysia, Ruslan an architect and Azman a contractor businessman.





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