Religious Festivals at Sunder Nagar 2013 in Random Clicks

Colony Ground on Dussehra Evening, 2013

Sunder Nagar Lake on the eve of Lord Ganesha Visharjan 2013

October 2013 Navratris- Jawahar Park, Sunder Nagar, Mandi(H.P.)

Life in Banon: A Glimpse of a Himachali Mountain Village

If you’ve ever visited the villages of Himachal Pradesh, you’ll know how different life here is compared to towns or cities. I was fortunate enough to be born in one such village — Banon, located in Tehsil Joginder Nagar of Mandi District.

A view of Banon in monsoon season from Machwan, Joginder Nagar, H.P.

Banon only got connected to the main road network and the HRTC bus service in 2010. By then, I was already 22 years old. Having grown up here, I’ve seen first-hand how the village has transformed over the last two to three decades.

A view of sunrise in the monsoon days at Banon, Drubbal, Joginder Nagar

The Road That Changed Everything

Before the road and bus connectivity arrived, reaching Banon was no easy task. Villagers had to trek nearly 2 km through a steep jungle path, followed by another 2 km of rugged terrain passing through Hiyun village, which finally connected to the Drubbal-Charonjh road.

A satellite view of the village and the surroundings

Even school-going children had to follow this challenging path every day, as Drubbal was the nearest place with a high school.

Thanks to the sincere efforts of our former MLA and HPPWD Minister, Thakur Gulab Singh, many remote villages like Banon got proper road access in the first decade of the 21st century.

View of the Kunkar, koon- Manh, Mandi from a bird's eye view from Banon, Joginder Nagar, H.P.

 

Military Pride Runs Deep in Banon

The tough lifestyle and hilly terrain have produced many brave hearts in this region. Out of nearly 30 families in the village, about 10 families have at least one member serving or retired from the Indian military or paramilitary forces.

To name a few:

• Mr. Bhuri Singh, Mr. Beni Madhav, and Mr. Tej Ram Sharma have retired from the ITBP.
• Mr. Puran Chand, a retired Army soldier, has passed the legacy on to his two sons, fondly known as Lucky and Mintu, both serving in the military.
• Mr. Suresh Sharma currently serves in the Indian Army, making him the second from their family after his uncle, and my father, Mr. Bhuri Singh.
• Mr. Manoj Kumar, son of Mr. Tej Ram, continues the tradition in the ITBP.
• Mr. Jagat Ram, Mr. Surender Singh, and Mr. Roop Lal Sharma are all proud retired military men from the village.

In the nearby village of Machwan, just half a kilometer away, three more families share a similar military tradition. Others have found work in private jobs nearby.

Agriculture and Traditional Livelihoods

Agriculture here is practiced on a small scale. Only about 6 families rely solely on farming, cattle, buffalo, goats, and sheep for their livelihood. These families largely belong to the Brahmin community, deeply rooted in the cultural and spiritual traditions of the region.

Here's a short video capturing the villagers’ love for their cattle and buffaloes:
(Video placeholder)

Apart from farming, many villagers take up traditional occupations like cooking and serving meals at cultural events such as weddings, locally known as ‘bot-chara’. Some also serve as pundits (priests), a respected role limited to Brahmins. Notably, Mr. Gauri and Mr. Jiva Nand from Banon are well-known pundits in the region.

Farming here is not easy. Ploughing is still done using bulls, as the steep, terraced fields don’t allow for modern machinery. Protecting crops like rice and maize from rabbits, monkeys, bears, and other wildlife is a constant struggle. Monkeys, in particular, have become a huge menace, with many farmers abandoning their lands altogether.

Hanging the grass bundles on trees, Banon, Joginder Nagar, H.P.

Grass-cutting is another tough task as the grasslands are tilted at nearly 80 degrees. Despite the availability of LPG and electricity, many still rely on firewood from the forests — the only fuel known to them just two decades ago.

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Daily Life and Challenges

Children here grow up helping their parents with household chores after school. There’s no medical dispensary in the village, but perhaps they rarely need one — thanks to their pure diet, hard physical work, and clean mountain air, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone overweight here.

Women play a major role, working in the fields year-round, often managing everything on their own while their husbands are away earning. While nearly every home has a television, people here rarely have time to sit idle.

The village has a reliable water supply system, sourcing water from a nearby stream, which is pumped to a storage tank and distributed across four villages. Clean air, abundant water, and peaceful surroundings — it’s no wonder that people from cities come to such places in search of peace and meditation.

Culture and Traditions

A short 2 km walk (or 8 km by road) takes you to the holy temple of Goddess Chaturbhuja, a spiritual center for the locals. Festivals and rituals are celebrated with great devotion, using whatever resources people have at their disposal.

What’s Missing?

Despite the natural beauty and tight-knit community, there are still some gaps:

• Children lack proper playgrounds.
• Elders miss having a good marketplace — the nearest options, Joginder Nagar (30 km) and Dharampur (16 km), still fall short.
• Agricultural knowledge and wildlife management, especially to tackle the monkey menace, are much needed.
• The road to Banon, though a lifeline, still needs improvement. Its steep gradients — in some places exceeding 1 in 16, beyond recommended limits for village roads — make driving risky. The road often remains blocked during monsoons, isolating the village for nearly two months.

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Location Details

Village: Banon
Tehsil: Joginder Nagar
District: Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
PIN: 176123

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Final Thoughts

Banon, like many villages in Himachal Pradesh, beautifully blends tradition, hard work, and simplicity. But it also faces modern challenges that need attention. If you ever get a chance to visit, you’ll not only witness breathtaking views but also meet some of the most resilient people you’ll ever know.

Thank you for reading! If this glimpse into mountain life touched your heart, do share this post and leave a comment below.

An Evening on My Bike at Sunder Nagar- Keran road.

 Hi,
Keran is a small village near to Sunder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh. This post is a result of an evening on my Bike on this beautiful single lane road from Sunder Nagar to Keran. This was Dussehera time so, I clicked pictures of the statues of evils which were ready to be burnt at the night.

Statues of evil ready to be burnt on the eve of Dussehera 2013 at BBMB Colony Ground at Sunder Nagar, Himachal Pradesh

"where are you Sir?" I called up Mr. Tarun, my one batch Senior at NIT Hamirpur and presently my colleague and new found friend at JNGEC Sunder Nagar,. " I am at college, where are you?" he asked.

"I am in Sunder Nagar" ( I was on the bank of Sunder Nagar Lake, with my motor cycle standing next to me.). I want to go for a Geri(local word for stroll or short ride) on my bike, suggest me the best nearest place please?". He is from the Sunder Nagar, and so I thought that he will know some place which I have not hunted down yet.
 I have visited all the local temples like Shitala Temple, Hateshwari Temple, Murari Devi, Mahamaya temple  and Drauradhar temple, because I have this freaking tendency to go to the places which symbolizes the peace and beauty even alone on my motor cycle if no one is along. All these temples are placed at beautiful nature spots of Sunder Nagar.

A road entering the mountain of Keran Road,
Sunder Nagar 2013

Last rays of Sun on mountains on the way
to Keran, Sunder Nagar 2013

" well ummm...." he was about to tell something, " You were saying about a road which goes up from the BBMB colony to some place.." I added. " okk ok.. It is Keran, go there it has a beautiful road to reach.". He told me the way to go to Keran, and instantly I was on the NH-21 and then I took the way to BBMB colony and finally I was on a singular road. This was beautifully constructed on a beautiful mountain which was filled with green trees and other shrubs.
Mountains were shining in golden color with the last rays of the Sun of this Sunday. I enjoyed the nature filled with the greenery all over. You can get a view of the Chambi village. I think it was a maximum of 2 Kilometers ride(Sorry I forgot to calculate the exact distance) from Sunder Nagar. Road after climbing this beautiful adventurous short stretch ended up. I kicked on the bike stand and asked the man who was about to enter his home, "Is this Keran?"

A view of Keran Village of Sunder Nagar (2013)

"Yes this is, come and sit and have a cup of tea" he invited me to have a cup of tea. I was impressed and felt welcomed but, I was in hurry to go back so. I only asked him few questions about the trek to the other side of the moutain and came back.

I inquired him about the trek which goes up from the village to the top of the mountain and then descends to other side to reach at the famous caves near to the Chatrokhari, Sunder Nagar. According to him, once the grass is cut this is safe to walk on the trek.
It was Mr. Tarun's plan to go on a trekking on this short route so, he has asked me to inquire about the trek.

Thanks for your kind visit!

Trekking from Barsu (Bhatwari) to Dyara Bugyal, Uttarkashi | Trekking Tales

Hi, I am here to tell you a short trek story.
This was around October of 2009 when I experienced this trek from Barsu to Dyara Bugyal with Sachin my batch-mate from college. He is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering and before leaving Barsu he wanted to trek up to the heights of the mountains.

Location Details of Dyara-Bugyal

The Barsu village was at a road distance of 9 km from Bhatwari and to reach the top mountains of Dyara Bugyal this was another 9 km vertical trek on foot. Barsu is a beautiful village in the mountains of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Bhatwari is at a distance of 35km from Uttarkashi.
Barsu village/camp is a very beautiful village and a scenic spot and a lake inside the village is like a toast on the burger.
This was the only reason that I felt happy sometimes to stay in this village. Sachin, Dipanjan, and Vidya Sagar Bodh, we all are batch-mates from college and we stayed here in our early days with Patel Engg. Ltd.

• Planning

My friends were not much happy because frequently there was the problem of water and electricity cuts. I was happy for the natural beauty of the place, of course, I also wanted the electricity and water but people pay to go to such places and it was provided free of cost to us by our company of work i.e. "Patel Engg. Ltd.".   Shortly after his joining the company, Sachin decided to leave the company because he wanted to pursue further studies.

Dyara Bugyal - Uttarkashi -courtesy - uttarkashitourism.com

Me already wanting to see and feel the Dyara Bugyal heights perhaps, more than Sachin wanted, we both decided a Sunday to be the day of our trek.

In the Jungle on a 70-degree sloped Mountain

Getting a guide was an initial idea which was disposed of due to my changeable mood. We started to walk up from the Barsu in the morning of Sunday which was shining with the first rays of the Sun in its entire visible region.
After asking a villager we came up to know that it is a 9 km and almost vertical trek, also he told that there is a shop on the top where we could get water and something to eat so, we didn't bother to bring the water bottles even. This was stupid specifically for Sachin because I am a mountain boy and I have such experiences but he is from planes.

Sachin looked about 70kg with a height of about 5'7" and I was as usual 5'5" and 55 -60kg(fluctuating) so, I think we both were almost fit Sachin being a little overweight and me a little under-weight right?
  We kept walking on vertical steps, through the Jungle with high trees of Deodar.


Not afraid of the Gaddi (shephard) Dogs!!??

On the base of those sky-touching Deodar trees, we reached a hut where no person was available to provide us water. Only two jungle Dogs were sitting firmly on the slope of the ground outside the huts. Being strangers in their palace, of course, I got afraid. What if they started "bhaaow!bhaow!" and one of them biting my leg and another one Sachin's ass? (I know I am cruel..:d).
They were matured enough to do that. They were reluctant to turn their heads towards us. I think at that time Sachin's balls were in his throat which was clear from his talk and honestly mine also.

We inquired the insides of the hut but, found none. The ground outside was filled with the short green grass and humid air on its top. We kept on walking and finally, we reached a spot which seemed to have an area of two football fields(tilted at an angle of about 40 degrees with horizontal), filled with flowers and grass which gave us the feeling of walking on a mattress.

Sachin makes a short video

 Sachin put his camera on and he recorded himself and me on the camera. At the top end of this grassland, we found a pond and a number of buffaloes with ringing bells on their necks, which echoed the whole place. It was a soothing sound and for a minute I was imagining myself as the guide (Gujjar). Sachin demanded to go back from this spot, maybe he was tired and hungry. Somehow, I don't have any recorded video now to show to you. 

Whistles and the Water

  I tried to change his mind to accompany me and then finally I asked him to stay at the same place till I come back from the Dyara Bugyal which, looked like only half an hour distant from the spot. He agreed and I went on alone. He started whistling as I was at small heights and I responded back.
This was for encouraging me. The path was totally jungle but, it was asses-sable and traceable.

 I reached the top and found some people living up there who, in Himachal Pradesh is locally known as "Gujjar". Basically, Gujjars are the people who raise and trade domestic animals such as, Buffaloes, cattle, and sheep, etc. This was a perfect place for them in the summer and they had to move to the planes in the winter because there is nothing to eat for the animals except snow.

I drank a glass of water offered by a lady which, told me about the shop on the other side of the mountain.

Finally what a Beautiful Scenic spot

I tried my best to figure out the hut/shop which, the lady pointed to be on the other side of the mountain but I got lost on those planes on top of the mountain. Trees were not the hindrance but it was the planes which has 360 degrees directions to go but the distance was large on all the sides. For instance, I forgot about the shop and hunger.
The reason was a variety of colorful flowers which were endless in counts and were spreading throughout the plane. First of all, such a large plane on top of a mountain was itself a surprise for me and then there was this short grass which gave a feeling of walking on the mattress. I was at an altitude of 3035m from MSL.
A man was sleeping inside and being tired and hungry me, it was tiring to call up him loudly.  The Sun was on top so, there were chances of getting sunburns on my face. Finally, after 5 minutes of calling he appeared and told me that there is an arrangement of the water, tea, and biscuit only. I agreed to have water and biscuits. I took 5 packets of the biscuits(Parle-G) and ate two of them.
 I was told that there is a trek from this place to Gangotri so, I tried to travel on my eyesight to the farthest tops of the nearby mountains hoping that I would find the trek but I think a guide was needed for that.

Lost and Found

If the arrangements were full, I could have stayed there in a tent or camp but, I had to go back to Sachin with the biscuit packets and I had no tent arrangements either. I descended back to the same path and after a time of about 45 minutes I was at the same grassland filled with buffaloes but, Sachin was absent.
I searched almost all corners of the place but he was not there. I could not imagine anything because I was skeptical that he could dare go back alone. Maybe I underestimated his courage with dogs because later he told me the story of him befriending those dogs on his way back.
I reached Barsu huts at around 4:00PM. Vidya and Dipanjan were in there, and after searching every corner of our small rooms, I asked for Sachin.

They told me that he was with me and had not come back. I felt terrible, I told them the story but they seemed less bothered maybe because they were more confident about Sachin than I was. There was a 'dham' (an occasional feast) organized by villagers at Barsu and Sachin enjoyed it till 6:00PM. He told me when he showed up.

Thanks for your kind visit!