 |
| Children's Park, Neugal Cafe, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh |
My Journey from Hamirpur to Palampur and Baijnath
My bike journey began from NIT Hamirpur. I rode towards Palampur, where I met my friends Poonam and Ashish at the Agriculture University. After a quick lunch with them, I resumed my journey towards Andreta, where I spent the next half an hour.
St. John's Church and Neuggal Café, Palampur
The weather had turned unpredictable, with dark clouds
overhead and a light drizzle starting. I knew I had to hurry. My motorcycle
steered its way towards St. John’s Church and then to Neuggal Café.
I reached St. John’s Church around 5 PM — an unusual time
for visitors. The caretaker, though a bit surprised to see me at that hour,
kindly opened the gate. This was only the second church I had ever visited in
my life — the first being in Sunder Nagar. Walking around the churchyard was a
unique experience in itself. Standing near the graves, one cannot help but
imagine the stories and lives of the people resting beneath.
I clicked a few pictures in and around the church. With the
drizzle still continuing, I made my way to Neuggal Café. The tea gardens along
the road were a beautiful sight, spreading gracefully over the gentle plains
and, at some places, climbing the steep slopes beside the road.
This stretch of single-lane road, lined with tea gardens and
towering pine trees, looked especially captivating. I parked my bike near the
right side of the café, where the pine trees provided a perfect natural
shelter. From there, the view of the Neuggal Khad (stream) and the distant
mountain peaks was most visible.
An entry ticket of ₹10 is required to visit the café
premises. I noticed families enjoying themselves — children playing in the
park, while a few young men sat on the elevated ground to the right of the café
building. The water stream flowed gently in front of the children’s park. The
streambed was concreted, keeping the water clear and silt-free.
After taking a few photographs, I continued my ride towards
Baijnath to visit my brother and the famous Baijnath Shiva Temple. By the time
I reached Baijnath, exhaustion had taken over, and the fading twilight made it
less appealing to explore the temple. So, I decided to rest and visit the
temple fresh in the morning light.
Baijnath Shiva Temple and Maha-Kaal Temple
The next morning, I visited the ancient Baijnath Shiva
Temple — one of the most revered temples in the region. The peaceful
surroundings and spiritual atmosphere made it worth the wait.
Later that morning, I also visited the Maha-Kaal Temple,
another popular temple near Baijnath. The experience of exploring these
historic temples in the fresh, early hours was truly refreshing.
 |
| River Beas, Sujanpur, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| St. John's Church, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| St. John's Church, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| Tea Garden, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| Neuggal Cafe, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| Neugal stream, Neugal cafe, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| Baijnath Shiva Temple, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| Maha-Kaal temple, Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh |
 |
| Maha-Kaal Temple, Baijnath, Himachal Pradesh |
A Glimpse of Palampur and Its Attractions
Palampur is a charming green hill station nestled in the Kangra Valley, with the majestic Dhauladhar mountain range marking its northeastern boundary. These snow-capped peaks, often glistening even in summer, add an unmatched scenic beauty to the town. The endless stretches of lush tea gardens and tall pine trees surrounding Palampur make it an ideal holiday retreat.
Known as the tea capital of northwestern India, Palampur’s proximity to the ice-clad Dhauladhar peaks blesses it with cool, pleasant weather year-round. The streams flowing through the town originate from these very mountains, further enhancing its soothing climate.
Palampur is perfect for leisurely walks through the tea estates or for the more adventurous, hiking up scenic mountain trails. Popular day treks include the Neuggal to Vindhya Vasini Temple trail, the route to Latti Jhakhni Devi Temple, and the steep climb to Birni Devi Temple. For those with more time, many other temples perched on mountain tops and ridges await exploration.
The trail to Waru Pass also passes through Birni Devi Temple, making it an exciting trek for both nature lovers and pilgrims. Along the Neuggal Khad (stream), you’ll come across breathtaking waterfalls that are a delight to behold.
Here are some of the easily accessible and popular attractions in Palampur:
- Tea Gardens
- St. John’s Church
- Neuggal Café
- Sardar Sobha Singh Art Gallery
The tea gardens and St. John’s Church are the closest to the main bus station.
Tea Gardens
Tea gardens are spread across the town, stretching up to 2 to 4 kilometers in every direction. Where there are no buildings or roads, there are tea estates and pine forests, so you don't need to search for them—they're everywhere.
The tea gardens look especially alluring as you drive towards Neuggal. The tall, graceful pine trees seem to stand proudly amidst the shorter tea plants that surround them like little companions. It's hard to resist stepping into the rectangular pathways between the rows of tea bushes—many tourists are naturally drawn to pause and click a few photos here.
St. John’s Church
St. John’s Church is one of the few historic churches in Himachal Pradesh. From the outside, the church walls and roof appear quite plain and old, but its hilltop location offers a beautiful view of the nearby valleys and mountains, perfectly living up to its peaceful name.
Inside, the church is simple yet elegant. It has two rows of benches, a large cross at the front, and enough space to comfortably seat about 50 people—a fitting size for a town like Palampur. It serves well for Sunday prayers and small gatherings.
Neuggal Café
The café gets its name from the Neuggal stream that flows nearby, and this natural setting gives the place a vibrant, refreshing atmosphere. Managed by the Himachal Pradesh government, it offers not just good food but a pleasant place to relax.
There’s a children's park and an open lawn where visitors can enjoy their meals and a chilled beer under the sky. Accommodation is available here, though the rooms and other facilities come at slightly higher prices.
Sardar Sobha Singh Art Gallery
The nearby village of Andreta is famous as the home of the celebrated painter, Sardar Sobha Singh. I must admit, while I visited the art gallery, I couldn’t retain every detail accurately, partly because photography inside is strictly prohibited, making it difficult to capture and memorize all the visuals and information.
Here’s what I remember:
Sardar Sobha Singh was born on November 29, 1901, in a Sikh family in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district. He started his painting career in Amritsar during the 1930s, later moved to Delhi, and then to Lahore. Following the partition, he settled in Andreta, where he made his home and continued his painting work.
Over his lifetime, he created more than 2,000 paintings. Some were left behind in Pakistan during the partition, while others now adorn places as prestigious as the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s House) in Delhi.
Although only a few hundred of his works are on display at the Andreta Art Gallery, each painting is a masterpiece that could easily be mistaken for a high-resolution photograph. Among them, the painting of Sohni-Mahiwal particularly caught my attention—it had always fascinated me in the past, but this was the first time I truly came to know about the brilliant artist behind it.
 |
| The famous painting of Sohni -Mahiwal by Sardar Sobha Singh (source- Wikipedia) |
The gallery also showcases beautiful paintings of the Sikh Gurus. One in particular caught my attention—the portrait of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. I had seen that same image countless times growing up, hanging on the walls of homes, including my own childhood home. It was truly an amazing experience to finally visit the place where such remarkable artwork was created.
Equally captivating were the paintings of Lord Ram and Jesus Christ—so lifelike that they seemed no different from the portraits of real people like the legendary actor Shri Prithviraj Kapoor and our former Prime Minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. Sardar Sobha Singh also painted Mahatma Gandhi with the same realism and grace.
Framed photographs of Sobha Singh with former prime ministers and famous actors, who visited his home in Andreta, speak volumes about the respect and fame he earned in his lifetime. In recognition of his contribution to art, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri award in 1983, just three years before his passing.
Today, the art gallery is maintained by his family. Photography inside the gallery is strictly prohibited, so the only way to truly appreciate these masterpieces is to visit the place in person.
No comments:
Post a Comment