Footloose in Kangra Valley - 1

Kangra Fort, Kangra -> Joginder Nagar


The Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Kashmere Gate is chock-a-block with people. There is no sign of our bus – a Himachal Road Transport ‘Tata A/C’ service – even though it is slated to depart in 15 minutes.

C makes a casual inquiry to learn that the bus service has been cancelled. We are offered the option of a refund or a costlier seat in the subsequent ‘Volvo’ service on payment of the difference. Travel we must, so we scramble on to the Volvo which finally leaves Delhi at around 8.30 pm on a cold February night. We reach Kangra at 6.30 am where a number of co-passengers get down along with us. After some shopping around, we find a hotel room with a hot shower and a clean bathroom that we can use till noon for Rs 350.

Kangra Fort
Our plan for the day is to visit Kangra Fort before catching the Kangra Valley train to Joginder Nagar. It is a pleasant walk to the Fort taking about an hour and we reach just after it opens at 9 am. The fort has a commanding presence and is built on a well chosen location – between the rivers Ban Ganga and Manjhi that create deep gorges on either side and meet behind the fort making for a natural barrier on three sides. The entrance to the fort is through a long corridor with many gates.


The higher points within the fort offer wonderful panoramic views of the Kangra Valley and the meandering rivers. Kangra Fort, it seems, is one of the best kept secrets of Himachal Pradesh.

View from Kangra Fort












Kangra valley on rails
Returning to Kangra, we learn that the nearest station on the Kangra Valley Railway is Kangra Mandir, a short auto ride away. We are at the station well before the next (2.30 pm) train to Joginder Nagar. The station is manned by a single officer – who seems to be the station master and the ticket vendor. We are curtly told that tickets can be bought only half hour prior to arrival of the train. When we are able to get them, we find that the tickets only cost Rs 11 each.

Kangra Mandir station has a single quaint old platform – the other side is an open forested hill.

The train ambles along the valley unfolding pretty green fields with yellow borders. The fields are divided into small level patches with raised boundaries to retain the water. The contours of the land are strictly maintained at the macro level. The green is the color of the wheat. Mustard has been sown along the boundaries accounting for the yellow. My co-passenger tells me that it is the practice in Kangra to sow wheat and mustard together.

At places, the mustard has been planted to etch interesting patterns in the green – has it been done with the final presentation in mind, one is not quite sure.

In the far distance on the western side of the track, are the ever present Dhauladhars rising steeply from the valley, their upper reaches smeared with snow and disappearing into the clouds. The sky is overcast and the sun plays hide and seek.


At Nagrota junction, we stop for the train from the other direction to cross.Women in colorful dresses – pink, bright red, orange and mustard yellow – are sitting on the platform under the open sky busily knitting away while waiting for their train.

After Chamunda, the nearest stop for Dhramashala, the train passes through a large pine forest climbing steadily to Palampur (1100m). A surprise awaits us at Baijnath station. Half the compartments in the train are not destined to travel the full distance to Joginder Nagar. They are removed from the middle of the train by means of several rounds of shunting. All this accounts for a half hour stop at Baijnath and we reach Joginder Nagar well after dark. At Joginder Nagar, we learn that the haulage trolly that we had planned to take to get to Barot is not operational on Sunday’s. We allow ourselves to be pampered at the Hotel Uhl – good food, hot bath with a warm bed waiting.

Next : Footloose in Kangra Valley - 2