Sunday, 22 January 2012

Towards The Great Himalayan National Park


24 December, 2011
Parashar Lake was on my mind this time all the way till Mandi. Since I reached Mandi a bit late on Saturday, my friend Bali aka Vivek (he is fondly called so as he puts on a bali in his ear) recommended to visit The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) instead of Parashar which I was not at all sure to visit in half day's time. But as he suggested to go on bike, it was a nice opportunity for me to explore some other places on the way if not GHNP. Bali had been to Parashar Lake last year and suggested that I should go there in April when the lake is more beautiful and is surrounded by snow. 


Going by his advice, we set out on our unplanned expedition to GHNP. Three things that were already there in my mind where I personally wanted to stop to enjoy and stare at the nature's bounty. The first was Pandoh Dam (just 19 km from Mandi) where I had earlier not been able to stop as each time I passed this place I was in a bus. The dam is built on River Beas and it gives you two different flavours at the same time, one very wild and breathtaking (if you are lucky enough to witness the water flowing out of the dam, especially during monsoons) and other very calm, quiet and serene (on other side of the dam). This time I missed the wild part. The photography is prohibited on the dam site, so captured the serene river a few kilometers later. 


Serene Beas before the Pandoh dam