CHAKRATA – HIDDEN TREASURE OF UTTARANCHAL

CHAKRATA – HIDDEN TREASURE OF UTTARANCHAL

By

V.K. Singh

            Like most hill stations in India, Chakrata is also a cantonment town. Because of its proximity to Dehradun, it is easily accessible from Delhi, and was a popular destination up to the fifties. But the Sino Indian conflict of 1962 changed all that. The Army, which already had a presence in the form of a Gurkha Training Centre, set up a hush-hush facility known by the innocuous name of Establishment 22, and the place was closed to civilian visitors for many years. Even today foreigners are not permitted to visit Chakrata, though there is no restriction for Indian visitors. This seclusion has resulted in the town not finding a place on the tourist map, and remaining virtually unknown to most Indians of the present generation. When I visited Chakrata recently I found little change from my last visit which was exactly fifty years ago, when I was a twelve year old school boy.

            Like in previous years, we went on a family holiday to the hills in June. Having visited most well known hill stations in the vicinity of Delhi, everyone wanted to go to a new place. I gave them two options - Landsdowne and Chakrata. We were a large party comprising ten grown ups and six children, ranging in age from 2 to 15, and I knew it would be difficult to find enough accommodation in any of the popular resorts at short notice. Also, both towns had Army messes and MES Inspection Bungalows, where we could stay without paying a king’s ransom. Finally, it was the availability of rooms that decided the issue in favour of Chakrata. I must confess that I was keen to visit the town where I had spent two months in 1956, on a holiday with other members of my family. At that time there were no hotels, and we had stayed in a large bungalow belonging to a family friend. I recall that two servants including a cook had accompanied us then, along with boxes containing cooking utensils and sacks full of provisions.

           

            We started from Delhi in four cars and driving by way of Panipat-Karnal-Yamuna Nagar- Paonta Sahib – Herbertpur, reached Kalsi, from where the hill section begins. An alternate route is via Dehradun, the distance upto Kalsi being about 270 Km along both routes. The length of the hill section Kalsi- Chakrata is 42 Km. There is a ‘gate’ system, and up hill and down hill traffic is permitted only at specified timings, since the road is narrow, though otherwise in good condition. The first gate for traffic going uphill opens at 7 am, subsequent gates being opened after 2 and a half hours, ie at 9.30, 12.00, 14.30, 17.00 and 19.30. There is a grace period of 30 minutes for late comers, after which no traffic is permitted on the road until the next gate. We tried to make it for the 14.30 gate but reached Kalsi only at 17.00, due to the large number of impromptu stops, courtesy the children. It took us about two hours to negotiate the hill section, and we were in Chakrata just as the sun was setting. We had been given all five rooms in the MES Inspection Bungalow, so we were able to settle down quickly. The six kids decided to stay together, and this was achieved by laying a row of mattresses on the floor. The rooms being fairly large, this did not create a problem. Everyone was tired and after a quick dinner, we hit the bed.

Chakrata is located in the region known as Jaunsar Bawar, which is distinct from Garhhwal. Like elsewhere in the hills, the people are simple, hardy and honest, their major occupation being agriculture and rearing sheep and goats. In earlier times, polyandry was widely practiced, but the practice has declined in recent years.  Chakrata town is divided in two distinct parts, with one housing the cantonment and the other the civilian residential area, the market and the government offices. The cantonment is fairly large and is occupied by the Establishment 22, the training centre of the SFF (Special Frontier Force) and the home of the crack troops of the elite Special Forces. The roads in the cantonment are spotless, the trees and hedges well trimmed and everything seemed to freshly painted. The same cannot be said of the civil residential areas and the market, which had the usual unkempt look and squalor that one finds in small towns in the hills. 

There is not much to see around Chakrata, but one place that is definitely worth a visit is the gompa, or Buddhist monastery, that has been built near the helipad in the cantonment. Next to it is a memorial for the soldiers who have been killed in various operations. One can drive right up gate of the gompa and see it from inside It is also one of the best places from where to see the sun set in Chakrata. Another place that is touted as a scenic spot is the Tiger Falls. We were told that it is 4-5 Km away, but we drove almost 25 Km before reaching a point from where a small road branches out towards the falls. Another two Km along an unmetalled road brought us to a point where we found a few cars parked. A couple of urchins offered to accompany us along he path that that led to the falls, for a small fee. The 500 ft of climb on the return trip was a deterrent, and we met many returning visitors who advised us that it was not worth the effort. Of course, there was not a single road sign any where along the road, and with habitation being sparse, the chances of losing one’s way are quite high.

There are a few budget hotels in Chakrata where one can stay for a fraction of the cost he would pay in Mussourie. We did not see a petrol pump and it is advisable to fill up your tank in Kalsi before climbing up. However, what Chakrata lacks in amenities is more than compensated by its natural beauty. The area is surrounded by large fir and pine trees, and if one does not mind walking, it a lovely place to be in. Unlike the larger hill stations such as Mussourie, Simla and Nainital which are overcrowded and fast becoming unlivable, Chakrata remains relatively unpolluted and still retains its pristine charm.

Getting There

• By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant near Dehradun, about 110 Km away.
• By train: Dehradun (95 Km) is connected to Delhi and several other stations.
• By Road: Chakrata is about 315 Km from Delhi via Dehradun as well as Yamuna Nagar. The route via Meerut-Muzaffar Nagar-Saharanpur is about 20 KM shorter, but the road is not very good. The shortest route (265 KM) is via Baghpat-Shamli-Saharanpur, but the road is single most of the way.

Where to Stay

            Chakrata has many budget hotels, which are rarely booked in advance. There are several rest houses, including those of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), PWD, Forest Department etc.