Thati Dhanari- Back in the heart of the Himalayas

 This is almost after a year that I was back in the heart of the Himalayas, which is like my second home.

I was headed to a village called Thati Dhanari, where a new Goat Village hideout ( my mother’s work) is coming up at the top of the mountain.  

The Thati village turned out to be a historical gem, full of old ruined heritage houses and two chaukhats/ panchpura, one of which even had  a deer head as a trophy. It was capital of the kingdom of the Panwar family , who once ruled the place. This place is also the family home of current Army Chief Bipin Rawat, who had visited the village sometime back..

 Now the trek to the hill top to the proposed Goat Village hideout. It was quite a steep uphill trek of about 4 km through bushes and forests. For about two hours we were climbing, climbing and only climbing. We climbed through an afternoon which surrendered to evening and finally it was quite dark by the time we reached the hideout, which is actually a chaani, a farm houses where people stay while they take their animals to graze during summer.

The place had no electricity and we were completely in the heart of the jungle, surrounded by the strange sounds of the night. Dinner was cooked on wood fire by the bhaiyas who had come with us from Thati village.

It was a magical experience listening to their stories of the land and jungle. 

After dinner, we retired to our room where sleeping bags had been laid out on the floor. In the night If I had to answer Nature's Call, I was forbidden to step out beyond the verandah as leopards are known to frequent the place almsot everyday.

True to their words, later in the light while I was cocooned in my sleeping bad I heard a lot of strange sounds,  One them could have that of the leopard, who knows!!!

Next morning, it was time to return from paradise to home, to studies with longing for the next trip to the mountains. I am enclosing my mother's site visit report below. It will give you an idea of the place very comprehensively.