Welcome to Himachal Pradesh, the ‘land of snow’, whose proximity to the heavens also makes it referred to as the ‘land of the gods’. This, as the Himalaya raises its mighty head to gossip with the clouds, is easy to believe. The soft, natural beauty of the land is uplifting regardless of the face it reveals, the mood it is in. This itinerary takes you to Shimla, the stately summer capital of the
Raj, with its resplendent Viceregal lodge, the Christ Church and other Raj buildings. From there to Paragpur, the only listed ‘heritage’ village in the country and the orchards and tea gardens of Palampur framed against the mighty Dauladhar mountain range. Nearby is the Andretta, a potter’s village which was the home of the famous studio potter, Sir Shobha Singh. His son lives in Andretta today and the place has acquired a reputation as an artists’ colony. Dharamshala is the current home to the Dalai Lama (his headquaters are in nearby McLeodganj) and has a sizable Tibetan community. Coming down the hills you stop at Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple, which is the holiest of the Sikh shrines. The tour has an old world charm to it that not only has to do with the ambience of places visited but is accentuated by the picturesque heritage homes and palaces where you will be staying.