Feline Musings

A weekend trip to Renuka Lake in the midst of the Swalik Hills, Himachal Pradesh, in the last week of June, was intended as a relaxing escape from the scathing concrete heat of Delhi. However, it was a far cry from the comfortable weather that one expects when surrounded by lush forests and mountains, in the premise of the largest lake in HP. When we reached Renuka Lake early morning on Saturday, the sun was glaring down at us, threatening to confine us in our HP tourism hotel rooms, but by mid-day a cloud cover allowed us to undertake the 10 km circular trek around the Renuka Lake, and visit the wild-life sanctuary. The clouds romanced with humidity and the next day of our trip became arduous because of the stamina-draining clamminess.

But when six young travelers share the motivation to make the best of their weekend break, the heat and humidity is hardly a show-stopper. So, we explored the Renuka Lake, visited Nahan, Jaitak fort and the Fossil Park at Suketi and enjoyed the brilliant photography of the enthusiastic photographers in our group. The lake had a dull green tinge and was littered, but abounded with fish of a few varieties, rich lotus growth but no ducks. Boats were docked and didn’t seem to have been used in a long time. Apparently, boating and bird-watching has ceased to be a highlight of the Renuka Lake.

The banks of the lake are dotted with temples and ashrams and colorful shops selling beads and essential articles. Fish feeding has emerged as a thriving business and recreation, and local vendors sell dough to lure the fish, which display ample gluttony to allow everyone to feed them to their hearts content. Monkeys thrive in this area, competing with the fish for their share of food, but are less aggressive than the ones we encountered in Pushkar, on our way to the Savitri temple. Strangely, for a place with so much vegetation, and greenery, it is a disappointment for the ardent bird-watcher, except for the Raven that is spotted in the lush trees.

The wild life sanctuary maintained in this area is a delight – the six lionesses and one aristocratic lion make for an interesting wild-life study. We were first scared and then highly impressed by loud roars of the six lionesses, apparently accosting their male counterpart, confined in another enclosure. The local caretaker mentioned that the females and the male fight with each other and are hence separated by barbed fences … so much for feline pride and arrogance! Himalayan bears are confined in a nearby enclosure and they made a happy peaceful family of mama, papa and baby bear. A few paces ahead an exotic but lonely leopard with brilliant eyes is caged. We were also surprised to see an entire colony of bats that inhabited some of the eucalyptus and coconut trees. Hanging upside down, these large bats looked eerie but were apparently harmless.

Nahan is a bustling hill-town and the Lytton Memorial area is primarily a bus-stop surrounded by counters for Himalayan juices and milk-products. On some distance from Nahan, a steep side trail from Jamta, leads to the Jaitaka fort, which is a red building of British architecture perched on a cliff. The fort was locked but a sly peep inside from the wire mesh in the windows, revealed a surprisingly modern household which was well-furnished and frequently visited and cleaned, or even inhabited. We could not get any information in this regard as there was no soul in sight. The scenery is picturesque and provides a wide-angle panorama of Nahan and Jamta, and the Sivalik ranges.

A detour from Jamta through Kala Amb leads to the Suketi fossil park, the approach to which is by an unpaved road weaving through a village. The dry bed of a river, visible from the road, is a sad and disturbing sight, for it hails the onslaught of receding water bodies. The Suketi fossil park also screams of ill-maintenance with most of the models that were placed here in 1975, broken and chipped. What started off with a staff of 25 people is now managed by 3 local caretakers. The walk in the wilderness would however be extremely charming, when the temperature is bearable. The drive back to Delhi is pleasing to the eye with rows and rows of Mango orchards. Thriving poultry farms are also seen along the highway.

All in all, Renuka Lake, Nahan and the fossil park are still attractive tourist spots with families pouring in all over the weekend. The food in the HP tourism hotel is on the expensive side, but we discovered the Umang restaurant, around 2 kms from the Renuka Lake and enjoyed a hearty dinner followed by ice-cream. Breakfast at the HP tourism hotel was a better fare with fresh parathas and vegetable cutlets. One must keep lots of water handy to counter the heat and enjoy the long treks, even though strategically placed local shops provide snacks, cold drink, tea and water during the “parikrama” of the lake as well as the fossil park. The trek around the lake can also be facilitated by a vehicle, but that will cost an entry fee of Rs 250.

The best season to visit this place would be November to February, but a vacation at this time of the season is an eye-opener that even the hills are reeling under the effect of global warming and the natural resources are depleting in the face of human exploitation.

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