Malana – Lost in Time

chillibreeze writer — Sanjeev Sharma

I had planned to trek to the mysterious village of Malana that I had heard and read about for the longest time. Backpackers claim that it is the most amazing experience in their web logs. Trekking enthusiasts are equivocal that nothing invigorates their senses more than the site of this hamlet. I finally got the chance to visit in July this year. My friend Patrick, a French citizen, was as anxious as a five year old on his first day at school. He was already bewildered by the variety and number of people he had seen in India. Now this mystical village was an ideal target of two adventure-hungryhtrekkers.

The Journey

We boarded a bus that would take us from Chandigarh to Bhuntar. The ten hour journey through the hills was far from comfortable, but Patrick was in a positive frame of mind. The humidity, which continued even as we went higher, and rickety bus could not dampen his spirits. Contrary to our belief, Bhuntar turned out to be a big town with a bustling market. We had overlooked the fact that it is the closest airport to Kullu, one of the largest districts of the state. From there we had another hour long winding ride to Jari, the village from where our trek would start.

The Trek

“Just a 7 km trek from Jari to Malana,” we thought, only to discover the most grueling expedition waiting for us. The locals pointed towards a never-ending steep rocky trail as the path to Malana. We puffed, panted and almost fainted during our seven hour trek. And Patrick’s vertigo did not help him much! The gorges on our trail were intimidating enough to make a gorilla go weak in the knees. We could understand why these people actually remained oblivious to the rest of the world.

The Destination – Malana and the Malanese

For centuries, this village named Malana, has been able to sustain a lifestyle that one can only find in the pages of a history book. It’s a place lost in time. The clock stopped ticking for these people centuries ago, when Alexander’s army was retreating from North India. Don’t be surprised if you see thatched roofs, water drawn with wooden buckets, people with brown eyes, fair skin and rough cotton clothes. It gives you the instant impression of a European village from the Middle Ages. Noted historians believe that the residents of this village are descendants of the Greek army.

The locals speak a language of their own, a mixture of Tibetan and Sanskrit and limit their social interaction. The Malanese, as they are called, follow a strict code of conduct. They neither interfere with the environment surrounding them, nor do they let anyone do so. A number of signs all over the village warn visitors to not to touch any object. Children are shooed away from tourists as if they have an infectious disease. You have to be careful to follow only a few demarcated pathways as visitors are not allowed to venture everywhere. This rather xenophobic outlook can sometimes make visitors feel unwelcome. However, it is difficult to blame the villagers. Preserving the uniqueness and historical legacy of the region would be almost impossible without their fierce protectiveness.

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—About our writer: Sanjeev says, “I thank God everyday for making me an Indian.To be born and brought up in this incredible country,that too in this era, is a boon in itself.”

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