Idyllic hills just round the corner

Away from the hustle and bustle of cities, Kasauli, a quaint and peaceful hill station over Chandigarh, has caught up as one of the coolest weekend getaways for tourists who come to see Khushwant Singh’s Raj Villa, taste lip-smacking bun samosas and jalebis and enjoy some good music in the beautiful cafes. SANGEETA YADAV finds time to wander into the lush green township with a swank living place

Lush green hills covered with tall pine, chestnut and oak trees,   cobbled streets, winding roads, stone and wood houses having gabled roofs and beautiful gardens bursting with bright colourful flowers.

Kasauli, a small town built by the British Army as a cantonment, is famous for many reasons. One of them is the late Khushwant Singh who used to stay at Raj Villa every summer and wrote many a book sitting in the verandah.

Singh used to throw lavish evening parties at his cottage for ladies which would last only for an hour. The guests were asked to leave at 7:30 pm as Singh would then have his dinner and go to bed, a routine he followed strictly.

It was his son Rahul who gave wings to the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF) in 2012 at Kasauli that brought a lot of literary experts to the hilltop. The place also buzzes with some great music with the launch of the Kasauli Rhythm & Blues Fest and the cafe culture and rooftop bar and restaurants playing some nice pop music on the hills. Vibhas Prasad, director, Leisure Hotels, who has recently revamped one of the famous resorts in Kasauli, 7 Pines Resort, says there are several reasons behind this luxe boom in this otherwise small.

“Kasauli has its own charm. It is not only the coolest getaway for people in North India who are a regular visitors but after the launch of Khushwant Singh Literary Festival and Kasauli Rhythm & Blues music festival, the place is attracting new tourists, making it the best time for the tourism and hospital industry. People often take up this resort as a wedding destination. Because of the growing demand, we have revamped the 14-room resort. The decor has been carefully chosen and the chefs trained in Himanchali cuisine as also multicuisine to offer variety,” Prasad says.

Apart from the Kasauli Club, the biggest hangout for tourists is the Lower Mall (Pine Mall), Upper Mall and Heritage Market where one gets the glimpse of British architecture.

The market starts with one of the oldest photography Studio Sharma & Bros, run by Ravinder Sharma. From Shah Rukh Khan, who visited the town to shoot Maya Memsaab (1993) to Pooja Bedi, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, and politicians who were students at Lawrence School, Sanawar, were all clicked at this studio. Ravinder points out to  old pictures of Kasauli as he recalls the good old days. “

Shah Rukh visited the shop when they were shooting for Maya Memsahab. We have been doing photography for annual functions and events of The Lawrence School since the 1980s. In 1932, the entire market got burnt down due to accidental fire. After that, the market was recreated. We have a watch factory also. The  Central Research Institute (CRI) previously known as The Pasteur Institute, is the oldest institute in India making anti-rabies and cholera vaccines,” Sharma tells you. When in Kasauli, don’t forget to eat bun samosa, gulab jamun and jalebi from the famous Narendra Sweets. It first came into limelight when Khushwant Singh wrote about it. Famously known  as Kasauli’s Burger King, their bun samosa stuffed with potatoes and channa and served with green chutney and hot gulab jamuns and jalebis are to die for.

Tannu, one of the third generation brothers running this shop, recalls the time when they had just started as a tea stall. “Fortythree years ago, my grandfather took the shop on lease and started a tea stall. After sometime, we bought the shop from the shopowner, who owed us money and expanded to Narendra Sweets. We started making bun samosa, gulab jamun and jalebi. Apart from Khushwantji, we have had regular customers like Sanjay Dutt, Rahul Bose, Farooq Abdullah and many others,” Tannu Sahu says.

The cafe culture is led by Cafe Mantra and Mom’s Kitchen started by Rajesh Dogar and his friends serving nice breakfast and snacks, playing good music and working out of beautifully decorated walls with paintings and messages from guests.

“People come and play music, sip a cup of coffee and enjoy the ambience. People can stretch their legs and lie down on the futon cushions. Of late, we have had Rabbi Shergill who had some “me time” away from the celebrity limelight, come and relax in our cafe,” Dogar tells you.

The sleepy town also has some amazing architecture harking back to British times. The Christ Church built in 1853 is famous for its stained glass windows depicting Christian saints, something rare in India. Then there is Manki Point which has a popular Hanuman temple. That’s where Hanuman put his foot down while taking Sanjeevani booty from the Himalayas.

“More resorts, mostly eco friendly, are coming up to turn the tide for this sleepy town, one of which is our facility which we have deliberately kept old world. It’s nice to be in a place where one can go on idyllic trekking trails, watch the sunrise and sunset, shop at a Heritage Market and visit the Mohan Meakins brewery,” Prasad tells you.