HARSIL, WAITING TO BE EXPLORED!

You have to go through those mountains and valleys – because that’s what life is: Soul growth. The above mentioned quote by renowned American singer Wayne Newton is apt to describe the beautiful but erstwhile sleepy hamlet of Harsil situated at a height of 7,860 ft (2,620 metres) from sea level on Gangotri Highway.

The pristine hamlet is 73 kms from Uttarkashi while 30 km away from Harsil is Gangotri National Park, spread over 1,553 square km.

According to Hellen Keller, the best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart and that is the feeling that grips the tourists when they visit Harsil.

The view of majestic snow clad Himalaya and the meandering Ganga river passing through Harsil provides a breath taking view to the nature lovers who are left speechles at this pristine beauty bestowed by the nature to place which is also popularly known as Mini Switzerland.

The tall devdaar trees teach one to be patient. The green grass and various species of flowers are enough to teach to be persistence. The free flowing Ganga through the valley is able to ignite the spiritual being in any person visiting the place.

An Indian Army cantonment, that is around 25 kilometers away from the main hamlet, is the pride of Harsil.

The multiple springs fall gracefully into the bed of River Bhagirathi that flows peacefully towards it journey to the Ganga Sagar making it a blissful union to be experienced by being at Harsil in person.

The Raja of Harsil, Fredrick ‘Pahari’ Wilson, a British Army deserter from Afghan War in 1839-42, who used his crafty wits to carve out a Kingdom for himself, made Harsil as his home. The house built by Wilson has turned into ashes wiping out any remains of the family. However, a forest guest house and a few brass coins that were introduced by Wilson stand as testimony to the reign of Raja of Harsil. The wood from the forests of Harsil that was transported by Pahari Wilson down the Ganga river was used for building railway tracks to fulfill the commercial and imperialistic designs of the British. He also introduced apple in the region which has now taken a shape of huge employment generation activity with Harsil Apple establishing it as popular brand around the country.

The Bollywood block buster Ram Teri Ganga Maili, made by eminent director and producer Raj Kapoor, was shot at the beautiful locales of Harsil.

Being the border district, with its boundaries extending to China, the tourists especially from foreign countries are unable to cherish the treasure troves present at Harsil as they are not permitted to stay at Harsil in night. The Indian tourists have take inner-line permit to go beyond Harsil towards Nelong Valley which is on the China border resulting in lesser number of tourists, says Ajay Ramola, a social activist.

“We are unable to visit the Wilson Guest House, savour the sweet Harsil Apple, relax on the banks of river and gazing the stars in the clear sky at night,” said John a tourist from the US.

The villagers from Bagori and Harsil are not permitted to stay at night but most the foreigners due to the archaic laws of inner line permit. There is huge demand to relax the inner line permit so that more foreign tourists are able to visit the place. The permit clause was introduced following the Chinese aggression of Tibet and the 1962 attack on India.

After lot of effort, we brought this issue to the Union Government’s knowledge and I recently met union home minister Rajnath Singh and they are looking into the matter seriously. Once it is done, it would herald a new chapter towards prosperity for the locals. (The writer is state working committee member of Bhartiya Janta Party)

THE TOURISTS ESPECIALLY FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES ARE UNABLE TO CHERISH THE TREASURE TROVES PRESENT AT HARSIL AS THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED TO STAY AT HARSIL IN NIGHT...