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Mystical beauty
The mystical, untouched beauty of the Himalayas was revealed as the chopper flew through mountain valleys. Some of the gigantic mountains were bathed in sunlight, the others shrouded in darkness. We all shouted "Jai Mata Di" now and then...
At the helipad in Sanjhi Chat, there are palkis, pitthoos and horses, but at exorbitant costs. So, bargaining is a must.
It is advisable to book for one way, as while returning the cost is cheaper. However, the walk from here to Mata's Darbar is just 3 km and the way is quite comfortable and cool. We opted to walk down, and reached in 2.5 hours of comfortable walking.
• Airfare for Rs 599 and less!
Despite the tight security, it is quite comfortable for visitors. It is advised that you buy prasads and chunari from your hotel itself. Also, avoid buying coconut -- they are not allowed.
With the chopper ticket, we were given VIP passes, which ensure the quickest darshan. There are lockers available to keep your slippers and cameras. Also, you can book the prasad online and collect it from the office at the Darbar.
We finished our darshan in an hour. Because it was early morning, the rush was less. We later had coffee and snacks there and spent another hour relaxing, clicking photographs. On the way back, we hired horses at Rs 100 each -- after a lot of bargaining -- up to the helipad at Sanjhi Chat.
At around 3 pm, we took the chopper back and reached the hotel rejuvenated after Mata's darshan.
Text: Priyanka Prakash
Photograph: Deepak Gupta / Creative Commons
Also read: Let Shimla take your breath away
Share YOUR travel stories and pix!
Have you been to Jammu and Kashmir? What was your favourite sight there? Where did you have the best meal? Do you have a hotel to recommend?
Do post details on the message board below so other readers can benefit from your advice. Remember to add information on what was special about the restaurant, hotel or sight you visited, along with relevant telephone numbers and addresses.
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