Introduction

There is a certain feeling of elation when you head off to a journey that will take you closer to the heavens. To feel one with Mother Nature as you climb higher and higher is an inexplicable sensation that can only be explained when you get a chance to experience its gifts and that too in your own country.

We went out to seek such a paradise and managed to find it, just for a short while though.

It was a day-long quest that took my colleague Ranjan and myself, from the holy soil of Amritsar to Palampur in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. Our chariot for this “heavenly drive” was the Nissan Terrano, which has now completed a year in the Indian market. On a more cultural note, the drive would also give us a chance to learn more about a region colourful for its food, trucks, people and history.

Our journey began on a rather dull Friday morning, we took off from Mumbai without much hassles and glided over the clouds towards the seat of Sikhism. The journey was uneventful, made more so by the fact that the captain had announced that the Golden Temple would appear below on the right side while we, to our luck were seated on the left.

However, just as we were landing SpiceJet’s ambient music latched onto ‘Dil Chata Hai’ the eponymous title song which has now been enshrined in Bollywood lore as a the perfect driving track. This was sign that there lay fun ahead and we were now excited to hit the road!

Amritsar to Gurdaspur

We arrived at the Radisson Blu and were briefed on our route and all the sight, sounds and strangeness that we would experience during our drive. Briefing done, we exited the hotel and headed off to Gurdaspur, our first halt. We were guided by another car (one for each of the six Terranos) for the entire journey, which was piloted by a local driver who knew the roads like the back of his hand.

The first thing that you observe on the narrow roads of Punjab is that everyone goes everywhere and with scant regards for road rules. This, while being utterly dangerous, made the drive quite fun!

After about an hour on the road, we stopped at a tree-lined section to get a few beauty shots of the Terrano. Our journo-ish antics to get the perfect shot ultimately managed to get the attention of passing policemen travelling in the other direction.

The intensity of their questions regarding what we were doing was no doubt compounded by us managing to check off every South Indian stereotype checkbox in their heads. This was further aided by our ‘excellent Hindi’ and Tamil Nadu registered cars. Nonetheless, the driver of the support vehicle managed to come to our rescue and found ultimately that he knew the policemen, saving us from further questioning!

The Terrano, meanwhile, was performing amicably, thanks to the comfortable ride and excellent AC system that was keeping us peppy and excited for more. Our car was the 85PS version which despite being slightly down on power was able to let us cruise at triple-digit speeds with much ease. I would also guess that our enthusiasm was also high thanks to the goodies box containing chocolates, peanuts and orange juice that Nissan had packed for us.

Into the house of worship

Having come all the way to Amritsar, it was disappointing not to visit the Golden Temple, though this was more due to the schedule constraints. Determined not to leave without paying our respects, we directed ourselves to a Gurudwara outside the drivers’ village.

Every once in a while, we experience a moment in life that tells you that you’re on the destined path and this was one of moments that made me thank the higher forces for allowing me to be there that day. The pure simplicity of the local Gurdwara, the beauty of its design and rituals associated with the prayer process put me in a soul-calming moment. It is amazing to think that for a class of people with such a colourful and chequered history, their devotion is expressed in such elegance, simplicity and splendour.

Haan ji, ek auur makki ki roti

We left the Gurudwara and then made a straight dash to a rural retreat called Punjabiyat located in Gurudaspur district. En route, we witnessed the wealth of rural Punjab. Large fields of wheat, mustard and paddy dominated the sides of the road while on the road itself we passed tractors, BMWs, Marutis and then to our surprise at least three combine harvesters ,(a first for me anywhere in India).

We reached Punjabiyat and were treated to an authentic Punjabi lunch of Sarson ki saag, Makki ki roti, tandoori naans, chicken curry (Punjabi style), lassi, raita, Jalebis and a local speciality called Rasse ki kheer which is basically kheer made with sugarcane extract.

The rural backdrop also allowed us to get some excellent pictures of the Terrano among the wheat fields, with a tractor and then a buffalo. We did manage to line up for a drag race with me being the fourth participant but sadly, because the buffalo would have none of it, the most I could do was to fake an Usain Bolt pose on top of the bullock cart.

We left Gurudaspur and headed out to the highway that would lead us to our final destination for the drive-Palampur. Our drive to the Himachal Pradesh border was punctuated once again by chaotic traffic and stunning tarmac. An interesting observation we made was the sheer number of army bases and checkpoints en route with obviously the maximum number being near Pathankot which is close to the India-Pakistan border.

Take me to the heavens ye Japanese beast!

As the lights began to fade, we arrived in Himachal Pradesh and soon began climbing the ghats on our way to Dharmshala. We tackled most of the flowing corners and twisty corners rowing between third and fourth while taking U-bends in second gear. The high ground clearance allowed us to attack the corners with quite a bit more confidence and react faster to unexpected surprises in the form of cars without headlights and motorcycles travelling the wrong way.

The temperature and number of people dropped as we climbed higher and by around nightfall most of the businesses had shut for the day leaving us to traverse the roads in complete silence. The convoy of journalists had long gone past and had probably reached the hotel as they had not made any major stops on the way unlike us, who had visited the Gurudwara.

We did eventually make it to our destination at around 9.30pm. Our halt for the night was the Taragarah Palace heritage hotel in the Kangra valley. After some generous helpings of whisky and a sumptuous dinner, we hit the sack.

The hills are alive with the sound of K9K!

We left the next morning (really early) but not before spending a little time walking around the hotel and learning of some of its heritage.

Back to the journey now. As we rounded the first significant bend on the twisty village roads, we were greeted by the sight of the snow-capped Himalayas towering in the distance. The majestic hills and perfect lighting meant we had to first stop and then eventually take some motion shots of the Terrano en-route to our eventual destination - the Norbulingka Tibetian Institue just outside Dharmsala. Our early hour meant we got a glimpse of the hills awaking for the day. City folk would probably be in for quite a surprise if I tell them that life in the hills begins exactly the same way as it does for them with the only difference being that it’s really cold!

This short morning drive also gave me the opportunity to experience the Terrano on the hill roads once again. The ride was very comfortable while the steering weighed up correctly letting me glide through the flowing corners.

We reached the Norbulingka Institute but due to time constraints could not experience much of it apart from a quick breakfast and a few short glances of the green and leafy surroundings. Our final leg of the journey took us from the hills down to Jammu to catch our return flight.

As I boarded the aircraft at Jammu, I could not but help thinking of how much we had seen in just a day leaving me to believe that India is best experienced on its roads - the only thing that stays constant in a country so culturally diverse. I will definitely return to this place and hopefully in a Nissan Terrano.

Photos: Ranjan Bhat