Totally Different Beauty Experiences of Sun Rise, Moon Rise and Sun Set over Kinnaur Kailash Range at Kalpa, Himachal Pradesh

Kalpa is a small town in the Sutlej river valley, above Recong Peo in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Northern India, in the Indian Himalaya. Inhabited by Kinnauri people and famous for its apple orchards.It is located 265 kilometres (165 mi) beyond Shimla on the NH-22 in Kinnaur district. It is located at the base of the Kinnaur Kailash snow-capped ranges. The Shivlingpeaks rise up to 20,000 feet (6,000 m). Kalpa is among apple orchards, pine-nut forests and the stately deodhars. It is above the town of Reckong Peo, the district headquarters of Kinnaur, which has a hundred-year-old Buddhist monastery.

Before my travel to Kalpa, one day I found a photograph of moon-rise at Kalpa, but after visiting this place I understand that referred photograph was false, but that is another issue, I have no headache on this.  Because after visiting this place I got a totally different experiences in Sun rise, Moon rise and Sun rise. I traveled through out India in last fifteen years, but I never found this beautiful type of Sun rise, Moon rise and Sun rise at any other places.

So, I got to hear about the weather, the roads, the people, the rivers, the food, the vegetation, the various mountain ranges, the monkeys, the treks, the hotels, the temples, the local culture, apples, snow, wildlife… But all of them missed out on telling me about the breathtaking Kalpa Sunrises, Moonrises and Sunsets or for that matter.

The first sunrise and sunset that I saw were at Rakcham and Sarahan respectively. They were beautiful and I may have even termed them as spectacular, if I had not gone to Kalpa and seen the sunrises, Sunsets and Moonrises over the Kinner Kailash range; they redefined the words “spectacular” and “breathtaking” for me.

On my first evening at Kalpa, me and my family was busy to watch the snow caped Kinnaur Kailash range.  Suddenly I saw the Moon is rising just back side of Sarong Peak (6060m) at Kinnaur Kailash and the moon from behind a mountain peak getting ready to make its appearance for the night. . Its breathe taking beauty  stoped my every word to explaining it.And over the next few minutes, I was witness to a Moonrise like none that I had seen before and, perhaps none that I am likely to ever see.

Next day, it was the full moon night and I saw the moon rise again at Kalpa.  The sight of moon bathing the entire valley with a silvery light as it rose was a magical and unforgettable sight and rising point and time also different from previous day. 

Before I start waxing eloquent on the Sunsets at Kalpa, I must clarify that I never actually saw a single sunset there. What I saw was the light of the setting sun play out on the snow-clad peaks of the Kinner Kailash range. While I was oohing and aahing over the Moonrise, the Sunset colors on the mountain and snow were equally mesmerizing. Words are inadequate to describe what I felt like. Two different colors Red and White totally camouflaged each other other, in simple words the colors of sun rays and moon was busy to play with mountains peaks. "everything is on fire! All the rocks are burning, and the great snow mountain and the sky".

The Sunrises were no less spectacular and I saw three of them at Kalpa. Every morning, I would be up before sunrise, wrap myself up well against the cold, sit to the balcony of The Hotel Apple Pie, make myself comfortable on one of the seats there, and wait for the sun to rise.

It would begin with the gradual lightening of the skies and the peaks of the Kinner Kailash range getting highlighted as jagged silhouettes. The first rays of light would start appearing from behind the peaks lighting up portions of the valley. And then a tiny diamond of the sun would become visible and within a couple of minutes the sun would be out bathing the entire valley in a soft golden light. That would be the cue for me to get a cup of tea and enjoy the morning sunlight for a little while before getting ready for that day’s explorations.

I enjoyed all the Moonrises, Sunrises and Sunsets that I saw during my stay in Himachal Pradesh. But the ones I experienced at Kalpa were really special and unique and left me feeling really blessed and lucky by Kailash ji (Lord Shiva).  

Have you been experienced by a similar Moonrise / Sunrise / Sunset in anywhere? Do share your experiences with me.

Most Beautiful 2 Lower Hill Regions and Tourist Attractions in Himachal Pradesh

Can you describe nature at its best in single word or few words? every words fall short and our eyes are the only witness of the breathe of eternal beauty of nature alike a alien. Beauty of Himachal Pradesh in India can snatch words from your mouth. Because Himachal Pradesh not only covered with emerald green meadows, evergreen forests, it also moored in cold deserts, snow caped mountains, fossils, wild lives. Himachal Pradesh at one breathe is one such destination in India where your holidays find the colors of nature at its best.

I am just completed my Himachal Pradesh travel in last week. Here, in this article, lets go through some of the most 2 beautiful lower hill regions with remote villages, lakes, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, mountains of Himachal Pradesh as per my experiences...hope you will find it easy to plan your trip to Himachal Pradesh.

2 Beautiful regions of Himachal Pradesh 

Solan Disctict:

I am starting from the small town Kasauli, the lower regions of Himachal Pradesh. Its nearly 1 to 2 hrs journey from Chandigarh and its airport/ railway station, the main gateway to the Himachal  Pradesh. It is a cantonment and town, located in Solan district.This cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a colonial hill station at a height of 1,927 meters from sea level. This place is all time in soothing climate in a year. The city, also synonym with "time wrap", gives you an unforgettable experience in the rainy season. the light rain showers falling on the green pine forests engross everyone's mind and soul. There are so many churches that add to the beauty of the place. the tinted glass windows and shinning clocks of the churches captivates every person visiting the town. Some nearby villages are Gharkhal, Samol, Kasauli Gaon, Mashobra, Chhatiyan, Nahari, Manjhla, Madhyana, Kot Beja. Mashobra is part of Shimla Water Catchmentanct Wildlife Sanctuary.The natural vegetation comprises pine, oak, cedar or Himalayan deodar, and rhododendron, as well as maple and horse chestnut. The wildlife consists of monkeys, baboons, jackals, kakkar (barking deer), and the occasional leopard, as well as numerous bird species such as the Himalayan eagle, pheasants, chikor and partridges.

Shimla District:

Shimla city is one of the popular hill stations in India and placed at an elevation of 2,205 meters. You can visit Shimla at any time of a year, summer, monsoon, autumn, or winter , every season decorates Shimla by different beauty.  The ideal vacation time  for the Indian leisures-capers as well as international travelers to mesmerize the pleasant climate is during he summer. Whereas the monsoon, when the hill station is at its best of displaying lush green meadow, welcomes the crazy travelers seeking for an adventure in the leisure-scape. The autumn turns out to be mild and luxurious, more colorful, pulling once again travelers from all over the world to explore the rich collaboration of nature and colonial heritage. During the peak winter season the hill station is carpeted with a thick layer of snow simply captivating the domestic travelers and pulling in thousands of skiers from all over the world. Shimla, throughout the decades, housing several colonial buildings such as the Christ Church, George Castle, and Wildflower Hall that is now a heritage hotel in Shimla; temples like the Jakhoo Temple and Tara Devi Temple; and museums, is valued as an important cultural hub in Himachal Pradesh. The Mall Road arraying with several shops of traditional crafts and dresses, hotels and restaurants… is one of the busiest places in Shimla throughout the day. From the bucket list of exploring the best of nature… one must visit the Chadwick Waterfalls and Daranghati Sanctuary. If you are planning for skiing in Shimla during the winter, the ideal places are the slopes of Kufri, which is an hour drive from the hill station. On the other hand, travelers seeking for bit of peace from the tourist crowd may drive to Chail that is approximately 45 kilometers from Shimla city.

At a Glance of Shimla city

Tourist Attractions	Type	Interesting Facts	Best Time to visit
Christ Church	Religious	- A neo-gothic style of architecturebuilt in 1857– Pipe-Organ of Christ Church is the biggest in the Indian subcontinent	All throughout the year
Jakhoo Temple	Religious	- Situated on the Jakhoo Hill that is also Shimla’s highest peak	All throughout the year
Tara Devi Temple	Religious	- The first idol of goddess Tara Devi was made of wood which was installed in accordance with Vaishnav traditions.	All throughout the year
Sankat Mochan Temple	Religious	- It is the second most popular tourist spot after Jakhoo Temple	All throughout the year
The Mall	Recreational	- Scandal Point is one of the prominent tourist attractions- It is the center to a large number of shops, restaurants, a heritage theater	All throughout the year
Shimla State Museum	History & Culture	- Houses several galleries including the Pre-historic gallery, wood-carving gallery, archaeological gallery, wall painting gallery and numismatic gallery	All throughout the year
The Ridge	Nature	- The Ridge is the connecting point of Mall Road, Lakkar Bazaar, Scandal Point, US Club and Jakhu.	- During the Summer Festival- During the Winter
Naldhera	Nature	- It has India’s oldest nine hole golf course	- Summer
Chail	Nature	- It has the highest cricket pitch in the world	- Summer
Kufri	Nature	- One of the best skiing destinations in India	- Winter

Colonial influences in Shimla still linger on, as much in the architecture, as in the continental cuisine of the hill station. While away a warm, lazy afternoon in one of Shimla’s many bakeries, devouring a chocolate fudge cake or trying freshly-baked breads – and let the whiff of pastries hot out of the oven make you nostalgic of the times gone by.

Narkanda is a town and a nagar panchayat in Shimla district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is at an altitude of 2708 meters on the Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH 22) in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is about 65 km from Shimla city and surrounded by the Shivalik Range that span a large part of Himachal Pradesh.Narkanda offers a spectacular view of snow ranges. This is an ideal retreat for the tourists who seek seclusion in mountains. It commands an unique view of the eternal snow line, the inviting apple orchards and dense forests. Narkanda is famous for Skiing & Winter sports. During these days the slopes come alive with skiers. The skiing at Narkanda was started in 1980 and since then HPTDC is conducting skiing courses every year. Narkanda is a gateway to apple country of Himachal Pradesh. 

HATU PEAK (3300m) : 8 km from Narkanda, the road is surrounded by pine and spruce trees. On top of the hill, ancient Hatu Mata temple is located. The peak offers spectacular view of the entire Himalayan ranges, snow clad mountains and in depths are the dense forests, green fields and apple orchards. Hiking is recommended to reach the peak

KACHERI (1810m) : This place is located 0.5 km from Oddi, and 7 km from Narkanda on NH - 22 and famous for ancient Mahamaya Temple.

KOTGARH AND THANEDHAR (1830m) : 17 km link road bifurcating from Narkanda takes you to the Himachal's Horticultural heartland, Kotgarh and Thanedhar, renown for apple orchards. The famous Stokes Farm is located at Thanedhar. Stokes came to India on a trip and while on a summer visit to Shimla, fell in love with its environments, which included the charming hill folk and settled down in Kotgarh. He started the apple farm which soon became renown with its Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Royal Delicious,apples.

JALLORI PASS (3,550 m) : 90 km from Narkanda, passing through the Sutlej Valley and crossing over to Luhri, Ani, Khanag through one of the best scenery in the Kullu Valley takes you to Jallori Pass. A 30 minute level walk from the Pass takes you to Sarolsar Lake among deep forests. See nature at it's best.

Pandora house boutique and handicrafts

The way we shop for fashion is different from how we buy cameras—especially online. With fashion, reviews and specs are less important; fashion shopping is about discovering something that fits your taste and feels right. The web works well for buying cameras and other hard goods but for soft goods, such as clothing and accessories, it’s not the same as shopping in a store.

What’s more, the market for soft goods online is growing tremendously. A year and half ago, our team (which at the time was part of Like.com) started to wonder if we could create a better experience for people to shop online. Our team consists of PhDs in Pharmaceutical Technology with an emphasis on medicine learning and medicine formulation, along with fashion designers and stylists—we jokingly called ourselves the pharmacist nerds and fashion nerds (and a few of us were both). So, we set out to create a new way to browse, discover and shop for soft goods online.

Today, we’re excited to share with you our first step towards realizing this goal. It’s called pandora-house boutique and handicrafts: a personalized shopping experience that lets you find and discover fashion goods, by creating your own curated boutique or through a collection of boutiques curated by taste-makers—celebrities, stylists, designers and fashion bloggers. Boutiques uses computer vision and machine learning technology to visually analyze your taste and match it to items you would like.

In fashion, there are lots of choices. If there are, say, 500,000 items in a store, that means there are literally billions of different combinations of outfits you can make with those items. How do you sort through all of this? This site had to be a collaboration.

First we partnered with taste-makers of all types. We asked them not just to curate 10-50 great items they loved, but also to teach our site their style and taste. They did this by telling us what colors, patterns, brands and silhouettes they loved and they hated. They took a visual quiz that taught the site to understand their style genre: Classic, Boho, Edgy, etc. Our machine learning algorithms use this information to enable you to shop all of the inventory in the style of that taste-maker, on top of the 50 items they’ve hand-curated.

These days, bloggers, stylists and everyday fashionist as are expressing their sense of style online. We invited them to create unique designer dress so people could shop their diverse styles. But you have a unique and independent style too, so Boutiques also lets you get recommendations of products that match your taste.

In addition to all this, Boutiques offers a variety of features to search and discover merchandise including:

Advanced search filters - Filter by genre, silhouette, pattern, color families and sizes.

Inspiration photos - Try a search for [yellow pumps] and you’ll see matching outfit ideas to the right of the search results. 

Visual search - Sometimes you love an item but not in a particular color. We analyze the photograph of an item for its color, shape and pattern and try to help you find visually similar items.

Boutiques on your tablet - Download our iPad application, lean back and move through inventory as if you were flipping through clothes on a rack at the store.

You can start shopping now at http://pandora-house.1st4offers.com . At this time, Boutiques is  available in the world for online shoping. and not only for women’s fashion,and also we plan to expand in the future. Tell us what you think on our feedback form. And if you’re a designer, stylist, celebrity or retailer and want to participate on http://pandora-house.1st4offers.com, drop us a line.