If you’re fairly well travelled in the mountains, it is inevitable to come across that small Himalayan hamlet which has nothing to offer except its scenic beauty. Jalna is that timeless village in Kumaon in Uttarakhand, a world away from the lake towns and tourist hubs the region is known for. With little to no typical sightseeing or café culture, Jalna and its slow life are for the nature hungry heart that doesn’t need more.
Over three hours from Nainital, the unofficial tourist capital of Kumaon, Jalna is best reached via the route past Almora from where it is 30 kilometres. More than convenience, the route takes one through the most gorgeous rhododendron belt of Lamgarha that puts on an unmatched show of scarlet every spring. In other seasons, the local milk-based delicacy singhori wrapped in a malu leaf that is sold in sweetmeat shops in and around Lamgarha town, make up for missing the bloom. My friend and I had heard much about the stellar mountain views of Jalna, and the lure of fresh singhori and snow-covered mountains against a green monsoon landscape, led us on.
Two kilometres short of Jalna village, we take a u-turn on a dirt track and arrive at Sukoon, a Kumaoni village house that is to be our home for the next few days. A short ten-minute hike on an uphill trail opens on to the ridge atop which Jalna sits like an unassuming star. But before we go, we recuperate after the long drive with a simple but hearty Kumaoni meal, and the joyous company of the property mascots, indie pups Honey and Bunny. A playful afternoon later, we begin our climb to the ridge.
After an easy walk up, we wander through Jalna, which is primarily pine and deodar or cedar forest, a row of village homes with bursts of curious, ever-smiling local faces, the odd general store, a crumbling, old English bungalow, tall grass dotted with bushels of the snapdragon flower, and the expanse of the valley to the north, crowned by the Himalayas in the horizon. An hour is enough to walk through Jalna and meet the main road on the other side, but take longer if you can to stop and smell the pine cones, linger over a wildflower, and sit and gaze at the gift of the mountains in the distance. The monsoons bring in some mist, but even brief glimpses of the Nanda Devi raising her head through the veil of clouds, or Trishul and Maiktoli, and unnamed peaks gracing a traveller with their presence, are rewarding enough. I want to stay more, but it’s early evening, and time to return.
Back at Sukoon, the evening sets in swiftly, but not without painting the skies a deep orange, and not without me mastering the art of doing nothing. The wide balcony upstairs has become my favourite spot, where I will spend the next couple of days on the swing practicing this art, sitting hopeful, to get one more glimpse of snow-bound peaks. In these following days, I will go on endless walks, and return to my rustic but comfortable stay with its earthen walls and dim lights. When I am peckish, I will shake the wild pear tree outside my room and munch on the fallen fruit. I wonder how that is not a privilege, and my time here teaches me that all of it indeed is. Jalna might not be on your travel checklist, but once you’re there, it creates its place on it.
Jalna is 85kms from Kathgodam, the nearest railway station. Sukoon by Hushstays offers quietude and a comfortable stay, and is your best bet in Jalna where there are limited accommodation options. To know more log on to www.hushstays.com
