Just last week , I happened to visit an extremely beautiful house in the foothills of the Himalayas. It was an experience that will stay with me for a long time. The family to whom the house belongs had invited me alongwith some other guests and I already had an idea about the beauty of the location as well as the house . Even then, my reaction when I actually saw the house was one of wonder and awe. Each part of the house, right from the entrance , was so beautiful that I had to admit that I had never seen such a house before.
The red brick structure in the middle of the lush green surroundings took my breath away. I kept admiring its design, its winding staircases , the architecture,the eye catching views of the hills from all the windows, the gentle cool breeze that aired it from all sides . I captured several pictures of the various wondrous scenes that the house and its surroundings provided.Each painting , each curio , each piece of decoration was unique in itself.The good taste of the hosts was evident and so was their love for this house of dreams they have been living in for the past three decades. The lady of the house was a picture of grace and the gentleman a picture of dignity.We could not get enough of the views , both inside and outside the house.
The sweet ambience of the place inspired me to sing a song or two when I was asked to. Usually, I do not try to exhibit my singing talent(whatever there is of it) before other people. I keep my singing to myself and sing in solitude. However, when I looked up, I could see the green hills looming large in the blue sky .This created a mood where I actually could sing aloud without fearing that my singing may be questioned .I kept thinking how I would love to do my writing while staying in such a house. A house that inspired creativity by its sheer beauty, tranquilty and dream-like look. It was a writer’s dream.
I thought, while I was there, how I had never seen this house during my visits to that area. It is hidden by trees and is actually surrounded by a forest that does not allow people to have a full view of the house from outside.It is only when one enters the gate and walks into a colourfully done up parlour that one realizes where one has landed.
The staircase took us down into the picturesque drawing room that has windows in all directions with views whose beauty is difficult to capture in words. We felt we were in a hill station .The other guests were as much under this spell cast by the house ,the warmth of the family and the hospitality shown.love and perfection were written all over the house and this was what made the visit so memorable. The monkeys were in the adjacent forest and kept peeping in every once in a while.Even they must be admiring the beauty of the house, I am sure. “Sylvan” and “Idyllic” are the two words that kept coming to my mind when I looked around me. There were lawns with small cottages in the campus.The best part was that the estate was not at one level.It was on a hillside and thus steps had been constructed in many parts to ensure that the house could be built on uneven ground. The plot had not been flattened to construct the house. This fact made the house so special , I believe. However, the true beauty of the building was the spirit of joy and goodness that prevailed within it.The warmth and welcome given by the inhabitants made all of us feel very special and lucky. The two hours that we spent there took us away from our day to day problems and worries. We were transported into a world of perfection and splendor that one usually only can dream about .I am looking forward to another visit to that world of brightness and colour.
The house belongs to the Sibbal family. Col. Prem Sibbal and Padma Sibbal ji. Their son , Dr.Anupam Sibbal, is a well-known doctor who visits them in the Doon valley whenever he can.I thank veteran journalist Raj Kanwar ji and his wife Amber Kanwar ji for introducing me to this family and their dream house.