Pulga: Unveiling the Hidden Heritage and History of a Himachali Gem

In the previous week, we were talking about Himachal Pradesh, one of the most famous and popular places in all of India. We talked about how It is not only one of the best places to travel to, but it is enriching and significant in different ways as well, like the spectacular and stunning sunrises and sunsets of the mountains and hot water springs and forests and the unsaid stories hidden in the corners of the mountains, in the nooks and crannies of the forests which are unexplored and waiting for you to stumble upon. We had established that if you have a knack for finding the hidden or like to solve mysteries and puzzles, Himachal is the place for you, and also if you are a history nerd and attracted to historical sights, a lot of well-known historical places are here as well. Himachal is also famous for the various spiritual, religious places it has to offer, from temples to gurudwaras, there are beautiful and significant places that have stood the test of time. Each place has their own beauty, their own speciality, their own individuality, their own sets of stories to help you make sense of them all.

So by this point, you are convinced that in this dreamy state, you can sojourn in a magical forest, sip coffee and watch the mountains from the window and give your soul the perfect replenishment it needs, right? So let us look at the specifics of the place and exactly what you can be excited for if you do decide to come visit Himachal Pradesh.

Today, we are going to talk about one such hidden gem of Himachal. A wonderful and magical village situated in the hills of Himachal, Pulga. Before the 2010s, it was frequently visited by the foreigners in the time of the 90s, it was famous for some of the best rave parties. And not only Pulga, most of Himachal is visited by all kinds of people- from groups of friends to couples to solo travellers. But they do have one thing in common. It is the fact that they all are challenging themselves, in some way or the other, they are trying to be able to stay out of their comfort zones, out in the wilderness, without the safety net of man-made luxurious things. Nowadays whenever we talk about travelling, the first thing we are concerned with is luxury. If the hotels/resorts they would be residing in would have a pool, a gym or five-star restaurants. We have started to forget the real reason humans first started their voyages.

But this is different. Here we are talking about exploring. That primal urge of mankind to explore the unexplored, to know the unknown, to see the unseen that led the brave humans to the discovery of the world, to the unknown continents who did it without thinking about their own comfort, completely entranced with the sense of adventure. And we all know it can't be all pools and jacuzzis all around the world. So the journey is not for chilling in the bathtub, but to explore the wilderness. Where at some places, you'll have the basic necessities near your hand, but there would also be other places where those basic things would seem to be a little hard to get. Like life and all things beautiful, sometimes a little push and some difficulty is all we need to be better. Enough philosophies, let us look at how you can reach Pulga now.

Your journey will start from Delhi. You will have an overnight ride in a bus to reach Kasol, the nearest city to Pulga. From Kasol, which is a pretty exquisite place itself (we'll talk about it someday soon), you will have two options. You can either take a local bus which will drop you at the Barshaini dam, you can then trek for 15 minutes to Pulga village for the snow fall view. Or, you can take a cab which will directly drop you at Pulga if you wish to do so. Pulga is not the only village in this beautiful wilderness, you can look at other nearby villages as well- from Barshaini, if you continue down the left side, you'll reach Tosh. And if you choose the right side, you will see a trinity of villages. First Kalga, then Tulga and last but not the least, Pulga.

Pulga is not like your everyday mountain village. Remember reading about a far-away village where all the fairies and pixies and good princes live? Pulga is that picturesque village that came true from the books with its own fairy forest! You can wander around aimlessly in that magical forest and can enjoy peaceful scenic views with no interruption. With so many beautiful waterfalls scattered around, it would be a truly magnificent stroll in the fairy land.

Even if you're not into forests or waterfalls- preferring human interactions and stories more, Pulga won't disappoint.The beauty of Pulga is not only nature, but also its people. We guarantee you that you'll discover a gold mine of stories if you are looking for it. You can find local people who are there to narrate the stories as old as time- of the history, of the changes and of the constants. In a village as ancient as Pulga, it's only natural that the people and the architecture would have a knack of history. There are a lot of old homes which are around 400-500 year old and they are still as good and sturdy as new. With their ancient techniques, the villagers had found a way to keep the houses warm in winter where there is heavy snowfall, and that helps them to stay like that. Because of their hard work and determination, you can smell the beauty of the place. You can touch and taste nature just out of your hand. In this era where people are looking for luxurious palaces and air conditioned rooms, Pulga has remained true to its roots while maintaining its quality of life.

So in Pulga, you can explore the fairy forest inside the village itself, along with the interesting local markets, plentiful waterfalls, ancient neighbourhoods and marvel at the advanced architecture. Nowadays you will also find more good places to stay, good cafes to eat and newer initiatives. More people have gathered there to host you with their unique version of the place. Never compromising with the spirit of Pulga, they have managed to make a home there.

We also have our own cafe-cum-restaurant in Pulga, situated at the border of the fairy forest, you can enjoy your snacks and tea/coffee there while looking at the beautiful setting.

In the evenings, we will arrange a magical night of bonfire with music and fairy lights in the fantastic atmosphere of Pulga.

Pulga is mostly known as the base camp of the famous trek to Kheerganga. But we are bringing out a lot of hidden routes and exciting trek trips for you to relish in. Till then, stay with us in Pulga, in our own cafe-cum-restaurant! We're offering you some great packages with economical pricings and lots of fun-filled activities