Dehradun & mountain proximity is like a perfect blend of Wine & Cheese. You just can’t forget the beauty of this mix. A craving for the mountain scape was brewing for the last 4 months. I had to touch the mountains once & so we planned a quick trip to the Selur village hosting; A Himalayan Retreat – The Rudraksh. Perched on a hillock 117 kms away from Dehradun in the village of Selur this Retreat is easily accessible. From Dehradun to Selur the drive goes via countryside like roads of Narendra Nagar to Chamba. From Chamba it’s a mere 30 km drive to reach The Rudraksh Retreat over a briefly rugged mountain terrain.
Once we reached the Selur village at an altitude of 5,200 feet we parked our car on the road head & walked for about 500 mts along a forest trail. Voila! The stunning Retreat cottages greeted us along with Casper, the Retreat’s very own Golden retriever. We checked in to the cottage on the top to dare not miss the Himalayan views. There are total of 4 cottages which can accommodate 20 people, Utsav & I took the first floor facing the Tehri lake’s panoramic view. The walk from the entrance of the Retreat to the room on the top is nothing less than an experience. Treading on a tastefully made stairway to heaven we took a pause at the cottage entrance, for its floor is made of finely picked rural elements leading to a full view of the Himalayas from our private balcony.
The rooms are designed for those who have a spiritual bent & would like to experience Himalayas at its meditative best. Spatially sound, the rooms are well lit & have a breather in every corner. Next we took a peek at the balcony which is exquisitely designed with lounging chairs to seep it all in. Its from the balcony that we discovered why our room is called Burans, a flower native to Uttarakhand. The balcony opened to a huge Burans (Rhododendron tree) which bloomed with rosy red coloured flowers. The balcony too is an architectural delight as the pillars are made in kath -khuni style architecture. Soon we got a call from the restaurant asking us to join for tea & pakoras before we hit the trail to Agaan. Casper joined us after a hearty snack & tea at the restaurant. With our host leading us on the trail we walked a 1 km distance uphill to reach the Agaan Shiv Mandir.
The temple is perched on a humongous meadow confronting the Shivalik ranges in all its majesty. The meadow walk amidst the setting sun was a one of its kind experience, with Casper running on the open field and the sun glaring at his playfulness. Here is Casper, our hiking host taking his share of Himalayan peace!
From spending time at the meadow to visiting the Agaan temple amidst the impeccable beauty of nature it was a highly awakening experience. By now the weather was steadily shifting to a mountain drizzly late evening. We walked back to our cottage to mull at our recent meditative experience. The Rudraksh is built on the foundation of connecting with one’s natural self & we truly found ourselves at home here.
Heading out for dinner on a drizzly chilled night was a relief to the city drained body. We were welcomed by our lovely Host, Rupali who is the co-founder of this retreat. She had arranged for an under the sky campfire & a hefty meal straight from their Pahari kitchen. The food offered was organically satiating with a vast menu of vegetables like taro root, cauliflower, Pahari style paneer, along with chulha (outdoor gas fire) cooked finger millet chapati, served with bhaang chutney. The fresh flavors of vegetables amidst a chilled- weather- bonfire was an appetite for a lifetime. The sweet dish made of jhangora (a millet) & was a perfect closure to our happy bellies. Soon we retired to bed, so as to rise early to witness the Himalayan sunrise. Before retiring to bed we drew the curtains of our enormous balcony windows, so as to rise with the rising sun outdoors. And yet another beautiful sight beheld us. The balcony pillars which are architecturally made as though a diya (lamp) is lit on the carving of the wall, when lit at night gave a rural relief to our city eyes. It was simply peaceful to sleep watching those lights.
For sunrise or early morning meditation the balcony is an ideal space where the sun plays peekaboo in between the trees. I grabbed the lounge wooden chair & took my dose of meditation from some early morning reading. It’s a priceless hour back in city, but here at The Rudraksh Retreat it became a blessing amidst the chirping of birds. Sipping a cup of black tea in our room was all the charge we needed to hit the outdoors. Witnessing the rising sun, we were driven to rush outdoors for a short hike with our host & Casper, the Retriever. We hiked behind the Retreat from a trail amidst the pine & oak forests where collecting pine cones became a long-lost art retrieved. We walked past the pleasant landscape with mountains watching us as we sang to the tunes of whistling pine trees. For those who cherish an outdoor meditative time can also opt for meditating in this pine forest meadow along with Casper guarding your peace at all times. To stay in a place like The Rudraksh Retreat away from city rush we were transported to a paradise of its own kind.
Upon retuning to the Retreat for breakfast we were served a fascinating pahari meal comprising of Lingra (Fiddlehead Fern), buttermilk, stuffed parantha & bhaang chutney. One couldn’t have asked for more here, watching the sunrays hit the snow capped Gangotri – Himalayas above & Tehri lake down below. It seemed straight out of the poems of Wordsworth. On asking our Host, the idea behind Rudraksh Retreat, she said “It is around nature that we can be one with our conscious mind & reflect on what’s most important to us.” I soon realized how I craved to claim my pahari roots while living in the cities all my life. Having finished my breakfast I indulged in some Garhwali style cooking class available for guests as my last take away. Taking this short trip to The Rudraksh made me realize how it was all about the essential experience given by people, without whom The Retreat would be just a place on the map. The Rudraksh Retreat is all set to open for spiritual, meditation seekers, with a fully functional Yoga Meditation center for folks around the globe. To reserve your booking from October 2022 onwards, reach – info@therudrakshretreat.com
