How often do you happen to drop by at a place that literally takes you back in time, or for that matter slows down the pace at which things move otherwise for you? The Great Himalayan National Park in the Sainj Valley nests in it villages that have kept their centuries-old cultures and traditions pretty intact – so much so that the villages still rely on barter and exchange of goods and services for their livelihood and sustainability. While most of the villages are hard to reach, the Upper Neahi Village can be reached after a half an hour trek from Ropa – the last motorable point.
The village sits beside the sacred Pundrik Rishi Lake. The lake used to be a paddy field until cultivation stopped in the 11th century, as legends have it, after a brawl between the local deities. The stunning lake is a marvel to watch in all different seasons as its color changes every 4 months—thanks to the grass that grows over it.
In the golden haze of summers, the rains bring in fluorescence, while the winters adorn the lake with terraces of snow. All of it looks even more like a dream with a quaint backdrop — a tree island on the left, a wild forest on the right and mountains watching over from all sides.
Upper Neahi is home to houses as old as the 11th century. Made from Deodar borrowed of the dead trees from the National Park, almost all the houses in this village are tremor-proof and have survived some severe earthquake in the 1930s. The houses have their own mystical presence and the people are no different. You would easily come across 100-year-olds in the village and what follows is a streak of stories unimaginable!
Apart from the cultural heritage that this village would expose you to, several waterfalls and treks from Upper Neahi Village offer you experiences and vistas to cherish for life.
There is wildlife as rich and intense as it can get and mountains that yield you some of the most rarely found ayurvedic herbs.
You can trek through the GHNP making Upper Neahi as your base. Some of the one-day treks include a trek to the Sarikanda Thatch from where you get to see an entire Banjar Valley and to Shangarh Meadow.
Check Out: Shangarh Meadow – The Home Of Sangchul Mahadev | Photo Blog
The skies would expose you to their true vistas on a clear night while the waterfalls around will be the best hangout spots you have ever chilled out at.
What gives Sainj Valley its unique identity is not just how its people have opened their hearts and homes for travelers but its traditions that are as old as the Mahabharata itself!
The residents of the villages at higher altitudes have kept themselves from the outside world, some homestays have access to gharaats (the flour grinder powered by water and run on stones) and most interestingly, a lot of transactions are still bartered!
How To Reach Upper Neahi Village
From Sainj Market, a bus leaves at 11 am in the morning for Dehuri. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi for INR 800 or try hitchhiking. Shared taxis are also among the options to explore. A direct taxi from Aut to Dehuri would cost INR 1800. From Dehuri, the Village is half an hour hike.
Best Time To Visit Sainj Valley
Monsoon, we recommend. One can come anytime as the village is easily reachable even during the snow!
Stay Options: BAWRAY BANJARAY HOME, Jhilli Neahi Village.
So this was pretty much a fine summary to help you know the village. We did have a travelogue of our first interactions with the valley and the village, but we lost it to a website glitch. Below, is a further sneak peek into the village. Take a look:
And here is a little bit from our social handles – photos from the moments we interacted with the village.
Suggested Read: Shangarh – The Picnic Land Of Kullavi Mythology
We would keep updating this page from our social media feed. Also, to know more about places to visit in Sainj valley, ask us questions in the comment section.
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