A Resort Where You Are Not Allowed To Use Your Mobile:Tale of Kausani

I had an official schedule to work at Someshwar for a week some 18 years back. At that time Someshwar did not have any hotel or lodge so I had only one option but to check in at some hotel in the nearby Kausani . Kausani is only 7 miles from Someshwar so it was the obvious choice. 

I checked-in at Sun n Snow Inn. For the first time, I was landed at a hotel where you have to surrender your mobile at reception during your stay. Initially, I reacted as if it is a crazy idea. But for whole week, I realized that it provides a lot of mental peace. 

Someshwar is a small hilly helmet, in beautiful valley close to Kosi and Sai River and famous for its Lord Shiva Temple , it was constructed by Raja  Som Chand founder of Chand Dynasty in 10th century. There is a steep ride  from Someshwar to Kausani , road takes you from dense jungles. 

My decision to stay in Kausani yielded so much , I enjoyed pure nature from five am to 9 am and thereafter from 5.30 pm till late in the night as it was Shukl Paksha and uninterrupted view of snow clad peaks. 

Kausani is a hill station with stunning views and lies at an altitude of 1900m in Bageshwar district. All green wherever you see and the biggest catch is a very long range of snow clad peaks ranging from Garhwal to the Nepal most prominent Trishul, Nanda Devi and Panchachuli. 

Kausani is set amidst a forest of pine trees and enjoys a breezy atmosphere. Mahatma Gandhi visited this place in 1928 for few days and wrote Anasakti Yog , he was so much impressed with its beauty that he called it the ‘Switzerland of India’.

Britishers realized that invigorating climate of  Kausani is conducive to growing tea. They planted tea over here and found the quality to their satisfaction. Presently the plantation is spread in almost 200 acres. There’s also a tea factory in Kausani around the Kausani Tea Estate. 

Sunrises in Kausani are magical, it is an out of the world experience to see the first rays of the sun light up the snow capped peaks and thereafter you will feel you are seeing fast changing colors in a kaleidoscope. 

Kausani is blessed with gorgeously green landscapes and silence lies in the midst of introspective valleys. While sitting in the manicured lawn of Sun n Snow I could feel sound of chirping birds and pine leaves rustling in the breeze.

Anasakti Ashram is the place where Mahatma Gandhi spent two weeks in 1929. Anasakti Ashram is also called Gandhi Ashram. There is a small museum here dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi where you can feel presence of the divine soul. The museum narrates Gandhi’s life stories through photographs and words. His charkha and other personal items are kept here. There is also a small library where one can find books on Gandhian philosophy. I dod attended evening prayers at the Ashram three days in a row . By the way one can avail stay at the basic rooms in the ashram if rooms are available  at a reasonable tariff of Rs. 100 a day which is very reasonable. ( You have yo check the current tariff) . The best part of staying at Ashram, reasonable cost and Impeccable views of sunrise and sunset.

Another place worth visiting is trail inside the Kausani Eco Park, it was entirely surrounded by pine trees and had a lovely aroma. There is a small temple on a hillock. I hiked to the temple and were mesmerised with the sound of the bells!

Kausani Tea Estate lies on the road to Baijnath and was only around 2 kms fromSUN N snow Inn . There are some sparse tea gardens enclosed within a gate. There’s also a small factory that makes excellent tea leaf which was closed when we were there. According to the locals, the factory functions during the season time. While wandering around the tea gardens, a Chai Taprowala told  about Kausani Shawl Factory where the locals make shawls and other woolen stuff. Apart from high quality woollen shawls, also on sale are fashionable woollen jackets.

Famous Hindi Chayavadi Poet Sumitranandan Pant was born at Kausani . There is a 

 Museum dedicated to the memory of this finest poet , it  is a place with an artistic taste and is a whole new world in itself. it offers a wide range of his creative work on display from manuscripts of poems and draft work of her literary work to his awards and letters written by and to him.

I hiked to the nearby Rudradhari Falls and Caves but realized that it is not a great fall. 

A must visit is Lakshmi Ashram (or Sarla Ashram). Catherine, a disciple of Gandhiji, founded this ashram in 1946 with the aim of training women and enable them to make a living by doing community work. Catherine was lovingly named Sarla behn by the locals.

How to reach Kausani

First Reach Delhi. From Delhi the comfortable way is to catch early morning Shatabdi for Kathgodam. Once you reach Kathgodam, take a bus ride or hire a cab. It takes 3 to 4 hours. 

I have a curiosity to visit this place again due to another reason, a friend and ex-colleague of mine has opened a resort called Buransh, named after State flower of Uttrakhand. So this friend Threesh Kapoor, a local of the region, is a man bubbling with creativity, a photographer and a trekker, he has made his resort into a cultural hub.