Nidhi Marwah, who’s born and brought up in Dehradun, has been surrounded by the hills for the best times of her life. The globetrotter has an intimate bonding with the iconic Landour Bakehouse, located on the edge of a cliff on the lower Himalayas. As she shares her much-cherished escapades in Landour, Asrashaheen.in browses through some of the fascinating images clicked by this shutterbug who confesses, she brews her photographs stronger than her coffee!
Words fall short when describing the enigmatic intimacy between winters and hills. Landour, near Mussoorie, is one place in India that brings to life literally every page of some of Ruskin Bond’s stories that prominently featured walking in solitude through quaint cottages, mighty mountains, and the awe-inspiring panoramic views of shiny snow-flaked pines, cedars and deodars. A half an hour drive from Mussoorie or a slow hike of about 40 minutes takes you to Landour, also home to the celebrated writer, who moved to Mussoorie in 1964. Landour begins where the inhabitant world ends. Nestled far away from the regular tourist itineraries, it is a picturesque cantonment town, which is a muse of life for writers, poets, authors, photographers, professionals and virtually anyone who wants to soak oneself in musky smells of mountains and in the lush blooming landscapes. Where the sounds of crickets and chirping of birds is the only sound of music you go to bed with and wake up to… Where it’s only you, your hot cuppa and your favourite bake to romance the mountains and cozy up in the mornings and evenings.
Nidhi Marwah, who’s born and brought up in Dehradun, has been surrounded by the hills for the best times of her life. The globetrotter, for whom travel brings massive adrenaline rush, has an intimate bonding with the iconic Landour Bakehouse, located on the edge of a cliff on the lower Himalayas. As she shares her much-cherished escapades in Landour, Asrashaheen.in browses through some of the fascinating images clicked by this shutterbug who confesses, she brews her photographs stronger than her coffee!
Doon Diaries
“Dehradun is both a place I have grown up in and a place that has grown on me. It is also my getaway from the rushed city life. Doon is no more the town I remember it to be as a kid. But it still treasures some places which remind me of home.
The thing I like the best about hills is the breath of fresh air and the silences. How the air feels on your face on a morning jog. It’s so intoxicating. The perfect sunrise when everything comes alive in the hills — I bet you can’t get a breather of this air in a city like Delhi and Mumbai. Also, something I love about hills and towns like Doon is the space. I can’t imagine living in a 2bhk apartment with a balcony. I need my space, a house, a driveway and a garden,” shares Nidhi.
Landour Bakehouse – a perfect hideaway for solitude lovers
“I have been visiting Landour every weekend ever since the lockdown happened. I can’t really explain what Landour means to me. It’s just a place I’d love to see myself living sometime in the future. Owning a cafe on hills with the forest trails in distance and brewing coffee… Watching nature at its best and just living the simple life is so beautiful… I have explored the winding trails in the surroundings of Landour with my friends. They smother you with so much love. It’s the best thing ever. Char Dukaan, Café Ivy, Rokeby Manor, the alter estate and Pari Tibba are some of places to visit. I’ve explored routes not many know of. I’ve spent endless moments sitting on the porches of abandoned old buildings.
Landour always feels fresh and new. I love how a trail around two churches can make your morning worthwhile. The clouds can engulf your worries and make you believe. Landour is my perfect hideaway. It’s simple; it’s cold and warm as a cup of coffee at the same time. Landour is as colourful as the shades of the sky I see there. It’s different every time. If Landour was a man, I am sure he would have loved waking up early in the morning, going on a morning jog, maybe say a word of prayer to the Himalayas, come home to the sun greeting him in his study with the smell of fresh coffee brewing in the kitchen. Sitting and reading maybe a signed Ruskin Bond novella on a porch and maybe, maybe he’ll see me right there on the same porch, sipping my coffee and reading a Tom Alter,” Nidhi signs off on a poetic note.
Such a lovely read! 🌸
Thanks Apeksha! Am glad you liked it 🙂