Sitting in the foothills of the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh is place where natural beauty and architectural elegance sit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Himachal is a diverse place in its own right—the culture, dialect and architectural style changes as often as the geography it is endowed with. The regions, that the state is divided into, have their own unique culture and architecture. People going on a holiday to Himachal for a week or so are making a mistake. It may take a full year to fully explore and understand this versatile place. Kullu, Spiti, Lahaul, Kangra, Shimla, Kinnaur, Chamba and Mandi are the major cultural bases of Himachal. They have their own sweet traditions and dialects.
When in Himachal do not forget to visit “the Himalayan Village Resort” in the Parvati Valley near Kasol (in the Kullu district). Why? Because it is the perfect blend of all the aforementioned cultures, so much so that the place even has mixed architectural styles. If you want a taste of Himachal as an appetizer then Kasol is the place to be.
The Himalayan Village Resort is a place which you really have to see to believe. A perfect marriage between aesthetics and state of the art architecture, tradition and modern day facilities have resulted in the making of this small piece of paradise. This is a place where man has learnt to live in perfect harmony with Mother Nature—a place where man does not abuse the gifts he is blessed with, but improvises on what he already has. You will find complete peace of mind while watching dawn breaking through the Deodar trees.
The Himalayan Village Resort is located near the Malana village (fun fact: it is the oldest democracy in the world!). The resort is also just a couple of clicks away from Manikaran, a place famous for its hot water springs. The valley has some excellent sights—it is rich in flora and fauna, stately flower valleys and numerous waterfalls (with water so clear you can see the riverbed). The resort has a dense pine (Deodar) forest at its top and the majestic Parvati River flowing at its bottom. The black mountains surrounding the resort stand guard like silent sentinels which locals visualize as “Shiv Lingas” of various shapes and sizes. It is a perfect place for nature and architecture lovers alike.
The sheer brilliance of the resort lies in the architecture around the place. It’s simply a feast for the eyes. If you are an architect you will forget everything else around you and only look at the cottages. The effect is same on green-activists as well! The cottages in and around the Himalayan Village Resort are made in the ancient Kathkunia style. The people have stayed true to the tradition and built the cottages by just stacking stone unto a wooden framework—no cement or mortar is used! The inside walls are plastered with mud and the inner framework is completed with high quality deodar wood serving as the beams and other wood work. The furniture is crafted from teak and tussle handmade silk curtains hang from the windows, giving the place an aura of harmony between class and aesthetics. The architecture is flawless. It looks good and the inner craftsmanship of the cottages conserves heat.
From Ecofriend
