Baijnāth, India

We were all looking forward to spending a few days at the renovated Taragarh Palace. This regal estate was built (and is still owned) as a retreat by the Royal Family of Jammu and Kashmir. The heritage portion of the property has the glamourous feel of the early part of the 1900’s with rich wood paneling and pre Deco style decorations. The hallway is full of pictures of the family meeting with heads of state and royalty – I especially liked the picture of the Churchill WWII War Cabinet of which the maharaja was a part. This is one of the most relaxing hotels that I have come across. The comfortable surroundings, the gardens and the non stop serenade of birds and insects seems to almost force the relaxation on to you.

Prior to arriving at the Palace we enjoyed a very special treat. One of our drivers, Bobbie-Ji, lives within walking distance of the Baijnath temple. We were invited to his place to have a cup of tea and to meet his family. It was a gracious and much appreciated gesture that allowed us to get a small peek into the private life of an Indian family.

The following day was spent visiting a few nearby monasteries including the Sherab Ling whose monks won a Grammy for their recoding of traditional Buddhist chants.

Toto Tours Description: After breakfast this morning, we check out of our lodgings and board our vehicles for the drive through Kullu Valley to Kangra Valley, the valley of Temples. We visit the most ancient and oldest existing Shiva temples at Baijnath, which date back to the early 9th century. We continue driving to Taragarh where, after a long day of driving, we check in for two nights at the Palace. It was the summer palace of the last maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir, and is now run as a hotel by his son.