JUST HEAVENLY

High above in the hills, adjoining apple orchards and facing verdant reserve forests on Kanyal Road in Manali, Himachal Pradesh nestles Vivaan-The Sunrise Resort. This June it opened its rooms to the public. This is its story.

First it was a piece of land, far from the madding crowd of Manali. Incidentally, I was once told that using phrases like 'madding crowd' today is a sign of poor English, so be be it, Amen!  A few kilometres before you enter Manali, there is a road on the left side that winds up, curls, twists and as it climbs up, the din and the hustle bustle fades away. After two and a half kilometres the houses get sparse, the forests and the silence take over. The trees grow taller, but are still dwarfed by the snow peaks that seem to be a row of sentinels ensuring that nothing intrudes into this paradise. The road is narrow but sure, it is as if awaiting to see your reaction when it finally leads you to Vivaan.

ON WAY TO VIVAAN-THE SUNRISE RESORT

  THE FINAL DRIVE

At first, I guess the land didn't know what would come up on it. Why do people buy a piece of land up in the hills, amidst forest  and orchards for? Maybe a small cottage, maybe a retirement home, maybe a summer retreat. Ah, the maybes. And all the while the piece of land watched the seasons come and go. Every morning it watched the sun rise over the snowy peaks, every meaning it watched the moon rise up over the snowy peaks. Sometimes the sun played hide and seek, disappearing behind frolicking clouds, sometimes wrapping a hazy stole around and letting a couple of rays escape run down in golden streaks right to the valley below. During the rains, the sun would wait for the downpour to spend itself, before beaming down at the piece of land. In the evenings, the moon would come out to play, a sudden peek-a-boo from behind a peak before darting across and hiding behind another, or maybe just lazily passing by, all big and round bathing the peaks and the valley and everything else in a warm glow.     

THE SNOWY PEAKS STAND SILENT SENTINELS

FAR BELOW LIES THE VALLEY ACROSS THE ORCHARDS, FORESTS AND RIVER

 
And all the while the piece of land stayed happy, maybe a little lonesome, but definitely happy. It lay on a small plateau, on one side the slopes dipping and, on the other rising into Kanyal Forest. There were many to watch over the land, especially the snow clad silent sentinels- at the very left Geppan 1 and Geppan 11 (Geppan is said to be a very powerful god of Lahaul Valley); Hampta peak (said to be the gateway to heaven); Inderkilla; Deo Tibba (this is said to the resting place where the gods when they descended from heaven on their earthly visits); Indrasen (called the thundering mountain and named after the Hindu god of weather); Shigrin Tungloo (small but sharp and dominating peak). Between the snowy peaks and the piece of land, the Manali valley spread out in every direction. From the heights the powerful Beas River looked like a silver ribbon meandering among the greens. On the other side, the forest nudged the piece of land and climbed up all the way, right up to the blue skies. It was really a heavenly place to be.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE HILL RISES INTO THE SKIES

It was also not very far from the Mother Tree, the giant Deodhar tree, said to be several hundred years old, in Kanyal Village, a barely 10-15 minutes walk away. The Mother Tree is like an ageless regal beauty, from the ground a huge trunk arises and seamlessly splits into three, each spreading wings and growing tall. Somewhere in the middle the three magically become four. A little above the Mother Tree is the Kanyal Village temple for the local deity. The temple is a work of art with traditional architecture that involves lots of exquisite wood carvings.

THE CENTURIES OLD BUT AGELESS MOTHER TREE

THE KANYAL VILLAGE TEMPLE

Then the plan of a little cottage in the hills, a dream long nurtured, popped its head. The piece of land was elated, something would finally come up on it. The plans were drawn, sketches were made, experts were consulted. Nothing that came up should come in the way of the view to die for, it was decided. Then, a little change happened.  The cottage began to grow and as it grew it became more beautiful, looking like the perfect place in the perfect setting. The roof slopped, nesting beneath it four floor, the rooms gradually numbered 18, each with a balcony with a view that no artist or painter can ever replicate. Up on the terrace, a restaurant sprang up, with both indoor and outdoor sittings, the glass walls making it seem like a slice of paradise borne aloft by the hills and the trees.  

VIVAAN- THE SUNRISE RESORT

CAFE VIVAAN AT THE TERRACE

THE VIEW FROM ONE SIDE OF THE CAFE

AND FROM THE OTHER SIDE

First it was a piece of land far from the madding crowd of Manali and now on it stands a haven of comfort and subtle luxury. The view from every angle is stunning, picture perfect. Early one morning I pulled the rocking chair to the balcony and found myself swept into a magical, mystical world - the sun was rising above the snowy peaks and breaking through the haze and clouds, it was surreal, almost supernatural and yet so riveting.  Below in the apple orchard there was a patch of recently harvested land which, amazingly looked somewhat like the map of India. There a lady was planting green beans and in a jiffy, while my eyes kept darting from the magical sun rise to her speedy hands, she managed to cover the entire patch. The day's work done, she headed home. Watching her at work was a yellow beaked bird with a little white cap on its black head and a long deep blue tail. It flew a bit, it hopped on the parapet of the dividing wall and down and seemed to be looking for someone. Soon after another bird, a carbon copy joined it and both flew into the early morning sun. 

THE VIEW FROM MY BALCONY

THAT MOMENT OF MAGIC   

RISE AND SHINE!

THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!

LOOK CAREFULLY,  ON THE PARAPET JUST BELOW THE LAMP IS THE BIRD

First it was a piece of land far from the madding crowd of Manali and now it is the perfect place to see the moonrise in Manali. One evening the spouse called from the terrace restaurant to say, see the moonrise, you can't believe how beautiful it is. It was indeed, one minute the darkness was deepening and the very minute a full blown moon popped out suddenly from behind Shigrin Tungloo peak. It rose majestically, slowly up into the skies. It was a sight no money in the world could buy.
 

A SIGHT TO MOON OVER!

TOTALLY MOONEY-EYED!

They don't call Himachal Pradesh 'Devbhumi' (Land of the gods) for nothing. But allow me to let you into a little secret - the gods actually dwell in Manali, very close to Vivaan. When you get there, you will know why - you will feel blessed!

www.vivaanmanali.com
Phone: +91-9805999386
+91 -9971825999
+91-9810200333
Email: info@vivaanmanali.com