Celebrating New Year 2022 at Shangarh – On My Third Visit to this Small Hamlet

Back in Oct 2019, then in August 2021, and the third time on 1 January 2022. That’s how many times I have traveled to Shangarh. My love for this small hamlet in Sainj Valley will surely take this place for the fourth time and I am all eager for that moment. The year 2021 was almost gone and I had to take a solo trip anyhow. I didn’t think much and the only name in my mind for a solo trip for New Year 2022 was Shangarh. Because I had been there twice already. Because I know two or three people there who can help me with my accommodation and other concerns. Because Shangarh had become my go-to place. Without giving much thought, I made my mind to celebrate New Year 2022 in Shangarh. I knew where to stay. I knew where to eat and that’s what I needed to know. Rest is all about the journey and the stories I make on the way.

I needed isolation. I needed an escape from the city and Shangarh was the perfect destination for this. I wanted to spend my New Year 2022 in Shangarh because the village is peaceful and full of tranquil vibes. Moreover, Shangarh had started to experience snow however, I wasn’t that lucky to have it enjoyed. But that wasn’t a major concern. The only thing that I had in my mind was to revisit it and spend a day in peace with deodar trees and snowcapped mountains around.

Same Route but New Feelings at New Year 2022 at Shangarh

I searched for a place to stay in Shangarh and found all the major properties were all sold out (Zostel and others). Though I could easily get a place to stay, had I asked the people I know however I took the liberty of not informing them and just visit the village without much planning. I got to know about this nice property (TreeStays) a couple of days before 31st December and dropped them a text on Instagram to enquire. After getting the information I needed, I thought to stay there however by that time I wasn’t sure if I was going or not. Delhi had experienced weekend lockdown and yellow alert by that time. A slight thought was that my idea of celebrating New Year 2022 at Shangarh was going to fail.

I informed the property that I wasn’t sure if I could make it on New Year considering the COVID situation due to its new variant. However, as per my habits, I booked a bus to Aut which was supposed to leave from RK Ashram Metro Station. I called Negi Bhaiya who runs Mountain View Café in Shangarh and asked him if I could get a bus to Shangarh from the Sainj bus stand. He said that there was no bus at that time in the morning and only cabs were the mode of transport. Further, he asked me to contact him after reaching Sainj as he might have some people there who would come to Shangarh.

So when I reached Shangarh on 1st January 2022 at around 9 in the morning, I called him. He asked me to take a bus to Ropa and get down there. When I got down from the bus at Ropa (Shangarh is nearly 7km away from Ropa), I started walking to Shangarh however, I got a call from Negi Bhai and told me that there was a man in Ropa, wearing an army jacket on an old bike who would take me to Shangarh. This was the person who looked after the property where I was supposed to stay. So I informed him that I was staying at his property only. I dropped a text to the property owner on Instagram asking him if he had sold out all the accommodations or not. I also told him that I was about to reach Shangarh in half an hour or so. That was the most unplanned plan I had ever done.

Well in the next half an hour, I was at the property. I met another traveler there with whom I kept on talking for a while and then moved to my tree tent. I was staying in this kind of accommodation for the first time. I had done camping in Triund and glamping at Sam, Jaisalmer. Staying in a tree tent was the first experience and that’s why I chose it to spend my New Year 2022 at Shangarh. Staying in a tree tent, bonfire, snow, and whatnot. This all was my plan for New Year. After crashing for a while in my tree tent, I took shower. Along with three more people I moved out and roamed around. I was like a guide to them since I knew this place. So I took them to Devta Ground and told the legend of Pandavas behind it. From there, I took them to Shangchul Mahadev Mandir and shared the folklore about the temple.

We kept on roaming around for some time and then I took them to Café Stories n More where we kept on sitting till dark. I guess we left from there after 9 PM. We had our all meals of the day. I was super happy to be for celebrating my New Year 2022 in Shangarh. I already have lots of beautiful memories of this village and I added one more chapter in the book of memories. I didn’t inform Snowline Homestay where I stayed during my both visits. It was just a weekend trip to Shangarh otherwise I would have stayed at all the places one by one like I did the last time. I spent the first two nights at Snowline Homestay, the next two nights at Vrinda’s homestay, and the next two nights at a local’s home (though it was paid).

The next morning (2nd January 2022), I booked a cab to Sainj from Shangarh and left in the afternoon, and in the next half an hour or so, I had reached Sainj to board a bus to Aut. However, the bus broke down on the way and that was another fun part of my journey. The memories I make on such trips are the treasures I keep in my heart.