A holy Shiva temple and calm waterfall: Bhagsunag, Himachal Pradesh
At an altitude of 6,960 feet above sea level lies the holy village of Bhagsunag. To reach this village the best and most economical way is for one to board a bus from Delhi to McLeod Ganj which is a 12-hour ride. One can also opt for a flight from Delhi to Dharamshala or a train ride to Phatankot which is the nearest broad gauge railway station to Bhagsunag which is just a five-hour drive from there.
The village of Bhagsunag is just 2 kms away from the town of McLeod Ganj in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Auto rickshaws and taxis are easily available from McLeod Ganj to reach Bhagsunag but walking is the fastest and easiest way to get there as it avoids one wasting time as a result of a traffic jam.
The main reason why tourists are attracted to this village is that of the Shiva temple and the 30 feet waterfall that is located in Bhagsunag village. The Shiva temple has a bell at the entrance which has been constructed with white tiles and it has marble steps that lead to the temple.
Inside the temple, one will notice plenty of inscriptions on the walls and the pillars of the temple. There is also a room which has a small window opposite the door and a donation box kept inside the room. The wall adjacent to this room has several picture frames and inscriptions on the wall along with four bells of different sizes hanging.
Bhagsunag
The Shiva temple also has a veranda in its premises where there are a couple of benches as well as rooms for the pundits to reside in. One can get a splendid view of the whole valley from this veranda. In the temple campus, there is also a swimming pool where people come to have a cool dip and fun. This place is generally crowded throughout the day.
From the Shiva temple, the Bhagsunag waterfall is about one km away and the only option one has to get there is to walk. The walk is very easy and all along the way there is a proper walking path that leads one to the waterfall.
There are plenty of small makeshift eating joints that serve some tea, cold drinks besides eatables like noodles, omelets, sandwiches, etc. The cafes have very unique sitting arrangements that are made of flat rocks piled on top of each other to make them like a chair.
At the water fall one will notice many people taking a dip in the water, posing and clicking photographs. The best time to go to the falls is in the morning since it is not as crowded as what it is later on in the day. A stream flows throughout the year here and the waterfall is a splendid sight during the monsoon when the water is in full flow.
There is plenty of accommodation available in this village to suit all kinds of travelers from budget travelers to holiday makers looking for something fancy and top notch. There are plenty of things to shop for from jewelry to clothing her in Bhagsunag. Bargaining is a good asset to have while shopping.
Bhagsunag village is a place worth visiting while one is on a trip to McLeod Ganj. But this is a place which is more for a tourist and less for a traveler as the huge amount of crowd that this place attracts makes it a very noisy place which is not very ideal if one is in search for a quiet and serene place.
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