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Divyansh Thakur is a Research Wing Member
at Speaking Archaeologically since October 2017 |
This post is an account of the author's one day trip to Garli, and, is not, by any means the result of a scientific expedition. It is, thus, rid of the jargon, profundity and, as Mark Twain would say, the 'impressive incomprehensibility' of scientific works and, in turn, gives an anecdote of what should be realistically called a picnic.
For months, the thought of heading out and exploring the cobbled streets of this small hamlet in
Kangra had been pestering me—for a place, so close to home seemed elusively distant. The remedy to it came in form of three battered up scooters, and in companions who did not yet understand the intricacies of Archaeology or the meaning of it. They were all lured in by the irresistible charm of a DSLR camera. I guess we were all a bunch of yokels back home, the object of our desires being fancy little devices, which were, prior to contemporary age, accused of stealing fragments of one's soul. Then again, we would've sold our souls for much less.
The road to Garli was not free of perils or policemen—if a distinction can be made between the two, that is another question. On the way to Garli, at a place called Kaleshwar, I could spot the remains of what appeared to be pre-8th-century temples, but my pleadings to stop by were to no avail.
When we reached Garli, the first sightings were the Girls School and the Civil Hospital, both housed, in not so modest buildings of noticeable architectural grandeur. The next thing that caught our eye was the Chateau Hotel,
with its oriel windows and tinted glass panels.This cheery splendour of a building, as hard as it is to believe now, was formerly a cattle shed.
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| Hotel Chataeu |
After an hour of roaming around the arterial complex of buildings, I called a local friend, who insisted to show us around. The first request of my dear companions was finding a good ol' pack of smokes. Whilst they were busy in their primordial conquests, I asked my friend to brief me about the history of the place.
The story goes that this village was established by the well-off trading community of Soods in the 19th Century, who came from Rajasthan. Due to their grand fortune, and acquired European tastes Garli was given its once glorious form. It is said that the town was a 100 years ahead of its time in terms of development. One such case is that of Garli Water Works, established in 1928, which used copper pipes imported from London, and is still in functioning condition. Looking through the streets of the town, there were as many abandoned houses,as there were treasured ones. When asked for the reason I was handed the legend of a young bride,who, when falsely accused of adultery cursed the town to eternal ruin causing its abandonment.
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| An Abandoned House |
This little town in Kangra was a gateway into the past whilst offering a glimpse into the future of the bygone.
Much of the buildings of the town were in dire need of restoration, waiting to sing hymns of their lost glory, but our stay was short-lived and we had to leave like we once came to the town—unannounced. After all, What did we care? Or did we?
Note: Garli, was declared a "Heritage Village" by the Government of Himachal Pradesh in December 1997. Despite this, the place is not promoted enough as a tourist site or as a place of historic interest. Below are some pictures taken by the author to highlight both the forgotten glory of the place and its state of neglect.
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| Time wears down mice, men and mountains alike. |
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| A door to Play Garden for Girls |
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| An Intricately carved Rafter in a Town House, Garli |
Great job
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