As you enter Pauri the most striking feature of the region appears to be its laid back and unhurried feel. For a harried city dweller the change of pace is almost dramatic and maybe unbelievable at first. You are just about to grip this fact when your eyes get fixated on the magnificent view of the 7 Himalayan ranges in the distance but yet seemingly within reach. It’s a clear bright day and the breeze is cool, crisp and clean. Breathing deeply you try to fill your lungs with as much of this unadulterated air as you can and you close your eyes for a brief time to experience it. As you open your eyes again, the mighty ranges have disappeared and a curtain of willowy mist has taken over and the whole landscape has changed. The grassy hills and green mountains wear a sheet of white, albeit for a while. Pauri seems to be the quintessential picture perfect postcard scene.
Don’t let the restraint and silence of this scenic location fool you. When you stay at the well-maintained and manicured gardens, you have many wonders in store for you. They arrange for you to indulge in adventurous activities like trekking, angling, birding and even a trip to the village. The village trip is what caught my fascination and I was off.
The Pauri village embodies warmth and unflappable charm combined with the energy and convenience of a close-knit community. The village folk despite their simplicity and shyness exhibit a rich culture and tradition and co-inhabit the splendours of nature. Bhairon is your typical Garhwali – short and stout, hardworking and honest with a smile that lights up his entire face. A conversation with these people tells you how innately proud they are of their culture and the undiluted essence of their tiny village. The magnificence of nature does not overwhelm them and yet they are fiercely protective of the environment. They willingly share what they have with visitors and seem bemused at our expressions displayed on seeing the sheer resplendence of the locales.
Everything these village folk do reflects the richness of their traditional culture since they are so closely associated with nature and religion. Their songs, music and dance are enlivening and wholesome and the village women folk sing these songs while collecting fodder in the forest and working in the fields. Pauri is truly the gateway to a different world and V Resorts provides you with the opportunity to enter this gateway and experience a world that remains undisturbed by the fierce urbanisation and forced hurry. Take a break, breathe easy here.