The buses started and the breeze gave some relief from sweat. As the bus passed through the streets of Chandigarh, Pinjore, and Kalka, people got busy chatting enjoying the scenic beauties. Within one hour we reached Chakki ka Mod. Chakki ka Mod was the place that was selected as a venue for our breakfast. While the Secfians enjoyed and explored the place, the cooks who came with us got busy preparing the breakfast. It was noticeable that everyone including me was so hungry that as soon as the tables were laid with the bread pakoras and sandwiches, we pounced on top of another to fill our plates. We stopped at Chakki ka Mod for around an hour and then set-off for Kasauli.

En route to Kasauli, we stopped at an open area at Garkhal for a while and the cooks got off the bus so that they keep the lunch ready when we return from Kasauli. Upon reaching Kasauli, which is hardly ten minutes drive from Garkhal, we were on our own to explore the beautiful area of Kasauli.

About 6,000 feet (1927 m) above sea level, Kasauli is one of the quietest hill stations in India. Kasauli is a small cantonment town in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Once the British had established themselves at Shimla, they developed Kasauli into a cantonment and military sanatorium in 1842. Kasauli is a quaint little town that seems to exist in a time wrap of the 19th century. Its colonial ambience is reinforced by cobbled paths, quaint shops, houses with slanting roofs with charming facades and scores of neat little gardens and orchards. Mixed forests of pine and Himalayan oak surround Kasauli. Its narrow roads slither up and down the hillsides and offer some magnificent views.

In the heart of Kasauli lies the first church of Himachal Pradesh. According to the church priest, this church was built by British in 1803. The marvelous painting of Jesus Christ, which was brought from England during that time, can be seen behind the holy cross. The wooden benches in the church are also two centuries old and are still intact. The church priest said that if you light a candle in the church and make a wish, it is fulfilled.

After walking for around four kilometers, we reached the Manki point. Manki point is a small hill that lies inside the confines of the Kasauli Air Force station. To enter the Air Force station you need to pass though a security check. You are not allowed to carry items such as mobile phones, cameras, binoculars, etc. with you.

On top of the hill are a small Lord Hanuman temple and a helipad. To reach the temple, you have to trek up the hill, which is around 500 meters. The Manki Point is believed to be in the shape of the left foot of Lord Hanuman, who is believed to have kept his left foot on this very hill, while carrying the mountain bearing the Sanjivani herb for curing Lord Ram’s younger brother, Laxman.

While on top of the hill people enjoyed the cool breeze and the fun of being amidst the clouds. On a clear day, the Manki Point commands an excellent view of the distant plains of the Chandigarh region and the river Satluj, tracing a silvery trail through the scene. On a clear and starry night the gorgeous view of Chandigarh can be seen from the Manki Point.

It took us around two and half hours to reach the Manki point and back to the Kasauli market. It had started drizzling by then and was getting colder. We started off for Garkhal where our lunch was supposedly ready for us. We had our lunch and rested there till 5:30 and then set-off for our next destination – Pinjore Gardens.

Pinjore Gardens, also called Yadavindra Gardens date back to the 17th century. The gardens are located in Pinjore town of the Panchkula district of Haryana. Pinjore is 20 km away from Chandigarh on the Chandigarh-Shimla highway.

Nawab Fadai Khan, a great architect and foster brother of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb is said to have designed the delightful Gardens. He supervised the construction of the stylistic Sheesh Mahal (palace of glass), the Rang Mahal (painted palace), and the Jal Mahal (palace of water). After Fadai Khan’s death and the end of Mughal rule, these gardens were overtaken by the wilderness until his Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala (Punjab) restored Pinjore Garden to its former glory.

The magnificent outer walls of the garden are the remains of the fort walls. Mango and dense groves of trees add to the lush green look of the Yadavindra Gardens of Pinjore. A watercourse run from level to level and sparkles in the sunlight. The graceful arched balconies and tinkling fountains, luxuriant green lawns, the watercourse, colorful flowerbeds, unusual descending terraces, and monumental gateways were planned to create a special effect. Unlike other Mughal gardens, the seven terraces at Pinjore, instead of ascending, descend as we move towards the end of the gardens and achieve a magical effect.

From the stately Sheesh Mahal built in the Rajasthani–Mughal style, the watercourse cascades from terrace to terrace, flowing under the towering Rang Mahal, and then flowing around the Jal Mahal.

After exploring the gardens for around 45 minutes, we started off for Chandigarh and reached at around 8:15 PM just to go back to our homes and have a good night sleep.