THE LAND OF FREE LOVE—RANG-BHANG

For going to the fabled village of love, about which I had
heard so much, I made up my mind immediately after joining at
Dharchula. I left from Dharchula for the valley of Darma. We
could travel by motor - road upto Tawaghat and from here the
path lay all along the Darma gad (river). We first made a brief
halt at Kue from where constant climb started for Sobala. At
Sobala good apples grow in abundance. Two miles beyond
,Sobala is Dar which has also a hot spring. Recently, this place
was in news because of its sinking tendency. From Dar one
.may approach Gori Chhal by Gavan Dhura passing through
Chiplakot lakes. Dar to Nagling, the route is interesting and
passes through thick forests. The medicinal plant called Soma
'Mentha* which is used for the treatment of asthma is found
Jaere in abundance. The journey from Nagling to Dukhdu—
the trouble giver—is enjoyable. Opposite Dukhdu lies the villages
of Bon and Filma, Dukhdu lies at the footsteps of Pancha-
Chuli mountain, a group of five peaks which rise straight into the
sky forming a massive wall of ice and snow. According to local
traditions the five peaks are known as five stalls of the Gods—