Of Buddhist Trails, Quaint Cafes, and Mesmerising Sunsets in Bir

I first visited Bir in 2018 for a writing retreat at the Deer Park Institute. The workshop wasn’t as much about delving deeper into the craft of writing as it was about bringing together an interesting mix of people who would encourage each other to write more. We gathered for a few hours daily, scribbled notes based on the prompts given by the facilitator – all geared towards being more mindful in our observations, and thereby, our writing – and read it out to each other for feedback. This was a liberating experience for me as it was the first time since school that I was reading aloud something I had written. I felt conscious of my voice and words at first, but soon got over myself and realised how useful this exercise was to observe the rhythm of my words.

Staying at the Deer Park Institute meant that I also got to interact with people attending other workshops. Through them and my own aimless wanderings, I explored the quaint Himalayan village that is Bir.

I walked past all the neighborhood monasteries. I ate momos and laphing from roadside stalls. I worked out of cute cafes and caught sunsets by the fields. I played basketball with teenage monks. And I was introduced to Mary Oliver’s poetry by one of the workshop participants.

Since that initial trip, I have gone back to Bir many times; sometimes for a week, sometimes for a day visit while traveling in the vicinity. On one such trip, I experienced paragliding for the first time. It’s the closest I’ve felt to flying like a bird, literally getting a ‘bird’s eye view’ of the snow-capped Dhauladhars surrounded by dark green forest cover, spots of bright red rhododendron flowers and golden tops of Buddhist monasteries, endless rice farms, and tiny village trails.

Earlier this month, I was back in Bir – this time for a workation. A lot of people ask me how I manage to do so many workations in a year. I have a remote job so that helps, but I don’t travel as often as it seems to people who don’t know me personally. Workations can be expensive if you want certain comforts like wifi, a quiet workspace, and power backup. I cannot afford to travel full-time but I try to be intentional about my travels, sometimes extending work trips or preplanning logistics to ensure I secure good deals. It also helps to not be attached to a particular destination, and instead, go with whatever is convenient and affordable at the time. Since I’m based in Delhi, many parts of Himachal and Uttarakhand are just a bus ride away and it’s criminal to not escape the summer heat given the chance.

Bir has become quite commercial now compared to how I first found it, but I suppose that holds true for most places today. It is a convenient long-weekend destination and attracts people from varied backgrounds, from paragliders and digital nomads to spiritual-seekers and alternate lifestyle enthusiasts. I hate bucketing people as this or that, but every time I’ve visited Bir, I’ve met folks doing very unconventional and interesting things — learning permaculture and pottery, running a drinking chocolate business, studying Indian classical music, competing in the Paragliding World Cup….

There’s never a dull moment in Bir.

When it’s not the people, it’s the gorgeous sunsets. A sky full of colors, enjoyed by one and all who congregate at the paragliding landing site as soon as the sun begins to set. There’s something so serene and fulfilling about sitting on the grass and looking into the valley, watching the sun play hide-and-seek with the clouds before finally, slowly, giving way to a starry night.

Have you ever seen
anything
in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone–
and how it slides again

out of the blackness,
every morning,
on the other side of the world,
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils,
say, on a morning in early summer,
at its perfect imperial distance–
and have you ever felt for anything
such wild love–
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough
for the pleasure

that fills you,
as the sun
reaches out,
as it warms you

as you stand there,
empty-handed–
or have you too
turned from this world–

or have you too
gone crazy
for power,
for things?

– Mary Oliver, The Sun

I was fortunate to celebrate Buddha Purnima with the Dzongsar Monastery sangha this year. It felt like a culmination of many moments, worlds, and experiences from over the years. My interest in Buddhism began with a book written by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse titled ‘What Makes You Not a Buddhist’ – who is also the founder of both the Deer Park Institute and the Dzongsar Monastery. Buddhist philosophy, especially as articulated by S.N. Goenka in the context of Vipassana meditation, has been my north star, guiding light, and framework for life ever since I first came in touch with it. So to celebrate this beautiful day dotted with raindrops and flowers at the Deer Park Institute, listening to venerable monks chant Buddhist prayers and speak about the significance of the day, was special.

The Chokling Monastery is another place that’s dear to me because it always leaves me feeling at peace with myself and the world. Painted in striking colors, it’s located in the Tibetan Colony and offers unobstructed views of the mountains.

One of my favourite cafes in Bir – Bhoomi cafe – sits in the same complex. They make the best Çılbır or Turkish eggs and I’ve spent many mornings working out of there. A few other favourites are Silver Linings, June 16, and Avva’s (for South Indian food).

The Bir Tibetan Colony, also known as Chaugan, dates back to the early 1960s when it was established as a settlement for Tibetan refugees after the 1959 Tibetan uprising. It remains largely residential but the main market has countless shops selling chai, momos, laphing, thukpa, and other delights.

A highlight of my trip was finding Siddu at two roadside stalls. Siddu is a fermented steamed bun with a filling (typically poppy seeds, walnuts, legumes, paneer, etc.). Served with ghee and fresh coriander-sesame chutney, it makes for a delicious snack! Although it’s a Himachali delicacy, it’s not easily available in most tourist destinations in the state – so I was delighted to find it here.

Most of my days in Bir started with a cup of tea and mesmerising views of the Dhauladhars covered in fresh snow from the night before. There were scary thunder and hail storms on several nights, but the colorful sunsets on clear evenings made up for it. Even with full-time work, I had enough time and mind space to paint, read, cook, walk, and write postcards — slow travel at its best. Bir may be known as the paragliding capital of India, but for me, it’s so much more.