Bir is a beautiful land which lies on a hill top but at the same time, can be called a valley too. They say, to dream about Himalayas, this is the place to sleep. Located in the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, this mountain town lies in the Joginder Valley. This valley is in the Dhauladhar Range of the Indian Himalayas. This beautiful place lies 530 km away from New Delhi and the nearest town Dharamshala is 30 km away. Bir Billing area which lies 4300m above sea-level, is the second best paragliding tourist spot in Asia. The paragliding world cup competition was held here in 2015. This is a spot you must visit with a calm and serene mind. Do not plan to go there with an enthusiasm one usually feels while visiting theme parks like Veegaland.
Bir is a place you feel like visiting after a hard job to relax or to spend some quiet time with the family. There are many routes that take you to Bir. The best route is from Delhi to Pathankot either by train or air. From here go to Ahju railway station which is 3km away and get into the ‘Troy’ train which goes to Bir. This train which moves at a maximum speed of 40km, reminds one of the coal-fired locomotive from Coimbatore to Ooty. But this is one unforgettable journey with mesmerizing scenery to watch out. If you decide to travel in train from Delhi, it will take more than 14 hours.
There are also many buses by the Himachal transport corporation available from Delhi to Bir. If you board the bus at 9 pm, you will reach Bir by 9 in the morning next day. The fare ranges from Rs.450 in ordinary bus to Rs.1300 in luxury bus with sleeping facility. The weather in Bir is usually cool. During October- March, the temperature dips to less than 10 degree Celsius. Last week when I had gone there, it was 2 degree Celsius as it was raining on the previous day. Bir is basically an agricultural and spiritual land of Tibetan Buddhists. You will find Buddhist monks and their monasteries everywhere. Most of these people had fled Tibet and migrated to Bir. They lead a peaceful life, teaching Buddhism. In Bir, you get a chance to communicate with them, to know their lifestyle and to participate in their sermons and activities. Here you will find many foreigners and volunteers who have come to explore and learn about Buddhism. The people here are not really poor. Every home has basic needs like toilets, is electrified and even has television. The most important crops cultivated here include maize, cabbage, cauliflower and strawberry. Passing through the narrow lanes, we reached the banks of a beautiful stream with crystal clear pure water which was flowing over the small rocks in the stream. The cool breeze made my heart cheerful. The si sheep grazing in flocks is a delightful sight. Transport is provided for tourists who wish to go to Bir Billing takeoff point. The cost is Rs.2000 including return fare. If you wish, you can take the video using their Gopro video camera but then you have to pay an extra Rs.500. Otherwise we just use the selfie stick in our mobile to click pictures and videos. Our experience while paragliding is captured by professional photographers. Once we land, they will show us the photos and if we wish, they will share it to our mobile phones too but we have to pay them Rs.200 for this. All this is optional.
