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I had visited Parvati Valley twice but never had the chance to explore Malana village - considered to be the oldest democracy in the world! So, in October 2019, when my friend’s birthday was coming up, we decided to celebrate it in Parvati Valley. It was going to be a short trip—two nights and three days—with the highlight being a visit to Malana, famously known as one of the oldest democracies in the world.
My two friends, Siddhant and Antriksh, and I boarded a bus from Delhi to Kasol, booking our tickets via RedBus. From Kasol market, we took a local ride to Choj, then headed straight to Dogra Homestays (Bebu Bhaiji’s place). By far, it was the best place we had stayed in Parvati Valley.
To our surprise, our friend Rohit had arrived two days earlier, and his unexpected presence was a moment of joy. Another friend, Puneet, was also going to join us the next day. With our group now complete, Siddhant was overjoyed, never imagining that his birthday would be celebrated in such a unique and beautiful place.
That evening, we took it easy, spending time relaxing in the open veranda and enjoying the calm atmosphere. The trip had no hectic agenda—just pure relaxation. Bebu Bhaiji’s place was like a retreat, away from the rush of the world, with morning sunshine, clean air, the sound of the Parvati River, and an incredibly soothing environment. We celebrated Siddhant’s birthday eve in full swing, and the trek to Malana was set for the next day, making it a birthday to remember.
It was the 18th of October, Siddhant’s birthday. We were four in total and our friend Puneet was going to meet us mid-way while going to Malana, which means five in total. Two other guys whom we met in Dogra Homestay only accompanied us and thus we rented a Bolero(9 seaters). It took us around one and a half hours to reach Malana, after picking up our friend Puneet. We started the trek around 2 pm and reached Malana village by 3:30 pm. The trek is not at all tough, quite easy as the path has a lot of stairs so you don’t have to go through difficult terrain. The views that the trek offers are unbelievable. There are so many little houses with sheds of different colors, it feels like you are in an animated town just like it was in “Noddy”. It feels so good when you enter the village, a smile comes up on your face.
The locals of Malana have very strict cultural practices. They do not allow outsiders to touch their railings, houses, or any of their belongings. Physical contact is also strongly avoided. I remember asking a local for a lighter, and instead of handing it to me directly, he threw a matchbox on the ground. After I used it, he asked me to throw it back on the ground, and then, with a quick motion, he picked it up and walked away. I was amused by this interaction! The people of Malana believe their culture and possessions are pure and untouched, and they strive to keep it that way, preserving the sanctity of their traditions.
We had planned to explore the village and trek back by early evening, but the heavy rain changed our plans. Fortunately, we found shelter under the roof of Debu Bhaiji (Bebu Bhaiji's brother). Our taxi was waiting at the Malana gate, and we needed to head back; otherwise, the driver would have to stay the night, which would have cost us a fortune.
As the rain slowed down, we began our descent around 7 pm. Some of us were hesitant, as it was very dark and the trail was slippery. However, we pressed on, using flashlights to guide our way, and finally reached the Malana gate by 8 pm. Normally, the descent would take less time, but the conditions made it a bit more challenging.
In the end, it was a short and simple trip. Siddhant’s birthday was celebrated perfectly, which was our main goal. Plus, my long-awaited visit to Malana was finally fulfilled.
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