MY TRAVEL DIARY

Signs For and By Wandering Travelers from Himachal in India

The Globetrotters January Monthly Challenge.

India can give you the most quirky signs. Matthew David wrote about some of them earlier in his piece “What’s in a Name?”

But just as it can make you laugh, India can also make you think. I rediscovered this during my solo travels through Himachal Pradesh in India, a year ago.

The first thing that usually strikes a traveler to Himachal is its raw, untamed beauty. The second is an innate sense of spirituality, different from anything in other parts of India. Most locals here will confidently tell you the gods and demons walked in Himachal. Many fascinating myths and old legends have always abounded here. In more recent times, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh has also become the home of the Dalai Lama and is the spiritual center for Tibetans in India. This old sense of spiritual identity finds expression in the signs Himachal Pradesh leaves for its travelers.

This becomes evident as soon as you enter Old Manali. This small town now favored by backpackers also has an older spiritual history. So often, signs here are not just an invitation for you to enter and eat or buy goods, they also pay homage to the gods. Sometimes in the names they choose for themselves, sometimes in the pictures that tell their story. Like the one below.

The sign itself is a curious one. It bears the name of the God Krishna, but it has a visual depiction of Lord Shiva, and its menu is drawn from around the world. Just like Manali, which is rooted in ancient tradition and is still a kaleidoscope of experiences from all corners of the earth. It is from this identity that Old Manali creates signs that intrigue travelers from across the globe.

The signs of Manali are indeed a confluence of cultures. They are made by a community of artists from around the world. These travelers are often just passing through and make Manali their home for a season. Then, they move on. But they leave their art behind.

Among other things, pizzas, pies, and Jimi Hendrix are all alive here. Yet, even in that chaotic merry cacophony of voices, Manali finally always reminds you to leave as a friend. Even when the signs try to make you a sale, they seem imbued with a deeper meaning. They are signs created for those who love to wander.

One of my favorite signs has to be the one for Moustache, a popular chain of hostels for backpackers across India. It combines the quirkiness of India with its own distinct identity. That’s what makes it original and also never fails to draw a smile to my face. It’s perhaps what has made it a favorite among hostels where backpackers gather in India.

The signs for wandering travelers are woven into the fabric of Himachal Pradesh and they are not hard to miss, even if you are not looking. I found them in Dharamshala too, the home of the Dalai Lama.

I arrived here on a long bus ride from Manali, and set out on the Triund trek, a favorite among beginners, as it’s one of the easiest of the Himalayan treks. I was told the meeting point between Shiva Cafe and Peace Cafe should be my first halt. I knew I had finally reached it when I saw the signs. My favorite of the two was the sign for Shiva Cafe.

Where friends meet… Memories happen!

Isn’t that what all great travel adventures are about? I know I remember my favorite travels with the memories of friends I carry back with me. And yes, it’s always important to remove yourself from a camping site without leaving a trace of yourself behind.

Once I had climbed up its winding stairs to Shiva Cafe, it was signs of the spirit that told me I had reached my destination. Like the ones in Old Manali, these had been created for wanderers.

Some resonated with me. But the best one summed up the complex concept of Karma in a nutshell. I am zooming in on it below in case you missed out on it in the cover photo.

All the signs I found in Dharamshala were about a deeper search for fulfillment. Even the homestay where I was living had spiritual signs for wanderers. I recorded some of my favorites as souvenirs of my travels. These two were common enough. But sometimes, it is nice to be reminded.

My favorite among the signs of Dharamshala was the one below on the road between Bhagsu Nag and McLeod Ganj. I stumbled upon it one cold winter night as I walked back under the Himalayan sky to the homestay that was my home away from home. I loved the message. But I was also struck by the image. It was almost as if I could hear the smile in the Dalai Lama’s voice as he said those words, “Recycling makes me so happy.” I stopped to capture the image.

Even the usually officious signs put up by the government seemed to philosophize for travelers here. They called on you to be kind. But even I could not help but notice the incongruity of the moment below. Before me were the hills. On the right, was a call to love. On the left, was an advertisement for hot Maggi, a favorite food in the hills of this part of India. It was another moment I had to record for posterity.

Of course, not all signs were philosophical scribblings from one traveler to another. Often they were there for a reason. Sometimes, they reminded you how far you had come or how much further you had to go.

Sometimes, the signs told about the identity of restaurants and the food they served. It has always amazed me how one single space can carry so much information All at a single glance. One place, so many signs. Buzzing with activity and colors like the country itself.

Sometimes, the signs were also reminders of history. They were custodians of all that had passed. One that I found particularly interesting was the foundation stone at the Jakhu Temple, an ancient temple dedicated to the God Hanuman in Shimla. According to this sign, the foundation of the temple had been laid by the town’s Muslim governor in 1979. Especially in times when faith is contested and sometimes divides the country, it was interesting to consider a deeper tradition of co-existence that has always united all faiths.

At other times, the signs also whispered of a lost history. Either because it was lost in time or because governments were trying to stamp it out. This first sign at Shimla, the summer capital of British India, was one of many relics in that town that pointed to old pages in India’s colonial history. The second more recent sign at Dharamshala points to the sad and sometimes forgotten story of the abducted 11th Panchen Lama, who is Tibet’s second most important spiritual leader after the Dalai Lama. Both signs, so dissimilar, changed my perception in different ways.

But above all else, through my journey through Himachal Pradesh, the signs of Himachal Pradesh called to my spirit. They had the promise of an open, unfettered horizon. They challenged me to be the best version of myself.

Let me leave you with a parting sign from Himachal, which I captured in a cafe just outside Manali. It continues to speak to the traveler within me. Like a good sign should.

You can also read more about Himachal Pradesh in two wonderful pieces by Anna Jim Lequenne on her travels through the state:

This was initially written in response to the Globetrotters January ‘Signs’ challenge. While the challenge has since closed, I am publishing it now, just to participate. It is not a part of the challenge, though it is inspired by it. Check out some other fabulous responses.

Monica Ray, M.Ed, MS captures London, a city that will always be close to my heart, in signs.

JoAnn Ryan told me so much about Boston, a city I knew nothing about, through its signs and more.

Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages follows the signs of love around the world to tell us there is more love than hate.