Khanabadosh in Mashobra will awaken your senses and make you experience nature in all its glory

Have you ever visited a place which made you feel that you belong there? Where you breathed easily, your mind quietened and you encountered beauty all around. Long back, a little girl listened to stories — of valour and friendship, love and spiritualism, wealth and magic, struggles and religions — and her young mind wandered across the battlegrounds of Ancient India.

Through these stories, she experienced sitting by the mighty rivers of the East, shivering in the cold snow bound mountains of the North, dancing in the magnificent temples of the South. She travelled through those stories, like a gypsy, awestruck and in love with something new every evening. Years later, she craved to bring out that gypsy again, to travel to new lands, live in different homes, wake up to sunrises in different places and tell those stories. As a first step towards realising her dream, she moved out of the city and chose Mashobra, in Himachal Pradesh as her initial home. The endeavour was to absorb the local colours, aromas, tastes, stories and culture of Himachal and then move on in a few years, to a new environment and a different place. And this is how Khanabadosh, the travelling bed and breakfast came to be.

Khanabadosh in Mashobra is a beautiful, luxurious, modern B&B in soulful touch and local earthiness. The magical quality of mountain air coaxes you to slow down the pace of your feet, heart and soul. It will make you stop and gaze at the view, hear the musical cooing of birds or smell the flowers. Everyone — children, women, men of all ages, colour, religion and sexual orientation — is welcome here. Artists, writers, poets and people with the ability to appreciate the finer things will especially rejoice in the place.

If you are an early riser, you will see the sun come up in front, winning battles with fluffs of white and grey. Step out and you’ll also find tiny wild flowers wake up and smile at the effulgence. When you look hard enough, and you’ll see gossamer cobwebs in the grass, tiny spiders glistening like moon dust, butterflies dutifully saying hello to suede soft pansies that hold clear drops of water, like proud trophies, There are vagabond poppies lining the fringe of the garden and dew drops glistening on leaves like mini moons. There is a magical scent in the air and you will instantly recognise it as that of the earth. When you close your eyes and inhale in deep, the mélange registers as a sweet mix of apples, roses, love and grass vapour. It is a clean, heavenly, intoxicating smell. This is the little village of Purani Koti in Mashobra where Khanabadosh is located, 18 kilometres from the madding crowds that throng Shimla. It is a perfect refuge for those seeking peace and tranquility.

With four beautifully appointed rooms, it is truly a private escape. The decor is quirky yet elegant with plush beds piled high with pillows and cloud soft eiderdowns, and antique wood furniture. The Kings Room, the only one on the second floor was originally an attic and now boasts of a 200-year-old four poster bed, exquisite jamawar throws and antique brass statues.

Framed handwritten notes from the owner’s mother adorn the walls of the property and tell stories of shared laughter and conversations. Antiques collected from around the world are placed throughout which reflect the gypsy soul of the place.

Guests will delight in a fabulous assortment of luxurious amenities when they travel. At Khanabadosh, they truly push convention and try to give their patrons something unique. Guests get a choice of coloured and white towels and fluffy robes that one could get lost in. Every room has a tea and coffee caddie which offers unusual options like Green Pea Flower, Jasmine and Matcha.

Undoubtedly, the heart of Khanabadosh is its hearth. Heavenly aromas waft out of the kitchen. In fact, if there’s something that you particularly like during a meal, you can try your hand at it and learn to cook it. Sumptuous food is available all day starting with an elaborate breakfast with freshly squeezed apple juice from fruit from their own garden. Afternoon tea, pre-dinner snacks and an elaborate dinner is served lovingly by the host in the gorgeous living room.

But that is not all. There is also “The Secret,” a stash kept for those who wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Each day at Khanabadosh, they organise a snack or make some cookies and conceal them in accessible places. Its location and the fare changes with each sunset. Make sure, you find out what’s on and where because in the mountains, nightly hunger pangs aren’t uncommon.

You could just stay here, unwind, sleep, meditate, eat, read, paint, write, sketch, dream, laugh, fall in love or simply find yourself. The possibilities are endless and the choice is yours. Discover a beautiful trail, go out bird watching or hunting for mushrooms and baby fiddlehead ferns. They also have mountain bikes if that is your preferred mode of discovery. Yoga by the huge stone Buddha in the garden can help you heal your body and soul. Then there is the crackling fire late in the evening to warm your soul. You can get cosy on the couch in the library or just soak in the warm mountain sun sitting under the parasol, the choice is yours.

There is an extensive library in the house, books bought and collected from all over. Bookworms would be spoilt for choice. Fiction or history? Philosophy or travel book? So they have tried to make it easy and fun for the guests. The table at the first floor lobby has a selection of favourites, covered in brown paper, with tantalising descriptions where you can try your luck with a ‘Blind Date with a Book’. Who knows, you might end up falling in love!

Team work is imperative in the successful running of any establishment and it is no different here. Guests often find themselves being served by the owner. A shy but cheerful lady, who is the housekeeper, comes in everyday clinking her bangles to announce her arrival. This is the team that runs Khanabadosh to perfection. But the real owners, are the two oversized goldens, Gabbar Singh and Sultan. They eat fallen apples, sleep, roll around in the vast gardens and cuddle with guests. The biggest attractions of this place is that they will welcome you with vigorous tail wags and wide doggie smiles. If for nothing else, make a trip to Khanabadosh to meet these two and allow yourself to drown in an ocean full of unconditional love!