Barog is a picturesque village in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh and an important weekend getaway from Delhi. It is also among the unexplored destinations in Himachal Pradesh. Solan district was configured in 1972 and is known for its ancient pilgrimage sites and Hindu shrines. The Kalka-Shimla toy train also passes through several towns in this district.
About Barog :
Barog is a cute little place immerging as a major holiday attraction to spend a day in. It used to be an important stop in the early decades of the century when the Kalka-Shimla toy train stopped here for an hour while the sahibs and memsahibs enjoyed a lavish lunch. The station, one of the prettiest on the line with its hanging baskets of pink geraniums, was named after the engineer Barog. It is famous for its 1,143m long tunnel which is the longest among the 102 on the track. The train takes about three minutes to cross this tunnel.
History:
Situated on Shimla-Kala route,it is named after Barog, an engineer involved in building the railway track in 1903, who was responsible for designing a tunnel near the railway station. He commenced digging the tunnel from both sides of the mountain. He however made mistakes in his calculation and while constructing the tunnel, it was found that the two ends of the tunnel did not meet. Barog was fined an amount of 1 Rupee by the British government. Unable to withstand the humiliation, Barog committed suicide. He was buried near the incomplete tunnel. The area came to be known as Barog after him.
Soon, however, another tunnel was built by H.S. Harrington, Chief Engineer in Railways at that time. This tunnel, currently, is the longest of the 102 operational tunnels on the route of the Shimla-Kalka Railway. Trains take about 2.5 minutes to cross this tunnel, running at 25 kilometer per hour.
Description:
The whole area is lush with a spirited green. The luxuriant mountain offers an almost unimaginable range of colour in it s folds. On the Kalka-Shimla highway, Barog has grown from a mere stopover to a full-fledged destination. Surrounded by pine and oak forests, Barog has a commanding setting. It is famous for its 1,143m long tunnel which is the longest among the 102 on the track. The train takes about three minutes to cross this tunnel. The Choor Chandni, which poetically translates as the “mountain of the silver bangle” is clearly visible from Barog and when moonlight washes down its snow covered slopes, it seems as though thousands of icy, silver bangles are sliding down in the night. The economy of Barog is primarily dependent upon tourists, who come here due to its cool climate and close vicinity from Chandigarh. Many hotels including a Himachal tourism resort operate in Barog.
Places to visit in Barog :
Graveyard of Barog – Barog, the engineer who had committed suicide during the construction of the tunnel here was buried close to the railway line and has a well maintained garden around it.
Choor Chandni Peak – This peak has a height of 3650 meters and well accessed from the village. Adventure lovers also plan treks to the peak. It is among the prominent attractions as tourists enjoy the beauty of the surroundings from here and the nearby pine forest is ideal for jungle trailing.
Dolanji Bon Monastery – This Buddhist place of worship is around 5 km away from Borog village and lies on the Narag-Sarahan Road. It is also popularly referred to as Yungdrung Bon Monastery. Maintained by the Yungdrung Bon Monastic Centre, there are around 120 monks living here. Established in 1969, the monastery is a center of Tibetan Buddhist learning. New Year in the monastery premises is welcomed with the Bon dance performances.
Jatoli -Jatoli village is a drive of around 15km from Barog and 7 km away from Solan town. It is famous for the Vishal Shiva Temple situated here.
Karol Goofa -Regarded as one of the longest caves in the Himalayas, Karol Goofa is an historical place of visit that is around 17km drive from Barog. The cave starts from Karol and ends near Pinjore.
How to Reach Barog :
By Road : Roads to and from Barog have good connectivity to the rest of cities in Himchal Pradesh so traveling by Road is not a problem.
By Rail : Kalka-Barog-SHimla narrow gauge railway station is present at Barog itself. Next to this is the railway station at Chandigarh that is connected to all the major cities in India. Your journey to Barog would be more comfortable if you take rail route till Chandigarh and hire a taxi or take buses from there to Barog.
By Air : Nearest airport to Barog is at Shimla and Chandigarh. Regular flight facilities are available at both the airports.
Distance from Major Cities :
- From Solan – 8 km
- From Kasauli – 21 km
- From Chail – 54 km
- From Chandigarh – Around 60 km
- From Shimla – 65 km
- From Delhi – 300 Km
- Tourists also have a direct access from Kumarhatti village to Barog
Altitude: 1,560m
Places Of Interest: Choordhar Peak, Kairighat, Renukaji
Best Time To Visit: April To September