Introduction

Harmony Hall at Thanedar, is not exactly what one would expect to find in a little village in the Himalaya, howsoever prosperous. It stands on top of a hill, surrounded by apple orchards. It is an unusual piece of architecture that draws from the local style of interlocking horizontal wooden beams packed with dressed stone, and is combined with elements of the ‘western’ architectural experience - high chimney-stacks and large windows. It also speaks worlds for Satyanand Stokes, the man who built it - a man who came from an entirely different background and made this house in what was then a ‘back-of-the-beyond’ in the hills. Stokes left an indelible mark on the lives of the people with whom he lived. The contiguous settlements of Thanedar and Kotgarh form the core of Himachal’s apple -growing heartland. This pocket of charming mountain countryside is also reputed to have amongst the highest per capita incomes in South-east Asia. And all this prosperity is due to Stokes, who introduced the American varieties of apple in the area and modern systems of marketing and packaging. Apples apart, soon after the repressive Rowlatt Acts were passed in 1919, Stokes became an active associate of Mahatma Gandhi and was even jailed for his role in India’s struggle for freedom.

The collection of some half a dozen large and small villages that lie below Thanedar – and named after the main hamlet – give the name to the area below, ‘the Kotgarh valley.’

The settling of Kotgarh predates Stokes and this was a tract where many fled to escape from local oppressors. Then some two centuries ago, during the ‘Gurkha Wars’ that the British first came to this area. The little wooden church of St. Mary at Kotgarh predates the apples. A school was established here in 1843 and the church built in 1872; this was run by the Moravian missionaries and the Church Missionary Society. While this may be what more recent times have given the area, apart from the forests and magnificent views that hold the deep valley and the snow-ranges, nature has also given Kotgarh a small lake, Tani Jubbar and by its side is a small temple built of wood and slate. This is the site of a local fair held at the end of May.

Special Attributes

Himachal's apple-growing heartland.

Nuisance

The site is very peaceful and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

Comfortable but conservative.

Connectivity

Taxis and buses

Enjoyed by

History, heritage, nature, horticulture and architecture lovers and general interes

Exposure

Yes

Avoidable Season

None

Facilities

Restaurants

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction.

Tip

Try and plan a trip for the day with some walking thrown in.

Type of site

Villages