“Look, a baby sheep! So cute!” said Taran. An old lady with a sheep was sitting outside the Naggar Castle in Himachal Pradesh. “Can I take a picture, please?” enquired Taran. Her smile made her crinkly face crinkle up further. “₹50,” she stated flatly.

“Oh, it’s a business!” smiled Amma.

“Later,” she gestured to Taran. “Let’s go see the castle first.”

Taran dragged his feet away reluctantly, his eyes still lingering on the white sheep.

“Naggar was the ancient capital of the Kullu dynasty,” said Appa. “Now it’s a sleepy hill station overshadowed by the more famous Manali.”

Entering the grounds, Amma gasped. “This castle is beautifully designed.”

“I believe many movies were shot here,” said Appa.

“No guesses why! A gorgeous castle with the Himalayan mountains in the backdrop.”

Strange structure

They were standing in the courtyard talking when Amma pointed to a door. “Is that a temple? What an architectural beauty. A stone wall structure, a beautiful triangular roof, perhaps designed for the snow to slip off during winters, and a carved wooden door.”

On closer inspection, they realised the door was locked. They peeked in through the jaali.

“Where is the idol?” asked Taran. “Is there no idol for this temple?”

All they could see was a stone slab with rose petals on it and a lamp. A man wearing a traditional Himachali cap explained, “This is Jagatipatt temple, a very holy place. The Gods turned into bumblebees and cut a stone slab from the Bhrigu Tunk peak and carried it to Naggar. There is no idol. “People from many villages nearby still pray here, especially during natural calamities. Life in the mountains looks beautiful but can be very harsh.”

Taran took a hundred photos from all angles. Then they said goodbye to the man and headed out of the 500-year-old castle, which was being renovated.

Sheep encounter

“Let’s find the sheep!” They didn’t have to search because the old lady and her sheep were hanging around just outside the castle.

“What’s the sheep’s name?”

“Sundari,” said the lady and handed over the lamb for a photograph. Taran posed happily with the mountains in the background. “Sundari is like a cotton cloud.” Later, he bought crocheted bumblebees to remind him of the heavenly ones inside the castle, a pahadi hat, jams made from local fruits, and a shawl for his ajji.

At a picturesque café, Taran ordered siddu, the local snack. As he munched, he saw a painting of a little boy holding a sheep. He smiled at the painting and, for a moment, felt that the boy in the painting smiled back.