Jiling in pictures

Call it one man's dream that's given life to many others' dreams. When Steve Lal left the wonders of city life to make his nest in the foothills of the Himalayas in Kumoun' district, he adopted this life in its entirety. He married a local girl, built cottages where city-dwellers could come and find a quiet holiday and enjoy the pleasures of rural mountain living.

The trek to Jiling Estate takes about a half hour';s stiff climb from the nearest road. Drive half an hour from Bhimtal and then trek for another half hour through pine forests to reach the sylvan Jiling Estate.

There's no phone, no television but plenty of electricity, warm water and crackling fire. Most of all, there's an unbeatable view of the snow-capped mountains in the distance and the pine forest closer.

Don't miss out on the pleasant friendly chatter of Steve's wife Parvati and the pet deer Banaroo who follows her around like Mary's little lamb. Both Parvati and Banaroo are only too eager to make friends with you and share the never-ending problems of life on the estate and how climate change that world leaders debate is a reality they have been living with. When she was a little girl winters meant thick layers of snow that would not allow them to even open their doors. But today she has not had snow in her backyard for over two decades. The traditional flora of Jiling too has undergone a change.