Intoxicated By Nature: Crank’s Ridge

A black meandering road, as steep at points as Shiva’s cascading hair, runs through the Kasardevi temple to the town of Almora, and on the way slows down over the Crank’s Ridge. Once popular as the Hippie Hill, the ridge is spread some picturesque 6 Kms from the town, and still holds the traces of the early 70s’ air when loaves of brown bread and bottles of peanut butter were a rarity to be found only among the visiting foreigners, in some nooks and yet some corners. The green ridge is located at an elevation of 6500 ft. on the sunny side, overlooking the beautiful Himalayas that glitter with every sunrise and blush a crimson red at sunsets.
In the 1920s and 30s the place was frequented by artists, writers and spiritual seekers, who came here to invoke their respective muses, and draw transcendental inspiration from the rustic surrounding. The first fountainhead of Indian tradition in the west, Swami Vivekananda came here way back in the 1890s and spent some time meditating in a cave near the Kasardevi temple. Notable western Tibetan Buddhists, W. Y. Evans-Wentz and Lama Angarika Govinda made Almora their home and practiced meditation at several places on the ridge. Hollywood actress Uma Thurman(then a little kid) with her Buddhist scholar father Robert Thurman spent six months with Lama Govinda as a part of his doctoral dissertation in the summer of 1971. Although there is no evidence, some locals press that the Beatles too visited the place during their stay at Rishikesh with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; while Bob Dylan’s visit is a documented fact.
What is it that so compellingly lures tourists-in-search-of-peace to the Crank’s Ridge? Geologically there is an alleged gap in the Van Allen Belt above the ridge, which apparently makes it a less strained area with a relatively eased magnetic tension. Easy and abundant availability of hemp on the slopes makes it yet attractive to the weed loving post hippie crowd that likes to spend time in quiet, solitary confinements of nature. Almost a 1000 ft. above the Almora town, the weather at the ridge is a constant pleasure in summers, and a delightful heaven for those who love winters. Practically, it has achieved such credibility through the word of mouth of the already-been tourists, and more and more tend to follow.
The most common sight for one walking on the ridge near the Kasardevi temple is that of a lonely yogi sitting sometimes at the upper temple gate; sometimes wandering in the jungle with a radio set close to his ears listening to cricket commentaries. Often foreigners− mostly Israelites now, instead of Austrians as before− pass one by with a “Namaste” and a simple grin. Ask them and they will tell you what brings them to Almora and particularly to Crank’s Ridge in their gesticulating jerky English, in expressions that are more than flattering. Nathan, a ‘weed’ as he calls himself says, “The mountains speak to me here,” bringing his half-cupped fist close to his left ear. “I used to go to Dharamsala every year, but now I like to stay here all the time,” he says patting his adopted stray dog.
Many locals have converted their homes to petty hotels where foreigners stay their visas out. Indian tourists prefer to reside in luxury resorts that have bloomed into good business in quite a little time. Fortunately, the ambience has managed to remain as serene as ever. It is still the Pine and Cedar trees that make the most noise, and not vehicles and men. It is one of those places that bolster our wounded spirits and recharge our energies. One must go there for a dose of intoxicating nature.