High up in the calm slopes of Almora, tucked within the Bhanoli block, lies a small but soulful village Silangi Gunth (सिलांगी गूंठ). It isn’t the kind of place you find in travel guides, and maybe that’s what keeps it beautiful. Here, the world slows down. You hear your own thoughts, the rustle of trees, and sometimes, the distant call of a cowherd echoing through the hills.
Around a few dozen homes make up this quiet village, where every household feels like family. The roofs still carry the charm of पहाड़ी मिट्टी (hill soil), and the lanes are narrow, shaped by footsteps of generations.
Morning in Silangi Gunth begins before sunrise. The first sound is the crack of a चूल्हा (mud stove) being lit, followed by the whistle of the kettle. The smell of चाय (tea) drifts across the air, mixing with the cool scent of pine. You’ll see women stepping out with grass baskets on their heads, men heading to the fields, and children with schoolbags slung over one shoulder half running, half laughing.
As the mist thins, the sunlight slowly paints the terraced fields in gold. Birds hop across fences, and a gentle breeze carries the sounds of daily life calm, rhythmic, and honest.
The people of Silangi Gunth live close to the land. Farming isn’t just work here — it’s life itself. Every family tends to their small plots of land, growing मंडुवा (ragi), wheat, barley, and pulses. During harvest season, the fields come alive with chatter, songs, and laughter.
Meals are simple and hearty दाल, चावल, भात, and the occasional chutney made from wild herbs that only locals seem to know. After lunch, the village rests. Some sit on the verandas, some nap under the shade of an old बुरांश (rhododendron) tree, while others share stories about times when roads were fewer, and hearts were closer.
Festivals here aren’t grand, but they are heartfelt. When हरेला (Harela) arrives, families plant new saplings to mark hope and growth. On दीपावली (Diwali), earthen lamps flicker in every corner, their light dancing gently on stone walls. नंदा देवी मेला (Nanda Devi Fair) and ओलगिया (Olgia) bring songs, laughter, and traditions passed down for centuries.
Even small gatherings a wedding, a birth, or someone’s return from the city become reasons for joy. In Silangi Gunth, happiness isn’t about extravagance. It’s about togetherness.
The village sits amidst rolling green hills, with pine forests and terraced fields cascading down toward the valleys. During बरसात (monsoon), clouds drift low enough to touch the rooftops, wrapping the village in silver mist. Winters are cold but beautiful — smoky kitchens, wool drying on fences, and the smell of burning wood filling the air. And when summer arrives, it brings crisp mornings, warm sunlight, and nights filled with the sound of crickets.
From Ramnagar, you can catch a bus or shared jeep to Almora, and from there, another ride towards the Bhanoli block. The last stretch is a narrow mountain road rough in places but rewarding in every turn. Pine trees flank the path, and when the first glimpse of Silangi Gunth appears, you’ll feel like you’ve entered another world one untouched by noise or hurry.
Silangi Gunth doesn’t demand your attention; it earns it quietly. The people, the air, the slow rhythm of life everything here has a certain depth. You don’t just see the village; you feel it.
Sit by the edge of the field in the evening, and you’ll hear life in whispers a cowbell, laughter from a nearby house, wind through the leaves. It’s the kind of peace that modern life keeps chasing but rarely finds.
When you leave, you’ll take more than memories maybe the sound of a local tune, the smile of an old woman who offered you tea, or just the feeling that somewhere in the hills, life still moves gently, honestly, and beautifully.
Silangi Gunth (सिलांगी गूंठ) reminds you that sometimes, stillness is the most beautiful sound of all.
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